Chapter 80: Treating Mrs. Lu's Illness

Perhaps it was fate itself that destined Lu Guofu’s life to be intertwined with wealth and good fortune, for just as he left the mountains and arrived in what was then the desolate and crumbling city of Yuehu, he encountered a benefactor who would change his life—a jewelry merchant named Jia Tian.

At that time, with bandits running rampant, Jia Tian scarcely dared to carry large amounts of gold, silver, or jewels with him. Yet as luck would have it, that day Lu Guofu was parched with thirst. He knocked on several doors, but none were opened. By chance, he caught sight of Jia Tian just as the merchant was preparing to leave his house.

Lu Guofu approached and earnestly begged for a drink of water. As a businessman, Jia Tian understood the importance of kindness and goodwill, so he offered Lu Guofu a bowl of water.

After quenching his thirst, Lu Guofu said, “Sir, judging by your fine attire, you appear to be a man of commerce.”

Jia Tian nodded in agreement.

Lu Guofu continued, “But with bandits so rampant these days, such clothing is sure to catch the eye of unsavory characters.”

Jia Tian was startled; despite all his caution, he had neglected to change his clothes. He looked at the young man before him with newfound respect.

“Young man, you have a keen eye. Where are you from, and what do you do?”

“I’m from a neighboring town. I was once a soldier.”

“A soldier? And now?”

Lu Guofu realized that this might be a turning point in his life.

“I was wounded in battle, but survived thanks to the help of an old man. Now, I only seek an honest living.”

Jia Tian, impressed by Lu Guofu’s discernment and military experience, happened to be in need of a trusted attendant, and so he hired Lu Guofu as his personal aide.

This was the first job Lu Guofu had found since leaving Wang Xiaoli’s home, and he cherished it greatly. Unfortunately, good times did not last. Jia Tian died young due to poor health. Before his death, unwilling to let his business fall into ruin and with no heir to succeed him, Jia Tian thought of Lu Guofu.

Thus, Lu Guofu naturally inherited Jia Tian’s jewelry business. With the connections left to him and his own diligence and reliability, Lu Guofu grew the business into a thriving enterprise—the predecessor of what would become Yongsheng Jewelry.

When Lu Guofu returned to Wang Xiaoli’s side, he was met with both shock and joy. To his dismay, the old man who had saved his life—his father-in-law—had passed away. Yet he was elated to find that Wang Xiaoli had given birth to a healthy, plump son.

Lu Guofu was filled with bittersweet emotions, uncertain whether happiness or danger would come first in his life. So he named his son Lu Ming, hoping the boy’s future would be long and bright.

Today, as Lu Guofu entered the dumpling shop, he carried with him another, more important purpose.

As he pondered, Wang’s father placed a steaming bowl of dumplings before him.

A man of his wealth would hardly be enamored with a mere bowl of dumplings, so he simply picked up a spoon, fished out two dumplings, and tasted them.

“The flavor is excellent. It truly lives up to the reputation of this shop,” he remarked.

“As long as you like them, sir,” Wang’s father replied.

“But it’s not enough for me to like them—someone else doesn’t, and that’s a problem,” Lu Guofu said, his gaze shifting toward the young man with green-dyed hair.

The green-haired youth, sensing Lu Guofu’s meaning, broke out in a cold sweat. “Sir, I was wrong. I swear I’ll never do it again.”

“What’s the use in saying you won’t? You’ve already smashed their shop—how are they supposed to make a living now?”

“I’ll pay, I’ll pay…”

“That’s more like it!” Sensing a glimmer of hope, the green-haired youth hurriedly pulled out four or five thousand silver coins from his pocket and handed them to Lu Guofu.

Unexpectedly, one of the bodyguards behind Lu Guofu struck the youth across the face. “Watch your manners.”

Not daring to protest, the youth quickly handed the money to Wang Ying’s parents. “I’m truly sorry. Please don’t be angry.”

At this, Lu Guofu said, “Please accept it. You can use it to renovate your shop—a small gesture of respect from these misguided youngsters.”

Wang Ying’s family hesitated, but Zhang Shen stepped forward, took the coins, and said, “Thank you very much.”

Lu Guofu realized that this young man must be the one he was seeking.

“And you are…?” he inquired.

“Dad, this is the miracle doctor I told you about,” Wang Ming interjected.

Lu Guofu looked at Zhang Shen and said, “So you are the famed Doctor Zhang Shen my son spoke of. What a stroke of fate to meet you today.”

Zhang Shen didn’t quite understand, but he sensed Lu Guofu’s visit to the dumpling shop was not merely to settle his son’s grievances.

“I hardly deserve the title of miracle doctor; I possess only modest skills,” Zhang Shen replied.

“No need to be humble. In truth, my son mentioned you on the phone, which is why I came here today.”

From this, Zhang Shen surmised that there must be an ailing member in this wealthy man’s family.

“To be honest, my wife’s health has declined steadily over the past two years. I have sought out many renowned doctors, but none have been able to help her. I humbly ask if you would come to my home and take a look at her.”

Zhang Shen was not inclined to doubt Lu Guofu’s words. As they spoke, he glanced at Lu Ming’s face and noted the heaviness of his expression. It seemed the situation was indeed dire.

Then again, even if the invitation was a ruse, Zhang Shen believed he could extricate himself if necessary. Perhaps a visit to the Lu family might lead to an unexpected opportunity.

“Since you have so graciously invited me, Mr. Lu, I won’t refuse. But what about my friends?”

“They are welcome as well!” Lu Guofu replied heartily.

Soon, Zhang Shen and Lu Ming rode in Lu Guofu’s car, while the three young women followed in another vehicle.

Moments later, they arrived at the Lu family estate.

Upon entering, Wang Ying and Hao Lei were awestruck by the opulence around them. Their imaginations had truly been limited by their humble backgrounds. At that moment, Hao Lei felt even less worthy of hoping for a future with Lu Ming.

Even Ye Qiong, herself a child of a wealthy family, was taken aback.

Once inside the drawing room, Lu Guofu instructed Lu Ming to entertain the young women while he led Zhang Shen upstairs.

“My wife’s temperament has changed lately. If she says anything inappropriate, please don’t take offense.”

“A patient’s mind and spirit change with physical illness; this is perfectly understandable,” Zhang Shen, seasoned by years of medical practice, replied.

As Lu Guofu opened the door, Zhang Shen was greeted by the sight of a woman with a bandage wrapped around her right eye.