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Chapter 60: Settling Accounts

Wei Kun was lean and pale, with slender eyes, a high-bridged nose, a neat little mustache, and thin, rather mean lips.

He was by no means ugly, and thanks to these looks he had been lucky enough to marry three times, but each wife had eventually divorced him because of his stingy, small-minded nature.

He also had two children, both living overseas now and completely out of touch with him.

“Uncle Wei, is it alright if I use the kitchen for a bit?” Lu Li asked as he opened the fridge and put the eggs inside.

“Go ahead, go ahead.” Because of the milk, Wei Kun said nothing more.

Lu Li surveyed the fridge from top to bottom and deftly took out the meat and vegetables inside.

Wei Kun glanced twice and asked, “Little Lu, can you really cook? Don’t waste the food; maybe I should do it instead.”

He reached out to put the meat back into the fridge.

Lu Li laughed and said, “Relax, Uncle Wei; kids from poor families learn early. Cooking a few dishes only takes a pair of hands.”

Lu Yao secretly rolled her eyes; heaven knew how she had survived the years of Lu Li’s terrible cooking… she rather admired her own toughness when she thought about it.

Wei Kun tried to persuade him again, but Lu Li was already thawing the frozen meat; putting it back now would only spoil it, so Wei Kun held his tongue.

“Uncle Wei, my sister’s and my longevity locks are still with you, right?” Lu Li asked casually while cooking.

Wei Kun’s brow tightened. “Of course they are. Why ask? We agreed you would pawn them with me and get three years of rent; you aren’t thinking of taking them back, are you? That won’t do!”

Wei Kun had no intention of returning those treasures; gold was nearly ¥600 per gram now, and the two pure-gold longevity locks weighed a full 3 taels, so with their fine workmanship they were worth close to ¥100,000.

Not to mention the jade bracelet and silver rings that were equally valuable… he was unwilling to give up any of them.

Three years ago he had struck it rich by trading that dilapidated room for the lot.

“No, no, I’m not asking for them. I just mean, Uncle Wei, please don’t sell the jewelry to anyone. We agreed that once I saved up ¥50,000 you would return them to me.”

If not for that agreement, Lu Li would never have pawned the jewelry at such a loss.

“Relax, they belong to you two, after all; once you have the money, I’ll certainly give them back.”

Wei Kun said the right words, but inside he snorted: Lu Li couldn’t even scrape together ¥5,000… saving ¥50,000 was pure fantasy!

Once something went into his belly, there was no way he would spit it back out!

Lu Yao watched Wei Kun’s expression and could already read part of his mind; she pouted and twisted the hem of her clothes with both small hands as if that could strangle him.

In a while Lu Li would finish cooking and he could kick the two unlucky brats out… Wei Kun was lying on the sofa thinking this when a fragrant smell drifted to his nose.

He lifted his head, sniffing, and saw Lu Li carrying two dishes while Lu Yao approached with bowls and chopsticks.

“Time was short, so I only made twice-cooked pork and fish-fragrant shredded pork. Don’t look down on them, Uncle Wei,” Lu Li said, setting the food before him.

Smelled pretty good… Wei Kun swallowed with a “gulp.” He still had not had dinner, and the aroma instantly whetted his appetite.

“Not at all… Little Lu, you worked hard. Sit, sit; Yaoyao, you too,” Wei Kun beckoned them to the table and immediately dug in with his chopsticks.

Lu Yao had been starving for ages and quickly shoveled rice into her mouth.

After tasting the delicious food, the hostility faded from Lu Yao’s pretty almond eyes and she temporarily let go of her grudge.

After eating, Wei Kun showered praise, the pallor of his vampire-white face now shining with grease. “Little Lu, your skills are first-rate! Heh, I have a restaurant that still needs a cook. How about coming over? I can offer you… ¥3,000 a month!”

Yong’an City, where the siblings lived, was a second-tier but relatively developed city.

Rent alone cost at least ¥1,600 or ¥1,700 a month, so a ¥3,000 salary was basically alms.

Lu Yao grew angry the moment she heard it; he was treating her dumb brother like a sucker and trying to cut another crop of leeks!

Lu Li was not annoyed; he simply waved a hand. “Uncle Wei, stop joking. I still have to attend university and have no time to work for you.”

Wei Kun felt a pang of regret; with Lu Li’s skill he could have replaced the cook who cost him ¥8,000 a month.

“Ahem, Uncle Wei, now that we’ve eaten, we should speak frankly,” Lu Li coughed twice and got straight to the point. “We agreed that if I paid the rent at the end of this month you wouldn’t evict us… that was your word, right?”

Wei Kun frowned; he knew Lu Li still wanted the room back.

Since he had just eaten their food, it was hard to find an excuse, so he admitted, “Yes, I did say that, but something new has come up.”

Lu Li pressed him. “What do you mean?”

Wei Kun sighed. “A renter came this morning looking for a place and took a liking to your unit. I didn’t want to agree at first, but she offered ¥5,500 for a quarter and wants to move in in two days. Little Lu, you’re so sensible; surely you understand your uncle’s dilemma.”

Lu Li nodded. “Of course I understand. My sister and I pay ¥5,000 for three months, and Uncle Wei thinks that’s too little.”

Wei Kun snorted. “Sigh, I’m a businessman; how can I not make money when someone offers it? Little Lu, try to see it from my side, too.”

“I understand,” Lu Li chuckled softly, “but wasn’t it a bit much to change the lock without a word? All our belongings are inside; you should at least give us the key so we can get our things.”

Wei Kun smiled and said, “Of course, I’m no scoundrel. I definitely don’t want your things.”

“With that assurance, I’m relieved,” Lu Li said, turning to Lu Yao. “Yaoyao, bring paper and pen.”

“Paper and pen?” Lu Yao blinked; she had no idea why her dumb brother wanted them, but she obediently took them from her backpack.

Wei Kun was equally puzzled, not knowing what trick Lu Li was playing.

Lu Li tore a sheet from his notebook, spread it on the table, bit off the pen cap, and smiled lightly. “Uncle Wei, Yaoyao and I are leaving; before we go, we should settle the accounts between us once and for all, don’t you think?”

Wei Kun frowned, sensing something ominous.

Lu Li cleared his throat and said seriously, “Uncle Wei, I want an honest answer. Before Yaoyao and I moved in, wasn’t the room you provided dilapidated and old, with ruined furniture and dead wiring and plumbing?”

“How can you call it dilapidated? It was just a little crude…” Wei Kun answered sheepishly, scratching his face.

Lu Li stared at him. “Search your conscience and tell me… was it or was it not a wreck?”

“Yes! So what if it was? People could still live in it!” Wei Kun snapped back, glaring.

Lu Li gave a gentle smile. “Good that you admit it, because I have quite a bill to settle with you…”

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