Chapter 380: Chapter 369 Disagree with Adoption Chapter 380: Chapter 369 Disagree with Adoption Lu Jiaxin had no idea how to conduct the rituals on her first visit, but now she was very adept. She lit candles, arranged the offerings, and burned paper money before lighting incense and bowing her head in kowtow.
The children had been instructed, and the entire process was carried out in silence. After sweeping the graves, the group made their way down the mountain.
It was on the descent that Lu Jiaguang finally asked, “Jiaxin, when do you plan to relocate the grave?”
Lu Jiaxin replied, “The Feng Shui Master calculated the 19th day of the sixth lunar month, which coincides with my summer vacation.”
“What about your grandma’s side? Is everything settled?”
“It’s all been communicated, just waiting for the time to relocate the grave.”
Lu Jiaguang cautioned, “Jiaxin, it’s not that simple. The Ding Family has fallen on such hard times they can’t even afford food, they have nothing to lose. If they come and cause trouble during the grave relocation, or even threaten suicide, what will you do then?”
Lu Jiaxin didn’t even lift her eyelids, “The Ding family is trash, the sooner they die the better, it would even save the country some food. Brother, I’m now a Hong Kong citizen, and I will be doing business in the future, not going into politics; the moral standards that everyone believes in do not apply to me.”
Stuff about being blood relatives or that they are your elders is all bullshit. Sometimes relatives are more detestable than bandits. If it weren’t for the old Ding’s misdeeds, Grandma Lu and Mrs. Lu wouldn’t have passed away so early, and I would have been living well now.
Lu Jiaguang didn’t try to persuade her any further.
The lunch was arranged by Lu Jiaxin, at a quite famous restaurant. The group was too large for one private room, so they took one large and one small private room.
Having something to discuss with her, Lu Jiaguang asked Lu Ping and Xiao Qiu along with the other children to go to the smaller adjacent room. Once all the children had left, he finally spoke, “Jiaxin, did you tell Jiazong that you won’t give them the family courtyard house?”
Lu Jiaxin repeated what she’d said to Second Sister-in-law Lu, “Not just the house, but also what he has in his hands, I will not want any of it. But rest assured, I will keep the promises I have made.”
Lu Jiaguang said, “Third Uncle had considered adopting Jiajie, but it didn’t happen because of Second Aunt’s opposition. Jiaxin, your second brother and I have discussed it, and we’re planning to adopt Lu Tao into your branch of the family, what do you think?”
Lu Jiaxin was taken aback and asked, “Whose terrible idea was that?”
Second Sister-in-law Lu pointed to Lu Jiazong, “It was his idea. He said Third Uncle wanted a son to carry on the family line, and it didn’t seem right to just take the house of the third branch for nothing. Since we have three sons, it seemed alright to adopt one out.”
Lu Jiaxin asked, “Did you ask Lu Tao? Does he agree?”
Second Sister-in-law Lu admitted she hadn’t asked Lu Tao yet, “It’ll only be on paper, nothing else changes; he shouldn’t object.”
“Does Big Uncle and Big Aunt agree?”
Lu Jiaxin stated, “I don’t agree. Are you still going to insist?”
Second Sister-in-law Lu immediately made it clear that if Lu Jiaxin disagreed, the matter would be dropped as if it was never brought up, initially believing that Lu Jiaxin would see no harm and therefore not object.
Lu Jiaxin said with a smile, “Our branch of the family doesn’t have a throne that requires a male heir. Besides, Lu Tao is on the government payroll, and that woman is no easy mark; she could very well use this to manipulate him.”
Second Sister-in-law Lu almost slapped herself, “Jiaxin, thank you. If it hadn’t been for you, I might have ruined Taozi’s life.”
Lu Jiazong didn’t dare make a sound either.
Sister-in-law Lu immediately said, “That won’t happen, our family has so many people, we won’t allow her to bully the children in our home.”
Lu Jiaxin snorted lightly and said, “Big brother, second brother, my dad just cares about his own pleasure. As for the women he finds, whether they’re vipers or poisonous snakes, as long as they don’t sting him, he doesn’t care.”
Lu Jiajie frowned and asked, “That house, do we really have to give it to that shameless family?”
Lu Jiaxin chuckled softly and said, “Don’t worry, he wouldn’t dare. He’s a refined egoist. He’ll let them live in the house, but he won’t give it to them. That would hurt his interests.”
Having said that, she looked at Second Sister-in-law Lu and said, “Second sister-in-law, you saw my Shichahai residence today. I really don’t care about the apartment in the residential building. Second sister-in-law, kick out the second child of the Huang family and his wife, and let Shanzi move in with his wife and child. It’s a better location and safer than the house bought outside.”
As for those who gossip in the residential building, there’s no need to fear, because the second branch has done nothing blameworthy. Moreover, everyone is talked about; it’s fine as long as you don’t take it to heart.”
Lu Jiajie immediately said upon hearing this, “Second sister-in-law, since Jiaxin has spoken, don’t refuse. If you’re too embarrassed to kick those two out, I’ll do it.”
Lu Jiazong said with a smile, “Jiaxin, then I’ll shamelessly accept it.”
Second Sister-in-law Lu glared at him, then added, “Jiaxin, we can’t take your house for nothing. We’ll pay the market price.”
Lu Jiaxin knew she had a strong personality and smiled in response, “When the housing reform comes through, and the house is registered under your name, then give me the money. For now, just live in it.”
With public housing converting to private property, the residents are employees of units or enterprises, so the cost of purchasing is very low.
Thinking about Lu Hongjun’s character, Lu Jiaxin said, “If my dad doesn’t agree, just tell him it’s my idea. If the Huang family doesn’t vacate the apartment for Shanzi and his family, I’ll sell that Chaoyang residence and have him move back to the residential building.”
This move was like pulling the rug out from under his feet.
After dinner, Lu Jiaguang and Lu Jiazong took their wives and children and went back. Lu Jiajie didn’t go back; he went to Shichahai with Jiaxin.
Once inside the courtyard, Lu Jiaxin asked Zong Jinghua to take the two children to play in the back garden. His daughter was about the same age as Xiao Feng, and he had experience with children. As for Gu Wenfeng, Lu Jiaxin gave him a day off.
Lu Jiaxin looked at him and smiled as she asked, “You’ve been troubled all day, speak what’s on your mind!”
Lu Jiajie stood up, his face full of guilt, and said, “Jiaxin, I’m sorry?”
Lu Jiaxin was somewhat baffled, wondering why he was apologizing out of the blue.
Lu Jiajie was apologizing for past incidents, “Xinxin, you helped me with the business, and you also loaned me money to buy a house. Not only did Ma Lili fail to be grateful, but she also resented you, and I, with my head being not quite right, botched things up. Jiaxin, I’m sorry for the trouble I caused you.”
Still apologizing for something that happened two years ago, Lu Jiaxin asked, “What happened?”
Lu Jiajie bitterly smiled and said, “Mom and dad saw Jiazong making money, and they kept pressuring me to find a job for big brother. I found a job for him in Yangcheng City. He lived frugally and saved all his earnings to take back home for sister-in-law. To my surprise, mom and dad told me to have my friend withhold big brother’s wages and hand them over to them for management, which I couldn’t do. Then they scolded me for being useless and a waste, saying I deserved to be bullied by the Ma family.”
The most painful wounds are the ones inflicted by family.
Lu Jiajie, deeply distressed, said, “Second sister and third sister saw big brother was making money outside, and they begged me to take their husbands to Yangcheng City too. So, I agreed and found work for them. But then, second brother-in-law got involved with a bad crowd in Yangcheng City and caught a disease; third brother-in-law got led astray into gambling. Now second and third sisters blame me for not keeping an eye on them and resent me for their troubles.”