Chapter 637: Camellia
Chapter 637: Camellia
Nie Zhan knew that Lu Jiaxin didn't like living with Lu Hongjun, so he sent him to the Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital. He had originally thought that her displeasure stemmed solely from the Ding Jing mother-daughter duo, and that Lu Hongjun might have been momentarily deluded and mistaken due to his advanced age. Considering the circumstances, Nie Zhan didn't think it was necessary to hold a grudge. However, he never expected there to be so many underlying issues.
Lu Jiaxin didn't want to dwell on the topic of Lu Hongjun any longer, so she steered the conversation in a different direction. "Azhan, I want to start a cosmetics company, and I'm going to name it 'Camellia'."
"Camellia, as in camellia flowers?" Nie Zhan asked, curious about her choice of name.
Lu Jiaxin smiled and explained, "The floral language of camellia flowers represents natural beauty. Women who buy cosmetics hope to enhance their beauty through the art of makeup and dressing up."
"That floral language is indeed quite fitting," Nie Zhan remarked with a smile. "The Yu family's cosmetics company has been in business for over two decades, and their foundation is still quite solid."
Due to the current market conditions, Yu Meiton's family's cosmetics company had not been doing well and they had been unable to offload it. However, last month, good news arrived from the laboratory. They had successfully found affordable alternative materials for several beauty creams recorded in ancient texts, reducing the production cost by two-thirds. This made the business venture much more feasible.
It was thanks to Lu Jiaxin's financial backing that they were able to conduct various experiments, spending several million without any haste or pressure. Fortunately, the results were perfect, and with the reduced costs, they could now proceed with mass production. Otherwise, at the original price point, only wealthy socialites could afford their products.
"The Yu family sold off their properties and immigrated to Australia. I hope they won't come to regret their decision," Lu Jiaxin said.
With the real estate market still in a slump, Mr. Yu's decision to sell off his properties resulted in significant losses. Yu Meiton had tried to dissuade him a couple of times, but when he refused to listen, she eventually gave up.
From Lu Jiaxin's tone, it was clear that she believed the Yu father and sons would come to regret their hasty decision.
"Everyone has their own pursuits in life," Nie Zhan said. "Even though the real estate market is down, the funds they've recouped are still considerable. As long as they don't squander it, they can still live comfortably in Australia."
Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, "Starting a business in a foreign land is like starting from scratch all over again. Meiton's father indeed has vision and capability, which is why he was able to grow their small family business into a large company. However, he's getting on in years and his energy is limited. As for Meiton's two older brothers, they don't possess any extraordinary capabilities either. I don't think they'll be able to make a profit in Australia. Not only do I think so, but Meiton herself also holds the same opinion. It's just that no one in her family listens to her."
This statement was quite diplomatic, as she tactfully expressed her doubt in the brothers' ability to succeed in their new venture abroad. It was often said that one was worth less when away from their hometown, and making a living in someone else's territory was never easy. Of course, this didn't apply to those with substantial capital, as they sat at the apex of the business circle.
Nie Zhan chuckled and said, "The Wan Sheng Hotel is planning to acquire two large hotels in Australia. According to what you said, they'd be making a loss then."
Contrary to what one might expect, Lu Jiaxin held a different opinion. "With so many people immigrating to Australia, as long as the hotels are well-managed, they are bound to make a profit. And it's not just hotels; property prices are likely to increase as well."
"Are you suggesting that I should go to Australia and get into real estate development?" Nie Zhan asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Lu Jiaxin didn't dismiss the idea entirely, suggesting that they could consider investing in local real estate companies.
This was all in jest, as venturing into foreign real estate investments required careful planning and strategy. Rushing into it without a well-thought-out plan would surely result in significant losses.
As the two chatted, Zong Shimeng called Lu Jiaxin to ask if they could meet the next day, as she had something to discuss with her.
Lu Jiaxin was scheduled to try on her engagement gowns at home the following morning, so she invited Zong Shimeng over to her place.
There were three gowns for the engagement, all designed by Lu Jiaxin herself. They had tried them on previously, but as there were some unsatisfactory details, they had sent them back for alterations. Now, the modified gowns were ready to be tried on again.
Zong Shimeng readily agreed, "Alright, I'll come to your place tomorrow."
Thinking about what she had heard during afternoon tea with Zong Shimeng a few days ago, Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, "Sister Zong, Nie Zhan told me that your brother-in-law has been spending at least one day on the weekends with the kids lately, and both Kaikai and Yinyin have become closer to their dad than before."
It wasn't exactly playing, but rather outdoor sports like golf, horseback riding, and ice hockey. Not only was Hu Kai highly intelligent, but he also excelled in sports. From his grandmother down to his younger siblings, everyone adored him.
Zong Shimeng smiled and said, "Yes, he's been making time for the children at least one day every week now. He also told me that he plans to take them on a trip during their vacation, as they've never traveled abroad as a family before."
Regardless of what the future held, Hu Zhifeng seemed to be focusing on his family for the time being, and she hoped that he would continue to do so without letting the novelty wear off and returning to his old ways.
After hanging up the phone, Lu Jiaxin turned to Nie Zhan and said, "As the saying goes, 'Close to vermilion, you will be stained red; close to ink, you will be stained black.' Be a good role model for him, so he can learn from you and achieve harmony in his family as well as success in his career."
Hearing this, Nie Zhan couldn't help but laugh. "I've advised Zhifeng the same way before, but he didn't take it to heart. However, the other day when we were playing ball together, he suddenly agreed with me that a harmonious family leads to prosperity. I can see that he's truly settled down this time."
"That's wonderful!" Lu Jiaxin exclaimed.
The next day, Zong Shimeng arrived early to take a look at the three engagement gowns that had been designed. She exclaimed in delight, "They're so beautiful! It's a pity I didn't know you before my wedding; otherwise, I would have had you design my wedding dress and gowns."
As she finished speaking, she couldn't help but think of Shi Xinyu. In the end, the gown that Lu Jiaxin had designed for her had been put up for sale in the store.
It had been a long time since Lu Jiaxin had heard any news about Shi Xinyu, mainly because she hadn't paid much attention. "Sister Zong, how is she doing?" she asked.
Zong Shimeng had a friend whose cousin was Shi Xinyu's aunt, so she had some inside information. "Not very well," she replied. "I heard that their relationship was good at the beginning of their marriage, but after Shi Xinyu became pregnant, they started arguing frequently. Last month, just a few days after she gave birth, her husband supposedly went on a business trip abroad, but it turned out that he was actually vacationing with some friends."
In her previous life, Lu Jiaxin had heard about a case where the mother-in-law went traveling during her daughter-in-law's postpartum confinement period. However, one had to admit that it wasn't worth getting angry about. After all, what goes around comes around. As long as they didn't come running to her for help when they faced sickness or disaster in the future, she wouldn't care less.
Zong Shimeng sighed and said, "I heard that Shi Xinyu's family wants her to divorce that man. Sigh, if only she hadn't broken up with Tao Yong back then."
But Lu Jiaxin didn't agree. "With her personality, she would have fought with Tao Yong every day if they had gotten married. Constant quarrels would have affected their state of mind, and Tao Yong's career definitely wouldn't be as successful as it is now."
After breaking up with Shi Xinyu, Tao Yong had thrown himself into his work. Now, his investment company was thriving and gaining recognition in Hong Kong.
Zong Shimeng nodded in agreement. "My Yinyin has a temper too. I need to straighten her out; otherwise, it'll only harm her in the future."
Lu Jiaxin felt that young girls should have some spunk and a bit of an edge so that they wouldn't be easily bullied. "We live in a new era now, where women should have their own careers. That way, even if their men are unreliable, they can still live well."
Zong Shimeng concurred, which was why she had enrolled her daughter in various interest classes. However, she wasn't keen on having her children spend too much time with their grandmother and great-grandmother, as the two elderly women held onto feudalistic beliefs. They believed that men should be the breadwinners while women should focus on domestic duties, taking care of their husbands and children. But times had changed, and women needed their own careers to secure their standing.
(End of Chapter)
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