Back when the two had decided to marry, Mo Hanzhou had given Lu Qiao a supplementary bank card linked to his own account. When he handed it over, he didn’t have any particular thoughts it was simply something he felt he should do, just as others did.
However, Lu Qiao was a well-behaved boy. Every day, he obediently stayed at home, watching dramas, playing games, and teasing Yu Jiadong, without spending a single cent.
Giving him this card was like an ordinary family giving their child a hundred yuan there was no desire to make a big deal out of it. As a result, none of the assistants knew about it until today, when it finally revealed its power.
The assistant stared at the consecutive transaction records from the morning:
“One million,” “three million,” “eight million,” “eighty thousand”!
Oh, what’s this? Only eighty thousand?
By the end, the assistant even felt a hint of indifference.
The next second, he suddenly snapped out of it. Hesitantly, he looked toward Fang Zhongbai’s direction and slowly walked over. “Manager Fang, could you take a look at this.”
Fang Zhongbai’s eyes quickly scanned the phone screen. “Got it. Leave the phone here and go back.”
The assistant scurried back to his seat. Fang Zhongbai placed the phone aside, organized the materials for the upcoming meeting, and then knocked on the office door.
“Come in.”
Fang Zhongbai walked in with the documents, placed them on the desk, and didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he said, “Young Master Lu went out and bought quite a few things today. I wonder if any of them are for you, Mr. Mo.”
“Is that so? What did he buy?”
Mo Hanzhou took the phone from him with interest. In addition to the bank card transaction records, there were also purchase confirmations from various brands. Mo Hanzhou glanced at them casually and chuckled.
“Why did he even buy a jade pillow? And what’s this white diamond couple’s pendant?”
“You may go.”
He waved his hand dismissively, then turned and called his newlywed spouse. The phone rang only a couple of times before it was quickly answered.
“Hello.” The boy’s soft, gentle voice came through the phone.
Mo Hanzhou laughed. “Why did you even buy a jade pillow? Are you planning to sleep on it in the summer?”
“I don’t know.”
Lu Qiao replied with a tone of utter confidence. “It looked really nice.”
And it felt comfortable too.
Mo Hanzhou laughed again. “Alright then, take your time shopping. Buy whatever catches your eye.”
“I know.” That was exactly what he was doing.
“By the way, sir, are you coming home for dinner tonight?”
“Of course.” The man’s tone was teasing, as if he were joking with a child. “It’s only the second day of our marriage. Of course I’ll come home to have dinner with my wife.”
“Great!” Lu Qiao’s voice was filled with joy. “Then I’ll wait for you! Sir, focus on your work. Don’t let personal matters interfere with your job.”
What a sensible and considerate wife. Mo Hanzhou shook his head with a smile, hung up the phone, and returned to work.
On the other end, after a morning of shopping, Lu Qiao had grown tired of it. His excitement had subsided, and the material purchases had filled the emptiness inside him. Now back to his normal state, he was ready to stop and have some snacks.
He only brought a driver who doubled as a companion, strolling through the mall openly and without any attempt to hide. After his extravagant spending spree, quite a few people had noticed him.
On the second floor, two elegantly poised women with an air of nobility leaned against the transparent railing, watching the man swaggering below.
The younger woman asked, “Is that the newlywed wife of the Mo Group’s CEO?”
The word “wife” carried a hint of laughter, but it was far from kind.
A slightly older woman, around forty, flashed a look of disdain in her eyes.
“Exactly him.”
Although same-sex marriage had been legalized in the country, for most people, relationships between individuals of the same gender were still considered “abnormal.” Moreover, the Lu family wasn’t so much marrying off their son as they were blatantly selling him.
A man, who should have been establishing a family and building a career, had been abandoned by his own family he must have been utterly useless. At least his face was still somewhat presentable.
The younger woman smiled sweetly. “I saw him buying quite a few things. It seems Mr. Mo must be very fond of him.”
The older woman’s face briefly showed a hint of dismissiveness. “With Mo Hanzhou’s health, having someone.”
She abruptly cut herself off. After all, as someone in their social circle, she knew what could and couldn’t be said. She immediately covered her mouth, then smiled gracefully and elegantly, straightening her clothes before calmly stepping forward.
“Let’s go greet Mrs. Mo as well.”
Downstairs, Lu Qiao was walking through the lobby when two women suddenly appeared before him.
“Hello, Mrs. Mo.”
A well-maintained lady, her eyes brimming with a smile, spoke up. “I didn’t expect to run into you here, Mrs. Mo.”
Lu Qiao tilted his head slightly, looking at the two of them. “And you are?”
“My surname is Sheng, and this is Mrs. Chen. My husband and I attended your wedding with Mr. Mo just yesterday. I never thought we’d meet again today.”
“What a coincidence indeed,” Lu Qiao nodded blankly, then looked at them with a puzzled expression. “Is there something I can help you with?”
Mrs. Sheng’s gaze swept over the bags in his hands most luxury items could be delivered directly to one’s home, as it was hardly fitting for wealthy ladies to carry shopping bags themselves. However, some smaller items could be taken along. Lu Qiao wasn’t used to handing his things off to others, so he simply carried them himself. Whatever Mrs. Sheng imagined, her tone grew even more enthusiastic.
“Mrs. Mo, why are you out alone? Where is Mr. Mo?”
“He’s at work.”
“Working the day after the wedding?” Mrs. Sheng exclaimed in surprise, covering her mouth, then quickly added in a comforting tone, “Well, there’s no helping it. Men are always busy with their careers it’s different for us.”
Lu Qiao replied, “Ah? Oh, right.”
“…”
Seeing his lack of reaction, the woman felt a slight disappointment but quickly regained her composure. “Since we’ve had the chance to meet, Mrs. Mo, if you have nothing else to do, would you like to join us at a nearby gallery?”
“The Dong family’s daughter recently invited many renowned artists from home and abroad for a public exhibition at a gallery nearby. Why don’t we go take a look?”
Having wandered around for a while, Lu Qiao was already feeling a bit bored. Without much thought, he agreed, “Sure.”
The gallery was indeed nearby, just a ten-minute drive away. When they arrived, the entrance could be described as bustling with activity. As it was a free exhibition featuring works by many famous artists, quite a few people had come to see it.
Although the crowd was sizable, the atmosphere inside was quiet, with only occasional hushed discussions in front of the paintings, filled with a strong artistic ambiance. In contrast, the central lounge area felt much more relaxed. Many people sat at tables, sipping coffee and flipping through exhibition brochures, while a few gathered in small circles chatting. A graceful and serene young woman in her twenties was greeting them.
“Jingyi!”
Dong Jingyi stood up, nodding apologetically to her friends, and stepped forward, saying:
“Mrs. Sheng, Mrs. Chen, you’ve arrived.”
“Of course we had to come and support Jingyi’s event. Oh, by the way, this is Lu Qiao, the other main character from yesterday’s century wedding.”
“So it’s Mr. Lu. I only caught a glimpse of you from afar at the wedding yesterday. I never expected to meet you in person today.” Dong Jingyi responded with grace and poise.
Mrs. Sheng glanced around and remarked, “It’s quite lively today, with so many people here. I just spotted Master Liu from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in the crowd. As expected of Jingyi, when you handle things, they’re always so reliable.”
“You flatter me. It’s all thanks to my friends’ help that I was able to organize this event.”
“Ah, but you deserve credit too. This place has been lifeless for so long. With your event, someone might just take an interest in the gallery.”
The gallery’s owner was a friend of Dong Jingyi’s who later moved abroad. Despite hiring several professional managers, the gallery remained in decline. Now that the owner wanted to sell it, no one was willing to take it over. Dong Jingyi hoped this event would help more people see the gallery’s potential.
While she exchanged pleasantries with Mrs. Sheng, Lu Qiao curiously looked around, flipping through a booklet with keen interest. Mrs. Sheng watched him and suddenly brightened, saying:
“Perfect, Mrs. Mo, you’re not currently working anywhere, are you? If you’re free, why not buy the gallery? It seems like you really enjoy this kind of thing.”
In wealthy circles, there’s an unspoken rule: the idle sons and daughters of families who can’t contribute to the family business by a certain age are sent abroad to “gild” their resumes and return as so-called painters or musicians. Especially with painters not only do outsiders struggle to understand their work, but even experts often disagree, leading to heated debates. As long as someone is willing to spend money to promote them and stir up some hype, they can quickly become “rising artists.”
With the title of “artist,” running a gallery and being labeled an “artistic entrepreneur” sounds impressive, but in reality, it’s just a way for families to give them something to do with a bit of money, keeping them far from the core of the family business.
Mrs. Sheng appeared to be offering a solution for Dong Jingyi, but she was subtly mocking Lu Qiao as nothing more than a pretty face with no ability to support himself, entirely dependent on Mo Hanzhou a useless ornament.
Her suggestion was purely meant to stir up drama and ridicule, but to her surprise, Lu Qiao rested his chin on his hand, thought for a moment, and nodded seriously, saying:
“That makes sense.”
“Really?!” This time, it was Dong Jingyi’s turn to be pleasantly surprised.
“It seems quite interesting, but I’ve never tried it before. I’m not sure if I can succeed.”
“That’s alright. I’ll help you get started. Actually, after the New Year, I’ll be going abroad to study, so I need to find someone to take over the gallery as soon as possible.”
“Alright then, I’ll give it a try.”
“Wonderful!” Dong Jingyi beamed with joy.
Lu Qiao disliked dragging things out. Once he made a decision, he wanted to transfer the money and sign the contract immediately. However, Dong Jingyi explained that there were procedures to follow and lawyers to consult. They agreed to discuss the details another day, and for now, only a partial deposit was paid.
“Thank you so much, Mrs. Sheng, for bringing Mr. Lu here!” Dong Jingyi expressed her gratitude as they were about to leave.
“I was really worried, but I never expected Mr. Lu to be willing to take over. I’m so grateful!”
“No need to thank me.” Lu Qiao replied with a cheerful smile.
“I never expected that stepping out would turn me into a gallery owner, but it seems quite interesting. I also want to thank Mrs. Sheng and Mrs. Chen.”
Mrs. Sheng and Mrs. Chen exchanged a glance, offering awkward yet polite smiles.
Meanwhile, on the other end, Mo Hanzhou stared blankly at the latest message that had just popped up on his phone. What exactly was a gallery?
Had Lu Qiao bought a gallery?