Chapter 259: Lu Hongjun's Private Collection
Chapter 259: Lu Hongjun's Private Collection
Lu Jiaxin asked, "Big sister-in-law, how about I buy a house for you by the end of the year? Will that work?" She had no intention of letting Wang Xiaojie go house-hunting, knowing that she would only look at modest bungalows. With four children, each needing their own space, and the possibility of more grandchildren in the future, they would need a large residence with at least nine rooms.
Wang Xiaojie, of course, had no objections. She inquired, "Have you heard about the matchmaker who introduced someone to your father? Are you aware of this?"
"I've heard. Has he found someone he likes?" Lu Jiaxin asked.
Wang Xiaojie's early morning visit was not only about the house but also to discuss this matter. "He hasn't found anyone suitable yet. The matchmaker told me that he's not in the mood to look for someone right now. Jiaxin, it's not that he doesn't want to find someone; he's just holding out for someone beautiful and fashionable."
As Lu Jiaxin looked at her, Wang Xiaojie explained, "I'm not making wild guesses here. Last month, I took him shopping for clothes. While we were at the mall, we bumped into a fashionable woman in her forties. She accidentally dropped her scarf, and your father quickly rushed to pick it up for her, his movements even more agile than your eldest brother's."
Lu Jiaxin nonchalantly replied, "It's up to him. If he has the ability to find someone in their thirties, then so be it."
Wang Xiaojie lowered her voice and said, "That won't do! Jiaxin, your father has quite a collection of valuable items stashed away. You need to get your hands on those. Otherwise, if he really does find someone and they take off with his possessions, you'll be left holding the bag for his care in his old age, and you'll be out of luck."
She hadn't given much thought to Lu Hongjun's belongings. If there was something she could rightfully claim, she would strive for it, just as she had with the matter of the house. But when it came to things that weren't rightfully hers, she wouldn't even consider touching them.
Upon hearing this, Lu Jiaxin casually replied, "I'm not interested. Besides, with the way things are between us right now, even if he had something good, he wouldn't give it to me."
"Jiaxin, that's not right," Wang Xiaojie said. "You're his only daughter. His belongings should rightfully go to you. Otherwise, your brothers—the eldest, second, and fifth—wouldn't approve."
She also had her own ulterior motives. Although Lu Jiaxin had promised to take care of Lu Hongjun in his old age, the fact that she had relocated Lu's mother's grave meant that she probably wouldn't return in the future. If Lu Hongjun gave away a large portion of his wealth to someone else and then, in a fit of anger, decided to stop providing for him, they wouldn't be able to chase after Lu Jiaxin in Hongcheng to demand support. However, if Lu Hongjun's possessions were given to Lu Jiaxin, even if she didn't return, given her character, she would still take care of Lu Hongjun for the rest of his life. In that case, they would only need to look after him, without having to spend money or put in much effort.
Lu Jiaxin replied with disinterest, "I don't want those three melons and two dates. They're not worth my time."
Wang Xiaojie whispered, "Jiaxin, it's not just three melons and two dates. I don't know the exact quantity, but there must be a considerable number, and they're all valuable items."
Lu Jiaxin looked at her with a puzzled expression.
Wang Xiaojie lowered her voice even further and said, "Your eldest brother once mentioned it to me in passing during a conversation. He said that your father has been secretly collecting antique items for over a decade. Your father has a good eye and only goes for the best."
Lu Jiaxin truly wasn't interested in most of Lu Hongjun's possessions, but when it came to antiques, her curiosity was piqued. "Are you sure about this?"
"He told your eldest brother directly, so it must be true," Wang Xiaojie assured her. "Jiaxin, you must claim these items. Don't let others take advantage of your father's possessions."
Lu Jiaxin sincerely replied, "I understand, and thank you, big sister-in-law."
Among all his grandchildren, Lu Hongjun relied on Lu JiaGuang the most. If this couple had been selfish, it wouldn't have been surprising for them to claim all of Lu Hongjun's possessions for themselves. However, the fact that they hadn't done so spoke volumes about their character.
After they finished discussing the matter, Wang Xiaojie asked, "Do you have any plans for today? If not, your second sister-in-law and I will take you out to get some fresh air and buy you some things."
Lu Jiaxin shook her head and said, "Su Heyuan asked me to bring something to Mrs. Xie, so I called her yesterday and will be dropping by later."
Taking advantage of her rare day off, Wang Xiaojie also decided not to return to the hospital. "Then I'll head home to prepare lunch. You take care of your business."
As Lu Jiaxin was about to leave, she told her second sister-in-law, "Sister, I won't be back for lunch, so don't wait for me."
"Oh, you won't be back for lunch?"
"Mrs. Xie will probably invite me to stay for lunch, but I'll be home for dinner."
Upon hearing that she was going to see Mrs. Xie, the second sister-in-law urged her, "Then you'd better hurry so you don't keep her waiting too long."
"Yes, I'm leaving now," Lu Jiaxin replied.
She opted to take a taxi, as she had grown accustomed to the convenience of riding in cars in Gang City and no longer wanted to wait for the bus. Moreover, getting to Mrs. Xie's place required two transfers, which would take too much time by bus.
Once inside the taxi, Lu Jiaxin was glad she had exchanged 10,000 green dollars before returning, as even a taxi ride could be expensive otherwise.
Usually, Lu Jiaxin would rest with her eyes closed during car rides, but having slept well the previous night, she felt cheerful and struck up a conversation with Gu Wenfeng, asking, "Can your son call you now?"
"Yes, he calls me 'Dad' when he sees me, and he even touched my face and said I was the real dad," Gu Wenfeng replied proudly. His two children could recognize him thanks to his wife, who showed them his picture every day.
Lu Jiaxin laughed heartily, finding the anecdote adorable.
Proudly talking about his son, Gu Wenfeng continued, "He's already walking, and he has a huge appetite. He goes through five or six cans of infant formula a month."
He was fortunate to have Lu Jiaxin's support, as his monthly salary was now over 1,000 yuan. With his previous income of just over 100 yuan, they wouldn't have been able to afford so much formula. Moreover, it was challenging to buy formula in the mainland, so he had to buy it in Pengcheng and then mail it back. The shipping fees alone were quite a significant expense.
Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, "It's a good thing that your child has a healthy appetite. It's less likely that he'll get sick if he's strong and robust."
A broad smile spread across Gu Wenfeng's face as he said, "With the amount of formula, meat, and eggs he consumes each month, it would be a waste if he didn't have a robust constitution."
The driver, who had been listening to their conversation, couldn't help but interject, "Five or six cans of infant formula a month, plus all that meat and eggs? How can your son's stomach hold all that?"
Lu Jiaxin laughed and explained, "He's a twin. They're two sons."
The driver immediately expressed his envy. "So they're twins! You're a lucky man, my brother. You got two sons in one go. I have two daughters, and now the government won't let me have more children even though I wanted a son."
Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, "You may envy those with sons now, but when you're older, you'll realize how wonderful daughters are."
This was why family planning was so important. Without a son, parents would focus all their efforts on their daughter, giving her the best resources. In reality, even if parents claimed to treat their children equally, they often favored sons when it came to crucial decisions.
Gu Wenfeng laughed and said, "As long as the children do well in the future, they will be filial regardless of their gender. It would be truly heartbreaking if they didn't have the ability to support themselves and had to rely on their parents instead."
The driver agreed wholeheartedly. "You're absolutely right. The key is in the upbringing. If you raise them well, daughters can be just as filial and even more considerate than sons."
As the conversation flowed pleasantly, the driver offered to accept 20 yuan for the ride.
Lu Jiaxin handed him a 10-yuan green bill and smiled. "Don't worry about it. I have enough green dollars on hand."
The driver happily accepted without further refusal.
(End of Chapter)
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