Doctor Lu Always Wants To Steal My Baby! Chapter 54
byChapter 54: Senior Brother’s Confession
“Commander He, you’ve arrived?” At seven in the evening, Lu Changqing’s assistant quickly stood up upon seeing He Chen appear.
“Please inform your Dean,” He Chen said calmly.
“No need, the Dean gave instructions.”
The Dean had instructed that when this person arrived, there was no need for the usual announcement.
The assistant knocked on the door and directly ushered He Chen into Lu Changqing’s office.
“Senior Brother is busy?”
Lu Changqing was facing a virtual screen, examining the electronic blueprints for the Hanhe Branch of the Academy of Medical Sciences.
“Not busy, just reviewing it,” Lu Changqing said. “Come take a look, see if you have any input.”
“Such a large scale?” He Chen looked at the vast and complex electronic blueprints on the screen.
“The number of patients may increase in the future. Also, I plan to stay here long-term, so some research projects and certain specialties from the Academy’s affiliated college will also be relocated here.”
Such a massive undertaking? He Chen looked at Lu Changqing. “Senior Brother, isn’t building a branch campus in Hanhe just a temporary measure to conceal, ahem, that thing?”
“There’s no one else here, you can speak plainly.”
As Lu Changqing spoke, he switched the page, showing He Chen an overview of the Hanxiao City design:
“Hanxiao City was originally built for mining. The city layout was not very rational, and the geological structure wasn’t carefully considered, which is why a single earthquake caused such extensive damage. However, you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. If the post-disaster reconstruction is thoroughly planned, Hanxiao City might usher in a new life.”
He Chen stepped closer and examined it carefully for a moment. “It looks good, but Senior Brother, haven’t you forgotten that Hanxiao is a resource planet, not an administrative planet? I’m afraid all this planning will be wasted.”
“It is a resource planet now, but not necessarily forever. Hanxiao Star has its own unique natural scenery; developing it for recuperation and tourism in the future is not out of the question.”
“Yes, with Senior Brother’s golden reputation, and if coupled with financial assurance, your idea certainly has a high chance of success,” He Chen mused.
“But?” Lu Changqing asked, observing his expression.
“But where will the funding come from? And why is Senior Brother so determined to expand and strengthen Hanxiao Star? I’ve said that Hanhe does not participate in power struggles.”
“Most of Hanxiao Star’s mineral deposits are depleted. If we don’t adjust, the current residents who rely on mining will be unable to sustain their livelihoods, and Hanxiao Star will become a derelict planet. As for the funding you’re worried about, the Academy of Medical Sciences will bring some, the Empire will raise some, the Lu family will support a large portion because of that objective, and I have some connections—people who owe me favors and will be happy to invest.”
“As for the power struggles—” Lu Changqing paused. “You don’t need to worry, I already know your thoughts.”
He then zoomed in on a section of the blueprint, revealing a low-rise castle and a colorful amusement park. “This is a kindergarten, and next to it is an elementary school.”
“I know you want to take Leyan traveling, but Leyan is at an age where he needs to interact with peers. For a few months out of the year, you can let him come back for school.”
“I hope that, besides your travels, you and Leyan have a home to return to,” Lu Changqing said, slowing his voice.
He always spoke with composure and frankness, never with hesitation or weakness, and this time was no exception. However, the hands clasped behind his back were slightly clenched.
“Thank you, Senior Brother.” He Chen involuntarily shifted his gaze away from Lu Changqing. “I am very grateful that Senior Brother has planned so far ahead for Leyan.”
“You don’t need to be grateful. My feelings for Leyan are not much different from yours. And I am not doing this entirely for Leyan, but also for—”
“Cough!” He Chen coughed, his face slowly turning red.
“I haven’t said anything yet.” Lu Changqing saw him looking everywhere but at him. His tense nerves relaxed slightly, and he curved his lips. “They say military men are not easily embarrassed, how are you so pure?”
“Who’s pure?” He Chen was utterly mortified. “I know what you’re going to say, it’s nothing more than—”
He suddenly stopped.
“Nothing more than what?” Lu Changqing looked at him.
He Chen swallowed, unable to speak.
“Nothing more than, I like you,” Lu Changqing said softly, looking him straight in the eye.
He Chen buried his head, the flush on his face spreading to his neck. “That’s just Senior Brother’s illusion,” he whispered. “It’s only because we are similar; when you see me, it’s like seeing yourself.”
“We are similar?” Lu Changqing narrowed his eyes.
“I apologize, I asked Chu Yunqi a couple of questions about you and your father,” He Chen confessed honestly.
“Since we are cooperating now and have similar experiences, it’s inevitable to develop mutual affection. But affection is temporary, and we are not on the same path in life. We are bound to separate in the future, so it’s best to remain friends. I believe Senior Brother agrees.” He Chen tried hard to sound mature and sensible.
But Lu Changqing completely missed his main point. “‘Mutual affection’?”
“So, Junior Brother is not entirely indifferent to me?”
He Chen’s face was so red it felt like it was burning. “That’s not important.”
No, how could that not be important?
Lu Changqing, usually composed, was momentarily speechless with joy. After a long moment, he spoke again. “Now that you’ve recovered, would you like to try out the mecha?”
Huh? The topic change was sudden, but He Chen didn’t know how to continue the previous conversation, and the mecha was something he had been thinking about. Naturally, he nodded.
Lu Changqing then led him toward the mecha laboratory.
“What did Chu Yunqi tell you about my father?” Lu Changqing asked on the way.
“Nothing much, just that he has a difficult personality,” He Chen answered vaguely.
“I regret to say, he is more than just difficult,” Lu Changqing said calmly. “He has a certain need that he cannot satisfy long-term, perhaps ever. Under this suppression, he turned his focus to the lust for power.”
“The Council oversees the Empire’s governance. He feels that the Emperor on the throne is just a figurehead, and that he, who pours his heart and soul into the work, is the true ruler of the Star River, with the exception of military power.”
As he spoke, they entered the laboratory, where people were moving around, and Lu Changqing stopped talking.
He Chen couldn’t help but turn his head to look at him. What had he experienced to speak of Lu Jingshan with such detachment, as if dissecting someone completely unrelated to himself?
“A full moon always has a flaw, which is regrettable. Moreover, those nobles often rely on their military power, disrespecting his political views and decisions.” Entering the private mecha room, Lu Changqing closed the door and continued.
He Chen understood more and more clearly. “So he developed Zero to strip the nobles of their authority?”
“He expended so much effort; what he wants is naturally more than just ‘stripping.’ The nobles wouldn’t just sit back and let him do it either.”
“So he needs to control Zero, and thereby control his own army,” He Chen said immediately. In fact, this idea had been in his mind for a while; now it simply connected the cause and effect.
“And that’s why he needs more than just the mineral veins; he also needs a suitable military force, for example, a force that can be transformed from the He Family Army into the Lu Family Army.” As He Chen spoke, his eyes were filled with vigilance.
“Don’t be nervous, that was just his wishful thinking,” Lu Changqing said.
“Is that so?” He Chen asked. “Then why did Senior Brother say he would give Zero to Hanhe to use?”
“To—” Lu Changqing paused, swallowing the word “you.” “To make all his efforts come to nothing.”
He Chen frowned. “What do you mean?”
“If you controlled Zero, would you obediently be the knife in his hand?” Lu Changqing asked.
“I would not.” He Chen answered this question without hesitation.
“But these aristocratic families always have ways to control the people they want to control, don’t they?”
As He Chen asked, he couldn’t help but harbor a ridiculous, yet not impossible, suspicion: Could it be that everything Lu Changqing was doing, seemingly honest, was actually to gain his trust—a form of covert “control”?
Could he still be “understanding and acting accordingly”?
“What are you thinking?” Lu Changqing asked.
“Nothing.” He Chen turned his head away, looking at the beautiful mecha that greatly attracted him but also made him cautious and wary.
“I know you’ve been through a lot over the years and have a strong sense of self-preservation. My identity naturally makes you wary,” Lu Changqing said. “If I told you that my feelings toward Lu Jingshan and the Lu family are the same as yours toward He Yayun and the He family, would you trust me a little more?”
“What did Lu Jingshan and the Lu family do to you?” He Chen asked, frowning.
Lu Changqing flicked his finger and answered quietly, “Killed my mother.”
He Chen’s brow jumped. “Why?”
“The matter is somewhat complicated. I cannot explain it to you right now,” Lu Changqing said.
He Chen was silent for a moment, then nodded.
“You said we are not on the same path in life, but I want to say that is not the case,” Lu Changqing added.
“I don’t understand,” He Chen said. “The fact I see is that whether you want to obey or rebel against your father, you are painstakingly trying to gain control of this thing.”
He pointed to the mecha behind him.
Lu Changqing did not immediately explain. Instead, he pressed a set of buttons, activating the mecha.
A faint blue energy radiation light glowed in the gaps of the dark armor. It wasn’t dazzling, making it comfortable even for He Chen, whose senses were in a state of mild overload.
“Strength gain 800 kilograms, defense level 500 kilojoules, ordinary ground mobility maximum speed 150 meters per second…”
Lu Changqing’s tone was as steady as a machine, reciting a string of data.
Every item strongly piqued He Chen’s interest.
Compared to the common mechas currently in use, which were closer to battle armor, Zero’s performance was far superior. No wonder it was claimed that it could enable an ordinary person to exert the strength of a warrior.
“Something like this cannot fall into the hands of people like my father.” Lu Changqing entered a command, opened the mecha’s cockpit, and looked at He Chen.
He Chen understood his look, took off his military jacket, and stepped into the cockpit.
Memory gel-filled seats enveloped He Chen’s body, and a light, flexible soft-metal head ring descended, fitting snugly over his head.
“The MOSS Ring, with built-in brainwave and bio-electric field sensors, can instantly read some macro-commands.” Lu Changqing explained while raising his hand to check if the head ring was perfectly aligned with He Chen.
“Why is it called that? Is the designer named Moss?” He Chen’s forehead was touched by Lu Changqing’s finger. He slightly averted his gaze and asked a question just to make conversation.
“MOSS, one of the twelve envoys of the Blood God, responsible for communication between humans and gods.”
“…Hmm, I’m not very familiar with mythology.”
“I can tell.” Lu Changqing supported the back of his neck, checked one last time, released his hand, and stepped back.
The cockpit closed, the chamber rose and locked with the fuselage. The wall in front of He Chen faded and “disappeared,” replaced by several ghostly blue virtual panels.
Lu Changqing introduced: “Left one, tactile feedback system. Left two, visual interaction—”
“It’s too complicated.” He Chen’s voice came through the mecha, amplified and distorted by mechanical transmission. At the same time, the several-meter-tall mecha shook, and its mechanical arm lifted.
“Since it’s complicated, don’t rush to synchronize.”
“When I say complicated, I mean complicated for ordinary people,” He Chen said with a hint of unconscious arrogance.
Lu Changqing curved his lips and took the lift platform up to the same height as the mecha cockpit.
He Chen saw him through the visual interaction system. The physical sensation was no different from seeing him with the naked eye—this alone was more advanced than any mecha He Chen had piloted before.
“Does this thing really not require spiritual power? Can an ordinary person truly pilot it?” He Chen asked.
“Theoretically yes, but an ordinary person would find it difficult to withstand the load brought by the mecha itself. An Awakened is more suitable,” Lu Changqing said.
He Chen nodded. As he nodded, he had already grasped the basic balance. He threw two punches at the testing device, and his eyes deepened as he looked at the displayed values.
This was a weapon with overwhelming advantages. In the hands of certain people, it was indeed not a good thing.
If given to Lu Jingshan, it could cause chaos—if he truly was the person Senior Brother described. If given to the nobles, they would become even more reckless and intensify their exploitation of commoners.
“Has Senior Brother ever considered that it would be better if such a weapon didn’t exist?” He Chen asked.
“I have,” Lu Changqing replied. “But the significance of a weapon is not just in offense, but also in self-preservation and protection. Moreover, you can destroy it once, but you cannot guarantee it won’t reappear elsewhere, nor can you guarantee it will never fall into the hands of those who shouldn’t possess it.”
He Chen was silent for a while.
“I don’t understand,” he finally said without much emotion.
These things were not his concern. He didn’t want to control anything; he just wanted not to be controlled.
Despite thinking this, He Chen couldn’t help but ask, “Then, besides Hanhe, who does Senior Brother plan to give it to?”
“Shen Xingzhou.” Lu Changqing named someone completely unexpected to He Chen.
“Shen Xingzhou, isn’t he—”
“He is indeed still undergoing treatment; recovery takes time,” Lu Changqing seemed to know what He Chen was wondering. “But he still has a group of loyal subordinates, and back then, they were planning to promote equal rights between nobles and commoner warriors.”
“However, they didn’t have Zero back then. They planned to start with the distribution of Blood Crystals, but they hadn’t had the chance to execute it—”
“They hadn’t had the chance to execute it before Marshal Shen had his accident,” He Chen finished the sentence.
He hadn’t interacted with Shen Xingzhou, but he was friends with Shen Xian. From Shen Xian’s character and values, and from the occasional mentions of Shen Xingzhou by Shen Xian, He Chen could somewhat deduce Shen Xingzhou’s character.
He Chen wouldn’t immediately believe Lu Changqing’s words, but he didn’t completely disbelieve them either.
Deep down, he was willing to believe every word Lu Changqing told him today, but also deep down, he cautioned himself never to trust easily.
This internal struggle was uncomfortable.
“I hope Senior Brother and Marshal Shen achieve their goals,” He Chen said, silently lowering his head. “How do I disconnect this? I can’t let loose here. I’ll find a secluded place another day and help Senior Brother test it.”
“Voice command. This mecha is called Logo. You can command it to disconnect.”
“Logo? Is that another god? Why not call it Radish, it’s easier to say…” He Chen muttered, disconnecting the mecha.
“You can rename it. It’s yours,” Lu Changqing said.
He Chen’s body, which had just stepped out of the cockpit, paused. “I cannot accept a reward without merit—”
“I still need your support during this time. Consider it a bribe,” Lu Changqing interrupted him.
“Then, thank you.” He Chen personally wanted to refuse, but his mouth had a mind of its own.
Forget it. He would just support him properly in the areas where he needed support.
Thinking this, He Chen glanced at Lu Changqing. Unfortunately, Lu Changqing’s deep eyes were also looking at him. “Do you feel dizzy?”
Ah? He hadn’t felt dizzy just now, but being stared at made him less certain.
“Do you feel uncomfortable after removing the MOSS Ring?” Lu Changqing asked more specifically.
“No,” He Chen replied, looking at his jacket in Lu Changqing’s hand.
Lu Changqing unfolded the jacket for him.
“I can put it on myself,” He Chen’s face inexplicably started to heat up again.
Damn it, is it red again? He should get a sunbath another day; being a little darker should hide this bad habit…
Lu Changqing saw the faint blush on his cheeks and didn’t insist, handing him the clothes. He Chen quickly put it on and turned his back to button it up.
“You want to retire, and I also very much want to retire,” Lu Changqing said slowly behind him.
“My biggest ambition in coming to Hanhe is not power, but to settle down and make a home.”
Home. He Chen’s fingers paused. He remembered Lu Changqing’s words: “so that you and Leyan have a home to return to.”
“Perhaps you can’t trust me right now, or you don’t want to be distracted by this matter. I understand. I expressed my feelings not to pressure you, but because I noticed you had some awareness, and I didn’t want you to be left guessing vaguely.”
“You don’t need to answer me right now. Things will eventually settle down. I only hope that when that day comes, you can give me a chance,” Lu Changqing said, his voice deep and serious.
He Chen couldn’t help but turn around. “Senior Brother, saying that makes me feel ashamed. I am not worthy of Senior Brother. I cannot—”
He Chen paused, thought for a moment, and clarified what he wanted to say. “I cannot lower my guard and trust someone wholeheartedly, whether that person is Senior Brother or not.”
“I also cannot unconditionally support someone and help them do what they want to do, because I have too many of my own goals to achieve.”
“Therefore, I am actually not fit to be in a relationship with anyone.”
The more He Chen spoke, the clearer his thoughts became. “Being friends is the best choice for us.”
“Right now, we are friends in a cooperative relationship. When everything settles down, we can be true friends!” He Chen said, his eyes bright.
Lu Changqing was quiet for a moment. “So, we are not true friends yet?”
…He Chen felt a little guilty. “I mean, when everything settles down, we can be the kind of friends who swear eternal brotherhood.”
Lu Changqing was quiet again.
“No need for eternal brotherhood.”
“Forget it. You should head back first. I have a bit of a headache.”