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Chapter 59: Milk That Knocked on the Door

Before their car accident, Lu Li’s parents were social elites and the family was comfortably well-off.

After Lu Li and Lu Yao were born, the couple had two solid-gold longevity locks made for them, each weighing several taels and very expensive.

People always say boys should be raised frugally and girls richly, so Lu Yao’s treatment was even better; besides the longevity lock, she also had a jade bracelet and silver rings to wear when she grew up.

The unlucky uncle who ran off with the family fortune never thought about these few pieces of jewelry.

They were the last keepsakes their parents left, and no matter how hard it became, Lu Li never thought of pawning them.

Yet when the landlord asked for them, Lu Li finally chose to compromise.

All the jewelry was traded for the right to use a shabby room for 3 years.

The room was certainly no good place; it received no sunlight, grew mold every rainy season, and had never been rented out.

In terms of pure value, it was nowhere near as valuable as the jewelry.

But Lu Li did not dislike it; however bad it was, it was still better than sleeping on the street.

The siblings tidied it up, aired it out, scraped the rotten wall paint, replaced the broken beds, repaired the faulty utilities, and lived there safely for 3 years right up to today…

Lu Li pulled the key from the lock, put it back into his pocket, and his face darkened.

Last time he had begged and groveled like a grandson to get one promise from the landlord… that if the rent was paid by month-end they would not be kicked out.

Yet now it was not even mid-month and the landlord had already pulled this stunt, which was rather heartless.

“Brother, what do we do now?” Lu Yao clutched Lu Li’s arm; seeing his grim face, she dropped the nickname “dumb brother.”

What the landlord had done was clearly meant to force the siblings onto the street.

Lu Li patted Lu Yao’s little head and smiled, “It’s fine, don’t worry; old Wei is a real money-grubber, and I have my own way to deal with him.”

“Wait here for me a bit; I’ll go to his place and guarantee he’ll open the door for us.”

Lu Yao felt much calmer after hearing Lu Li’s words.

Her brother was always like that; although he never said exactly what he would do, once he promised, he always made it happen.

“Brother, can I go with you?” Lu Yao looked at Lu Li plaintively.

“Sure.” After thinking it over, Lu Li agreed; it was already late and he did not feel safe leaving Lu Yao outside alone.

The landlord, Wei Kun, also lived in this complex, but in the villas at the front rather than the economy apartments at the back.

Holding Lu Yao’s hand, Lu Li left the compound; instead of heading straight to Wei Kun’s house, he entered a supermarket.

He strolled around the store and bought a case of the most expensive milk, 2 jin of apples, and 2 jin of eggs.

“Brother, what are you buying these for?” Lu Yao asked, puzzled.

Lu Li chuckled, “For old Wei.”

“For him?” Lu Yao wrinkled her little nose. “I don’t think he deserves such good milk.”

Lu Yao still resented Wei Kun for “snatching” her jewelry, and even when Lu Li bought her milk he only chose the cheap but cost-effective kind, never anything this good.

Apples and eggs were still affordable so she could barely accept them, but that single case of milk cost over 200 yuan and she really could not bear it.

She knew Lu Li had always pinched every penny, so spending more than 200 yuan at once was something she had never even dared to imagine.

“He may not deserve it, but the house we have maintained for 3 years does.” Lu Li gave no further explanation, paid the bill, and carried the goods toward Wei Kun’s home.

Lu Yao volunteered to carry the eggs with her left hand and then took Lu Li’s now-free left hand.

The siblings exchanged a smile, as if remembering how they had depended on each other years ago.

Lu Li was already familiar with Wei Kun’s home; last time he had clung to the door and begged for ages before the man finally opened it.

Stopping in front of the door, Lu Li let go of Lu Yao and stepped forward to knock.

Soon a muffled voice came from inside, “Who is it?”

“Uncle Wei, it’s me, Little Lu,” Lu Li replied amiably.

“Tch.” Wei Kun still did not open the door; he only gave a cold laugh. “I knew you’d come, kid. Ha, stop pestering me… I’m not giving you the key to the new lock.”

“Uncle Wei, could you open the door so we can talk?”

“No need.”

Lu Li stayed calm and said without servility or arrogance, “Uncle Wei, didn’t we agree last time that if I paid the back rent by month-end you would let us keep living there?”

Wei Kun let out a string of cold laughs. “I only agreed because I felt sorry for you and lost my head! You’ve owed 3 months’ rent and still couldn’t pay; now you say you can cover it this month… who would believe that?”

“Little Lu, don’t blame your uncle for being ruthless; I’ve already given you 3 months’ grace because I pitied you two, but you just don’t have the ability to pay.”

“Heh, I’ve already found new tenants who will move in in a couple of days; even if the sky falls, I won’t hand over the key to the new lock.”

“Yes, yes, you’re right; who said I came to ask for the key?” Lu Li suddenly changed the subject.

“Heh, my sister and I know you’ve helped us a lot, and since we’re leaving we wanted to give you a gift and cook a meal to thank you for looking after us these 3 years.”

Lu Yao grew anxious… what did her dumb brother mean?

Weren’t they here to get the key? Why were they suddenly not asking for it?

Were they really going to sleep outside tonight?

Lu Yao couldn’t figure it out, yet she did not mess things up.

After all, she did not hold out much hope; given what she knew of Wei Kun’s stingy, freeloading, thick-skinned nature, he might not even open the door, much less hand over the key.

Inside, Wei Kun rolled his eyes; he knew the siblings’ finances best, and although Lu Li doted on Lu Yao, he only let her drink milk once a week… what kind of gift could Lu Li afford?

Any meager offering they brought would only be an eyesore in his home.

“No need to give anything; your uncle doesn’t need it, just take the stuff back,” Wei Kun said disdainfully.

Lu Li sighed. “Uncle Wei, few people are as kind as you. Alright, Yaoyao, I’ve never tasted milk that costs over 200 yuan; let’s go back and drink it ourselves. The fruit and eggs will make a nice dinner.”

“Great, great.” Lu Yao broke into a smile; that way the food would not be wasted.

“Milk that costs over 200 yuan?” Wei Kun’s ears perked up and he hurried to the peephole to peek outside.

Perhaps by coincidence, Lu Li lifted the milk right then, allowing him to see the brand clearly through the peephole.

“Whoa, it’s an imported premium brand!” Wei Kun’s eyes lit up; he was not short of money, yet he had never brought himself to spend over 200 yuan on milk.

With a click, the door opened from inside and Wei Kun walked out with a grin.

“Hey, hey, Little Lu, we’ve known each other 3 years; since you’re leaving we must have a farewell meal. Come in, come in, Uncle Wei will cook for you.”

Pretending to be “warm and hospitable,” Wei Kun grabbed Lu Li’s arm and pulled him inside.

“That doesn’t seem right,” Lu Li said awkwardly. “We’re already troubling you so much; how could we let you cook for us?”

“Don’t be embarrassed. If you refuse, you’ll be treating your uncle like an outsider. Come on, come on.” Wei Kun took the milk from Lu Li’s hand and walked back inside.

“Well… alright. But Uncle Wei, you mustn’t cook this meal; as the younger one, how could I let you labor?”

“Hey, you’re the guest… how can I make a guest cook?”

“Uncle Wei, don’t stand on ceremony. I just learned two new dishes; they’re so good you’ll want to swallow your own tongue.” Lu Li chuckled, turned to the stunned Lu Yao, and asked, “Yaoyao, why are you standing there in a daze? Hurry up and come in.”

“Oh, okay.” Lu Yao lowered her head, stepped into the house, and closed the door.

She glanced at the milk in Wei Kun’s hand and could not understand it.

“He let us in just for that single case of milk?”

Wei Kun’s behavior once again refreshed her understanding of the phrase “taking advantage.”

Lu Yao looked up at Lu Li chatting and laughing with Wei Kun and suddenly felt her dumb brother might really get the key back…

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