Chapter 319: A Balanced Approach
Chapter 319: A Balanced Approach
That evening, Lu Hongjun informed Lu Jiajie, "Your Aunt Tang has agreed not to register the marriage. We'll set up three tables at a restaurant instead of hosting it at home. It would be too difficult to explain things otherwise."
This outcome was within Lu Jiajie's expectations. After all, the other party had their own agenda, and they wouldn't give up just because of this request. "Uncle San, when will you move back home?" he asked.
Lu Hongjun shook his head and said, "Your Aunt Tang said she'll move in after the banquet. You can dismiss Sister Song now; she'll take care of the daily needs of us three brothers."
Upon hearing this, Lu Jiajie immediately refused, "Uncle San, I don't want people pointing fingers at us. Uncle San, it's better for you to move back to the compound with her!"
It would be a joke to let a woman with ulterior motives live in their home and potentially influence Qiangqiang and Xiaofeng. Besides, he didn't plan on going to Yangcheng this year; he intended to pick up and drop off the kids himself. As for the rest, he had already arranged for Sister Song to handle them.
Lu Hongjun had no desire whatsoever to move back to the compound. He turned to Lu JiaGuang and asked, "When will Jiaxin buy me a house? Since Jiajie doesn't want to live with your Aunt Tang, I'll have to move out."
Life in the compound had become unbearable due to all the gossip and pointing fingers. These past few days of living elsewhere had been much more peaceful.
Lu JiaGuang explained, "Jiaxin said she'll be back by the end of the year. It's already August; there are only four more months left. If you don't want to stay in the compound, you can rent a place temporarily like Jiajie."
Lu Hongjun didn't mention anything about losing money, as that would be inauspicious. He was well aware that Lu Jiaxin was very capable when it came to business. "Forget about renting," he said. "Your Aunt Tang is quite frugal, and having a house of her own will surely please her. Fine, it's only four months. I'll endure it for now."
At the same time, Tang Sufin's eldest daughter, Huang Xiaoyu, learned about the decision not to register the marriage. She asked in confusion, "Mom, didn't you say that a woman should always get a marriage certificate when she gets married? Otherwise, it could be like what happened to our cousin in the countryside. She only had a wedding banquet and didn't register her marriage with her husband. Later, when he went back to the city and registered his marriage with another woman, there was nothing she could do even if she went to make a scene. The other woman was legally his wife."
Tang Sufin said, "It's probably because his nephews disagreed. Don't worry about it. At our age, not having a marriage certificate isn't a big deal. Once we've had the banquet, you and your sisters and younger brother can move into the big house with me."
She wanted to spend her days with Lu Hongjun, but did she truly desire him as a person? Of course not; she was after his pension and the big house.
Huang Xiaoyu frowned and said, "But I heard that he plans to leave the big house to his biological daughter in the future."
"The matter of who gets the house is not urgent," Tang Sufin replied. "That's something that will happen many years from now. The most pressing issue is your older brother's marriage. Because we don't have enough space at home, your older brother has been putting off finding a wife. Once we move out, your older and younger brothers can each have their own room, and it will be easier for them to think about marriage."
Huang Xiaoyu worriedly said, "Mom, I heard that Lu's daughter is very capable. She was the one who sent his previous wife to prison. What if she comes back and fights with us? Can we even compete with her?"
Tang Sufin was far from reassured about this matter. "She was able to send that woman to prison because the woman had broken the law," she said. "I conduct myself with integrity, and she can't harm me. Besides, she's settled in Port City, and now that she's enrolled at the University of Hong Kong, she probably won't be coming back often."
Hearing the mention of Port City, Huang Xiaoyu's eyes lit up with longing. "Mom, I want to go to Port City, too," she said.
Tang Sufin scolded her, "Port City isn't as wonderful as they say. They're just trying to lure young girls like you. It's a strange place with no friends or relatives. If you end up being sold by those people, you'll be calling for help with no one to answer. Be content with your job, and in a couple of years, I'll find you a good husband."
But Huang Xiaoyu's desire to go to Port City didn't waver.
Soon enough, Lu Hongjun and Tang Sufin held their wedding banquet. He didn't invite any leaders or colleagues from the department store, but he did invite several friends he had made since his retirement. Lu JiaGuang was on a business trip and couldn't make it, but Wang Xiaojie, Lu JiaZong, and Lu Jiajie attended. Tang Sufin invited quite a few neighbors, and there were actually more people on her side than Lu Hongjun's.
After the meal, Lu JiaZong returned to Xiushui Street. According to Lu Er's original intention, her husband shouldn't have gone at all. After all, Tang Sufin was the same age as her, and it felt awkward. But Lu JiaGuang had called and said that he would give Lu Er face.
Lu Er asked with a sullen face, "What does that woman look like?"
Lu JiaZong expressed his disapproval with a look of disgust.
Lu Er was a bit surprised. "Jiajie said she looked good and fashionable, and that's why you were charmed by her," she said.
Without hesitation, Lu JiaZong said, "She doesn't look good at all. She's far inferior to you, my dear wife. But that woman knows how to dress up and make herself look presentable. However, who spends their days putting on makeup and worrying about their appearance? It doesn't seem like she'd be easy to live with."
The Lu family was well-off, and with Lu Da being the village party secretary at the time, Lu JiaZong and his brothers had been highly sought-after when it came to marriage. Lu Er, with her youthful and delicate looks, had immediately caught Lu JiaZong's eye when they met.
Lu Er felt comforted by her husband's initial words, knowing that he valued her despite his quiet nature. But when she heard his latter comments, she coldly huffed, "If she were a woman who wanted a stable life, would she even look at your uncle? I just hope that after she gets the money, she'll take good care of him."
"Sigh, I wonder if Jiaxin will be angry when she finds out."
Lu JiaZong couldn't say for sure, but it was likely that she wouldn't be happy about it.
Lu Er felt that there was no point in dwelling on the matter. "The shop across from our stall is for sale," she said. "I want to buy it."
"Oh? That will cost quite a bit."
Lu Er said that she had already asked about the price, and it was only eight thousand yuan short. "Later, I'll talk to Xiaoqiu about borrowing eight thousand from her," she said. "We can pay her back once we've earned the money."
Ever since Xiaoqiu received a 30% share, Lu Er had opened a separate account and deposited all of Xiaoqiu's earnings into it.
"Why bother repaying her?" Lu JiaZong asked. "She's our daughter. What's the point of returning eight thousand yuan to her?"
"If we buy this shop, who will you give it to in the future?" Lu Er asked.
Without hesitation, Lu JiaZong replied, "Of course, it will go to Shanzi. He's our firstborn, and he'll be the one taking care of us in our old age."
Lu Er didn't argue with him. Instead, she said, "If we spend the money ourselves, then of course we won't repay it. But this shop will be left to Shanzi in the future. Why should Xiaoqiu have to pay for it?"
"If parents don't treat their children fairly, don't expect them to help each other out in the future," he said. "They'll be lucky if they don't become enemies."
Her parents had blatantly favored their youngest son, causing her brothers and sisters-in-law to be very dissatisfied. Later, a dispute over the homestead had caused such a rift that they no longer kept in touch with their youngest brother. Every time her mother saw her, she would cry and ask her to mediate, but Lu Er felt helpless in the face of such a mess. Having learned from her parents' mistakes, she tried her best to treat her four children fairly.
Lu JiaZong was scolded into silence.
(End of Chapter)
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