Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 99 Why Not Have the Best of Both Worlds?
"In response to Aunt, I got lost while traveling with my stepmother back then. I still need to recall the exact details slowly. All I know for now is that I later met my adoptive parents who rescued me and went to Tanzhou..."

The reason why Jiang sent Guo Lu to assassinate Lu Jia after learning of her whereabouts was partly because she didn't want her to return to the Lu family, and partly because she was wary of her revisiting the events of that year.

Since Lu Jia's goal wasn't to get the Cheng family to help her get revenge, she glossed over the details of the Jiang family incident, but recounted her experiences after meeting Xie Zhang and Qiu Niang in detail.

Of course, when it was unnecessary, the part about Guo Lu assassinating her was also erased.

"...In short, that's how it is. My adoptive mother learned a while ago that someone from the Lu family was looking for me. Not daring to delay me, she urged me to come to the capital to find my relatives."

After finishing her fluent and natural speech, she took a sip of water.

The four members of the Cheng family listened with changing expressions, and even Qinghe, who was standing next to them, kept glancing at Lu Jia.

"Then why did you say you didn't trust the Lu family?"

Okay, now that we know the whole story, Cheng Wenhui still doesn't understand. "Does your father really not acknowledge you?"

"Uncle!" Lu Jia sighed, looking at him. "Do you know who that person who went to Tanzhou to look for me is?"

"Who?"

“My stepmother’s nephew is Guo Lu!” Lu Jia looked over intently. “This Guo Lu is my stepmother’s man. The fact that he came all the way to Tanzhou to find me means that someone in the Lu family knows my approximate whereabouts.”

"Shouldn't the person who came to Tanzhou to look for me be my biological father? Why is it my stepmother's people?"

"Doesn't Uncle find this strange?"

Cheng Wenhui was stunned.

After parting ways with Lu Ze on the road of kinship, he stopped paying attention to what was happening with the Lu family. But since they both lived in the capital, news would inevitably reach his ears.

Jiang had a nephew from her maternal family, whose name she didn't know, but this man often traveled around using the Lu family's name, which was nothing new.

Lu Jia is right. If even one member of the Lu family knows her whereabouts, they must let Lu Jie know.

In other words, if people went all the way to Tanzhou to look for him, how could Lu Jie not know about it?
But several months have passed, and Lu Jie is still living peacefully in the capital. How can a father who is worried about his daughter be so calm?
In any case, Lu Jia's concern about not returning to the Lu family first is correct!

He glanced at his wife, then asked, "So, what do you plan to do?"

"Uncle and Aunt," Lu Jia said, her voice trembling with tears, as she wiped her eyes with her sleeve, "I want to go home."

Cheng Wenhui said, "Then I'll send someone to take you back."

"After Uncle sends me back, what will happen next? Will you two still acknowledge me as your niece? Will you visit the Lu family and keep in touch with me? If I need anything in the future, will Uncle still help me?"

Lu Jia's series of words immediately confused Cheng Wenhui.

He said, "Your biological father is still alive, so he will take care of you. From now on, you can handle all matters, big and small, yourself. You are a young lady of the Lu family, not a young lady of my Cheng family, so how can I interfere?"

He had broken off relations with that scoundrel Lu Jie for many years, and had already stopped caring about Lu Jia's affairs before she disappeared.

Now that she's back, and given that they've already become enemies, there's even less reason for her to interfere.

But she was, after all, her younger sister's only living flesh and blood. Blood is thicker than water, and even if her father were to turn his back on humanity, she would still be half of the Cheng family's bloodline. And even disregarding that kinship, she was currently just a helpless and vulnerable woman who needed his help, which was why he arranged for someone to send her on this trip.

"But Uncle, I went out with my family back then and somehow got lost. Later, I was found in Tanzhou, leaving me nowhere to hide. I'm afraid that if I go back, I'll be in grave danger."

"My father and stepmother have been married for many years and have a daughter together, so they have developed a deep bond. My father also holds an important position in the court and is busy all day long. How could he have time to take care of me?"

"When the time comes, my stepmother will naturally have to take over and discipline me. As a motherless child, I am helpless and my future is always uncertain!"

"You and my mother are siblings from the same mother. How can you bear to leave me to fend for myself in the Lu family?"

The family of four was speechless.

Whether the Cheng family acknowledges it or not, she is their niece, that's an undeniable fact!

Now that she has made her point clear, if the Cheng family still insists on ignoring her, wouldn't that be tantamount to being heartless and ungrateful?

But what else can they do?
We can't possibly re-establish this kinship and resume ties with the Lu family, can we?

You have to understand that the two families are not only enemies, but Lu Jie has also remarried and has been living with his new wife for more than ten years. If the Cheng family were to come knocking on their door as relatives again, what would that look like?!

Cheng Wenhui said seriously, "Girl, if you have any other matters, you can naturally come to me. But if it concerns the Lu family, my Cheng family will absolutely not interfere."

Upon hearing this, the two brothers beside him couldn't hold back. Cheng Yi said, "Father, my cousin's concerns are reasonable. The Lu family already has a second young lady, and I heard that she is quite favored by our parents. How much love will my cousin receive from our parents if she goes back?"
“As my aunt’s family, we don’t need to say how much we can help, as long as we can support her, the Lu family won’t be able to act without any scruples.”

Cheng Yan poked Mrs. Cheng's arm.

Mrs. Cheng opened her mouth, but seeing her husband's expression, she finally sighed.

Qinghe stood there for a moment, wringing her hands, wanting to step forward with a smile, but Lu Jia turned her head away and stopped her with a look.

“Uncle,” Lu Jia said, his expression hardening after Cheng Wenhui’s refusal, “I heard that you have served as an imperial censor for many years and have had a lot of trouble with your transfer in recent years.”

"Father now holds an important position and is fully capable of influencing Uncle's promotion. And you have been estranged from the Lu family for many years. Aren't you surprised that others get promoted so smoothly, but it becomes so difficult for you?"

Upon hearing this, Madam Cheng's expression immediately changed...

Cheng Wenhui stared intently: "What do you mean by that?"

Lu Jia said, "My uncle is a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and has extensive knowledge. He will naturally understand what I mean."

"Nonsense!" Cheng Wenhui stood up. "Although your father has been bewitched and colluded with treacherous officials, how could he have stooped to such a low level?"

Lu Jia slowly stood up: "If he were still the same person he was back then, why would I have gone through all this trouble, refusing to go home, to come looking for my uncle?"

Cheng Wenhui was speechless.

Lu Jia continued, "Right now, my uncle has the best chance to be promoted to the Ministry of Personnel. If this opportunity falls through, who knows if there will be another chance like this in the future?"
"My father holds a high position and wields great power. Besides having the ability to influence promotions, he also cannot bear the shame of leaving his eldest daughter to wander outside and be ignored."

"So why doesn't Uncle think this through carefully and come up with a solution that satisfies both sides?"

(End of this chapter)