Chapter 81

The main reason for the father and daughter to return to Kunming was to attend the wedding of Master Wei Wu's daughter-in-law in Zhaotong. On this day, Lan Yingde, wearing a dark blue velvet gown, and Yueming, wearing a plum red jacquard pearl xiangyunsha cheongsam, went to the villa of Master Wei Wu's family on the edge of the lake for a banquet.

Both father and daughter were good-looking and had not returned to Kunming for many years. As soon as they entered the villa, they attracted enthusiastic attention.

The wife of Master Wei Wu was very happy to see Yueming and pulled her to sit on the sofa in the middle. Seeing Yueming had grown quite pretty after not seeing her for a few years, she said with a mixture of regret and joking, "I let you run around and never come back. Now, your brother Xining can't wait to marry you first. Only brother Xian is left. Do you want one?"

Yueming just smiled and said nothing as she teased him. The concubine from the Fifth Master's family came to her rescue and said, "Madam, didn't you see the ring on little Ayue's hand? It's so bright and dazzling that it dazzles people."

Her words drew everyone's attention to Yueming's hands. Her nails were lightly polished, their pink nails shimmering with a faint halo. On her slender, pale fingers was an emerald ring set with diamonds. The square gemstone was simply cut, like a piece of candy.

The ladies took Yueming's hand and examined it carefully, exclaiming in amazement: "This must be a genuine Colombian Muzo. There's not a trace of yellowing at all. It's really beautiful. It's so big, it must be five carats, right?"

Mrs. Wei put her arm around her shoulders and said comfortedly, "I was worried your father would arrange a random marriage for you in the countryside, but now I'm relieved. Just looking at this ring, I can tell you his family is quite wealthy."

The atmosphere on the women's side was lively, but on the men's side the atmosphere was a little solemn.

Uncle Wei Wu said angrily, holding a cigar in his mouth: "The Japanese are becoming more and more rampant. They have been sending planes for reconnaissance and bombing since the year before last. It's only a matter of time before they come to attack this area in the southwest."

Lan Yingde sighed and said, "I also read about the bravery of the Yunnan 60th Army at Taierzhuang in the Siamese newspapers. They are truly worthy of being Chinese men with their iron will."

The newly appointed chief of the provincial police station in Kunming asked Lan Yingde, "Nowadays, families with a little bit of money are sending their children to Europe. What are your plans? Do you really want to settle down in that remote and impoverished place?"

Lan Yingde was truly troubled by the thought. "I had thought that Siam had friends and family to look after them, and business was going well, so I thought I'd send them there after they got married. It's also convenient for travel to England and France. But Japan has been showing goodwill to Siam over the past few years, probably planning to attack China from the surrounding areas. The Burmese have long been dissatisfied with the British and are clamoring for independence. Alas! In this world, there's no place in the world where children can eat in peace."

Wei Wuye suggested, "Why not send it to Europe? If that doesn't work, then the United States will do. The Americans have been getting nervous in the past two years. The Japanese can't do anything about them for the time being."

"Let's wait and see. Let them get married first before we discuss other things. My in-laws are used to being local tyrants, and I'm afraid they won't want to let their son go."

In this chaotic world, everyone is like grass. The group of people sitting here have already entered the upper class, but the country is weak and the enemy is strong. They don’t know when the huge fortune they have earned will be reduced to ashes by a bomb falling from the sky.

Several people were in the small side hall, preoccupied with their thoughts, when they suddenly heard a burst of laughter coming from the doorway. "I was wondering why these ladies were so happy. It turns out that clever little Ah Yue is back."

Master Wei Wu was in high spirits and said with a smile, "Young Master Long San is here. Everyone, follow me to welcome him!"

A few people walked around the partition screen and came to the hall. The third son of the Long family was teasing Yueming: "I heard that your father found you a rich boy. You must tell him that the wedding must be held in Kunming. If he doesn't pile the betrothal gifts from Xiaoximen to Zhuji Street, we uncles will not let him off."

Yueming folded his hands in front of his belly and said with a smile, "What's that? I'll make him kowtow to all the uncles. If he fails to kowtow to one of them, I won't let him go home."

Her demeanor was very dignified, but her words caused the Third Young Master Long to burst into laughter again. He said that Lan Yingde had not raised her in vain, and that since she was so good at handling her husband, she would definitely not use her natal family's money to support her husband's family.

The men had business to discuss, the wives had their own social lives, and the children were left to find their own entertainment. In the years since Yueming's absence, many new rich people had emerged, and she didn't know most of their children. The young ladies she used to socialize with were either not here yet or had long been sent abroad by their families to study.

She was standing in front of a vase, counting the petals, when someone patted her on the back. She turned around and saw Zhaoqing looking at her approvingly: "When you picked this material, I thought the color was neither old nor young, it was unremarkable. But with the pearls inlaid around the collar, it really stands out." Then she looked at the gold and diamond violin brooch on Yueming's chest and said enviously: "It's really unique. Where did you buy it? I want one too."

"My fiancé bought it at a French store in Bangkok. Next time he's there, I'll ask him to see if they still have it. If he does, I'll ask someone to bring it back for you."

Zhao Qing was deflated when he heard that. "So far? Forget it. By the time you buy it, I'm afraid I'll have already gone to France. Since it's French, it doesn't matter if I buy it there."

The two chatted casually when suddenly there was a commotion at the door. They both looked towards the door and saw a tall figure in military uniform walk in. A group of wives hurriedly called out to their daughters who had disappeared somewhere.

Yueming took a quick look and turned back to continue chatting with Zhaoqing. Zhaoqing looked at her strangely: "Don't you know him?"

Glancing once more at the young officer surrounded by the ladies, Yueming said nonchalantly, "He's just the ideal son-in-law these ladies are dreaming of. As an engaged man, it doesn't matter whether I know him or not. Does it have anything to do with me?"

Zhao Qing chuckled: "Who said it has nothing to do with you?"

Yueming was frightened by Zhaoqing's laughter. Just as she was about to ask about the young officer in detail, he broke away from a group of ladies and strode towards them.

When he walked up to Yueming, he took off his hat and called out, "Lan Yueming." His voice was cold and without any ups and downs. It was impossible to tell whether he was calling Yueming's name or confirming that she was Lan Yueming.

Looking at Zhaoqing's expression of enjoying the show, Yueming was sure that she and the second lieutenant in military uniform should know each other, but she couldn't remember when they had met.

She smiled and nodded as she greeted the young lieutenant: "Hello!"

The young lieutenant knew she didn't recognize him after such a perfunctory greeting, so he reminded her, "My last name is Du."

"Hello, Mr. Du!"

Seeing that he still didn't recognize her, the young lieutenant helplessly reminded him again: "We used to take tutoring classes together at the Youth Club. I'm two grades older than you."

Yueming put on a proper smile and readily changed the subject: "Hello, senior!"

Young Second Lieutenant.......

Zhao Qing was trying so hard to hold back her laughter that her stomach ached. She leaned over and whispered in her ear, "The Du family owns the tobacco company."

It turned out to be her former rumored boyfriend. Yueming smiled a little awkwardly this time. After looking him up and down, she said, "So it's Senior Du. You've changed a lot in these few years."

Lieutenant Du said with a cold face: "You really remember it? Then tell me my name."

........The smile froze on my face. I remember your cousin’s name clearly, but I really don’t remember your name!

Zhaoqing couldn't help but turned her head and covered her mouth with her hands, laughing so hard that her shoulders were shaking.

Yueming had no choice but to apologize: "I'm sorry, senior, I don't remember you very well."

Lieutenant Du said to her with a look that said, "I won't forgive you easily," "You're going to just say sorry for something so rude as not being able to remember your senior's name?"

Yueming said sincerely, "Tell me your name again now, and I promise I won't forget it again."

Lieutenant Du snorted and laughed, "How can such a thing be so easy? An apology should be sincere. Is buying me a cup of coffee not too much to ask for?"

Yueming was speechless. Are men nowadays so straightforward when pursuing women?

The atmosphere was extremely awkward. A man in a black suit and with a slicked-back hair came over to help her out, speaking Chinese with a lisp.

"Sister-in-law, you're here for the wedding too!" He smiled at Yueming's increasingly bewildered eyes, "Didn't Yunkai come with you?"

Yueming really didn’t know the person who came, but since he called out Yunkai’s name, he was probably Yunkai’s friend.

Yueming smiled at him and said, "He went to his uncle's house in Myanmar."

The oily-haired man sighed with some regret: "If he goes to Qingdong, he will definitely go to Bangkok as well. I haven't seen him for more than half a year." He glanced at Yueming and said, "But I don't regret meeting my sister-in-law here."

Lieutenant Du was so upset by the call of "sister-in-law" left and right that his face turned pale. He said excuse me and left.

Yueming looked at the short, handsome young man with slicked-back hair and said, "Would you like to introduce yourself?"

The slicked-back young man nodded at her. "My last name is Luo. Yunkai and I were classmates in England. Through his acquaintance with your father, we were able to open a bank on Qianju Street in Kunming."

Qianju Street was a place for minting coins during the Qing Dynasty. After the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway opened, a large influx of capital led to a rush to open banks on this street. A rough estimate suggests that there are around 40 to 50 foreign banks in Kunming, all clustered on Qianju Street.

Kunming people are like this. Even if a place was used for something before a dynasty changed, similar businesses are still being run now. If you open a map of Kunming, you will know where to buy soy sauce and tofu.

When she heard his last name, Yueming, she knew who he was: the second son of the Luo family, who owned a soap and cotton mill in Siam. But she was even more curious: "We've never met before, how did you recognize me?"

Mr. Luo smiled mysteriously and said, "We saw Yunkai developing photos in Bangkok. We showed him your photo and asked him who this beautiful lady was. He said 'my girl'."

It was so corny that Yueming felt her teeth and bones ache. Zhaoqing was also quite numbed, but after years of being immersed in the Mandarin Duck and Butterfly School of novels, she still cupped her cheeks and sighed with starry eyes, "How sweet!"

Mr. Luo smiled at Zhaoqing: "You are also a sweet girl!"

Yueming... Yunkai's friends were just as he'd described them, all little scoundrels in the world of pleasure. Even if a young man in Kunming had been thrown out by his family and spent years studying abroad, he wouldn't dare call a girl he'd just met for the first time "sweet girl." It was blatant flirting!

Looking at his friend whose face was flushed from being teased, Yueming thought, this guy already has an greasy face, if he doesn't behave himself, he will be beaten up in Kunming soon.

Master Wei Wu was seeing off a guest who had to leave early for something. As he passed by the courtyard garden, he saw Yueming idly plucking leaves from the flower wall. He said with a smile, "Little Yue, why don't you go play with the other girls in there?"

Yueming took the handkerchief that was pinned to her collar and wiped the green juice off her hands. She smiled and said, "I'm waiting for you, uncle! I have something to ask you." After that, she walked over and took his arm.

Master Wei Wu said with a smile: "Okay, go ahead. If your father won't make the decision for you, I will."

The two of them walked slowly towards the big house. The distance was short, but it was enough for Yueming to talk.

"You know I'm going to marry in Yunxiang, but that place is nothing compared to Kunming. So after I get married, I want to return to Kunming and be neighbors with my uncle. I'd like to ask you to help me find a piece of land near this lake."

Master Wei Wu stopped and tilted his head to look at the girl in surprise: "This is no small matter. Have you asked your father?"

Yueming said with a sad face, "I dare not ask. He actually doesn't want me to marry into the Tusi Mansion, but I insisted on marrying him. I don't want to stay in the Tusi Mansion. I'm afraid he will scold me for being a troublemaker. Besides, can you buy the land here with money? Without your help, I wouldn't know where to knock even if I had a mountain of gold!"

Master Wei Wu shook his head and said, "Buying land is no small matter. If you don't discuss it with your father, I dare not help you."

"Oh!" Yueming shook his arm and said coquettishly, "Please help me. Can you bear to see me lighting candles and kerosene lamps at night in Yunxiang Tusi Mansion and riding in a carriage when I go out? Besides, isn't this a good thing? I'll definitely be scolded if I open my mouth now, but the matter is done, and my father can only be happy. Or do you think I'm noisy and worried that I'll bother Auntie every day and she won't want me to be her neighbor?"

Uncle Wei Wu laughed and tapped her forehead, saying, "You're really good at talking. You even dared to make up stories about me." After the laughter died down, he changed his tone and said, "I can help you with this, but I have to make it clear to you that the land here is really expensive. It costs at least this much to buy one acre of land." He pointed two fingers at Yueming.

Yueming nodded. "Money isn't a problem. As long as the procedures are legal, I can accept this amount. If there's anything else you need to arrange, just let me know. I won't make things difficult for you."

Master Wei Wu raised an eyebrow and looked at her: "It seems that you really found a wealthy family who agreed to this amount without blinking an eye."

Yueming sighed, "My young master is used to being a boss. He has a huge house and a ton of servants. It's really unfair to him to have a house on Zhuji Street that only has one entrance. If I force him to come back to Kunming with me, won't he have to find a place to live? I'm guessing all the little money I have will be spent on buying land and building a house."

Wei Wuye teased her, "I should have told you to marry my Xining earlier. Otherwise, why would you spend this fortune? I can give you a big house in the city to live in now."

Yueming tilted his head, raised an eyebrow, and smiled, "Why don't we go in and ask Brother Xining if he's happy with changing his bride now?"

When the people in the room heard Master Wei Wu's loud laughter outside, they all leaned out the window and looked out. Seeing Yueming accompanying him, they all smiled and said, "Ayue, this little girl is so lovable!"

Yueming and Mr. Luo were both very happy that day. Yueming had gotten what she wanted. Mr. Luo sent a telegram to his friends in Siam early the next morning. The message was short but contained a lot of information.

"Yesterday I had the honor of meeting Yun Er's wife. She is indeed extraordinary, but she looks smaller in person than in the photo. Yun Er is really a pervert for an old cow to eat young grass."

When the telegram reached Su Shiyue, Yun Kai happened to be there. Seeing Su Shiyue holding the telegram and laughing uncontrollably, Yun Kai snatched it away out of curiosity and took a look. He was so angry that he tore the telegram into pieces.

Roaring: "She's 17 years old, 17 years old!"