Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Zhang Baoyi did not think much of Lu Mingzhu.

She was beautiful, with snow-like skin and a face like a flower, her black hair and red lips forming a vulgar kind of beauty. Her watery peach blossom eyes seemed to have hooks, exuding a seductive charm. She wore large jade earrings, a dazzling diamond watch, and a vivid jade ring, giving off the impression that she wanted to pile all her jewelry onto her body. This indicated her humble background.

It was the newly rich who flaunted their wealth so ostentatiously, whereas women from prestigious families were reserved and dignified.

When it came to marrying into a wealthy family, it was all about socially equal matches. Lu Mingzhu wouldn’t meet Mrs. Xie’s standards; at most, she could be a second wife.

Zhang Baoyi carried herself with the demeanor of a head wife, her eyes solely fixed on Xie Junyao, her cheeks slightly flushed, showing the shy, blushing maiden charm just enough to reveal her feelings while maintaining her dignity.

"Young Mr. Xie," she repeated, her gaze focused and stubborn.

Xie Junyao frowned. "I don't know you, please behave with propriety."

Before her life changed, Lu Mingzhu’s temper had been quite tolerable. After all, she had been a commoner with a mother to support, and there had been no room for willfulness. But now, her father was a tycoon, her godfather and elder brother were tycoons, her boyfriend was extremely wealthy, and she was clinging to He Yun’s golden coattails. In Hong Kong, she could act however she wanted, and her bad temper began to show.

With capital and power, who would endure humiliation silently?

Thus, Lu Mingzhu directly addressed Zhang Baoyi, "My boyfriend is here with me. Miss, don't flatter yourself and put on the airs of a first wife!"

It was all too obvious, making Zhang Baoyi look ridiculous.

Didn't she realize how absurd she appeared?

Zhang Baoyi disdained speaking to a woman who relied on her beauty to seduce wealthy men.

She stood tall, her hands folded at her abdomen, her posture elegant, and spoke only to Xie Junyao, "Young Mr. Xie, with the new semester approaching, Mrs. Xie would be displeased if she knew you brought such a woman to the solemn place that is the University of Hong Kong."

Before Xie Junyao could respond, Lu Mingzhu interjected, "Wait, what kind of woman am I?"

The male student who was guiding Lu Mingzhu and Xie Junyao glanced at the two of them, then at Zhang Baoyi, a flash of sarcasm in his eyes.

Wasn't it obvious?

The University of Hong Kong's top talent, Zhang Baoyi, was once again putting others down to elevate her own status.

She had done this more than once or twice.

Proud of her heritage from a scholarly family lineage, she looked down on newly wealthy families, acting as if only her family was a true pure stream, which was truly disgusting.

In everyone's eyes, she was the joke.

Just a fallen aristocrat, her father a mere teacher. After fleeing to Hong Kong, he could no longer teach due to his lack of English, and the family relied on an uncle who ran a construction company to make a living in Hong Kong. Yet, she put on more airs than the descendants of Emperor Qianlong, who didn’t constantly bring up their ancestral glory.

With so few students at the University of Hong Kong, spread across three grades, there were even fewer girls.

With fewer girls, everyone knew them and was well-informed about their situations.

There were virtually no secrets.

Indeed, hearing Zhang Baoyi's disdainful words about Lu Mingzhu, "A vulgar woman who relied on her beauty to climb the social ladder, she wouldn’t have had the qualifications to speak to me in the past."

"I come from a poor background? I climb the social ladder?" Lu Mingzhu turned her face, pointing at her own nose as she asked Xie Junyao.

Xie Junyao also found it bewildering.

"Don't listen to this outsider spouting nonsense. She's delusional," he said. If the Lu family were considered poor, then there were hardly any wealthy families left in the world. After all, Grandpa Lu's wealth in his youth could rival that of the oil tycoon Rockefeller.

Foreign reports all hail him as an Eastern magnate, highlighting the respect he commands.

Though the Lu family ancestors were compradors, they served only high-ranking officials and nobles. If the court hadn't been corrupt, with Lu Ye and Lu Fu's talents, they might have topped the imperial exams.

Both father and son studied abroad but never took pride in it.

Xie Junyao gently squeezed their intertwined hands, his voice soft. "Don't pay attention to irrelevant people, let's go somewhere else for a stroll."

The more you engage, the more she'll drag you in. Why give her that chance?

Xie Junyao politely said to the male guide, "Please show us the way."

"Oh, sure!" He snapped out of his daze, "The next location is our university's library. It has a vast collection of books, gathered and donated by various people during the war. Of course, some were purchased by the school itself. Mr. Xie Senior donated tens of thousands of books to our school, particularly foreign works and study materials. Young Mr. Xie should be well aware of this."

Lu Mingzhu exclaimed admiringly, "Really? Junyao!"

Xie Junyao smiled. "It's true. My elder brother thought that leaving so many books at home would only gather dust, so he sent them to the school. Maybe the next time you visit the library, the book you pick up will be one of his donations."

He ignored Zhang Baoyi and walked away without a second glance.

Left.

Left.

Leaving behind Zhang Baoyi, who hadn't received an answer and was still holding onto her self-importance.

The guy looked back and couldn't help covering his mouth.

Laughter slipped out from between his fingers.

Curious, Lu Mingzhu asked, "Who was that? She’s so weird."

"Zhang Baoyi, her name is Zhang Baoyi, a third-year student. Her family claims a lineage of imperial scholars dating back to the Qianlong era. They were top scholars, and even now, they still look down on everyone else." The guy poured out Zhang Baoyi's family background for Lu Mingzhu and also mentioned some of Zhang Baoyi's actions.

For instance, when she meets wealthy merchant girls, she labels them as nouveau riche and insists on the traditional hierarchy where merchants rank the lowest.

For another example, when she sees pretty female students dating wealthy men, she mocks them as all show and no substance, trying to change their fate with their beauty.

After two years as her classmate, he’d noticed Zhang Baoyi had her eye on Xie Junyao.

"Oh, by the way, according to Zhang Baoyi's usual views and statements, Young Mr. Xie would also fall into the category of nouveau riche." He added without hesitation.

As Xie Junyao's girlfriend, Lu Mingzhu needed to know her rival.

Lu Mingzhu burst out laughing. "Really? How interesting!"

"There’s something off with people like her," he said, pointing to his head. "I don't know how their family educates their children. They cling to the glory of past generations and stubbornly hold onto outdated views. Beautiful girls are deemed improper, rich people are nouveau riche, poor people are just down-and-out, and only their family is the most noble."

Most of the university students at that time came from good families. The guys liked to gossip about the girls behind their backs, discussing who was pretty, who was from a good family, and who was talented. If they had a crush, they'd pursue them without hesitation.

However, no one dared to pursue the aristocratic Miss Zhang Baoyi.

Why?

They didn't dare to flatter her.

After hearing this, Lu Mingzhu asked Xie Junyao, "How did you end up being noticed by someone like her?"

"I've never even met her, how would I know what's going on?" Xie Junyao felt completely innocent. "It feels like trouble fell out of the sky while I was minding my own business."

The boy said, "Isn't Mr. Xie's family in the real estate business, running Xie's Peak Real Estate Company?" Zhang Baoyi's uncle owns a construction company that contracts building projects for real estate companies. Maybe she met Mr. Xie at an event through her uncle, fell for him instantly, and then thought it was a privilege for him."

He hit the nail on the head!

His guess had unknowingly revealed the truth.

Lu Mingzhu nodded, "How outrageous. After hearing your description, I also think she has delusions."

Just because she's beautiful, people assume she's from a poor background and trying to climb the social ladder.

Xie Junyao asked the boy, "What's your name? What do you plan to do after graduation?"

His eyes lit up, and he immediately replied in a loud voice, "My name is Zheng Shize. My family runs a rice shop, but I want to work in a bank. I'm interested in that field."

Xie Junyao smiled and said, "You'll definitely make it happen."

Zheng Shize rubbed his hands happily.

Of course, he knew Xie Junyao's older brother was a shareholder and director of Wing Fung Bank, which was why he had managed to stand out among several students who had volunteered to be guides.

He wanted to get close to Xie Junyao and make a good impression.

After leaving the school and getting into the car, Lu Mingzhu turned to Xie Junyao, who was at the steering wheel, and asked, "Will Big Brother be upset about the promise you made to Zheng Shize? Is this going to cause him trouble?"

Xie Junyao shook his head, "No, Big Brother also hopes to bring talented people into the bank."

Students from the University of Hong Kong are already top-tier talent.

Lu Mingzhu understood.

After a pause, she asked again, "Do you really not know Zhang Baoyi?"

"I don't," Xie Junyao answered decisively, then thought for a moment, "But I've heard the name."

Lu Mingzhu raised an eyebrow, "Tell me more."

"Let me tell you about my family situation," Xie Junyao had always believed in being honest with his partner, explaining clearly so that Lu Mingzhu would know how to deal with his nauseating family. He detailed his experiences and mentioned the promises that Mrs. Xie had made to Madam Zhang, which he had rejected.

Lu Mingzhu wanted to call his mother crazy, but instead said, "How could your mother be like this? I never would've guessed."

It wasn't like postpartum depression but rather typical bullying of the kind-hearted and fear of the strong.

Her heart ached for Xie Junyao!

Childhood wounds take a lifetime to heal.

She would remember to give him warmth in the future.

Xie Junyao said, "After Big Brother found out, my life became much better. I haven't suffered since. My bond with my big brother is strong—he's both a father figure and a brother to me. When he finishes his current workload, I'll take you to meet him, okay?"

"Sure!" Meeting the family is just what we do next.

Xie Junyao had already met Lu Mingzhu's father.

Hearing Lu Mingzhu's straightforward response, Xie Junyao was pleased and continued, "Zhang Baoyi's uncle runs Shengfeng Construction Company. It used to do quite well, but after I talked to my big brother, he decided not to contract them for any projects, whether for Xie's Peak or Shengfeng."

Lu Mingzhu clapped in agreement, "When we get home, I'll tell my dad and big brother to add this company to the blacklist."

"Blacklist?" Xie Junyao repeated, finding the term fitting, and then asked, "Mr. Wang is in real estate, so it makes sense to inform him. But what about Uncle Lu? He’s not in real estate."

Lu Mingzhu smiled, "Since Mr. He got into real estate in Hong Kong, do you think the old man would let this opportunity slip by?"

Those without money start small before getting into real estate, but Dad already had plenty.

And then some.

Just pass the interview, and you get a whole building!

Lu Mingzhu urged Xie Junyao, "Come on, let’s head to the Hong Kong Grand Hotel and get my reward from Dad!"

Xie Junyao replied, "Okay!"

He had noticed that when his girlfriend was unhappy, she called her father "the old man," but when she was happy, she called him "Dad" or "Daddy." Right now, she seemed happy, as a building was practically waving at her.

This time, Father Lu was indeed at the hotel.

He didn’t live with any of his mistresses; he had his own presidential suite on a different floor.

Casually dressed and looking as elegant as always.

Lu Mingzhu pulled out the acceptance letter and handed it to her father. "Dad, I passed the interview. Time to keep your promise."

The third mistress, who had been flirting with Father Lu for a set of jewels, didn’t care that Lu Mingzhu was there.

However, there was an unfamiliar, handsome young man now.

Impressively handsome.

No less than Father Lu in his youth.

Trying to maintain her dignity, the third mistress subtly checked out Xie Junyao.

Seeing this, Lu Mingzhu grinned, "Third Mistress, we’ve known each other for eighteen years. Now I’m at the University of Hong Kong—shouldn’t you show some appreciation? Even if not for me, do it for Dad!"

The third concubine shot back, "What should I appreciate? Why?"

She wasn’t nearly as rich as Lu Mingzhu!

Not to mention the things Father Lu had bought for her over the years, just the inheritance from the first wife was enough to make her the wealthiest woman.

Lu Mingzhu snorted, "You all cleaned out the Lu family and left me behind. Did you all agree to keep it from me? If you’d told me, I wouldn’t have had to leave in such a sorry state, depending on others."

"What miserable state? You said you were on a luxury cruise," retorted the third concubine, then turned to Father Lu, pitifully saying, "Master, look at Eighth Miss!"

Father Lu wasn’t paying attention to Eighth Miss; he was focused on the acceptance letter.

It was entirely in English.

Genuine and not fake.

He was very satisfied and said to Lu Mingzhu, "Well done, well done. This intelligence is indeed inherited from me."

"What about the reward?" Lu Mingzhu was there for her reward.

Father Lu had no intention of reneging and said directly, "Mr. He Yun's company is developing a real estate project in Happy Valley. I bought ten buildings. Fair and square, one building for each of you seven siblings."

"What about the other 3 buildings?" The promised reward became one building per person?

Surprisingly, there was no share for Lu Pingan.

How infuriating!

However, they heard Lu Father say, "One building for Pingan, I will take your grandmother and a few concubines to live in another building, and the remaining one is your reward. You get two buildings all to yourself. Aren't you very happy?"

Lu Mingzhu exclaimed, "Dad, you are so generous."

So generous that it made her incredulous.

Come on, let her calculate the cost of 10 buildings.

Wang Bohui later mentioned this project—50,000 yuan per floor, one building with 5 floors is 250,000 yuan, and 10 buildings amount to 2.5 million yuan.

The third concubine said dissatisfiedly, "Sir, why does Eighth Miss get two buildings all to herself? And Pingan actually has a share too? What about the other girls who are married and didn't come to Hong Kong? Shouldn't they have a share?"

Four daughters were married off from the Lu family, one of whom was her birth. Of course, she had to ask for benefits for her.

Lu Father said indifferently, "A married daughter is like water spilt on the ground. Each one has a husband and children. Should they expect their parents' home to subsidize their in-laws' home endlessly? Before leaving Shanghai, I did give the four sisters some assets. Why didn’t you complain when Mingzhu didn’t get anything back then? Moreover, I promised Mingzhu a reward for getting into the University of Hong Kong, and I always keep my word."

"Exactly, Dad didn't give me a share when he divided the property before. So what if he gives me something now? It’s about time! If you have the ability, make your own child get into the University of Hong Kong!" Lu Mingzhu knew that the children born to the concubines, except for Lu Changgen who was slightly better, were all disappointing.

It was strange.

Those half-siblings completely missed out on their parents' excellent genes.

They looked decent, but only by ordinary standards. Compared to the extremely handsome Lu Father and exceptionally beautiful concubines, they fell short, and even more so when compared to Lu Mingzhu's beauty.

They could only be considered of average appearance.

Their academic performance was also just so-so, neither good nor bad, and none of them got into university.

Perhaps because they were not outstanding in various aspects, they married early, with the men marrying wives and the women marrying husbands, one after another, hoping the next generation would improve their lot.

Lu Father's authority was profound. With his words, the third concubine didn't dare to show her dissatisfaction anymore.

Fortunately, Lu Father used to dote on the children born to them the most, lavishing them with love in every way. At that time, Lu Mingzhu could only envy them. Now, getting a little more property wasn't so unbearable.

After settling the third concubine, Lu Mingzhu turned to Lu Father and sized him up.

"What are you looking at?" Lu Father always felt something was off.

Lu Mingzhu asked, "Dad, do you plan to live in Happy Valley?"

Not buying a mansion on the Peak didn't match Lu Father's character.

He was meticulous about his food, clothing, shelter, and transportation, always seeking the best and never settling for less.

Moreover, with his financial resources, he could afford a mansion on the Peak. The money spent on buying 10 buildings could easily purchase several luxury mansions.

Lu Father oh-ed and explained, "I don't like living in houses that others have lived in, so I'll stay in a hotel for now and live in the newly purchased buildings for a while after they are renovated. When I build a large house on the new land I bought, I'll move there."

Lu Mingzhu was thoroughly impressed. "Where do you plan to build the house?"

"Austin Road," Lu Father answered.

Lu Mingzhu's first reaction made her blurt out, "Are you planning to be neighbors with Mr. Ming Hui? Well, you two are indeed birds of a feather flock together."

Father Lu was about to return the admission letter to her when he heard her words, rolled it into a tube, and tapped her forehead with it. "You're being disrespectful, little one."

It was because he left her behind in Shanghai that her temper grew and her mouth became sharper.

Of course, she also became much livelier.

Lu Mingzhu snatched back her own admission letter and pretended to be pitiful. "You don't know, I've encountered some trouble at the University of Hong Kong."

"What trouble?" Father Lu sat up straight immediately.

He had a few friends working at the University of Hong Kong who could back his daughter up.

Lu Mingzhu pouted and said miserably, "I encountered a young lady from a prestigious family, very stylish. She said I was from an impoverished background and that I was 'climbing the social ladder' by being friends with Xie Junyao."

"Joking, how can the Xie family compare with my Lu family?" Before Xie Junhao took over the Xie family, they weren't even fit to carry our shoes!

Lu Mingzhu continued, "I know why she looked down on me."

"What reason?" Not only Father Lu, but even Third Concubine was very curious.

Lu Mingzhu was stunning and noble. Although she wore a simple and plain student uniform, all her accessories were extremely valuable. One would have to be blind to think she came from a poor family.

Lu Mingzhu said resolutely, "It must be because she thought my jewelry was too cheap! Dad, look, Third Concubine, look, the watch is an old item, and the ring is also an old item. The jadeite earrings I'm wearing are too small, just paired with a ring, not suitable for grand occasions, that's why she thought I was from an impoverished background, I'm so pitiful."

It was obvious what she was after.

Before Father Lu could react, Third Concubine was astonished.

Never in her wildest dreams did she expect that Lu Mingzhu would be so shameless, owning two buildings worth 500,000 wasn't enough, and now she was asking Father Lu for jewelry!

Only extraordinary jewelry could be better than what she already had.

The jadeite earrings were small, just the size of a thumbnail, encircled by a ring of tiny diamonds, delicate and crafted from leftover materials when Father Lu had Cartier make jewelry for Mother Lu. The diamond watch, however, was custom-made, and the jadeite ring was clearly an imperial Qing Dynasty item, all extremely precious.

Having been in the household for many years, Third Concubine had developed a keen eye for value.

Xie Junyao could barely hold back his laughter, finding Lu Mingzhu very adorable.

She was continually asking Father Lu for things, showing a hint of dissatisfaction, but never came across as greedy.

Her eyes were bright, her expression candid, and her demeanor was open and noble.

Xie Junyao quietly hid his hand behind his back, not letting Father Lu see the jadeite ring on his thumb.

If he were found out, what if Father Lu didn't give the jadeite ring to Lu Mingzhu?

Lu Mingzhu didn't notice his little gesture and continued to pose like Xi Shi clutching her heart. "Dad, dear dad, father, don't you think I'm very pitiful? Your precious daughter, the first-born lady of the main family, known as Shanghai's top beauty, and yet I'm being looked down upon like this."

Although Father Lu knew she was pretending, he still couldn't help but fall for it.

This youngest daughter of his had never acted spoiled with him before.

"I don't have many valuable treasures right now," Father Lu said, and as expected, he saw the look of disappointment on Eighth Miss Lu's face.

"How could that be?" Lu Mingzhu didn't believe him.

Father Lu glanced at Xie Junyao, "Because I've pledged a large portion of my valuable antiques to several banks for three years, securing 10 million USD."

Eighth Miss Lu gasped, "What?"

She instantly raised her voice.

Lu Father chuckled, "If I can't repay the money in three years, those precious antiques you have your eye on will belong to the bank."

"Why do you need to borrow so much money by mortgaging?" Lu Mingzhu didn't think Lu Father was short of cash. With his cleverness and the fact that he had planned to leave Shanghai long ago, the cash in his accounts had probably already been transferred overseas.

There are foreign banks in Shanghai.

Xie Junyao, however, said, "Uncle Lu is truly shrewd. Not only does he get money for investments, but he also gets the bank to protect his valuable treasures that he can't store safely right now."

Lu Mingzhu instantly realized, "Smart, Dad!"

Learned a trick.

Lu Father shook his head and pointed at her with his finger, "You, you still have a lot to learn!"

"Just teach Pingan everything you know. I’m fine without it." Lu Mingzhu planned to lie flat and not risk her life to strive. After all, she didn't lack money, and she could live a good life without striving, "But just because you’ve put your treasures up as collateral doesn’t mean you can leave me out of it. There's still a small portion left!"

Lu Father was almost speechless, "How can you not forget about it?"

Lu Mingzhu looked at him, "I have a good memory, I can't forget."

Lu Father thought carefully, "There's a pair of earrings and a necklace, I'll get them for you later."

Lu Mingzhu didn't expect to successfully ask for them and couldn't help but feel delighted, "Thank you, Dad, you're the best!"

The kindest dad in the world.

When she saw the diamond earrings and necklace that Lu Father brought out, Third Auntie was instantly filled with envy.

She had been begging for ages without success, but Lu Mingzhu got them with just a single request.

Lu Mingzhu was stunned.

The diamonds in the earrings and necklace were enormous!

Each earring featured a round diamond connected to a pear-shaped diamond, both impressively large—each pear-shaped diamond weighed at least 20 carats, perfectly matching the pendant's centerpiece.

The diamond on the necklace pendant was even larger and more stunning, crystal-clear and weighing at least 40 carats.

Holding them in her hands, Lu Mingzhu couldn't hide her astonishment, "Wow, Dad, they’re so impressive!"

She had never seen such large diamonds before.

Indeed, the bigger ones are more beautiful.

So beautiful.

So beautiful.

No wonder rich women always go for the biggest diamonds.

Third Auntie said sourly, "Aren't they grand? Second Aunt wanted them, Fourth Aunt wanted them, and so did I. We pleaded with Old Master for a long time, but we didn't get them. Instead, he gave them to you, who just arrived."

Lu Mingzhu quickly asked Xie Junyao to help her replace the jade earrings with diamond earrings, and then put on the necklace.

As she moved, the light glittered.

She was already beautiful, but now she looked even more regal—truly a symbol of wealth and luxury.

Father Lu looked up and saw the jadeite thumb ring on Xie Junyao's hand. He squinted at it for a few seconds, confirming it was the old man's prized possession. He immediately roared, "Unfilial daughter, didn't you say this ring had disappeared? What's on Xiao Xie's hand?"

"He's not wearing anything; he only has air on his hand." Lu Mingzhu grabbed Xie Junyao and ran outside.

Not staying to face the old man's anger.

After running out of the hotel, they stopped outside, catching their breath, and laughed together.

"This trip was worth it," Lu Mingzhu said happily, casually placing the jadeite thumb ring Xie Junyao handed her into her handbag, along with the flat jewelry box that had held the diamond earrings and necklace.

In the bright sunlight, the diamonds sparkled so much they were almost blinding.

Lu Mingzhu touched the pendant of the necklace. "A good horse should have a good saddle. Can we go to the department store to find a nice dress that shows off my neck?"

As soon as they arrived at Wan Gu Department Store, Lu Mingzhu immediately set her eyes on Chanel's little black dress and bought it, changing into it at the store.

Coming out of the fitting room, the shop assistant was astonished.

So beautiful!

The black dress was sleeveless and showed off her neck, hugging her figure perfectly. Her bare arms were smooth and pale like snow, her figure beautifully curved. With the dazzling diamonds, she radiated an aura of unparalleled beauty.

Xie Junyao was completely infatuated.

"Mingzhu, you are truly beautiful," he said after a moment of stunned silence.

Lu Mingzhu looked at herself in the mirror, extremely satisfied with the outfit. "This is the one."

Big brands really do live up to their reputation.

One must admit this.

Xie Junyao didn't rush to check out but asked, "Do you want to check out some other items too? Shoes, bags, perfume, makeup—they all look great here."

He had specially researched these; they were all girls' favorites.

Lu Mingzhu nodded. "Just a pair of little black shoes will do. I already have the rest. Sister Xuan gave me a whole bunch, and I later shared some with my stepmother and sister-in-law, but I still have a lot left unused."

Xie Junyao picked a pair of delicate little shoes according to her size and crouched down to change them for her.

Her feet were equally beautiful.

Well-proportioned, neither too big nor too small, beautiful like a piece of white jade carving, with toenails like pink flower petals, very glossy.

Lu Mingzhu wasn't sitting while changing shoes; she stood on one foot, holding onto Xie Junyao's shoulder with one hand, changing the shoe on this foot first, then the other.

"Are you done?" she asked Xie Junyao.

"Done." Xie Junyao reluctantly put the shoes on her feet.

The young shop assistant praised beside them, "Miss, you are so lucky. Your boyfriend is considerate and gentle, and very generous. He picked the most expensive pair of shoes in our store, soft and comfortable without rubbing the feet, all handmade, limited sales worldwide."

Lu Mingzhu smiled. "I do feel very lucky."

At that moment, someone entered from outside.

Two young women.

One of them said to the girl walking ahead, "Those shoes are gorgeous; only someone like you could pull them off."

Lu Mingzhu found the voice familiar and looked over in the direction of the sound, then smiled with delight.

"Hey, Seventh Sister!" The girl walking ahead was none other than the seventh young miss of the Lu family, Lu Feifei, born to the fourth concubine. Compared to Wang Xiuyi, she looked especially delicate and beautiful.

She couldn't compare to Lu Mingzhu, but it was different when compared to Wang Xiuyi.

She used to think that during their school days, the reason Lu Feifei and Wang Xiuyi were close might be because she needed Wang Xiuyi's contrast.

Lu Mingzhu thought the same now.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have immediately hung out together after arriving in Hong Kong.

Lu Feifei had already heard from Wang Xiuyi about Lu Mingzhu's arrival in Hong Kong and had subtly informed her mother and elder brother. At this moment, seeing Lu Mingzhu, she wasn't surprised, only that she hadn't expected her to become increasingly beautiful.

Like a pearl polished to shine, she radiated brilliance that lit up the room.

Lu Feifei had always been envious of Mingzhu's beauty, and now she was even more jealous.

"Have you been to the Hong Kong Grand Hotel where we are staying?" She immediately recognized the diamond necklace and matching diamond earrings around Lu Mingzhu's neck. "Did Dad give those to you? Did you visit him?"

In fact, not only did the several concubines want this set of diamond jewelry, but she also wanted it.

Wearing such big diamonds would definitely turn heads and make everyone jealous.

Lu Feifei also wanted to be the center of attention in a crowd.

No matter how much praise she got, deep down, she knew she couldn’t hold a candle to Lu Mingzhu, whether in appearance or talent. Lu Mingzhu was the most outstanding one.

The Pearl of the Orient was not just an empty compliment.

The gap was too great, and jealousy often turned into helplessness, just like how Lu Feifei felt now.

Seeing through some of this, Lu Mingzhu put on a pitiful expression. "Seventh Sister, I had to find Dad. You see, I encountered a young lady from a prestigious family at school, and she looked down on me for being poor! I'm not like you all who have always been by Dad's side; I can only occasionally find a moment to confide in him. He felt sorry for me, so Dad gave me this diamond set."

Hearing this, Lu Feifei was surprised. "What young lady from a prestigious family? Even if you wore ragged clothes, you wouldn't look like a beggar, okay!"

"I’ll take that as a compliment, Seventh Sister. Thanks!"

Among all the concubines in the Lu family, Third Concubine was the most endearing, straightforward and without malicious intent, but among the half-siblings, the children of the Fourth Concubine were the most lovable. For example, the sensible and tactful seventh brother, Lu Changgen, the seventh sister, Lu Feifei, and a chubby little brother, Lu Changzhi, who was Lu Mingzhu's ninth younger brother.

Though the Fourth Concubine was manipulative, her kids were nothing like her—they were actually pretty decent.

Lu Feifei felt a little uneasy. "I don't want to talk to you anymore, I'm here to buy shoes."

"You’re not after the shoes I’m wearing, are you?" Lu Mingzhu lifted her foot to show her. "I remember we have the same shoe size."

Lu Feifei turned to Wang Xiuyi. "Which shoes were you talking about?"

"It's those shoes." Wang Xiuyi said in a low voice, not daring to look up at Lu Mingzhu and Lu Feifei. Both of them had He Yun and Lu Father as their backers, and neither could be offended.

The last time she had spoken out of turn, she had been scolded by her mother when she returned home for offending someone she shouldn't have.

The shop assistant hurried over and said, "Our department store has other styles of shoes, Miss can take a look."

She spoke in English, but Lu Feifei didn’t catch much of it.

She's a complete academic failure, the worst in terms of grades in the entire family. Her foreign language studies are passable, but her Mandarin grades are mediocre.

Seeing Lu Feifei's confused look, Lu Mingzhu casually told her in Shanghainese, then sighed, "Sis, ask Dad to get you a translator."

Lu Feifei blushed. "Don't bother with me!"

"Okay, you two continue shopping, we're leaving now!" Lu Mingzhu didn’t pay any mind to her attitude right now and had no intention of introducing Xie Junyao to her.

Lu Feifei, however, took a glance and was utterly amazed.

He was the best-looking guy she'd ever seen, hands down.

Lu’s father was old after all, and couldn't compare.

"Lucky break!" she muttered after Lu Mingzhu and Xie Junyao left, then turned to Wang Xiuyi and ordered her around, "You've lived in Hong Kong for years, haven't you? You talk to the shop assistant about what I want to buy."

Wang Xiuyi agreed.

While they were picking out their favorite Western goods, Lu Mingzhu and Xie Junyao were enjoying a meal in a Western restaurant.

Since she got two buildings and a set of diamond jewelry today, Lu Mingzhu was in high spirits and ordered all the best dishes. "I don't know which industry Dad invested so much money in."

Xie Junyao smiled. "Whatever the field, it’s where Uncle Lu can really shine."

His elder brother admired Lu’s father the most.

He said that although Lu’s father enjoyed luxury, he was shrewd, cunning, deep, and calculating, with the ability to anticipate his opponent's moves. This time, leaving Shanghai for Hong Kong, he must have been pessimistic about the domestic market.

Some folks tried to convince his brother to come back and help with the construction, but his brother had completely lost interest now.

He had donated quite a bit of money and goods, treating it as building a good relationship.

Lu Mingzhu didn’t care where her dad invested, as long as he gave her money to spend. She would need to maintain the relationship and take advantage of it more in the future, each time enough for half a lifetime of her own efforts.

A lifetime of work wouldn’t get you two buildings and a big set of diamonds.

However, the Liang Zhu script had to be completed.

Lu Mingzhu had nearly finished writing it; all that was left was polishing and copying. In the evening, after watching a movie with Xie Junyao and returning home, after Xie Junyao left, she grabbed Lu Ping’an to be free labor.

His handwriting was better than hers.

Lu Ping’an also muttered, "Auntie, why has your handwriting deteriorated?"

Lu Mingzhu remained calm. "My hand’s hurting, so my writing’s shaky."

"Oh." Lu Ping’an couldn’t imagine that there was such a thing as time travel, so he didn’t suspect anything, and spread out the manuscript paper, ready to copy, while multitasking, "Auntie, I’ll tell you something, don't be angry."

"It depends on what it is." Lu Mingzhu said.

If it was something that wronged her, she would definitely be angry, not just angry, but also seek revenge.

That’s how petty she was.

Lu Ping’an looked up at her and said softly, "I saw Grandpa this afternoon, my eldest uncle took me, and he set up some family property for me, under my name."

Lu Mingzhu thought he was talking about one of the ten buildings in Happy Valley and smiled. "I know, the old man told me, I have a share too. Ping’an, if he gives it to you, just accept it, it's what you deserve, don't be polite, and I won't be angry. You're true to your name, too cautious, it's unnecessary."

In families with old-fashioned views, daughters didn’t get any of the family property, most of which were inherited by the eldest son and grandson.

Things are already much better now.

Old man Li has really treated her well.

Hearing this, Lu Pingan beamed widely. "You are truly wonderful, Aunt!"

"That's right!" Lu Mingzhu lifted her chin, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "I'm the best in the world, so when you grow up and start earning, don’t forget to take care of me!"

"Okay!"

It took Lu Pingan two nights to finish transcribing.

Lu Mingzhu organized everything and mailed it to Ruyi Film Company, without personally delivering it despite the close distance.

Being a writer, one must maintain an air of mystery.

She had given herself a pen name, "Da Feng," inspired by the phrase "Great winds rise, clouds soar."

Quite masculine.

Before she knew it, August had slipped into September.

September 1st—rent collection day.

Lu Mingzhu called her father and asked him to send two bodyguards to accompany her for rent collection. She wanted the tenants to recognize their gorgeous new landlord.

Although Lu’s father lived at the hotel, he had everything he needed—bodyguards and a car.

Her father had just bought her a brand-new Mercedes-Benz and sent the driver to pick her up.

Though not dressed extravagantly, Lu Mingzhu exuded an air of authority.

She entered one of the tenement buildings and started collecting rent from the first floor. Two shop owners were doing well—one ran a small restaurant, and the other owned a traditional Chinese medicine shop specializing in trauma treatment. They dutifully paid their rent and utility bills.

The utility bills were split evenly among the tenants upstairs, while the shops downstairs paid extra, as Mr. Li had explained to Lu Mingzhu.

During the tour, he introduced her to some tenants and informed them about the change in landlords. However, not all the tenants were home at the time, so Lu Mingzhu only met a few of them.

On the second floor, she knocked on the door, and Lu Mingzhu smiled.

Guess who the tenant turned out to be?

It was Zhang Baoyi, the heiress from the prestigious family who had declared at the University of Hong Kong that Lu Mingzhu came from an impoverished background!

She stared at Lu Mingzhu, losing her composure.