Chapter 096

Chapter 096

Their bodyguards were very capable and actually managed to find out.

They found Zhou Wenyuan.

Zhou Wenyuan is currently a teacher at a middle school in Kowloon Tong, living comfortably.

Lu Mingzhu was puzzled, "Are you sure?"

If he was living well, why would he pawn jewelry and antiques? He only got 10,000 dollars for it.

Whether now or in the past, that amount isn't enough to buy a house.

However, the Zhou family was indeed wealthy, able to afford education and even sent Zhou Wenyuan abroad.

That bracelet was made by Zhou's godmother from a jade necklace belonging to Empress Dowager Cixi, split into two strings of eighteen beads. She kept one and gave the other to the original body as a fifth birthday gift.

The tourmaline was also an antique from the Qing Dynasty imperial palace.

The original body often played with it, which is why Lu Mingzhu recognized it immediately.

"Very sure. When I was with the master, I met Young Master Zhou and personally confirmed it near his house. It's him, but after more than ten years, he has aged a lot. He doesn't look like he's in his forties; he looks more like fifty." This bodyguard is in his thirties, in his prime, and highly skilled, which is why Lu's father assigned him to his daughter.

Lu Mingzhu frowned, "What about my godmother?"

Although Zhou's godmother left Shanghai when the original body was six or seven, once a godmother, always a godmother.

Lu Mingzhu had to take care of her in her later years.

She took over the original body's life and its responsibilities.

"There is no Mrs. Zhou." At this point, the bodyguard thought carefully for a moment, "I remember Young Master Zhou got married over ten years ago, in the City of Flowers. The master and mistress didn't attend, but sent generous gifts. You were young then and also sent a pair of white jade dragon and phoenix pendants. But the wife I saw by his side is only in her twenties, with a six or seven-year-old boy. The family of three often goes out to play, very happily."

Lu Mingzhu was shocked, "Did something happen?"

It was her godmother and sister-in-law who had met with misfortune.

The bodyguard also thought something had happened. When he asked the neighbors, he found out that Zhou Wenyuan had only moved there seven years ago, alone, and no one knew about what happened seven years ago.

After telling Lu Mingzhu the information he had gathered, he said, "It is said that Mr. Zhou married his wife there, whose family were big landowners in Yuen Long. She was formerly Mr. Zhou's student, Li Ping, and her dowry was a Tong Lau, bringing in tens of thousands in rent annually."

Lu Mingzhu frowned deeply.

"School hasn't started yet, has it?" she suddenly asked.

The bodyguard nodded, "No."

It was only mid-August; school wouldn't start until September.

Lu Mingzhu packed up the just-completed manuscript of "The Swordsman," "I'll change my clothes, then please drive me. I need to go out. I'm going to find this godbrother and ask him directly."

The bodyguard grunted in agreement and went to make arrangements.

Lu Mingzhu returned to her bedroom for a quick shower, changed into her going-out clothes, put the two strings of jade beads and an old photo into her handbag, and left the peak by car, crossing the sea to Kowloon.

When she knocked on Zhou Wenyuan's door, he was reading with a six or seven-year-old boy in the living room.

The door was opened by his wife, Li Ping.

"Who are you here to see?" Li Ping scrutinized Lu Mingzhu, amazed yet puzzled.

Lu Mingzhu smiled, "I'm here to see Zhou Wenyuan."

Seeing the beautiful face and elegant attire before her, Li Ping immediately became wary, her voice losing its warmth. "Who are you, and what do you want with my husband?"

Zhou Wenyuan looked up, "Who wants to see me?"

They lived in a simple two-story house, about a thousand square feet in size, with a layout of two bedrooms and two living rooms on the first floor. He set his book aside and headed to the door.

Zhou Wenyuan looked at Lu Mingzhu, equally confused.

"Who are you?" He was sure he didn't know the beautiful girl before him and had never seen her before.

If he had, he wouldn't forget.

Gazing at the thin-faced, scholarly Zhou Wenyuan, who still resembled the young man from her childhood memories, Lu Mingzhu said slowly, "I'm Lu Mingzhu."

Zhou Wenyuan's expression shifted.

Seeing his reaction, Lu Mingzhu's doubts deepened. She smiled and said, "Brother, you haven't forgotten me, have you? You used to hold me when I was little! We even took a photo together, which I've kept all these years."

Zhou Wenyuan said indifferently, "I remember."

But he didn't invite Lu Mingzhu in, which was quite rude.

Li Ping, standing beside him, also stayed silent.

Lu Mingzhu frowned, "It's been more than ten years since we last saw each other. It wasn't easy to find out you're in Hong Kong too. Won't you invite me in for some tea?"

What about your manners?

The Zhou family was scholarly and valued etiquette.

Prompted by her words, Zhou Wenyuan finally stepped aside and said, "Come on in."

Then he said to Li Ping, "A Ping, make some tea."

Li Ping quickly brewed the tea and brought it over, not forgetting to inquire about the situation, "Sir, who is she? Is she a relative of ours in Hong Kong? I've never heard you mention her before."

"She's the goddaughter that the old lady recognized before, and she has no relation to us," Zhou Wenyuan replied, then looked up at Lu Mingzhu and said, "Since we haven't been in contact for many years, there's no need to keep in touch, especially since the old lady is no longer with us."

His expression remained cold.

Lu Mingzhu was angry but kept her composure, "You're right, I only recognized the godmother. We were like mother and daughter. Now that she's gone, you should at least tell me where her grave is so I can pay my respects."

"Hong Kong was chaotic during the occupation, there's no grave," Zhou Wenyuan replied.

Lu Mingzhu stopped wasting words with him and got up to leave.

At the door, she turned back to look at Zhou Wenyuan, "I will find out everything."

Such an attitude towards her mother must have a reason.

Zhou Wenyuan's face darkened, and he immediately called out to her.

As Lu Mingzhu stopped, he said, "Our family matters are none of your business. What's past is past, please don't meddle."

Lu Mingzhu responded with a cold smile, "I will meddle."

What connection does the Zhou family have with her? It's her godmother who is related. She must find out what happened to her godmother and where she was buried after she passed away, so she can go and offer incense.

After leaving the Zhou residence, she instructed her bodyguards: "Find out where Zhou Wenyuan lived seven years ago. If he has been teaching at the school for more than seven years, we should be able to uncover this information, and we might also glean some clues from his neighbors."

The bodyguards replied, "I'll look into it further."

Initially, he thought that finding Zhou Wenyuan would reveal everything, so he didn't investigate the earlier matters.

Now, hearing his conversation with Lu Mingzhu, something seems very wrong.

We must investigate.

Upon returning home, Lu Mingzhu's furrowed brows suddenly relaxed as she rushed towards Xie Junyao, who was sitting in her living room.

"You're back?" She was thrilled.

Kisses all around!

She kissed, and he kissed back.

Their lips and teeth met.

This made the bodyguards avoid entering and learning from them, and even the maid who was about to serve tea ducked back into the tea room.

After a while, the two sat side by side on the sofa, their hands interlocked, one as pale as jade and the other as dark as bronze, creating a stark contrast.

"How did you get so dark?" Lu Mingzhu looked at Xie Junyao, "Is Europe very hot?"

Though it's very masculine, it's not as handsome as before.

The dark skin really detracts from his looks.

Before, he was White Xie; now, he's Black Xie.

Xie Junyao sighed: "The partner enjoys sunbathing. To secure this project, I had to join him, but fortunately, we signed the contract ten days early, so the effort wasn't in vain."

Lu Mingzhu calculated the time and realized it was indeed less than the month Xie Junhao had said, and her eyes sparkled as she said, "You're amazing."

Xie Junyao puffed out his chest, quite proud.

But his pride lasted less than three seconds before he opened the suitcase he had brought, "I bought you many gifts, see if you like them."

Lu Mingzhu was overjoyed, "Of course, I must like them!"

Who wouldn't be happy to receive gifts?

Half the suitcase was filled with jewelry, watches, as well as perfumes, scarves, and handbags.

Looking at Lu Mingzhu's attire, Xie Junyao opened a jewelry box and took out a small, delicate, and uniquely fresh ballerina brooch, pinning it on Lu Mingzhu's chest.

"Van Cleef & Arpels' jewelry and watches are very exquisite and refreshing. I bought all the ballerina and fairy brooches they have released since their launch, so you can wear them interchangeably. I also told them that if they release new ballerina and fairy designs in the future, to reserve one of each for us," Xie Junyao said.

Lu Mingzhu looked down, "I like it."

The feeling of being cherished is really wonderful!

Xie Junyao also missed her very much, resting his forehead against hers, "Did you miss me when I was away?"

"I did." Asking Xie Junhao about his return was proof.

Lu Mingzhu twisted the colorless glass bracelet around her wrist and blinked her watery eyes, "Did you see your elder brother when you got home? I've been swamped with writing lately and haven't had much time to visit him."

Xie Junyao put on an innocent look and said, "I had the bodyguards take the luggage and the secretary back first, and I came to find you, but you weren't here. Where did you come back from? You don't look very happy. Who upset you? I'll help you get back at them."

Lu Mingzhu sighed and filled him in on the situation with her godmother from the Zhou family, "I don't know what happened, but Zhou Wenyuan was very indifferent to her passing."

Not at all like a real son.

She took out an old photo of Zhou Wenyuan and her original body from her handbag, "This guy! He's got no heart."

"Is this your childhood photo? So beautiful." Xie Junyao picked up the photo and carefully examined the little girl held by Zhou Wenyuan, chubby and very cute.

Lu Mingzhu said proudly, "Wasn't I a little beauty from the start?"

She was surprised when she found it out.

Because, the original body in the photo looked exactly like her when she was a child, with a round face and big eyes. She had seen photos of herself with Grandma Lin and Grandpa Lin, with a red dot on her forehead.

So, they ended up looking the same as they grew up.

Xie Junyao showered her with compliments, then glanced at Zhou Wenyuan and suddenly frowned.

"What's wrong?" Lu Mingzhu noticed something was off.

"He looks somewhat familiar, like I've seen this face somewhere, but I can't place him." Xie Junyao thought for a long time but still couldn't recall.

"If you can't remember, don't sweat it for now." Lu Mingzhu said.

Xie Junyao nodded in agreement, holding her hand, "I told the bodyguards to let my elder brother know to prepare our meal, let's go eat together."

"Okay." Saving a meal at our place.

Lu Mingzhu didn't bother changing clothes, and the two walked hand in hand into the Xie family mansion.

Xie Junhao was relaxing in the shade under a tree.

Sitting on a stone bench, in front of him on a stone table was a chessboard carved from rosewood, playing chess with himself, with half a board of black and white pieces already set.

"You're just in time. Who's up for a game with me?" he asked.

Lu Mingzhu immediately said, "I have no clue how to play chess."

Neither did the original body know how to play chess.

"Elder brother, I'll play with you later. First, let me get a cushion for Mingzhu." Xie Junyao found an embroidered brocade cushion and placed it on a stone drum stool, letting Lu Mingzhu sit down, then sat across from Xie Junhao, picking up a white chess piece.

Lu Mingzhu sat to Xie Junyao's left, which was also to Xie Junhao's right, propping her elbow on the table, her colorless glass bracelet slid down naturally, resting her chin on her hand as she watched the brothers play chess.

Xie Junyao didn't hesitate, placing a piece right away, "Elder brother, I saw a childhood photo of Mingzhu, with a guy named Zhou Wenyuan who is her godbrother. I feel like I've seen him somewhere, but I can't place him. Can you help me think?"

"Oh?" Xie Junhao looked at Lu Mingzhu.

"Here." Lu Mingzhu sat up straight, took it out from her handbag, and handed it over with both hands.

Xie Junhao looked carefully, slowly furrowing his brows.

Lu Mingzhu felt there was a clue, "Have you seen him before, elder brother? I want to know about his past seven years ago. It's okay if you don't know him, I've already got the bodyguards looking into it."

Xie Junhao pondered for a moment, then placed the photo flat on the table, tapped it twice with his finger, and asked Lu Mingzhu, "His mother is your godmother?"

"Yes," Lu Mingzhu nodded.

Xie Junhao said, "Then you need to be mentally prepared."

Lu Mingzhu sat upright, "Zhou Wenyuan said that my godmother has already left, so there's nothing I can't accept. Please, go ahead and tell me."

However, Xie Junhao shook his head, waved away the bodyguards beside him, and whispered, "Hong Kong has been occupied before, you all know that, right?"

"We know," Lu Mingzhu and Xie Junyao nodded simultaneously.

Xie Junyao was in Britain with his parents and brother at that time. Upon hearing about the tragic situation in Hong Kong, he secretly felt relieved that his family was not in Hong Kong, because the Japanese soldiers were utterly inhumane!

As for Lu Mingzhu, she had read about it in history books, but the few lines in the books could not fully convey the countless tears and bloodshed.

Xie Junhao sighed, "During the invasion, they ravaged countless women, not even sparing brides on their wedding day, and shared them among themselves, which was utterly inhumane. Among the victims was the wife of Professor Zhou Wenyuan, whose name I can't remember. I only know that several years later, when the Japanese surrendered, Zhou Wenyuan divorced her, and she left Hong Kong with Mrs. Zhou and their daughter."

At this point, he continued, under the shocked and angry gazes of his brother and sister-in-law, "I didn't intend to expose their private matters, but I was afraid that if you sent people to investigate openly, the old story would be uncovered and become known to everyone, which would be bad for them."

Lu Mingzhu was so furious that her chest rose and fell rapidly, "How do you know? Where did my godmother and sister-in-law go with the child?"

"Zhou Wenyuan was my classmate in Shanghai. After he got his doctorate abroad, he returned to China to teach, and later went back to his hometown, the City of Flowers. Somehow, he ended up in Hong Kong. Old classmates occasionally meet, and gossip is inevitable. Someone who knew about this told me, and I've already told him to shut up and not discuss this matter anymore." Xie Junhao could only do so much.

As for Mrs. Zhou, her daughter-in-law, and the child, Xie Junhao said he didn't know their specific whereabouts, "I heard they returned to their hometown in the City of Flowers."