Chapter 276: Watering One's Own Garden
Chapter 276: Watering One's Own Garden
Upon arriving at the Wan Sheng Bank, Nie Zhan escorted Lu Jiaxin directly to the general manager's office, where she met his older brother, Nie Jingwen. Despite being cousins, the two brothers bore a striking resemblance to each other, likely due to strong genes running in the Nie family.
Nie Zhan made the introductions.
With a smile, Nie Jingwen said, "Miss Lu, I've asked Nie Zhan several times to join me for a meal, but this young man was afraid I'd scare you off and refused to bring you along."
From his attitude, Lu Jiaxin formed a favorable impression of the Nie family. Unlike other affluent clans that quarreled incessantly, like the Su and He families, the Nie family seemed different.
Lu Jiaxin smiled shyly, knowing that being overly ingratiating at her age would be inappropriate.
Once they were seated, Nie Zhan spoke up. "Big brother, as I mentioned on the phone, these items are all rare treasures. I hope you can offer a good price for them."
Nie Jingwen was willing to give Nie Zhan face. "Rest assured. Once we've had experts authenticate the items and confirm their authenticity, I'll definitely give you an offer that will satisfy Miss Lu."
Lu Jiaxin was delighted. "Thank you, Mr. Nie."
"Don't call me 'Mr.' Call me 'Big Brother,'" Nie Jingwen said.
Lu Jiaxin couldn't bring herself to address him so casually, especially since she and Nie Zhan weren't even officially dating yet. However, she didn't refute him either and simply lowered her head, feigning shyness.
Nie Jingwen found her bashful demeanor amusing. Over the past few years, his mother and aunt had introduced countless young ladies from prestigious families to Nie Zhan, but this young man hadn't shown interest in any of them. Then, there were the magazine rumors about him liking men, which had his mother in a panic. But who would have thought that he would eventually take a fancy to a middle school student? Ever since the news got out, his mother had been worried that Lu Jiaxin was a scheming woman.
Soon, the secretary brought in two cups of coffee.
Without hesitation, Nie Zhan turned to the secretary and said, "Go get two cups of blueberry juice."
The secretary paused, glanced at his boss, and upon seeing his nod of confirmation, left to carry out the request.
Nie Zhan explained to Nie Jingwen, "Jiaxin doesn't drink coffee. She usually has boiled water or fruit juice."
Lu Jiaxin's face flushed with embarrassment. This man really didn't know how to consider the setting.
Noticing her reaction, Nie Jingwen steered the conversation toward the items they had brought. "Miss Lu, may I ask what items you're pawning this time? It would be helpful for me to know so that I can arrange for the appropriate experts to appraise them."
"Jadeite jade, calligraphy and paintings, and porcelain," Lu Jiaxin replied. "These three categories make up the bulk of the collection. Among the jadeite jade items, there are jewelry pieces in six different varieties, including Imperial Green, Violet, and Chun Cai."
Nie Jingwen's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Miss Lu, your mother has quite a collection of valuable items. May I ask what your family background is?"
Lu Jiaxin smiled. "My family used to be poor. During the difficult years in the mainland, these items weren't worth much, so my parents, being resourceful, quietly collected them."
Soon, the secretary returned with the blueberry juice and placed it in front of Lu Jiaxin before discreetly exiting the room, not without shooting her one last veiled glance.
Before long, Gu Wenfeng and Su Heyuan arrived. Having been informed of their arrival, Nie Jingwen promptly led Lu Jiaxin out to meet them, and as he had made prior arrangements, they were able to bring the items directly into the bank's vault.
"Miss Lu," Nie Jingwen said, "may I have a look at the Imperial Green jewelry set that you mentioned?"
Since these items were being pawned, there was no need to show them now; the appraisers would see them soon enough anyway. Lu Jiaxin explained, "Those items are my mother's most cherished possessions, specifically left to me. I have no intention of selling them."
Nie Jingwen thought this young lady was exceptionally shrewd. Before he could even make an offer, she had already closed off that possibility. However, he was quick to recover. "Does that mean that aside from the jewelry left by your mother, the rest are up for sale?"
Lu Jiaxin replied, "I still need to examine the items. If they are particularly valuable, I can't sell them, as they might be lost to foreign lands, and I would become the sinner who let them slip away."
Nie Jingwen's friends were either wealthy or of noble birth, and they wouldn't be interested in anything less than treasures.
Nie Zhan interjected, "Big brother, Jiaxin doesn't need the money, and she won't sell. Just make sure you don't accidentally let it slip to others."
Nie Jingwen looked at him with amusement, finding it funny that he was already so protective of his future bride.
After examining the contents of the box, Nie Jingwen had a good idea of their value. "Miss Lu, I will invite experts to appraise these items in two days. At that time, I'll ask Zhan to accompany you here."
"Alright," Lu Jiaxin agreed.
The items were securely locked away in a safe, and Lu Jiaxin kept the key herself.
As they stepped outside, Nie Jingwen invited them, "Shall we have dinner together tonight?"
Nie Zhan didn't refuse but explained that he had something to attend to at the moment. "On Sunday, I'll treat you and my sister-in-law to French cuisine. I'll ask Qing Lei to reserve the best seats for us."
"Will Miss Lu be joining us?" Nie Jingwen asked.
Nie Zhan indicated that Lu Jiaxin had other matters to attend to and didn't have the time at the moment, suggesting that they could make plans for another day.
As they got into the car, Nie Zhan explained, "I didn't want to agree without first consulting you."
Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, "After this matter is settled, I'll be returning to the mainland, so I really don't have the time. I heard that your brother and sister-in-law met in university and fell in love. They got married right after graduation. Is that true?"
Nie Jingwen and his wife were a model couple in Hong Kong, with a son and a daughter. Of course, Nie Jingwen's wife also came from a wealthy family, making them a well-matched pair.
Nie Zhan smiled and confirmed, "Yes, my sister-in-law is a year younger than my brother. They met at a ball and eventually fell in love."
Lu Jiaxin felt that someone like Nie Jingwen was indeed rare, as wealthy young masters usually had no shortage of beautiful women by their sides.
Not wanting to be interrogated further, Lu Jiaxin decided to stay in a hotel.
When Su Heyuan arrived at the Peninsula Hotel, he asked, "Why did you decide to stay at a hotel? Was it uncomfortable at Gu's residence?"
Lu Jiaxin shared what had happened earlier with Amy, "I don't like those people. They ask too many questions without any regard for boundaries."
After hearing this, Su Heyuan also felt that they couldn't stay at Gu's residence anymore. "You can stay at the hotel for now. When you return from the mainland, you can stay at my place. I have plenty of rooms, and you can choose whichever you like."
Lu Jiaxin shook her head to decline, feeling that it would be too inconvenient.
Su Heyuan argued, "What's inconvenient about it? I'm your legal guardian now, so it's only natural for you to stay with me!"
Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, "The He family hasn't discovered Auntie He's condition yet, and for now, it's best to keep this matter from outsiders."
Su Heyuan pointed out, "With so many spies from the He family at Gu's residence, and with Ms. Gu's condition worsening, we can't keep this a secret for long."
Lu Jiaxin shared the same sentiment. However, with her guardianship already transferred, even if the He family found out about Gu Xiuxiu's condition, it wouldn't affect her. As for Gu Haifan, she couldn't do anything about it if Gu Xiuxiu refused to give up her guardianship. She could only wait until she turned eighteen and figure out something then.
Su Heyuan said, "You don't need to worry too much about Ms. Gu. Her intentions for bringing you to Hong Kong weren't pure from the start."
Lu Jiaxin didn't hide the truth from him, "I knew that before I came here. She brought me and Haifan to Hong Kong to ensure a more secure future for her old age. She has treated me well this past year, and I won't stand by and do nothing regarding her situation."
Su Heyuan nodded, "It's good that you understand the situation."
(End of Chapter)
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