Reborn as a Rich Woman in the Eighties
Chapter 234 - 233 Gifts

Chapter 234: Chapter 233 Gifts

"Jiang Mingyuan had entered the room at this point, and Lin Xia asked with concern, "Second Brother, are you all right?"

Jiang Mingyuan smiled awkwardly, "I’m fine! I’ve thrown it all up and feel much better now!"

"Are you hungry? Should I make something for you to eat?" Lin Xia knew that having nothing to eat after throwing up would definitely make the stomach burn uncomfortable.

"Just heat up some porridge!" He remembered that there was leftover rice from lunch; it would be easier to prepare.

"Okay!" Lin Xia agreed and then headed into the kitchen.

Jiang Mingyuan saw Lin Qiu coming out of the Western House and raised an eyebrow to ask, "Xiaoqiu! Did you stoke the kang? Is Lu Zheng going to sleep there tonight?"

"Ah!" Lin Qiu didn’t think there was anything inappropriate, "Last time Brother Lu came, he slept in the Western House!"

Jiang Mingyuan’s expression became serious; he understood Lin Qiu’s meaning, but last time he wasn’t there, and now he was nearby and had a house to stay in—how could they let Lu Zheng, a grown man, sleep here?

Although Lu Zheng looked like a decent and upright man, who wouldn’t do anything inappropriate.

But he had been drinking, and anything could happen now; letting Lin Xia and Lin Qiu, two young girls, share the Eastern and Western Houses with him—he couldn’t rest easy.

But he knew it was no use talking to Lin Qiu about this; it had to be up to Lin Xia.

So he went straight to the kitchen to find Lin Xia.

"Lin Xia! How about letting Lu Zheng stay at my place later? There’s room!"

"At your house?" Lin Xia was lighting the stove and she looked up and asked, "Second Brother! Your place isn’t heated, right?"

They had come back this time, and he had just changed clothes before coming out, so the kang was definitely not heated, and probably the stove as well.

It’s bitterly cold out and it has been unheated all day; now it’s past eight o’clock, at what time would the room be warm?

"Not heated! But it heats up quickly! The stove at my place is very good!" Jiang Mingyuan said quietly while Lu Zheng had not yet returned, "Lin Xia! You can’t let him stay at your house. What would the neighbors think if they saw it? It just so happens that there’s room at my Second Brother’s place, I’ll take him back to sleep, and tomorrow morning he can come over for breakfast, won’t that work?"

Lin Xia thought about it and realized it made sense. Last time they let Lu Zheng stay because there was nowhere else for him to stay, but now the situation was different.

"That works! Second Brother! Then you go back and start heating it up now, and come back here to eat later! Your home just has one set of bedding, right? Take a set from our house when you leave!"

This was perfect since she had just started the stove, and cooking the porridge would take some time.

"Okay! Then I’ll go back and heat up the house!" Jiang Mingyuan was pleased that Lin Xia had agreed so readily.

As long as he didn’t have to let Lu Zheng sleep under the same roof with Lin Xia and the others, he would definitely make the room warm.

Lin Qiu, who was listening at the side, asked, "Sister! Then I don’t need to heat it up, right?"

"No need!" Lin Xia continued to light the fire.

Lu Zheng and a cheerful Jiang Mingyuan, one about to open the door and the other pushing the door out, bumped into each other. Seeing that Jiang Mingyuan looked like he wasn’t about to vomit, Lu Zheng wondered why he seemed so happy.

Jiang Mingyuan gave Lu Zheng a profound glance and left without saying anything.

Lu Zheng went into the house and saw that the living room was empty. He headed to the kitchen and saw Lin Xia adding water to the pot, "Lin Xia! What are you making?"

"I’m making some porridge for you guys! Are you feeling better?" Lin Xia asked, looking at Lu Zheng’s pale face. His face hadn’t flushed since he began drinking.

"Much better!"

Lin Xia said, "Lu Zheng! Second Brother has gone to heat his house, you should stay there later, there’s room!"

Lu Zheng actually didn’t want to go; how could he be willing to share a kang with Jiang Mingyuan, his love rival, for sleeping?

But Lin Xia and Lin Qiu were both young ladies, and Lin Dong wasn’t home, so he couldn’t voice his disagreement.

"Okay!" he said and left the kitchen.

Lin Xia thought about the two hundred yuan, and while placing the leftovers in the pot, she looked around, saw no one, turned her back, and took out a stack of money from Jade’s room to count. Afterward, she left the kitchen

Lu Zheng was bending over to take something out of his bag when he saw the stack of money in Lin Xia’s hand, and he understood everything.

"Lu Zheng, this is the money you left last time; take it back!"

"Lin Xia, this money is for buying Lingzhi!" Lu Zheng refused to take it.

Lin Xia looked at him earnestly and said, "Lu Zheng, if you still consider me as a friend, then keep the money! I told you before, the Lingzhi was a gift for you!"

If it weren’t for her fear that sending the money by remittance could negatively impact Lu Zheng, she would have returned it to him long ago.

Seeing Lin Xia say this, Lu Zheng had no choice but to accept it, but he handed over a gift that he had always wanted to give her.

"Lin Xia, I consider you a friend! I’ll take back the money! But if you consider me as a friend too, then accept this small gift!

This was given to me by a friend! It’s handmade and not worth much money! I, as a man, can’t wear it! It’s just right for you!"

"I don’t want it! Keep it and give it to someone else!" Lin Xia declined, well aware that Lu Zheng wanted to pursue her and feeling it wouldn’t be right to accept the gift casually.

"I have no one to give it to! Lin Xia, if you don’t accept it, then you must take this money back!" He attempted to stuff the money back into Lin Xia’s hands during the conversation.

Lin Xia considered it for a moment and then accepted it, opening the box to see a bracelet made of red silk string, with a bright green, round jade bead in the center.

It seemed exceedingly simple and truly didn’t look like it was worth much money.

But for some reason, she liked it the moment she first saw it.

Lin Xia felt a softening in her heart and inquired, "This jade bead isn’t worth much either?"

Lu Zheng said without changing his expression, "It’s not valuable! My friend has a lot of them at his place!"

"Then okay, I’ll accept it! Thank you!" Lin Xia couldn’t hide the fondness in her eyes as she looked down to examine the intricate pattern of the braid;

she marveled internally at the dexterity of the person who wove the bracelet, knowing she could only weave the simplest kind.

Lu Zheng smiled happily, "Don’t mention it! Lin Xia, why don’t you try it on?"

Lin Xia glanced at him, "There’s no need!" It seemed odd to her to immediately wear something he had given her.

Just then, Lin Qiu came out from the Eastern House, making her bedding to avoid a cold bed later on.

"Sis, what’s that?" She had actually heard voices inside the room but didn’t feel comfortable coming out earlier.

Later she thought she couldn’t always stay hidden, and besides, she was very curious about the gift Lu Brother had given her sister.

Lin Xia handed it to her, "A handmade bracelet."

Lin Qiu’s eyes brightened, "It’s beautiful!" She encouraged her, "Sis, try it on!" She felt her sister would look great wearing it!

"Right, Lin Xia! Just try it on, see if it fits!" Lu Zheng chimed in.

Under his and Lin Qiu’s expectant gazes, "Alright then!" Lin Xia undid the knot and put the bracelet on.

Indeed, it fitted snugly around her wrist and made her hand look fair and lovely.

Lin Qiu held Lin Xia’s hand with a smile, "Sis, it really looks good on you, especially with your fair skin!"

Lin Qiu liked the bracelet too, but knowing Lu Brother gave it to her sister, she didn’t have the heart to ask to try it on right now.

However, once Lu Brother left for her second brother’s house, she would be able to wear it.

Lu Zheng looked at Lin Xia’s wrist, which was exposed like a piece of white lotus root, now adorned with the bracelet he had given her, making it look even fairer as though it could release water with a pinch.

A flame flickered in the depths of his eyes, perhaps because of the alcohol, he felt a bit tipsy. He quickly averted his gaze and dared not look any longer.