Chapter 159: The Lu Family’s

Chapter 159: Chapter 159: The Lu Family’s

"Are you trying to kill me with anger? Who is Lu Tingyan? Do you even know about the Lu Family?"

"The Lu Family? Which Lu Family? In our military and political circles, the only one with the surname Lu is Political Commissar Lu, but he has no connection to Lu Zhengchuan whatsoever." Xu Rongrong racked her brain but came up with nothing.

Mr. Xu tapped his fingers on the table. "The Lu Family from Hong Kong City. Understand?"

"To be precise, the Lu Family went to Hong Kong City back in the ’50s. Some members went abroad as well, so of course, there’s been no news of them on the mainland."

"Hong Kong City? But... we haven’t taken it back yet, have we? That’s practically foreign territory. The only people who could leave back then were those rich landlords and gentry. They were wealthier than us, sure, but once they left, I bet they couldn’t even come back."

"Honestly, I feel like having relatives like the Lu Family would negatively affect Lu Zhengchuan’s prospects."

Xu Rongrong frowned, a hint of worry in her voice. "Dad, why are you only telling me this now? Don’t tell me the Lu Family showed up because they heard Lu Zhengchuan is doing well and want him to pull some strings for them?"

"Pull what strings? The Lu Family isn’t like those other families."

"How are they any different?" Xu Rongrong rolled her eyes.

She was from a military family. But unlike ordinary people who idolized wealthy foreigners, her attitude was different. She liked foreign goods, yes, but only because she had the money for them. Who would settle for the ordinary when they could afford luxury products?

After all, her family had an impeccable revolutionary pedigree.

"Because every member of the Lu Family was sent abroad by the state to earn foreign exchange, not like other overseas Chinese who were passively forced to seek refuge."

"Do you know who owns those few courtyard estates next to Capital Square?"

"The Lu Family’s?" Xu Rongrong’s eyes widened in astonishment.

It was impossible for anyone to keep a private courtyard home, let alone one that was sitting empty, unless they had rendered truly great service to the country.

"More or less."

"What do you mean, ’more or less’?" Xu Rongrong ran a hand through her hair in frustration, getting the distinct feeling that things were spiraling out of her control.

"Because the younger generation of the Lu Family either died in the line of duty or went missing during missions abroad. The residence was completely empty. Later, when Mr. Lu returned to the Capital, the state gave the courtyard back to him."

"What? The Lu Family members all died in the line of duty?"

"What else would you think? Why do you suppose Lu Zhengchuan grew up in the countryside? It’s because the Lu Family was so patriotic that they were targeted by foreign spies. It led to a point where not even one in ten family members survived. That’s why Mr. Lu is in charge now."

"They feared he would be targeted, so they sent him straight to the countryside. He was only a baby, after all, and held no sway. Raised by relatives in a rural village, he logically should have spent his entire life there, never setting foot in the city."

"But who would have known he’d turn out to be so capable? At such a young age, he dared to join the army and charge the enemy lines, even becoming an officer."

"What’s more, Lu Zhengchuan’s performance on the southern front was exceptional. I heard he’s going to be awarded a First-Class Merit. He’s a real standout in the military. If he’s officially acknowledged by Mr. Lu again, there’s no telling how good his life will be."

Mr. Xu sighed. To think, his own rank was no match for Lu Zhengchuan’s, though he had always held administrative posts, even during his time at the frontier.

Xu Rongrong’s eyes lit up. "As expected of the man I’ve set my sights on. He’s even more outstanding than before."

"...So what I’m trying to say is, you’d better not offend him. Lu Tingyan may be missing, but Mr. Lu is still here. If you insist on going against him, you’re just courting death."

Xu Rongrong was speechless.

-

For the next three days, Su Wan was busy with the special exams prepared by her various professors. They had arranged for her to be tested privately, a kindness she deeply appreciated, so naturally, she didn’t slack off in the slightest.

Fortunately, the results after three days of testing were excellent. While she didn’t get a perfect score in every subject, she scored above ninety-five on all of them.

Professor Wang said with satisfaction, "It’s clear you haven’t slacked off these past six months. Your next step is to join the experimental team right away. We’re short-handed as it is. I’ve looked at all the suggestions and ideas you submitted. I even had students run some of them, and most of the results were positive. But as a researcher, you have to do the work yourself to make a breakthrough. All theory and no practice isn’t good for your development."

"I understand, Professor Wang," Su Wan agreed with a nod.

"Good. Then you can join the team tomorrow."

"I’ll have some work for you."

"Oh, right. This is your pay. Even though you weren’t physically in the lab, the materials you provided count as participation. I discussed it with the university, and we decided to keep your stipend active. This is for the past eight months."

Professor Wang handed her an envelope. It was quite thick.

Su Wan was both flattered and a little worried. "Professor Wang, if the other students find out about this, will it cause a stir?"

"A stir? Your inability to come to the lab wasn’t just because you were pregnant, but also because your husband is an officer and this was related to the situation on the southern front. The university made this decision after careful consideration. If anyone is unsatisfied, they can come directly to me or the president for confirmation. They’re all old enough to get into Capital University. I trust their heads are on straight and they won’t act recklessly."

"And if there really is such a person, then one can only say they ought to be investigated as a potential spy," Professor Wang added, his tone confident and blunt.

A smile spread across Su Wan’s face. "You have a point, Professor Wang. I was worrying too much."

"You just focus on your research. The country needs talented people, and it will protect them. There are others to handle trivial matters for you; you don’t need to waste your mental energy on such things."

Professor Wang gently admonished her for a few more moments, telling her to put aside her worries and focus her attention on her research.

Su Wan nodded obediently again and again.

A little after six in the afternoon, she headed home from the university.

The moment she got home, she went straight to the bedroom. Seeing her two babies sleeping in their little bed, her heart softened, and she felt the exhaustion from her long day at the university simply melt away.

"Tuantuan."

"Yuanyuan."

Su Wan reached out and gently poked each of her babies’ cheeks. They were so soft and squishy, a wonderful feeling.

"Wanwan, hurry and come out for dinner," Aunt Zhao called from the doorway, her voice tinged with fond exasperation.

"Okay, I’m coming!" Su Wan walked out, had dinner with her family, and then went to the bathroom to wash up.

After washing up, her skin still damp in the mild air, she changed into a thin cotton t-shirt and shorts and sat down in the bedroom to read.

The twins woke up once. She changed their diapers, cleaned them up, fed them, and played with them for a little while before they fell asleep again.

Aunt Zhao took the diapers out to wash them. By the time she was done, it was almost nine o’clock. With a busy morning ahead, she decided to go rest. Before leaving, however, she filled the thermoses with hot water and placed them in Su Wan’s room, since the babies would still wake up twice during the night to be fed.

Around ten o’clock, just as Su Wan was getting ready for bed, she heard a knock.

Puzzled, she walked into the courtyard and opened the main gate, only to see a familiar figure standing outside.

"Lu Zhengchuan?" The surprise in Su Wan’s voice was unmistakable.