Chapter 076: A Summer Date in Hong Kong

Chapter 076: A Summer Date in Hong Kong

Ming Yue felt a pang of disappointment, but Xie Junyao was clearly delighted.

It's only natural to get turned down when you interrupt a couple's date.

"Mingzhu, let's get out of here. It's sweltering outside," Xie Junyao said. He tossed the pencil case and other items he'd just received into the car, then pulled out a bouquet of flowers and handed them to Lu Mingzhu.

Lu Mingzhu leaned in to inhale the sweet scent.

The lilies were stunning, but Lu Mingzhu outshone them, her beauty radiant.

Though the exams had worn her out, her diet of rich foods had left her skin smooth and glowing, full of energy.

Xie Junyao held the passenger door open for her.

Lu Mingzhu settled into the seat, flowers in hand, as her bodyguards followed in another car.

Xie Junyao was behind the wheel of a car with a rear-seat air conditioning system.

The air conditioning was in the back, so he had to start it before driving. That's why he left the family driver behind.

The summer heat had been brutal during her exams, leaving her drenched in sweat. Now, she relished the cool breeze in the passenger seat.

What a luxury! Money really does make life better.

That's why you've got to hustle—money buys the good life.

Soon, the oppressive heat began to fade. Lu Mingzhu plucked a lily, tucked it behind her ear, and playfully nudged Xie Junyao. "So, when are we climbing Mount Tai? Once my results are in, I’ll have all the time in the world for you."

Xie Junyao kept his eyes on the road. "Let’s wait for cooler weather," he said.

"It’s scorching—unbearable."

Lu Mingzhu giggled behind her hand. "It’s not so bad, really!"

Fifty years from now, it’ll feel like we’re living in an oven.

Thanks to the greenhouse effect, southern Shandong and northern Jiangsu rarely see heavy snow now, but back then, winters brought frequent snowfalls, with ice that lingered for weeks.

While we’re young and the world’s still open to us, we should travel. Opportunities like this won’t last forever.

Noticing her excitement, Xie Junyao paused. "Let’s decide after your results," he said.

Hong Kong feels so cramped—there’s hardly anywhere for them to go on a proper date.

Hong Kong Island is the wealthiest area, followed by Kowloon. With few scenic spots and unsafe neighborhoods to avoid, their options are limited.

Though they’re under their father and brother’s wing, their combined wealth puts them in the super-rich category.

Lu Mingzhu hummed in agreement. "There's no rush now, we have time to consider."

Just finished the exams, she needed to catch her breath.

Passing by the cinema, she saw Xia Lin's poster through the window. In the poster, she was wearing a green cheongsam that accentuated her graceful figure, with her hair styled in a high bun, her eyebrows and eyes delicately painted, radiating a refined and elegant charm.

Fame's glow made her look even more beautiful.

She wore a jade bracelet on her left wrist, adding an air of elegance and luxury.

With money, you can have all kinds of outfits.

Lu Mingzhu casually asked, "Does Xia Lin have a new movie out?"

The car was moving fast, and she didn't notice the name of the movie on the poster, only vaguely recalling it was three characters long.

Xie Junyao wasn't particularly concerned, "Not sure. It stands to reason there should be. On your birthday, didn't Mr. Ming mention that Xia Lin had made a comeback? The specifics, I don't know."

Lu Mingzhu nodded in agreement.

Recently, her father had been staying at her house with Lu Pingan and his siblings. Whether they had gone out on dates was unclear.

Even if they had, he didn’t need to tell his unmarried youngest daughter.

In this regard, her father was quite mindful of boundaries and wouldn’t bring outside women home.

It’s hard to know what to make of him. Fortunately, the person most qualified to criticize him, Mrs. Lu, was no longer alive. As a daughter, and as a daughter concerned about the family fortune, she just let it slide!

Lu Mingzhu thought to herself happily.

"Xia Lin is beautiful, a good actress, trained in Yue opera, with impeccable posture and grace. Once I find the time, I'll write a script and have her as the lead actress." With many fans and strong appeal, the movie was bound to be a hit.

Xie Junyao smiled, "Uncle Lu and Mr. Ming would be thrilled."

Because Lu Mingzhu was busy, her father hadn’t pushed her.

The screenwriting fee for Da Feng had risen to 10,000 yuan per script, according to the offer from Ruyi Film Company.

Xie Junyao came across this while organizing newspapers and letters and showed it to Lu Mingzhu. However, she was deep in her studies and refused the offer, saying she only accepted profit-sharing, and asked him to reply accordingly.

Later, there was no follow-up.

Da Feng's three works were very profitable, and Ruyi Film Company naturally didn’t want to lose her.

An Ruyi was still unaware that Da Feng was Lu Mingzhu's pen name.

Feihua Film Company and Da Ming Film Company were willing to sign profit-sharing contracts with Lu Mingzhu, mainly because Xie Junhao and her father were shareholders, and they were happy to let her profit.

It was just moving money from one pocket to another, not benefiting outsiders.

The fact was that Lu Mingzhu's scripts were indeed brilliant and profitable. In the months she hadn't written, the two film companies had produced several movies, some starring Xia Lin, but the highest-grossing one didn't exceed 500,000 yuan, with limited profits. Two movies didn't even recoup their costs and were heavily criticized by the audience.

Not long ago, Xie Junyao attended a business banquet and met Ming Hui, who complained and asked Xie Junyao to persuade Lu Mingzhu to write a couple of scripts soon, promising heavy investment in production.

Xie Junyao didn't agree and didn't even mention it to Lu Mingzhu.

She was already working hard enough in her studies.

Now was the time, and Xie Junyao told Lu Mingzhu about it, "Although his character is questionable, Mr. Ming is quite skilled in business. Da Ming Film Company is doing well and recently bought a plot of land to build a film studio. Because of this investment, Mr. Ming and Uncle Lu haven't received any dividends."

Her father wasn't short of money and didn't mind, but Ming Hui was suffering.

He didn't invest in his personal name but under Hui Shipping Company. Even if there were dividends, they would first go into Hui Shipping Company's accounts before being distributed to shareholders.

When the money was in He Xuan's hands, she could get some from her, but once it was in Ming Yue's hands, she wouldn't give him a penny.

He Xuan was quite decisive, perhaps because He Yun had advised her. She said she would transfer the assets to Ming Yue, and she truly did, leaving nothing behind—not even cash or jewelry—all of which went to Ming Yue. However, there was a condition: she retained the right to use all the jewelry, and Ming Yue had to cover her living expenses, which couldn't be lower than her previous standard of living.

Why would Ming Yue refuse?

She only had one mother.

She was most afraid of her mother's belongings falling into her father's hands. It had happened before that Ming Hui took He Xuan's jewelry to give to other women to curry favor, although it wasn't particularly expensive jewelry.

As the eldest daughter of the wealthiest man in Southeast Asia, He Xuan owned countless pieces of jewelry, so many that even she lost count.

Ming Hui could easily take a couple of pieces without her noticing.

Ming Yue was young, but she had a good memory. Once, while shopping, she accidentally saw Ming Hui taking Ming Heng and his mother to buy things, and she noticed that Ming Heng's mother, Ye Lili, was wearing one of her mother's pearl necklaces.

It nearly drove Ming Yue crazy.

Lu Mingzhu had been close to Ming Yue for a long time and had heard her mention this incident once, which made her despise Ming Hui all the more.

"It's better not to distribute dividends; the company's assets have multiplied, but he has no money to enjoy himself." Lu Mingzhu felt a sense of satisfaction, then smiled and added, "But our company's dividends are quite good!"

They still took 40% of the net profit as dividends, no less than what they received at the beginning of January.

Next month, it will be dividend time again.

Feeling fantastic.

Xie Junyao smiled faintly, "To ensure timely delivery, the company hired several reputable construction companies to collaborate. The projects sold last year were topped out at the beginning of the year, passed inspection, and were delivered to the citizens, who were very pleased. This gave a lot of confidence to those who were still observing. This year, several more projects were sold through pre-sales, and the company has sufficient funds, so naturally, our dividends won't be affected."

"We must ensure both quality and quantity," Lu Mingzhu said.

She hated shoddy construction the most.

Xie Junyao nodded solemnly, "Don't worry, we're not unscrupulous businessmen. My brother places the highest value on the quality of the buildings. Our company frequently inspects construction materials and sends people to supervise the construction sites. My brother and I also make unannounced visits to inspect the work."

Good quality and a good reputation lead to prosperous business.

Lu Mingzhu praised, "That's the way it should be! In both life and work, we should treat others as we would like to be treated."

She had also been a consumer and understood their needs.

Simply put, regardless of price, everyone hopes that what they buy is free of defects.

As they spoke, they arrived at the dock, and Xie Junyao found a place to park.

Lu Mingzhu couldn't help but say, "We should invest in some parking spaces. On one hand, we can rent them out, and on the other, it would be convenient for us to use them. Plus, parking spaces aren't expensive."

Like that parking lot queen.

Moreover, her investment would take a long time to pay off.

Xie Junyao smiled at her words, "In a few years, but not now. The return rate is too low at this stage."

The reason was simple: there were few private cars.

"I was talking about a few years from now, not the present," Lu Mingzhu quickly defended herself. "At this stage, real estate is still more profitable, especially residential projects. In a few years, we can consider industrial buildings."

It is vaguely remembered that it wasn't until 1955 that the construction of high-rise buildings was allowed.

Xie Junyao parked the car and said, "I’ll follow your lead. Just let us know when the time is right."

The two, accompanied by bodyguards, crossed the harbor on the Star Ferry and met Lu Pingan at the entrance of the Hong Kong Grand Hotel as he was seeing off some guests. After the guests got into their car, Eighth Miss Lu Mingzhu greeted him.

"Who were they?" she asked.

"They commissioned me to procure a batch of old machinery and equipment," said the sixteen-year-old Lu Pingan, dressed in a simple student uniform, his youthful face still showing a hint of immaturity, yet his demeanor was already quite composed. "They have limited funds, can't afford new ones, want to buy used ones, but don't want to buy unusable old machines. They were referred to me."

He’s made a name for himself in the secondhand machinery trade, thriving in the industry.

The dividends told Lu Mingzhu that this nephew is remarkably capable.

Of course, the connections of the elders have helped him a lot, even allowing him to source old machinery from abroad.

Lu Mingzhu patted his shoulder, "Kid, keep it up, I believe in you!"

Lu Pingan smiled slightly, "Aunt, have you finished your exams? Grandfather said that once you're done with your exams, we'll move."

"Back to the hotel?" Lu Mingzhu frowned, "It’s more fun with everyone around. Let’s just stay here!"

Lu Pingan shook his head, "Grandfather thinks your place is too small, too cramped. And we're not going back to the hotel, we're moving directly to Happy Valley. The building that Grandfather uses as a residence has been prepared, and the servants and most of the luggage have already been moved there."

Actually, during the time they weren't staying at the hotel, the luggage had been moved to a villa under Lu Pingan's name.

The old lady bought it for him, located in Happy Valley, costing 250,000 Hong Kong dollars.

Unaware of these details, Lu Mingzhu cheerfully asked, "When are you moving? Are you having a housewarming party? I need to prepare a housewarming gift in advance."

Her father had given her so much, she needed to show her gratitude.

Lu Pingan shook his head again, "Grandfather said we won't have one, we'll have a big celebration once we move to the new mansion."

He glanced at the wristwatch Lu Mingzhu had given him and continued, "Aunt, I have things to do, I won't disturb your date. You’d better head inside. It’s scorching out here—don’t let the sun ruin your complexion."

Having spent a lot of time with Lu Mingzhu, he was well aware of how much she valued her looks.

Lu Mingzhu exclaimed and quickly pulled Xie Junyao into the hotel.

Two attendants in white uniforms opened the door for them, so they didn't need to do it themselves.

Familiar with the place, they entered the restaurant and secured a prime table.

The waiter approached with two menus, gave a slight bow, and inquired politely, "What would the gentleman and the lady like to order?"

"Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, a luxurious stew," Lu Mingzhu ordered the signature dish first, then asked Xie Junyao.

Xie Junyao ordered her favorite dishes and handed the menu back to the waiter, "We’re all set."

As they waited for their meal, Lu Mingzhu served tea.

One cup for Xie Junyao, one for herself.

Da Hong Pao, a premium oolong, was only a notch below her father’s prized tea.

Lu Mingzhu thought of the tea she had stored in her space, only taking out a small portion for the family, with most of it kept in her space.

Even now, when she brought it out, it retained the flavor of freshly harvested tea.

Not only tea, but also medicinal herbs, tonics, and other items.

Apart from using the metal detector when she first arrived, Lu Mingzhu hadn't touched the supplies she prepared for herself since then, and she wasn't sure if they would ever come in handy.

Since they weren't needed at the moment, she decided to leave them stored away.

Sometimes, she even forgot she had a personal storage space.

Resting her chin on her hand, Lu Mingzhu idly scanned the surroundings.

It was mealtime, and the restaurant was bustling with guests, all dressed in vibrant colors, yet none could match the limelight on Xia Lin.

She was dining with someone—not Lu Mingzhu's father.

Curious, Lu Mingzhu glanced over and noticed a strikingly handsome young foreign man.

He seemed roughly four or five years older than Xie Junyao, sitting with a straight posture, his broad shoulders accentuated by a dark blue windowpane suit crafted by a renowned designer.

Lu Mingzhu's father only wore custom-made suits, and she recognized the tailor's handiwork as one he frequented.

The young man was blond with blue eyes, fair skin, and a prominent nose.

Xia Lin was smiling at him with great enthusiasm, her eyes soft and radiating charm.

Lu Mingzhu was taken aback.

She nudged Xie Junyao's muscular arm, exposed by his rolled-up sleeve, and gestured with her chin towards Xia Lin and the young man, "What's the deal here?"

Xie Junyao glanced over briefly before turning back. "No idea," he said.

And he didn't care.

Lu Mingzhu lit up with curiosity, "You think Dad knows about this?"

Xie Junyao shrugged. "Beats me," he said.

Lu Mingzhu nodded thoughtfully and then saw the young man place his hand over Xia Lin's. Xia Lin didn't pull away; instead, she blushed shyly, her red lips trembling as she spoke slightly broken English.

From where she sat, Lu Mingzhu couldn't make out the words.

But she could tell that Xia Lin and the young man had a close relationship.

"Let the old man figure it out himself. He's past his prime, after all," Lu Mingzhu had no intention of revealing the secret, especially since her father wasn't exactly a good man when it came to relationships.

They're all the same—no good!

As long as it didn't affect her interests, Lu Mingzhu felt she could accept it.

Xie Junyao chuckled, "Aren't you worried Uncle Lu will call you a troublemaker?"

When the father and daughter interacted, it wasn't always warm and touching. Occasionally, they would argue, with Lu Mingzhu calling her father an old man, and her father calling her a rebellious daughter. Over time, those present became indifferent to it.

Just then, the waiter brought water, and Lu Mingzhu washed her hands, drying them with the towel on the tray.

"He can say whatever he wants; it's not like it'll kill me," she said with a laugh, then began her speculation: "I think Xia Lin finds the old man too old and doesn't want to serve him anymore."

When she was without money, a wealthy old man was a good choice.

But once she had money and status, why would she stick with a man on his last legs?

"It's all just your speculation," Xie Junyao said.

"Pretty much on point," Lu Mingzhu couldn't help her curiosity and glanced again at Xia Lin and the foreign young man, just in time to see him pull out a ring box from his pocket and flip it open.

Lu Mingzhu's eyes popped wide open.

Noticing her fixed gaze, Xie Junyao couldn't help but turn his head to look.

The foreign young man pulled out a glittering diamond ring from the box and gently placed it on Xia Lin's right ring finger, then kissed the finger wearing the diamond ring.

To say they’re not involved is a joke!

"The diamond ring is a bit small," Lu Mingzhu, who owns a large diamond ring, commented, "Not as generous as the old man was. Although the old man first gave Xia Lin a 3-carat diamond ring, it was part of a promotion for 3-carat diamond rings. Later, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Xia Lin wore a full set of diamond jewelry, including a diamond ring of at least 8 to 10 carats, which the old man did not take back."

Lu Mingzhu knew for sure because Xia Lin had worn it afterward, and it even made the papers.

Xie Junyao turned to accept a bowl of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall from the waiter and placed it in front of her, a smile appearing on his face, "Don’t get so caught up watching others on their date that you forget we’re on one too."

"Oh!" Lu Mingzhu started eating.

The first bite brought a look of pure satisfaction to her face.

This is amazing!

Xie Junyao loved seeing her like this, his gaze softening without him even realizing it.

With her stomach no longer empty, Lu Mingzhu felt comfortable both physically and mentally, finally able to chat with Xie Junyao, but she never talked with her mouth full, always swallowing before speaking.

When it came to table manners, she was flawless.

The hotel manager approached to ask if they’d like some wine.

Lu Mingzhu saw him every time she dined here, and naturally became familiar with him, knowing his surname was Geng, so she smiled and said, "Manager Geng, we can’t be drinking free wine every day, can we? We don't need it."

Manager Geng smiled broadly, "Even if we gave you free wine every day, it wouldn’t break the bank."

He asked again, "Miss Lu, really no need?"

"Thanks, but not right now," Lu Mingzhu didn't want to drink, and Xie Junyao was driving, so it's best not to drink and drive, as it harms both others and oneself, although she didn't know if there were any regulations now.

Most likely not.

"Please, enjoy your meal," Manager Geng left the restaurant and ordered two more signature dishes for them.

When they were leaving after paying the bill, Lu Mingzhu joked, "Offering free wine every day is getting old, next time we see him we should ask him to give us a free meal, do you think he would agree?"

Xie Junyao smiled, "He would."

As long as she asked.

"Forget it, I don't take advantage of outsiders," Lu Mingzhu took his arm and walked out, glancing again at where Xia Lin was, but they were already gone.

However, they unexpectedly ran into Ming Hui.

What a scoundrel!

He’s a real piece of work.

Although Lu's father is also a philanderer, he at least distinguishes between legitimate and illegitimate, not harming the interests of his original wife, nor favoring illegitimate children, even though Lu Changsheng squandered so much family property, he still cared about Lu Changsheng's safety.

They want him to come back and fulfill his filial duties, mainly because they fear he might die young, as Lu Mingzhu had mentioned in her dream.

Ming Hui was speaking with Manager Geng, "Is it really not possible?"

"Mr. Ming, it's truly not possible, absolutely not," Manager Geng said kindly, his tone exceptionally gentle as a service professional. Noticing Lu Mingzhu looking over, he immediately clarified, "It's not about the money if you want to hold the wedding at the Hong Kong Grand Hotel, it's just not appropriate."

How could he think of holding a wedding for his illegitimate son at his father-in-law's hotel?

He Xuan couldn't keep her husband's heart, tolerating his philandering, but she couldn't tolerate him trampling her and her family's dignity underfoot.

Especially since Manager Geng had heard that He Xuan had already transferred all her assets to Ming Yue.

It was evident that He Xuan's patience with Ming Hui was gradually waning.

Having worked at the Hong Kong Grand Hotel for many years and frequently interacted with He Xuan and her husband, Manager Geng had sharp eyes and even understood the couple's situation better than He Yun. In the past, Ming Hui could have sweet-talked He Xuan into retracting her decision, unlike now when he couldn't stop Ming Yue from inheriting half of the Ming family.

Perhaps He Xuan felt that Ming Yue was now an adult and could stand on her own.

Lu Mingzhu and Xie Junyao only learned upon hearing this that Ming Hui wanted to hold Ming Heng's wedding at the Hong Kong Grand Hotel, further despising his character, truly despicable to the extreme!

Ming Hui also saw them and hurriedly said, "Mingzhu, please put in a good word for me in front of your godfather."

"Isn't my godfather your father-in-law? Why don't you go and talk to him yourself?" Lu Mingzhu refused, not only refusing but also telling Ming Yue about it.

Over the phone.

After returning home and seeing Xie Junyao off, Lu Mingzhu called Ming Yue.

"Your dad asked me for help, and I directly rebuffed him. I wonder if he'll give up," she said to Ming Yue, "Has Ming Heng and Zhang Baoyi's wedding date been set? When is it? They should send an invitation to my dad and me then."

After all, they are business partners.

Ming Yue scoffed, "Let him do as he pleases, the Hong Kong Grand Hotel would never agree to such an outrageous request."

Lu Mingzhu sympathized, "Your dad is really too much, far worse than my old man, yet my old man's girlfriend actually accepts someone else's advances."

She couldn't help but gossip with Ming Yue.

She was indeed a little gossip enthusiast.

Ming Yue laughed heartily, "Really? I haven't heard anyone mention it, nor have I seen any related news in the papers."

"I just saw it today, even if reporters took photos, it wouldn't make the papers until tomorrow, the evening papers wouldn't give them that prominence." Newspapers are typeset and printed in advance.

Not everyone can change things by throwing money around like her old man.

Mr. Lu was about to tell his daughter that he would move out tomorrow when he accidentally overheard her conversation with Ming Yue. After listening quietly and understanding the whole story, he walked over and gave her a knock on the head.

"Ungrateful daughter!" he said fiercely.

Lu Mingzhu covered the spot where he had knocked, "Dad, what are you doing?"

Ming Yue, hearing her cry of pain and complaint, quickly said, "I won't disturb your father-daughter chat anymore!"

She hung up the phone swiftly, showing a strong will to survive.

Mr. Lu took the receiver and hung it up properly, asking, "What did you see today? Tell me about it, say it again."

Lu Mingzhu stood up and kept her distance, asking cautiously, "Dad, are you and Xia Lin over? If you are, I'll spill; if not, forget I mentioned anything to Ming Yue."

Her father let out an exasperated laugh, "What a daughter you are!"

"Of course, I've always been your most adorable, most adorable good daughter!" Lu Mingzhu brazenly boasted, her big eyes darting around. "So, spill or not? You're my dad, after all. Your call, no arguments from me."

"Tell me," her father said.

Lu Mingzhu paused, unsure.

In the chandelier's glow, she studied her father closely. His features were sharp and defined, still full of life and handsome. Though he was getting older, his temples graying, his skin losing its youthful smoothness.

"Dad, you should pick your godfather's brain," Lu Mingzhu suggested. "He looks so young, and he's even older than you!"

Her father sat on the single sofa, tapping the small table beside him with his fingers. "Don't dodge the question."

"I'm worried it might upset you," Lu Mingzhu muttered.

"Unless it's about you, nothing can faze me," her father said. Having weathered every storm, would he care about Xia Lin's little fling?

Lu Mingzhu glanced at him. "I'm really gonna tell you!"

"Shoot," her father said straightforwardly.

Lu Mingzhu then told her father about the scene she witnessed today where Xia Lin was being courted, and comforted him, "Other than being younger, he's got nothing on you. The ring he gave was tiny, probably not even 3 carats."

Her father's expression turned grim.

Seeing this, Lu Mingzhu's eyes flashed with the word 'gossip'. "Could it be that you and Xia Lin haven't officially broken up?"

Otherwise, he wouldn't have that expression.

How long had they been together? Only half a year, during which Xia Lin spent three months just recovering from injuries.

Her father said nonchalantly, "You don't need to worry about so much."

"I'm concerned about you, afraid you'll be upset," Lu Mingzhu sat on the armrest of the sofa to his left, her delicate face close to her father's. "Not angry, are you? Not angry, are you?"

Her father pushed her face away. "Don't get so close to me."

"So you are angry," Lu Mingzhu pulled her face back and continued to comfort him. "Anyway, you and Xia Lin got what you needed from each other. Now she feels her wings are strong enough to fly, let her fly. Aren't you worried about not having beauties to accompany you? Just say the word, and a hundred beauties will line up in front of you for you to choose from."

"Nonsense," her father said, lighting a cigar.

"I'm not talking nonsense, I'm telling the truth. Aren't you going to let people tell the truth anymore?" Lu Mingzhu expressed her dissatisfaction, waving her hand to fan away the smoke near her nose, quickly moving away. "Smoking is harmful to your health, don't punish yourself for what others have done."