Humiliation [Please Follow]

Wen Ling watched Lu Jing'an's car disappear around the street corner before slowly withdrawing her gaze.

Only then did she pick up the check and look it over again and again.

Her face and eyes were brimming with delight.

Wen Ling waved the check in her hand and said, "Boss, this month's wages are secured."

Kui Shan looked at Wen Ling's smiling face and could not help saying:

"Didn't you used to hate these young masters who tried to curry favor with you the most?"

With Wen Ling's looks, there were indeed many people who wanted to please her.

There had been no shortage of people using methods similar to Lu Jing'an's.

But Wen Ling had always treated them coldly in the past.

Yet today, she had been rather proactive toward Lu Jing'an.

Wen Ling tilted her head and thought for a moment. "He's different."

Kui Shan asked, "How is he different?"

"Because he can endure hardship a little better than those young masters?"

"Because he's already a Martial Cultivator?"

Wen Ling shook her head. "Neither."

"Then what is it?" Kui Shan pressed.

Wen Ling's eyes curved as she giggled. "He's better-looking than all of them."

Kui Shan: ...

The car drove smoothly over the stone-paved road, and after traveling some distance,

Lu Jing'an finally took out the note Wen Ling had slipped to him.

After reading what was on it, Lu Jing'an could not help feeling both amused and helpless.

On the note, tiny characters embroidered like silk read:

"Replace the horn with one made of pure gold, and you'll be able to use it fully. You're welcome to eavesdrop on big sister's wishes anytime."

Lu Jing'an had only just finished reading it.

The words on the note vanished.

Not even the slightest trace remained.

"This should be one of a Literary Cultivator's abilities, right?"

Lu Jing'an muttered.

Though the contents were no longer visible,

Lu Jing'an had remembered the method.

Replace the horn with gold.

That really was rather extravagant.

Replacing all of it with gold would require at least thirty Big Yellow Fish.

At the current market price, that came to over ten thousand silver dollars.

It was indeed very expensive.

But to Lu Jing'an, it was worth a try.

Lu Jing'an said to Chen Xuan beside him,

"Driver, let's go to Second Uncle's later. I want him to help me exchange for thirty Big Yellow Fish."

Chen Xuan hesitated before saying, "Young Master, for such a large expense today, shouldn't you discuss it with Master first?"

Lu Jing'an had been focused only on accomplishing his goal just now.

He really had forgotten about his father.

He had already spent twenty thousand silver dollars.

Now he wanted to spend another ten thousand.

That was equivalent to Lu Jing'an's expenses for an entire year in the past.

"Let's go home first and speak to my father."

While they were on the road,

Chen Xuan also told Lu Jing'an about the next stage of his training plan.

According to Chen Xuan,

Lu Jing'an's current progress could already be called astonishingly rapid.

The reason First Blood Transformation was still troubled by such matters

was, according to Chen Xuan, that although Lu Jing'an's advancement was swift,

his body had not yet fully adapted to the surging blood and qi.

It was like a child wielding a heavy hammer—possessing strength, yet unable to wield it smoothly and freely.

The quickest way to adapt was actual combat.

Lu Jing'an's eyes shone brightly as he listened. He was also eager to learn

just how capable he had become.

The car soon returned to the Lu Family.

Chen Xuan went to arrange the actual combat training.

Lu Jing'an had the servants send the Phonograph back to his room.

He went to find his father himself.

When Lu Jing'an arrived, he saw that his second uncle was there as well.

Only, the atmosphere was somewhat subtle.

"Father, Second Uncle."

After greeting them, Lu Jing'an asked, "Father, Second Uncle, did something happen again?"

Lu Huaiqian did not answer at once. Instead, he first had Lu Jing'an explain why he had come.

Lu Jing'an did not hesitate either.

He explained that he had spent twenty thousand silver dollars and still wanted to exchange for thirty Big Yellow Fish.

After Lu Jing'an finished explaining what had happened,

Lu Huaichuan said excitedly, "This deal is far too worthwhile! Twenty thousand silver dollars got you connected to the Peacekeeping Bureau. Jing'an, you're something else."

"Do you know how many people are willing to offer the Peacekeeping Bureau a yearly tribute of a hundred thousand silver dollars?"

"And the Peacekeeping Bureau rejected them outright."

"You spent only twenty thousand silver dollars and established a long-term connection. That money was incredibly well spent."

"The Peacekeeping Bureau may mean nothing to ordinary people."

"But to us, it is far too important."

Lu Jing'an felt that his second uncle might have misunderstood him.

He hurriedly explained, "I only saw that they were living too miserably.

I planned to lend them a hand.

I never truly intended to gain anything from them."

Lu Huaichuan said, "Precisely because you had no intention of gaining anything from them were they willing to accept your money."

"But since they accepted the money, that means they owe you a favor."

"When the time truly comes that you need them, they won't refuse."

Lu Huaichuan was a shrewd businessman through and through.

He only considered matters from the angle of profit.

So no matter how much Lu Jing'an tried to explain, he could not make himself understood.

Lu Jing'an simply let him think what he wanted.

After the uncle and nephew finished speaking,

Lu Huaiqian said directly to Lu Jing'an, "From now on, you may withdraw five thousand silver dollars every month."

"If there is a special circumstance like today's,

you may decide for yourself on any amount below fifty thousand silver dollars."

"As for the gold you want, your second uncle will have someone deliver it to you later."

Ever since Lu Jing'an had begun practicing martial arts,

Lu Huaiqian had watched every change in him.

His son was willing to walk the righteous path.

Naturally, Lu Huaiqian would support him with all his strength.

And in one respect, Lu Huaiqian's thoughts were the same as Lu Jing'an's.

If something could be resolved with money, there was no need to dwell on it.

Besides, the Lu Family did not lack money.

The Lu Family's annual income of several million was easily earned.

"Thank you, Father." Lu Jing'an clasped his hands in thanks.

Having finished his own business, Lu Jing'an again asked what had happened between his father and second uncle.

This time, Lu Huaiqian did not hide it from Lu Jing'an.

He told Lu Jing'an what had happened.

It turned out that the Xiaoshan Li Family had sent a marriage proposal and betrothal gifts to the Lin Family.

The Lin Family had also accepted the marriage.

The two sides had even discussed and settled the wedding date.

It had been set for the first day of next month.

The Li Family had even sent invitations to the Lu Family long ago.

Lu Jing'an knew that the Lin Family intended to align itself with the Li Family.

But he had not expected it to be through a marriage alliance.

Seeing that Lu Jing'an did not seem to realize the seriousness of the matter, Lu Huaichuan immediately explained:

"This isn't merely a marriage alliance between two families. The Li Family intends to use this humiliation to break the backbone of my Li Family."

"My Li Family just announced to the public that we would not contend for the director's position."

"Yet the Li Family sent both a marriage proposal and an invitation."

"They want to use this utterly humiliating method to see how my Lu Family will react."

After hearing Lu Huaichuan's explanation, Lu Jing'an still did not quite understand.

How was this the ultimate humiliation?

Lu Huaichuan pointed at Lu Jing'an. "Naturally, because of you."

"The Lin Family has always wanted to marry Lin Qingyi into our family."

"In outsiders' eyes,"

"Lin Qingyi had long been regarded as one of our Lu Family."

"Now your wife is becoming someone else's wife."

"What do you think that counts as?"

Lu Jing'an had not felt anything for Lin Qingyi to begin with.

In Lu Jing'an's eyes,

Lin Qingyi, yellow on the outside and white within, was nothing but a complete idiot.

Yet after Lu Huaichuan put it that way,

Lu Jing'an suddenly felt as though he had been cuckolded.

Lu Jing'an scratched his head. "Second Uncle, I don't recall ever saying in any setting that I wanted to marry her."

Lu Huaichuan explained, "What matters isn't whether you said it."

"It is how others see this matter."

"You may not have said it, but once others see it, that is what they will think."

Lu Jing'an now somewhat understood what it meant when people said

that even a great man's fart might have a purpose behind it.

He was now a great man who could fart as well.

If he looked at the matter according to that logic,

then it really did count as humiliation.

And it was ongoing humiliation at that.

If the Lu Family endured this matter,

the Lu Family's prestige throughout Yinshan County would certainly suffer a heavy blow.

Today, the Lin Family could join the Li Family without consequence.

Tomorrow, the Zhang Family and the Sun Family could do the same.

It would become a chain reaction.

"To make this happen, the Li Family should send experts to escort the betrothal gifts, right?" Lu Jing'an asked.

Lu Huaichuan nodded. "They sent quite a few people. The main force should arrive around noon tomorrow."

Lu Jing'an looked at his father. "Father, what do you think about this matter?"