As Chen Jiaojiao had said, the next day Lu Mingzhe accompanied her to the City Construction Bureau.
Before they could even state who they were looking for, they were blocked.
“There’s a special meeting happening in the city recently, and all the leaders are attending. They won’t be back for now and aren’t accepting any appointments.”
Lu Mingzhe checked and found that this meeting did exist, but it was only for one day.
It had already taken place yesterday, and the leaders couldn’t possibly stay there for several days without returning.
It was clear they were deliberately avoiding the spotlight.
So be it.
No one would jeopardize their own future. They weren’t related, and if others were unwilling to help, he couldn’t force them.
It seemed this path was a dead end.
Chen Jiaojiao was extremely worried.
While she knew her father deserved his fate, he was, after all, her biological father.
With his downfall, the Chen family was destined to lose everything.
Falling from heaven to hell, anyone would find it emotionally unbearable.
Returning home dejected, Lu Mingzhe told her to go inside first while he made a call by the door.
He called his father.
He assumed his father had heard about Chen Jiaojiao’s father’s situation, and Lu Mingzhe asked for his opinion.
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? Things have come to this point; there’s no use in talking nonsense. Just tell me what you think.”
Lu Mingzhe certainly couldn’t say that his marriage to Chen Jiaojiao was a sham and that whether he helped or not was inconsequential.
“Since Jiaojiao has married into our family, she is one of us. Our two families rise and fall together.”
“Dad, within your capabilities, I think if you can help, you should.”
“Your father is about to retire. I’ve been upright and incorruptible for so many years. At such a critical moment, with so many eyes watching, you want me to go against my principles?”
“I’m not asking you to go against your principles. I just don’t know what to do and hope you can guide me.”
Lu’s father had clearly already considered it.
“With so many eyes watching, it’s difficult to handle anything well during this sensitive period.”
“Tell Jiaojiao to stay calm and not panic. I’ll recommend a reliable lawyer to her shortly. Wait, after this period passes, we’ll try to get her released on bail.”
Lu Mingzhe returned and relayed his father’s words to Chen Jiaojiao.
Chen Jiaojiao expressed her understanding.
“Your father is right. The more critical the moment, the more likely people are to be watched. He can’t get involved in this.”
Lu Mingzhe gave her a phone number.
“This is the lawyer my father recommended. Contact him and see.”
Chen Jiaojiao contacted the lawyer and handed over all subsequent matters to him, as she couldn’t help much further.
Then, she returned to Nancheng with Lu Mingzhe.
With her father’s troubles at such a crucial time, her beauty salon, which had just ordered beauty equipment and was halfway through renovation, now lacked the funds for further investment.
All the way, Chen Jiaojiao was shrouded in gloom.
She had originally planned to stop Zhou Jinbei from working and bring her along to start a business and get rich. Now, look at the situation…
Upon hearing she was back, Zhou Jinbei invited her to dinner that evening and also invited Lu Mingzhe.
“Long time no see. You’re here too, let’s sit together.”
Thinking Chen Jiaojiao hadn’t been in good spirits the past couple of days, Lu Mingzhe accompanied her.
The three met, and after a brief exchange of pleasantries, Zhou Jinbei apologized to her.
“I’m sorry. With this happening, I can’t help you much. But at least I won’t drag you down.”
“I borrowed 500,000 yuan from an old friend. Take it for the renovation. Maybe if you grit your teeth, you can get through this difficult time. We can’t give up so easily.”
“I’ve already invested so much money. I’m not willing to just throw it away.”
Chen Jiaojiao was surprised.
“You actually borrowed money from someone else to give to me? What do you take me for?”
“I take you as a friend. You helped me at a crucial moment, and when you’re in trouble, if I don’t do something, wouldn’t I be ashamed?”
Chen Jiaojiao was about to get angry.
“I can’t accept this money. Return it to wherever you borrowed it from!”
“The person I hate most in my life is borrowing money from others, especially from people I’m not close enough to!”
“I can’t let you be in a position where people laugh at you. Zhou Jinbei, can’t you have some backbone?”
Zhou Jinbei was putting on a brave face.
“Oh, it’s fine. I have plenty of friends. How do you know I’m not close enough to them?”
“I lived with you for so long, don’t I know how many true friends you have? Stop the nonsense and take it back quickly.”
“Then what do you plan to do? Didn’t you say all your assets were frozen? What about our beauty salon?”
“Don’t worry, I won’t starve anytime soon. I still have many jewelry and bags. If worse comes to worst, I’ll sell them all.”
Seeing the two of them chatting back and forth, showing their deep sisterly affection and speaking their minds, Lu Mingzhe felt he should do something as well.
He didn’t say anything in front of Zhou Jinbei, but on the way back, he handed Chen Jiaojiao a card.
“After working for several years, this is all the money I’ve earned. I’m not sure of the exact amount. Take it and use it.”
“Don’t let your father’s situation ruin your career. Zhou Jinbei is right, you’ll get through it if you persevere. Everything is temporary.”
Chen Jiaojiao didn’t expect him to be so generous.
He was actually entrusting her with all his savings from the past few years.
Although Lu Mingzhe’s behavior had often displeased Chen Jiaojiao before, she had begun to change her opinion of him in the recent days.
At a critical moment, he was actually protecting her.
Not only did he not show any disdain while running around for her father’s affairs, but he also sought out his own father.
And now, he was so generous.
Looking at him, and then thinking of Hu Jiasheng.
Both men, one who constantly said he loved her, the other who constantly said he hated her.
Their actions were worlds apart.
Compared in this way, it was hard for her not to be moved.
“So generous? You don’t even know the exact amount inside. What if I spend it all and don’t pay you back?”
“I have text message notifications, so I wouldn’t be that foolish.”
Whether Lu Mingzhe was deliberately trying to annoy her or truly intended it, he suddenly ruined the mood.
“Besides, you, Miss Chen, aren’t someone who hasn’t seen money before. You wouldn’t do something so cheap.”
“Heh, I thought you were giving me the money to spend as I pleased, with no expectation of return. So it’s a loan.”
“How could there be no expectation of return? The house and car I have now were bought by my parents. This is me saving up my ‘wife-fetching’ money.”
“If, one day, I want to marry someone they don’t approve of, with this money, I can leave and start my own life.”
“……”
If he was deliberately trying to anger Chen Jiaojiao, then he had succeeded.
After a few seconds of silence, Chen Jiaojiao, feeling a bit awkward, asked him.
“Will you be staying at home later?”
“Why? Do you have something to tell me?”
It was actually quite nice to have someone around when you were unhappy.
Thinking she would be alone again when she returned home, Chen Jiaojiao felt a bit lost.
But she was being contrary.
“No. It’s just that you’ve been out for two days and haven’t called anyone, nor has anyone called you. I suspect you don’t have anyone outside.”
This was actually true.
He hadn’t contacted Xiang Wan at all during their two days out.
Someone like Xiang Wan, who was mature, stable, psychologically strong, and independent.
She never idly sent him meaningless messages to pester him.