Chapter 048

Chapter 048

The day the royalty check was received was December 2nd, Mr. He's birthday.

After some playful banter with Lu Mingzhu, Xie Junyao suddenly said, "On the way here, I saw many cars parked outside the He family mansion. Groups of men and women were entering. By their accents, it sounded like some were from Nanyang, and there were children too. Not all of them were Chinese."

Lu Mingzhu responded with an "Oh." "I heard it's Mr. He's birthday today. Maybe they're here to offer their birthday wishes."

He Xuan has siblings, so when they come, it's always a big group.

He Yun is so wealthy that which of his children wouldn't want to show how much they care?

Xie Junyao reacted quickly, "How do you know it's his birthday?"

There was a hint of jealousy in his tone.

Throughout their relationship, Lu Mingzhu had never asked about his birthday, yet he knew hers was on the 8th day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar, the day of Buddha's birth.

He had seen Lu Mingzhu's identity paper when handling the house transaction.

Lu Mingzhu's eyes were clear and bright as she calmly answered, "Last Sunday, I went shopping with Ming Yue. She mentioned it. I asked her to help me give an inkstone to Mr. He as a birthday gift, but I won't be going in person."

After a pause of a few seconds, she added, "They're having a family banquet. We don't need to intrude as outsiders."

After saying this, Lu Mingzhu stood up and sat beside Xie Junyao, taking his arm with a bright smile, "When it's your birthday, I definitely won't act like this. So, when is your birthday? I need to prepare in advance."

Xie Junyao felt happy inside but pretended to be nonchalant, "Why should a grown man celebrate his birthday? It's unnecessary."

"How can it be unnecessary? I think it's very necessary." Lu Mingzhu shook his arm, her eyes glistening, her voice sweet and cloying, "Come on, tell me. I'll make you a cake myself."

"You asked me first." Xie Junyao refused to admit his true feelings.

Lu Mingzhu laughed and nodded, "Yes, yes, yes, I asked you."

Only then did Xie Junyao say, "It's the second day of the second month."

"The second day of the second month, Dragon Head-Raising Day! What a good day!" Lu Mingzhu praised, secretly relieved that his birthday was still months away and wouldn't fall within the time they were together, otherwise it would be awkward, "The birthday cake is only for the birthday, but today I can treat you to a big meal. How about some barbecue pork rice?"

Xie Junyao was dissatisfied, "Barbecue pork rice as a big meal? At least it should be a roast suckling pig."

"Alright, alright, I'll treat you to a tender and delicious roast suckling pig." Lu Mingzhu stood up and extended her hand to him, "I don't know which restaurant has the best roast suckling pig, you'll have to show me the way."

Xie Junyao placed his hand in hers, and with a slight exertion of force, he stood in front of Lu Mingzhu.

Looking at Lu Mingzhu, he had to look down at her.

Lu Mingzhu was about 168cm tall, while he was nearly 190cm, his posture very upright.

"Let's go." Lu Mingzhu smiled up at him, her teeth slightly visible, bright and charming.

Xie Junyao's eyes were warm, and a deep smile curved his lips as he took the coat from Hong Jie and helped her put it on, "It's a bit cold outside, we need to dress warmly."

As they stepped outside, the cold indeed felt biting.

The weather was overcast and gloomy.

The wind blew, causing the trees in the courtyard to rustle, but clusters of flowers that bloom even in winter continued to sway gracefully, adding a bright splash of color to the dull sky.

The bodyguards made sure to bring rain gear just in case as they drove out.

Xie Junyao opened the car door for Lu Mingzhu, saying, "After you."

Lu Mingzhu smiled and got in.

As they passed by the entrance of the He family mansion, they indeed saw various sedans parked by the roadside, including luxury Mercedes-Benz cars and budget-friendly Ford sedans, all four-door models.

The He family mansion covered an extremely large area, and the cars parked outside suggested that there was no more room inside.

Lu Mingzhu hadn't been paying attention but overheard Xie Junyao say, "Mr. He has married two wives in Nanyang, and they have given birth to more than a dozen children. Ten of them survived, including seven sons and three daughters. Each of the seven sons has multiple wives and concubines, and there are about eighty to a hundred grandchildren. It has become an enormous family."

Lu Mingzhu was at a loss for words. "Why did you inquire so thoroughly?"

She couldn't help but feel that he had an ulterior motive.

Xie Junyao's beautifully shaped but deep eyes were filled with innocence as he took the opportunity to declare, "I'm just telling you that I am wholeheartedly devoted to you and will never be as fickle as Mr. He."

Lu Mingzhu poked his arm with a laugh, "Got any proof that he's fickle?"

If he were like her father and Ming Hui, would the He family mansion be so quiet?

He Yun lived there alone.

"By not restraining his sons from taking wives and concubines, it shows that he has the same mindset and considers it natural, a mentality of old-fashioned people." Xie Junyao argued confidently, "Just like Mr. Lu, he never manages your half-brothers from different mothers."

"Of all people to compare with, you chose my father." Lu Mingzhu didn't think her father would be happy to be the control group.

Just as they were talking about her father, they arrived at a famous roast meat restaurant at the foot of the mountain, only to find Mr. Lu dining inside with Xia Lin. On the table was a shiny, succulent roast suckling pig, its red color very enticing.

It wasn't complete, as part of it had already been eaten.

The two were dining side by side rather than facing each other, which always seemed a bit awkward.

Eighth Miss was too young, while Mr. Lu was too old.

Although Mr. Lu was handsome and Eighth Miss was pretty and refined, the age gap was too large and obvious at a glance.

The bodyguards weren't sitting at the same table as them; the seats opposite were empty. Lu Mingzhu pulled Xie Junyao to sit down and, despite intending to mooch a meal, preemptively struck, "Dad, how stingy of you. Shouldn't you have taken Eighth Miss to Hong Kong Grand Hotel for an abalone feast?"

Eighth Miss smiled first and said, "I wanted to eat roast pork."

Her pretty face showed a bit of embarrassment, "When I was a child, my family was relatively well-off, and I went to school. Later, when the Japanese bombed Hong Kong, our house was bombed, my father and grandfather were killed, and my mother died tragically. My grandmother raised us seven siblings, and life became very poor. My biggest dream was to have a good meal of meat. Later, when I made money acting in films, I made it a habit to treat myself with a plate of roast pork."

It sounded very inspiring, but Lu Mingzhu didn't approve of her relationship with the old man. If the old man were single, it wouldn't matter, but the old man currently had three concubines!

Still, the old man was quite something, willing to lower himself to accompany her out for roast pork, which deeply moved her.

Lu Mingzhu could see it.

Indeed, when an old man gets romantic, there's no room for young people.

Mr. Lu placed a piece of meat in Eighth Miss's bowl with a smile, his expression gentle and full of grace, "The Japanese have long been defeated. Nowadays, life is good. You can eat roast pork every day, or even abalone, sea cucumber, and shark fin if you want."

"Dad, don't just focus on Miss Xia. There's another daughter here who's hungry!" Lu Mingzhu waved to call the waiter over to bring two bowls of rice for her and Xie Junyao, and without hesitation, she ordered two or three roast dishes, all specialties of the restaurant, "Just charge it to Mr. Lu's account."

The waiter glanced at Mr. Lu, and upon seeing him nod, smiled and brought over what Lu Mingzhu had ordered.

As expected, the roast meat restaurant served quickly.

Lu Mingzhu picked a piece of untouched pork and placed it in her bowl, then selected some new dishes for Xie Junyao. "Dad, I heard from Ming Yue that you and her father are planning to co-open a film company? Is that true?"

Mr. Lu raised an eyebrow. "Your information is quite up-to-date."

"Aren't you afraid that your godmother will come after you for this?" Lu Mingzhu asked curiously.

Mr. Lu snorted. "Why should I be afraid of her? If she treated Xia Lin well, that would be one thing. At least she has Xia Lin's gratitude. But what is she doing? She knows we're seeing each other and still sent Xia Lin to accompany a fat, smelly old man. Isn't that like slapping me in the face? I’m not giving her the chance."

Lu Mingzhu wanted to say that he was an old man too, albeit a handsome and rich one.

Remembering that all her wealth came from this father, she swallowed her words and smiled instead. "So that's what happened. Can't blame you for trying to undermine her."

Mr. Lu valued his reputation the most. An Ruyi’s actions were clearly against him!

Xia Lin, however, gave Lu Mingzhu a curious look. "Miss Lu's godmother is?"

"Your boss, An Ruyi," Lu Mingzhu didn’t find it hard to say. "I haven’t seen her in a long time. I wonder how she’s been doing lately."

As the godmother of the original body, it was her duty to show filial respect.

Before she finished speaking, a clear voice came from outside. "If you wanted to know, why didn’t you come find me when you arrived in Hong Kong?"

As she spoke, she walked in with long strides. It was indeed the original body's godmother, An Ruyi.

She looked to be around forty, tall and graceful, with a strikingly beautiful face. She wore a dark green silk cheongsam embroidered with plum blossoms, a sable fur coat, a matching hat and hand muff, and high heels. She didn’t look like someone nearing sixty, except for her sharp, fierce eyes that showed she wasn’t someone to be trifled with.

She had been best friends with the original body's mother, Mrs. Lu, and had become a film star after her family fell on hard times. By twenty, she was already famous in Shanghai.

She had dated many boyfriends but never married and had no children.

The memories of the original body flooded back, making Lu Mingzhu acutely aware of her godmother's formidable presence. She stood up obediently, smiled sweetly, and greeted her politely. "Godmother."

An Ruyi gave her a side-eye. "Now you remember to call me godmother? If I don’t look for you, you won’t come to me? Is it because your father won’t let you see me?"

Lu Mingzhu lightly coughed and didn’t speak.

"I knew you were behind this." An Ruyi sat down elegantly yet dominantly by the table, not even sparing a glance at Xia Lin, who had also stood up. She stared at Mr. Lu and gritted her teeth. "Mr. Lu, in Shanghai you did this, and now in Hong Kong, you’re still doing it. Why are you preventing us from meeting?"

Lu Mingzhu quickly said, "Godmother, it’s my fault for not visiting you. It has nothing to do with my father."

Her own father, she had to protect him.

An Ruyi snorted through her nose. "As if it has nothing to do with him! Last month, I met Wang Xingcai. He told me that he had instructed you to find me after coming to Hong Kong, but you never did. Why? It must be because your father spoke ill of me to make himself look like the good guy. If I hadn’t been so busy lately, I would have come to settle things with him."

Lu Mingzhu said in surprise, "You met my godfather last month? Where? Is he doing well?"

An Ruyi was dissatisfied again. "Why didn’t you ask if I’m doing well?"

"Seeing you standing in front of me, I knew you must be doing great! Still so young and beautiful, truly a peerless beauty." Lu Mingzhu flattered her with a sugary smile, her compliments flowing like honey, sweet and sticky. "When I first saw you, I almost didn’t recognize you—how could you not have changed at all?"

An Ruyi couldn’t help but laugh. "Still as sweet-talking as ever. Aren’t you going to introduce the person next to you?"

"My boyfriend, Xie Junyao." Lu Mingzhu pulled Xie Junyao, who had also stood up and hadn’t sat down. "Isn’t he handsome? He’s also very good to me."

An Ruyi sized up Xie Junyao. "Xie Junhao’s younger brother, right?"

Xie Junyao smiled. "Yes."

An Ruyi nodded. "Not bad, kid. Follow your brother’s lead and don’t end up like your old man. He’s always chasing after this actress and that, falling for every single one, yet he’s still very stingy."

"He’s broke; he depends on my brother for his living expenses," Xie Junyao explained helpfully, wanting to prevent any actresses from being deceived.

An Ruyi was momentarily speechless.

Lu Fu slowly put down his chopsticks after eating. "An Ruyi, you came just in time. Have you met the lawyer I commissioned to find you? What will it take to get Xia Lin out of your film company?"

An Ruyi gritted her teeth. "I worked hard to promote her, and now you want to buy her freedom with just a word? No way!"

Xia Lin’s expression changed, and a hint of anxiety appeared on her face.

"Don’t be afraid, I’m here," Lu Fu patted her hand but accidentally touched the diamond ring on her finger, which pricked his palm. Nevertheless, he remained composed. "An Ruyi, let’s be straightforward. There are many talented Yue opera actors in your company; it doesn’t have to be Xia Lin. Why not set her free? A forced melon is never sweet."

Only then did An Ruyi spare a glance at Xia Lin.

Seeing her now dressed in Western clothes and fur, adorned with sparkling diamond jewelry, looking radiant and vibrant, unlike her former cautious self, An Ruyi sneered. "Alright, Mr. Lu, since you’re feeling so generous, how about paying 100,000 Hong Kong dollars to buy out her contract?"

"No problem," Mr. Lu said, pulling out his checkbook.

After checking the check he handed her, An Ruyi passed it to Lu Mingzhu. "Go buy yourself some nice clothes and jewelry. Your father has money; don’t try to save him money."

"Godmother!" Lu Mingzhu was pleasantly surprised.

She hadn’t even visited this godmother, yet she was being so kind to her?

100,000 Hong Kong dollars!

With a bit more money, she could buy a new five-story building on Prince Road or two shops in a busy commercial street.

An Ruyi said with a hint of irritation, "It’s just 100,000 bucks. Look at you, getting all excited! I came specifically to settle things with your dad and don’t have time to chat. Come visit me when you have time. I live behind Ruyi Film Company; you can find me easily. Don’t listen to your father’s slander about me! I never force any of the male or female actors in Ruyi Film Company."

Xia Lin had been navigating the entertainment world for several years, smart and resourceful, always a complex character. If she hadn’t been maneuvering around wealthy merchants and young masters, why would Xia Lin have been asked to accompany them for drinks?

The so-called accompanying was, in fact, an apology.

She didn’t mind the wealthy clients when accepting their benefits, but now that she had latched onto the wealthier Lu Fu, she discarded them like worn-out shoes. Disgusting!

Lu Mingzhu, unaware of the truth, refrained from judgment but, for the sake of 100,000 Hong Kong dollars, was willing to get closer to this godmother. "I’m so happy you don’t blame me for not visiting you before, Godmother. I’ll definitely come to see you next Sunday."

She was that practical!

An Ruyi tapped her on the nose. "Don’t listen to your father’s nonsense. He never has anything good to say about me. You’re eighteen this year; think about it. If I were really that bad, would your parents have allowed you to recognize me as your godmother? I think he’s just jealous of how close we used to be, so he’s trying to ruin my reputation. If you believe him, you’re a fool."

Lu Mingzhu smiled. "It’s not that my father said anything; I’ve just been busy with school."

An Ruyi didn’t buy it for a second.

She had known both Mrs. Lu and Lu Fu for a long time; everyone knew each other’s temperaments.

"Alright, I have to go wish Mr. He a happy birthday, so I won’t bother you anymore," An Ruyi stood up directly, not mentioning that she had only come in because she saw Lu Fu’s car outside the shop and decided to confront him.

Lu Fu was startled. "Mr. He? He Yun?"

An Ruyi nodded. "I ran into some difficulties not long ago and was fortunate enough to receive help from Mr. He. I’m very grateful, and I found out today is his birthday, so I came to offer my congratulations in person. Lu Yanzhi, don’t you have a collaboration with him?"

Lu Mingzhu quickly said, "Ming Yue said they’re only having a family banquet."

An Ruyi looked at her only goddaughter, "Do you know Ming Yue, the daughter of Ming Hui?"

"Yes, I know her. We have a good relationship," Lu Mingzhu did not deny it, "I asked her to deliver the birthday gift to Mr. He for me, and I didn't go myself, so I was surprised that you intended to personally offer your congratulations."

An Ruyi wasn’t concerned, "You are you, and I am me. I need to make this trip, deliver the gift, and come back."

Lu Mingzhu responded and saw her off.

A moment later, she turned to her father, "Dad, shouldn't you say something?"

Mr. Lu remained calm, "Say what? About Mr. He's birthday? I've already prepared a birthday gift and sent someone to deliver it."

"You were quite quick," Lu Mingzhu said, pulling Xie Junyao to sit down for a meal. Regardless of whatever happened between her father and An Ruyi, or who was right or wrong in their words, she would make her own judgments in due time, rather than blindly listening to anyone's opinion.

However, she was curious about one thing.

How did Mr. He help An Ruyi resolve her issue?

Unfortunately, An Ruyi had already left, so she couldn't ask for a clear explanation. Judging by An Ruyi's demeanor, she didn't seem to want to explain it publicly; otherwise, she would have mentioned when and where she encountered difficulties.

Unaware of the connection between her goddaughter and Mr. He, An Ruyi made her way smoothly to the He family mansion.

Mr. He received her in the reception room.

An Ruyi was full of gratitude, "Thanks to Mr. He’s intervention, my supplies were not completely lost, and thanks to Mr. He’s people for escorting them, the supplies successfully reached the frontline."

They were much-needed supplies for the country.

Wang Xingcai had asked her for help, and she couldn't refuse him, spending 1 million Hong Kong dollars and relying on many connections to acquire them. Even though she was cautious, the supplies were still spotted by patrol officers at sea.

Mr. He smiled faintly, "No need to thank me, Ms. An Ruyi. I just did what needed to be done."

"Thanks to patriotic overseas Chinese like Mr. He, who contribute either money or effort, the frontlines can operate smoothly. This time, I’ve come to wish Mr. He a long and prosperous life, and secondly, because of Mr. He's significant contributions, the higher-ups would like to invite you to the capital. What do you think?" An Ruyi stated her purpose directly.

Mr. He was surprised.

An Ruyi smiled, "I've always been working for the country."

She was previously responsible for intelligence in Shanghai, protecting her own people, and now, in Hong Kong, this international window, she serves as a liaison and procures scarce materials for the country.

Wang Xingcai didn't know her true identity, and she couldn't reveal her secrets, which was why the 1 million Hong Kong dollars was publicly donated.

It was almost all her personal funds.

The company's funds didn't belong to her; they were just held in her name.

"I see, Ms. An Ruyi is truly an impressive woman," Mr. He had some insight and knew An Ruyi's words were true, "Am I the only one being invited? As far as I know, the daughter of Mr. Lu Yanzhi, Lu Mingzhu, has also contributed significantly, donating £200,000 earlier and recently another $300,000."

An Ruyi smiled and sighed, "That child!"

She knew, and because of what she knew about Lu Mingzhu's actions, she didn't take it to heart that Lu Mingzhu hadn't visited her.

What she didn’t know was that the £200,000 donation from Lu Mingzhu had come from the person in front of her.

Neither Wang Xingcai nor Wang Bohui had told her, leaving everyone except those who knew the truth to believe the money was donated by Lu Mingzhu and no one else.

Just as An Ruyi was about to say more, there was a knock at the door.

When Mr. He said enter, Ming Yue pushed the door open and peeked in, "Grandpa, my parents and I came to wish you a happy birthday. There's also a birthday gift for you from Mingzhu that I'm delivering on her behalf. May we come in?"

"Come in and speak," He Yun said.

After Ming Yue came in, she first greeted An Ruyi, even though she didn't recognize her.

Then, she presented two gift boxes, one large and one small. "The small one is a fountain pen, which I selected with Mingzhu for you at Wan Gu Department Store. This one is from me. The large one is an inkstone. It's from Mingzhu, and it seems to be an antique."

He Yun opened the large gift box, revealing a beautifully crafted Duan inkstone.

An Ruyi took one look and recognized it. "It belongs to her grandfather, right? I've seen it in the study of her grandfather."

The Lu family elders had previously donated money and goods, many of which were managed through her. She often visited the Lu family home.

She introduced Lu Changsheng to this path and knew that he hadn't died young but had instead joined the army to fight in the war. However, she didn't know which unit he was in or if he was still alive. Before leaving, he mentioned changing his name to avoid implicating his family.

An Ruyi hadn't deliberately inquired about his whereabouts.

In times of military conflict, the fewer people who knew about him, the safer he would be.

It was because of this that Lu's father resented her bitterly.

He Yun, unaware of the countless thoughts crossing An Ruyi's mind, gently closed the gift box and slowly said, "I'll need some time to consider your invitation, Ms. An."

"Alright." An Ruyi wasn’t surprised by his hesitation and was already prepared.