Jiang Hongmei

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Jiang Hongmei (蒋红梅)
Alias(es)	Educated Youth Jiang
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Chaoyang Production Brigade's Educated Youth Station; covertly affiliated with Luo Tianming's network 17 27
Occupation/Role	Educated youth; Luo Tianming's spy assigned to monitor Gu Yu and locate Gu Jun 17 27
Status	Imprisoned; sentenced to ten years alongside Zheng Lei and Huang Qimei 48 49
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

Jiang Hongmei came to Red Flag Commune alongside Gu Yu while presenting herself as his future bride. She repeatedly claimed that their parents intended them to marry, although the Gu Household had never acknowledged an engagement and had only said that their relationship depended on fate 1 8.

Her journey to the countryside was actually part of Luo Tianming's operation. She was sent to watch Gu Yu, obtain information on Gu Jun's whereabouts, and uncover the Gu family's missing wealth. Her family depended on Luo Tianming: their jobs and residence had been granted through his influence, leaving her vulnerable when her mission stalled 17 27.

After being pushed during a confrontation in the city, Jiang suffered a head injury and experienced visions of two possible futures. A failing entity calling itself the “Plot Lord” told her that she and Zhao Jianguo were the novel's fated male and female leads, and blamed Shen Jianan and Gu Yu for derailing their fortune. Although the Plot Lord immediately exhausted its remaining power and vanished, Jiang accepted its message and resolved to remove Shen and Gu 27.

Appearance

Jiang Hongmei is described as a conventionally attractive young woman who consciously uses a soft, delicate presentation to draw attention.

• Dark, bright almond-shaped eyes 2
• Initially wore two short, thick braids over her shoulders 3
• Often adopts a tearful, aggrieved expression when seeking sympathy or influence 1 6
• Returned from the city in a fitted red dress, heavy powder and rouge, and large waved, styled hair 24
• Later bore visible bite marks on her face and a scar near her brow 48

Personality

Jiang Hongmei is self-centered and highly concerned with status, comfort, and being desired. She expects Gu Yu, Zhao Jianguo, and her fellow educated youths to accommodate her, yet reacts with resentment when they refuse. Her repeated attempts to frame her actions as concern for others are undermined by her neglect of work and disregard for the burdens she places on the Educated Youth Station 1 4 5.

She frequently uses tears, helplessness, and flirtation to influence Zhao Jianguo. Her vulnerability is often calculated: after deciding to secure Zhao Jianguo, she deliberately lures him into a secluded grove and uses claims about Gu Yu's supposed need for an heir to push him toward marriage and further schemes 27.

Following her visions, Jiang becomes more openly ruthless. She extorts compensation from the man who injured her, intends to withhold any intelligence on Gu Jun from Luo Tianming, and plots to cripple Gu Yu through others while eliminating Shen Jianan as an obstacle 27.

Abilities & Skills

Manipulation and Emotional Pressure

Jiang Hongmei leverages affection, tears, and social expectations to influence others, especially Zhao Jianguo.

• Maintains a public claim of engagement to Gu Yu while encouraging Zhao Jianguo's devotion 1 2
• Uses tears after being caught with Zhao Jianguo to pressure him into accepting marriage 29
• Exploits Zhao Jianguo's desire to protect her and his fear of her father's supposed influence 27
• Attempts to recruit Huang Qimei by presenting Gu Yu as an advantageous future husband 33

Covert Investigation

As Luo Tianming's operative, Jiang was assigned to investigate the Gu family through Gu Yu.

• Monitored Gu Yu after following him to Red Flag Commune 17
• Sought information on Gu Jun, who had escaped with part of the Gu family's assets 17 27
• Failed to complete the assignment before Luo Tianming threatened to replace her and strip her parents of their positions 27
• Planned to keep any information she found from Luo Tianming for her own future advantage 27

Relationships

• Gu Yu — Publicly calls herself his fiancée despite the Gu Household never recognizing the engagement. She is secretly assigned to spy on him and later seeks to have him trapped in the countryside and crippled through others 1 8 17 27.
• Zhao Jianguo — Her admirer, lover, and later husband. Jiang uses his feelings to secure a marriage after their affair is exposed, while the two jointly devise schemes against Gu Yu 2 27 29 35.
• Shen Jianan — Principal adversary. Jiang considers him responsible for stealing the prosperity and status she believes should have belonged to her, and resolves to remove him after her visions 24 27.
• Luo Tianming — Her superior and the architect of her mission to monitor Gu Yu and locate Gu Jun. Jiang eventually intends to betray his interests rather than surrender the Gu family's secrets 17 27 49.
• Jiang Jianhua — Her father, whose position and family's security depend on Luo Tianming. He suffers a stroke after learning of Jiang Hongmei's imprisonment and the exposure of his own corruption 27 49.
• Qin Fengying — Zhao Jianguo's mother and Jiang's hostile mother-in-law. Their resentment erupts into violent fights after the Zhao family's schemes collapse 30 36.
• Huang Qimei — Initially an ally among the ostracized educated youths. Jiang attempts to use her as a substitute bride for Gu Yu in order to undermine Zhao Xiufen 24 33.
• Zheng Lei — Later accomplice in the group that vandalizes the brigade's blackboard bulletin; both receive ten-year prison sentences 48.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Entanglement with Gu Yu and Zhao Jianguo

Jiang Hongmei initially pursues Gu Yu under the guise of helping him integrate with the other educated youths, while simultaneously accepting Zhao Jianguo's attention. Her attempts to force Gu Yu into conversation and involve him in station matters irritate both him and the other educated youths, who increasingly view her behavior as disruptive 1 4 5.

Rumors surrounding her meetings with Zhao Jianguo spread through the brigade. Rather than defuse the situation, Jiang's public protests, crying, and refusal to consider others' concerns deepen her isolation 2 3 6 7.

Rejection and Isolation

Gu Yu directly denies any relationship with Jiang Hongmei, while Zhao Jianguo attempts to cut contact under pressure from his family. Jiang reacts by demanding explanations, lashing out at Wang Hongbo and the other educated youths, and becoming increasingly isolated at the station 8 9.

Her return from the city in expensive clothing and cosmetics further alienates her peers. She responds to their indifference with anger, particularly after seeing Shen Jianan gain recognition through the brigade's growing business 24 25.

The Plot Lord's Revelation

Following her head injury, Jiang learns of the supposed original plot in which she and Zhao Jianguo rise to prominence together. Convinced that Shen Jianan and Gu Yu stole that destiny, she decides to restore her future through manipulation, marriage, and the removal of both men 27.

She then deliberately rekindles Zhao Jianguo's attachment, fabricates a story that Gu Yu must produce an heir, and encourages Zhao to find another woman for Gu Yu instead of allowing Jiang to marry him 27 28.

Exposure and the Zhao Family's Downfall

Jiang Hongmei and Zhao Jianguo are caught having sex in the Reed Marsh by brigade members. Publicly humiliated, Zhao Jianguo accepts responsibility and agrees to marry her 29.

The couple and Zhao Qiancheng's family continue plotting to force Gu Yu into a marriage with Zhao Xiufen and use the resulting scandal against Shen Jianan. Jiang later recruits Huang Qimei as a potential replacement bride for Gu Yu in order to frustrate Zhao Xiufen's role in the plan 30 33.

After Zhao Qiancheng and Zhao Jianguo are arrested, Jiang joins Qin Fengying in seeking outside help to save them. Their alliance collapses when Qin Fengying blames Jiang for leading the family into disaster, resulting in a violent fight 35 36.

Imprisonment

Jiang later returns to the brigade with Zheng Lei and Huang Qimei. The group vandalizes the blackboard bulletin by smearing a portrait with red paint, prompting the brigade to repair the display overnight 48.

Their case is treated as a special case, and Jiang Hongmei is sentenced to ten years in prison. Gu Yu subsequently sends evidence of her actions to Jiang Heng, contributing to the public exposure of Jiang Jianhua and the collapse of her family's standing 48 49.

Trivia

• Jiang Hongmei's claimed engagement to Gu Yu was never recognized by the Gu Household 1 8.
• The Plot Lord identifies her as the story's “fated” female lead, but disappears immediately after delivering its warning, leaving her without any actual system support 27.
• She obtained more than 300 yuan in compensation after threatening to report the man whose shove caused her head injury 27.