Chapter 55 Still Water Villa
It was quite late when they returned to the Lu residence. Everyone was already asleep. Lu Xuan followed behind without saying a word, but his steps were still quite steady, indicating that he wasn't too drunk.
Qiao Wu did not go back to rest immediately, but went to the main house first, took out lemons from the refrigerator, and then found some honey.
Turning her head, Lu Xuan leaned against the refrigerator door like a ghost, looking at her with resentment, as well as at the medals on her body.
Qiao Wu asked with amusement, "How old are you?"
“I’m a year older than you.” Lu Xuan pointed to himself. “You have to call me brother.”
This made him even more dissatisfied. He followed behind Qiao Wu, leaning on the island counter with one hand and asked curiously, "Qiao Wu, why do you never call me brother?"
Qiao Wu didn't look up, continuing what he was doing: "Where do you look like an older brother?"
Lu Xuan seemed lost in memories, and after thinking for a long time, he said, "I've given you everything."
Isn't this what it means to be an older brother?
Even the safe's combination was known only to her.
"I've given you everything," Qiao Wu teased. "Why don't you call me 'sister'?"
"That's different."
“What’s different?”
I'm older than you.
“Age doesn’t tell the whole story.” Qiao Wu handed him the honey water she had made. “For example, right now I’m the one taking care of you, and you’re the one throwing a tantrum.”
The slightly sweet aroma instantly filled his nostrils, and Lu Xuan's mind became clearer at that moment.
He didn't actually drink much, because Qiao Wu had said that one shouldn't drink too much without someone around, or one would be at the mercy of others.
But when he saw Qiao Wu appear, he couldn't help but get even more drunk.
She can manipulate him too.
He doesn't mind.
He picked up the glass of honey water and took a sip. Watching Qiao Wu tidy up, he seemed to be deep in thought. Then he freed one hand and pressed it against her wrist: "Then I'll take care of you."
Qiao Wu: "?"
Lu Xuan quickly finished drinking the honey water, then snatched the rag from Qiao Wu's hand and started working on it with his head down.
He was sorting through honey and sweeping lemons into the trash can, making it seem like he was doing something big with just a few simple actions.
Qiao Wu: "This isn't for wiping the table."
Lu Xuan looked at her blankly, holding the handkerchief: "?"
“I didn’t mean for you to take care of me.” Qiao Wu gestured for him to let go. “You don’t need to do these things.”
But Lu Xuan didn't let go.
He stared at Qiao Wu: "Do you think I'm a child?"
Qiao Wu wanted to ask, "Aren't you one?"
“I don’t know how.” Lu Xuan was a little unhappy. “But I can learn. Can you change your mind and stop treating me like a child?”
Although he is inferior to Qiao Wu in many ways, he... also has his merits.
“I managed to get through the month you were gone, and I did it,” he said. “So can you look at me from a different perspective? I’m not lazy or ignorant about farming.”
That's a bit of a serious statement.
But Qiao Wu didn't underestimate him at all; she just gave him some guidance in areas where he was lacking.
I never expected him to react so strongly.
"Fine." Qiao Wu took a step back. "Do it if you want."
Lu Xuan lowered his voice slightly: "That's not what I meant."
“If I’m going to do something, the focus should be on doing it, not on saying it,” Qiao Wu said. “What’s the point of you making promises to me here? Weren’t you just angry the whole way over who got the passenger seat?”
Lu Xuan disagreed with this point, correcting him: "Only very important people can sit in the passenger seat."
"Stop reading those domineering CEO dramas. Haven't you even read the documents I sent you?"
Qiao Wu poured himself a glass of water. "Life is life. If you apply that perfectionism to life, how can you get by?"
The person was sitting in the passenger seat, and you insisted on calling them out. What kind of logic is that? It's not like they have a particularly sensitive position.
"Then let me ask you, if the passenger seat wasn't occupied by Liao Liao, but by Lu Ning or your second brother, would you still have asked them to get up?"
In her view, all these people held the same place in her heart, without any distinction of rank.
Therefore, the question of who gets the passenger seat is really naive.
But the questioner was unintentional, while the listener was attentive. Lu Xuan's movements obviously slowed down as he pondered the matter carefully with his sluggish mind.
He still wanted to sit in the passenger seat.
Just as he was about to speak, Qiao Wu said, "No intimate relationship is reflected in formalism."
Lu Xuan's tone wavered for a moment, and his gaze drifted: "Intimate relationship?"
What is the nature of his close relationship with Qiao Wu?
Very close friends, childhood sweethearts, with a special inclination towards each other.
They are indeed very close.
But Qiao Wu felt it was best to stop there and didn't want to argue about it anymore. After finishing her water, she pushed the cup in front of him and said without any politeness, "Wash it while you're at it."
Lu Xuan held the cup, not feeling that there was anything wrong with washing it.
He made up his mind: "You wait and see, I'll show you."
Then she asked, "Will you call me 'brother' then?"
What's there to be so fixated on?
Qiao Wu looked up: "Brother."
"..."
"???"
"!!!"
Holy crap?
Lu Xuan's head exploded on the spot.
The cup in my hand fell to the table with a clatter, rolled onto the floor, and shattered with a crash.
Qiao Wu was startled and didn't even have time to catch it.
She pressed against Lu Xuan, her head aching, and said, "Don't move."
Then they called over a servant to help them get some things to clean up the broken glass on the floor.
After she and the maid finished tidying up, Lu Xuan still stood there holding the rag, obediently remaining motionless.
"Lu Xuan?"
Okay, I'm not your older brother anymore.
Lu Xuan's expression shifted several times, but in the end he didn't say anything to her and turned to leave.
After a while, he turned back and leaned down to look at her intently.
“You wait,” he said.
Qiao Wu was completely confused.
What are we waiting for?
But Lu Xuan had already turned and left. He seemed to float as he walked, and it took him two tries to press the elevator button before it lit up.
It's been 23 years.
This was the first time Qiao Wu had called him "brother".
So this is what it feels like.
Lu Xuan looked down at his chest, unsure if it was because he had drunk too much, but it felt full, swollen, and a little numb.
If I had known, I wouldn't have spent so much time agonizing over things like ranking and friends.
Can Lu Ning and Lu Yingchi be older brothers? No.
Lu Jinzhi…
Lu Xuan frowned. That monkey was already being kind by not letting anyone take care of it; it was impossible for it to take care of people.
No, it's not possible either.
Then it's just yourself, unique and irreplaceable.
He leaned his head against the elevator car as if he had no bones, letting the coolness lower the temperature of his face, but in the end he couldn't help but laugh out loud with his head down.
Downstairs, Qiao Wu was still confused. Seeing that it was almost time, she decided to go back to rest as well.
But as soon as I turned my head, I saw a tall figure standing in the direction of the door.
She paused in her steps.
In fact, Lu Xuan was right about one thing: Lu Jinzhi always stood in a certain position without anyone noticing, quietly observing everything.
How long have you been here?
"You're still awake?"
She sent him a message before boarding the plane saying she would be a little late.
"Come back after you finish reading." Lu Jinzhi didn't come over, but asked, "Are you going back?"
"Um."
Lu Jinzhi nodded: "Let's have a meeting."
Qiao Wu asked instinctively, "To your room?"
The servants who were still tidying up nearby couldn't hide their astonishment when they heard this.
They could only go in to clean at a certain time as designated by the second young master. They couldn't stay long, touch anything, or make too much noise. Each one of them was more difficult to please than the last.
"It's too late." Lu Jinzhi turned to the side, seemingly about to leave. "We'll talk on the way."
Qiao Wu usually takes the car provided by the house back home, but today Lu Jinzhi clearly didn't want to take the car, so she walked beside him.
Is it about work?
"From home."
"Um?"
The maid didn't report what happened today.
“Those few…” Lu Jinzhi hesitated slightly, then changed his words, feeling that the meaning was not clear enough, “Lu Xuan and the others are not commensurate with their age and psychological maturity, you don’t need to be too patient with them.”
Qiao Wu: "..."
While there's some truth to that, but...
Is it appropriate for you, as the older brother, to say such a thing?
Why is it inappropriate?
Qiao Wu hesitated for a moment, but remembering that Lu Jinzhi had once said that she could ask questions directly, she didn't hold back too much.
"Haven't you paid attention to their outrageous behavior in the past?"
"have."
Lu Jinzhi said calmly, "But relationships should be based on equality. I give them space, but I can't give them too much patience."
In his mind, the inexplicable rejection and isolation of Lu Xuan and the others was something he did not approve of, and he would not interfere too much.
As long as the dog is fed regularly every day, it won't starve.
Qiao Wu suddenly realized: "Is this the kind of arrogance that only domineering CEOs have?"
Clearly, Lu Jinzhi did not understand the strange words she had just uttered.
Ironically, he even thought that in Qiao Wu's eyes, "domineering president" was a derogatory term.
"Domineering CEO." He raised an eyebrow. "A domineering president."
He had looked into it.
He was genuinely puzzled: "Am I really that domineering?"
"Compared to Qin Lian, you are indeed not very domineering."
Why should I compare myself to that rude person?
"They're no good."
Lu Jinzhi smiled.
Realizing that he had spoken somewhat ambiguously, Qiao Wu changed his words: "But you have many common problems."
"for example?"
Qiao Wu didn't expect Lu Jinzhi to understand these emotional matters on his own, and how could this lack of empathy not be considered a kind of domineering CEO syndrome?
She was amused by the thought: "Putting aside your identities and titles, you are just ordinary people, with more or less flaws. You should try to understand each other."
After thinking for a moment, she earnestly suggested, "How about we hold a family meeting every Sunday so you can get to know each other better?"
Lu Jinzhi imagined the scene and felt a little disgusted.
He sincerely said, "It's best not to."
“Yeah, it’s pretty awkward.” Qiao Wu dismissed the idea. “People like you tend to put yourselves on a high pedestal, so you neglect the most basic communication, which leads to a rift between you.”
Lu Jinzhi suddenly remembered this.
"Article 10 of 'A Guide to Avoiding Mishaps in a Rich and Dangerous Family': The beginning of a conflict is not having a mouth."
"You memorized it?"
"I don't really want to," Lu Jinzhi said helplessly, "but I can't control myself."
The impression was too deep, and he has always had a very good memory.
“You have a mouth,” Qiao Wu affirmed first, “but you choose to have a mouth selectively.”
People who speak ill of others are often the most venomous.
“Although some blood ties are not as good as none,” she smiled, “it’s best to have them, at least you won’t walk the road ahead alone.”
Lu Jinzhi glanced at her: "I didn't intend to leave alone."
But I didn't intend to walk the dog with me.
“Lu Jinzhi.” Qiao Wu looked up at him. “Do you know how many first mates those large cargo ships that dock at the pier have?”
"At least three."
"So even if you are the captain, you can't hold up a giant ship by yourself. Even when a giant ship leaves or enters a port, it still needs a pilot, right? The Lu family is like that. Just because the family is small doesn't mean it won't capsize. In fact, the Lu family is the engine of the Lu Group. You should understand these principles better than I do."
Lu Jinzhi understood, of course.
The books he read were the same as the books Qiao Wu had read.
However, he had always believed that he could be the engine of the Lu family and the Lu Corporation.
In this respect, he is not as good as Qiao Wu.
Not hearing his reply, Qiao Wu continued, "So if you have any complaints about their behavior, you can say so directly. They won't say anything since you're the older brother."
"The same to you?"
"I'm your subordinate," Qiao Wu chuckled. "Do you have any complaints about me?"
"Don't call him brother," Lu Jinzhi said calmly. "He doesn't deserve it."
This was unexpected for Qiao Wu. She exclaimed in surprise, "So this is why you're having a meeting with me?"
Lu Jinzhi nodded, then offered his own opinion: "I think you've set the bar too low for them."
As adults, we should all know what we should and shouldn't do.
"Tolerance will only become a bargaining chip to escalate the problem."
Qiao Wu could not refute this point.
She did find that Lu Xuan and the others were too dependent on her, so she was trying to gradually let go and guide them to move forward on their own.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Lu Jinzhi thought Qiao Wu was very smart; she should understand what he was trying to say, and he trusted her completely.
"There's one more thing." Since they had already come this far, Qiao Wu didn't intend to hide his plans, so he briefly mentioned what had happened that day. "I've decided to invest."
Lu Jinzhi stopped in his tracks, as if he hadn't heard clearly, his dark eyes darkening slightly: "What?"
"In terms of prospects and development, I would feel safe if I had my own territory," Qiao Wu said. "Didn't you say you'd let Feifei give it a try?"
Lu Jinzhi chuckled: "So you flew to someone else's roof?"
As soon as someone else mentioned this, Qiao Wu knew what Lu Jinzhi cared about: "It has nothing to do with Qin Lian. My cooperation with Qin Tianrui is purely a collaboration. I do not participate in the cooperation or competition between the Qin and Lu families."
“Actually, even if it weren’t for Qin Tianrui, there would have been Li Tianrui or Wang Tianrui in the future,” she said. “I always need to build my own home.”
Lu Jinzhi did not answer immediately.
The scales in his head were tilted to the extreme.
If you put Qiao Wu on a separate scale, all her choices are balanced and there is no objection.
But as soon as it's placed on his scales, the scales will tip in his favor.
All the plans he had just balanced out were reduced to ashes in an instant.
Qiao Wu said with a smile, "From now on, you'll have to call me President Qiao when you see me."
Seeing her smile, Libra tilted to the other side again.
She liked it very much.
In fact, the rational Libra had already given the answer, but Lu Jinzhi found that he seemed to have started to add other intangible factors to the scales.
He lowered his eyes, only able to give a rational answer, and then extended his hand: "President Qiao, please give me your guidance."
Qiao Wu shook hands with him: "Please give me your guidance."
The two had arrived in front of her house. Qiao Wu let go of her hand: "Should we send someone to pick you up?"
"No need." Lu Jinzhi put his hands in his pockets. "I still have some things to think about."
As expected, being a CEO isn't easy. Qiao Wu nodded, "Then get some rest."
She waved and turned to walk into the courtyard.
Only after her figure disappeared did Lu Jinzhi withdraw his gaze, frown slightly, and turn to disappear into the night.
"Xiao Wu?" Qiao Zhiyi was still waiting at home. Hearing the voice, he looked towards the door and saw Lu Jinzhi's back through the window. "Is that the second young master?"
"right."
"How did you all end up coming back together?"
The small building isn't in the main house, so there's nothing to do here so late.
"I have something to say." Qiao Wu walked to his side, bookmarked all the books he was reading, and closed them. "Didn't I tell you to get some rest?"
"I don't need that much sleep, I'm going to bed now." Qiao Zhiyi stood up and glanced outside again. "How's it going with the second young master, working for him?"
He had been in the Lu family for so many years, and his relationship with the second young master had always been neither too close nor too distant; he could never quite figure out what the young master was thinking.
“He’s a good guy,” Qiao Wu said. “He’s easy to talk to.”
Qiao Zhiyi was stunned: "Are you talking about the second young master?"
Easy to communicate with?
"Um."
Do young people have their own way of communicating?
Qiao Zhiyi thought for a moment and realized that his relationship with the other young masters was just so-so, so he didn't think too much about it. He then said, "By the way, Xiao Wu, the old gentleman asked me to tell you that he plans to stay at Jing Shui Villa for a while before the temperature drops. The autumn scenery there is beautiful. We'll go this weekend and you can come back on Sunday night. From now on, we'll go there on weekends."
The Lu residence is relatively close to the city center, and many of the buildings in the residence are man-made.
However, the Jing Shui Villa is located in the suburbs by a lake, next to a forest park, and the scenery has always been beautiful. It's just that people rarely go there, because family members are all away from home and busy with work, making it inconvenient to go.
"Okay." Qiao Wu nodded. "I'll contact the housekeeper there tomorrow and get my things packed up."
The housekeeper there is only responsible for the daily maintenance of the villa; he has no authority to manage anything else.
When they were little, before the eldest young master passed away, the children would stay there during winter and summer vacations. The villa still had their childhood clothes, but now that they've grown up, they have to prepare new things.
The next morning, Qiao Wu first called the villa's housekeeper and then went over to check on things himself.
The Stillwater Villa is not as big as the Lu residence; it is just a detached house with servants' quarters.
Therefore, unlike in the main house where each person has an entire floor of rooms, everyone lives in pairs on each floor.
Lu Jiang originally lived on the top floor, but now he is still in a wheelchair all day and no one wants to expose him, so Qiao Wu arranged for him to have a room on the second floor.
She was young when she came here, with two little sticky rice dumplings by her side, and everyone wanted to share a room with her.
However, since Lu Xuan was a year older than her, she used to sleep with the nanny and Lu Yingchi, who was four years younger than her. Now that there's also Lu Ning, they all have to be reassigned.
After thinking about it, Qiao Wu decided to give the choice to them.
At noon, the Lu family arrived.
They were clearly a family, but each person insisted on driving their own car, forming a whole row of cars.
Moreover, Qiao Wu also discovered that a truck was following behind at the end.
She stared wide-eyed and discovered that the truck was carrying a princess.
Lu Yingchi even brought the princess with him?!
"You're only staying here for two days." Seeing him leading his horse over, she said, "Aren't you planning to go back to class?"
"We'll take it back then," Lu Yingchi said arrogantly.
"Don't mess with it..." Before Qiao Wu could finish speaking, he saw Lu Ning huffing and puffing as she dragged several large suitcases, some on her back and some on her chest.
They were all her dolls.
She was reluctant to let the maid take it.
As for Lu Xuan, several large boxes were filled with his clothes and skincare products, and the servants made several trips back and forth to collect them.
Only Lu Jinzhi was somewhat normal; he brought a suitcase.
Sure enough, I shouldn't have come so early. I should have kept a close eye on things: "Have you moved?"
“I’ll take my baby with me wherever I go.” Lu Ning had never been here before, and she was very excited, feeling like she was on an autumn outing.
It's just that my love for my child is a bit too heavy to carry: "Which room is mine?"
"We haven't chosen a room yet." Qiao Wu helped her with some of the dolls, had the maid take the old gentleman and her father inside first, and then handed the printed room list to the group. "Which one would you like to stay in?"
Having been called "brother" yesterday, Lu Xuan was in a very good mood and had no desire to compete with others.
It's just a room; he doesn't care.
It's not like Qiao Wu calls everyone "brother" just because they live there.
Moreover, he needs to be mature and considerate now.
"Whatever," he said lazily. "I can stay wherever I lived before."
The other people weren't very interested in the room either.
Lu Yingchi led his horse and peeked out: "Then where I used to live..."
Wait a minute.
His words came to an abrupt halt as a hazy memory flooded back. The hand holding the reins suddenly tightened its grip, pulling the princess's head forward.
"Where you lived before, you'll live now?" He slowly turned to look at Qiao Wu, his voice faltering slightly. "Is this... not a problem?"
Before he could finish speaking, the paper in Qiao Wu's hand was snatched away.
Lu Jinzhi stood behind Qiao Wu, looking at him with a half-smile.
His voice carried a faint chill: "Did your brain and your horse run away from home together?"
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