《Rebirth 1983: Building My Business Empire》 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Chapter 1 The Kidnapped Girl Returns Chapter 1: Chapter 1 The Kidnapped Girl Returns In the Department Store Employee Residential Compound, many people gathered together for a casual chat; one of them brought up the latest hot topic, ¡°It¡¯s been over a month since Jiaxin disappeared, and it looks like she won¡¯t be found.¡± It just so happened that Xiao Xu¡¯s Wife came back from buying groceries and joined in, saying, ¡°I heard that Jiaxin left home out of a fit of anger to return to her hometown in Ancient Capital, but she encountered a kidnapper on the train and was taken by human traffickers.¡± As Xiao Xu¡¯s Wife was on good terms with Manager Lu¡¯s recent wife, Ding Jing, when she spoke, most of the people immediately believed her. Those with kind hearts quietly felt sorry for the young girl, while those with malice or jealousy thought that Lu Jiaxin had brought it on herself. Mainly because the girl was often dismissive towards the people in the compound, frequently causing Ding Jing to go door to door apologizing, so everyone talked about how Manager Lu¡¯s only daughter was pampered and unruly. An old woman with a black mole at the corner of her mouth bluntly said, ¡°I heard that if the kidnapped girls are pretty, they get sold into filthy places where thousands ride over them.¡± As Lu Jiaxin was recognised as a beautiful girl in the compound, the implication was clear. As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere suddenly quieted down, and many people¡¯s expressions changed. At this moment, a crisp voice chimed in, ¡°So Auntie, you actually witnessed with your own eyes as the kidnapper sold Jiaxin into one of those sordid places?¡± The mole-faced Auntie did not dare to admit it; she was just gossiping for a laugh, so she turned her head while speaking evasively, ¡°When did I say Jiaxin¡­¡± But when she saw who was speaking, the words got stuck in her throat, and she stammered out, ¡°Jiaxin, you, you weren¡¯t kidnapped by traffickers?¡± Lu Jiaxin replied coolly, ¡°It seems you really did see me being kidnapped, Auntie. Why didn¡¯t you call the police then? Or is it because you¡¯re related to the kidnapper, which is why you covered for him when he took me? Should I go to the Public Security Bureau now and report you?¡± Upon hearing this, the mole-faced Auntie¡¯s face changed immediately, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I wasn¡¯t the one who said you were kidnapped. I always hoped you were alright.¡± She certainly had no connection to traffickers. Lu Jiaxin said sarcastically, ¡°You hope I¡¯m okay? From your mouth, I¡¯ve already been sold to the lowest of places. Auntie, I can¡¯t accept your well-wishes; keep them for your own family! And next time if your mouth is still dirty with rumors about me, we¡¯ll see each other at the Public Security Bureau.¡± The original host was gentle and shy, and despite being the subject of gossip by these busybodies every day, she never dared confront them. She was certainly not the original owner of this body, who suffered in silence. Everyone present was stunned. It had only been a little over a month, but how had Jiaxin become so sharp-tongued and relentless? At this point, an apparently kind and compassionate old woman stepped forward and said earnestly, ¡°Jiaxin, you¡¯re too haughty and arrogant. How could you just run away from home because you did poorly on the college entrance exam? Do you know how worried your parents were?¡± As soon as Lu Jiaxin saw this old lady, her face showed disgust. This Aunt Zhao seemed caring towards the original owner on the surface but was actually Ding Jing¡¯s lackey, spreading rumors and besmirching her reputation behind her back. Anyone can play a role, and with tears in her eyes, Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°Aunt Zhao, I did not run away from home. Even though someone sabotaged me during my college entrance exams, I just wanted to go back to my ancestral home to clear my mind. I never expected to encounter a trafficker on the train.¡± ¡°That trafficker knew everything about me, and on the way, he tried to cozy up. Thinking he was a relative from my hometown, I got off the train with him in Ancient Capital. Fortunately, I realized something was wrong after we left the train station and immediately ran for it. The trafficker chased after me and made me fall down the steps, where I hit my head against the wall and passed out. The trafficker thought I was dead since I wasn¡¯t breathing and took my things and left. But I wasn¡¯t dead; I was just holding my breath at the time.¡± ¡°` It wasn¡¯t just a momentary loss of breath, but the original body had indeed died, and then she, a person from the year 2023, traveled into this body and came back to life. After hearing Lu Jiaxin¡¯s explanation, people began whispering among themselves. Some said that she was blessed with a great fate, some accused her of being too headstrong, while a few started to murmur doubts. What did she mean her college entrance exam was affected by someone else? What did it mean that the human traffickers knew everything about Lu Jiaxin¡¯s background? How could those traffickers have known her details? Aunt Zhao immediately changed the subject, ¡°How did those traffickers know about your background? Could it be someone from your hometown, which is why they recognized you?¡± Lu Jiaxin fanned the flames, ¡°How I looked five years ago and how I look now are known to all of you. Not to mention strangers, even my uncle and big aunt might not be able to recognize me if they saw me now.¡± Those with a clear insight felt a chill in their hearts. This was too cruel. The dark-moled auntie was on the slower side and she raised her voice, ¡°You girl, since you escaped from the kidnappers, why didn¡¯t you call home right away?¡± Some matters are best left ambiguous; being too direct can arouse suspicion instead. Lu Jiaxin sighed and said, ¡°Because I injured my head at that time, I had a cerebral contusion and forgot who I was and where I belonged.¡± In truth, as soon as she woke up, she had received all of the memories of the original body. The reason she did not return was to avoid the Lu family members. Her personality was different from the original body¡¯s, and being much older as well, even with the original memories, she would have been suspected upon returning. So she simply pretended to have amnesia and stayed in Ancient Capital. After explaining, Lu Jiaxin turned to go upstairs, but Aunt Zhao followed up with, ¡°Jiaxin, your dad has gone to work, and your mom hasn¡¯t come back from buying groceries. You can¡¯t get into your home if you go up now; why not sit here for a while?¡± Lu Jiaxin immediately stopped in her tracks and said darkly, ¡°Aunt Zhao, don¡¯t talk nonsense here. My mom died four years ago.¡± The original owner had never called that woman mom, and she was even less likely to. Aunt Zhao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Something was wrong! In the past, whenever she spoke kindly to this girl, she would be moved to tears, and even when persuaded to get along with Ding Jing, if she disagreed, she would just lower her head and say nothing, never confronting her like she was now. While she felt that Jiaxin was acting abnormally, she didn¡¯t show it on her face, ¡°Jiaxin, you don¡¯t know, during the time you were missing, your Aunt Ding searched for you day and night. When she learned from your classmates that you might have gone back to your hometown, she bought a ticket and went to find you immediately. Jiaxin, your Aunt Ding really loves you like her own daughter.¡± Seeing her tell bald-faced lies, Lu Jiaxin found the old lady too detestable. She was cloaked in a facade of kindness, deceiving a young girl without fear of retribution. If heaven wouldn¡¯t deliver retribution, she would expose this old lady¡¯s hypocritical face herself. Lu Jiaxin¡¯s eyes immediately reddened, and tears started rolling down as she sobbed, ¡°Aunt Zhao, why do you always speak well of that bad woman? As the person involved, don¡¯t I know whether she was good or bad to me?¡± Let me tell you the truth, if not for that mother-daughter pair named Ding deliberately harming me, I wouldn¡¯t have messed up my college entrance exam; if I hadn¡¯t messed up, I wouldn¡¯t have listened to my classmates and gone back to my hometown; if not for going back home, I wouldn¡¯t have been targeted by the traffickers who knew my background. Thank heavens for letting me escape from those traffickers, otherwise, their scheme would have succeeded.¡± What a scandal! The aunties and the younger wives present all had their eyes shining. ¡°` Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Breaking the Lock Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Breaking the Lock Lu Jiaxin dropped this major bombshell and didn¡¯t continue, instead, she gestured to the visibly uncomfortable boy standing not far away. ¡°Xue Mao, let¡¯s go upstairs,¡± she said. Mr. Lu was the general manager of the department store, and as the top executive, he was allocated a large eighty-square-meter house, opting for the third floor. As the only daughter, the original occupant had her own room from a young age. In the family compound, many families crammed into thirty or forty square meters of living space were envious of the original girl¡¯s situation. Aunt Zhao, just silenced by Lu Jiaxin¡¯s words, wanted to explain, but the latter did not even look her way again. She had no choice but to shift the topic, feigning curiosity as she asked, ¡°Jiaxin, who is this child?¡± Lu Jiaxin¡¯s expression darkened as she replied, ¡°Aunt Zhao, stop fixating on me. What you should be doing now is hurrying to tell that viperous woman the news of my return. If it¡¯s too late, don¡¯t expect to gain any more benefits from her.¡± Everyone¡¯s focus had been on how exactly Ding Jing had caused Lu Jiaxin¡¯s failure in the college entrance exam, but upon hearing this, they all looked at Aunt Zhao in astonishment. Someone who had a grudge against Ding Jing deliberately said, ¡°Sister Zhao, Jiaxin mentioned you¡¯re quite close with the manager¡¯s wife. Give us the inside scoop¡ªhow did Ding Jing plot against Jiaxin?¡± Upon hearing this, Aunt Zhao¡¯s face immediately changed, ¡°Jiaxin is talking nonsense out of shock. Why are you all chiming in with such nonsense.¡± ¡°Jiaxin, you can¡¯t spout nonsense. I was just concerned about you,¡± Aunt Zhao defended. Lu Jiaxin scoffed and replied, ¡°Whether it¡¯s nonsense or not, you know, I know, Ding Jing knows, and even Heaven knows.¡± Aunt Zhao, naturally, would not admit to any of it. Lu Jiaxin had long known this old woman would never admit to being Ding Jing¡¯s lackey, and she didn¡¯t care, ¡°Aunt Zhao, I was naive before and let you fool me completely. From now on, I will take back what I¡¯m owed, with interest.¡± Aunt Zhao, seeing her sharp gaze, inexplicably felt a sense of unease. Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t care what she thought and turned to explain the identity of the boy to everyone, ¡°His name is Xue Mao. After I passed out, it was he who saved me; otherwise, my grave would be covered in tall grass by now.¡± When she had come to, due to excessive blood loss, she was dizzy and weak all over, compounded by a torrential downpour. Had she not encountered Xue Mao out looking for food, she might have died again. In the family compound, Aunt Xue and Aunt Zhao were the least amicable towards each other. Although she was scolded by Lu Jiaxin earlier, Aunt Xue harbored no guilty conscience, and seeing Zhao being so thoroughly rebuked that she dared not speak, Aunt Xue was overjoyed and found Lu Jiaxin increasingly agreeable. Aunt Xue said, ¡°Jiaxin, why are you so magnanimous? Knowing that your stepmother has ill intentions towards you, you should have spoken out earlier. With your dad protecting you, she wouldn¡¯t dare plot against you, right?¡± ¡°Also, after recovering your memory, you should¡¯ve called your dad first to have him pick you up from Ancient Capital. You¡¯ve been fooled once already, you should be more careful in the future!¡± Seeing her lecturing tone, Lu Jiaxin was irritated, but since she wasn¡¯t the original person, she wasn¡¯t foolish enough to confront Aunt Xue and give certain people what they wanted. She let out a sneer, then dropped an even more chilling comment, ¡°If I had called my dad, I really wouldn¡¯t have been able to come back.¡± Having said that, she no longer cared about the shocked looks of the crowd as she took Xue Mao upstairs, feeling the gossip-worthy events of the day should satisfy the nosy aunts of the family compound. Once they got to the third floor, Lu Jiaxin saw the door was locked and without hesitation, pulled a brick from her bag and smashed it against the lock. The few people who followed upstairs were stunned by this sight. Lu Jiaxin had always been a willful, dainty girl; now, she seemed so fierce and unyielding. Aunt Zhao, remembering the past favors Ding Jing had shown her, felt compelled to step forward and restrain Lu Jiaxin, saying, ¡°Child, there¡¯s no need to rush this moment to enter your home. Your Aunt Ding has gone grocery shopping and will be back soon.¡± Lu Jiaxin was utterly disgusted; she just couldn¡¯t shake off this old woman, who was as persistent as a sticky candy, downright seeking death. Since Aunt Zhao was being so shameless, Lu Jiaxin forcefully pushed her away. Caught off guard, Aunt Zhao staggered backward two steps and was only saved from falling by the people behind her. Lu Jiaxin looked at her impassively as she moaned and rubbed her lower back, saying, ¡°Stop pretending. The little favor Ding Jing did for you isn¡¯t worth selling yourself out like this.¡± Enduring the pain, Aunt Zhao insisted, ¡°Jiaxin, I have nothing to do with Ding Jing, stop making wild accusations.¡± Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 2 Breaking the Lock_2 Chapter 3: Chapter 2 Breaking the Lock_2 Lu Jiaxin scoffed and said, ¡°You have no relation to Ding Jing, and it¡¯s all my slander? Would you like me to list all the things you¡¯ve taken for everyone to hear?¡± In reality, the original self didn¡¯t know, but those who had guilty consciences couldn¡¯t withstand bluffing. Aunt Zhao¡¯s face turned from pale to green with regret for having followed them. Looking at the crowd gathered at the door, Lu Jiaxin said viciously, ¡°Aunties and sisters-in-law, bear witness for me. Ding Jing and Zhao Siyi ruined my future and nearly cost me my life. They are my enemies, enemies with whom I share irreconcilable differences.¡± Zhao Siyi was none other than Ding Jing¡¯s daughter. Although it was the original self who had willingly run away from home, it was Zhao Siyi who was the main instigator. Hadn¡¯t she upset the original self just before the college entrance exam, with the original self¡¯s academic performance, it would have been no problem to get into a university in the Forty-nine City with steady performance. With the original self gone, the mother and daughter owed a life. She couldn¡¯t kill the mother and daughter to avenge the original self, but she wouldn¡¯t let them live in peace ever again. The crowd was taken aback by the hatred in her eyes. But, upon reflection, they could understand; blocking one¡¯s path to wealth was akin to killing one¡¯s parents, and hindering someone¡¯s future was even worse. Xue Mao stepped forward and took the brick from Lu Jiaxin¡¯s hands. Everyone thought this young man seemed very sensible, but to their surprise, he continued to smash the lock. With the strength of a young man, a few hard hits loosened the lock. Lu Jiaxin was very satisfied. As soon as the lock was broken, Lu Jiaxin pushed the door open and walked in. Once Xue Mao was inside, she locked the door from the inside, leaving everyone else outside. As for what the people out there thought, she couldn¡¯t care less. Xue Mao stood in the middle of the living room, looking at the clean and tidy house, along with the dazzling array of furniture, and felt he simply did not have enough eyes to take it all in. He pointed to the box-shaped iron contraption on the cabinet, and asked puzzledly, ¡°Sister Xin, why is your television bigger than everyone else¡¯s?¡± Lu Jiaxin, who was turning on the electric fan, glanced over and replied, ¡°That¡¯s a color TV.¡± After turning on the electric fan, she took out two bottles of soda from the fridge. She opened one bottle and handed it to Xue Mao, and opened the other for herself to drink. It was the end of summer and beginning of autumn, and she was so hot she thought she was about to emit smoke. The icy soda was sheer bliss in a sip. Xue Mao didn¡¯t rush to drink the soda he had received; instead, he carefully observed the refrigerator. ¡°Sister Xin, is this a refrigerator? It looks really nice.¡± Lu Jiaxin thought the refrigerator was hideous, but currently, it was a rare item that only the especially affluent would use because, aside from being expensive, the electricity it consumed was no trivial amount. She said with a laugh, ¡°There¡¯s a lot more soda in the fridge, feel free to drink.¡± After Xue Mao finished a bottle of soda, he asked with some concern, ¡°Sister Xin, what if your dad gets angry when he hears what you just said?¡± From the first time he saw Lu Jiaxin in her attire during the rainy night, he knew she was from a wealthy family, as ordinary people could never afford such a dress. Indeed, Sister Xin¡¯s family was even wealthier than he had imagined. Lu Jiaxin replied indifferently, ¡°If he gets angry, he gets angry. If worse comes to worst, we¡¯ll have a falling out. I survived in the Ancient Capital without any support, so returning to the Forty-nine City certainly won¡¯t leave me homeless.¡± ¡°Sister, but if we are kicked out, where will we stay?¡± As someone who had once slept on the streets and was often chased away, Xue Mao¡¯s biggest fear was living a nomadic, homeless life. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there will be a place for us to stay.¡± Relieved by her words, Xue Mao figured that having a place to live, even without money, wasn¡¯t scary. They knew how to make street food, so they could continue their business and earn enough for both of them to live comfortably. Lu Jiaxin put the empty soda bottle on the table and picked up the phone to dial a number. The call was quickly connected, and she recognized Lu Hongjun¡¯s voice: ¡°It¡¯s me, I¡¯m back home now.¡± Without waiting for Lu Hongjun to speak, she hung up the phone, then quickly dialed another number. This time, the phone rang for quite a while before being answered. Lu Jiaxin heard an unfamiliar voice and said, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Lu Jiaguang.¡± Lu Jiaguang was the original self¡¯s elder cousin, and their age difference was twenty-eight years. He joined the military at eighteen, which was one of the few ways out for sons of rural families at that time, and many were eager to join. It was ultimately thanks to Mr. Lu¡¯s help that he got the opportunity. After enlisting, his bravery and combativeness led to a successful military career. Unfortunately, he was injured on a mission at the age of thirty-five, which meant he could no longer stay in the army. At that time, Mr. Lu was targeted and afraid to help, but it was the original self¡¯s mother who pleaded for him, allowing him to join the railway bureau in the Forty-nine City. Lu Jiaguang was very grateful to the original self¡¯s mother, and thus he doted on her little cousin as though she were his own daughter. Whatever his children had, he made sure his little cousin had a share too. The person who answered the phone was a secretary who, upon hearing a young woman¡¯s name, politely said, ¡°Miss, our station master is in a meeting, if you have something to say, you can leave a message, and I¡¯ll inform the station master once his meeting is over.¡± Lu Jiaxin thought the secretary was quite nice, and without playing coy, stated, ¡°I¡¯m Lu Jiaxin. Please tell my elder brother I¡¯m at home waiting for him.¡± Based on the original self¡¯s memories, this elder cousin was very fond of her. Now that Lu Jiaxin needed someone to stand by her, Lu Jiaguang was naturally the first choice. Secretary Li was startled upon hearing Lu Jiaxin identify herself, and once composed, hastily asked, ¡°Miss Lu, Miss Lu, where are you now?¡± After Lu Jiaxin went missing, the Lu family had mobilized all their connections to look for her, only discovering that the original self had bought a ticket to her hometown before reporting to the police. The analysis by the Public Security Bureau suggested that the original self was likely abducted by human traffickers. Everyone believed that her chances of being found alive were slim; even Hongjun had given up the search, only Jiaguang was unwilling to give up and continued looking. Feeling a touch of warmth from the secretary¡¯s anxious voice, Lu Jiaxin thought that subordinates truly mirror their leaders¡¯ urgencies and concerns. While Mr. Lu may have failed as a father, this cousin truly cared. Lu Jiaxin cheerfully said, ¡°I¡¯m back now, right here at home.¡± Secretary Li replied urgently, ¡°Miss Lu, please don¡¯t hang up the phone. I¡¯m going to find the station master right now. Miss Lu, please, really, don¡¯t hang up the phone. It will take only three minutes, no, two minutes at most.¡± Lu Jiaxin smiled and responded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll wait for my elder brother and won¡¯t hang up the phone.¡± Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Chapter 3 Ding Jing Chapter 4: Chapter 3 Ding Jing Less than two minutes later, an urgent voice came through the phone, ¡°Xinxin, Xinxin, is that you?¡± Lu Jiaguang, although still searching for people, had already prepared for the worst. But he didn¡¯t expect his sister to suddenly come back; he was both excited and afraid, afraid that it would be a false alarm. Lu Jiaxin¡¯s nose turned sour, and tears fell involuntarily as she sobbed, ¡°Big brother, it¡¯s me, I¡¯ve come back.¡± She should have been able to control her emotions, but it seemed to be an instinctual bodily reaction. ¡°Xinxin, where are you now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m at home, I just called my dad too. Big brother, come quickly. My failing the college entrance exam and being kidnapped were all that woman¡¯s scheming, but my dad listens to that woman, and I can¡¯t fight her.¡± Lu Jiaguang felt a jolt in his heart upon hearing this. He had suspected it before, but had no evidence, ¡°I¡¯m on my way now, just stay at home and wait for me, don¡¯t go anywhere.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Then, Lu Jiaxin called her fifth uncle, Lu Jiajie, as well as Mrs. Lu¡¯s close friend Liao Xiangmei, making the call with two purposes in mind: one was to explain she hadn¡¯t run away from home but had wanted to go back to her native place to clear her mind; the second was to have everyone bear witness for her. After making the calls, Lu Jiaxin unplugged the phone line and then said to Xue Mao, ¡°I¡¯m going to fetch some things from my room. If somebody outside asks you to open the door, do not open it without my permission.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lu Jiaxin entered her original room, where everything was neatly arranged, but placed differently from her memory. She didn¡¯t pay attention to the rest, pulled back the mat and the quilt, and found a key from under the bed board. This key was given to the original body by Mrs. Lu before she passed away. Grandma Lu had passed away early, and Mrs. Lu also grew up under her stepmother¡¯s antagonism. Worried that her daughter would also be troubled by her stepmother after her passing, she left a set of apartment keys for her daughter before she died. Lu Hongjun was planning to remarry and was only concerned about his new wife, neglecting his daughter¡¯s wellbeing, so this apartment was her daughter¡¯s escape route. The key was light, but to Lu Jiaxin, it felt extremely heavy. Mrs. Lu had exhausted all her efforts for her daughter, only to have her worst fears realized; the original body died before reaching adulthood. Having found the key, Lu Jiaxin went to look for the bankbook. In her memory, the bankbook was hidden inside a book in the lowest drawer of the desk. Unfortunately, after searching through all the books in the drawer, she found no bankbook; it didn¡¯t take much thought to realize that it had been taken. She soon discovered that not only the bankbook was gone, but also anything of value in the room had disappeared; even from a cabinet full of clothes and socks, only three pairs of worn-out socks remained. The original body had been missing for just over a month, but the things in the room had been completely looted. If more time had passed, even the traces of her life would have been erased. ¡°Bang, bang, bang¡­¡± The knocking on the door pulled Lu Jiaxin back from her thoughts, and she pocketed the key before going out. Seeing her, Xue Mao said in the local dialect, ¡°Sister Xin, let¡¯s open the door. If we don¡¯t, the people outside might break in.¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than the knocking outside stopped, and then a voice as familiar as any could be was heard, ¡°Jiaxin, Jiaxin, please open the door, it¡¯s your Aunt Ding.¡± Aunt Xue was the kind of person who enjoyed watching a spectacle and didn¡¯t shy away from exaggerating it. She said with a sneer, ¡°Ding Jing, Jiaxin just mentioned she would run away back to her hometown all by herself because of what you and Zhao Siyi did to her. Ding Jing, what on earth have you and your daughter done to make Jiaxin fail to even get into a junior college?¡± Hearing this, Ding Jing felt a lift of concern but considering that her original self hadn¡¯t spoken before, she probably wouldn¡¯t speak now either. With that thought, she quickly calmed down, ¡°Aunt Xue, please don¡¯t spread rumors. Jiaxin only did poorly on her college entrance exams because she sprained her ankle two days before the tests, which affected her performance. Everyone knows about this.¡± Aunt Xue unabashedly retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not making this up; Jiaxin said it herself. Aunt Zhao and the others were there; they heard it loud and clear.¡± Ding Jing naturally wouldn¡¯t admit to it, ¡°It¡¯s all nonsense. Jiaxin¡¯s failure in the college entrance exam was due to her own carelessness in spraining her ankle and affecting her condition, which is unrelated to anyone else.¡± Originally, Lu Jiaxin had planned to wait for Mr. Lu and Lu Jiaguang to come back before opening the door, but now she changed her mind. As she opened the door, she saw Ding Jing, one of the people her original self detested the most. Even though she knew how venomous this woman was, Lu Jiaxin had to admit that she indeed looked attractive, with her fair and delicate skin, seductive phoenix eyes, and a body-cinching date-red dress that outlined her slim waist. Almost forty years old, she looked no different from someone around thirty and exuded a womanly charm. The moment Aunt Xue saw her, she immediately said, ¡°Jiaxin, just now you claimed that your failure on the college entrance exam was the fault of Ding Jing and her daughter. Is that true, Jiaxin?¡± Lu Jiaxin responded with a hum, ¡°My failure on the college entrance exam, it was Zhao Siyi and Ding Jing who caused it.¡± Ding Jing couldn¡¯t maintain her composed demeanor any longer, ¡°Jiaxin, I know you don¡¯t like me and Siyi, and you¡¯ve suffered outside for over a month, but you can¡¯t slander me and Siyi just because you didn¡¯t get into college.¡± The original host cared about face and would not talk about the incident, but she was more than happy to spread the misdeeds of Zhao Siyi, ¡°Zhao Siyi and Fan Yinuo were fondling each other in the alley. Out of shock and anger, I scolded her, and she pushed me, causing me to sprain my ankle¡­¡± Fan Yinuo was the youngest son of Mrs. Lu¡¯s close friend Liao Xiangmei. The original host even took her as a godmother. The two had a child betrothal from a young age, but while Fan Yinuo only saw the original host as a sister, she genuinely considered him her future husband. Seeing the man she loved, her betrothed, with Zhao Siyi, someone she detested, it¡¯s not hard to imagine how devastated the original host felt. Unfortunately, she was a scapegoat; even after the incident, she worried about affecting Fan Yinuo¡¯s reputation and kept it to herself, suffering in silence. She even attributed her sprained ankle to her own carelessness. Now that Lu Jiaxin took over the body, she didn¡¯t have these concerns. Everyone must be responsible for their actions, including Fan Yinuo. If he dared to act, he had to face the consequences. The juicy detail of Zhao Siyi being involved with Lu Jiaxin¡¯s fianc¨¦ left everyone breathless. Ding Jing loudly interrupted her, ¡°Jiaxin, Fan Yinuo is your godmother¡¯s son. By dragging him into your efforts to slander Siyi, how could you be so heartless?¡± Lu Jiaxin laughed softly, ¡°He and Zhao Siyi have been dating for a while now, meeting secretly often. If you investigate carefully, you¡¯ll find out whether I¡¯m slandering them or not.¡± ¡°Nowadays, we live in a new society that values freedom of love and marriage, and child betrothals truly are feudal dregs. However, since the engagement was arranged by our elders, one should break off the engagement first if unsatisfied instead of sneaking around with Zhao Siyi behind everyone¡¯s backs.¡± Her words won the approval of the crowd. You may disagree with a child betrothal, but you should break off the engagement first before dating someone else. People considered Fan Yinuo¡¯s actions to be sly, and Zhao Siyi¡¯s conduct was not only despicable but also morally corrupt, for she knew well she was involving herself with her future sister-in-law¡¯s fianc¨¦. Looking at the disgusted expressions on the people¡¯s faces, Lu Jiaxin felt a great sense of satisfaction. The original naive girl had thought she could avoid the vile mother and daughter by silently enduring a few years and getting into college. She hadn¡¯t expected the duo, cruel and calculating, had been scheming to erase her from this family all along. Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 4 Stepping Stone Chapter 5: Chapter 4 Stepping Stone Ding Jing and her daughter, Zhao Siyi, saw my former self as a stepping stone, not only stealing her family and fiance but also stepping on her to earn a good reputation. Lu Jiaxin has returned this time to uncover the true faces of Ding Jing and Zhao Siyi and to clear the former self of those groundless stains. Lu Jiaxin said to everyone, ¡°I swore to my mother that I must go to university one day. So even after I was betrayed and twisted my ankle, I quickly gathered myself to face the college entrance exam. But I didn¡¯t expect to soon feel a stomachache after the exam started, and in the afternoon math section, my foot began to hurt again.¡± Having said that, she stared at Ding Jing and continued, ¡°My fiance was unfaithful and disloyal, and during the exams, I suffered stomach pains and foot aches. At the time, I just thought I was unlucky. But lying in the hospital bed later and thinking back, I suddenly realized something was off. Zhao Siyi and Fan Yinuo had been in a relationship for over half a year, always keeping it well-hidden, yet why did I find out just two days before the college entrance exam?¡± ¡°Also, I¡¯ve always been healthy and seldom got sick, let alone stomachaches, but that day the pain was unbearable.¡± After finishing, she fixed her gaze on Ding Jing and said, ¡°It was you, it definitely was you who instructed Zhao Siyi to speak loudly on purpose when answering the phone, so I¡¯d discover it. Your purpose was to disturb my thoughts and prevent me from attending the college entrance exam. When you found out it didn¡¯t affect me, you then tampered with my food, causing me unbearable stomach pain during the test, so I couldn¡¯t finish the questions.¡± Although the former self had a bad temper and was arrogant, she had promised Mrs. Lu to get into university, and her grades were very good, ranking third in the whole school in humanities in the last mock exam. Meanwhile, Zhao Siyi dropped to over thirtieth place. Their grades weren¡¯t even comparable. Ding Jing was shocked. The old Lu Jiaxin was hot-tempered, screaming and shouting whenever something didn¡¯t go her way, and she would even argue with Old Lu when she lost her temper, but back then she was no more than a paper tiger. But the Lu Jiaxin now had become a vicious wolf that could bite to death. There was an uproar among the crowd. If true, Ding Jing and Zhao Siyi were indeed too malicious. Ding Jing said with a sad expression, ¡°Jiaxin, I loved you as if you were my own daughter. Siyi also treated you as close as a sister. How could you slander us like this?¡± Lu Jiaxin looked at Ding Jing, teetering as if about to faint at any moment, and snickered before saying, ¡°You say I¡¯m slandering you. Then swear on your life, if Fan Yinuo and Zhao Siyi got together, she will die lonely in her lifetime. After death, with no one to claim her body, to be thrown onto a mountain and devoured by wild dogs.¡± The stomach and foot pain during the exam were fake, but the fact that the former self did poorly at the college entrance exam due to not being able to sort out her emotions after the betrayal was indeed true. Ding Jing¡¯s eyes were full of hatred; she wished she could strangle Lu Jiaxin. Why didn¡¯t that trafficker sell her deep into the forest, why did she manage to escape? Seeing her not swearing the oath, what else could the crowd fail to understand? Lu Jiaxin pressed on, ¡°Ding Jing, can you explain why all the money from my mother¡¯s savings book and all the valuable things in the house have disappeared?¡± The house was bought by Mrs. Lu without Mr. Lu¡¯s knowledge, but Mr. Lu was aware of the savings book and had promised Mrs. Lu to deposit five hundred yuan every year into it. Fearing the former self was too young and would squander money, she held onto the savings book herself, but the stamp for withdrawing money was kept by Mr. Lu. In the four years since Mrs. Lu¡¯s death, Mr. Lu had kept his promise, depositing five hundred yuan into it each year, on top of the former self¡¯s New Year¡¯s money. The accumulated amount was quite significant. Ding Jing, containing her rage, said hoarsely, ¡°The savings book and valuable things from your room¡­ your father took them¡­¡± Lu Jiaxin interrupted her and challenged, ¡°My closet full of clothes, and over twenty pairs of shoes, but now there are only a few torn socks and two ragged outfits left. Surely you¡¯re not suggesting my father took the clothes, shoes, and socks as well, are you?¡± Aunt Xue clapped her hands and said, ¡°Ding Jing, I remember five days ago your niece came over. When she arrived, her hands were empty, but when she left, she was dragging a suitcase and carrying a big bag.¡± At this point, Ding Jing was filled with regret. She thought Lu Jiaxin had been abducted and wouldn¡¯t return, so she didn¡¯t stop her niece from taking those clothes, thus leaving herself open to blame. She didn¡¯t make up any excuses, but instead forced a smile and said, ¡°Jiaxin, tomorrow I¡¯ll go with you to buy new clothes.¡± Aunt Xue continued, ¡°Ding Jing, are you saying that what Jiaxin said is all true? Did you intentionally let her find out about her daughter¡¯s affair with her fiance right before the exam, and did you deliberately meddle with her food to ruin her performance?¡± Lu Jiaxin was very pleased. Aunt Xue was notoriously the biggest stirrer in the family courtyard, but now she was a strong ally. Hmm, very good. How could Ding Jing admit to such things? She said, ¡°During those three days of exams, Siyi ate the same food as her. I couldn¡¯t possibly harm my own daughter, could I?¡± Aunt Xue was relentless, ¡°What about your daughter¡¯s affair with the Fan Family¡¯s young man?¡± With tears in her eyes, Ding Jing said, ¡°There must be some misunderstanding here: when Siyi comes back, I will make her explain everything to Jiaxin.¡± Lu Jiaxin wasn¡¯t about to do things by halves. Having started this, she wouldn¡¯t let this mother and daughter turn the situation around, ¡°Misunderstanding? The year before last when I had a severe cold, I was lying in bed, groggy, and just so happened that Director Fang¡¯s mother came to borrow something, and you deliberately washed my underwear in front of her. Afterwards, the whole family courtyard was saying that I was too lazy to even wash my own underwear, leaving it for my stepmother to do. What did you tell my dad at that time? You said that Director Fang¡¯s mother misunderstood.¡± This mother of Director Fang was famously the biggest gossip in the family courtyard, second only to Aunt Xue herself. ¡°And last year, your wonderful niece snuck into my room and rummaged through my things, not only ruining my music box but also taking over thirty yuan and a H¨¦ti¨¢n jade safety buckle from my drawer. When I discovered it and asked her to return the money and the items, not only did she not give them back, but my dad also scolded me, and then everyone in the family courtyard was saying that I was overbearing and arrogant.¡± ¡°Ding Jing, before you entered the family, everyone praised me for being sensible and filial. But after you came, misunderstandings happened one after another, then you and Zhao Siyi became the hardworking and kind stepmom and stepsister, while I became perceived as a bratty, temperamental girl who¡¯s lazy, arrogant, and unreasonable.¡± Before Ding Jing entered the family, the original person was at most criticized for being delicate. But a girl in her early teens, from a well-off family and an only child, being delicate was quite normal. Aunt Xue was very excited and spoke loudly, ¡°I¡¯ve always said she was pretending, there¡¯s no good stepmother. You wouldn¡¯t believe me, but now you see I was right, don¡¯t you?¡± Lu Jiaxin thought this statement was too absolute, there are indeed good stepmothers in the world, but relatively speaking, the proportion is lower. Most of the people present agreed with Aunt Xue¡¯s words, but they didn¡¯t echo her, not knowing Lu Hongjun¡¯s stance on the matter. Ding Jing knew the more she tried to explain, the more unclear it would become. With a sob in her voice, she said, ¡°Jiaxin, I know you¡¯ve suffered a lot this past month outside, but you can¡¯t slander me and Siyi like this.¡± Lu Jiaxin could not possibly argue with her, as arguing would only put her at a disadvantage, ¡°You¡¯ve been pretending for four years; aren¡¯t you tired? I¡¯m disgusted.¡± Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 5 Lu Hongjun Chapter 6: Chapter 5 Lu Hongjun Ding Jing was worried that Lu Jiaxin might say something outrageous, so she said to the crowd who loved drama, ¡°It¡¯s almost mealtime, everyone should hurry home and start cooking!¡± Aunt Xue expressed that she wasn¡¯t hungry and it would be fine to make dinner later. The others also didn¡¯t want to leave, all standing there wanting to continue watching the show. Of course, Ding Jing wouldn¡¯t let her in, and she couldn¡¯t force people to leave, so she could only give Aunt Zhao a look. Aunt Zhao immediately said to everyone, ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go, Manager Lu will be back soon. We shouldn¡¯t be standing here anymore.¡± Lu Jiaxin felt sorry for her past self. That girl always thought Aunt Zhao was good, never dreaming that this old lady was in cahoots with Ding Jing. The crowd, only wanting to gossip, didn¡¯t dare to offend Manager Lu and upon hearing Aunt Zhao¡¯s words, they all went downstairs. However, Aunt Xue still shouted as she left, ¡°Jiaxin, if you have any trouble just call out.¡± Ding Jing¡¯s face turned dark. After everyone had left and Ding Jing closed the door, her demeanor changed, ¡°Jiaxin, who is this person? You¡¯re a grown girl now, don¡¯t just bring any improper people home.¡± Xue Mao was very angry. What did she mean by ¡®improper people¡¯? This stepmother was really vicious. Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t bother with her and said to Xue Mao, ¡°Help me pack up our things.¡± Although the valuable things in the house were taken, the bedding for winter and summer was still there. She planned to move to the house that Mrs. Lu had bought, and taking these things could save quite a bit. Xue Mao saw her only packing the bedding and some small ornaments, and asked in confusion, ¡°Sister Xin, aren¡¯t we taking these books with us?¡± If one were to ask what was the most abundant in the room, it was naturally books. The desk, drawers, and cabinets were all crammed with them. ¡°They¡¯re too heavy, we¡¯ll come back for them later.¡± Xue Mao was surprised and asked, ¡°Sister Xin, aren¡¯t you planning to retake the college entrance exam?¡± Every minute was critical for the college entrance exam. The previous amnesia couldn¡¯t be helped, but now if she was preparing for a repeat study year, the first thing she should take would be these books. He was worried that Sister Xin wasn¡¯t planning to retake the exam, otherwise he couldn¡¯t explain her behavior. Lu Jiaxin looked at Xue Mao and said with a smile, ¡°Why, do you want to study? If you want to study, once we get settled, I¡¯ll arrange for you to attend night school.¡± She wasn¡¯t particularly smart. In her past life, in order to get into an ideal university, she drilled and drilled yet more drill questions, which led to her often dreaming, even after graduate school, that she left her college and postgraduate exams blank. There was no helping it; the shadow left behind was too deep. According to Lu Jiaxin¡¯s own thoughts, she didn¡¯t want to set foot in a school again, but it was the expectation of Mrs. Lu and her past self. Having taken over someone¡¯s body, she had to help fulfill their wishes. So, college was still in her plans, just not now. As soon as Xue Mao heard that, he quickly waved his hands to refuse, saying he was too old to waste money on schooling anymore. Lu Jiaxin knew his weak spot, ¡°Xue Mao, if you don¡¯t want to be poor for the rest of your life, you need to get an education. Otherwise, you¡¯ll even have to ask for help getting on a bus. In future business dealings, if someone plays tricks in the contract, you won¡¯t even know that you¡¯re being cheated.¡± Xue Mao didn¡¯t make a sound. Lu Jiaxin stuffed the quilts on the bed into a woven bag and rolled up the bamboo mat. Seeing him still foolishly standing there, she couldn¡¯t help but shout, ¡°Xue Mao, stop standing there like a block of wood. Hurry up and pack your things.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Just as she finished packing the bedding, she heard a burst of hurried footsteps outside. Soon, the owner of the footsteps arrived at her door. Lu Jiaxin turned her head to look at the person standing at her doorway. He was very tall, roughly one meter eighty, dressed in a gray Sun Yat-sen suit, with a square face, deep-set eyes, and hair that was half gray. The wrinkles on his face were more numerous than she remembered. Lu Hongjun stood at the doorway, scrutinizing Lu Jiaxin for quite some time before finally saying with reddened eyes, ¡°You¡¯ve lost weight, and you¡¯ve gotten darker.¡± Lu Jiaxin¡¯s expression was cold. If it weren¡¯t for him marrying that viperous woman Ding Jing, the original host wouldn¡¯t have been schemed against to death. Seeing her expression, Lu Hongjun felt somewhat panicked. This was when Ding Jing spoke up, ¡°Jiaxin, it¡¯s fine if you misunderstand me and Siyi, but you shouldn¡¯t take it out on your dad. You¡¯ve run away from home for more than a month now, and your dad has been unable to eat or sleep, searching for you day and night outdoors. When he heard you were abducted by human traffickers, he panicked and fainted, lying in the hospital for three days¡­¡± ¡°Jiaxin, your dad has cherished and doted on you so much over the years. You should also consider his health, don¡¯t be so wilful anymore.¡± On the surface, she seemed to be concerned about Lu Hongjun¡¯s health, but in reality, every sentence was accusing her of being unfilial. For the original host as a child, hearing these words would have likely provoked a furious outburst. Considering the gap between the levels of the two persons, it was no wonder the original host had such a bad reputation. Lu Hongjun, grabbing her arm, said, ¡°The child has just come back, why are you saying all this?¡± Lu Jiaxin felt a dull throbbing pain in her chest, the emotion of the original host. She let out a cold laugh and said, ¡°Everyone in the family residential building knows I have a temper, that I¡¯m unruly and unreasonable, let her speak, the louder the better.¡± Ding Jing felt this was troublesome. If this had been said before, Lu Jiaxin would have been overpowered and would have retreated to her room. But now she seemed ready to go all out, and Ding Jing felt she was losing control. Lu Hongjun hastened to appease her, ¡°Jiaxin, don¡¯t be angry, your Aunt Ding is just worried about me¡­¡± Every time there was a conflict, Lu Hongjun always played the mediator, and this would only make the original host angrier. But the one standing here now was not the original host, but her. Lu Jiaxin asked, ¡°My passbook and valuables from the room are missing, she claims you took them.¡± Lu Hongjun was taken aback for a moment, but quickly recovered, ¡°Yes, I took them.¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯m back, give me back the passbook and my things.¡± Before Lu Hongjun could speak, Ding Jing said, ¡°Jiaxin, you are still young, it¡¯s better that your dad holds on to the passbook. If you need money, just ask your dad for it.¡± She had seen the passbook, which had five thousand four hundred yuan in it. She had already planned to use this money to buy her daughter an apartment so she could stand tall and proud in the future. Lu Jiaxin paid her no mind, looking straight at Lu Hongjun and asking, ¡°What do you think?¡± Lu Hongjun said, ¡°I can give you the passbook, but you can¡¯t spend the money. Your mother said before she died, it¡¯s meant to be your dowry.¡± He was well aware that even if he didn¡¯t give it to her now, he would have to hand over the passbook to her eventually when his nephews arrived. The eighties were a boon for China¡¯s economy; anyone who dared to take that step during this period mostly ended up making money. Lu Jiaxin was preparing to go into business and would consider going to college in a couple of years. Starting a business required capital, and currently, she only had a little over two hundred yuan in her pocket, which is why she intended to use the money her mother left behind as start-up funds. Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t want to engage in a war of words with Lu Hongjun; she simply said, ¡°The seal is with you; even if I wanted to spend this money, I wouldn¡¯t be able to withdraw it from the bank.¡± First, she would get the passbook back, and once her household registration was moved out and settled under her house, she would be able to report the loss to the bank and withdraw all the money using her household registration book. Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 6 Arrival Chapter 7: Chapter 6 Arrival Lu Hongjun pulled Ding Jing back to his room, and as soon as they entered, he asked, ¡°Where did you put Xinxin¡¯s passbook and the valuables in the house?¡± Ding Jing opened the sourwood chest by the bedside, and while taking out the items, she explained, ¡°These last few days, with people coming and going, I was afraid something might be taken, so I put them away.¡± She knew very well that as long as Lu Jiaxin was alive, the money in the passbook and the valuables couldn¡¯t be touched. Not to mention that neither Lu Jiaguang nor Lu Jiajie would agree. Even Old Lu wouldn¡¯t consent. That damn girl, she must have powerful backing. After placing everything on the dresser, Ding Jing hinted, ¡°Old Lu, when Jiaxin came back this time, it¡¯s as if she became a different person¡­¡± Before she could finish, Lu Hongjun interrupted her, ¡°Jiaxin has suffered so much outside, it¡¯s understandable that she¡¯s become irritable and hot-tempered. You should try to be more understanding.¡± Ding Jing almost vomited blood. Lu Jiaxin ruined her and Siyi¡¯s reputations, and now she was expected to understand? If possible, she wanted to kill the brat. Watching him carry the box out, a sly glint flashed in Ding Jing¡¯s eyes. Lu Jiaxin quickly took the passbook out of the box and opened it. Seeing the amount of 5400, she instantly felt relieved. When Lu Hongjun saw the several woven bags on the bed, his heart skipped a beat, ¡°Xinxin, what are you doing?¡± While putting the passbook into her canvas bag, Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°I know you have a lot of questions in your mind. Wait for Big Brother and Fifth Brother to come, and I will tell you everything without missing a word.¡± Lu Hongjun felt troubled by her demeanor. He would rather his daughter throw a tantrum or argue with him like before than witness her aloof behavior. Lu Jiaguang and Lu Jiajie arrived shortly after. Seeing Lu Jiaxin¡¯s now darker, thinner, and pale face, Lu Jiaguang couldn¡¯t bring himself to chastise her. In a lowered voice, he said, ¡°Jiaxin, it¡¯s quite chaotic outside right now. If you ever want to go out to clear your mind, just let Big Brother know, and I¡¯ll have Lu An accompany you.¡± Lu An was his second son, a high school student whose grades were at the bottom and who had little hope for university. But he was tall and had some martial arts training, so there was no problem in him looking after Lu Jiaxin. Lu Jiajie also joined in, ¡°Jiaxin, it¡¯s just one exam; failing it isn¡¯t the end of the world. Look at me, I didn¡¯t go to university either, and I¡¯m doing just fine.¡± Lu Hongjun had two older brothers and a younger sister. Big Uncle Lu¡¯s eldest son was Lu Jiaguang, who now held a position in the railway bureau; his sister Lu Chunhua married an army officer, whose husband later transferred to a local position and also received a government salary. Having helped his older brother and sister, he couldn¡¯t neglect Second Uncle Lu¡¯s family. But the first two sons of Second Uncle Lu were no good; it wasn¡¯t until Lu Jiajie graduated from high school that Mr. Lu managed to get him a job in a shoe factory in the Forty-nine City. Two years later, with the aid of his wife and Lu Hongjun, he got married. Lu Jiajie¡¯s wife, Ma Lili, came from a family with only two daughters and good conditions, so after marriage, they lived with the Ma family. Out of gratitude to Lu Hongjun and Mrs. Lu, they took good care of Lu Jiaxin, their cousin. Without blaming her right away, but rather taking care of her emotions first, Lu Jiaxin thought these two brothers were pretty decent. It¡¯s a shame that Lu Hongjun, her father, was too despicable. Lu Hongjun brought out the sliced watermelon and placed it on the table, calling everyone over with a smile, ¡°Jiaguang, Jiajie, don¡¯t just stand there, come over and have some watermelon.¡± Ding Jing didn¡¯t come out of the room; the items she had secured were given away again, which pained her heart. The August weather was unbearably hot, and Lu Jiajie, who had come by bicycle, was covered in sweat; he didn¡¯t stand on ceremony and immediately took a piece of watermelon and started eating. Lu Jiaguang had no appetite. He looked at Xue Mao and asked, ¡°Who is this young man?¡± Lu Jiaxin introduced Xue Mao¡¯s identity and then said, ¡°Big brother, I know you have many questions for me. Wait until Aunt Liao comes over, and I¡¯ll tell everyone together.¡± A flicker of doubt crossed Lu Jiaguang¡¯s mind. His sister had always referred to Madam Liao as her godmother and spoke of her very affectionately, but now she had switched to calling her Aunt Liao. He wondered if it was a slip of the tongue or if it had something to do with her running away from home. With that thought, Lu Jiaguang said compassionately, ¡°If you ever feel wronged in the future, tell your big brother. Don¡¯t bear it all by yourself.¡± Although everyone said that Jiaxin ran away from home because of her college entrance exam failure, he didn¡¯t believe it. Although Third Aunt¡¯s departure had deeply affected Jiaxin, turning her temper sour, he still believed she was sensible in her actions. He felt there must be something fishy going on. Lu Jiaxin nodded and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, big brother. If anyone bullies me in the future, I will definitely tell you and Fifth Brother.¡± Lu Jiaguang found her so well-behaved and was filled with distress. It seemed she must have suffered a lot during the past month for such a big change to occur. Soon Liao Xiangmei arrived. Xue Mao did not want to go out and told Lu Jiaxin he would continue tidying up the room. Knowing he was feeling timid, Lu Jiaxin said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s alright. Just stand beside me later, and if anyone asks you questions, just pretend you don¡¯t understand.¡± It was the beginning of the economic reform era, and many people were riding the wave to success. She never dreamed of flying high, just wanting to do business to earn more money and enjoy a good life after achieving financial freedom. In her previous life, she studied until the age of twenty-five, worked for six years, and was then diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer. Many people advised her to undergo surgery, but she ultimately chose conservative treatment. In the moment before closing her eyes, she regretted not having fulfilled her dreams of establishing her own clothing brand and traveling the world since childhood. In this life, she was determined to fulfill her dreams from the past life and leave no regrets. Doing business definitely required helpers, and she planned to groom Xue Mao to be her right-hand man. However, Xue Mao was illiterate and had a low self-esteem because of his own experiences, so it would take time and effort to train him to become a capable assistant. ¡°Okay.¡± When Liao Xiangmei saw Lu Jiaxin, she opened her arms to hug her but was unexpectedly avoided by Lu Jiaxin. Lu Jiaguang became even more certain that his sister¡¯s running away from home was related to Fan Yinuo. However, as he was unclear about the whole situation, he remained silent. Liao Xiangmei was momentarily startled, but she quickly recovered, saying, ¡°Xinxin, where did you go? Do you know how worried we¡¯ve been over the past month?¡± Lu Jiaxin stared at her and asked, ¡°Did Fan Yinuo say anything when I disappeared?¡±She wanted to confirm whether Liao Xiangmei knew about Fan Yinuo and Zhao Siyi¡¯s affair. Liao Xiangmei¡¯s demeanor paused, then she lightly evaded the issue and said, ¡°He was very worried and has been looking for you everywhere. He asked your junior high and high school classmates, but they also didn¡¯t know where you went.¡± From this reaction, Lu Jiaxin could tell that Liao Xiangmei already knew about Fan Yinuo and Zhao Siyi¡¯s affair. Obviously, she hadn¡¯t told the Lu family members about it. After all, revealing that Fan Yinuo was the chief culprit behind the original person¡¯s disappearance would surely make the family hate him to death. Compared to her goddaughter, her own son Fan Yinuo was naturally more important, which was normal human sentiment beyond reproach. It was just that she felt sorry for the original person. Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 7 Sophistry Chapter 8: Chapter 7 Sophistry Before Lu Jiaguang suspected that his sister¡¯s disappearance was caused by Ding Jing¡¯s mischief, but he hadn¡¯t considered that it involved Fan Yinuo: ¡°Xinxin, what exactly happened? Tell us.¡± Lu Jiaxin called them over to talk about this matter, after preparing what she was going to say, she spoke: ¡°Two days before the college entrance exams, I went to the restroom and heard Zhao Siyi sweetly calling ¡®Brother Yinuo¡¯ on the phone. Then she went outside, and anxious, I followed her. In the alley outside, as soon as Zhao Siyi saw Fan Yinuo she threw herself at him, hugging and nibbling at him¡­¡± Liao Xiangmei said nothing, but her distant attitude toward Lu Jiaxin told her the secret was out. Lu Jiaguang¡¯s face was as dark as water. Lu Jiajie was furious, not expecting Zhao Siyi and Fan Yinuo to be behind this. But after Xinxin disappeared, they both seemed so eager to help look for her. Now it all seemed like an act. The more he thought about it, the more disgusted he felt, he couldn¡¯t help but confront Lu Hongjun: ¡°Third Uncle, how could you have not noticed something this big? What kind of father are you?¡± When Mrs. Lu was alive, she got along well with relatives in her hometown, helping out whenever she could, especially taking good care of him. But after Ding Jing came into the family, she was two-faced, looking down on the hometown relatives. Despite his dislike for the mother and daughter, in keeping with Mrs. Lu¡¯s dying wish, he still visited several times a month. Lu Hongjun felt wronged, his daughter had never mentioned this to him. Lu Jiaguang, truly a leader, immediately zeroed in on the issue: ¡°Xinxin, you sprained your ankle two days before the exams and said you didn¡¯t see the road clearly. Tell me honestly, what really happened to your foot?¡± Lu Jiaxin repeated what she had told Aunt Xue: ¡°I was so angry, I wanted to hit Zhao Siyi, but instead, she pushed me and I sprained my ankle.¡± Lu Hongjun looked incredulous. Not seeing the road and spraining an ankle was completely different from being pushed down by Zhao Siyi and getting injured. Lu Jiaguang asked, ¡°Xinxin, why didn¡¯t you speak up about this at the time?¡± Lu Jiaxin hung her head and said, ¡°Brother Yino begged me not to talk about it, saying that if Uncle Fan and Aunt Liao found out, they¡¯d kill him, and my heart softened so I agreed.¡± Lu Jiaguang pursued further: ¡°Xinxin, you just said that you became suspicious when you heard Zhao Siyi calling out ¡®Brother Yino¡¯ on the phone while you were in the restroom. Was her voice very loud at the time?¡± Lu Jiaxin inwardly remarked, deserving of his background in military intelligence, he caught onto the key point immediately. She nodded and then repeated the words she had previously told the other residents of the family compound. Liao Xiangmei¡¯s face turned pale. She only knew that Jiaxin¡¯s discovery of her son with Zhao Siyi had delayed Jiaxin¡¯s exams, but she had no idea that Jiaxin¡¯s foot injury was caused by Zhao Siyi. Moreover, it was her son who begged Jiaxin not to reveal it. Lu Jiajie ran over and pounded on the door forcefully, and when Ding Jing opened it, he demanded, ¡°Where is Zhao Siyi now?¡± Seeing his ready-to-devour look, Ding Jing pitifully said, ¡°Siyi thought Jiaxin wasn¡¯t home at the time, so she spoke louder than usual. She didn¡¯t mean it.¡± Lu Jiaxin sneered, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you didn¡¯t know they were dating?¡± Lu Jiaguang looked piercingly as he spoke, ¡°Seducing one¡¯s stepsister¡¯s fianc¨¦, and doing it in secret, there¡¯s simply no time to shout the other person¡¯s name at home. Zhao Siyi must have been jealous of Xinxin¡¯s results and didn¡¯t want her to get into university. She must have resorted to such a despicable method to ruin her.¡± Lu Jiaxin really wanted to give him a thumbs up. Lu Jiajie directly bombarded Lu Hongjun, ¡°Third Uncle, we¡¯ve said long ago that this mother and daughter harbor ill intentions towards Xinxin, but you just wouldn¡¯t believe it. Now look, Xinxin was supposed to be a sure college student, but she didn¡¯t even get into a junior college.¡± Lu Hongjun also felt sad about his daughter¡¯s failure to get admitted, but he thought his brothers were too hasty, ¡°This issue hasn¡¯t been thoroughly investigated; we can¡¯t jump to conclusions prematurely.¡± Hearing this, Ding Jing felt considerably relieved. Lu Jiaxin laughed and said, ¡°Are you suggesting that I slandered Siyi? I¡¯ve often thought, am I really your biological daughter, or is it Siyi?¡± She retained the original host¡¯s memories and knew that whenever there was a conflict, Lu Hongjun would always try to smooth things over. But having experienced it firsthand, she understood how frustrating it was. She felt this way despite having no emotional attachment to Lu Hongjun, how much more painful it must have been for the original host! Lu Hongjun explained, ¡°Jiaxin, I didn¡¯t mean that. Siyi has always treated you as her own sister, how could she not want you to be admitted to university? She must have thought you weren¡¯t at home at the time and didn¡¯t mean for you to overhear.¡± Lu Jiaxin retorted, ¡°Fan Yinuo is my fianc¨¦, she was well aware of that, yet she still got together with him, and it looks like they¡¯re probably even sleeping together. Dad, do you really think that¡¯s also a misunderstanding?¡± Lu Hongjun was both shocked and angry, ¡°Xinxin, is that something a young lady should be saying?¡± Lu Jiaxin countered, ¡°If she has the audacity to do it, why can¡¯t I speak of it?¡± Lu Jiaguang, seeing that the father and daughter were about to argue again, interjected, ¡°Jiaxin, did someone tell you something that made you suddenly decide to return to your hometown alone?¡± Zhao Siyi could use Fan Yinuo to upset Jiaxin enough to fail her university entrance exams, she could just as well have lured her to run back to her hometown alone. He had known from the first meeting that this mother and daughter were bad news, but sadly, Third Uncle didn¡¯t believe him. Ding Jing¡¯s heart quivered. Lu Jiaxin felt regretful; had the original host told Lu Jiaguang about this, she would not have lost her life. She said, ¡°Siyi bragged to me that Dad had agreed to hold a celebration for her once the admission notice arrived. I was very upset at the time. Just then, Big Uncle called to console me, saying that failure was a common occurrence in war and that if I didn¡¯t get in, I could retake the exam. I didn¡¯t want to see them at that moment, so I bought a ticket and decided to stay in my old home for a while.¡± Lu Jiaguang was so angry he was speechless. His own daughter failed to get into university due to his stepdaughter, and not only did he fail to notice, but he was also planning to throw the stepdaughter a celebration party, which was unbearable for anyone. Lu Jiajie questioned Lu Hongjun, ¡°Third Uncle, after suffering such a grievous injustice, are you really going to hold a celebration for that vile girl? Third Uncle, who is really your daughter?¡± Lu Hongjun denied it, ¡°Your Aunt Ding wanted to hold a celebration for Siyi, but I refused. However, the Zhao family got wind of it and said they would set up a few tables; I didn¡¯t interfere.¡± Lu Jiaguang calmed down and continued to question, ¡°I found out that you were taken away by an old lady, and the police suspect she was a human trafficker. Jiaxin, was that old woman really a human trafficker?¡± Ding Jing almost cursed out loud. What did this mean, suspecting her of arranging to have Lu Jiaxin kidnapped? Lu Jiaxin confirmed that the person was a human trafficker, ¡°She spoke in our local dialect and even accurately called out Big Uncle and Big Aunt¡¯s names. So I believed her and followed her off the train. But once we got out of the train station and I saw the hostel she was planning to take me to, she became reluctant to stay and pulled me away. When I tried to call for help, she covered my mouth. I managed to hit her chin during the struggle, and when she let go, I escaped¡­¡± Hearing that she managed to escape by holding her breath for a moment, Ding Jing cursed ceaselessly inside. If she had died or been sold off to a remote village by the traffickers, none of these issues would have arisen now. Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 8: Its Either Her or Me Chapter 9: Chapter 8: It¡¯s Either Her or Me Lu Jiaguang was very perceptive. He asked, ¡°Jiaxin, you just said that the trafficker could accurately call out my uncle¡¯s name and mine? How did she know that?¡± Lu Jiaxin shook her head and said, ¡°I only mentioned that our old home is in Feng County, then that old woman asked me if my dad was Lu Hongjun from the Forty-Nine City Department Store? She also said that Uncle Lu Tiejun has been a village secretary for over twenty years and that people from all around know he likes to throw his weight around.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the name of the other party? Where are they from?¡± Lu Jiaxin shook her head and said, ¡°She didn¡¯t mention her own name, she just cried to me that her daughter-in-law was cruel and her son couldn¡¯t stand her. She also warned me that not many stepmothers are good, so I should be more cautious. Since she seemed so familiar with my family, I didn¡¯t suspect anything.¡± After listening, Lu Jiaguang felt that there was more to the matter, ¡°What are the names of her son and daughter-in-law? Where do they work?¡± Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°I don¡¯t know, she didn¡¯t say.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t mention in which city her son works?¡± Lu Jiaxin still shook her head, ¡°No, she didn¡¯t say anything.¡± In fact, that old woman¡¯s son worked in Jin City, but she indeed didn¡¯t mention which factory or his name. She kept this information to herself for another plan she had in mind. The more Lu Jiaguang heard, the more he felt that the old woman had come prepared. But what could Jiaxin, a young girl, have done to wrong someone for them to go to such lengths to harm her? He had been suspecting that this whole incident was a trap set by Ding Jing, and now he was certain of it. Ding Jing knew that Lu Jiaguang was suspecting her. Though she couldn¡¯t prove her innocence, she was quick to react, raising her hand to swear an oath, ¡°If Jiaxin¡¯s kidnapping has anything to do with me, may I die with my intestines perforated and my stomach rotten, and may Siyi live in poverty and loneliness until her death.¡± Lu Hongjun held her hand and said, ¡°Xiao Jing, I believe you have nothing to do with this.¡± Lu Jiaguang didn¡¯t speak. He didn¡¯t believe in oaths, only evidence. If he found evidence, he would send her to prison. Lu Jiajie felt disgusted and turned away, asking Lu Jiaxin, ¡°After you escaped, why didn¡¯t you call me or big brother? These past days, we¡¯ve been almost driven mad with worry.¡± Lu Jiaxin explained, ¡°I had amnesia, I didn¡¯t even know my own name, so I couldn¡¯t call you.¡± Lu Jiaguang was in agony. If Third Aunt could know about this from beyond, she would be heartbroken. Lu Jiajie asked, ¡°How did you get by during this past month then?¡± Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°I was unconscious for three days before waking up, and since I had no money for the hospital, I could only endure. The shanty was full of mosquitoes, and I couldn¡¯t even sleep well¡­¡± Lu Jiajie was shocked, ¡°A shanty? How did you end up living in a shanty?¡± Lu Jiaxin explained, ¡°Xue Mao¡¯s parents died of illness three years ago, and his brother and sister-in-law greedily took over all the family property, claiming he was adopted, and kicked him out of the village. He wandered to the Ancient Capital, starving at times and full at others, sleeping in underpasses when he had nowhere else to go. It was only when he encountered an old friend of his father¡¯s that he got that shanty. During those days, he spent all the money he made from odd jobs on me and went hungry himself.¡± The reality was that her days in the Ancient Capital weren¡¯t as miserable as she had described. The old woman wasn¡¯t a professional trafficker, and when she saw there was no life left in Jiaxin, she only took her watch, leaving the Jade Pendant she wore behind. That Jade Pendant was made of Mutton-fat Jade, and after waking up, Jiaxin had Xue Mao exchange it for Eighty Yuan. With the money, she went straight to the hospital for a check-up and got medicine, then rented a place and took more than a week to recover. Once she felt better, she joined Xue Mao in setting up a stall to sell snacks. The reason she recounted such a woeful tale was to make the Lu brothers loathe Ding Jing and her daughter even more. Lu Jiaguang was very grateful to Xue Mao. Saving a person was easy, but taking care of someone who had lost their memory was difficult, not to mention that his own future was uncertain. He said sincerely, ¡°Young man, thank you for saving our Jiaxin. Just name your demands, and as long as we can, we will fulfill them.¡± Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°Big Brother, I will repay this life-saving grace myself.¡± Lu Jiaguang felt that she had become mature and responsible after this experience, but he didn¡¯t agree with her, ¡°You are a student; what you need to do now is to focus on your studies. We¡¯ll handle Xue Mao¡¯s matters with your father.¡± It was then that Lu Hongjun spoke up, ¡°Yes, Xinxin, school starts in a little over a week, get prepared these next couple of days.¡± Lu Jiaxin purposely said, ¡°Repeat a year, then give me some tainted food before the exam, so I suffer from stomach pains during it, wasting yet another year¡¯s effort.¡± Lu Jiaguang stood up abruptly, ¡°Jiaxin, what are you talking about? You had stomach pains during the exam?¡± Between sobs, Ding Jing said, ¡°Lu Jiaxin, I know you¡¯ve never liked me, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can fabricate stories and slander me.¡± Having said that, she, with tears covering her face, grabbed Lu Hongjun¡¯s arm, ¡°Old Lu, not only did you eat that breakfast, Siyi and I ate it too. If there was really something wrong with it, we all would have gotten diarrhea, not just her by herself.¡± Lu Jiaxin looked at her, crying so pitifully, indeed it would make anyone feel sympathy. Lu Hongjun comforted her in his arms, ¡°I believe you. Jiaxin, we all ate the same thing that day; your stomach pain must have been an accident.¡± Lu Jiaxin spoke mercilessly, ¡°They say once you get a stepmother, you get a stepfather, and now it seems the old saying wasn¡¯t wrong. Big Brother, I dare not live under the same roof with this pair of viperous mother and daughter. I was lucky this time, but next time, I might not be so fortunate.¡± Ding Jing pushed Lu Hongjun away and, wiping her tears, pretended to be strong, ¡°Old Lu, if this family cannot accommodate Siyi and me, then we¡¯ll just leave.¡± Lu Hongjun immediately grabbed her arm, ¡°You are my wife, Siyi is my daughter, this is your home. Where else would you go?¡± Lu Jiaxin watched Lu Hongjun with a cold expression, ¡°Dad, if she stays, I leave; if I stay, she goes. It¡¯s your choice.¡± Lu Hongjun felt his daughter was being very unreasonable and his tone got heavier, ¡°Jiaxin, what nonsense are you talking about? We are a family, and a family should stay together.¡± Lu Jiaxin exploded with profanity, ¡°Bullshit family. Zhao Siyi seduced my fianc¨¦, this evil woman drugged me before my exams so I wouldn¡¯t get into university, and she could very well have orchestrated the human trafficking incident. Lu Hongjun, either they leave today, or I will.¡± Lu Jiaguang also felt that he couldn¡¯t let his sister live with this mother and daughter any longer; otherwise, she might truly lose her life one day. However, before he took a stand, he wanted to see Lu Hongjun¡¯s choice. Lu Jiajie, who lived with his mother-in-law, had no say and stayed quiet. Lu Hongjun naturally didn¡¯t want to choose; one was his wife and the other his own daughter. It was impossible for either to move out. Lu Jiaguang saw his hesitation and understood everything. He was faced with the choice of a new wife and stepdaughter over his own blood. He was disappointed and heartbroken, and he couldn¡¯t understand why the astute and decisive Third Uncle had become like this. Perhaps he was truly blinded by lust. Seeing this, Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t want to waste any more words and called Xue Mao to go back to the room to get their stuff. Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 9: Settling-In Allowance Chapter 10: Chapter 9: Settling-In Allowance Lu Hongjun saw her picking up things to leave and walked over to stand at the doorway, annoyance written all over his face as he said, ¡°Lu Jiaxin, stop making a fuss.¡± Lu Jiaguang could no longer stand by silently, ¡°Third Uncle, you used to dote on Jiaxin the most. I remember you took care of her when she had a fever, watching over her for a whole day and night without closing your eyes. This time Jiaxin almost got killed by traffickers and suffered so much in Ancient Capital. How can you not feel sorry for her and accuse her of acting up? Third Uncle, how could you become so heartless?¡± Lu Hongjun was so choked up he couldn¡¯t speak. Lu Jiajie also supported Lu Jiaxin¡¯s decision to move out, but he did not agree with her leaving immediately, ¡°Xinxin, we should find a good place first before moving. Where will you stay tonight if you rush off like this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will ask around later and definitely find you a place by tomorrow.¡± He had many friends. Finding a rental place within a day was not a problem. Lu Jiaguang said sternly, ¡°Why rent a place? Come stay at my house.¡± Seeing that both nephews supported his daughter moving out, Lu Hongjun was furious, ¡°Jiaguang, Jiajie, what are you doing? I¡¯m not dead yet; it¡¯s not your place to make decisions for the family.¡± Lu Jiajie didn¡¯t mince his words, ¡°Third Uncle, before Third Aunt passed away, she held mine and elder brother¡¯s hands, begging us to take good care of Jiaxin. Whatever promises we made, elder brother and I are determined to keep.¡± Ding Jing seethed with silent hatred. That damned woman had been dead so long, yet her ghost still hadn¡¯t dispersed. Lu Jiaguang was also displeased, but he spoke more tactfully, unlike Lu Jiajie¡¯s directness, ¡°Third Uncle, with the current situation, it¡¯s not appropriate for Jiaxin to continue living under the same roof with them. If you can¡¯t bear to part from the mother and daughter, then let Jiaxin move to my place.¡± Lu Hongjun replied unapologetically, ¡°Your house is so small, it barely fits your family; where would she and Xue Mao sleep? Also, there aren¡¯t any good high schools near your place for her to attend.¡± Lu Jiaguang remained firm, his face composed, ¡°Let Jiaxin stay at my place for now, and once the arrangements for her repeat year are sorted out, we can rent a place near the school. Having Xue Mao live with her means there¡¯s no need to worry about safety.¡± He definitely couldn¡¯t bear the thought of his sister living with that venomous mother and daughter again. They had been lucky to escape the stepmother¡¯s schemes this time; they might not be so fortunate next time. Lu Jiaxin wouldn¡¯t consider moving to Lu Jiaguang¡¯s house; it was simply too restrictive, ¡°Big Brother, there¡¯s no need to rent a place; I have a place to stay.¡± Lu Jiajie, speaking faster than he could think, ¡°You just got back, how did you already rent a place?¡± If that was the case, then she must have been planning to move out from the start. But he could understand; he would want to move out too in her shoes. Lu Jiaxin, with her head bowed, said, ¡°After mom fell ill, she once had a nightmare in which she dreamt that Dad and stepmother threw me out into the streets. She was afraid the nightmare might come true, so she asked someone to buy me a small apartment¡­¡± She knew the apartment was bought on Mrs. Lu¡¯s behalf by the Xie Family. Mrs. Lu had been severely abused by her stepmother as a child and had a frail constitution. Giving birth had almost cost her life due to a massive hemorrhage, and it took her more than a decade to recover. Yet, when she was eleven years old, Mrs. Lu died saving the only child of the Xie Family from drowning in icy cold waters, just when she had her ¡°little days.¡± Her health deteriorated after the rescue, and she didn¡¯t last the year. Pausing, Lu Jiaxin continued, ¡°At that time, I said that Dad loved me and wouldn¡¯t let anyone bully me, but Mom said it was a precaution. If I was ever driven out of the house, having this apartment meant I would have somewhere to go. She made me promise not to tell anyone before she passed away, fearing that the information could lead to schemes against me for the sake of money.¡± Lu Hongjun, reminded of his promise to his late wife, felt his face burn with shame. Lu Jiaguang and Lu Jiajie, thinking of their kind and gentle Third Aunt, couldn¡¯t help but feel their eyes wet with tears. If Third Aunt had been alive, their sister would have surely been accepted into a prestigious university, and they would be preparing for her schooling now. Lu Hongjun knew that when she mentioned the house, it meant she was dead set on moving out. Knowing he couldn¡¯t stop her, he asked where the house was. Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t conceal anything and directly reported the address. The house was on Radiance Road, a very good location. Ding Jing was full of regrets. Radiance Road was not far from Dazhalan, and money couldn¡¯t necessarily buy a house there. If only she had known, she would have definitely treated her daughter better and then tricked Lu Jiaxin into handing over the house. With such a house at her side, she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about Siyi¡¯s future. Lu Jiaguang also hadn¡¯t expected the house to be on Radiance Road, ¡°The transportation is very convenient there, and it¡¯s also close to your school so you won¡¯t need to rent a place.¡± Now that everything was out in the open, Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t want to stay a moment longer; ¡°Big brother, let¡¯s move out now!¡± She originally planned to take only the valuables and bedding, but with the support of her two cousins, she changed her mind, ¡°Big brother, the bed and the desks and chairs in the room were all carefully chosen by mom, I want to take them all with me.¡± Ding Jing knew she was being scolded, but the two Lu brothers present didn¡¯t make a sound. Lu Jiaguang, as a leader, would have his reservations, but Lu Jiajie was a ruffian. Lu Jiaguang readily agreed, ¡°Once your place over there is cleaned up, I¡¯ll arrange for a vehicle to transport these things for you.¡± Although Lu Hongjun was the general manager of the department store, he was already fifty-seven years old. There were rumors that the higher-ups were planning to have him step down to a secondary position next year. Once he stepped down and lost his power, people would coolly walk away. Meanwhile, Lu Jiaguang was in the prime of his life, with patrons looking out for him, and had a bright future ahead. Lu Hongjun felt he might need to rely on him in his later years, so he placed a lot of trust in him. Lu Jiajie, slapping his chest, said, ¡°Xinxin, when the time comes, I¡¯ll ask a couple of friends to help move these things to Radiance Road.¡± Lu Jiaxin had thought she would have to fight tooth and nail to move out, but it turned out to be so smooth. She was in high spirits, ¡°Big brother, Fifth Brother, come with me later to see the house.¡± Lu Jiaguang nodded and said, ¡°If that house is dilapidated and not fit for living, you and Xue Mao can stay at my place first. If you feel uncomfortable there, just stay at the guesthouse for a couple of days.¡± Lu Jiaxin tactfully declined, saying, ¡°Staying at your unit¡¯s guesthouse is too far. It¡¯s better to stay at the guesthouse near Radiance Road so it¡¯s convenient for me and Xue Mao to go clean.¡± Lu Jiaguang thought this arrangement was fine too. Lu Jiaxin was not foolish enough to just move out like that. She looked at Lu Hongjun and said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing in that house, and if I move there, I¡¯ll have to buy everything¡ªpots, pans, ladles, furniture, appliances. Dad, I don¡¯t even have enough money for food right now.¡± The original owner lived a privileged life and, being young, had no real concept of money. But she was very clear that without money, it is hard to make a move outside. Lu Hongjun understood what she meant and turned to Ding Jing, ¡°Go get one thousand yuan.¡± One thousand yuan, as if that could appease a beggar! Before she could speak up, Lu Jiajie said, ¡°Third Uncle, how can one thousand yuan be enough? Just a decent set of furniture costs several hundred.¡± Hearing this, Lu Hongjun thought it made sense and offered two thousand. Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 10 Dissolution of Engagement Chapter 11: Chapter 10 Dissolution of Engagement Lu Jiaguang was feeling extremely stifled. He wouldn¡¯t blink an eye when buying things worth over a hundred yuan for Xinxin when Third Aunt was around, but now haggling over the settlement fee. Lu Jiaxin was unwilling to haggle with Lu Hongjun and raised her voice, ¡°Two thousand yuan is enough for what? The settlement fee should be at least ten thousand.¡± The amount not only broke through Lu Hongjun¡¯s defenses, but also left Lu Jiaguang and Liao Xiangmei shocked. Ten thousand, what a bold request from this girl. Ding Jing almost screamed, but luckily she controlled herself at the last moment, ¡°Jiaxin, the family only has two thousand in savings.¡± Lu Jiaxin scoffed and said to Lu Hongjun, ¡°All the things at home, the bed, wardrobe, sofa, color TV, fridge, washing machine, they were all bought when my mom was alive. If you don¡¯t give the money, I¡¯ll move all these items over, and then write down how Zhao Siyi hooked up with Fan Yinuo and how Ding Jing drugged my food to cause my college entrance exam failure, and send it to newspapers and magazines. If you¡¯re quick, you could see your name in the papers or magazines in half a month.¡± Lu Hongjun¡¯s face turned green, ¡°Lu Jiaxin, have you gone mad?¡± If she truly did that, he would lose face all the way to grandma¡¯s house, and his workplace might even force him into early retirement. Lu Jiaxin, pointing at Ding Jing, said, ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯ve gone mad, driven mad by you people. I used to be so foolish, suffering injustices and only knowing to cry under the covers. From now on, if anyone makes my life difficult, I¡¯ll make sure they can¡¯t have it easy either. If it comes to it, we¡¯ll go down together.¡± Initially, Lu Jiaguang also thought ten thousand yuan was too much for the settlement fee, but after hearing Lu Jiaxin¡¯s words, he felt it wouldn¡¯t hurt to ask for more, to not let the Dings have an easy way out, ¡°Third Uncle, she¡¯s your only child, and all your possessions will be hers eventually. Ten thousand yuan might be a lot, but you can afford it. Just agree to it!¡± If not for the remaining shreds of sanity, Ding Jing would have lunged at Lu Jiaguang and scratched his face. Lu Jiajie also chimed in, ¡°Yeah, Third Uncle, all your assets will be left to Jiaxin a hundred years from now. Giving it to her now or later is all the same.¡± Ding Jing couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and shouted, ¡°Easy for you to say, ten thousand yuan, where does our family have that much money?¡± The Lu¡¯s Brothers didn¡¯t pay any attention to her and just looked towards Lu Hongjun. Lu Hongjun sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you five thousand first, and the rest next year.¡± Lu Jiaxin couldn¡¯t let him delay that long, ¡°I may not be in charge, but I still have a general idea of how much savings are in the house. Give six thousand first, another two thousand before New Year¡¯s, and the rest before the Dragon Boat Festival next year.¡± She actually had something on Ding Jing but now she wasn¡¯t powerful enough to take that step. Lu Hongjun had built many connections over the years in the Forty-nine City, and she might need them in the future, so it was better not to fall out if possible. Of course, if he didn¡¯t give anything, she wouldn¡¯t mind burning bridges. She had no feelings for Lu Hongjun, and ruining their relationship might even gain her some sympathy. Lu Hongjun and Ding Jing, however, would be utterly disgraced, and even Zhao Siyi might not be able to stay at school. Lu Hongjun finally agreed after a moment of silence, ¡°Xiao Jing, go get two thousand out. Jiaxin, use these two thousand to set yourself up, and save the remaining eight thousand for your dowry.¡± He did this to prevent Lu Jiaxin from squandering the money once she had it, or from someone else taking it once they knew. Lu Jiaxin agreed. Seeing Ding Jing hesitated, Lu Hongjun said, ¡°Xiao Jing, go get the money.¡± Ding Jing, with tears in her eyes, said, ¡°Hongjun, these past four years I¡¯ve scrimped and saved to accumulate a little over two thousand. You¡¯re readily giving away ten thousand now; how are we going to live in the future?¡± Lu Hongjun pulled her into the room, and after a while they came out. He handed Lu Jiaxin a stack of Great Unity RMB, ¡°Spend it cautiously, you can¡¯t keep spending money like water anymore.¡± The ability to keep two thousand yuan in cash at home, yet the savings being only five thousand? Lu Jiaxin felt she had been shorted by ten thousand yuan, and it seemed she would still need to devise a way to extract money from Lu Hongjun in the future. After taking the money, Lu Jiaxin looked at Ding Jing and said, ¡°Closets full of clothes and over twenty pairs of shoes, plus two sets of skincare products, those items I don¡¯t want count as three thousand. Give it to me within three days, otherwise, I¡¯ll go to the Public Security Bureau and accuse Ding Wen of theft.¡± Ding Jing lost her composure, cursing directly, ¡°Lu Jiaxin, you must be crazy for money, right?¡± Lu Jiaxin scoffed and said, ¡°The moment I left the Forty-nine City, you couldn¡¯t wait to take my passbook and valuable items from the house, and even gave Ding Wen my clothes and socks trying to erase any trace of my existence. Besides, you had your lackeys spread rumors in the residential compound, claiming I was sold by human traffickers to some lowlife place. Ding Jing, I am only asking for compensation, but you are plotting my death so that Zhao Siyi could inherit my father¡¯s assets and connections.¡± Ding Jing realized that Lu Jiaxin¡¯s tongue was now sharper than a knife. A hint of darkness flashed in Lu Jiaguang¡¯s eyes as he said coldly, ¡°Jiaxin doesn¡¯t need to worry, if the Ding Family doesn¡¯t pay, I¡¯ll go to the water bureau and demand it for you.¡± The water bureau¡¯s second-in-command was the younger brother of his comrade-in-arms. With this relationship in place, the Ding Family wouldn¡¯t dare refuse to pay. Ding Jing, who was aware of this relationship, suppressed her anger and said, ¡°Three thousand is too much, those clothes and socks can¡¯t be worth that much, one thousand at most.¡± Lu Jiaxin said impatiently, ¡°Don¡¯t waste words, three thousand, not one penny less.¡± Lu Jiajie¡¯s eyes shifted as he said, ¡°The Ding Family doesn¡¯t have to pay, they can just get Jiaxin a new set of clothes and socks, exactly the same as before.¡± Ding Jing didn¡¯t speak again. All of Lu Jiaxin¡¯s clothes and socks were brand-name goods, and several items of winter clothing and shoes had been brought back from Hong Kong; just a few of these things alone would exceed a thousand yuan. To fully replace them for her would cost far more than three thousand yuan. Seeing her compromise, Lu Jiaguang said to Lu Jiaxin, ¡°Just take the valuables with you, and let Jiajie send the rest over when it¡¯s time.¡± He would call for a small truck tomorrow, as these things wouldn¡¯t all fit. ¡°Okay.¡± With the settlement fees and compensation agreed upon, Lu Jiaxin also needed to resolve another issue. She turned to Liao Xiangmei, who had been treating herself as if invisible, and said, ¡°Aunt Liao, since Fan Yinuo has been in a relationship with Zhao Siyi for over half a year, I don¡¯t want to be the villain. Since my father and both my eldest brother and Fifth Brother are here, let¡¯s call off this engagement.¡± She had invited Liao Xiangmei over to act as a witness and also to take the opportunity to call off the engagement. When Liao Xiangmei received the call from Lu Jiaxin, she already knew that they couldn¡¯t keep the matter secret anymore and the engagement could not go on. She said sadly, ¡°Jiaxin, it¡¯s my fault for not teaching Yinuo properly, and making you suffer.¡± Lu Jiaxin took out a Peace Silver Lock from her pocket and handed it to Liao Xiangmei, ¡°This was the token of engagement given by your family back then; now I am returning it to you.¡± Liao Xiangmei held onto Lu Jiaxin¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Jiaxin, tomorrow I will go to your mother¡¯s grave and apologize for my shortcomings. Keep the silver lock as a gift from me. The jade pendant your mother gave, I did not bring today, I will deliver it to you tomorrow.¡± Lu Jiaxin placed the silver lock into Liao Xiangmei¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Aunt Liao, this is the Peace Lock Fan Yinuo wore as a child, I can¡¯t possibly keep it. If you don¡¯t accept it, I¡¯ll just throw it away.¡± Liao Xiangmei sighed and after taking the silver lock, she held Lu Jiaxin¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Jiaxin, it¡¯s Yinuo¡¯s fault for not knowing how to cherish what he had, don¡¯t let it affect the relationship between the two of us.¡± Lu Jiaxin firmly refused, ¡°Aunt Liao, I was engaged to Brother Yinuo, and if we continue to frequent each other¡¯s company, he and Zhao Siyi will think I haven¡¯t moved on.¡± Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 11 The Little House Chapter 12: Chapter 11 The Little House Lu Jiaxin knew the detailed address of the house, but she was not familiar with the Forty-nine City and did not know the exact location. Fortunately, Lu Jiaguang and Lu Jiajie were very familiar with the area, and the two rode their bicycles to take her and Xue Mao there. Liao Xiangmei had other things to attend to at home, so after getting the address clear, she went back. Sitting on the back of the bicycle, Lu Jiaxin curiously observed the streets on both sides. The Forty-nine City of now was completely different from what it would be forty years later. Trees alongside the road were tall and lush, houses were low and run-down, and there were crisscrossing electric wires by the roadside. These were all marks of the era! On the road, Lu Jiaxin did not see a single car; everyone was either riding bicycles or walking. She felt a bit regretful, thinking that if she had a camera, she would definitely take a picture of this scene, as these photos would become exceptionally precious forty years later. As they passed by an elementary school, Lu Jiaxin exclaimed upon seeing its name¡ªit was Radiance Elementary School. This school later became a key elementary school in the Forty-nine City, renowned nationwide. Parents who didn¡¯t want their children to fall behind at the starting line went to great lengths to get them admitted here. Lu Jiaxin asked, ¡°Big brother, my house is not far from here, right?¡± ¡°Not far, just a turn away.¡± As Lu Jiaguang had said, they rode forward for another two or three minutes and turned into an alley. Soon after, following the house numbers, they quickly found the house. Looking at the clean exterior walls and the bright gate, Lu Jiaguang¡¯s face showed a puzzled expression, ¡°Xinxin, is it really here? Are you sure you remembered it correctly?¡± The house didn¡¯t look like it had been uninhabited for a long time. ¡°Mom told me this address, it can¡¯t be wrong.¡± Lu Jiajie said with a smile, ¡°Xinxin, you take the keys to open the door. If you can open it, that means there¡¯s no mistake.¡± As it turned out, her original self did not remember the address incorrectly. She quickly opened the door, but as she pushed it open, her eyes went wide in astonishment. What met her eyes was a courtyard, which by estimation was over thirty square meters. There was a path in the middle of the courtyard, with two patches of garden beds on the left where vegetables were planted, their green lushness pleasant to the eye; on the right was a date tree, under which were placed stone tables and stools. Lu Jiaguang was also surprised to see this courtyard. Before, when Lu Jiaxin had said it was a small house, he thought it was just two rooms, and he hadn¡¯t expected it to be a siheyuan (courtyard house). Seeing the ground clean and tidy, Lu Jiaguang said, ¡°Jiaxin, did Third Aunt hire someone to clean this courtyard regularly?¡± Lu Jiaxin admitted she didn¡¯t know, ¡°Mom didn¡¯t tell me. But the courtyard was bought with the help of Madam Xie, so it¡¯s probably her who has people clean it.¡± Lu Jiaguang frowned, ¡°Are you sure Madam Xie helped buy this house?¡± Third Aunt had lost her life saving the only child of the Xie family; he didn¡¯t expect that after Third Aunt¡¯s death, they would never show their faces again. He felt the Xie family was cold and ungrateful and thought it was unfair to Third Aunt. But now, it seemed there might be things he didn¡¯t know about. Lu Jiaxin knew he had misunderstood the Xie family, so she explained, ¡°Big brother, before Mom passed away, she told me that if I ever encountered a difficult situation or one that related to life and death, I could seek help from the Xie family, but I should not associate with them on a regular basis otherwise.¡± Her original self was too young to understand, but Lu Jiaxin was aware of Mrs. Lu¡¯s well-intended concerns. Old Master Xie had by then cleared his name and was on the verge of rising again; if the two families interacted frequently, the beneficiaries would be Hongjun and the Lu family members. The less one calls upon a favor, the more it holds its value. If the Lu family members used it, there might be no help for her original self in the future. But if they didn¡¯t keep in touch regularly and her original self ran into trouble, as long as it wasn¡¯t for legal or criminal issues, they would definitely help. Lu Jiaguang was startled at first, but then quickly understood. His third aunt had indeed devoted herself to caring for her sister. Unfortunately, she passed away too early; otherwise, Xinxin wouldn¡¯t have had to suffer like this. The house consisted of a main hall with three rooms, two side rooms on each the east and west sides, three backrooms, and one additional room on each side. There was also a woodshed and a kitchen. Such a quadrangle home would be worth millions in later times. Xue Mao followed and took a look around, marveling to himself. He guessed the old landlords must have lived in houses like this, but such talk was taboo, so he only dared to think it, never to voice it. Lu Jiajie patted Lu Jiaxin¡¯s shoulder, enviously saying, ¡°Little sister, congratulations, you own such a large house at a young age.¡± It had been seven years since he started working in the factory and he still hadn¡¯t been allocated a house. His family of four was still living with his father-in-law. In the past years, his elder aunt and her husband would sometimes make sarcastic remarks, and since the father-in-law didn¡¯t take sides, he didn¡¯t mind it much. But recently, his father-in-law¡¯s attitude had changed, making it particularly uncomfortable to live there now. Ah, when could he have his own house like Jiaxin? Lu Jiaguang, who had experienced much in life, reminded Lu Jiaxin, ¡°Nowadays, everyone is struggling to find housing, and with your house being so large, it will inevitably attract others¡¯ interest. Xinxin, if anyone wants to rent or borrow your house, you must not agree. If it¡¯s difficult to refuse, just say it¡¯s up to me.¡± How could Lu Jiaxin possibly agree? What if relatives or friends came to stay and refused to leave? As for renting out the place, doing any business at that time was profitable; who needed the extra rental income? Lu Jiajie thought even further, ¡°Big brother, with the current chaos outside, Jiaxin¡¯s house is so large, it could attract the attention of people with bad intentions¡­¡± Lu Jiaxin felt the issue was easy to resolve, ¡°We can set up some traps and mechanisms under the corners of the walls. If they dare to climb over, we¡¯ll send them straight to jail.¡± In fact, she wasn¡¯t worried about being harassed by thugs, since the house was near an elementary school, the security would not be a concern in the future. Lu Jiaguang thought it was a good idea and said he would find someone to take care of it when he got back. Lu Jiaxin then said, ¡°Big brother, we just need to clean up a bit and then we can move in. Look, can we move my room¡¯s furniture and bedding over today?¡± Only the main house was furnished; the other rooms were empty. She had a place to sleep, but Xue Mao did not. After mentioning this, she explained her urgency, ¡°I¡¯ve exposed everything Ding Jing and Zhao Siyi did, and now the entire family compound knows about it. Ding Jing hates me to the bone, and if we wait until tomorrow, there might be nothing left.¡± Lu Jiaguang thought about Lu Hongjun¡¯s attitude and also felt it was better to act sooner rather than later, ¡°I¡¯ll go back and see if I can borrow a truck. If I can, we¡¯ll bring your things over this afternoon.¡± Lu Jiajie offered with a smile, ¡°Big brother, I took the day off, let me handle this!¡± He was just an ordinary worker in the shoe factory, unlike Lu Jiaguang who was a busy leader; taking time off was easy for him. Of course, he mainly felt there was no future at the shoe factory, so he wasn¡¯t working very hard there. ¡°Big brother, Fifth Brother, thank you,¡± she said. Lu Jiaguang felt a touch of heartache hearing that, ¡°Silly girl, what¡¯s there to thank? I¡¯m your brother, looking after you is what I should do.¡± Lu Jiajie patted her shoulder and said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t say that anymore. It¡¯s too formal for family members to thank each other.¡± The two brothers left to help her move her belongings, while Lu Jiaxin and Xue Mao stayed behind to clean up. Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 12: Moving House Chapter 13: Chapter 12: Moving House As they left, Lu Jiajie said, ¡°Brother, Xinxin has changed a lot.¡± Lu Jiaguang hummed in response, ¡°Not only has Xinxin become more decisive now, but she also knows how to speak up when she¡¯s wronged. Those two, mother and daughter, will never be able to bully her again.¡± He felt the change was for the better; the hardships hadn¡¯t been suffered in vain. As Lu Jiaxin and Xue Mao were cleaning the house, someone knocked on the door. When she opened it, she saw a middle-aged woman, who had come over after hearing some noises. The woman said, ¡°My last name is Li; I¡¯m from the neighborhood committee. Young lady, is this house yours?¡± After examining the woman¡¯s ID, Lu Jiaxin replied, ¡°This house was left to me by my mother. I was too young before and afraid to come here in case my stepmother found out and took it from me. Now I can no longer live under my stepmother¡¯s roof, so I had no choice but to move here.¡± She had no intention of hiding the family¡¯s dirty laundry. Besides, these aunties were always well-informed; even if she kept silent, they would have uncovered her background in no time. The woman from the neighborhood committee had seen many situations like this and reminded her, ¡°Young lady, you should transfer your household registration here as soon as possible, so your stepmother won¡¯t be able to manipulate you with marriage issues.¡± Lu Jiaxin thought the woman was very kind-hearted, thanked her, and said, ¡°Once I¡¯m settled, I¡¯ll transfer my registration.¡± Aunt Li looked at Xue Mao and asked, ¡°Will the two of you siblings be living here from now on?¡± Lu Jiaxin explained Xue Mao¡¯s status, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ve taken him as my honorary younger brother, so he¡¯ll live here with me from now on.¡± After registering their information, Aunt Li smiled and said, ¡°I live just two doors down from you. If you ever need anything, you can come to me anytime.¡± Lu Jiaxin expressed her gratitude and resumed cleaning with Xue Mao after seeing the visitor out. After more than an hour of cleaning, both of them were hungry. Without any pots and pans in the kitchen, they had to go out to eat. The Forty-nine City had many small diners, and they quickly found one. Lu Jiaxin ordered braised fish, garlic-blanketed water spinach, and tomato egg drop soup. She didn¡¯t eat much, but Xue Mao had a big appetite, devouring three bowls of rice and cleaning up all the dishes before he was full. Stepping out of the diner, Xue Mao remarked, ¡°The food at this restaurant is too expensive and not worth it, sister. Let¡¯s cook our own dinner tonight!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll start cooking as soon as we buy some pots and pans tomorrow.¡± Cleaning was exhausting. After they finished with the side room, Lu Jiaxin collapsed into a chair, ¡°Let¡¯s just clean the kitchen now, and we can deal with the three rooms in the rear building when we have time.¡± Xue Mao didn¡¯t feel tired at all; this was his sister¡¯s own house, where he could live until she got married, ¡°Sis, you go rest. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± The master bedroom was fully furnished with a bed, wardrobe, dressing table, and chairs. Later, she would move the furniture in her room to Xue Mao¡¯s room, so no additional furniture would be needed. Lu Jiaxin knew he would be uncomfortable if she didn¡¯t allow him to work and nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll go to sleep first. If you get tired, you should rest too. This is our own house, so there¡¯s no rush.¡± Her body had not fully recovered yet, and she felt tired after even a little work. It seemed that she had not recovered properly from her past illness and needed to see a doctor for a good treatment. There was no bedding in the room, but fortunately, she had brought over several sets of old clothes that she had intended to change. She had considered throwing them away, but Xue Mao suggested keeping them for rags. Now, these old clothes came in handy. After three days on the train, which were noisy and uncomfortable green-skin types, unable to get proper rest due to the hard seats they bought, she made a beeline for the family compound. Fearing being discovered as not the original person, Lu Jiaxin had been tense all along. Now, utterly relaxed, she lay down and fell asleep. When she awoke, it was already over three hours later. Lu Jiaxin walked out and found the courtyard eerily quiet, ¡°Xue Mao, has my Fifth Brother not come over yet?¡± Xue Mao paused his work, wiping sweat as he spoke, ¡°No. The oldest brother went to borrow a vehicle. He probably didn¡¯t manage to get one!¡± Lu Jiaxin was worried about not moving stuff over today, she would only have a plank bed to sleep on, and Xue Mao didn¡¯t even have that much. Just a nap had her feeling sore all over, and she feared she wouldn¡¯t be able to get up after a whole night¡¯s rest. Xue Mao pointed out an issue he discovered, ¡°Sister, there¡¯s no toilet here. Just now I was in a hurry and couldn¡¯t find a spot; I had to relieve myself outside.¡± Fearing Lu Jiaxin might misunderstand, he quickly added, ¡°There¡¯s a public restroom outside, but it¡¯s so dirty, you¡¯re definitely not used to it.¡± Lu Jiaxin had indeed not thought of this, and she suggested, ¡°Then we need to buy a couple of chamber pots; otherwise, it¡¯s too much hassle to go out to the external toilets at night.¡± Having lived with her for over a month, Xue Mao knew how much she valued cleanliness, ¡°Sister, we can¡¯t always live like this. Let¡¯s set up our stall early, and once we make some money, we can hire someone to build a toilet.¡± After deducting travel expenses, they still had a little over two hundred yuan left, which was enough to set up a small stall. As for Lu Jiaxin¡¯s money, he had not thought about it. While they were talking, the robust voice of Lu Jiajie came from outside, ¡°Xinxin, Xue Mao, open the door. I¡¯ve got stuff to move in.¡± Xue Mao once collapsed on the bed from exhaustion and fell asleep without locking the door, resulting in their newly acquired pots and half a bag of grain vanishing. Since then, he had developed the habit of locking the door even when at home. Lu Jiajie entered, carrying bed planks, and upon seeing Lu Jiaxin about to go out, he stopped her, ¡°Xinxin, you haven¡¯t recovered yet; rest well. There are not many things; two or three trips with the brothers will be enough.¡± Lu Jiaxin did feel weak and did not insist on being tough. Xue Mao soon arrived with two wooden buckets, which carried pots, bowls, ladles, knives, and other kitchen utensils. He joyfully said, ¡°Sister, tomorrow after we buy rice and flour, we can cook for ourselves.¡± Lu Jiaxin was somewhat surprised and questioned when Lu Jiajie came in with bedding, ¡°Fifth Brother, did you provide these things?¡± Lu Jiajie spoke with a smile, ¡°No, Third Uncle got them from the department store. These are factory seconds, quite the bargain.¡± Lu Jiaxin had glanced at the bucket¡¯s contents, and though she had not looked closely, she was certain they were new. She wasn¡¯t naive; having navigated the workplace for years, she knew what she needed to know. What surprised her, however, was that in addition to the kitchenware, there were also two sets of summer quilts, a thermos, kettle, cups, toothbrushes, towels, and other daily necessaries. Lu Jiajie said with a chuckle, ¡°Xinxin, all these items were arranged by Third Uncle for you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s that kind?¡± Lu Jiajie replied with a smile, ¡°Even if Big Brother and I wanted to buy them for you, we don¡¯t have that much money. Xinxin, that woman is good at playing roles, and it¡¯s inevitable for Third Uncle to be fooled by her. But you are his only daughter; surely, all his money and property will be left to you in the future.¡± The pay he and Big Brother earned was handed over almost as soon as they got it, leaving at most a couple of yuan on them. All those items together cost several hundred yuan¡ªno amount he and Big Brother could raise even if they sold their blood. Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 13 New Home Chapter 14: Chapter 13 New Home Lu Jiaxin thought that after receiving ten thousand yuan, Lu Hongjun would ignore her for a while, but unexpectedly, he had still actively arranged to buy so many things for her. Looking at these items, Lu Jiaxin felt somewhat conflicted. The original self had only resented Ding Jing and Zhao Siyi, while she harbored deep admiration for Lu Hongjun. Undeniably, as long as there were no conflicts with Ding Jing, Lu Hongjun had indeed been very good to the original self, especially when it came to money, he was never stingy. Lu Jiajie brought the bedding to her room, smiling as he said, ¡°Xinxin, if you¡¯re lacking anything, just make a list. If you¡¯re too embarrassed to ask Third Uncle, I¡¯ll ask with you.¡± ¡°Xinxin, you are Third Uncle¡¯s own daughter, and you¡¯ll have to support him and care for him in his old age. Asking him for money and things is only natural. If you don¡¯t, those two will end up benefiting in the end.¡± Actually, it was he who had asked Lu Hongjun for these things. Lu Hongjun had indeed intended to leave Lu Jiaxin alone for a while and didn¡¯t plan to arrange any provision for her, as the large sum of money given should have spared him from blame. But he couldn¡¯t resist Lu Jiajie¡¯s arguments, such as how Zhao Siyi was fawning over him only because of his money and power, anticipating that once he stepped down and had no money, she would show her true colors. And when he got old, the one he could rely on was still Lu Jiaxin. The things Zhao Siyi had done truly made Lu Hongjun wary, and in the end, he still took Lu Jiajie shopping at the department store. Lu Jiaxin glanced outside and saw Xue Mao and the other two people in the yard; she asked in a mosquito-like voice, ¡°Fifth Brother, isn¡¯t it bad to buy so many defective goods from a department store?¡± Buying a few items cheaply wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but now, bringing so many over at once, Lu Jiaxin worried it would cause trouble. She was someone who disliked trouble the most, and she would rather slowly accumulate things on her own. Lu Jiajie was first startled, then laughed and said, ¡°We¡¯re buying, not taking. Since we¡¯ve paid, we have nothing to fear even if someone tries to cause trouble.¡± Lu Jiaxin, frowning, asked, ¡°Fifth Brother, does Dad often buy defective goods from department buildings? If someone reports it, and superiors send someone to investigate, it could be dangerous.¡± Even if they had a falling out, the father-daughter relationship wouldn¡¯t change, and she would definitely be implicated if it came to a head. At that time, doing business could become much more troublesome. Lu Jiajie thought that now she had grown up and become sensible, she should also know about some things, ¡°Xinxin, the distribution of defective goods from the department building is allocated according to job grades. Third Uncle has been with the department building for so many years and seldom buys things from there. This time is a special case; no one is going to trouble themselves with reporting it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± By the time they finished moving things, it was already past five o¡¯clock, so Lu Jiaxin invited Lu Jiajie and his two friends to have dinner at a small restaurant. They ordered five dishes and a soup: chestnut tower pork, braised prawns, braised pork, stir-fried pig liver with cabbage, cucumber strips in sauce, and carp tofu soup. Additionally, they got a bottle of wine. Sawing this, Xue Mao felt so distressed. How much money would that be! Lu Jiajie felt she had changed too much. In the past, when eating out, this girl would only order dishes she liked. But now, she ordered mostly meat dishes and even got a bottle of wine, clearly catering to their tastes. In the little over a month she spent outside, she had already learned the ways of the world. The restaurant cooked well and was generous, so Lu Jiajie and his two friends enjoyed their meal immensely. Standing at the intersection, Lu Jiajie bid farewell to his two friends, ¡°Today¡¯s gotten too late, and I dare not let you drink too much since you have to bike back. Wait for Sunday, I¡¯ll treat you, and then we can drink to our heart¡¯s content.¡± Jiaxin also thanked the two men, ¡°Brother Qiang, Brother Sheng, thank you so much for today.¡± Both had come because of Lu Jiajie¡¯s face, but Lu Jiaxin had been very polite to them, inviting them to a meal with meat, prawns, and wine. This girl, she knew how to curry favor, The one called Ah Qiang laughed and said, ¡°Sister, if there¡¯s anything you need in the future, just tell me, and I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s taken care of.¡± Lu Jiajie, with a look of disdain, waved his hand and said, ¡°This is my sister, don¡¯t get too familiar. It¡¯s late, you¡¯d better hurry back, or you¡¯ll get scolded by the wife if you¡¯re home late.¡± The one called Ah Sheng teased her for crossing the river and tearing down the bridge. After seeing the two off, Lu Jiaxin asked, ¡°Fifth Brother, aren¡¯t you going back?¡± Lu Jiajie had no plans to return: ¡°The two of you are just youngsters, how can Big Brother and I rest easy? I¡¯ll stay here for the next few days. Once the traps are set and you¡¯re familiar with the neighbors, I¡¯ll go back home.¡± Lu Jiaxin, of course, couldn¡¯t ask for more. Being in a strange place and with the security situation not being great, living in such a large house did indeed make her feel a bit uneasy. On the way back, they had to pass by the public toilet, and the pungent smell almost made Jiaxin throw up. Even if at home she used a chamber pot, coming here was still a form of torture. Lu Jiaxin asked, ¡°Fifth Brother, there¡¯s no toilet in my house, and I want to build one. Do you know anyone who could help? I want to get it done as soon as possible.¡± Lu Jiajie¡¯s mother-in-law¡¯s place also didn¡¯t have a private toilet; they always used the public ones. However, given the large area and many houses here, building a toilet in the yard was not an issue: ¡°I¡¯ll ask around with some friends, and you should also report it to the neighborhood committee.¡± Lu Jiaxin was shocked, ¡°What? I have to report to the neighborhood committee just to build a toilet at home?¡± Lu Jiajie chuckled at her expression and said, ¡°You¡¯re starting construction, who would know what you¡¯re doing if you don¡¯t report it? Also, you¡¯ll definitely be connecting the toilet to the sewer, how would you know where the sewer line is without reporting it?¡± Lu Jiaxin felt she had taken things for granted. This wasn¡¯t like the future where many facilities were readily available. When they got back home, Xue Mao and the others locked the door from inside as soon as they entered the yard. As Lu Jiajie walked in and gazed at the spacious yard, envy flashed in his eyes, ¡°Having a house is really nice. Sigh, I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be able to have my own house.¡± Lu Jiaxin knew his monthly salary was just over eighty yuan; relying on that salary, he¡¯d never be able to afford his own house in his lifetime. Thinking for a moment, Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°Fifth Brother, do you know what Xue Mao and I sold at our snack stand in Ancient Capital?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Cold noodles and egg pancakes. They might not look like much, but the profit is considerable.¡± Lu Jiajie, recalling a friend saying that doing business was very profitable, immediately grew interested, ¡°How much do you make in a day?¡± Jiaxin said with a smile, ¡°The best day we made forty-six yuan, and on the worst, we still made twelve. Just using twenty-four days, we not only supported ourselves but also saved over three hundred yuan.¡± Lu Jiajie was astonished, ¡°What, you make that much?¡± You see, his monthly salary was only eighty-six yuan and eighty cents. The earnings from a small snack stall in a day amounted to almost half his monthly wage. As policies were relaxed, more and more private factories were being established, and state-owned enterprises would face tougher and tougher times. When the burden became too great for the nation, that would be the time for a momentous wave of layoffs. Wanting Lu Jiajie to step out of the shoe factory and start his own business, Jiaxin deliberately provoked him, ¡°I¡¯m physically weak, so I only sell in the morning. If we were to sell in the morning, afternoon, and evening, we¡¯d make even more.¡± Lu Jiajie opened his mouth but ultimately swallowed his words before they could leave his lips. Jiaxin could see that he was tempted, but he had reservations and didn¡¯t dare to try. However, it wasn¡¯t a problem; a few more nudges over time would surely drive him to action. Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Chapter 14 Buying Clothes Chapter 15: Chapter 14 Buying Clothes Because she had slept a lot in the afternoon, Lu Jiaxin was still very alert by nighttime. The room was a bit stuffy, so she took mosquito incense and a palm-leaf fan and walked out, to find Lu Jiajie sitting under the jujube tree. Jiaxin lit the mosquito incense and placed it under a stone bench before she sat down, ¡°Fifth Brother, I slept too much at noon, but why aren¡¯t you sleep yet with work tomorrow?¡± Lu Jiajie said with a smile, ¡°I can¡¯t sleep either. Jiaxin, your courtyard is really nice, not only is it cool but you can also see the stars.¡± He wasn¡¯t actually unable to sleep, but rather, his mind was in turmoil thinking about Jiaxin¡¯s words, so he couldn¡¯t fall asleep. His in-laws¡¯ house was fifty square meters, split into three rooms, and he and his wife had a room to themselves. Compared to many others, their living conditions were quite good. But in the summer, the house was like a steamer. He was naturally heat-sensitive and prone to sweating, making the summers particularly unbearable. The hardships were one thing, but recently some changes at his in-laws¡¯ had brought a severe shift in their attitude. Lately, he had been dreaming of getting his own place, but with the shortage of company housing and his lack of seniority, it was an unattainable dream. Jiaxin didn¡¯t keep talking about running a business; sometimes it was best to leave things unsaid. In the early days of economic reform, many people looked down on individual business owners, which meant those who went into business were mostly returned educated youths or jobless young people. If she said too much and Jiajie impulsively quit his job to go into business, Fifth Sister-in-law and her family would definitely be unhappy with her. Furthermore, if the business failed and he went into debt, it wouldn¡¯t only sour relationships, but Fifth Brother¡¯s standing in the Ma family would suffer as well. Lu Jiajie didn¡¯t bring up running a business either. Instead, he asked Jiaxin why she didn¡¯t report to the police after losing her memory, ¡°Third Uncle has a comrade working at the local prosecutor¡¯s office. If you had reported it, you would have been home long ago.¡± Jiaxin had her excuse ready, ¡°Before he saved me, Xue Mao had saved a girl named Xiao Cui, who was a year older than me. She came from a rural village just outside the Ancient Capital. Her parents wanted to marry her off to a forty-something widower working at the meat processing plant for a high bride price. That widower liked to beat his wives and it¡¯s said that he had beaten his previous wife to death, so Xiao Cui ran away to avoid the same fate.¡± Through their interactions, Jiaxin realized the girl was cunning and money-loving, so she didn¡¯t like her. However, when she left, Xue Mao said he had left his street vending business to her, and Jiaxin did not refuse. She didn¡¯t want to be friends with such people, but women needed to be a bit selfish and shrewd to live well. The women of the flower-growing families had been brainwashed for thousands of years, believing they should dedicate everything to their families and children. Fortunately, the younger generations were slowly awakening, and the daughters were starting to focus on themselves more. Lu Jiajie pieced it together himself, ¡°Were you worried that you also ran away from a forced marriage, afraid of being returned and married to a widower?¡± Jiaxin nodded and said, ¡°I was lucky I didn¡¯t come back. Otherwise, with my memory lost, Ding Jing and Zhao Siyi would have found other ways to harm me.¡± Mentioning these two people, Lu Jiajie¡¯s face twisted with disgust, ¡°Xinxin, those two have hearts of snakes and scorpions. You don¡¯t have to go back home or get in contact with them. If you need anything, look for me or Big Brother.¡± Lu Jiaxin felt quite fortunate for her original self. Although her real father was worthless, she had two brothers who cared a lot about her and would stand up for her. She said, ¡°Fifth Brother, Ding Jing and Zhao Siyi nearly cost me my life; I can¡¯t just let that go.¡± Lu Jiajie, worried she might act recklessly, quickly said, ¡°Xinxin, Zhao Siyi has a disgraceful nature, and the Fan family will never let her through their doors. But if you¡¯re still not satisfied, when she goes to school, I can have someone spread the word about the things she¡¯s done in her class. With such a reputation, both teachers and students will keep their distance.¡± If she could steal her sister¡¯s fianc¨¦, there was nothing she wouldn¡¯t dare to do; no one would want to associate with someone so prone to backstabbing. Lu Jiaxin thought his approach was too weak, ¡°Fifth Brother, if she could seduce her sister¡¯s fianc¨¦, she wouldn¡¯t be afraid of rumors and gossip. Plus, she¡¯s good at playing the victim. She could argue that I¡¯m jealous of her university acceptance and am slandering her out of spite; I can¡¯t possibly go to the university and explain it to everyone.¡± Seeing that Lu Jiajie was about to speak again, she waved her hand and said, ¡°Fifth Brother, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do anything illegal. They are not worth it.¡± After chatting for more than half an hour, Lu Jiajie felt sleepy and started yawning, ¡°Xinxin, it¡¯s late, let¡¯s go back to the room and sleep!¡± He shared a room with Xue Mao where the bed was too small to fit them both. Coincidentally, Xue Mao had taken down the doors of the three rooms in the rear part of the house to clean, so he simply used one as a bed board to sleep on. Lu Jiaxin couldn¡¯t sleep either after returning to her room, so she took out a notebook and wrote down the significant events she remembered. There¡¯s an old saying, ¡°Even the best memory is not as reliable as faded ink.¡± Over time, some details might be forgotten, but writing them down on paper made them more secure. To prevent others from understanding, she used symbols that only she could interpret. However, as she was born after the ¡¯90s, she knew very little about the events of the ¡¯80s and ¡¯90s. She was more familiar with the major events of the following two decades. After writing down everything she remembered, Jiaxin checked her watch and found it was past ten o¡¯clock. She yawned and climbed into bed. Since arriving here, her routine had become more regular. She used to go to bed after midnight, but now she got into bed before nine every night. Early to bed was early to rise, so the next day Lu Jiaxin woke up at six in the morning, washed up, and went out to buy breakfast. Knowing Lu Jiajie liked deep-fried dough sticks, she bought steamed buns and dough sticks. Xue Mao had made porridge, so there was no need to buy that. After she bought breakfast and saw that Lu Jiajie was still not up¡ªsince he had to go to work¡ªLu Jiaxin asked Xue Mao to wake him. After washing up, Lu Jiajie saw the dough sticks on the table, took one, bit into it, and said with a smile, ¡°Xinxin, now that we¡¯ve moved into the new house, we should follow tradition and throw a few dinner parties, invite people over, and have a lively time.¡± Lu Jiaxin was aware that what he referred to as a housewarming banquet was actually just warming the house. She replied with a smile, ¡°There¡¯s no need to invite outsiders. Just have you and Big Brother¡¯s families come over for a meal; that will be enough.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After breakfast, Lu Jiajie went to work, and Lu Jiaxin took Xue Mao shopping for clothes. They didn¡¯t go to the department store because it was too expensive, instead heading to Xiushui Street. When Xue Mao saw the street, his eyes widened at the rows of stalls selling all sorts of goods¡ªclothing, shoes, socks, embroidery, shoe soles¡ªand beyond that, a snack stall. Seeing the constant flow of people at the snack stall, Xue Mao said excitedly, ¡°Sister Xin, there are so many people here. If we set up a snack stall, we would definitely earn much more than before.¡± He was eager to get a stall up and running, so there would be a daily income. In the past, they often had to worry about the next meal after finishing the last, and the hunger made him anxious whenever he was idle. Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t oppose Xue Mao setting up a snack stall, but she wouldn¡¯t let him do it here¡ªthe cost-efficiency was too low. She said, ¡°This place is too far from our home. If we set up a stall here, we¡¯d have to rent a place.¡± Upon hearing about renting a place, Xue Mao gave up on the idea. Rent was not cheap, and without his sister coming over, he wasn¡¯t confident about running it alone. Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 15 Asking for Things Chapter 16: Chapter 15 Asking for Things Lu Jiaxin bought Xue Mao three sets of clothes and two pairs of shoes, all in dark colors that hide dirt well. Both pairs of shoes were sturdy canvas shoes. It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t want to choose attractive clothes for him, but Xue Mao was unwilling and even said he would not wear them. His reason was that he works every day and would quickly dirty any nice clothes, which would be a waste of money. Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t skimp on herself, however. She walked from one end of the street to the other, picking out six sets of clothes. Three dresses and three outfits, plus shoes and socks to match. After buying her clothes, Lu Jiaxin told Xue Mao to go ahead home, while she went to the department store. Fortunately, Lu Hongjun was at work today. Once inside his office, Lu Jiaxin handed over the shopping list she had prepared in advance, ¡°These are the things needed for my new house, let me know when you can get them all for me.¡± Lu Hongjun took the shopping list, glanced at it, and then put it down, saying calmly, ¡°Four thousand yuan, I deposited it into your account yesterday afternoon. The family only has a bit over three hundred yuan left now, and there isn¡¯t enough to buy these things for you.¡± Lu Jiaxin laughed and said, ¡°The family has six thousand yuan in savings? Dad, do you really take me for a fool?¡± ¡°Just those three sets of finely crafted gold jewelry from Aunt Ding must be worth several thousand. Ten thousand yuan might just be pocket change to you.¡± She didn¡¯t believe a word about the family savings being only a few thousand yuan. Working at the department store for over twenty years, and serving as the general manager for more than ten, he would have accumulated a substantial nest egg, even without taking bribes. Lu Hongjun¡¯s face changed, ¡°Jiaxin, don¡¯t spout nonsense. Your Aunt Ding only has one gold ring, where would she get three sets of gold jewelry from?¡± Lu Jiaxin casually responded after humming, ¡°You didn¡¯t know she had three sets of gold jewelry, which could possibly be from her previous man.¡± Just one gold ring, who is he trying to fool? If it wasn¡¯t for his status and to live a better life, why would such a beautiful woman marry an old man like him? When Lu Hongjun married Ding Jing, he only had a few sets of old clothes to change into. Thus, the gold jewelry could only have been acquired after their marriage. The question was, where did the money come from? By his expression, Lu Jiaxin knew that Ding Jing must have been accepting bribes behind his back. She had thought that such dealings were approved by Lu Hongjun; she didn¡¯t expect Ding Jing to be so bold. Lu Hongjun quickly regained his composure and looked at Lu Jiaxin, ¡°I¡¯ll buy you the watch and the bicycle, nothing else.¡± On this shopping list, besides a watch and a bicycle, there were also a washing machine, refrigerator, color TV, electric fan, sewing machine, tape recorder, and so on. Lu Jiaxin snorted coldly, ¡°Why can that mother-daughter pair of vipers use a refrigerator and color TV while I, your own daughter, have nothing?¡± Lu Hongjun withheld his anger and said, ¡°If you were staying at home, you could use all of these.¡± Unapologetically, Lu Jiaxin retorted, ¡°I¡¯m staying here. Before long, I¡¯ll have to go down and reunite with mom.¡± With a headache, Lu Hongjun said, ¡°Dad knows you¡¯ve had a hard time outside and hold some resentment, but your Aunt Ding and Siyi have both explained it to me; it was all a misunderstanding.¡± Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t bother to argue whether that mother and daughter were up to good or bad, all she wanted now was stuff, ¡°Just say it, will you buy them for me or not?¡± Of course, Lu Hongjun refused, not because he couldn¡¯t afford it, but because he had claimed just yesterday that all his savings were given to Jiaxin. If he were to buy so many big-ticket items all at once, who knows if Liao Xiangmei would use the opportunity to come after him. But he was also aware that his daughter¡¯s temperament had changed drastically, and she would surely make a fuss if her demands were not met. After some thought, Lu Hongjun said, ¡°Xinxin, I will buy you the watch and the bicycle first. The color TV, refrigerator, and the washing machine¡ªI¡¯ll get them for you next year.¡± Lu Jiaxin was not so easily deceived, she said, ¡°I need to learn English, so a tape recorder is essential. I may not know how to use the sewing machine, but Xue Mao does. It will be convenient to have one in the house for making alterations to clothes.¡± Actually, it wasn¡¯t Xue Mao who knew how to use a sewing machine, it was her. In her previous life, her family was in the clothing business, so she studied fashion design in college. After earning her bachelor¡¯s degree, she went to Huadu to study abroad for three years, staying on to work in a big factory to accumulate work experience. Three years later, she returned to her country to develop her career. She initially wanted to work for her family¡¯s company, but after her father remarried and had a son, her grandparents guarded against her as if she were a thief. Feeling it was pointless, she went to work in Peng City instead. While she was in Ancient Capital, she had wanted to sell clothes but unfortunately lacked the capital, so she could only set up a small stall to sustain herself and Xue Mao. Now that she had both capital and connections, she was determined to return to her old trade. Lu Hongjun thought about her weaker English and math skills, and he wouldn¡¯t refuse now that she was willing to actively strengthen these subjects, ¡°I¡¯ll buy you the recorder later, and we¡¯ll talk about the sewing machine another day.¡± ¡°What about the bicycle and the watch? Also, it¡¯s so hot now, I can¡¯t sleep without an electric fan.¡± Lu Hongjun felt a bit of a headache coming on and said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll deliver the electric fan along with the bicycle to you in a couple of days. That¡¯s all for now; there¡¯s nothing more.¡± Lu Jiaxin knew it wasn¡¯t possible to get everything at once, so she planned to ask for more after these items were bought. Just like Fifth Brother said, if she didn¡¯t ask for them, it only benefitted that scheming mother and daughter. Lu Hongjun then spoke of the repeat study, ¡°I¡¯ve arranged school for you, classes start next Monday.¡± Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t say she wouldn¡¯t do the repeat year, knowing that not only Lu Hongjun but also Lu Jiaguang wouldn¡¯t approve, so she employed a stalling strategy, ¡°Yesterday, I was cleaning with Xue Mao. After only a little while I felt chest tightness and shortness of breath, so I had to lie down in my room. Dad, my injury might have left some sequelae.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Hongjun couldn¡¯t stay seated, ¡°You child, why didn¡¯t you say something about such a serious matter earlier? Let¡¯s hurry to the hospital for a checkup.¡± Seeing his anxious and agitated state, Lu Jiaxin secretly sighed; Lu Hongjun truly loved her original self. It¡¯s just that this love couldn¡¯t outweigh the happiness of having a beautiful wife and a joyful life. At the hospital, Lu Hongjun took her for a full body checkup. After reviewing the results, the doctor said, ¡°The head injury hasn¡¯t left any sequelae, and the wound has also healed very well. However, you¡¯re severely anemic and need to supplement your nutrition well.¡± Lu Jiaxin hurriedly said, ¡°Doctor, whether I¡¯m working or studying, I get very tired after just a while.¡± The doctor explained that this was caused by insufficient blood and qi and admonished, ¡°Go back and supplement your nutrition well, rest more, and don¡¯t overexert yourself.¡± Lu Jiaxin was secretly delighted, this was a perfect case of needing a pillow when feeling drowsy. A worried Lu Hongjun asked, ¡°Doctor, studying shouldn¡¯t affect her, right?¡± Lu Jiaxin quickly added, ¡°I failed the college entrance exams this year, and my dad wants me to repeat the year and try again.¡± ¡°Doctor, I failed the college entrance exams this year, and my dad wants me to repeat. But I get chest tightness and shortness of breath after just a little exertion, can my body handle repeating the year?¡± The doctor, aware of the importance of college entrance exams for a person, would not possibly say to recover first and then repeat the year; he couldn¡¯t take that responsibility. Instead, he tactfully reminded, ¡°If you want to be healthy, it¡¯s not just about nutrition¡ªyou also need to rest well.¡± Lu Jiaxin was particularly grateful for the doctor. She immediately threw a question at Lu Hongjun, ¡°Dad, what do you think is more important, my education or my health?¡± Without hesitation, Lu Hongjun replied, ¡°Health is the capital of the revolution, everything else is out of the question if your health fails. Xinxin, let¡¯s focus on recuperating first; other matters can wait.¡± With that answer, Lu Jiaxin was fairly satisfied. Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 16 Incompetent Chapter 17: Chapter 16 Incompetent Lu Hongjun asked the doctor, ¡°What can she take to recover as soon as possible?¡± The doctor indicated that conditioning the body was the forte of traditional Chinese medicine and recommended a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner from their hospital to the father and daughter. Lu Hongjun thanked him and then took Lu Jiaxin out. Once in the corridor, he whispered, ¡°I heard about an old traditional Chinese doctor who is especially good at conditioning people¡¯s bodies. I¡¯ll find someone to introduce us and, if he agrees, I¡¯ll take you to see him.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After leaving the hospital, Lu Hongjun said, ¡°Xinxin, I was tied up with something yesterday. You take me to see that house.¡± Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t refuse, but some things had to be made clear, ¡°I am your daughter, and if you want to live with me, I welcome you. But Ding Jing and Zhao Siyi are my enemies. If you bring them with you, don¡¯t blame me for not recognizing you as my father.¡± This naturally pleased Lu Hongjun. Through today¡¯s probing, she knew that Lu Hongjun must have secretly saved up a substantial amount. So, on the surface, she still had to play the role of the good daughter, which would make it easier to fleece him and seek his help for business troubles in the future. As for the Xie Family, unless it was a matter of life and death, she wouldn¡¯t visit them. Lu Hongjun felt comforted by her words. His daughter was still very filial. He sighed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they won¡¯t come over.¡± After what had happened yesterday, he knew that there was no chance for reconciliation between the two parties. Now, he just hoped that they would leave each other alone, and as for the future, that would be dealt with when the time came. Lu Jiaxin changed the subject, ¡°Dad, Xue Mao can¡¯t sit still and wants to continue with the stall.¡± Lu Hongjun said, ¡°It¡¯s hard to find work these days. He¡¯s uneducated, young, and an outsider, so it¡¯s difficult to find a suitable job for now. Since he can support himself with a stall, let him do that for the time being.¡± With a large number of educated youths returning to the city, the jobs available in the Forty-nine City were increasingly scarce. If Lu Jiaxin needed a job, he would definitely do everything in his power to find one for her. But when it came to Xue Mao, he felt that giving him some money would be enough to repay his kindness. However, since Lu Jiaxin had said she would repay the favor herself the previous day, he didn¡¯t bring it up. Lu Jiaxin specifically mentioned this matter, obviously with an intention in mind, ¡°Dad, I want to buy a tricycle, so it¡¯s easier to set up the stall when going out. Otherwise, moving all the heavy stuff back and forth is just too exhausting.¡± Lu Hongjun looked at her intently. Lu Jiaxin¡¯s heart almost leaped out of her chest. Could it be that he noticed she was different from her original self and had begun to suspect her identity? But she soon calmed down; ever since Lu Hongjun had remarried, his mind had been on Ding Jing, and he paid less attention to his original daughter. Moreover, given the previous upheaval, it was unlikely that he would suspect her. Lu Hongjun indeed felt that she was very different from before. In the past, his daughter never cared about money, but now she seemed to value it above all else. However, thinking about how she struggled to even eat in the Ancient Capital and was forced to set up a street stall, Lu Hongjun¡¯s heart softened, ¡°Xinxin, it¡¯s good that you have a plan in mind. But I am your father; you should directly ask for whatever you want in the future, instead of beating around the bush.¡± Lu Jiaxin heaved a sigh of relief; it wasn¡¯t about her identity after all. She lowered her head, pretending to be upset, and said, ¡°These past few years, you have only favored that mother and daughter pair of vipers and not cared for me. I¡¯m worried that if I keep asking you for things, you¡¯ll get annoyed with me.¡± Lu Hongjun chuckled at that and said, ¡°You are my daughter, my only child. Whatever you want, I will definitely buy it for you as long as I can afford it. However, Xinxin, remember that Aunt Ding is the one who will spend the rest of her life with me, whereas you will grow up and have your own family. I have to consider her feelings more. But don¡¯t worry, everything of mine will be yours eventually.¡± Lu Jiaxin snorted, ¡°I¡¯m not a three-year-old child, there¡¯s no need to cajole me with such talk.¡± What she held in her hands would truly belong to her; everything else was just empty talk. Of course, if he genuinely intended to leave everything to her in the future that would be ideal; if not, it didn¡¯t matter. As the old saying goes, relying on mountains will see them fall, relying on the gods will see them age, relying on oneself is the true path. Lu Hongjun said with a reproachful tone, ¡°You girl, when has your father ever broken a promise to you from the time you were little until now?¡± Lu Jiaxin pretended to be surprised and skeptical, ¡°You¡¯re not cajoling me, and you will really leave the family property to me in the future, not to that mother and daughter pair of vipers?¡± Lu Hongjun said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave the larger portion to you, and the smaller to your Aunt Ding. I am much older than she is, so I¡¯m bound to pass away before her. I have to leave her something for security.¡± Lu Jiaxin said disgustedly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear those two names. If you can¡¯t do that, there¡¯s no need for us to see each other again.¡± Their relationship had become irreparable, and Lu Hongjun didn¡¯t want to irritate his daughter further over this matter. ¡°I can¡¯t promise that. It would be unnatural not to mention them out of habit.¡± Lu Jiaxin turned her head away, refusing to speak to him. When they arrived on Radiance Road and Lu Hongjun walked into the house, he was quite surprised. He had thought it really was a small house, but it turned out to be quite large. However, he quickly figured out the reason behind it. Lu Hongjun said, ¡°This house, it was the Xie Family who helped you buy it, right?¡± Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t deny it, and to deter him from setting his sights on the Xie Family, she purposely said, ¡°Mom said unless it¡¯s a matter of life and death, I¡¯m not allowed to look for the Xie Family for help.¡± The Xie Family was the biggest support Mrs. Lu had left her, untouchable by anyone, including Lu Hongjun himself. Lu Hongjun¡¯s expression faltered, but he quickly regained his composure. ¡°Such a house isn¡¯t easy to buy. We should go over and thank them for such a big favor.¡± Lu Jiaxin stayed silent, sometimes silence represented refusal. Lu Hongjun had heard through the grapevine that the higher-ups intended to have him take a step back next year. He didn¡¯t wish to do so; he wanted to stay in his position until retirement. If the Xie Family was willing to help him, then there would be no problem. But his daughter was harboring resentment right now, so he needed to bide his time and sweet-talk her later. Lu Hongjun stayed for less than ten minutes and then left. Xue Mao whispered, ¡°Sis, is he really your dad? He doesn¡¯t seem like it to me.¡± ¡°I take after my grandmother.¡± It really was fate. Not only was the girl¡¯s name the same as hers, but her appearance also bore a seventy to eighty percent resemblance. The differences lay in the distinct temperaments. She thought, perhaps this was why she could inhabit this body. Xue Mao explained, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean appearance, sis. I was talking about his attitude. His new wife and your stepsister treat you so badly, yet he doesn¡¯t hold them accountable and even let you move out. Now he comes over, stays for a short while, and leaves without helping you get settled.¡± Lu Jiaxin explained with a smile, ¡°He let me move out because he knows that I can¡¯t live with that woman without coming to blows. As for not helping me settle in, having Fifth Brother help me fix up the place is enough; he doesn¡¯t need to exert himself.¡± ¡°What kind of father is that, leaving everything to others and not taking care of anything himself?¡± Lu Jiaxin spoke justly, ¡°He might not have exerted effort, but he did give money. And just now he agreed to buy you a tricycle, which will make it much easier for you to set up your stall in the future.¡± Through these two conversations, she had come to see that to Lu Hongjun, himself was the most important, followed by his wife and child. Ding Jing was not only gentle and pretty, but most important of all, she was young. He was counting on her to take care of him in his later years, so he would always side with her in any conflict. Still, he would placate his daughter in private to keep her from holding a grudge against him, enabling him to enjoy family harmony in the future. It had to be said, he was very calculating; the original owner of this body had never held it against him until her death. Hearing this, Xue Mao didn¡¯t continue the subject. Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 17 Double Lotus Jade Pendant Chapter 18: Chapter 17 Double Lotus Jade Pendant Lu Jiaxin and Xue Mao were weeding in the yard when someone knocked at the door from outside. Upon opening the door, to their surprise, it was Liao Xiangmei. After inviting her in, Lu Jiaxin poured her a glass of water: ¡°We just moved and don¡¯t have much, please don¡¯t take offense at the lack of hospitality, Aunt Liao.¡± Liao Xiangmei felt somewhat saddened by these words, regretful for the foolish things her son had done that had estranged this child from her: ¡°You don¡¯t have anything here, didn¡¯t your dad say anything?¡± Lu Jiaxin certainly wasn¡¯t going to speak on his behalf: ¡°He said he gave me all the money he could and couldn¡¯t afford to buy more furniture for me. After much arguing, he finally agreed to get me a watch and a tape recorder for learning English.¡± ¡°As for the furniture, I plan to buy it from the secondhand market. But I¡¯m not familiar with that place, so I¡¯m waiting for Fifth Brother to take me there on Sunday to prevent the merchants from seeing that Xue Mao and I are young and trying to rip us off,¡± she said. Liao Xiangmei thought for a bit and then spoke: ¡°Xinxin, those words are just to pacify you. He has been working at the department store for so many years, his savings can¡¯t be just a few thousand Yuan. Whatever you need, you should ask him for it, and if he doesn¡¯t give it, you should fuss just like the other day.¡± ¡°Xinxin, don¡¯t feel embarrassed. It¡¯s only right for you to ask for things from your dad. If you don¡¯t, in the end, it will just benefit that venomous mother and daughter.¡± Lu Jiaxin said somewhat helplessly: ¡°I know the principle, but if he says he has no money, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± In the hearts of our people, you should be grateful to your parents for giving you life and care for them when they are old. To speak ill of your parents outside is to be considered unfilial and ungrateful. It is fine to complain about Lu Hongjun, but one must not blame or curse him. Liao Xiangmei said angrily: ¡°To have daughter kicked out and not care about her, what kind of father is that? I¡¯ll talk to your dad later and have him help get your things in order.¡± Lu Jiaxin couldn¡¯t be happier. If Lu Hongjun could buy all her stuff, then she¡¯d be able to save a lot of money. Now that she was poor, every penny saved mattered. From her purse, Liao Xiangmei took out a palm-sized wooden box and handed it to Lu Jiaxin, saying, ¡°This is a keepsake your mother gave to you; keep it safe.¡± Lu Jiaxin opened it to find a Double Lotus Jade Pendant inside. The pendant looked smooth and delicate, with a pure white color and a soft luster. Thinking of the jade pendant she had Xue Mao exchange for eighty Yuan, Lu Jiaxin asked, ¡°Aunt Liao, my mom loved jade. Did she collect any jade ornaments?¡± Though she had never seen Mrs. Lu wearing jade jewelry, Lu Jiaxin felt that Mrs. Lu must have collected a lot of fine jade ornaments. When you have a special fondness for something and the opportunity to possess it, you sometimes can¡¯t help yourself despite the risks. Liao Xiangmei nodded and said, ¡°Your mom came by a few pieces unexpectedly two years before you were born and kept them because she really liked them. Later, when you came along, she said she would give them to you as your dowry.¡± ¡°Which pieces were they, do you remember, Aunt Liao?¡± Liao Xiangmei thought for a moment and said, ¡°Apart from this Double Lotus and the jade pendant you¡¯re wearing, there was also a bracelet and a Hotan jade hairpin. Whether she bought more after that, I¡¯m not sure.¡± In previous years, the situation was tense, and because Lu Jiaxin was young, the issue was never brought up. Now that policies have relaxed and Lu Jiaxin has become more decisive, she¡¯s not afraid of people knowing. She knew about the two jade pendants, one of which had been sold and the other was now in her hand, but she knew nothing about the bracelet and the hairpin. It was also unclear whether Lu Hongjun still had these items or if he had entrusted them to someone else. With concern, Liao Xiangmei inquired which school Lu Jiaxin was planning to attend for repeat studies. She believed that with Jiaxin¡¯s academic performance, she¡¯d surely pass next year, even though this year had been delayed. Lu Jiaxin shook her head and said, ¡°I went for a full-body check-up at the hospital this morning. The doctor said my body can¡¯t withstand such intense studying for now, so I¡¯ve decided not to repeat the year for the time being.¡± Liao Xiangmei had noticed her pale complexion yesterday and knew she was quite weak, so she had brought along powdered milk and honey to nourish her body: ¡°That¡¯s a good decision; health is the most important thing. Without it, you have nothing.¡± Like Xiaoxia who risked her life to save someone else¡¯s child, only to end up benefiting another woman and making her own daughter suffer, Lu Jiaxin indicated that this was exactly what she had planned. After chatting for a while, Liao Xiangmei was about to leave. Before going, she said, ¡°Xinxin, call me if there¡¯s anything in the future.¡± Lu Jiaxin tactfully declined, ¡°Aunt Liao, you don¡¯t have to worry about me. After all I¡¯ve been through, I can take care of myself now.¡± Liao Xiangmei felt disheartened. This child had rejected her kindness so many times, it seemed that she really had taken offense. She had originally wanted Fan Yinuo to come and apologize to Lu Jiaxin, hoping that it might ease their relationship, but the insolent young man refused to come back, leaving a note saying he would stay at a friend¡¯s house for a few days. Not only she was angry, but even Old Fan was furious beyond words. Making such a big mistake and not even having the courage to apologize. With no sense of responsibility or accountability, what could he achieve in the future? Lu Jiaxin walked her guest to the entrance of the alleyway, ¡°Aunt Liao, Fifth Brother said that for the new house we should have a couple of tables to make it lively. I¡¯ll let you know when the date is set.¡± A smile finally appeared on Liao Xiangmei¡¯s face, ¡°A housewarming is such a big event, I¡¯ll definitely be there.¡± After seeing off the guest, Lu Jiaxin continued to weed the garden with Xue Mao. ¡°Jiaxin, Xue Mao, come out and help carry some things.¡± The two came out and saw Lu Jiajie and his wife Ma Lili, accompanied by a brand-new tricycle. Ma Lili had fair skin and pleasing features, working at a department store. Lu Jiajie was able to court her partly because of having Lu Hongjun, a general manager, as his uncle, and partly because the Ma family didn¡¯t have a son and wanted to take him in as their son-in-law. However, Second Uncle Lu and Second Aunt Lu didn¡¯t agree. After negotiations, the couple had decided that their second child would take the Ma family name. Unfortunately, the second child was a girl, and not long after her birth, the one-child policy was implemented, rendering their agreement moot. Lu Jiaxin, with a full smile, approached them, ¡°Fifth Sister-in-law, what brings you here?¡± Ma Lili, holding her hands, scrutinized her and said, ¡°You¡¯ve gotten tanner, and thinner, you don¡¯t look well. You need to take good care of yourself.¡± Lu Jiaxin nodded in agreement, then welcomed the couple into the house. Inside the yard, Lu Jiajie dug out a watch and a cassette player from a pile of stuff in the tricycle. He said, ¡°Jiaxin, Third Uncle said he¡¯ll slowly provide you with the rest of the things you need.¡± Lu Jiaxin took the watch and saw it was a Plum brand, one of the top brands in China. She put it on her wrist, then looked at the tricycle full of rice, oil, and other items and asked, ¡°Who bought all these things?¡± Lu Jiajie said with a smile, ¡°Of course, your dad bought them. Also, your dad agreed to give you a monthly living allowance of thirty-six Yuan.¡± Lu Jiaxin was astounded, ¡°How could he agree to that?¡± Lu Jiajie said with a chuckle, ¡°I suggested it. He wouldn¡¯t agree after a lot of talking, but finally did after big brother gave him a call.¡± When Big Brother takes action, it¡¯s worth double. ¡°Fifth Brother, thank you.¡± Although she wouldn¡¯t be taking the money for long, she was still very touched by the gesture. ¡°Say that again, and I¡¯ll get mad.¡± Lu Jiaxin said with a smile, ¡°This is the last time, I won¡¯t be polite to you in the future.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 18 Zhao Siyi Gets Hit Chapter 19: Chapter 18 Zhao Siyi Gets Hit Two bags each of rice and flour, two buckets of oil, and a variety of seasonings like salt, vinegar, and soy sauce, plus a kettle and two thermos flasks. Lu Jiajie explained, ¡°Things were rushed yesterday, and I didn¡¯t buy everything we needed. Today, I specially wrote down what we needed to buy, but there might still be omissions. Whatever we¡¯re missing, just write it down and give it to me later.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After everything was moved into the kitchen, Ma Lili dusted off her apron and said, ¡°Xinxin, Xiao Feng will cry if she can¡¯t see me tonight, so I¡¯d better head back now. I¡¯ll bring the two little brats over during the weekend.¡± Her reason for coming over this time was twofold: to check in on Jiaxin, and to familiarize herself with the place. ¡°Okay.¡± Before leaving, Lu Jiajie asked Lu Jiaxin about something, ¡°You were almost harmed by human traffickers, big brother thinks you should go file a report.¡± He felt that reporting it would be useless, as there had been many abduction cases in recent years without any developments. He thought that Lu Jiaxin¡¯s case would likely lead nowhere as well. Lu Jiaxin had been so busy these past couple of days that she¡¯d completely forgotten about it, ¡°I¡¯ll go first thing tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll take the day off tomorrow to go with you.¡± Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t want to trouble him further, ¡°Fifth Brother, you have to work, and it¡¯s not good to keep taking time off. Xue Mao will accompany me tomorrow, so you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± ¡°Alright then, if anything comes up, call me or big brother¡¯s phone.¡± As the couple left, Ma Lili waved the bag of snacks in her hand that Jiaxin had insisted she take, ¡°I used to hear that adversity makes a person grow up fast. Now it seems that the old saying is absolutely true.¡± Before, when she visited Third Uncle¡¯s house, the kid would just greet her and that was it. Today, not only was she warmly welcoming, but she also thoughtfully remembered the two children. Lu Jiajie heaved a sigh, ¡°I¡¯d rather she stayed as she was before.¡± Ma Lili rolled her eyes at him, ¡°Staying the same as before, she¡¯d have been devoured alive by Ding Jing and her daughter eventually. Now she¡¯s become assertive and knows how to fight for her own interests, so those two won¡¯t be able to take advantage of her anymore.¡± Lu Jiajie thought about it and agreed. The next day, the siblings went to the police station to file a report. After completing their statements, they headed home. Just as they were preparing to continue cleaning, they heard a loud knocking on the door from outside. Just from the knocking, they knew the visitor had bad intentions. Before Lu Jiaxin could guess who it was, a familiar voice from her memory rang out from outside, ¡°Lu Jiaxin, get out here. You run away from home and get targeted by human traffickers, yet you accuse me of wronging you. Lu Jiaxin, how could you be so malicious?¡± Lu Jiaxin laughed bitterly. She had been too busy to deal with anything else but now Zhao Siyi had brought herself to her doorstep. She grabbed a stick as thick as a baby¡¯s arm from by the door, and the moment Xue Mao opened it, she swung it hard at the person outside. ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± After a scream, Zhao Siyi had intended to curse, but upon seeing the fierce and malevolent Lu Jiaxin, she got scared and turned to run. Unfortunately for her, she was too slow and soon felt another blow to her back. Lu Jiaxin hadn¡¯t quite decided how to deal with her, but now that she had come to her, she couldn¡¯t let her go. Murder was illegal, but giving someone a thrashing to collect some ¡°interest¡± wasn¡¯t a problem. As long as it didn¡¯t result in death, even if Zhao Siyi filed a complaint, it would just be treated as a domestic dispute by the police and ultimately amount to nothing. After taking three blows, Zhao Siyi was scared out of her wits and ran while shouting loudly, ¡°Murder, help, help¡­¡± At that time, the young people were off to work and the elderly had gone to buy groceries, so there were no people in the alley. However, her cries for help still proved effective, and after she took another blow, several people came from the end of the alley. Zhao Siyi sprinted over and then hid behind a sister with a vegetable basket, crying while pointing at Lu Jiaxin and saying, ¡°Sister, she¡¯s trying to kill me, please save me.¡± A middle-aged man stopped Lu Jiaxin and kindly advised her, ¡°Girl, whatever the issue is, sit down and talk it out. If you cause a death, you¡¯ll be arrested by the Public Security Bureau and end up eating peanuts.¡± Lu Jiaxin, holding a stick and with a grim expression, said, ¡°She is my stepsister. Not long ago, she stole my fianc¨¦ and her mother drugged my food, causing me to fail my college entrance exam. They made my life miserable and didn¡¯t stop there; they found a trafficker to kidnap me. I was lucky to escape, or who knows where I would be right now, in which corner. I barely escaped with my life and returned home, but my father wouldn¡¯t stand up for me, so I had no choice but to move out. Even so, she hasn¡¯t stopped and has come to my door to provoke me¡­¡± Sister Wang hated fox spirits the most. Without waiting for her to finish, she grabbed Zhao Siyi by the shoulder and pushed her forward, ¡°Hit her, just do it hard, just don¡¯t kill her.¡± Zhao Siyi, terrified out of her wits, said, ¡°Auntie, I didn¡¯t do these things, she¡¯s slandering me.¡± Lu Jiaxin wouldn¡¯t miss such a good opportunity and viciously struck Zhao Siyi with the stick again, making her wail like a banshee. The uncle next to them was caught off guard by Sister Wang¡¯s actions and didn¡¯t react in time, but he quickly stepped forward to stop Lu Jiaxin as she was about to hit again. Seeing that she couldn¡¯t reach her target, Lu Jiaxin, while crying, said, ¡°You¡¯re all over Fan Yinuo, hugging and nibbling, barely stopping short of sharing a bed. Where do you get the face to say I¡¯m slandering you?¡± Sister Wang spat at Zhao Siyi, ¡°Dressed up all seductive, just one look and you can tell she¡¯s no decent girl. So young and already seducing men; it seems to run in the family.¡± Zhao Siyi, spat upon, was a mix of shock and rage, then fainted on the spot. The uncle, seeing her like this, said to Lu Jiaxin, ¡°You beat her to this condition, come with me and let¡¯s take this girl to the hospital.¡± Sister Wang, whose surname was Wang, heard this and raised her voice, ¡°Why take her to the hospital? A fox spirit like her deserves death even if she¡¯s beaten to it. Da Pan, I advise you not to get involved either.¡± Da Pan said with a sense of helplessness, ¡°Sister Wang, if a life is lost here in the alley, would you still dare to go out at night?¡± After saying that, he looked at Lu Jiaxin and said, ¡°Even if she¡¯s done wrong, you can¡¯t be so ruthless. If something really bad happens, you¡¯ll have to pay with your life.¡± Lu Jiaxin sternly replied, ¡°If she really dies, I¡¯ll pay with my life. When she wakes up, tell her I¡¯ll hit her if she dares to come again, so hard her own mother won¡¯t recognize her.¡± After saying that, she called Xue Mao and went home. Da Pan shouted at her retreating figure, ¡°If you don¡¯t take her to the hospital, when the police from the station come, your crime will be even greater.¡± Lu Jiaxin was not afraid in the least and shouted back, ¡°Then go ahead and call the police! Let the police uncles decide if she deserves to be beaten.¡± Humming a tune, she then went home. Da Pan wanted Sister Wang to help take her to the hospital but to his surprise, Sister Wang just snorted and went home with her vegetable basket. With no other choice, he took Zhao Siyi to the hospital on his own. Back at home, Xue Mao worried that Ding Jing might come to cause trouble, ¡°Sister, we should call big brother and Fifth Brother straight away. If she comes knocking, we¡¯ll have backup.¡± Lu Jiaxin wasn¡¯t the least bit afraid of Ding Jing, saying, ¡°It would be better if she does come. I¡¯ll make sure her name gets spread around our alley,¡± She had been practicing sanda since she was young and knew which areas to hit without causing serious harm. The beating she gave Zhao Siyi today would cause pain but no disability. Compared to what her original self endured, this was nothing but child¡¯s play. Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 19 After the Beating Chapter 20: Chapter 19 After the Beating ¡°Ring, ring, ring¡­¡± The phone rang for a while before Lu Hongjun picked it up, upon hearing Ding Jing¡¯s sobs, he immediately became anxious, ¡°Wife, wife, what happened to you?¡± Ding Jing, choking back tears, said, ¡°Siyi, Siyi has been beaten, she¡¯s now in the hospital.¡± Lu Hongjun sprang to his feet, his voice stern as he asked, ¡°Who did it? Tell me, and I¡¯ll make sure they won¡¯t get away with it.¡± ¡°It was Jiaxin who did it.¡± Lu Hongjun was taken aback, after a moment he said, ¡°Jiaxin did it? Could there be a mistake?¡± Ding Jing paused, then cried even harder, ¡°Siyi said it herself, how could it be wrong? Old Lu, Siyi has injuries all over her body. If you can¡¯t get justice for her, I¡¯m going to the police.¡± Currently, people in the family residential compound were saying he was favoring his new wife and stepdaughter, driving his own daughter out, but as long as he arranged things well for Jiaxin, this criticism would disappear. However, if Ding Jing reported the incident to the Public Security Bureau and Jiaxin got arrested, they could never wash away the stain. Lu Hongjun said, ¡°Don¡¯t panic, I¡¯m heading to the hospital right now.¡± Once at the hospital, he heard the doctor say that although Zhao Siyi had many injuries, none of them were critical, and she should recover after resting for about half a month. Zhao Siyi, lying in bed, burst into tears upon seeing Lu Hongjun, ¡°Dad, I went to see Lu Jiaxin today, hoping to explain what happened the other day. But she went crazy like a lunatic, chasing me with a stick. Dad, my whole body hurts; dad, am I going to die?¡± Although his daughter¡¯s temper had become violent over the past two years, and she often quarreled with him, she had never resorted to violence. Remembering what Lu Jiaxin had said, Lu Hongjun did not comfort her, but instead questioned her, ¡°What¡¯s going on between you and Fan Yinuo?¡± Zhao Siyi faltered, then lowered her head and said, ¡°The first time I saw Brother Yino, I fell for him, but I knew he was Jiaxin¡¯s fianc¨¦ and didn¡¯t dare entertain any inappropriate thoughts. However, to my surprise, Brother Yino also liked me and even confessed his feelings, I¡­ I couldn¡¯t reject him. We planned to come clean after the college entrance exam, but she found out.¡± She had initially not planned to admit it, but Ding Jing told her that Liao Xiangmei had already confessed to the affair in front of everyone, so she had to change her strategy. Lu Hongjun said expressionlessly, ¡°You did it on purpose for her to discover this, so she wouldn¡¯t get into college, right?¡± Ding Jing protested, ¡°Old Lu, what do you mean by that? Nobody else knows what kind of person Siyi is, but don¡¯t you? She has always treated Jiaxin like a real sister, but it¡¯s Jiaxin who¡¯s biased against her and keeps rejecting her.¡± In the past, whenever disputes arose between Lu Jiaxin and his wife and daughter, Lu Hongjun would scold Lu Jiaxin and then trivialize the matter. But now, as his daughter¡¯s temperament had greatly changed and was out of his control, if he handled it as before, not only his daughter might drift away from him, but his nephews might also become dissatisfied with him. Looking at the pitiful Zhao Siyi, Lu Hongjun spoke with a cold expression, ¡°What her temperament is, I really don¡¯t know.¡± Zhao Siyi stiffened. Ding Jing was also taken aback, Old Lu¡¯s attitude towards his daughter had never been like this before, ¡°Old Lu, what are you implying with those words?¡± Lu Hongjun shot back, ¡°She said she wanted to explain things to Jiaxin; she¡¯s already involved with Fan Yinuo, what¡¯s there to explain?¡± After saying that, he softened his expression and said to Zhao Siyi, ¡°Your so-called explanation is a provocation to Jiaxin. Siyi, you¡¯ve always been a considerate and sensible good child. Jiaxin has been through a lot recently and has become a bit obsessed, I hope you can forgive her, and let¡¯s not pursue this matter any further.¡± Zhao Siyi nearly vomited blood. Ding Jing knew that he was softened by tearful pleas, so she said with tears in her voice, ¡°Old Lu, what happened with Fan Yinuo was truly Siyi¡¯s fault, but matters of the heart can¡¯t be controlled. Fan Yinuo doesn¡¯t like Jiaxin. Forcing them into marriage won¡¯t bring them happiness either.¡± Lu Hongjun agreed, ¡°Fan Yinuo is the one who has his meal but eyes the pot. Such a man is not a good match. Siyi, after you leave the hospital, you should break it off with him.¡± Zhao Siyi was deeply infatuated with Fan Yinuo and couldn¡¯t bear to break it off, ¡°Dad, Brother Yinuo and I truly love each other. I won¡¯t break up with him.¡± Lu Hongjun frowned and said, ¡°Fan Yinuo is just the second son with mediocre abilities and questionable character; he doesn¡¯t have much of a future. You¡¯re about to go to university, where there are plenty of boys far superior to him in both family background and prospects. Why hang yourself on this crooked tree?¡± Zhao Siyi shook her head vehemently like a rattle-drum,¡± No, I love Brother Yinuo, and he loves me. Nobody can tear us apart.¡± Brother Yinuo not only came from a good family and was good-looking, but he was also very gentle, and more importantly, he had never looked down on her because of her background. In this lifetime, he was the only one she would marry. Seeing her so determined, Lu Hongjun didn¡¯t try to persuade her any further, ¡°I won¡¯t interfere with your relationship with Fan Yinuo, but you can¡¯t report this incident to the police.¡± Zhao Siyi turned to look at Ding Jing, and seeing she was silent, could only acquiesce with a sob. Having achieved his goal, Lu Hongjun left. Zhao Siyi wiped away her tears and said with a resentful expression, ¡°Mom, you always say he cares about me. But when Lu Jiaxin battered me like this, he didn¡¯t even offer a word of comfort. Clearly, he doesn¡¯t take me seriously.¡± Ding Jing was also furious and whispered angrily, ¡°I told you Lu Jiaxin has changed a lot and not to provoke her, yet you still went looking for trouble. What¡¯s so good about Fan Yinuo that has made you so mindless?¡± She hadn¡¯t lied to the Lu family members. She discovered Zhao Siyi¡¯s affair with Fan Yinuo during the summer vacation and hadn¡¯t known about it beforehand. Had she known, she would definitely have tried to prevent it. Just as Lu Hongjun had said, there were plenty of men who were superior to Fan Yinuo in both family background and prospects. There was no need to endure the Fan Family¡¯s contempt. Zhao Siyi shouted angrily, ¡°Mom, I want to report her to the police. Lu Jiaxin beat me like this; I want her to go to jail.¡± Ding Jing cursed in frustration, ¡°Zhao Siyi, is your head filled with tofu dregs? With the Xie Family and Lu Jiaguang protecting Lu Jiaxin, reporting her to the police won¡¯t likely put her in jail. Instead, making a big deal of this will just ruin your reputation.¡± Before she came in, she really didn¡¯t know. Old Lu¡¯s former woman was so cunning that she had won over both Lu Jiaguang and Lu Jiajie, and they treated that wretched girl like their own sister. It was precisely because the Xie Family and the Lu brothers were protecting her, that she had thought to appease the girl when she first entered the family. Unfortunately, no matter how she tried to show goodwill, it was useless, so she changed her approach. It was a pity that the heavens were so favorable to that wretched girl, who even after falling into the hands of human traffickers managed to return home. Zhao Siyi cried out in pain, ¡°Was I beaten for nothing then?¡± Ding Jing said, ¡°Right now you can¡¯t get the better of her, but when the opportunity arises in the future, I¡¯ll make her pay back with interest.¡± As she spoke, she knew in her heart that now Lu Jiaxin had become more fierce since moving out, and she would be even harder to deal with in the future. Zhao Siyi didn¡¯t want to wait for the future; she wanted Lu Jiaxin to pay the price now. Ding Jing said with some exasperation, ¡°We do nothing for now and show weakness to your father. That way, you can still get some compensation. If you report her, not only will you get nothing, but you¡¯ll also make your father despise you. Later on, he won¡¯t care about your work or marriage prospects.¡± Zhao Siyi fell silent. With her dad gone and the family without support, life was as bitter as chewing on Yellow Lotus; she didn¡¯t want to live like that anymore. Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 20 Choosing a Date Chapter 21: Chapter 20 Choosing a Date Lu Hongjun finished handling his matters and went to Radiance Road. When Lu Jiaxin saw him, she said in a mocking tone, ¡°Oh, have you come to support your beloved daughter? Then you¡¯ve knocked on the wrong door. If she dares to come here again, I¡¯ll beat her to the point where she can¡¯t take care of herself.¡± Lu Hongjun replied, ¡°Jiaxin, Zhao Siyi is only my adopted daughter, you are my own flesh and blood. Dad would support you, not her.¡± He spoke as if singing a beautiful tune. Over the past few years, the original soul had suffered so much at home, and he, as though he had gone blind, had seen none of it. Now he was playing the good father, but it was too late. Lu Jiaxin snorted coldly, ¡°If you really care about me, you¡¯d drive Ding Jing and Zhao Siyi away. But can you bear to do that?¡± Lu Hongjun sighed, ¡°Jiaxin, your Aunt Ding and I are husband and wife. How could I let her sleep on the streets? If I were to do that, women¡¯s federation officials would soon come to have a talk with me.¡± Lu Jiaxin almost laughed out of anger, and without holding back, she said, ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t have your cake and eat it too. Since you¡¯ve chosen that pair of viperous mother and daughter, then don¡¯t come looking for me in the future. As for me, I¡¯ll just consider myself an orphan.¡± Lu Hongjun¡¯s face darkened, but he thought that Lu Jiaxin was saying these hurtful things out of bitterness, ¡°I know you¡¯ve been wronged, but you need to understand your dad. I¡¯m not young anymore and my health isn¡¯t great. If I were to divorce your Aunt Ding, who would take care of me in the future?¡± In her memories, Lu Hongjun always used his paternal authority to oppress the original soul. Lu Jiaxin thought that her earlier words would anger him enough to leave, but he was still speaking gently and trying to explain. However, she soon realized why. Lu Hongjun wanted to enjoy the warmth and small kindnesses of his young wife yet was worried that without money or power, she might leave him. At that point, he would have to rely on his daughter in his old age. He really had figured it all out! Understanding this, Lu Jiaxin changed her tactics as well, saying, ¡°I can¡¯t sleep at all these days, it¡¯s so hot. When are you bringing the two electric fans?¡± In fact, what she really wanted was air conditioning, but unfortunately, it was hard to come by at the moment, and moreover, it used a shocking amount of electricity. Lu Hongjun said he would bring them to her in the next couple of days. Lu Jiaxin also asked when the bicycles would arrive; she and Xue Mao each wanted one. Lu Hongjun said they would arrive this week but felt that two bicycles were too many, ¡°You and Xue Mao only need one bicycle between you.¡± The easier he was to talk to, the less respect Lu Jiaxin had for him, but she wasn¡¯t soft-hearted when it came to benefits, ¡°Get me an English conversation tutor, preferably one who has studied abroad, with a proper accent.¡± Lu Hongjun felt this request was painful, too ambitious, ¡°Daughter, experts and scholars who have returned from studying abroad are scarce talents needed by the country. How could they come to teach you?¡± Such talents were beyond his reach. Lu Jiaxin did not speak but just looked at him. In the end, Lu Hongjun caved, promising he would try his best to find someone. While he couldn¡¯t hire someone who had studied abroad, finding a student from the foreign language institute should be doable. Lu Jiaxin mentioned planning the housewarming party, ¡°Fifth Brother said we have to prepare at least two tables. Dad, how many dishes are needed for one table at a housewarming party? And what else needs to be arranged?¡± Housewarming was a big event, and Lu Hongjun declared magnanimously, ¡°I will talk to your Fifth Brother about this. Let him and your Fifth Sister-in-law handle the arrangements. You don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡± Having achieved her goal, Lu Jiaxin felt somewhat happier. Seeing her mood improve, Lu Hongjun thought she was still just a child at heart and spoke earnestly, ¡°Jiaxin, boys like Fan Yinuo may come from a good family and look attractive, but they¡¯re indecisive and have bad character. Marrying such a person won¡¯t lead to happiness.¡± He was correct, but Lu Jiaxin disliked his preaching and deliberately cut him off, ¡°Many people said that Aunt Ding, from where she lived before, was a fox spirit who loved to seduce men. What did you say at the time? You said those were just malicious rumors, that Aunt Ding had a clean reputation and was like a pure white lotus.¡± ¡°If she was so ¡®clean,¡¯ how could Zhao Siyi date Fan Yinuo knowing he was my fianc¨¦? Like mother, like daughter¡ªZhao Siyi¡¯s shameless behavior must have been learned from Aunt Ding.¡± Lu Hongjun sternly replied, ¡°Jiaxin, Aunt Ding is still your elder. How can you speak of her like this?¡± Lu Jiaxin was not afraid to confront him, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to hear it, then don¡¯t come here. I¡¯ve been living in Ancient Capital for over a month without a penny, and I¡¯ve been doing just fine. You don¡¯t need to give me money; I can support myself.¡± Although Lu Hongjun was somewhat angry initially, the thought of his daughter talking about cutting off ties made him panic slightly, ¡°Jiaxin, since you don¡¯t want to hear it, I won¡¯t say it anymore.¡± Previously, although his daughter would argue with and upset him, she still respected and revered him as a father. But since she returned this time, she no longer had those feelings of fondness and was quite impatient with him. Clearly, recent events had also turned her anger towards him, and if he kept siding with Aunt Ding, she might indeed sever their father-daughter relationship. Lu Jiaxin just listened and did not take it to heart. She was only putting up with Lu Hongjun because he was still useful to her. Once she was on her feet, she would have no patience for so much nonsense. In the evening, Lu Jiajie brought over two electric fans and a bicycle. He asked curiously, ¡°Jiaxin, how did you get Third Uncle to change his mind and buy the fans and bicycle so quickly?¡± ¡°Zhao Siyi was here today.¡± Lu Jiajie¡¯s face immediately darkened, ¡°She almost got you killed, and we haven¡¯t even settled the score with her, yet she has the nerve to come find you. Jiaxin, what did she do? If you¡¯ve been bullied, I will seek justice for you.¡± He didn¡¯t sound at all like the father of two children but rather like someone trying to make it in the underworld. Lu Jiaxin said with a smile, ¡°I gave her a good beating, you don¡¯t know, she howled so loudly that the entire alley could hear.¡± Although she didn¡¯t strike any vital spots, it was certain that she would need to lie down for at least ten days to half a month. She was so heavy-handed for two reasons, first to let out some steam, and second to let the people in the alley know she was not to be trifled with. Lu Jiajie gave a thumbs up and praised, ¡°Sister, you beat Zhao Siyi and not only did Third Uncle not blame you, he even went out of his way to buy a fan and a bicycle for you. That¡¯s really impressive.¡± He had always known that Lu Jiaxin was smart¡ªif not, she wouldn¡¯t be in the top five of the entire school. It¡¯s just that she used to be childish due to her young age, but now she seemed like an adult, even having Third Uncle wrapped around her finger. As long as Third Uncle wasn¡¯t biased, Ding Jing and Zhao Siyi weren¡¯t a problem. Lu Jiaxin smiled briefly, then changed the subject, ¡°Today I went to buy a calendar, and I checked that Sunday is auspicious for moving. Fifth Brother, let¡¯s set the warm house ceremony for Sunday!¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled for Sunday, I¡¯ll call Big Brother tomorrow.¡± Lu Jiaxin felt that she should be the one to speak about these matters, ¡°Fifth Brother, I¡¯ll call Big Brother myself. As for Fifth Sister-in-law, could you please pass on the message for me?¡± After Lu Jiajie agreed, he said, ¡°Jiaxin, your sister-in-law told me that Xiao Feng suddenly got diarrhea this afternoon, so I have to go back home tonight.¡± Lu Jiaxin asked with concern, ¡°Is it serious, did you take her to the hospital?¡± Lu Jiajie said he wasn¡¯t sure yet; he had just received a call from Mother Ma. Since Ma Lili had taken time off to go back, he wasn¡¯t in a rush to return. Lu Jiaxin went inside and came back out with a bag. Seeing that Lu Jiajie was hesitant, she said, ¡°Fifth Brother, there are apples in here, eating steamed apples can help alleviate symptoms of diarrhea. Fifth Brother, you said we¡¯re family, no need to be polite, take it with you.¡± Lu Jiajie took the apples home. Ma Lili was surprised to see Lu Jiajie, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going to stay at Radiance Road all night, why did you come back?¡± First Lu Jiajie inquired about his daughter and, knowing that the child had taken medicine and fallen asleep, he placed the bag on the table, ¡°The child¡¯s not feeling well, of course, I had to come back. Jiaxin said that eating steamed apples helps with diarrhea. Steam two apples later and give one each to Ah Qiang and Xiao Feng.¡± ¡°Better steam three, otherwise Little Fatty will start crying again.¡± Lu Jiajie didn¡¯t say anything. Seeing that he was unhappy, Ma Lili abruptly changed the subject, ¡°How does Jiaxin know that eating steamed apples can treat diarrhea?¡± As she said this, she got up to prepare to take out three apples and put the rest away in the drawer. Yet, looking at the bulging bag, she felt something was off. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask, but with all the books she reads, if she says it¡¯s useful, then it must be.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ma Lili pulled out two sets of clothes from the bag, one set in army green and a pink skirt. She exclaimed in surprise, ¡°You actually bought clothes for the children?¡± Lu Jiajie usually bought snacks for the children but had never purchased clothes or socks. Looking at the clothes and skirt, Lu Jiajie also said with a smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t buy them, I was in such a hurry to get back, I forgot to even look inside the bag.¡± Ma Lili appreciated Lu Jiaxin¡¯s thoughtfulness, but she felt it needed to be said, ¡°Jiajie, find a chance to remind Jiaxin to save a bit more in the future. Times have changed, we can¡¯t be so extravagant anymore.¡± Lu Jiajie glanced at his wife and said, ¡°Why save? If we run out of money, we¡¯ll just ask Third Uncle for more, and if he doesn¡¯t give, we¡¯ll have Big Brother talk to him.¡± Jiaxin had been too conservative in the past, and as a result, the snake-and-scorpion mother and daughter took all the advantage. Now, his sister had smartened up, not only knowing to ask for money but also understanding to ask for things. With a frown, Ma Lili said, ¡°What do you know? Once you get used to being extravagant, it¡¯s hard to change later. We can¡¯t spoil Jiaxin just to compete with that woman.¡± Lu Jiajie wasn¡¯t going to persuade her otherwise and said, ¡°When Jiaxin had lost her memory, she could still support herself and Xue Mao by running a snack stall, and she saved enough money to buy a ticket home in just over a month. You, just stop worrying needlessly.¡± He felt that even if his sister left Third Uncle, she would still live a good life. On the other hand, once Third Uncle retired in a couple of years, it was uncertain whether Ding Jing would still tend to him as she does now. Ma Lili asked curiously, ¡°Does running a snack stall make good money?¡± Lu Jiajie hummed, ¡°Jiaxin said on the best day she made over forty yuan, and even on the least profitable days, she made more than ten, which is much better than our jobs.¡± It made him itchy to try it himself, but he was also scared to take the leap. Ma Lili didn¡¯t expect it to be so profitable, but no amount of earnings could entice her. Running a snack stall, exposed to the elements, was hard work, and most importantly, undignified. Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 21 Moving Banquet (1) Chapter 22: Chapter 21 Moving Banquet (1) Lu Hongjun had someone inquire about a skilled traditional Chinese medicine practitioner who was adept at regulating the body and gave Lu Jiaxin a heads-up. The next morning, he came to pick her up. Originally, Lu Jiaxin wanted to bring Xue Mao along since his health deteriorated after five years of wandering, although outwardly he seemed strong. However, Xue Mao refused to go, adamant about not wanting to take Chinese medicine. With no other choice, Lu Jiaxin had to go with Lu Hongjun by herself. This senior doctor, with the surname He, had a temperament that matched his name, mild and kind-hearted. In the past years, he had benefited many people. Knowing that someone wanted to harm him, he took the initiative to request a transfer to the countryside. Over a decade ago, rural areas suffered from a lack of medical personnel and supplies, and the government was always encouraging urban hospitals to support rural medical care. He volunteered to go to the health clinic in his hometown, and his request was quickly approved. Over the years in his hometown, he had treated countless people, and even as he approached seventy, his hair was still jet black, and he had a vibrant spirit. After taking Lu Jiaxin¡¯s pulse, Doctor He said she had been overly troubled by melancholy thoughts, which had congealed in her heart, and had severely depleted her energy and blood: ¡°Young lady, you must take good care of yourself, otherwise it will affect your fertility and lifespan in the future.¡± She knew she was deficient in energy and blood because her hands and feet were very cold even during the height of summer, but she hadn¡¯t expected that the young girl had developed depression. Upon reflecting, she realized that the original occupant of her body felt terribly oppressed after Ding Jing entered the household; she even had thoughts of ending her life when bullied by Zhao Siyi and unable to speak out. These symptoms were indeed indicative of depression. Alas, in unhappy families, it is indeed easy for children to develop psychological issues. Lu Hongjun was terrified, ¡°Doctor, my daughter is still young, please, you must cure her.¡± Doctor He smiled and said, ¡°As long as she is willing to follow the doctor¡¯s orders and take the medicine every day, she can be treated in about a year. However, her prescription requires two expensive herbs, and it won¡¯t be cheap over the course of a year.¡± If a woman is unable to have children, her life is considered ruined. Without any hesitation, Lu Hongjun said, ¡°No matter the cost, even if I have to sell my belongings, I will get her treated.¡± Lu Jiaxin glanced up at him and quickly lowered her eyes again. Lu Hongjun then asked, ¡°Doctor He, my daughter failed her college entrance exam this year, and I want her to retake it. How soon after taking her medication can she start preparing again?¡± Doctor He shared the same opinion as the other doctor, feeling that the intense study and pressure of the third year of high school was too much for Lu Jiaxin in her current physical state. Lu Hongjun knew that it would be impossible for her to start retaking the college entrance exam this month. Doctor He lived on the outskirts of town, and because it wasn¡¯t easy to come by, he prescribed twelve doses of medicine. When handing them over to Lu Jiaxin, he cautioned, ¡°Come back for a check-up after finishing the medicine so I can adjust the prescription.¡± ¡°Thank you, Doctor He.¡± After leaving Doctor He¡¯s place, Lu Jiaxin asked about the home tutor, ¡°Dad, it¡¯s been three days already, haven¡¯t you found a suitable one yet?¡± Her English was quite good, enough to communicate with foreigners. It was just that the original person had learned mute English, so for her to possess this skill, it had to come from somewhere. These past few days, she had been listening to recorded English lessons upon waking up. However, having an oral English tutor would make her skill more credible and persuasive. Lu Hongjun replied, ¡°Your requirements are too high; it¡¯s going to take some time.¡± Many students from the Foreign Languages Institute were outstanding, but those from poorer families needing to tutor to supplement their income had already made commitments early on; those from more fortunate backgrounds wouldn¡¯t consider it. Lu Jiaxin uttered an ¡°Oh¡± and then said, ¡°Remember to come early for the housewarming banquet on Sunday.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Lu Hongjun had already arranged everything, Lu Jiajie and Ma Lili would bring the necessary items over to cook, and he would just need to turn up in time to eat. Because Ma Lili was an employee at the department store, the news about Lu Jiaxin¡¯s housewarming banquet quickly spread within the residential complex. Upon seeing Ding Jing, Aunt Xue asked deliberately, ¡°I heard Jiaxin is going to have a housewarming banquet. Xiao Ding, that¡¯s quite the joyous occasion, isn¡¯t it? How many people do you plan to invite?¡± Ding Jing knew this was a chance for them to mock her, so she shook her head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know, Old Lu hasn¡¯t told me.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re Xinxin¡¯s mother, how can you not know?¡± The way she said ¡°mother¡± was dripping with sarcasm. Ding Jing seethed with frustration. When she stepped through the door, that bratty girl refused to call her mom, and at the time, wishing to appear magnanimous, she had said she would give the child time to adjust. Yet, she never managed to win her over, and up to now that bratty girl never once called her mom. The people in the residential complex had frequently used this to attack her, and now it seemed even worse. Aunt Xue, feigning surprise, asked, ¡°Oh, Xiao Ding, could it be that Jiaxin didn¡¯t tell you?¡± Ding Jing didn¡¯t bother with her anymore and clacked upstairs in her high heels. Aunt Xue spat out disdainfully, ¡°Stinking fox spirit, putting on airs. Doing such vicious deeds, sooner or later, she will be struck by lightning.¡± On Sunday, Lu Jiajie and Ma Lili came over early in the morning. They not only brought chicken, duck, fish, pork belly, lamb and other groceries, but also a variety of fruits and nuts. After looking at the groceries they bought, Lu Jiaxin said to Xue Mao, ¡°Could you go to the market and see if they¡¯re selling prawns and crabs? If they are, buy some more to bring back.¡± She loved prawns and crabs the most, and now, in early September, it was the perfect season for eating crabs. She wanted to indulge to her heart¡¯s content. Lu Hongjun, knowing her fondness for prawns, explained, ¡°Zhenzhen is allergic to shrimp. If we make them, she might not be able to resist and could end up needing to go to the hospital again. Jiaxin, if you want to eat shrimp, I can buy some for you in a couple of days.¡± Xue Mao chimed in, ¡°Sister, I heard that when taking medicine, you shouldn¡¯t eat things that are ¡®fa¡¯ or cold in nature. Shrimp are ¡®fa¡¯, and crabs are cold. These foods will affect the efficacy of the medicine.¡± Lu Jiaxin thought for a moment, ¡°Didn¡¯t Doctor He say anything?¡± Lu Jiajie, thinking it was safer not to eat, in case it neutralized the effects of the medicine, said, ¡°Just hold off for now. Once your body is better regulated, you can eat whatever you like.¡± To his knowledge, the prescription Lu Jiaxin was taking cost over four yuan each. Taking them for a year would lead to medical expenses of over a thousand yuan. It was only because Third Uncle held a high position, with good salary and perks and the occasional bonus, that this was feasible. If it were him, there¡¯s no way he could afford it. Upon hearing this, Lu Jiaxin gave up the idea immediately. Wasting money was one thing, but the most important was just how bitter the traditional Chinese medicine was. Every time after taking the medicine she felt like vomiting, and to avoid taking more medicine, she had to bear with it. The chicken, duck, and fish were all bought live. Lu Jiaxin wanted to help alongside Ma Lili in preparing them, but unfortunately, she was shooed out of the kitchen, ¡°You go rest; your Fifth Brother, Xue Mao, and I are enough.¡± Lu Jiaxin couldn¡¯t argue with her, so after washing her hands, she went inside to get Big Rabbit milk candy, peanuts, melon seeds, and red date cake for the two children to eat. Xiao Feng, being young, lit up at the sight of the Big Rabbit milk candy, ¡°Auntie, you have so many milk candies here. Can I take two back for my best friend to taste?¡± Lu Jiaxin couldn¡¯t help but pinch her soft, chubby little face and said with a smile, ¡°Of course you can. My little Xiao Feng is so wonderful, knowing to share tasty treats with her best friend.¡± Xiao Feng, praised, beamed with a smile that split her face, showing off her baby teeth. As for Qiangqiang, he was busy devouring the red date cake with no time to talk. Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 22: Housewarming Banquet (2) Chapter 23: Chapter 22: Housewarming Banquet (2) Ma Lili saw Lu Jiaxin taking out so much food and was glad that she was generous to her, but still had to offer her advice, ¡°Xinxin, the money Third Uncle gave you might seem like a lot, but it really doesn¡¯t last if you spend it carelessly. You should try to save more on a daily basis.¡± Lu Jiaxin knew she meant well and said with a smile, ¡°Fifth Sister-in-law, I understand. Of all these things, only the red date cake was bought by me; the rest were brought over by my dad the other day.¡± Lu Jiajie leaned in and asked, ¡°Did you ask Third Uncle for them?¡± ¡°No, he bought them himself.¡± Ma Lili took the opportunity to say, ¡°Xinxin, Third Uncle really dotes on you.¡± Lu Jiaxin nodded with a smile and said, ¡°I was foolish before because I always thought it was not easy for him to make money and never asked him for anything. Now I understand, not asking doesn¡¯t save anyone but that venomous mother and daughter. In the future, if I run out of money or need something, I¡¯ll just ask my dad.¡± Lu Jiajie laughed heartily, ¡°Sister, that¡¯s exactly how you should be.¡± At that moment, a loud voice came from outside, ¡°Lao Wu, I could hear your laughter from afar. What¡¯s making you so happy?¡± Immediately after the question, Lu Jiaguang entered, followed by his wife Wang Xiaojie and Lu An, the siblings. The couple had four children altogether, with the eldest, Lu Ping, having been admitted to the Second Medical College in the Forty-nine City last year. Even though it was only a diploma program, he would have a guaranteed job after graduation and wouldn¡¯t have to worry about his future. Due to the heavy study load, he didn¡¯t come today. With a cheerful voice, Lu Jiajie said, ¡°Brother, Jiaxin has finally seen the light.¡± Lu Jiaguang agreed, ¡°Jiaxin, you¡¯re still young, and Third Uncle should support you until you start working.¡± Wang Xiaojie, holding onto Lu Jiaxin, said, ¡°I meant to come to see you when you returned, but I couldn¡¯t take leave last week because I was attending an advanced training at the main hospital.¡± Lu Jiaxin had already known this, ¡°Sister-in-law, work is important. You can come over here anytime. Take a seat, big brother and sister-in-law, I¡¯ll go cut the watermelon.¡± Wang Xiaojie waved her hand, ¡°It¡¯s not hot yet. It¡¯s not too late to eat it later. Jiaxin, you are recovering and need to take care of yourself. Take Zhenzhen and Xiao Feng inside for a rest.¡± The brothers and sister-in-law knew that her qi and blood were severely depleted after her injury and they all felt very sorry for her. At the same time, they also thought that Lu Hongjun was heartless to let his daughter move out when she was in such a condition. Lu Jiaxin was never one who liked to do household chores, seeing them not allowing her to lift a finger, she decided to tell stories to Zhenzhen and Qiangqiang. She didn¡¯t tell them fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm but chose to tell them ¡°Journey to the West.¡± Of all the classics, ¡°Journey to the West¡± was her favorite; she read the book three times and watched the TV series several times, but only the old version. This time, she specifically chose the story of Sun Wukong fighting the White Bone Spirit three times. Because she narrated it so vividly, not only did Zhenzhen and Lu Zhang, the little ones, enjoy it, but even Lu An, who was in high school and had already read ¡°Journey to the West,¡± was captivated by the story. Lu Jiajie, tired from work, went to the porch to catch a breeze. However, he hadn¡¯t expected that after standing there and listening for a while, he too would become engrossed. When the story of the White Bone Spirit concluded, Lu Jiajie was disappointed because he hadn¡¯t heard the beginning. He really wanted Lu Jiaxin to tell another story, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask in front of the children. Lu Jiaxin had a purpose in telling this story, ¡°Zhenzhen, after hearing this story, what do you think?¡± Without thinking, Lu Zhenzhen replied, ¡°Auntie, that White Bone Spirit was so evil, actually wanting to eat Monk Tang¡¯s flesh.¡± Considering that she was only ten and hadn¡¯t come to her senses, Lu Jiaxin turned to look at Lu An, ¡°What do you think?¡± After pondering for a moment, Lu An said, ¡°Auntie, Monk Tang is useless and has a bad temper; he really doesn¡¯t deserve to be Sun Wukong¡¯s master. In my opinion, Sun Wukong would be better off taking Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie to fetch the scriptures on their own.¡± Lu Zhang and Qiangqiang, being young, were not consulted by Lu Jiaxin on their opinions, ¡°This story tells us that there are many bad people in the world who pretend to be good. In the future, you must be careful and not let these bad people harm you.¡± Lu Jiajie naturally cast Ding Jing in the role of a villain, ¡°Xinxin, rest assured, that mother and daughter will get their comeuppance.¡± Lu Jiaxin was both amused and exasperated. Ma Lili was washing vegetables in the yard, and she said with a laugh, ¡°Sister-in-law, I didn¡¯t expect Xinxin to tell stories so well; even my little monkey is mesmerized and not running around causing chaos anymore.¡± Five-year-old Lu Qiang had boundless energy, often leaving her utterly exhausted. Wang Xiaojie wasn¡¯t surprised at all, ¡°Xinxin has always loved reading and has a broad range of knowledge. It¡¯s just that she used to be shy and busy studying, with no time to tell them stories. Now it¡¯s different; after setting up a stall outside for more than a month, she¡¯s grown braver, and her tongue has gotten slick.¡± In her opinion, Lu Jiaxin had also turned misfortune into a blessing this time. The child used to be a paper tiger, always putting on a show of fierceness but ultimately finding herself at the losing end every time. But now things were different, not only had she exposed the ugly faces of Ding Jing and Zhao Siyi, but she had also gotten a hold of Third Uncle. Ma Lili also thought this change was good. Lu Jiajie glanced at his watch and went back to the kitchen to get busy. He had fallen for Ma Lili and, to win her heart, learned cooking from Mrs. Lu. He turned out to have a knack for cooking, surpassing his teacher after only six months. Because of his culinary skills, Lu Jiajie was in charge of cooking for the Lu Family gatherings or New Year¡¯s Eve dinners. Of course, this was only limited to Lu Jiaguang¡¯s home, as he hadn¡¯t cooked at Lu Hongjun¡¯s place since Ding Jing and her daughter came into the picture. At ten-thirty, Lu Hongjun arrived, bringing a bottle of Moutai, two bottles of Gujing Gong liquor, a large chunk of marinated beef, and a roast chicken. Upon seeing this, Lu Jiaxin immediately brought over a plate to fill. As she cut the marinated beef, Lu Jiaxin couldn¡¯t resist the aroma and snatched a piece to eat, ¡°Dad, this marinated beef is really delicious, where did you buy it?¡± Lu Hongjun replied with a smile, ¡°Xu¡¯s marinated meat shop. They don¡¯t have marinated beef every day; it¡¯s a matter of luck. I¡¯ll buy more next time since you like it.¡± Lu Jiaxin knew that there were only working cattle in the country at that time, with no beef cattle bred for meat. As working cattle were very important labor tools, they wouldn¡¯t be slaughtered unless there was an accident or they died of old age. After sitting down, Lu Hongjun called over Lu An and Lu Zhenzhen to ask about their studies. The smiles on the faces of the brother and sister froze in an instant. Meanwhile, Lu Zhang, who consistently failed his exams, was so scared that he slipped into the kitchen to tend the fire. Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t want to see the kids crying at her housewarming party, so she fished a watermelon out of the water bucket and began to cut it, ¡°Dad, this watermelon is really sweet, want to try it?¡± After finishing, she called Lu Qiang and Xiao Feng over. Seeing Lu An and Zhenzhen watching eagerly, the corner of her mouth couldn¡¯t help but curl up, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s all have some.¡± The brother and sister didn¡¯t dare to move until Lu Hongjun nodded, then they started to eat the watermelon. After eating a piece of watermelon, Lu Hongjun brought up the matter of an English tutor, ¡°The person I found is a foreign language college sophomore. His grandfather studied in America over thirty years ago. The student grew up by his grandfather¡¯s side and speaks fluent English.¡± Lu Jiaxin was impressed by his swiftness, ¡°When can he start giving lessons?¡± Lu Hongjun shook his head, ¡°Something came up at their home, and it¡¯ll likely be two weeks before he has time. I¡¯ll let you know when he is available.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 23: Uninvited Chapter 24: Chapter 23: Uninvited Sister-in-law Lu heard that Lu Jiaxin was planning to hire an English tutor and was a bit worried that Lu Jiaxin¡¯s body couldn¡¯t take it. As a nurse, she was aware that someone in Lu Jiaxin¡¯s condition needed plenty of rest and couldn¡¯t afford to be overworked. Lu Jiaxin explained with a smile, ¡°The workload in my final year of high school was too much for me, but just learning English won¡¯t tire me out. Besides, staying at home all day with nothing to do is really boring, and learning English with someone will not only improve my language skills but also keep me entertained¡ªa perfect solution.¡± Lu Jiaguang asked with curiosity, ¡°I remember you scored well in English; didn¡¯t you get over eighty on the last mock exam?¡± Only someone who truly cares about you would remember the scores from such specific tests. Lu Jiaxin explained, ¡°I usually score in the seventies on my English exams, but I did better on the last mock test with an eighty-one. Listening and writing are where I lose the most points. If I improve in those areas, I should easily score above eighty-five in the future.¡± Lu Jiaguang was quite happy; with his sister¡¯s attitude toward learning, once she was back in good health and went for a repeat year, it was quite possible for her to get into one of the top universities next year. While they were talking, Liao Xiangmei came in with a bag of items. When Lu Hongjun saw her, he immediately thought of Fan Yinuo and, with a scowl, said, ¡°Where¡¯s Fan Yinuo? It¡¯s been almost a week since Jiaxin came back, why hasn¡¯t he come over to apologize to her?¡± Liao Xiangmei¡¯s expression faltered, but before she could speak, Lu Jiaxin jumped in, ¡°Dad, today is my housewarming party. I hope everyone here can enjoy themselves and leave with happy memories.¡± She had initially planned to cut ties with Liao Xiangmei but after interacting with her, she realized that she genuinely loved the former host. Weighing her options, she decided to maintain contact for the time being, though returning to their former close relationship was out of the question. Liao Xiangmei brought many things such as cantaloupes, peaches, and chocolates¡ªall foods the original host liked. In addition to that, she also brought a jade phoenix pendent jewel as a housewarming gift. This jade pendent jewel gleamed with a captivating green, and the phoenix¡¯s beak clutched strands of green jade beads, each one smooth and translucent. Which woman doesn¡¯t love jewelry? Upon seeing it, Ma Lili couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°That¡¯s so beautiful, Aunt Liao, where did you buy this?¡± A nostalgic look appeared in Liao Xiangmei¡¯s eyes, ¡°This pendent jewel was a wedding gift from your Third aunt. I know that Jiaxin, just like her mother, loves jade, so this would be the most suitable gift for her.¡± Originally, she planned to give it to Lu Jiaxin after she married her son, but now that hope had been dashed. Looking at the pendent jewel made her heart ache, so giving it to Lu Jiaxin felt right. The moment Lu Jiaxin saw the pendent jewel, she loved it. Initially, she felt it was too valuable, but upon hearing it was from Mrs. Lu, she didn¡¯t hesitate, ¡°Thank you, Aunt Liao.¡± Liao Xiangmei, looking at Lu Hongjun, said, ¡°Old Lu, Xiaoxia told me that there was also a necklace that came with this pendent jewel; it had one hundred and eight beads. Do you know where that jade necklace is now?¡± Lu Hongjun indicated that he had no idea. Liao Xiangmei didn¡¯t believe him and questioned sternly, ¡°As her intimate partner, how could you not know where Xiaoxia¡¯s jewelry went? Lu Hongjun, you didn¡¯t give everything to Ding Jing, did you? That was Xiaoxia¡¯s legacy, it has to be left for Jiaxin.¡± Lu Hongjun¡¯s face was a complex mix of emotions as he spoke, ¡°She set up this house without my knowledge as well. If Jiaxin hadn¡¯t mentioned it herself, I would still be in the dark.¡± As her intimate partner, he knew very well how much Mrs. Lu loved her jade ornaments, aware that she discreetly collected many pieces. However, he didn¡¯t understand nor took an interest in these things and didn¡¯t interfere since it didn¡¯t seem to cost much. It¡¯s normal for people to have some hobbies; he, for instance, liked collecting stamps. But Liao Xiangmei remained unconvinced, snorting coldly, ¡°Xiaoxia was worried you might remarry and that could be bad for Jiaxin, which is why she prepared this set of houses for Jiaxin. In the end, her concerns were validated.¡± Lu Hongjun didn¡¯t think much of Fan Yinuo and had even considered calling off the marriage once his daughter got into university, but then things went awry midway. It turned out he was right not to be impressed; Fan Yinuo was beyond help, ¡°Xiaoxia trusted you, but what did you do? Fan Yinuo was secretly seeing Zhao Siyi, and because of that, Jiaxin went back to her hometown alone. We were all frantic, searching everywhere for her, and you hid this from us without saying a word.¡± ¡°Furthermore, you are the person Xiaoxia trusted most. I now have reason to suspect that Xiaoxia entrusted the items to you, and you, out of greed, have deliberately slandered me. This way, you can monopolize these pieces of jewelry,¡± He wasn¡¯t just throwing mud at Liao Xiangmei; he genuinely believed that. After all, his daughter was engaged to Fan Yinuo, and once they married, Liao Xiangmei would give those jade ornaments to his daughter, who would then pass them down to the Fan Family¡¯s descendants. Liao Xiangmei said, ¡°Lu Hongjun, don¡¯t make slanderous accusations. Although these items are pretty, they aren¡¯t valuable. If I really wanted them, I could easily buy them at Friendship Store or the antique market.¡± Listening to the argument between the two, Lu Jiaxin hung her head. She felt that Mrs. Lu didn¡¯t fully trust Liao Xiangmei, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have entrusted Lu Jiaguang and Madam Xie to look after her original self as well. Knowing not to put all eggs in one basket, she reckoned the jewelry couldn¡¯t possibly be given to Liao Xiangmei. Seeing the quarrel escalate, Lu Jiaguang asked, ¡°Did Third Aunt entrust the house to Madam Xie for safekeeping? Could she possibly have also given those jewels to Madam Xie to look after?¡± Everyone heard this and thought it made a lot of sense. Lu Jiaxin felt that Mrs. Lu would not do such a thing. In Mrs. Lu¡¯s heart, her daughter¡¯s safe growth was of utmost importance; she would never trouble the Xie Family over something so trivial. However, where could those pieces of jewelry be? Just at this moment, Lu Jiajie¡¯s voice came from the kitchen, ¡°Someone come help make the fire; I can¡¯t manage it alone.¡± Sister-in-law Lu and Ma Lili both hurried into the kitchen to help, while Lu Jiaguang kept Lu Hongjun company, giving Lu Jiaxin a meaningful look to pacify Liao Xiangmei. Lu Jiaxin got the message and immediately took Liao Xiangmei to eat watermelon. Despite her dissatisfaction, she couldn¡¯t let the relocation banquet end in disorder. Liao Xiangmei, having had mud slung at her by Lu Hongjun for no reason, was also in a bad mood; she forced a smile, exchanged a few words with Lu Jiaxin, and then left. Not long after her departure, someone pushed the door open and walked in. Seeing the newcomer, Lu Jiaxin, with a darkened face, questioned Lu Hongjun, ¡°Did you invite her here?¡± Lu Hongjun had not called Ding Jing over, but being questioned by Lu Jiaxin in front of so many people was damaging to his face. Ding Jing cast a glance around the residence and a flash of envy crossed her eyes, but it quickly disappeared. She walked over to Lu Hongjun, smiling as she said, ¡°Jiaxin, I came to congratulate you. At such a young age you¡¯ve set up your own household, and living in such a big house, you might be the only one in the Forty-nine City.¡± Last time, when Lu Jiaxin returned to the Forty-nine City, she hadn¡¯t been sure of Lu Hongjun¡¯s attitude, so she acted conservatively. Now, she had no such reservations. Lu Jiaxin picked up a basin of bloody water from the ground and splashed it towards Ding Jing. If not for knowing that others would stop her, it wouldn¡¯t just be water ¡ª she would have directly grabbed a stick to hit her with it. The water trailed down from Ding Jing¡¯s hair and cheeks; her small floral dress was soaked, dripping onto the ground. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Smelling the fishy scent on herself, Ding Jing let out a shriek. Lu Hongjun, seeing Ding Jing¡¯s damp figure outline her slender and delicate body, quickly took off his shirt and draped it over her. But as the shirt was too short, he quickly called Ma Lili, who was standing at the kitchen door, to take off her apron and put it on Ding Jing. Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 24 Lets Roll Together Chapter 25: Chapter 24 Let¡¯s Roll Together Ding Jing really didn¡¯t expect Lu Jiaxin to lay a hand on her. No matter what, she was an elder, and to lift a hand against her would lead to criticism. Sobbing, she clung to Lu Hongjun and cried out, ¡°Old Lu, Old Lu, I¡¯ve lost all my dignity.¡± Seeing her like this almost made the other members of the Lu family vomit. Lu Jiaxin was having none of it; she shouted, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to live, then go die! Hang yourself, bash your head against the wall, throw yourself into the river¡ªheck, if that doesn¡¯t work, there¡¯s always swallowing gold. Rest assured, once you¡¯re dead, I¡¯ll make your funeral a grand, lively event and give you a splendid send-off.¡± Lu Hongjun angrily retorted, ¡°Lu Jiaxin, do you realize what you¡¯ve just said?¡± Crying, making a scene, threatening suicide¡ªthese ploys were just what Lu Hongjun liked. Lu Jiaxin quickly stepped to the corner and grabbed a stick as thick as a baby¡¯s arm. Seeing her about to strike, Ding Jing hid behind Lu Hongjun, shivering with fear. Lu Hongjun blocked Lu Jiaxin, saying, ¡°She¡¯s your stepmother, your elder. How could you raise your hand against her?¡± Lu Jiajie wanted to step forward but was stopped by Lu Jiaguang. The sisters-in-law, seeing that a conflict was starting, called the children inside the house to prevent them from coming out. With her brothers there, Jiaxin wouldn¡¯t be at a disadvantage. With eyes red with rage, Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°The Family Housing apartment is yours, and who stays there is for you to decide¡ªit¡¯s none of my business. But this house left to me by my mother, I won¡¯t allow this vile woman to set foot in here¡ªone step.¡± Feeling Ding Jing trembling violently, Lu Hongjun sternly shouted, ¡°Jiaguang, Jiajie, aren¡¯t you going to stop her?¡± Lu Jiaguang said, ¡°Third Uncle, I think Xinxin is right. She has dirtied this place.¡± Ding Jing¡¯s face distorted with anger. Lu Jiaxin wasn¡¯t the same person and had been tolerant because of her respect for her father. Now she retorted furiously, ¡°Lu Hongjun, you and that woman can get out.¡± Lu Jiaguang frowned but ultimately remained silent. Lu Hongjun couldn¡¯t believe his ears, ¡°What¡ªwhat did you say?¡± Lu Jiaxin glared at him and enunciated loudly and deliberately, ¡°I said, you take her and get out of here.¡± If it was a private tantrum, he could be understanding, but being disregarded in front of so many people, Lu Hongjun felt his authority was being challenged, ¡°Lu Jiaxin, are you insane? I¡¯m your father; how dare you speak to me like this?¡± Lu Jiaxin sneered, ¡°I was almost killed by that mother-daughter duo, and you act like nothing¡¯s happened? Dad, Lu Hongjun, do you even deserve to be called that?¡± Before, she¡¯d been courteous with him, thinking they might do business together and she might need him. But now that Lu Hongjun had crossed her bottom line, she¡¯d rather sever ties than suffer any indignity. Lu Hongjun, incensed, raised his hand to hit Lu Jiaxin, but before his hand could fall, Lu Jiaguang interfered. He tried to push Lu Jiaguang away to no avail and roared, ¡°Stand back; today I have to teach her a lesson, or she¡¯ll turn the heaven upside down in the future.¡± Lu Jiaguang also thought Lu Jiaxin was being too impulsive, but this wasn¡¯t the time to say it, ¡°Third Uncle, Xinxin is a grown girl; if she does something wrong, you should talk it through. How can you raise your hand against her?¡± Lu Hongjun had been injured on the battlefield and this affected his ability to have children. Medical tests had indicated he had a minimal chance of having kids, so after being married for seven years and Mrs. Lu became pregnant, he was overwhelmed with joy. After the child was born, he doted on her, as if she was fragile as glass, precious as if she might melt away. Mrs. Lu, by comparison, was stricter. Before Mrs. Lu passed away, she begged Liao Xiangmei and the brothers Lu Jiaguang to look after her daughter. Everyone understood her maternal heart and thought that Lu Hongjun would take good care of the child, being his only one. But in less than a year, Lu Hongjun remarried, and his attitude towards his daughter changed drastically. Lu Jiaguang had advised him several times, but to no avail. Now that his sister could stand up for herself, he naturally sided with her. Having exposed their true feelings, Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t hold back, ¡°Teach me a lesson? And what right do you have to teach me? When Mom was dying, she asked that you not remarry until I had finished college entrance exams, and you agreed. Yet within a year, you were married.¡± ¡°When my mother was around, everyone praised me as smart, adorable, and well-behaved; but within less than two years of that woman entering our door, I was branded as a lazy, bad-tempered, and terrible example. And that wasn¡¯t even enough for that mother-daughter pair; one tried to seduce Fan Yinuo to prevent me from concentrating on my college entrance exams, while the other drugged my food. They did these things to ruin me.¡± ¡°Lu Hongjun, if you had kept your promise to Mom and had not remarried before my exams, I would be attending a prestigious university by now with a bright future ahead. What about now? I¡¯ve moved here by myself, drinking that bitter medicinal soup daily, with my future uncertain.¡± Her parents were both college students from the ¡¯80s, who fell in love and got married after meeting at university. However, her father grew dissatisfied with his low salary and stopped his paid job to go into business when she was in the first grade, while her mother continued to teach at school. At first, things were fine, and although they occasionally argued, they were a happy family. But over time, they couldn¡¯t reconcile their differences. One was in business, dealing with all kinds of people daily, and the other longed for a life of poetry and picturesque beauty. They grew increasingly incompatible. As the conflicts deepened, they realized they could no longer live together. At the time, she was in junior high school. Concerned about affecting her, the couple decided not to discuss divorce until she¡¯d gotten into university. After she successfully entered university, they honestly discussed the matter with her. They assured her it wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t love her, but they simply couldn¡¯t live together anymore. She was deeply upset at the time but still respected their decision. After their divorce, both parties had since established new families, yet the love he had for her hadn¡¯t diminished by a fraction, and the money he gave was more than sufficient. These words tore Lu Hongjun¡¯s face right off. Lu Jiaxin, looking coldly at Ding Jing who was hiding behind Lu Hongjun, said coldly, ¡°Ding Jing, you¡¯ve ruined my reputation, destroyed my future, and nearly cost me my life. Now you come here to drive a wedge between me and my father, turning us against each other. I have recorded every single score, and in the future, I will make you and your daughter pay it all back with interest.¡± Ding Jing, seeing her fierce eyes, suddenly regretted coming here. She hadn¡¯t planned on it, but her daughter had been crying at home continuously. Thinking about her daughter suffering so much while Lu Jiaxin was celebrating her housewarming, she felt indignant. If life was hard for her and her daughter, Lu Jiaxin should not expect comfort either. Lu Jiaguang stood beside Lu Jiaxin and said, ¡°Third Uncle, please take her away now!¡± He knew the hatred between the two sides was unresolvable, which was why he had agreed that Xinxin should move out; otherwise, there was no way he would feel at ease letting his little sister live outside alone. Yet despite them giving way, this venomous woman still would not stop. Lu Hongjun knew that if the argument continued, it would only make him more embarrassed, so with a dark face, he grabbed Ding Jing and left. No sooner had he stepped out the door than Lu Jiaxin closed it behind them, almost making him spew blood in anger. With the eyesore gone, Lu Jiaxin¡¯s mood improved. She asked Lu Jiajie, who was standing at the kitchen door, ¡°Jiajie, I think I smell something burning.¡± Lu Jiajie shouted and rushed into the kitchen, only to see that the soup he had been simmering had burned away, and the meat had turned black. Since many dishes were prepared for the day, spoiling one was no big deal. Lu Jiajie cleaned the pot and continued cooking the other dishes. With such a commotion, no one really had much of an appetite. Once all the dishes were served, Lu Jiaxin poured herself a glass of wine, stood up, and addressed Jiaguang and the others, ¡°Big Brother, Sister-in-law, Fifth Brother, Fifth Sister-in-law, thank you. If it hadn¡¯t been for your care these past few years, I might have been dead by now.¡± If not for her two brothers keeping watch, Ding Jing would have caused trouble long ago, not waiting until now. Wang Xiaojie felt a stab of sourness in her heart. When Third Aunt was alive, this girl had been carefree, but now she had been forced into this situation. A motherless child is like a piece of grass; fortunately, this child had become strong and knew how to look out for herself. Lu Jiajie, trying to ease the tension, said, ¡°Jiaxin, Third Uncle is just temporarily blinded by that woman. He¡¯ll come around when he sees sense.¡± Actually, if it were him, he might also have lashed out, too damn shameless. Ma Lili thought Lu Jiaxin was too impulsive and advised, ¡°Jiaxin, that woman is hateful, but causing a scene with Third Uncle like this will only hurt you. Let it go this time, but don¡¯t do it again in the future.¡± If they angered Third Uncle, he might cut off all support, just what that venomous woman wanted. Lu Jiaxin had no intention of taking any more trouble from Lu Hongjun. She said, ¡°Fifth Sister-in-law, I know you mean well. But as you saw, it¡¯s not me who¡¯s making trouble; it¡¯s that venomous woman always using him to harass me.¡± ¡°Big Sister-in-law, Fifth Sister-in-law, don¡¯t worry about me. Even if Lu Hongjun doesn¡¯t provide for me, I could set up a stall with Xue Mao and still support myself.¡± Lu Jiaguang, frowning, said, ¡°Jiaxin, Third Uncle has indeed gone too far, but he is your father, and that fact won¡¯t change. By addressing him in such a manner, others who hear it might accuse you of being unfilial. A ruined reputation could affect your future.¡± Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t want to argue about it with Lu Jiaguang, as the prevailing notion was still that all parents had their children¡¯s best interests at heart. She said, ¡°Big Brother, tell him he has provided for me for fifteen years. Should there come a day when he¡¯s so old that he can¡¯t move and has no one to care for him, I will arrange for someone to look after him. Until then, there should be no contact between us; if he falls ill from rage, he has only himself to blame.¡± Lu Jiaguang wanted to persuade her, but the words wouldn¡¯t come out. Wang Xiaojie, with a smile, said, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk anymore; the dishes are getting cold. Come on, Jiaxin, have some lion¡¯s head meatballs. I remember it¡¯s your favorite dish.¡± ¡°Thank you, Big Sister-in-law.¡± Although Wang Xiaojie and Lu Jiajie tried their best to lighten the mood, the meal was still very subdued. After they had cleaned up the kitchen and the dishes, the two brothers left with their families. When Lu Jiajie was leaving, he made sure to remind them to lock the door properly behind them. He planned to come over in the evening, but in case something unexpected came up, he might not be able to make it. Lu Jiaxin knew he was worried about her and said with a smile, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t worry, Xue Mao and I won¡¯t go wandering around recklessly.¡± Security outside was already tightening, and although many people had not realized how serious it was, the smart ones knew not to bump into the Wooden Granary and were laying low to avoid the storm. However, those who liked to show off their toughness did not know how to restrain themselves. Lu Jiaxin was also worried about this and had been firmly suppressing Xue Mao¡¯s urge to set up a stall. Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 25 Confidence Chapter 26: Chapter 25 Confidence Lu Zhenzhen and Lu Zhang were slightly reluctant to leave, promising to come again next week to visit Lu Jiaxin. The visit was just an excuse; they really wanted to listen to stories. Lu Jiaxin agreed with a smile. Xue Mao closed the door and whispered, ¡°Sis, are you really going to cut ties with him?¡± Although Xue Mao thought Ding Jing and her daughter were detestable, he didn¡¯t think the situation had reached the point where he should cut off relations with Lu Hongjun. After all, it was not long ago that Lu Hongjun gave Lu Jiaxin a substantial amount of money, and everything they were eating, wearing, and using now had been provided by Lu Hongjun. Lu Jiaxin saw a broom lying on the ground, walked over to pick it up and put it away, then spoke leisurely, ¡°I do want to cut ties with him, but it¡¯s impossible.¡± Not to mention now, it is even hard to sever ties with your birth family after thirty years. If your parents file a lawsuit, you¡¯d have to support them, even if they used to be harsh, abusive, or didn¡¯t raise you at all. Xue Mao persuaded, ¡°Sis, it¡¯s not good for your father to be so biased towards that woman, but he¡¯s still been decent to you. If you really cut off the relationship, you¡¯ll be the one who loses out, and that mother and daughter would love to see it.¡± Lu Jiaxin said disdainfully, ¡°If it¡¯s like today, with that woman coming over from time to time to annoy and disgust me, I can do without those things.¡± Starting a business requires initial capital, which she had intended to scrape together from Lu Hongjun. But if the price was to swallow her pride and stay silent, she would rather take extra time to accumulate it herself. Xue Mao thought about Ding Jing¡¯s behavior and felt that this woman was just too good at acting; it would be difficult for Lu Jiaxin to deal with her. Lu Jiaxin laughed mockingly, ¡°The problem isn¡¯t with that woman; it¡¯s with Lu Hongjun. This man wants both a carefree life and a daughter who is devoted and filial. But such a good deal doesn¡¯t exist in this world. Forget it, let¡¯s not talk about him anymore, it ruins the mood.¡± Seeing Lu Jiaxin¡¯s attitude, Xue Mao immediately changed the subject to street vending, ¡°Uncle probably won¡¯t bring us anything anymore, and he might not give us any money either. I¡¯ll go out to set up a stall and make some money tomorrow!¡± Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t agree, ¡°Currently, the public authorities are cleaning up the security situation. Let¡¯s wait until the public safety gets better in a few days before we set up a stall.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, I haven¡¯t touched the two thousand yuan that Lu Hongjun gave us; a few days delay in setting up the stall won¡¯t affect our living. Xue Mao, the cooking skill for the pancake fruit is still lacking, you need to practice more.¡± When they were in Ancient Capital, they made a good business selling cold noodles, mung bean jelly, and cold drinks that others didn¡¯t have. But now that the weather was getting cold, Xue Mao planned to switch to selling pancake fruit, wontons, and buns. The fillings for the wontons and buns could be prepared in advance and have someone else do the wrapping, but the pancake fruit had to be made fresh. She was physically weak, and even if she was willing, the Lu¡¯s brothers would stop her, so Xue Mao had to do it. Xue Mao wasn¡¯t familiar with the place and, though eager to earn money, he had no choice but to abide by Lu Jiaxin¡¯s decision. When Wang Xiaojie and Lu Jiaguang returned home, she said with some unease, ¡°Xinxin not only told Third Uncle to get lost but also talked about severing father-daughter ties. After Third Uncle left, she greeted us with a smile as if nothing had happened. Jiaguang, I¡­I¡¯m feeling a bit spooked.¡± If it were her, having fought with her own father to the point of severing ties, she would definitely not be in the mood to entertain guests. It¡¯s for this reason she was worried that something might be wrong with Lu Jiaxin¡¯s mind. Lu Jiaguang fell silent, then said, ¡°When the third aunt was around, Xinxin was lively and cheerful, but ever since the third aunt passed away and that woman entered the house, the girl has become increasingly silent, keeping everything to herself. Now it¡¯s different, she vents her anger on the spot, so there¡¯s no need to worry about her developing any issues from holding it in.¡± He had just been speaking up for Lu Hongjun, not to make excuses for him, but to avoid straining the relationship beyond repair. It would benefit that mother and daughter duo if the relationship were truly severed, and that definitely couldn¡¯t happen. Wang Xiaojie thought it over and felt it was for the best, and said indignantly, ¡°Third Uncle always sides with that mother and daughter; it¡¯s not just Jiaxin who feels cold, but even I do. If Jiaxin really cuts ties with him, I¡¯d like to see how he manages in the future. Does he really think that woman and Zhao Siyi will take care of him when he¡¯s old?¡± Lu Jiaguang said, ¡°Third Uncle is not foolish; he knows clear as day that when he gets old and can¡¯t move, he will have to rely on Xinxin, so he won¡¯t actually cut ties with her. Right now, he¡¯s just angry. After a few days, when his anger subsides, he¡¯ll go find her.¡± Hearing this, Wang Xiaojie grew even angrier, ¡°Xinxin was nearly killed by those two, and he¡¯s still not shielding her, yet he expects her to care for him in his old age? Where does he get the face?¡± Lu Jiaguang, seeing clearly, said, ¡°Xinxin used to respect and pity him. He thinks she is still the same as before, but he doesn¡¯t realize that she has become more forceful and hardened after going through so much.¡± Plainly speaking, Lu Hongjun thought he could control his daughter, but little did he expect that things are unpredictable; Xinxin¡¯s heart had grown cold and she had lost her affection for him. As they say, an outsider sees things more clearly, and he saw the situation crystal clear, but Third Uncle had yet to see it for what it was. Therefore, it was necessary for him to give a reminder. Lu Jiaguang said, ¡°Today, Xinxin announced in front of everyone that she wanted to sever ties with him, which was a blow to his pride. Knowing his personality, he will definitely give that girl a cold shoulder for a while. In the meantime, I will visit her when I have time, and provide her with anything she might lack.¡± Wang Xiaojie understood his meaning and smiled, saying, ¡°Whatever you want to provide for her, just buy it; there¡¯s no need to make a special mention to me.¡± Initially, when her husband retired from the military, according to policy, he was supposed to work back in the Ancient Capital, their old hometown. At the time, Lu Hongjun didn¡¯t dare to ask for help as he was being targeted, so as they resigned themselves to returning home, Mrs. Lu sought help from an old friend who arranged for her husband to join the railway bureau. She came over a year later, first worked in a community health center, and then due to her commendable performance, was transferred to the current district hospital, eventually becoming head nurse. Therefore, she was very grateful to Mrs. Lu. Meanwhile, Lu Hongjun also confronted Ding Jing, ¡°You knew that Jiaxin hates you two to the bone, so why did you still go?¡± Ding Jing did not say that she went to congratulate Lu Jiaxin on her housewarming, knowing Old Lu wouldn¡¯t believe it anyway: ¡°Siyi is still bedridden, and in a couple of days, we don¡¯t even know if she will be able to report as planned. Yet, there she is, happily hosting a housewarming party. I couldn¡¯t stand it and wanted to seek justice for Siyi.¡± Lu Hongjun said with a cold face, ¡°You¡¯re pleased that you disrupted Jiaxin¡¯s housewarming party, aren¡¯t you? Also, do you particularly hope that I fall out with Jiaxin?¡± Ding Jing felt a chill in her heart, and then tears fell like broken pearls, ¡°How can you think of me that way? I went there just because I was angry at her for being so harsh on Siyi. Old Lu, I really didn¡¯t expect her to say such things.¡± ¡°Old Lu, now when she is dependent on you, she dares to say such things; once she grows strong enough, she definitely won¡¯t care about you,¡± she said. Seeing her cry so sadly, Lu Hongjun didn¡¯t have the heart to say more, ¡°Jiaxin hit Siyi, and now you¡¯ve disrupted her housewarming party, so we¡¯re even. Let¡¯s not bring this up again in the future.¡± Ding Jing¡¯s heart constricted, her daughter had suffered so much, yet it was being dismissed just like that. However, she understood Lu Hongjun and knew pushing the issue further would only irritate him, so she had to swallow this grievance, for the time being. Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 26 Shoes Chapter 27: Chapter 26 Shoes In the early morning, Lu Jiaxin went out for a walk and came back half an hour later to start reading English, following the tapes. It must be said that Lu Hongjun¡¯s assistant was quite thorough in handling matters, knowing that she bought a recorder to learn English, he even provided tapes with accompanying books. After yesterday¡¯s quarrel, it¡¯s uncertain whether the tutor will still come. But it doesn¡¯t really matter; the idea to hire one was only to avoid suspicion anyway. Xue Mao was making breakfast in the kitchen when he heard her start reading the ¡°bird language¡± and quickly stuffed cotton in his ears. After breakfast was ready, he carried it out to the yard and called out loudly, ¡°Sis, it¡¯s time to eat.¡± ¡°Coming¡­¡± After eating, Lu Jiaxin went into the house, grabbed a canvas bag, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, to Xiushui Street.¡± Xue Mao was perplexed; they were not lacking anything, so why go to Xiushui Street? The rice, flour, and cooking oil sent by Lu Hongjun were plentiful; the two of them couldn¡¯t finish it all in three months. ¡°We¡¯re not buying stuff, just taking a look.¡± Last time, she glanced around in a rush, but this time, she wanted to properly stroll around and see what the current fashion trends were. Since she was considering going into the clothing business, it was essential to understand the market first. Xue Mao didn¡¯t want to wander around, finding it a waste of time and bus fare, but he couldn¡¯t argue with Lu Jiaxin and had to follow along. Fortunately, Xiushui Street was quite small at the moment, and even though Lu Jiaxin went into every store, it only took a morning to visit all the shops. Lu Jiaxin observed carefully and noticed that many youngsters were wearing floral shirts and bell-bottoms. Hmm, it seemed these were the current trends. In addition, the young women wore clothes in various colors: red, pink, blue, green, and the like, all bright colors. After looking at so many clothing stalls, she realized there wasn¡¯t a single one selling suits or professional sets, meaning this market niche was empty. Stopping in front of a women¡¯s shoe stall, Lu Jiaxin squatted down, picked up a pair of leather shoes, and examined them. They were nicely styled but too thin for her. Her health was weak, and her hands and feet were always cold; she needed to wear thick shoes. Lu Jiaxin asked, ¡°Brother, do you have any thick leather shoes?¡± At that time, it was not fashionable to call shopkeepers ¡°boss¡±; instead, people used ¡°brother¡± or ¡°sister.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be until the early ¡¯90s that calling someone ¡°boss¡± became popular. The man, seeing her dressed in long sleeves and trousers despite the summer heat, knew she must have a frail constitution. He said, ¡°Sister, all my leather shoes are thin. If you want to buy thick shoes, go straight ahead to the crossroad, then turn right. That shop has all kinds of shoes.¡± Lu Jiaxin asked, ¡°Brother, autumn is arriving next month; why aren¡¯t you selling autumn shoes? These thin ones, how can ordinary people endure them?¡± The brother waved his hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s still early for a weather change. It won¡¯t be late to sell them when the weather turns.¡± Lu Jiaxin continued to look at several more shoe stalls and found that none sold autumn or winter shoes, and there weren¡¯t many styles of leather shoes available either. By contrast, there were a variety of clothing styles. After visiting a few stores, Lu Jiaxin found the shoe shop the brother had mentioned. Upon entering, she discovered it was a wholesale shoe store. A tall, young man around seventeen or eighteen was running the shop. After looking Lu Jiaxin over, he asked, ¡°Young lady, what would you like to buy?¡± As for Xue Mao, he looked like an attendant, so the man did not greet him. Lu Jiaxin twitched the corner of her mouth; she wasn¡¯t that much older herself to be comfortably called ¡°young lady¡±: ¡°We want to buy winter shoes.¡± Upon hearing that, the tall young man immediately shouted into the back, ¡°Brother Xiao Sheng, someone wants to buy winter shoes, bring out all the winter shoes we sourced from Hong Kong.¡± Soon, a slender young man brought out over ten pairs of thick leather shoes. Lu Jiaxin picked up a pair of flat pointy leather shoes, which were nicer than the ones in the other shops. She felt the inside and asked, surprised, ¡°There¡¯s only a layer of cotton inside; how can one wear such shoes out in the winter? The feet would freeze.¡± The tall young man laughed and said, ¡°These shoes are indeed unsuitable for winter, but they¡¯re fine for autumn. Young lady, this is the latest fashion from Hong Kong.¡± ¡°Now the most sought-after are Hong Kong goods, whether or not they are genuine Hong Kong goods depends on whether you believe it or not.¡± Lu Jiaxin thought the style of the shoes was okay but too thin, yet she still habitually asked for the price. Hearing they were eighty-eight, she was astonished; that was too expensive. Xue Mao almost jumped up. The tall young man said with a proud face, ¡°Little brother, these shoes come from Hong Kong. Look how fashionable this style is.¡± ¡°The style is nice, but it¡¯s not worth eighty-eight.¡± The tall young man argued, ¡°Don¡¯t feel it expensive. The purchase price for these leather shoes is seventy, minus shipping and the cost of my food and drink on the way here, I¡¯m only making a few bucks.¡± That was just talk; believing it would make one a fool. Lu Jiaxin inspected the shoes inside and out, then deliberately asked in Cantonese, ¡°What place is this from?¡± The tall young man was completely confused, ¡°What are you saying?¡± Lu Jiaxin put down the shoes, saying, ¡°These shoes don¡¯t even have a brand. I¡¯m speaking Cantonese and you don¡¯t understand; how can I know that these shoes are really from Hong Kong.¡± The tall young man¡¯s eyes nearly bulged out, ¡°Big sister, you speak Cantonese?¡± Lu Jiaxin hummed in response, ¡°Big brother, I quite like these shoes, give me a fair price.¡± Grinding his teeth, the tall young man said, ¡°If you like them, I¡¯ll let you have them for sixty-eight. They¡¯re made of little lamb leather, at sixty-eight I¡¯m really not making much off you.¡± Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, ¡°Big brother, conducting business should be done honestly. Your shoes are clearly made of synthetic leather.¡± The tall young man was shocked, asking, ¡°What do you say? These shoes are not made of little lamb leather but of synthetic leather?¡± Lu Jiaxin was speechless, not even he knew what material the shoes were made of; to not have been swindled was just luck. The tall young man indeed did not understand, and he called Brother Xiao Sheng over, gave him a few quick instructions, then hurriedly rode off on a bicycle. Little lamb leather and synthetic leather, the price difference is several times over. Just take these shoes; if they really were made of little lamb leather, they could be sold for at least forty to fifty; but if they were synthetic, you could get them for about ten bucks. The lean young man said with an apologetic face, ¡°Young lady, sorry, we are not selling these shoes anymore, you should look elsewhere!¡± It wasn¡¯t certain yet whether the shoes were made of synthetic leather or little lamb leather, if they sold them cheap on this girl¡¯s say-so, they¡¯d suffer a big loss. Lu Jiaxin hummed and said, ¡°These shoes are too thin, I¡¯m afraid of the cold, they wouldn¡¯t stand up to autumn.¡± Brother Xiao Sheng was a straightforward person, ¡°Little sister, if you¡¯re afraid of the cold you should buy cotton-padded shoes, get the ones made with monkey cotton, they¡¯re guaranteed to be warm.¡± Lu Jiaxin replayed it in her mind, then feigned disdain, ¡°No, cotton shoes are too ugly, and they¡¯ll get wet instantly in the snow.¡± Brother Xiao Sheng suggested, ¡°Then when it snows, buy another pair of waterproof leather shoes, wear leather shoes out, and cotton shoes at home.¡± Lu Jiaxin¡¯s interest piqued, she asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t there any leather shoe that is thick, waterproof, and fashionable?¡± Brother Xiao Sheng shook his head, indicating that there were no such shoes on the market for the time being. Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 27 Su Heming Chapter 28: Chapter 27 Su Heming At present, the Mainland has not yet opened up, and it¡¯s not suitable for making suits and professional attire, but shoes are different. Women are born with a love for beauty, and if they can buy fashionable, warm, and waterproof winter shoes, they¡¯ll be willing to pay more. On her way back, Lu Jiaxin pondered the feasibility of making winter shoes. She could easily come up with dozens of fashionable designs, but she didn¡¯t have the startup capital. With the startup capital, she could go to Peng City to find a factory to produce them. The urgent matter at hand was raising the startup funds. She had a little over nine thousand in her passbook and a little more than two thousand in hand, but this was far from enough. If she was going to do it, she had to do it big. Otherwise, by the time her shoes hit the market, many others would have imitated them. Xue Mao saw her frowning deeply and after hesitating, still said, ¡°Sister Xin, are you still thinking about those shoes? If you really like them, let¡¯s go back and buy them, no matter the cost!¡± He didn¡¯t understand the difference between lamb leather and synthetic leather and only thought it was expensive. But he couldn¡¯t deny, the shoes did look good. Lu Jiaxin snapped back to reality and, smiling, said, ¡°No, I was thinking of something else. Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll take the bus home!¡± While waiting for the bus, Xue Mao couldn¡¯t help but mutter again, ¡°If I¡¯d known, we could have just ridden our bikes here and saved the bus fare.¡± Lu Jiaxin knew he was scared of being poor and starving and that thriftiness was ingrained in his bones; she only hoped that he could change this habit when they had money. When they got home it was already past one, and Lu Jiaxin¡¯s stomach was growling with hunger: ¡°Let¡¯s eat at the small restaurant!¡± Xue Mao was reluctant; it was too expensive: ¡°Sister Xin, you go eat at the small restaurant, I¡¯ll just have some noodles.¡± Lu Jiaxin felt helpless; she had planned to hire a maid to wash clothes and cook once she had made money, but with Xue Mao acting like this, he would definitely oppose it fiercely. Oh, people at that time had industriousness as an instinct. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we won¡¯t skimp on this meal. Xue Mao flatly refused to go, so Lu Jiaxin had no choice but to get a take-out of potato stewed chicken chunks from the small restaurant to eat with the noodles and vegetables at home. Just after finishing the meal, they heard someone knocking at the door. Lu Jiaxin was a little puzzled; at this hour, her older and fifth brothers should all be at work and couldn¡¯t possibly come. Xue Mao went to open the door and saw a stranger¡¯s face: ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± The visitor said, ¡°My name is Su Heming, I¡¯m looking for Lu Jiaxin. Is Lu Jiaxin at home?¡± Lu Jiaxin thought for a moment and realized she didn¡¯t remember having met such a person. The young man explained, ¡°My name is Su Heming, my aunt is Su Ya. She fell ill recently and went to a sanatorium. Just yesterday, I got the news that you moved out from your family home. She called me over and said if you have any difficulties, tell me and I¡¯ll help you sort them out.¡± ¡°Su Ya? I don¡¯t know her.¡± Su Heming was surprised: ¡°How could you not know her? Your mother saved my cousin, and this house was even bought with my aunt¡¯s help.¡± Lu Jiaxin actually guessed his identity but still needed to clarify something: ¡°My mother told me that Madam Xie¡¯s name is Su Hongying.¡± Su Heming explained that Madam Xie¡¯s original name was Su Ya, but she changed it to Su Hongying later due to certain reasons. Actually, his aunt preferred her original name. Once his identity was confirmed, Lu Jiaxin let him in. Xue Mao looked at his floral shirt and bell-bottoms with disdain. A grown man, dressed so garishly, was hard to look at. Lu Jiaxin poured him a glass of water and, without beating around the bush, said directly, ¡°Big Brother Su, could you give me Madam Xie¡¯s phone number? I need to speak with her about something.¡± Su Heming gripped the edge of the table with his left hand and said, ¡°My aunt is still in the convalescent home, but you can talk to me just the same, I¡¯ll help you solve whatever it is.¡± Lu Jiaxin glanced at the watch on his wrist. The guy was not only wealthy but also had guts, nonchalantly wearing a diamond-studded gold watch. Seeing her silence, Su Heming asked, ¡°Do you want to teach that Ding woman a lesson? Don¡¯t worry, leave it to me.¡± Lu Jiaxin was speechless; anyone who didn¡¯t know better would think he was involved in the underworld. ¡°No, I want to move my household registration here. But I only have the keys to the house, the property deed isn¡¯t with me.¡± With the property deed, she could prove the house was hers, and the street office would issue her a certificate. Otherwise, the police station would not accept her household registration. Even if Su Heming hadn¡¯t come today, she would have gone to Madam Xie¡¯s. It was she who had bought the house on her behalf, so the property deed was likely with her. Su Heming thought it was some big problem, ¡°I¡¯ll call my aunt later, and if the property deed really is with her, I¡¯ll bring it to you this afternoon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Su Heming inquired if there was anything else Lu Jiaxin needed his help with. Lu Jiaxin¡¯s only issue right now was the startup capital for the business she wanted to do. However, she hadn¡¯t planned on troubling Madam Xie with this matter; this relationship should be reserved for critical moments. Seeing she had no other issues for him to handle, Su Heming soon left. Xue Mao commented, ¡°Sister, that Su Heming looks like a street thug. I have no idea what Madam Xie is thinking, letting such an unreliable person come to you.¡± Did he have anything else to seek him for? With that manner, it would be good enough not to cause trouble that could implicate his sister. ¡°Perhaps, there was no one else available.¡± Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t know much about Madam Xie¡¯s situation, but she suspected that Madam Xie might not have it easy either. First, her health was so poor that she could only have one child, which already disqualified her by the current standards of valuing large families; second, her background was not great, and it surely had held her husband back in the past. An hour and a half later, Su Heming came back. This time he carried a bag, and two men followed behind him, clearly underlings. Lu Jiaxin was taking a nap and yawned continuously when woken up. If Su Heming hadn¡¯t brought the house and land deeds, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered; nothing was more important than eating and sleeping. Su Heming entered the main room and took out a square, dark brown wooden box from the bag, which was carved with simple, antique patterns. The box itself, easily recognizable as old, could fetch a good price in a few years. It was only after Su Heming sent Xue Mao and the two underlings out that he opened the wooden box. Inside, on top, were two pieces of paper, and below them were pieces of jewelry. Recalling Liao Xiangmei¡¯s words, Lu Jiaxin couldn¡¯t help but ask as she looked at the jewelry, ¡°Su Heming, were these left by my mother with Madam Xie?¡± All these pieces of jewelry used top-quality jade, but Liao Xiangmei had said that Mrs. Lu had a mutton-fat jade bracelet and jade pendant as well as an emerald necklace. None of the items here matched what she had described. Lu Hongjun was a general manager, with a high salary and various benefits¡ªthose were only the visible perks, and there were even more unseen ones. Therefore, Mrs. Lu would only buy and would never sell. Su Heming said, ¡°There are some other things, which my little aunt said she will give to you when you come of age. Lu Jiaxin, don¡¯t overthink it, good jewelry is very valuable, and it¡¯s safer in my aunt¡¯s hands.¡± Lu Jiaxin was no mere child; she nodded and said, ¡°I understand that by doing this, Madam Xie is trying to protect me. A child carrying gold in a bustling market will not only fail to keep the treasure safe but may also lose their life.¡± Su Heming felt that dealing with smart people was a relief. Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 28: Mirror Tables Chapter 29: Chapter 28: Mirror Tables ¡°` Lu Jiaxin was also very fond of jade, showing little interest in diamonds and gold, which led her friends to label her as quite the eccentric. Due to her passion, she had collected quite a number of fine jades, the most valuable of which were a Hetian jade bracelet and a Mutton-fat white jade bracelet. As for imperial green, she had only seen it in her wealthy friends¡¯ collections. She never thought that she could now possess a bracelet made of imperial green and a necklace with one hundred and eight beads. Su Heming saw her smile as brilliantly as a blooming flower and asked, puzzled, ¡°Do you really like these ornaments made of stones?¡± Calling them stone-made ornaments! That was just too lacking in appreciation. But judging by his attire, it was apparent that the guy didn¡¯t have much of an aesthetic sense. Jiaxin generously forgave his shallowness. Laughing, Jiaxin said, ¡°I love them. When I have more money, I¡¯ll collect even more.¡± She had a substantial allowance for university and even took part-time jobs; whenever she had money, she would buy various jade ornaments. Later, when jade became popular, the value of the pieces she collected increased significantly. Seeing her genuine affection for the jade, Su Heming said with a smile, ¡°A friend previously chalked up a big debt with me and ended up not having the money to pay it back because his goods were stolen. He paid off the debt with a set of stone ornaments claimed to be inherited from ancestors. Out of consideration for our past relationship, I accepted them. Since you like these stones, I¡¯ll give them to you as a gift for our meeting.¡± Jiaxin tactfully refused, saying it was not right to accept rewards without merit. Mainly because they were barely acquainted and this was only their second meeting, she couldn¡¯t accept such valuable gifts from someone else. Su Heming generously said, ¡°Don¡¯t be coy about it; if I¡¯m giving it to you, just take it.¡± Seeing that Jiaxin still refused, he added, ¡°My aunt was already in poor health before giving birth to Dusty, she nearly lost her life. Lucky to survive, she can¡¯t have more children. Since your mother saved Dusty, it¡¯s as if she saved my aunt¡¯s life. A set of jade ornaments really isn¡¯t much in return.¡± After finishing, he also mentioned, ¡°My girlfriend prefers gold jewelry and doesn¡¯t like these stones, or I wouldn¡¯t have anything to give you.¡± Although Jiaxin liked jade, she didn¡¯t like complications: ¡°If your girlfriend changes her mind and wants them, knowing that you¡¯ve given them to me, she might come to me with troubles.¡± It could lead to misunderstandings, and clearing up romantic scandals is the most troublesome. Su Heming waved his hand, explaining that he and the girlfriend had broken up more than a month ago and they were no longer involved: ¡°If you consider me a friend and are willing to associate with me, then accept it. If you don¡¯t see me as a friend, then pretend I never mentioned it.¡± Jiaxin thought he seemed a bit showy but appeared loyal; a person like that was worth getting to know: ¡°Then I¡¯ll take it without reserve.¡± Su Heming urged her to keep the gifts safe before preparing to leave. Jiaxin called after him, ¡°The current security crackdown is very intense, so you and your boys better lay low. If something really happens, even if Madam Xie can save you, you¡¯ll still suffer a heavy loss.¡± She was someone who disliked trouble, but Su Heming had been so generous, she felt she had to warn him out of conscience. Of course, if he didn¡¯t heed the warning after that, it was none of her business. Su Heming was initially startled, then asked with confusion, ¡°Where did you get the information from?¡± Jiaxin looked at him like he was a fool. This kind of information wasn¡¯t to be shared! She decided it was necessary to investigate the Su family¡¯s background, wondering how he could be so oblivious to the current situation. Su Heming instantly understood and thanked her with a gesture: ¡°Thanks a lot, little sister.¡± He needed to ask his aunt later if things were really as this girl claimed. If it was true, well, then he truly needed to lay low. ¡°Little sister,¡± what an odd form of address! Jiaxin was too worn out to complain. She pointed at Su Heming¡¯s wrist and said, ¡°Do you know why they say ¡®keep a low profile and prosper¡¯? It¡¯s because the leading bird gets shot first. When you¡¯re envied and resented by too many, death isn¡¯t far away.¡± ¡°` ¡°` ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the market price, but this gold watch of yours would demand seventy to eighty thousand. Nowadays in the Forty-nine City, the average worker¡¯s salary is just seventy to eighty, and you¡¯re wearing such an expensive watch¡­¡± She left the rest unsaid, letting Su Heming think it over for himself. Sometimes, people won¡¯t listen no matter how much you say; they only exercise restraint when they realize the gravity of the situation themselves. Su Heming burst into hearty laughter and said, ¡°Do I look stupid? How could I wear a Rolex gold watch worth more than one hundred thousand? Little sister, this is fake, a gift from a friend, just for fun.¡± Lu Jiaxin looked at the watch with suspicion: ¡°Fake? Take it off and let me take a look.¡± Her rich friend¡¯s partner was a demolition relocator with a monthly rental income of five to six hundred thousand. That flashy guy deliberately bought a Rolex gold watch to wear. And indeed, he became the center of attention wherever he went. Su Heming took off the watch and handed it to her: ¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± Lu Jiaxin examined the watch closely. Rolex watches have a unique pattern design, and their anti-counterfeiting features include patented technology that is hard to copy and very advanced. If it were thirty years later, she wouldn¡¯t be sure whether the watch was real or fake due to the perfected techniques in counterfeiting, but the technology wasn¡¯t that advanced at present. Lu Jiaxin, looking at the anti-counterfeit mark, asked, ¡°You just said this watch was a gift from a friend?¡± Su Heming nodded with a smile: ¡°I got this watch from a childhood friend for my birthday the other day. How about that, dazzling, isn¡¯t it? If you like it, I can give it to you and buy another one for myself.¡± Lu Jiaxin handed him back the watch and said sincerely, ¡°Big Brother Su, this watch is real.¡± It was suspicious that someone would gift such an expensive watch while claiming it was fake, and she wondered what their motive could be. It was fortunate that he had run into her, or else Su Heming would have certainly fallen for it. Something clenched in Su Heming¡¯s heart: ¡°What did you say? This watch is real?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you with certainty, it¡¯s real. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go to an expert for verification.¡± Su Heming¡¯s face turned pale. He asked Lu Jiaxin for paper and a pen, wrote down a phone number, and then said, ¡°Keep the stuff safe. I¡¯m going to have this watch authenticated. If you need anything, just call this number and ask for Brother Su.¡± After saying this, he hurried away. Once out of the alley, he sent his two underlings away and then rode his motorcycle to find an old man. He took off the gold watch and handed it to the old man, saying anxiously, ¡°Please help me check if this watch is real or fake?¡± The old man examined it for a moment and smiled: ¡°Rest assured, it¡¯s real.¡± Even a finely crafted fake watch just costs a few hundred, but a real one fetches more than one hundred thousand in the market. Su Heming tended to show off a bit, but he wasn¡¯t foolish. Flaunting such an expensive watch in public was certain to draw unwanted attention. Especially now with the crackdown on security, getting caught would mean¡­ just as Lu Jiaxin had said, he wouldn¡¯t get out of it without losing some skin. It was unclear whether the person scheming against him was targeting him and his father, or aiming at his younger cousin. Knowing the gravity of the situation, Su Heming called Madam Xie right away. After learning about the matter, Madam Xie pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°I¡¯ll have someone look into this. For now, you need to buy a fake gold watch and stop all your business dealings.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°` Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 29 Relocation of Household Registration Chapter 30: Chapter 29 Relocation of Household Registration After breakfast, Lu Jiaxin took Xue Mao to the Department Store Employee Residential Compound. Coincidentally, as soon as they entered the compound, they bumped into the gossipy Aunt Xue. Aunt Xue came up and asked, ¡°Jiaxin, I heard your mom bought you a big mansion, with more than twenty rooms, is that true?¡± Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t avoid the question, ¡°There aren¡¯t as many rooms as you said, just eight. Also, that house wasn¡¯t bought by my mom, but given to me by the child¡¯s uncle as a token of gratitude for saving his nephew,¡± she replied. Mrs. Lu had bought jade and left behind a significant sum of money. Accounting for both their incomes, the figures didn¡¯t match their expenses. Thus, she felt it was more sensible to pin it on the Xie Family. After all, seeing from Su Heming¡¯s case, the Su family seemed quite wealthy, and such a big house wouldn¡¯t be an issue for them. Finishing, she lowered her head, choking up as she said, ¡°If I could, I wouldn¡¯t want any broken mansion, I just want my mom to be alive and well.¡± Seeing her like that, Aunt Xue felt some pity for her, thinking that an orphan is just like a rootless weed, ¡°That¡¯s true. If your mom were alive, you wouldn¡¯t have been forced by that mother-daughter pair of fox spirits to move out. But now that you¡¯ve left, it¡¯s those fox spirits who are benefitting.¡± With red eyes, Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°Auntie, having more money doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t have your life to spend it. If I continued to stay, who knows when my life would have been lost.¡± Aunt Xue said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that fox spirit will sooner or later get struck by lightning and won¡¯t die a good death, and that little sl*t Zhao Siyi won¡¯t end up well either.¡± Lu Jiaxin wiped away non-existent tears, sobbing, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m going upstairs, you¡¯re busy.¡± Aunt Xue followed her up, and as soon as she saw Lu Jiaxin, she immediately said, ¡°If that fox spirit bullies you, I¡¯ll stand up for you.¡± Xue Mao hung his head low to prevent others from seeing his facial expression. On the way here, his sister had been chatting and laughing with him; however, as soon as they got off the car, not only did she put away her smiles, but she also vigorously rubbed her eyes to make them red. He didn¡¯t understand it at the time, but now he knew the reason. Lu Jiaxin said gratefully, ¡°Thank you, Auntie.¡± Since last night Lu Hongjun brought home several pounds of large shrimp, and there were chicken and pork in the fridge, Ding Jing decided not to go shopping and started cleaning the house instead. Hearing the knock on the door, a flicker of impatience crossed her face. Ever since her daughter came home from the hospital, people had been coming to the door frequently. Ostensibly, they were there for comfort and a visit, but most were actually there to revel in her misfortune. As the knocking grew more urgent, Ding Jing got a bit angry. She was about to say something when she realized that someone was kicking the door. Without having to ask, she knew who it was. Ding Jing opened the door and immediately started to mock Lu Jiaxin, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going to sever ties with your dad? What, have you already forgotten what you said the day before yesterday?¡± Aunt Xue hadn¡¯t expected to stumble upon such juicy gossip right away, but she always disliked Ding Jing and said sarcastically, ¡°One can¡¯t take seriously the words spoken in anger between father and daughter. Besides, you would be only too happy for them to sever ties, so that all Manager Lu¡¯s wealth could fall into your hands.¡± Ding Jing hated Aunt Xue to death, it was this Old Pious Woman who had been spreading gossip outside and further damaging her reputation these past few days. She sneered and said, ¡°Aunt Xue, you¡¯d better spend more time keeping an eye on your son, instead of worrying about the day when he brings home that widow and her two cheap grandsons.¡± After saying this, she slammed the door shut. The amount of information was overwhelming, and Lu Jiaxin was so shocked that she only reacted after hearing the door slam. Aunt Xue, furious, pummeled the door, cursing while she banged, ¡°You wretched woman, how dare you slander my son, I won¡¯t rest until I¡¯ve torn your mouth apart today!¡± Seeing Aunt Xue¡¯s ferocity, as if ready to devour Ding Jing, Lu Jiaxin understood why the woman had slammed the door shut. If she hadn¡¯t, she would surely have suffered a beating. Ding Jing reported an address, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can take your daughter-in-law to this place. I¡¯m only telling you because we live in the same compound. Otherwise, when that widow brings her two children to your door, it won¡¯t just be a loss of face, but of your job as well.¡± I hadn¡¯t planned on speaking up, for fear that it could have unfavorable consequences; Aunt Xue, the troublemaker, would make life unbearable for her. Now, though, there was no choice but to speak out. Aunt Xue still knew how to judge the gravity of the situation, ¡°Ding Jing, if you slander my son, I¡¯ll come back and tear your mouth apart.¡± After dropping that line, she ran down the stairs as if her buttocks were on fire. Now was the time when everyone was either off to work or school, and those who did not need to go to work or drop kids off were out buying groceries, so the Employee Residential Compound was deserted. That¡¯s why Aunt Xue was alone in this, with no others coming over to enjoy the drama. Lu Jiaxin had long known about Ding Jing¡¯s craftiness; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to ensnare Lu Hongjun. That she knew the dirty secrets of Aunt Xue¡¯s son was not surprising at all. ¡°Open the door.¡± Ding Jing didn¡¯t want to see her, nor did she want to let her into the house, ¡°If you need something, go to the Department Store and ask your dad. I have nothing to say to you.¡± Who knew what the girl had experienced outside that made her so formidable. Not only had she failed to come out on top in their prior encounters, but even Old Lu had been bested by her. Ding Jing was well aware that although Lu Hongjun doted on her, he was more indifferent to Siyi and cared a great deal about his only daughter, Lu Jiaxin. After the father and daughter¡¯s argument the other day, Lu Hongjun lay in bed tossing and turning, unable to sleep all night, and these last two days, he hadn¡¯t even looked at Siyi. So, the so-called disownment was mere talk, and simply not going to happen. Even if Lu Jiaxin truly entertained such a notion, Old Lu would never agree to it. Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°I¡¯ve come to get the household registration book.¡± Ding Jing¡¯s expression brightened for a moment, but remembering Lu Hongjun¡¯s attitude, she calmed down instantly. After opening the door, she said, ¡°This matter requires your dad¡¯s agreement. If he doesn¡¯t agree, I cannot give you the household registration book.¡± Lu Jiaxin did not want to share the same household registration book with her, preferring to transfer her registration to Radiance Road. But, she dared not make this decision without Old Lu¡¯s approval, otherwise he would certainly lose his temper. Lu Jiaxin scoffed, ¡°My dad listens to you in everything. Give me the registration book, and he won¡¯t say a word against you even if he finds out.¡± Ding Jing repeated her stance, without Lu Hongjun¡¯s agreement, she would not hand over the household registration book. Lu Jiaxin went inside and called Lu Hongjun. As soon as the call connected, she said, ¡°I want to transfer my registration to Radiance Road. Tell her to give me the registration book.¡± Lu Hongjun was silent for a moment, then said, ¡°Give the phone to Aunt Ding.¡± Lu Jiaxin had thought she would have to argue, not expecting him to agree so readily. Whatever the reason, it was good news for her anyway. Handing the phone to Ding Jing, she said expressionlessly, ¡°He wants you on the phone.¡± Lu Hongjun felt a tightness in his chest when he realized she didn¡¯t even call him dad anymore. Reflecting on his nephew¡¯s words, he panicked at the thought that his daughter¡¯s talk of cutting ties wasn¡¯t just out of anger but a genuine intention. Although he felt that he didn¡¯t need Lu Jiaxin to take care of him in his old age, she was his flesh and blood; how could he truly sever ties with her? Seeing that he wanted her to give the registration book to Lu Jiaxin made Ding Jing very happy, but she hesitated on the surface, ¡°Are you sure you want her to transfer her registration? Won¡¯t it reflect poorly on your reputation?¡± Lu Hongjun was irritated as he responded, ¡°Enough with the nonsense, just give her the registration book.¡± Now, people at the Department Store were gossiping that he favored Ding Jing and Zhao Siyi, disregarding his own daughter¡¯s well-being. He wanted to keep his position until retirement, not step down just yet. Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 30: Settlement Chapter 31: Chapter 30: Settlement With the household registration book and property certificate in hand, Lu Jiaxin explained her situation to the police at the station. Under their sympathetic gaze, she successfully registered her residence at the Radiance Road Subdistrict Office. Having accomplished a big task, Lu Jiaxin was in a great mood, ¡°Xue Mao, to celebrate my new lease on life, let¡¯s have a feast today.¡± Hearing that they were going out to eat again, Xue Mao¡¯s scalp tingled, and he said, ¡°Sister Xin, let¡¯s not go out to eat anymore. I¡¯ll go to the market and buy some good ingredients to cook at home.¡± He had been so idle he was almost getting moldy; he couldn¡¯t keep spending like this. Lu Jiaxin also knew how to cook. Actually, before college, her fingers had never touched spring water, but after living on her own in college, she started learning how to cook. Later, when she studied abroad in Romantic Country, her culinary skills greatly improved. She had no choice, if she didn¡¯t cook for herself, she would have had to live on bread every day. ¡°Alright, buy some more meat.¡± Xue Mao went to the market and bought a chicken and three pounds of meat. When he got back home, he didn¡¯t rush to cook but first prepared medicine for Lu Jiaxin. Smelling the medicine, Lu Jiaxin couldn¡¯t concentrate on her reading. When the medicine was ready, Lu Jiaxin pinched her nose and drank it down. In the beginning, without experience, the bitter taste lingered in her mouth after she drank the medicine. She rinsed with water, and only after a while did the taste fade away. Later on, having gained some experience, she would quickly rinse and pop a candy in her mouth after taking the medicine, which suppressed the taste effectively. With this method, taking medicine no longer felt like torture. Looking at the chicken that had been prepared, Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°Xue Mao, let¡¯s use half of the chicken for soup and the other half for braised chicken with potatoes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Just as the chicken was placed into the stew pot, the voice of Lu Jiajie sounded from outside, ¡°Jiaxin, Jiaxin, open the door, it¡¯s me.¡± Xue Mao jogged to open the door, and after letting the person in, he whispered a reminder, ¡°Fifth Brother, Sister Xin is studying in the room.¡± ¡°Xinxin, Xinxin, come out quick, I¡¯ve brought something tasty,¡± called out Lu Jiajie. Lu Jiaxin, hearing his call, wondered why he would deliver something at this time. After coming out, she asked, ¡°Fifth Brother, don¡¯t you have to work?¡± ¡°No worries, I took half a day off,¡± he replied. Lu Jiaxin felt he wasn¡¯t very committed to his job, taking leaves all the time. But as a sister, and because he was making the effort for her sake, it wasn¡¯t really her place to criticize. Lu Jiajie said, ¡°Xinxin, each crab in this basket is over half a pound. For lunch, let¡¯s have steamed crabs, and for dinner, spicy crabs. We can use the leftover crab roe to make buns for tomorrow morning.¡± Xue Mao dampened the enthusiasm, saying, ¡°Fifth Brother, she¡¯s currently on medication and can¡¯t eat crabs as they are too cooling.¡± Lu Jiaxin¡¯s good mood vanished in an instant, and she looked at Xue Mao with a sense of grievance. If he hadn¡¯t mentioned it, she would have just eaten them, but now that it was out there, she didn¡¯t dare to touch them even though she really wanted to. Lu Jiajie smacked his forehead, saying, ¡°Ah, I completely forgot about that. Xue Mao, then steam six crabs for later, and we can make the spicy crabs with the other six tonight.¡± Both he and Xue Mao could eat a lot; three crabs each would be no problem. Lu Jiaxin said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll steam four for lunch, and you can take the rest back for your sister-in-law and Qiangqiang to eat. It just so happens that I made chicken today, so I¡¯ll scoop a bowl of that for you to take over as well.¡± Lu Jiajie quickly waved his hand, ¡°No need, no need, if they want to eat, I¡¯ll go buy some.¡± Lu Jiaxin said with a laugh, ¡°Fifth Sister-in-law is careful with money, she wouldn¡¯t want to buy crabs for the kids. You¡¯d better save your pocket money, otherwise, if Fifth Sister-in-law finds out, she¡¯ll argue with you again.¡± Lu Jiajie had no answer and could only say that a penny can stop a hero. Lu Jiaxin knew he cared about his face and usually, she would let it slide, but this time she didn¡¯t avoid the subject: ¡°Qiangqiang and Xiao Feng have lost a lot of weight recently; we need to let them have more nutritious food. It¡¯s not convenient to give them extra meals at the Ma family, so bring them over to my place on the weekends.¡± She knew all about his situation. Because of the Planned Parenthood policies, Ma Lili had Xiao Feng and then was taken for sterilization, rendering the original agreement useless. It was national policy, not a breach of promise by the Lu family, and though Father Ma felt dissatisfied, he could only accept it. Unexpectedly, Big Sister Ma felt discontent, feeling she was treated unfairly compared to her sister. As a daughter of the family, Ma Lili lived in a spacious house of over fifty square meters at her parents¡¯ place, where her parents looked after her child, and she lived comfortably, which made her look like a young girl. In contrast, Big Sister Ma had to endure her mother-in-law¡¯s caprices and her sisters-in-law¡¯s ostracism, all the while her family of five squeezed into a space of twenty square meters. Feeling unjust, she began taking her children home frequently last year and would find ways to needle Lu Jiajie and Ma Lili with her words. Big Sister Ma used to make snarky comments before, but she used to visit only two or three times a month, and beneficiary Ma Lili tolerated it. Yet unexpectedly, after spring began, Big Sister Ma suddenly suggested that her youngest son be adopted by her parents to carry on the Ma family name. No one to carry on the family line was already a sore point for Father Ma and Mother Ma, so upon hearing her suggestion, their attitudes changed dramatically. However, the parents of Brother-in-law Ma didn¡¯t agree, causing the matter to come to a standstill. Ever since Big Sister Ma had mentioned adoption, not only did she hand over her youngest son to Father Ma and Mother Ma to take care of, but she also began bringing her other two children home for meals now and then. Ma Lili contributed to food expenses every month, but Big Sister Ma never paid. The amount of food didn¡¯t increase, but the number of people eating did, and the quality of meals declined markedly. Sometimes Qiangqiang and Xiao Feng couldn¡¯t get enough to eat, which pained Lu Jiajie and Ma Lili a lot. Yet even this did not satisfy Big Sister Ma, who demanded that Ma Lili and Lu Jiajie move out. Ma Lili didn¡¯t refuse, but she had her conditions: she would only move out with her husband and children if Little Fatty¡¯s surname was changed to Ma and his household registration was transferred to her parents¡¯ names. Until then, she wouldn¡¯t leave. Because of this issue, the relationship between the two sisters became very strained. On this matter, Father Ma and Mother Ma were still clear-headed, stating they would only agree to them moving back with the children once they were registered under their names. But Brother-in-law Ma¡¯s parents wouldn¡¯t budge, so the issue remained unresolved. Lu Jiajie didn¡¯t want to take things back home: ¡°Taking things back, Fifth Sister-in-law and Qiangqiang won¡¯t even get much of it.¡± He wasn¡¯t someone who didn¡¯t love his wife and children, but the problem now was that his in-laws favored Little Fatty Yan; they prioritized anything good for him first. Lu Jiaxin was taken aback, not expecting the conflict to be so deep. She said, ¡°How about this? You bring Fifth Sister-in-law and the two kids over to eat at my place. It just so happens that I¡¯ve been finding meals with Xue Mao too quiet. If they come, it¡¯ll be livelier here.¡± Seeing her offer, Lu Jiajie didn¡¯t stand on ceremony, as being too polite would seem distant: ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll bring them over after work.¡± After finishing his meal, Lu Jiajie went back to work. Xue Mao asked with some confusion, ¡°Sister Xin, there were twelve crabs, we ate four at lunch, that still leaves eight. There are only six people in the Ma family, that¡¯s two extra, so why did Brother Jie say that Fifth Sister-in-law and the kids wouldn¡¯t get much?¡± Lu Jiaxin briefly mentioned the situation at the Ma family. Every family had its own issues to deal with, she was in no position to gossip about the Ma family. It made Xue Mao think of his own situation, and he said with some distress, ¡°Sister, why do blood relatives calculate each other over money and possessions like this?¡± ¡°Because of selfishness, because of greed,¡± she replied. Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 31 Understanding the Market Chapter 32: Chapter 31 Understanding the Market After work, Lu Jiajie and Ma Lili picked up their child and came to Radiance Road. Upon seeing Lu Jiaxin, Ma Lili felt a bit embarrassed. After all, Jiaxin was still a child, and Ma Lili thought coming over for a meal was taking advantage. But before she could say anything, Xiao Feng rushed over to hug Lu Jiaxin, sweetly calling her ¡®little auntie¡¯. Lu Jiaxin adored children. She seldom returned home after each of her parents remarried and had more children, feeling that neither place was truly her home. Holding Xiao Feng in her arms, she went to wash hands in the kitchen, and when the food was served, she saved two special drumsticks for the children, giving one to each. Ma Lili quickly intervened, saying, ¡°Jiaxin, what are you doing? You eat the drumsticks. Having chicken meat and chicken soup is already pretty nice.¡± Actually, Ma Lili used to occasionally buy snacks for the children, and though Mother Ma begrudged buying meat and vegetables, she bought meat or poultry every week. But since her nephew Little Fatty Yan moved in, there had been no more snack or meat purchases. Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯ve forgotten, I¡¯ve always liked drumettes and don¡¯t fancy drumsticks at all.¡± She didn¡¯t like drumsticks because they were full of meat but too fibrous. Strangely enough, not only did she share a name and appearance with her original self, their preferences were also quite similar. Sometimes, she even wondered if her past was all a dream. Ma Lili immediately had the two kids thank her. Qiangqiang and Xiao Feng thanked her and then dug into the drumsticks. Ever since Little Fatty moved in, they only had chicken during festivals, and even then, they didn¡¯t get any drumsticks. Ordinary people don¡¯t have rules about not speaking while eating or in bed. Lu Jiaxin and Ma Lili started talking about the department store, and led by her subtle prompting, they switched to discussing clothes and shoes. Ma Lili said, ¡°Nowadays, a lot of clothes and shoes come from Hong Kong. They are fashionable and cheap, which has affected the business of the malls. Currently, only skincare products and large electronic appliances are selling well.¡± Since these items weren¡¯t widely available yet, and the quality of goods from other sources varied greatly, many people still preferred shopping at the department stores. Though business wasn¡¯t as good as before, Ma Lili was a permanent employee with a government-paid salary, so she wasn¡¯t worried. Lu Jiaxin purposefully said, ¡°I¡¯m frail and afraid of the cold now, so I want to buy a pair of thicker leather shoes. I couldn¡¯t find any fashionable, waterproof thick leather shoes when I looked around Xiushui Street with Xue Mao.¡± Ma Lili laughed and said, ¡°With such high standards, it¡¯s normal not to find what you like. But don¡¯t worry, every year before winter, the department store stocks up on several batches of winter shoes, and you will definitely find a pair that satisfies you.¡± ¡°Platform, fashionable, thick cotton leather shoes?¡± Thinking of her high standards, Ma Lili paused and then said, ¡°There are thick cotton leather shoes, but the styles might not be as fashionable.¡± Lu Jiaxin continued to inquire, ¡°Fifth Sister-in-law, I remember the winter shoes sold at the department store last year cost around one hundred and seventy or eighty.¡± In truth, the winter shoes sold at the department store were quite nice to most people, but Lu Jiaxin still found them plain. And yet, such shoes cost around one hundred and seventy or eighty, which she thought was too expensive. Of course, those shoes weren¡¯t initially intended for the average citizens. Ma Lili said with a smile, ¡°They are a bit pricey, but their quality is good and durable. Once the store gets its stock, I¡¯ll save two pairs for you.¡± Third Uncle had sent over crabs at noon, which she knew meant the anger had subsided. She was aware that they wouldn¡¯t seriously fall out, but Lu Hongjun¡¯s quick compromise was unexpected. Thus, saving two pairs of winter shoes for her, mentioning it later would suffice. Lu Jiaxin shook her head and said, ¡°No need, those shoes are too expensive; I can¡¯t afford them. Fifth Brother, when the time comes, help me buy a few pairs of winter shoes from Xue Mao at your factory.¡± She certainly knew the crabs had been sent by Lu Hongjun, but since Lu Jiajie didn¡¯t mention it, she pretended not to know. In any case, she wouldn¡¯t accept anything sent in his name; she had to make Lu Hongjun realize she meant business this time and wasn¡¯t just speaking out of anger. Ma Lili immediately stopped her, saying, ¡°That won¡¯t do. The shoes from your brother¡¯s factory are cloth shoes, which aren¡¯t waterproof and also not good-looking.¡± The cloth shoes from the shoe factory were indeed warm, but they couldn¡¯t be worn out in the snow; once outside, they would get wet and be very inconvenient. Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can wear rain boots when I go out. I don¡¯t have much money on hand right now, so I need to buy things that are practical.¡± Taking the opportunity, Ma Lili advised, ¡°Jiaxin, don¡¯t hold a grudge against your dad; otherwise, you¡¯re just giving that woman an advantage. Listen to your sister-in-law, if you need to soften your stance, then do it. There¡¯s no shame in backing down to your own father.¡± Lu Jiaxin smiled and then changed the subject, ¡°Sister-in-law, Qiangqiang and Xiao Feng haven¡¯t been growing much recently. We still need to give the kids some nutritious food.¡± At the mention of this, Ma Lili¡¯s mood immediately soured, ¡°I¡¯m actually asking around for a place to move to, and once I find a suitable one, we¡¯ll move out and I can properly nourish them.¡± There were actually many reasons for not having moved out. One was the lack of money; two was her job didn¡¯t allow her to pick the children up from kindergarten on time; three, it was out of spite. Lu Jiaxin persuaded, ¡°Fifth Sister-in-law, this incident made me realize one thing, depending on others is useless; in the end, you can only rely on yourself.¡± Ma Lili understood the meaning behind her words, and with a bitter smile, she said, ¡°Xinxin, you¡¯re still young and don¡¯t understand; it¡¯s not as simple as you think.¡± Thinking about how Lu Jiaxin had grown up and become sensible, she shared her concerns, ¡°My sister suggested adopting her youngest son back to our mother¡¯s home, but it hasn¡¯t been finalized yet. If I move out with Fifth Brother, my sister will surely move back in with her husband and child. If they change their minds about the adoption and refuse to move out later, it would be difficult to get them to leave.¡± There¡¯s an old saying that it¡¯s easier to invite the gods than to send them away. Plus, she had another concern she hadn¡¯t voiced, knowing the duplicitous nature of her brother-in-law. If he got hold of the house and the family¡¯s savings, he would surely abandon the parents when they fell ill. Then, it would likely become her responsibility. Now that her husband had grown cold due to his parents¡¯ antics, he would certainly be reluctant to care for them in their old age, leaving her caught in the middle. Therefore, for her to move out, one condition was Little Fatty had to be legally adopted under the parent¡¯s household registration, and a second condition was to sign a care agreement for the elderly. Lu Jiaxin knew the couple had their reasons for not moving out, but she still reminded them, ¡°When that woman came into our home with Zhao Siyi, I realized she meant no good and have since been living in fear, frequently having nightmares where my dad doesn¡¯t want me. So every time I had a conflict with them and dad took their side, I was scared he would abandon me and so I just tolerated it.¡± ¡°Fifth Sister-in-law, based on my own experiences, I think children need to grow up in a relaxed environment, otherwise, they can be left with scars.¡± Thinking about how ever since Little Fatty had moved in, his mother kept saying that the two children had become sensible. It wasn¡¯t that they had become sensible; it was the fear of being scolded, beaten, or driven out that made them behave. The more Ma Lili thought about it, the sadder she felt. Lu Jiajie had long wanted to move out, even if it meant renting a place; it couldn¡¯t be worse than now. But Ma Lili had always disagreed. Seeing her beginning to waver now, he seized the opportunity, saying, ¡°Wife, I think Xinxin is right, we should move out as soon as possible. Even if life is harder, it¡¯s still better than now, when buying something nice for the kids means sneaking around.¡± Ma Lili, looking at the two children who were eating messily yet unwilling to stop, fell silent and then said, ¡°I will consider it.¡± Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 32 The Difficulty of Lu Jiajie Chapter 33: Chapter 32 The Difficulty of Lu Jiajie After dinner, Lu Jiaxin spoke about the matter that had been weighing on her mind, ¡°Fifth Brother, Fifth Sister-in-law, I want to go and pay respects to my mother. Do you know where I can buy incense, candles, and paper money?¡± In past years, when feudal superstitions had been denounced, such items were banned from sale. Although the policy has loosened up now, people are still uncertain, so worshipping is done in secret. She had never dealt with these products before and hadn¡¯t seen any shops selling incense and candles, so she asked Lu Jiajie and Ma Lili. Lu Jiajie was puzzled, ¡°Why do you suddenly want to pay respects to Third Aunt?¡± Ma Lili was frustrated with her husband¡¯s dense response and took on the task, ¡°My mother bought some of these items a few days ago. I¡¯ll ask her when I get home, and once we¡¯ve purchased them, I¡¯ll get your Fifth Brother to bring them over.¡± ¡°Thank you, Fifth Sister-in-law.¡± After the meal, Lu Jiaxin took out ten yuan for Lu Jiajie to buy the incense and such. But before she could hand over the money, she got a scolding instead. Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t insist anymore; she figured she would buy more stuff for Qiangqiang and Xiao Feng in the future, ¡°Fifth Brother, it¡¯s chaotic outside, don¡¯t come over tonight.¡± Lu Jiajie smiled and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll come over tomorrow night.¡± One reason was the presence of Xue Mao, and the other was that the public safety had improved a lot. If it were still as it had been a few months ago, he would definitely have come over, because he wouldn¡¯t have felt at ease otherwise. By the time he got home, it was past eight o¡¯clock. After bathing both children, Mother Ma came out and gave the couple an earful for returning too late, claiming it impacted the children¡¯s rest. Naturally, the child she was referring to was Little Fatty, Yan Jixiang. Lu Jiajie remained silent, but he clearly didn¡¯t look pleased. After the two children had finished their baths and were lying in bed, he deliberately asked, ¡°Qiangqiang, Xiao Feng, would you like it if we moved out?¡± Xiao Feng joyfully said, ¡°Daddy, are we moving to Auntie¡¯s house? Auntie tells me nice stories, and she gives us so many treats, I¡¯m willing.¡± Lu Jiajie paused his breathing, ¡°Who told you we were moving to Auntie¡¯s house?¡± The little girl blurted out without hesitation, ¡°Grandma said so. She said there were so many rooms at Auntie¡¯s house, that it would be more than enough for our whole family to move in.¡± Lu Jiajie was so angry that he was at a loss for words. Xiao Feng then tugged at Ma Lili¡¯s arm, acting coquettishly, ¡°Mommy, can we move to Auntie¡¯s house quickly? If we live at Auntie¡¯s, my cousin won¡¯t be able to steal my and brother¡¯s milk candies anymore.¡± Lu Jiajie was so furious he stood up but Ma Lili held him back. Ma Lili stroked Xiao Feng¡¯s head and asked softly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell your dad and me when your cousin stole your milk candies?¡± With his head hanging down, Qiangqiang said, ¡°Mommy, I told my sister not to tell. If you knew, you¡¯d argue with Grandma again, and Mommy, I don¡¯t want you to argue with Grandma.¡± This kind of incident had happened before, and the fierce quarrelling had made Xiao Feng so scared that she cried loudly. Ma Lili¡¯s nose tingled as tears involuntarily fell. Not wanting her children to see, she turned away to wipe her tears, then, with a choked voice, she held her son and sobbed, ¡°My Qiangqiang is such a good boy.¡± Suppressing his anger, Lu Jiajie said, ¡°Qiangqiang, Xiao Feng, it¡¯s late, and you have school tomorrow. Go to sleep quickly.¡± After shushing the two children to sleep, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll go out and find a place to live tomorrow. Once we have a house, we¡¯ll move out.¡± Ma Lili didn¡¯t want to rent a house. She felt that renting was too unstable, with too many uncertainties, such as the landlord raising the rent or suddenly selling the house. Lu Jiajie gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Then let¡¯s buy a house, even if it¡¯s in a remote location. Lili, it¡¯s okay for us to suffer a bit, but we can¡¯t let our children be wronged.¡± Seeing her child like this, Ma Lili stopped hesitating this time, ¡°We can¡¯t buy something too remote, it won¡¯t be convenient for the kids to go to school. I now have two thousand three hundred yuan on hand, which isn¡¯t enough to buy even a small courtyard, so we¡¯ll have to ask Third Uncle and older brother for a loan.¡± She wasn¡¯t willing to buy a house in a messy, noisy compound where there was too much bickering, so she¡¯d rather endure some hardship to buy a separate small courtyard. Lu Jiajie was stunned, ¡°Do we really have that much money?¡± Ma Lili gave him a sidelong glance and whispered, ¡°You always say I control you too strictly, but if I didn¡¯t, how could we have saved this money? Jiajie, although a bungalow doesn¡¯t have central heating like an apartment does, a detached house still offers peace and privacy.¡± Their living expenses were bound to double once they moved out, but after buying the house, the couple would only have to support their two children. They both had jobs and weren¡¯t afraid, it would just be more tiring without anyone to help. But no matter how exhausting it was, it was better than letting the children suffer. Lu Jiajie didn¡¯t think it was a big deal, ¡°If you¡¯re afraid of the cold, we can just build a kang in the house. Before we go to sleep, we¡¯ll heat the kang, and we won¡¯t even need to cover ourselves with quilts at night.¡± The next noon, Lu Jiajie went to find Lu Hongjun and told him about Lu Jiaxin going to buy incense and candles to offer sacrifices to Mrs. Lu. Lu Jiajie said, ¡°Third Uncle, Xue Mao told me that the night he saved Xinxin, she came down with a high fever, and all night Xinxin was calling for her mother.¡± ¡°The fever lasted for two days and nights before it subsided. Xue Mao was worried that it might turn her into an idiot. The next day, when Xinxin woke up, she was so weak from blood loss that she needed support just to walk.¡± Lu Hongjun had guessed that Lu Jiaxin had suffered in Ancient Capital, but he hadn¡¯t imagined it to be so hard. Seeing him silent, Lu Jiajie continued, ¡°Xue Mao himself didn¡¯t even have stable meals, and after saving Xinxin, they both went hungry. For the sake of survival, Xinxin began to set up a stall with Xue Mao. At that time, her body was still very weak, almost suffering from heatstroke on the first day of vending. But to earn money for food, Xinxin didn¡¯t go back, and instead lay down under the big tree beside the stall.¡± Lu Hongjun asked hoarsely, ¡°And after that?¡± Lu Jiajie said, ¡°Xinxin¡¯s food was delicious, and her business was bustling, but it wasn¡¯t long before she caught the attention of some thugs. The stall was smashed by them, and both Xue Mao and Xinxin were injured, taking several days to recover.¡± The tale of the stall being overturned and people being injured by street thugs was true, but Lu Jiaxin hadn¡¯t gone to the stall; Xue Mao was the one injured. After hearing Xue Mao¡¯s story, he understood why his sister had changed so much. Having gone through so much, it would have been strange if she hadn¡¯t changed. ¡°She never mentioned it to me.¡± Lu Jiajie really wanted to retort but didn¡¯t have the nerve, ¡°Third Uncle, Xinxin said yesterday that in this world you can¡¯t rely on anyone but yourself. Third Uncle, Xinxin isn¡¯t just trying to scare you, she really wants to cut ties with you.¡± Lu Hongjun fell silent for a moment, then took out an envelope from the drawer, ¡°Here¡¯s three hundred yuan. Whatever Xinxin is lacking, you help her get it.¡± Lu Jiajie didn¡¯t hesitate for a second to take the envelope and then talked about his own plans to buy a house, ¡°Our child¡¯s food was stolen, and Mother Ma didn¡¯t discipline Yan Jixiang strictly, instead saying Qiangqiang and Xiao Feng are stingy. Third Uncle, I really can¡¯t stay at the Ma family anymore, Lili and I have discussed it and we want to buy a small detached courtyard.¡± He specifically mentioned this to Lu Hongjun in the hope he would help in inquiring about it, since Lu Hongjun had connections he couldn¡¯t compare to. Of course, the most important thing was hoping to get it at a discounted price. Lu Hongjun nodded, ¡°I will keep an eye out. If there¡¯s something suitable, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± Since Jiajie only had the one son, Qiangqiang, it was clear that he couldn¡¯t be adopted out to the Ma family. And since the Ma family¡¯s eldest daughter was willing to have her youngest son adopted back to her own family, all the Ma family¡¯s assets and jobs would belong to that child in the future. Since they had to move anyway, buying a house sooner and moving out would allow them to start their peaceful lives earlier. Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 33: Worshiping Mrs. Lu Chapter 34: Chapter 33: Worshiping Mrs. Lu Lu Jiajie brought over a basket filled with paper money and candles and, after placing everything neatly, he handed the envelope to Lu Jiaxin. Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t take it. Lu Jiajie said, ¡°Here¡¯s three hundred yuan. Xinxin, didn¡¯t you say before that you wanted to buy leather shoes? With this money, you can go buy them tomorrow.¡± Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t take it and said with an indifferent expression, ¡°Fifth Brother, I know you mean well, but I won¡¯t take another cent from him from now on.¡± One must maintain a certain stance, otherwise, given how selfish and self-serving Lu Hongjun is, if he sees her relent for three hundred yuan, he would treat her with the same attitude as before. ¡°Xinxin¡­¡± Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t want to hear what he had to say next. Waving her hand, she said, ¡°Ding Jing and Zhao Siyi almost took my life and destroyed my future, and he didn¡¯t even hold them accountable. Fifth Brother, to be honest with you, I had already thought about severing ties with him on the day I returned to the Forty-nine City, but I gave him another chance out of regard for the fact that he gave birth to me and raised me. But you¡¯ve seen what he¡¯s done. He¡¯s simply not worthy.¡± Lu Jiajie sighed, ¡°Xinxin, I understand how you feel. But if you really become stubborn with Third Uncle, you¡¯ll only be making things easier for that mother and daughter.¡± Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°Fifth Brother, I know for sure that he has saved up quite a bit of money. If the price is to tolerate the venomous mother and daughter flouncing around in front of me every day, then I¡¯d rather not have it.¡± ¡°Real men don¡¯t eat meals from their parents¡¯ home, and real women don¡¯t wear clothes provided by their parents when they marry. Without his money, I believe I can still live a comfortable life in the future.¡± Lu Jiajie didn¡¯t try to persuade her anymore. His sister was still angry, and continuing to persuade her would be like fanning the flames; it would be better to wait until she cooled down and then talk to her properly! Alas, his own head was filled with lawsuits. Lu Jiajie didn¡¯t want to go back and decided to stay in the alleyway house overnight. As there was a need for good nutrition, the food here was excellent. In the evening, Xue Mao cooked three dishes and one soup: braised fish, stir-fried green beans with chili, clear stir-fried water spinach, and rib and kelp soup, and half a pot of rice was cooked. One bowl of rice was enough for Lu Jiaxin, but Lu Jiajie and Xue Mao were big eaters. The four dishes and a pressure cooker full of rice were polished off by them. Lu Jiajie burped contentedly and said, ¡°Jiaxin, it¡¯s always more comfortable at your place.¡± His sweet mouth and ability to mingle easily and lay aside his pride meant that he had a good few years at the Ma family. However, after Ma Lili was sterilized, Father Ma¡¯s attitude towards him wasn¡¯t as favorable as before, but it was still within the bounds of tolerance. It all changed when Big Sister Ma had a sudden inspiration, and Father Ma began to show displeasure towards him. Lu Jiaxin asked, ¡°Brother, is your wife still not yielding?¡± Lu Jiajie said with a grin and a twinkle in his eye, ¡°She agreed to move out. But she doesn¡¯t like the idea of renting and wants to buy a house. Jiaxin, speaking of which, I owe it to you.¡± He had also quietly calculated the family¡¯s savings before and thought that the most they could save up was fifteen to sixteen hundred yuan. Although both he and his wife worked, they had to contribute to living expenses every month and occasionally buy something for the household. On top of that, they had to raise two children, which was a considerable expense. Upon hearing this, Lu Jiaxin immediately said, ¡°Brother, it¡¯s best to buy a house next to the school. That way, it will be convenient for Qiangqiang and Xiao Feng to go to school later.¡± It gets bitterly cold in the Forty-nine City during the winter, and it would be tough to cycle to the school every day if it¡¯s too far. Adults might endure it, but children with weaker constitutions might not be able to take it. Lu Jiajie slapped his forehead, wondering why he¡¯d forgotten about this. He planned to call Lu Hongjun about it the next day. In fact, during his seven years in the Forty-nine City, he had grown accustomed to turning to Lu Hongjun whenever there was a problem, and each time, Lu Hongjun would lend a helping hand. This time, with buying a house, he had informed Lu Hongjun right away. It was the same for Lu Hongjun; if there was anything that needed to be done, he would instruct him to do it. For instance, when Lu Jiaxin moved house and held a banquet, it was he who busied himself inside and out. After dinner, the three of them were in the yard, enjoying the coolness of the evening and chatting. Mostly, it was Lu Jiajie talking, while Lu Jiaxin and Xue Mao listened. Lu Jiaxin actually knew that half of what he said was boasting, but she didn¡¯t reveal it because she didn¡¯t want to disrupt the pleasant atmosphere. Time flies when you¡¯re chatting; before they knew it, more than an hour had passed. It was Lu Jiaxin who mentioned that it was almost time to sleep, prompting the three of them to wash up and go to bed. Visiting the grave required not only incense, candles, and paper money, but also offerings. Lu Jiaxin had already bought the fruit; all that was left was the rice and dishes. The next morning, as the sky was just beginning to brighten, Lu Jiaxin and Xue Mao got up to prepare, while Lu Jiajie didn¡¯t wake up until seven. Stepping out of his room, he smelled the scent of meat. Standing at the kitchen doorway, Lu Jiajie poked his head in to see what was cooking and asked. Lu Jiaxin said with a smile, ¡°I made cabbage and pork dumplings as well as three-filling dumplings. Fifth Brother, which would you like to eat? I¡¯ll boil them for you right now.¡± Lu Jiajie liked both: ¡°Cook a lot, huh!¡± After gobbling down a big bowl of dumplings, he couldn¡¯t help but pat his belly. If he continued to stay, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the weight he had lost recently would be gained back. After checking everything one more time, Lu Jiaxin prepared to leave with Xue Mao. Seeing Lu Jiajie still in the yard, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Brother, why aren¡¯t you going to work yet?¡± Lu Jiajie, smiling, said he had taken the day off, ¡°You two are going out to the suburbs. What if you run into bad people? Let¡¯s go, the sooner we leave, the sooner we¡¯ll be back.¡± Although Third Uncle had not said so, he knew that was the intention. But even if Hongjun had not hinted at it, he had planned to accompany Lu Jiaxin anyway. A few months ago, a young girl had been attacked on her way to her relatives¡¯ place in the suburbs¡ªin broad daylight, no less! Although public security had tightened and many were laying low, he couldn¡¯t be at ease without going along. Two and a half hours later, Lu Jiaxin stood in front of Mrs. Lu¡¯s grave. For some reason, as she saw the photograph on the tombstone, her tears streamed out like a dam bursting forth. Lu Jiajie placed the dumplings and a bowl of white meat in front of the grave, then took a white candle from the basket to light it, and lastly took out a bundle of incense. Lu Jiaxin took the incense, knelt on the ground, and while crying, she kowtowed. After kowtowing, she inserted the incense in front of the grave, wiped her tears, and knelt to burn the paper money. After Xue Mao had finished offering his incense, Lu Jiajie pulled him away. They didn¡¯t go far, stopping around the corner. Xue Mao, looking at Lu Jiaxin who was crying like a tearful figure, frowned and said, ¡°Fifth Brother, why did you pull me away? Sister is still inside.¡± Lu Jiajie spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Xinxin was nearly killed by that mother and daughter duo, and Third Uncle didn¡¯t support her. She has so much grievance in her heart, grievances that she can¡¯t share with us, and now can only pour out to Third Aunt.¡± Since their return, the girl had seemed dan and stern. Yet, he and his elder brother knew that, deep down, she was as bitter as Yellow Lotus. She was just like before, not one to complain, silently enduring all the pain alone. Seeing Lu Jiajie and the others had walked away, and after looking around to make sure no one was there, Lu Jiaxin dried her tears and whispered in a voice that only she could hear, ¡°Auntie, Sister Xin, rest assured, I will make sure that mother and daughter pair pay the price.¡± Seeing her eyes swollen like peaches, Lu Jiajie handed her a handkerchief, ¡°Don¡¯t be upset, Third Aunt will watch over you from heaven.¡± Lu Jiaxin, choking back tears, said, ¡°I know, let¡¯s go back!¡± Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 34 Trap Chapter 35: Chapter 34 Trap From Radiance Road to the cemetery, it was necessary to change buses twice. While waiting for the second bus, Lu Jiaxin smelled an overpowering fragrance. Following the scent, she discovered an old man selling roast chicken. Already hungry, the aroma made her stomach grumble even louder. Lu Jiaxin asked, ¡°Old man, how much for one roast chicken?¡± This roast chicken smelled much more delicious than the one Lu Hongjun had bought last time. ¡°Eight yuan.¡± Lu Jiajie almost jumped up upon hearing this, ¡°A fat hen from the market costs only about three or four yuan, and this chicken looks to weigh at most two jin, yet you dare to ask for eight yuan?¡± The old man wasn¡¯t annoyed and, with a palm fan in hand, fanned the stove as he spoke, ¡°The method for this roast chicken has been passed down in my family for generations, with no fewer than eight separate steps, plus the need to manage the fire meticulously. Young man, eight yuan for one is really not expensive.¡± What he didn¡¯t mention was that, in the past, their family¡¯s roast chicken had sold for up to five foreign dollars each, but later on, they were no longer allowed to do business and had to close shop. Now that he saw many people starting businesses again, his family could hardly make ends meet, so he picked up the craft again. Lu Jiaxin then asked, ¡°Old man, may I try a piece? If it tastes good, I will buy one.¡± The old man indicated that tasting wasn¡¯t possible and said with a smile, ¡°Young miss, after you buy it and take a bite, if you find it unpalatable, you don¡¯t have to pay.¡± When the roast chicken was taken out of the iron pot and brought before her, the fragrance became even richer. Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t taste it; she was a bit of a clean freak and didn¡¯t touch food without washing her hands first. After counting out eight yuan for the old man, Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°Just for this fragrance alone, it must be delicious. Old man, are you here every day? I¡¯ll come here when I want to eat it in the future.¡± The old man chuckled and said, ¡°My house is nearby. If you want to buy in the future, just ask anyone for Zhang¡¯s roast chicken; everyone knows it.¡± Carrying the roast chicken onto the bus, even though it was wrapped in oil paper and rolled in thick newspaper, the aroma could not be contained. The other passengers on the bus salivated at the scent, including Lu Jiajie and Xue Mao. As soon as the two reached home, they rushed into the kitchen to start their tasks, one lighting the stove to boil water, and the other washing the greens. With their joint efforts, a bowl of green vegetables and noodles was ready in no time. Looking at the roast chicken torn into pieces on the table, Lu Jiajie said, ¡°Jiaxin, divide it into three portions, one for each of us.¡± Lu Jiaxin smiled and agreed. She kept two chicken wings and the neck in her bowl and let the other two share the rest. Lu Jiajie, unable to wait, tore off a chicken leg and bit into it, mumbling with appreciation, ¡°Delicious, so delicious. Jiaxin, these eight yuan were well spent.¡± Lu Jiaxin also picked up a chicken wing and took a bite, with the flavor instantly spreading through her entire mouth. The chicken was indeed tasty; the meat was succulent and chewy, and the more she chewed, the better it tasted. A roast chicken and a bowl of green vegetable noodles were devoured completely by the three of them. Touching his belly, Lu Jiajie said, ¡°I was originally going to stop you from buying it; luckily, I didn¡¯t, or else we would have missed out on this delicious roast chicken.¡± His monthly salary was just over eighty yuan, and one roast chicken had taken up a tenth of that. However, thinking of the three hundred yuan Lu Jiaxin had refused to take yesterday, he again urged her to accept the money. Lu Jiaxin disliked rehashing an issue and shooed him away, ¡°Brother Jie, it¡¯s already half past one, you¡¯d better hurry to work so you won¡¯t be late.¡± After glancing at his watch, Lu Jiajie hurried off to the shoe factory. During his break, he boasted to his colleagues about the roast chicken he had eaten that day. After he left, Xue Mao locked the door before saying, ¡°Sister, Brother Jie is coming over to sleep here tonight; it¡¯s not good for him to never go home, right?¡± Lu Jiaxin did not want to discuss the Ma family¡¯s affairs and made up an excuse, ¡°It¡¯s too crowded at home. It¡¯s better for Brother Jie to come here, so Sister-in-law and the two kids can have more space to sleep.¡± The Ma family originally had three separate rooms: one for the two elders, one for Lu Jiajie and Ma Lili to sleep in, and one for the two children. Since Yan Jixiang moved in, the children had started to sleep with their parents. The room was small with only a one-and-a-half-meter-wide bed. It was tolerable in winter when they could squeeze together, but in summer, it was too uncomfortable for four people to sleep together, so Lu Jiajie had no choice but to sleep on the floor. They could bear the harsh conditions, but now that Father Ma and Mother Ma had changed their attitude and Big Sister Ma always spoke in a sarcastic tone during her visits, no one would be happy to go back. Fortunately, Fifth Sister-in-law had agreed to buy a house, so they just needed to endure a little longer until things got better. After taking a break, Lu Jiaxin was ready to go back to her room when someone knocked on the door at that moment, ¡°Sister Jiaxin, it¡¯s me, Su Heming!¡± Xue Mao immediately went to open the door. As he stepped into the courtyard, Lu Jiaxin noticed the gold watch on his hand. With just one glance, she knew it wasn¡¯t the same one as last time. Full of gratitude, Su Heming said, ¡°Sister Jiaxin, thank you, you really saved my life. I had the watch appraised, and it¡¯s indeed genuine.¡± Xue Mao was full of questions: ¡°Someone gives you a real watch, and it turns into a matter of life and death for you?¡± Seeing his confusion, Su Heming explained, ¡°That gold watch could sell for 150,000 on the black market. Wearing something so valuable around could end up getting you killed over money any day.¡± Xue Mao¡¯s eyes glazed over, his mind overwhelmed with the thought of 150,000. One hundred and fifty thousand, one hundred and fifty thousand¡ªhow much money was that? Could a room even hold it all? A trace of gloom flickered in Lu Jiaxin¡¯s eyes¡ªthere was certainly something off about the watch. And if she wasn¡¯t mistaken, it was probably targeted at Su Ya. Su Heming himself wasn¡¯t worth such a grand gesture. ¡°So someone gives you a gold watch worth one hundred and fifty thousand just so thieves would target you and kill you? There must be more to it than that, right?¡± Su Heming said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the details, but there¡¯s definitely something wrong with this watch. My aunt advised me to swap the real watch for a fake one and halt all my business for now until my dad and big brother come back from Hong Kong.¡± Lu Jiaxin had asked Lu Jiajie, but unfortunately, he didn¡¯t know much about the Xie Family or the Su family. Xue Mao was incredulously surprised, ¡°Your family can even go to Hong Kong?¡± Su Heming said his dad went for a family visit, ¡°My grandfather and elder uncle moved to Hong Kong many years ago to do business, We lost contact for some reasons, but reconnected recently. My dad missed my grandfather, so he took my elder brother to visit him.¡± Lu Jiaxin understood at once¡ªthe Su family must have been very wealthy before, possibly even big capitalists. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go?¡± Hong Kong, huh? Everything from there is so sought-after these days; people would be envious of the chance to go there. The smile disappeared from Su Heming¡¯s face, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go. Back then, my grandfather left my grandmother, my dad, and his two younger sisters behind to go to Hong Kong with my elder uncle¡¯s family. My grandmother passed away before forty because she worked too hard, and my eldest aunt was bullied to death. Since they didn¡¯t need us initially, why bother acknowledging us now!¡± ¡°What about your aunt¡¯s opinion?¡± asked Lu Jiaxin. Madam Xie¡¯s attitude was the key since the Xie family was on the rise now, and if the main branch of the Su family wanted to come back to the Mainland to do business, they would need her support. Su Heming hesitated before saying, ¡°My aunt said she respects my dad¡¯s decision. As for herself, she didn¡¯t say much.¡± Not taking a stance was effectively the same as not wanting to acknowledge them. It was just that China has valued filial piety for thousands of years, and some things are inconvenient to say outright, so they had to convey it in this manner. Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 35: Su Hemings Thank-You Gift Chapter 36: Chapter 35: Su Heming¡¯s Thank-You Gift On this visit, Su Heming came not only to express his gratitude but also to fulfill his promise by bringing the set of jade ornaments he had mentioned earlier. Originally, he planned to send a younger brother to deliver them, but Lu Jiaxin¡¯s advice had saved him from being duped, and he was so grateful that he decided to come in person. Upon opening the box, Lu Jiaxin saw that it contained hairpins, hairpins of different sorts, pendent jewels, splendid hair ornaments, bracelets, necklaces, rings, and earrings. While holding a hairpin, Lu Jiaxin asked, ¡°How much money did your friend owe you?¡± ¡°Five thousand eight hundred.¡± ¡°Do you know this set of jewelry is made of mutton-fat jade? I¡¯m not sure about the current market price, but if it¡¯s sold in Hong Kong, fetching several hundred thousand wouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± Xue Mao¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of his sockets. Su Heming¡¯s family wasn¡¯t wealthy when he came of age, and he had no research on jade or jadeite, though he still had an eye for quality: ¡°I knew this set of jewelry was something special when I saw it, but I didn¡¯t know it was mutton-fat jade.¡± He had intended to give this set of jade ornaments to Lu Jiaxin mainly out of gratitude for Mrs. Lu saving his cousin. But now, his affection was directed entirely toward Lu Jiaxin herself. This girl¡¯s heart was as kind as her mother¡¯s, and he thought her worthy of friendship. Lu Jiaxin liked the set of jewelry very much and couldn¡¯t bear to return it to Su Heming: ¡°I really like this set of jade ornaments, but I cannot accept such a gift without reason. Big Brother Su, I will buy the jewelry, but I¡¯ll pay you by the end of the year.¡± Su Heming pretended to be displeased as he said, ¡°I said it¡¯s a gift for you, how could I take your money? Besides, if it wasn¡¯t for you, I would have been conned. Sister Jiaxin, do you really think that my life is not worth these few broken stones?¡± Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t know how to refute him. Su Heming said with a smile, ¡°Just keep it if it¡¯s for you. If it makes you feel uneasy, just buy me a real gold watch when you¡¯ve made money in the future.¡± This greatly pleased Lu Jiaxin; she thought Su Heming was somewhat silly but had good taste: ¡°Okay, when I make big money, I will buy you a Rolex gold watch.¡± Xue Mao just thought Lu Jiaxin was teasing Su Heming, as a gold watch worth over a hundred thousand was not something they could afford. Only later did he realize how shallow he had been and greatly underestimated Sister Xin¡¯s capabilities. Planning to enter into business, Lu Jiaxin naturally sought advice from someone experienced: ¡°Big Brother Su, what kind of business do you do?¡± Su Heming didn¡¯t hide anything and said, ¡°We bring over electronics, clothing, cassette tapes, and such from Peng City to sell. Currently, items from Hong Kong are in high demand. Once the relationships are established, you just sell casually, and profit is guaranteed, the only question is how much.¡± ¡°How long have you been doing this, and how much have you made?¡± Su Heming replied with a laugh, ¡°I only started at the beginning of last year, and up till now, I¡¯ve made about three hundred thousand. After splitting it with a few brothers, I got around a hundred thousand.¡± Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t believe his claim of making three hundred thousand in a year and a half just by reselling goods; she thought it could be believable with an extra zero added to that figure. Lu Jiaxin deliberately said, ¡°Reselling goods might earn some hard-earned money, but reselling pirated stuff is different. I¡¯ve heard of many people making an easy few million just like that.¡± Su Heming wasn¡¯t surprised; after all, with Lu Hongjun¡¯s status, it wasn¡¯t strange for Lu Jiaxin to know these things. He said with a smile, ¡°With reselling goods, as long as you don¡¯t get caught on the spot, there¡¯s no issue. But reselling that stuff isn¡¯t the same; it¡¯s illegal. The Young Lady strictly forbids us from touching it.¡± The last sentence was the crux. Madam Xie forbid them from touching it, so the father and sons didn¡¯t dare to go against her wishes. In previous years, it was under her protection that they had endured the most difficult times, or else they would¡¯ve long joined their grandmother. Lu Jiaxin asked again, ¡°Besides trading in goods and that thing, what other industry is both legal and highly profitable?¡± Su Heming really knew one. He said, ¡°Dealing in antiques can also be very profitable, buying low and selling high to the Gao family, but you have to be an expert to succeed. Amateurs who get involved might end up bankrupt. If you like these old artifacts, I can ask someone to find a couple of items to give you.¡± Lu Jiaxin felt a surge of interest. When she was studying abroad in the city of romance, she visited a classmate¡¯s home and saw a Tang Dynasty painting of court ladies in her room, depicting scenes of noblewomen on an outing. The ladies in the painting, all dressed in splendid attire, were either frolicking with water, chasing butterflies with round fans, or composing poetry and lyrics amidst flowers¡­ The composition was exquisite and the colors bright, showcasing the beauty and unspoiled radiance of the noble young girls of the Tang Dynasty. This painting had been purchased by her classmate¡¯s grandfather over thirty years ago while visiting the Ancient Capital. His grandfather had planned to go to the antique market before leaving the country to buy some items as souvenirs. When he entered the antique shop, it just so happened that someone was selling the painting. The shopkeeper had declared it fake, and the seller, unwilling to sell it for too cheap, had walked away. Her classmate¡¯s grandfather liked brightly colored paintings and fell in love with this one. He didn¡¯t care about its authenticity and bought it at the seller¡¯s asking price. But unexpectedly, the seller, seeing his readiness, said he had more paintings and books that he wanted to sell him all together. Her classmate¡¯s grandfather found out that the seller had accidentally discovered a hidden passage in his home and had found several paintings and many books inside it. The classmate¡¯s grandfather wasn¡¯t interested in the books, but he had a friend who was very fond of Eastern Culture. He bought all the paintings and books from the seller for ten thousand US dollars. Later, when her classmate¡¯s family faced difficulties, they sold the other paintings to get through the tough times. The painting of the court ladies was only preserved because the female classmate loved it so much and had begged and cried to keep it. At that time, the painting¡¯s value had increased tens of thousands of times over, which left her astonished. However, after admiring it, she was inspired and designed clothes that sold incredibly well. Su Heming extended his right hand and waved it in front of Lu Jiaxin, seeing her snap back to reality, he smiled and asked, ¡°What were you daydreaming about just now? You didn¡¯t even respond when I was talking to you.¡± Lu Jiaxin was in an excellent mood at the time and said, ¡°I was thinking of some things.¡± She could go to the Ancient Capital to buy the person¡¯s house; that way, the items in the secret room would be hers. She could then sell one or two items as startup capital and keep the rest for her collection. As for the books, she would donate them to a museum. ¡°What¡¯s got you so happy?¡± After two encounters, Lu Jiaxin concluded that her father and brother were running the business of trading goods, and this guy was at most a runner and helper. The reason was simple: he lacked the savvy. Lu Jiaxin made up an excuse to brush off the question, ¡°How long have your dad and Big Brother gone to Hong Kong, and when will they be back?¡± Su Heming shook his head, indicating he didn¡¯t know, ¡°I can¡¯t guess what they¡¯re up to, not going to waste my brain on that. Sister Jiaxin, you need rest because you are frail, but Xue Mao doesn¡¯t. Do you want me to find him a job?¡± Jobs were hard to come by now, and it was sincere of him to offer. However, Lu Jiaxin intended to keep Xue Mao by her side to train, rather than let him waste time in a job without technical content. Lu Jiaxin shook her head and said, ¡°No need, Xue Mao doesn¡¯t like being managed by others.¡± Xue Mao indeed wasn¡¯t willing to work a regular job. It would only pay him a hundred or so a month in a factory, and it was not at all liberating. Although setting up a street stall was tiring, he didn¡¯t need to be managed by others, and he could earn more. Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 36: Opposing Uselessness Chapter 37: Chapter 36: Opposing Uselessness Big Brother Su had other things to attend to and didn¡¯t stay long. After seeing him off, Xue Mao couldn¡¯t wait to ask, ¡°Sis, was the watch Big Brother Su wore last time really worth one hundred and fifty thousand? Even if it¡¯s made of gold, it can¡¯t be worth that much.¡± Gold is currently around thirty yuan per gram, so half a jin would only be worth several thousand at most, nowhere near that amount of money. He was skeptical about what Su Heming said. Lu Jiaxin said with a smile, ¡°Rolex is a globally renowned brand and a symbol of status. In other words, only those who are rich and powerful can afford to wear it.¡± That is the value of the brand. There are many centuries-old brands abroad, but they are rare in our country. In her past life, she had thought about opening a clothing factory to sell her designs all over the world. She didn¡¯t achieve it before, but this life, she was determined to make it happen. Xue Mao understood that latter part. When Lu Jiajie returned home in the evening, Lu Jiaxin asked him, ¡°Are there any pawnshops in the Forty-nine City now?¡± ¡°Why are you asking about that?¡± Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t bother making up an excuse to deceive him, it was unnecessary, ¡°Do you still remember Su Heming? Madam Xie¡¯s nephew from her maternal family. I did him a favor, and today he sent me a set of jewelry. I have no use for it, so I want to pawn it to get some money to start a business.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need much capital to set up a snack stand.¡± Lu Jiaxin said with a smile, ¡°Bro, a snack stand only requires a few tens in capital. Su Heming said that doing business is very profitable nowadays, and he has a friend in the clothing business from whom I can get merchandise. Selling snacks is hard work and doesn¡¯t earn much. I¡¯d like to set up a stall selling clothes.¡± Lu Jiajie himself had been tempted, but he didn¡¯t agree with Lu Jiaxin doing business, ¡°Xinxin, business isn¡¯t that easy. Some people do make money, but many more end up bankrupt. Xinxin, your top priority is to recover your health and then go back to school for your college entrance exams. Once you¡¯re in college, you¡¯ll have a secure job and won¡¯t have to worry about food and clothing for the rest of your life.¡± Lu Jiaxin knew this was the common mindset, but there was no way she could work for someone else. In her previous life, she was a wage worker; this life, she wanted to be the boss. And as for working in a state-owned enterprise or a public institution, she valued her freedom too much to consider it. After thinking it over, Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°Fifth Brother, let me have a try. You don¡¯t need to worry about me not being able to handle it; I¡¯ll just take care of procuring the goods, and Xue Mao can handle selling the clothes at the stall.¡± ¡°Fifth Brother, we can¡¯t touch the money in the savings book. Right now, I only have a little over a thousand yuan on hand. Repeating a year requires quite a bit of money, and even more is needed for four years of college. This amount of money won¡¯t be enough.¡± Lu Jiajie felt these concerns didn¡¯t need his attention, as Lu Hongjun would provide for them. Lu Jiaxin said resolutely, ¡°If I were to use his money, I¡¯d rather not retake the college entrance exams or go to college and just join Xue Mao in running a stall to support myself.¡± Seeing her attitude, Lu Jiajie felt a twinge of alarm in his heart. This girl couldn¡¯t seriously be considering it, could she? If so, wouldn¡¯t that be playing right into the Ding family¡¯s hands? No, absolutely not. He couldn¡¯t persuade her right now, as she was still angry and it might backfire. Lu Jiajie said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want Third Uncle¡¯s support, then I and Big Brother will support you. Don¡¯t reject the idea just yet, hear me out. The cost will mainly be for the repeating year. Once you¡¯re in college, you¡¯ll receive government subsidies and won¡¯t need to spend much.¡± His sister-in-law and his wife were both reasonable people and would likely agree. Of course, these were just comforting words for Lu Jiaxin. That money would definitely need to come from Third Uncle. Lu Jiaxin flatly refused, ¡°You all have your own families and your own difficulties, I can¡¯t burden you. Fifth Brother, I just want to take advantage of this rest period to start a business, and once I¡¯m healthy, I¡¯ll go back to school to retake the exams. I¡¯ll hand the business over to Xue Mao to manage.¡± ¡°Xinxin, doing business isn¡¯t that simple,¡± he said. Lu Jiaxin laughed, saying, ¡°Doing business is tough, but even tougher was when we were in the Ancient Capital. Back then, we were weak and had no one to rely on, even getting bullied while doing small trades. Under such difficult conditions, Xue Mao and I still made money. Now that I have you and Big Brother to rely on, not to mention the resources provided by Su Heming, I don¡¯t believe I can¡¯t make money.¡± ¡°Is it reliable?¡± Lu Jiaxin replied with a smile, ¡°He¡¯s Madam Xie¡¯s nephew, and I helped him avoid other people¡¯s schemes. It¡¯s impossible for him to cheat me.¡± Knowing the details of how Su Heming was schemed against, Lu Jiajie marveled at the Su family¡¯s wealth and power; to set a trap for him involved using a gold watch worth more than a hundred thousand as bait. A person giving guidance to Xinxin like this shouldn¡¯t be a problem. He also felt that doing business with him should be profitable, but he wouldn¡¯t express that. Lu Jiajie said, ¡°Xinxin, Third Uncle and Big Brother won¡¯t agree to this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my decision to make, and it¡¯s useless for them not to agree,¡± Lu Jiaxin said, showing her sharp edge for the first time. If it weren¡¯t for the need to get information from Lu Jiajie, she would have kept this to herself. Lu Jiaxin asked, ¡°Fifth Brother, if you don¡¯t help me, I¡¯ll find someone else to gather information.¡± What could Lu Jiajie do but agree for the time being? However, he turned around and told Lu Hongjun and Lu Jiaguang about it. This time, Lu Hongjun decided not to interfere. He said, ¡°If she wants to sell clothes, let her sell them. She really thinks that making money is easy.¡± Running a snack stall is not the same as being in the clothing business. With a snack stall, as long as the food is tasty, making money is not hard, but there are many intricacies in selling clothes. ¡°Third Uncle, you¡¯re really not going to intervene?¡± Lu Hongjun said firmly, ¡°No, I won¡¯t. Since she doesn¡¯t want the three hundred yuan, you keep it, buy some new clothes for the two kids, or get them some good food.¡± Lu Jiajie felt stifled. Lu Hongjun might say he wanted Lu Jiaxin to learn that making money isn¡¯t easy, but he clearly understood this was intended to make his sister yield. Suddenly, he thought that Lu Jiaxin¡¯s decision might be the right one; only by gaining financial independence could she escape Third Uncle¡¯s control. On the other hand, if Lu Jiaxin managed to make money through business, there would be even less chance of reconciling the father-daughter relationship. Lu Jiaguang strongly opposed the idea when he learned about it. He believed that at her age, she should be focusing on her studies: ¡°There will be plenty of opportunities to make money later. Her priority right now should be to take care of her health and then retake the university entrance exams.¡± He paused before adding, ¡°Tell Jiaxin that going to college is completely different from not going. Those who get into college are all exceptional individuals. Once she gets into college, not only can she acquire knowledge but also build a network. All these would be valuable whether she decides to work in a unit or run a business in the future.¡± This time, Lu Jiajie spoke well of Lu Jiaxin, ¡°Big Brother, Jiaxin means to sell clothes and make some money while she¡¯s recuperating. Once she¡¯s better, she¡¯ll go back to studying, and she¡¯ll leave the business to Xue Mao to handle.¡± ¡°Big Brother, Jiaxin says she¡¯s definitely going to college ¨C it was Third Aunt¡¯s dying wish. These days, she reads English every morning, and she also keeps up with her other subjects.¡± ¡°Big Brother, Jiaxin doesn¡¯t want to take Third Uncle¡¯s money anymore; that¡¯s why she wants to earn money for her studies and college.¡± Lu Jiaguang said, ¡°If she doesn¡¯t want Third Uncle¡¯s money, I will support her.¡± Lu Jiajie replied with a bitter smile, ¡°I said I would support her studies with you, but she doesn¡¯t want that. She says we have our own families and our troubles, and she can¡¯t burden us. Brother, why not let her give it a try? Who knows, maybe she really can make money!¡± Lu Jiaguang felt a deep sense of frustration. Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 37 Mortgage Chapter 38: Chapter 37 Mortgage Lu Jiajie supported Lu Jiaxin selling clothes, and he shared his thoughts: ¡°Third Uncle treats Jiaxin like this only because he¡¯s confident she¡¯ll bow to him since she¡¯s currently reliant on him. If Jiaxin starts her own business and makes money, no longer depending on him, perhaps his attitude will change.¡± Lu Jiaguang, who knew him well, asked: ¡°Do you think Jiaxin can make money selling clothes?¡± Because Lu Jiaxin had asked him to keep the matter of Su Heming to himself for the time being, Lu Jiajie, who still had a sense of loyalty, replied, ¡°Big Brother, Jiaxin is very careful in her actions. She said selling clothes must have been thoroughly considered, and I don¡¯t think she will suffer a loss.¡± After a moment of silence, Lu Jiaguang said, ¡°Since she wishes to do it, let her give it a try. If she makes money, in the future, Third Uncle will have concerns and won¡¯t dare to treat her as before. Even if she loses money, it¡¯s okay. Consider it an experience that will benefit her later.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell her tomorrow.¡± That very night, Lu Jiajie told her about the conversation and also mentioned a pawnshop in the Glazed Factory: ¡°I¡¯ll go with you tomorrow. I¡¯ve asked around. Mutton-fat jade jewelry is very valuable.¡± Knowing he was worried, Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t refuse. In her previous life, when she returned to the country and visited the Ancient Capital, she had specifically inquired about this matter. Coincidentally, because the incident had been so sensational at the time, people still remembered it even after more than thirty years. The person who sold the ancient books and paintings was named Sun Xun, whose ancestors once served as the Minister of Rites, and his family had produced several Jinshi and Successful Candidates. But with the fall of the previous dynasty and continuous warfare, the Sun Family fell into decline. They needed to buy the house before Sun Xun discovered the antique in the secret passageway. Otherwise, letting this gambling addict find the antique would not only be costly but also very troublesome. The next day, Lu Jiajie took Lu Jiaxin and Xue Mao to the Glazed Factory. As soon as they entered, they found many stalls selling all sorts of items, including bronze ware, porcelain, jade, and calligraphy and paintings. Lu Jiaxin was drawn to an ancient, plain, and lustrous celadon porcelain vase. Thinking it would be good for holding flowers if bought, she approached the stall owner to ask about the price. The stall owner, seeing her bright attire, thought she was a rich young lady looking for a steal¡ªa type of person easy to fool: ¡°Eight hundred.¡± Lu Jiajie was worried and was about to explain that many items here were fake when he remembered that Lu Jiaxin had left the house without any money. The words he was about to say were swallowed back. Lu Jiaxin gave the stall owner a speechless glance as if the words ¡®Big Head¡¯ were written on her forehead: ¡°Two yuan, take it if you sell, or just forget it.¡± ¡°Two yuan? Young lady, are you joking? This is¡­¡± Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t want to hear his nonsense and stood up to leave. She just wanted to buy a vase, not to be sheared like a fat sheep. Seeing her leave, the stall owner quickly called out to her: ¡°Five yuan, take it for five yuan.¡± Xue Mao said disdainfully: ¡°Even for eating or drinking, I would still think two yuan is too expensive.¡± The stall owner lost his patience and waved them away disdainfully: ¡°Two yuan, who are you kidding? I can¡¯t even recover my cost. Go, go, hurry up and leave.¡± Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t care and followed Lu Jiajie and Xue Mao into a shop. This shop not only collected various old items but also pawned belongings. If you paid the interest within the specified time, you could redeem your item. If you were overdue, they could dispose of it. However, if they hadn¡¯t sold the item and you wanted to redeem it, the interest would be different. Simply put, the longer the overdue period, the higher the interest, sometimes even several times the amount pawned. After all, they were running a business, not a charity. When the shopkeeper saw Lu Jiaxin take out a whole set of mutton-fat jade jewelry, his eyes lit up, but he was disappointed to hear it was for pawning. Still, he wouldn¡¯t turn away business, and after thoroughly inspecting each piece of jewelry to ensure its authenticity and intactness, the shopkeeper asked: ¡°Miss, how much do you plan to pawn for?¡± ¡°Ten thousand.¡± The shopkeeper shook his head: ¡°This set of jewelry isn¡¯t worth that much. I can give you, at most, two thousand.¡± ¡°This is a whole set of mutton-fat jade jewelry, two thousand¡ªhow can you even offer that? I heard from my brother¡¯s friend that your store treats people with integrity, but now it seems it¡¯s just talk.¡± The shopkeeper wasn¡¯t offended and said with a smile: ¡°Miss, although mutton-fat jade jewelry is rare, yours isn¡¯t worth ten thousand. I¡¯ll make another concession, three thousand. I can¡¯t go any higher.¡± After a bit of haggling, the set of mutton-fat jade jewelry was pawned for five thousand yuan. More than thirty years later, a single piece would cost several hundred thousand. But now, jade wasn¡¯t so sought after, and even top-grade jade like mutton-fat jade and imperial green couldn¡¯t fetch a high price¡ªexcept in Hong Kong, where it was still highly prized. For ordinary people, selling items to Hong Kong was like a pipe dream, but whoever was behind running such a large pawnshop in such a bustling place as the Glazed Factory was certainly far from simple. The shopkeeper took a deep look at her and said: ¡°The young miss seems to be well-informed. Fine, let¡¯s settle on five thousand. But are you authorized to make this decision? We run a shop here; we don¡¯t want any trouble.¡± Lu Jiaxin replied: ¡°Rest assured, my family register only has my name left now, and I am free to dispose of the family¡¯s belongings.¡± Lu Jiajie¡¯s mouth twitched¡ªanyone who didn¡¯t know her would surely think she was an orphan with no parents from her words. But thinking of the things Third Uncle had done, he didn¡¯t expose her. The shopkeeper asked how long he intended to pawn the items. ¡°Six months.¡± ¡°` The pawned items can be redeemed in advance, but the interest charged will still be based on the current period. As for the interest, they deduct it directly from the pawn amount. From a pawn amount of five thousand yuan, deducting half a year¡¯s interest of three hundred yuan, the amount received in hand is four thousand seven hundred. Lu Jiaxin was quite satisfied with this amount. As long as the pawnshop¡¯s owner has a good eye and doesn¡¯t accept any counterfeit items, it¡¯s a no-lose business. However, a business with such high profits cannot stand without sufficient backing. Lu Jiajie saw the two of them to their home, reminded them to lock the doors and windows properly, and then prepared to return to work. Lu Jiaxin whispered in a hushed voice, ¡°Jiajie, don¡¯t tell Big Brother about pawning the jewelry, lest he scold me.¡± Lu Jiajie laughed and said, ¡°The jewelry was given to you by someone else; it wasn¡¯t left to you by Third Aunt. Even if you don¡¯t have the money to redeem it, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± His meaning was clear; he wouldn¡¯t go out of his way over this matter. ¡°How could I bear to pawn the things Mom left me,¡± Lu Jiaxin said. The significance of the items Mrs. Lu left was different, and she could never bring herself to pawn them. Even if she believed she could redeem the items before the deadline, she wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. Lu Jiajie also felt that she was sensible in her actions, which is why he helped her. Xue Mao was someone who couldn¡¯t sit still; as soon as he returned, he took down the clothes from the corridor to hang and dry in the courtyard, then started to sweep the floor. It was already autumn, and there were many fallen leaves on the ground. Sometimes Lu Jiaxin felt he was like the River Snail Girl from the stories, too diligent for his own good. She couldn¡¯t manage that; housework was her least favorite chore. After cleaning up the yard, Xue Mao asked about the business, ¡°Sister, didn¡¯t Big Brother Su say he has taken care of the business and won¡¯t sell anything before his dad and Big Brother come back? So where will we get our stock to sell clothes?¡± Lu Jiaxin, afraid he might slip up, decided to tell him her plans a few days later, ¡°If Su Heming is not doing business, does that mean all his brothers have stopped too? Since he referred us, his friends should give us a discounted price.¡± Xue Mao felt it would be difficult. Mainly because Su Heming seemed unreliable, and his friends didn¡¯t seem dependable either. Yet he remembered how he thought they¡¯d lose money with the snack stall at first, but it turned out they made a good profit. ¡°You go cook, I¡¯ll give Big Brother a call.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lu Jiaxin wasn¡¯t calling Lu Hongjun but rather Su Heming, ¡°Big Brother Su, I¡¯m looking for a bodyguard with good character and a tight lip. Do you have any recommendations?¡± ¡°What do you need a bodyguard for all of a sudden?¡± Lu Jiaxin mentioned she was going to the Ancient Capital. ¡°What are you doing in the Ancient Capital?¡± Lu Jiaxin had prepared a reason in advance, ¡°The human traffickers haven¡¯t been caught yet. If we don¡¯t catch that person, I can¡¯t sleep peacefully at night.¡± That old woman caused the death of the original body, and she must avenge the original soul. Now that there was a security crackdown, once the old woman was caught, she¡¯d definitely be punished severely. It was the perfect opportunity to have Xue Mao buy Sun Shao¡¯s house as well, killing two birds with one stone. Su Heming knew about her situation, and that was why he wanted to teach Ding Jing and her daughter a lesson. But since Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t agree, preferring to seek revenge by herself, he did not overstep, ¡°Sister Xin, I¡¯m actually free these days; I can accompany you on your trip.¡± Lu Jiaxin certainly didn¡¯t want his company; his presence attracted attention wherever he went, which would hinder her actions, ¡°If you go, my uncles will definitely think you¡¯re my significant other, and they might beat you up. Big Brother Su, if it¡¯s too much trouble, never mind.¡± Actually, approaching Lu Jiaguang would be the safest option, but with his temperament, he would surely stop her from seeking out the traffickers. Time was pressing, and it wasn¡¯t suitable to ask others for help, so she could only turn to him. Su Heming chuckled and said, ¡°Look, look, look, since you¡¯ve asked, I¡¯ll definitely help. You want someone reliable, discreet, and skilled, right? Okay, I¡¯ll give you an answer tomorrow.¡± Turning around, Su Heming informed Madam Xie about the matter. That very evening Su Heming called, Xie Kaixiao happened to visit the health resort to see Old Master Xie and Madam Xie. Madam Xie had received a call earlier informing her of his visit, and upon his arrival, she naturally went over to take his briefcase with a smile, ¡°The food has just been put on the stove; you can take a rest, and we¡¯ll be eating shortly.¡± Xie Kaixiao unbuttoned the top button of his overcoat and sat down before asking, ¡°Where¡¯s Dad?¡± Madam Xie said, ¡°Dad has gone to play chess with Uncle Zhang next door. He¡¯s having dinner at their place too. Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s much healthier now than before.¡± Xie Kaixiao knew that, after several years of recuperation, the Old Master was in much better health than before. But as the family¡¯s stabilizing force, he couldn¡¯t help but check every day. After chatting with him about family matters, Madam Xie steered the conversation towards Lu Jiaxin, ¡°This kid heard the traffickers haven¡¯t been captured yet and said she wants to go to the Ancient Capital to find them herself. But after the last ordeal, she¡¯s worried that she and Xue Mao might be targeted by bad people, so she asked Heming to help find someone for protection.¡± ¡°` Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 38 The Xie Family Couple Chapter 39: Chapter 38 The Xie Family Couple Xie Kaixiao furrowed his brows upon hearing that Lu Jiaxin wanted to seek out the human traffickers and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this nonsense? If the Public Security Bureau can¡¯t find those people, how can she possibly do it?¡± Madam Xie sighed and said, ¡°This child has changed drastically after being kidnapped. No one can stop her from looking for the traffickers. What we can do is to find someone trustworthy to protect her.¡± Two days before Lu Jiaxin went missing, she fainted in her room due to a heart condition. Fortunately, a nurse at home found her and saved her life just in time. However, the doctor instructed her to rest and avoid any emotional excitement at all costs. Once her condition had stabilized, she called her husband after learning about Lu Jiaxin¡¯s disappearance. It turned out that her husband had known about Lu Jiaxin¡¯s disappearance from the outset and had arranged for a search, but to no avail. While she was worrying about the situation, she suddenly heard that the child had returned. She was happy that the child had escaped danger, but then, unexpectedly, Lu Jiaxin moved to Radiance Road. Afterwards, she received news that the child failed the college entrance exam and was almost abducted by human traffickers¡ªall because of her stepmother. In fact, when the rumor first spread that Lu Jiaxin had run away from home after failing the college entrance exam, she felt that the situation was more complicated than it appeared. Knowing the child, she might become dispirited or discouraged by the failure, but would certainly not leave home in resentment. Yet, without any clues, there was no way to determine the cause of her disappearance. As she had expected, all of this was the conniving work of that mother and daughter. Regrettably, although Jiaxin had revealed the truth, without evidence, they couldn¡¯t punish the culpable stepmother and her daughter. Xie Kaixiao asked doubtfully, ¡°You support the child¡¯s decision to look for the traffickers herself? Even the Public Security Bureau couldn¡¯t find them; what makes you think she can?¡± He felt guilty towards Lu Jiaxin; if Mrs. Lu hadn¡¯t died trying to save his son, she would still be alive, and the child would surely have remained carefree. Not like now, oppressed by her stepmother and overlooked by her own father, she recently even came close to losing her life. Madam Xie was silent for a moment, then mentioned how Su Heming had been duped, ¡°He thought it was just a fake watch and casually wore it on his wrist. Hadn¡¯t Lu Jiaxin reminded him in time, he would still be flaunting that gold watch worth over a hundred thousand in public.¡± Xie Kaixiao¡¯s expression immediately became stern, ¡°What did you say? Someone gave Heming a gold Rolex watch with a dubious origin?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Xie Kaixiao said, ¡°A month ago, a rich businessman from the South Sea was robbed in Peng City. He had his greenbacks and all the jewelry he was carrying stolen. Because of this, the businessman thought the domestic security was too poor and returned home the next day, and the deal for the investment he had negotiated also fell through.¡± ¡°Hong Ying, among the items stolen from that businessman was a Rolex gold watch. That case remains unsolved to this day.¡± Over a hundred thousand greenbacks and valuables worth one to two hundred thousand ¡ª this was a major crime. However, the perpetrators were itinerant criminals, and as of then, no arrests had been made. Madam Xie¡¯s face changed, ¡°Are you suggesting that the gold watch Heming has been wearing might be the one stolen from that businessman?¡± Xie Kaixiao thought it very likely but wasn¡¯t going to say so without evidence, ¡°I will have someone check this matter thoroughly. Hong Ying, where is that gold watch now?¡± Madam Xie, looking relieved, said, ¡°After knowing about this, I had him pay a high price for a fake and put the real one away. A few days later, Heming pretended to be drunk while out drinking with friends and ended up giving the gold watch to one of them.¡± When his friend sobered up the next day, he tried to return the watch. Su Heming just laughed and said not to take a watch so seriously, and he didn¡¯t take it back. Xie Kaixiao took a deep breath and said, ¡°The authorities are currently cracking down hard on criminals. If someone tries to exploit this issue with the gold watch, we could all be implicated.¡± Madam Xie¡¯s expression hardened, and she lowered her head to apologize, ¡°Kaixiao, I¡¯m sorry, I just didn¡¯t want to bother you further since you¡¯ve been so busy lately. In the future, I¡¯ll tell you everything immediately.¡± Seeing that he wasn¡¯t angry, Madam Xie said, ¡°Kaixiao, I think Jiaxin is very perceptive and acts with a sense of propriety. It¡¯s possible she might indeed be able to catch the human traffickers in Ancient Capital.¡± Ever since she had her son, her health had deteriorated significantly, and she even developed a heart condition, sometimes suffering so much she wished for death. But for her son¡¯s sake, she clenched her teeth and persevered. However, she hadn¡¯t expected that those with such evil intentions would harm her son, fortunately, Ding Xiaoxia had been there and saved him. After Xiaoxia¡¯s death, the situation of Lu Jiaxin filled her with fear. For her son¡¯s sake, she would endure anything, to see him marry and have children. Two days later, Su Heming brought two people to see Lu Jiaxin, and he explained, ¡°There are many kidnappers out there now, some of whom specifically target young women. One bodyguard might overlook something, so I found you two more.¡± After his explanation, he made the introductions. The taller man was named Zhao Dajun, and the slightly shorter one was Gu Wenfeng. Both of them were very robust, as proven by their bulging muscles. Lu Jiaxin greeted them politely, ¡°Brother Zhao, Brother Gu, I¡¯ll be relying on you in the coming days.¡± Gu Wenfeng said he was just following orders and there was no need for such politeness, ¡°Miss Lu, I heard from Brother Heming that you almost got kidnapped by traffickers before. Are you going to Ancient Capital to track them down? Miss Lu, human traffickers are very cunning.¡± If it was so easy to find traffickers, the Public Security Bureau wouldn¡¯t have so many unresolved missing persons cases piled up. Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°These past days, I¡¯ve been having nightmares. If I don¡¯t catch that old woman, I will keep having nightmares for the rest of my life, maybe never sleeping peacefully again.¡± Gu Wenfeng spoke frankly, ¡°Miss Lu, if I may speak my mind, your trip will certainly be in vain.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t go, I won¡¯t be satisfied.¡± She knew what the old woman looked like and had even sketched her face. While she couldn¡¯t claim it was an exact likeness, it was very close, at least eighty or ninety percent. She didn¡¯t believe that with a portrait, they wouldn¡¯t be able to find that old woman. She hadn¡¯t told anyone about this, not even Xue Mao. A trump card, after all, had to be played at the right moment. Seeing her resolve, Gu Wenfeng didn¡¯t attempt to dissuade her further. They were only there to protect Lu Jiaxin; they could warn her about potential dangers, but if she didn¡¯t listen, there was nothing they could do. Xue Mao¡¯s eyes lit up when he learned the two men knew martial arts. He asked Zhao Dajun, who seemed approachable, ¡°Brother Zhao, are you guys soldiers?¡± Lu Jiaxin felt somewhat helpless, knowing they certainly weren¡¯t soldiers. If they were from the military, how could they possibly come to protect them going to Ancient Capital? Zhao Dajun revealed that he was formerly a soldier, but had been discharged recently and was now waiting for a job placement. This job had been recommended by his cousin, and he hadn¡¯t really wanted to come. Lu Jiaxin knew that major downsizing in the military would occur in a couple of years, and that it would be harder to find job placements then. By comparison, Zhao Dajun was lucky. Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 39 Reporting Loss Chapter 40: Chapter 39 Reporting Loss The bodyguards were in place; now it was just a matter of withdrawing the money. Lu Jiaxin took her household registration book and bank passbook to the bank, claiming she had lost her seal and needed to make a new one. The bank teller, having matched her name and residence record, processed it immediately. She planned to withdraw all the money at once, but worried she might be questioned by the bank staff, so she decided to withdraw money from several locations. While withdrawing the money, Lu Jiaxin noticed that the passbook showed a balance of ninety-nine hundred, five hundred more than she had expected. She guessed that Lu Hongjun must have deposited another five hundred in the past few days. Since the bank didn¡¯t allow withdrawals from different locations, they could only carry cash. With the pawned jade ornaments and the cash on hand, she had a total of seventeen thousand four hundred yuan. The one hundred yuan bills had not yet appeared in the market; they were all Great Unity RMB, stacked high on the table. Lu Jiaxin had handled millions before, so naturally, she didn¡¯t think much of ten thousand plus. But it was different for Xue Mao; he had never seen so much money in his life and couldn¡¯t bear to blink. With so much money, her canvas shoulder bag definitely wouldn¡¯t fit it all. Lu Jiaxin knew that transportation was not convenient in this era, but she didn¡¯t expect withdrawing cash to be so troublesome. No wonder they said traveling was risky at this time¡ªcarrying so much money was definitely dangerous. She had no other choice but to divide the money into seventeen portions, each bound with rubber bands. Zhao Dajun and Gu Wenfeng were in the yard. Frowning, Zhao Dajun asked, ¡°Brother Feng, why do you think this young lady is withdrawing the money in batches? Should we report this?¡± Gu Wenfeng glanced at him and said, ¡°If the money can be deposited into the bank, its source must be clean. We don¡¯t need to meddle. Dajun, our only responsibility is to protect her until we return from Ancient Capital, and then our task is complete.¡± As long as the money¡¯s origin was legitimate, it didn¡¯t matter if she withdrew it three times or even thirty times. However, during the half-day, he realized that Lu Jiaxin was the one making decisions inside and outside the household. Thinking about the information he had gleaned, he felt there might have been a misunderstanding. As night approached, Xue Mao placed the last dish on the table and looked outside, ¡°Sister, why hasn¡¯t Fifth Brother arrived yet? The dishes are getting cold.¡± Lu Jiaxin sat down, picked up a lion¡¯s head meatball with her chopsticks, and took a bite, finding it a bit bland, ¡°Add more salt next time; it¡¯s too bland.¡± After Xue Mao acknowledged this, he took a bowl to set aside a portion of the food. Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, ¡°No need to save food for Fifth Brother, he¡¯s on night shift tonight and won¡¯t be coming.¡± Xue Mao found it to be too much of a coincidence. They were eating when Gu Wenfeng returned. Since Lu Jiaxin had stated that they were leaving tomorrow, they had gone to buy train tickets. Lu Jiaxin took the tickets and looked at them, ¡°Why are there only two sleeper tickets? Didn¡¯t I say to buy four?¡± Gu Wenfeng replied, ¡°Sleeper tickets are hard to come by; we even had to pay a premium for these two. Miss Lu, you and Xue Mao can sleep in the sleeper cabin, while Dajun and I will take the hard seats.¡± Compared to the mixed company of the train cars, the sleeper compartments were much more peaceful. Lu Jiaxin shook her head, ¡°That won¡¯t do, I have very valuable things with me, and I won¡¯t feel at ease without you guys nearby. Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do: you go to the sleeper with me, and Xue Mao will go with Brother Zhao to the hard seat cabin.¡± Zhao Dajun was tall and intimidating, and he looked like someone not to be trifled with. But she wasn¡¯t looking for a fight; she needed someone to protect her belongings, and the composed and steady Gu Wenfeng was more suited for that task. ¡°Alright.¡± Xue Mao became visibly anxious after seeing the train tickets. Avoiding Zhao Dajun and another person, he asked, ¡°Sister, shouldn¡¯t we tell Big Brother and Fifth Brother that we¡¯re going to the Ancient Capital? If we suddenly disappear, they¡¯ll definitely be worried.¡± Lu Jiaxin replied with a smile, ¡°If I tell them, they surely won¡¯t let me go. It¡¯s alright, I will leave a note for Fifth Brother.¡± Xue Mao frowned and remained silent. After a moment of thought, Lu Jiaxin lowered her voice and said, ¡°One of the reasons I¡¯m going to the Ancient Capital is to catch that human trafficker, but I also have another purpose, which is treasure hunting.¡± She planned to split up, taking one person back to Feng County to investigate the human trafficker incident, while Xue Mao would stay in the Ancient Capital to buy Sun Xun¡¯s house. Being without a fixed abode, Xue Mao had come across some money from saving someone and wanted to buy a house¡ªthis excuse was sufficient and wouldn¡¯t arouse suspicion. As long as they left no trail, Sun Xun would definitely sell the house. After all, he had discovered the secret passage by accident in his past life. Xue Mao¡¯s eyes bulged in astonishment. Treasure hunt¡ªwhat treasure? Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t elaborate, mainly because she couldn¡¯t make up a good excuse on the spot. And one lie needed countless others to cover it up, so she didn¡¯t want to bother, ¡°Why ask so many questions? When we get to the Ancient Capital, just do as I say.¡± Xue Mao realized, ¡°So you took the jewelry given by the Su brothers and withdrew all the money from the bank to go treasure hunting in the Ancient Capital?¡± ¡°Sister, those underground rumors about treasure maps are all fake. There¡¯s no such thing. How could you believe them?¡± he protested, nearly on the verge of beating his chest and stamping his feet. Lu Jiaxin offered no explanation, as saying more would only make him more anxious, ¡°Hurry up and sleep, we have the train tomorrow morning! Once we¡¯re in the Ancient Capital, do as I instruct.¡± Xue Mao went to bed with his heart in his throat. The next day at four thirty in the morning, Xue Mao got up and boiled all the eggs in the house, then started the fire to prepare pancakes. He was busy when he heard a knock at the door. Going to the door and asking who it was, he found Zhao Dajun. Fortuitously, he was in need of someone to stoke the fire. When Lu Jiaxin got up, breakfast was ready. After washing up, she ate immediately. This time, she brought not only a change of clothes and socks but also twenty packets of medicinal herbs. These were prescribed by Doctor He the previous afternoon. She initially wanted enough for two months, but Doctor He refused. Gu Wenfeng sensed the smell of medicine and looked at Lu Jiaxin thoughtfully. Leaving with medicine, he felt there must be more than just finding the human trafficker. But he didn¡¯t ask, knowing he wouldn¡¯t interfere unless it involved illegal activities. After eating their fill, they rushed to the train station. Working the night shift was the hardest. After finishing at eight, Lu Jiajie went to eat breakfast at the cafeteria before going home. It was the cries of the children outside that eventually woke him. Checking his watch, he realized it was already two in the afternoon. Feeling hungry at this hour, Lu Jiajie habitually went to the kitchen. There was nothing on the dining table and the pots were empty. Before Big Sister Ma suggested adopting her youngest son, Father Ma and Mother Ma had treated him as their own. Whenever he argued with Ma Lili, both shielded him and scolded Ma Lili. Even after his night shifts, they used to save him some food. But now, not only did they complain that the living expenses they provided were too little, but they also kept finding fault with him. Thankfully, his wife had agreed to buy a house and move out, so it was just a matter of enduring for a while longer. With this thought, his mood instantly brightened. He washed his face and went out. First, he had a bowl of noodles at a nearby restaurant, and then started asking friends where there were houses for sale. After a fruitless afternoon of searching, he ended up near Radiance Road. Lu Jiajie had the keys, which had been duplicated for him by Lu Jiaxin, to prevent the inconvenience of waiting outside whenever she would come while he and Xue Mao were out. Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 40 On the Train Chapter 41: Chapter 40 On the Train Lu Jiajie saw General Tie guarding the door, so he knew the two had left. A large number of vagrants had been cleared recently, greatly improving the safety in the Forty-nine City. Thinking that Lu Jiaxin would be accompanied by Xue Mao whenever she went out, he wasn¡¯t worried. Lu Jiajie, who was prone to the heat and sweating easily, had his clothes soaked after running around outside all afternoon. Luckily, there were clothes available here, so he showered in the yard with the water he fetched. While changing clothes, he found a set of new clothes laid out on the bed. Recalling what Lu Jiaxin had said earlier, he smiled as he picked up the clothes to change into them. Unexpectedly, he discovered a piece of paper hidden beneath the clothes. His face turned pale as he finished reading the content on the paper. When Lu Jiaguang received his call, he was perplexed and asked, ¡°What did you say? Xinxin went to the Ancient Capital, what is she doing there?¡± Lu Jiajie had calmed down from the initial shock, ¡°She left a message saying she had to go to the Ancient Capital to find that human trafficker, otherwise she would never be able to sleep peacefully for the rest of her life.¡± Lu Jiaguang, furious and anxious, asked, ¡°Hurry and ask the neighbors; see if she left yesterday or today. If she runs into people with ill-intent again, she might not be so lucky.¡± He now regretted supporting Lu Jiaxin moving out. If she had suddenly disappeared while at home, they would have noticed much sooner. Lu Jiajie hastily reassured him, ¡°Big brother, you don¡¯t need to worry. Besides Xue Mao, she found two other people to accompany her to the Ancient Capital. Those two were introduced by Madam Xie; they have good skills and can protect the two of them.¡± Having heard this, Lu Jiaguang finally felt relieved, ¡°You go find Su Heming first to understand the situation, then come to me.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After the two brothers met, Lu Jiajie handed over the letter to him. Lu Jiaguang read it carefully. It detailed her reasons for going to the Ancient Capital without notifying them, and assured that she would return within two months asking them not to worry. Lu Jiajie leaned back in his chair and said, ¡°Brother, I think Third Uncle really disappointed Xinxin. She didn¡¯t even bother to inform us about such a big matter as going to the Ancient Capital.¡± Normally, one seeks help from their parents when faced with difficulties, but Jiaxin didn¡¯t even mention it. Even when finding bodyguards, she sought the Xie Family¡¯s help instead of Third Uncle. Lu Jiaguang said, ¡°If you were Jiaxin, would you feel disheartened?¡± Prior slight bias towards Ding Jing and her daughter might have been for the sake of family harmony. But since Jiaxin¡¯s return, Ding Jing had been comfortably living as Madam Lu, and Zhao Siyi had gone to university happily. In contrast, Jiaxin, having borne so much grievance, even moved out of the house. If Jiajie wasn¡¯t living there, two adolescents would definitely be bullied. Lu Jiajie said, ¡°Big brother, should we tell him about Xinxin¡¯s situation?¡± Lu Jiaguang felt resentment inside. He believed that Lu Hongjun didn¡¯t distinguish between relatives properly, but even so, such a serious matter couldn¡¯t be kept secret. He immediately made a call, but unfortunately, no one answered. Since the Xie Family had arranged for people to follow Lu Jiaxin to the Ancient Capital, he wasn¡¯t worried about her safety. Regarding the human trafficker, he didn¡¯t think Lu Jiaxin could capture them. The local Public Security Bureau had gone looking based on the clues provided by Lu Jiaxin but found no one that matched her description. The lack of findings was expected, after all, traffickers would disguise themselves; there had been cases before of young women masquerading as old ladies. Lu Jiajie couldn¡¯t help but complain, ¡°Back when Third Aunt was still here¡­ How nice was that? We would go there for dinner on the weekends, and the whole family was harmonious and loving, the envy of anyone who saw us. Unlike now, when there¡¯s an issue, we can only go to the office to find Third Uncle.¡± Before, visiting Third Uncle¡¯s home felt just like going back to his own. Ever since Ding Jing entered, he always felt like a poor relative showing up uninvited. It was for Jiaxin¡¯s sake he even bothered. Now that his sister had moved out, he wouldn¡¯t go to the Baihuo Building Family Courtyard unless it was absolutely necessary. Lu Jiaguang didn¡¯t want to discuss Lu Hongjun, for all his faults, the man was still an elder. He changed the subject, ¡°Since your in-laws are to adopt your aunt¡¯s child, you and Lili should buy a house and move out. If money is an issue, I have some to spare.¡± Lu Jiajie was never one to be polite with his own brother; he would definitely borrow from Lu Jiaguang if he was short on money, ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve been looking for houses recently, and once I find a suitable one, I¡¯ll move out.¡± Lu Jiaguang felt this was good news. In truth, he had wanted Lu Jiajie to move out for a while; a man living at his mother-in-law¡¯s place couldn¡¯t stand tall, ¡°It¡¯s good if you can convince her. But once you move out, you¡¯ll be the head of the family and will need to take on the responsibility that comes with it.¡± ¡°I understand, big brother. Sigh, I wonder what Xinxin is doing right now?¡± The Lu Jiaxin he was thinking about was currently having dinner on the train. People nowadays were quite thrifty, and many prepared food when traveling far. Xue Mao¡¯s pancakes would last for one meal, and the rest had to be bought on the train. Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 40 On the Train_2 Chapter 42: Chapter 40 On the Train_2 Lu Jiaxin, who had bought two meat dishes and one vegetable, thought the flavor was quite good and the price acceptable. It wasn¡¯t like in the future, where it was both expensive and bad-tasting. Gu Wenfeng had a big appetite and ordered two extra servings of white rice. Seeing him eat so heartily, Lu Jiaxin felt her appetite growing as well. Sitting opposite them was an elderly man with half-white hair, who also bought a boxed meal but originally didn¡¯t have much appetite. However, seeing how deliciously Gu Wenfeng ate, his appetite suddenly increased. After eating, the old man exclaimed, ¡°Youth is good indeed! Like when I was thirty, I could eat two aluminum box meals and still get hungry before mealtime.¡± Lu Jiaxin said nothing, only thinking to herself that it was because people didn¡¯t have much grease in their stomachs back then. With more grease, one couldn¡¯t even finish a single box meal. Gu Wenfeng wasn¡¯t someone who enjoyed chatting, but since the old man was conversing kindly, he responded, ¡°Everyone gets old, no one can escape it.¡± Lu Jiaxin looked at him somewhat unexpectedly. Zhao Dajun couldn¡¯t keep things secret and would spill everything within a day, but Gu Wenfeng hadn¡¯t said a word. She felt he was a man with a story. Their sleeping berths on the train were well located, one on the bottom bunk and one in the middle. When they first boarded the train, someone wanted to switch with them, but Lu Jiaxin refused. It was convenient to do anything from the lower berth, and if it was an elderly person with mobility issues or someone with children, she would display the spirit of Lei Feng. But the person who approached them was in their prime at forty-something, and she was unwilling to inconvenience herself. Gu Wenfeng had a clear role; this trip he was only responsible for ensuring Lu Jiaxin¡¯s safety. He would warn her of any dangers, but otherwise, he stayed quiet. After the meal, the old man started small talk with Lu Jiaxin. Old people like to tell stories from the past, and this old man was no exception. If this were in the Forty-nine City, she wouldn¡¯t have been keen to listen, but with time to kill on the train, it seemed like a way to pass the tedious time. It gradually grew dark, and the lights in the carriage turned on. The old man also got tired of talking and went to the water room to fetch water. Gu Wenfeng said to Lu Jiaxin, ¡°Should we switch berths? You take the middle bunk.¡± He felt sleeping in the lower bunk was not very safe. Many people lost their valuables and money at night while traveling by train. The hard-seat carriages were the hardest hit areas, and although it was somewhat better in the sleepers, thefts still occurred. Lu Jiaxin had mentioned she brought along valuables, and judging from the weight of her luggage and the banks she had visited earlier, she must have carried a large amount of cash this time. ¡°Okay.¡± After the lights in the carriage were turned off, a few people were still talking. There was a strange smell in the carriage, and Lu Jiaxin tossed and turned in bed until the middle of the night before she fell asleep. ¡°Ah¡­¡± A scream woke her, and when she sat up, she hit her head on the iron frame. However, at that moment, she already wasn¡¯t concerned about her forehead because Gu Wenfeng was pinning someone down with their hands behind their back. Lu Jiaxin asked, ¡°Brother, what happened?¡± Gu Wenfeng spoke loudly, ¡°He tried to steal our luggage, and I caught him red-handed.¡± Lu Jiaxin, under the dim light, saw the army green duffel bag on the floor and her heart skipped a beat, but she didn¡¯t show it on her face, ¡°Brother, we haven¡¯t lost anything, have we?¡± Her canvas bag contained two thousand, and all the remaining money was in the luggage bag. This money was for buying a house, and losing it would mean her efforts were in vain. Gu Wenfeng glanced at her and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, nothing was lost.¡± As word spread in the carriage about catching a thief, passengers quickly checked their belongings. A passenger near the door had been robbed, with over five hundred yuan missing from their bag. The train police arrived quickly, handcuffed the thief, and took him away. The missing five hundred yuan was also found on the thief and returned. The passenger who lost the money specially came over to thank Gu Wenfeng. If it hadn¡¯t been for his vigilance in catching the thief, the money would not have been recovered. Lu Jiajie and Lu Jiaguang had dinner at the Railway Bureau and then went home. On their way, they encountered a vendor selling candied hawthorns and bought three skewers. Despite having a strained relationship with his aunt, he wouldn¡¯t take it out on a child. More importantly, he did not want to start another argument over such a trivial matter. However, upon reaching home and seeing Big Sister Ma there, he immediately took the candied hawthorns into his room. Lu Jiajie didn¡¯t want to see his aunt¡¯s unpleasant demeanor. Just as he was about to say he wasn¡¯t going to have dinner at home, Mother Ma walked out of the kitchen. Upon seeing Lu Jiajie, Mother Ma scrutinized his clothes and demanded, ¡°Jiajie, that¡¯s not the outfit you wore out at noon. Where have you been?¡± Smelling something fishy, Big Sister Ma interjected, ¡°Jiajie, that¡¯s a new shirt and it fits you well. Who bought it for you?¡± If she had asked nicely, he would have explained, but the way she insinuated as if he¡¯d done something shameful annoyed him. Lu Jiajie replied coldly, ¡°What business is it of yours who bought it? You¡¯d better spend your time taking care of your kids, instead of bringing home failing grades.¡± Big Sister Ma turned white and then red, touched to the quick as her two sons were poor students, ¡°My Little Gang might not be great at studying, but he¡¯s honest and upstanding, not like some people who are up to no good.¡± Lu Jiajie was furious, ¡°What do you mean by that? Just because your man likes to sneak around, do you think all men are the same? Sorry to disappoint, but I like to keep things clean, unlike your man who isn¡¯t picky about getting dirty.¡± He had learned the word ¡°clean freak¡± from Lu Jiaxin. Big Sister Ma was livid, ¡°Lu Jiajie, you¡¯re talking nonsense. My husband is a decent man, how dare you slander him?¡± He could have endured jibes about being a kept man, but baseless accusations of infidelity had to be countered, or by tomorrow, the whole building might be abuzz with rumors of his philandering. Lu Jiajie retorted, ¡°Whether he¡¯s decent or not, you know best, and we all know.¡± Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 41 The Wings Hardened Chapter 43: Chapter 41 The Wings Hardened Ma Lili arrived with a bag full of stuff and before she even entered, she heard Big Sister Ma¡¯s cursing. Furious, she pushed open the door and lashed out at Big Sister Ma, ¡°Are you not satisfied until you turn this home upside down, until you¡¯ve driven my husband and me to divorce?¡± Big Sister Ma thought she had something on Lu Jiajie, and with a cold snort, she said, ¡°That woman bought clothes for him, and he has the nerve to wear them blatantly at home. I stood up for you, and you turn around and blame me. If you get bullied in the future, it¡¯s your own doing; don¡¯t come complaining to us.¡± Seeing that Lu Jiajie was wearing clothes she hadn¡¯t seen before, Ma Lili didn¡¯t lose her temper, cry, or curse. Instead, she just asked with a stern face, ¡°Where did these clothes come from?¡± The affection between husband and wife had always been good, the husband also doted on their two children, and most importantly, he didn¡¯t have a single yuan in his pocket. What could others possibly want from him? His poverty? His disgust for baths? Or, maybe his smelly feet? Lu Jiajie explained the origin of the clothes: ¡°They were just lying on the bed, definitely bought by Xinxin.¡± Big Sister Ma looked at the clothes he was wearing and scoffed, ¡°Find a better excuse. How old is Lu Jiaxin? What does she know about buying clothes for you?¡± Lu Jiajie, with disdain, said, ¡°Sister, just because your kid doesn¡¯t understand doesn¡¯t mean my Xinxin doesn¡¯t get it. My Xinxin isn¡¯t just smart and good at studying; she also has great taste. The clothes she bought for Qiangqiang and Xiao Feng were praised by many at school, and lots of parents even asked where they were bought.¡± Hearing his bragging tone, Ma Lili was both annoyed and amused, ¡°Jiaxin hasn¡¯t even started working, buying clothes for Qiangqiang and Xiao Feng is one thing, but how can you have the nerve to accept clothes from her?¡± Lu Jiajie said with a smile, ¡°She may not have a job, but she has plenty of spending money. Buying a couple of articles of clothing is no problem.¡± Ma Lili was somewhat helpless; he really had no sense of propriety. Seeing her indifferent attitude, Big Sister Ma sneered, ¡°Really? Little sister, you¡¯re actually buying such a lame excuse?¡± Lu Jiajie¡¯s anger flared up again and he lowered his voice, ¡°Didn¡¯t you claim your man was innocent? Fine, I¡¯ll go find his lover tomorrow morning. If he ends up with broken arms or legs, don¡¯t come to me.¡± Big Sister Ma looked at him incredulously. Go to ?????????????????.co Ma Lili, worried that things would spiral out of control, quickly pulled Lu Jiajie downstairs. In a secluded corner, she scolded softly, ¡°Lu Jiajie, have you lost your mind? If he really gets beaten up outside, Big Sister will definitely blame you for it.¡± Yan Fang had shady dealings with his female apprentice several years ago. Knowing his character, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he now had something going on with another woman. But she didn¡¯t want her husband to get involved. Lu Jiajie said, ¡°I can¡¯t stay here anymore. I¡¯ve already asked a friend to help me look for a house, and we¡¯ll move once we¡¯ve bought it. I won¡¯t come back these days; I¡¯ll stay at Xinxin¡¯s place.¡± Ma Lili¡¯s eyes suddenly reddened. Lu Jiajie felt a bit of heartache, but thinking of the shameless Big Sister Ma and the biased in-laws, he steeled his heart and said, ¡°This weekend, let¡¯s take both kids and stay at Xinxin¡¯s place for a couple of days. There¡¯s a big park next to Radiance Road, we can take the children out to play.¡± There were many valuable items in Xinxin¡¯s house, which would certainly attract thieves if they knew no one was home. All the appliances and furniture were newly bought; losing any would be a heavy loss. His staying there, was also a way to help protect the house. Ma Lili knew he wasn¡¯t willing to suffer any more, ¡°But moving to live at Xinxin¡¯s place, is that really okay?¡± Lu Jiajie said with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s not good about that? Jiaxin is not a stingy person, it¡¯s no big deal for us to stay over for a couple of days. But if you don¡¯t want to go, I won¡¯t force you. Otherwise, I¡¯ll take the kids and go to the park.¡± When the weekend came, Big Sister Ma¡¯s entire family would come over to eat. The husband and wife never contributed to the meals, and every time they visited, they came empty-handed. They wouldn¡¯t even pick up a fallen broom at the house, but that could be overlooked since they weren¡¯t there to serve anyone. However, their sarcastic and divisive comments were something he could no longer tolerate. If this continued, he might end up getting physical. Ma Lili thought about her earlier promise to the children to take them to the park but hadn¡¯t been able to keep it because she was too busy: ¡°We should also ask Jiaxin first; we can only go if she agrees.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go and ask her.¡± To avoid any complications, the two brothers decided to keep it a secret from outsiders that Lu Jiaxin had left the Forty-nine City again. He had not planned to keep Ma Lili in the dark, but with everyone around being so talkative, he was afraid that eavesdroppers might spread more rumors and gossip. Lu Jiajie had the night shift that evening, and after work, he went to sleep on Radiance Road. He was sleeping soundly when the door was suddenly pounded on. Reluctantly, he got up to open it and saw a livid Lu Hongjun standing outside. He yawned and asked, ¡°Third Uncle, why have you come?¡± Lu Hongjun, seeing his state, grew even more angry, slammed the door shut, and scolded, ¡°You dare to hide from me that Jiaxin has gone to the Ancient Capital? Do you think that now your wings have grown strong you don¡¯t have to take me into account?¡± Lu Jiajie felt deeply wronged: ¡°The moment I saw that note, I called you, but no one answered your phone. After discussing with Big Brother, I went to seek Su Heming for information.¡± In fact, he hadn¡¯t called Lu Hongjun at all the previous day, and said as much to avoid being scolded. If it wasn¡¯t for his father¡¯s unacceptable behavior, Jiaxin wouldn¡¯t have gone to the Ancient Capital without telling them. Lu Hongjun had finished a meeting yesterday, then had dinner with his direct superior and went straight to bed at home after drinking. He had only learned that his daughter went to the Ancient Capital early in the morning after a call from Lu Jiaguang. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and Lu Hongjun asked, ¡°What about Su Heming? Take me to see him.¡± Lu Jiajie regretfully said, ¡°Su Heming left for Peng City yesterday. I caught up with him just as he was about to depart. But don¡¯t worry, Third Uncle, the two people accompanying Jiaxin were chosen by Madam Xie, they¡¯re highly capable and can surely protect Xinxin.¡± Lu Hongjun grew even angrier because Lu Jiaxin¡¯s actions were a slap in the face to him: ¡°Aren¡¯t you living here? How could you not know about her going to the Ancient Capital for such a big matter?¡± Lu Jiajie said with a grimace, ¡°If I had known, I would have definitely stopped her with Big Brother. But she didn¡¯t reveal a word about it to anyone.¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°And I¡¯m certain that Jiaxin even kept it from Xue Mao. That silly boy can¡¯t keep a secret to save his life.¡± It could only be said that his little sister had not only become decisive but had also learned to be secretive. She used to wear her heart on her sleeve about everything. Even though he was the brother, sometimes he got the strange feeling that he was the younger one. Suppressing his rage, Lu Hongjun said, ¡°Take leave to go to the Ancient Capital to find them.¡± Lu Jiajie disliked work; it was too dull and tedious for him. He would be happy to take a trip: ¡°Third Uncle, Jiaxin had mentioned that person was very familiar with our Lu Family¡¯s situation. She must have gone back to Feng County to investigate.¡± The Ancient Capital was so vast; how could he know where to find someone? It would be better to go directly back to his hometown and wait. It had been over two years since he had been home, and he was quite missing his father and uncle. This trip back, with the ticket and travel expenses covered by Third Uncle, seemed like a pretty good deal. Lu Hongjun thought his suggestion made sense and nodded his approval, ¡°Then you go back to the old home to wait for her. I¡¯ll get Jiaguang to buy your ticket right now.¡± Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 42: Returning to the Ancient Capital Chapter 44: Chapter 42: Returning to the Ancient Capital ¡°` When Lu Jiaxin came out of the train station, she looked around at the exit. Xue Mao noticed she stopped and asked, ¡°Sister, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing, Xue Mao, let¡¯s go rent a house first.¡± Zhao Dajun and Gu Wenfeng were both stunned. Weren¡¯t they here to catch a human trafficker? According to what Lu Jiaxin said, that person was likely to be from Feng County. So why were they settling down in the Ancient Capital? Gu Wenfeng directly asked, ¡°Miss Lu, when are we going to Feng County?¡± ¡°No hurry, let¡¯s get Xue Mao settled first.¡± The two men were full of questions, but seeing that Lu Jiaxin did not wish to say more, they did not continue to inquire. Xue Mao had grown up here and was most familiar with the area. ¡°Sister Xin, for renting a house, let¡¯s ask Uncle Feng for help. He knows a lot of people and should be able to find us a house quickly.¡± This Uncle Feng was Father Xue¡¯s childhood friend. With his help, Xue Mao had found a place to stay in a wooden shanty. He always kept this in his heart. Lu Jiaxin hummed in acknowledgment and then said, ¡°If Uncle Feng doesn¡¯t have any houses available, we can stay in a hostel first.¡± Upon seeing Xue Mao, Uncle Feng was so happy that he slapped him on the shoulder, causing Xue Mao to grimace in pain: ¡°It¡¯s only been half a month since I¡¯ve seen you, lad, and you¡¯ve shot up so much. It looks like you¡¯re having a good time!¡± Xue Mao grinned and said, ¡°Eating chicken, duck, fish, and meat every day with Sister Xin, and occasionally dining out, it would be hard not to grow.¡± Go to ????????????????????.co After speaking, Xue Mao introduced Gu Wenfeng and the others: ¡°Uncle Feng, this is Brother Zhao, Brother Gu.¡± Lu Jiaxin hadn¡¯t visited the Feng family during her time in the Ancient Capital, but Uncle Feng had made a detour to patronize their snack stand when he heard about it. She found his heartfelt effort to be quite rare. After greeting Gu Wenfeng, Uncle Feng asked with a puzzled face, ¡°Girl, how come you¡¯ve brought Xue Mao back?¡± Xue Mao had sought him out before departing for the Forty-nine City, and Uncle Feng, concerned, had offered to accompany them but was declined by Lu Jiaxin. Ever since they left, he had been worried, fearing they might run into trouble on their way. Thankfully, he received a telegram from Xue Mao a few days later, assuring him they were safe. Lu Jiaxin pulled out an earlier excuse, ¡°After I regained my memory, I went to report the case to the police, but there¡¯s been no news. I can¡¯t sleep peacefully until this human trafficker is caught.¡± Uncle Feng¡¯s thoughts were the same as others¡¯¡ªthat traffickers were too cunning to be easily caught. Xue Mao knew that Lu Jiaxin¡¯s decisions were not easily swayed. He said, ¡°Uncle Feng, we¡¯re going to stay in the Ancient Capital for a while and would like to rent a house.¡± ¡°How long approximately?¡± Lu Jiaxin replied, ¡°About a month. It must be clean and hygienic with cooking facilities.¡± Uncle Feng laughed when he heard this and said, ¡°I have an old buddy whose son works out of town. His daughter-in-law recently fell ill, and the elder couple is going over to take care of her. They have three rooms in their house. I¡¯ll ask them for you, see if they¡¯re willing to rent it out. Since you¡¯re renting for such a short period, the rent might be a bit higher.¡± ¡°A higher rent is fine as long as it¡¯s clean, tidy, and has cooking facilities.¡± Uncle Feng assured them, mentioning that his buddy¡¯s wife was particularly keen on cleanliness and kept the house in perfect order. Uncle Feng took them there directly, and the owners agreed to a one-month rental after hearing their request. Nowadays, no family was well-off, so earning some extra rent to supplement household expenses was seen as beneficial. Of course, the main reason was Uncle Feng¡¯s recommendation. The owners had known Uncle Feng for decades and trusted that he wouldn¡¯t bring unreliable tenants. Lu Jiaxin was indeed satisfied with the cleanliness of the house and asked how much it cost. ¡°` The other party¡¯s asking price was quite high, a room cost fifteen dollars, but they only rented out two rooms, the room they slept in was not for rent. Lu Jiaxin thought the price was a bit steep, but it was cheaper than staying at a guesthouse, and the location was convenient for travel. She said, ¡°Uncle, we plan to cook for ourselves and will use your firewood and utilities. I¡¯ll give you an additional three to five dollars, how does that sound?¡± Given Xue Mao¡¯s penny-pinching nature, he definitely wouldn¡¯t want to eat out, and she was not willing to use someone else¡¯s utilities and firewood for free. The couple readily agreed, took the money, and then took a car to their son¡¯s house. After not bathing for three days and nights, Lu Jiaxin felt like she was almost starting to stink. The first thing she did after renting the house was to wash her hair and take a bath. Xue Mao put down the luggage and prepared her medicine, then asked Zhao Dajun and Gu Wenfeng to buy rice, flour, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and other necessities. By the time Lu Jiaxin finished washing and hanging up the clothes, the medicine was just warm enough to drink. For dinner, Xue Mao made spicy oil noodles, a local specialty. Lu Jiaxin had once eaten it at a small restaurant, which was very authentic, so good that she wanted more. The one Xue Mao made had less flavorful seasonings compared to the ones outside. Seeing Gu Wenfeng and Zhao Dajun each wolf down two large bowls and still not be satisfied, Xue Mao started to worry. They ate so much, he¡¯d go broke if he didn¡¯t start earning money soon. After dinner, Xue Mao asked her about her next plans. Without any urgency, Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°No rush, we¡¯ll talk about it tomorrow. I haven¡¯t studied English for a few days, I¡¯m off to study now.¡± Xue Mao couldn¡¯t interrupt her studies, so he returned to the kitchen to clean up. The following morning, Zhao Dajun and Gu Wenfeng were practicing boxing in the yard when suddenly they heard Lu Jiaxin¡¯s voice reading aloud from inside the house. However, Zhao Dajun couldn¡¯t understand a word. When he heard Gu Wenfeng say it was English, Zhao Dajun frowned and said, ¡°Brother Feng, why do we need to learn the capitalists¡¯ language?¡± Gu Wenfeng replied, ¡°You should open up a bit. In the future, you¡¯ll need to learn new skills for new positions.¡± Zhao Dajun didn¡¯t reply. After Lu Jiaxin finished her morning reading, Gu Wenfeng asked when they would go to Feng County. His task was to accompany Lu Jiaxin back to her hometown to find the human trafficker, but now it seemed like she was in no hurry at all. Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, ¡°Xue Mao¡¯s biggest dream in life is to own his own house. I plan to buy him a house first, then go back to Feng County.¡± Gu Wenfeng¡¯s brows furrowed deeply. Zhao Dajun said bluntly, ¡°Miss Lu, we came to find the human trafficker, not to accompany you to the Ancient Capital to buy a house. Brother Feng and I have a lot to do, so I hope you can cooperate.¡± Lu Jiaxin asked, ¡°Brother Gu, do you have a time limit?¡± Gu Wenfeng replied, ¡°I need to go home to see my mother in two months. It¡¯s been five years since I¡¯ve been back, and if I delay, I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be able to return.¡± Lu Jiaxin wanted him to accompany her to Peng City and felt two months wouldn¡¯t be enough. But the man needed to visit his aging mother, a duty of filial piety, and couldn¡¯t be postponed, ¡°No problem, if my matters aren¡¯t settled by then, you should just go back.¡± Gu Wenfeng said earnestly, ¡°Miss Lu, I hope you can be truthful with me, so we can help you.¡± Lu Jiaxin felt he was too perceptive and with a stern face said, ¡°Be truthful about what? You make it sound as though I¡¯m deceiving you. If you don¡¯t want to stay, you can leave now, I¡¯m not forcing you.¡± Seeing her so tight-lipped, Gu Wenfeng didn¡¯t press further. Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 43 Gu Wenfeng Chapter 45: Chapter 43 Gu Wenfeng Unable to pry open Lu Jiaxin¡¯s lips, Gu Wenfeng turned his attention to Xue Mao. This kid was not on guard against him, and he quickly divulged information. Hearing that Lu Jiaxin stayed in the Ancient Capital to hunt for treasure, he was stunned. He had thought of many reasons, but hadn¡¯t considered the truth to be this. Not wanting to waste time, Gu Wenfeng took Xue Mao to find Lu Jiaxin, ¡°Miss Lu, may I know where you plan to hunt for treasure?¡± Seeing Xue Mao hanging his head, not daring to look at her, Lu Jiaxin knew he had let something slip. Alas, she had told him to keep it a secret; she hadn¡¯t expected his lips to be so loose. Gu Wenfeng understood her expression; she didn¡¯t trust him now. ¡°Miss Lu, as long as this matter isn¡¯t illegal, I can help you find it, and I won¡¯t reveal a word of it once the treasure is found.¡± ¡°What if you don¡¯t do as you say?¡± Gu Wenfeng replied, ¡°If I go back on my word, you can tell Madam Xie. Miss Lu, the leaders won¡¯t reuse someone who doesn¡¯t keep their word.¡± His words persuaded Lu Jiaxin, and she said, ¡°I can trust you, but what about Zhao Dajun?¡± Gu Wenfeng immediately replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him; he won¡¯t leak this matter either. If he dares to speak out, his job opportunity will be gone.¡± Lu Jiaxin had originally planned to buy the house, then search slowly with Xue Mao, but with Xue Mao¡¯s loose talk, she had to change her plan. ¡°Don¡¯t tell Zhao Dajun about this for now; let¡¯s talk when I get back from my hometown.¡± Gu Wenfeng nodded in agreement. Lu Jiaxin told him everything she knew, in great detail. Upon hearing that the homeowner¡¯s name was Sun Xun, Gu Wenfeng frowned and asked, ¡°Miss Lu, apart from his name, do you have any other clues?¡± Go to ????????????????????.co With the Ancient Capital¡¯s large population, finding someone based solely on their name would be difficult. An extra clue could narrow down the search significantly. Lu Jiaxin described Sun Xun¡¯s family situation, ¡°They were once a local prominent family and now live in the ancestral home. I think they should be easy to inquire about.¡± Upon hearing this, Xue Mao chimed in, ¡°Sister Xin, we could ask Uncle Feng to help inquire. He knows many people in the Ancient Capital and should be able to find out quickly.¡± As soon as Gu Wenfeng heard this, he dismissed the suggestion, ¡°Since it¡¯s about treasure hunting, the fewer people who know, the better. Otherwise, if the information leaks, even if we find the treasure, we won¡¯t be able to keep it.¡± Lu Jiaxin already regretted telling Xue Mao, and of course, she couldn¡¯t tell Uncle Feng now; the more people who knew, the greater the risk. Drawing too much attention could alert the astute, and there were many clever people in this world. She wanted to find these antiques, earn her first pot of gold, and not have any complications. The four split into two groups to make inquiries: Zhao Dajun with Gu Wenfeng and Lu Jiaxin with Xue Mao. Stepping outside, Zhao Dajun asked with confusion, ¡°Brother Feng, didn¡¯t we come with Miss Lu to catch traffickers? Why are we looking for someone now? Does this person have something to do with the traffickers?¡± Gu Wenfeng hadn¡¯t told him about the treasure hunting, merely saying, ¡°She wants to find someone, and our job is just to help her do it.¡± Gu Wenfeng was quick to act, finding the person in no time, ¡°Miss Lu, this Sun Xun is thirty-nine years old, a boiler worker at the cotton factory. He had two brothers and one sister, none lived to adulthood. His family situation is basically as you described, with eight members currently living in the front courtyard of the old house.¡± The residence comprises three sections. Sun Xun¡¯s father was one of three brothers. When they divided the house, they didn¡¯t assign it directly but decided by drawing lots, with Sun Xun¡¯s father getting the first section of the courtyard. ¡°` Gu Wenfeng said, ¡°This Sun Xun likes to gamble. He plays cards as soon as he gets his salary. His six children all depend on his wife doing odd jobs for support. Their house is said to be so dilapidated that it could collapse at any time. Miss Lu, are you sure there¡¯s treasure in that decrepit house?¡± As soon as Lu Jiaxin heard that the other party liked to gamble, she was certain she had found the right person. She had heard the follow-up story during her later trip to the Ancient Capital. That Sun Xun had sold the collection of calligraphy, paintings, and ancient books for a fortune, and not long after, he died on the street. As for how he died, there were various theories, but none could be verified. ¡°Brother Gu, let¡¯s find a way to buy his house.¡± Gu Wenfeng didn¡¯t believe there was any treasure in the house. He tried to persuade her, ¡°Miss Lu, the Sun Family isn¡¯t doing well. If there truly were treasures, they would have taken them themselves long ago, and it wouldn¡¯t be our turn.¡± Lu Jiaxin spread her hands and said, ¡°Even if we don¡¯t find the treasure, Xue Mao will have obtained a house; even if that house is run-down, it¡¯s still better than the shack he had before. But if we do find it, we¡¯ll be rich, and we won¡¯t have to worry about making a living anymore.¡± Xue Mao finally realized what was going on: ¡°Sister Xin, you pawned the jewelry set that Big Brother Su gave you, and you even withdrew the dowry money your mother left you, just to buy this dilapidated house and search for treasure?¡± After receiving an affirmative answer, Xue Mao felt she was crazy: ¡°Sister Xin, this must be Ding Jing¡¯s conspiracy, don¡¯t be fooled!¡± Lu Jiaxin was amused by his wild speculation. Gu Wenfeng gave up trying to persuade her. From what he had observed over the past few days, he could tell that Lu Jiaxin was a person with plans in mind. Even going to the lengths of using her late mother¡¯s dowry money to search for treasure, no amount of persuasion would change her mind. So there was no point in wasting any more words. After thinking it over, he said, ¡°Miss Lu, we can¡¯t just directly buy his house. Sun Xun isn¡¯t a fool; if we rashly approach him to buy his house, he will definitely become suspicious.¡± Xue Mao was stunned. What was Brother Gu doing? It was bad enough that he wasn¡¯t helping persuade her, but now he was even encouraging the purchase of that ramshackle house. Lu Jiaxin had already considered this, so her plan was to find a middleman. As long as the price was right, she believed Sun Xun would sell the house, as gamblers were not known for their rationality. However, it was best to leave this matter to Gu Wenfeng to handle, as she and Xue Mao were too young and inexperienced to be convincing. Gu Wenfeng said, ¡°Miss Lu, Sun Xun¡¯s house is so decrepit that just the repairs alone would cost a fortune. No normal person would buy his house. Even with a middleman, he would be suspicious.¡± ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡± Gu Wenfeng¡¯s plan was to exploit Sun Xun¡¯s weakness for gambling and have creditors pressure him to pay his debts, leaving him no choice but to sell the house. In this way, there would be no fear of arousing suspicion. Lu Jiaxin¡¯s eyes sparkled as she looked at him. Having the ability to be adaptable and not bound by conventions was exactly the kind of assistant she needed! Gu Wenfeng reminded her, ¡°Miss Lu, this will take some time. We have been out for five days now; your father and Station Chief Lu must be looking for you everywhere.¡± ¡°I left a note at home before I left; my Fifth Brother will see it when he comes over.¡± Although she said this, she still went to the post office to call Lu Jiaguang, telling him she was in the Ancient Capital. ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to Feng County to find that human trafficker? Why are you still in the Ancient Capital?¡± Lu Jiaguang asked. He had been worried since receiving a call from Lu Jiajie the previous afternoon saying she hadn¡¯t returned home. He was somewhat reassured by the thought that the two bodyguards with her were arranged by the Xie Family, so he hadn¡¯t filed a report. Lu Jiaxin had already thought of an excuse: ¡°When Xue Mao got off the train, he was pushed and twisted his ankle. The doctor said it needs to rest for a while; otherwise, the injury could get worse.¡± A muscle and bone injury takes a hundred days to heal; with an injured foot, they couldn¡¯t hurry on their journey, and Lu Jiaguang understood this as well. ¡°` Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 44 Reason Chapter 46: Chapter 44 Reason Lu Jiaguang asked when she would return, or if she said she wouldn¡¯t go back at all. She definitely had to go back to her hometown. Treasure hunting was the main reason for coming to the Ancient Capital, but finding the traffickers to avenge her original self was equally important. However, when to return was something she needed to discuss with Gu Wenfeng and the others. Lu Jiaguang said, ¡°Third Uncle knew you went back to the old house, so he sent Jiajie to find you. He arrived home last night.¡± Lu Jiaxin scoffed coldly, ¡°The daughter is lost, and he only instructs others to search for her. He doesn¡¯t rush at all and even goes about his work as usual. Big brother, do you think I¡¯m really his biological daughter?¡± The so-called doting of his daughter was fake. In Lu Hongjun¡¯s eyes, the real power in his hands came first, followed by the pleasure of warm fragrance in his arms, and his daughter came last. Lu Jiaguang was stopped short by her question and promptly changed the subject, ¡°Xinxin, the traffickers are not only cunning but also extremely vicious. Don¡¯t try to act tough and hurry back.¡± How could Lu Jiaxin possibly listen to him? ¡°Big brother, hurry and call the Red Light Brigade to tell Fifth Brother that I¡¯ve been held up by something and won¡¯t be returning to the old house so soon.¡± ¡°Then when do you plan to return to the old house?¡± She had to return to Feng County, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll go back in a few days.¡± ¡°Can he handle it alone?¡± ¡°Certainly not alone. When the time comes, I¡¯ll leave someone to take care of him.¡± Lu Jiaguang felt this arrangement was quite good, ¡°Call me before you come back, and I¡¯ll have Jiajie come pick you up.¡± After hanging up the phone, Lu Jiaxin returned to the rental house and called Gu Wenfeng in to tell him about returning to Feng County. Go to ????????????????????.co Gu Wenfeng said, ¡°Let Zhao Dajun accompany you back. I¡¯ll stay here. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll buy the house before you return.¡± The situation was complicated and he was worried that Zhao Dajun might not handle it properly, so it was more reliable for him to stay. As for the traffickers, they would report directly to the police in Feng County, where the many men of the Lu Family could certainly protect her well. Lu Jiaxin looked at him and asked, ¡°Brother Gu, are you hiding something from me?¡± At first, she didn¡¯t think much of it, but now she felt something was off. For someone like Gu Wenfeng, just helping to buy a house and hunt for treasure would be enough, as long as the price was right, he wouldn¡¯t refuse. But with Sun Xun¡¯s gambling and neglect of the household and his wife struggling day by day with six children, Gu Wenfeng¡¯s enthusiasm wasn¡¯t normal. ¡°You mean in what respect?¡± Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°Sun Xun¡¯s gambling and neglect of household matters. If I buy Sun Xun¡¯s house, he¡¯ll definitely take the money to continue gambling. His wife and six children will then have nowhere to live. With your disposition, you should be opposed to this.¡± Gu Wenfeng retorted, ¡°If you know that without the house, Liu Xiaoyue and the six children may well end up on the streets, why do you still want to buy this house?¡± Lu Jiaxin thought for a moment and decided to tell the truth, ¡°I won¡¯t let them end up on the streets. I¡¯ll deal with Sun Xun first, then give her some money to buy another house; additionally, I¡¯ll suggest that they set up a stall, as it¡¯s profitable and can support six children.¡± She planned to deal with these matters after returning from her hometown, so she hadn¡¯t mentioned them to Gu Wenfeng. Gu Wenfeng was surprised that this was her plan, and after a moment of silence, he said, ¡°Sun Xun owes more than nine hundred yuan. He is planning to sell the twins to pay off the debt.¡± Lu Jiaxin was somewhat astonished. She knew that gamblers had no bottom line, but she was unaware that they could be so shameless as to sell their children to settle gambling debts, ¡°Brother Gu, you didn¡¯t tell me last time.¡± Gu Wenfeng explained, ¡°I was afraid that telling you might frighten you. Miss Lu, this time he can sell the twins to pay off gambling debts, next time it might be another child, and in the end, he might even sell his wife. A scum like that doesn¡¯t deserve to live.¡± However, getting his hands dirty for such a person was not worth it. So, he was planning to let the creditors force Sun Xun to sell the house and then take the opportunity of the government¡¯s crackdown on public security to put him in jail. Sun Xun had racked up a lot of gambling debts outside. If he hadn¡¯t settled his debts before being caught, Liu Xiaoyue, a weak woman, wouldn¡¯t be able to hold onto the house. By then, the house would definitely be sold off cheaply, so it would be better to sell it to Lu Jiaxin, who could at least pay a fair amount. He hadn¡¯t planned to tell Lu Jiaxin these things, but he didn¡¯t expect her to be so perceptive. Lu Jiaxin, with a frown, asked, ¡°What about Liu Xiaoyue¡¯s family? Why would they allow Sun Xun to bully her like this?¡± ¡°The Sun Family had a bad social status, and no girl from the city wanted to marry him. So, Mr. Sun had someone look for a bride in the countryside. Liu Xiaoyue was from the mountains, dirt poor, with three older brothers who had no money to marry. To get a daughter-in-law for their son, they married Liu Xiaoyue to him.¡± To say it was a marriage was just a nicer way of putting it. Mr. Liu and Mrs. Liu clearly sold her to the Sun Family, so she had no status at home at all. Fortunately, before Mr. Sun died, he had transferred Liu Xiaoyue¡¯s household registration to their family; all six children were born with urban residency and entitled to food rations, or else they would have starved to death long ago. Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 44 Cause_2 Chapter 47: Chapter 44 Cause_2 Lu Jiaxin let out a sigh, took the money bag from inside the house, and placed it on the table, ¡°Brother Gu, here¡¯s seventeen thousand yuan, you can take the money for the house directly from here.¡± ¡°Such a large sum of money is safer in your own hands.¡± ¡°I need to go back to my hometown, carrying it with me might attract thieves.¡± There are many pickpockets on the roads now, carrying so much money is unsafe. This area is a residential district with good public order, plus Gu Wenfeng¡¯s martial prowess, if a thief dared to sneak in, he¡¯d be taken down in minutes. Gu Wenfeng chuckled and said, ¡°Miss Lu, I thought you weren¡¯t afraid of anything!¡± ¡°You overestimate me, I fear hardship, exhaustion, and poverty even more,¡± After the two had settled this matter, the next day Lu Jiaxin went to the department store to shop and then made a trip to the marketplace. She spent over one hundred yuan, but she still had many things to buy. Thinking about the crowded transport, she ultimately gave up. In Ancient Capital at that time, there was no direct bus to Feng County from the provincial city; one had to first take a bus to the district and then transfer to the county town. Since she had already purchased her ticket in advance, Lu Jiaxin timed her arrival at the bus station perfectly. The two found the shuttle bus and boarded, only to discover a young couple had taken their seats. Lu Jiaxin spoke up with courtesy, ¡°Brother, sister, those are our seats.¡± The man pretended not to hear, but the woman raised her voice, ¡°Don¡¯t you know the rules? These seats are first come, first served.¡± Seeing her unreasonable and aggressive demeanor, Lu Jiaxin snorted coldly and spoke to Zhao Dajun, ¡°Brother Zhao, drag them off the bus.¡± Thankfully, she was accompanied by Zhao Dajun, who was tall and strongly built, otherwise, she might not have been able to retrieve her seat on her own. Go to ????????????????????.co Zhao Dajun glared at the man and said, ¡°These are our seats, get up.¡± Intimidated by his fierce gaze, the man quickly conceded and stood up. The woman seemed reluctant, but as Zhao Dajun kept his eyes on her, she finally gave up her seat. Zhao Dajun let Lu Jiaxin sit down, then offered his seat to an elderly granny. The young woman, seeing this, was furious but dared not scold Zhao Dajun or Lu Jiaxin, so she took it out on the feeble man beside her instead. Back then, there were no regulations against overloading. The aisle of the bus was filled with standing passengers when leaving the station, and yet, the bus would still stop if someone hailed it. A young girl carrying a baby boarded, followed by another woman lugging two large bags of goods. Lu Jiaxin stood up and offered her seat to the young girl. Being so young and holding a child, it was clearly more dangerous for her to stand. The woman was extremely grateful; she opened one of her bags, took out two pomegranates, and extended them to Lu Jiaxin, who initially refused. The woman smiled and said, ¡°These are grown by my parents, they¡¯re not worth much money, miss, just take them and enjoy!¡± Fruits were an essential daily need for Lu Jiaxin, but due to the inconvenience of transport, many fruits were not readily available. She liked the look of the bright red pomegranates and asked, ¡°Sister, are both of these bags full of pomegranates?¡± The woman smiled and shook her head, ¡°No, one bag has pomegranates, and the other contains peanuts and dried sweet potatoes, all grown by my parents.¡± After speaking, she insisted on pushing the pomegranates into Lu Jiaxin¡¯s hands. Lu Jiaxin peeled open a pomegranate and saw the deep red seeds inside. She tasted a few seeds and praised, ¡°Sister, your pomegranates are deliciously sweet and tangy.¡± The woman beamed with joy upon hearing the compliments about her pomegranates. The young girl chimed in crisply, ¡°Sis, these pomegranates were carefully tended by my grandparents, everyone who¡¯s tried them loves them.¡± Lu Jiaxin inquired, ¡°Sister, are you selling these pomegranates? If you are, I¡¯d like to buy some.¡± ¡°Sell what sell, they¡¯re not worth much. If you like them, Miss, I can just give you some,¡± the woman replied. Lu Jiaxin couldn¡¯t take advantage: ¡°Sister, if you¡¯re willing to sell, then sell me some. If not, I can¡¯t just take your things for free.¡± Hearing this, the young girl tugged on the woman¡¯s sleeve and said, ¡°Mom, we¡¯ve brought quite a lot, and we can¡¯t eat it all anyway. This sister likes them, let¡¯s sell her some!¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, the woman asked, ¡°Young miss, how much would you like to buy?¡± ¡°Half of it, please?¡± Before the woman could respond, the girl¡¯s eyes lit up and she said eagerly, ¡°Sis, if you like them, we can sell them to you for a good price. Normally, my grandparents sell them for twenty cents per jin, and this bag has over fifty jin, you can have it for eight yuan.¡± The woman gave her daughter a stern look, then smilingly said to Lu Jiaxin, ¡°This child talks nonsense. Miss, you can take them all for five yuan.¡± Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 44 Reason_3 Chapter 48: Chapter 44 Reason_3 At home, they sell for ten cents a pound, and during a bumper harvest, they can¡¯t even sell for ten cents. Selling to the little girl for twenty cents a pound is clearly ripping her off. The little girl lowered her head and said nothing. Lu Jiaxin, smiling, pulled out a handful of money from her pocket, counted eight yuan, and stuffed it into big sister¡¯s hand. Seeing her reluctance to accept, Lu Jiaxin explained, ¡°The price for selling at home is different from selling outside. Like in the Forty-nine City, such good pomegranates would go for fifty cents a pound.¡± The big sister gave back the extra three yuan, ¡°Miss, the Forty-nine City is the Forty-nine City, we sell for ten cents a pound here, and I can¡¯t rip you off. If you insist on giving eight yuan, then I won¡¯t sell.¡± Lu Jiaxin, unable to refuse, could only accept it and then she took a handful of candy from the bag for the little girl, ¡°Here, big sister gives you candy to eat.¡± A flash of longing appeared in the little girl¡¯s eyes, but she still looked towards the big sister nearby. The big sister didn¡¯t want to accept it, but she couldn¡¯t bear to see her daughter disappointed, and embarrassedly said, ¡°Miss, the milk candy is so expensive, how could we accept it?¡± Lu Jiaxin stuffed the candy into the little girl¡¯s pocket, ¡°It¡¯s fine, if the children like to eat it then let them eat. Big sister, your pomegranates are so delicious, you could totally pick them and sell them in the provincial city! At twenty cents a pound, there would definitely be a lot of buyers.¡± The big sister shook her head, ¡°Someone from our village went to sell pomegranates in the provincial city not long ago. They came back saying no one wanted them, and in the end, they were all dumped.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Jiaxin felt it couldn¡¯t be possible. After some thought, she said, ¡°What others say may not be reliable, perhaps the person who said this was afraid if everyone rushed to the provincial city to sell, his own fruits wouldn¡¯t sell? With these sorts of things, you only know the truth after you try it.¡± ¡°If they can¡¯t sell in the market, they can still go to the families¡¯ courtyards of those big factories. As long as the product is good, there¡¯s no worry about sales.¡± The big sister naively said, ¡°It was my older male cousin and his wife who said it, they couldn¡¯t possibly deceive us.¡± Lu Jiaxin smiled and said no more. People die for wealth, and birds die for food; not to mention older male cousins, even blood brothers turn against each other for the sake of profit. Go to ????????????????????.co An hour later, the car arrived in the district. When Zhao Dajun got off the car, he was carrying luggage in one hand and pomegranates in the other. The way he lifted the fifty-plus pounds of pomegranates as if they were nothing attracted the gazes of passersby. Lu Jiaxin thought the bus from the provincial city to the district was already crowded, but it was not until she boarded the bus heading to the county town that she realized her naivet¨¦. On the bus, people brought chickens and ducks; it was so crowded that even the place to set your feet was hard to find, not to mention the mix of sweat odor, foot odor, and the smell of chicken and duck droppings, it was indescribably nasty. Lu Jiaxin threw up after not too long. Thankfully, she had prepared a bag; otherwise, given the situation on the bus, she would¡¯ve vomited on someone else. She threw up everything she had eaten at noon and felt dizzy afterward, but subconsciously, Lu Jiaxin still clutched her canvas bag tightly. Zhao Dajun stood by her side, which probably discouraged anyone from trying to snatch her bag. When the bus reached the station, Lu Jiaxin¡¯s legs felt so weak that she couldn¡¯t stand up. It was only with Zhao Dajun¡¯s support that she managed to get off the bus. Once outside, she vomited again, this time even bile coming up. Zhao Dajun, looking at her pale face, couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°If you can¡¯t handle riding the bus, why did you still insist on coming to catch the trafficker by yourself?¡± With this feeble state, she couldn¡¯t catch a trafficker even if she saw one. Lu Jiaxin, feeling drained, weakly said, ¡°Let¡¯s go stay at the hostel first, we¡¯ll head back to Lu Family Village tomorrow morning.¡± With her in this condition, even if she wanted to return, she couldn¡¯t. When they stepped out of the bus station and asked around, they discovered that they would have to walk a bit to get to the hostel. There were no rickshaws available for hire at this time, so they had to walk there. On the way to the hostel, they had to pass by the post office. Seeing the post office reminded Lu Jiaxin of something she had forgotten, ¡°I called my eldest brother yesterday, and he said he would ask Fifth Brother to pick me up. If we go to the hostel, and Fifth Brother can¡¯t find us, he¡¯ll be worried sick.¡± Zhao Dajun said, ¡°If your Fifth Brother was picking up people, we should have seen him when we got off the bus. Maybe something came up and he couldn¡¯t make it?¡± Lu Jiaxin, feeling exhausted, dropped her package on the ground and sat down, ¡°You go back to the station and check. If you don¡¯t see Fifth Brother, forget about him.¡± Running back to search and still not finding the person, one should indeed be worried. Zhao Dajun rejected the suggestion. Lu Jiaxin had been abducted before, and when she came out, Gu Wenfeng had cautioned him countless times that they should not let Lu Jiaxin out of sight when outside. If she got lost, not only would his job be on the line, but Brother Feng and his cousin would also be dragged down by his mistake. Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 45: Riding on a Flatbed Cart Chapter 49: Chapter 45: Riding on a Flatbed Cart After a lot of persuasions, Zhao Dajun still didn¡¯t want to leave, so Lu Jiaxin had no choice but to spend money to send a child to find Lu Jiajie. She gave him two dimes to start with, and promised another three after he found him. The little boy was thrilled, took the two dimes, and ran off like an arrow. Watching the child¡¯s retreating figure, Lu Jiaxin shook her head and said, ¡°These days, people still aren¡¯t cautious enough. What if we were bad people?¡± Zhao Dajun frowned and said, ¡°Miss Lu, we aren¡¯t bad people.¡± Lu Jiaxin was at a loss for words; she had simply lamented the child¡¯s lack of vigilance. Having interacted with him for a few days, she knew he was single-minded and didn¡¯t bother to argue. It wasn¡¯t long before the child came running back, not even asking for the rest of the money. Only when Lu Jiajie arrived, panting, did the child turn his attention to Lu Jiaxin. Lu Jiaxin gestured with her hand, indicating for him to wait a moment. Lu Jiajie came up to Lu Jiaxin and explained, ¡°Jiaxin, Xinxin, I¡¯ve been waiting since noon, and just then I urgently had to go to the outhouse. Who would¡¯ve thought I¡¯d miss the bus because of that?¡± Seeing that he was blaming her, Lu Jiaxin said with a laugh, ¡°It¡¯s normal to have emergencies, but couldn¡¯t you have asked someone to wait for you at the exit? If they didn¡¯t know me, couldn¡¯t you think to write my name on a piece of paper?¡± Lu Jiajie was left speechless. Lu Jiaxin pointed out to the little boy, ¡°Tell him that there are many traffickers out there nowadays. He needs to be more vigilant and not be like this time.¡± Lu Jiajie mumbled something to the little boy, who at first seemed defiant but then his expression turned to one of fear. Clearly, he had taken Lu Jiajie¡¯s words to heart. ¡°Xinxin, he promised that if strangers talk to him again, he¡¯ll go find an adult first.¡± Go to ????????????????????.co The boy grabbed the remaining three dimes and darted away. As for whether he truly took the conversation to heart, only he knew. As Lu Jiajie was handling the luggage, he asked, ¡°Xinxin, why are you heading this way? Have you forgotten the way home?¡± Lu Jiaxin genuinely didn¡¯t know in which direction Lu Family Village was. The last time she went there was the year before Mrs. Lu passed away, ¡°The last visit was five years ago, and back then, I followed my mom without paying attention to the route. How could I remember?¡± ¡°Then you could have asked, right?¡± Lu Jiaxin was speechless again, ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? I get carsick; I¡¯ve been throwing up the whole way, even bile came up. I don¡¯t have the energy to walk and was planning to stay at a guesthouse for the night before going back.¡± Lu Jiajie, seeing how weak she looked, thought to himself that although she wasn¡¯t feeling well, her sharp tongue remained. This was good in a way; she wouldn¡¯t be easily bullied in the future, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go borrow a bicycle. Big brother here can ride a bike, right?¡± He had come on his own bicycle, and just needed to borrow another one. However, Lu Jiaxin couldn¡¯t ride a bike, and if Zhao Dajun couldn¡¯t either, they would all have to walk. Zhao Dajun said he could not only ride a bike but also drive and fix cars. But Lu Jiaxin didn¡¯t want to ride a bike, claiming, ¡°The road to the village is too bumpy, I¡¯ll end up vomiting again if I ride a bike.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll carry you on my back.¡± Lu Jiaxin gave him a look and asked, ¡°I remember, isn¡¯t it more than an hour¡¯s walk from the county town to Lu Family Village? You¡¯re carrying luggage; can you really carry me all the way home?¡± That indeed seemed unlikely. Lu Jiaxin felt her glibness was getting only sharper, and she couldn¡¯t even outtalk herself anymore, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want you to stay at the guesthouse, but you¡¯re not used to the food here. You¡¯re already feeling unwell; if you eat poorly, your recovery will be even more difficult.¡± Originally planning to stay at the guesthouse for one night, Lu Jiaxin immediately changed her mind upon hearing this. However, she was also not willing to ride a bicycle; it was too bumpy. After thinking for a bit, she said, ¡°Go borrow a handcart and pull me back! Fifth Brother, the handcart must be clean and tidy; I¡¯ll throw up again if there¡¯s a smell.¡± In the countryside, only those who were sick or had mobility issues would travel by handcart. She was now considered a patient, so she met the criteria. Lu Jiajie was taken aback and, upon snapping out of it, couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter. Seeing Lu Jiaxin staring at him and holding back his laughter, he said, ¡°Then wait here for a moment, I¡¯ll go borrow a handcart.¡± After Lu Jiajie left, Zhao Dajun kindly reminded, ¡°Miss Lu, you should change your temper a bit, or else everyone will dislike you.¡± Lu Jiaxin looked at him in surprise and said with amusement, ¡°Those who like you will like whatever you do; those who don¡¯t, will pick out faults in everything, even if you¡¯re well-behaved and sensible.¡± Zhao Dajun felt her argument was fallacious, ¡°Adults all like children who are sensible and caring.¡± He thought that Lu Jiaxin had been favored in the past because she was the only child of her parents. After Mrs. Lu passed away, the stepmother¡¯s daughter was obedient and caring, and her father began to favor the stepdaughter. Lu Jiaxin felt he was meddling too much, but as they still had to spend time together, she didn¡¯t want to strain their relationship, ¡°I like to live according to my own wishes, I don¡¯t like being directed and dictated to, not even by my own parents.¡± Being obedient and sensible is good? Not necessarily. If you¡¯re too compliant, your life might be planned by your parents. They have ready-made reasons; they¡¯re worried, so they arrange a smooth and easy path for you. It¡¯s fine if you¡¯re willing to follow the routine, but if you have aspirations, you might feel imprisoned in a cage.¡± Zhao Dajun thought there was something wrong with her thinking, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s very selfish?¡± In earlier years, he definitely would have suggested that Hongjun send this girl to attend ideological education classes. But now with the relaxed policies, there was no such strict enforcement. Lu Jiaxin, not feeling well, also started to sound annoyed, ¡°How I am is none of your concern, just mind your own business.¡± After getting back to the Ancient Capital, she would have him return to the Forty-nine City. What Lu Jiaxin couldn¡¯t stand the most was being lectured. Had she known Zhao Dajun was like this, she wouldn¡¯t have let him come along. About twenty minutes later, Lu Jiajie finally came with a handcart. The handcart was new, with thick dry straw and bedding underneath, and a bamboo mat laid on top. ¡°Why isn¡¯t there a quilt?¡± Lu Jiajie, trying not to laugh, said, ¡°Sister, it¡¯s such a hot day, who needs a blanket¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but slapped his forehead and said, ¡°My oversight, I should have brought a blanket for you.¡± To a healthy person, indeed, no blanket was needed on such a hot day. But Lu Jiaxin was weak now, and even in this heat, her hands and feet were still cold. Seeing that he realized the problem, Lu Jiaxin took out two pieces of clothing from her luggage. The pomegranates and other items were tied to the rear rack of the bicycle. After the items were settled, Lu Jiaxin took off her shoes and lay down on the handcart. Lu Jiajie pushed the bike while Zhao Dajun pulled the handcart. Feeling the sunlight was too glaring, Lu Jiaxin covered her face with one of the clothes. Lu Jiajie, seeing this, laughed heartily and said while laughing, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t worry, people here don¡¯t know you, and they won¡¯t laugh at you.¡± Lu Jiaxin gave him an eye roll, ¡°So what if they recognize me? It¡¯s just a handcart, what is there to laugh about?¡± Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 46 Big Uncle Lu (1) Chapter 50: Chapter 46 Big Uncle Lu (1) ¡°` The roads in the county town were fairly smooth, but once they left the town, the roads became rough and uneven. Fortunately, there were dried grass and bedding laid out below, so Lu Jiaxin did not feel too much jostling. It was just past five o¡¯clock, right around sunset. Initially, Lu Jiaxin and Lu Jiajie chatted sporadically, but the gentle rays of the sun made her feel warmly comfortable, and she drifted off to sleep without realizing it. Lu Jiajie told Zhao Dajun to stop and took a bag that was hanging in front of the bicycle. He opened it and pulled out a blanket to cover her with. Zhao Dajun asked in surprise, ¡°You brought a blanket, why didn¡¯t you tell her earlier?¡± Lu Jiajie was momentarily startled, then remembered their earlier conversation and replied, ¡°We siblings often joke like that, you don¡¯t need to take it seriously.¡± Zhao Dajun felt they were spoiling Lu Jiaxin too much, ¡°If you continue like this, you¡¯ll spoil her rotten. It¡¯s not a problem now while she¡¯s young, but her whimsical nature won¡¯t be endearing when she starts working and it¡¯ll be hard on her.¡± Lu Jiajie knew he meant well and patiently explained, ¡°My Xinxin is indeed a bit delicate and can occasionally be temperamental, but she is kind-hearted and knows her limits.¡± He believed that it wasn¡¯t a bad thing for a girl to be a bit delicate and temperamental. His two older sisters managed everything inside and outside their homes, ended up exhausted and ill at a young age, and the men not only weren¡¯t grateful but also complained about them being rude and not gentle enough. Jiaxin, on the other hand, was just fine by him, even when it came to demanding things from her lifesaver, when necessary. Of course, at that time, he was unaware of a concept called ¡°filter.¡± Zhao Dajun frowned and said, ¡°By indulging her this way, aren¡¯t you worried that she¡¯ll be rejected by her in-laws once she¡¯s married?¡± Lu Jiajie laughed, ¡°My sister is beautiful, wealthy, has a house, and is capable. If the groom dares to find fault with her for being pampered and willful, she won¡¯t even bother with him, without us saying anything.¡± He thought it was better for a girl to have some edges to avoid being bullied. Although this girl used to be all bark and no bite, which is why Ding Jing and her daughter bullied her terribly, after going through life and death, she had become strong-willed and clear-headed. As his older brother said, she had transformed and was far ahead of her peers. Zhao Dajun did not say anything more, thinking that this indulgence without guidance would lead to regret when it was too late. Go to ????????????????????.co In her drowsy state, Lu Jiaxin heard a child crying and sat up in fear. Opening her eyes to see Lu Jiajie, she asked sleepily, ¡°Fifth Brother, is Qiangqiang crying?¡± Lu Jiajie teased her, ¡°You¡¯re talking in your sleep. We¡¯re on our way back to Lu Family Village; Qiangqiang is in the Forty-nine City!¡± Lu Jiaxin yawned hugely and asked, ¡°Brother, how much longer until we get home?¡± ¡°Just a little while longer. Keep on sleeping, and you¡¯ll be there when you wake up.¡± Lu Jiaxin sat up and looked around. She saw slopes on both sides, without trees or grass, just bare soil. No wonder the area was prone to drought. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± ¡°Brother, there are no trees here, only soil,¡± she observed. Lu Jiajie laughed and said, ¡°Yellow Sandy Slope by its very nature is all soil. You asked me the same question five years ago; how come you¡¯re still asking the same question now?¡± Lu Jiaxin felt embarrassed. Although she retained the memories of her original self, many details escaped her without deliberate recollection. Lu Jiajie did not continue to tease her, and shared with her, ¡°Jiaxin, when Big Uncle Lu and the others heard that you were lost on your way back home, they rallied friends and all of Lu Family Village to look for you, but to no avail. The search made Big Uncle ill, and now that they knew you came back alone, Big Uncle Lu and Big Aunt have given me an earful.¡± ¡°` ¡°If there¡¯s anyone to blame, it should be my dad. Why blame you?¡± Lu Jiajie said with schadenfreude, ¡°You think Third Uncle wasn¡¯t scolded? After they learned you were lost, Big Uncle Lu and Big Aunt took turns calling to give your dad an earful. They even said if they couldn¡¯t find you, they would no longer recognize him as a brother.¡± ¡°When you went missing last time, wasn¡¯t Ding Jing looking for you? Without a word, Big Aunt drove her out and in the end, she could only stay at our place. It¡¯s just that my mom isn¡¯t as meticulous as Big Aunt¡ªDing Jing stayed one day and then went back to the hostel. That day, Big Uncle Lu called again and gave Third Uncle a thorough scolding.¡± Lu Jiaxin said with a smile, ¡°Big Uncle Lu and Big Aunt are the best.¡± In her memories, the two elders were very affectionate towards her original self. This was partly due to Mrs. Lu¡¯s social skills, and another part was that her original self was good-looking and likable. Lu Jiajie complained on purpose, ¡°Big Uncle Lu dotes on you the most. Just knowing you¡¯re safely back and the illness cleared up in an instant. I didn¡¯t dare tell them I was here to find you until I picked up Fifth Brother¡¯s call.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m going to be scolded later?¡± ¡°No, Big Uncle Lu will only scold me, Fifth Brother, and Third Uncle.¡± Lu Jiaxin cracked a smile. It was about time Lu Hongjun got a good scolding, so he wouldn¡¯t be blinded by lust and hand over all his belongings to that mother and daughter. Even if she didn¡¯t want it, it was still better given to the Lu family members! Apart from Second Uncle Lu and Second Aunt, who were a complicated case, everyone else was pretty good. She liked this kind of big family. As they chatted and hurried along, time passed quickly. After talking so much that her throat felt dry, Lu Jiaxin drank some water and asked, ¡°Fifth Brother, how much longer until we arrive?¡± Lu Jiajie pointed to a large tree ahead, laughing as he said, ¡°Once we get past that Paulownia tree, the village up front is ours. Don¡¯t worry, when I left, Big Aunt was already preparing the chicken.¡± No sooner had he spoken than Lu Jiajie suddenly shouted, ¡°Big Uncle Lu, how did you get here?¡± Lu Jiaxin, thinking he was teasing her, didn¡¯t expect that Big Uncle Lu and her second brother, Lu Jiazong, were indeed coming over. It turned out that Big Uncle Lu, seeing that it was getting dark and they hadn¡¯t returned yet, got worried and brought his second son to look for them. It was only when Big Uncle Lu got closer that Lu Jiaxin could clearly see the appearance of the father and son. Big Uncle Lu was of medium build, dressed in gray, his back straight as a ruler, his hair completely white. However, his eyes were bright and sharp, clearly indicating he was not someone easily fooled. Big Uncle Lu, seeing her seated on the flatcart, thought something was wrong and hurried over, telling her to lie back down. Then, he turned his head and scolded Lu Jiajie, ¡°Xinxin isn¡¯t feeling well, why didn¡¯t you take her to the hospital? At over twenty years old, you¡¯re less sensible than Da Huang back home.¡± Lu Jiaxin, unable to understand the local dialect, but recalling what Lu Jiajie had just said, couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile. With a pained expression, Lu Jiajie explained in Mandarin, ¡°Big Uncle Lu, Xinxin isn¡¯t sick, she was car sick, but she¡¯s fine now.¡± Lu Jiaxin, not wanting to see him scolded for no reason, immediately clarified, ¡°Big Uncle Lu, I couldn¡¯t stand the smell in the car. When Fifth Brother saw how I was, he worried I¡¯d vomit on the bike, so he specially borrowed this flatcart to take me back.¡± Lu Jiajie felt that Lu Jiaxin was really considerate. Pointing at Zhao Dajun, Big Uncle Lu said in Mandarin tinged with the local dialect, ¡°But it wasn¡¯t her pulling you, it was this big brother here.¡± According to tradition, guests should be treated well. How could he let a guest pull the cart while he rode his bike? This time, though, he didn¡¯t scold Lu Jiajie again. He had noticed earlier that Lu Jiaxin was protecting her brother! This was a good thing, and it pleased him greatly. Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 47: Big Uncle Lu (2) Chapter 51: Chapter 47: Big Uncle Lu (2) Lu Jiaxin remembered trying to leave on her own, but Big Uncle Lu disagreed, insisting she was physically weak and should lie down and rest. Not only that, but he also asked Lu Guangzong to replace Zhao Dajun in carrying her. With compassion, Big Uncle Lu said, ¡°Xinxin, you¡¯ve been wronged.¡± Lu Jiaxin had wanted to say it was nothing, but tears couldn¡¯t help but fall. After crying for a while, when she spoke again, her words were different from what she initially intended: ¡°Big Uncle, my dad now only has that mother and daughter duo in his heart, and he doesn¡¯t care about my life or death at all. I was afraid they would hurt me again, so I moved out and even transferred my household registration.¡± ¡°Big Uncle, he doesn¡¯t want me, so I don¡¯t want him either.¡± Big Uncle Lu¡¯s hand holding the tobacco pipe trembled: ¡°Jiaxin, was your disappearance caused by the mother and daughter surnamed Ding?¡± Lu Jiaxin looked at Lu Jiajie in surprise, such a big issue and yet it wasn¡¯t communicated to Big Uncle Lu. She wouldn¡¯t conceal anything for Lu Hongjun and recounted everything as it happened: ¡°The day I returned to the Forty-nine City, I moved out, that house was purchased by my mother before she passed away. She was afraid that if my father remarried, his new home wouldn¡¯t welcome me. Sadly, my mother¡¯s concerns came true so soon.¡± Big Uncle Lu nearly passed out from the shock and handed Lu Jiajie the pipe: ¡°Lao Wu, why didn¡¯t you tell me such a big matter? And you told me Xinxin just felt down because she didn¡¯t do well in the college entrance exams and wanted to go back to her hometown to clear her mind.¡± Lu Jiajie suddenly felt overwhelmed. Big Uncle Lu had a fiery temper and would definitely go to the Forty-nine City to confront Third Uncle if he knew the truth, so Lu Jiajie dared not tell him. Now that he knew he couldn¡¯t keep it a secret, he had planned to find an appropriate opportunity to talk about it but had missed the chance because he got drunk the previous day, woke up too late this morning, and in his haste to go to the county town to pick someone up, the opportunity slipped away again. Lu Jiaxin said, ¡°Big Uncle, you can¡¯t blame Big Brother and Fifth Brother for this. If there¡¯s anyone to blame, it¡¯s my dad for being blinded by lust.¡± Big Uncle Lu calmed down and didn¡¯t make excuses for Lu Hongjun: ¡°I told your dad when I met that woman for the first time that she was no good, but your dad just wouldn¡¯t listen to me. Xinxin, you did the right thing moving out. Otherwise, who knows what other schemes that venomous woman would come up with to harm you. Since your dad is determined to protect that mother and daughter, you ought to ignore him from now on and turn to your big brother if you need anything.¡± ¡°I want to see what he will do when he retires and loses his power and influence, and that woman turns on him. Xinxin, if that woman abandons your dad, you don¡¯t need to bother with him; he brought it upon himself.¡± Lu Jiajie dared not say a word. Lu Jiaxin felt the sensation of being favored was quite pleasant. However, while Big Uncle Lu could say such things, she couldn¡¯t agree with him; in a family that cultivated flowers, everyone still preferred children who were sensible and filial: ¡°Big Uncle, if my dad becomes old or sick one day, immobile and without anyone to care for him, I will find someone to take care of him.¡± Go to ?????????????????.co It was impossible for her to personally attend to his needs; she lacked such feelings. However, hiring someone to take care was doable, considering Lu Hongjun raised her and financed her education. Besides, she wouldn¡¯t be shortsighted about money in the future. Big Uncle Lu was basically testing, and upon hearing her response, he sighed inwardly, feeling the child was damaged: ¡°Hiring someone specifically to take care of him will be expensive. Jiaxin, you must study hard, and only after getting into university and having a good job will you be able to afford it.¡± Lu Jiaxin thought Big Uncle Lu was impressive; his words were not only comforting but also served his purpose: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Big Uncle, I will study hard.¡± Zhao Dajun wanted to say, with her spendthrift nature, she¡¯d be lucky not to end up homeless and starving, let alone paying for someone to care for her elders. Big Uncle Lu was very pleased. Such a well-behaved and filial child; how could Old Third be so blind? He would regret it in the future. Lu Jiajie hurriedly changed the subject, to spare himself from being scolded again: ¡°Xinxin, human traffickers aren¡¯t that easy to find, don¡¯t get your hopes up too high.¡± Big Uncle Lu knew the purpose of Lu Jiaxin¡¯s visit since yesterday, and his thoughts were the same as Lu Jiajie¡¯s. When Lu Jiaxin heard this, she pulled out a portrait from her luggage bag and handed it to them: ¡°Big Uncle, this is a portrait of the trafficker.¡± ¡°Big Uncle, she speaks with our local accent, and she even knew your name, Second Uncle¡¯s, and several of my brothers¡¯. People from Feng County, even if they know about our family, aren¡¯t many who can name you, Second Uncle, and Third Uncle at home. This person must be paying close attention to our family. Based on my deduction, they should be from Feng County.¡± Big Uncle Lu took the portrait and asked in astonishment after looking at it, ¡°Xinxin, are you sure the person on this is the trafficker who abducted you?¡± Lu Jiajie was also uncertain upon seeing the portrait, as he hadn¡¯t seen this drawing while in the Forty-nine City: ¡°Xinxin, who drew this for you?¡± Lu Jiaxin said with a smile, ¡°I drew it myself. After filing the police report, I visited the Public Security Bureau twice to inquire, but there was no progress. I know trafficking rings are cunning, so I tried to draw that person. Having a portrait of the trafficker makes it somewhat easier to search for them.¡± Her mother was a university professor and hoped to nurture a daughter talented in multiple arts. However, it was a pity she was only proficient in calligraphy and painting. As for dance and playing the guzheng and piano, she was completely clueless. Her mother wanted to train her to be a painter, but she was unwilling. Later, when she had a younger sister, her mother shifted her ambitions. But having a foundation in art helped her greatly in her later pursuit of a career in fashion design. The original body started learning painting at the age of five, but it was just a hobby that Lu¡¯s mother encouraged her daughter to learn. The original body had no talent but loved painting and continued until her academics began to falter in the second year of high school, at which point she had to stop. With her level, she couldn¡¯t have painted this well, but it was possible to perform above her level under special circumstances. Big Uncle Lu clenched the drawing tightly both shocked and delighted: ¡°Xinxin, how much does the trafficker resemble the person in this drawing?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say they are identical, but they share a resemblance of about seventy to eighty percent. Big Uncle, I had someone make twenty copies, all of which are in the bag.¡± Zhao Dajun thought he was quite calculating, as he hadn¡¯t disclosed a single word about this before. Before, Big Uncle Lu didn¡¯t think they could find the trafficker, but now his view had changed: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xinxin, if she¡¯s from Feng County, I will definitely be able to find her.¡± Lu Jiaxin provided another important clue: ¡°Big Uncle, the old woman kept praising her son while speaking with me, saying he managed to stay in the city on his merits and even married a girl from the city.¡± ¡°Big Uncle, let¡¯s start by inquiring who in Feng County had a son who got into university many years ago, was assigned to work in the north after graduation, and settled down there.¡± It wasn¡¯t like two or three decades later when people from a small county could be found all over the country. A rural student getting into university and managing to work and establish himself in a big city was extremely rare back then. Upon hearing her analysis, Big Uncle Lu¡¯s first reaction was regret that Lu Jiaxin wasn¡¯t a boy; the Lu Family could have climbed even higher. But he quickly thought he was being narrow-minded; in an era of gender equality, women could hold up half the sky. As long as they encouraged Xinxin to pursue a career and not just focus on family after marriage, she could be successful and still help elevate the family status.