Chapter 063

Chapter 063

In response to Zhang Zhenxing's earnest plea, Lu Mingzhu did not immediately agree.

Except for mentioning the stratified sales of properties to Wang Bohui and Xie Junyao, Lu Mingzhu never interfered in anyone's business. Compared to her inexperience in the business world, those big shots were all shrewd and experienced.

What to do and what not to do, they had their own standards in mind.

As for herself, she would just honestly take advantage of her father's wealth, happily buy treasures and antiques, seriously write novels and scripts, and donate some money when she could.

As for other things, she couldn't manage and didn't want to manage.

"Elderly comrade Zhang, I can only tell you that I will ask my godfather about his plans, but the final decision is still up to him. I can't make any promises to you," Lu Mingzhu said to Zhang Zhenxing.

While speaking, she didn't even glance at Zhang Shuo.

It was him, the one who divorced her original self. Despite having the ability, he failed to protect her original self during the special era, leading to her death before the age of forty.

Upon hearing Lu Mingzhu's promise, Zhang Zhenxing sighed in relief: "We have to give it a try."

Perhaps there's a glimmer of hope!

If it really doesn't work out, then we'll have to give up and not force it.

Mr. He has already donated countless materials for free, surpassing all other celebrities, and has done more than enough.

Lu Mingzhu chuckled, "You shouldn't get your hopes up too much."

Zhang Zhenxing chuckled, the fine scars on his face shifting, "Actually, we've been mentally prepared. Although we think the cooperation would benefit both sides, we also understand that the economic pressure from various countries would partially transfer to the collaborators. So, even if Mr. He doesn't agree, we will still consider him our best friend, forever unchanged."

Lu Mingzhu nodded, "As long as everyone understands."

The concern is that if the cooperation fails, even the esteemed reputation of being a patriotic overseas Chinese could be tarnished.

They were invited here as guests.

"Then we'll trouble Comrade Lu Mingzhu," Zhang Zhenxing sincerely thanked her, then stood up, "We still need to go to Mr. He, so we won't disturb you and Mr. Xie from your errands. We'll see you later."

Lu Mingzhu and Xie Junyao saw them off.

Despite his age, Zhang Zhenxing was very courteous, saying, "Please, no need to see us out."

"Goodbye," Lu Mingzhu and Xie Junyao watched them walk away, then exchanged a glance and went to find He Yun.

He Yun was drinking tea in his room and smiled upon seeing them, "Here to persuade me?"

Xie Junyao raised an eyebrow, Lu Mingzhu was surprised.

"You anticipated this?" Lu Mingzhu entered his room at the International Hotel for the first time. It was also a suite, but whether in size or furnishings, it was better than hers and Xie Junyao's.

Because he's old?

He Yun invited them to sit casually and poured tea himself, "How did you respond to them?"

Lu Mingzhu picked up her tea bowl and recounted the conversation between Zhang Zhenxing and herself, not verbatim but conveying the general idea, "Now it's up to you."

"Agree to it," He Yun said.

Lu Mingzhu gasped, her face full of surprise, "You're really that easy to convince?"

Xie Junyao guessed He Yun's intentions, but he didn't say anything.

Why should he say anything?

He deliberately delayed agreeing with Zhang Zhenxing and others. He wanted them to seek out Lu Mingzhu and ask her to persuade him, thereby gaining their goodwill and the country's special attention.

Lu Mingzhu lived a simple, carefree life, unlike them with their complex thoughts. She even asked with concern, "Will it be a problem?"

He Yun chuckled lightly, "It's not a problem. Cooperation is not a one-sided effort but a win-win situation. I can also gain significant benefits from this collaboration."

Lu Mingzhu nodded and said, "Since you say so, I'll relay this to Elder Comrade Zhang."

"No rush, tell him in a couple of days," He Yun said.

Lu Mingzhu understood this time, smiling like a blooming flower, "No problem. Next time I see him, I'll say you haven't agreed yet, and I'll keep trying to persuade you. After two or three times, he'll surely think I've put in a lot of effort."

He Yun nodded with a smile, "You understand well."

Looking up at the clock on the wall, he added, "It's past nine, you two go ahead with your tasks."

"Goodbye, adoptive father," Lu Mingzhu said straightforwardly.

The two went back to their room to pack, took the remaining US dollars and Hong Kong dollars, and headed downstairs. The bodyguards followed quietly without a word. At the entrance, they coincidentally met Zhang Zhenxing and an unfamiliar old man.

Also dressed in an old military uniform, he seemed to have some background.

Seeing someone coming out of the hotel, the old man stopped talking and said to Zhang Zhenxing, "Comrade Zhang, think it over carefully."

Zhang Zhenxing replied without hesitation, "Old Lin, no need to consider. I can't agree to this on behalf of Zhang Shuo. It's not that I look down on your daughter Xiaohong for being remarried, but Zhang Shuo himself has no intention of marrying. He didn't agree to date Xiaohong years ago, and it's even less likely now, five years later. I brought Zhuri up, and we have a good relationship. I regret his divorce from Xiaohong, but regret aside, I absolutely cannot sacrifice my own son's lifelong happiness for you."

Lu Mingzhu's eyes widened in surprise, her mouth agape, a cold wind blowing in, making her cough incessantly.

Could it be?

Could it be?

After Lin Xiaohong and Lu Zhuri divorced, she actually set her sights on Zhang Shuo?

Indeed, they were a perfect match.

Xie Junyao was also surprised. How could Lin Xiaohong's father even bring this up?

No sense of self-awareness at all.

Although Zhang Shuo wasn't as handsome as he was, his father held a high position, and he had some achievements of his own. It would be easy for him to marry a suitable unmarried girl. Why would he favor Lin Xiaohong, who was known for her materialistic tendencies?

There are many smart people; surely someone would see through Lin Xiaohong's character.

Zhang Zhenxing, however, knew Lin's father's character. He wasn't without self-awareness but was deliberately testing the waters, perhaps hoping for a moment of weakness to agree, even if the chances were slim, it was worth a try.

To marry Lin Xiaohong, one needed a certain status and position.

If it didn't work out, he could use this incident to tell others that even though Lin Xiaohong was divorced, she wasn't someone just anyone could aspire to.

As Zhang Zhenxing knew, the day after Lin Xiaohong and Lu Zhuri divorced, someone came to propose, not minding that Lin Xiaohong was divorced with a child, mainly valuing Lin's father's accumulated connections in the military.

Although Lin's father had retired, he had served for many years, and many high-ranking officials were his comrades.

In terms of background, there was no flaw.

After hearing Zhang Zhenxing's words, Mr. Lin showed no disappointment on his face, only a bitter smile: "Comrade Zhang, please reconsider, don't rush to a conclusion. Perhaps Comrade Zhang Shuo has changed his mind. She's a looker with high hopes, but she's a good kid. If she can find a good match, she won't have to rely on you uncles for everything in the future."

Zhang Zhenxing waved his hand, "No need to say more. Old Lin, I have tasks assigned from above, no time to chat with you. You'd better find another son-in-law."

He walked straight up to Lu Mingzhu, eager for news: "Mingzhu, what did Mr. He say?"

"He didn't agree immediately, said he would consider it. I'll ask again tomorrow." Lu Mingzhu's expression was very convincing, her big eyes blinked, her long, curly lashes fluttering like tiny fans, her chin gesturing towards Mr. Lin who was still standing there, whispering: "Was that guy trying to set up a marriage with you?"

"Impossible," Zhang Zhenxing said firmly, "But when does Mr. He plan to make a decision?"

Lu Mingzhu shook her head: "I don't know, maybe he'll decide in a day, maybe not even in three days. Please be patient, don't rush, patience is a virtue."

Given the situation, it's hard not to worry.

He asked again: "Where are you going? Liuli Chang? Mr. He isn't going out today, I'll have Zhang Shuo protect you."

"No need," before Xie Junyao could speak, Lu Mingzhu waved her hand first, "We've got bodyguards, and we're just sightseeing around the capital, not heading to Liuli Chang. Can't come to the capital without seeing its sights."

Zhang Zhenxing smiled: "It's freezing with snow flurries; the Great Wall might be tough, but the royal gardens are a must-see."

Lu Mingzhu nodded, "Let's go!"

After walking away, Xie Junyao reminded her: "We still need to go to Liuli Chang first."

"Can't go back; it'll cost us." Lu Mingzhu calculated that the money they had left was almost gone, needed to buy various specialties of the capital to take back to their families.

Xie Junyao chuckled, "What about your processed jade jewelry?"

Lu Mingzhu suddenly realized, "I forgot!"

Hurrying to the jade shop, the shopkeeper happily presented the finished products upon seeing them, "They're already processed."

The purple jade material was only made into an eggplant pendant, lifelike, plump and moist, appearing even more translucent than the raw jade just cut out, the quality clearly a level higher.

Lu Mingzhu looked at it and found that the ice jade had turned into high ice jade, full of luster.

This is the charm of processing.

Looking at the finished products of the glass jade with floating flowers, there were only three bracelets, a string of evenly green beads, and a string of either floating flowers or transparent colorless beads, without the plain pendant originally agreed upon.

Noticing Lu Mingzhu's surprised look, the shopkeeper explained: "We didn't properly discuss what kind of products could be made from the material when we cut it. After taking the bracelets, we found that the bracelet cores and scraps also had fully green parts. After careful calculation, we could extract 18 green beads, so the craftsman processed them according to his own ideas. This way, it's more valuable than your three bracelets."

Lu Mingzhu was both surprised and delighted: "Great! I didn't expect the craftsman in your shop to be so skilled, extracting materials so precisely."

She tipped extra on top of the original fee.

In jade, besides bracelets, the most valuable are beads, then egg faces.

Fully green ones are even more valuable, especially bright green ones.

Vivid green, so rich it seems to drip, glowing like tiny green lanterns.

Lu Mingzhu, in her joy, spent over a thousand Hong Kong dollars to buy all the high-quality Hetian jade seed materials in the shop, and also bought a batch of Hetian jade seed material jewelry, which didn't cost much.

Compared to the jade that was popular during the late Qing and Republic periods, the price of Hetian jade is extremely cheap.

One Hong Kong dollar can buy a piece of high-quality Hetian jade weighing several hundred grams.

And it's seed material.

Returning happily to the International Hotel, she suddenly saw Zhang Shuo lingering at Lu Mingzhu's door.

His expression was serious, so cold it kept people at a distance.

Seeing Lu Mingzhu return, his eyes flickered slightly, and he stood still, saying, "Miss Lu, I am about to leave the capital. Before I leave, I have a few words I would like to ask Miss Lu. Is Miss Lu free?"

Lu Mingzhu frowned, "Not really."

She didn’t even need Xie Junyao to speak for her to refuse—she’s the best girlfriend anyone could ask for.

Zhang Shuo clearly did not expect to be refused, but he was not disappointed and said in a deep voice, "It's a very important matter, concerning Miss Lu's own origins. I just need an answer."

Lu Mingzhu's heart skipped a beat, "I don’t get what you’re saying."

"You do," Zhang Shuo said.

Lu Mingzhu said impatiently, "I don’t understand, Comrade Zhang. What are you trying to make me understand? I don’t even know you—we’ve only met a few times. You’ve got the wrong girl."

Zhang Shuo was very calm, "Yes, I am looking for someone, and indeed I have found the wrong person, because the person in front of me is Miss Lu."

Not the Mingzhu he was looking for.

Xie Junyao was completely confused and was about to speak when Lu Mingzhu said to him, "Junyao, wait at the door for a while. I’ll go outside with him to talk for a few words. I want to hear what he has to say."

She directly handed the things she had bought to Xie Junyao, carried her handbag herself, and walked out.

Walking into the spacious garden, she stopped, "Go ahead, Comrade Zhang."

There was no one in the garden; she had observed carefully.

Moreover, the two stood in the very center, surrounded by open space, so there was no need to worry about anyone eavesdropping.

Zhang Shuo looked at Lu Mingzhu and lowered his voice, "I just want to know where Mingzhu is."

Lu Mingzhu had a bad premonition and stubbornly said, "I’m Lu Mingzhu, right here in front of you!"

"You are not her. I knew you were not her the moment I saw you," Zhang Shuo said, pleased to see her shocked expression. "I thought she, like me, had been reborn, not wanting to experience the pain she had gone through before, so she chose to take a completely different path from her previous life. I never expected it wasn’t the case at all. Who are you? Why did you become her? Where has she gone?"

Lu Mingzhu suppressed the shock in her heart and said unhappily, "You’re asking me? Comrade Zhang, please explain your own situation before asking others, otherwise I might think you’re making things up."

Zhang Shuo said in a low voice, "I am reborn; you are a time traveler, because you are not Mingzhu."

"Nonsense! What rebirth? What time travel? I don’t understand," Lu Mingzhu still refused to admit directly. "You say you are reborn? How old are you? On what day were you reborn? Why is it that only you can be reborn?"

Zhang Shuo said indifferently, "I sacrificed a hundred years of good karma, asked someone to perform a ritual, hoping for Mingzhu’s health and safety, a long life, and a second chance at life, to prevent the tragedy from happening again and to reunite with Mingzhu. I remember very clearly—that day was the National Day of 2023. There was a celestial phenomenon, the seven stars aligned, combined with my own birth date. It was a once-in-a-century opportunity."

Lu Mingzhu’s eyebrows shot up, "Well! So you’re the one who brought me here!"

Calculating the time, wasn’t it exactly the time point of her own time travel?

She had heard people say that there was a celestial phenomenon of the seven stars aligning on the night of National Day, but she was not interested in such things and went to bed early as usual, only to wake up and find herself in the original body, with the time pushed back to early August.

At that time, she was only focused on running away, without even time to feel lost.

Thinking carefully, the time when the original body became herself should also have been pushed back a bit, otherwise they would not have met for the first time on National Day.

Perhaps it was the collision of the celestial phenomena of the seven stars aligning in two worlds in space-time that caused their souls to exchange.

Having read and written novels, this was Lu Mingzhu’s first thought.

Otherwise, there's no way to explain their unusual experiences.

Lu Mingzhu was furious: "You were reborn that day too, weren't you? Why? We were doing just fine, and then you had someone perform a ritual. What were you trying to change? Did you regret divorcing Mingzhu later in life? So you wanted to fix things? Is this just self-pity? Why should your self-pity mess up our lives?"

Zhang Shuo, not good with words, didn't argue back, only saying: "It took me several years to accumulate enough merit to pass away in my sleep, and when I woke up here again, it was the early hours of National Day."

As soon as he said it, he felt like he'd been struck by lightning.

She mentioned divorce?

She has Mingzhu's memories, doesn't she?

So, Mingzhu chose to exchange with her because she didn't want to repeat her past life?

Unaware of his thoughts, Lu Mingzhu became even angrier upon hearing this, "You can even pick when you get reborn? Are you the heavens' favorite or something?"

"I'm not," Zhang Shuo said, worried Lu Mingzhu would derail the conversation, and quickly added, "I just want to know where Mingzhu went."

Lu Mingzhu suddenly felt a bit of schadenfreude: "It's pretty obvious—I became her, she became me, and thanks to you, we swapped lives. You want to see her? You'll have to wait till the next life, but I'm sure you'll manage, being the heavens' golden boy and all!"

Zhang Shuo smiled bitterly upon hearing this: "As I expected."

Starting over, he still couldn't get what he wanted.

Right then, he didn't know Mingzhu wasn't in this world's 2023 but had gone to another world. Now, all he hoped for was to earn enough merit in another lifetime, wishing her a carefree life in the world of 2023—no storms, no fears, just a long, brilliant life, shining like a pearl.

Lu Mingzhu expected him to keep bugging her about where the original body was, but he just stayed quiet and slowly walked off.

He walked unsteadily, his back looking lonely, with a touch of sadness.

Lu Mingzhu stood still, tilting her head slightly, but she didn't have time to think much—she saw Xie Junyao hurrying over, clearly worried since she'd been gone so long, so he came to find her.