Chapter 5: Lu Jiaxin
Chapter 5: Lu Jiaxin
Ding Jing was worried that Lu Jiaxin would blurt out something shocking again, so she turned to the curious onlookers and said, "It's almost mealtime. Everyone, hurry back and start preparing dinner!"
Old Mrs. Xue waved off the suggestion, indicating that she wasn't hungry and that it was fine to cook later. The others were reluctant to leave as well, eager to witness more of the drama.
Of course, Ding Jing wasn't about to let them stay, but she couldn't force them to leave either. Instead, she shot a meaningful glance at Old Mrs. Zhao.
Understanding the unspoken message, Old Mrs. Zhao promptly spoke up. "Alright, let's go. Manager Lu will be back soon, and we shouldn't be loitering here."
Lu Jiaxin felt a twinge of pity for her original self. That girl had always thought of Old Mrs. Zhao as a kind soul, never imagining that the old woman was in cahoots with Ding Jing.
The crowd, eager for gossip, didn't dare to offend Manager Lu, so they dispersed at Old Mrs. Zhao's words. However, as Old Mrs. Xue headed downstairs, she called out, "Jiaxin, if you need anything, just shout."
Ding Jing's face darkened at this.
Once everyone had left, Ding Jing closed the door and her demeanor changed. "Jiaxin, who is this person? You're a young woman now, so stop bringing home all sorts of disreputable people."
Xue Mao was furious. How dare this stepmother insult him!
Lu Jiaxin paid her no mind and turned to Xue Mao instead. "Help me pack up our things."
Although the valuable items in the room had been taken away, the winter and summer bedding remained. She intended to move to the house bought by Lu's mother, and taking these items with her would save her a considerable sum.
Xue Mao watched as she only packed the bedding and some small ornaments, and asked in confusion, "Sister Jiaxin, aren't we taking the books?"
The room was filled with books—on the desk, in drawers, and in cabinets, they were everywhere.
"They're too heavy. We'll come back for them later," Lu Jiaxin replied.
Xue Mao's eyebrows furrowed in surprise. "Sister Jiaxin, aren't you planning to retake the university entrance exam? You need those books."
Every second counted when it came to preparing for the gaokao. While her memory loss had been a hindrance before, now that she was considering retaking the exam, leaving the books behind didn't make sense to him. He was worried that Sister Jiaxin might have given up on the idea of retaking the exam, and he couldn't think of any other explanation for her actions.
Lu Jiaxin glanced at him and smiled. "What's the matter? Do you want to study? If you do, once we settle down, I'll find a way to send you to night school."
She wasn't particularly intelligent. In her past life, she had spent countless hours grinding through practice questions to get into her dream university, and even after graduating with her master's degree, she often dreamed of herself handing in blank papers for the gaokao and graduate entrance exam. The trauma ran deep.
In her heart, Lu Jiaxin had no desire to step into a classroom again. However, it was Lu's mother and the original soul's wish, and since she had taken over their body, she felt obligated to fulfill their dream. So, she would take the university entrance exam, but not right now.
Hearing this, Xue Mao quickly waved his hands in refusal. At his age, it would be a waste of money to go back to school.
Lu Jiaxin knew his weakness and pressed on. "Xue Mao, if you don't want to be poor forever, you need an education. Otherwise, you'll be dependent on others even for something as simple as reading a bus schedule. How will you ever succeed in business if you can't even understand a contract and people take advantage of you?"
Xue Mao fell silent.
Lu Jiaxin stuffed the bedding into a woven bag and rolled up the bamboo mattress. Seeing him still standing there, she called out, "Xue Mao, stop standing there like a wooden post! Hurry up and help me pack!"
"Oh, yes, of course," he replied, jolted into action.
As they finished packing the bedding, the sound of hurried footsteps approached and soon stopped outside her door.
Lu Jiaxin turned to see a tall man, about 1.8 meters in height, standing in the doorway. He wore a gray Zhongshan suit, had a square face with deep-set eyes, half-white hair, and more wrinkles on his face than she remembered.
Lu Jiaxin stood at the doorway, her gaze fixed on Lu Hongjun. After a long while, he said with reddened eyes, "You've lost weight and you're tanned."
Lu Jiaxin's expression remained cold. If it weren't for him marrying Ding Jing, that snake of a woman, her previous self wouldn't have been schemed against to the point of losing her life.
Seeing her cold demeanor, Lu Hongjun's heart filled with unease.
Ding Jing interjected, "Jiaxin, it's fine if you misunderstand me and Siyi, but you shouldn't take it out on your father. You've been gone for over a month, and your father has been worried sick. When he heard you were taken by human traffickers, he fainted from the shock and was hospitalized for three days..."
"Jiaxin, your father has doted on you and cherished you all these years. Please consider his health and refrain from acting so recklessly."
On the surface, she was concerned about Lu Hongjun's well-being, but every word was an accusation of Jiaxin's unfilial behavior. The original soul was just a child, and hearing these words would undoubtedly enrage her. The two were on completely different levels, and it was no surprise that the original soul's reputation had suffered as a result.
Lu Hongjun grabbed Jiaxin's arm and said, "There's no need to bring this up now that she's just returned."
Lu Jiaxin felt a dull ache in her chest—the original soul's emotions. She let out a cold laugh and said, "Everyone in the residential compound knows that I have a bad temper and am unreasonable. Let her say it; the louder, the better."
Ding Jing felt a sense of unease. In the past, if she said something like this, Jiaxin would have stormed off to her room. But now, with her new attitude, Ding Jing felt like she had lost control of the situation.
Lu Hongjun quickly tried to smooth things over. "Jiaxin, don't be angry. Your Aunt Ding is just worried about me..."
Every time a conflict arose, Lu Hongjun would try to placate both sides, which only served to fuel the original soul's anger. However, standing here now was not the original soul but Lu Jiaxin herself.
Lu Jiaxin asked, "My passbook and the valuable items from the house are missing. She says you put them away."
Lu Hongjun was taken aback but quickly recovered. "Yes, I put them away."
"Now that I'm back, give me back the passbook and the items."
Before Lu Hongjun could respond, Ding Jing cut in. "Jiaxin, you're still young. It's better to let your father hold on to the passbook. If you need money, just ask your father for it."
She had checked the passbook, which had 5,400 yuan in it. She had already planned to use this money to buy a house for her daughter, so she could stand tall and proud in the future.
Lu Jiaxin completely ignored her and turned to Lu Hongjun. "What about you? What do you think?"
Lu Hongjun said, "You can have the passbook, but the money inside shouldn't be touched. Your mother said before she passed away that this is for your dowry."
He was well aware that even if he didn't give it to her now, he would have to hand it over to her when her uncles arrived.
The 1980s were a time of economic boom in China, and those who dared to take the first step during this period would reap the rewards. Lu Jiaxin intended to seize this opportunity and start a business. As for university, she could consider it in a couple of years. However, starting a business required capital, and with only 200 yuan in her pocket, she planned to use the money left by Lu's mother as her startup fund.
Lu Jiaxin had no intention of engaging in a verbal battle with Lu Hongjun. "The stamps are with you, so even if I wanted to touch that money, I couldn't withdraw it."
First, she would get the passbook back. Then, after transferring her household registration to her new address, she could go to the bank, report the passbook lost, and withdraw all the money.
(End of Chapter)
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