CHAPTER 94: CHAPTER 94; WHAT HAD HE MARRIED

What had he married?

The question should have terrified him. Should have sent him running for divorce lawyers and psychiatric evaluations.

Instead, it just made him more curious.

And more determined to protect her secrets.

Because whatever Shuyin was, she had saved his daughter. Had eliminated threats to his family. Had shown more loyalty in two days than some people showed in a lifetime.

Even if she did give him heart attacks on a regular basis.

By the time Lu Yuze finished his shower and dressed in fresh clothes, a casual but expensive sweater, and slacks, since he wasn’t going to the office today, it was nearly 7:30 AM.

His phone, which he’d left on the bathroom counter, was lighting up with notifications after notifications... News alerts. Messages. Missed calls.

With a sense of dread, he opened the news app.

BREAKING: Tragedy Strikes Chen Family - Four Deaths Overnight.

(Multiple Chen Family Members Found Dead in Apparent Medical Emergencies)

(Chen Industries in Chaos as Patriarch, Heir’s Mother, and Brothers All Die Within Hours)

Lu Yuze’s hand instinctively tightened on the phone.

Four deaths.

All at once.

The entire Chen family leadership, was gone... Completely erased.

He clicked on the full article, his eyes scanning rapidly:

In an unprecedented tragedy, the Chen family compound has been struck by multiple sudden deaths. Chen Guowei (68), founder of Chen Industries, was found dead in his study at approximately 2 AM, apparently of a massive heart attack. His wife, Madam Liu (62), was discovered in her bathroom shortly after, also deceased from what appears to be a stress-induced cardiac event.

Chen Guowei’s remaining sons, Chen Wei (35) and Chen Hao (33), were both found dead in separate locations on the compound, Chen Wei in his guest house shower, apparently having drowned after losing consciousness, and Chen Hao in the basement, a victim of what medical examiners are calling a catastrophic stroke.

Police are treating the deaths as tragic but not suspicious, noting that the family had been under extreme stress following the death of the eldest son, Chen Ting, in a car accident just hours earlier. Medical professionals note that stress can trigger cardiac events, and the timing, while unusual, is not unprecedented in cases of severe familial grief.

"The Chen family has suffered an unimaginable loss," said Police Chief Wang at a press conference this morning. "Our hearts go out to the surviving family members during this difficult time. The deaths appear to be medical in nature, likely stress-induced, but we are conducting thorough autopsies as standard procedure."

Lu Yuze set the phone down carefully, his mind racing.

Four deaths. All within hours of each other. All conveniently removed every member of the Chen family who had threatened him last night.

Madam Liu, who had promised to destroy him.

Chen Wei, who had been planning lawsuits.

Chen Guowei, who had been calling in political favors.

Chen Hao, who... well, who had been a monster in his own right, apparently.

All gone.

All at around 2 AM.

At the same time, Shuyin had told him she needed to be alone. At the same time, she’d disappeared into the pool area.

The same time she’d been in the water, in her element, restored to full power.

Problem solved, she’d said last night.

Lu Yuze had thought she’d been referring to Chen Ting’s death.

But this... this was something else entirely.

This was systematic elimination of every threat.

And it had been done with such precision, such careful planning, that it looked like nothing more than a tragic coincidence. Stress-induced medical emergencies. All explainable. All tragic.

All convenient.

A knock on his bedroom door interrupted his thoughts.

"Master?" Ah-Ling’s voice sounded from the other end. "I thought you should know, the news about the Chen family has broken. The media is already trying to make connections to Chen Ting’s visit here last night."

Lu Yuze opened the door. "What kind of connections?"

"Nothing specific yet. But some outlets are noting the timing, that the family patriarch and his remaining sons all died within hours of Chen Ting’s death, which occurred shortly after he left your estate." Ah-Ling’s expression was carefully neutral. "Questions are being asked about whether there could be any... connection."

"And what do the police say?"

"That there’s no evidence of foul play. That the deaths are all consistent with stress-induced medical emergencies. That grief can kill, and this is a tragic example of that." Ah-Ling paused. "Master, do you want me to... look into this more thoroughly? Privately?"

Lu Yuze considered for a long moment. Did he want to know for certain what Shuyin had done? Did he want proof that his wife had systematically eliminated an entire family while he slept peacefully upstairs?

"No," he said finally. "If the police are satisfied with the medical explanations, then so am I. The Chen family’s tragedy is their own. It has nothing to do with us."

"Understood, Master." Ah-Ling’s expression suggested he understood perfectly what wasn’t being said. "And if any investigators come asking questions?"

"Tell them the truth, that Chen Ting visited, became aggressive, and was removed from the property by security. That we had no further contact with him or his family. That we’re as shocked as anyone by these tragic deaths." Lu Yuze held Ah-Ling’s gaze. "Which is all completely true."

"Yes, Master."

After Ah-Ling left, Lu Yuze stood at his window, staring out at the gardens below. Somewhere in this mansion, Shuyin was probably getting dressed, completely unconcerned about the fact that she’d just wiped out an entire family’s leadership.

He should be horrified.

Should be calling the police, confessing suspicions, distancing himself from a woman who could kill with such casual efficiency.

Instead, he found himself thinking: They threatened my family. They promised to destroy us. And now they can’t.

Was that wrong? Probably.

Did he care?

He wasn’t sure anymore.

When Lu Yuze entered the dining room, he found Yuyan already seated at the table, looking significantly better than she had the previous night. Her color was good, her eyes bright, and she was enthusiastically working her way through a plate of congee and steamed buns.