Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Old Mr. Lu had no idea what Lin Juan was thinking. Seeing that he didn’t bring it up again, Old Mr. Lu breathed a sigh of relief.

As for his youngest son’s wishes, he was confident that his son would be absolutely one hundred percent satisfied with Lin Juan as his wife.

Even if he wasn’t one hundred percent satisfied, Old Mr. Lu would make sure he became one hundred percent satisfied!

The car sped along, and half an hour later, they arrived at the villa.

Calling it a villa was an understatement—given its size and the surrounding greenery, it could easily be considered a small estate.

Lin Juan got out of the car and stood outside, taking in the excessively large villa.

Lu Mingxuan had bottled up his curiosity the whole ride. As soon as he stepped out of the car, he couldn’t wait to speak up: "Young Uncle, this place was originally prepared as your and Little Uncle’s wedding home. It’s brand new. If there’s anything you don’t like, we can have it changed."

"This place isn’t ideal," Old Mr. Lu said, getting out of the car a step later. "After we finish up here, we’ll go back to Lu Manor. That place may have its flaws, but the scenery is one of a kind. Of course, if Xiao Lin finds it too old-fashioned, Lu Yanzhou has plenty of properties under his name. Xiao Lin can take his pick."

Lu Mingxuan was taken aback by Old Mr. Lu’s words. After all, Lu Manor was where the main branch of the Lu family resided. Unless you had the main family’s approval, it was impossible to live there.

His second uncle’s wife, Qiu Lishu, still hadn’t managed to move in.

It seemed Old Mr. Lu was very pleased with Lin Juan.

"I’m not picky about where I live. This place is already more than enough," Lin Juan said honestly. "It’s much better than where I used to live. At least I don’t have to worry about rain."

In the past, he and his master lived in the mountains, staying in two small, run-down huts. Whenever it rained heavily outside, it would drizzle inside too.

Old Mr. Lu’s gaze instantly filled with pity: What a good young man. What kind of hardships had he endured before?

After getting the information about the fortune-bringer from the fraudulent master, Old Mr. Lu had investigated Lin Juan’s background. As the former head of the Lu family, he naturally didn’t take outsiders’ words at face value, and he had suspected that Lin Juan might be in cahoots with the fraudulent master to deceive him.

In his position, he was no stranger to such situations.

It was only after investigating and confirming that Lin Juan had no connection to the fraudulent master, and with Lu Yanzhou’s condition being critical and time running out, that he agreed to give it a try.

Lin Juan’s background was simple: born in the mountains, raised by a single man there. After the man passed away, Lin Juan was left alone. When the Lu family approached him, it didn’t take much effort for him to agree to be the fortune-bringer.

Thinking of this, Old Mr. Lu spoke with deep affection: "Now that you’re part of the Lu family, we will be your support. In the Lu family, you will never have to live a hard life again."

Lin Juan was deeply moved. Since arriving in this world, he had been alone and penniless. Not only was Old Mr. Lu full of kindness toward him, but he was also incredibly generous.

Thinking of the bank card in his pocket with a full ten million yuan balance, Lin Juan felt a surge of motivation. He would make sure the Lu family’s money was well spent!

Inside the villa, the police were handling the aftermath.

Lin Juan noticed that their uniforms were slightly different from regular police attire.

These officers were fully armed, equipped with complete gear. As they entered, the team leader walked over to them.

"Old Mr. Lu, we’ve searched the entire villa. Aside from the room you mentioned, we found no abnormalities elsewhere."

"Mr. Lin." The man turned to face Lin Juan, his gaze subtly assessing. It was hard to believe that someone could take on dozens of supernatural entities unarmed—it just didn’t seem plausible.

Lin Juan’s first impression was that he didn’t look like someone who would resort to violence.

The young man had long, jet-black hair casually draped over his shoulders, complementing his delicate features without appearing feminine.

Beautiful, refined—like a doll meticulously dressed and kept at home by nobility.

Lowering his gaze, the officer continued, "We’ve gathered the relevant details. We didn’t encounter the supernatural liquid you mentioned. Do you have any clues about it?"

Wu Yunyi was the deputy captain of Special Operations Team Three and also a superpower holder. He didn’t detect any superpower fluctuations from Lin Juan. After the emergence of the supernatural, China secretly recruited personnel nationwide to establish special operations teams dedicated to dealing with supernatural occurrences, which were now taking shape.

Those who could join the special operations teams were all superpower holders with the ability to combat the supernatural. Among superpower holders, unless the other party’s level was significantly higher, one could usually sense the superpower fluctuations from them.

"I’ve already told you everything I know," Lin Juan shook his head. "That thing comes and goes without a trace. However, you might look into the 'master' behind this incident."

"Alright, we’ll follow up on that. We’ll notify you as soon as we have any news. This place likely isn’t safe anymore. It’s best if you move elsewhere."

Subtly, Wu Yunyi treated Lin Juan as the person in charge. Old Mr. Lu noticed this and couldn’t help but take another look at Lin Juan.

Their new family member was indeed extraordinary. He wondered if the Lu family could keep him.

Lin Juan glanced regretfully at the large villa. It was the first time he had ever lived in such a spacious house.

Noticing his reluctance, Old Mr. Lu’s heavy heart lightened a little. After all, he was still just a kid.

He asked, "Do you like houses like this?"

"Who doesn’t like a luxurious, big house?" Lin Juan replied candidly.

"Young Uncle, don’t worry. My Little Uncle may not have much, but he definitely has plenty of properties. You can live wherever you want, in whatever size you prefer." Lu Mingxuan, who had been quiet until now, winked playfully.

Old Mr. Lu nodded without objecting.

Lin Juan once again marveled at the Lu family’s generosity.

"I’ve invited Dr. Zhuang to check on Lu Yanzhou’s condition. Old Mr. Lu, where do you think would be suitable to meet?"

"Let’s go directly to Lu Manor," Old Mr. Lu decided firmly.

Lu Manor was a serene, antique-style residence nestled in a bustling area of the capital. With its tranquil environment, it was said to be a prince’s mansion passed down from centuries ago.

This was where the main branch of the Lu family truly resided.

Bringing Lin Juan here meant that Lin Juan had truly gained Old Mr. Lu’s approval.

Along the way, Lu Mingxuan introduced the place to Lin Juan: "Not many people live at Lu Manor now. There’s Old Mr. Lu, our immediate family, Second Uncle moved out after getting married and only returns during holidays, Aunt married abroad but is said to be moving back soon, and Fourth Uncle isn’t married yet—he’s in research and is usually too busy to be seen. Since we’re returning in a rush today, Old Mr. Lu will probably call them back in a few days."

"Yes, with a new family member, it’s time to call them back to meet him," Old Mr. Lu agreed.

The unconscious Lu Yanzhou was in a separate car behind them. The car in front carried Old Mr. Lu, Lin Juan, and Lu Mingxuan, who had insisted on squeezing in.

When they arrived at Lu Manor, the car stopped, and Eldest Brother Lu and his family, who had been notified in advance, were waiting outside.

Old Mr. Lu introduced both sides.

Only a few members of the Lu family knew about the fortune-bringing ritual for Lu Yanzhou. Eldest Brother Lu was one of them. Seeing Old Mr. Lu’s attitude toward Lin Juan, Eldest Brother Lu was startled. Exchanging a glance with his wife beside him, they both saw surprise in each other’s eyes.

They hadn’t expected Old Mr. Lu to value Little Brother’s new spouse so highly.

Old Mr. Lu didn’t elaborate. He first arranged for Lu Yanzhou to be taken to the courtyard where he lived.

"Dr. Zhuang from First Hospital will come later to check on Lu Yanzhou’s condition," Old Mr. Lu said, glancing at his youngest son on the bed. "Perhaps this time it will work."

"Dad." Eldest Brother Lu didn’t know how to comfort his father. Over this period, his father had aged considerably because of Little Brother’s situation. If this really worked, perhaps it was indeed the good fortune brought by Lin Juan.

"Thanks to Young Uncle this time, Dad, you don't know..." Lu Mingxuan recounted what happened last night.

Eldest Brother Lu listened with lingering fear: "Is everyone alright?"

"Fine, fine," Lu Mingxuan said, "When Young Uncle and I went in, all the monsters inside had been knocked out by him; none of them could move anymore."

"Did you check the surveillance? Where did the monsters come from?" Eldest Brother Lu frowned and asked.

This was a serious matter. From Lu Mingxuan's description, there were so many monsters—they couldn’t have just appeared out of thin air.

"We did, the footage was all static," Lu Mingxuan shrugged. Afterward, he checked the footage several times but found nothing. "I’m certain the surveillance system wasn’t tampered with."

He had been interested in electronic devices since childhood and had a natural talent for them. Eldest Brother Lu trusted his son’s judgment and didn’t press further.

No wonder Old Mr. Lu valued Lin Juan so much. If it weren’t for Lin Juan last night, it’s hard to say whether Lu Yanzhou would have survived.

His gaze toward Lin Juan now held gratitude.

"Good kid." Although Lin Juan was his younger brother's spouse, his age wasn’t much older than his own son, Lu Mingxuan. Eldest Brother Lu couldn’t help but look at him with affection.

Eldest Brother Lu fumbled in his pocket but, unfortunately, being at home, he didn’t have anything valuable on him. He said, "I don’t have anything good on me right now, but I’ll give you a proper welcoming gift later at dinner."

"No need, no need," Lin Juan quickly declined.

"Oh, but it is necessary," Lu Mingxuan chimed in, remembering something. "And mine too—what happened earlier was so unexpected I forgot. I also have a gift for Young Uncle."

"Really, it’s not necessary. Old Mr. Lu has already given me compensation," Lin Juan said, both amused and exasperated. The Lu family really had a tradition of liking to give people things.

"Why are you being so formal, Xiao Juan?" Eldest Brother Lu teased. "I feel close to you—is it alright if I call you that?"

"Yeah, we’re family now, Young Uncle should use familiar terms with us too," Lu Mingxuan added.

"This…"

"Don’t pressure the kid. He can call me Uncle Lu if he prefers," Old Mr. Lu interjected, seeing Lin Juan’s hesitation.

Lin Juan breathed a sigh of relief: "Uncle Lu."

"Good kid, good kid." Old Mr. Lu, pleased, gave Lin Juan another large red packet.

Not long after, Zhuang Yufeng arrived.

Old Mr. Lu stepped forward to greet him.

Zhuang Yufeng cut straight to the point: "No need for formalities. I’m somewhat familiar with the situation. Take me to see the patient."

Lu Yanzhou’s room was spacious, with the most prominent feature still being the bed in the center. Unlike the one in the villa, this bed was an intricately crafted Chinese canopy bed.

The bed took up a large area, and with the curtains drawn, the inside was not visible.

Lin Juan stepped forward and lifted the bed curtains. Old Mr. Lu brought Zhuang Yufeng closer.

Zhuang Yufeng carefully examined Lu Yanzhou’s body using his abilities, his frown deepening.

Old Mr. Lu didn’t dare disturb him. As he watched Zhuang Yufeng’s expression, his heart grew heavier. Finally, Zhuang Yufeng withdrew his hand.

Old Mr. Lu hurriedly asked, "Doctor, how is Yanzhou?"

"It’s a bit tricky. He has an infection, but it’s minor. An infection at this level shouldn’t have caused him to remain unconscious for so long," Zhuang Yufeng said.

"Then the reason for his coma…" Lin Juan tried to recall details from the book, but he had only skimmed through it and had no memory of this particular event.

"It’s unclear for now. We’ll need to investigate further. If you’re comfortable with it, we can move him to my lab first," Zhuang Yufeng suggested. He had his own lab, established by the Special Operations Division in collaboration with a group of superpower holders and top domestic researchers, aimed at studying how to handle supernatural contamination.

Old Mr. Lu hesitated.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Zhuang Yufeng, but the matter was too significant.

Too many inexplicable events had occurred that day, and he was gradually realizing that the world was changing in ways beyond ordinary understanding. He needed time to process and decide how to proceed.

"I need time to consider," Old Mr. Lu said with difficulty.

"I understand," Zhuang Yufeng replied without any displeasure. Sending him to the lab for treatment was, in a way, not much different from being a test subject. He understood Old Mr. Lu’s hesitation.

"Whenever you decide, you can contact me."

At Zhuang Yufeng’s signal, his assistant handed Old Mr. Lu Zhuang Yufeng’s business card.

After performing a purification procedure on Lu Yanzhou, Zhuang Yufeng left. Once he was gone, Old Mr. Lu sent his eldest son’s family away, keeping only Lin Juan behind.

"Uncle Lu, did you want to talk to me about something?" Lin Juan guessed it must be important.

"Regarding sending Yanzhou to Dr. Zhuang’s lab, what do you think, Xiao Juan?"

Lin Juan was surprised. Why would he be asked about this?

Noticing his surprise, Old Mr. Lu explained, "Regardless, you and Yanzhou are married now. You share authority in matters concerning him."

What?

Lin Juan was truly taken aback. His marriage to Lu Yanzhou started as a sham. Old Mr. Lu acknowledging him was one thing, but why would he let him make such an important decision?

After all, he and Lu Yanzhou didn’t even know each other!

However, regarding this matter, he did have some thoughts: "I think it’s better not to send him to the lab."

After all, in the original storyline, the major antagonist went through a lot in a lab. Although Lin Juan couldn’t be sure if it was the same lab Zhuang Yufeng mentioned, it was better to avoid it.

"Alright, we’ll do as you say," Old Mr. Lu agreed without hesitation.

"Grandpa decided just like that?" Lu Mingxuan was shocked when he heard about it from Lin Juan.

"I was surprised too," Lin Juan said, taking a sip of soda. The soda was brought by Lu Mingxuan, who claimed it was made in-house by the Lu Manor’s chef and tasted better than store-bought.

"Did Grandpa ask you why?"

The soda indeed tasted great, with a refreshing fruit flavor. The bubbles fizzed on his tongue, delivering a stimulating coolness.

Lin Juan took a few sips, his eyes slightly narrowed: "He didn’t ask."

"Actually, I also don’t agree with sending Uncle to the lab. At home, we can at least keep an eye on him. If he’s sent away, we wouldn’t know what’s being done to him."

Nothing was more reassuring than keeping him under their own watch.

Moreover, Grandpa had arranged for top doctors from the hospital our family funds to examine Uncle. All the indicators were much better than last time, which was a good sign.

Perhaps one day, Uncle would wake up on his own.

"Young Uncle, aren't you curious about what happened to my uncle?" Lu Mingxuan leaned in closer, adopting a conspiratorial tone.

"Can I know?" Lin Juan had to admit he was quite curious. The Lu family had been good to him—whatever their reasons, he was the beneficiary—and he didn't want the tragedies from the original story to happen to the Lu family again.

Of course, the most important reason was that the Lu family was simply too generous.

"Of course!" Lu Mingxuan lowered his voice. "It’s not really a secret anyway. Three months ago, my uncle was perfectly fine. He went to Xuanhai on business, and after returning, he started having frequent headaches. It got worse over time—he fainted several times, and the last time he lost consciousness, he never woke up."

"It's strange. He went through all kinds of medical exams. At first, they couldn’t find anything. After he fell into a coma, his bodily functions started declining. We consulted every doctor we could find, both domestically and internationally, but still no one could determine the cause."

"Later, Grandpa listened to that so-called Master Chiran and decided a wedding might help 'ward off bad luck' for Uncle. But don’t worry, Young Uncle—only a very few of us know about this. You and my uncle are properly married, and no outsider would dare spread rumors!"

"You know the rest."

During dinner, Lin Juan met the rest of the Lu family, except for Lu Mingxuan’s aunt who was abroad and couldn’t make it back in time.

Eldest Brother Lu and his wife, Second Brother Lu, Third Brother Lu—all the Lu brothers were strikingly handsome. From Lu Mingxuan, Lin Juan learned that only Eldest Brother Lu, his wife, Third Brother Lu, the butler, and a few of Old Mr. Lu’s trusted confidants knew about the wedding plan. The others were kept in the dark.

Old Mr. Lu’s explanation to others was that Lin Juan was the fulfillment of a marriage promise he’d made long ago out of gratitude—one he took very seriously.

Naturally, no one dared question it.

Old Mr. Lu personally introduced everyone, and the Lu brothers each exchanged formal greetings with Lin Juan, giving him gifts.

Especially Eldest Brother Lu.

Lin Juan held the box of gold bricks Eldest Brother Lu handed over as casually as if it were a toy, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Seeing the gift from his own father, Lu Mingxuan’s lip twitched. "Dad, why do you always give people gold bricks? So tacky."

The slightly portly Eldest Brother Lu patted his stomach and said casually, "Gold is great. If Xiao Juan doesn’t like it, he can always sell it for money and buy something else he likes."

Then he turned to Lin Juan. "You don’t like gold, Xiao Juan?"

"I do..." Holding the heavy gift, Lin Juan felt it was all a bit unreal.

Were all these really for him?

Lin Juan’s eyes grew brighter and brighter.

He liked it—a lot!

He wouldn’t mind a few hundred million more gifts like this!

Author's Note: