MWC – Chapter 16 The Old and New World

I AM DROPPING THIS NOVEL. IF ANYONE WANTS TO CONTINUE THEY CAN. IF POSSIBLE PLEASE SHARE THE LINK SO I CAN BINGE READ TOO.

The laundry shop was actually out of business. Initially, Pamela had hired workers as she hadn’t planned on doing the washing and ironing herself.

However, there were no customers, and she couldn’t even afford to pay her workers, so they all quit. According to Wang Daan, there were still workers demanding their wages from Pamela.

In the laundry shop, a large washing machine stood unused for some time. It was a front-loading machine, somewhat similar to the high-capacity machines of later times.

Pamela and her daughter lived in the back of the laundry shop. Their living quarters were tastefully decorated, with an inner and outer room. The outer room was for receiving guests, with a glass coffee table adorned with a beautiful blue crystal vase filled with fresh roses.

Lu Ming sat on the sofa beside the coffee table, and Pamela brought over a cup of rich, fragrant coffee.

Having bathed and changed into a fluffy, fragrant white pajama set, Bess clung to Lu Ming’s side, reluctant to let go.

“Lawyer Lu, take a look at this…” Pamela handed over a lawyer’s letter, clearly upset. “I was deceived into buying this machine. It broke down shortly after I bought it, and I’ve spent a lot of money on repairs. All my savings have been spent on this machine.”

“The machine was bought from a company called Fengshun Trading.”

“I sought help from Wang Daan, and after he communicated with Fengshun Trading, he told me there wasn’t much that could be done.”

“But a few days ago, I received this lawyer’s letter. Fengshun Trading is demanding that I stop spreading negative statements about them, or they’ll sue me for defamation.”

Lu Ming frowned slightly as he read the letter. He thought for a moment before asking, “Do you have a contract for purchasing this machine?”

“Yes, I do!” Pamela went into the inner room and came back shortly with a metal box containing various documents.

Among them were the contract for purchasing the large washing machine and the subsequent repair receipts.

“Is there any indication in the contract about how long the machine is supposed to last?” Lu Ming asked as he examined the contract.

“No, the contract doesn’t specify that. But the representative from Fengshun Trading assured me at the time that the machine would last at least three years.”

“But Wang Daan said that although verbal promises also hold legal weight, since there were no witnesses at the time, Fengshun Trading won’t acknowledge the verbal promise, and there’s not much that can be done.”

Pamela sighed softly as she finished speaking.

At this moment, the phone on a nearby table rang. Pamela gracefully stood up to answer it and said, “Mr. Lu, it’s Wang Daan for you.”

Wang Daan called to inform him that Li Wenhua’s office assistant had just called the law firm to notify them that Li Wenhua had an unexpected engagement that evening, so the appointment with Lawyer Lu Qianxing would have to be rescheduled.

Lu Ming felt relieved. Dealing with that old lady wasn’t easy, so he was glad to avoid the social engagement.

“I’ll think about this case,” Lu Ming said, shaking his head in resignation as he looked over the documents. “In the meantime, you should stop badmouthing that trading company; it won’t help.”

“Who cares about them? They’re guilty anyway!” Pamela’s eyes flashed with contempt. “Those merchants from Central China are all despicable!”

“There are still good people,” Lu Ming said, rubbing his nose.

Pamela bit her red lips but didn’t argue further.

Lu Ming turned to Bess, “In the future, don’t go looking for part-time jobs. You’re too young. Focus on your studies. Let adults handle adult problems.”

Bess, hiding behind Lu Ming, peeked at her mother’s expression as she listened to him.

It was obvious she knew that once this Mr. Lu left, she would be in trouble. The chaotic events of the day suggested that her mother would be angry once they were alone.

Lu Ming then addressed Pamela, “Bess is quite sensible. Don’t blame her too much. But you, keeping this laundry shop running isn’t a long-term solution.” Feeling he might be overstepping, he stood up and said, “Alright, I’ll be leaving now.”

He turned to Bess, “I live upstairs. You’re welcome to come and play anytime. There’s a girl upstairs you can keep company.”

“Uncle, I want to go now,” Bess said, jumping off the sofa and quickly slipping her small feet into fluffy slippers, but still holding onto Lu Ming’s hand.

“Don’t be naughty!” Pamela’s charming blue eyes turned stern, frightening her daughter.

Lu Ming smiled, “Let her come. She’s been scared these past two days. Besides, it looks like she doesn’t have many friends. The girl upstairs doesn’t have many friends either. I think they’ll get along well.” Considering Zhen Shi’s psychological age, it’s likely close to Bess’s.

Pamela hesitated for a moment and then asked, “Has that disgusting fat man moved out?”

Lu Ming smiled, “Right now, it’s just my family living upstairs. Oh, I’ve bought this small building.”

Pamela was momentarily stunned, then gently nodded and said, “Is your wife here too? Then out of courtesy, I should pay a visit.” She turned to Bess, “You go ahead first, I’ll bake some pumpkin pies and bring them up.”

Bess cheered, and Lu Ming laughed, “No need to be too formal.” He knew it was a Western tradition to welcome neighbors with some treats.

…

When Pamela came upstairs with a large plate of pumpkin pies, Zhen Shi and Bess were engrossed in watching TV. It was a soap opera, filled with static, with picture quality that would have been unbearable in his previous life.

But Zhen Shi and Bess found it highly entertaining. Their laughter came easily, unlike Lu Ming, who had been bombarded with all kinds of comedy skits and jokes in his previous life.

Bess laughed heartily, sometimes even burrowing into Zhen Shi’s embrace, and Zhen Shi would occasionally smile quietly.

Lu Ming watched helplessly. Were the silly antics on screen really that funny?

However, seeing Zhen Shi and Bess quickly becoming like sisters gave him a pleasant feeling.

Zhen Shi was usually very guarded with strangers, but evidently, Bess, being so small, posed no threat, making it easy for Zhen Shi to relax around her.

When Lu Ming wasn’t around, Zhen Shi wouldn’t feel so lonely anymore; they could look out for each other.

Pamela’s arrival with the pumpkin pies was so quiet that even Zhen Shi didn’t hear. It was Lu Ming who opened the door.

Lu Ming cleared his throat, “Hanzhu, this is Mrs. Pamela, Bess’s mother, who lives downstairs. She’s our neighbor.”

Zhen Shi hurriedly stood up and walked over quickly, standing beside Lu Ming. She bowed slightly to Pamela and, glancing at Lu Ming’s expression, said in a soft voice, “I forgot myself, please don’t be angry, sir.”

Pamela was initially a bit surprised. This Mrs. Lu was stunningly beautiful and charming. Her traditional Chinese attire made her look like a fairy stepping out of a classical painting. Her glamorous dress and beautiful face outshone everything around her. Even as a woman, Pamela couldn’t help but admire her. Could there really be such a beauty in the world?

Pamela was about to compliment Mrs. Lu on her beauty, but Zhen Shi’s words and her glance at Lu Ming made Pamela slightly disdainful.

Lu Ming knew that from Zhen Shi’s words, Pamela probably thought Zhen Shi was his concubine.

Westerners practiced monogamy and often viewed some of the customs still observed by Chinese as backward and distasteful.

Lu Ming rubbed his nose, feeling like he had suddenly returned to the 21st century, facing the disdain reserved for cheaters and philanderers.

“Come in and sit,” Lu Ming said as he walked, “Hanzhu, I’ve just ordered some dishes. You can go back to watching your TV. Don’t worry about us. Mrs. Pamela and I have some business to discuss.”

Zhen Shi nodded lightly, but after Lu Ming and Pamela moved to the balcony, she still brewed some fragrant tea and brought it over.

“Regarding your dispute with Fengshun Trading, I think we can get them to compensate you, though it might not be a large amount…”

Pamela’s blue eyes lit up, “Then please send a lawyer’s letter on my behalf, asking them to stop harassing me!” Clearly, this matter had been incredibly frustrating for her. Not only had she been deceived, but she had also been threatened with a lawyer’s letter. It was an unprecedented humiliation, but she had refrained from using overly harsh words.

Lu Ming nodded, “However, even if they do compensate you, I’m afraid it won’t sustain your current lifestyle for long. Bess is attending the noble school in Beiguan, right? Also, your rent is due soon, and I see you have a telephone downstairs. The monthly rent for that must be quite high too…”

Pamela was silent, nodding slightly, “Even if I get some compensation, I have to pay the back wages to my former workers first. Can you give me some leeway with the rent?”

If it were any other Chinese person, Pamela would never have begged like this; it would have been too humiliating. But for some reason, with this young man, she didn’t feel it was a loss of face to make such a request. It felt as though this young man naturally occupied a higher position.

Maybe it was because he had just helped her with a significant problem, making her feel less defensive.

Lu Ming nodded, “The rent is negotiable, but to be honest, I don’t think it’s worthwhile to keep the laundry shop running.”

Pamela lowered her head, not saying a word.

Business is like that. No matter how much money you lose, as long as the business is there, you still have hope. But if it’s all over, it means total defeat, with no chance of recovery.

“Ms. Pamela, I have a job opportunity I’d like to offer you, as my personal assistant, with a monthly salary of 80 yuan. All holidays will be observed as well.”

Pamela looked up, surprised, her deep blue eyes showing some wariness.

Lu Ming explained, “I’ve just registered a technology company and need someone I can trust to keep an eye on things. Mainly, you’d help with patent applications or patent trading. Don’t worry; you won’t need to make any decisions. I’ll personally handle valuable clients. Your job is to record their information, and I’ll sort through the valuable ones myself.”

As he spoke, Lu Ming smiled inwardly. Hiring her wasn’t because she was “trustworthy” but because of her status as a Western noblewoman.

Clients would naturally regard his company more highly and have more confidence in it when they saw that an employee, especially a supermodel-level Western beauty with a noble aura, worked there, even if the company was small.

Moreover, considering Pamela’s knowledge and experience, she was likely more capable than any other candidate his small-scale new company could attract at this stage.

Apart from being a bit out of touch with local conditions, Pamela didn’t have any other issues, and a new tech company didn’t really need to be that grounded.

It needed to engage with the latest technological products and ideas.

“I need to think about it…” Pamela instinctively wanted to refuse but opted for a more polite way.

The idea of working for someone else was already hard to accept, let alone working for a Chinese person. It was too absurd, especially for someone of her noble background.

Lu Ming took out the keys to a Xuelong Phantom car and smiled, “If you agree, this car will be yours to drive. It’ll be the company’s façade, for commuting and hosting guests.”

Pamela was stunned, her deep blue eyes showing a spark of excitement as she looked at the car keys.

Obviously, jewelry and supercars hold an irresistible allure for any woman, except for someone like Zhen Shi, who has been thoroughly brainwashed and no longer thinks like a typical human.

“Actually, you can give it a try first. I’ll also give you a one-month trial period. If it works out, great. If not, we can part ways. How about that?”

Pamela shook her head. “Mr. Lu, I’m really sorry, but I must refuse! If you don’t want to help me anymore, I won’t blame you. You’ve already helped Bess and me tremendously. I will find a way to repay you, but not by working for you. You haven’t even assessed my abilities, and using a luxury car to entice me makes me very uneasy. I don’t know your true intentions for hiring me.”

Lu Ming was taken aback, then smiled. It seemed she misunderstood his intentions. Westerners could be very straightforward.

“Alright, but we’re still neighbors. Forget what I said earlier. I promised to help with your lawsuit, and I will keep my word.” He didn’t bother to explain further; explanations wouldn’t help.

Moreover, he now had more respect for this Western beauty. Reflecting on how he had offered the car keys, he realized it had only increased the misunderstanding.

He hadn’t thought it through; he just found driving tiring and urgently needed a driver. He thought that having a luxury car would make things more convenient for Pamela, especially for picking up her daughter. It was meant to be a good thing, and her driving this car to meet clients would add value.

But she misunderstood, thinking he was using the car to lure her, so she refused even more firmly. Amused, he couldn’t help but respect her more.

Of course, explanations were unnecessary; sometimes, explaining only deepens misunderstandings.

At that moment, the doorbell rang. It was the dinner delivery.

…

The meal was lavish.

There were dishes like Duck and Taro Puffs, Zhang’s Crab Meat Boxes, Brocade Sauce Jade, and Partridge Three Treasures—six dishes and one soup, all local specialties, rich in color, aroma, and taste, making one’s mouth water just looking at them.

With Zhen Shi’s enthusiastic insistence, Pamela and Bess stayed for dinner.

Pamela was very elegant, using a knife and fork to slowly savor the food. Bess mimicked her mother, holding a small knife and fork, eating in tiny bites. Although she seemed eager to gobble it all up, she followed her mother’s example, making her look especially cute.

Zhen Shi, on the other hand, focused all her attention on serving Lu Ming, barely tasting a few vegetables herself.

Watching the three of them, Lu Ming felt a bit helpless. The meal was quiet, lacking the lively atmosphere of eating heartily and drinking freely.

However, he found himself also tasting only a few dishes lightly.

No one spoke much, only the slight clinking of knives and forks against plates could be heard.

To an outsider, they might all seem like the same kind of people.

“Miss Zhen, are you used to living here? I wonder if I could invite you to go shopping sometime?” Pamela broke the silence at the table.

“I don’t like shopping,” Zhen Shi replied with a gentle smile.

Pamela observed her closely and then said with a smile, “Then I’ll arrange for the department store to provide home service. Mr. Lu is wealthy; you don’t need to save money for him.”

Zhen Shi nodded slightly, “That would be fine. I could select some fabrics to make new clothes for the master.”

Pamela was speechless. She thought, if you’re paying for home service from a department store, surely you’d choose ready-made clothes. Why save a few bucks on making clothes?

But Zhen Shi was already happily asking Lu Ming, “Master, may I have some fabrics delivered?” She wasn’t trying to save money. Raised with no concept of money, she naturally considered her master the finest man in the world; money was insignificant in comparison.

Lu Ming smiled, thinking they were speaking different languages, from completely different worlds, with entirely different ways of thinking.

If they became friends, it would indeed be interesting.