Watching the female approach, Lu Xia searched through the original owner’s memories and identified the other’s identity—Duke Lan Ya, who often hung out with the original owner. Because they were similar in age and shared the same rotten tastes, they frequently kept each other company while causing trouble.
Seeing the other walk in with familiar ease, Lu Xia spoke up: “You came just in time. I plan to restart the Yihao Yuan research institute recently and am short on funds. Invest some.”
She spoke straightforwardly and naturally, as if she weren’t asking for money but simply commenting on the nice weather.
Duke Lan Ya couldn’t help but widen her eyes, looking at Lu Xia in disbelief: “Have you gone mad? Not mismanaging things would already be making money for you—don’t mess around!”
Clearly, even Duke Lan Ya, who shared the same rotten tastes, didn’t trust Lu Xia’s business acumen.
Lu Xia naturally knew this was a legacy issue left by the original owner.
“This time, you can invest with peace of mind. If we make money, I’ll share the profits with you according to your investment ratio.” Lu Xia’s expression was serious, not at all like she was joking.
Lan Ya stared at her for a long while: “Wait, you’re serious? What are you thinking?”
For her, it was truly unexpected that her playmate, who had always fooled around, suddenly started striving for progress.
“I just don’t want to keep drifting aimlessly anymore. I want to do something proper. How about it—interested in joining me?” Lu Xia curled the corner of her lips, looking like she was actively inviting her.
From the original owner’s memories, she knew Duke Lan Ya’s family was wealthy. Rather than letting Duke Lan Ya use that money to fool around outside and bully males, it would be better to put it toward something worthwhile.
“How much do you want?” Duke Lan Ya was somewhat tempted by Lu Xia’s serious demeanor, but she was also worried about losing money. After all, after so many years of keeping each other company, she knew Lu Xia better than anyone.
“Let’s start with 5 million. If it’s not enough, we’ll talk later.” When Lu Xia said “5 million,” her tone was as casual as if she were saying “5 dollars.”
“That much!” Duke Lan Ya was shocked. She had thought at most 1 or 2 million would be enough. She never expected Lu Xia to ask for 5 million right off the bat—and that was just “to start with.” In other words, this 5 million might not even be enough. “What exactly are you planning to do? Are you sure you won’t lose money?”
“Any business venture carries risks. I can’t guarantee it will be foolproof, but I can promise you that this time, I’m serious.”
Hearing this, Duke Lan Ya wavered again: “Alright then, I’ll go back and prepare to transfer it to you. But what exactly are you going to do?”
The research institutes under Duke Lu Xia’s family had indeed been profitable in the past. But after the previous duke passed away and Lu Xia took over, they declined almost in a straight line until they shut down. Now that Lu Xia wanted to revive them, Duke Lan Ya felt uneasy inside, yet she also couldn’t help thinking: What if? What if Lu Xia actually succeeded? Then she would make money along with her!
“You don’t need to know the details for now. It’s definitely a profitable venture. Hurry up—I can only wait two days. If you can’t gather the funds in two days, I’ll find another way.” Lu Xia acted as if Duke Lan Ya wasn’t her only option, forcing Duke Lan Ya to take this matter seriously. She even felt a sense of urgency, as if missing this opportunity would mean there wouldn’t be another. Nodding, she assured her: “Alright, I understand. I’ll go back and prepare right now.”
Watching Duke Lan Ya hurry away, Lu Xia thought the initial 5 million investment should be sufficient.
She hadn’t expected today’s visit to yield such an unexpected gain.
The gardeners the old butler had found worked with remarkable efficiency. By the time Lu Xia left, the cleaning of the garden was already complete. Barring any unforeseen issues, trimming and replanting could begin tomorrow.
Compared to the garden’s renovation, hiring specialized researchers was far more troublesome. However, Lu Xia wasn’t overly concerned. As long as the salary and benefits were attractive enough, she believed people would come. As the saying goes, money can make the devil turn the millstone. No matter where you are, there will always be those who bow to reality.
So, whether her reputation was good or bad wasn’t an issue at all.
After returning from Yihao Yuan, Lu Xia felt unusually fatigued. She hadn’t done anything strenuous—just walked a few steps. The original owner’s physical condition was truly abysmal. It seemed necessary to start exercising.
Rubbing her sore shoulders, she returned to her room, planning to relax with a hot bath. Unexpectedly, she fell asleep in the tub.
When she woke up and saw Grace kneeling beside the bathtub, for a moment, it felt like she had returned to the previous night’s dream, startling her. “Why are you here?”
As she moved, she realized the water in the tub had grown cold. Had she slept that long?
Grace was holding a towel, clearly prepared for her. “I just returned. The butler said you hadn’t come down for dinner and was worried, so he asked me to check on you. I only intended to help you out. Soaking for too long in cold water could lead to a cold.”
Lu Xia reached out and took the towel from his hand. “Understood. You can leave now. I can manage on my own.”
Hearing this, Grace stood up from the floor. “Call me if you need anything. I’ll be right outside.”
Lu Xia nodded. As Grace was about to turn away, she couldn’t help but add, “Don’t kneel casually in the future. I don’t like it.”
She truly couldn’t stand this habit of kneeling at the drop of a hat. It made her feel like a slave owner.
Grace’s back stiffened as he walked away, clearly taken aback by Lu Xia’s words. Without turning around, he simply replied softly, “Alright.”
It wasn’t an illusion. The more opportunities he had to interact with Lu Xia, the more naturally he could sense the differences between her and the rumors.
Of course, there were many Females who were skilled at putting on an act. Grace had encountered those who appeared amiable in public but revealed a demonic side in private.
But Lu Xia was the opposite. While her public reputation was poor, in private, she was nothing like the rumors.
Grace couldn’t understand. If Lu Xia wasn’t the kind of person the rumors made her out to be, why did she present herself that way? Could it be that Duke Lu Xia had some unspeakable difficulties?
Though he speculated, Grace dared not let his guard down. Being deceived wasn’t the worst part; the real fear was being deceived after giving one’s heart.
Lu Xia quickly dressed and stepped out of the bathroom. The nap had eased some of her fatigue, but she had little appetite.
However, Grace’s behavior that evening was acceptable. He didn’t stand stiffly by her side during the meal but knew to sit down and eat with her. This saved Lu Xia a lot of unnecessary explanations.
After dinner, Grace seemed to have nothing of his own to do, constantly hovering around her. He was quiet and didn’t speak much, but the feeling of having someone by her side no matter what she did was unpleasant. Finally, Lu Xia turned to the man and asked, “Don’t you have anything of your own to do?”
Grace was slightly taken aback, as if he hadn’t expected Lu Xia to ask such a question. After a moment of silence, he replied, “Do you not require my service?”
As the lowest-ranking Husband-Attendant in the household, all his actions were to prioritize the female master. The needs of the female master always came first. So, regardless of his status or position outside, once he returned home, he had to ensure that whenever Lu Xia needed him, he could appear immediately, always on standby.