Chapter 355: Abs
Chapter 355: Abs
The night before their trip to the Maldives, Nie Zhan called Lu Jiaxin to inform her that a friend of his had a villa there and that they had already discussed borrowing it for a month-long stay.
Nie Zhan said, "I've arranged for a chef to be at your disposal. If you fancy Western cuisine, feel free to cook yourself a Chinese meal."
He was well aware of Lu Jiaxin's dislike for Western food and knew that staying in a hotel would be less convenient in that regard. By staying in a villa, they could have whatever they wanted to eat, as long as they bought the ingredients.
Lu Jiaxin found his thoughtfulness touching. "Okay, I'll leave it to you."
Nie Zhan asked, "If you like it there, shall we buy a villa too? We can come here often for vacations."
Lu Jiaxin refused, saying, "I don't know when I'll be back next. By the way, will you be able to make it over here?"
Nie Zhan smiled and assured her, "Rest assured, I'll definitely come and spend the New Year with you."
He would be on vacation during the New Year celebrations, and even though he wasn't a workaholic, he needed to unwind occasionally. However, the break wouldn't be very long, probably just about a week.
Upon arriving in the Maldives, they rested for a day before starting their activities. By the time Nie Zhan joined them, Lu Jiaxin had already learned how to ride a motorboat.
As they strolled along the white sandy beach, Nie Zhan's eyes lit up with amusement at the sight of Lu Jiaxin's swimsuit.
"What are you laughing at?" she asked.
"I think your swimsuit looks great," he replied.
Lu Jiaxin pouted, well aware of his thoughts. Her swimsuit was more conservative compared to the bikinis worn by the other beauties around them, not because she was old-fashioned, but because her figure wasn't the curvaceous type that would flatter a bikini.
When Nie Zhan changed into his swimsuit, Lu Jiaxin's eyes widened in surprise. "I can't believe you have abs even though you work in an office all day."
Although he only had a four-pack, it was still impressive and indicated that he maintained a healthy lifestyle and exercised regularly.
Noticing her staring at his abs, Nie Zhan said with a beaming smile, "You're my girlfriend. If you want to touch them, go ahead."
"Ah, how did you know I wanted to touch them?" Lu Jiaxin exclaimed.
Gu Wenfeng, standing beside them, felt the urge to comment that anyone with eyes could see that. But it was normal for couples to want to touch each other, so he kept quiet. Hmm, he felt like he was being corrupted by their interaction.
Nie Zhan spent a week in the Maldives with Lu Jiaxin, during which they swam, canoed, dived, played on the beach, and even went shopping in Male.
Although Lu Jiaxin usually didn't buy jewelry, she spent over two million on it this time because she loved it so much. She knew she wouldn't regret the purchase; it was worth every penny, and she could well afford it.
Time flew by, and before they knew it, Nie Zhan's vacation was over, and he had to return. What surprised him was Lu Jiaxin's insistence on going back with him.
"Didn't you say you'd return before the start of the new semester?" Nie Zhan asked, disagreeing with her decision. "Jiaxin, don't accommodate me. Follow your own plan."
"I'm not accommodating you," Lu Jiaxin explained. "I've been here for over half a month, and it's not fun to stay alone. Besides, I have some matters to attend to back home."
"What matters? I can help you with them," Nie Zhan offered.
"It's about acquiring a real estate company," Lu Jiaxin said. "I mentioned it to you before, remember?"
Nie Zhan recalled the conversation and his offer to help her find a suitable one, which she had refused at the time. "So, have you found a company that interests you?"
Lu Jiaxin had already tasked He Bin and others to gather information and had discussed it with Su Heyuan. "I'll research it when I get back. If I come across a suitable one, I'll buy it."
Nie Zhan understood her desire to forge her own path and not rely on him. "If you have your eye on a particular company, let me know, and I'll help you evaluate it."
Lu Jiaxin agreed.
Upon their return to the city, Lu Jiaxin paid a visit to the Gu residence to see Gu Xiuxiu and Gu Haifan. After not seeing them for over half a month, she noticed that they had both gained some weight.
"We recently hired a new chef," Mei Gu explained with a smile. "The food he prepares is to the taste of the old lady and Young Master Gu, and they've been eating more, so their weight hasn't been controlled. But it's fine; they look better with some extra pounds."
Gu Xiuxiu disagreed, "Being overweight makes it hard to wear cheongsams."
Lu Jiaxin sided with Mei Gu, saying, "Auntie, wearing a cheongsam requires a fuller figure to look good. A skinny person doesn't look flattering in it at all. I think you look perfect the way you are now."
Gu Xiuxiu laughed heartily and said, "You sure know how to sweet-talk, young lady. Mei Gu, go and get the orchid diamond necklace I have and give it to her."
Mei Gu assured them that she would get it later, and Lu Jiaxin expressed her gratitude with a beaming smile.
After lunch, Lu Jiaxin prepared to leave, but Gu Haifan held onto her hand, reluctant to part with her. "Cousin, will you come and have lunch with us on Yuanxiao Festival?"
Lu Jiaxin assured him that she always kept her word and would definitely join them as promised.
He Bin was already waiting for Lu Jiaxin at the villa, and as soon as she sat down, he handed her the collected information. During her absence, he had used his connections to select six companies that met her requirements and then further narrowed them down to four potential candidates.
Lu Jiaxin flipped through the information on the four real estate companies, noting that their profits weren't impressive. This was to be expected, as quality assets were unlikely to be up for sale.
She casually browsed the materials before setting them aside and smilingly said, "Mr. He, thank you for your hard work during this period. I'll inform you once I've decided on a company."
Acquiring a company wasn't an easy task. It involved initial negotiations, reaching a mutual agreement, and then deploying lawyers and auditors to assess the target company.
He Bin respectfully said, "Boss, please don't hesitate to give me any instructions if there's anything else you need."
From what he had observed, Lu Jiaxin intended to acquire one of the companies. Being so young and already aiming to own a real estate company, her future prospects were immeasurable. Therefore, he knew he had to cling tightly to this opportunity.
He Bin was grateful that he hadn't looked down on Lu Jiaxin like others had. Instead, he had always treated her politely, which had earned him this opportunity. Take Hong Gu, for example. She had almost been fired for her disdainful attitude toward Miss Lu, and even now, whenever Miss Lu visited, she would retreat to her room to avoid her.
Lu Jiaxin said, "I'm planning to buy a burial plot and relocate my mother's and grandmother's graves there. My mother's side won't be an issue, but regarding my grandmother... You accompanied Auntie Ding to visit my grandmother's grave a couple of years ago, so you know the situation with the Ding family. They will definitely cause trouble."
He Bin thought this matter could be easily resolved by offering the Ding family a sum of money. Mainland China was relatively poor, and the Ding family was so destitute that they couldn't even afford meat. A few thousand yuan would surely prevent them from making a fuss.
Of course, Lu Jiaxin knew that bribing them with money would work, but she refused to give a single cent to that shameless family. "I heard from Auntie that the road to the burial ground is in poor condition. My grandmother and mother endured countless hardships while living with the Ding family. I'd rather donate one hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars to the local government for road construction than give the Ding family a single penny."
He Bin understood her intention and assured her, "Boss, rest assured, I'll make sure everything is taken care of."
Lu Jiaxin's decision to entrust him with such an important matter stemmed from her confidence in his ability to handle it well.
(End of Chapter)
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