Chapter 349: Lu Jiajin's Change
Chapter 349: Lu Jiajin's Change
Lu Hongjun didn't trust Lu Jiaxin, and he wouldn't give her the rest of his belongings. To be precise, as long as he was still alive, he wouldn't give them to anyone, as they were his last security.
Lu Jiaxin didn't expect anything from him, and since he didn't say anything offensive or mock her, she didn't retort. Instead, she said, "I promised to hire a nanny for you, but now that you have someone to take care of you, you won't need one. Take this money as spending money instead."
Lu Hongjun didn't refuse. His pension was quite high, but with his current expenses, he couldn't save much, so an extra thousand yuan was welcome. Unless there was a special circumstance, he wouldn't touch the money and valuables he kept with him.
As the conversation came to an end, Lu Hongjun said, "It's almost lunchtime, and I should head back. Jiaxin, if you'd like, come home for a meal."
Lu Jiaxin wouldn't put herself in an uncomfortable situation. "No thanks, as long as they treat you well. If they don't, just leave since you're not even married. I promised to ensure your well-being in your old age, and I'll keep that promise."
Those words reassured Lu Hongjun.
He left soon after. He disliked Lu Ersao and thought her tongue was sharper than a knife, so he had never eaten at her place.
Seeing Lu Jiaxin standing there, Lu Ersao felt sorry for her and said, "Jiaxin, he's got his mind clouded by that woman. Don't take it to heart."
Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, "Ersao, do you really think my dad, as selfish as he is, would give all his money to that woman?"
Lu Ersao didn't want to answer, but she also didn't want to lie to Lu Jiaxin. "Your dad gives most of his pension to that woman."
Lu Jiaxin shook her head. "The pension isn't much. He must have a large sum of money hidden somewhere. He won't touch that money until he's on his deathbed."
"Ersao, he knows that I value my reputation and won't abandon him, but he also knows that I'll only pay for someone to take care of him. So he's not afraid of upsetting me, but he's afraid that you might stop taking care of him."
Upon careful consideration, Lu Ersao realized that this was indeed the case. If her husband, Ajie, and her brother-in-law hadn't said they didn't want those old things, he wouldn't have taken them out.
Just before lunch, Xiaoqiu and Lu Shan returned with Nuanuan and Goudan. As the youngest was only four months old, and it was cold outside, they left the children with Da Mai in the rented room.
As soon as Xiaoqiu saw Lu Jiaxin, she rushed over and hugged her. "Little Aunt, you're finally back. I missed you so much."
Lu Jiaxin patted her shoulder and smiled. "You've grown quite a bit in the past six months. At this rate, you'll be taller than me in a year."
Xiaoqiu was delighted to hear that. "No, I haven't grown at all these past two months. I don't think I'll grow any taller. This height is fine. If I get any taller, it'll be hard to find a partner."
Lu Jiaxin rolled her eyes. "What partner? You're still so young. Focus on learning more things. If you're not too tired in the evenings, go to night school and study fashion design. Since you're selling clothes, you should understand the types of fabrics and the styles and designs of garments."
Xiaoqiu didn't want to go, insisting that she was already tired from running the store during the day and didn't have the energy to attend night school.
Lu Jiaxin believed that a sixteen-year-old girl needed her sleep, but claiming to lack energy at this age was pure nonsense; it was a time of abundant vitality.
However, Lu Jiaxin didn't lecture her. She simply said, "I attend classes during the day and have a private tutor in the evenings. On top of that, I run a business and handle various other matters. If I'm not complaining about being tired, then you have no excuse."
Qian Xiaoxiao chimed in, "Sister Jiaxin has already completed the first-year courses and plans to start on the second-year curriculum next semester."
Xiaoqiu's eyes widened in surprise. "Little Aunt, you're amazing!"
Lu Jiaxin humbly claimed that she wasn't extraordinary; she just had a stronger endurance than others. "Since you enjoy working in the fashion industry, you should learn more related knowledge so that you can continue in this line of work. Otherwise, you'll eventually be eliminated by the market."
Xiaoqiu remained silent.
Hearing this, Lu Jiaxin said, "Xiaoqiu, there's a saying in the countryside that having many brothers at home means having support, so your in-laws won't dare to bully you. I think instead of relying on your brothers, it's better to make yourself more outstanding and stronger. That way, no one will dare to bully you no matter whom you marry."
Lu Ersao slapped the table and said, "Jiaxin, what you said is very true. Once a brother marries and starts his own family, he won't always be able to help his sisters. In the end, the only person you can truly rely on is yourself."
"Xiaoqiu, after next year's Lantern Festival, you'll start attending night school. Since you like selling clothes, learn from others how to make and sell them properly. That way, you'll be able to sell more clothes. Why are you hanging your head? Look at me."
Xiaoqiu knew she couldn't escape, so she reluctantly said, "I'll go to school after the spring, and I promise to study hard."
She had thought that she wouldn't have to study anymore, but now that she was making money, she still had to go to school. Just thinking about the textbooks made her head hurt. Sighing, she resolved to summon the same determination she had when she was studying for her middle school exams, hoping that would be enough to pass.
At three in the afternoon, Wang Xiaojie arrived with Lu Zhang and Lu Zhenzhen. Zhenzhen loved Lu Jiaxin and held onto her hand, bombarding her with endless questions.
At ten o'clock, Lu Jiajie came with Qiangqiang and Xiaofenger. This time, Xiaofenger politely called Lu Jiaxin "Aunt."
Lu Jiaxin knew that Lu Jiajie had been taking care of the children for the past six months, and from their behavior, they seemed to have improved a lot compared to before. Moreover, the two children were very close to Lu Zhang and Zhenzhen, greeting them warmly before surrounding them.
Hearing the children's cheerful laughter, Lu Jiaxin said, "Not bad. It looks like you've been paying attention these past six months, and the two children haven't been too affected."
Lu Jiajie felt a bit guilty and said, "There are still some effects. At school, they're mocked for not having a mother. I was originally preparing to open a store, but after finding out about this, I postponed it. Instead, I've been personally sending them to and from school every day, and I also went to find the parents of the children who bullied Qiangqiang."
One of the parents didn't take his words seriously, but later, their child was beaten up by Qiangqiang and ended up with a fracture. Even then, the parent refused to pay for medical expenses.
Lu Jiaxin felt that he had done the right thing and said, "When parents separate, children feel very insecure. Your companionship and protection give them peace of mind, so they've become more cheerful than before."
Lu Jiajie felt conflicted and asked, "Jiaxin, do you think I should continue taking care of them myself next year? I've saved up some money, so I can afford to take another year off."
Lu Jiaxin thought for a moment and said, "You should ask the two children about this. Don't think that they don't understand. After being treated differently by the Ma family and experiencing your divorce, they understand more than you think."
"Not just this time, but in the future, whenever something happens, talk to them. Let the children know why you need to go to another city for business and where you're going. Install a telephone at home, and when you're away, make sure to call them every day. Knowing that you love and care for them, the two children will feel secure and won't be afraid of others' ridicule. They will be able to grow up peacefully and healthily."
Lu Jiajie nodded repeatedly, promising to do as she said.
Seeing that he had taken her words to heart, Lu Jiaxin felt relieved. He had changed a lot in the past six months, becoming more responsible and dependable.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
