Transmigration; Married to My Ex-Fiancé's Uncle-Chapter 224; Shopping 8

Minutes passed. The medical staff came and went. Lu Cheng made calls, arranged for private nurses, and demanded action.

But eventually, assured that Lu Zeyan was stable and would likely remain unconscious through the night, he made a decision.

"We’ll go home," he told his wife. "The nurses will monitor him. There’s nothing more we can do here tonight."

Mrs. Lu didn’t want to leave, but exhaustion and shock had taken their toll. She let her husband guide her out, casting one last look at their unconscious son.

The hired nurses settled in for their shift, professional, competent, well-paid.

The Lu family took care of their own, after all.

Even when they didn’t understand what was happening to them.

Lu Zeyan remained unconscious, his mind mercifully blank for now, his mouth finally silent.

But the curse continued its work, embedding deeper, spreading further, ensuring that when he woke, the deterioration would only accelerate.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the gridlocked traffic leading to the Pearl District, Shuyin sat in the van with her eyes closed, that small satisfied smile still playing at her lips.

The curse had taken hold perfectly. Lu Zeyan would wake diminished, broken, a cautionary tale about betraying the wrong woman.

Karma, working exactly as intended.

And tomorrow, she had a shareholder meeting to attend and a manufacturing company to transform into something profitable.

But tonight? Tonight was for her children, for normalcy, for building the life she’d claimed from the ashes of Lin Shuyin’s destroyed existence.

The traffic finally began to move.

"We’re almost there," Ting Fei announced from the front seat.

Shuyin opened her eyes, pushing thoughts of Lu Zeyan’s suffering aside. That Chapter was closed. Done. He would face his consequences alone, just as the original Shuyin had faced hers.

"Good," she said, looking at Chen Xiao’s eager face and Yuyan’s cautious smile. "Let’s go shopping."

The convoy pulled into the Pearl District just after four in the afternoon. The sun hung warm and golden overhead, casting everything in that perfect late-afternoon light that made the high-end shopping district look like something out of a luxury magazine.

Shuyin stepped out of the van first, adjusting her designer suit. The Pearl District was familiar territory; she’d been here countless times in her previous life as Lu Zeyan’s perfect fiancée, back when money had seemed endless, and shopping had been more about maintaining appearances than actual need.

How different it felt now.

Yuyan emerged next, silver eyes already scanning the street with practiced wariness. Then Chen Xiao, who stopped on the sidewalk and stared up at the gleaming storefronts with wide, uncertain eyes.

"It’s very fancy," he said quietly.

"It is," Shuyin agreed, crouching down to his level. "But fancy doesn’t mean intimidating. These are just stores. They sell clothes. And today, we’re going to find you an entire new wardrobe."

"An entire wardrobe?" Chen Xiao’s eyes went even wider. "That sounds expensive."

"Let me worry about the expense," Shuyin said, standing and taking Chen Xiao’s hand. "You just worry about picking things you actually like. Real preferences, remember? Not what you think adults want to hear."

The traffic had finally cleared enough for them to reach the Pearl District. The van pulled to a smooth stop in front of the elegant shopping area, and Ting Fei stepped out first, scanning the surroundings with professional efficiency.

Tank, Blade, and Razor emerged from the second vehicle, stretching slightly after the long drive. They were the closest thing she had to real friends in this world.

Standing on the pristine sidewalk with luxury boutiques stretching in every direction, Tank looked at the elegant storefronts and then back at Shuyin with a grin.

"Shuyin, can you handle this by yourself?" Her tone was teasing, but there was genuine warmth underneath. "This seems like... family bonding time. You sure you want three ex-convicts cramping your maternal style?"

She gestured at Chen Xiao, who was pressed against Shuyin’s side, and at Yuyan, who was watching the exchange with amusement. This was supposed to be mother-children bonding time.

"You can accompany me," Shuyin said easily, genuinely unbothered. "I don’t mind the company."

"Aaahhh!" Tank waved her hand dramatically, exchanging knowing glances with Blade and Razor. "Just shop with the kids and have this time bonding! Besides, do you really want us hovering while you’re trying on designer clothes? We’ll just make inappropriate comments and embarrass you."

"You would absolutely do that," Shuyin agreed with a laugh.

"Exactly!" Razor chimed in, her usual quiet demeanor brightening with mischief. "And tomorrow, we’ll have our own shopping time. Just us girls. We can be as inappropriate as we want without traumatizing the children."

"What do you think?" Tank asked, her expression softening. "You need this time with them. Real family stuff. We’ll still be around if you need us, but... let yourself have this, Shuyin."

The unspoken understanding passed between them, these women who’d survived together, who’d become sisters in that place where survival meant everything. They knew Shuyin needed moments that felt normal, that weren’t shadowed by their shared past.

"All right..." Shuyin relented, warmth flooding her chest at their thoughtfulness.

"Tomorrow then. And you three better be ready to spend some of Lu Yuze’s money with me."

"Oh, we’re spending ALL of his money tomorrow," Tank declared with theatrical enthusiasm. "Consider it our civic duty."

"I’m holding you to that," Shuyin warned with a smile.

"Please do," Blade said dryly, the corner of her mouth quirking up.

Ting Fei, who’d been watching this exchange with patient amusement, cleared his throat gently. "I’ll remain with Mrs. Lu, of course."

"Of course," Tank agreed.

"Someone responsible needs to supervise." She gestured to one of Lu Yuze’s drivers who’d been operating the second vehicle, a young woman named Xiao Chen. "Take us back to the villa.."

"Yes, ma’am," Xiao Chen replied, looking slightly overwhelmed by Tank’s energy.

"If you need anything, write and give the list over to Xiao Chen or even text Ting Fei and you will get them." Shuyin had promised them a better life.

"Sure...."