Chapter 69

On He Cheng’an’s birthday, Lu Yun woke up early and made him a bowl of noodles.

It had been a long time since Lu Yun had been in the kitchen, but that didn’t mean she had forgotten how to cook; the noodles were delicious, and He Cheng’an drank up the soup as well.

Lu Yun said, “Let’s invite Zhang Hao and the others tonight and go to the hotel. I’ve already booked a private room there.”

Although He Cheng’an had always said that a hot pot meal was enough to celebrate his birthday, he was still pleasantly surprised to hear that Lu Yun had reserved a private room at the hotel.

This was something He Cheng’an had never dared to imagine before, yet instead of feeling that these gestures had become insignificant, he found joy in them each time.

He wanted to spend his life with Lu Yun like this.

As they were leaving, He Cheng’an attached the two keychains he had bought the day before—one to his own keys and the other to Lu Yun’s.

The two were sweetly attached to each other, and He Cheng’an dropped Lu Yun off at the store before going off to tend to his own business.

—o—o—o—

That evening, when Lu Yun and He Cheng’an arrived at the hotel, He Cheng’an asked her who would be coming.

Lu Yun only mentioned Zhang Hao and his group, and she didn’t know about anyone else.

When they reached the door of the private room, He Cheng’an pushed it open and was taken aback.

Inside the room, the Lu family had all gathered, along with Zhang Hao and his companions.

Most of these people were those who had been working under He Cheng’an during this time.

When everyone saw Lu Yun and He Cheng’an, they began to cheer, and some even clapped.

“Happy Birthday!”

“Happy Birthday, Cheng’an.”

“Happy Birthday, Mr. He.”

“Happy Birthday, brother-in-law.”

He Cheng’an and Lu Yun held each other’s hands tightly.

Unable to contain his emotions, He Cheng’an looked at Lu Yun with eyes full of tenderness. He leaned closer and whispered in her ear, “I really like this. I’m so happy.”

The group enjoyed a lively meal together. Lu Yun typically didn’t drink, but this time she had about half a bottle of beer, which was just enough to make her feel a little tipsy.

Moreover, there was another piece of good news that delighted Lu Yun: Zhang Meili and Lu Dong planned to resign and move to the provincial capital, while Lu Xiang’an and Zhou Nuan expressed their intentions to develop in the provincial city as well.

As for Li Ling and Han Jiangang, they didn’t need to be mentioned; they had already bought a house in the suburbs of the provincial capital.

—o—o—o—

On the way back, everyone refrained from disturbing He Cheng’an and Lu Yun because it was He Cheng’an’s birthday.

Earlier, when everyone had asked Lu Yun what gift she had prepared for him, she had said she would give it to him when they got home.

Zhang Meili and the others were temporarily staying in Lu Yun’s other apartment at Seagull Garden.

Once they returned home, Lu Yun hugged He Cheng’an and looked at him. “He Cheng’an, happy birthday! My birthday gift for you is a secret—a secret of mine.”

Lu Yun could have chosen to keep it to herself, to continue their lives without revealing anything, but she still wanted to tell He Cheng’an.

Perhaps it was because of what Chen Zhiqiang had said, or perhaps it was because Lu Yun wanted a relationship where they could share everything without holding back.

She gazed into He Cheng’an’s eyes and recounted everything about the book and the system.

As she spoke about the content of the book, she felt a wave of sadness wash over her, and she noticed He Cheng’an’s shoulders tremble slightly.

He Cheng’an said, “Ah Yun, even so, we will end up together. I will find you and stay by your side.”

Lu Yun smiled. “I think that will be the outcome too.” Then she seriously asked, “Will you regret it?”

He Cheng’an shook his head. “If that’s really the case, then when I came out, even if you were just feeling sorry for me or trying to make it up to me, I would still think it was worth it.”

—o—o—o—

Zhang Meili and Lu Dong were planning to move over, but they still needed to take care of things in the county.

The two of them were busy until September, at which point they formally resigned from their jobs at the factory. He Cheng’an and Lu Yun went to the county to pick them up and bring them to the provincial capital.

Lu Yun understood why they were willing to come, so once they returned to the provincial city, she immediately took them to two newly opened stores.

One of Lu Yun’s new shops was located outside a state-owned shopping center, and the other was near Rose Garden.

The apartment in Rose Garden had also been renovated; it was a spacious three-bedroom unit, allowing them to stay wherever they wanted.

Lu Dong asked Lu Yun, “Should we handle the house in the county?”

Lu Yun quickly replied, “Just leave the house in the county as it is.”

She was still waiting for the area to be redeveloped. Even if that didn’t happen, the housing prices would rise.

Thinking about this made Lu Yun suddenly want to buy more properties.

While Zhang Meili and Lu Dong were familiarizing themselves with the store, Lu Yun took the opportunity to purchase three more large apartments at Seagull Garden with He Cheng’an.

The staff at the sales office watched them with calm expressions. “As usual, it’s under Miss Lu’s name.”

He Cheng’an looked at Lu Yun and nodded, “Yes, it’s still under my wife’s name.”

Although both Lu Yun and He Cheng’an were doing well in business and making good money, Lu Yun still loved buying properties; she found it incredibly reassuring.

As they walked out of the sales office, Lu Yun felt immensely happy.

Who would have thought that she could directly buy three apartments?

When Zhang Meili and Lu Dong learned about what the two of them had done, they were momentarily speechless.

Zhang Meili exchanged a glance with He Cheng’an, thinking that he was really indulging Lu Yun.

Who buys houses like this, just going to the sales office without even looking and buying three units outright?

However, Zhang Meili didn’t say anything; after all, the properties Lu Yun and He Cheng’an purchased had indeed increased in value.

—o—o—o—

During dinner, they decided not to go home to eat, as that would require cooking. Instead, they dined out.

After they arrived at the hotel and ordered, Lu Yun let He Cheng’an choose the dishes, while Lu Dong joined in. In the private room, Lu Yun and Zhang Meili discussed various matters related to their stores and the situation in the county.

Lu Yun asked, “When are my brother and sister-in-law moving over?”

Zhang Meili replied, “Your eldest brother values his pride. He can’t just come to the provincial capital relying on you, his little sister. Besides, now that he’s married, he can’t bring his wife along to depend on you either. They’re figuring out how to do business, but when he does come to the provincial city, you’ll need to support him a bit.”

Lu Yun laughed, “Sister-in-law’s personality is pretty good these days.”

Zhang Meili didn’t expect that Lu Yun would immediately understand what she meant after her statement.

Lu Xiang’an wouldn’t be polite with his sister, but it was about Zhou Nuan.

Although Zhou Nuan had a good temperament now, Lu Xiang’an couldn’t let her feel that they needed to rely on Lu Yun and He Cheng’an. Given their relationship, Lu Yun and He Cheng’an would also need to help them, which was why they were in this position.

Moreover, Lu Xiang’an didn’t really mind helping out everywhere. If Lu Yun ever found herself in a situation where she couldn’t assist, would Zhou Nuan think Lu Yun was at fault? Therefore, if they wanted to continue living as they did now, Lu Xiang’an’s approach was indeed the right one, as it was for long-term consideration.

Additionally, Lu Xiang’an didn’t rely on Zhou Nuan’s family for help; he did everything himself.

Zhang Meili commented, “She has a good personality.”

They perhaps had low expectations of Zhou Nuan, but she surprised them.

In their efforts to maintain a harmonious life, Lu Xiang’an and Zhou Nuan were also diligently working to uphold that life without their knowledge.

Soon, He Cheng’an and Lu Dong returned. One had ordered dishes that Lu Yun liked, while the other had chosen those that Zhang Meili enjoyed.

When they got home that evening, Lu Yun took the keys and added them to the keychains she shared with He Cheng’an. Of course, they didn’t usually carry those keys around; they primarily used the keys to their home.

As Lu Yun looked up, she saw He Cheng’an gazing at her. She smiled and asked, “What are you doing?”

He Cheng’an bent down and softly said, “Watching my wife.”

Lu Yun teased, “Who’s your wife?”

He Cheng’an answered, “Lu Yun.”

—o—o—o—

At the end of 1991, Lu Yun and He Chengan each bought a mobile phone. Since Lu Yun managed all of He Chengan’s money, it was hard to say who technically paid for the phones. But in Lu Yun’s mind, she had bought her own mobile phone—so she took full credit for it.

Lu Yun still remembers that when she first opened her store, she dreamed of one day earning enough money to buy mobile phones for both herself and He Chengan.

She also recalls their old pagers and how they’d communicate when they were apart—one in the provincial capital and the other in the county—making calls on snowy days.

When He Chengan returned home, his face was lit up with excitement. As he came over to hug her, Lu Yun wondered if Zhang Hao had let it slip that she’d bought a phone.

But she quickly dismissed the thought, remembering she’d specifically asked Zhang Hao not to tell him.

Incidentally, Zhang Hao also bought a mobile phone. After all, he had made good money working with He Chengan and trusted Lu Yun’s advice completely. When she suggested he buy a house, he followed her advice without hesitation, just as he did with all her recommendations.

Lu Yun reached out and took out a mobile phone. “Look, what is this?” she said with a smile.

He Chengan glanced at it. “A mobile phone.”

“Yes, a mobile phone,” Lu Yun confirmed, laughing.

In response, He Chengan kissed Lu Yun several times, then pulled out a document. “And look at this—what do you think this is?” he asked.

Lu Yun looked closely and realized that it was a villa purchase contract. Overjoyed, she hugged He Chengan tightly. “It’s a villa!”

To celebrate Lu Yun’s purchase of her first mobile phone, He Chengan had bought her a villa. The two decided to celebrate, and He Chengan went to the kitchen to prepare a meal. Meanwhile, Lu Yun stayed outside, testing out her new phone by calling his number. Though He Chengan was busy cooking, he turned around as soon as he heard his phone ring.

“Hello, Ah Yun,” he said, smiling.

Lu Yun’s lips curled up. “It’s me, He Chengan.”

The two locked eyes across the room, and He Chengan said softly, “Ah Yun, I love you.”

Lu Yun covered her mouth, smiling. “Chengan, I love you too.”

—The End—