On Lunar New Year's Eve, Su He returned to the Lu family villa with Lu Yanbei to celebrate the New Year with the elder.
Lu Yunting's family, with their faces plastered on, also came to visit. Only after much persuasion from the elder did they allow them inside. Due to past experiences, this family was surprisingly well-behaved. They didn't say anything they shouldn't, nor did they make any moves to offend Su He. Even Zhou Yingzi, who had always harbored animosity towards Su He, appeared indifferent, as if the past grievances were forgotten.
This piqued Su He's curiosity.
Lu Yanbei placed a piece of spare rib into her bowl and squeezed her hand reassuringly.
Their silent exchange was observed by everyone. Some were pleased, some felt complicated emotions, and some were utterly shocked.
Lu Yanbei had always been aloof and cold. When had they ever seen him humble himself to coax a woman like this?
Elder Lu watched his grandson and granddaughter-in-law with a beaming smile, as if he could already see his great-grandson waving at him.
Lu Yunting's eyes flickered as he lowered his head to eat.
Zhou Yingzi glanced at the couple before her eyes lowered, suppressing a surge of bitterness.
Lu Jingyang seemed accustomed to their intimate gestures and appeared the most composed.
The only one who wore their displeasure openly was probably Zhao Yafen.
Su He, who was once her daughter-in-law, had shamelessly married the elder brother of her ex-husband. It was a complete moral collapse. Such a woman, restless and fickle, would have been punished by being submerged in a pig cage in the past.
However, as soon as Lu Yanbei cast a glance at her, she immediately suppressed her emotions, daring not to displease him.
This family had the audacity to show up on Lunar New Year's Eve with ulterior motives.
After leaving the Lu family, their living standards had plummeted significantly. Not only that, but they were also subjected to countless whispers and scornful laughter from behind their backs, becoming a laughingstock in their social circle.
The wealthy wives Zhao Yafen used to associate with had all cut ties with her. Even if they encountered her on the street, they would steer clear of her, deeming it beneath them to even greet her, causing her to lose face in front of everyone.
She was truly fed up with this kind of life.
But if they wanted to return to their former glory, there was no other way than to placate the elder and Lu Yanbei.
Therefore, after much deliberation, the family gritted their teeth, bought a considerable amount of gifts, and shamelessly sought to return to the Lu family and their prosperous past.
To get back to their old ways, these people even spoke words against their conscience and did things they once disdained.
"Lu Yanbei marrying Su He, I don't have much to offer. This gold bracelet was once worn by A Yan, who said she wanted to leave it for her future daughter-in-law. Today, I'll hand it over to you." After the meal, Lu Yunting found Su He, took a box from his pocket, and presented it to her very solemnly.
Su He looked at the bracelet, which was of good quality, and hesitated before reaching out.
No matter what, she didn't want any association with this family.
Seeing that she was unmoved, Lu Yunting's arms remained suspended in mid-air, his expression filled with embarrassment.
In the past, when Su He married Lu Jingyang, he, as her father-in-law, had offered no token of regard. Now, as Su He married into the Lu family once more, he had a complete turnaround, eagerly trying to appease her. Such a stark contrast was simply unacceptable.
"Since it was my mother's, leave it to you, you should accept it," Lu Yanbei finally made the decision for Su He.
That gold bracelet was Lu Xi Yan's dowry, and she had only worn it once when she got married. Later, finding it too gaudy, she had put it away. Little did she expect it to fall into Lu Yunting's hands.
Su He could only force a smile and say, "Thank you."
Seeing that she had accepted the bracelet, Lu Yunting breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Zhao Yafen, standing nearby, felt a pang of heartache.
She had been coveting that bracelet for a long time.
Lu Yunting appeared generous, but in reality, he was extremely stingy. After she had been with him, aside from providing for her living expenses, he had rarely given her any expensive gifts.
The belongings left by his ex-wife had always been locked away in the safe, and he never allowed her to touch them.
She had followed him for so many years without status or name, solely for the purpose of living a life of wealth and luxury. Yet, in the end, she had gained nothing. Thinking about it made her furious!
Lu Yunting had once coaxed her like this: "Those things are for Jingyang in the future. We have only one son, so we must plan for him."
With her son's interests involved, Zhao Yafen had let go of her desires. She never imagined that in a blink of an eye, he would give such a valuable bracelet to Su He. If not for their need to curry favor with the Lu family, Zhao Yafen would have rushed forward and snatched the bracelet back.
Speaking of her son, Zhao Yafen scanned her surroundings and found him staring blankly at Su He, lost in thought.
Zhao Yafen's heart skipped a beat.
Could this brat have developed some feelings for that wretched girl, Su He?
Lu Yanbei seemed to have noticed Lu Jingyang's gaze as well. He subtly shifted to the side, blocking Su He behind him. "Are you tired? Why don't you go upstairs and rest for a while?"
Su He was about to say she wasn't tired when Lu Yanbei led her towards the stairs.
"Why are you pulling me upstairs?" Once they reached the second floor and entered the room prepared for them by the elder, Su He couldn't help but ask.
"I don't like the way they look at you," Lu Yanbei replied truthfully.
Su He agreed. "You're right. Being around them makes me feel uncomfortable all over."
After a pause, she continued, "They're being overly attentive for no reason. They must have an ulterior motive for coming here, right? Me accepting this bracelet, it won't cause you any trouble, will it?"
"This was my mother's belonging, and it has nothing to do with them. You don't need to have any psychological burden," Lu Yanbei took her hand and slowly put the bracelet on her wrist.
The size was just right.
Su He turned her wrist and found the bracelet to be quite heavy, weighing at least a few pounds. At current gold prices, its value was well into the six figures.
As expected of the wealthy, the word was: opulent!
Seeing that she liked it, Lu Yanbei couldn't help but smile. "They naturally came with a purpose. However, I haven't agreed to anything they want."
Given how they treated Su He in the past, he would never forgive them, let alone allow them to live comfortably.
Su He couldn't help but chuckle at his words.
As expected of a business mogul, look at the artistry of his speech.
In the living room downstairs, the Spring Festival Gala was playing. Lu Yunting's family sat around the elder, fawning over him from time to time.
The elder's mood for watching television was interrupted, and his face darkened. "If you're here to show filial piety, then sit quietly and don't disturb my viewing! ".oγg
The smile on Lu Yunting's face stiffened, and he dared not speak further.
Lu Jingyang found it boring and took out his phone to play games, ignoring Lu Yunting's meaningful glances.
He was quite content with his current situation and didn't want to get involved in their affairs.
Just then, a sudden ringtone broke the stalemate.
Lu Jingyang looked at the caller ID on his phone, hesitated for a moment, and then walked into the yard decorated with colorful lights.
"Jingyang, let's get back together. I was deliberately provoking you when I said we should break up last time... I'm so scared by myself now. Can you come and keep me company?" A hoarse female voice came from the other end of the phone, filled with regret and pleading.
Hearing Song Yan's voice again, Lu Jingyang was surprised to find that his heart remained unmoved. "Miss Song, I believe we are finished. Please do not call me again in the future."
As he spoke these words, Lu Jingyang felt an immense sense of relief.