Only a month had passed since his wedding to Yan Mei, and already, life was changing. When Yan Mei approached him with news of her pregnancy, Lu Fan found himself caught between shock and joy. As she shared the news, her cheeks flushed with happiness, and Lu Fan's heart warmed at the thought of his first child.
However, in a cultivation family, one child was rarely enough. Strength was often built through numbers, and lineage held a special significance. The elders of the island eagerly encouraged Lu Fan to expand his family, offering to help him select another bride from among the clanswomen. Accepting their advice, he once again met with prospective wives. This time, he chose Li Xue, a woman with a calm and elegant demeanor. Her sharp, intelligent eyes and graceful movements gave her a presence that complemented Yan Mei's warmth.
The marriage was celebrated quickly, with Li Xue joining the household within a week. Now that he had two wives, Lu Fan decided his small wooden shed wouldn't do any longer. The simple life he'd been content with before was fading as his family grew, and it was time to expand his home to match.
With the help of the villagers, Lu Fan began renovating the cottage, turning it into a larger, more comfortable home. The main structure was expanded to include separate quarters for Yan Mei and Li Xue, as well as a central living space where they could gather. Lu Fan added an additional room for storage, anticipating the supplies and resources a growing family would need. He even built a study where he could relax and review the records of spiritual herbs he cultivated in the mountain field.
In the evenings, after working on the expansions, Lu Fan found himself spending time with both Yan Mei and Li Xue, feeling his connection to them deepen with each passing day. Yan Mei's pregnancy brought a special joy to their home, and Li Xue settled in naturally, sharing household responsibilities and tending to the spiritual field when Lu Fan was occupied.
Life was fuller now than he had ever expected. With a growing family, a flourishing field of spiritual herbs, and a new sense of purpose, Lu Fan felt himself truly embracing this life on the island. He had finally found his place, not in a relentless pursuit of cultivation, but in the quiet strength of building a family, a home, and a legacy.