Jiang Shuqin pursed her lips and nodded.
"Yes, he was found and brought back when he was in his teens."
Lin Xuan was the child she had personally abandoned.
She had given birth to three daughters before finally having this son, who could carry on the Lin Family's lineage. She had been overjoyed at first and had doted on Lin Xuan during the first year of his life.
When Lin Xuan was one year old, he fell seriously ill, and she cared for him day and night.
But his constant crying throughout the night grated on her nerves.
To make matters worse, she caught her husband in bed with another woman, and she herself was also feeling unwell.
No matter where she went for medical checkups, the doctors all told her that she was perfectly healthy and had no illness.
At that time, Master Jingli came to the Lin Family seeking alms, and with just one glance, he saw through everything.
He told her that all the recent misfortunes in the family were brought about by Lin Xuan!
Lin Xuan was a curse!
Only by sending Lin Xuan away would her husband stop having affairs, and her health would improve.
At first, she was skeptical, but over time, Master Jingli's words kept echoing in her mind.
She grew increasingly resentful of Lin Xuan, the son she had carried and birthed after ten long months of pregnancy.
And so,
she secretly sent Lin Xuan away, leaving him at the doorstep of an orphanage.
The very next day after Lin Xuan was sent away, her health miraculously improved.
From then on, she became a firm believer in Master Jingli's words.
But she never could have imagined that Lin Xuan would one day return to the Lin Family, causing chaos and unrest.
If she had known, she should have strangled Lin Xuan back then.
"If he's back, then it makes sense," Master Jingli nodded.
"Master Jingli, you once said that a child would bring misfortune to me. Were you referring to Lin Xuan?" Jiang Shuqin asked anxiously.
"Yes, it's him," Master Jingli confirmed with a nod.
"But..."
Jiang Shuqin furrowed her brows, "It's been almost a year since we cut ties with him. Can he still have an impact?"
"Yes," Master Jingli nodded again. "When he returned to the Lin Family before, it was because of your adopted son. He is a lucky star, and that's why the Lin Family wasn't affected."
"Now that he's left the Lin Family, the woman he's with carries a heavy aura of misfortune. Together, they directly affect your family. The fetus, being the most fragile, is the most susceptible to their influence."
"Is there any way to break this curse?" Jiang Shuqin asked nervously. The child in her womb absolutely could not be harmed.
Lin Xuan was a lost cause.
She needed to give birth to another son to carry on her husband's lineage. Otherwise, she was afraid her husband would turn to another woman to bear him a child.
"There's nothing I can do," Master Jingli shook his head. "But remember this: you must never allow that son of yours to return."
"Understood. I won't let him come back," Jiang Shuqin nodded firmly.
For the sake of her child and the Lin Family, she would never allow Lin Xuan to return!
Master Jingli closed his eyes again, his fingers moving over the beads of his prayer bracelet.
"That's all I can say. You may leave now."
Lin Li took out a cloth bundle containing over a thousand yuan in cash, with a bank card tucked underneath.
He handed it to Master Jingli, saying, "This is our offering for the temple."
Master Jingli continued chanting sutras without pause.
Lin Li placed the offering to the side and, together with Jiang Shuqin, exited the room.
The moment the door closed,
Master Jingli could no longer maintain his calm demeanor. He hurriedly opened the cloth bundle and took out the bank card.
There was 500,000 yuan inside!
Master Jingli's face lit up with joy.
Last time, it was 100,000 yuan. This time, it was 500,000 yuan. All for just a few words!
Jiang Shuqin and Lin Li lingered in the temple for a while longer.
"Mom, the sun is setting. It's time for us to head back."
"Alright."
Lin Li drove Jiang Shuqin home, this time taking a small, secluded road.
The area was sparsely populated, and they encountered very few vehicles along the way.
"Li, I remember we took a different route on our way here," Jiang Shuqin said, her brows furrowed.
"Mom, you need to take your prenatal medicine on time. I took this shortcut to get home sooner," Lin Li explained.
"Just be careful driving," Jiang Shuqin said, trusting Lin Li completely.
Lin Li's lips curled into a faint smile.
Suddenly, the car screeched to a halt.
"Li, what's wrong with the car?" Jiang Shuqin clutched her chest, startled. She was sitting in the back seat without a seatbelt, and the sudden stop had shaken her.
"I'm not sure. Let me check," Lin Li said, inspecting the car. His brows knitted together. "The car won't start."
Jiang Shuqin worriedly said, "This place is so remote. There are no auto repair shops around. What do we do if the car breaks down?"
"Mom, there's a repair shop about 800 meters away. I'll go and ask them to take a look," Lin Li suggested.
"I'll come with you," Jiang Shuqin said.
The area was too desolate, and she felt uneasy.
"Mom, just wait here. It's too far, and you're pregnant. You should rest," Lin Li persuaded her.
Jiang Shuqin thought about it and agreed.
Besides, society was so safe nowadays. Surely nothing would happen.
"Alright, I'll wait here. Li, come back quickly."
"Okay."
Lin Li nodded and soon disappeared from Jiang Shuqin's sight.
Jiang Shuqin stayed in the car, not daring to step out.
Just then,
five thugs with dyed hair and cigarettes dangling from their mouths appeared.
"Hey, boss, check out this car. It looks super fancy. Must be worth a fortune," one of the thugs said, running his hand over the vehicle.
Jiang Shuqin frowned and stepped out of the car, scolding them, "What are you doing? This car is worth ten million! Don't touch it!"
The thug glanced inside the car.
He smirked and said, "Boss, there's only one person in there, and there are no cameras around."
Hearing this, Jiang Shuqin felt a wave of fear.
She had forgotten that they weren't in the city.
If these men tried anything, it would be hard to escape.
Jiang Shuqin's face turned pale, and she instinctively reached for the car door to get back inside.
But one of the thugs slammed the door shut.
"Trying to leave?" the thug sneered.
Jiang Shuqin tightened her grip on her clothes. "I'm a married woman. You can't do anything to me."
Her mind was in chaos.
Her phone was still in the car, and she couldn't call for help. What could she do?
"Pfft," the thug leader spat. "You? An old hag like you? Don't flatter yourself."
"I'm not interested in you. I want your money. Hand it over!"
Jiang Shuqin stammered, "I'll give you the money, but my bag is still in the car."
"Then go get it. And don't try anything funny!" the thug leader warned.
"Okay, okay," Jiang Shuqin quickly grabbed her phone. She glanced back and saw the thugs chatting among themselves.
Summoning her courage, she opened her phone and tried to call the police. She had just pressed the numbers 1 and 1 when
her hair was yanked violently, and she was dragged out of the car.