Chapter 184: Too Practical
Chapter 184: Too Practical
Lu Jiaxin returned to the Gu residence and entered the living room, where she found Hong Gu directing the servants as they cleaned. Upon seeing her, Hong Gu greeted her with a smile. "Young Miss, you're back."
A Mei also approached and asked, "Young Miss, it's so hot outside. Are you thirsty? We have some watermelon in the fridge. Let me get you some."
Hong Gu quickly interjected, "The young miss has a delicate stomach and can't handle cold food. There's some mung bean soup in the kitchen. Go and get a bowl for the young miss."
Lu Jiaxin was perplexed by their sudden change in attitude. Their eagerness did not soften her demeanor, however. "No need. I'm going to rest. You all carry on."
After her nap, she sought out Gu Xiuxiu to inquire about the reason for the servants' changed behavior.
Gu Xiuxiu explained, "I told them that you now have four million in savings, all earned by yourself. They admire you, so their attitude towards you has naturally changed."
Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, "They probably also want to know which stocks I'll buy next so they can follow and get rich too, right?"
Gu Xiuxiu didn't deny it. "You're a clever one, that's for sure. But remember, stock market fortunes depend on more than just smarts. I lost several million in the stock market, while Old Man Su made tens of millions. If they ask you for tips in the future, just refuse. They earn a fixed salary every month, and losing a few hundred might keep them up at night, but losing thousands or tens of thousands would make them resent you."
Lu Jiaxin hesitated but still asked, "Aunt, with so many leaks in this house, why don't you replace these servants?"
"What good would that do?" Gu Xiuxiu replied. "Any new hires could also be bought, and we wouldn't know who to trust. At least Hong Gu won't harm me. She just feels that since the money came from Old Master He, it should stay with the He family."
Lu Jiaxin couldn't comprehend this line of thinking. If it were her, she would have dismissed them already, even if they were only suspects and not yet proven guilty.
Noticing Lu Jiaxin's disagreement, Gu Xiuxiu smiled and said, "Hong Gu and Mei Gu are the only ones I can talk to these days. If she leaves, it will be even lonelier."
It was clear that Gu Xiuxiu valued their long-standing relationship and feared being alone. Lu Jiaxin respected her aunt's priorities and didn't press the matter further.
Gu Xiuxiu then brought up the He family's main branch. "They know that you earned the money yourself, and there will be a banquet in a couple of days. They might invite you."
Lu Jiaxin's response was succinct: "Aunt, I have no interest in associating with the He family. If they do invite me to their banquet, please decline on my behalf."
After the way He Yanyan had treated her, she wasn't about to walk into an opportunity for further humiliation. Besides, she knew that the wealthy and powerful He family had their fair share of internal strife, and it was best to stay away from such drama.
Seeing Lu Jiaxin's strong aversion to the He family, Gu Xiuxiu was pleased. She didn't want Lu Jiaxin, Gu Haifan, and the He family to become too close, and she expressed her true wish. "It's fine if you don't want to attend the banquet, but if you do happen to meet them, remember to be polite."
"I know. I won't give them a reason to criticize my manners," Lu Jiaxin assured her.
After chatting for a while, Gu Xiuxiu suddenly asked, "Did Su Heyuan have something important to discuss when he invited you to lunch?"
Lu Jiaxin saw no reason to hide the truth. Their partnership in starting a company was not a secret, and even if she didn't tell her now, Gu Xiuxiu would find out in a few months anyway. However, she refrained from mentioning that she would be the chief designer.
Gu Xiuxiu was surprised. "You're starting a company together? But the Su family already has a clothing company. Isn't she competing against her own family?"
"It's not like that," Lu Jiaxin explained. "Aside from Su Heyuan and his father and son, the other family members own shares in the company. He only receives a meager salary for his work. I admire his patience; I would have quit after three days."
Gu Xiuxiu, unlike Lu Jiaxin's siblings, didn't think that Lu Jiaxin's young age and lack of experience should prevent her from starting a business. She supported Lu Jiaxin's endeavor and believed that even if she incurred losses, it would be a valuable learning experience. However, she offered a word of caution: "Since you're partnering with Su Heyuan, and you need to focus on your exams, the company's operations will largely fall to him. Be wary and make sure he doesn't pull anything behind your back. It's best if you appoint someone you trust as the financial controller so that you can stay informed about the company's finances and detect any issues early on."
Lu Jiaxin expressed her gratitude but politely declined the suggestion. "Aunt, I've decided to partner with him because I trust his character. Su Heyuan is an intelligent person, and he wouldn't risk tarnishing his reputation over petty gains. That would be a foolish move."
"Countless people have turned against each other because of personal gain."
"Aunt, don't worry," assured Lu Jiaxin. "Su Heyuan and I won't end up like that."
Seeing Lu Jiaxin's determined expression, Gu Xiuxiu let the matter drop. "I've installed an extra phone in your room to make it easier for you to stay in touch with Su Heyuan."
She hadn't set up an extension in Lu Jiaxin's room because she was concerned that someone might pick up and eavesdrop on their conversations downstairs. Many business matters required secrecy, and any leaks could lead to significant losses.
"Thank you, Aunt," Lu Jiaxin said.
Lu Jiaxin had been worried about the inconvenience of communicating with Su Heyuan, as the Gu residence was notoriously leaky. She dared not discuss important matters over the phone, fearing that her conversations would be easily overheard. Now, with the additional phone installed directly in her room, she no longer had to worry about eavesdroppers.
Gu Xiuxiu wasted no time, and the very next day, someone came to install the phone.
As soon as the installation was complete, Lu Jiaxin dialed her home number. Unfortunately, the phone rang for a long time without anyone picking up. It seemed that everyone was out.
Lu Jiaxin didn't call Lu Jiaguang, not because she didn't want to, but because his office phone didn't have international calling capabilities. Ironically, her family's phone at home had that feature.
After considering her options, Lu Jiaxin called Su Heyuan instead. She asked him to take note of the new number and added, "Unless it's something urgent, just use the old number for now."
Su Heyuan jotted down the number and replied, "I've already made plans to have dinner with some friends tonight. If all goes well, we'll be able to start production soon. Once this matter is settled, I'll head back to the mainland. If you need anything, just give He Ming a call, and he'll let me know."
"I haven't even transferred the money to you yet!" Lu Jiaxin exclaimed.
Su Heyuan laughed. "There's no rush. Do you have anything you want me to bring back for Xue Mao and your female bodyguard?"
"No, I'm fine," Lu Jiaxin replied.
As evening approached, Lu Jiaxin made another call home. This time, someone picked up, and she heard Xiao Qiu's voice on the other end. With a smile, she asked, "How's business?"
Xiao Qiu reported that business was booming, and then she shouted, "Dad, Mom, come quickly! It's Little Aunt's call. Little Aunt, Mom was worried that you might not be eating well over there in Hong Kong, thinking that people there only eat milk and bread."
Lu Jiaxin chuckled at the comment, and when Lu Er's wife—Lu Jiaxin's second aunt—picked up the phone, she reassured her, "Second Aunt, don't worry. There's plenty of food here. I've even gained two pounds in just one week."
International calls were expensive, so Lu Jiaxin's second aunt kept the conversation brief and hung up after giving a quick update on the family.
Lu Jiaxin's second brother chimed in, "I told you not to worry so much. How could Miss Gu let our little sister go hungry? She's her niece, after all."
Lu Jiaxin's second aunt didn't argue with him. Instead, she said, "Aunt Gu is a good person, but we can't vouch for everyone else. It's all because of Third Uncle's misdeeds that Jiaxin had to leave home and study in Hong Kong."
Everyone talked about how great Hong Kong was, but aside from Aunt Gu, Lu Jiaxin had no other relatives or acquaintances there. If she ever needed help, she wouldn't know whom to turn to.
Xiao Qiu huffed, "He even found a job for Zhao Siying. I'd like to see if she'll be able to support him in his old age."
(End of Chapter)
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