Inside the Ye family villa in the Yujing Haoting villa area.
Ye Wenhan and Lu Xuan were discussing matters related to the branch company and the collaboration between the two families in the study.
Meanwhile, Ye Xiaorou was pulling her mother aside to talk about her recent experiences.
She was undoubtedly satisfied with Lu Xuan.
Compared to Jiang Yufeng from her previous life, who never touched her, Lu Xuan appeared gentle and considerate.
Of course, there were also aspects she wasn’t happy about.
Unlike Jiang Yufeng, who had bought a villa to live separately, Lu Xuan hadn’t moved out on his own.
The entire extended family was crammed together in an old mansion.
Although the old mansion wasn’t small, with so many people, there were inevitably more conflicts.
A biased mother-in-law, a meddling and narrow-minded sister-in-law, and the younger brother’s family were no better either.
In just three days since her marriage, she had endured quite a bit of frustration.
Whenever she felt like making a scene, Lu Xuan would gently comfort her, saying things would get better over time. After all, they were his mother and sister, and he asked her to be patient for now.
When Ye Xiaorou shared these grievances with Sun Yuan, she couldn’t help but shed a few tears.
Sun Yuan sighed with both anger and sadness, “Back then, I wanted you to marry into the Jiang family, but you refused. Now, you’ve gotten your wish and married into the Lu family.
But look at the Lu family—what kind of people are they? Nothing but trouble!
If you had married into the Jiang family back then, none of this would have happened.
Look at Ye Ximeng—she’s living so well now!”
Ye Xiaorou couldn’t stand hearing about Ye Ximeng’s good life. Without even wiping her tears, she retorted stubbornly, “It’s all an act. She must be pretending.
She must have signed a marriage of convenience agreement with Jiang Yufeng. They’re not a real couple now.
She’s just putting on a show in front of us.
Besides, marrying Lu Xuan is only difficult for now.
But he’s so considerate.
And in the future, Lu Xuan is sure to make a big splash in the business world.
Once Lu Xuan succeeds, let’s see if that whole Lu family still dares to pick on me. I’ll put them in their place!”
Sun Yuan could only sigh quietly to herself.
She still didn’t have much faith in Lu Xuan or the Lu family.
Instead, recalling Ye Ximeng’s radiant appearance when she returned home during the day, Sun Yuan was already starting to regret letting her daughter marry into the Lu family.
Ye Xiaorou wiped her tears and brought up another matter, “Mom, do you have any money on hand? Could you give me some?”
Hearing this, Sun Yuan was immediately shocked, “On your wedding day, not counting real estate and shares, your father and I each gave you five million in spending money—a total of ten million. With so much money, have you already spent it all?”
Ye Xiaorou lowered her head and said, “Lu Xuan has a guaranteed investment project he wants to pursue, but he’s short on funds.
So I gave him the ten million to help out for now.
Lu Xuan said that in just six months, he’ll return the principal plus interest, totaling fifteen million.”
Sun Yuan asked with some concern, “Is Lu Xuan’s investment project reliable?”
Ten million might not have been much to the Ye family during its peak.
But now, the Ye family’s incense-making business was on the decline, getting worse year by year.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have had to arrange marriages for both daughters.
“Don’t worry, Mom. Lu Xuan is absolutely reliable. In the future, he’ll lead the Lu family back to being the top family in the capital’s elite circles!” Ye Xiaorou spoke with unwavering certainty.
Sun Yuan sighed again, clearly lacking her daughter’s confidence.
She then asked, “Besides the ten million your father and I gave you, don’t you have any savings of your own?”
Ye Xiaorou clasped her fingers: “I originally had some, but after marrying, expenses increased and it was all spent.”
Some things she dared not say—over the years, Sun Yuan had never shortchanged her when it came to money.
The savings in her hands, all combined, amounted to nearly two million.
Because she had two million for miscellaneous expenses, she dared to invest one million in Lu Xuan right away.
She just hoped that when Lu Xuan rose to success, he would remember her kindness.
But that day, after being criticized a few times by her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, to prove she wasn’t stingy or poor, she took them shopping at the mall.
She thought one shopping trip would cost at most ten or twenty thousand.
Yet she never imagined her sister-in-law and mother-in-law were like two bottomless pits, completely treating her as a fool.
Unfortunately, the words had been spoken and couldn’t be retracted.
After a day of shopping, not only had her two million savings been depleted, but she had also overdrawn nearly one million on her credit card.
That night, she told Lu Xuan about it, hoping he would stand up for her, return the items, and reclaim the money.
But Lu Xuan blamed her for boasting, saying spoken words were like spilled water—they couldn’t be retrieved. He said one must be honest and keep promises.
Ye Xiaorou felt aggrieved, thinking her mother-in-law and sister-in-law were shameless, how could they treat their daughter-in-law like this?
After arguing a few times, Lu Xuan ignored her.
Only the next day, when she softened her stance and said she wouldn’t dwell on it, did Lu Xuan continue to engage with her.
All these things naturally made her feel wronged.
But whenever she thought about Lu Xuan becoming the most successful businessman, the wealthiest in the capital circle,
leading the Lu family to become the top family in the capital circle, and she herself becoming the envy of everyone as the first lady of a wealthy family,
just thinking about these things made her feel all the grievances she endured now were worthwhile.
Sun Yuan took a bank card from the drawer and handed it to Ye Xiaorou, saying: “This is what I’ve saved over the years, over five million. This time, spend it carefully.
If you spend it all, I won’t have any more either.”
…
Shallow Water Bay Villa Area.
Jiang Yufeng bought a villa next to the wedding house.
After sending Ye Ximeng back to the wedding house, he returned to the villa he had purchased.
As soon as he entered the villa’s door, he felt a difference.
This villa had a similar layout to the wedding house villa.
The decor was quite nice too.
But upon entering, it lacked that rich, relaxing fragrance that made him feel at ease both physically and mentally.
It was just missing some scent, yet somehow, psychologically, he felt a certain… indescribable sense of loss.
After tidying up a bit, he went to shower and then began to light incense.
He used incense before, but mostly stick incense.
Perhaps seeing Ye Ximeng always use incense powder to make incense seals, he also chose incense powder for the Goose Pear Bedroom Incense and Snow in Spring.
Since it was evening, he planned to light Goose Pear Bedroom Incense.
His technique for making incense seals wasn’t as skilled as Ye Ximeng’s, but it was passable.
The incense powder ignited.
Sweet pear fragrance, accompanied by floral and fruity scents, spread.
A very relaxing scent, just like what he smelled at Ye Ximeng’s place.
Some subtle part of his heart seemed filled, yet not completely.
It wasn’t yet time to sleep, so he brought a scripture and quietly read.
When reading the scripture’s discussions on views of men and women, gender perspectives, his mind occasionally flashed with Ye Ximeng’s figure.
But it quickly passed, and he continued to study the scripture carefully.