Chapter 158: Chapter 149 The Big House (1) Chapter 158: Chapter 149 The Big House (1) Guh Xiuxiu was a rather particular person, and after chatting with Lu Jiaxin for quite a while, she felt a bit sticky and decided to return to the Friendship Hotel.
Lu Jiaxin didn’t accompany her to the hotel, but sent her to the entrance of the alley. This time Guh Xiuxiu had come in a small sedan, and since there wasn’t enough room in one car for her and her four bodyguards, she took two cars.
After seeing her off, Lu Jiaxin was about to head home when Fatty Aunt blocked her way. Her eyes gleaming, she asked, “Jiaxin, who is that old lady?”
Without even considering the two cars she came out of, you could tell from the elderly lady’s attire that she was either rich or noble. Fatty Aunt was so curious about Guh Xiuxiu’s identity that she didn’t care about their previous quarrels.
Actually, Lu Jiaxin didn’t want to deal with her, but she was worried Fatty Aunt would fabricate stories, so she bore her impatience and explained, “My aunt, my grandmother’s sister. She later married into Hong Kong and has now returned to look for her relatives.”
Fatty Aunt, recalling past events, asked, “So, the color TV, fridge, and installation of the telephone were all arranged by her?”
Fatty Aunt’s eyes turned red with envy as she said, “Jiaxin, why are you so lucky?”
The alley always said Lu Jiaxin was pitiable, but she didn’t think so; she felt there was no one luckier than this girl. The sole daughter of the family, she was doted on as she grew up, and even after her mother passed away, she still had two elder cousins to protect her. When she had a falling out with her stepmother, she moved out to live on her own. Which family of her generation didn’t have five or six children, and which girl wasn’t raised to work from a young age?
At such a young age, she already owned such a big house, and now even better, a wealthy aunt from Hong Kong appeared out of nowhere.
Lu Jiaxin added, “My aunt is planning to go back to our ancestral home tomorrow to search for relatives. My granduncle is still alive, and there’s a whole bunch of cousins and cousins’ children.”
This information all came from Su Heyuan. The Lu Family was related to her but two degrees removed—she hadn’t even heard of them before, so they were as good as strangers to her and she wasn’t interested in recognizing them. Her aunt had promised to help her relocate and allow her to study in Hong Kong, which was enough; she hadn’t thought about nor did she need anything else.
She could have arranged this with Su Heyuan too, but first of all, she didn’t want to owe her the favor, and secondly, Lu Hongjun and Lu Jiaguang would never agree, so it would be very difficult. Of course, without Guh Xiuxiu, she would only have been able to seek help from Su Heyuan. But now that she had a better option, she wasn’t willing to owe that favor. After all, it’s easier to repay debts than it is to repay favors.
Fatty Aunt remarked, “Your aunt looks like a wealthy person. No matter how many grandnephews and grandnieces she has, if she lets even a little slip through her fingers to you, it would be enough for you to live lavishly for a lifetime.”
Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, “Only worthless people think about depending on others all day long. My aunt having money is her business, and in the future what I want or wish to eat, I’ll earn the money to buy myself.”
Fatty Aunt was left speechless.
Back at the Friendship Hotel, Guh Xiuxiu took a shower and changed her clothes. She called over Secretary He Bin and said, “That girl’s house is too small. Go find out about it and buy her a bigger place. Once the purchase is complete, redo it and furnish it as needed.”
He Bin agreed immediately.
Guh Xiuxiu added, “Only tell her about the house after it’s registered in her name; otherwise, that girl will surely refuse.”
Previously, merely gifting a color TV and fridge was met with rejection from the girl; she would definitely refuse a house. The more she refused, the more Guh Xiuxiu wanted to give it to her, unlike those He Family youngsters who always schemed for her possessions. Their greedy faces sickened her; out of sight, out of mind. After leaving the hospital, she simply moved out.
He Bin was surprised that anyone could turn down a house offered to them, pondering the rarity of such foolishness, “Alright.”
“As for how to fix up the house, consult Jiaxin’s opinions when the time comes. The house is meant for her, so do it according to her liking.”
Different strokes for different folks; she didn’t know what style Lu Jiaxin preferred, so when it came to renovating, she would definitely have to ask her personally.
“All right, Grandmother.”
Then, Gu Xiuxiu made a call to her own private lawyer to handle the matters of Lu Jiaxin’s household registration in Hong Kong.
In the afternoon, Lu Jiaxin took dumplings she had made herself to the Friendship Hotel. She didn’t know Gu Xiuxiu’s preferences, so she made four different fillings: seafood, wood ear mushrooms, lamb, and cabbage.
Gu Xiuxiu paid great attention to health and preferred eating simple and light foods, so she avoided the lamb. She tried one of each of the other three types. After three dumplings and some side dishes, she was two-thirds full.
Putting down her chopsticks, Gu Xiuxiu asked with a smile, “You’re your mother’s only daughter, how can she bear to have you do household chores?”
Lu Jiaxin ate with her, but she was very conscious about her health and usually only ate until she was seventy to eighty percent full. She wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and replied with a smile, “People outside all say I’ve been spoiled and pampered, but actually I started cooking and doing household chores at six, and at seven I started learning how to cook and make various types of pastries. My mom said it’s not necessary to master them, but I must know how, otherwise, I would be criticized when I got married.”
Ding Xiaoxia was a very clever woman. No matter how much she adored her daughter, she made sure she learned what was necessary. The societal expectations were such that she didn’t want others to label her daughter as a frail and pampered young lady from a wealthy family.
Gu Xiuxiu nodded gently, “Your mother is right. You don’t have to do it, but you must know how. I didn’t understand this before and had to go through a lot before I realized it.”
Thinking of Mrs. Lu, Lu Jiaxin felt a bit uncomfortable, “My mother also went through a lot of hardship. As a child, she was cold and hungry which weakened her constitution; otherwise, she wouldn’t have passed away so early.”
Jumping into freezing water to save someone in the dead of winter can harm one’s health, but if one were robust, it may lead to a serious illness, but not death.
After saying this, she shook her head, “Let’s not talk about this anymore. Auntie, after you go to Clear Water County, will you return to the Forty-nine City or go directly back to Hong Kong?”
Gu Xiuxiu wasn’t sure yet because she didn’t know how many days she would stay in her hometown. The policies in the Mainland had become more lenient, encouraging people from Hong Kong to visit their mainland relatives, unlike before when one wished to return but couldn’t.
The next day, Gu Xiuxiu returned to her hometown. Lu Jiaxin didn’t worry; the country was now focusing on economic development and especially hoped that compatriots from Hong Kong and Bay Island would return to the Mainland to invest. With Madam Guh being such a rich woman, she would certainly receive a grand welcome in her hometown.
Five days later, He Bin came and gave Lu Jiaxin a real estate and land certificate, “Miss Lu, Madam Guh said your house is too small, so she asked me to buy you a bigger one.”
Lu Jiaxin didn’t take them, saying, “I have a house, please give these items to Auntie!”
He Bin hadn’t expected her to really refuse. The property had cost eighty-eight thousand and was acquired with greenbacks after pulling some strings. He said, “Miss He, this house is very beautiful, you will surely like it.”
Hearing this made Lu Jiaxin even less willing to accept, “Secretary He, I cannot accept such a valuable gift. Please find someone to transfer the house to Auntie in her name.”
This was the first time He Bin had been refused while giving a gift on behalf of Gu Xiuxiu. He said with a smile, “Miss Lu, Madam Guh feared you would refuse, so she instructed me to buy it in your name first before telling you. Miss Lu, this is a token of Madam Guh’s kind and generous heart. Would you not hurt her feelings by refusing?”
With the conversation having reached this point, Lu Jiaxin still accepted the real estate and land certificate. But she felt somewhat surprised to see the address of the house. It was actually in Shichahai, an area that in the past was inhabited by the nobility and royalty.