Doctor Lu Always Wants To Steal My Baby! Chapter 70
by“My view is the same as yours,” Elder Fang said, frowning deeply as he looked at Lu Changqing after checking He Chen’s condition. “It’s a rare type of concealed riot.”
“What is that?” He Leyan asked, gripping He Moyan’s hand.
He Moyan also tensed up, his eyes fixed on Lu Changqing, Elder Fang, and Wen Yi, who were holding the consultation.
Lu Changqing glanced at Wen Yi, who led the two children aside and explained in a low voice, “A concealed riot means the patient is immersed in their own world, just like those with a regular riot, but they don’t explode.”
“Then what should we do? How do we treat Papa?” He Leyan immediately asked.
“Don’t worry, with Papa-Dad here, Papa-Dad will cure Papa,” Wen Yi comforted the child, though he felt a bit uncertain himself. Concealed riots were rare. They didn’t look dangerous, but they were actually harder to deal with than normal riots because the patient unconsciously sealed off their mental domain, hiding themselves and making linkage impossible.
The first step of treatment was linkage. If linkage couldn’t even be achieved, how could they talk about a cure?
However, if it was the Dean, he must have a way, right? Wen Yi glanced at the solemn-faced Lu Changqing.
Elder Fang was also discussing with Lu Changqing, “To pull him out now, we can only try forced linkage. But forced linkage is very dangerous for both you and him. How about we just maintain his vital signs and wait a bit longer?”
Wait? Lu Changqing pondered for a moment, then shook his head.
The earlier a mental power riot was treated, the better the results. The first eight hours were known as the golden treatment period. Missing the golden treatment period significantly reduced the probability of a cure.
He Chen had been unconscious for a while, unresponsive to the calls of either Leyan or Moyan. He was completely lost in his mental world, and if left alone, he would only sink deeper.
Lu Changqing looked at Wen Yi, “Arrange a ward. Transfer him now, and prepare for vital sign maintenance and limb restraints.”
As he spoke, he saw Moyan and Leyan. He bent down and stroked Leyan’s head, “Papa is asleep in his mental domain. Papa-Dad is going in to wake him up. You and your brother wait together, don’t be scared.”
He Leyan nodded, wiping away the tears that fell as he did so. “Go in and tell Papa that Leyan is waiting for him outside!”
“Okay.” Lu Changqing agreed, rubbed his head again, and turned to personally pick up He Chen, carrying him onto a hovercar…
*
The wild wind howled, and snow flew backward. The air cut across his face like a knife, and with every step forward, the ground cracked and collapsed.
This was He Chen’s mental domain spontaneously resisting Lu Changqing, the outsider.
Lu Changqing responded to every move, while also simulating the fluctuations of He Chen’s mental domain, trying his best to reduce his “sense of threat.”
To simulate, he even transformed himself into a snow wolf, quickly traversing snow mountains and ice fields, searching for He Chen’s shadow.
Looking down from the mountaintop, everything was white, with no trace of He Chen. Lu Changqing wasn’t surprised; he vaguely guessed where He Chen was.
He dashed down the mountain and quickly appeared at the entrance to the second layer of He Chen’s mental domain. Just as he was about to push open the door, a snow-white shadow suddenly pounced on him—it was a real, large wolf.
“It’s me.” Bitten hard during the struggle, Lu Changqing reverted to human form. While condensing a shield to defend himself, he looked into the large wolf’s blue eyes and said.
The large wolf’s sharp claws paused for an instant, and confusion appeared in its eyes.
Taking advantage of this moment, a long, black ribbon-like sash grew from Lu Changqing’s palm and suddenly wrapped around the large wolf. In an instant, it was tightly bound and unable to break free.
“Be good. I’m sorry.” Amidst the icy breath the large wolf exhaled, Lu Changqing quickly turned and passed through the door behind him.
The strong wind suddenly stopped. Inside and outside the door were like two different worlds.
Lu Changqing touched his neck; the bloody hole bitten by the snow wolf had disappeared. He regulated his breathing for a moment and walked toward the quiet snow-covered village.
The ice houses were still there, each decorated differently and full of life, but they were all empty inside. Lu Changqing continued walking inward and realized that the outer houses were empty because the “villagers” were gathered in the central clearing, where some kind of bonfire party seemed to be taking place.
Around a large, bright fire, everyone was laughing and talking. There was a barbecue grill next to the flames, and wooden wine barrels. Everyone’s plates were piled high with meat, their cups were full of wine, and their eyes flowed with intoxicating brilliance. Someone was playing a guitar, someone was tapping a tin drum, and someone else was singing and dancing a simple, broad military dance.
Lu Changqing stood far away, watching a figure skillfully flipping skewers and sprinkling seasonings in front of the barbecue grill. He occasionally joked with the soldiers who came to grab skewers, a relaxed and warm smile always on his face.
That was Xiang Heng.
After grilling a full plate of rich meat skewers, he carried the plate toward one side of the bonfire. Lu Changqing’s gaze followed him, and only then did he see He Chen, who was drinking heartily with his comrades.
He was sitting on a tree stump, leaning against a comrade, tilting his head back, and gulping down a large cup of wine. He wiped away the amber liquid spilling from the corner of his mouth and looked at Han Jin, who was challenging him to a drinking contest, with a dashing and smug expression, “Another round?”
The flickering bonfire illuminated his joyful face. At that moment, everything in the world seemed to lose its color.
Lu Changqing felt a pang of reluctance.
Reluctance to pull him away from such happiness.
But he still lifted his foot and walked toward him.
“Eat something before you drink.” Xiang Heng handed a plate of grilled meat to He Chen. He Chen took it and, speaking extra loudly to overcome the music, said, “Thanks, Brother Xiang!”
He grabbed two skewers, stuffing one into his own mouth and feeding the other to Xiang Heng, “Delicious! Brother, I want to eat your skewers for the rest of my life!”
Hearing this, Lu Changqing clenched his hand. “He Chen.”
He Chen paused, but quickly turned his back to Lu Changqing and continued eating the skewers as if nothing had happened. Xiang Heng, Han Jin, and the others seemed completely unaware of Lu Changqing’s presence.
Lu Changqing understood that they were all projections of He Chen’s consciousness. If He Chen avoided him, they naturally did too.
“He Chen, you know this isn’t real.” Lu Changqing took two steps closer to He Chen.
He Chen tossed the bamboo skewer away. “Brother Jin, let’s race!”
Han Jin stood up. “I’ll give you three seconds.”
In three seconds, He Chen transformed into a giant wolf and had already rushed several hundred meters up the slope behind the village. Han Jin transformed into a strong black panther and quickly followed.
“Woo~hoo!” Their unrestrained, joyful howls echoed through the snowy forest, shaking the snow chunks loose.
Everyone stood up to watch the race, their cheers and applause forming a continuous, lively chorus.
Whether intentional or not, Lu Changqing was blocked on the outermost edge by their closing human wall.
Lu Changqing stood quietly for a moment, listening to the joyful long howls fade into the distance. Finally, he closed his eyes, transformed into a snow eagle, and suddenly soared into the air.
Piercing through clouds and fog, guided by a wisp of mental connection, Lu Changqing quickly locked onto the giant wolf He Chen had transformed into. He swooped down from high altitude, the resulting air current forcing the rapidly running giant wolf to stop and defend itself.
“Come back with me. Leyan is waiting for you.” The snow eagle spoke in human language, simultaneously flapping its wings, sending a pure mental energy, like lightning and a net, toward the giant wolf.
The giant wolf rolled, and seeing that it couldn’t dodge, it cheated by transforming into human form during the roll, causing the net to miss.
After that, he quickly counterattacked, pouncing toward the snow eagle. Halfway through the pounce, he transformed back into a wolf, his front claws tearing mercilessly at the eagle’s abdomen, carving out several deep, bloody gashes!
The snow eagle’s pupils constricted in pain. Its iron wings instinctively wanted to sweep out, but it hesitated, constrained by something, and froze its movement.
Lu Changqing had constraints, but He Chen did not. The snow eagle hesitated for some unknown reason, but He Chen seized the opportunity, leaping up recklessly, his sharp teeth aiming straight for the eagle’s neck!
The snow eagle trembled in pain, its iron beak biting toward the snow wolf!
It could clearly bite through the snow wolf’s shoulder blade, but the moment it touched the snow wolf, it paused again.
Using its beak to push the snow wolf away, the snow eagle flapped its massive wings, preparing to ascend. The black panther, which had been watching, suddenly exerted force, cooperating seamlessly with the snow wolf. It stepped on the snow wolf’s spine, leaping to a height far exceeding normal, its sharp claws gripping toward the base of the eagle’s talons.
However, just as it was about to grab hold, the snow eagle ascended like lightning, letting out a piercing cry that sounded like metal shattering. The black panther and the snow wolf simultaneously tumbled to the ground, clutching their heads in pain.
Something was wrong.
The snow wolf transformed back into He Chen, mounted the black panther, and turned to run.
“Papa!” A tender child’s voice suddenly came from behind.
A small figure had appeared on the snow eagle’s back.
He Chen stopped, reined in the black panther, and turned back, looking confusedly at the child on the snow eagle’s back. “Who is he?”
“Who is he? Don’t you recognize him?” Lu Changqing transformed into human form, holding He Leyan’s hand.
“Don’t recognize him.” He Chen lifted his eyes and looked at Lu Changqing. “Who are you? Why are you opposing me?”
The question was asked with great displeasure, but looking at Lu Changqing’s face, he lost focus for a moment.
“Who I am isn’t important. Do you remember who you are?” Lu Changqing, who was experienced and knowledgeable, asked.
“Of course I know, I am—” He Chen suddenly stopped.
“Who am I?” He lowered his head, looking at himself, muttering. Lu Changqing noticed that at this moment, he still had a pair of intact hands.
Lu Changqing withdrew his gaze, released the hand of the “He Leyan,” and let him take a step forward toward He Chen. “You are Papa! Leyan’s Papa!”
“No!” He Chen retreated a step on the black panther, avoiding the child like a snake or scorpion. “Don’t come over! I’m so young, where would I get a child!”
“Papa…” “He Leyan” pouted. Two pools of tears instantly welled up in his eyes, threatening to fall. “Does Papa not want Leyan anymore?”
“No.” He Chen instinctively waved his hand and stepped forward, but after this step, he stopped and retreated again. “No, no, that’s not right. I’m not your Papa. You must have the wrong person… the wrong person…”
As he spoke, he suddenly lowered his head and held his own head.
“Leyan, I am Papa…”
“You are the son of the ‘big monster,’ the little monster…”
“Not a monster, you are Papa!”
Scattered images flashed. He Chen’s pain became increasingly obvious. Lu Changqing couldn’t help but release energy toward him again, but this action startled him. He suddenly rode the black panther and quickly ran away.
Lu Changqing lowered his hand, dispelled the image of He Leyan on the ground, wiped the dripping blood from his neck, closed his eyes, and concentrated on sensing He Chen’s location again.
This time, it wasn’t as smooth as before.
Lu Changqing’s mental threads stretched further and further, but he still couldn’t find He Chen’s trace. Not until he remembered something and suddenly changed direction, probing downward with his mental threads.
This time, he finally found him.
He Chen was hiding in a valley. At the bottom of the valley was a small frozen lake, and he was sitting cross-legged on the surface of the lake, holding his head in thought.
Lu Changqing instantly appeared on the lake surface. “Close your eyes. I’ll take you out. Once you’re out, you’ll naturally remember.”
He explained gently.
“Out where?” He Chen stood up, retreated a few steps, and looked at Lu Changqing. “You, don’t come over.”
“This isn’t the real world, it’s just your mental domain. Haven’t you noticed many abnormal things here?”
“I have. The biggest abnormality is you,” He Chen answered irritably.
What age was he that his mouth was so sharp?
Lu Changqing smiled and extended his hand toward He Chen. “Come with me first. You can always come back here whenever you want, I promise.”
“No.” He Chen retreated a step. The ice surface beneath his feet suddenly cracked, and then more and more cracks appeared, including under Lu Changqing’s feet.
“Don’t say anything more. Leave quickly, or don’t blame me for being impolite!”
“How will you be impolite?” Lu Changqing stepped forward toward He Chen on the cracking ice surface. The hand he extended toward He Chen never retracted.
“I know some things are hard to face, but I will be with you. Trust me this once, okay?” His deep eyes were constantly fixed on He Chen.
He Chen lost focus for a moment, subconsciously taking a step toward him, but then stopped. Just then, with a “crack,” the ice surface suddenly shattered, and He Chen instantly fell into the water, plummeting toward the bottom of the lake!
Lu Changqing leaped into the icy lake without hesitation. “He Chen?!”
He Chen didn’t answer. He was entangled by countless water weeds emitting negative energy, dragging him down. He was busy struggling and couldn’t spare the effort to reply.
A dagger instantly appeared in Lu Changqing’s hand. He cut through the water weeds, wrapped his arm around He Chen, and swam upward with all his might. But more water weeds emerged, relentlessly wrapping around them, pulling them down. He Chen, who had been struggling violently at first, slowly went still, as if losing consciousness.
“He Chen? Wake up! You can’t sleep here!” Lu Changqing patted He Chen’s face.
If he believed he had “died” in the mental domain, he would truly die in reality.
The mountain-like composed Lu Changqing showed anxiety for the first time. A powerful burst of energy erupted around him, instantly sweeping away the endless water weeds.
Seizing the gap, he quickly swam upward with He Chen. “This is fake, you idiot! Wake up, you won’t really drown!”
As he swam, he called out to He Chen. Finally realizing what to do, he simply opened his mouth and kissed He Chen’s lips, passing oxygen to him.
Dazed, He Chen, who received air, opened his eyes, staring blankly at Lu Changqing.
Idiot. Fool. Lu Changqing, relieved after the close call, cupped the back of his head, opened his mouth, and passed him another long breath…
*
On his lips… was the taste of snow.
Clear, damp, and… soft, as if melting into his lungs.
He Chen opened his eyes blankly. There was no lake, no ice, only a pristine white ceiling.
“Commander He, you’re awake?!” Wen Yi looked at him, his face full of surprise.
Consciousness slowly returned. He Chen thought of something and turned his head to look to the side.
Lu Changqing had already sat up from the examination bed and was removing the tubes from his body.
“Dean, are you alright?” Wen Yi also turned his head and asked Lu Changqing in a low voice.
They had just monitored a high-energy mental outburst. Whatever he encountered, the Dean must be overly exhausted right now.
“I’m fine.” Lu Changqing stood up and looked at He Chen. “Don’t rush to get up. Let’s do an examination first to see if there are any after-effects.”
He Chen had already sat up halfway. Hearing his words, he lay back down obediently.
“Do you remember what happened inside?” Lu Changqing asked.
“…” He Chen’s originally pale face slowly turned red.
Lu Changqing knew the answer and calmly moved to the next question. “Do you remember what happened before you passed out?”
“I took a shower and was preparing to sleep.” He Chen recalled with a frown. At the same time, the heavy memories he had briefly forgotten returned to his mind.
“The problem shouldn’t be serious.” Wen Yi saw that He Chen’s mind was quite clear and said to Lu Changqing, “Dean, please go rest. We’ll perform the examination on Commander He.”
Lu Changqing indeed urgently needed rest. He nodded and looked at He Chen, whose expression had become solemn again. “Should I let Leyan and Moyan come in? They are very worried about you.”
He Chen answered “Okay,” looked at him, and wanted to say something, but before he could, his vision was blocked by Wen Yi, who leaned over to examine him.
“Can I sit up for the examination?” He Chen asked Wen Yi.
“It’s best to lie down,” Wen Yi replied.
He Chen nodded, seemingly listening to him, but his eyes looked through the gap between Wen Yi’s arm and body, watching Lu Changqing’s retreating back…