Chapter 399: Evasion
Chapter 399: Evasion
On the 19th of June, Lu Jiaxin had just finished breakfast when Lu Dabai and his wife, along with the rest of the elders from the main branch in Beijing, arrived. Even the youngest, Gou Sheng, had been brought along. As for the second branch, only Lu Jiajie brought his two children.
If it weren't for Lu Erbai and his wife's unreliability, Lu Jiajie would have picked them up as well. But after their previous actions, Lu Jiajie had lost all enthusiasm for maintaining ties. Now, aside from sending the monthly allowance of 20 yuan, he rarely even called them.
Seeing the large group, Lu Jiaxin smiled and asked, "Eldest Uncle, Aunt, you're here too?"
Lu Dabai replied, "How could we not come for such a big event? Jiaxin, are you ready? If you are, let's set off!"
During this trip to Sichuan City, Wang Xiaojie had brought the elderly couple for a full health check-up. Both Lu Dabai and his wife had several health issues, and the doctors repeatedly emphasized the importance of taking their medication on time and avoiding strenuous activities. However, they felt that their bodies were still robust and often expressed their desire to return home. Despite the comforts of Sichuan City, they missed their home, having lived there for most of their lives.
It was Lu Jiaguang who mentioned the matter of Lu Jiaxin's mother's tomb relocation, hoping that they would stay until the matter was concluded. They held a great deal of affection for this niece-in-law, Ding Xiaoxia, and lamented that she had passed away too soon.
Lu Jiaxin nodded and said, "Everything is ready. I'll just change my clothes and we can leave."
Anticipating a large crowd, just like the last time, Lu Jiaxin had arranged for Gu Wenfeng to rent a bus to accommodate everyone. Indeed, this decision proved wise, as they would have needed over ten small cars otherwise.
Lu Jiaxin invited Lu Dabai to ride in the smaller car, but he refused, insisting on taking the bus: "The bus is good; it's spacious and comfortable."
While riding in a small car might be more prestigious, he felt uncomfortable and often ended up with a headache. The bus, on the other hand, was roomy and offered a better view.
Seeing his insistence, Lu Jiaxin didn't press the issue. She rode in the small car with Lu Shan and her family, while Gu Wenfeng drove. The rest of the group boarded the bus.
Lu Yun's wife gazed at the scene enviously, whispering to Lu Yun, "If you had been the one adopted, we would be the ones riding in the small car now."
Hearing this, Lu Yun instinctively looked around. Seeing that everyone's attention was elsewhere, he lowered his voice and said, "With us being childless after all these years, Third Uncle would never have chosen me anyway."
They had been married for over four years, yet they had no children. Both traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and provincial hospital doctors had confirmed that the couple was physically healthy, but they still couldn't conceive.
Lu Yun's wife fell silent at the mention of children, a topic that made her anxious. She defended herself, "I'm fine. The doctors said as long as I relax, I'll be able to get pregnant."
Lu Yun asked, "How long will that take? A year? Two years? Or ten years?"
Although his grandparents and parents had not pressured them to have children, always saying that it would happen when the time was right, Lu Yun felt uneasy. Especially considering how his eldest sister-in-law had given birth to one child after another, already having two sons and a daughter, while he had none after being married for so long.
Lu Yun's wife fell silent.
The tomb relocation for Lu Jiaxin's mother went smoothly, without any unexpected interruptions like in the case of Gu Waipo. Once the coffin was exhumed, the undertaker quickly collected the remains.
Lu Jiaxin instructed Wang Lin and Zong Jinghua to transport the remains to Pengcheng. They could have flown, but many people considered it bad luck to transport remains by air, and chartering a private plane was troublesome. Thus, they opted to have them drive instead.
Lu Shan accompanied the remains, while Lu Jiaxin planned to leave the next day.
Before they set off in the car, Lu Jiaxin asked Da Mai, "Can you handle taking care of three children by yourself?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Erso immediately replied, "I'll stay at the compound for the next few days. Once Shanzi returns, I'll move back to Guoming Road."
As for her husband, Lu Jiazong, he would definitely stay at Guoming Road. Although the area had always been safe, their daughter was now a young and vulnerable age, so they dared not leave her alone at home.
Upon returning to the city, Lu Jiaxin first sent Lu Dabai and the others home before heading back herself. As for Lu Jiazong, Lu Jiajie, and the others, the bus driver sent them back.
After resting at home for a while, Mei Gu came to find her.
"Miss, Madam spends less than 80,000 yuan a month here. In the future, you won't need to transfer so much money to me," Mei Gu said.
Here, Madam Gu often listened to books, music, or opera; when she was lucid, she liked to go shopping and always bought something back. Although there were more expenses, the prices and labor costs here were much lower, so their overall spending had decreased by almost half.
Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, "If there's any leftover money, just leave it in the account. If there's a sudden large expense or need for medical treatment, there will be no need for me to transfer additional funds."
Mei Gu agreed and then brought up another matter. "Miss, Madam said she doesn't want to return to Hong Kong. She intends to spend her remaining years here."
Over the past two days, Gu Xiuxiu's memory had become confused again, and she didn't remember Lu Jiaxin at all. Because of this, Lu Jiaxin had only visited briefly and hadn't stayed to chat.
Lu Jiaxin had no objections. "Whether she spends her later years in Hong Kong or here is fine with me. However, Haifan still needs to go to school. If Auntie is alone here, will she feel lonely? If so, we can find a suitable child from the Gu family to keep her company."
Mei Gu shook her head. "In Madam's current state, she can't take care of a child. She often goes out shopping because she wants to see more of the outside world while she's still lucid."
By the end of her sentence, her voice was choked with emotion.
Lu Jiaxin's heart also felt heavy. This was a disease that no amount of money could cure, and she was powerless to change it. All she could do was guarantee her grandmother's comfort and dignity in her remaining years.
After Lu Dabai returned home, he sat down and instructed Lu Jiaguang, "Go call your Third Uncle."
As soon as Lu Hongjun arrived, Lu Dabai began scolding him. "Today is your wife's tomb relocation. I specifically told you about it beforehand. Why didn't you come? Everyone else is here except for you. How do you think Jiaxin feels?"
He had made it very clear, yet when it was time to leave, Lu Hongjun was nowhere to be found. He was so angry he could barely breathe, but to not delay the important matter at hand, they had no choice but to go to Shichahai first.
"After Jiaxin returned from the ancient capital, every time we met, we ended up arguing," Lu Hongjun explained. "If I had gone, we definitely would have argued again. I didn't want to fight in front of Xiaoxia. She wouldn't be able to rest in peace."
Lu Dabai coldly hmphed. "Now you're concerned about your wife's peace in the afterlife, but where were you when that venomous woman was harming Jiaxin?"
Dabai's wife chimed in from the side. "Third Brother, by not showing up on such an important day, you're only pushing Jiaxin further away. If you want any hope of reconciling with your daughter, you need to take a step back."
Lu Hongjun understood what she meant. If he were to yield, there might still be a chance for father and daughter to make amends. However, he had already given up hope. "Big Sister-in-law, Jiaxin won't forgive me, and I don't dare to expect her forgiveness. Things are fine as they are now."
Seeing that Lu Dabai was about to continue, Lu Jiaguang quickly changed the subject. "Dad, Mom, it's already past noon. Let's eat."
Dabai's wife was indeed feeling hungry, so she urged Lu Dabai to go eat, and the topic was dropped.
(End of Chapter)
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