Chapter 409 - 405: A Twist of Fate

Chapter 409: Chapter 405: A Twist of Fate

Luo Hongyi said, "I’ve thought it over. In a few years, we’ll invest in some companies that are set to become top earners and buy a lot of their stock. By then, we’ll have a steady stream of money coming in without having to work so hard. Plus, with all the money I’ve earned—both on the books and off—it’ll be more than enough to support you and our future children. Once we get back, I’ll find a time to hand over all my assets to you. I think it’s time we made our relationship official."

"If we’re making it official, then let’s do it. When the time comes, you can go talk to my parents yourself. Considering how much my mom likes you, I doubt she’ll object as long as I’m on board."

Gu Nuan Nuan nodded. "Since you’re giving your assets to me, I won’t stand on ceremony. Just don’t you dare regret it. Once it’s in my pocket, it’s mine, and I won’t be pulling it out for anyone." Unaware of what Luo Hongyi had been thinking, a thought suddenly crossed her mind. ’He might talk a big game now, but you never know.’ She let out a huff.

’Why should she be polite about taking Luo Hongyi’s assets? If she didn’t, should she just let those bottomless pits back in his hometown get their hands on it? Heh, in this life, she would let them look but never touch. All the money would be hers. If those people dared to cause a scene later, then everyone would get to see just how audacious they were, shamelessly demanding their daughter-in-law fork over her own money just so their entire family could live in luxury.’

Gu Nuan Nuan smiled to herself, looking quite pleased.

"Oh, you," Luo Hongyi said with a helpless laugh, his eyes full of adoration. "Shouldn’t you wait until you actually have everything before looking so triumphant? Aren’t you worried I might change my mind and secretly hold something back?"

"Would you?" Gu Nuan Nuan’s eyes widened as she glared at Luo Hongyi, letting out a loud huff. "If you ever dare pull something like that, you’d better make damn sure I never find out. Hide it well, or I’m afraid I’ll be forced to unlock my inner ’shrew screaming in the streets’ skill."

"I already told you I’m not going to try and please both sides. I was a dutiful son long enough in my last life. From now on, I’ll only give them the bare minimum I’m obligated to. I’ve insisted on doing it this way from the start of this life, not like last time when I gave them nearly everything before we were married. In the future, all our family’s assets will be yours. I’ll even put the company I operate publicly under your name. Everything will be yours. We can just let them all think I’m a kept man, how does that sound?" Luo Hongyi’s smile was utterly fawning.

’It was because he had given them far too much before the wedding that their appetites had grown so immense, which ultimately led to their intense resentment toward Nuannuan after they married. But they never once stopped to consider that once a man is married, how could he possibly continue to ignore his own wife and children just to endlessly subsidize his extended family?’

’In this life, it was good enough that he didn’t see them as his enemies. He had absolutely no intention of indulging them ever again.’

Gu Nuan Nuan was very pleased. "Now that’s more like it."

Luo Hongyi gazed at her, his face full of hope. "Nuannuan, look... I don’t want to interfere with your plans, but don’t you think it’s all a bit much? Opening a jewelry store, having to make trip after trip to such a remote place... It’s exhausting. If you’re only doing it for the money, I really don’t think you need to. You don’t have to force yourself to do something you don’t enjoy. I just want you to live a freer, happier life, doing only the things that bring you joy."

"It’s not just about the jewelry store. Opening one is more of a side project. I won’t be managing it myself anyway; I’ll just hand it over to someone else." Gu Nuan Nuan was in a good mood thanks to Luo Hongyi’s earlier promises, so she was willing to explain a little more. "You’ve seen those medicines I gave you, right? The truth is, I’m the one who concocts most of them."

To prove her point, Gu Nuan Nuan took a few steps back. She reached out, conjured a small flame of Abnormal Fire, and tossed it onto a large boulder by the roadside. In the blink of an eye, the massive rock crumbled into a pile of ash. With a single puff of breath from Gu Nuan Nuan, the ashes scattered, leaving the spot bare. It was as if the boulder had never existed at all—not even a scorch mark remained.

"See? Those medicines can only be created with this kind of fire. But the fire alone isn’t enough; you also need a specific hand formula..." she explained. "That’s why even if someone else had the recipe, it would be useless. Many of these remedies simply can’t be widely produced. And if you try to force mass production, their effectiveness is severely diminished. The Hundred Herbs Rejuvenating Ointment is a perfect example. On top of that, whether I make them myself or they’re mass-produced, the medicines are potent but also extremely delicate. They can’t be kept in ordinary containers, as their medicinal properties would just evaporate. They can only be stored in Jade," Gu Nuan Nuan finished with a helpless sigh.

"This fire—" Luo Hongyi sucked in a sharp breath. He started to walk toward the empty patch of ground for a closer look, but Gu Nuan Nuan held him back. She tossed a twig into the area, and they watched as it seemed to melt, slowly disintegrating into ash. His pupils dilated. "It’s that destructive?"

"Yes. So you’d better not get any closer. This fire can burn even a person’s soul to cinders," Gu Nuan Nuan said gravely.

"So that’s the real reason you need so much Jade?" Understanding dawned on Luo Hongyi. He had seen her medicine stored in Jade Bottles and Jade Jars, and had just assumed that in this life, Nuannuan had suddenly become obsessed with the stone.

"Yes. Jade containers can preserve Spiritual Energy and keep it from dissipating," Gu Nuan Nuan said with a nod. She chuckled. "Don’t worry. You saw that appearance-altering Jade Pendant I used before, didn’t you? It can completely hide my true features. It’s actually safer for me to maintain an air of mystery around here. I’ll put it on as soon as I leave you all. And from now on, whenever I wear it, I’ll remember to carry a special sachet with me—one so potent that not even a bloodhound could track its scent."

Gu Nuan Nuan stared at Luo Hongyi, a smirk playing on her lips as she added that last part with pointed emphasis.

Luo Hongyi couldn’t hold back. He leaned in and gently tapped the tip of her small, exquisite nose, which was as flawless as white jade. An amused smile spread across his face. "You little troublemaker." ’She was indirectly calling him a dog.’

"Hmph. And if not a dog’s nose, what is it?" Gu Nuan Nuan shot him an annoyed glare.

Luo Hongyi couldn’t help but laugh, though he sounded a bit helpless. "Since you’re looking for a Jade Mine, why didn’t you ask around properly back in Ju State? How did you end up wandering aimlessly all the way out here? I’ve never heard of any Jade Mines in this area."

"Don’t get me started. A little incident happened back in Ju State, and by a strange twist of fate, I ended up here."

With a grimace, Gu Nuan Nuan recounted the whole story: how she had been gambling on raw jade in Ju State, which led to her attracting a pair of "lunatics." After she secretly taught them a lesson, she somehow ended up with even more people tailing her. In the end, she had no choice but to use a low-level invisibility talisman to escape. The tale provoked a burst of unrestrained laughter from Luo Hongyi.