Chapter 504: The Second Mansion
Chapter 504: The Second Mansion
Every time Lu Jiaxin dined on French cuisine, she had her usual favorites, and this occasion was no different.
After Feng Qinglei asked the waitress to leave, he looked at Lu Jiaxin with keen interest. "Miss Lu, the next time you're trading stocks, forex, or something similar, could you bring me along?"
Nie Zhan interjected, trying to shield her. "Don't even think about it. Jiaxin has promised me that she won't be trading forex or stocks anymore."
Lu Jiaxin laughed and said, "There's an old saying in the mainland that goes, 'If you don't do crazy things in your youth, you've wasted your youth.' Short-selling the Hang Seng Index is crazy enough; doing it more than once could ruin you."
Feng Qinglei was taken aback. "So, you really won't be trading forex or stocks, or even the Hang Seng Index anymore?"
Of course, she would still trade, but only when she had a good grasp of the market and the situation allowed for it. For example, ten years later, the year Hong Kong returned home, the Asian financial crisis hit, and Soros targeted the city, causing a stock market crash. She wouldn't trade then but would instead do her best to help.
Lu Jiaxin smiled. "When I short-sold the Hang Seng Index, even Nie Zhan thought I was a gambler and a madwoman. The way he looked at me then, I still remember it clearly."
Feng Qinglei glanced at Nie Zhan and joked, "After the way he treated you, why didn't you dump him? You're Hong Kong's richest woman now. If you were single, you'd have so many handsome men chasing after you."
He thought that Lu Jiaxin, being so young, might not be able to resist temptation. But this temptation wasn't about money; with her wealth, she wouldn't be blinded by it. However, some men were especially good at making girls happy, and while Nie Zhan had money and looks, he wasn't very eloquent, which put him at a disadvantage.
Nie Zhan, clearly unhappy, said, "You talk too much. Hurry up and call the waitress to serve the food."
Lu Jiaxin wasn't foolish; she could tell what his words implied. But she didn't get angry. Instead, she smiled and said, "I'm lazy and don't like too much trouble. Besides, Ah Zhan tolerates my shortcomings. Even if he doesn't agree with what I do, he'll still help me with all his might. As for men outside, who knows if they like me or my money?"
Feng Qinglei was relieved to hear this. Smiling, he said, "That's my sister. Ah Zhan is devoted to you and would even sacrifice himself for you. Other men only have eyes for your money, and some people would do anything for it."
Lu Jiaxin felt he was overthinking things. "My money is only for my own use. No one else should even think about it."
Donations didn't count, of course. Well, future children could use it too.
"What about Ah Zhan then?" Feng Qinglei asked, surprised.
Nie Zhan found this amusing. "Do you think I need to use Jiaxin's money? Not only do I not need her money, but I'll also work hard to earn money for her to spend."
Feng Qinglei gave him a thumbs-up, praising him as a good man. Once the food was served, he tactfully went to attend to the other guests, no longer wanting to be a third wheel.
Intrigued, Lu Jiaxin asked, "He seems to be in such a good mood. Did he make a lot of money this time too?"
Nie Zhan nodded. "Before the stock market crash, I asked him to sell his stocks. When the market fell to 2,100 points, I had him buy at the bottom. He bought blue-chip stocks with good prospects, so he's definitely made a profit."
Not wanting to continue this topic, he brought up the mansion in Repulse Bay. "I've already spoken to the owner. I'll accompany you to see it tomorrow, and if you like it, we can sign the deal."
She aspired to own mansions in Repulse Bay, Deep Water Bay, and Victoria Peak—three of the most prestigious locations. As for the villa in Shek O, that would be left to Nie Zhan.
Lu Jiaxin smiled. "You've been so busy lately. Take care of your own matters; I'll go see it myself tomorrow, and if I like it, I'll sign the deal."
Upon saying this, Lu Jiaxin added, "If we buy this mansion, I'll have the entire perimeter fenced off. That way, Auntie won't be able to sneak out if she moves in."
The villa on Mid-Levels was still too small, offering limited space. This Deep Water Bay mansion, spanning over ten thousand square feet, was much more spacious.
Nie Zhan was astonished. "You're buying the Deep Water Bay mansion for Ms. Gu?"
Lu Jiaxin explained, "I won't be living there. Auntie needs more space in her current state, so it's perfect for her. As for the Mid-Levels villa, I'll ask Hai Fan if he's willing to rent it out."
Nie Zhan thought that Ms. Gu's most successful investment in her life was taking in Jiaxin and bringing her to Hong Kong. Otherwise, given her current condition, the He family would have surely sent her to a nursing home. Most elderly folks had a miserable time in ordinary nursing homes, but now she had so many people taking care of her.
After dinner, Lu Jiaxin received a phone call from Zong Shimeng. Smiling, she answered, "Sister Shimeng, how did you know I was back?"
Zong Shimeng explained, "Huihui went out for dinner with a friend, and they spotted you and Nie Zhan at the restaurant. She didn't want to disturb your date, so she didn't come to say hello."
What a coincidence!
Zong Shimeng had called to invite her to a charity gala. "The organizers sent you an invitation. Are you free to attend?"
Lu Jiaxin had looked through the invitations that afternoon, and among them was the one Zong Shimeng mentioned. "Sister Shimeng, I've been out for so long. There's a lot to handle with Green Forest and Xin Xin Property. Plus, I need to settle Auntie down now that she's back. I don't have time for any banquets this month."
Zong Shimeng teased, "So, you'll have time next month?"
The two of them were so close that Lu Jiaxin didn't hide anything from her. "After I've sorted out the company and Auntie's matters, I plan to go traveling. I'll be back by the time Yuan ge gets engaged."
It was already the end of November, and she intended to spend the next two months traveling abroad. After all, she had made enough money to last a lifetime, so her priority now was to enjoy herself.
Zong Shimeng recalled something Lu Jiaxin had said before. This girl truly walked the walk when she talked. Starting next year, she would socialize just as she had promised. Given her current wealth, she could indeed afford to do as she pleased.
"How about the weekend, then? Can we go shopping?"
Lu Jiaxin readily agreed. "I have plans on Saturday. I'm having dinner with Sister Huihui and Su Heyuan. But Sunday works. We can call Xinyu and Meitong, too."
"Xinyu's back in Star City, and I don't know when she'll be returning. As for Meitong, go ahead and call her! You're the boss; her superior won't dare reject your request for her to take a day off." Zong Shimeng laughed.
"Sure."
The next day, Lu Jiaxin and Nie Zhan went to view the property in Deep Water Bay. The three-and-a-half-story mansion was built in a European style and lavishly decorated. The front yard was lush with greenery, though it didn't seem as spacious as Nie Zhan's mansion; the backyard, however, was almost entirely neglected.
After inspecting the property, Lu Jiaxin told Nie Zhan, "We'll take this one."
The mansion was sold for 76 million, a slight discount as the owner was eager to sell. Lu Jiaxin intended to take out a mortgage, paying 30% as a down payment.
After signing the contract, Nie Zhan returned to work, while Lu Jiaxin headed to the Mid-Levels villa, where she found Gu Xiuxiu throwing another tantrum.
Upon her arrival, she learned that Gu Xiuxiu wanted to go out, and Hong Gu and Mei Gu were trying to stop her, leading to the commotion. In her current state, it was too risky to take her out, even if she was lucid.
Lu Jiaxin heaved a sigh. If she ever reached that age and declined like this, she would rather choose assisted suicide.
(End of Chapter)
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