Rebirth 1983: Building My Business Empire

Chapter 89: Chapter 83 Upholding the Legacy

Lu Jiaxin thought that running a fever once was the limit, but she didn’t expect that she had overestimated her body’s tolerance. That very night, the fever came back. For three consecutive days, she was fine during the day, but at night, her temperature soared.

After three days of continuous fever, Lu Jiaxin was extremely weak, “I promised my eldest brother that I would give him a call every three days to report that I was safe. I need to call him today, or else he’ll start worrying.”

“I’ll make the call!”

Lu Jiaxin shook her head and said that wouldn’t do, “If you make the call, my eldest brother will definitely think something happened to me. It’s better I call myself and tell him that I’m sick.”

Gu Wenfeng had no objections. Even if he were to make the call, he would honestly inform them about Lu Jiaxin’s condition. The Lu Family, only Lu Jiaguang truly cared for this girl.

Lu Jiaguang answered the call, and upon hearing her hoarse voice, he couldn’t help but worry, asking, “Are you sick?”

“Yes, the temperature difference between the Ancient Capital and Peng City is quite big, and I caught a cold because I wasn’t careful. But I’ve already got some medicine from the hospital, and I should recover soon.”

Lu Jiaguang said, “You’re staying at a guesthouse there, and there’s no one to take care of you when you’re ill, not even a place to cook something to eat. Jiaxin, I’ll buy you a ticket, and you should come back tomorrow.”

Lu Jiaxin said with a smile, “Brother, I’ve had the Longevity Painting I bought in the Ancient Capital authenticated by experts, and it’s a genuine piece by the Yuan Dynasty master, Wang Zhenpeng. Brother, once I’m well, I still need to find a buyer.”

“What did you say, the painting you bought is genuinely from a famous artist?” Lu Jiaguang asked incredulously. Although he had spoken those words in front of Lu Hongjun, he actually believed she had been taken for a ride. He never imagined that a painting she casually picked up in the market would turn out to be authentic.

Lu Jiaxin reported Professor Zhang’s credentials, “Brother, it shouldn’t be mistaken.”

After contemplating for a moment, Lu Jiaguang said, “Jiaxin, although I have no experience with antiques, I’ve heard from friends during casual conversations that the antique market is getting busier and the prices at antique shops are going up. You’re not short on money right now, so maybe it’s better to keep it, and sell it when you need money. By then, the price will definitely be much higher than it is now.”

…

Seeing that there was no response from the other end of the phone, Lu Jiaguang knew that she disagreed, “If you are set on selling, I won’t stop you. However, there are many swindlers out there, and it’s important to find a good buyer, otherwise, it would be a pity to sell it for too little.”

With pieces like those of famous painters, it’s best to keep them and pass them down to future generations. However, the items weren’t his, so he could only offer suggestions, and there was nothing he could do if Lu Jiaxin didn’t listen.

Lu Jiaxin shared her plans, stating that her current problem was the lack of connections to reach wealthy people. Once she was well, she would have to go out and gather information.

Lu Jiaguang thought she was quick-witted and agreed with her idea, “There are many wealthy people in Hong Kong, and even if they don’t collect themselves, buying and then reselling it could still turn a profit.”

Lu Jiaxin wanted to sell to a wealthy person with cultural depth, as such people generally kept the antiques they bought for their own collections. Of the five paintings, she cherished the painting of court ladies the most and also liked the Ink and Wash Painting very much, while the two Skylarks by Zhao Ji were of superb quality; these three paintings were non-negotiable for sale. The Hunting Picture and the Longevity Painting were not as appealing to her senses. However, she had promised that when she had enough money, she would buy back the paintings to prevent them from leaving the country, so the Hunting Picture was not for sale.

Lu Jiaguang thought for a moment and then said, “I don’t know anyone over there, but Uncle is originally from Peng City and is currently working in Yangcheng City; he knows a lot of people.”

Lu Jiaxin spoke tactfully, “Big brother, I’m not in a hurry to go back. I believe I can find a satisfactory buyer.”

Six years ago, for some unknown reason, Mrs. Lu had a falling out with Little Aunt Lu. Later, when Mrs. Lu got sick for over half a year to save Xie Yichen, Little Aunt Lu didn’t even bother to visit or make a phone call. After Mrs. Lu died, neither she nor the Duan Family attended the funeral service. What the original body couldn’t accept was that, at Lu Hongjun and Ding Jing’s wedding, Little Aunt Lu brought her young daughter along.

The original body was extremely angry and didn’t even want to greet her during that meeting. Unexpectedly, Little Aunt Lu took advantage of the situation and said she was spoiled and hoped that Ding Jing would teach her properly. The original body was filled with resentment and had a severe outburst, and all the guests who came to the wedding said her behavior indeed wasn’t appropriate.

Lu Jiaguang advised, “Jiaxin, let bygones be bygones. We have to look forward.”

Lu Jiaxin directly asked, “Big brother, although I don’t know what made her have a falling out with my mom back then, knowing my mother’s personality, she wouldn’t have been so decisive unless her bottom line was crossed.”

Even with Second Uncle Lu and his wife being so greedy, Mrs. Lu was able to get along with them amicably, so it must have been something unforgivable that Little Aunt Lu did to make them sever ties. As to what it was, Mrs. Lu never mentioned it, and she couldn’t guess, but she didn’t consider such relatives as her own.

“Xinxin, she is still our aunt after all.”

Lu Jiaxin scoffed, “She didn’t visit when my mom was sick, nor did she come to mourn when she passed away. She didn’t recognize my mom, so why should I recognize her as an aunt? Big brother, let’s not talk about this anymore in the future.”

After Lu Hongjun and Ding Jing’s wedding, whenever anyone mentioned Little Aunt Lu, the original body refused to engage in conversation. The original body was unwilling to acknowledge that side of the family, and she was determined to carry on that will, never to associate with Little Aunt Lu’s family for the rest of her life.

Lu Jiaguang didn’t try to persuade her any further, as he too was unaware of the actual details of the past incident, “I’ll ask some friends to see if they have contacts over there.”

“There’s no need. Good things sell themselves. Once word gets out, plenty of people will come looking.”

Seeing her resolute tone, Lu Jiaguang changed the subject and discussed the temporary move of Lu Jiajie’s family of four into her house, “Jiajie is just staying for a few days until he finds a house, then he’ll move out.”

Lu Jiaxin was surprised and asked, “What did Fifth Sister-in-law’s sister do this time? What made Fifth Brother move out overnight to my place?”

Lu Jiaguang briefly explained the situation and then added, “I’ve been telling them to move out, but they just wouldn’t listen…”

Lu Jiaxin didn’t express any opinions, only saying, “It’s good that they’re moving out. Qiangqiang and Xiao Feng used to be so lively, and now they’ve become much more timid over the last half a year. Big brother, tell Fifth Brother that buying a house is a lifetime’s matter and he shouldn’t rush. There’s no hurry; I have plenty of rooms anyway.”

If it were anyone else asking to stay, she would definitely refuse, but Lu Jiaguang and Lu Jiajie were exceptions. In the four years after her mother’s death, they were the ones who supported the original body, as Ding Jing didn’t dare to mistreat her outright and only schemed behind her back. She knew that Lu Jiajie really disliked Ding Jing, yet he made it a point to visit every week.

This response was expected by Lu Jiaguang, “I’ll pass on the message. Jiaxin, if you don’t get a good price over there, come back. The Forty-nine City also has many people who love antiques and are financially capable.”

The siblings talked a little longer, and after repeated reminders from Lu Jiaguang, they ended the call.

Back in the hospital room, Lu Jiaxin thought about her conversation with Lu Jiaguang and had a new idea. Relying only on their own inquiries wouldn’t work, as it would easily attract attention. The best approach was to find an intermediary.