AWB Chapter 9 respectively
Chapter 9 respectively
Lou Zhenhua's eldest son was waiting on the main road outside the dock with three cars. When he saw Lou Zhenhua and his men disembarking, he quickly led the dockworkers to meet them. The dozen or so men finished unloading in less than ten minutes.
After everything was loaded into the car, Lou Zhenhua sat in the front passenger seat, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the stitching of the leather seat, his face beaming with undisguised pride.
Just moments ago, he was an ordinary family crammed into a third-class cabin on a passenger ship, but now he's riding in a luxury car worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, heading to a detached villa in Repulse Bay. This leap in status made him unconsciously raise the tone of his voice.
"Xiao Lin, don't let the remote location of this villa fool you, the environment is absolutely amazing. There's a beach and the sea right behind it, the environment is so much better than in the city."
Lou Zhenhua glanced back at Lin Zhou, his tone tinged with a hint of smugness, "I had my son buy this house before. We haven't lived in it much in the three years we've had it. It's perfect for us to settle down now. We'll buy a villa in Deep Water Bay later."
Lin Zhou sat in the back seat, his gaze sweeping over the car's interior: the genuine leather sofa seats, the spotless floor mats, and the crystal pendant hanging from the windshield, refracting delicate sparkles in the sunlight. This family, simply by getting into a luxury car and preparing to move into a spacious villa, had completely transformed their aura.
Several cars quickly arrived at their destination. The villa was indeed impressive. The ornate wrought iron gate slowly opened, revealing a neatly trimmed lawn and a central fountain bubbling with water. The white European-style building with floor-to-ceiling windows looked just like a scene from a movie.
Lou Zhenhua got out of the car first, walked around the yard with his hands behind his back, and occasionally said something to his eldest son. His demeanor was nothing like that of a wealthy man who had just fled from the mainland.
In the following days, the changes in the Lou family became even more apparent. Tan Yali completely abandoned her previous simple attire, and every day she wore high-end suits and high heels as she strolled around the villa, the diamond ring on her hand and the pearl necklace around her neck so dazzling that it was hard to keep one's eyes open.
She no longer chatted with Lin Zhou about everyday matters like she did on the ship. Now, her eyes always held a scrutinizing quality when she spoke, as if Lin Zhou were some kind of outsider she needed to be wary of.
Lou Zhenhua was busy with social engagements, leaving early and returning late every day, always smelling of alcohol and cigars. Occasionally, when he ate at home, he would always say that he had wasted his time in the north and wished he had come here sooner, his regret impossible to hide.
His gaze toward Lin Zhou gradually shifted from politeness to contempt. How could a poor boy who needed his help to get his ID card, who had no house, no car, no job, and no connections, be worthy of the current Lou family?
Only Lou Xiao'e still retained some naivety. She would pull Lin Zhou for walks in the yard, chattering about what she bought while shopping that day, and asking Lin Zhou what he wanted to do in the future.
While on the ship, the two often chatted together. Lin Zhou was knowledgeable and his stories about local customs and traditions always captivated Lou Xiao'e.
At that time, Lou Zhenhua and his wife saw this and not only did not stop it, but were happy to see it happen. After all, they were just an ordinary family at the time. Lin Zhou was young, steady, and good-looking. If he could get together with their daughter, it would be a good match.
But things are different now. Tan Yali had hinted at this more than once at the dinner table: "Xiao'e is now a proper heiress. She'll have to be careful when she looks for a partner in the future. It's important that they're from similar social classes." As she spoke, she glanced at Lin Zhou intentionally or unintentionally and muttered softly, "Some people, without a solid foundation, are ultimately unreliable."
Lou Zhenhua chimed in, "Yes, Xiao'e, your status is different now. You can't be as casual as before. Even if you were married before, you're still our Lou family's precious daughter. Not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can lay a finger on you."
Lin Zhou remained silent, eating slowly and deliberately, as if he hadn't grasped the underlying meaning of their words. He knew in his heart that this family's mindset had long since changed.
The intimacy on the ship was merely mutual comfort confined to a small space; now that they have achieved great success, they naturally want to draw a clear line.
He never had any romantic feelings for Lou Xiao'e. His behavior on the ship was simply because the long journey was too boring and he wanted to find someone to chat with to pass the time.
That evening, Tan Yali specially called Lin Zhou aside, led him to sit on the sofa in the living room, poured him a cup of tea herself, and put on a fake smile: "Little Lin, you've seen our family's current situation. Xiao'e is our precious daughter, and we'll definitely find someone worthy of her in the future."
Lin Zhou held his teacup, his fingertips pausing slightly. He didn't speak, not knowing what Tan Yali was planning to do, so he waited for her to finish.
Seeing that Lin Zhou remained unmoved, Tan Yali continued, "You are a good young man, down-to-earth and steady. If you don't mind, why not consider marrying into our Lou family? In the future, you will naturally have a share in our Lou family's business, and you won't have to work so hard anymore." As she spoke, her eyes carried a hint of charity, as if this was a great favor to Lin Zhou.
Lin Zhou raised his head and looked calmly at Tan Yali: "Aunt Tan, thank you for your kindness. However, my ambitions lie elsewhere; I still want to try my luck on my own."
Tan Yali's smile froze for a moment, then returned to normal, though her tone held a hint of impatience: "It's good for young people to have backbone, but they also need to face reality. Without connections or resources, it's difficult to establish yourself in this city. After all, this is a capitalist society, a paradise for the rich and a hell for the poor!"
Lin Zhou didn't respond further. He got up, thanked the staff, and returned to his room. His room was spacious and bright, with lush trees outside the window, but he had no interest in appreciating them. He knew it was time to leave.
A day later, Lou Zhenhua used his connections to get Lin Zhou an ID card. The moment Lin Zhou received the card, he breathed a sigh of relief, which meant that he could finally officially settle down in this city and begin his plans.
So that evening, Lin Zhou specifically sought out Lou Zhenhua and his wife to express his intention to leave: "Uncle Lou, Aunt Tan, thank you for taking care of me during this time. My ID card has been processed, and I want to go out and explore on my own tomorrow."
Lou Zhenhua was sitting on the sofa reading a financial newspaper. Hearing this, he didn't even look up, but just waved his hand and said, "Oh? You're leaving? Don't you want to stay a few more days?" There was no sincerity in his tone to persuade him to stay, and he didn't even get up, as if Lin Zhou was just an insignificant passerby.
Tan Yali, who was flipping through a magazine, raised her eyes upon hearing this and said, "That's good. Young people should go out and gain experience. If they don't do well in the future, they can come back and visit." Her words were polite, but they carried a hint of condescending condescension.
Lin Zhou smiled, not caring about their attitude. After all, he was able to get here because of their family's connections.
"Thank you, Uncle Lou and Aunt Tan. I will come to visit you again when I have the chance."
The next morning, only Lou Xiao'e heard that Lin Zhou was leaving and said she wanted to see him off, her face full of reluctance: "Lin Zhou, be careful out there. If you encounter any trouble, be sure to tell me. My dad knows a lot of people now, and maybe they can help."
Lin Zhou's heart stirred slightly. He hadn't expected that among this family, only Lou Xiao'e retained her initial kindness. He smiled and nodded in agreement, "Okay, I will. You take good care of yourself too. Don't always try to imitate your parents' empty promises; just be yourself."
Lou Xiao'e nodded vigorously, forcing a smile: "Lin Zhou, let me see you to the door."
Lin Zhou did not refuse and followed her to the villa entrance. Lou Xiao'e stood at the door, watching Lin Zhou's back, and said softly, "Lin Zhou, you must come back to see me when you have time."
Lin Zhou turned around and waved to her: "Don't worry, I will."
After saying that, Lin Zhou turned around. He didn't look back, nor did he linger in the villa. This family was merely a temporary stop in his life. His future lay in a wider world, not in depending on anyone else.