So, they did not place too much hope on Murong Rui. Now that they were in the Lu Family Mansion, they would have to see for themselves what they were going to do next.
Li Man naturally knew the ulterior motives of her uncle and aunt. A look of mockery surfaced in her eyes. After saying a phrase to them, she took her wine glass and walked away.
As long as they didn’t cause trouble for her, how they fawned over those in power or sought to acquaint themselves with corporate executives was none of her business. She would not intervene, let alone help them again.
In the main bedroom on the second floor of the Lu Family Mansion, Lu Tianming sat on the sofa near the balcony, his gaze falling upon the lawn that stretched as far as the eye could see.
At this moment, most of the guests who were to attend the evening’s banquet had arrived, even though the formal start of the banquet was still nearly half an hour away.
The Lu Family Mansion had always been a place of mystery to the outside world, a sprawling villa. It was one of the largest residential properties in the country and certainly unmatched in An City.
There was a residence in Beijing that could rival the Lu Family Mansion, but it was said that its former owner had since moved out because it was built in the 1970s or 1980s. Now, there were few such mansions left, so the former owner d the residence to the government as a cultural heritage protection site without even accepting government subsidies.
Lu Tianming had naturally had someone investigate the owner of that residence but unfortunately, their security system was so robust that not even he could uncover their identity.
This piqued his interest even further because those who could maintain such secrecy were definitely of status and position in Beijing.
Perhaps they were even part of those so-called hidden families.
Xu Qian, having changed into her evening gown, walked out of the washroom, glanced sideways at Lu Tianming sitting on the sofa, and without saying a word, pursed her lips and headed towards her vanity table.
She did not call for anyone to help her with her makeup or hairstyle; she did it all by herself.
Lu Tianming heard a noise behind him and turned his head to look in Xu Qian’s direction, only to see her busily styling her hair, paying no attention to him.
The relationship between the couple had been particularly strained lately; even though they lived in the same room and slept on the same bed, they hardly spoke a word to each other. To be precise, it was Lu Tianming who wanted to talk to Xu Qian, but she often ignored him completely, not to mention engaging in heart-to-heart discussions that might improve their relationship.
The bedroom fell silent again, the sound of piano and violin drifting faintly up from the lawn below.
Though Lu Tianming usually appreciated peace and quiet, he couldn’t stand the tense atmosphere between Xu Qian and himself.
It wasn’t until Xu Qian had finished styling her hair that Lu Tianming looked at her and asked, "What do I need to do so that you won’t always treat me with such indifference?"
Xu Qian was putting on her earrings when she heard Lu Tianming’s words, her hand involuntarily pausing as a faint smile-tinged with derision-appeared on her face. She retorted directly, "When you stop using your son for marriage alliances, we’ll talk!"
Having been married to him for over thirty years, how could she not know what he was up to?
Lu Tianming’s so-called 60th birthday celebration was merely an excuse to find a family with an extraordinary background for a matrimonial alliance.
Xu Qian could not fathom why Lu Tianming was still unsatisfied when the CK Corporation had developed to such an extent and the Lu Family had become one of the most distinguished and noble families in An City.
Upon hearing Xu Qian’s words, Lu Tianming’s face turned sour, and he responded with dissatisfaction, "I am doing all this for Jingchen’s benefit. He is my son; do you think I would do anything to harm him?"
The moment Xu Qian heard Lu Tianming’s response, she laughed. She emphatically retorted, "You knew full well that Jingchen loved Song Qiao. So why did you go out of your way to separate them? Why did you make Song Qiao leave An City? Can you honestly say it wasn’t because of you that Song Qiao left Jingchen so resolutely?"
Although she hadn’t been very fond of Song Qiao initially, she still had a good impression of her. After all, it was not easy for her son to finally encounter a woman he loved.
Moreover, aside from her family background not being as prominent, Song Qiao was good in every other aspect, including her personality and moral character.
Yet, just when she thought her son had finally settled down with a wife and child, her husband resorted to every means to drive Song Qiao away.
For a moment, Lu Tianming was left without a comeback; Xu Qian was perfectly right. Part of the reason Song Qiao left so decisively was indeed due to his pressures on her to leave.
Seeing Lu Tianming fall silent, Xu Qian let out a cold laugh and stopped speaking.
At six o’clock sharp, the banquet began. When Lu Tianming and Xu Qian descended from the second floor, everyone had already gathered in the living room on the first floor. As the couple slowly descended the staircase, thunderous applause erupted from the first floor.
In the past, while Lu Tianming managed the CK Corporation, his reputation was well-known throughout An City. Ever since handing over the management of CK Corporation to his son Lu Jingchen, he had effectively retreated from public life, declined media interviews, and rarely appeared in front of the media. Therefore, many people had heard of Lu Tianming’s name without having actually seen him in person.
When Lu Tianming came down, everyone realized that this man, supposedly 60 years old, looked only in his forties or fifties.
Beyond that, the person who attracted the most attention was the woman beside Lu Tianming, who everyone guessed to be Lu Tianming’s wife, Lu Jingchen’s mother—Xu Qian. Fınd the newest release on 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝⁂𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖⁂𝕟𝕖𝕥
Tonight, Xu Qian had taken special care with her appearance, looking even younger than usual. Coupled with excellent maintenance, she appeared to be in her thirties or forties, standing out compellingly among many other women at the event.
Xu Qian’s hand rested in the crook of Lu Tianming’s arm, her face wearing a perfect smile as she nodded in greeting to those downstairs who were familiar enough to greet her.
The couple reached the small stage set up below. Lu Tianming took the microphone and addressed the gathered guests, "Today is my 60th birthday, and inviting everyone here is to encourage you all to interact with each other. There’s no need to hold back. Eat if you want to eat, drink if you want to drink, and chat if you wish to chat. Let’s enjoy ourselves."