Chapter 24: Mad Cow Disease!

After parting ways with Chen Xiaobing, it was getting late, and Lu Sian planned to return home and watch the final chaos unfold for the old man and his family of four.

On his way back, he bumped into Wei Ping’an and Wei Jianshe, the two brothers who were waiting for him at the gate.

Seeing him, the two brothers quickly walked up.

“I heard from Jianshe that you’ve been schemed against by that family of four?” Wei Ping’an said, his teeth clenched and looking furious.

Wei Ping’an had gone to talk to Hu Ge earlier today and returned late. When he arrived home, he heard from Wei Jianshe about how Lu Sian had been sent to the countryside by his family.

As soon as Wei Ping’an heard this, he exploded.

He realized that with the old man absent, and no one there to support Lu Sian, that family of four had joined forces to bully him.

As Lu Sian’s best friend, how could he allow that family’s scheme to succeed?

Wei Ping’an picked up a brick on impulse, ready to storm over to Lu Sian’s house and back him up.

But Wei Jianshe quickly blocked him, wrapping his arms around him.

“Bro, calm down! Sian won’t go to the countryside. He has a backup plan,” Wei Jianshe said, genuinely afraid that his brother would smash the heads of the Lu family with that brick. Wei Ping’an’s reputation as a troublemaker in the compound was no joke.

Lu Sian saw the frown on Wei Ping’an’s face and chuckled. “I’m the one who’s been schemed against, why are you so worked up?” With the way Wei Ping’an was gritting his teeth, it almost seemed like he was the one being wronged.

Wei Ping’an: “…”

“It’s not even the right time to joke about it!” Wei Ping’an snapped.

Lu Sian raised an eyebrow, appearing nonchalant. “I’ll handle my own business. You don’t need to worry.”

Seeing Lu Sian so calm, Wei Ping’an’s anxious heart gradually settled down.

Thinking about it, with Lu Sian’s personality—he wouldn’t let anyone take advantage of him.

He was someone who always controlled the situation, never the other way around.

With this in mind, Wei Ping’an grinned.

He threw his arm over Lu Sian’s shoulder, lowering his voice. “So, what’s the plan? How are you going to make them remember this lesson?”

Lu Sian shrugged off his arm from his neck, acting mysteriously. “This is a secret, not something for outsiders to know.” With that, he ignored Wei Ping’an, who was left stunned, and headed into the compound.

The Wei brothers, now realizing what had happened, quickly followed after him.

Wei Ping’an trailed behind, nagging, “Lu Sian, what’s your plan? At least let me in on it, so I can stop worrying!”

Lu Sian kept walking, saying, “I already told you, it’s a secret, don’t ask me!”

Wei Ping’an: “…” A secret? What does he take me for? Does he think I’m as naive as Wei Jianshe?

“Lu Sian, I’m serious. What are you really planning? Tell me.”

“I heard from Jianshe that your household registration is with your grandfather, so you could use that to avoid going to the countryside. But what if the people at the Youth Employment Office try to force you out there just to fill a spot?”

That could very well happen. The spots for sending people to the countryside were always in high demand, and once the quota was set, suddenly saying no could leave the position unfilled. It was very likely they would have to force someone into the spot.

Without Lu Grandpa’s protection and with his biological father being someone who always sided with others, the people in the compound had a lot of grievances against him…

The situation wasn’t looking good for Lu Sian.

Wei Ping’an had thought of this, but Lu Sian had already considered it long before.

If his household registration didn’t work, he still had one final trick up his sleeve.

He smirked at Wei Ping’an. “Did you forget that I’m sick? The youth sent to the countryside need to be in good health. A sick person like me surely wouldn’t qualify!”

Wei Jianshe, looking confused, asked, “Sian, are you really sick? When did this happen? I never heard my brother mention it.”

While asking, his eyes scanned Lu Sian, trying to find any signs of illness. But nothing seemed unusual.

Forgive him for being clueless; he didn’t see any signs of illness on Lu Sian.

Lu Sian grinned. “Ask your brother. He knows.”

Wei Ping’an: “…” Does he know? How would I know about this?

“Bro, what kind of illness does Sian have?” Wei Jianshe asked, intrigued.

Wei Ping’an: “…” How would I know?

He’d known Lu Sian for nearly twenty years, and this was the first time he had heard Lu Sian mention being sick! It was simply unbelievable!

But…

Since Lu Sian mentioned he was sick, it must be true.

Well, even if he isn’t sick, he might as well say he is.

And not just any sickness—something untreatable and serious.

Wei Ping’an, with a completely serious expression, said, “Mad Cow Disease!”

Yes, when it flares up, it’s like a mad cow—commonly known as Mad Cow Disease.

Wei Jianshe looked confused. “Mad Cow Disease?” He hadn’t heard of such a thing before.

Wei Ping’an nodded solemnly. “Yes, Mad Cow Disease. When it strikes, no one can stop it. It’s the kind of disease that makes you attack people and even ghosts—kill anyone you see, that kind of thing.”

Wei Jianshe: “…” Although he’d never heard of it, it sounded really dangerous.

Wei Jianshe was completely fooled by Wei Ping’an’s story. He looked sympathetically at Lu Sian.

“Sian, you’re so pitiful! Not only are you schemed against by your own father, but you also have some unheard-of disease. You’re worse off than a cabbage in the cold winter.”

Lu Sian, who was worse off than a cabbage: “…”

He stopped and turned to face the two brothers, who were still sticking to him like glue. “Why aren’t you going home? Are you planning to crash at my place for a meal?”

Wei Ping’an, who hadn’t planned to stay for a meal, suddenly felt hungry after hearing Lu Sian’s words. His stomach was clearly telling him he wanted to eat at Lu Sian’s house.

“I’ve heard that Old Witch Wang Xiaoyun is good at cooking. Since you’ve mentioned it, I guess I’ll reluctantly go try her cooking!” Wei Ping’an said.

Lu Sian: “…” What did I say? Wei Ping’an, do you have no shame?

Oh right, Wei Ping’an has no shame at all!

“Do as you like!” As long as it annoys that old witch, Lu Sian didn’t mind letting Wei Ping’an join the fun.

Upon hearing Wei Ping’an’s unique excuse to crash for a meal, Wei Jianshe blushed. He tugged at Wei Ping’an’s sleeve. “Bro, the food is ready at home. Let’s go back.”

In these tough times, no one’s life was easy. Only people with thick skin and no self-awareness could do something like crashing someone else’s dinner.

Wei Jianshe’s skin wasn’t thick enough to do such an annoying thing.

Wei Ping’an waved his hand. “You go ahead. I’ll stay for a while and head back after dinner.”

Wei Jianshe: “…” When it comes to shamelessness, his brother’s skin is the thickest.

Unable to crash someone else’s meal, Wei Jianshe turned and left to go home.

When Lu Sian and Wei Ping’an returned home, the Lu family of four was already seated at the dinner table.

It seemed like they had decided to eat without waiting for him.

To everyone’s surprise, Lu Sian didn’t start an argument like usual.

Wang Xiaoyun was slightly disappointed.

When Old Lu came home earlier, he had said that he’d already signed up the “little waste” for the countryside job in the afternoon, and that he would leave the day after tomorrow.

So, she decided to start the meal without waiting for him to come home.

Her plan was to let the “little waste” cause as much trouble as possible before going to the countryside. The more noise, the better.

She had even discussed it with Old Lu. If the little waste caused a ruckus, Old Lu would fake a heart attack, and they would take him to the hospital a couple of times so that everyone in the compound would know that Old Lu had been hospitalized because of his son’s repeated tantrums.

On the day the little waste was sent to the countryside, they could easily explain it to everyone.

She had everything planned out, but who knew the little waste wouldn’t play by the rules?

Wang Xiaoyun: So frustrating!

She still had a backup plan—just a few words to provoke the little waste into acting out—but now, with Wei Ping’an coming with Lu Sian, she couldn’t do anything.

At this point, no matter how many backup plans she had, they were useless.

Wang Xiaoyun cursed under her breath, but she still had to put on a gracious wife and mother facade.

“Ping’an, you’ve arrived. Have you eaten yet? If not, why don’t you join us for a meal?”

It was a polite invitation, and most people would refuse out of courtesy.

But to everyone’s surprise, Wei Ping’an…