Chapter 035

Chapter 035

When Lu Mingzhu returned to the Wang family residence that evening, she had temporarily left her bodyguards behind, planning to use them after moving into her new home.

With four mouths to feed, it wouldn't be appropriate to continue dining at the Wang family's place.

After saying goodnight to Madam Wang, Mr. Wang, and his wife, Lu Mingzhu headed upstairs with the leather case full of jewelry. She found Lu Pingan, who lived in the room next to hers, and informed him of Lu Father's decision while he was reading.

She only mentioned that Lu Father now realized the value of his eldest son and grandson and planned to take him under his wing for his upbringing, without bringing up Lu Zhuri or Lu Aiguo.

Out of respect for Pingan, she thought it best to give him a heads-up.

She had assumed that Lu Pingan wouldn't want to go, but to her surprise, he nodded immediately without hesitation, saying he was willing to go to Lu Father's side, "It would be hard on you, Aunt, if you had to raise me. I'll go with Grandfather."

Grandfather was wealthy and could easily afford to support him.

Lu Mingzhu often asked her father for money, and Pingan had observed everything, knowing that after buying a building, she didn’t have much cash left, probably only half of $10,000.

His aunt had been genuinely good to him; she didn't keep the $10,000 that Grandfather gave her all to herself but split it with him, giving him financial freedom.

Lu Mingzhu looked at him in surprise, "So quick? Unbelievable."

She thought she would need to spend some effort persuading him.

Lu Pingan smiled shyly, "Since you brought it up, it means you and Grandfather have already discussed it and believe it's the best arrangement for me. I'm not ungrateful, so of course, I won't refuse."

He wasn't a three-year-old child who needed everything spelled out for him.

There were many advantages to living with Lu Father.

Lu Mingzhu said with satisfaction, "You saying this shows you understand the situation well. I don't want to hold you back since I can't offer you much in terms of education. Look, in the less than a month we've been in Hong Kong, you've spent far more time learning from Brother Bohui than with me. It shows that we don't have to be glued together all the time. As for the old man, he's shrewd, decisive, and very rich. You can learn skills from him while... ahem, building a relationship with him and making up for the past fifteen years."

Lu Pingan corrected her, "You should say that I'm learning skills from Grandfather while fulfilling my filial duties to my late father. Just talking about building a relationship might make it seem like I'm after Grandfather's property. But, Aunt, you can use the opportunity of visiting me to ask Father for living expenses. He's old and soft-hearted, so he probably won't refuse."

Lu Mingzhu was stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter.

Her bright eyes and beautiful smile made her look especially lovely under the light.

Lu Pingan felt a stir in his heart and asked, "Aunt, are you really not planning to live with Grandfather?"

Lu Mingzhu nodded, "I have my own big house, why would I live with him? Living alone is quieter. Grandfather is coming to pick you up tomorrow, and I'll soon be moving into my own place. If you're unhappy at his side, come to me. I'll always be your safety net."

Lu Pingan blinked, "Moving directly? Aunt, don't you need to pack?"

A house that someone else had lived in definitely wouldn't be clean. Even if the furniture wasn’t replaced, it still needed a thorough cleaning.

Lu Mingzhu smiled, "Someone has already cleaned it for me. The new furniture and settings are all in place, and even the daily necessities are prepared. All I need to do is unpack."

Lu Pingan showed an understanding look.

Lu Mingzhu, being extraordinarily beautiful, had never lacked people fawning over her since she was young.

Lu Mingzhu looked at the time on her wrist and stood up from the chair beside her, "Alright, I won't disturb your reading. You pack your things. Grandfather’s people will be here tomorrow, and we'll leave without delay."

Lu Pingan nodded and saw her off.

Back in her room, Lu Mingzhu showered and changed. Then, she opened the No. 7 jewelry case, took out each piece one by one to examine and count, lining them up neatly on the bed.

There were all sorts of precious jewels and jade.

Sparkling and shiny, beautiful and expensive.

Not all of them are collector's items, but they are undoubtedly high-end jewelry.

The gemstones are exceptionally large, the craftsmanship is exquisite, and the designs are breathtaking.

The jewelry that she had painfully given up on during the last selection was all now in her possession.

Lu Mingzhu was over the moon!

After several interactions, she had pretty much figured out Lu Father's personality. He preferred soft approaches over hard ones when it came to children he liked, and he valued legitimate children far more than illegitimate ones, even more than the concubines.

The fact that the diamonds Third Auntie wanted ended up in her hands was proof of that.

Large and small, this jewelry box contained 324 pieces in total, with earrings counted as a pair being one item, and bracelets counted as two if they were a pair, not the way Lu Mingzhu had tried to take advantage by telling Lu Father that a set counted as one piece.

What a generous compensation this was!

Lu Mingzhu happily packed the jewelry back into the box, and then stored the entire box into her spatial storage. Before that, she had to take out a suitcase filled with other items to use as a placeholder in reality.

She had to fool everyone except herself.

It seemed she really needed to rent two bank vaults for the jewelry; she couldn't depend too heavily on her small storage space.

Even with the bodyguards given by Lu Father, she couldn't completely trust putting all the jewelry at home. After all, even super-rich families had experienced thefts at home, and she wasn't even a super-rich person yet.

With this plan in mind, the next day at breakfast, Lu Mingzhu consulted Wang Bohui about the bank vault services.

Having been in business for many years and living in Hong Kong for quite some time, he should be familiar with the situation.

Sure enough, Wang Bohui answered upon hearing her question: "Whether it's foreign or Chinese-funded, as long as it's a well-capitalized large bank, the security is highly reliable. They need to earn their clients' trust, and so far, there's been no news of bank vault thefts. However, I suggest you store them separately to spread the risk. That being said, our home is very safe, with twenty to thirty people patrolling inside and out, front and back. You're living here comfortably; why did you suddenly ask about safety deposit boxes?"

Lu Mingzhu then explained that she was preparing to move out, and Lu Father was going to take Lu Pingan to live with him for his upbringing.

Both Mrs. Wang and Liao Wanru were startled and asked the same question as Lu Pingan.

How could you live in a place that hadn't been cleaned?

Lu Mingzhu explained a few words: "Mr. He is truly a good person. I only saved him once, and he's willing to help with anything. He sent people to spend one or two days cleaning the villa. William had left Hong Kong in advance, and Xie Junyao and I personally inspected it yesterday. It's ready to move into at any time. I'll choose a lucky day and invite everyone to a housewarming party."

Mrs. Wang volunteered: "I have a calendar at home. I'll get someone to pick a good date for you."

"Thank you, godmother," Lu Mingzhu didn't decline her kindness and thoughtfully reminded, "We should pick a Sunday when everyone’s free and not worry about school days."

Mrs. Wang nodded, "We also need to write and send out invitations properly. The more people, the merrier."

Lu Mingzhu pursed her lips and smiled politely, "No need to publicize it; I’ll just invite a few close friends so people don’t think I’m after gifts."

Liao Wanru couldn't help but laugh, "Who can't afford to give a housewarming gift? Feel free to invite more people."

Lu Mingzhu still shook her head and counted on her fingers, "You and Big Brother, Big Sister-in-law, definitely can't miss the insurance box Big Brother said he'd give me! As for others, I'll invite Junyao, Mr. He, Sister Xuan, and Ming Hui. It doesn’t really matter if Ming Hui comes or not. I'll also invite Pingan and my father. He's my dad, so he doesn't count as a guest. He should bring in the chefs to prepare a lavish feast for our esteemed guests."

She had no money and no connections; she still had a lot of work to do!

Wang Bohui laughed, "Why bother troubling your dad? Let our chefs and their apprentices go over to help. Just bring along all the necessary cooking tools and ingredients, so you don't have to go out and shop in your busy schedule."

Lu Mingzhu didn't refuse, "Thank you, Big Brother! Your little sister is immensely grateful."

After reaching an agreement, Lu Mingzhu took the time to write the invitations according to the auspicious day chosen by Mrs. Wang.

After Lu Pingan was taken away by his father, his departure was like a ripple on the water's surface—quickly disappearing without a trace and not affecting the life of the Wang family.

Wang Bohui occasionally felt a sense of emptiness and couldn't help but sigh. Lu Pingan was indeed a smart child. When studying with him, he always made inferences from one thing to another and sometimes even noticed details that Wang Bohui had overlooked.

Though not as charming as Lu Mingzhu, he was still above average.

It was likely that his father intended to groom him as the heir.

As the eldest son and legitimate grandson, it was only right for him to inherit, much more fitting than having a concubine-born son take over. He could also become Lu Mingzhu's solid support.

Lu Mingzhu, on the other hand, was busy with her affairs.

After a week of classes, she personally delivered the invitations to the important guests. She handed Xie Junyao's invitation directly to him during the pick-up and drop-off. The most important invitation left was He Yun's.

After all, she had received so much help from him, and no amount of gratitude would be too much.

They had arranged to visit on Sunday.

The suggestion to visit together was made by Xie Junyao, and Lu Mingzhu did not refuse.

He Yun received them in the reception room.

Compared to the lavishness of the Ming family's home, the He family's place was extremely minimalist. The room felt vast and bare, lacking any flowers or warmth, giving off a cold, almost lonely vibe—not what you'd expect from a wealthy family.

The last time Lu Mingzhu came to the He family to request a meeting with He Yun, it was in the garden, and she had not entered the house.

Today, stepping into the main house for the first time, she was somewhat surprised.

Sitting in the reception room, before presenting the invitation, Lu Mingzhu sincerely thanked He Yun but also expressed her hesitation about accepting such generous gifts.

The gifts were too much.

Upon reflection, it felt somewhat inappropriate.

The furniture was fine, but why all the clothes, jewelry, and makeup?

It wasn’t that Lu Mingzhu was being overly sensitive; she just believed friendships needed boundaries.

He Yun was unconcerned. "Between you and me, Mingzhu, there's no need to be so polite. For me, it’s just a matter of giving a simple order, and my staff takes care of everything. If it were you, it would take several months of effort before you could move into your new home. Even though the Wangs treat you well, living in their house means you're always a guest—it can be awkward and inconvenient."

Lu Mingzhu couldn't explicitly express her true thoughts and pretended to be embarrassed. "Is it really as simple as Mr. He describes? None of those things were cheap. I truly feel too guilty to accept them."

"Expensive? Really?" He Yun countered.

For her, things that were expensive were indeed insignificant in He Yun's eyes.

After all, he was the richest man in Nanyang!

It made people envious to the point of drooling.

Lu Mingzhu deeply felt the gap between the rich and the poor.

Every time she thought she was doing better than most people, someone even richer would show up.

This is such a big blow!

Xie Junyao suddenly said, "It's not about how expensive it is, but whether it's appropriate. Mr. He is grateful to Mingzhu for saving his life, and we all understand that. Mingzhu has also received many valuable gifts as tokens of gratitude, which signifies that the matter has come to a close. Mr. He does not need to dwell on it anymore or continue to give her more than she can bear."

At the time, in Mingzhu's new home, they simply thought He Yun was repaying a debt of gratitude and didn't think much of it, but upon further reflection, something felt off.

Isn't that what a boyfriend should do?

Was He Yun overstepping his bounds?

Xie Junyao was still young and had been deeply protected by his elder brother since childhood. Unlike He Yun, who was cunning and experienced, Xie lacked the same level of initiative and was extremely frustrated inside.

He Yun glanced at him and smiled lightly.

Upon closer inspection, the smile didn’t reach his eyes.

"What right does Young Mr. Xie have to say these things to me?" he asked Xie Junyao, his tone indifferent.

Xie Junyao looked him in the eye, "I'm Mingzhu's boyfriend."

Pouring tea elegantly, He Yun said bluntly, "You are merely Mingzhu's boyfriend, not Mingzhu herself, and cannot represent her intentions."

As she listened to their conversation, Lu Mingzhu began to feel something was off.

She quickly interjected, "Mr. He, actually, Junyao is right. You don't need to keep thinking about the life-saving grace. I feel that I have already received more than enough. If you continue to give, it will indeed put a lot of pressure on me."

She was too poor to repay it.

What her father gave her were real estate and jewelry, which couldn’t be liquidated, and she didn’t want to liquidate them either.

He Yun's gaze fell on Lu Mingzhu's stunningly beautiful face, and he smiled faintly, "When you came to me before to buy the Qianlong imperial ring, you didn’t mention any of this, and you weren’t so formal either."

"Mr. He!" Lu Mingzhu's face fell instantly.

Money is easy to repay, but a debt of gratitude is hard to repay.

At this point, Xie Junyao learned that Lu Mingzhu had intended to give the Qianlong imperial ring, purchased from He Yun, to her father. If he had known earlier, it would have been better for Lu Mingzhu to give her father the jadeite ring from his own hand, avoiding contact with He Yun.

However, he was extremely reluctant.

It was a love token, after all!

He Yun poured tea for them, his movements flowing like water, his voice slow and gentle, "Young Mr. Xie shouldn’t read too much into it. I’ve lived through many years, faced life-and-death situations, and have long moved beyond material things. I am willing to give them to Mingzhu simply because I believe they will be useful to her, with no other reasons."

"I hope everything is as Mr. He says," Xie Junyao replied.

He Yun’s expression remained calm, "Young Mr. Xie is indeed a businessman, always overthinking."

Xie Junyao was unafraid, "Not as much as Mr. He."

On the way down the mountain, he reminded Lu Mingzhu, "We should respect Mr. He from now on, understand?"

Lu Mingzhu looked at him strangely, "When we were at his house, it seemed like you two weren’t very pleased with each other. Now you're telling me we should respect him? Doesn't that seem contradictory?"

"Respect can also mean something else," Xie Junyao said.

"Huh?" A question mark flashed in Lu Mingzhu's eyes. Was it possible she didn’t understand the meaning of "respect"?

Junyao said solemnly, "It's called keeping a respectful distance."

Lu Mingzhu giggled, "What are you thinking about, Junyao?"

She still didn't understand.

Junyao, however, said, "You need to trust a man's gut feeling."

"What is your intuition? Tell me," Lu Mingzhu asked curiously, while also examining herself. Could it be that she had really been so careless as to not notice?

Junyao fumed, "He's doing the things I should be doing as a boyfriend."

Surprise flickered in Lu Mingzhu's eyes.

She quickly smacked Junyao's arm and said, annoyed, "Junyao Xie, you're overthinking. How could you have such thoughts? He’s way older than my dad—how could he act so improperly?"

Although she was indeed beautiful, she wasn’t some irresistible seductress!

Even if she were, she wasn’t that captivating to the extent Junyao described.

That’s absurd!

Junyao grabbed her hand, held it tightly, and said earnestly, "How else do you explain him doing all those things for you, even better than I do as your boyfriend?"

"Stop it! If you keep going, I’ll really get mad," Lu Mingzhu's cheeks flushed red, her eyes glimmering with a hint of anger, "Junyao Xie, what do you take me for? I’ll say it again, he's an old man, an old man, an old man! Let me calculate, he's forty-seven years older than me, a full forty-seven years!"

A sixty-five-year-old and an eighteen-year-old? That’s just not possible!

She could be certain, absolutely certain, that their meetings had been ordinary and devoid of any ambiguity. Otherwise, she would have kept her distance from Mr. He, as Junyao had advised.

Besides, she had already made her position clear when she was at the He family’s place.

Regarding clothes, accessories, and cosmetics,

Junyao muttered, "I've heard that the old master Baishi, even in his seventies or eighties, still fell for young women."

Lu Mingzhu lifted their joined hands and bit Junyao's wrist hard, "Don’t think of Mr. He like that—it’s totally out of the question!"

Junyao gasped in pain.

So harsh!

Lu Mingzhu's anger subsided a little, feeling slightly better, "Junyao, if you think you're not doing well enough, then just work harder! Besides, up until now, I don't think you've done badly. Also, you're my boyfriend. If you're wary of Mr. He, I'll reduce the number of times I meet him, alright?"

Even though she didn’t fully buy into Junyao’s suspicions, it was still better to be careful.

Boundaries were important.

That being said, Junyao's thoughts were quite absurd.

Hearing Lu Mingzhu's words, Junyao visibly brightened up, rubbing his sore wrist, "Actually, it's not that I don't trust you, it's just that Mr. He is unfathomable. In every aspect, I'm not as outstanding as he is."

Lu Mingzhu couldn't help but find it amusing, "Are you worried that I'll fall for someone else?"

Junyao nodded vigorously.

He was worried!

Lu Mingzhu pointed her slender white finger at her own nose and asked him, "Junyao Xie, do you think I'm so foolish? That I wouldn't choose you, a handsome young man, but instead get entangled with an old man?"

What are you after?

His old-man scent?

Really.

No matter how good he looks for his age, he's still an old man.

In comparison, a younger guy would be way better, wouldn’t you agree?

In the prime of life, handsome and outstanding, strong and healthy, our future marital life will definitely be very happy.

Xie Junyao sighed, "I’m just concerned!"

"Tell me, what are you even thinking about? You’re clearly overthinking things because you have too much free time. At the beginning, he asked me to call him Uncle He, clearly treating me as a junior," Lu Mingzhu brought up the past to prove her point.

Xie Junyao firmly believed his intuition wasn't wrong, "You're thinking too simply."

Lu Mingzhu didn't want to continue arguing, "Let’s let time decide."

That said, Xie Junyao's worry still left a trace in Lu Mingzhu's heart. She thought it over and decided to ask her father to have the market value of the furniture, clothing, accessories, and cosmetics in the villa assessed. The total value was around 1.2 million Hong Kong dollars, so she asked her father for 1.3 million in cash, which would be deducted from the 8 million Hong Kong dollars promised to her.

Her father asked why she needed the money. "Are you returning it to Mr. He Yun?"

He guessed Lu Mingzhu’s plan as soon as they began the valuation and silently approved.

Lu Mingzhu nodded, "Yes, to return it to him."

"Return it quickly," her father said, sending two bodyguards to escort her to the He family’s home.

Today was Wednesday, a day when she should have been in class, but Lu Mingzhu had specially asked for leave.

He Yun hadn’t expected Lu Mingzhu to visit again so soon. Seeing her roll the open suitcase toward him, he raised an eyebrow. "What’s this?"

Lu Mingzhu pressed her lips together, "Money to repay you, 1.3 million Hong Kong dollars in total. I had those items appraised."

Her heart ached, as if it were bleeding.

This amount of money could buy several luxury mansions, but now it was just being used for decorations and personal items in the house.

He Yun looked at her and asked, "Is it because of Xie Junyao?"

"No, it has nothing to do with him," Lu Mingzhu denied, smiling as usual, her expression very calm, "I just believe I shouldn’t take anything without earning it."