"Sir Lu." Accompanied by Chu Xiaoxin and Ji Wenming, Song Tianyao stood respectfully behind Lu Wenjin and politely greeted the old man whose back was to him.
Lu Wenjin, tall and as imposing as a Caucasian, made a shushing gesture and used his gloved hand to place a clump of wriggling bloodworm bait into the aquarium in front of him, which was about a meter in size. Only after the bloodworm slowly sank to the bottom of the tank did Lu Wenjin turn around with a smile and say to Song Tianyao, "Even Wenhui told me that besides me back then, Song Tianyao is the most outstanding young man he's ever seen in Hong Kong. Seeing A-Yao today, I actually think you're much more capable than I was back then."
Song Tianyao turned his gaze away from the eye-catching aquarium behind Lu Wenjin. Although in recent years, some wealthy families in Hong Kong have started to follow the example of Westerners and keep ornamental fish at home, it is usually just a porcelain or glass fish tank with a few goldfish for fun. An aquarium of this size, with its unique layout and exquisite design, is extremely rare. Most importantly, in such a large aquarium, apart from aquatic plants and substrate, there is only a large clump of bloodworms struggling and wriggling at the bottom. There are no ornamental fish at all. It is more like a viewing tank.
"How could I be qualified to be compared with Sir Lu, who took first place in the British Empire Bar Examination back then? Tens of thousands of trainee lawyers, and in the end, it was Mr. Lu, a young China man from Hong Kong who came to study, who stood out from the crowd and took the top spot. You are a well-known Britain Chinese top scholar in Hong Kong." Song Tianyao said politely without the slightest arrogance.
Song Tianyao wasn't being modest. Lu Wenhui's praise of Song Tianyao as the most outstanding young man he had ever seen besides Lu Wenjin was not a boast about his elder brother, but rather a compliment to the handsome, tall, and refined-looking Chinese nobleman in front of him, the head of the Lu Family, whose achievements back then were enough to overshadow all his peers.
Lu Wenjin went to study in the Britain alone at the age of 13. At 17, he enrolled in the five-year apprenticeship program unique to Britain, becoming the only Chinese apprentice of Jonah Doughty, the Queen's Counsel. After completing the five-year law program, he took the Bar Exam and achieved first place, officially becoming a practicing lawyer. Before he even took off his graduation gown, the five major law firms in the Britain and the law schools of three universities had already extended offers to him. Even his mentor, Jonah Doughty, tried to persuade him to stay, hoping that he could join the Court of Justice Britain the High Court and directly enter London's high society. At that time, Lu Wenjin was only twenty-two years old.
According to traditional China person values, Lu Wenjin's ability to surpass all others and stand out in the Britain Bar Examination is equivalent to the top scholar in the Qing Dynasty in China. It was this title of top scholar in the Britain Bar Examination that enabled Lu Wenjin's father to meet with He Dong, the patriarch of Hong Kong's most prominent Chinese family, and to propose marriage for Lu Wenjin to He Dong's beloved eldest daughter He Jinzi, who was beautiful, charming, and admired even by young Britain men.
The marriage between Lu Wenjin and He Jinzi transformed the relationship between the He Family and Lu Families from a collateral marriage in Lu Wenjin's father's generation to a direct marriage between the He Families. With the status and power of her father-in-law He Dong in Hong Kong, coupled with Lu Wenjin's own ability and vision, the Lu Family rose to become a prominent Chinese family almost on par with the He Family in just over ten years after he officially took over. One family was in business and the other in politics, complementing each other.
When Lu Wenjin returned to Hong Kong from Britain, the then Governor of Hong Kong, Mei Xuanli, even invited the 22-year-old Lu Wenjin to visit Government House, specifically to meet this young Chinese man who had made the Britain legal scholar lose face.
She left Hong Kong at the age of thirteen, and upon returning to her homeland at the age of twenty-two, Lu Wenjin had already become a household name in Hong Kong.
Lu Wenhui compared his elder brother to Song Tianyao. Song Tianyao felt that the other party was overestimating him. He had only made some money by being opportunistic and taking advantage of others' misfortunes. He had barely gained a bad reputation in the business world. He was completely incomparable to Lu Wenjin, who had won first place in Britain and made all the Chinese in Hong Kong feel relieved of their pent-up resentment as second-class citizens. His title of champion was known to every household.
"The Lu Wenjin Law Office, which serves Ms. Lin Yujing, has sent me a written invitation to represent her in court. We've also spoken on the phone with Ms. Juliana Abbey, Ms. Lin Yujing 'Lin Yujing private lawyer, and I've signed the engagement letter. But I still can't resist my curiosity and want to meet you A-Yao." Lu Wenjin pointed to the sofa. "Sit down. Ah Sin and Aming, please sit down too."
Song Tianyao, Chu Xiaoxin, and Ji Wenming all sat down side by side like obedient children. Lu Wenjin, like a teacher, gracefully sat down on the sofa opposite them. "A-Yao, the prosecution is ready. What's next...?"
"Sir Lu, I've booked a flight to Japan for tomorrow." Song Tianyao said to Lu Wenjin knowingly, "I'm not curious about the Lin Family's affairs. As for other unfinished business, my fiancée Angie Perlis is handling it. I'm just a free man, and this is the perfect time to go to Japan to enjoy the autumn leaves and indulge in some refined pursuits."
Just as Song Tianyao finished speaking, a black shadow, thirty or forty centimeters long, suddenly flashed across the bottom of the huge aquarium to the side of the four people like a sharp black knife. It disappeared in the blink of an eye. The large clump of bloodworms in the bottom sand also disappeared along with the shadow, leaving only aquatic plants and silt to settle and undulate in place.
It doesn't hesitate when it's time to eat meat, nor does it waver when it's time to hide; it's a good knife.
Lu Wenjin stared at the aquarium, unsure whether she was praising the Devil Black Knifefish she was raising, or responding to what Song Tianyao had just said.
Chapter 431 The Appearance of Japan
"Mr. Song, didn't you say you were coming to Japan for an inspection? Are you planning to do business?" Wei Meixian, the secretary of Scribe Hui, looked at Song Tianyao, who was dressed in a kimono and had his shoes removed by a maid, urging her to ask in Japanese if the hotel had geisha performances, and asked in confusion.
The woman led the way, guiding the group into the guest room, which had a private courtyard. In the center of the courtyard was a steaming hot spring with pebbles wafting from the bottom. Maple leaves and bamboo dotted the surrounding area, their colors a vibrant tapestry of red, yellow, and green, almost like a painting. Nearby, under a carefully manicured bamboo grove, were several chairs adorned with three-leaf sunflower designs and a small tea table.