Chapter 3

Old Master Lu did not know what Lin Juan was thinking. Seeing that he no longer mentioned it, he breathed a sigh of relief.

As for his youngest son’s wishes, he believed his son was 100% satisfied with Lin Juan as his spouse.

Even if he wasn’t 100% satisfied yet, he would make sure he became 100% satisfied!

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

It was called a villa, but given the land area and the landscaping around it, calling it a small estate would not be an exaggeration.

Lin Juan got out of the car and stood outside the villa, sizing up the excessively large building.

Lu Mingxuan had held back the entire way. As soon as he got out, he could not wait to speak. “Little Uncle, this place was originally prepared as a wedding home for you and Little Uncle. It’s brand new. See if there’s anything you don’t like—we can get someone to change it.”

“This place isn’t good,” Old Master Lu said slowly as he got out of the car a step behind. “Once we handle things here, we’ll go back to Lu Garden. That place has unmatched scenery, of course. If Little Lin finds it too old-fashioned, Yanzhou has plenty of properties under his name. Little Lin can pick whichever one he likes.”

Lu Mingxuan was startled by Old Master Lu’s words. Lu Garden was where the main branch of the Lu Family lived. Without the main family’s approval, it was absolutely impossible to move in.

His second uncle’s wife, Qiu Lishu, still could not live there to this day.

It seemed Grandpa was extremely satisfied with Lin Juan.

“I’m not picky about where I live. This place is already great,” Lin Juan said honestly. “Much better than where I used to live. No need to worry about rain leaking in.”

Back then, he and his master had lived on a mountain with only two rundown shacks. Whenever it rained heavily outside, it drizzled inside.

Old Master Lu’s gaze filled with pity. What a good child—what kind of hard life had he lived before?

After getting the tip about the marriage candidate from the fraudulent master, Old Master Lu had investigated Lin Juan. As the former head of the Lu Family, he would not blindly trust outsiders. He had even suspected that Lin Juan and the fraudulent master were colluding to deceive him.

In his position, he had faced such situations plenty of times.

It was only after his investigation confirmed that Lin Juan had no connection to the fraudulent master, and that Lu Yanzhou truly could not wait any longer, that he agreed to give it a try.

Lin Juan’s background was simple. Born in the mountains and raised by a bachelor there, he was left alone after the man died. The Lu Family had found him without much effort, and he had agreed to the marriage of convenience.

With that in mind, Old Master Lu spoke with full affection. “Now that you’re part of the Lu Family, the Lu Family will be your backing from now on. You will never live a hard life here again.”

Lin Juan was touched. He had arrived in this world all alone, penniless. Not only was Old Master Lu full of goodwill toward him, but he was also incredibly generous.

Thinking of the bank card in his pocket with a full ten million balance, Lin Juan felt motivated. He would make sure every penny of the Lu Family’s money was worth it!

There were police inside the villa handling the aftermath.

Lin Juan noticed that their uniforms differed slightly from standard police attire.

These people were fully armed with complete gear. As they entered the house, the team leader came out to meet them.

“Old Mr. Lu, we’ve searched the entire villa. Aside from the room you mentioned, we found no anomalies anywhere else.”

“Mr. Lin.” The man turned to face Lin Juan, his gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny. Taking on dozens of Weird Phenomena barehanded did not seem simple, no matter how you looked at it.

Lin Juan’s first impression was that he did not seem like someone who would fight.

The young man had jet-black long hair casually draped behind him, complementing his delicate features without a trace of femininity.

Beautiful and exquisite, like a doll carefully dressed and kept at home by nobility.

Lowering his gaze, he continued, “We’ve gathered the relevant details. We didn’t encounter the Weird liquid you mentioned. Do you have any leads on it?”

Wu Yunyi was the deputy captain of Special Action Team Three and an Ability User. He detected no supernatural ability fluctuations from Lin Juan. After the Weird Phenomena descended, Huaguo had secretly recruited people nationwide to form the Special Action Team dedicated to dealing with them, and it was now taking shape.

Only Ability Users capable of handling Weird Phenomena could join the Special Action Team. Unless the other party’s level was much higher, Ability Users could sense the supernatural ability fluctuations on each other.

They had received word from above that the E-Rank Anomaly 【Mutated Frogman】 in the Lu Family villa had been resolved by Lin Juan. Though he did not know why the organization had not singled Lin Juan out, and despite sensing no supernatural ability fluctuations from him, Wu Yunyi still held more respect for him than for others.

“I’ve told you everything I know,” Lin Juan shook his head. “That stuff came and went without a trace. But you can investigate the ‘master’ behind this.”

“Got it. We’ll follow up and notify you if we have any news. This place probably isn’t safe anymore. You should find somewhere else to stay.”

Subtly, Wu Yunyi treated Lin Juan as the head of the group. Old Master Lu noticed this and gave Lin Juan an extra glance.

His family’s new member was indeed extraordinary. He wondered if the Lu Family could keep him.

Lin Juan looked regretfully at the large villa. It was his first time living in a house this big.

Seeing his reluctance, Old Master Lu’s heavy mood eased a bit. He was still just a child, after all.

He asked, “Do you like houses like this?”

“Who wouldn’t like a luxurious mansion?” Lin Juan admitted frankly.

“Little Uncle, don’t worry. Little Uncle has plenty of houses. You can live wherever you want, as big as you want,” Lu Mingxuan, who had been quiet until now, said with a wink.

Old Master Lu nodded without refuting.

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

“I’ve invited Doctor Zhuang to check on Lu Yanzhou’s condition. Old Mr. Lu, where would be a suitable place to meet?”

“Go straight to Lu Garden.” Old Master Lu decided firmly.

Lu Garden was a serene, antique mansion in the bustling Imperial Capital, with a tranquil environment. It was said to be a prince’s residence from hundreds of years ago.

This was the true home of the Lu Family’s main branch.

Bringing Lin Juan here meant he had earned Old Master Lu’s true recognition.

Along the way, Lu Mingxuan introduced things to Lin Juan. “Not many people live in Lu Garden now. Grandpa, our family, Second Uncle moved out after getting married and only comes back for holidays. Aunt married abroad and is supposedly coming back to settle recently. Fourth Uncle isn’t married—he does research and is always busy, rarely seen. We left in a rush today, but in a few days, Grandpa should call them back.”

“Yes, with a new family member, it’s time to call them back to meet,” Old Master Lu agreed.

The comatose Lu Yanzhou rode alone in the car behind. Up front sat Old Master Lu, Lin Juan, and Lu Mingxuan, who had insisted on squeezing in.

Lu Garden arrived, and the cars stopped. Lu Family Big Brother and his family were already waiting outside, having received word in advance.

Old Master Lu introduced both sides.

Only a few in the Lu Family knew about the marriage of convenience for Lu Yanzhou, and Big Brother was one of them. Seeing Old Master Lu’s attitude toward Lin Juan, Big Brother was shocked and exchanged a glance with his wife. They both saw the surprise in each other’s eyes.

He had not expected Dad to value his little brother’s new spouse so highly.

Old Master Lu said no more and first arranged for Lu Yanzhou to be taken to his courtyard.

“Doctor Zhuang from First Hospital will come check on Yanzhou soon,” Old Master Lu said, glancing at his son on the bed. “Maybe this time it will work.”

“Dad.” Big Brother did not know how to comfort his father. He had aged noticeably over his youngest son’s issue. If it really worked, it might truly be the good fortune Lin Juan brought.

“It’s all thanks to Little Uncle this time, Dad. You don’t know…” Lu Mingxuan recounted last night’s events.

Big Brother listened with a chill of fear. “Is everyone okay?”

“We’re fine, we’re fine,” Lu Mingxuan said. “When we went in, Little Uncle had already taken down all the monsters inside. None of them could move anymore.”

“Did you check the surveillance? Where did the monsters come from?” Big Brother frowned.

This was a big deal. From Lu Mingxuan’s description, so many monsters could not have appeared out of thin air.

“We did. The surveillance was all static snow.” Lu Mingxuan spread his hands. Afterward, he had reviewed it repeatedly but found nothing. “I can confirm no one tampered with it.”

He had been interested in electronics since childhood and had a talent for it. Big Brother trusted his son’s judgment and said no more.

No wonder Father valued Lin Juan so much. Without him last night, it was uncertain if Lu Yanzhou would have survived.

His gaze toward Lin Juan now carried gratitude.

“Good child.” Though it was his brother’s spouse, Lin Juan was young—not much older than his son Lu Mingxuan—so Big Brother’s eyes held affection.

Big Brother rummaged in his pocket. Unfortunately, at home, he had nothing valuable on him. “I don’t have anything good on me. I’ll give you a proper meeting gift at dinner later.”

“No need, no need.” Lin Juan waved it off hurriedly.

“You have to accept,” Lu Mingxuan said, thinking of something. “I have one too. I forgot amid all the chaos before. I have a gift for Little Uncle.”

“Really, no need. Old Master Lu has already given me compensation.” Lin Juan smiled wryly. Why did the Lu Family all love giving gifts like this?

“Isn’t ‘Little Juan’ a bit too formal?” Big Brother teased. “I feel close to you. You can call me that, right?”

“Yeah, we’re family now. Little Uncle should change how he addresses us,” Lu Mingxuan chimed in.

“This…”

“Don’t make it hard for the child. ‘Uncle Lu’ is fine too.” Seeing Lin Juan’s difficulty, Old Master Lu stepped in to help.

Lin Juan breathed a sigh of relief. “Uncle Lu.”

“Good child, good child.” Old Master Lu, delighted, gave Lin Juan another thick red envelope.

Soon, Zhuang Yufeng arrived.

Old Master Lu went forward to exchange greetings.

Zhuang Yufeng said directly, “No need for pleasantries. I’m aware of the situation. Take me to see the patient.”

Lu Yanzhou’s room was spacious. The most striking feature remained the bed in the center. Unlike the one at the villa, this was a Thousand-Crafts Step-Out Bed.

The bed took up a huge footprint. With the bed curtains down, the view inside was obscured.

Lin Juan stepped forward and lifted the curtain. Old Master Lu brought Zhuang Yufeng over.

Zhuang Yufeng carefully examined Lu Yanzhou’s body with his supernatural ability, his brows furrowing tighter and tighter.

Old Master Lu did not dare interrupt. As Zhuang Yufeng’s expression darkened, his heart sank. Finally, Zhuang Yufeng withdrew his hand.

Old Master Lu asked hurriedly, “Doctor, how is Yanzhou?”

“It’s a bit troublesome. There’s pollution in his body, but not much. This level shouldn’t cause such prolonged coma.” Zhuang Yufeng said.

“Then the reason for his coma…” Lin Juan tried to recall from the book, but he had only skimmed through it once. He had no memory of anything related.

“It’s unclear for now. We need to investigate. If you trust me, you can send him to my lab first.” Zhuang Yufeng had his own laboratory, established by the Special Action Division with a group of Ability Users and top domestic researchers to study handling Weird pollution.

Old Master Lu hesitated.

It was not that he distrusted Zhuang Yufeng—the matter was just too significant.

Too many inexplicable things had happened that day. He was gradually realizing the world was changing in ways ordinary people could not comprehend. He needed time to process and decide the path forward.

“I need time to think.” Old Master Lu said with difficulty.

“I understand.” Zhuang Yufeng showed no displeasure. Sending him to the lab for treatment was, in a way, like treating him as an experimental subject. He understood Old Master Lu’s hesitation.

“Contact me whenever you’re ready.”

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

After Zhuang Yufeng performed the purification on Lu Yanzhou and left, Old Master Lu sent Big Brother’s family away too, leaving only Lin Juan.

“Uncle Lu, do you have something to discuss with me?” It must be important, Lin Juan guessed.

“What do you think about sending Yanzhou to Doctor Zhuang’s lab, Little Juan?”

Lin Juan was surprised. Why ask him about this?

Seeing his shock, Old Master Lu explained, “No matter what, you and Yanzhou are husband and husband now. You have a say in his matters.”

Huh?

Lin Juan was truly astonished this time. His marriage to Lu Yanzhou stemmed from a scam. Old Master Lu accepting it was one thing—how could he let him decide something this big?

They did not even know each other yet!

However, regarding this matter, he did have some opinions. “I think it’s best not to go to the laboratory.”

After all, in the original plot, the big villain had suffered quite a bit in the laboratory. Although Lin Juan couldn’t be sure if it was the same one Zhuang Yufeng mentioned.

It was still best to avoid it.

“Alright, we’ll listen to you.” Old Master Lu didn’t hesitate.

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

“I’m surprised too.” Lin Juan took a sip of soda. The soda was brought by Lu Mingxuan, made by the chefs at Lu Garden. It tasted better than the stuff sold outside.

“Did Grandpa ask you for the reason?”

The soda really was delicious, with a refreshing fruity flavor. The bubbles burst on his tongue, bringing a stimulating chill.

Lin Juan slurped down a few more mouthfuls, his eyes narrowing slightly. “He didn’t ask.”

“Actually, I’m not in favor of sending Little Uncle to the laboratory either. At home, we can at least keep an eye on him at all times. If we send him there, we won’t know what they might do to him.”

Who could feel at ease leaving him out of sight?

Moreover, the hospital that Grandpa had their family invest in had sent over top medical experts to check Little Uncle’s body. All his vital signs had improved significantly from last time. It was a good sign.

Maybe one day, Little Uncle would wake up on his own.

“Little Uncle, aren’t you curious about what’s going on with my Little Uncle?” Lu Mingxuan leaned in closer, looking like he was about to share a little secret.

“Can I know?” Lin Juan had to admit he was quite curious. The Lu Family treated him well, whatever the reason. He had benefited from it, and he didn’t want the tragedies from the original book to befall the Lu Family again.

The stern yet kind-hearted Old Master Lu toward his family, the comatose yet incredibly wealthy Lu Yanzhou, the loud but caring Lu Mingxuan… They were all good people.

Of course, most importantly, the Lu Family had given him far too much.

“Of course!” Lu Mingxuan lowered his voice. “It’s not some big secret. Three months ago, my Little Uncle was perfectly fine. He went to Xuanhai on business, and after coming back, he started getting headaches every few days. They got worse and worse, he passed out several times, and the last time, he hasn’t woken up since.”

“It’s strange too. They ran every test imaginable. At first, nothing showed up. After he fell into a coma, his bodily functions started declining. We called in doctors from both domestic and international sources, but still couldn’t find the cause.”

“Later on, Grandpa listened to that Master Chiran and decided on a joy-bringing marriage for Little Uncle. But don’t worry, Little Uncle—only a very few of us know about it. You’re properly married to him, so no outsiders will gossip!”

“You know what happened after that.”

At dinner, aside from Lu Mingxuan’s aunt who was abroad and couldn’t make it back in time, Lin Juan met the rest of the Lu Family.

Lu Family’s eldest brother and sister-in-law, Second Brother Lu, Third Brother Lu. The Lu brothers were all exceptionally handsome. From Lu Mingxuan, Lin Juan learned that only Lu Family’s eldest brother, his wife, himself, Third Brother Lu, the butler, and a few of Old Master Lu’s confidants knew about the joy-bringing marriage. The others had no idea.

Old Master Lu’s public explanation was that Lin Juan was fulfilling a marriage promise he had made years ago out of gratitude, and he valued it highly.

Naturally, no one dared to question it.

Old Master Lu personally introduced everyone. The Lu brothers all paid their respects to Lin Juan one by one, each bringing a meeting gift.

Especially Lu Family’s eldest brother.

Lin Juan held the box of gold bricks that Lu Family’s eldest brother handed over as if it were a toy, feeling somewhat at a loss.

Lu Mingxuan saw the gift from his own dad and twitched his lips. “Dad, why do you always give gold bricks as gifts? So tacky.”

The somewhat portly Lu Family’s eldest brother patted his belly casually. “Gold is great. If Xiao Juan doesn’t like it, he can exchange it for money and buy whatever he wants.”

With that, he looked at Lin Juan. “Xiao Juan, don’t like gold?”

“I like it…” Lin Juan hugged the hefty meeting gift, feeling like it wasn’t real.

Was all this really for him?

Lin Juan’s eyes grew brighter and brighter.

He loved it!

He wouldn’t mind a few billion more of these meeting gifts!