Chapter 84: Searching for a Buyer
Chapter 84: Searching for a Buyer
Gu Wenfeng returned after buying dinner, which consisted of steamed rice, steamed fish, and eggplant in a spicy sauce. "The doctor said that we can't keep eating porridge; we need a more nutritious diet. I remember you like yellow croaker, and luckily, the store had some today."
After three days, Lu Jiaxin finally had her fill and ate her heart's content.
That night, she didn't have a fever, and the doctor issued a discharge notice the next morning. Their four-day hospital stay cost thirty-one yuan, which was half a month's salary for the average person. Illness was an expensive affair, no matter the era.
Gu Wenfeng had been taking care of Lu Jiaxin at the hospital for the past few days, worried about any sudden changes in her condition. Aside from buying meals, he dared not leave her side. Now that she was discharged, he planned to help her find a place to rent.
However, Lu Jiaxin had other ideas. "Let's not rent a place. We're going to Goat City."
She had realized, after a phone call with Lu Jiaguang, that although Pengcheng was a special economic zone, Yang City was the true hub for the wealthy. Especially with the newly constructed five-star hotel that opened at the beginning of this year—it was sure to be a gathering place for the rich and influential.
Gu Wenfeng was perplexed by this sudden change of plans. "Miss Lu, I don't know anyone in Yang City. If we go there, we'll have to rely on ourselves to gather information."
Lu Jiaxin explained, "I was thinking about it wrong before. We should find a middleman to act as an intermediary and help us sell the painting. The truly wealthy individuals in Hong Kong City are likely to be found in Yang City, not Pengcheng."
Her previous life's mindset had influenced her, making her believe that Pengcheng was the place to find the rich. But she had forgotten that the city had only been designated as a special economic zone for three years, unlike the major city it would become four decades later.
Gu Wenfeng asked, "If we don't know anyone in Yang City, how can we be sure the middlemen we find through our inquiries are reliable?"
Lu Jiaxin indicated that there was no rush. "Have you heard of the Swan Hotel? Let's go there first and stay for a few days. We can figure out the rest later."
"Where do you think we'll find a buyer?"
"I don't know. We'll see when we get there."
Gu Wenfeng couldn't argue with her, so he accompanied her to the train station. There was no helping it—Lu Jiaxin could handle train rides just fine, but car rides made her nauseous.
Upon arriving in Yang City, the two headed straight for the Swan Hotel. Lu Jiaxin had stayed there twice before, so she was familiar with the place. As they entered the hotel lobby, they were greeted by a breathtaking landscape—lush green trees, gurgling streams, and a waterfall cascading from the rocks.
Gu Wenfeng was stunned as he stepped into the hotel. If he hadn't known it was a hotel beforehand, he would have thought he'd walked into a park. No, even parks weren't this beautiful.
Lu Jiaxin checked them in at the front desk and noticed that Gu Wenfeng was still admiring the scenery. She walked over to him and said with a smile, "Let's go. Our room is on the third floor."
"The third floor? How many floors does this hotel have?"
"This hotel has 28 floors in total. The third floor is considered quite low. I'm feeling a bit tired. If you want to keep looking around, feel free to do so, but I'm heading upstairs."
The hotel was located along a flight path, so its height was restricted to under 100 meters. Otherwise, it would have been even taller and more spacious. She had just overheard a staff member explaining to someone that the hotel had over 800 rooms. Even so, during important events or other occasions, the rooms were often fully booked.
Gu Wenfeng wouldn't let her go upstairs alone. His astonishment at the hotel had been so great that he hadn't even noticed when Lu Jiaxin had checked them in. Such a mistake could be fatal during a mission.
Since the third floor wasn't very high up, Gu Wenfeng suggested taking the stairs, but Lu Jiaxin insisted on taking the elevator. Gu Wenfeng thought she might want to experience riding in an elevator, so he didn't stop her.
Lu Jiaxin's room was next to Gu Wenfeng's. Before entering her room, she said to him, "I'm going to take a nap first. You can continue admiring the lobby while unpacking. Brother Gu, this hotel has excellent security, and the rooftop accommodations are also for the wealthy. You don't need to worry about me."
Even if someone were to attempt a kidnapping, they would target the rich, not her, a penniless girl.
Gu Wenfeng said, "Then I'll go out for a while. Don't open the door for anyone until I'm back."
Lu Jiaxin agreed. "I haven't had a good rest these past few days. You might find me still asleep when you return."
Each room in the hotel had its own bathroom with running hot water. As soon as Lu Jiaxin locked the door, she headed straight for the shower. In the two months she had been here, the lack of a water heater and a flushing toilet were the things she missed the most.
She washed herself from head to toe and then used a hairdryer to dry her hair. Staying in this hotel made her feel like she had returned to the 21st century.
Climbing into bed, she quickly fell asleep, thinking that when she returned, she would definitely install a bathroom. Oh, and she'd buy a hairdryer too; it was too inconvenient without one.
Lu Jiaxin slept straight through until nightfall, only waking because her stomach was grumbling. Just as she was washing her face, there was a knock on the door, and she heard Gu Wenfeng's voice. She opened the door and let him in. "I was just about to look for you. I didn't expect you to come first."
Gu Wenfeng had heard noises from her room and thought she must be up. "Miss Lu, I just ran into Mr. Su and Su Heyuan while waiting for the elevator."
Lu Jiaxin searched her memory but couldn't place the two men. Just as she was about to ask who they were, she had a sudden realization. "Are they Su Heming's father and older brother?"
Su Heming's mother had passed away years ago, so it was just the three men in the family. According to Su Heming, his mother's biggest regret before she died was not seeing them get married and have children.
"Yes," Gu Wenfeng confirmed.
Lu Jiaxin wasn't surprised. Su Heming had mentioned before that his father and brother had gone to Hong Kong City, and now it seemed they had returned from Hong Kong. "Do they know you?" she asked.
Gu Wenfeng nodded. "I met them once at my superior's house, but they probably don't remember me, so I didn't greet them. Miss Lu, they must have come from over there."
Lu Jiaxin understood the implication in his words. She shook her head and said, "Brother Gu, I can't rely on others for everything, and besides, favors should be used sparingly."
There were many who could recognize the value of her painting, and even more with an eye for it, so finding a buyer who would pay a high price wouldn't be difficult. However, she wanted to find a buyer with a deep appreciation for art.
Gu Wenfeng sometimes found her shrewdness surprising for a 15-year-old girl, so he asked, "Who taught you all this?"
"My mother," Lu Jiaxin replied. "I was too young to understand when I was little, but later, when I was struggling to get by in the ancient capital, it suddenly clicked, and I started doing as my mother said. Things got better after that."
Gu Wenfeng fell silent. According to what he had heard, Lu Jiaxin's mother was a smooth operator with great presence. Half of Lu Hongjun's later success in his official career could be attributed to her. It was a pity that she had passed away early, leaving her daughter to the wolves.
"What are you thinking about?" Lu Jiaxin asked. "Let's go, I'm hungry."
The hotel had thirty restaurants of various sizes, serving both Chinese and Western cuisine. Lu Jiaxin chose the Cantonese restaurant, as the food there was very authentic, and she loved it.
(End of Chapter)
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