Chapter 29
After afternoon tea, having promised Mrs. Zhang, Mrs. Xie instructed the driver to take her to Mount Peak Road.
This was the residence of the Xie Junyao brothers.
They had always been independent, having moved out from their parents’ home at an early age.
Mrs. Xie lived with her husband, Xie Chenggong, in Repulse Bay, in the grand mansion that Xie Junhao had purchased for them.
Had Lu Mingzhu visited, she would surely have discerned Xie Junyao’s intention in introducing himself as the buyer of Villa William: their home lay on the same road as her new residence, separated by only two houses. Yet their estate covered a far larger area, several times the size of hers. Countless lush trees screened two nearly identical white Western-style villas, creating an overall impression of grandeur and magnificence.
Yet there was little sense of life within.
Although numerous servants were present, each attended to their own duties with little interaction among them, rendering the great house profoundly quiet and desolate.
Upon entering, Mrs. Xie was delighted to find her youngest son at home.
He was on the phone with someone; whatever the other person had said made him laugh. His expression was tender, his eyes soft as water, enhancing the refined beauty of his jade-like features, so captivating that one’s heart could not help but yield.
Mrs. Xie was exceedingly proud.
She had borne them.
Not only was she born into a distinguished family and married well, but her womb had also proven fruitful.
Her eldest son would inherit the entire Xie family fortune, leaving all others to live at his mercy.
The second son is exceptionally handsome and talented, also a rising star in the business world.
Precisely because her two sons were both handsome and accomplished in their careers, the wealthy ladies who associated with her often curried favor, frequently inviting her for tea and mahjong in hopes of becoming her in-laws—and Zhang TaiTai was far from the only one.
There were even young women actively pursuing her sons, leaving the choice entirely up to her.
Rather than family background, she valued Zhang Baoyi’s academic credentials. With only a few hundred students at the University of Hong Kong amidst a population of approximately 2.2 million, gaining admission was a rare feat, testifying to Zhang Baoyi’s exceptional intellect. This would ensure common ground with her younger son and promise even brighter offspring who would surpass their parents in achievement.
Of course, another reason lay in the age-old matrimonial principle: “Marry daughters into higher families, but take wives from lower ones.” She hoped for a daughter-in-law from a humbler background who would be gentle, obedient, and respectful to elders, thereby avoiding any mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflicts.
A lower social standing implied less confidence, making such a person easier to manage.
Mrs. Xie had no intention of taking a high-born daughter-in-law who might rely on her natal family’s influence to undermine her authority as a mother-in-law; otherwise, she would lose face whenever she went out for tea or mahjong.
Seeing his mother arrive, Xie Junyao immediately spoke into the receiver: “It’s settled then; I’ll come pick you up tomorrow.”
He heard Lu Mingzhu laugh on the other end and say, “Alright.”
“You hang up first,” Xie Junyao added.
“Okay, see you tomorrow,” Lu Mingzhu said cheerfully before hanging up the phone.
Xie Junyao put down the receiver, then picked it up again to make another call: “Boss Kang, please prepare a bouquet of red roses for me tomorrow morning; I’ll come by to pick them up. Don’t make it all red roses—add a few white lilies as well.”
The other party readily agreed, and only then did he hang up the phone.
At the same time, he felt the sofa beneath him sink slightly; his mother had already seated herself on his left.
Recalling Mrs. Zhang’s mention of having custom jade jewelry made for her younger son, Mrs. Xie felt a secret joy rise within her, her expression softening. “Junyao, who were you talking to on the phone? You were smiling so brightly. Are you buying flowers to give someone? Who is it for?”
Xie Junyao did not answer, but instead asked in return, “What brings you here?”
Mrs. Xie chided playfully, “I’m your mother; can’t I come?”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t, but you should have given us advance notice, after all, my elder brother and I aren’t home every day,” Xie Junyao remarked, gesturing to the maid in a white blouse, black trousers, and a long braid to pour tea for her.
Mrs. Xie relaxed her brow. “I have something to tell you.”
“What is it?” Xie Junyao took a sip of tea.
Mrs. Xie told him about her agreement with Mrs. Zhang, then added earnestly, “Junyao, it’s time you took a wife. Your elder brother—my eldest son—I can’t control him; despite his age, he still refuses to marry and have children. Fortunately, there’s still you. Otherwise, wouldn’t the vast fortune he has earned simply fall into outsiders’ hands? Those mistresses your father keeps, along with their little brats, are all hoping that neither of you brothers will leave any heirs!”
Xie Junyao had not anticipated her intentions and flatly refused, “I won’t go! My affairs are none of your concern.”
Mrs. Xie frowned: “I am your mother; why shouldn’t I be concerned? Junyao, I’ve been through life myself; I’ve eaten more salt than you’ve eaten rice, and crossed more bridges than you’ve walked roads. Everything I say is for your own good.”
Faced with her earnest pleas, Xie Junyao remained cold and indifferent.
“What I detest most is someone claiming to act in my best interest while actually doing what benefits themselves.” His voice was icy, his eyes radiating a chill. “I already have a young lady I admire, and I am pursuing her. I do not wish for anyone or anything to interfere. Please call Mrs. Zhang immediately and tell her that whether she goes by Zhang Baoyi or Wang Baoyi makes no difference; I will not see her.”
Mrs. Xie was deeply displeased. “Which family’s young lady is this? How come I’ve never heard you mention her?”
“The reason I haven’t kept her hidden from you is that our relationship is open and aboveboard, with nothing to be ashamed of. You need not ask who she is; I owe you no explanation.” Xie Junyao rose to his feet, lowering his gaze to rest upon Mrs. Xie’s well-preserved face. “Just remain content as Mrs. Xie—isn’t that what you’ve always wished for? Do not meddle in matters concerning my elder brother and me.”
Mrs. Xie grew even more furious, rising to her feet as her eyes involuntarily reddened.
The maid standing nearby noticed this and quietly stepped back two paces.
Pretending to see nothing, to hear nothing.
But Mrs. Xie’s voice was shrill, beyond the control of any servant, as she shouted at Xie Junyao, “I am your mother! Can I not choose the daughter-in-law I prefer? By parental decree and matchmaker’s word, let me tell you, Xie Junyao: no woman shall enter the Xie family as my daughter-in-law without my consent! I forbid you from associating with those disreputable little seductresses or doing anything that would tarnish the Xie family’s honor!”
Xie Junyao said coldly, “What is so great about entering the Xie family’s gates? Are they that noble? I have no interest in them! You need not worry; neither my elder brother nor I reside at the Xie residence, so naturally she will never step through their doors.”
Then he added, “Your wishes are irrelevant. I do not wish to hear you utter such malicious words again, for harsh words can chill even the warmth of midsummer.”
“You…” Madam Xie was so enraged that her breathing became rapid, and she kept pounding her chest.
On the fingers of her right hand, which pounded against her chest, she wore three rings: a vivid green jade band on her middle finger, a large diamond ring on her ring finger, and a ruby ring on her index finger, all gleaming brilliantly and exceedingly splendid.
Xie Junyao directed the maid to assist but did not approach himself.
He simply stood there quietly, like a jade carving, devoid of any human warmth.
The maid’s movements were highly skilled, light yet effective.
Having caught her breath, Mrs. Xie, seeing that her threats had failed, immediately softened her tone and said sorrowfully, “Junyao, do you truly intend to worry me to death? How can a son defy his mother’s command? You are young and do not understand the schemes and tricks those little seductresses outside use to climb the social ladder; it is easy to be misled by them. You must wake up quickly and go meet the noble young lady I have chosen for you.”
“Please leave,” Xie Junyao said bluntly.
He instructed the maid, “Escort Madam to the car, and ask the driver to inform Master that if Madam continues to disturb my life, I won’t hesitate to speak with Eldest Brother about cutting next month’s living allowance for them in half.”
The maid lowered her head in acknowledgment, then reached out to assist Mrs. Xie. “Madam, please.”
Mrs. Xie’s face instantly flushed crimson; she yanked her hand away from the maid and shrieked, “Xie Junyao!”
Xie Junyao replied coolly, “Because you and Father gave birth to and raised my elder brother and me, we honor and support you. However, you should not exploit your status as parents to command or control us. Since you have maintained the appearance of a harmonious family before outsiders for so many years, I urge you to continue doing so; it is for everyone’s benefit. I am currently pursuing the young lady I love. Should I discover that anyone in the Xie family is secretly scheming behind my back, I will not hesitate to put righteousness above familial ties.”
As he spoke, a stern expression crossed his face, revealing an unmistakable hint of murderous intent. He was utterly unrecognizable compared to the gentle young man Mrs. Xie had encountered upon entering.
Mrs. Xie dared not test her son’s patience and could only storm off in a huff.
Xie Junyao sank onto the sofa, exhaustion etched across his face.
To be born into a twisted family is a tragedy.
His father, Xie Chenggong, was incorrigibly promiscuous, constantly flirting with women everywhere. Yet he hypocritically played the part of a virtuous gentleman in public, luring countless young women to throw themselves at him recklessly. Some he took as concubines; others he seduced and then callously abandoned.
In front of outsiders, Mother was elegant and composed, never losing her grace; before her husband, she was gentle and submissive, treating him as her entire world; in the presence of her parents-in-law, she was exceedingly filial, fulfilling every duty expected of a daughter-in-law; even toward her husband’s concubines, she carried herself with the authority of a proper mistress. Yet only in front of her son did she resemble a madwoman, flying into rages at the slightest provocation, beating or scolding him without mercy.
The only one she bullied was Xie Junyao.
Since Xie Chenggong was unreliable, Xie Junyao’s elder brother, Xie Junhao, was raised by his grandparents from a young age under their care. As a result, Mrs. Xie could hardly get close to him; perhaps, too, her illness was not yet severe at that time.
Xie Junyao was born late; Mrs. Xie had him at thirty-four in an attempt to win back her husband.
Perhaps her illness had become very severe: the better she behaved before outsiders, her husband, and her parents-in-law, the more wildly she raged before her son. From birth until the age of three, there was not a single unbruised patch of skin on Xie Junyao’s body; it was all hidden beneath his clothes. Mrs. Xie told everyone outside that she personally cared for her son, never delegating to others nor allowing anyone else to hold him. Each time, she would shut herself away with him in the room, beating and scolding him where no one could see. Once, she nearly strangled him to death; fortunately, Xie Junhao, who had returned to visit his younger brother, discovered it in time and intervened.
Xie Junhao once sent her abroad for treatment, diagnosing it as a psychological illness, but the therapy yielded little improvement.
Later, Xie Junhao directly moved his younger brother into his own courtyard, entrusting him to a trusted confidant and preventing Mrs. Xie from approaching. After relocating from Shanghai to Hong Kong, they first stayed temporarily in two tong-lau buildings, then purchased two plots of land to construct new houses—one at the Peak and another midway up the mountain—so they could live separately.
Xie Junhao never married; he raised his younger brother as if he were his own son, always believing that his own negligence had caused his brother to suffer so greatly.
Xie Junyao had never blamed his older brother. Having gone abroad to study at sixteen and returned four years later with his degree, he took over the family business from their grandfather. Buried under work from dawn till dusk, it was only natural that he failed to notice their mother’s peculiar behavior.
Who could have anticipated it?
In all of Shanghai, who does not know that Master Xie Chenggong and his wife share a loving marriage, with harmony between the principal wife and concubines, a capable eldest son, and a multitude of sons born to concubines? Their entire family lives in joyful unity, envied by all.
Her gloomy mood vanished without a trace the moment she saw Lu Mingzhu the next day.
She wore a bright red jumpsuit with a sweetheart neckline, cinched at the waist by a string of white pearls. Her skin was as fair as snow, her figure tall and slender. Her smile was bright and radiant, like glowing clouds at dawn; her whole being exuded warmth and vitality, almost dispelling every shadow in the world.
She possessed both captivating charm and an air of refinement beyond the ordinary—beautiful down to her very bones.
Xie Junyao couldn’t help but smile. After getting into the car, he asked her, “What made you think of inviting me to watch a Cantonese opera? I thought you preferred Shaoxing opera.”
Sitting there, Lu Mingzhu understood.
“Cantonese opera” and “Yue opera” sound identical in Chinese but are written with different characters.
She smiled. “I’m writing a Cantonese opera script based on the story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai for Ruyi Film Company’s call for submissions. I hope to finish it before school starts, so today I went to the theater to gather some inspiration.”
Xie Junyao noticed only one thing: “Going to school?”
“Yes!” Lu Mingzhu wore an expression of distress. “In Shanghai, I graduated from high school and received my university admission notice, but my father and eldest brother insisted that I attend the University of Hong Kong. I bent my pride for a meager livelihood; now that I’ve passed the interview, I must enroll. The thought of having to spend another three years at university, studying day and night with relentless diligence, makes my whole body ache.”
“Doesn’t that mean our chances to meet will be greatly reduced?” Xie Junyao immediately felt uneasy.
Lu Mingzhu nodded. “We can only meet during holidays!”
Xie Junyao quickly came up with an idea: “I’ll escort you to school and pick you up every day; that way, we can see each other daily.”
Lu Mingzhu tilted her head to look at him, her eyes shimmering. “Won’t that be too much trouble? You have your own life and your own work; you shouldn’t waste your time on pick-ups and drop-offs. I can take the bus myself.”
She had noticed that there were bus routes connecting Hong Kong University with Shap Pat Heung Road and Sassoon Road in Pok Fu Lam, as well as routes linking the university with Peak Road.
In short, transportation is very convenient.
In fact, the security along this route is a hundred times better than in other areas.
After all, it’s an affluent neighborhood.
“It’s no trouble at all; I’d be happy to,” Xie Junyao said with utmost sincerity. “You traveling back and forth alone every day makes me worry about your safety. I’ve never had much confidence in Hong Kong’s public security.”
Lu Mingzhu pressed her lips together in a smile and deliberately asked, “In what capacity would you be?”
Xie Junyao felt a slight stir in his heart and suddenly gathered the courage to ask her, “Boyfriend? Is that possible?”
“I have very high standards for a boyfriend!” Lu Mingzhu replied.
Xie Junyao immediately said, “Just tell me, and I’ll abide by it. I will definitely become the most perfect boyfriend under heaven.”
Lu Mingzhu wore a mischievous smile. “I won’t say; I want to see how you perform.”
Without another word, Xie Junyao pulled a small heart-shaped red velvet ring box from his pocket, flipped open the lid with a flick of his hand, and revealed a ring crafted of gold inlaid with jade and set with pearls.
The interior of the band was solid red gold, while the exterior featured a smooth jade ring encircling it, flanked on both sides by a continuous row of tiny, perfectly round seed pearls along the edges.
The vivid green of the jade gleamed brilliantly alongside the lustrous pearls, exuding exquisite elegance and opulence.
Lu Mingzhu raised an eyebrow. “What’s this?”
“Eldest Brother prepared it for me. He said my grandfather purchased it from Grandfather Lu years ago; it was a treasure from the Qing Imperial Collection. After Grandfather gave it to Grandmother, she wore it for many years. On her deathbed, she handed it to Eldest Brother, instructing him to save it for his grandson’s wife.” As Xie Junyao spoke, he slipped the ring onto the middle finger of her right hand; it was still a bit loose.
In truth, what he most wanted was to place it on Lu Mingzhu’s ring finger, but the ring’s size was slightly too large.
Lu Mingzhu raised her hand to examine the piece for a moment. “The Qing Palace truly held an immense collection! Most of the antique treasures I helped Mr. He authenticate at Citibank yesterday originated from the imperial court.”
Xie Junyao smiled and said, “It is said that Empress Dowager Cixi’s jewelry and precious stones could fill over three thousand sandalwood chests.”
“So many!” Lu Mingzhu exclaimed with envy.
Cixi—now there was the ultimate, most devoted connoisseur of jadeite imaginable!
Throughout history, no one has ever been able to compare to her.