"How about this? I’ll make the call and round it down. Let’s say eight hundred eighty Oceans."
"Young Master Chen, please don’t make things difficult for me."
He Zhongchen gritted his teeth and, finally steeling himself, pulled a small cloth pouch from his robes.
He opened the pouch and tipped out a jade bracelet.
The bracelet was a brilliant, uniform green with a warm luster. It was clearly an antique, the kind of treasure passed down for generations.
It was a memento left to him by his late mother, an heirloom passed down from her side of the family.
He Zhongchen clutched the bracelet, his fingers trembling slightly. He stared at it for several seconds before finally handing it over.
"Boss Huang, can I use this to get a loan of one thousand Oceans from you?"
"Just lend it to me for now. I’ll pay you interest, and I’ll be back to buy it back in a few days."
When Boss Huang took the bracelet, his eyes instantly lit up. He quickly moved it under the light, turning it over and over for a careful inspection.
"What a treasure! A real treasure!"
Boss Huang praised it again and again, a grin practically spilling off his face.
He looked up at He Zhongchen, his smile deceptively amiable. "Alright! Young Master Chen, I’ll lend you one thousand Oceans!"
He Zhongchen stared at the man’s smug face, his eyes practically shooting fire.
But he said nothing, just gritted his teeth and forced out, "Hmph! Send Ruyan up to keep me company!"
Boss Huang, grinning from ear to ear, quickly waved to a nearby attendant. "Didn’t you hear Young Master Chen? Hurry and get Miss Ruyan! Go help Young Master Chen find his pleasure!"
A moment later, the beaded curtain to the inner hall was pushed aside, and a woman in a black and white qipao emerged, moving with graceful elegance.
The qipao was a Western cut, with a slit that reached the top of her thigh. The black and white stripes clung to her exquisite curves, her every step a graceful sway.
She walked up to He Zhongchen, gave a slight bow, and offered a perfectly measured smile. "Young Master Chen, you’ve arrived."
He Zhongchen seized the woman’s wrist, his grip so strong it made her brow furrow slightly.
"Let’s go. Upstairs. I’m furious right now!"
His eyes were bloodshot, whether from his addiction flaring up or from the sting of losing the bracelet.
The hatred inside He Zhongchen was immense. He hated his older brother for stealing all their father’s favor the moment he returned.
He hated his father for giving his brother everything, leaving him with nothing—now, he had even lost the memento his mother had left him.
All He Zhongchen wanted now was to vent, to unleash all his fury upon this woman.
’I’ll kill them both!’
He thought viciously as he dragged the woman up to the second floor.
「Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the day of He Zhongpeng and Lu Nianshu’s wedding arrived.」
On this day, the He Family estate was packed to the gills.
Large red lanterns hung from every pillar, and red silk ribbons fluttered gently in the wind.
The open space in the courtyard was filled with rows of banquet tables, stretching all the way out past the main gate.
The aroma of food mingled with the sulfurous scent of firecrackers, drifting through the entire street.
A wide, red-carpeted aisle was left clear down the middle, running from the main gate all the way to the main hall.
Guests arrived at the gate in an endless stream—people from the worlds of business and politics, from every walk of life. Anyone with even the slightest connection to the He Family came.
"Congratulations! Congratulations, Chairman He!"
"Congratulations! A joyous occasion for your son!"
"Chairman He, you are truly fortunate!"
He Xin Town, dressed in a brand-new, dark red traditional gown and mandarin jacket, stood at the entrance, his face plastered with a smile as he greeted every guest.
Behind He Xin Town stood He Zhongpeng, dressed in a Western suit with a red flower pinned to his chest, and Lu Nianshu, clad in a grand red wedding gown with a red veil covering her face.
Before long, a procession of nine black cars pulled up slowly outside the He Family’s main gate.
The vehicles lined up in a neat row, a display of pomp that stunned everyone present.
The once-bustling entrance fell instantly silent as all eyes turned in unison toward the cars.
’Who is it? Who could command such a grand entrance?’
He Xin Town was completely dumbfounded. He subconsciously turned to Lu Sheng beside him. "O-Old friend," he stammered, "are these guests from your side?"
Before Lu Sheng could answer, the front passenger door of the centermost car opened.
A sharp-looking young man hopped out, hurried to the back, and respectfully pulled open the rear door.
A foot emerged, clad in a black cloth shoe. It was followed by a black Zhongshan suit, and then a distinctive, dark purple Wisteria Spirit Staff.
Lu Yun stepped out of the car. From the vehicles behind him, his three sons—Lu Jingteng, Lu Jingjun, and Lu Jingyao—disembarked in succession.
Following them were his daughters-in-law, six grandchildren, and several other core members of the Lu Family. It seemed almost the entire family was in attendance.
Lu Sheng stood at the gate, watching that familiar figure and the mighty procession behind him, and his cloudy old eyes instantly reddened.
He opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words came out. He could only nod vigorously in acknowledgment.
Seeing this, He Xin Town quickly leaned in and asked in a low voice, "Old friend, this is..."
Lu Sheng took a deep breath, suppressing the tears welling in his eyes, and said proudly, "This is my brother. He is also Nianshu’s adoptive grandfather."
"Lu Yun."
The next second, a BUZZ went off in He Xin Town’s head, and his mind went completely blank.
’Lu Yun? My new eldest daughter-in-law’s adoptive grandfather is *the* Lu Yun?’
His eyes suddenly shot wide open. "Old friend! When you say Lu Yun, you don’t mean... *the* Lu Yun from the Lu Family Trading Company?"
"Advisor Lu of the Yun Port City Divine Land Martial Arts Demonstration?"
"The future Military Governor of Yun Port City?"
He Xin Town was utterly stunned. He had only known that the Lu Family Mansion was connected to Lu Yun, but he thought it was just "a connection."
As for Lu Nianshu’s adoptive grandfather being Lu Yun himself—his old friend Lu Sheng had never mentioned that before!
The next moment, He Xin Town finally snapped back to his senses. He grabbed a dazed servant nearby. "Quick, quick! Clear the way! Make a path!"
"What are you all standing around for? Move!"
As if waking from a dream, the servants scrambled to move things aside, clearing a wide path.
Lu Yun walked to the entrance, leaning on his staff. He first looked at Lu Sheng and gave a slight nod.
Then he turned to He Xin Town and extended his left hand. "Congratulations, Boss He. Now that my adoptive granddaughter has married into your He Family, please take good care of her for me."
He Xin Town was flabbergasted. He scrambled to grasp Lu Yun’s hand with both of his own, bowing so low his waist nearly touched his knees. "Advisor Lu! A pleasure to meet you, Advisor Lu!"
He Xin Town continued to bow repeatedly as he spoke, a smile practically spilling off his face. "Your presence here brings light to my humble home! It truly brings us great honor!"
"I swear, my eldest daughter-in-law will never suffer the slightest grievance in our He Family!"

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