Chapter 292: This… this… this Imperial Lord's belly…

Lu Yuan was stunned for a moment.

Afterwards, he smiled and looked at Pang Kaige, saying:

"Hey, what a coincidence, I heard you weren't going south, so why are you back?"

Hearing Lu Yuan's words, Pang Kaige smiled somewhat proudly and said:

"I've pretty much wrapped things up in the south, no need for me to stay there personally, so naturally I'm coming back to live here; I'm used to living in Huangcheng, it's comfortable."

"From now on, my company's headquarters will also be opened in Huangcheng."

Having said that, before Lu Yuan could respond, Pang Kaige looked at him and directly said:

"Little Lu, you don't know yet, my company is called Triumph and Beauty, have you heard of it?"

Seeing Pang Kaige's proud look, Lu Yuan couldn't help but chuckle.

He had seen the two characters "Triumph and Beauty" in some cabinet documents when he had nothing to do, so of course he knew them.

Moreover, there are quite a few Triumph and Beauty shops here in Huangcheng.

This kid came running just to show off in front of him.

Lu Yuan didn't expose him, just grinning and saying:

"I know, how could I not? We Huangcheng also have them—aren't there your family's shops at both West Station and East Station?"

Pang Kaige's pride on his face grew ever stronger, then he looked at Lu Yuan and grinned, saying:

"How have you been lately? Weren't you a Lord before? Have you been promoted or not?"

Pang Kaige surely doesn't know what Lu Yuan is like now; even if he did, he wouldn't call him "Little Lu".

Although this young woman's father is the Vice Minister of Works.

However, over the past six months, this young woman has been following Pang Kaige in the south, so naturally she hasn't returned home.

Even if she occasionally goes home, she wouldn't mention herself.

Pang Kaige naturally doesn't know that Lu Yuan, while still a Lord, has already become a Grand Secretary in the inner court.

Lu Yuan then chuckled and said:

"Still the same, nothing's changed."

Afterwards, Lu Yuan glanced at the young woman beside him, took a look at her belly, and suddenly laughed, saying:

"Oh dear, sister-in-law's belly is big—are you pregnant?"

"How many months along?"

After Lu Yuan spoke, there was an awkward silence.

Afterwards, the young woman turned her head to look elsewhere, and the next second she said with an unnatural expression:

"Not pregnant yet."

Pang Kaige beside her also looked somewhat embarrassed and said:

"I've been busy these past six months, handling affairs every day, no time for a kid; this time I'm back, I plan to have a child."

"It's been obvious for a while!"

Lu Yuan glanced at the young woman's belly and knew she wasn't pregnant!

Lu Yuan did it on purpose.

Immediately, Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow, wearing a amused expression, and said:

"Then what's with this belly..."

Pang Kaige curled his lips and laughed heartily:

"I ate a bit too much this morning; you know, with my current status, breakfast is naturally fish and meat."

Next, things got interesting.

Basically, Pang Kaige was talking about how great his life had been over the past six months, how impressive, how big his company was, how many people under him.

Lu Yuan didn't say anything else, just brought up the child matter.

Especially...

Gu Qingwan was standing nearby with a big belly, which was quite convincing.

The two of them were basically, I talk about the axle, you talk about the city gate tower.

I don't know how those two got onto that topic.

It was just forced conversation.

After about an hour or so, the two couples, carrying big and small packages, stood in front of the department store.

They had bought quite a lot of things.

Pang Kaige didn't know whether he wanted to show off his wealth to Lu Yuan, or whether it was simply that, having just returned to Huangcheng, his home lacked many things.

Pang Kaige ended up buying a great many things.

Lu Yuan wasn't short of money either; he hadn't visited the department store in a long time, and basically bought whatever caught his eye.

Lu Yuan was originally someone who could spend money freely.

Back when he didn't have much money, his spending was like flowing water; now it goes without saying.

At that moment, as the four of them had just left the department store, Pang Kaige looked at Lu Yuan and raised an eyebrow, saying:

"You, as a Lord, don't get much stipend a year, do you have that much money?"

Lu Yuan then raised an eyebrow and chuckled:

"Hey, you don't know how booming my family's shop is now; looking at my sister-in-law's clothes, they seem to be from my own shop, right?"

It's obvious that Pang Kaige doesn't know about buying clothes and such.

When Pang Kaige first left, Lu Yuan's family shop had just opened, so naturally he didn't know how profitable their clothing shop was.

Hearing Lu Yuan's words, Pang Kaige slightly raised his eyebrows and glanced at the clothes on his wife's body.

Thinking, could a clothing maker earn more money?

Besides, this clothing apparently has no branches anyway; Pang Kaige hasn't seen it in the south.

Upon hearing this, the young woman's face showed surprise.

Is this Qingqiu clothing run by Lu Yuan's family?

This clothing—who knows how popular it is in that circle—but nowadays, any woman in that circle who doesn't have a piece of Qingqiu clothing in her closet would be embarrassed to call herself a married woman.

Just as the young woman was about to ask something.

From far away came a voice:

"Li Li."

Everyone turned toward the sound and saw a black small car stopped before them.

The rear window opened, and a person appeared in the rear seat.

It was no one else, but the attendant minister of the Works Ministry, who is also this young woman's father.

As soon as this person appeared, the young woman immediately got excited, grabbed a bunch of things, and ran over in her high heels, tap-tap-tap.

This speech isn't the Huangcheng accent anymore.

Rather, it's that soft, whiny kind of 'dad' from the south.

Lu Yuan originally had no reaction; he just stood there, planning to say a couple of things to Pang Kaige, then drive off.

Nor did he particularly want to do anything with Pang Kaige.

After all, Lu Yuan is now a father too, and has become more mature and steady.

Just as Lu Yuan and Pang Kaige were about to say something more, he felt his arm being tugged.

Lu Yuan turned his head and saw his wife winking at him.

At this moment, Lu Yuan suddenly came to his senses.

No!

This attendant minister... knows me!

Of course, most importantly, he also knows Gu Qingwan!!

In the court, the attendant minister isn't a high official, but he can stand behind the grand audience and see Gu Qingwan.

If this attendant minister sees Gu Qingwan with a big belly.

This...

Gu Qingwan's meaning is to hurry and leave.

Just as Lu Yuan was about to take his wife and leave, he froze.

Wait a moment.

Really need to leave?

Hmm, from a rational standpoint, we should leave.

But...

Lu Yuan always feels that doing this to his wife is rather unfair.

They are in a normal relationship, they are a legitimate husband and wife, yet seeing people they just hide...

How long must we hide?

The baby is about to be born; then how do we register the household?

In the future, when others ask our child, 'Who is your mother?', what will we say?

When Lu Yuan grabbed his wife.

Another voice also called out.

"Yuan'er!!"

Huh?

Lu Yuan turned his head and saw that the car's front door opened, and a familiar person stepped out.

It was no one else, it was Director Xu.

At this moment, Director Xu jogged over, smiling, heading toward Lu Yuan.

Seeing Director Xu, Lu Yuan blinked and then grinned, saying:

"Grandpa, what's this?"

Although Director Xu's current development isn't as good as Lin Fusheng's, he's at least a deputy bureau chief.

How did he get to drive a car?

By this time, Director Xu had already come up to Lu Yuan, deliberately standing between Lu Yuan and the attendant minister of the Works Ministry.

This Director Xu, with his back to the attendant minister and facing Lu Yuan, frantically gave Lu Yuan a look, saying:

"The person sitting in that car is a big official of the Works Ministry, the attendant minister; I'll take you to meet him."

Ah?

Lu Yuan, hearing Director Xu's words, felt a bit dazed.

This...

Although Director Xu doesn't realize what rank he already holds in the court.

But at the very least, he should know he's a noble lord.

This...

When Lu Yuan was spacing out, Director Xu stared at him and said:

"Don't look down on the attendant minister; he might very well become a vice minister next year. Grandpa also knows you, Yuan'er, are doing well these days, but it's definitely beneficial to know more people."

While Director Xu was speaking, Pang Kaige's smug smile beside him grew wider and wider.

Then came a cough.

Director Xu knew Pang Kaige; back then, concerning Pang Kaige's affair with the Jade Orchid girl, didn't Director Xu go in with Lin Fusheng to persuade them?

Upon seeing Pang Kaige, Director Xu was startled, then a smile appeared on his face as he said:

"Oh, isn't that the son-in-law? When did you come back?"

Pang Kaige chuckled, puffing out his belly with a proud expression.

"I just came back yesterday; from now on I'm not leaving. Director Xu, why are you riding in the same carriage as my father-in-law?"

What else could it be? Director Xu just got down from the driver's seat.

Director Xu wasn't embarrassed either, and immediately laughed, saying:

"Going to the Ministry of Works to handle affairs, on the way back I'll casually help the leader drive the car."

Lu Yuan, meanwhile, amusedly said from the side:

"Sure, Elder, you've learned to drive now; I remember Elder Lin still can't drive even to this day, right?"

Director Xu gave Lu Yuan a helpless glare, meaning Lu Yuan should speak less.

Besides...

Old Lin is now a full bureau chief, while I'm still only a vice chief; I definitely need to put in more effort, learn more things, only then can I advance!

At the same time, the young woman by the car was also calling out to Pang Kaige, saying:

"What are you doing? Come over here!"

Upon hearing this, Pang Kaige immediately grinned and stumbled over.

This family went off to whisper.

Meanwhile, Lu Yuan's family here was also whispering.

Director Xu leaned in close to Lu Yuan and quickly said:

"Elder, I'll give you a proper recommendation; Elder also knows that whether it's Qingbei or these other things, they're all things you kid came up with, and now you're impressive."

But, having entered the officialdom, relying solely on your own ability isn't enough; you also need to learn about human relations and worldly affairs.

Also don't underestimate others; you might one day get stuck by someone you look down on.

Yuan'er, you yourself say you've done so much, yet you only have a noble title, and still lack even a minor official post.

Who knows if someone is jealous of you and secretly suppressing you?

Hearing Director Xu's words, Lu Yuan burst out laughing.

That's actually a classic mindset in officialdom.

And Director Xu, looking at Lu Yuan's current appearance, curled his lips and said:

"Elder, I'm telling you seriously, don't take it lightly; no matter what, knowing someone is definitely better than not knowing them. Come on, let's go with Elder to meet people."

Saying that, Director Xu, without further ado, grabbed Lu Yuan and left.

Lu Yuan stared for a moment, didn't resist, and also took his wife's hand and left.

Gu Qingwan was a bit dazed, but after following her husband a few steps, she also understood what her husband meant.

A hint of an exquisite smile curled at the corner of her mouth, and ultimately she walked toward the car together with her husband.

Meanwhile, Pang Kaige and the young woman were happily chatting with the Attendant Minister.

Lu Yuan and the three of them were waiting aside.

Lu Yuan and Gu Qingwan held hands, exchanged a glance, and both of their eyes were filled with smiles.

At this moment, Gu Qingwan's heart was extremely sweet.

Soon after Pang Kaige finished speaking with the young woman, she picked up her various bags, happily went to the other side car door, opened it, and got in.

Pang Kaige, meanwhile, sat in the front passenger seat, and just before opening the door, he gave Lu Yuan a somewhat smug glance.

After Pang Kaige and the young woman walked away, Director Xu immediately approached, smiling, and said:

Leader, I have a relative in my family who also works in our Ministry of Works.

Those bicycles and such earlier were all made by my family's child; you should know him, though we might not have been familiar before, but now we're all one family, and now it's even more like relatives by marriage.

At this moment, the Attendant Minister sitting in the rear seat blinked, somewhat dazed.

Bicycles?

Weren't the bicycles made by the Noble Lord?

No... wrong, it should be the Grand Secretary now.

Huh?

Maybe it's someone who initially researched together with the Noble Lord?

Thinking of this, the Attendant Minister suddenly became energetic; indeed, this person should be met.

Being able to connect with Lord Lu would definitely be…… holy shit!!

The Attendant Minister was just thinking about this when, suddenly, Director Xu pulled the nearby Lu Yuan to the car window.

After a brief silence, there was a clunk.

Pang Kaige, sitting in front, looked back at the Attendant Minister with a bewildered face and said:

"Dad, how did you fall off the stool?"

The young woman beside him also quickly put down her things and helped the Attendant Minister, whose body had gone limp and slid straight off the seat, to steady him.

"Dad, what's wrong with you?"

Seeing Lu Yuan isn't scary.

This is nothing.

I just don't know if this little Xu, so capable, is actually a relative of the Noble Lord?

This is just surprising, surprising.

What's frightening is……

It's the woman beside…… how…… how she resembles…… the Imperial Lord??

This is still holding hands with Lord Lu……

This…… this…… the Imperial Lord's belly……

How did the Imperial Lord's belly get so big?!!

(End of chapter)