Doctor Lu Always Wants To Steal My Baby! Chapter 42

Chapter 42 Relics

“What relics? I don’t know.”

Xia Xue stood at the doorway, her voice sharp.

She was dressed as if to go out, her expression frantic.

First, He Siyuan was taken away today, then her mother-in-law was summoned. The people she sent to inquire returned with unbelievable news. She didn’t believe it and was preparing to go back to the Xia family to discuss what to do with her parents.

She didn’t believe He Siyuan was—

As she thought this, she saw He Chen’s appearance and paused again.

What the hell, could her mother-in-law really have done such a thing?

She, she married a fake?

“I don’t know exactly where his things are, go look for them yourself!” Xia Xue threw out the sentence and rushed out the door!

Since she agreed, He Chen didn’t stand on ceremony.

He had already called several subordinates in Star Capital and ordered them to search the small building where He Siyuan and Xia Xue lived.

The servants were confused, but seeing the imposing array, they dared not stop them, so they ran to the main residence to report:

“They were aggressive, and we couldn’t stop them.” To avoid responsibility, the servant exaggerated.

He Hongyi, who had just returned to the He family and was gathering people for a meeting, slammed the table. “He’s getting cocky now! He’s become the Emperor’s dog!”

“The Emperor clearly intends to use him as a knife to weaken our influence. Pingshan is our largest base; giving him half of it, isn’t he afraid of choking him to death!”

Hearing this, He Hongsheng, who managed the Pingshan Base—and was also He Chen’s biological maternal uncle—stood up with a dark expression. “I’ll go take a look.”

“With that posture, are you here to raid our home?” Seeing He Chen, He Hongsheng said gloomily.

Knowing He Chen’s true identity, He Hongsheng was somewhat surprised, but only slightly.

Deep down, he felt it was He Yayun’s freedom to choose which child to keep by her side. Whether he was a military officer or a rebel, in the end, he was a low-born who didn’t deserve the He family.

It was only regrettable that she hadn’t handled things properly and allowed others to seize a handle.

“The family raised you; is this how you repay us?” He Hongsheng questioned.

Seeing the same cold arrogance and disdain in his eyes as in He Yayun’s, He Chen’s state of mind… instead felt like a heavy lock had been opened, becoming expansive.

He suddenly understood.

It was a huge mistake to have expected anything from people like them before.

To doubt and deny himself because of them was compounding the mistake!

He Chen gave a cold tug at his lip. His previously dim eyes became deeper and sharper:

“The owner has already agreed to let me search. How is this a raid?”

“Besides, I’m taking back what belongs to me.”

“What here belongs to you? Since you betrayed the He family, don’t think you can take and eat!” He Hongsheng roared.

“Don’t worry, I only want my father’s relics. As for the He family’s dirty things, I wouldn’t dare touch them.”

He Chen sneered, seeing a subordinate approach him with a box and a questioning look. He motioned for the subordinate to come over and open the box.

But before the subordinate could reach him, He Hongsheng suddenly moved, drawing the sword from his waist and slashing at the box with a backhand, missing—

A giant ice-snow wolf opened its mouth and lunged at his wrist.

He Hongsheng hastily released his own mental projection—a giant blue water-element wolf—barely managing to block the bite.

However, his mental projection was not so lucky. It let out a pained howl, drawing He Hongyi and others, who were outside the courtyard, to rush in.

“He Chen, are you crazy!”

Seeing the snow wolf relentlessly tearing at the water wolf, and He Chen himself snatching He Hongsheng’s sword and forcing him into a corner, He Hongyi was both shocked and furious!

He was shocked: He Hongsheng was quite strong, so how could he be completely defenseless?

He was furious: such a powerful fighter was personally pushed out of the He family by He Yayun!

They must win him back!

“Stop, Chen’er, you’re hitting your own uncle!”

“I am hitting my uncle.” He Chen said calmly, as if he had eyes in the back of his head. He stabbed the sword “thud” into He Hongsheng’s shoulder, who had tried to sneak attack him from behind, pinning him and the sword to the wall!

The He family members who followed fell silent for a moment.

Blood flowed profusely, and He Hongsheng’s face was contorted. He Chen acted as if nothing had happened, calmly opened the box brought by his subordinate, and a flicker of disappointment crossed his eyes. “Keep searching.”

“Who dares to search?!”

He Hongyi didn’t speak, but the young and impetuous He Sizhong stepped forward. “He Chen, what do you think this place is, that you can run wild here!”

“I know exactly what this place is.”

He Chen was composed and steady, standing at the doorway. The snow wolf stood beside him, suppressing its restlessness, its ice-blue eyes fixed on the He family members, like a predator eyeing its inevitable prey.

“Search. I’d like to see who can stop them,” He Chen said calmly.

He Sizhong couldn’t stand the provocation and was about to attack, but He Hongyi held him back. Under He Hongyi’s gaze, another He family disciple stepped out, pouncing on He Chen like a fierce tiger.

But he was thrown back in a single move.

Then several others took turns engaging He Chen, each defeated in no more than three moves.

“Why are they fighting?” Fang Wensong rushed to the He family estate. Before entering He Siyuan’s courtyard, he heard the sounds of combat. Sweating profusely, he handed the document in his hand to Lu Changqing. “The search warrant!”

“Thank you.” Lu Changqing took the paper but didn’t move.

“Aren’t you going to stop them inside?” Fang Wensong asked, puzzled. He had rushed to bring this document; was it just to stand by and watch?

“Let him fight for a while,” Lu Changqing replied calmly, guarding the gate, his eyes never leaving He Chen.

Inside the gate, the new He family members were still no match for He Chen. Later, some of them couldn’t even last three moves.

Useless! He Sizhong couldn’t suppress his frustration and was about to strike again.

“If you strike, it will be a contest for the new generation’s Wolf King!” He Hongyi stopped him, lowering his voice.

“Father thinks I will lose?” He Sizhong’s eyes blazed with green fire. Without waiting for He Hongyi to speak further, he grabbed two long staffs—actually long spears with the tips removed—from a subordinate. He tossed one to He Chen and dragged the other across the bluestone ground, launching a sweeping strike directly at He Chen’s face!

At the same time, his mental projection—also a snow wolf—did not appear as agitated as its owner. Instead, it appeared from behind with extreme cunning, suddenly biting at the large wolf’s waist!

“It’s the He Family Spear technique! He Sizhong has been practicing it since birth. Can He Chen handle it?” Fang Wensong asked worriedly.

“He can,” Lu Changqing said, staring at the two fighting figures, his tone steady. He Chen was not only diligent and talented, but his combat awareness was the strongest Lu Changqing had ever seen. Given time to practice, he could master any weapon technique and realize his own true meaning.

It wouldn’t matter even if He Sizhong had been practicing since his last life.

However—Lu Changqing’s eyes still held a hint of worry. He was concerned about He Chen’s current state, which was like burning himself out.

But letting him vent was far better than letting the fire accumulate inside his heart.

Lu Changqing’s thoughts twisted and turned, but Fang Wensong couldn’t discern any of the subtleties. He only felt that the two men and the two staffs were a tightly woven blur, striking, chopping, smashing, poking, lifting, and thrusting, the attacks and defenses seemingly endless.

“My Brother Chen is so handsome!” he suddenly exclaimed—not understanding the fight didn’t affect his appreciation.

Lu Changqing paused for a moment, said nothing, and continued to focus on the situation in the arena.

The two snow wolves were the first to determine a winner. He Chen’s large wolf openly showed a weakness, then swiftly and unexpectedly turned, biting the opponent wolf’s unprotected throat. He Sizhong was distracted by this, and He Chen’s staff found the opening, darting out like a venomous snake. The tip of the staff “poof” stabbed He Sizhong in the heart.

If it had been a spear tip, He Sizhong would likely have died on the spot!

Even without a spear tip, He Sizhong’s face turned pale, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

It was internal injury, and even more so… severe mental trauma!

Almost simultaneously with him spitting blood, his mental projection, the snow wolf, let out a mournful howl. Its struggle weakened, and its eyes showed hesitation, doubt, and submission.

The large wolf, with three bloody claw marks above its left eye, approached it with chilling severity, letting out a majestic low growl—the dominance of a Wolf King, controlling life and death.

Damn it! He Hongyi instantly changed his mind: He Chen must be eliminated! Otherwise, the He family would lose all face and substance!

But before he could make any further move, a cold, indifferent voice sounded—

“A misunderstanding. General He, here is the search warrant.” Lu Changqing unfolded the paper.

“He Xiangye’s relics are important evidence in the He Siyuan case. The Patrol Bureau is concerned that the evidence might be destroyed by interested parties, so they entrusted He Chen and me to search He Siyuan’s residence first. We apologize for the disturbance, and hope General He can be accommodating.”

He Hongyi had to be accommodating whether he liked it or not.

The Emperor had just promoted He Chen today and intended to heavily rely on him. In broad daylight, no matter how much He Hongyi hated He Chen, he couldn’t do anything to him.

Moreover, there was Lu Changqing, and behind Lu Changqing stood a dense crowd of Patrol Bureau personnel.

“It’s nothing. The children are hot-headed and acting out. How could I, as their uncle, take it seriously,” He Hongyi said with a hearty laugh.

“It’s hard on Director Lu, getting mixed up in our family’s trivial matters.”

As He Hongyi spoke, he deliberately scrutinized Lu Changqing for a moment. He couldn’t understand why Lu Changqing was so involved in He Chen’s affairs. Was it just because of He Leyan?

Or was the Lu family secretly making a move against the He family?

Unfortunately, Lu Changqing’s expression was flawless, revealing nothing for He Hongyi to analyze.

Well, he didn’t reveal absolutely nothing—he instructed the Patrol Bureau officers behind him: “Go. Dig three feet deep if you have to, and find the evidence.”

“Digging three feet deep” proved effective.

A quarter of an hour later, He Chen walked out of the He family estate, holding a box that had just been wiped clean of dust.

“You found it?” Fang Wensong said excitedly.

After his excitement, he glanced at He Chen and realized his excitement was inappropriate: He Chen was holding his father’s relics, after all.

However, He Chen didn’t mind and didn’t seem immersed in emotion. He thanked Fang Wensong steadily—he was very polite to Fang Wensong because of Elder Fang.

“No need to be polite, I didn’t help much.”

Fang Wensong scratched his head, about to say something else, when Lu Changqing spoke. “We’ll thank you properly another day. Wensong, He Chen’s mental projection is injured and needs treatment now.”

“Oh, alright, Director.” Hearing this, Fang Wensong stopped and watched He Chen and Lu Changqing walk toward the hovercar.

“Brother Chen!” Just as He Chen was about to get in the car, he suddenly raised both arms like he was holding a cheering sign and excitedly shouted, “You’re the best! I love you!”

Lu Changqing paused in the act of opening the car door, and He Chen’s mouth twitched: Help, how could Elder Fang have such a chuunibyou grandson.

“Let’s go quickly, Senior Brother,” He Chen said to Lu Changqing, almost pleadingly.

Lu Changqing naturally agreed.

He started the hovercar and glanced at He Chen in the rearview mirror.

As soon as he got in the car, He Chen, holding the box, immediately fell silent.

Lu Changqing spoke. “Confirmed it’s the right thing?”

“Mhm.” He Chen opened the box. There wasn’t much inside: a photo and three or two silver alloy ornaments.

Among the ornaments were two small longevity locks, one thin and one thick, intricately carved.

The other was a small square plaque, two fingers wide and half a finger long. It might have been the right size for an infant, but it looked too miniature for He Chen now.

He Chen picked it up, his eyes scanning the front—it should be the front, as this side had a simple and rustic drawing:

A baby wolf.

A baby wolf, sleeping soundly in a swaddling cloth…

He Chen raised his hand, intending to stroke the plaque, only to realize his fingers were stiff from gripping too tightly.

He gave up the movement, clutching the plaque, and lowered his gaze to the photo in the box.

The person in the photo was similar to the profile Lu Changqing had shown him and matched Elder Fang’s description: serious, with deep, reserved eyes.

“Perhaps he is still alive, somewhere. I will have people start an investigation,” Lu Changqing said calmly.

“Thank you,” He Chen replied, placing the plaque back in the box, closing the lid, and collecting his emotions. “Thank you for today, Senior Brother.”

He had been impulsive, and Lu Changqing had to get the search warrant to clean up after him.

“I will definitely repay you—”

“You don’t need to repay me,” Lu Changqing interrupted him, meeting his eyes in the rearview mirror. “We are indeed partners, and I am still your Senior Brother. If you acknowledge it, I am also a friend.”

He Chen was silent for a moment. “I acknowledge it.”

“Thank you.” Lu Changqing withdrew his gaze. “You’ve been on edge all day, handling everything meticulously. You don’t need to keep up the facade in front of a friend.”

“I wasn’t keeping up a facade,” He Chen said softly, though his body unconsciously relaxed a little.

“I made a mistake today,” he said in a deep voice after a while.

“Where?”

“It would have been better not to reveal Jing Wendí’s relics, letting the Emperor suspect He Siyuan’s origins and the He family’s intentions,” He Chen analyzed.

“Given the Emperor’s suspicion, even without concrete evidence, it would be a thorn in his side. Then, if I presented evidence of the He family colluding with space pirates, it would be the perfect knife to hand him…”

“But I didn’t. I let go of such a good opportunity.”

For selfish reasons.

He Chen gripped the box tightly.

“The world isn’t just about revenge and taking down the He family,” Lu Changqing said.

“I know,” He Chen said half-heartedly.

“Nor is it just about taking good care of Leyan,” Lu Changqing added.

He Chen looked up: How did he know he was just thinking about Leyan?

Lu Changqing looked at him through the rearview mirror. “You are also very important.”

…He Chen met his gaze, froze for a moment, and then looked away.

“Actions speak louder than words. Do you want Leyan to grow up to be someone who loves himself and loves life, or someone who ignores himself and lives for the past?” Lu Changqing continued.

He Chen was silent for a while, slowly digesting his meaning. “Leyan is Leyan, and I am me. Besides, I’m not like that…”

He didn’t finish what he wasn’t like, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Lu Changqing didn’t say anything more, instead changing the subject. “We need to strengthen security starting today. The He family might try to harm you.”

Today’s incident seemed minor; no one died, and at most, He Hongsheng and He Sizhong were injured. But He Chen severely damaged the He family’s “authority” and “face.”

To some extent, martial families rely on these things to establish themselves. I am powerful, I can fight, so I can recruit talent and increase my influence, accumulating advantages like a snowball.

Conversely, if the “powerful” myth is shattered, disadvantages will also snowball. Many families in Blue Star history have fallen from first-tier to second- or third-tier, eventually being devoured by other families, due to a lack of talent or mediocre descendants.

He Sizhong was the strongest of the He family’s new generation and the next family head. Now, he was easily defeated by He Chen. It was close to “shattering the myth.”

That’s why He Hongyi insisted that He Chen, who defeated He Sizhong, was still a He family member, merely “acting out because he was wronged.” The goal was to define the incident as a “family dispute” to preserve the He family’s myth.

But his internal killing intent had been exposed the moment He Sizhong was defeated, so strong that Lu Changqing didn’t need to deliberately sense it.

The He family must be eager to establish authority and regain face now. The most effective way, of course, was to eliminate He Chen, this family rebel and source of trouble.

He Chen understood this logic. A cold light flashed in his eyes. “I know.”

From today on, his opposition to the He family was an open secret.

“Does He Hongyi also suspect our relationship?” He Chen asked.

“It doesn’t matter. There will always be suspicion, and there will always be ways to deal with it,” Lu Changqing said, parking the hovercar in his private spot at the Medical Institute.

After parking, he realized He Chen was staring at him.

“What is it?”

“Nothing.” He Chen looked away. “Senior Brother, are you always this calm no matter what you encounter?”

If people were compared to celestial bodies, He Chen felt Lu Changqing was like a fixed star, a cold-light emitting fixed star—not scorching, but steady as a rock.

“Just habit,” Lu Changqing said, opening the car door and preparing to help He Chen out.

“I’m fine.” He Chen avoided his assistance, getting out of the car with his usual posture.

“Where is Leyan?” He Chen asked as he walked into the treatment room with Lu Changqing.

“No rush. Let’s treat your and the large wolf’s injuries first.”

“I’m not injured anywhere…” He Chen still denied it, but when Lu Changqing touched his side waist, he hissed and finally behaved.

Lu Changqing had him sit on the examination bed and turned on the live stream for him: Leyan was eating in the cafeteria with Wen Yi, his focused little appearance prompting comments in the chat to call for him to start a mukbang stream.

He Chen relaxed but felt something was off. “Why can you see this?” And in high definition?

“Invited expert,” Lu Changqing said faintly.

Oh…

“Next time the child hiccups, just give him some water,” Lu Changqing added.

“Even if I were truly in Leyan’s heart, I wouldn’t fall out.”

“…” He Chen silently turned off the live stream and released the large wolf. “Please treat it first, Senior Brother. It says it hurts.”

His face hurt.

Lu Changqing didn’t refuse.

But while treating the snow wolf, he didn’t neglect He Chen. He called someone in to treat He Chen’s wounds.

This person was unfamiliar, not Lu Changqing’s usual assistant, but very skilled at treating wounds, quick and gentle.

Perhaps he was Lu Changqing’s confidant. Lu Changqing didn’t avoid speaking in front of him, asking He Chen, “Have you been paying attention to the live stream comments and some online rumors recently?”

“Which ones are you referring to, Senior Brother?”

“I’m referring to some gossip about us being a couple.”

“Cough! Cough cough!” He Chen choked when he heard this, just as the staff injury on his abdomen was being medicated.

“Let me do it.” Lu Changqing motioned for the silent, low-presence subordinate to leave.

He had finished treating the snow wolf, took over from the subordinate, sat on the stool, and pushed He Chen’s shirt up to apply the medicine.

“What you just said is correct. He Hongyi clearly suspects our relationship,” Lu Changqing said while evenly spreading the medicinal oil on He Chen’s skin. “In fact, it’s not just He Hongyi. Interested parties in Star Capital are probably guessing the purpose of our contact.”

“Can we use the relocation of the critical care ward as an excuse? That we are cooperating because Senior Brother needs to move the ward to Hanhe Base,” He Chen asked, his body tense.

For some reason, he felt more sensitive when Lu Changqing applied the medicine. His body couldn’t relax, and the area about to be touched by Lu Changqing’s fingers would tense up prematurely, like a startled bird.

“That reason might, conversely, lead people to guess the purpose of my relocation.” Lu Changqing silently released his mental power. He Chen couldn’t see it, but he felt inexplicably soothed. His body relaxed, and he felt a little tired and sleepy.

But he tried hard to stay alert. “Will anyone investigate or obstruct your relocation?”

“Perhaps,” Lu Changqing said. “We don’t need to worry about others, only the Emperor might cause some trouble.”

“Oh,” He Chen replied, his sleepy mind trying hard to think: He was worried about the Emperor knowing, so the matter of the mine—and the mass production of the Zero-Type Battle Armor—was being hidden from the Emperor, not just the nobles…

“Actually, there is a reason that can lower his guard,” Lu Changqing said at this moment.

“What reason?” He Chen asked subconsciously.

“The Emperor knows that I have always paid close attention to Leyan, and to you,” Lu Changqing said slowly. “He takes some of that gossip seriously.”

Huh? He Chen’s mind slowed down with Lu Changqing’s pace.

“So I have an impolite request,” Lu Changqing said calmly and steadily. “Could we let that gossip develop for now and not clarify it?”

He Chen didn’t speak for a long time.

Just as Lu Changqing was about to retract his words, He Chen spoke. “Senior Brother, did you… set up this situation early on?”

“To fool the Emperor, you deliberately showed that we have a—”

He stopped himself from saying what they “have,” thinking it was crude, but the look of sudden realization didn’t fade.

Lu Changqing looked at him with a complicated expression and deliberately explained, “I genuinely did not plan this.”

“I understand, just going with the flow,” He Chen said.

You understand so much.

Lu Changqing finished applying the medicine, pulled down his shirt, wiped his hands clean, and held his wrist, releasing mental power. “Don’t rush to think about these things. You should rest first.”

“There’s nothing to think about. I agree,” He Chen replied.

He had answered frankly, but when his eyes met Lu Changqing’s, He Chen suddenly looked away for some reason.

“However, Senior Brother, do you have someone you like? Won’t this cause a misunderstanding?” he asked, looking at the ceiling.

Lu Changqing was still looking at him, his gaze unwavering, but his voice was very candid. “Don’t worry, no. What about you? Regarding Fang Wenzhuo—”

“No, either. I barely know Fang Wenzhuo,” He Chen replied.

“Then why the engagement?” Lu Changqing asked, as if making small talk.

“At that time, He Siyuan and Fang Wenzhuo’s father had some kind of cooperation that required this engagement,” He Chen said, closing his eyes without much emotion. “She, He Yayun, said it was for my sake. I was quite foolish back then and believed her ‘kindness,’ so I didn’t refuse.”

“You are not foolish,” Lu Changqing said. “Being emotional is not foolish. Moreover, when you take a wrong turn, you immediately turn around and look for a new path. Not everyone has that kind of determination and courage.”

…As expected of someone who studied psychology, his words are very pleasant to hear.

“I do have some redeeming qualities.”

He Chen kept his eyes closed, and the heavy burden on his mind eased a little more.

“Don’t hypnotize me. I still need to pick up Leyan,” he said stubbornly, but the next second, he obediently fell asleep in his exhaustion…