Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Dipping roast goose legs in plum sauce, it started to rain outside.

A fierce and sudden storm.

It came unexpectedly.

The plan to go shopping was thus aborted.

"What perfect timing by the heavens!" Lu Father's eyes, just like Lu Mingzhu's, instantly crinkled into a smile, revealing the corners of his eyes that, though shallow compared to those of his peers, exuded a unique charm.

Lu Mingzhu was dumbfounded and stomped her foot, saying, "The heavens really aren't on my side!"

I’m a transmigrant; shouldn’t I be the Heavenly Father’s favorite?

Why doesn’t he protect me?

Xie Junyao comforted her, "If we can't go today, we'll go another day. I have plenty of time to accompany you."

"I guess that's the only option," Lu Mingzhu said regretfully.

She didn’t like shopping in the rain, so she wasn’t as disappointed as everyone imagined.

She wasn’t really in need of any gifts.

She only did this to make Lu Father think he had won.

As a wealthy patriarch, even a small allowance from him would be plenty for her!

Lu Father's mood indeed improved.

He didn’t want to give Lu Mingzhu and Xie Junyao a chance to be alone, so he said, "I remember someone saying she wanted to collect colored diamonds. Coincidentally, I met a Jewish diamond merchant who often stays at the hotel."

Lu Mingzhu's face lit up with joy. "He has them?"

Lu Father looked at her but remained silent.

Lu Mingzhu instantly understood and immediately served him tea and water, being extremely attentive, like a loyal servant before the Empress Dowager. "Please, Master Lu, share the specific information."

Lu Father took a sip of tea and said, "He doesn't have them."

Lu Mingzhu was speechless. "Did you just set me up for disappointment on purpose?"

Lu Father changed the subject, "But I did ask him to sell some of my diamonds and collect some less popular colored ones."

Lu Mingzhu's face broke into a bright smile, exclaiming, "Dad, you’re a genius!"

"If I hadn’t asked for his help, would that make me any less brilliant?" Lu Father wasn't fooled by her flattery.

Lu Mingzhu laughed, "Who says that? You’ve always been brilliant in my book!"

Lu Father wasn't convinced.

Xie Junyao listened thoughtfully and asked Lu Mingzhu, "You like colored diamonds?"

Lu Mingzhu didn’t hide her preference and answered naturally, "I prefer colored gemstones and diamonds over clear ones. Don’t you think colored diamonds are stunning? They’re like rainbows—full of vibrant colors and sparkling beauty."

These were things I could never afford before I came here!

With her financial resources, she could at most afford two or three tiny, bean-sized white diamonds for earrings, rings, or a clavicle chain.

Even with rubies and sapphires, she could only afford small ones from Mozambique or Sri Lanka.

Pigeon's blood rubies from Myanmar?

She had heard of them, seen them, but never bought or owned any.

Lu Mingzhu also had a fondness for jadeite in various colors, but at present, green jadeite was considered the most valuable, while other colors were seldom found. They were also a top investment choice, but she was afraid she wouldn't live to see the era when their prices would skyrocket.

Xie Junyao nodded and said, "A very nice hobby, just like your life, full of colors."

"With only a few decades to live, if you have the means, of course, you should live happily!" Lu Mingzhu chose to run away because she didn't want to suffer. She had the capital to live a good life; only a fool would choose to eat bitterness.

Xie Junyao especially liked the quality of happiness and openness in her.

The family she lives with must be filled with warmth and happiness.

Was it given by the Lu family?

Not quite.

Though Mr. Lu wasn’t as crude as Xie Chenggong, he still had multiple wives and many children, making it impossible for them to be truly close.

Just as he was lost in thought, he suddenly heard Lu's father educating his daughter: "Knowledge is far more important than jewelry and wealth. Knowledge can create wealth. With knowledge, you have a skill. Conversely, having wealth without knowledge may not guarantee keeping it. Mingzhu, stop talking about jewels and jade all the time. You already have plenty of them. Focus your mind on your studies and prepare well for the interview at the University of Hong Kong."

Lu Mingzhu pouted and replied honestly, "But I do feel like I’m missing out on them! And I love them."

Hadn't some psychologist said?

The more a person lacks something, the more they like to show it off.

She was such a person.

A nouveau riche, utterly vulgar.

Always chasing after things she had never owned, never feeling satisfied.

Lu's father was speechless.

Soon, he thought of a phrase: "Where there's a big reward, there are brave takers."

So, he said to Lu Mingzhu, "If you smoothly pass the interview and enter the University of Hong Kong, and are praised by the interviewers for your excellence, I have a reward for you."

As expected, he saw the determined look on Lu Mingzhu’s face.

"What reward?" she asked.

Seeing that her father didn't want to say, she added, "You have to tell me to give me more motivation!"

"A building," Lu's father answered.

"Deal!" Afraid her father might change his mind, Lu Mingzhu quickly slapped hands with him to seal the deal, moving faster than lightning.

A building could be worth at least 100,000, or as much as 200,000 or 300,000.

This would be free, without costing her a single penny.

She cradled her face in her hands, feeling bubbly inside. "I feel like I'm getting richer and richer."

"So don’t play the 'poor me' card in front of me; I won’t buy it," Lu Father said, well aware of his youngest daughter's substantial wealth. He then sighed, "It's a pity we can't find the dowry your grandfather prepared for you."

Lu Mingzhu let out an inquisitive sound, "The dowry my grandfather gave me?"

Lu Father nodded, "I only remember there were several gems of excellent quality, some jade items, and a few scrolls of calligraphy and paintings."

The old man had a rich private collection and had originally prepared a large dowry for Lu Mingzhu, not quite the extravagant eight-mile dowry procession but close. However, Lu Changsheng and his group were nearly broke, and at that time, the country was in turmoil, with rivers and mountains in ruins. In a fit of determination, Grandpa sold off her dowry and lots of other treasures to wealthy merchants and warlords, exchanging them for gold, silver, and various supplies to provide support.

Still, he was concerned about his only legitimate granddaughter, and since Lu Mingzhu was brilliant and clever, he left behind some gold, jewelry, and antiques. But he passed away suddenly without revealing the storage location.

Lu Mingzhu could roughly guess what had happened.

Dad didn't bring it up because he was worried about Lu Changsheng.

She rolled her eyes, "Dad, did Grandfather really prepare a dowry for me?"

Lu Father said, "If we can't find it, there's no point in worrying."

Lu Mingzhu beamed with joy.

So the treasure she had dug up was actually her dowry!

She suddenly felt justified and righteous.

Seeing the radiant smile on her face, Lu Father suddenly realized and blurted out, "Do you know where it is? Or did you already find it?"

Without hesitation, Lu Mingzhu said, "I don't know, I haven't found it."

Sure, whatever!

Lu Father was certain.

"Your fortune is indeed good; it must be the old man guiding you. I've looked several times but couldn't find it." Lu Father had his eye on the jadeite ring from the old man's collection, one that was used by Qianlong.

He didn't know that the buried gold, silver, and antiques he had hidden separately had all been dug up by his daughter.

The Lu Family Garden was built with his money, and the gold and silver were buried by him.

Over time, there were inevitable traces of age.

A clever rabbit has three burrows; even if he left, he wouldn't put all his eggs in one basket.

In fact, he buried them deep and hidden, even consulting a feng shui master to choose the location. An average person wouldn't be able to find the treasure even by digging three feet deep, but Lu Mingzhu had a metal detector.

Lu Mingzhu, unaware of the past, propped her cheek and smiled, "If you have any favorite items, I don't mind selling you a couple!"

Lu Father scowled, "Sell to me? Isn't it a gift?"

"Even between father and daughter, we keep things clear. I'm not as wealthy as you, so I need to count every penny. It's not poverty that ruins you, but lack of planning," Lu Mingzhu replied, unwilling to give anything away for free.

Lu Father didn't bother arguing and directly stated his request, "I want that jadeite ring."

Lu Mingzhu shook her head decisively, "It's not available!"

She had already decided to give it to Xie Junyao, so there was no way she would sell it!

I can't tell this to my own father.

Mr. Lu didn't believe her. "If you got the things Grandfather left for you, why didn't you see the jadeite ring he always wore? You're a girl, you don't need it. Why not sell it to me?"

"Really, there isn't any. It was probably given away by Grandfather." Lu Mingzhu didn't need it, but Xie Junyao could wear it!

When his request wasn't granted, Mr. Lu stormed off in anger.

Everyone had almost eaten their fill.

The rain hadn't let up, but the small shop offered umbrellas to some customers.

The bodyguards grabbed umbrellas and went to fetch the car. Mr. Lu left by car, ignoring his unfilial daughter and her friend.

"That old man! He promised to treat us to a meal but left without paying the bill!" Lu Mingzhu fumed. "Isn't it just because I didn't sell him Grandfather's jadeite ring?"

Xie Junyao covered the bill and smiled as he asked, "Since you have it, why not sell it to Uncle Lu?"

"Because I'm going to give it to you!" Lu Mingzhu replied.

Xie Junyao was startled, then laughed.

He laughed especially happily.

"Is this the gift you said you'd give me this morning?" he asked.

Lu Mingzhu nodded.

"Let's go get it right now," Xie Junyao said, worried that any delay might cause issues. He immediately borrowed an umbrella from the shop, returned it after driving back, and sent Lu Mingzhu to the Wang family's residence.

Wang Bohui, Pingan, and Mrs. Wang had left early in the morning. The father and son went to the company, while the mother and daughter-in-law attended a charity event.

When Xie Junyao picked up Lu Mingzhu, they weren't home.

They were probably delayed by the heavy rain. When Xie Junyao dropped Lu Mingzhu off at her home, they still hadn't returned.

Lu Mingzhu asked Xie Junyao to wait downstairs. She went upstairs and soon returned with a jadeite ring, placing it on Xie Junyao's thumb with her own hands. "Do you like it?"

Xie Junyao smiled with his eyes. "I like it."

It complemented the ring he had given Lu Mingzhu perfectly.

It was crafted from red gold with jadeite inlays; the vibrant emerald green was uniform throughout. Although the jadeite wasn't plain, the exquisite carvings reflected the Qianlong Emperor's preferences, with the inner wall of the red gold engraved with the words "Imperially made by Qianlong."

He adored vibrant and intricate designs, going beyond stamping seals on paintings and calligraphy by inscribing poems and carving patterns on jade.

Lu Mingzhu was very satisfied. "It's good that you like it."

Love is mutual, and during their time as a couple, one side shouldn't be the only one giving.

She had played her part perfectly.

Good job!

Xie Junyao didn't know what was on her mind, turning the jadeite ring in his hand, liking it more and more, the smile on his lips growing wider. "I should head back. When will you be free next?"

"I won't be free next," Lu Mingzhu said.

Xie Junyao quickly realized, "Are you preparing to write a script or getting ready for an audition?"

Lu Mingzhu replied, "Both."

Kids make choices, but she wanted it all.

Counting on her fingers, she calculated the time and said, "The interview will definitely be right before the semester starts. I need to study hard. When I'm tired, I'll write scripts. I really don't have time to go out."

Seizing the opportunity, Xie Junyao said, "I'll keep you company! I'll study with you."

"That won't work," Lu Mingzhu declined politely.

"Why?" Xie Junyao felt a pang of hurt, which immediately showed on his face.

Lu Mingzhu smiled and said, "You're too distracting! It'll slow me down!"

Xie Junyao had no choice but to restrain himself and try not to disturb her.

Thanks to the building her father gave her, Lu Mingzhu indeed focused and retrieved the original body's textbooks, reviewing the lessons seriously, integrating what she knew with what the original body had learned. When tired, she would admire the flowers sent by Xie Junyao, inhaling their fragrance, feeling refreshed.

Though he couldn't be there in person, the flowers always arrived.

A bouquet every day, never the same, with a strong presence.

He really knew how to romance someone.

Lu Mingzhu didn't find the study time difficult at all. It seemed like in the blink of an eye, it was time for the interview.

Wang Bohui had contacted the school. On that day, he needed to attend a foundation-laying ceremony for a real estate project of Shengfeng Real Estate Company, so when he learned that no one would accompany Lu Mingzhu for the interview, Xie Junyao immediately excused himself, letting his elder brother take his place at the ceremony. He then drove to the Wangs' to pick up Lu Mingzhu and accompany her to the University of Hong Kong.

It was very close to the Wangs', making trips back and forth easy, but Lu Mingzhu was destined to live at the Peak.

Xie Junyao's elder brother, Xie Junhao, had donated money and materials to the University of Hong Kong and occasionally let Xie Junyao attend some events on his behalf. Therefore, the interviewers knew Xie Junyao.

They knew him, but there was no favoritism in the interview.

Answering in English was a breeze for her, and her knowledge, though not as extensive as her future self's, was mostly what the original body had learned in Shanghai and had not forgotten.

The interview went smoothly, and the result was great.

She was stunning and sharp.

Wang Bohui had told them that Lu Mingzhu was proficient in four languages, with English being one.

They couldn't pass up on such talent.

The school arranged an early arrival student to show Xie Junyao and Lu Mingzhu around, helping Lu Mingzhu get familiar with the classrooms, cafeteria, and dorms.

However, Lu Mingzhu lived nearby and wouldn't be staying on campus.

They were chatting happily when a surprised voice said, "Young Mr. Xie, are you here to see me?"

Lu Mingzhu's mood instantly soured.

Turning toward the voice, she saw an average-looking female student, as delicate as Wang Xiuyi. What set her apart from Wang Xiuyi was her height, poised posture, and a calm, graceful demeanor, reminiscent of a lady from a noble family.

The clothes are exquisite, and the accessories are all made from Hetian white jade.

There aren't many items, but each one is valuable.

"Junyao, do you know her?" Lu Mingzhu asked bluntly.

Xie Junyao shook his head and said, "I don't know her."

He took her hand, intertwining their fingers, and reassured her, "Mingzhu, I really don't know her, so please don't be upset."

But he guessed that she might be Zhang Baoyi, whom Madam Xie had mentioned before.

As it turned out, Madam Xie, contrary to Xie Junyao's wishes, did not tell Madam Zhang about his refusal. Instead, when contacting Madam Zhang, she said that Xie Junyao was temporarily unavailable to meet.

Madam Zhang and the entire Zhang family were led to believe that Xie Junyao wanted to meet but simply couldn't find the time.

This included Zhang Baoyi, who had long harbored feelings for Xie Junyao.

She had the poise of a well-bred young lady and the pride of a college-educated woman. Though her looks were unremarkable, her noble upbringing endowed her with an exceptional air, and she believed herself to be a perfect match for Xie Junyao.

Compared to the Xie family, the Zhangs had a richer lineage. Their ancestors were Hanlin scholars!

By contrast, the Xie family had only risen to prominence over three generations.

Their wealth was just a recent windfall.