Chapter 323: He Hanhuan Passes Away
Chapter 323: He Hanhuan Passes Away
Lu Erso informed Lu Jiaxin that Lu Hongjun and Tang Sufeng only held a wedding banquet without registering their marriage. "The fifth brother said that not registering was different from being married, but I don't know what the difference is," she explained.
Nowadays, as long as a wedding banquet is held, not only will friends and family recognize the couple as husband and wife, but even the state will acknowledge it as a defacto marriage. So, whether they register or not doesn't make a difference. Lu Jiaxin couldn't understand Lu Jiajie's insistence on the matter.
Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, "There's actually no difference."
She didn't want to keep hearing about Lu Hongjun from Lu Erso, as she wasn't interested. Instead, she took the initiative to ask about Xiao Qiu.
Xiao Qiu was standing beside them, and upon hearing Lu Jiaxin ask about her, she eagerly grabbed the phone to chat. She first talked about their recent business and then expressed her desire to rent the neighboring store to sell children's clothing. However, Lu Erso and the others disagreed with this idea.
Lu Jiaxin thought she had great ideas and encouraged her, "Xiao Qiu, you're still young, so don't be afraid of losing money or failing. If you want to do something, just go for it. Don't let your worries hold you back, or you'll regret it later."
"Thank you, Aunt," Xiao Qiu replied gratefully.
After hanging up, Lu Jiaxin stretched and was about to call Nie Zhan for dinner, but Xiao Xiao informed her that Nie Zhan had already returned to the company.
Lu Jiaxin went back to her room to continue reading. When it was almost six o'clock, Nie Zhan arrived, and the first thing he said was, "He Hanhuan is gone."
Lu Jiaxin was taken aback for a moment before realizing what he meant, "What do you mean he's gone?"
With a somber expression, Nie Zhan explained, "Yesterday, after having dinner with a few friends, he was attacked on his way home by a few gang members. One of the knives struck a fatal blow. They rushed him to the hospital, but he didn't make it there."
Frowning, Lu Jiaxin asked, "This was a revenge attack. Was it because of his father, or did he bring it upon himself?"
Nie Zhan shook his head, unsure, "If you want to know, I can ask around."
Lu Jiaxin waved her hand, indicating that she didn't want to trouble him for this, "He's gone, and that's that. Besides, the Hong Kong media will likely be interested in his story, and they'll dig up the reason behind it."
In situations like these, it was either a crime of passion or revenge. Regardless of the reason, it had nothing to do with her, and she could simply watch the spectacle unfold.
During dinner, the two of them chatted about the upcoming school enrollment. Nie Zhan mentioned that the university didn't provide accommodation, so it would be best to rent an apartment near the school. That way, if she felt tired or stayed out late, she wouldn't have to travel back home.
Hong Kong University did offer on-campus housing, but the number of dormitory rooms was limited. Students who wanted to live on campus had to apply, and while there were many applicants, the number of spots was limited, so it came down to luck. Those who didn't get a spot would have to find accommodation off-campus, which tended to be more expensive than the school dormitories.
Lu Jiaxin was already aware of this, and given her background, she naturally wouldn't apply for a school dormitory, "Let's not rent for now. We can decide after the semester starts."
It would depend on the situation. If there was a need, they could rent, otherwise, she could just commute from home.
"I'll accompany you on the first day of school," Nie Zhan said.
"No need, I can go by myself," Lu Jiaxin replied.
"No, I must be there for such an important moment," Nie Zhan insisted, his expression serious.
Seeing his earnest expression, Lu Jiaxin was taken aback for a moment before understanding his true intention. Accompanying her to school was a convenient excuse, but his real purpose was to mark his territory.
"Alright," she agreed.
The next day, after breakfast, Lu Jiaxin headed to the Gu residence. As soon as she got out of the car, she spotted Hong Gu, who was frowning as she asked, "What are you doing here?"
Upon seeing Lu Jiaxin, Hong Gu looked flustered and stammered, "Miss Gu, I heard that the old madam had moved back, so I came to visit her."
Lu Jiaxin glanced at the clothes Hong Gu was wearing and said expressionlessly, "You think I'll believe that nonsense?
"Who told you to come back?" Lu Jiaxin asked, her tone cold.
Hong Gu lowered her head, remaining silent.
The sun was scorching, and Lu Jiaxin walked inside with a frown on her face. She entered the living room, threw her bag to the side, and slumped back into a chair.
Soon, Mei Gu arrived and greeted her respectfully, "Miss Lu, you're here."
Lu Jiaxin lifted her chin towards the door, asking, "What's going on? I said I didn't want to hire her anymore. Are you all going to ignore my wishes?"
Although she knew that Hong Gu hadn't betrayed Gu Xiuxiu and was only pretending to betray them to deceive He Zhuliang, Lu Jiaxin still despised her for her previous attitude. The betrayal may have been an act, but her disdain for mainlanders and her attempts to manipulate Lu Jiaxin were genuine.
Mei Gu hadn't expected her to find out so soon. "Miss Lu, the old madam missed Hong Gu and kept calling out for her. I couldn't refuse her, so I let Hong Gu come back for a visit. But after the old madam saw Hong Gu, she refused to let her leave and insisted that she stay temporarily."
"Temporarily?"
Mei Gu explained, "Hong Gu knows that you don't like her and wouldn't want her to stay at Gu's residence, but she wants to spend more time with the old madam. She plans to leave before you return."
After finishing, she pleaded, "Miss Lu, please let Hong Gu stay! She takes care of the old madam better than I do, and she's more attentive than that Chen caretaker."
As soon as she finished speaking, Hong Gu walked in and knelt in front of Lu Jiaxin, "Miss Lu, please let me stay. I don't need any wages. Miss Lu, I really can't bear to leave the old madam in this state."
Lu Jiaxin looked at the two of them, her expression cold and indifferent as she said, "Mei Gu, you're making me out to be the villain here."
Mei Gu's heart skipped a beat, and she dared not intercede any further.
Lu Jiaxin was getting impatient, "Get up quickly! This is the modern era, and you're hired help, not ancient slaves. There's no need to kneel at every turn."
When Hong Gu didn't get up immediately, Qian Xiaoxiao stepped forward and pulled her up.
"Where's Auntie?"
Mei Gu bowed and replied, "The old madam was gardening in the yard earlier, but she got tired and went back to rest. Young Master Gu went to the bookstore to buy some books as he needs some reference materials."
Lu Jiaxin inquired about Gu Xiuxiu's health and, upon learning that she had been in good health and hadn't fallen sick in over a month, nodded slightly.
After sitting for a while, Lu Jiaxin asked about Chen, the nurse, as she hadn't seen her around.
Mei Gu hesitated before answering, "Miss Lu, Chen said there was a family matter and left suddenly the night before last. I didn't ask much at the time, but I told her to come back the next morning. However, she still hasn't returned."
"Miss Lu, when you hired her, you agreed that she could take four days off each month. But this month, she's already taken six days off, and whenever you ask her to stay overnight, she comes up with all sorts of excuses to get out of it."
Hearing this, Lu Jiaxin replied, "I'll fire Chen. We'll hire someone else who's more dedicated and responsible."
Mei Gu sighed, afraid that she might anger Lu Jiaxin and get fired herself.
Lu Jiaxin was about to go view the new house and couldn't wait for Gu Xiuxiu to wake up. But before she left, she looked at Hong Gu and said, "Since you said you're willing to take care of Auntie without pay, then you can stay!"
Even though she disliked Hong Gu, she couldn't deny that Hong Gu would take better care of Gu Xiuxiu than any other caretaker, given their thirty-year relationship. Not paying her was a test to see how long she would last; if she stayed for more than three months, she could remain.
Upon hearing this, Hong Gu was overjoyed and repeatedly expressed her thanks.
(End of Chapter)
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