Chapter 140: As If Innate

Shen Qingyi walked over obediently, and Lu Yan stepped forward, wrapping her in his arms.

She did not resist, nor did she return the embrace, but simply said softly, "Is it time for dinner?"

"Yes," Lu Yan replied gently, then added, "In a couple of days, have Xia Xiyun's friend come over to discuss the patent details with me. I happen to have some free time these days."

"She asked about it several times a while ago, and I told her when you would be back. She will likely arrive tomorrow," Shen Qingyi said, then asked, "Did you know that the patent you hold was so valuable before?"

"Yes."

Shen Qingyi looked up in surprise. "Then why didn't you sell it?"

"I didn't know when I was in college, and after graduation, people did approach me, but I didn't have the time." Besides being busy, more importantly, Lu Yan never thought he could spend his entire monthly salary. Since he couldn't spend it all, the extra money was just a number to him; he would rather focus his time on his work. However, since meeting his wife, he realized that earning extra money was actually useful.

"No time even for making money?" Shen Qingyi found this inconceivable.

Lu Yan did not continue the topic. Instead, he asked, "You mentioned on the phone that you ran into Wang Chunhua. Are you sure she recognized you?"

"Yes."

Lu Yan thought for a moment. "Then starting tomorrow, don't go there. Let Caiqing set up the stall in that spot. Sell the same insoles for fifty cents, and I'll have someone keep an eye on it."

Shen Qingyi understood. "Usurp her spot and disrupt her pricing?"

"Yes. If she is still living in the area, she will definitely show up again. If she is deliberately avoiding you, she won't avoid Caiqing," Lu Yan analyzed.

"Your plan is a bit devious, but it should work."

Lu Yan smiled. "Once she appears, we'll give the spot back to her and tell her we won't be selling insoles anymore. She won't lose anything." Lu Yan felt that even though it was a devious tactic, it wouldn't interfere with her true interests. If she could provide information on He Xiangcao, he would even be willing to offer her some benefits.

"Alright."

As soon as Shen Qingyi finished the last word, she heard Lu Caiqing calling them for dinner from outside the door. Shen Qingyi rose from his arms. "Let's go eat."

Lu Yan was in a much better mood now. He went out with Shen Qingyi, called for An'an, and the family of three went to the backyard to wash their hands.

After dinner, Shen Qingyi finished washing the dishes and returned to her room to sketch. Lu Caiqing brought the latest ledger to her room and handed it over. "Second Sister-in-law, this is the profit for this month, fifteen hundred. Please check it."

Shen Qingyi took the ledger, made a rough calculation, and nodded. "Good!"

Lu Caiqing took the money she had already divided from her cloth bag and handed it to Shen Qingyi. "This is for you."

Shen Qingyi took it and counted—it was exactly one thousand. She counted out two hundred and fifty and handed it back. "Let's split it half and half."

Lu Caiqing wanted to decline, but Shen Qingyi said, "The initial investment has already been recovered, and I haven't really managed much this month anyway."

Lu Caiqing finally accepted it. "Thank you, Second Sister-in-law. I never dreamed that I, Lu Caiqing, would be able to earn this much money!"

Shen Qingyi looked at her and smiled. "Didn't you say you wanted to find a partner here? Now that you have the money for a dowry, if you have time this afternoon, you can go look for Cheng Youqing."

Lu Caiqing waved her hands quickly. "I'm making money now; why be in such a rush to find a partner?"

"Fine. Your Second Sister-in-law doesn't have much advice on these matters. You can decide for yourself, or just let fate take its course."

Lu Caiqing loved this quality in her—detached, not meddlesome, yet fair and clear-headed in all things. No wonder her second brother married her. She found herself liking her sister-in-law more and more.

At nine o'clock the next morning, Xia Xiyun drove over, bringing someone else with her. This person was the "Uncle Hong" that Xiaoyue had mentioned.

Uncle Hong's business was in the same industrial zone as the two Xia family factories. He was in his fifties and a local of Pengcheng. The industrial zone where the Xia family's area was located was built on his family's land. In order to shed the image of a nouveau riche, he invested in high-tech electronic products. He deeply respected and admired intellectuals, and after hearing Xia Xiyun's introduction of Lu Yan on the way, he was filled with admiration.

Back home, Xiaoyue's description of the product had left him incredibly excited. Now that he had arrived at the Lu residence, he couldn't wait to see the effect.

Shen Qingyi served tea to Xia Xiyun and Uncle Hong, inviting them to sit. Lu Yan, with An'an, sat opposite them. Before meeting him, Uncle Hong had expected Lu Yan to be a middle-aged man with thick glasses. He was surprised to find him so young and handsome. Lu Yan sat calmly, showing neither excessive enthusiasm nor arrogance, responding to questions with due politeness and patience.

"Mr. Lu, how long does the production take?"

"An hour and a half. If you have the right specialized tools and break it down into multiple stages, once you're skilled, forty minutes is enough."

The production process seemed simple, and Uncle Hong was quite satisfied. He asked a few more technical questions, all of which Lu Yan answered patiently.

"I want to turn this patent into several types of lamps. If I state my requirements, could you help with the design?" Uncle Hong requested.

Lu Yan thought for a moment. "Are there any time constraints?"

Uncle Hong chuckled. "I know you are very busy, so I won't rush you. Is about two months after I buy the patent okay? I won't deduct a single cent of the patent fee, and I certainly won't try to drive the price down just because your patent is domestically produced. Xiaoyue said the effect of your product is even better than the foreign one we saw on television."

"Discuss the price and payment method with my wife. I will handle the technical and process diagrams," Lu Yan said calmly.

Shen Qingyi had just walked out of the room with the item when she heard this.

Xia Xiyun couldn't help but feel that when Lu Yan discussed business, he lacked the craftiness and calculation of a typical businessman. He was sincere and professional, with a sense of detachment regarding money. Yet, this very attitude made one afraid to play any tricks in front of him. It felt as if, if you said something wrong, he would stop the sale at any moment—he simply didn't care.

It was a complex feeling. He didn't have the duplicitous, profit-driven nature of those who fought in the business world, refusing to yield an inch. He just sat there quietly, and his words and actions left no room for the illusion that one could take advantage of him. The confidence and sense of control that emanated from his very bones seemed innate.

She looked at what Shen Qingyi was holding and smiled at Uncle Hong. "Let us show you the effect so you don't think we were exaggerating."

As she spoke, she began closing the doors and windows until only a sliver of light remained in the room. Then, Shen Qingyi turned on the lamp.

In an instant, the entire space felt like a sea of stars. An'an opened his eyes wide in amazement, and Uncle Hong's mouth hung open for a long time. It was truly beautiful. He couldn't help but ask another question, "Can the light here be adjusted?"

"Yes. Depending on your production requirements, you can change the intensity, color, and range of the light. By varying the functions, you could develop over a dozen different styles."

Uncle Hong's eyes crinkled into slits, and he quickly said to Shen Qingyi, "Mrs. Lu, let's talk about the payment method."