The next day Luo Guangyuan went to find Lu Jiajie and told him Old Geng had agreed to let him join the team, but he did not recommend Lu Jiajie take the risk, "Your sister’s business is so big, with her Keep reading on NovelHub - where stories come alive! So why take the risk?"
"I owe her eight hundred thousand."
Luo Guangyuan asked, "Have you ever thought about what if you encounter danger again? Last time you were lucky, you made it until your sister’s people came to rescue; can you guarantee you’ll be this lucky next time if you encounter danger? Also, are you sure if it happens again, your sister will come to rescue you?"
After all, a cousin is not a real sister; it’s impossible for her to keep going to such lengths again and again.
Lu Jiajie didn’t speak, and after thinking it over for two days, he finally dismissed the idea. He decided to continue in the clothing business, which earned less but was relatively safe.
Old Geng called Lu Jiaxin to talk about Lu Jiajie, "I agreed to let him join, but he backed out. I think Luo Guangyuan advised him against it."
Lu Jiaxin asked, "Why did you agree to let him join?"
Old Geng believed Lu Jiaxin was not the kind of person who would blindly take her anger out on others, which was also the reason he agreed to let Lu Jiajie join: "Lu Jiajie not only has good personal connections but also good luck. We need people with good luck in our line of work, people who can turn misfortune into a blessing."
Great, another superstitious person. However, those who walk on the grey edges need some belief, or they easily crumble.
Lu Jiaxin said, "I won’t interfere with this, let him make his own choice."
Old Geng would never go door-to-door to persuade someone. It’s one thing for Lu Jiajie to want to join, and another for him to persuade someone to join his team.
"Boss, I’d like to ask you for a favor."
Old Geng said, "I’ve found a girl who’s willing to work for me, but that beast is cautious and has family backing, and I’m worried that they might find out this girl’s background."
Lu Jiaxin understood immediately; he wanted her to arrange a clean background for the girl that the scum’s family wouldn’t be able to trace. This was not difficult for her, so she agreed directly.
Half a month later, Lu Jiaxin received a phone call from Shanzi, who told her Lu Jiajie was injured: "Fifth Uncle ran into highway robbers while bringing back goods, and he got hurt in the fight with them."
Ever since the policies were relaxed, long-distance truck driving had become an occupation everyone avoided. You might leave for another place and never come back, because of these highway robbers.
Lu Shan sadly said, "Fifth Uncle’s leg was injured, and the goods in the truck were all stolen."
Lu Jiaxin said, "As long as the green hills are there, one need not worry about firewood. Money lost can be earned back, but once a person is gone, they are gone for good."
Lu Shan, hearing her speak so calmly, as if it wasn’t a big deal, didn’t know what else to say.
"Is there anything else? If not, I’m going to hang up."
Lu Shan came back to his senses and said, "Grandpa is back, and he brought Ah Yun and his new wife over. Auntie, when Ah Yun’s wife arrived in the Forty-nine City, she told her parents-in-law that since they were young and healthy, they should start early and take over the morning and afternoon sales, while the parents sell during noon and evening."
"Ah Yun’s new wife not only gets up early to sell breakfast but also takes care of laundry, cooking, and house cleaning without falling behind. Under her influence, Ah Yun has also become very diligent."
Lu Jiaxin laughed and said, "That’s good news, your mother won’t have to worry anymore."
Lu Shan laughed, "Mother said that when Ah Yun’s wife has a child, she’ll help look after the child, and the noodle shop will be left to the young couple to manage."
The next afternoon he went to see Lu Jiajie. Upon entering the room and seeing him lying on the bed, pale-faced, Lu Shan couldn’t bear to tell him about Lu Jiaxin’s attitude, fearing it would hurt him.
"What did Jiaxin say?"
Lu Shan couldn’t lie: "Auntie didn’t say anything."
Lu Shan said softly, "Auntie only said that it’s fine as long as you’re alive, nothing else. Fifth Uncle, you should just focus on recovering. If there’s anything you need or are missing, tell me, and I’ll go buy it."
What Lu Jiajie needed most now was money. The goods were robbed, his capital was gone, and he was completely out of money. Of course, he didn’t tell Lu Shan about this to borrow money from Lu Jiaxin; he just wanted to test her attitude. If Lu Jiaxin was concerned about him, once his foot healed he could ask her to speak to Su Heming for him, then he could go into the household appliance business. But it seemed this path was now blocked, so he had to go see Luo Guangyuan again.
In the evening, Jiaguang finished work and came to see him, consoling him with his dispirited look.
Lu Jiajie, however, sadly brought up Jiaxin, "Big brother, ever since Jiaxin went to Hong Kong, she’s been drifting further away from us."
Jiaguang felt it too, but it was inevitable: "Third Uncle has been mean to her, and we, as cousins, are still one step removed. Over these years, the fact she has helped the main family and you, considering our kinship, is already rare."
"Jiajie, Jiaxin has spent so much effort and financial resources to save you, not even biological parents might do that. If you still feel dissatisfied, then you’re lower than pigs and dogs."
Lu Jiajie shook his head, "Big brother, I really appreciate Jiaxin. If it weren’t for her, I’d surely have died in the mines. It’s just that seeing her becoming estranged from us doesn’t sit well with me."
Jiaguang said, "If you see each other less because of the distance, it’s natural that you’re not as close as before. Moreover, her four years in Hong Kong were hard, and we couldn’t help her, but we shouldn’t trouble her anymore either."
Thinking of Su Heming’s words, Jiajie said, "Big brother, after so much that happened, Jiaxin never told us a thing."
Jiaguang bluntly said, "Even if she did tell us, what could we do to help her? We can’t help her with anything at home, and whenever there’s an issue, we always turn to her, not to mention the Huang Family, a bunch of troublemakers..."
"Jiajie, you’re a father of two now, especially with Qiangqiang already ten years old. You should stand up on your own two feet, and not always rely on me and Jiaxin. Jiaxin has her own difficulties, and I have my own children to take care of; I can’t help you endlessly."
Hearing this, Lu Jiajie felt an icy chill in his heart.
Wang Xiaojie was cleaning when she saw him walk in with a stern face and couldn’t help asking, "What’s wrong? Did someone at work upset you?"
Jiaguang exhaled a breath of stale air and said, "Jiajie had Shanzi call and tell Jiaxin about the robbery by highway robbers. By doing this, he clearly wants Jiaxin to help him, but he won’t admit it when I confront him. Instead, he says that Jiaxin is becoming more distant from us since she went to Hong Kong."
Wang Xiaojie saw it clearly: "He’s used to having you solve his problems whenever something happens. It used to be Third Uncle, and now it’s you and Jiaxin. Jiaxin obviously doesn’t want to get involved anymore, and you should learn from Jiaxin to let go too, or else he’ll never change for his whole life."
Jiaguang didn’t respond, but he made up his mind that he wouldn’t get involved anymore, except in matters of life and death.