Chapter 61: Is There a Deeper Meaning Here?

88th floor, Lu Corporation Tower.

Lu Shenlin had arrived early that morning.

“Good morning, Chairman. Would you like a cup of hot tea?” Chief Secretary Liu An knocked and entered, asking politely.

“Mm, the usual.”

“Right away, Chairman.”

By the time Liu An returned with a freshly brewed cup of tea, he found the Chairman standing by the side desk, grinding ink.

Liu An had long known that the Chairman liked to practice calligraphy when he had free time, often standing at that very desk.

But today, he had barely arrived, hadn’t even taken a sip of tea, and was already preparing ink to start writing…

That was a little unusual.

Could there be a deeper meaning behind this?

Did the Chairman have a fight with Madam last night and get kicked to the sofa?

That didn’t seem likely.

If that were the case, the Chairman wouldn’t look this calm.

There were no dark circles under his eyes, no signs of fatigue.

In fact, there was even a faint trace of joy between his brows.

Wait a minute… could it be that something good happened?

Liu An studied the Chairman carefully from head to toe.

Finally, he noticed a rather unfamiliar inkstone.

The Chairman had always used a round inkstone.

But today, he was using one with a rather peculiar and antique shape.

Could that be the reason?

With that thought, Liu An cautiously asked, “Chairman, is that… a new inkstone?”

“Yes. Xiao Liu, what do you think of it?”

Lu Shenlin nodded and gave Liu An a casual glance as he asked.

“Chairman, I’m a simple man. I don’t know much about these things.”

“But honestly, I think this new inkstone of yours looks quite unique and refined.”

“It’s clearly no ordinary item.”

“Heh, right? This inkstone was a gift from Qingqing.” Lu Shenlin’s tone remained calm as he spoke.

But for some reason, Liu An could hear a subtle note of pride hidden in that calm voice.

“A gift from the young miss? No wonder.”

“Oh?” Lu Shenlin’s tone lifted slightly.

“Chairman, ever since you first had me reach out to her, asking if she needed any help… I noticed something.”

“The young miss has a sharp eye, a kind heart, and a strong sense of compassion. She’s efficient, decisive, and carries a style much like yours in your early days.”

“Her renovation plans for the orphanage, her mountain construction blueprints—they were truly eye-opening.”

“I never imagined even the gifts she picks would be so thoughtful and fitting.”

“Qingqing is still young. She has a long road ahead of her,” Lu Shenlin said, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

In truth, when he first learned that his biological daughter had spent the past twenty years living in the countryside, his heart had ached with guilt and sorrow.

Back then, he had resolved that no matter what kind of person Lu Qingqing turned out to be, as her father, he would accept her and take care of her.

If she were an ordinary girl, he would protect her, let her grow up in peace, give her some company shares, maybe a few properties.

Even if she never worked a day in her life, she could still live comfortably for the rest of her days.

If she were ambitious, he would create opportunities for her, help her learn and grow, climb step by step, and give her a bigger stage and more shares.

If she had her own dreams and wanted to pursue something she loved, he would fully support her, guide her, encourage her, and stand behind her.

He had even considered that his daughter, after years of hardship, might be a bit narrow-minded or unable to adapt to life in a wealthy family.

That would be fine too. He and his wife could take her out more, show her the world, help her grow little by little.

What he hadn’t expected was that their daughter, Qingqing, would turn out to be so outstanding.

Though she had only inherited a tiny, almost laughably small orphanage, she had done an excellent job.

She had clear plans and ideas.

She had been working hard, full of passion.

Even the gifts she gave to the family were so well chosen.

Like this inkstone in front of him—he truly liked it.

He could tell it wasn’t cheap.

She had probably spent most of the savings the family had given her just to buy these gifts.

This inkstone was likely the most valuable and precious among the three gifts.

Ah, his Qingqing really was one of a kind.

He’d have Secretary Liu send her a black unlimited credit card later.

Her orphanage was expanding and would surely need a lot of funding.

And as a young woman, she’d need to buy all kinds of jewelry, bags, cosmetics, and so on.

All of that required money.

He would make sure everything was arranged for her.

“Chairman, with a father like you supporting her, the young miss is bound to go far.”

“No. Even without me, Qingqing would go far,” Lu Shenlin said.

“True.”

“Xiao Liu, I believe there’s a meeting at nine, correct?”

“Yes, Chairman. At nine, you’re scheduled to meet with President Feng of Xiao Xiaofu Jewelry.”

“Good. When he arrives, bring him straight to my office.”

“Understood, Chairman.”

After Liu An left, Lu Shenlin resumed practicing his calligraphy.

Years of habit had made him a skilled calligrapher, able to write with ease and elegance.

Before he knew it, it was 8:45.

There was a knock at the door.

Liu An entered, bringing in President Feng of Xiao Xiaofu Jewelry.

“President Lu, practicing your calligraphy?”

“Your brushwork is powerful and full of character. Impressive!”

“Heh, you flatter me, President Feng. Xiao Liu, serve the tea.”

“President Lu, that inkstone of yours… it looks just like a Duan stone shell inkstone from the Qianlong period of the Qing dynasty.”

Feng Sheng had started his business with jewelry and antiques.

By instinct, he was drawn to rare and unusual antiques or artifacts.

The moment he laid eyes on the inkstone, he couldn’t help but approach and examine it closely.

“Really? My daughter gave it to me the other day.”

“You know me, I’m good at business, but when it comes to antiques, I’m nowhere near your level.”

“This inkstone… is it valuable?” Lu Shenlin asked.

“Valuable? That’s an understatement! This is an absolute treasure, a rare find!”

Feng Sheng pulled out a magnifying glass from his pocket and examined the inkstone carefully, visibly excited.

“President Lu, would you consider parting with it? I’d be honored to purchase it from you.”

“No.” Lu Shenlin refused without hesitation.

This was a gift from Qingqing.

Even if someone offered him a billion, he wouldn’t sell it.

It confirmed what he had suspected earlier.

Qingqing must have put a great deal of thought into choosing this gift.

Among all the gifts given to the family, his was clearly the most valuable and rare.

At that thought, Lu Shenlin maintained his calm, composed demeanor on the surface.

But deep down, the little man inside his heart was already dancing with joy.

Was this the deep love of a daughter for her father?

He could feel it. Truly.

Fang Yuan had given him gifts before too.

But to be honest, the feeling he got from those gifts was nothing like what he felt today.

Perhaps this was the unique bond between a father and his biological daughter.

“That’s a real shame.”

Feng Sheng sighed, then reluctantly stepped away from the inkstone and sat down on the nearby sofa.

“Right, President Lu. I came today to discuss Xiao Xiaofu Jewelry’s entry into your Lu Corporation malls, and our plans to expand into overseas markets.”

“Mm. What’s your proposal?”

Feng Sheng immediately handed over the proposal he had brought.

After reading it, Lu Shenlin thought for a moment and then gave his approval.

The contract was signed remarkably smoothly.

Lu Shenlin didn’t even haggle much.

This left Feng Sheng a bit stunned.

After all, he had dealt with Lu Shenlin before.

He had never been this easy to talk to.

As he was leaving, Feng Sheng heard Lu Shenlin say with a smile, “Old Feng, your second son looks pretty promising.”

“Make sure to nurture him well.”

“???” Feng Sheng blinked.

His second son, Feng Xiao?

Isn’t that guy just a spoiled, reckless rich second generation?

He spends his days fooling around with pets and doing nothing serious, yet somehow Lu Shenlin, the richest man around, actually thinks he’s not bad?

Could it be that today’s contract went through so smoothly because of him?

No way, I need to go home and question that kid properly.

— Translator’s Notes —

– Duan stone shell inkstone from the Qianlong period of the Qing dynasty: A Duan inkstone is a high-quality traditional Chinese writing accessory made from fine-grained Duan stone, valued for its durability and ability to grind ink smoothly. The Qianlong period (1735–1796) was the reign of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing dynasty, an era celebrated for its prosperity, artistic patronage, and production of exquisite antiques.