NOVEL NEXT Chapter 78 - 72 Arrangements
Chapter 78: Chapter 72 Arrangements
The next day, Gu Wenfeng went out for a while and came back with red dates and pomegranates. As Lu Jiaxin was peeling a pomegranate to eat, he said, “The leader said he would arrange things, but your items can’t be shipped out with the rest.”
The more people who know, the harder it is to keep a secret. Right now, only the three of them, plus Xie Kaixiao, were aware. As long as they didn’t spill the beans, no one would know who donated the items. But if Lu Jiaxin’s possessions were to be shipped back together, it would inevitably draw the attention of those with ulterior motives.
Lu Jiaxin understood that this arrangement made the most sense. However, figuring out how to get her belongings back without anyone noticing was a challenge for her.
Gu Wenfeng said, “Miss Lu, I can borrow a truck to transport your things. I’ll drive without a driver, so as long as no one else handles it, there should be no risk of leakage.”
Lu Jiaxin thought this was a good idea, but if Gu Wenfeng drove back to the Forty-nine City, he would have no time to accompany her to Peng City.
After thinking it over, Lu Jiaxin said, “Is there any chance for ride sharing? The apples, pomegranates, and red dates here are very cheap. I want to buy a few baskets and take them back to the Forty-nine City.”
Gu Wenfeng shook his head and said, “Some of the roads are rough and bumpy. Porcelain is fragile and would get damaged if not placed in specially made boxes.”
Lu Jiaxin felt this was not an issue; this time she would only take calligraphy, inkstones, and ink slabs back with her. The fragile porcelain could be left in the secret passage to be retrieved later.
Gu Wenfeng asked, “Aren’t you afraid that someone from the Sun Family will discover the secret passage if you leave your things there? If there is a secret passage, it surely isn’t limited to just one entry. There must be an exit too.”
Lu Jiaxin replied with a smile, “Come next year, I will buy the two courtyards at the back, so it won’t be exposed.”
Whether it was the entrance or the exit, both were highly secretive. If Sun Xun had managed to find the entrance, it must have been a stroke of luck. She didn’t believe the members of the other Sun Family branches would be so fortunate to stumble upon the exit. Even if they did, it was not a big deal—worst case, she would lose a box of porcelain. After all, her current mission was accomplished, and if the porcelain ended up with the Sun Family, it was inconsequential. In the future, with enough money, she could buy as much as she wanted.
Gu Wenfeng looked at her in surprise and asked, “You want to buy both of the courtyards at the back? What for?”
“I don’t have a specific purpose. I just like them,” Lu Jiaxin said. This was the Ancient Capital, strewn with antiques. She planned to have people come here to collect antiques and then use the secret passage for storage. Hmm, there was still one big issue—finding someone trustworthy who could distinguish antiques. However, she wasn’t in a rush for that. She would start looking once she was back in the Forty-nine City.
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Gu Wenfeng did not press further on her intentions for buying the back courtyards, assuming she had a reason; as long as it was not illegal or criminal. “Miss Lu, you were able to purchase this estate because Sun Xun had accumulated a lot of gambling debt. If he doesn’t pay up, people will cut off his arms and legs. The Sun Family members living in the second and third courtyards are unlikely to sell their houses.”
Selling ancestral property meant being branded as a profligate. Moreover, each branch in the second and third courtyards had over twenty family members; two thousand and six hundred yuan would not sway them, as they couldn’t buy such spacious houses with that money.
Lu Jiaxin didn’t see it as a problem. “Brother Gu, as long as the price is right, they will definitely be willing to sell. But let’s not worry about this now; we should focus on how to get back to the Forty-nine City,” she said.
Gu Wenfeng looked at her and said, “Didn’t you just propose that we separate the items and put them in fruit baskets to hitch a ride back? There’s nothing else to discuss.”
Lu Jiaxin, with a sly grin, said, “Brother Gu, Xue Mao can hitch a ride back. I was hoping you could accompany me to Peng City.”
He had initially taken two months off, and only one month had passed. He could accompany Lu Jiaxin to Peng City, but he needed to know the reason.
Lu Jiaxin didn’t hide her intentions from him and shared her plan, “I want to pick out a painting to sell in Peng City for money, and then use that money to start a business.”
When she had mentioned that calligraphy and porcelain were valuable, Gu Wenfeng had guessed that she would sell them for money. The country had passed the Cultural Relics Protection Law last year, prohibiting private transfer of cultural relics out of the country. Still, a relic is an antique, but not all antiques are relics. Hence, when Lu Jiaxin mentioned selling a painting for money, he saw nothing wrong with it.
Gu Wenfeng asked, “Aren’t you going to repeat senior year and apply for college?”
Lu Jiaxin’s eyes dimmed as she said, “I definitely plan to apply, but you know my situation. Ding Jing and Zhao Siyi, in order to monopolize my family’s wealth, won’t let me have a bright future. If I go back to school now, they will surely sabotage me again before the college entrance examinations.”
Gu Wenfeng knew her background and was all the more accommodating toward her, “If you’re worried about them harming you again, hire two people to protect you during the exams.”
Lu Hongjun was an altogether unfit father. Knowing that his wife and stepdaughter were harming Lu Jiaxin yet doing nothing about it, he would regret his negligence given his daughter’s temperament.
Lu Jiaxin self-deprecatingly said, “There’s only so long one can be a thief, but there’s no guarding against one forever. Brother Gu, I don’t want to live in constant fear. Besides, I nearly lost my life, and I will definitely take revenge for this.”
However, she could not act just yet; she needed the ability to protect herself first. Otherwise, if Lu Hongjun fell, she could face even greater danger without anyone to guard her.
Gu Wenfeng understood her. This young lady didn’t intend to return to school; she wanted to strengthen herself through business. He didn’t try to persuade Lu Jiaxin to let go of her grudge or abandon her plans for revenge, because if someone harmed him, he would surely not let it go easily either. Moreover, that mother and daughter pair, having dared to harm someone, must bear the consequences of their actions.
Gu Wenfeng simply said, “Just don’t do anything illegal.”
Lu Jiaxin had thought he might persuade her, but at his words, a smile spread across her face. “Don’t worry, I will take my revenge openly and honorably, without resorting to their dirty tricks. My future is long, and I won’t let these people ruin it. They’re not worthy.”
Gu Wenfeng did not ask how she intended to take revenge. Whatever it was, as long as it was not illegal or criminal, it was fine. He then questioned, “Miss Lu, business is not easy. Yes, a lot of people have made money these last two years, but there are plenty who have lost money too.”
Lu Jiaxin didn’t claim she would definitely earn money but chuckled and said, “I mentioned before that the Sun Family had a secret passage that held a treasure, Brother Gu, you didn’t believe it. Look, we found the treasure, didn’t we?”
Gu Wenfeng was left speechless.
Perplexed as to why Lu Jiaxin was insistent on going to Peng City, Gu Wenfeng asked, “Why go to Peng City instead of selling here in the Forty-nine City?”
Lu Jiaxin candidly replied, “There are many merchants from Hong Kong in Peng City, and antiques fetch a high price there. I don’t have capital right now; selling a painting is my only option. In the future, if I get the chance, I will redeem the items. So I need to choose the buyer carefully.”
Gu Wenfeng stated, “Miss Lu, as you said before, in times of chaos gold is valuable, and in prosperous times antiques are valuable. If you sell now, the price will undoubtedly rise a lot later, and you might not be able to buy them back.”