Chapter 81: Nothing of Great Consequence

Lu Hao waved his hand dismissively. “It was just some friends helping out, nothing special.”
“Oh, by the way, didn’t you say you wanted a refrigerator? I remember Liu Shuiyu mentioning you’ve been wanting one.” Lu Hao grinned. “Come on, let’s go to the furniture market and get you a fridge.”

At his words, Zhao Cuihua shook her head vigorously, like a rattle drum. “No need. You just took over this shop—there’s still a lot of money to invest if you want to keep it running.”

“The clinic needs money for medicinal supplies too. You should be careful with what you’ve got, don’t spend recklessly.” Zhao Cuihua, looking every bit the mistress of the house, advised Lu Hao earnestly.

Lu Hao gazed at her wide, blinking eyes, feeling a bit helpless.
“All right, Sister Cuihua, when I have a little more money in the future, I’ll furnish a whole house for you.”
Zhao Cuihua beamed, straightening his collar. “Then your Sister Cuihua will be waiting for that day.”

At that moment, they were unaware that their affectionate exchange was being watched by Er Hu, who was limping along, dragging one leg. His eyes flashed with sharpness and hatred.

Zhao Cuihua was the woman even he, Er Hu, hadn’t managed to win over—practically the goddess among widows in Peach Blossom Village. And now she was cozying up to Lu Hao. How could he tolerate that?

He had to find Young Master Sun and Young Master Zhou to discuss a countermeasure.
This Lu Hao had already cleaned up nearly all the “bully factions” in Peach Blossom Village. Now he seemed to have become the local power himself—women, land, houses, shops, he had them all!

By now, Lu Hao had bid farewell to Zhao Cuihua and returned home.

Just as he opened the door, he saw his father, Lu Weiguo, unsteadily opening it for him.
“You’re back,” his father, still dressed in his muddy work clothes, hoe in hand, sweat shining on his brow, greeted him.

Clearly, he had returned from the fields not long ago.

“Dad, didn’t I tell you not to work in the fields? You should be resting, recovering from your injuries. What’s going on?” Lu Hao asked.

“Getting old, not many days left. You’re not married yet, and I can’t sit still, can’t just lie around,” Lu Weiguo muttered, taking a drag of his pipe.

Just then, his mother Liu Xiulan’s voice came from inside the house, “Don’t mind your father. That old fool’s life is all about toil—he’ll probably die out there in the fields. Stubborn old thing.”

She was still scrubbing laundry, cursing lightly, a helpless smile on her face, though her brows were knit with worry, as if some burden weighed on her heart.

Even though Lu Hao had managed to open his clinic, she still couldn’t set her mind at ease over her son.

She was well informed, thanks to all the aunts and relatives in the village.
Just these past two days, because Lu Hao had broken Sun Wenguo’s arm and offended Zhou Run, the village women had begun to look at her differently.

They no longer called her “Sister Liu,” but now “Aunt Liu,” and no conversation ended without someone remarking, “Your son is really something.”

No one had expected a gentle, bookish young medical student to take down the three village pests.

But whenever this happened, Liu Xiulan didn’t smile with pride. Instead, she grew even more worried.

Because she knew life went on day by day; when Lu Hao made the first move, others might retaliate later. The canal incident was proof enough.

There was no telling when Sun Wenguo and his gang might return to stir up trouble.

“Lu Hao, did Sun Wenguo’s people come to the clinic today? How was business?” his mother asked.

She wanted to mention that his sister would soon start school again, and they needed to prepare for tuition, board, books, and other expenses, but the family’s rice crop hadn’t sold yet.

Money had been tight ever since Lu Weiguo’s illness.

The rice was still unsold, and she was worried.

Lu Hao smiled. “No business is the best—means no one in the village is sick.”

“My apprentice is watching the clinic for now, don’t worry, everything’s fine.”

At this, Liu Xiulan sighed. “Just be careful, make sure nobody runs off with the fees.”

She said this out of anxiety, but dared not speak openly to her son, so she could only put it this way.

“They drive cars worth over a million; would they covet a little clinic fee? Let me tell you some good news—I’ve taken over the Neijiang Restaurant in the village.” Lu Hao grinned, taking off his jacket.

“What?” Both parents were stunned.

“Son, do you know what you’re saying? Which Neijiang Restaurant? The one at the east end of the village? I remember that place is pretty grand, always bustling with people.”

“You really opened a restaurant?” Lu Weiguo fired off questions in rapid succession.

“Of course. Would I lie to you? Tomorrow, I’ll take you there for a meal,” Lu Hao replied.

“Oh, son, when did you start lying to your parents?” Liu Xiulan sighed.

“Do you know how much it costs to take over Neijiang Restaurant? Are you sure you weren’t tricked? You have to be careful—remember how your cousin got scammed out of tens of thousands a few years ago?”

Lu Hao shook his head. “Not likely. Their group is huge. This kind of money is nothing to them—probably less than a bottle of wine.”

He recalled the scenes he’d witnessed at Shang Yunjie’s villa, unable to help but marvel.

The lives of those high-society people were so extravagant it was beyond imagination.

“You say too much. The boy’s done well for himself, why do you have to put it like that?” Lu Weiguo coughed twice, rebuked Liu Xiulan, then continued, “Son, tell me, where did you get the money? How much did it cost to take over the place?”

“I’ll help you figure out if you got a good deal.”

Lu Hao nodded. “About a hundred thousand or so, and another hundred thousand-plus, so all together, almost three hundred thousand.”

“I think, with those two floors and the location, it’s a good deal. Here are the property certificates.” As he spoke, Lu Hao took out the various documents from his bag.