Doctor Lu Always Wants To Steal My Baby! Chapter 34
byChapter 34 The Shocked Onlookers
“One meter and eight centimeters. You’ve grown twelve centimeters since the last holiday. Mission accomplished, and then some.”
After dinner, Lu Changqing opened an app to measure He Leyan’s height. After measuring, he marked the spot on a nearby wall. It seemed this was a fixed routine, happening every holiday season.
He Chen sat watching, then suddenly nudged He Moyan: “Stand up, you measure too.”
He Moyan ignored him, moving a little further away, refusing to be near him.
Idiot. Anyone not yet an adult counted as a child. He was just trying to let him enjoy the tail end of his childhood.
He Chen thought this as he watched Lu Changqing pull out a square box from somewhere, asking He Leyan to place his small hand inside to press out a small handprint.
A childhood so well-cared for—did it really involve so many novelties? He Chen’s eyes were opened, and he couldn’t help but glance at Lu Changqing again.
He was truly dedicated to Leyan. Perhaps a little too dedicated?
“Would you like to make one too?” Lu Changqing suddenly asked.
“Who, me?” He Chen, who was just watching the show, was stunned.
“A memento, along with Leyan.”
That was… quite reasonable.
He Chen stood up and forcibly dragged He Moyan up as well. Together, they left a handprint in the square box.
Afterward, he looked at Lu Changqing, wanting to say something, but holding back.
He wanted to invite Lu Changqing to leave one too. All three of them had done it, and it felt strange for Lu Changqing not to. But the box contained their family’s handprints; inviting an outsider to leave one seemed even stranger?
While he was conflicted, Lu Changqing had already put the box away.
He Chen stopped agonizing, but with keen observation, he took the box from Lu Changqing’s hand and proactively asked, “Where should I put it?”
“The study on the second floor, first room on the left,” Lu Changqing replied.
He Chen nodded and carried the box upstairs.
Lu Changqing’s villa was large, spacious, and built with solid materials. The soundproofing was excellent. Once He Chen reached the second floor, the sounds of people and the wolf from downstairs seemed distant. In the quiet, he glanced around for a moment.
This was his instinct to survey the environment, not intentional, but inadvertently, he did catch a glimpse of Lu Changqing’s bedroom—Lu Changqing’s door was ajar, and He Chen saw a corner of his walk-in closet.
Two rows of wardrobes were neatly organized. Only one shirt, probably just changed out of and not yet put away, was casually draped on the side.
It was nothing, really, but He Chen inexplicably recalled the incident of changing clothes last night… He felt uncomfortable and quickly averted his gaze, turning toward the study on the left.
The study was large. Perhaps because the walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, or because the furniture and carpet were dark, the lighting here was noticeably dimmer compared to the living room, and it felt more like Lu Changqing’s private domain.
He Chen, who owned a Snow Wolf, always had a strong sense of territory. He didn’t intend to look around much; he just wanted to find a place to set the box down. But after a few steps, a thought struck He Chen:
This was “L’s” study. Could there be anything useful here?
For example, something that might reveal the identity of the person behind him?
He Chen pondered, scanning the rows of neat and orderly bookshelves. The shelves were packed with books—history, classics, and various schools of thought, encompassing everything.
He truly loved reading. No wonder he could become an Academician—it was well-known that Lu Changqing earned his Academician title not through his healing abilities, but through solid research in the field of mental power.
With the cunning of an Academician like him, he probably wouldn’t carelessly leave any useful clues out in the open.
He Chen walked toward the desk while observing, making up his mind not to do any further “investigation” for now—he planned to return when Lu Changqing wasn’t home someday.
For now, he simply placed the box on the desk.
But after setting it down, He Chen paused.
On the desk stood a sleek, matte-textured electronic photo frame. Inside, it automatically played various photos of He Leyan, from when he was a tiny baby to his current appearance…
Some photos were meticulously taken, while others were casual snapshots with no composition, not much better than the ones He Chen secretly took of He Leyan.
He Chen couldn’t help but pick up the photo frame, switch modes, and manually swipe through the pictures, one after another, completely engrossed.
“What took you so long?” Lu Changqing’s voice suddenly sounded. He Chen alertly looked up and put the photo frame down.
“Sorry, I saw photos of Leyan when he was little and couldn’t help but look for a while.”
“I’ll copy them and send them to you later.”
“Thank you,” He Chen said. “I have some too. I’ll exchange with you.”
“Alright,” Lu Changqing said. “You don’t have to be so meticulous about keeping score with me.”
“It’s not keeping score, it’s sharing.” He Chen said, then couldn’t resist asking, “What is this about?”
He pointed at a photo of He Leyan on the frame.
In the picture, He Leyan’s little butt was arched high, his head and feet touching the ground. His whole body was bent into a small hill. It wasn’t a handstand, but close to it. He maintained this strange posture while drinking from his small baby bottle.
Lu Changqing glanced at it, a slight curve on his lips: “He used to like drinking milk that way.”
“Drinking upside down?”
“Exactly. We tried to correct it, but couldn’t, so we just let him.”
Lu Changqing said this, standing beside He Chen at a suitable distance, and swiped his finger to the next picture: “This is when he was learning to walk. He learned very quickly and hardly ever fell.”
“This one is the first time he clearly called me ‘Daddy.’”
Lu Changqing’s voice softened as he gazed at the small figure in the photo, his eyes exceptionally gentle.
Seeing that look, He Chen felt slightly stunned. The cooperative partner L who needed careful vigilance, the Senior Brother Lu who had shown him kindness, the Daddy who loved Leyan… These multiple identities layered on Lu Changqing sometimes confused He Chen, leaving him unsure how to treat him.
“I apologize for not correcting him when he called me ‘Daddy,’” Lu Changqing said, noticing He Chen’s gaze.
“No need,” He Chen shifted his eyes.
He was petty, but not that petty. Although he was prone to jealousy, He Chen knew that having such an intimate, reliable figure was a good thing for young He Leyan.
It was He Chen who failed to fulfill his responsibilities, and Lu Changqing had taken his place.
But what was past was past. From now on, he wouldn’t need anyone else to substitute! “I will take good care of Leyan from now on,” He Chen stated.
The implication was that Lu Changqing could confidently step down.
Lu Changqing didn’t know if he understood the meaning, but he simply said, “You are already taking very good care of him,” and stepped past He Chen to put down the photo frame he had picked up earlier.
In the movement, the sensitive He Chen caught a faint scent.
The scent came from Lu Changqing, extremely light, with no trace of artificial fragrance. If forced to describe it, it was like the feeling of inhaling a breath of cold air.
But precisely because the scent was so faint—almost undetectable unless one paid close attention—it strangely tempted one to smell it again.
Fortunately, He Chen’s own mental domain was a world of ice and snow, so theoretically, he wasn’t lacking this particular sensation.
Still, he took a step back: “Thank you, Senior Brother. Leyan is downstairs. I’ll head down now.”
“No rush.” Lu Changqing’s gaze followed him. Seeing him about to leave, he called out to stop him, “I have something important to discuss with you.”
“What is it?” He Chen turned back.
“I asked Wen Yi, and he is willing to go to Han River,” Lu Changqing said.
“If you have decided, tonight at the Blood God Feast, with Chu Yunqi speaking on your behalf, His Majesty might summon you regarding the defense against the Heavenly Wolf Clan and offer you a reward. You can bring it up then.”
*
The Blood God Feast took place every three years, with a grand celebration every ninth year. This year was a grand celebration year.
All nobles with fiefdoms and officials with titles were invited to the feast to share the grace.
However, the banquet was held in multiple locations. Only major nobles and high-ranking officials were invited to the “main venue” in the Imperial Palace.
[Blood God Feast?]
[Following Leyan is certainly broadening my horizons.]
[Happy holidays, grow up strong!]
[Leyan looks very handsome today!]
[Star River Network is awesome, they’re broadcasting from the Imperial Palace?]
[It’s just the outer hall, it’s fine.]
The Star River AI was dedicated and didn’t take holidays. As He Chen led He Leyan up the palace steps, the live broadcast began.
Following the perspective of the father and son, the audience got a glimpse of the supposedly grand feast.
Upon seeing it, they were somewhat disappointed. Aside from being larger and having more tables, it wasn’t much different from a regular banquet.
Oh, and perhaps the only difference was the gathering of power and nobility.
But once they were “gathered,” they weren’t so rare anymore. Since faces weren’t visible, the audience couldn’t distinguish who was who.
They were a little curious:
[I heard everyone sits by family. Is the cub going to sit at the He family table with his dad?]
He Chen’s seat was indeed with the He family, but before they could get there, the father and son encountered an unexpected situation—
A golden, hollowed-out ball rolled to their feet. He Leyan looked at it curiously and picked it up. Before he could hold it steady, a hand jabbed out in front of him, and the owner of the hand angrily demanded: “Give it back to me!”
A small boy, a head taller than He Leyan, stood on the step above, demanding the golden ball with an arrogant air.
“I wasn’t going to keep it,” He Leyan frowned, handing the ball back, but his face was serious, “You should say thank you.”
The small boy snorted, looking down his nose, and turned to leave, but didn’t get far—the golden ball was snatched back by a flick of He Chen’s finger.
“We helped you pick up your ball. Shouldn’t you say thank you before leaving?” He Chen looked at the child and asked calmly.
“I didn’t ask you to pick it up! Dirty hands, let go!”
[!]
[Whose brat is this?]
[Younglings are precious, but some parents really spoil them beyond measure.]
[It might not just be spoiling. The parents of people who frequent this place are probably like that themselves.]
While the comments were debating, the child’s “parent” arrived, speaking of the devil: “Xiao Kai, darling, what’s wrong?”
“They stole my ball!” “Xiao Kai” pointed an angry finger at He Chen.
“You—is that you?” The parent’s tone had been polite, but upon seeing He Chen clearly, his expression suddenly changed.
He Chen also looked slightly unusual: “This is your child?”
He said this while tossing the ball to the newcomer—his “former fiancé,” Fang Wenhuo.
“Just a misunderstanding. No one stole anything. Leyan helped him pick up the ball, and his attitude wasn’t very good.”
He Chen quickly clarified the truth without adding any embellishment or exaggeration.
He couldn’t stand to see He Leyan wronged, but he didn’t intend to make trouble for a child. Instead, he looked at Fang Wenhuo: “If you’re raising a child, you should teach him manners and respect.”
“Who are you to teach manners and respect?” A rough, impatient voice sounded.
He Chen frowned for a moment, while Fang Wenhuo immediately turned his head: “Brother Zhenye.”
Xia Zhenye looked at him and snorted coldly: “If you want to be Xiao Kai’s father, you need to stand up straighter.”
After saying this, his eyes heavily scanned He Chen, but he spoke to Fang Wenhuo: “Is this your ex-boyfriend?”
[Pfft!]
[What, what ex-boyfriend?]
[Let me figure this out. Zhenye, is that Xia Zhenye, the eldest son of the Xia family? I heard he has a child.]
“Not an ex-boyfriend, Brother Zhenye.” Fang Wenhuo lowered his head, seemingly embarrassed. “I only met him twice. The marriage was arranged by our families.”
[Marriage?]
[The collateral branch young master who broke off the engagement?]
[No wonder he broke the engagement. Turns out he hooked up with Xia Zhenye. The Xia family is slightly weaker than the He family, but Xia Zhenye is the one set to take over the family from his old man.]
[The Xia family, is that the one that just had someone die?]
[Tsk, this Young Master Fang’s taste isn’t great. This Xia Zhenye… that figure… tsk!]
Although the live broadcast couldn’t show faces, Xia Zhenye was short and stocky. Standing on the higher step, he was visibly half a head shorter than He Chen, making his condescending posture look particularly ridiculous.
How could Fang Wenhuo not notice this? He kept his head down but couldn’t resist secretly glancing at He Chen.
In terms of demeanor and appearance, if He Chen were still his boyfriend, he would be… incredibly presentable.
The comments were buzzing, but He Chen understood one thing: the child belonged to Xia Zhenye.
Good. Like father, like son.
He Chen no longer expected the child to learn manners, but he felt sorry that he was born into such a family.
“I have no interest in teaching other people’s children. I’ve returned the ball to you. Please don’t block the way.” He Chen said, giving Xia Zhenye a cold look, and took He Leyan’s hand, stepping up the stairs.
“What ball? Would our Xia family want something touched by trash?” Xia Zhenye said, reaching out to grab the ball in Fang Wenhuo’s hand. With a loud crack, he crushed it. Fang Wenhuo’s face instantly turned pale. When Xia Zhenye spoke, he glared at him, and the phrase “something touched by trash” was clearly a double entendre.
The ball was crushed. Xia Kai was visibly stunned, wanting to cry and make a fuss, but seeing Xia Zhenye’s expression, he abruptly held it back, only glaring hatefully at He Chen and his son: “It’s all your fault!”
He suddenly pushed He Leyan hard, but He Chen quickly intercepted him, neutralizing the force and lifting the boy into the air before tossing him into Fang Wenhuo’s arms.
He Chen looked directly at Xia Zhenye, his expression icy: “Some trash needs to control his own child. I don’t want to dirty my hands either.”
“Hah.” Xia Zhenye was so angry he laughed. He was mindful that they were in front of the palace during a grand feast and didn’t want to start a fight, but this bastard was asking for death!
Activating his inner force, Xia Zhenye flipped his palm, ready to strike, but his vision suddenly darkened. He was instantly unable to see, and his body felt incredibly sluggish.
Startled and confused, Xia Zhenye hurriedly stopped his attack. The next moment, his vision returned.
There was an extra person in his line of sight.
A person who was aloof and transcendent, yet possessed immense pressure.
Lu Changqing.
He hadn’t dealt with him before, but Xia Zhenye couldn’t possibly not recognize him. Calling out “Academician Lu,” Xia Zhenye frowned—
Was that the sensory deprivation and mental suppression technique rumored to be used by S-rank and above Healers in combat?
How was he so “favored” as to be targeted by Lu Changqing in this manner?
Lu Changqing took out a handkerchief, wiped He Leyan’s hands, and looked at Xia Zhenye: “Please move aside.”
Xia Zhenye met those indifferent eyes, clenched his fist, but moved his foot, stepping half a pace away.
He had a bad temper, but he wasn’t irrational. Lu Changqing was not someone to be casually offended; he understood that much.
Lu Changqing and He Chen each held one of He Leyan’s hands and stepped past them up the stairs. Lu Changqing’s cool voice, educating the child, clearly carried over: “Don’t be fooled by gilded exteriors. If you see something dirty in the future, you should instinctively stay away.”
Xia Zhenye’s face was livid, but he suppressed his anger, frowning as he watched Lu Changqing’s retreating back.
Was he… sticking up for that child?
[Who is that! Why can he hold our cub’s hand!]
[Wait, I thought they were going to fight. That Xia Zhenye looked so arrogant, why did he inexplicably move out of the way?]
[It wasn’t inexplicable. Didn’t you hear what he called him? Academician Lu…]
[What “Academician Lu”?]
[How many Academician Lus are there in the world?]
[Hiss!]
“I won’t pick up random things anymore,” He Leyan said then. His big eyes were bright, not looking like he had been traumatized at all.
“Did Daddy change his mind and decide to sit with us?” He Leyan asked.
“No,” Lu Changqing rubbed his head. “Daddy’s seat isn’t here. You eat well with your father, but don’t eat too much. Daddy will check when we get home.”
[!!!]
[Daddy?!]
[Wait, Leyan, who is your “Daddy”??]
The comments section experienced the same shock He Chen had once felt.
Lu Changqing, however, was perfectly calm as he looked at He Chen.
“I’ll keep an eye on him,” He Chen said.
He suspected Lu Changqing’s words were meant for him, not He Leyan, and had automatically taken them to heart.
“You also need to be careful. Eat light, and don’t drink alcohol.” The surroundings were noisy, so Lu Changqing leaned closer to He Chen and whispered the instruction.
He Leyan, held between them, seemed used to it. He ignored both of them, his eyes bright and focused on the food laid out nearby.
This scene was unusually warm and loving.
So much so that the comments section reacted a moment later:
[Sh*t! What is their relationship?!]
[Ten thousand years of shock!!]
Amidst the explosive scrolling comments, Lu Changqing left the camera’s range.
His seat was indeed not there, but in the inner hall, next to the Emperor.
Directly opposite him sat his father, Lu Jingshan.
Seeing Lu Changqing approach, Lu Jingshan merely glanced at him before looking away. However, the other major noble family heads in the hall all politely greeted Lu Changqing.
Lu Changqing exchanged greetings with each of them, finally bowing to Elder Fang beside him.
Elder Fang was once a Healer and the current Emperor’s “godfather.” Of course, unlike ordinary families, the godfathers of Emperors and Princes were always referred to as teachers.
After the greetings, the Emperor arrived and announced the start of the feast.
Because the Blood God Feast traditionally eschewed formalities, and the Emperor seemed to be in a good mood, appearing particularly amiable, the various family heads in the hall became increasingly “casual” after a couple of drinks.
So much so that when the Emperor casually asked Lu Jingshan, the Council President, about the Blood Crystal allocation plan, more than one family head complained to the Emperor, saying that their garrisons were hard to defend and their armies hard to lead, and the existing Blood Crystals were insufficient. How could they possibly reduce the supply further?
“Look at you, acting like misers, focused only on profit. I’d like to see how you misers fight if the Mysterians return one day,” the Emperor said, seemingly joking, yet with a hint of seriousness.
“It’s a pity,” the Emperor looked at Lu Jingshan, “If only the battle armor you researched back then could be mass-produced and deployed. The Empire would be filled with divine soldiers, and what would I have to fear!”
Lu Jingshan’s brow furrowed slightly for a moment, then quickly smoothed out: “That was just a concept machine, Your Majesty. Why do you suddenly recall it?”
“Why do I recall it?” The Emperor’s face suddenly turned cold, sweeping over the nobles: “If we had the Zero model, none of you would need to cling to your own little patch of land and complain to me. If there aren’t enough Blood Crystals, then cut the warriors and supplement with commoners!”
“Your Majesty, please calm your anger!” The few family heads who had been rambling complaints quickly pleaded for forgiveness.
“It’s a holiday today, Father Emperor, don’t be angry.” The Second Prince, Chu Yunlan, spoke gently and sincerely. “However, I do think what Father Emperor said makes a lot of sense.”
“Which part?”
“Cutting the warriors,” Chu Yunlan said unhurriedly. “In fact, when Teacher and the others developed the Zero model, it was for the long term. Blood Crystal resources decrease year by year; there will inevitably be a supply-demand imbalance. If the Zero model could truly be put into production, it would be a great service for centuries to come. Unfortunately—”
“Unfortunately, they don’t appreciate it, fearing that cannon fodder soldiers will replace them,” the Emperor interjected sarcastically.
Chu Yunlan smiled honestly: “I regret that the Zero model couldn’t find a suitable energy source.”
“But putting that aside, what I mean to say is that the four seas have been peaceful in recent years. If Blood Crystals are truly insufficient, major garrisons can indeed appropriately reduce the number of warriors and soldiers, or cut noble warriors and fill the vacancies with commoners. If we can’t increase supply, we can at least reduce expenditure.”
“Your Highness, military defense is a serious matter, not a business transaction.” Someone from the military spoke up in displeasure, and the nobles also began to murmur.
The Second Prince had always sided with his maternal grandfather, the Qian family, so it wasn’t surprising that he was against the nobles. However, unlike the Third Prince, Chu Yunqi, he was nearly twice his age, seasoned in his conduct, and usually spoke carefully, rarely directly touching upon anyone’s interests like this.
Even Lu Jingshan frowned and glanced at his “godson.”
He hadn’t discussed this with him beforehand.
The only person present who nodded in satisfaction was the Emperor on the throne: “Don’t talk about business or not business. I think commoner soldiers are not much worse than you noble lords who are sustained by Blood Crystals. The Han River Base is eighty percent commoner soldiers, and aren’t they doing quite well?”
Was he truly considering reducing their military strength, or was he using this as leverage to force them to compromise on Blood Crystal allocation?
The family heads secretly exchanged glances.
“Your Majesty, this is peacetime. Dealing with minor threats is naturally simple, but the Mysterians harass us every now and then. To deal with them, we still need high-level warriors.”
“We can’t do without you,” the Emperor snorted coldly. “But having more low-level warriors fight for their lives on the battlefield on your behalf isn’t a bad thing.”
“Your Majesty—”
“Why do you say that, Father Emperor?”
A noble started to speak from below, but was drowned out by Chu Yunqi’s voice.
“What did I say?” The Emperor leaned back in his throne, squinting at this son who used to be idle but had recently started caring about “serious matters.”
“Well, the lives of cannon fodder are still lives. No one fights on behalf of anyone else,” Chu Yunqi’s voice was weaker, but he still spoke.
He didn’t know why he blurted that out.
He clearly hadn’t… valued the lives of cannon fodder before.
Silence fell in the hall. No one expected this rake to say such a naive thing to contradict the Emperor.
Only Lu Changqing, uncharacteristically, looked directly at Chu Yunqi.
Consort He, however, wished she could scratch her foolish son.
Did sending him to Han River really result in those soldiers brainwashing him?
“Your Majesty—”
She cautiously tried to speak, but the Emperor suddenly burst into loud laughter: “Haha, good! Yunqi is right! Well said!”
He praised him, then the tone of his next sentence abruptly shifted, his eyes scanning the people in the hall with a dark intensity: “Whether you reduce your forces or not, you discuss it among yourselves when you go back. If this Blood Crystal allocation still can’t be decided, then, as Yunqi said, commoners and nobles are the same. Don’t just revolve around your small circles. Regardless of origin, distribute it strictly by headcount!”
He then looked at Chu Yunlan: “Yunlan, I entrust this matter to you for coordination. I want to see the results within three days.”
“Yes, Father Emperor.” Chu Yunlan accepted the decree with composure, but Chu Yunqi felt a sharp pain in his waist—his mother had pinched him hard.
I told you not to talk too much! Now the good thing goes to someone else!
Chu Yunqi nearly cried out in pain but held it in. He looked up and pressed: “Father Emperor, what about the matter you promised me?”
“Which matter?” The Emperor, having lost the assertiveness he showed when issuing the decree, asked lazily.
“He Chen’s garrison transfer.”
Garrison transfer? The heads of the various major families below tensed their sensitive nerves, exchanging glances:
They were well-informed and had heard about the Third Prince’s absurd “lottery transfer.” Had the Emperor actually agreed to it? Was he truly planning to intervene in garrison transfers?
It wasn’t surprising. The Emperor had relied heavily on the nobles when he first ascended the throne and had been constrained by them for the first few decades of his reign. It wasn’t until the former Marshal Shen Xingzhou retired due to illness that the Chu family’s direct lineage, controlled by the Emperor, slowly gained the upper hand in the military.
Now, the Emperor’s dissatisfaction with the nobles was increasingly evident. He not only heavily favored the Second Prince, who represented the commoner new nobility, and ignored the Third Prince, who was of noble descent, but his long-suppressed desire for control was also growing. Blood Crystals, garrisons—he wanted to control everything. Was he trying to turn all of them into private soldiers of the Chu family?
This absolutely could not happen!
Fortunately, amidst everyone’s speculation, the Emperor slowly drank a cup of wine: “Such matters cannot be indulged by your nonsense.”
“Father Emperor!” Chu Yunqi was stunned. “You clearly promised—”
“What did I promise you? Military and political affairs—can they be decided by a lottery? If he draws lots, will everyone else draw lots too?”
“But—” Chu Yunqi tried to speak again, but his mother pinched him fiercely.
Chu Yunqi tightly closed his mouth. He wasn’t stupid. His Father Emperor looked “amiable,” but only when he wanted to be. In reality, he hated it most when others questioned his decisions.
But what Chu Yunqi decided on wasn’t easily compromised either! “Then can I at least secure a spot for my cousin in this Blood God Martial Exhibition? If he wins, surely Father Emperor can grant whatever reward he asks for?”
“Fine! I heard you praise his skill, and I’d like to see it myself.”
The Emperor agreed readily this time and gave the order. The drums began to beat, signaling the start of the main event of the Blood God Feast: the Blood God Martial Exhibition.