Chapter 45: Emotional Knot

On Saturday evening, Lu Li had booked a private room in a restaurant downtown, waiting for Lin You and Qin Lang.

When Qin Lang led Lin You in, Lu Li couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Qin Lang couldn’t stand it any longer and kicked him.

Lu Li snapped back to reality, awkwardly addressing Lin You “Sister, what do you want to eat? Order whatever you like.”

He handed Lin You the menu.

Lin You was surprised that he had changed how he addressed her. After so many years, almost no one had called her “sister.” It was hard to accept, and she frowned as she expressed her thoughts

“Just call me sister in law, I’m not used to this title yet.”

Lu Li immediately disagreed, “It’s fine, you’ll get used to it gradually.”

Lin You ordered dishes according to her and Qin Lang’s tastes and handed the menu back to Lu Li.

“Order what you want, too.”

Lu Li was not shy and ordered a few more dishes before handing the menu to the waiter.

Lin You felt very awkward and didn’t know what to say.

It was Qin Lang who broke the silence.

“Lu Li, your dad studied abroad for many years, right?”

“Yes, about ten years. I was born overseas. My dad insisted on going abroad because he was unhappy with my grandfather’s arranged marriage, and he married my mom while he was there.”

Qin Lang noticed the issue and asked directly, “But the Lu Group has been developing for over 50 years now.”

“It was initially founded by my grandmother. Back then, both my aunt and dad were unhappy with my grandfather’s forcefulness and left the Lu family. My grandmother couldn’t persuade anyone, so she focused solely on developing the business, and unexpectedly, it grew large.”

“Your grandmother is quite remarkable.”

Lin You chimed in, “How is your grandmother now?”

Lu Li was happy to hear her ask. It showed she was starting to accept the family connection, but he regretfully said, “She passed away three years ago. Before she died, she held a photo of my aunt and kept saying she was finally going to see her.”

Hearing this, Lin You felt very upset.

She had never understood her mother’s actions. It was one thing to follow her father, but why did she completely disregard her own parents, never visiting them in life or seeking their help in times of trouble, and not considering them at all when she passed?

Didn’t anyone besides her father deserve her affection?

Lin You felt sorry for her grandparents.

Qin Lang looked at her with concern, held her hand, and gently asked, “Yoyo, what are you thinking about?”

Lin You came back to her senses, held Qin Lang’s hand, and shook her head to indicate she was fine.

Seeing Qin Lang’s care for her, Lu Li thought he had been overly concerned.

He then asked, “For so many years, Dad has missed my aunt. I’ve never met her. What kind of person is she?”

Lin You glanced at Lu Li, lowered her eyes, and replied softly, “She was a person who valued love above all else.”

Qin Lang didn’t find this strange, but Lu Li thought it was odd “I think my aunt was a brave person.”

Lin You looked up at him, “Those who pursue love bravely are always great.”

Lin You didn’t respond, and Qin Lang shot Lu Li a glare.

Lu Li was puzzled, what was going on? It seemed like his sister didn’t like his aunt?

He turned and pulled out a tote bag, handing it to Lin You.

Lin You glanced at Qin Lang, and upon his nod, she opened it.

Inside was a black card along with an ordinary box. When she opened the box, it was filled with gold bars, each weighing 200 grams.

Qin Lang estimated there were at least fifty pieces, amounting to at least five million at current gold prices. No wonder Lu Li had said they had plenty of money.

Lin You glanced at it and was about to return it to Lu Li.

Lu Li refused and explained, “This was sent by my dad a couple of days ago for you as a meeting gift. Since I didn’t know what you would like, I thought cash would be the most practical, even if it seems a bit cliché.”

Qin Lang mocked Lu Li, “Cliché? It’s just too cliché.”

“There’s also something my grandmother left for my aunt. When you go to Kyoto, it will all be transferred to your name.”

Lin You handed the tote bag back to Lu Li, “I don’t need the money, and I rarely spend it. Thank your dad for his kindness.”

“My dad and grandfather left me quite a bit, really, it’s not necessary.”

Lu Li placed the tote bag back in front of Lin You, “What belongs to the Lin family is the Lin family’s, and this is our good intention. Don’t you want to acknowledge me?”

Lin You looked to Qin Lang for help.

Qin Lang accepted it.

Lin You was confused, looking at Qin Lang, not understanding his actions.

Qin Lang ignored her puzzled expression and continued to serve her food.

On the way back, Lin You stared out the window, not saying a word.

After arriving home, Qin Lang put the items in the wardrobe. Lin You found his actions very strange and directly asked, “Qin Lang, why did you accept it? Does our Qin family lack money? Besides, keeping so much gold at the station isn’t suitable, it could cause issues.”

Qin Lang turned back, pulled her down to sit on the edge of the bed, and gently asked, “Do you still not understand your mother’s actions back then?”

Lin You was puzzled, wondering what this had to do with her mother.

Qin Lang looked at her clueless expression and said, “After all these years, I actually understand your mother’s actions.”

“Why?”

“When a person loses their long standing support, they can lose the courage to continue living. I believe your parents saw each other as their only support during their lives.”

Lin You agreed with this. She remembered how loving her parents were, she often heard noise from her neighbors, but her home had never experienced such situations. Her dad was always incredibly considerate and gentle with her mom.

Nodding, she looked at Qin Lang, signaling him to continue.

“Your mother just couldn’t accept your father’s sudden passing. It doesn’t mean she didn’t love you, she loved your father more. If we all get angry because we weren’t chosen, it’s a punishment to ourselves.”

Lin You fell silent, resting her head gently on Qin Lang’s chest. She knew he was right.

Her mother’s choice to leave this world to be with her father didn’t mean she didn’t love her, she had told Lin You to be brave, to listen to her grandfather, and to find someone as excellent as her father in the future.

Thinking of this, Lin You couldn’t help but shed tears that soaked Qin Lang’s shirt.

Qin Lang looked at the woman before him, his heart softening. He lowered his head and gently wiped away her tears, then lovingly kissed her forehead. His eyes were filled with affection and warmth.

Qin Lang continued to explain:

“You also need other relatives, not just people from the Qin family. And Lu Li is a good person. I’ve investigated the Lu Group and found no illegal activities, which indicates that the Lu family has good character and style.”

After speaking, he gently lifted Lin You’s face, gazing into her eyes.

“Since that’s the case, why can’t we have one more friend?” Qin Lang asked with a smile, his eyes sparkling with determination. He wanted Lin You to understand that accepting the Lu family’s good will didn’t mean abandoning her own position and principles, but rather adopting an open and tolerant attitude.

Finally, Qin Lang emphasized again, “As for this gold, we truly don’t need it. If we refuse to accept it, it’s equivalent to not recognizing the Lu family. We can convert the gold into cash and donate the money to those in need or charitable organizations.”

His tone was firm and resolute, moving Lin You deeply.

After hearing Qin Lang’s words, Lin You felt that her previous thoughts had been somewhat one sided and narrow minded.

He was right, she should view this matter with a broader perspective.

So she nodded, indicating her agreement with Qin Lang’s suggestion.