Chapter 35: Su Heming's Token of Gratitude
Chapter 35: Su Heming's Token of Gratitude
Su Heming had come this time not only to express his gratitude but also to fulfill his previous promise of giving Lu Jiaxin the set of jade accessories. He had originally intended to send his younger brother, but thanks to Lu Jiaxin's warning, he had avoided being manipulated. Feeling appreciative, he had come himself.
Lu Jiaxin opened the box and saw hairpins, hair clips, pendants, hairpins, bracelets, necklaces, rings, and earrings inside.
Holding one of the hairpins in her hand, Lu Jiaxin asked, "How much money does your friend owe you?"
"Five thousand and eight," Su Heming replied.
"Do you know that this set of jewelry is made of mutton-fat jade? I'm not sure about the current market price, but if we take it to Hong Kong City, selling it for a few hundred thousand dollars wouldn't be a problem." Lu Jiaxin explained.
Xue Mao's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
Su Heming's family wasn't wealthy when he was growing up, and he didn't have much knowledge about jade and jadeite, but he could still recognize quality when he saw it. "I knew this set of jewelry was something special when I saw it, but I didn't realize it was mutton-fat jade."
He was giving this set of jewelry to Lu Jiaxin mainly to thank Lu's mother for saving his cousin. But now, he was doing it purely for Lu Jiaxin. This young lady had a kind heart, just like her mother, and was worth befriending.
Lu Jiaxin loved the set and felt reluctant to return it to Su Heming. "I really like this jade set, but I can't accept it without doing something in return. Su gege, I'll buy this set from you, and I'll pay you by the end of the year."
Su Heming pretended to be unhappy and said, "I told you it's a gift for you. I won't take your money. Besides, if it weren't for you, I would've fallen into someone's scheme. Jiaxin meimei, don't you think my life is worth more than these few pieces of broken stones?"
Lu Jiaxin didn't know how to refute that.
Su Heming smiled and said, "Just keep it. If you feel indebted, you can buy me a real gold watch when you make money in the future."
This pleased Lu Jiaxin greatly. She thought Su Heming was a bit simple-minded, but he had good taste. "Alright, when I make a lot of money in the future, I'll buy you a Rolex gold watch."
Xue Mao thought Lu Jiaxin was just teasing Su Heming, believing that a gold watch worth over a hundred thousand dollars was far beyond their means. Later, he would realize how shallow his thinking had been and greatly underestimate Jiaxin's capabilities.
As Lu Jiaxin prepared to start her own business, she was eager to learn from a seasoned veteran like Su Heming. "Su gege, what kind of business are you in?"
Su Heming didn't hide the truth. "We bring electronics, clothing, and cassettes from Pengcheng to sell here. Hong Kong City's products are very popular right now. With the right connections, you can make a profit just by selling these items. It's just a matter of how much you want to earn."
"How long have you been doing this, and how much money have you made?" Lu Jiaxin asked.
Su Heming smiled and replied, "I started last year, and so far, I've made about 300,000 yuan. After splitting it with my brothers, I got about 100,000 yuan."
The claim that he had made 300,000 yuan in a year and a half by smuggling goods was probably just to fool those who were unfamiliar with the market. Lu Jiaxin didn't believe it; she thought he should add a zero to that number to get closer to the truth.
Lu Jiaxin deliberately said, "Smuggling goods is hard work, but smuggling pi texts is a different story. I've heard that many people have made millions by smuggling those things without much effort."
Su Heming wasn't surprised, given Lu Hongjun's position. It wasn't strange for Lu Jiaxin to know about these things. Smiling, he said, "As long as you don't get caught in the act, smuggling goods is fine. But smuggling those things is a crime; Auntie Xie doesn't allow us to touch them."
The last sentence was the key point. Madam Xie forbade them to get involved with pi texts. The father and his three sons dared not go against her wishes. In the past few years, it was only because of her protection that they had survived those most difficult years; otherwise, they would have joined their grandmother long ago.
Lu Jiaxin asked, "Aside from smuggling goods and those things, are there any other industries that are both legal and highly profitable?"
Surprisingly, Su Heming knew quite a bit about this. He replied, "Trading antiques and cultural relics can also be very lucrative. You buy them at a low price and sell them at a high price, but this business requires expertise. If you don't know what you're doing, you could end up losing your entire fortune. If you like these antiques, I can ask around and get someone to find a couple of pieces for you."
Lu Jiaxin's heart skipped a beat at the mention of antiques. During her time studying in the City of Romance, she had visited a classmate's home and seen a painting from the Tang Dynasty in her room. It depicted a group of noble ladies on an outing, with each young lady dressed in exquisite clothing. Some were splashing water and playing, while others were fanning butterflies or composing poems amidst the flowers... The composition was exquisite, and the colors were vivid, capturing the beauty and pure innocence of noble girls from the Tang Dynasty.
That painting had been purchased by her classmate's grandfather over thirty years ago when he visited the ancient capital. Before returning home from his trip, he had intended to buy a few souvenirs from the antique market.
As he entered the antique shop, he happened to encounter someone selling that very painting. The shop owner claimed it was a fake, and the seller, unwilling to part with it for a low price, walked away.
Her classmate's grandfather had a fondness for vibrant paintings, and he immediately fell in love with this one. He didn't care whether it was real or not and bought it at the seller's asking price. Unexpectedly, the seller was impressed by his decisiveness and offered to sell him some more paintings and books that he had.
It turned out that the seller had accidentally discovered a secret chamber in his house, and within it, he found several paintings and numerous books.
Her classmate's grandfather wasn't interested in the books, but he had a friend who was passionate about Eastern culture. He bought all the books and paintings from the seller for ten thousand US dollars.
Later, her classmate faced some difficulties and sold off most of the paintings to get through that tough period. The only reason the Tang Dynasty painting of the ladies remained was that her classmate loved it so much that she begged and cried to keep it.
The value of that painting had increased several thousandfold since then, and the price it could fetch left Lu Jiaxin astonished. However, after admiring it, she had drawn inspiration from it and designed clothing that became a massive hit.
Su Heming waved his right hand in front of Lu Jiaxin, snapping her out of her reverie. Seeing that she had returned to her senses, he smiled and asked, "What were you daydreaming about? I was talking to you, and you didn't even respond."
Lu Jiaxin was in a fantastic mood at that moment. "I was just thinking about something," she said.
She could buy the man's house in the ancient capital and claim the items in the secret chamber as her own. Then, she could sell a piece or two to get some starting capital, keeping the rest for her collection. As for the books, she could donate them to a museum.
"What were you thinking about that made you so happy?" Su Heming asked.
After their two encounters, Lu Jiaxin was convinced that her father and brother were involved in the business of smuggling goods. As for Su Heming, she believed he was, at most, running errands and doing odd jobs for them. The reason was simple—he lacked the cunning and guile for such dealings.
Lu Jiaxin quickly came up with an excuse to deflect the question. "When did your father and older brother go to Hong Kong City, and when will they be back?" she asked casually.
Su Heming shook his head, indicating that he didn't know. "I can't guess what they're up to, and I don't bother trying to figure it out. Jiaxin, you need rest and recuperation because of your weak body, but Xue Mao doesn't. Do you want me to find him a job?"
Finding a job wasn't easy at the moment, and Su Heming's offer showed his sincerity. However, Lu Jiaxin intended to keep Xue Mao by her side and teach him, rather than let him waste time on a job that didn't require any technical skills.
She shook her head and said, "No need. Xue Mao doesn't like being restricted by others."
Indeed, Xue Mao had no desire to work in a factory. A monthly salary of a hundred or so yuan didn't appeal to him, and he valued his freedom. Setting up a stall was more tiring, but it offered more earnings and the benefit of being his own boss.
(End of Chapter)
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