After a while, he hung up the phone and said to her, "Fung Yik-hang said he wants to talk to you and Zhanpeng about what happened back then."
He then added, "Last night, I also had someone look into it and just received the news this morning. Fung Yik-hang's background is indeed quite complicated. His biological father was assassinated by a gang. His mother took him to Europe back then, probably to evade enemies."
"Of course, the choice is yours. If you really don't want to meet, then we won't."
After he finished speaking, Xu Yanxia took a deep breath.
She still said, "Let's meet. After all, we've waited so many years; we deserve a clear outcome."
Lu Jingming said okay, "Then I'll send him a reply."
Xu Yanxia hummed in agreement and then called her sister-in-law, Luo Jiajia.
The call was quickly answered. She hurriedly called out "Sis-in-law" and asked, "How is my brother doing?"
She heard her sister-in-law sigh and say, "He's okay. He just cried when he came back yesterday and couldn't sleep until late at night. I just made him some congee; he'll eat it soon and then head to the shop."
She didn't forget to ask after her, "How are you, Xia? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine,"
Xu Yanxia said, "Don't go to the shop just yet, Sis-in-law. Please try to persuade my brother. Let's go meet them later. Since things have come to this point, we need a clear outcome. In case Grandpa and Grandma ask, we'll have something to tell them."
"Alright then."
Luo Jiajia asked her over the phone, "When? Now?"
"At noon,"
Xu Yanxia smiled and said, "I have something very important to do later."
...
After hanging up with her sister-in-law, Xu Yanxia finally went out with Lu Jingming.
Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau.
Before walking in, they both instinctively glanced at each other.
"Ready?"
Lu Jingming smiled as he looked at her, "When we come out, you'll be Mrs. Lu."
"Been ready for a long time."
Xu Yanxia very breezily took his hand and walked in.
It wasn't a special date, so there weren't many people there to register. They took their photo on the spot. With a prior appointment and all documents in order, they received their marriage certificates in less than half an hour.
When they walked out hand in hand again, they were already legally husband and wife.
Xu Yanxia felt that Lu Jingming seemed like he had been hit by a multi-billion dollar jackpot. From the moment he got the certificate, the smile on his face never faded.
Now, having just gotten back into the car, he took out that bright red marriage certificate again, looking at it over and over, and sighed, "You have to admit our ancestors had great taste! This vibrant red is so beautiful!"
Xu Yanxia smiled and hummed in agreement, "The photo turned out nice too!"
"Exactly, a perfect match of talent and beauty, a union made in heaven!"
As he spoke, he took out his phone and snapped several pictures of the marriage certificate. Then he asked her, "Baby, can I post this on my social media?"
Xu Yanxia said, "Of course, it's your social media, you decide."
Who would have thought he'd say, "I'm a man with a wife now, of course I should listen to my wife."
Xu Yanxia was amused into laughter and said, "Then I grant you freedom. Post it if you want. But the certificate has personal information. You could post the digital version of the photo we just took."
"Right!"
Lu Jingming immediately nodded, "I almost forgot!"
He then quickly found the digital version of their earlier photo and posted it to his social media.
After posting, he couldn't help but sigh, "Having a wife really is different. The switch for my life's success has been flipped."
"Where did that come from?"
Xu Yanxia was utterly amused by him, "How did you suddenly become so... anime-protagonist-like?"
"This isn't anime-protagonist talk, it's being filled with motivation. From now on, I'm a man with a family. Every bit of effort I make has special meaning!"
Then, holding her hand with a serious expression, he said to her, "From now on, I will strive to be a good husband. It's my first time, but my attitude is earnest. If I do anything poorly, just tell me, and I will definitely improve."
"Mm,"
Xu Yanxia touched his face and said earnestly as well, "It's my first time too, and I will also strive. If anything is unsuitable, please remind me promptly, and I will also work to improve."
"Okay,"
Lu Jingming stroked her head and said, "From now on, we are one. We'll face everything together, don't be afraid."
"Okay,"
Xu Yanxia smiled and said, "I'm not afraid anymore. Let's go meet him."
"Alright."
Lu Jingming leaned over and kissed her forehead, then started the car and drove her to the place where they were to meet Fung Yik-hang.
...
They arrived together with her brother and sister-in-law.
When they entered the restaurant, Fung Yik-hang was already waiting for them.
After a brief exchange of greetings, everyone took their seats, and the exquisite dishes were served one by one.
It was an expensive Italian restaurant, operating on a reservation system like that high-altitude French restaurant. At noon, there weren't many diners.
Each dish was beautifully plated, but no one had much appetite to pick up their cutlery.
Xu Yanxia got straight to the point, saying to Fung Yik-hang, "We're all here. If you have something to say, say it directly. We hope you won't hide anything this time; otherwise, there's no point in this conversation."
"My apologies to everyone,"
As soon as she finished speaking, Fung Yik-hang also immediately apologized, "I wasn't honest about my identity during our first meeting. Bringing my mother to see you yesterday without prior notice was also my oversight. I completely understand your anger and reluctance to see me."
"But there are some things, about my mother's experiences over the years, that I still want you to know."
He said, "The reason my mother took me to Europe all those years ago and kept me by her side is that my biological father was killed by enemies. At that time, only going to Europe meant absolute safety for us."
This was similar to what Lu Jingming had told Xu Yanxia on the way, so she remained relatively calm after hearing it.
But her sister-in-law and brother were clearly more surprised.
After a pause, her sister-in-law Luo Jiajia couldn't help but frown and ask, "What did your family do? Why would you have enemies?"
Fung Yik-hang then said, "My family originally ran a seafood restaurant business in Hong Kong. Twenty years ago, my father met my mother when he was opening a branch in Shencheng. Although my mother came to work at the restaurant, she was very capable and smart. Most importantly, she was very patient with me. I had no biological mother from a young age and really clicked with her. My father decided to start a new family with her."
"In fact, my mother told us from the beginning that she had two children in Qingcheng. She and my father had agreed to bring you all to live in Hong Kong. But unexpectedly, my father wanted to bring the model of direct supply of affordable mainland seafood to Hong Kong, which threatened the interests of a local syndicate, and he was assassinated by them."
After he finished speaking, Xu Yanxia instinctively looked at Lu Jingming.
Because what Fung Yik-hang said was basically the same as what Lu Jingming had found out.
"And then what happened?"
Her brother, Xu Zhanpeng, couldn't help but ask, "Did you report it to the police? Was the murderer caught?"
Fung Yik-hang gave a scornful smile and said, "Hong Kong back then wasn't like it is now. It wasn't a matter that could be solved just by calling the police. Even if they caught someone to take the fall, the real mastermind would still be out there, free. They even wanted to kill me and Mum too."
"So Mum took me straight to Europe."
Fung Yik-hang recalled, "But at first, life was hard for us too. With no source of income, we had to live off our meager savings. To avoid eating through our funds, Mum went out and found work in a Chinese restaurant, until she met Konrad,"
"Who is her husband now."
