Chapter 203: Chapter 192: Lu Hongjun’s Regret Chapter 203: Chapter 192: Lu Hongjun’s Regret Lu Jiaxin accompanied Gu Xiuxiu for over half an hour, then helped her up to the second floor. After she saw Xiuxiu finish the call with He Bin, she chatted with her for a while before heading upstairs.
She had agreed to call Lu Jiazong at six o’clock.
As soon as the call connected, Lu Jiaguang asked upon hearing her voice, “Jiaxin, your second brother said you passed the exam. When do you start school? Have you got everything ready?”
Lu Jiaxin patiently replied one by one, “Don’t worry, big brother, I’m doing well here. Aunt is very kind to me and Haifan; she even mentioned buying a house near my school for me.”
“Buying you a house? Aren’t houses in Hong Kong very expensive?”
Lu Jiaxin hummed and said, “Areas even slightly better go for four to five thousand per square meter, getting a hundred square meters would cost four to five hundred thousand. But it’s her kindness, and I couldn’t refuse.”
Lu Jiaguang clicked his tongue. He thought the over seven hundred thousand his sister had earned was already an astronomical amount, but he hadn’t expected that a place in Hong Kong could cost four to five hundred thousand. He forgot to convert it into Hua currency, but even in Hua currency, it was an astronomical amount for many people in the Mainland.
Lu Jiaxin asked about the family’s situation and heard him say everything was fine, especially Xiao Qiu, who was learning tailoring from an old tailor. Although the girl wasn’t good at studying, she was willing to work hard on things she liked.
After they finished talking about family matters, Lu Jiaguang brought up another issue, “Your Fifth Brother wants to start a shoe factory. Everybody at home is against it, but he says it was your suggestion, saying that the shoe factory has a lot of potentials.”
Lu Jiaxin had indeed said something like that, “Big brother, anything related to food, clothing, housing, and transport has potential, but whether you can make money still depends on the person.”
“Big brother, Fifth Brother is already twenty-six, not a kid anymore. Let him do what he wants; you shouldn’t interfere.”
Lu Jiaguang said, “I’m not opposed to him starting a shoe factory; I’m opposed to him going into partnership with others. I’ve met those two friends of his, and they are very astute. If they make a profit, they might kick him out; if they make a loss, they’ll slip away, leaving him to take responsibility.”
Lu Jiaguang believed that if Lu Jiajie saw him say this, he would think he looked down on his friends and would be even less likely to listen. However, she didn’t try to persuade Lu Jiajie’s thoughts, sticking to her position that he wasn’t three years old; he should bear the consequences of his own decisions, “Tell him not to partner with others. If he doesn’t have enough money, he can start a small workshop and gradually expand as he earns money. If he doesn’t listen, just leave him be.”
She was confident in herself and hadn’t planned to partner with Su Heyuan for too long; once she was able, she’d start her own clothing company.
Lu Jiaguang, originally intending to ask her to persuade Lu Jiajie, gave up at her words, “You don’t need to worry about us here; everything is fine. Take care of yourself over there.”
“I know. You too, big brother, take care of your health.”
After the call ended, Xiao Qiu said anxiously, “Uncle, I haven’t had a chance to talk to my auntie yet, why did you hang up?”
Second Sister-in-law Lu scolded, “Phone charges are so expensive, what do you have to say? Didn’t your auntie say that everything is fine with her there?”
Xiao Qiu pouted unhappily.
As the group left the hall, Lu Jiazong said with a smile, “Big brother, Third Uncle has been talking about Jiaxin these past few days. Knowing that she passed the entry exams will definitely make him happy. When he’s in a good mood, he’ll recover from his illness faster.”
Lu Hongjun, living alone with inconsistent meals, already had a weak stomach. After such turmoil, he developed a stomach bleeding and was hospitalized, with three families taking turns to care for him.
Lu Jiaguang fell silent for a moment and then said, “Don’t tell him about Jiaxin calling back.”
Lu Jiaguang explained, “Jiaxin contacted us but didn’t even ask about Third Uncle. If Third Uncle knew, it would only make him sadder.”
Lu Jiazong thought about it and felt it made sense. If he himself were ill and his children ignored him, his condition would probably worsen. But after sending the visitors away and returning to his room, he couldn’t help but let out a sigh.
Second Sister-in-law Lu, seeing him like that, was very displeased, “We’re earning a fair amount every day from our stall, and our daughter’s clothing store is making money too. What else are you dissatisfied with?”
In these times, she could indeed wake up laughing from her sleep.
Lu Jiazong said, “Big Brother told me not to tell Third Uncle that we asked Jiaxin not to call back, saying that Third Uncle would be sad if he knew.”
Second Sister-in-law Lu snorted coldly and said, “You tell him tomorrow when you deliver his meal, and see if he gets so sad he can’t eat.”
“Better not, Third Uncle is pitiful enough already.”
Upon hearing this, Second Sister-in-law Lu started scolding, “He’s pitiful? What’s pitiful about him? He’s sick, but he’s got three nephews taking turns looking after him. If anyone is to be pitied, it’s Jiaxin. She’s all alone in Hong Kong, unfamiliar with everything there, and doesn’t even know whom to turn to if she’s bullied.”
“Lu Jiazong, one cannot be without a conscience. Without Jiaxin’s help, we would still be farming back in the village and not earning twenty or thirty yuan a day. Let me tell you, if Jiaxin calls and you dare to mention these troubling matters to upset her, you can just roll back home and send Ah Shan instead.”
Lu Jiazong quickly said, “I haven’t told Jiaxin about Third Uncle being hospitalized.”
Second Sister-in-law Lu snorted coldly again, “Big Brother and Jiajie both have enjoyed his care, so it’s only right they take turns to look after him. We haven’t benefited from him at all. It’s only on Jiaxin’s account that I even allow you to go.”
As she said this, she began cursing Lu Hongjun, “Only caring about his own pleasure, letting that evil woman torment Jiaxin. He deserves to die without anyone to claim his body.”
“Right, why isn’t that temptress going to look after him? Third Uncle raised her for so many years, and now that he’s sick, she just hides away. That’s not right.”
Talking about this, Lu Jiazong said with frustration, “Jiajie went to find her, and she said that it wasn’t appropriate for her to care for him since she isn’t his biological daughter.”
Second Sister-in-law Lu cursed again, “That’s just bullshit. He isn’t bedridden and needing someone to wash him; he just has a bleeding stomach, she just needs to serve tea, pour water, and keep an eye on the injections. We can’t let her get away with this, I’ll go find her tomorrow and make her take care of him.”
Second Sister-in-law Lu was furious, regretting why she had married such a blockhead, “It doesn’t matter if she doesn’t go, but we have to let Third Uncle and everyone else know what kind of person she is.”
Back then he was blinded by lard, treating a stepdaughter better than his own flesh and blood. His own daughter, heartbroken, went to Hong Kong to seek refuge with relatives, and the stepdaughter doesn’t even glance at the hospital to see him. Now he’s getting his comeuppance, serves him right.
Lu Jiazong said quietly, “Third Uncle has regrets, he’s always talking about Jiaxin and even wants to call her.”
“Pah! Now that the evil woman is in jail and the little witch ignores him, he starts to remember Jiaxin’s goodness. Too late for that, Jiaxin won’t come back. Let him live the rest of his life in regret!”
Lu Jiazong sighed heavily again. He didn’t understand how Third Uncle thought; other people’s children could never compare to one’s own flesh and blood. Not distinguishing between kin and non-kin, now he longs for his children and can’t even see them.