Chapter 031
Dipping it in sour plum sauce while eating the roasted goose leg, rain began to fall outside.
A violent storm.
It happened very suddenly.
The plan to go shopping was abruptly thwarted.
“Heaven has favored us!” Lu’s father exclaimed, his almond-shaped eyes—identical to Lu Mingzhu’s—crinkling instantly into crescents. The faint crow’s feet at the corners, usually less noticeable than those of his peers, now became prominent, lending him a unique charm.
Lu Mingzhu stood dumbfounded, stamping her foot in frustration. “Heaven truly shows no mercy!”
As someone who had transmigrated into this world, shouldn’t she be Heaven’s own beloved daughter?
Why not shelter her?
Xie Junyao comforted her, “We can’t go today; we’ll go another day. I have plenty of time to spend with you.”
“This is the only way,” Lu Mingzhu said regretfully.
She disliked shopping in the rain, so she wasn’t as disappointed as everyone imagined.
It wasn’t as if she truly lacked any gifts.
Doing this deliberately was merely to make Father Lu feel that he had won.
A wealthy head of the household—just a crumb slipping through his fingers would be enough for her to eat her fill!
Lu’s father was indeed in high spirits.
Unwilling to give Lu Mingzhu and Xie Junyao any chance to be alone together, he said, “I recall someone mentioning her desire to collect colored diamonds. As it happens, I met a Jewish diamond merchant who resides permanently at the hotel.”
Lu Mingzhu’s face lit up. “He has it?”
Lu’s father glanced at her but said nothing.
Lu Mingzhu understood instantly. She immediately served him tea with utmost attentiveness, acting like Xiao Lizhi attending to the Empress Dowager herself. “Please, Great Master Lu, reveal the specific news.”
Lu’s father took a sip of tea and said, “He doesn’t have it in his possession.”
Lu Mingzhu was speechless. “Did you specifically summon me just to let me get my hopes up for nothing?”
Lu’s father changed the subject: “However, I entrusted him with selling a batch of diamonds and also asked him to collect some colored diamonds that others don’t particularly favor. Since there’s money to be made, he was more than happy to help.”
Lu Mingzhu beamed with joy and exclaimed, “Dad, you’re brilliant!”
“So if I hadn’t asked for his help, would that mean I’m not brilliant?” Lu’s father wasn’t swayed by her flattery.
Lu Mingzhu chuckled mischievously: “Who said that? I think you’ve always been brilliant!”
Lu’s father didn’t believe it.
Xie Junyao overheard this, lost in thought, and asked Lu Mingzhu, “Do you like colored diamonds?”
Lu Mingzhu made no attempt to hide her preference, answering naturally, “Compared to transparent white diamonds, I prefer gemstones and diamonds with color. Don’t you find colored diamonds beautiful? They possess a rainbow of hues, sparkling brilliantly.”
All were things she couldn’t afford before transmigrating!
With her financial means, she could at most afford a few bean-sized white diamonds for stud earrings, rings, or a clavicle chain.
Even for rubies and sapphires, she could only purchase tiny ones from Mozambique or Sri Lanka.
Burmese pigeon-blood red?
I’ve heard of them, seen them, but never bought or owned any.
Not only that, Lu Mingzhu also loved jadeite in all colors. Unfortunately, green was most revered at the time, making other hues rare; they were also a top investment choice. She just feared she might not live to see their prices soar.
Xie Junyao nodded and said, “That’s a wonderful hobby, much like your life—colorful and vibrant.”
“Life is but a few short decades; if one has the means, of course one should live happily!” Lu Mingzhu chose to flee precisely because she refused to endure hardship. With the resources to live well, only a fool would subsist on chaff and vegetables.
Xie Junyao was particularly drawn to the radiant happiness and cheerfulness that emanated from her.
The family she grew up in must have been filled with sweetness.
Was it bestowed by the Lu family?
Not quite.
Although Lu’s father was not as depraved as Xie Chenggong, he too had numerous wives and concubines and many children; how could there possibly be any closeness among them?
Just as she was lost in thought, she suddenly heard Lu’s father lecturing his daughter: “Compared to jewels and wealth, knowledge is far more important. Knowledge can create wealth; possessing it is equivalent to having a specialized skill. Conversely, even with immense fortune but no knowledge, one may not be able to hold onto it. Mingzhu, stop talking endlessly about gems and jade—you certainly don’t lack them. Focus your mind on your studies and prepare properly for the interview at Hong Kong University.”
Lu Mingzhu pursed her lips and spoke frankly, “I’m just short of it! I simply like it.”
Didn’t a psychologist once say?
The more someone lacks something, the more they love to flaunt it.
She is exactly that kind of person.
Vulgar.
Sudden wealth for the poor is utterly vulgar.
Always chasing what she never had, never satisfied.
Lu’s father was left speechless.
Soon, he recalled a saying: “Under heavy rewards, there will always be brave men.”
So, he said to Lu Mingzhu, “If you smoothly pass the interview and gain admission to Xiangjiang University, performing so excellently that even the interviewers can’t stop praising you, I have a reward for you.”
He was pleased to see the look of determination on Lu Mingzhu’s face.
“What kind of reward?” she asked.
Seeing that her father didn’t want to say, she added, “You have to tell me; it will give me more motivation!”
“A building,” Lu’s father replied.
“Deal!” Fearing her father might renege, Lu Mingzhu swiftly reached out to seal the pact with a high-five, her movement astonishingly quick.
A single building ranged from around 100,000 at the minimum to 200,000 or even 300,000 at the maximum.
It was obtained for free, without spending a single penny of her own money.
She cupped her face with both hands, her heart bubbling with joy. “I feel like I’m getting richer and richer.”
“So never pretend to be poor in front of me; no matter how much you complain about being broke, I won’t believe it.” Lu’s father knew better than anyone the immense wealth of his youngest daughter, and he sighed, “It’s a pity we can’t find what your grandfather left behind…”
The dowry you prepared.”
Lu Mingzhu let out a surprised “Eh?” “Grandfather’s dowry for me?”
Her father nodded. “I only recall there were several gems of exceptional quality, a few pieces of jade, and some calligraphy and paintings.”
The old gentleman had amassed a substantial private fortune and originally intended to prepare a lavish dowry for Lu Mingzhu; if not enough for ten miles of red bridal procession, then certainly for eight. However, Lu Changsheng and his organization were then on the verge of collapse. With the nation shattered and its people suffering, the old man, steeling his heart, sold off the dowry meant for Lu Mingzhu, along with many other rare treasures, to wealthy merchants and warlords. He converted everything into gold, silver, and various supplies to provide support.
After all, he still cared for his only legitimate granddaughter. Since Lu Mingzhu was also exceptionally clever, the old man had set aside some gold, jewels, and antiques for her; it was just that he passed away too suddenly, without having time to reveal where they were hidden.
Lu Mingzhu roughly guessed as much.
Her father remained silent out of consideration for Lu Changsheng’s presence.
Her eyes flickered slightly. “Dad, did Grandfather truly prepare a dowry for me?”
Father Lu said, “If it can’t be found, no amount of longing on your part will help.”
Lu Mingzhu laughed joyfully.
So the treasure she had unearthed from the old master was actually her dowry!
Suddenly, she felt entirely justified and emboldened.
Seeing the brilliant smile on her face, Father Lu suddenly realized and blurted out, “You know? Or have you found it?”
Lu Mingzhu replied without hesitation, “I don’t know; I haven’t found it.”
As if I’d believe her!
Lu’s father was certain of it.
“Your luck with finding treasures is remarkable; the Old Master must have guided you. I searched several times myself but came up empty.” Lu’s father eyed with envy the jade thumb ring from the Old Master’s collection, one once used by Emperor Qianlong himself.
He had no idea that the gold, silver, and antiques he had separately buried underground had also been completely unearthed by his youngest daughter.
The Lu family garden was built with his money, and the gold and silver were buried by him as well.
Over the years, natural traces of time have inevitably appeared.
A cunning rabbit has three burrows; even if he had to leave, he would never put all his eggs in one basket.
In fact, he buried everything deep and secretly, even hiring a feng shui master to choose the locations. Ordinarily, no one could unearth such treasures even by digging three zhang deep, but Lu Mingzhu had an unfair advantage: a metal detector.
Lu Mingzhu, unaware of the past, rested her chin on her hand and smiled. “If there’s anything you fancy, I wouldn’t mind selling you a couple of items!”
Her father scowled. “Selling? Shouldn’t it be a gift?”
“Even between father and daughter, accounts must be kept clear.” Lu Mingzhu refused outright to give anything away for free. “I’m not as wealthy as you; every penny counts. One won’t go bankrupt from eating or dressing modestly, but poor planning will surely lead to poverty.”
Too lazy to argue further, her father stated his demand directly: “I want that jade thumb ring.”
Lu Mingzhu shook her head decisively. “No!”
The item she had decided to give Xie Junyao could never be sold!
These words, however, could not be spoken to her own father.
Her father remained unconvinced. “Since you have received what the old master left for you, how could you not have seen the jade thumb ring he always wore? As a girl, you have no use for it; why not sell it to me?”
“There really isn’t any left; Old Master probably gave it away.” Lu Mingzhu had no use for it, but Xie Junyao could wear it!
Lu’s father, his demands unmet, left in anger.
Most everyone had already eaten their fill.
The storm showed no signs of letting up, but the small shop was able to lend umbrellas to some of its patrons.
The bodyguard held an umbrella while fetching the car, and Mr. Lu departed without acknowledging his unfilial daughter or her companion.
“That old man is unbelievable! He invited us to dinner and then left without paying the bill.” Lu Mingzhu fumed, “Is it just because I refused to sell Grandpa’s jade thumb ring to him?”
Xie Junyao paid the bill and asked with a smile, “Since you have it, why didn’t you sell it to Uncle Lu?”
“Because I wanted to give it to you!” Lu Mingzhu replied.
Xie Junyao was momentarily stunned, then broke into a smile.
He laughed with exceptional joy.
“Is this the gift you said this morning you wanted to give me?” he asked.
Lu Mingzhu nodded.
“We’ll go get it right now.” Worried that delays might bring complications, Xie Junyao immediately borrowed an umbrella from the shopkeeper, drove back to return it, and then escorted Lu Mingzhu to the Wang residence.
Wang Bohui, Ping’an, and Mrs. Wang (mother-in-law and daughter-in-law) had left early in the morning—the two men heading to the company, while the two women attended a charity event.
When Xie Junyao arrived to pick up Lu Mingzhu, none of them were at home.
Presumably hindered by the heavy rain currently pouring down, when Xie Junyao delivered Lu Mingzhu back home, they still had not returned.
Lu Mingzhu asked Xie Junyao to wait downstairs while she went up. Soon, she returned with a jade thumb ring and personally slipped it onto his thumb. “Do you like it?”
Xie Junyao’s eyes crinkled with a smile. “I do.”
It closely resembled the ring he had given Lu Mingzhu, forming a matching pair.
Crafted from solid gold and inlaid inside and out with vibrant jade so lush it seemed ready to drip, the stone was uniformly colored throughout. Though the jade surface was not plain, its exquisite carvings perfectly reflected Emperor Qianlong’s tastes, while the inner gold wall bore an inscription marking it as imperial craftsmanship commissioned by Qianlong himself.
He had a penchant for the flamboyant and intricate; stamping seals on calligraphy and paintings was never enough for him—he also loved inscribing poems, composing verses, and carving elaborate patterns onto jade artifacts.
Lu Mingzhu was quite satisfied. “As long as you like it, that’s what matters.”
Love is mutual; during a relationship, one side shouldn’t be the only one making sacrifices.
She executed this flawlessly.
Awesome!
Xie Junyao, unaware of her thoughts, twirled the jade thumb ring on his finger. The more he looked at it, the more he liked it, and the smile on his lips deepened. “I should be heading back now. When will you have time next?”
“I won’t have any time for a while!” Lu Mingzhu replied.
Xie Junyao quickly caught on. “Preparing to write a script? Or getting ready for an audition?”
Lu Mingzhu, however, said, “Both.”
Only children make choices; she intended to have it all.
Counting on her fingers, she calculated the time and said, “The interview will definitely be held just before the start of the school term. I must review my lessons thoroughly, and when tired, I’ll work on my script. There’s truly no time to go out.”
Seizing the opportunity, Xie Junyao said, “I’ll keep you company! I’ll study alongside you.”
“That won’t do,” Lu Mingzhu politely declined.
“Why?” Xie Junyao felt hurt, his disappointment instantly visible on his face.
Lu Mingzhu smiled and said, “Beauty is distracting; it would make my efforts twice as hard for half the results!”
Xie Junyao could only suppress his feelings and try his best not to visit and disturb her.
Motivated by the building her father promised as a reward, Lu Mingzhu indeed settled down. She retrieved her predecessor’s textbooks and diligently reviewed her lessons, merging her own knowledge with that of the original body. When tired, she would admire the fresh flowers sent by Xie Junyao, gently inhaling their fragrance to refresh her spirit.
Even if he couldn’t come in person, the flowers always arrived.
A new bouquet every day, never repeated, making his presence unmistakably felt.
He was truly a young man who knew how to romance someone.
Lu Mingzhu didn’t find the waiting period for her interview tedious at all; it seemed to pass in a flash.
Wang Bohui had already contacted the university, but unfortunately, he was required to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for a new property project by Shengfeng Real Estate that day. Upon learning that no one could accompany Lu Mingzhu to her interview, Xie Junyao immediately requested leave, asking his elder brother to represent him at the ceremony instead. He then drove to the Wang residence to pick up Lu Mingzhu and accompanied her to the University of Hong Kong.
The Wang family home was quite close—very close indeed—making the round trip extremely convenient. Unfortunately, Lu Mingzhu was destined to live on The Peak.
Xie Junyao’s elder brother, Xie Junhao, had previously donated both funds and materials to the University of Hong Kong. Occasionally, he would send Xie Junyao to represent him at certain university events, which was why the interviewing faculty recognized Xie Junyao.
Knowing her personally did not lead to favoritism during the interview; the interviewer first examined Lu Mingzhu’s high school diploma and her original university admission notice.
Lu Mingzhu had no need for any preferential treatment from the interviewing teacher.
Answering questions entirely in English was a trivial matter for her; the knowledge required was far less extensive than what would be available in later eras, and much of it was material she had already studied in Shanghai in her previous life, nothing she had forgotten.
The process was simple, and the outcome was delightful.
She passed the interview and was issued an admission letter on the spot, instructed to report for duty in early September.
Since Xiangjiang University had very few students—only a few hundred in total—they welcomed every admitted student, let alone Lu Mingzhu, whose excellence left them in awe.
Stunningly beautiful and remarkably quick-witted.
Wang Bohui had even told them at the time that Lu Mingzhu was fluent in four languages, with English being just one of them.
Such talent certainly cannot be missed.
The school arranged for a student who had arrived early to accompany Xie Junyao and Lu Mingzhu on a tour of the campus, so that Lu Mingzhu could remember where the classrooms, cafeteria, and dormitories were located.
However, since Lu Mingzhu lived nearby, she would not be staying in the dormitory.
Just as they were chatting happily, a surprised voice exclaimed, “Young Master Xie, have you come looking for me?”
Lu Mingzhu instantly became unhappy.
Following the sound, she saw an ordinary-looking female student, about as delicate and pretty as Wang Xiuyi. What set her apart from Wang Xiuyi was her tall stature, upright posture, and dignified demeanor, exuding the refined elegance of a well-bred young lady from a prestigious family.
Her clothes were exquisitely made, and all her jewelry consisted of white Hetian jade pieces.
Though few in number, each piece was exceedingly valuable.
“Junyao, do you recognize her?” Lu Mingzhu asked directly.
Xie Junyao shook his head and said, “I don’t know her.”
He reached out, interlacing his fingers with Lu Mingzhu’s, and reiterated, “Mingzhu, I truly don’t know her. Please don’t be angry.”
Yet he suspected the woman in question might be Zhang Baoyi, whom Mrs. Xie had mentioned before.
Indeed, just as he had anticipated, Mrs. Xie did not convey Xie Junyao’s refusal to Mrs. Zhang as he had requested. Instead, when contacting Mrs. Zhang, she merely stated that Xie Junyao was temporarily unavailable for a meeting.
With this explanation, Mrs. Zhang and the entire Zhang family assumed that Xie Junyao was willing to meet but simply lacked the time.
This included Zhang Baoyi, who had long harbored feelings for Xie Junyao.
She possessed both the reserved dignity of a lady from a prestigious family and the pride of a female university student; although her appearance was somewhat ordinary, her noble lineage and outstanding demeanor led her to believe she was entirely worthy of Xie Junyao.
Compared to the Xie family, the Zhang family boasted even deeper roots, with ancestors who had served as Hanlin scholars!
The Xie family has only risen to prominence over three generations.
Their wealth is merely that of nouveau riche.