Chapter 147

Chapter 147

Buying a residence indicates that Zeng Mei and Mrs. Zeng have decided to settle in Hong Kong.

Lu Mingzhu is delighted.

Having a powerful ally nearby is even more beneficial.

If I’m in trouble, help is just a phone call away, unlike before when we were separated by thousands of miles of ocean, and even phone calls had to be rerouted multiple times.

Seeing Wang Zhongzhao, she smiles warmly, her eyes clear and bright, "Second brother, you’re back from Shanghai? That’s great!"

"Same to you, it’s all thanks to you," Wang Zhongzhao presents the gifts, and under the surprised gazes of Lu Mingzhu, He Yun, and the Zengs, he says sincerely, "I haven’t been back to Shanghai for many years. This time, I brought some local treats to share with everyone."

He didn’t say it was just for Lu Mingzhu.

Sadly, a few pieces of silk brocade are missing.

Luckily, the best ones are still there; Mo Shuxian didn’t want to hand them over to Wang Xiuyi.

Lu Mingzhu thanks him politely, accepts the gifts, and sets them aside, then she brews tea for him.

Wang Zhongzhao greets He Yun and the Zeng couple in turn, unlike when he was pushing for Wang Xiuyi to attend the Ming family’s dinner party in front of Mrs. Zhang and Liao Wanru, behaving as obediently as a child.

He doesn’t stay long, sips some tea, and chats briefly, then he excuses himself, saying he has other things to do.

Lu Mingzhu sees him off herself.

Wang Zhongzhao tells her, "Did your third brother tell you about the Xie family?"

"He did," Lu Mingzhu replies.

Wang Zhongzhao nods slightly, "Good that you’re aware. Xie Junyao is excellent in all aspects, but his parents aren’t the best. Now that his father’s gone, it’s over, but his mother is difficult."

Traveling south together, he got a glimpse of it.

Before, Wang Zhongzhao and Mrs. Xie were of different genders. With a significant age gap, they rarely met, so he didn’t know much about her. Now, traveling together, Wang Zhongzhao quickly sees she’s a bully—tough on the weak, soft on the strong.

She may be beautiful, but her beauty is only skin-deep.

For a daughter-in-law, having such a mother-in-law is simply a disaster.

Wang Zhongzhao once wanted to pair Wang Xiuyi with Xie Junyao, but was scolded by his mother. At the time, he was quite indignant, but now he feels that Wang Xiuyi has dodged a bullet.

She is not smart, nor does she have wealth and power. She simply couldn’t compete with Mrs. Xie; only someone like Lu Mingzhu could handle her.

With money, power, the hearts of Xie Junyao and his brothers, the most powerful godfather and biological father backing her, and a promising nephew, she is not someone ordinary people can compare to.

Lu Mingzhu smiles slightly, "Thank you for the reminder, second brother."

"You’re welcome," Wang Zhongzhao, seeing that she understands his meaning, inwardly praises her twice, gets into the car, and drives down the mountain, directly going to buy property with Zhao Sinan, who had previously cooperated with their family, but ends up finding no one.

Asking the neighbors, they say the family moved away long ago.

As for their whereabouts, no one knows.

Meanwhile, after seeing off Wang Zhongzhao, Lu Mingzhu returns to the house and hears Mrs. Zeng say, "Mingzhu, your godfather and I will continue to stay with you for a while, and move to the new residence after it’s properly arranged."

Lu Mingzhu reacts quickly, her words sweet, "I wish you and godfather would never move away."

Mrs. Ceng smiled.

After laughing, she said, "We can't keep staying at your place. Your godfather, I, and our bodyguards have been quite a handful for you. When your godbrothers and godsisters come to Hong Kong, they’ll need a place to stay as well."

Lu Mingzhu understood. "You should prepare a room for me so I can come and keep you company when I have time."

Shek O! It’s one of the most exclusive neighborhoods around.

Did she also have a property there? She would have to check the deeds later.

One of the dowries from the Xie family.

It’s a waste to leave it empty. She should talk to Xie Junyao about renting it out.

When she wanted to live there, she could reclaim it, tear it down, and rebuild it into a new house.

"You can count on having one." Compared to her stepchildren, who were already grown when Mrs. Ceng entered the family, she preferred her goddaughter, especially since they lived in Singapore and had no plans to move to Hong Kong.

Compared to Singapore, Hong Kong is less developed, and they didn’t care for it much.

They were puzzled by Ceng Mei’s decision and even advised him to return early to spend the Spring Festival with them, but Ceng Mei refused, saying he loved catching up with old friends over tea, movies, and deep conversations in Hong Kong.

Most of his companions in Singapore met tragic ends, with only a very few who didn’t attend the banquet escaping.

What’s the point of staying there?

Although he had avenged them, the dead could not be brought back to life.

In Hong Kong, Lu’s father and He Yun were kindred spirits, each remarkable in their own right.

Though living with their children and grandchildren, they were all busy with their own careers, studies, and social circles, so it was impossible for them to accompany the old couple every day.

At this thought, Ceng Mei blurted out, "I still need to go back to Singapore once to bring over some things from home."

"Absolutely, go ahead, and don’t forget my jewelry box," Mrs. Ceng said, remembering the jewelry and jade she had accumulated. She had only brought a small portion this time, leaving most of it untouched at home.

She still had plenty of time to enjoy wearing them, leaving them all to her goddaughter as mementos after her passing.

"My big brother’s in Singapore now too," Lu Mingzhu said.

Ceng Mei smiled. "I’m aware. Your brother’s looking to set up a grain and oil company in Singapore. I suggested he consider buying an existing grain and oil company to scale up quickly. Before he left, I handed him my contacts there, including your godbrother’s, so he can seek their help when he’s there, gaining more information and making things more convenient."

Lu Mingzhu clasped her hands together, beaming with gratitude. "Thank you, Godfather, for your great help!"

Networks make all the difference.

Buying a company outright? Smart move—saves the hassle of starting from scratch.

"No need for formalities—we’re family," Ceng Mei said, glancing at his watch. "I’ll head upstairs to pack some clothes and catch the afternoon ferry."

He wasn’t rushed and opted for the ferry.

Mrs. Ceng nodded in agreement.

"I might not make it back in time to celebrate the New Year with you," he told Mrs. Ceng.

Mrs. Ceng brushed it off with a carefree smile, "How many New Years did you actually spend at home back when you were so busy? I’ve got Mingzhu to keep me company. You can come back after celebrating with your children and grandchildren."

From what she knew, the Lu family would never celebrate the New Year together.

Lu Mingzhu wouldn’t be joining in.

After she and Ceng Mei arrived in Hong Kong, they learned what Bai Shan had done to Lu Mingzhu, secretly wishing they’d had Bai Shan executed a thousand times over.

He was a monster who got off too easy in the end.

How could Lu Mingzhu possibly play happy family with the old lady, the three concubines, and their kids?

That just wasn’t her style.

Everything unfolded just as Mrs. Ceng had predicted.

Just before the New Year, Mr. Lu came back from Macau, first discussing some matters with He Yun, who hadn’t joined him to inspect the Macau pharmaceutical factory as planned, and then resting at his youngest daughter's home.

When it came to New Year plans, Lu Mingzhu was blunt, "I’m not going anywhere; I’ll stay at my own home."

Staying home, eating well, and avoiding those awful people was far better.

The New Year spirit had long faded in her time, so she didn’t have much expectation for the holiday.

Mr. Lu rubbed his forehead but didn’t push the issue, agreeing, "Fine, I’ll bring Pingan and Ningning over to celebrate with you. Your eldest brother can stay with the old lady, and the rest can do their own thing. I’ll also give your seventh brother a break, letting him go abroad to reunite with the fourth concubine and her children."

Since Lu Changsheng had taken so much of the old lady’s wealth, he could damn well keep her company.

Before leaving, he’d promised to come back for the New Year with the old lady.

At Mr. Lu’s words, Lu Mingzhu finally smiled.

It was like the whole world had burst into bloom.

"Dad, I have something to tell you." She felt ready to bring up the subject of Pingan’s grandfather, Mr. Ye.

Mr. Lu followed her to the study, "What is it?"

"That day, I ran into Secretary Dong, Dong Cuijun, and an old man named Ye," Lu Mingzhu recounted the scene at the time, then lowered her voice, "I had a dream that this Mr. Ye Shengxuan was looking for Pingan and Ningning because his daughter is Ye Ying."

Mr. Lu understood.

"Pingan and Ningning’s grandfather is in Hong Kong?" He stroked his chin, "What’s his character like?"

Lu Mingzhu shook her head, "Not great—he made a fortune off the nation’s misfortunes."

Mr. Lu immediately said, "Then make sure he never finds out Pingan and Ningning are his grandchildren."

They didn’t care for him.

Lu Mingzhu nodded, "As long as my eldest brother’s identity stays hidden, he’ll never find out. It’s just that you might inevitably meet and deal with him."

Mr. Ye said he had visited Mr. Lu.

He hadn’t seen him before and certainly wouldn’t give up in the future.

Recalling this, Mr. Lu wondered, "Is he also from Shanghai? But I don’t remember such a person in Shanghai."

Where Mr. Ye was from, the novel didn’t mention.

Lu Mingzhu said, "It's just a dream, how could it be so vivid? I don't remember. I think he’s from Shanghai or nearby since he was eating local dishes with Dong Cuijun."

Father Lu nodded, "He’s probably not well-known."

He hadn’t heard of him or seen him before.

The country is huge, and with just a bit of family history, anyone can claim to be from a prominent family. There are too many prominent families.

Father Lu then asked Lu Mingzhu what else she remembered.

He didn’t give a hoot whether Dong Cuijun had followed Ye Shengxuan.

Lu Mingzhu blinked, "How can I explain it all at once? Maybe I’ll recall something when I come across related people or events, because many things simply haven’t been dreamed of, like I don’t know the fate of those sisters."

Forgive her, she’d never spill the truth!

Sigh!

One lie leads to a web of lies.

"Just say what you remember, and forget the rest," Father Lu didn’t want her to always think about unpleasant things. "It’s almost New Year, just relax at home. I’ll have Xu the Butler deliver the New Year supplies to you, so you don’t have to bother."

"Thank you, Dad!" Lu Mingzhu really didn’t want to worry.

In her free time, she writes scripts, aiming to finish the draft by the time Lu Changsheng returns.

As for selling the copyright to the film company, it will have to wait until after the New Year to sign the contract.

Lu Changsheng rushed back on the evening of the 29th of the twelfth lunar month.

He came back empty-handed, without having registered a company, because he had his sights set on an American-owned grain and oil company that was up for sale. He sent Secretary Chen to the United States to check it out first, while he came back to celebrate the New Year, planning to go himself after the New Year to determine if the grain and oil company was worth buying. If there was leftover money, he’d also buy a farm under the company’s name.

Before this, American interests controlled the grain needed for the war, with very considerable profits. Now that profits have dropped, the chances of them bouncing back are slim, and many small and medium-sized grain and oil companies want to sell.

Xie Junhao returned a day earlier than him.

The first thing Xie Junhao did when he got back was to give Lu Mingzhu her gifts, then he took his younger brother and Mrs. Xie, who was too frightened to leave her house, to Shanghai to deal with the mess left by Xie Chenggong. They’d have to spend their Spring Festival on a cruise ship.

Lu Mingzhu expressed deep sympathy for her fiancé.

She and Mrs. Zeng picked out New Year gifts for everyone, had the servants give the house a thorough cleaning, cut out lots of pretty window decorations, wrote couplets, and everything was ready. But on New Year’s Eve, there was no sign of Lu Pingan or Lu Ning.

Father Lu came alone.

He only brought two bodyguards, one of whom doubled as a driver.

Seeing Lu Mingzhu's eyes looking behind him, he smiled, "Don’t bother looking; Pingan didn’t come, and neither did Ningning."

"Why? Are they celebrating the New Year with the eldest brother and the old lady?" Lu Mingzhu could only think of this, because Lu Pingan started school in January, and many businesses were handled during breaks or handed over to Father Lu. He couldn’t have gone far.

Father Lu sat on the sofa, "Ningning wants to spend the New Year with her father, as for Pingan..."

He paused, then said, "I only found out when I got home that he had taken leave a few days ago and went north by ship without a word, only telling Xu the Butler to inform me when he saw me that he went to discuss cooperation on the export of handicrafts with Comrade Zhang Zhenxing. It seems that one or several types of handicrafts are very popular and need a large increase in orders."

Lu Mingzhu was surprised, "Couldn’t he wait until after the New Year? Why rush before the New Year?"

The Spring Festival is the most important holiday of the year.

"Let him go, he's not young anymore, he can handle things." As long as he doesn’t violate the family rules, Father Lu has always allowed his eldest grandson to develop freely, and he has developed very well, not disappointing his grandmother who taught him many things over the years, "Mingzhu, isn’t it good to have your old father spend the New Year with you? Why worry about your nephew?"

Lu Mingzhu murmured, "I’ve got New Year gifts for everyone! There’s one for him too."

"Just give it to him when he gets back. I believe he doesn’t care about the timing," said Father Lu.

"That’s the only way. I can’t just ship it off to the capital for him," Lu Mingzhu said, setting aside the gifts for Lu Pingan and Lu Ning.

Just as she finished, she heard Father Lu say, "I received a calling card yesterday."

"Whose?" Lu Mingzhu reacted quickly.

"Ye Shengxuan," Father Lu replied.

Lu Mingzhu’s eyes widened slightly, "He’s still trying to visit you?"

Thinking back, it had been several days since she and Xie Junyao had eaten Shanghainese cuisine.

Father Lu smiled faintly, "Originally from Shanghai, living in Suzhou, just arrived in Hong Kong, visiting out of respect."

Mrs. Ceng, seated on the armchair beside them, listened to the father and daughter talk, silently sipping her tea with a smile. Hearing this, she suddenly interjected, "Ye Shengxuan? Ye Shengxuan from Suzhou?"

The father and daughter, with identical peach blossom eyes, looked at her, "You know him?"

It was Father Lu who spoke, as Lu Mingzhu never used "you" when addressing elders, but "you" respectfully.

Mrs. Ceng smiled, "He’s not exactly a good guy."

Lu Mingzhu immediately became interested, "Godmother, tell me more. Why isn’t he a good person? Is it because he profited off the nation’s troubles? I vaguely remember hearing about it."

"Profiting off the nation’s troubles is true, and there are quite a few like him who did the same. Most came to Hong Kong before liberation, like your godfather, afraid of being targeted. However, your godfather was in politics, making his status more sensitive," Mrs. Ceng sighed, recalling the past, then continued, "I know about Ye Shengxuan because he made his fortune through his father-in-law, and not just one father-in-law."

Lu Mingzhu couldn’t hide her shock, "He had multiple fathers-in-law?"

Mrs. Ceng nodded, "At least four."

Lu Mingzhu wondered, which of her sister-in-law Ye Ying’s fathers-in-law was her father’s?

Mrs. Ceng continued, "Ye Shengxuan is quite old, almost seventy. He’s from a once-noble family that fell from grace. His mother was a concubine. In feudal society, women’s fates were not their own, so we can’t blame her. After Ye Shengxuan’s father passed away, the first wife oversaw the division of the family estate. The legitimate sons got the lion’s share, and the remaining scraps were divided equally among the illegitimate sons. Ye Shengxuan was only seven years old and received a very small portion. His birth mother couldn’t protect it, so the mother and son struggled in poverty in Suzhou."

Lu Mingzhu nodded, "Men who rise through their fathers-in-law usually have a relatively tragic or impoverished childhood."

Mrs. Ceng was amused by her words.

"Although poor, Ye Shengxuan was very intelligent. Just by listening in on the tutor’s lessons, he could memorize many books, reciting them fluently. The tutor, impressed by his talent, took him in without charging tuition and later betrothed his own daughter to him, sending him abroad to study. This benefactor was Ye Shengxuan’s first father-in-law," Mrs. Ceng explained.

Lu Mingzhu clapped her hands, "Got it! After returning from studying abroad, he’d definitely ditch his fiancée!"

Mrs. Ceng smiled, "How did you know?"

"Guessed. Studying abroad, whether in terms of knowledge or connections, would have significantly improved compared to before. He wouldn’t fear a small private tutor. If he had any decency, he’d come back and honor the engagement. But since you said he’s not a good person and had four fathers-in-law, he must have broken the engagement, unless his fiancée died. Of course, there’s also the possibility of marrying her for reputation, but that’s unlikely," Lu Mingzhu speculated based on human nature, earning Mrs. Ceng’s approval.

"Breaking an engagement was a matter of luck or misfortune for a feudal woman. The luck was that she didn’t have to enter a wolf’s den and coexist with a wolf, risking her life. The misfortune was that after the engagement was broken, she’d likely be ostracized by society," Mrs. Ceng sighed.

Both paths led to death.

Mrs. Ceng sighed, "This young lady was unfortunate. After the engagement was broken, she couldn’t bear the gossip around her and hanged herself. The old tutor fell ill from anger and soon passed away."

Two lives were lost because of Ye Shengxuan, who returned from studying abroad.

Lu Mingzhu’s eyes showed deep disgust, "The second and third times were probably no different!"

Mrs. Ceng did not nod, only saying, "His second wife was his classmate's sister, from a well-off family, who helped him gain a foothold in Jinling. Sadly, she died of illness a few years into their marriage, leaving behind two children. His third wife was the daughter of a high-ranking official, smart, beautiful, and elegant, but she was a widow, which was frowned upon. Ye Shengxuan married her, quickly climbed the ranks, secured key positions, and they had a daughter. But she refused to follow her parents' arranged marriage and ran away from home, disappearing without a trace."

Lu Mingzhu knew she meant Ye Ying, thinking to herself, "She joined the cause, married Lu Zhuri after he saved her, had Lu Pingan and Lu Ning, died a hero, became a martyr, and was buried in the Capital Revolutionary Cemetery."

She had heard about Ye Ying's final resting place in the capital.

She didn’t need to ask around.

Right after Lu Zhuri and Lin Xiaohong divorced, someone mentioned Ye Ying, their tone full of regret.

Mr. Lu cut in, "This story sounds familiar. Wasn’t Ye Shengxuan called something else before?"

Back then, changing names was common during turbulent times.

Even big names did it, so someone like Ye Shengxuan was no exception.

"Exactly. He was originally Ye Chaoyang. After divorcing his third wife, he changed his name to Ye Shengxuan when he married his fourth, then laid low, focusing on his business, which thrived, and he moved to Gusu," Mrs. Ceng said.

"Ah, now that you say Ye Chaoyang, I know who he is," Mr. Lu said, recognizing him.

It was shocking that his son’s father-in-law was such a scoundrel.

It was hard to believe Ye Chaoyang, a selfish and greedy man, could father a brave and wise woman like Ye Ying.

Mr. Lu was even more resolved to keep the Ye family from knowing Pingan and Lu Ning were his grandchildren, so the Lu family wouldn’t be used as a stepping stone.

Mrs. Ceng sighed, "I heard his fourth wife died a few years back. Wonder who’ll be the fifth."

Lu Mingzhu raised her hand, "I know who!"

"You know?" Mrs. Ceng was shocked. "How do you know?"

"Because just recently, when Junyao and I went out to eat, we saw him with my dad’s ex-secretary, Dong Cuijun," Lu Mingzhu said, before her father tapped her head.

She rubbed her head, laughing, "Dad, why’d you hit me?"

Mr. Lu glared, "Why do you think?"

What an ungrateful daughter!

She was making fun of him.

"Dad, I’m just being honest. You need to face the facts," Lu Mingzhu said boldly, knowing her father didn’t care about Dong Cuijun or anyone else.

Mr. Lu huffed.

Mrs. Ceng laughed, "Mingzhu, quit being sassy. Help me put up the window decorations."

The mother and daughter, with the servants, put up window decorations, while Mr. Lu and the bodyguards hung couplets, inside and out, getting everything ready. Lu Mingzhu also stuck a few couplets she’d written, "Good luck out, safe return," on all the cars.

Each car had one, fair and square.

"Too bad 'Prosperity for the livestock' isn't needed anymore," Lu Mingzhu said, holding a few red papers.

Mr. Lu glanced at them, "Knowing we don't have any at home, why did you write them?"

"Just happened to," Lu Mingzhu replied.

At that moment, He Yun walked in slowly from outside, "Can you happen to add a pair of chopsticks for me at the New Year's Eve dinner?"

"Uncle," Lu Mingzhu immediately became well-behaved, her eyes flickering with curiosity, "Aren’t you spending the New Year with my godbrothers and godsisters?"

With such a grand celebration for his birthday, the Spring Festival should be just as elaborate, right?

She remembered last year, they seemed to have their New Year’s Eve dinner at a Hong Kong hotel, just like her family.

He Yun shook his head, "It’s too noisy and gives me a headache. I told them to have dinner at the hotel, and I came back by myself."

"Last year, I also had a headache for several days and couldn’t recover." So this year, Lu’s father decided to go along with it, letting them each celebrate the New Year on their own. He didn’t even meet his two daughters who had just arrived in Hong Kong, to avoid them causing a ruckus together.

Originally, he had hoped for a big family reunion, but what happened later made him realize that a big reunion was impossible.

In the middle of it all, his youngest daughter had suffered greatly.

Because of this, no one opposed Lu’s father’s decision or gossiped about it.

Everyone felt guilty.

Because of guilt, they dared not insist.

He Yun’s authority in the He family was even greater. When he spoke, no one dared to object, and they all stayed at the hotel. Only He Xuan and her daughter Ming Yue returned to the house on Austin Road. They closed the doors to celebrate the New Year together, ignoring Ming Hui, who was at the door begging for reconciliation.

Ming Hui deeply realized how happy he had been as the son-in-law of the wealthiest man in Southeast Asia!

Although no one was now hindering the development of Hui Shipping Company and Da Ming Film Company—because one had Ming Yue’s shares and the other had Lu Mingzhu’s shares—Ming Hui found it very difficult to invest in other ventures. Helplessly, he focused all his energy on the shipping company. He was extremely kind to Ming Yue.

In her twenty years, Ming Yue had never seen such a loving father.

For Ming Yue, it was already too late for reconciliation.

Even if Ming Hui were willing to give her the shares of his shipping company, she did not want her mother to reconcile with Ming Hui, because she believed her mother’s happiness was more important than Hui Shipping Company’s shares.

Ming Hui was deeply heartbroken.

If a soft-hearted woman were nearby, she would surely feel very sorry for him.

Such a handsome and charming man, so humbly begging for forgiveness, was truly pitiful to see.

When no one emerged, Ming Hui knew his plan had failed, but he didn’t want to spend the New Year with Ming Heng and his mother, or Ming Yao and her mother. With nowhere to go, he unconsciously found himself at Lu Mingzhu’s doorstep.

The door adorned with Spring Festival couplets was open, not closed.

Although he was at a distance, his eyesight was sharp, and he noticed He Yun and Lu’s father talking under the cotton tree, smiling as they watched Lu Mingzhu use a pole to hang a large red Chinese knot on the tree branch.

Before He Yun’s gaze could turn towards him, Ming Hui immediately slipped away.

He had originally intended to talk to Lu’s father, but now he didn’t dare.

He Yun withdrew his gaze and chuckled lightly.

Lu’s father turned to look at the door, but it was empty.

"It’s Ming Hui, wanting to win Ah Xuan back," He Yun said nonchalantly.

Upon hearing this, Lu Mingzhu only wanted to say that Ming Hui was truly delusional.

Because Ming Yue was very busy, learning to handle company affairs and attending classes, the two of them hardly met, but they kept in touch, mostly through phone calls.

She mentioned that Sister Xuan has been living leisurely recently and absolutely won’t look back.

Ming Hui’s behavior stems from realizing the benefits of having a father-in-law only after his investments tanked.

Mr. Lu shook his head, "He’s panicking."

"Dad, you get along well with him. Do you feel bad for him?" Lu Mingzhu thought Ming Hui didn’t deserve any sympathy. "If he and Sister Xuan had been fully committed from the start, why worry about not having kids? How could it have come to this? Since he chose to walk his own path, he has to stick to it, no matter what."

Mr. Lu quickly replied, "I didn’t say that. Don’t put words in my mouth."

Not wanting to ruin the New Year’s mood, he urged Lu Mingzhu, "Come on, let’s go inside and eat. Let’s see what’s cooking in the kitchen."

After the meal, they spent the afternoon making dumplings.

The Lu family has a custom of eating dumplings at midnight on New Year’s Eve, likely a habit from living in the capital.

Lu Mingzhu decided to show off her skills and called everyone to join in.

Ah Rong and Hong Jie brought out the filling and dough, along with tools like the cover, flour, cutting board, and rolling pin.

"I’ll roll the wrappers," Lu Mingzhu volunteered.

She rolled the wrappers perfectly, thick in the center and thin at the edges, perfectly round and uniform in size.

She dared to show off because the original body had learned it well during the New Year celebrations with Mr. Zhang and his wife.

Mrs. Ceng and Mr. Lu, born into wealth, had always lived a life where they never had to lift a finger. The dumplings they made were crooked and uneven, either bursting at the seams or not sealing properly.

In contrast, He Yun made them quickly and neatly, lining them up perfectly on the cover.

The shape and size were very uniform, a sight to see.

He even pinched flower patterns on the edges of the few that didn’t seal properly, preventing them from opening in the pot.

Lu Mingzhu laughed, "We’ll need to cook them in two batches tonight."

By midnight, everyone ate the dumplings made by He Yun, as the former had turned into a soup of meat filling and dough.

"Ah!" Lu Mingzhu spat out the half-bitten dumpling in her mouth, revealing a glint of gold. It was a gold melon seed she had boiled and secretly wrapped into He Yun’s dumpling.

There was only one, and she got it.

Her luck next year is bound to be great.