Chapter 064

Chapter 064

After that, Lu Mingzhu indeed never saw Zhang Shuo again.

The person sent to protect them was replaced by another young man, of the same rank as Zhang Shuo, with an ordinary appearance and even more reticent, like an invisible person, not drawing any attention at all.

Lu Mingzhu was not the original person and knew nothing about the entanglements between the original person and Zhang Shuo, so she didn't care about Zhang Shuo at all.

She always believed that belated affection is as worthless as weeds.

Whether writing novels or scripts, she never wrote stories with the main plotline of chasing a wife to the point of no return, fearing that she might end up having the female protagonist kill the male protagonist, leading directly to the grand finale.

The author herself couldn't stand being wronged, and the female protagonists she wrote also had dignity.

However, the only benefit of Zhang Shuo's rebirth was that he could save some innocent people, if he was willing.

An individual cannot resist the surging tide, cannot influence the situation, but saving a few people in advance should be possible, and perhaps even forewarn some major disasters to avoid massive casualties.

An old man who has lived over a hundred years, already wise beyond his years, knows what to do.

How enviable his longevity is!

High position, great power, and longevity, a true winner in life.

Thus, Lu Mingzhu and her father did not inform Lu Zhuri about future events, nor did they feel guilty towards those innocent people, as someone was carrying the burden forward, so why put themselves in danger.

The more people knew about Lu Mingzhu dreaming of the future, the more danger she was in.

Lu Mingzhu was very selfish.

If it weren't for the importance of self-preservation, she wouldn't have thought of running away as soon as she crossed over.

Even though her relationship with Xie Junyao was growing closer, Lu Mingzhu did not reveal her biggest secret to him. Fortunately, Xie Junyao was a considerate boyfriend and didn't ask what answer Zhang Shuo was seeking from her, just loved to stick to her even more, inseparable except when they were asleep, making everyone at the International Hotel cringe at their sweetness.

If it weren't for the fact that Lu Mingzhu was He Yun's goddaughter, and He Yun looked anything but simple, some conservative overseas Chinese would have already said that Lu Mingzhu and Xie Junyao were simply indecent.

Being affectionate, not knowing to avoid impropriety.

The two almost played all over the capital city, took many photos, and bought a pile of inexpensive local souvenirs.

Fortunately, the prices were not high, otherwise they couldn't have afforded them.

Lu's father and Xie Junhao probably didn't expect the two to spend money so quickly.

Two days before their return, amid Zhang Zhenxing's anxious waiting, Lu Mingzhu finally relented and told him that He Yun was willing to cooperate with the country, hoping it would be kept confidential.

Zhang Zhenxing was overjoyed and thanked Lu Mingzhu profusely.

Then, he hurriedly took people to find He Yun to discuss the details of cooperation.

They couldn't wait any longer, because the luxury liner they were taking would dock in Tianjin on January 18, and they had to leave the capital and arrive in Tianjin before the 18th.

Why leave so early? Of course, because Lu Mingzhu had to go to school!

She was still a student.

Hong Kong University starts in January and has a holiday in June.

So, Lu Mingzhu and Xie Junyao started packing their bags.

Lu Mingzhu bought too many things, and packing them into boxes was a huge task.

She couldn't help it; she just couldn't resist.

If you know there's gold lying around and you don't pick it up, what's the difference between you and a fool?

Lu Mingzhu liked being rich and disliked being a fool, so she spent money like water.

Next time, she would buy even more and bring even more money.

In the next thirty years, the antique paintings and calligraphy works on the shelves would be dirt cheap and too many to count.

Godmother An Ruyi had always been elusive, usually nowhere to be seen, but now she appeared in Lu Mingzhu's room, looking at the antique paintings and calligraphy works piled on the table, sofa, and tea table, the air filled with their unique scent. She gasped, "Good heavens, Mingzhu, how much did you buy?"

"Not much!" Just a few hundred modern paintings and calligraphy works, a few dozen ancient ones, and some porcelain, jade, and copper coins, that's all.

He Yun bought even more.

Just the iron boxes alone used a hundred.

Zhang Zhenxing and the others nearly died laughing.

Customers like these, they wished for two or three hundred more, bringing in a steady stream of foreign exchange for the country.

Lu Mingzhu's items only used six iron boxes. Paintings and copper coins were easy to place, but porcelain and jade carvings had to be wrapped layer by layer in cotton cloth and cotton, with cotton stuffed into the gaps in the boxes to prevent collisions.

An Ruyi helped out, saying, "It's fine, it's fine."

She had just looked and found that most of the paintings and calligraphy works were modern, not valuable, and there were even paintings bought for $1 each, the paper full of black, not knowing what was painted.

"You don't understand," Lu Mingzhu carefully placed the scrolls in the box.

Ancient and modern paintings and calligraphy works were stored separately, the former not filling a box, the latter not fitting into two.

"Yes, yes, I don't understand," An Ruyi, also from a prestigious family, was quite knowledgeable in poetry and books, but unfortunately, her family declined later, so she just didn't understand why Lu Mingzhu valued hundreds of modern paintings and calligraphy works, which couldn't compare to ancient masterpieces!

Seeing Lu Mingzhu rolling up her sleeves, with a pair of transparent jade bracelets on her snow-white wrists, she couldn't help but say, "Rare! Instead of wearing a pile of green jade bracelets, you prefer these colorless ones, clean and clear, looking like glass, although quite beautiful, not as eye-catching as those green jade bracelets, showing nobility."

Lu Mingzhu smiled, "Wearing the same thing every day is boring."

The colorless glass jade bracelets haven't offended anyone, though now they are worthless, in half a century they will be worth millions.

Some people just like this.

If she knew when she would come to the capital next time, she would definitely ask the jade shop owner to help her collect some jade of various colors and good quality to enrich her collection.

What a pity.

She couldn't be sure if she would have the chance to come to the capital again in the future.

Xie Junyao saw through Lu Mingzhu's thoughts at a glance, not mentioning that he had already asked his brother to collect colored diamonds, gemstones, and jade for her, just because Lu Mingzhu had told her father she liked them.

Colored, vibrant and colorful, just like her personality, vigorous and upward.

Facing such a her, anyone would feel mentally pleasant.

When they returned to Hong Kong, the people sent out should have returned.

Xie Junyao was quite looking forward to it.

Lu Mingzhu was still unaware of the surprise awaiting her in Hong Kong. After all the antique paintings and calligraphy works were successfully packed, she stood with her hands on her hips, grinning from ear to ear, full of energy and pride. "This trip was totally worth it," she said.

Originally, she had come just for fun, but now she was returning with a full load.

She planned to work hard to pay off her debts once she got back.

Her father's share didn't need to be repaid, but the Xie family's did.

Xie Junyao wouldn't accept antique paintings and calligraphy as payment, so repaying the money was a must. She couldn't risk getting a reputation for just spending a man's money.

As for gifting him a big house in the future, that was another matter entirely.

An Ruyi sighed with a smile, "You could open an antique shop in Hong Kong."

"I'd love to, but I don't have a shopkeeper," Lu Mingzhu sighed. She wanted to bring Mr. Zhang and Zhang Huaizhi, two old fellows, to Hong Kong. Zhang Huaizhi was one thing, but Mr. Zhang clearly wasn't willing. She had thought there was plenty of time and there was no rush, believing she could eventually persuade Mr. Zhang to come. But now, after learning about Zhang Shuo's background, Lu Mingzhu suddenly felt less worried.

Whether others would save him or not was one thing, but would Zhang Shuo definitely save his uncle or cousin?

After a moment of thought, Lu Mingzhu remembered that Zhang Zhenxing had said Mr. Zhang was his distant cousin, which meant he was Zhang Shuo's uncle.

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

Zhang Zhenxing came over and said to Lu Mingzhu, "We're hosting a farewell banquet for Mr. He and you all tonight. Please make sure to attend."

"You could have just sent someone to let us know. There was no need for you to come in person," Lu Mingzhu said, quickly washing her hands and brewing tea, which she then handed to him with both hands. "Please."

She admired national heroes and didn't hold any grudge against Zhang Zhenxing just because he was Zhang Shuo's father.

Zhang Zhenxing also liked Lu Mingzhu, a lively and straightforward young woman with a patriotic heart. He smiled as he accepted the teacup. "I had to come in person to thank you for all your help this time."

The cooperation with He Yun had been settled, and the important task was completed, so the tension in his brow eased.

Seeing him in such a good mood, Lu Mingzhu casually asked, "We're about to leave, but I haven't seen Comrade Zhang Shuo or Comrade Lu Zhuri. Will they be at tomorrow's farewell banquet?"

In truth, she only wanted to ask about Lu Zhuri but phrased it this way to avoid raising suspicions.

Unaware of her thoughts, Zhang Zhenxing smiled and said, "Zhang Shuo is on a mission and doesn't have time to come. As for Comrade Lu Zhuri... I guess he's too ashamed to come."

Lu Mingzhu was greatly surprised. "Why would he be ashamed? He's a heroic figure who fought bravely."

Zhang Zhenxing pondered for a moment. "Comrade Lu Zhuri is divorced. You know that, right? It's because Lin Xiaohong mistreated the child Ye Ying had with him."

Lu Mingzhu nodded. "I know. Didn't Lin Xiaohong make a scene at the International Hotel? She even asked someone to intercede. At the time, Junyao and I happened to be there. A few days ago, when Junyao and I ran into you at the gate, wasn't the old man who wanted you to mediate between Comrade Zhang Shuo and his daughter Lin Xiaohong's father? Is Comrade Lu Zhuri's absence related to them?"

They were already divorced. What else could there be?

She wanted to say more but held back.

Zhang Zhenxing didn't hide anything from them and said directly, "Lin Xiaohong has recently become quite close with an overseas Chinese. They've been interacting frequently, and it seems she intends to remarry."

Lu Mingzhu, mid-sip, nearly choked on her tea. "Remarry an overseas Chinese?"

What kind of crazy move is that?

Zhang Zhenxing chuckled. "She's willing, and Old Lin has no control over her. Fortunately, the overseas Chinese has a clean background. The reason he's become a distinguished guest is that he has also donated a lot of money and materials to the country. He has a good reputation, and his ex-wife has passed away, leaving behind two adult sons who don't mind if their father remarries."

A flash of anger crossed An Ruyi's eyes.

Others might not know, but she knew that Lu Zhuri was Lu Changsheng, a child she had watched grow up and had guided onto this path. How could she allow Lin Xiaohong to trample his dignity underfoot?

She would rather divorce to marry an overseas Chinese—what would people think of Lu Zhuri?

Outsiders wouldn’t care who came first or last.

Once rumors spread, everyone would surely talk about Lu Zhuri.

Lu Mingzhu, on the other hand, didn’t care. She deeply disliked Lin Xiaohong, who exploited patriotic sentiments and despised the poor while loving the rich. Seeing Lin make such a foolish move, she felt a twinge of satisfaction.

Marrying an overseas Chinese now might bring her a life of luxury, but what about the future?

It would inevitably drag her family into trouble.

A mother who could conspire with her daughter to kill Lu Aiguo and pass the jade bracelet to Lu Aidang shows that Lin’s mother was not a good person, and Lin’s father, who married her, might not be innocent either.

Without his tacit approval, how could his wife and daughter dare to plot against a child?

"Comrade Zhang, is the overseas Chinese still abroad or has he returned?" Lu Mingzhu felt she needed to clarify.

The former would allow Lin Xiaohong to enjoy a life of luxury, while the latter could bring her misfortune, though that would be more than a decade later, and the returned overseas Chinese would be somewhat innocent.

Zhang Zhenxing replied, "He is a returned overseas Chinese."

Lu Mingzhu acknowledged with a nod.

She was unaware that she was the catalyst for Lin Xiaohong’s decision to remarry a returned overseas Chinese.

After divorcing Lu Zhuri, Lin Xiaohong didn’t stay idle.

Determined to marry into a higher social class, she had her parents’ full support, but the families they favored were unwilling to form a marital alliance with them, and those willing to propose were not to their liking.

In her frustration, Lin Xiaohong went out to relax.

This outing turned out to be pivotal; she often saw Lu Mingzhu entering and exiting the International Hotel, always arm in arm with Xie Junyao. Apart from the two mink coats she alternated wearing outside, her clothes and shoes never repeated, and she changed her jewelry several times.

So much!

And so beautiful, everyone around said they were priceless.

Not jade, then pearls, occasionally switching to diamonds and rubies, which opened Lin Xiaohong’s eyes to a world beyond her pair of jade bracelets, filling her with envy and jealousy.

She finally realized how narrow her past perspective had been.

Knowing there was a world beyond, Lin Xiaohong no longer looked up to cadre families like her father’s.

Poor, all poor.

Clothes patched, meals unappetizing.

Marrying into such a family would mean continuing a life of old clothes and straw sandals, with no future.

Lin Xiaohong was unwilling.

Thus, she set her sights on a returned overseas Chinese staying at the International Hotel and convinced her parents to help arrange several chance encounters.

Once she made up her mind, not even nine horses could pull her back.

This overseas Chinese was named Guo Tianbao, who ran a retail business in Nanyang, not small in scale.

Guo Tianbao, being middle-aged, naturally couldn’t resist a young and beautiful woman throwing herself at him. Additionally, he wanted to settle back in his homeland and could make use of the Lin family’s connections, so he went along with it and began pursuing Lin Xiaohong. He often sent her flowers, perfumes, cosmetics, handbags, and jewelry from abroad, and frequently took her out to restaurants and bought her clothes, spending lavishly.

Soon, he won Lin Xiaohong’s affections.

When he proposed to her with a 2-carat diamond ring, she eagerly accepted.

She joyfully agreed.

They decided that after He Yun and his entourage left, they would hold a grand wedding to let everyone know that even as a remarried woman, Lin Xiaohong could still marry a wealthy man.

To Lin Xiaohong, money trumped power.

She was utterly sick of being poor.

Lin’s father and mother initially disagreed, as their ways of thinking were different and could easily lead to conflicts, but they couldn’t resist Lin Xiaohong’s enthusiasm, especially when she mentioned her brothers’ struggles to find wives because of poverty.

In the end, the whole family agreed.

Simply put, they had gotten a taste of the good life.

Guo Tianbao treated them generously, even buying them a spacious traditional courtyard house in the capital, so they no longer had to cram into the small house provided by the organization.

Therefore, when attending the farewell dinner, to make a statement, Guo Tianbao deliberately brought the young and beautiful Lin Xiaohong.

Lu Mingzhu spotted her immediately.