Lu Chen sold 41% of the shares he held in Mu-Chen Zhong's crowdfunding to Li Mushi, or rather, the Li family. The total transaction amount was 20.5 Million.
After deducting taxes, legal fees, notarization fees, and other miscellaneous expenses, the final amount he received was 17.5 Million.
This amount was more than enough to pay off the debts, but it was still not enough to buy back the family's original villa.
Although Binhai is a fourth-tier county-level city, it is located in the economically developed coastal area of Zhedong, so housing prices are quite high, averaging over 15,000 per square meter. Buying a decently large house would easily cost two to three Million.
The villa that the Lu family originally owned, located in the best community in Binhai, Jinsheng Community, is currently valued at over 10 Million, with a conservative estimate of around 12 Million! So, upon returning, Lu Chen had Lu Xi transfer another sum of money from the workshop's account.
It almost emptied the account.
But this villa, which originally belonged to the Lu family, was something he was determined to reclaim.
In that large house, there were too many joys and sorrows of this family, as well as countless memories! In the past, Lu Chen didn't have the ability, but now that he had earned the money, he wouldn't let himself regret it.
Fortunately, the house had not yet been auctioned off by the bank.
The reason wasn't that the bank didn't want to sell it, but that the previous auctions had all failed.
A villa worth 12 Million isn't something just anyone can afford. With that kind of money, one could buy a very nice house in the capital city. Although Binhai is a wealthy place, the truly rich people already have no shortage of places to live.
Most importantly, the Lu family's business had failed, and Lu Qingsheng had passed away in the villa, which was a significant taboo for those who could afford it.
From the bank's perspective, with the real estate market booming and housing prices rising, they were unwilling to sell this rare property at a low price, so it was delayed.
Otherwise, under normal circumstances, it would have been sold long ago, and Lu Chen wouldn't have had the chance to buy it back.
When Lu Chen checked his account on his phone and showed the balance to Fang Yun, she finally believed it.
Fang Yun was filled with emotions, feeling both surprised and at a loss for words.
What made her happiest wasn't the ability to pay off the debts or reclaim the house, but that Lu Chen had truly grown up and could now be the pillar supporting the Lu family!
Fang Yun believed that Lu Qingsheng could rest in peace in heaven.
Tears welled up in her eyes— tears of joy, excitement, and bittersweet relief.
Seeing this, Lu Chen raised his glass and said, "Come! Let's toast to a better future for our family."
Lu Xue eagerly raised her glass: "Cheers!"
Fang Yun wiped her tears and also raised her glass: "Cheers."
Four crystal-clear wine glasses gently clinked together, the deep red wine rippling with scattered light.
The future will surely be better!
…
Lu Chen and Lu Xi stayed in Binhai for four days, mainly accompanying Fang Yun to pay off debts and reclaim the house.
Paying off the debts was actually quite simple. The smaller debts had already been settled, and the remaining ones were large sums. They went in person to transfer the money and express their gratitude with gifts.
Over the years, the Lu family had accumulated a lot of debt, but very few creditors had come to press for repayment. Everyone knew that the Lu family truly couldn't pay, not that they didn't want to. Some creditors had even given up on collecting the debt.
Now, they were pleasantly surprised.
The Lu family had finally turned things around.
The process of reclaiming the house was a bit more complicated, but the Lu family still had connections at the bank. While they couldn't help when the business was struggling, it was much easier now to spend money to reclaim the house.
On the morning of the fourth day of Lu Chen's return to Binhai, he obtained the keys to the villa.
The transfer of ownership was still being processed, but that wasn't the main concern anymore.
Returning to Jinsheng Community and stepping into the villa where they had lived for many years, Lu Chen's emotions were indescribable.
Excitement, joy, happiness... and even a hint of trepidation.
Jinsheng Community is the best neighborhood in Binhai. Although it was built quite early, its geographical location and surrounding environment are unmatched by newer developments in recent years.
Thus, the housing prices here are very high, with second-hand houses significantly exceeding the prices of new ones in other areas.
The Lu family's villa was purchased in 2002 and was relatively inexpensive at the time, costing just over 1 Million, with renovations bringing the total to just over 2 Million, covering an area of 350 square meters.
Lu Chen lived in this house for a full 10 years!
He and Lu Xue essentially grew up in this villa, and they were familiar with every blade of grass and every tree.
However, in the past two years, no one had taken care of it, and the private garden in front of the villa was overgrown with weeds, with climbing plants visible everywhere, and even the doors and windows showed signs of damage.
Fortunately, the front door could still be opened.
A musty, stale aura rushed out to greet him!
The furniture in the living room was still there, all covered with dust sheets, including the piano that Lu Chen had received as a gift for his 13th birthday, as if time had frozen here.
Every item brought back countless memories for Lu Chen.
Even though a thick layer of dust covered the floor, Fang Yun, Lu Xi, and Lu Xue, who returned with Lu Chen, were all very happy— this was truly their home! Lu Xue, disregarding the dirt and dust, quickly ran up the stairs towards her room.
Her laughter rang out like silver bells.
Lu Chen smiled and said, "Mom, I think we should renovate it first. Even a simple one won't cost too much."
Fang Yun suggested hiring someone to clean it up, as they had spent too much money recently and should save where they could.
She shook her head and said, "Let's talk about it later."
Lu Chen gave Lu Xi a look, signaling her to persuade their mother.
He walked straight to the piano, lifted the dust cover, and sat down on the piano bench. He opened the lid and gently pressed the keys.
This piano had been bought nearly ten years ago, and he had rarely practiced on it, treating it more like a large toy.
Now, the sound of the piano still resonated, but it felt different.
Adjusting his posture, Lu Chen began to play seriously.
At this moment, he had a song he wanted to sing for his mother and his late father to hear.
For the mother who had given everything for this family!
"You quietly left,
Step by step, a lonely figure.
How I wish to accompany you,
To tell you how much I love you in my heart.
Flowers bloom quietly,
In the night when I suddenly miss you.
How I wish to tell you,
That you have always been my miracle!
Year after year, the winds and frosts have covered your smile,
Who can still understand your lonely heart?
Is it that the spring flowers and autumn moons are heartless,
As spring passes and autumn comes, your love has become silent!
You gave me all your love and the world,
From then on, I know nothing of your joys and sorrows.
How I wish to be close to you,
Nestled in your warm, lonely embrace,
To tell you that I have always understood you!
How I wish to tell you,
That your loneliness and my heartache are together!"
This song is called "Understand You," and in Lu Chen's dream world, it is a soundtrack from a movie.
It expresses a child's nostalgia and love for their parents.
The passage of time has mercilessly turned his mother's hair gray, year after year, as spring gives way to autumn, and seasons change, the children have grown wings, carving out their own skies, exhausting much of their mother's life energy.
The gray hair cannot hide the smile; it is a lifetime of a mother who only knows "to give me all your love and the world," without a thought of enjoying it herself—she has become accustomed to silent sacrifice, never seeking repayment.
As the children pursue their dreams, have they ever forgotten to step into their mother's heart and understand her inner world?
When the family faced turmoil, and his father passed away due to illness, Lu Chen felt as if he had fallen into despair overnight.
At that time, he felt both anger and resentment.
He couldn't understand why Fang Yun had to bear all the enormous debts herself.
In traditional views, debts are cleared upon death; after all, it was Lu Qingsheng who signed the promissory note.
But now, Lu Chen completely understands that Fang Yun chose to face and endure it all because she didn't want the Lu family to bear the stigma of ingratitude, nor did she want her husband to be cursed and hated after his death.
She was telling herself to be grateful and to uphold morality and conscience!
Recalling the joyful and relieved expressions of those who had received the debts, he truly understood.
Fang Yun and Lu Xi stood side by side in the living room, quietly listening to Lu Chen play and sing this song.
They had never heard it before, but they understood the meaning of the lyrics.
Fang Yun smiled, but tears flowed uncontrollably, dripping onto her clothes.
She knew that this song was sung for her.
It felt as if all her life's sacrifices had been rewarded at this moment!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
When Lu Chen finished the last note, applause suddenly erupted from the doorway.
Unbeknownst to him, a crowd had gathered at the entrance, all of them neighbors of the Lu family.
They had moved in around the same time as the Lu family and had known them for a long time, maintaining a good relationship. They were aware of the changes the Lu family had gone through.
Everyone thought the Lu family would never return, yet they were surprised to see them again.
They were all drawn in by the sound of the piano and Lu Chen's singing.
The villa, which had been silent for several years, suddenly became lively. Fang Yun and Lu Xi greeted their neighbors with smiles, sharing the news that they had reclaimed the house and would soon be moving back in.
The neighbors warmly congratulated them.
It was truly not easy for the Lu family to turn their fortunes around! As Lu Chen had become a well-known figure in Binhai, he naturally received the most attention.
Some even wanted to introduce him to their daughters, nieces, and granddaughters on the spot!
To this, Lu Chen could only flee in embarrassment.
The next day, on October 18th, he and Lu Xi took the high-speed train to Hangzhou.
They had a performance that evening.
(End of Chapter)
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