Yue Jiao smiled faintly. “We’ll talk later!”
Her gaze shifted to the bright-eyed young girl. “Hua Rui?”
The young lady politely set down her phone. “Hello, Teacher Yue!”
“I saw the news about your engagement today.” Yue Jiao’s face still wore a faint smile.
Hua Rui glanced at Xie Mingchen. “Yes, Teacher Yue!”
“The ring is from your fiancé, right? This pink diamond is quite rare!” She looked at the ring on Hua Rui’s finger.
The young girl felt slightly uneasy.
This Teacher Yue wasn’t very familiar with her, yet kept asking about her personal affairs. She didn’t really want to answer.
“Teacher Yue, I should start tutoring Hua Rui now.”
“Alright! Mingchen, let’s make plans another day then!”
Yue Jiao smiled and left.
“Teacher Xie, did I interrupt your… date?” Hua Rui asked tentatively.
“Nonsense! What date!” Xie Mingchen’s tone suddenly turned stern.
Hua Rui pressed her lips together, unhappy.
“Alright, let’s start the tutoring first. After we’re done, I’ll buy you Wangji’s candied hawthorns.” Xie Mingchen’s voice softened.
“Two sticks!”
Xie Mingchen smiled. “Red bean paste and lotus seed paste.”
“Then let’s start tutoring!”
This was the Hua Rui that Xie Mingchen knew.
Though she was the precious daughter of the Hua family, one of the three giants in China, and had seen countless luxurious things in her life, she was never vulgar or arrogant.
On the contrary, she was gentle, kind, intelligent, and appreciated all the subtle beauties of the mundane world.
A simple stick of candied hawthorns could make the young girl beam with joy, her dimples sweetly showing.
He didn’t know how to proceed.
He was already 29 years old, a year older than Lu Jianshen.
From falling in love at first sight with little Hua Rui at 24 to now—a full five years!
For five years, he had watched the little girl slowly grow into a stunningly beautiful young woman.
The care he felt for her in every small detail had become part of his life; he couldn’t let go.
…
Around ten o’clock at night, a silver-gray Aston Martin sped along the road.
Many shops had already closed, but the sugar figurine shop was brightly lit.
Grandpa Tang hadn’t expected to receive a call from the second son of the Lu family, the wealthiest family in the country.
The man said:
Tonight, he wanted to come and make sugar figurines himself. Because tomorrow he would be flying to another country, and he didn’t want his little friend to have any regrets!
The man also politely asked Grandpa Tang if he had any wishes.
Having lived a lifetime, what passion could he still have for material things!
It was just that if no one inherited the craft of making sugar figurines, when he died, this unique skill would be lost forever!
The man said, “Rui Rui loves design! She could combine sugar figurines with clothing and accessories to create a Chinese-style brand. He could introduce the Chinese-style brand internationally.”
Grandpa Tang immediately slapped the table. “Good!”
He was also happy for that little girl.
When the wealthiest man pursued someone, it wasn’t just about throwing money around for show—he had truly put thought into it.
That man respected Hua Rui’s wishes in every way, coming in the middle of the night to make sugar figurines for her. This was what love should look like!
Lu Jianshen was dressed very formally, and he carried a strong scent of alcohol.
Clearly, he had just finished a social engagement and hadn’t even had time to change his clothes before rushing over.
“Grandpa Tang, sorry to disturb you! Time is limited today, so please teach me how to make sugar figurines directly.”
Grandpa Tang nodded slightly.
Second Young Master Lu is renowned far and wide, appearing at first glance truly noble and aloof, with a sharp edge that makes him difficult to approach.
Yet when he speaks, he is humble and courteous, displaying impeccable manners.
“Second Young Master Lu, what would you like to do?”
Lu Jianshen answered without hesitation: “Hua Rui and me.”
“Alright, follow me!”
Grandpa Tang finished stirring the syrup and prepared all the materials: “Ready, let’s begin!”
The clock ticked away, minute by minute.
Under the bright fluorescent light, a kindly old man and a dignified man worked earnestly, stroke by stroke, crafting sugar figurines in their hands.
Finally, after several failed attempts, the man stood up happily:
“Grandpa Tang, thank you, it’s finally done!”
By then, the clock had already struck twelve!
A silver-gray Aston Martin pulled up at the entrance of the Hua family’s old mansion.
Lu Jianshen glanced at the gold watch on his wrist—half past midnight.
He knew the little one would be asleep at this hour, but he had an early flight at around eight tomorrow morning.
The little one said she wanted to sleep in, so he wouldn’t have time to say goodbye to her!
After hesitating for a minute, he called Hua Wuque.
The man answered, half-asleep: “Ah Shen, calling so late at night, missing me?”
“Not missing you!” Lu Jianshen said firmly.
Hua Wuque instantly woke up, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth: “Then who are you missing?”
“My fiancée!”
Damn! Hua Wuque was about to die laughing—this old iron tree was blooming in the middle of the night.
“Go check if Hua Rui is asleep. I have something for her.”
“Wait here, brother. I’ll come to the gate to bring you in. It’s late at night—I don’t feel comfortable letting my little sister go out!”
A faint smile tugged at Lu Jianshen’s lips—even better! That way, he wouldn’t disturb the Hua family elders either.
Hua Wuque soon emerged, wearing his Yoohoo & Kitty pajamas and rubbing his eyes.
“Damn! Brother, dressed so formally in the middle of the night—is it really necessary?”
Hua Wuque looked at Lu Jianshen in his tailored suit and felt deeply impressed by his handsome appearance.
Then he glanced down at his own Yoohoo & Kitty-covered self and suddenly felt that there might be a reason he didn’t have a wife.
“Hurry up!”
“Haha, sneaking into the Hua mansion at night—feels like being a thief! Enjoying it?”
“Cut it out!” Lu Jianshen kicked Hua Wuque lightly. “Take me to see Rui Rui!”
Hua Wuque led Lu Jianshen to the second floor of the villa, stopping outside a room with a doorframe carved into a floral wall.
Hua Wuque knocked: “Rui’er, sweetheart, wake up!”
Lu Jianshen frowned—was “sweetheart” a nickname Hua Wuque could use? He didn’t like hearing it!
“Rui Rui, Hua Rui!”
“Stop calling!” A delicate voice sounded from inside: “Brother, what are you doing in the middle of the night? I’m not getting up!”
“Your fiancé is here to see you. Your brother was dragged out of bed in the middle of the night too!”
“Liar, Uncle went to meet the head of state!”
Lu Jianshen stepped forward: “Rui Rui, it’s me, Lu Jianshen.”
Inside the room, Hua Rui instantly woke up.
That deep, pleasant voice belonged to Lu Jianshen.
Why was Uncle here in the middle of the night?
She got up, found a long shawl to wrap around her fairy-themed nightgown, slipped on her cute soft slippers, and opened the door:
“Uncle, why are you here? Is it because I haven’t returned your suit?”
Lu Jianshen was momentarily speechless: “No! I came to say goodbye so I wouldn’t disturb your sleep-in tomorrow morning.”
Hua Rui looked up, her face bare, eyes bright and intelligent, skin soft and fair, gentle and enchanting.
“Uncle, are you leaving very early?”
“Yes! This is for you.”
He took out a pair of sugar figurines, carefully wrapped—one depicting a mature and steady man, and the other a beautiful, delicate young woman.
“They look quite similar,” the young woman laughed. “The man is Uncle, and the girl is Ruirui?”