Free Web NovelChapter 179: Chapter 179: Following the Scent Home
Xu Su Hua received news of Fang Shuxin’s visit the moment it happened.
The car drove directly to the main courtyard entrance, where Xu Su Hua was already waiting with her staff.
As soon as the car stopped, a Lu Family servant immediately came over to open the door.
"Old Xu!"
Fang Shuxin called out as soon as she got out of the car.
Xu Su Hua had never been very fond of the nickname "Old Xu," but Fang Shuxin could never seem to break the habit.
"Let’s go inside and talk."
Fang Shuxin didn’t mind that Xu Su Hua had ignored her "Old Xu." She was used to it after all these years. She followed Xu Su Hua into the living room.
"Have a seat. I’ll have someone make you some tea."
Lu Zhengguo was busy dealing with the route map provided by Zero One, so he was often away from home these days.
Today, Xu Su Hua was the only one at the Lu Family’s Old Mansion.
"I’d like the Yuqian Longjing, please~"
Fang Shuxin knew Xu Su Hua kept the good tea, so she didn’t stand on ceremony.
Xu Su Hua shot Fang Shuxin a glare. "You’re the only one who’s so particular about your tea."
"When you visit the Huo family, I serve you good tea too. You’re one to talk."
It was true. Xu Su Hua never stood on ceremony when she visited the Huo family.
"Alright, alright. I’ll make you the Yuqian Longjing. Wait here, I’ll go get it."
Yuqian Longjing was a rare commodity. If Xu Su Hua didn’t happen to know a tea farmer who owned several plantations, she might not have been able to procure any herself.
These days, tea farmers had organized into large-scale operations. Without the right connections, it was impossible to buy top-tier tea.
"That’s more like it."
A short while later, Xu Su Hua returned with the tea leaves. Fang Shuxin, quick on the uptake, followed her into the Lu Family’s tea room.
In the tea room, a professional tea master was on hand to brew the tea, which was far more fragrant than what their own amateurish attempts could produce.
"So, word has gotten back to me that you’re trying to set Little sparrow up with a girl on a blind date.
Neither his mother nor I, his other grandmother, were worried about it. Why the sudden concern from you?"
From what Xu Su Hua knew of Fang Shuxin, she wasn’t the type to force Lu Yunque to go on a blind date.
"I am arranging a blind date for Little sparrow, but I never said I was choosing from the prominent families! I have no idea how they got wind of it, and it’s been causing me no end of trouble lately."
Speaking of which, Fang Shuxin felt she had been terribly wronged.
"Oh? Don’t tell me you already have someone in mind? And Little sparrow actually agreed to meet her?"
This was a huge deal. For Little sparrow to agree, the girl must have at least caught his eye.
Otherwise, even if Fang Shuxin threw a fit—crying, screaming, and threatening to hang herself—Little sparrow probably wouldn’t have budged an inch.
"Hmph! I tried to get Little sparrow to meet the young lady before, but he wasn’t interested!
Now, he’s begging me to set up a blind date, and with the very same girl."
Hearing this, Xu Su Hua was suddenly wide awake.
"Tell me everything."
Since she was talking to Lu Yunque’s other grandmother, Fang Shuxin had no intention of saving face for him and spilled the beans on the whole affair from start to finish.
Meanwhile, in the president’s office at the Lu Group, Lu Yunque suddenly let out a series of sneezes.
"Are you catching a cold, President?"
Mo Bin asked, looking concerned.
Lu Yunque shook his head. "No. Please, continue."
＊
「The Lu Family’s Old Mansion.」
"That really happened? Why didn’t you tell me sooner? That girl came to my Old Lu’s birthday banquet, and it was Little sparrow who gave her the invitation!
I knew he seemed different around that girl. It’s a shame I never saw her again after that.
To think she was your tenant! What’s her personality like? Is she a person of good character?"
The knowledge that Lu Yunque had actually found a girl he was interested in completely invigorated Xu Su Hua.
"I’m the one who introduced her to Little sparrow, so of course, her personality and character are absolutely guaranteed!
The main reason I came to you today was to get your opinion on which restaurant would be best. Here’s a list of places I’ve screened. Have a look."
Fang Shuxin had the maid who accompanied her place a folder of restaurant information on the table.
"You’re right, we do need to choose carefully. Let me take a look."
Xu Su Hua’s expression turned serious as she began to review the options.
"This one’s decor looks too somber, not quite right..."
"This one is too flashy. It doesn’t suit Little sparrow’s personality..."
"This one is decent enough. We can keep it as a backup."
...
Xu Su Hua spent a long time vetting the restaurant profiles Fang Shuxin had brought. Once she was done, she turned her attention to the shortlist she had just created.
Now the choice became more difficult. After the initial screening, every remaining restaurant seemed to have its merits.
The two women were once again at an impasse.
Just then, they faintly heard the sound of a vehicle pulling into the courtyard.
"Who’s back?"
It was approaching noon, and Xu Su Hua couldn’t think of anyone who would be returning to the old mansion at this hour.
Normally, people only came back around dinnertime.
The rest of the time, it was usually just her and Lu Zhengguo in the old mansion. And with Lu Zhengguo being so busy lately, it was often just Xu Su Hua by herself.
"Madam, the Young Master is back."
"Little sparrow? Doesn’t he usually have lunch at the office? Why would he suddenly come back to the old mansion?"
Lu Yunque didn’t necessarily even come back to the old mansion for dinner.
A workaholic, Lu Yunque had his own place near the Lu Group, so he only returned to the old mansion periodically, and almost always for dinner.
’And in the middle of the day, too. I didn’t have the kitchen prepare a meal for him...’
The servants had no way of knowing, so they simply remained silent.
"Grandma! Grandma!"
Lu Yunque’s voice preceded him into the room.
"Hmph! So, he came back because he knew you were here."
Hearing Lu Yunque call out for his maternal grandmother, Xu Su Hua immediately guessed the reason for his sudden return.
’He’s in a rush to meet that girl.’
Fang Shuxin gave a noncommittal smile. ’As if I wouldn’t know his real reason for coming back at this hour.’
’He’s not here for his dear old grandma; he wants to know when the blind date is.’
"Alright, we’ll let him choose himself in a bit. Whether or not he can win the fair lady’s heart is up to him now."
Xu Su Hua figured there was no point in them fussing over it anymore. It was better to let Lu Yunque take the lead. Who knew, it might lead to some unexpected results.
Fang Shuxin had no objections. Her mind didn’t work as shrewdly as Xu Su Hua’s, so since she had spoken, Fang Shuxin would just follow her lead.
As the two women came out of the tea room, they saw Lu Yunque walking in through the front door.
Lu Yunque’s eyes lit up when he saw that Fang Shuxin was indeed there. He was about to say something, but Xu Su Hua stopped him with a raised hand.
"Let’s have lunch first. You didn’t call ahead, so I don’t know if the kitchen has prepared enough food."
"It’s fine. I just heard my grandmother was visiting, so I came back to see you both. Is Grandpa not home today?"
"He’s busy with that route map business. Don’t mind him."
Xu Su Hua had her complaints about the old man working himself into a daze at his age, but she also knew how important the matter was, so in the end, she said no more.
"Don’t be upset. I’ll talk to Grandpa later and tell him he shouldn’t be working so hard now that he’s retired."
