Lu Sui gаvе а fаint, dismissive snort, wаving thе bасk оf his hand outward tоwаrd Lu Qingqing and Wu Mаngmang as if shооing аwау twо noisy рuppies, signaling the two "disturbаnсes" tо leаvе quiсklу.
Lu Qingqing toоk Wu Маngmаng's аrm and lеd her downstairs. "Lеt's gо."
Wu Mаngmang still felt uneаsy. "Doеs this mean еvеrуthing's finе nоw?"
Lu Qingqing rерlied, "It should bе finе."
Without а dеfinitе answеr, Wu Mаngmаng couldn't fullу rеlaх. She wasn't worriеd about hersеlf—with hеr оwn hands аnd feet, she wоuldn't stаrvе.
But аll thе gооd lооks in her fаmilу werе cоncentrаted in hеr аlоne, аnd with thе gеndеr ratio sevеrely skewed, if her brоther lost his monеy, how wоuld he еvеr find a wifе in the future?
Seeing Wu Mangmang about to turn back, Lu Qingqing grabbed her and said, "It's fine, it's fine. You bring my uncle so much luck—once tonight's story spreads, no one will dare cause trouble for your family again."
Only then did Wu Mangmang finally relax, letting out a sigh of relief with a smile. "You know, it really was a bit strange today. I've always been notoriously bad at cards, and I thought for sure I was doomed tonight. Who knew I'd actually draw the nine of characters?" It was just too bizarre.
Seeing the smile return to Wu Mangmang's face, Lu Qingqing grew enthusiastic. "Then your luck must be super strong today. Come on, sis will set up a game for you so you can have some fun." With that, Lu Qingqing reached for Wu Mangmang's hand.
Wu Mangmang didn't move. She looked at Lu Qingqing with suspicion. Honestly, Lu Qingqing had been unusually kind to her tonight.
When no one else dared speak up, Lu Qingqing—even with trembling hands—had spoken up for her. Knowing her allowance had been cut off, she was now finding ways to give her money.
Maybe miracles did happen, but they would never happen to someone like Wu Mangmang.
"Qingqing, is there something you need? Just tell me straight. If there's anything I can help with, I won't say no," Wu Mangmang said magnanimously.
Lu Qingqing's lips parted and closed a few times before she finally said, "Remember that Hermès bag you posted on your social media last time?"
As soon as Lu Qingqing mentioned it, Wu Mangmang remembered. That special-material bag had taken her two years on a waiting list, even with connections. But it wasn't a big deal. Wu Mangmang immediately said, "Is that all? You helped me so much tonight—a bag is nothing. I'll bring it to you tomorrow."
Lu Qingqing remained silent.
Wu Mangmang quickly corrected herself. "Or we could go to my place now, and I'll give it to you?" She understood perfectly the obsession women had with bags—once you could have one, you didn't want to wait another night.
Lu Qingqing nodded repeatedly with a smile.
Wu Mangmang's luxurious home was undoubtedly the epitome of a super-rich, beautiful heiress.
Seven or eight years ago, when other places were selling for just a few thousand per square meter, the developer here had suddenly set an eye-catching price of seventy thousand per square meter.
Everyone who bought was called a fool.
At the time, Wu Mangmang's parents had just reconciled and hadn't yet had their second child. Eager to mend their relationship with their only daughter, they were willing to be called fools as long as it made her happy.
Looking back now, Wu Mangmang's luck wasn't all that bad. Just this three-hundred-square-meter luxury home, now worth two hundred thousand per square meter, was enough to serve as her dowry.However, Wu Mangmang had no intention of inviting Lu Qingqing to visit her home at the moment. She turned her head to Lu Qingqing, who had parked the car downstairs, and said, "Wait a moment, I'll go up and get it for you."
"Could I use your restroom?" Lu Qingqing asked with an awkward smile.
What else could Wu Mangmang say?
As soon as Lu Qingqing stepped into Wu Mangmang's home, she let out an exaggerated sigh. "Wow, OMG, is your place set up for a time-travel to ancient times? They could film a historical drama right here!"
Wu Mangmang's home was entirely decorated in a traditional Chinese style—an authentic classical aesthetic, complete with partition screens, folding screens, curtains, daybeds, curio shelves...
Even the toilet in the bathroom was made of blue-and-white porcelain.
The curio shelves were mostly filled with ceramics, ranging from imitations of Ru ware to famille rose and enamel glazes. Wu Mangmang had taken advantage of her work connections to commission reproductions, all in an effort to recreate a convincingly ancient atmosphere.
It was convenient for her to direct and act out her own scenes.
But this was also the reason she was reluctant to invite people to her home.
Wu Mangmang poured a glass of water for Lu Qingqing, who had just emerged from the restroom. "Wait a moment, I'll go get your bag."
But Lu Qingqing was not one to sit quietly. She stood up and followed Wu Mangmang around, exploring her home.
"You just pile your bags up like this?" Lu Qingqing was truly amazed as Wu Mangmang led her directly to the storage room.
The storage room was filled with antique-style shelves, stacked high with Wu Mangmang's bags, shoeboxes, and other items.
"These things don't match the style of the rest of the house," Wu Mangmang explained as she struggled to dig through the mountain of bags. "And there isn't enough space, so they just end up piled here."
Finally, Wu Mangmang managed to retrieve the bag from beneath the pile—the one she had waited two years in line for—and handed it to Lu Qingqing.
Lu Qingqing exclaimed dramatically, "Is this how you treat my precious?"
Wu Mangmang shrugged. For her, the only purpose of these bags was to take a few photos to post on her social media when she first got them.
In reality, they were both delicate and impractical. Wu Mangmang still preferred her studded backpack.
Since Lu Qingqing had already made her way inside, Wu Mangmang saw no reason to rush her out.
She boiled water in a small ceramic pot and brewed tea for Lu Qingqing.
Lu Qingqing held the imitation Ru ware celadon teacup up to the light. "The quality isn't bad. You're quite particular, aren't you? Everything looks the part, but the tea tastes a bit off."
Wu Mangmang thought to herself, When it comes to acting, all that matters is that it looks convincing on the surface. Do you think actors in TV dramas actually eat steaming hot meals during filming?
So, while the teacups couldn't be compromised, the tea itself—a cheap third-grade jasmine tea costing just over ten yuan per bag—was perfectly acceptable.
Wu Mangmang poured tea into Lu Qingqing's cup with an elegant gesture.
"Is this tap water? It tastes strongly of disinfectant," Lu Qingqing complained, accustomed to drinking imported mineral water.
"Actually, water treatment plants use chlorine for disinfection these days," Wu Mangmang patiently explained, adding, "The water purifier isn't plugged in. Saving energy."
This was the downside of living in a luxurious home after running out of money—she was almost unable to afford the property fees.Lu Qingqing couldn't help but giggle softly.
"Actually, my uncle isn't that petty. It's just that your luck was really bad that day—you happened to run into him when he was with Dong Keke," Lu Qingqing said.
Wu Mangmang had already been curled up on the couch cushion playing with her phone, but upon hearing Lu Qingqing's words, she immediately perked up with interest.
"I knew you'd be interested," Lu Qingqing said, raising her index finger with a smile.
She leaned closer to Wu Mangmang and sniffed. "What perfume are you wearing? It smells really nice."
Wu Mangmang replied, "Just Guerlain's Lily of the Valley. Hurry up and tell me, why was I so unlucky?"
Wu Mangmang was filled with excitement. She knew there had to be a reason behind it all. Otherwise, on that day, a normal person would have just thought she was acting crazy—how could they have immediately sent a lawyer's letter?
Moreover, this would prove that it wasn't because her looks weren't good enough, but because she had accidentally stepped on a landmine.
Thinking back to the calm and indifferent demeanor of the "God of Wealth" uncle today, Wu Mangmang felt an itch in her heart the more she thought about it.
It was as if he were holding a Persian cat and gently scratching her heart.
Wu Mangmang was just that kind of person—the more someone ignored her, the more she would shamelessly try to attract their attention.
It was said that this psychological quirk stemmed from receiving too much attention. She could easily capture someone's admiration, but the easier it was to obtain, the more she looked down on it. She preferred to climb difficult peaks and conquer seemingly impossible tasks.
Many people couldn't understand why wealthy folks would frequently organize teams to climb Mount Everest or, whenever they had free time, tackle K2 (also known as Chhogori), reputed as the most difficult mountain to conquer. In such places, even if you had enough money to build another Mount Everest, it couldn't guarantee your safety.
Wu Mangmang, however, understood it quite well. For them, there were no longer any goals that required great effort to achieve, so they could only seek thrills by risking their lives.
As for Wu Mangmang, she felt she was still too young and hadn't lived enough, so she settled for conquering men as her "mountain." At least there was no life-threatening danger.
But perhaps in the future, if she married a wealthy man—a really rich one—she might also choose to conquer the world's highest peaks in her thirties or forties.
She was getting off track. Wu Mangmang almost lost her train of thought.
Fortunately, Lu Qingqing didn't keep her in suspense. "Dong Keke and my uncle are childhood sweethearts."
"I can't tell she's that old. Oh, so she lied about her age," Wu Mangmang couldn't help but interject. "I knew her neck wrinkles were too deep for her to be only twenty-eight."
"Not long ago, she flew to Switzerland to get sheep placenta injections, and my mom happened to run into her there," Lu Qingqing said.
Wu Mangmang immediately grew curious. "Are sheep placenta injections really that miraculous?"
Lu Qingqing promptly began to educate Wu Mangmang on the topic.
Wu Mangmang said, "I could suggest it to my mom. If it works well for her, I'll try it too."
"Sure, we can go together then," Lu Qingqing replied.
Just as the two women were about to drift off-topic again, Wu Mangmang, still mindful of the gossip, steered the conversation back. "Go on. So, does that mean Dong Keke is your uncle's girlfriend?"
"First love. To be precise, she's just his first love," Lu Qingqing emphasized.
Wu Mangmang started to digress again. "First love? Earlier, you said they were childhood sweethearts. Does that mean Dong Keke's family is also wealthy and influential?"Wu Mangmang hugged a cushion, stroked her chin, and said, "No wonder Dong Keke has had almost no scandals since her debut all these years, and her first role was in a big-budget production directed by a renowned director, even starring alongside a superstar. I thought she must have saved the galaxy in her past life."
"Pfft, as for her, there's nothing special about her. Her family just owns a mining business."
"Coal mining?" Wu Mangmang immediately asked, thinking to herself that this was quite something. If Dong Keke was the descendant of a coal tycoon, the genes must be quite something—how beautiful must her mother have been to raise the average like that?
"No, just marble mining," Lu Qingqing said. "There's nothing special about her family. If you want to talk about something unique, it's that Dong Keke is the only woman in all these years who has ever been pregnant with my uncle's child."
"When was that?" Wu Mangmang immediately widened her eyes and pressed for details. "I never heard that the national goddess was ever pregnant!"
"When she was seventeen or eighteen," Lu Qingqing said.
Wu Mangmang was a master at steering conversations. She chimed in again, "I knew it! It must have been when they were really young. Look at your uncle now—he’s absolutely meticulous and unflappable. It must have been when he was young and impulsive, either not wanting to use a condom because it felt like scratching an itch through a boot, or being too impatient and not having one on hand. Or maybe Dong Keke bought fake emergency contraception."
Once Wu Mangmang got started on this topic, she couldn’t stop. "But over a decade ago, society wasn’t as open, and the internet wasn’t as developed. They might not have even known how to prevent pregnancy. What a tragedy! Why is our country like this? Sex education is so lacking, and everyone just keeps it hidden."
"Let me tell you, I read a news story recently about a married couple, both with PhDs, who couldn’t have children after getting married. They went to see a fertility specialist, only to find out that the two idiots thought simply sharing a blanket could lead to pregnancy." At this point, Wu Mangmang burst into laughter, rocking back and forth.
Lu Qingqing laughed along with her.
"What do you think was the reason for your uncle and her?" Women especially love digging into others’ private lives when gossiping.
"How would I know such details?"
"Alright, go on," Wu Mangmang said, thankfully remembering to steer the conversation back. "The goddess definitely didn’t keep the child, right?"
"Of course not. Dong Keke hadn’t debuted yet back then, but she’d always wanted to get into the entertainment industry. Her family opposed it, but my uncle supported her in pursuing her dreams. And then that fool Dong Keke, in order to break into showbiz, secretly had an abortion behind my uncle’s back and lied to him, saying it was a miscarriage."
The outcome was predictable: the childhood sweethearts, each other’s first love, broke up.
"Now Dong Keke regrets it and wants to retire from acting to win my uncle back." Lu Qingqing clicked her tongue several times in succession. "What a shame. Nowadays, the line of women wanting to have my uncle’s child stretches all the way to the Pacific. Where would an aging Dong Keke stand a chance?"
Wu Mangmang nodded in agreement—at the very least, she herself would like to join that line.
"Got it now?" Lu Qingqing asked Wu Mangmang.
Wu Mangmang nodded. "Got it. That incident must have caused immeasurable psychological trauma for our uncle back then. So now, whenever he hears that a woman pregnant with his child wants an abortion, his expression immediately changes."Wu Mangmang sighed, speaking from deep personal experience, "So, the wounds suffered in childhood are hard to make up for no matter how happy one becomes as an adult."
She bit her manicured nails, "After all, it's his first child—the impression must be especially profound. And his first love actually chose her career over him? How damaging to his self-esteem!"
Having suffered long enough to become her own doctor, Wu Mangmang was practically a half-baked psychological analyst by now. She leaned closer to Lu Qingqing, adopting a tone that was both lacking in confidence and particularly gossipy, as if speaking ill of someone, "With our uncle's vindictive personality, didn't he give Dong Keke a hard time back then?"
"Our uncle isn't that kind of person. After all, there's some affection left from their time together—he wouldn't stoop to such things. It's just a woman; if she wants to leave, let her go," Lu Qingqing naturally defended Lu Sui.
"But then again, what goes around comes around," Lu Qingqing chuckled. "The Dong family has run into trouble recently, haven't they? Instead of sticking to their perfectly good mines, they got greedy and jumped into real estate. Now the market's down, their funding chain is broken, and their properties are having issues. So Dong Keke is thinking of coming back to find our uncle."
"Oh, so that's why Dong Keke came back looking for your uncle?" Wu Mangmang said with sudden understanding, thinking to herself that it seemed even the God of Wealth held no attraction for his first love. With that thought, Lu Sui's charm in her mind instantly dropped by thirty percent.
"Not at all. Over the years, she hasn't held back from batting her eyelashes at my uncle, hoping to rekindle their old flame. But how could my uncle possibly go back to her? Before, she could still put on airs, but this time she's completely thrown dignity out the window, crying and begging my uncle to help her family," Lu Qingqing said with a disdainful curl of her lip.
"And then?" Wu Mangmang asked.
"And then what? My uncle isn't a saint. Not taking advantage of her family's misfortune is already a sign of his magnanimity."
"But..." Lu Qingqing patted Wu Mangmang's shoulder regretfully, "What a shame. Of all things to do, you had to go and pick at the scar on my uncle's heart."
This incident was practically a case of "history repeating itself." Wu Mangmang knew she had walked right into the line of fire.
"Honestly, this really isn't my fault. It's their own carelessness or lack of biological knowledge that led to a life being created. And now, through some twist of fate, it's ended up causing trouble for me. What did I ever do to deserve this?" Wu Mangmang sighed deeply.
OpenNovel