Chapter 5

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

We’re on time today!

hehe.

As always, join the discord!

Also, I have a ko-fi, please consider donating.

enjoy~

After that, Lu Xingxue did not take the initiative to bring up the matter of “Romeo’s” compensation. When Jiang Ci remembered to ask her, she only said, “He didn’t contact me.”

Jiang Ci suspected that Lu Xingxue had deliberately concealed it, but she had no line of attack. She was afraid that “Romeo”, like a lion opening his large maw to swallow his prey, would swindle Xingxue by demanding a high price

A favor was owed, and a meal would probably not be enough to pay it off. Jiang Ci considered it for a few days and decided to give Lu Xingxue a gift.

Jiang Ci took the time to choose a qipao brooch for her. The time she borrowed the watch, she had seen some in Lu Xingxue’s closet. Many of them had deer patterns on them.

Although it is the safest way to send the embossed placket engraved with a deer pattern, it needs to be customized first, and there is nothing new. Jiang Ci took a fancy to a few of them, and was a little bit undecided, so she wanted to explore Lu Xingxue’s taste first.

After deciding what she would say, she dialed Lu Xingxue’s number, but Lu Xingxue didn’t answer.

Jiang Ci thought for a while and called Assistant Yao. Assistant Yao should also know Lu Xingxue’s preferences. This time it went through smoothly, and Assistant Yao said politely: “Miss Jiang, are you looking for me?”

“That’s it, Lu Xingxue…”

Jiang Ci was halfway panicking——It’s just because of necessary human relations, it’s just giving a gift. Now contacting Lu Xingxue has failed, and she also called Assistant Yao… No need, really not necessary.

Assistant Yao waited for a while, and when Jiang Ci did not continue: “…You called Ms. Lu? Ms. Lu is now in the White Whale Museum, and her phone may not be turned on. If you have something to ask her, you can just come directly.”

Jiang Ci: “……”

Assistant Yao: “President Lu always comes to the White Whale Museum when she is stressed or in a bad mood.”

It was the first time Jiang Ci heard that Lu Xingxue had this habit. She tentatively asked Assistant Yao: “Did something happen?”

Assistant Yao: “There is something in the company.”

She hung up the phone, and pointed to a certain brooch and asked the clerk to wrap it. Soon, she was going to have afternoon tea with the piano agent she had arranged, so she walked to the taxi stop, and soon a car stopped. She opened the door, got in the car and said, “Aquarium.”

The aquarium in City G was invested in and created by the Lu Family, and the White Whale Museum occupied a very large area. Assistant Yao pointed Jiang Ci in the right direction, and Jiang Ci walked in and immediately saw Lu Xingxue.

The whole venue was very quiet. Jiang Ci actually wondered if it was open to the public today. The ceiling light glowed faintly blue, and the white whale swam alone behind the huge glass.

Lu Xingxue sat on the chair for visitors to rest, a silent silhouette.

One person, one whale, as if plunged into the deep sea.

Jiang Ci walked over, and the thick carpet drowned her footsteps.

Lu Xingxue looked at the beluga. She was focused, her eyes moved following the beluga whale’s trajectory, because she was so focused, she did not blink for a long time.

Jiang Ci tried not to make a sound and sat down beside her, but this slight act still startled Lu Xingxue.

Four eyes face each other.

Lu Xingxue: “Jiang Ci?”

“It’s me… Assistant Yao said you are here”, Jiang Ci paused, “It’s really quiet here.”

“Yeah.” Lu Xingxue looked at the beluga again: “It’s calm.”

Jiang Ci looked at Lu Xingxue’s profile, and realized for the first time that Lu Xingxue, who had lost her parents when she was a child, was so lonely that she came to such a depressing place when she was in a bad mood.

Jiang Ci didn’t know what to say, so she handed the gift bag to Lu Xingxue.

Lu Xingxue lowered her head: “…Is this for me? What is it?”

Jiang Ci: “You can open it and have a look.”

Lu Xingxue opened it in accordance with the words, and there was a jade brooch lying inside, and in the dim blue light, the engraved patterns could vaguely be seen.

“Thank you, I like it very much.”

As if to prove how much she liked it, Lu Xingxue took off the jade embossed one she was wearing on the spot and replaced it with the one given by Jiang Ci.

Jiang Ci watched Lu Xingxue carefully put the other jade into the box.

“Why are you giving me a gift?” Lu Xingxue suddenly turned to ask her.

Jiang Ci: “I just saw it, and it looked pretty, so I bought it.”

Lu Xingxue rubbed the corner of the box without saying anything.

After, Jiang Ci was going to have afternoon tea, and Lu Xingxue also had to return to the company, so the two left the White Whale Museum together, and Lu Xingxue took Jiang Ci to the cafe.

The agent, Mr. Qian, and a few other colleagues, had already arrived. Jiang Ci said, “I’m sorry to be late,” and then took a seat. Everyone immediately surrounded her: “What’s the matter? Why did I hear that you are married? Yes, Director Jiang, how have you concealed such a big matter like marriage from us for three years!”

Jiang Ci knew that it was the news from the lecture where they heard it, and smiled, conveying a tacit understanding.

Mr. Qian’s eyes widened: “Really married? I thought you deliberately fooled the group of students.”

Someone yelled: “Director Jiang, please tell me, who is the other party, why are you willing to step into the cage of marriage at a young age?”

“Unimaginable, unimaginable, who can be worthy of our talented Director Jiang?”

Mr. Qian guessed: “Is it in the industry? Or which pianist?”

Jiang Ci said helplessly: “Please let me go.”

She didn’t want to say it, so everyone laughed. Mr. Qian took out a few invitation letters and naturally changed the subject: “My wife will be holding an exhibition later, if you can both show your face, she will be very happy.”

Mrs. Qian is very fond of jewellery collection and has held several exhibitions in the past years. Jiang Ci was not interested in it, but she agreed with it awkwardly.

-

In the blink of an eye, it was early September, when Lu Xingxue’s celebrated her parents, Jiang Ci accompanied her to the cemetery early in the morning.

The cemetery is surrounded by mountains and rivers, and it had a unique environment.

Lu Xingxue took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the tombstone. The whole process was silent as the grave.

[T/N: I'm sorry, I had to. (๑•́ ₃ •̀๑) please forgive.]

Her parents died because of a shipwreck. She was only four or five years old that year. It was an age when she needed her parents’ care and love.

Jiang Ci accompanied her quietly, and stood behind Lu Xingxue, watching her thin figure.

Every year after leaving the cemetary, she would go to the house to visit Grandpa Lu.

Grandpa Lu is not in good health. He lives in a simple way and doesn’t like to see people. The house is quiet. The two walked through the stone path and met Grandpa Lu sitting in a wheelchair in the garden.

Grandpa Lu asked them: “Have you gone to worship?”

Lu Xingxue replied: “Yes.”

Grandpa Lu nodded and looked at Jiang Ci next to Lu Xingxue. Jiang Ci immediately said, “Grandpa.”

Grandpa Lu kindly said: “Good child.”

After a few gossips among the three, Grandpa Lu asked Lu Xingxue: “I heard that you are reorganizing the management, and you have replaced several board members in one go. Do you want to be promoted to the group executives?”

Lu Xingxue: “Have they come here to disturb you?”

Jiang Ci walked away consciously when she heard that they were going to talk about the company.

Aunt Yun, who has worked in the Lu’s house for decades, watched Lu Xingxue grow up. Seeing Jiang Ci walking aimlessly alone, she waved to her under the umbrella: “Ah-Ci, is it hot? Come on, and drink plum juice.”

Jiang Ci walked over and sat down, Aunt Yun poured her a glass, Jiang Ci tasted it, the sour plum juice after being iced, so sour and sweet, quenches thirst especially well.

Aunt Yun: “When she was a child, Xiaobai liked to drink the sour plum juice I made. Regardless of how much, she could drink it all at once.”

Xiaobai is Lu Xingxue’s nickname, but Jiang Ci never called her that because she was not intimate with her, just like Lu Xingxue always called her by her full name, “Jiang Ci”.

In this respect, both of them are very polite people.

Yun Yun said with a sigh: “She’s so big now. She looked cute when she was a child, I still remember.”

Jiang Ci looked at Lu Xingxue, who was in a black dress not far away, with her knees bent, talking to her grandfather, and asked Aunt Yun: “How cute was it?”

“Very cute,” said Auntie Yun, “She was very worry-free. Except, once I remember she sudddenly disappeared and drove the Lu family mad. Eventually, I found her in the afternoon.”

Jiang Ci: “Where did she go?”

Auntie Yun: “She said she was watching the ants on the stone bench by the garden, and while watching she fell asleep, and rolled into the bushes. We couldn’t see her, she was so small.”

Jiang Ci involuntarily smiled, and Aunt Yun continued: “You didn’t seen her. She was sleeping in a dazed manner, with grass dust on her hair, and all on her little face and arms there were indentations from sleeping. She wanted to apologize to everyone and say, “It’s all my fault, I secretly made friends with the bugs.”

secretly made friends with the bug…

Jiang Ci found that she could not equate the mature and restrained Lu Xingxue with the little girl described by Aunt Yun. But just by listening to the description, you can feel that Lu Xingxue in his childhood is so cute and as such, so painful because of her loss.

She drank a few more sips of sour plum juice. Aunt Yun saw that she liked it and said heartily: “If you want to drink it, come here often, and Aunt Yun will make it for you.”

The breeze blew her hair to her lips, and Jiang Ci slowly pulled away: “Okay.”

The two stayed to eat vegetarian food, and after the meal, Grandpa Lu asked them to come again during the Mid-Autumn Festival. When the time comes, some of his nephews and nephews from the Lu family will also come over, but Jiang Ci doesn’t usually see them.

Jiang Ci promised, but Lu Xingxue was still in low spirits on the way back.

Jiang Ci didn’t know what Lu Xingxue said to her grandfather, just looking at Lu Xingxue’s appearance, it was probably not a conversation that would relieve her.

From the sleepy and soft Xiaobai in the eyes of Aunt Yun, she grew into a firm boss who manages a large group. She has been under so much pressure all along the way.

The softest part of Jiang Ci’s heart seemed to be suddenly pierced by a needle.

Later that day, Jiang Ci opened the chat with Assistant Yao and sent her a message.

Thin sunlight spilled in from the car window, Lu Xingxue lowered her eyes, and her long eyelashes cast a thick shadow under her eyes.

The phone screen turned on, and Jiang Ci switched her gaze. It was Assistant Yao’s reply: “Ms. Jiang, the arrangements have been made. I will keep it secret.”

“Mid-Autumn Festival.” Lu Xingxue said without warning, Jiang Ci’s locked her phone and buckled in one go, and she met Lu Xingxue’s gaze.

Lu Xingxue: “Since I promised my grandpa to go to the Mid-Autumn Festival, let’s visit your parents in advance.”

[T/N: jiang ci closed her phone like i do when someone walks in on me reading steamy yuri LN, lol]

Jiang Ci has indeed not taken Lu Xingxue to the Tong’s house for a long time. Jiang Lin was very dissatisfied with this. Since Lu Xingxue took the initiative to mention it, Jiang Ci responded, “Okay.”

Lu Xingxue glanced at Jiang Ci, and then looked at her again.

Jiang Ci: “?”

Lu Xingxue: “Are you drying up? Your face is a little red. Would you like to pull down the visor?”

Jiang Ci: “……”

Jiang Ci pulled down the visor: “It’s really a bit sunny.”

Guys i swear i still can barely work wordpress…

Also if anyone wants to proofread (cough cough, free chapters) let me know on discord.

Anyway, thanks for reading!

If there are any issues please contact me on discord.

If you like my work, consider donating to my ko-fi.

Also, I’m thinking of setting up a goal to release a new chapter if I hit a goal on my ko-fi, probably like 20$ or something. The goal is out! It’s 15$ iirc, and I’ll try to release a chapter that day, if not the day after.

The edits to this chapter [beluga pavilion > white whale museum] were pointed out to me by 爱吃兔的现烤面包 (@YuYue623), thanks~!

|

Like this:Like Loading...

Related