Chapter 37: The Pawn
Chapter 37: The Pawn
Lu Jiajin supported Lu Jiaxin's idea of selling clothes. He voiced his thoughts, "Third Uncle is taking advantage of the fact that Jiaxin is currently dependent on him for support, believing that she will yield to him. If Jiaxin becomes financially independent through her business and no longer relies on him, perhaps his attitude will change."
Lu Jiaguang understood Lu Jiajin quite well and asked, "Do you think Jiaxin can make money by selling clothes?"
As Lu Jiaxin had requested him not to disclose the matter about Su Heming for the time being, Lu Jiajin, being a loyal friend, said, "Big brother, Jiaxin is prudent in her actions. I believe she must have carefully considered her decision to sell clothes, and I don't think she will incur losses."
After a moment of silence, Lu Jiaguang said, "Since she wants to give it a try, let's allow her to do so. If she makes a profit, perhaps Third Uncle will reconsider his attitude towards her in the future. Even if she makes a loss, it's fine too; it will be a valuable lesson and will benefit her in the long run."
"Alright, I'll inform her tomorrow," Lu Jiajin agreed.
That evening, Lu Jiajin shared the news with Lu Jiaxin and also mentioned a pawnshop in Liulichang that dealt with such items. "I'll accompany you there tomorrow. I asked around, and it seems that jadeite jewelry can be quite valuable."
Understanding his concern, Lu Jiaxin didn't refuse. In her past life, when she had returned to the ancient capital for a visit, she had specifically inquired about this matter. Coincidentally, due to the sensational nature of the incident, some people still remembered it even after more than thirty years.
The person who had sold the antique books and paintings was called Sun Xun, whose ancestors had once served as ministers of rites and produced several scholars and successful candidates in the imperial examinations. However, with the downfall of the previous dynasty and the subsequent turmoil, the Sun family had declined. It was necessary to purchase the house before Sun Xun discovered the secret passage and the antiques, as it would have been troublesome if a gambler like him had found the treasures, not to mention the enormous expense.
The next day, Lu Jiajin, accompanied by Lu Jiaxin and Xue Mao, went to Liulichang. Upon entering, they found numerous stalls selling a wide variety of items, including bronze wares, ceramics, jade artifacts, and paintings.
Lu Jiaxin's attention was drawn to a celadon porcelain vase with a smooth and simple design, emitting a soft luster. Thinking it would be perfect for displaying flowers, she approached the stall owner to inquire about the price.
The stall owner, noticing her elegant attire, assumed she was a wealthy young lady looking for a bargain and thus, an easy target for overcharging. "Eight hundred yuan," he quoted.
Lu Jiajin grew anxious, about to point out that many of the items on sale here were fakes. However, remembering that Lu Jiaxin hadn't brought any money with her, he swallowed his words.
Lu Jiaxin gave the stall owner a look of disbelief. Did she have the words "easy mark" written on her forehead? "Two yuan," she countered. "Take it or leave it."
"Two yuan, young lady? Are you joking? This is..." the stall owner sputtered.
Not wanting to waste any more time on his nonsense, Lu Jiaxin turned to leave. She was merely looking for a flower vase and didn't appreciate being taken for a ride.
The stall owner hastily called out to stop her, "Fine, fine! Five yuan, take it for five!"
Xue Mao chimed in with a disdainful tone, "It's not even worth eating or drinking. I'd consider two yuan expensive."
Losing patience, the stall owner waved his hand dismissively. "Two yuan? Who are you trying to fool? I'm already making a loss. Go, just go!"
Unbothered, Lu Jiaxin, along with Xue Mao, followed Lu Jiajin into a nearby shop.
This shop not only dealt in various antiques but also offered pawning services. As long as one paid the interest within the stipulated time, they could redeem their pawned items. If the deadline was missed, the shop could dispose of the items, but if the owner wished to redeem them later, it was still possible, albeit with a different interest rate. In simple terms, the longer the delay, the higher the interest, sometimes even multiples of the original pawned amount. After all, they were running a business, not a charity.
The shopkeeper's eyes lit up when he saw Lu Jiaxin take out a complete set of jadeite jewelry, but his expression turned disappointed when he realized she intended to pawn it. Nonetheless, he didn't turn away business and carefully inspected each piece to ensure they were genuine and undamaged.
After his examination, the shopkeeper asked, "Miss, how much do you wish to pawn these for?"
"Ten thousand yuan," Lu Jiaxin replied.
The shopkeeper shook his head. "This set of jewelry isn't worth that much. I can offer you two thousand at most."
"This is a complete set of jadeite jewelry," Lu Jiaxin argued. "Two thousand yuan? How can you even suggest such a price? My brother's friend told me that your shop treats customers fairly, but it seems that's not true."
The shopkeeper remained unruffled and replied with a smile, "Miss, while jadeite jewelry is indeed rare, this set isn't worth ten thousand yuan. I'll be generous and offer three thousand, but I can't go any higher."
After some haggling, they finally settled on five thousand yuan for the set of jadeite jewelry. More than thirty years later, a single piece from this set would be worth several hundred thousand yuan. However, at this point in time, jade and jadeite were not in high demand, and even top-quality jadeite like imperial green and jadeite were not fetching high prices, at least not in the mainland. In Hong Kong, though, they were still highly sought-after.
For an ordinary person, selling items to Hong Kong might as well be a fairy tale. However, the fact that such a large pawnshop was operating in the bustling and prosperous Liulichang suggested that there was more to it than met the eye.
The shopkeeper gave Lu Jiaxin a keen look and said, "Miss, you seem to know quite a bit. Very well, I'll give you five thousand, but can you make the decision on your own? We run a legitimate business and don't want any trouble."
"Rest assured," Lu Jiaxin assured him. "I'm the only one left on my household registration now, so I have the authority to dispose of the family's belongings."
Lu Jiajie's lips twitched at her words; anyone who didn't know better would assume she was an orphan with no living parents. However, given what their third uncle had done, he didn't refute her statement.
The shopkeeper asked how long she intended to pawn the jewelry for.
"Six months," came the reply.
Items could be redeemed before the agreed-upon duration, but the interest would still be calculated based on the full term. As for the interest, it would be deducted directly from the pawned amount.
With a pawned amount of 5,000 yuan, minus the six-month interest of 300 yuan, Lu Jiaxin would receive 4,700 yuan. She was quite satisfied with this amount.
For a pawnshop, as long as the owner had a keen eye and didn't accept fake goods, it was a risk-free and profitable business. However, for a high-profit venture like this, one also needed sufficient connections and influence to establish oneself.
Lu Jiajie drove the two sisters home, reminding them to secure the doors and windows before he left for work.
Lowering her voice, Lu Jiaxin said, "Fifth Brother, don't tell Big Brother about me pawning the jewelry. I don't want to hear his lecture."
Lu Jiajie smiled and said, "These jewels were given to you by someone else, not left to you by Third Aunt. Even if you don't have the money to redeem them later, it's fine."
He understood her implication and wouldn't beat around the bush.
"I could never bear to pawn the things Mom left me," Lu Jiaxin said. The jewelry her mother had left behind held sentimental value, and she would never consider pawning them. Even if she believed she could redeem them before the deadline, she wouldn't do such a thing.
Lu Jiajie also felt that she had a good sense of propriety, which was why he was helping her.
Xue Mao was the type who couldn't sit idle. As soon as they returned, he took the clothes off the corridor and hung them in the courtyard to dry, then started sweeping the yard. It was already autumn, and there were many fallen leaves on the ground.
Lu Jiaxin sometimes felt that he was like the snail girl from a storybook—too diligent for her liking. She, on the other hand, disliked household chores.
After cleaning the courtyard, Xue Mao finally asked about their business plans. "Sister, didn't Su Heming say that he had already wrapped up his business and wouldn't be selling anything until his father and your brother returned? If we want to sell clothes, where will we get our inventory from?"
Lu Jiaxin was afraid that he might let something slip, so she decided to wait a few days before sharing her plans with him. "Just because Su Heming isn't doing business doesn't mean his brothers aren't. I'm sure the people he introduces us to will give us a good price."
Xue Mao found this difficult. Su Heming didn't seem reliable, and he suspected that his friends wouldn't be any better. However, recalling how they had profited from the snack stall despite his initial doubts, he remained silent.
"You go cook first, and I'll give Big Brother a call," Lu Jiaxin said.
"Okay," Xue Mao replied.
Lu Jiaxin didn't call Lu Hongjun; instead, she dialed Su Heming's number. "Su Heming, I'm looking for a trustworthy, discreet, and capable bodyguard. Do you have any recommendations?"
"Why are you looking for a bodyguard all of a sudden?" Su Heming asked.
Lu Jiaxin explained that she wanted to go to the ancient capital.
"Why do you want to go there?" he inquired.
Lu Jiaxin had a ready excuse. "With the human trafficker still at large, I can't sleep soundly at night. I have to find that person."
That old woman had caused the death of her original body, and she was determined to take revenge for that life. Now that the security crackdown was in full swing, if they could catch that old woman, she would surely face severe consequences. It would be a perfect opportunity to send Xue Mao to buy Sun Shao's house, killing two birds with one stone.
Su Heming was aware of her past and had wanted to teach Ding Jing and her mother a lesson because of it. But since Lu Jiaxin didn't want to take revenge herself, he hadn't taken matters into his own hands. "Sister Jiaxin, I'm free these days. I can accompany you on this trip."
Lu Jiaxin didn't want his company; his flashy appearance would only draw unwanted attention, hindering her plans. "If I bring you along, my uncle and aunt will definitely think you're my boyfriend, and they'll beat you to death. Su Heming, if you feel it's too troublesome, then forget about it."
In truth, Lu JiaGuang would have been the safest option, but given his protective nature, he would definitely stop her from going after the human trafficker. With time being of the essence, she couldn't seek help from anyone else, so she had no choice but to turn to Su Heming.
Su Heming laughed and said, "Of course I'll help now that you've asked. You want someone with good character, a tight lip, and martial arts skills, right? Alright, I'll give you an answer tomorrow."
Turning around, Su Heming shared this matter with Madam Xie.
On the same night that Su Heming made the phone call, Xie Kaixiao visited the sanatorium to check on Lord Xie and Madam Xie.
Madam Xie had already received his call and knew he was coming, so she naturally took the briefcase from his hands and said with a smile, "Dinner is almost ready. Take a rest for a while, and we can eat soon."
Xie Kaixiao unbuttoned the top button of his jacket and sat down, asking, "Where's Grandpa?"
"He went to play chess with Uncle Zhang next door, and he'll be having dinner there too. Don't worry, your grandfather's health has improved a lot lately," Madam Xie assured him.
Xie Kaixiao was well aware of his grandfather's improved health over the past few years. However, as the pillar of the family, he couldn't help but ask about him every day.
After some small talk, Madam Xie steered the conversation toward Lu Jiaxin. "This child heard that the human trafficker hasn't been caught yet, and she wants to go to the ancient capital to find that person. After what happened last time, she's worried that she and Xue Mao will be targeted by bad people, so she asked Heming to help find someone to protect her."
(End of Chapter)
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