Doctor Lu Always Wants To Steal My Baby! Chapter 65
byChapter 65: Beast Ears Sprout on the Spot
Wait, what? Are there different kinds of goodwill?
He Chen paused after hearing Lu Changqing’s question, then replied, “It’s… that kind of goodwill.”
“Which kind?” Lu Changqing pressed, unusually serious.
“It’s the kind where I pay attention to you, where I notice you’re wearing a new cufflink today,” He Chen said, glancing at Lu Changqing. Lu Changqing looked down at his own cuffs.
Since he was heading to the base, he was dressed slightly more formally today and was indeed wearing cufflinks. He had grabbed them casually and hadn’t even noticed which pair they were or if they were new.
“Also, I want to be close to you. *Cough*. I find it interesting to be with you; time passes quickly. But, but when you look at me like that, I feel a little nervous.”
Lu Changqing’s eyes shimmered as he listened, but he quickly calmed down and asked, “What about that person?”
“Which one?”
“The one you liked in the past, and still like now.”
“There’s no this or that. There’s only… one,” He Chen said, pausing before speaking in a low voice.
“Only one?” Lu Changqing vaguely understood something but wasn’t sure. “What do you mean?”
He Chen avoided Lu Changqing’s gaze and reached for the head ring. “This thing is a bit tight.”
Lu Changqing watched his evasive look for a moment, pulled up a chair, and sat beside him. He tilted He Chen’s seat to a comfortable angle and reached out to check the head ring, but couldn’t resist asking, “Was your ‘withdrawal’ method… blocking me?”
…Why ask when you already know?
“I was wrong about that,” He Chen admitted. “The main thing was, *cough*, I thought I was treating dependency syndrome at the time. I was afraid if I wasn’t decisive enough, the condition would worsen.”
So, that was really it?
A surge of intense joy flashed in Lu Changqing’s eyes. It took him a moment to process what He Chen meant by “treating dependency syndrome” and “condition”—no wonder he needed to “withdraw.”
Lu Changqing smiled, the corners of his lips curving for a while before he spoke. “Do you know I reflected for years on what I did wrong to scare you away?”
He Chen genuinely hadn’t known…
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you cared.” In He Chen’s eyes, the Lu Changqing of that time was like ice and snow, transcendent and aloof. His only obsessions were advancement and profound research.
He Chen never imagined he would have any impact on him.
He thought he was just an insignificant passerby in Lu Changqing’s life.
“No need to apologize. You did nothing wrong. You just misunderstood. The fault was actually mine; I didn’t have the courage to ask,” Lu Changqing said, seemingly calm—all his regret was hidden deep inside.
“Courage?”
“Yes.” Lu Changqing didn’t shy away from his own flaws. “I never made friends. You were the closest I ever had. So when you left, I didn’t think rationally. I only focused on doubting myself.”
—The more he spoke, the more regretful he felt.
“You never made friends?” He Chen lifted his eyelids, looking at Lu Changqing with apology and distress in his eyes. His voice softened. “I’m sorry, Senior Brother.”
Lu Changqing caught his softening and smiled. “My lack of friends is my problem, not yours. You don’t need to apologize.”
As he spoke, Lu Changqing was as composed, steady, and logically clear as ever. What might be an embarrassing topic for others, he could view with complete rationality.
He Chen always felt a nearly constant, rational strength emanating from him: he was always clear and firm, knowing what he wanted and how to achieve it, executing and solving problems without hesitation.
Compared to him, He Chen was a creature of instinct. He was clearest under pressure—like on the battlefield—but in daily life, he was often emotional and confused.
“What are you thinking about?”
“I’m wondering what you ate growing up to be so calm and rational…” He Chen said subconsciously.
“So Commander He knows how to compliment people,” Lu Changqing asked, looking down at him with a smile.
His smile was never ostentatious, but when he did smile, his eyes revealed a little more affection than usual. Like his scent, it was faint, yet indescribably captivating.
He Chen stared into his eyes for a long moment, then his heart rate quickened slightly, and he looked away. “It’s not a compliment; you are genuinely good. Not having friends definitely isn’t your fault. It’s the environment and other people that were lacking.”
As He Chen spoke, he remembered the gossip Chu Yunqi had shared about the strained relationship between Lu Jingshan and Lu Changqing, and he frowned briefly.
Lu Changqing had told him to “look toward the light”—what darkness had he seen when he said that? Was it the kind where his birth mother was killed by his birth father?
As He Chen thought this, Lu Changqing’s voice came from above him, slow, deep, and highly seductive. “Can you tell me why you absolutely had to ‘withdraw’?”
“Because I can’t—” He Chen started instinctively, then stopped.
“You can’t what? Can’t trust me?”
No, not entirely. In the past, he didn’t trust much, but now he trusted a bit more.
What exactly he “couldn’t” do, He Chen was thinking about deeply for the first time. Ning Tian’s words popped into his mind again: You can live your own life too.
That guy truly was a wake-up call.
He Chen realized that he might only appear free; in reality, one of his paws was still caught in the beast trap from three years ago.
He would constantly look back at that trap, look back at the companion who fell beside it. The scenery outside might be beautiful, but he couldn’t step out, nor could he be a fully committed travel companion.
Should he break free from the trap, abandon his companion, and go live his own happy life? Did he even have the right?
He Chen stared blankly at Lu Changqing.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He Chen suddenly turned his head, suppressing the sudden confusion and irritation in his heart. “I just don’t want to talk about romance. What’s the point of those petty affections? Senior Brother, can’t you focus on something more grand?”
Lu Changqing was silent for a moment. “I can.”
He suppressed his emotions and focused on Zero, adjusting the head ring for He Chen. “Still tight?”
“Tight, on both sides,” He Chen replied, simultaneously feeling something wasn’t right—
A slight itch on the sides of his head, as if a little weight had been added, pushing against the MOSS ring…
No way! Was he, right under Lu Changqing’s nose, going into heat and sprouting a pair of beast ears?!
He Chen, who had just scorned “petty affections,” was utterly mortified. He reached up and touched the top of his head, feeling the things there. He sat up miserably. “My toxin seems to be acting up again.”
“I see it. Don’t move.” Lu Changqing couldn’t resist reaching out and gently flicking the fluffy wolf ear on the left, freeing the corner that had been pressed down by the head ring.
He Chen tensed up completely. “Don’t touch it. It tickles.”
After saying that, he felt it sounded highly ambiguous, especially in this situation—he had suddenly sat up straight, inexplicably moving closer to Lu Changqing, who had been maintaining a proper distance.
The toxin magnified his senses. Amidst the cold alloy mecha and training equipment in the room, Lu Changqing’s scent and body heat were unique and intensely vivid.
Fortunately, Lu Changqing stepped back—he went to operate the external central control of the mecha. “No testing today. Get down and let’s check your temperature. I’ll get your medicine.”
“No, I can test!” He Chen pressed the button before Lu Changqing could, closing the cockpit and isolating Lu Changqing’s scent.
Aside from a faster blood flow and heightened alertness, he currently felt no major discomfort. Testing the mecha was fine.
Lu Changqing frowned, but He Chen had already taken over the main control internally. Lu Changqing could only cooperate and maintain dialogue. “I’ll project an environment. Just do some ground tests.”
“Okay.” He Chen agreed. Buildings and alleys appeared in his 360-degree panoramic view.
He Chen’s accustomed old-style battle armor only provided visual assistance; his field of vision was still limited to what his naked eyes could see. Zero, however, provided a panoramic view, plus structural analysis, friend-or-foe identification…
The exponentially increasing information assaulted his nerves, and He Chen felt a wave of dizziness.
“Are you alright?” Lu Changqing asked.
“Fine. It’s like playing a game,” He Chen replied, suppressing his discomfort.
Speaking of games, Lu Changqing actually added a moving target to the projection. “Try shooting it.”
“Mhm.”
He Chen tested shooting, running, evasion, and lifting various objects.
Twenty minutes later, he reluctantly climbed out of the mecha after Lu Changqing repeatedly called for a stop.
“There’s a delay when performing fine motor skills with the fingers. It’s a bit like… doing it underwater.”
“The tactile system’s simulation of weight must have a significant deviation, or maybe the environment settings are wrong. Anyway, I felt something was off when I lifted that box just now…”
He Chen gave Lu Changqing feedback, listing several points. Lu Changqing noted them all down. When He Chen finished, he handed him a bottle of water with the cap already twisted off. “How is your body?”
He Chen gulped down half the bottle in one breath before speaking. “For me, some operations cause impact and dizziness, but it’s completely acceptable. I can adapt with more training. I don’t know about aerial operations; I need to test that too.”
“I mean, how is the toxin? Are you uncomfortable anywhere right now?” Lu Changqing asked, and without waiting for an answer, he reached out—
“You’re practically burning up.”
He Chen could also feel his high body temperature; the surrounding air felt very cool to him, and Lu Changqing’s fingers were also cool.
So cool that he couldn’t help but lean toward them.
No, he had already leaned in. He unconsciously rubbed against Lu Changqing’s palm and took a step toward him.
When he realized Lu Changqing was supporting him, he didn’t pull away.
He even, in a semi-conscious state, lowered his head slightly, pressed his nose against Lu Changqing’s shoulder, and sniffed.
“Senior Brother…” He heard himself speak, but his voice was completely unlike his own—hoarse and shaky—
He Chen abruptly stepped back. “I, I’m going to take a shower!”
Feeling lightheaded, he stumbled into the changing room and locked the door.
“Don’t lock the door,” Lu Changqing said, his voice deep and husky, following him to the door.
“I’ll stay right outside. I won’t come in. You have a high fever, and the toxin might have other changes. It’s not safe if you fall or pass out.”
“I won’t.” He Chen didn’t even take off his clothes, turning on the cold shower immediately.
The sound of rushing water filled the air. Lu Changqing stood by the door, listening and waiting. Anxiety flashed in his calm eyes, followed by… a suppressed arousal.
“Are you done?” He leaned down to listen, his long fingers unconsciously stroking the door, then quickly dropping. Black scales had appeared on his wrist where it met his palm…
Lu Changqing clasped his hands behind his back. After a moment, he took the small boat He Chen had given him and held it in his palm, pressing his thumb repeatedly against the sharp bow of the boat until small red marks appeared on his fingertip. The surging desire for aggression and possession finally subsided.
Just then, the sound of water stopped.
“Finished showering? Put on some clothes and come out for medicine,” Lu Changqing said.
A response came from inside the room. Moments later, He Chen emerged, neatly dressed, his hair still wet.
“Cold water?” Lu Changqing asked.
He Chen’s lips were pale blue. “Of course. Hot water would just add fuel to the fire.”
He looked like he had recovered, but he was shivering from the cold. Lu Changqing took off his jacket and draped it over him. “Wait here. I’ll go get the medicine.”
He Chen nodded. In his current state, it wasn’t good to go back to the room; Leyan would ask questions.
He waited for Lu Changqing to leave, then sat down on a stool. Because of the cold, he instinctively clutched Lu Changqing’s jacket, but then let go the next second.
After a while, he grabbed it again obediently.
So cold, and so tired, so painful. His muscles ached, and his head hurt.
He Chen leaned his head weakly against the wall, drifting in and out of consciousness, closing his eyes.
“Chen, you watch the stall. Grandpa is going to deliver the goods.” In a daze, He Chen heard that distant, yet familiar, elderly voice, etched into his soul.
He Chen nodded, dozing on the small stool.
So cold, the night was so deep.
He Chen dozed many times, but the old man who went to deliver the goods hadn’t returned.
He wouldn’t return, He Chen vaguely understood. He had an accident. He didn’t know where he was now. Tomorrow, tomorrow he would go to the patrol bureau to identify the body…
“Junior Brother?”
“He Chen?”
“Wake up—”
A sharp pain in his arm, something pricked him. His mouth was pinched open, and a pill was fed in. Then came warm water.
He Chen swallowed instinctively. Swallowing in big gulps.
Keep going, Xiao Chen. The old man said. Keep going, and you can catch the sun…
“Were you dreaming?” When He Chen opened his eyes, Lu Changqing asked gently, making no mention of the tear tracks he had just wiped from his face.
“Oh, I was cold. I dreamed about when I was little.” He Chen sniffed and sat up casually—he was still in the training room, lying on a soft mat.
Lu Changqing draped the fallen jacket back over him and said, “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what?”
Lu Changqing offered him warm water to soothe his throat, his eyes looking at him calmly. “I shouldn’t have left you alone.”
He Chen was silent for a moment, then looked away. “I’m fine. I’m not a three-year-old…”
As he spoke, his eyes darted around, unsure where to look. Then he remembered something and looked down at the needle mark on his arm. “Did you give me the inhibitor?”
Lu Changqing nodded. “The intensity of the flare-up is increasing. It took two doses for you to regain consciousness. You might feel fatigued, sleepy, or have other discomforts now. Tell me immediately.”
“Mhm.” He Chen agreed, assessing his body.
Lu Changqing continued, “The person I sent to Myster recently sent back a message.”
He paused, waiting for He Chen’s urging look before speaking. “The Sky Wolf Lake does contain toxins, but this toxin is not a threat to the Sky Wolf people.”
“Why? Are their constitutions special?” He Chen asked.
“No,” Lu Changqing said. “They can resolve it through intercourse.”
“…” He Chen was speechless for a long time, his face and neck gradually turning red.
“Don’t panic. Everything has a counter. There should be something in the world that restrains this toxin, and it’s likely growing nearby. I’ve already arranged for people to collect plants, animals, and soil near Sky Wolf Lake to test them one by one.”
“Thank you.” He Chen’s expression turned serious. Just as he was about to say something, his terminal rang.
“Papa, when are you coming back?” He Leyan asked from the other end of the terminal, sounding a little sleepy.
“Coming back right away,” He Chen replied instantly, ready to stand up.
Lu Changqing pressed him down and spoke to He Leyan on the terminal. “Papa will be back in twenty minutes. Leyan, listen to Pi Pi tell a story first.”
“Okay.” He Leyan agreed readily and instructed, “You two have fun.”
What “have fun”… He Chen chuckled and ended the call, looking at Lu Changqing. “Is there anything else, Senior Brother?”
“Let’s do a treatment. In your current state, going back will scare Leyan.”
As he spoke, he reached out and grasped He Chen’s wrist.
He Chen didn’t pull away, only muttering, “Am I… ugly right now?”
“Not ugly.” Lu Changqing, who had closed his eyes, opened them again. “Are you worried about beauty or ugliness in front of your ‘sworn brother’?”
He Chen lowered his head and didn’t speak. He just looked at Lu Changqing’s hand, which had reached out to him countless times, and fell into thought.
Sworn brother, perhaps that could be changed to something else…
You have to move forward, the old man said… Move forward, toward the light, toward the sun.
*
“Papa!” As soon as He Chen opened the door, He Leyan ran up to him. “I remembered how to sing it!”
“Sing what?”
“Happy Birthday Song!” He Leyan said, opening his small mouth and singing seriously.
However, he probably rarely sang. Hearing his own voice in the empty room, he looked increasingly shy, only finishing the song through sheer willpower.
He Chen listened with a smile, then bent down and picked him up. “Thank you, Leyan. Papa is very happy.”
Really? That’s good! He Leyan hugged He Chen’s neck. His small mouth, freshly brushed and smelling of sweet fruit, gave He Chen a loud “smack” of a kiss.
He Chen’s smile deepened, but Lu Changqing, standing behind him, couldn’t help but say, “Leyan, Papa is tired today. Let him rest early.”
“Okay.” He Leyan wriggled free from He Chen and pulled his hand, leading him inside. “Papa, sleep.”
He Chen glanced back at Lu Changqing. Lu Changqing nodded to him. “Sleep well. Good night.”
With that, he proactively reached out and closed the door for He Chen.
He Chen looked at the door for a moment, then turned his attention to Leyan. “Where’s Gege?”
“On the sofa,” He Leyan whispered.
He Chen looked at the youth sprawled out and sleeping soundly on the sofa, his mouth twitching. “Did you make him tell you stories again?”
“No, drawing.”
He Leyan walked back to the coffee table, pushed aside the colorful markers, and proudly pulled out a drawing, showing it to He Chen. “Papa, a present.”
“Thank you, good boy.” He Chen took the drawing and sat down on the carpet next to his cub, admiring it seriously.
“This is a cake.” —He recognized it, and he was right.
He also recognized the colored lights, the candles, and the half-pinyin, half-character “Shengri kuai le” (Happy Birthday).
Of course, there were also four small figures in the drawing. Although the proportions were off, the people were smaller than the cake.
“This is us,” He Leyan said in his childish voice. “Papa, Daddy, Gege, and me. A happy family.”
He Chen paused, rubbed his head, and asked for permission. “Can I add a sun?”
A sun? He Leyan nodded. He Chen picked up a marker and began coloring in a corner of the paper.
He Leyan sighed silently, looking at him with helpless affection: It’s nighttime, silly Papa.