Re-engraving the Spring - Chapter 7
RES Chapter 7
At dinner, Lu Ming had only accompanied Chi Qiu to sit down when his phone began to vibrate.
“I’m going to take a call, you eat first.” After seeing the incoming call displayed on the screen, he chose to get up and go to the study to talk.
Speaking of which, there were very few times when Lu Ming avoided Chi Qiu when talking on the phone. Chi Qiu instantly guessed that it was from the Lu family.
“Sir.” Aunt Zhang had already placed the chopsticks and spoons in their fixed positions on the table and reminded in a kind voice, “Why don’t you have a bowl of soup first?”
“I’m not hungry, I’ll wait for Lu Ming to eat together.”
For some reason, Chi Qiu suddenly became worried, completely lost the thought of eating.
In the Lu family, except for their grandfather, Elder Lu, almost no one liked to see Lu Ming. Naturally, no one liked to see him either.
Just because the current Mrs. Lu, Zhen Zhen, was not Lu Ming’s real mother.
Lu Ming was born to his father, Lu Rongtian, and his ex-wife, while Lu Ming’s half-brother, Lu Yinliang, was Zhen Zhen’s own flesh and blood.
Furthermore, Lu Ming had been living abroad with his maternal grandfather’s family for nine years since he was 17 years old.
In the nine years, he had never returned home once, so he had only contacted his grandfather on the phone. He never had anything to do with Lu Rongtian.
In the long run, the relationship between father and son was very rusty, not the least bit harmonious.
…………
Chi Qiu was restless during the time he waited for Lu Ming.
He clearly remembered that half a year ago, when Lu Ming led him to stand in the Lu family old house, Mrs. Lu; Zhen Zhen secretly gritted her teeth, completely missing the gentle kindness in the past.
When she opened her mouth, her words were full of cynicism and sarcasm.
The good thing was that Lu Ming was indifferent and didn’t care, as if she was talking nonsense, going in one ear and out the other. He also brought Chi Qiu to a seat and whispered, “Don’t mind her, you sit for a while.”
“Grandpa Lu will be here later, I’ll stand.” Chi Qiu was extraordinarily nervous as he grabbed Lu Ming’s hand and shook his head.
It was probably the first time Chi Qiu ‘saw’ Zhen Zhen with such an attitude and Lu Rongtian, who helped his wife to blame Lu Ming blindly. He panicked and moved a little closer to Lu Ming and gently squeezed his hand.
In the eyes of onlookers, the two were acting very intimately, as if they were in love.
Zhen Zhen couldn’t stand her temper and looked around, with a condescending attitude: “Why didn’t Chi Lanyan come?”
No one answered her.
Chi Qiu shrank his shoulders, not knowing whether to speak or not. Next to him, Lu Ming showed his cold face and stood emotionlessly, not putting Zhen Zhen in his eyes at all.
Lu Rongtian couldn’t stand it anymore and asked Chi Qiu directly, “Chi Qiu, where is your mother?”
Chi Qiu, who was called by name, was still unaware of how bad Lu Ming’s relationship with Lu Rongtian was, so he politely replied, “She’ll be here soon. Uncle Lu, my mother knows about Lu Ming and I, and she agrees…”
“Good for you, Chi Qiu! You’re blind, but you’ve got a lot of heart!” Zhen Zhen interrupted Chi Qiu in a stern voice, full of anger that had long been leaping out. “Your sister ran away, insulted our face, and you come just in time, ah? You two siblings… Wait, this is not a trick that your Chi family all agreed to?”
Every word of Zhen Zhen appeared sharp, making Chi Qiu’s face gradually pale.
His lips and tongue were dry and he was dealing with this kind of scene for the first time. He was about to answer——
Lu Ming answered bluntly with a cold voice: “Since Chi Xia is not engaged to Lu Yinliang, she is not his fiancée. It is better for Ms. Zhen not to talk nonsense about things that have not been decided.”
Zhen Zhen snorted: “Lu Ming, don’t act like you’re so noble. The marriage contract between our two families was personally finalized by the old man back then, and he said that he wanted a grandson and a granddaughter. Chi Xia ran away, you casually found a man from the Chi family to make a play, it’s just as useless.”
Even if same-sex marriage was already legal, how could Elder Lu accept this?
Lu Ming knew what she was thinking: “Grandpa has the final say on this matter.” He held Chi Qiu’s hand, “But no matter what, Chi Qiu and I will still get married.”
Hearing this sentence, Chi Qiu’s heart brightened. He could not help but purse up the corners of his mouth
Lu Ming talked less indifferently. Zhen Zhen and Lu Rongtian’s rage seemed to hit the cotton with a punch; nothing came out of it after a long time.
After going back and forth, the few people stopped quarreling.
Zhen Zhen was sure that Lu Ming’s plan was gonna fail.1‘黄了 (yellow): fail/unsuccessful or a plan could not be realized She pretended to dust off the corner of her cheongsam, and sat down with erlang legs on a wooden chair: “Come on, I don’t know what you’re thinking? The old man’s money is not something you can just take.”
Speaking of this, Zhen Zhen suddenly laughed.
This sentence seemed to have poked Chi Qiu’s bottom line. He couldn’t help but raise his head and was just about to retort when the sound of a cane hitting the ground came from not far away.
For a moment, the overbearing Zhen Zhen immediately put away her stance. Together with Lu Rongtian, she got up from her seat and respectfully stood to the side.
Knock—— Knock——
The sound was getting closer and closer, with a cough.
Outside the door, Elder Lu had been helped by the housekeeper to enter the door, and he, who had reached the age of the stick, slowly sat on a mahogany chair carved with ancient pine.
He saw Chi Qiu at a glance.
The air was filled with a sandalwood fragrance. Lu Family’s old mansion was built in a style completely based on the old man’s preferences, using the best wood, the pattern was also from half a century ago. It was well-made and did not cross the border. Looking lifeless, like an old photo.
But once he was seated, the old mansion came to life.
Along with this, the voices inside the mansion also rang out in a big and small way. First it was Lu Rongtian, then Zhen Zhen, and finally a sound from Lu Ming: “Grandpa, this is Chi Qiu, I have asked him to marry me.”
Chi Qiu didn’t expect Lu Ming to say it so quickly. He almost choked on his saliva. He was so nervous and didn’t keep up that he couldn’t greet ‘grandpa’ in time.
Together with Zhen Zhen and Lu Rongtian: “……” everyone was speechless.
The crowd looked at Elder Lu, only to see him nodding slightly, as if he had heard, and as if he had not heard. His old face was already covered with ‘frown’, and dashing appearance when he was young could no longer be seen. But his eyes were still burning, and they were firm inside, which showed that he was such an unyielding person.
His face was not friendly, his eyes stayed motionless on Chi Qiu’s face at the moment, but Chi Qiu couldn’t see it…
Suddenly, Elder Lu raised his hand and said in a gentle manner: “Chi Qiu, autumn’s Qiu?”
Chi Qiu was stunned and nodded.
Lu Ming said, “Yes, he was born in autumn.”
Elder Lu said approvingly, “Nice name, just like that girl Xiao Xia.”2Xia – summer. Seeing how Chi Qiu is named Qiu because he was born in autumn, she probably was born in summer. He stretched out his hand, picked up a cup of tea on the table and took a sip. His thoughts clear, he rasped his throat and swallowed a mouthful of tea, “Xiao Xia is not willing to be engaged to Yin Liang, is she?”
Lu Rongtian tactfully said, “Maybe Chixia is also impulsive …”
“A melon twisted by force is not sweet.” The old man is open-minded, “I told you earlier, this marriage contract, ah, still has to be between two lovers. You guys, ah, are pushing so hard that the little girl is scared and runs away.”
As soon as these words came out, Lu Rongtian and Zhen Zhen couldn’t refute them.
In order to set up Lu Yinliang and Chi Xia, these two had spent a lot of effort over the years.
And this marriage contract between the Lu family and the Chi family was a long story.
When Elder Lu was young, he grew up with Chi Qiu’s grandfather. After suffering together, they became friends in need when they grew up. They had a deep relationship. The two had agreed on a marriage contract for their children and agreed to be in-laws and a real family.
Buried in the loess in the future was also considered a hindrance.
Unfortunately, for some reason, the two families were separated and Chi Qiu’s grandfather passed away early due to illness.
Naturally, the marriage did not work out, and the sons and daughters started their own families. This matter became a heartache for Elder Lu. Now he was eighty years old, and he accidentally got in touch with the long-lost Chi family, so he brought up the matter in his heart again.
Due to the modern freedom of marriage, he did not force it.
Instead, he offered an attractive condition; he wanted to give 70% of his own property to the junior who could fulfill his heart’s desire.
He had already made a will in advance, but if the young couple could be married for five years and be in perfect harmony, the huge property would be a gift he gave to the young couple. It would be counted as a joint income of the married couple.
Even if they divorced after five years, one party could take half of it.
This big piece of pie was full of weight, and even the Chi family, who was from a good family, couldn’t say anything to refuse for a while. Although Chi Lanyan didn’t like Lu Rongtian and his wife, they admired their son Lu Yinliang. After a few contacts, she felt that he was a good candidate for a son-in-law.
After all, Lu Yinliang was raised by Elder Lu since he was a child, and he couldn’t get crooked.
