Chapter 24
The grand gates of the Lu estate swung open on a quiet Saturday afternoon, welcoming a sleek silver vintage sedan.
Inside the mansion, Lin Mian was sitting in the sunroom, reviewing a quarterly marketing report on his tablet. Lu Chen sat right beside him, his large hand resting casually on Lin Mian’s thigh, his eyes tracking his husband’s expressions with his usual quiet devotion.
The sudden sound of hurried footsteps and the butler’s polite greeting echoed from the grand foyer, breaking the domestic silence.
“Chen-er! Xiao Mian!”
A warm, elegant voice resonated through the hallway. Lin Mian’s eyes widened, and he immediately stood up, recognizing the voice. Lu Chen’s posture stiffened slightly, a rare look of surprise crossing his usually unreadable face.
Stepping into the sunroom were Elder Mr. Lu and Madam Lu-Lu Chen’s parents. Having spent the last five years managing the Lu Corporation’s massive European maritime ports, they had lived a semi-retired life in Switzerland, rarely returning to Shanghai. Madam Lu was the epitome of grace, dressed in a soft beige trench coat, her eyes instantly pooling with tears the moment she saw the two young men.
“Oh, look at you both!” Madam Lu cried softly, completely ignoring all high-society etiquette as she rushed forward. She didn’t embrace her son first-instead, she wrapped her arms tightly around Lin Mian, hugging him with a fierce, maternal warmth. “Xiao Mian… our beautiful boy. Look how grown up and radiant you are!”
Lin Mian, initially startled, instantly relaxed into the embrace, a genuine, warm smile blooming on his face. “Father… Mother… you’re back. Why didn’t you call us? We would have picked you up from the airport.”
Elder Mr. Lu, a tall, distinguished man who carried the same sharp, aristocratic jawline as Lu Chen, stepped forward. He placed a heavy, proud hand on Lin Mian’s shoulder, his eyes soft. “We wanted it to be a surprise, Xiao Mian. And please, you are our son now.”
Lu Chen stood up, stepping into his parents’ line of sight. “Father. Mother.”
The room went quiet for a moment. The relationship between Lu Chen and his parents had always been distant, strained by years of corporate duty and geographic separation. But as Madam Lu turned to look at her only son, her expression crumbled into deep, profound guilt.
She reached out, her hands trembling as she placed them against Lu Chen’s sharp cheeks.
“Chen-er… please forgive us,” Madam Lu whispered, her tears finally overflowing. “We are so, so sorry. Your father and I… we failed you. We couldn’t make it to your wedding. When the international port strike locked us in Paris, and the flight schedules collapsed… we felt like the worst parents in the world. We missed the most important day of your life.”
Elder Mr. Lu sighed, his proud shoulders dropping as he looked at Lu Chen, then at Lin Mian. “We watched the video of the ceremony in our hotel room, and we wept. To see our son finally holding the person he has loved since childhood, and we weren’t there to give our blessings in person… it is a regret we will carry forever.”
Lin Mian stared at his parents-in-law. In his past life, his parents-in-law had returned to Shanghai under horrific circumstances-to attend his funeral, witnessing their son completely descend into murderous madness. In that timeline, there was no wedding, no joy, only ashes.
But now, looking at himself living, breathing husband standing beside him, Lin Mian felt the last icy remnants of his past life resentment melt away.
Lu Chen gently placed his large hands over his mother’s, offering her a rare, incredibly soft smile. “It’s okay, Mother. You don’t need to apologize. The strike was out of your control. What matters is that you are here now.”
Lin Mian stepped forward, sliding his hand into Lu Chen’s, intertwining their fingers tightly. He looked at Lu Chen’s parents with a radiant, reassuring warmth. “He’s right, Mom, Dad. You didn’t miss anything that can’t be celebrated again. We are a family, and we have the rest of our lives.”
Hearing Lin Mian call them ‘Mom’ and ‘Dad’ brought a burst of joyful laughter from Elder Mr. Lu. He wiped a stray tear from his eye and nodded fiercely. “You are entirely right, Xiao Mian! Chen-er, you have married a boy far wiser than you.”
Madam Lu smiled brightly, turning to the butler who was bringing in their luggage. “Bring the large trunk from the car! Xiao Mian, we brought back antique crystal sets from Prague, handmade silks from Lyon, and the finest Swiss health supplements for your father. We are going to throw a massive family dinner tomorrow night, and I want the entire Lin family here!”
As his parents bustled around the mansion, filled with an energetic, joyous noise that the Lu estate hadn’t felt in decades, Lu Chen pulled Lin Mian back into his arms, burying his face into his husband’s neck.
“Thank you, my little sparrow,” Lu Chen murmured, his voice thick with emotion, holding Lin Mian as if he were his entire universe. “Thank you for healing my family, too.”
Lin Mian turned his head, pressing a sweet, lingering kiss against Lu Chen’s lips, his heart completely at peace. “We rewrote the stars, giant wolf. We fix everything. Together.”
Under the bright afternoon sun, the house of shadows was officially gone, replaced by a home overflowing with love, laughter, and a beautiful future that belonged entirely to them.
To be continue
