The daughter's attitude made Chen Lan even more worried, thinking she was either avoiding marriage or waiting for Yang Jian.
Chen Lan was initially against her having this child, but after the baby was born, she was overjoyed. Now, she worried that the Yang family might try to fight for custody.
"Yaoyao, are you resisting marriage because you want to wait for Yang Jian?"
Lu Qian asked the question Chen Lan dared not voice.
Lu Yao was feeding the baby. Hearing her father's question, her body trembled visibly. "Dad, did you hear anything about Yang Jian since you came from home?"
Lu Qian sighed. "You still can't let him go, Yaoyao. Yang Jian is a wanted criminal and hasn't been apprehended yet. Li Jin, the main organizer of that gambling case, has already been sentenced to life imprisonment. Do you think Yang Jian, as his partner, will get a lighter sentence than him?"
Chen Lan quickly added, "Yes, Yaoyao. Even if Yang Jian gets a lighter sentence than Li Jin, it will still be at least ten or twenty years. Is it worth waiting for him? He has no future. You need to think about yourself, and more importantly, about the child, to give him a complete family."
Nagged by her parents, Lu Yao fell silent again, focusing on feeding the baby.
Chen Lan wanted to persuade her further, but Lu Qian stopped her. He knew his daughter's personality; she was stubborn and once she made up her mind, nothing could change it.
The atmosphere became a bit heavy. Her daughter was disobedient, and Chen Lan felt a pang of discomfort. She got up to go to the restroom and suddenly spotted an acquaintance, immediately waving happily.
"Xiao Fang, over here!"
"Aunt Chen, Yaoyao, what a coincidence, you're eating here."
A handsome young man wearing gold-rimmed glasses, looking refined and gentle, walked over with a smile to greet them.
Lu Yao looked surprised. "Fang Yu, what are you doing here?"
"I'm having dinner with a client and happened to have booked a table here as well. Who is this?"
"This is my dad, he just arrived from Hancheng."
"Hello, Uncle. I'm Fang Yu."
Fang Yu shook Lu Qian's hand enthusiastically, appearing very polite and well-mannered.
Lu Qian merely nodded at him, remaining silent. He didn't quite like the look in this young man's eyes. Although he was greeting him, his peripheral vision was constantly glancing at Lu Yao.
"Xiao Fang, why don't you join us? There's a seat here."
Chen Lan warmly offered him a pair of chopsticks and a bowl.
Seeing that Lu Yao's attention was not on him but on feeding the baby, Fang Yu seemed a bit awkward. "No, Auntie. I have clients. You can just leave after you finish eating. I'll settle the bill for your table."
Lu Yao finally looked up. "Thank you, Fang Yu, but no need. I'll pay myself. You should go tend to your business. We'll be leaving shortly after we finish."
"Alright, please enjoy your meal."
Fang Yu walked away with a disappointed expression.
Chen Lan was somewhat annoyed. "Yaoyao, what's wrong? Can't you be a little more welcoming to Xiao Fang? You have such a long face, as if he owes you a million yuan."
"Mom, what kind of attitude do you want me to have? He's entertaining clients, should I invite him to eat? A greeting is enough, what else do you want?"
"You, you stubborn child! Can't you see how attentive Xiao Fang is to you? Showing a smile won't cost you anything."
Lu Yao mumbled softly, "I'm not selling smiles, why should I smile at him?"
"You."
Chen Lan was so angry she raised her chopsticks, wishing she could hit her.
Lu Qian glanced in the direction Fang Yu had left. "Don't blame Yaoyao. I don't like this young man either. His eyes dart around when he looks at people. I suspect his motives for approaching Yaoyao are impure."
Lu Yao felt she had found a kindred spirit. "That's right, Dad. You're so good at judging people. I've met this Fang Yu twice. Every time I look at his eyes, I feel like I'm being stared at by a hungry wolf. It makes me very uncomfortable."
Chen Lan slammed her chopsticks down on the table. "Are you two, father and daughter, trying to drive me crazy? Fang Yu is gentle and refined, he has both temperament and talent. It's hard to find such a talented young man even with a lantern. And you're still being picky. What's wrong with him?"
"Mom, don't worry about my affairs. I know what I'm doing regarding him. Let's eat quickly, I have to go back and work overtime translating documents."
Lu Yao stopped arguing with her mother about these trivial matters. Ever since she got together with Yang Jian, no other man had caught her eye. After having the child, she had become completely insulated from men.
Chen Lan was so angry she couldn't eat. She sat alone, sulking. That damned Yang Jian, after so many dangers, why couldn't he just die? He had left her daughter in such an awkward situation.
Given this situation, they absolutely could not let her return to their hometown until Lu Yao found a boyfriend, nor could they let her know any news about Yang Jian.
Far away in the south, Yang Jian sneezed several times, thinking, who was cursing him?
Sitting opposite him was Lu Hao, who had just arrived from Kyoto. Thinking he had a cold, Lu Hao quickly pulled out two tissues and handed them over.
"Brother Hao, we've already paid off the debt we owe Brother Zheng. I plan to withdraw from the casino by the end of the year. Have you made arrangements with the police?"
Yang Jian took the tissues, wiped his nose, and then excitedly shared the good news with the other person. The casino's profits had continued to soar this year, and with the expansion of the lending business, he had paid off a debt of one hundred million yuan in just seven months, and still had over thirty million saved.
Lu Hao nodded. "Thank you, Xiao Yang. I'll have to repay this money to you slowly, it will probably take several years."
"Brother Hao, if you consider me a brother, don't say such things again. To be honest, at the beginning, owing Brother Zheng such a large sum of money made me anxious and uncertain, because I didn't know how long this casino could last. If it were suddenly shut down, it would be difficult to earn this money through legitimate channels in a short period.
But now it's good. The casino is operating smoothly and safely. Not only have we paid off the debt, but I've also saved tens of millions.
Actually, too much money doesn't mean much to me. If the case isn't resolved, I won't have the chance to spend any amount of money. So, whether you repay this money or not is irrelevant. I have enough money to spend now."
Earning money so quickly had made Yang Jian somewhat numb to wealth. After returning the one hundred million to Bai Zheng, he didn't feel like anything was missing; his life continued as usual.
The investments at home were nearing completion, and there were no major expenses needed elsewhere. The lumber mill business was getting better and better, mainly because the markets in Dongjiang and Nanhai had been fully opened. Both construction formwork and decorative panels were in short supply, and the revenue was enough to cover the investment in Yaochi Garden.
"I'm the one who owes the debt. Even brothers have to settle accounts clearly. I will definitely repay this money, it just needs some time. I came here this time for a very important matter that I need to discuss with you in person. Today's conversation must not be known to a second person."
Lu Hao's expression was very serious. The meeting place was chosen by him, not at Yang Jian's residence or office, but at an outdoor tea table in Starbucks, where there was no need to worry about listening or monitoring devices.