Doctor Lu Always Wants To Steal My Baby! Chapter 74
byChapter 74: Senior Brother’s True Interest
“Senior Brother, have you considered what kind of war mass-producing Zero might trigger?” He Chen asked.
Lu Changqing turned his head.
“During dinner tonight, Lu Jingshan’s attitude toward Chu Yunqi was subtle. Now that the blood crystal distribution is settled, I suspect he’s free to incite infighting between the two princes?” He Chen continued.
“The blood crystal distribution caused chaos among the great aristocratic families and prevented the nobility from forming a united front. The struggle between the two heirs will only make the already chaotic situation worse. Then, when it becomes unmanageable, he will emerge with Zero. That’s his plan, right?”
“Essentially, yes,” Lu Changqing replied.
“Since he has such a strong desire, Senior Brother must know that if he doesn’t get Zero, he won’t give up easily. He will definitely fight you for it, and even if he fails, he will expose the existence of Zero and the mineral vein, resulting in mutual destruction.”
“At that point, the Emperor and the major nobles will certainly not ignore such a powerful weapon. They will either destroy it or claim it for themselves.”
“Have you considered what kind of ‘grand spectacle’ that would be?”
“Is this the question you’ve been wanting to ask me for a long time?” Lu Changqing asked unhurriedly after hearing him out.
He Chen nodded. He had indeed wanted to ask for a long time, but he hadn’t thought it through clearly, or rather, he deliberately stopped himself from thinking about it, because he needed to focus on revenge. He repeatedly emphasized to himself that nothing else concerned him.
“Are you asking this because you believe that without Zero, there will be peace under heaven?”
“If that were true, would this ‘peace,’ which is no different from the past, be the ‘peace’ you desire?”
Naturally—no. He Chen was deep in thought, but Lu Changqing walked back to He Chen’s bedside, suddenly reached out, and grabbed He Chen’s arm.
A moment of disorientation, and He Chen suddenly found himself outdoors, in a place of beautiful mountains and clear waters. “Where… is this?” He Chen looked around.
“My mental domain,” Lu Changqing answered beside him.
He Chen had already guessed as much and looked around curiously.
He and Lu Changqing were standing on a lush green peak. Looking into the distance, he could see rolling mountain ranges and towns and villages built along the mountainside. People moved about in the towns, full of life—it was clearly a miniature, real world.
He Chen was so absorbed in watching that he temporarily forgot what they were talking about.
Lu Changqing, however, hadn’t forgotten. He reminded He Chen, “Look up.”
He Chen subconsciously looked up and frowned: in mid-air, he saw two gigantic, semi-ethereal hands, one on the left and one on the right, suspended above the mountains.
“What are those?” He Chen looked at Lu Changqing, only to find that the environment beneath their feet had also changed. It went from natural ground to intersecting horizontal and vertical lines, forming grids. This is… He Chen frowned in thought, looked at his and Lu Changqing’s positions within the grid, and then looked up at the sky. Suddenly, he understood, “Is this a chessboard?”
Lu Changqing nodded.
“I know your long-standing concern. You worry that I see the world as a game of chess, looking down from above, forgetting that the pieces are also lives.” As Lu Changqing spoke, the ethereal hand behind him gradually approached and pressed down. The owner of the hand emerged from behind the clouds, taking the form of Lu Jingshan.
He Chen looked behind himself. The hand behind him was also approaching, and the owner of that hand was Emperor Chu Jianheng.
Behind Chu Jianheng, many other giants like him were vaguely standing, extending many hands—He Hongyi, He Hongsheng, and even He Siyuan…
Their massive fingers reached out toward He Chen, but they froze just before touching him, unable to advance further, as if frozen, and then gradually faded away.
Lu Changqing said beside He Chen, “I am not playing chess; I am fighting the people who are playing chess.”
“You cannot fight those who manipulate the clouds and rain by merely being a piece, running back and forth on the board.” Lu Changqing took He Chen’s hand. Their figures grew larger, and they suddenly stood outside the chessboard, looking down at the game.
“Blood crystals are depleting, the nobility is decaying, and equal rights are the inevitable trend. But a centipede dies but never falls, how many nobles will willingly relinquish power and conform to the trend?” Lu Changqing said, sweeping several well-dressed chess pieces into a pile.
“If peaceful evolution is impossible—” Lu Changqing looked at He Chen. “You are a soldier, a commander. How do you think casualties can be minimized?”
He Chen met his gaze for a moment, then looked at the chessboard, his expression becoming more serious: “Before the war, gather resources and means, strengthen the positive side, and deplete the negative side. During the war, strike directly at the core and seek a quick resolution to avoid attrition.”
“But the Empire’s territory is vast, and the major bases are scattered. If they act independently and close their gates to defend, it’s hard to find a single ‘core’ to strike—” Wait, He Chen stopped his analysis halfway and turned back to look at Lu Changqing: how did he get sidetracked so easily again?
Lu Changqing seemed to read his mind and smiled lightly: “War is for the sake of not fighting. We don’t need to defeat everyone; we just need to light the torch, and a single spark will start a prairie fire.”
He Chen rubbed his fingers: “Not ‘we.’”
He didn’t disagree with Lu Changqing’s words about the pieces and the chessboard. On the grand scale, he agreed with Lu Changqing.
But on the small scale, he didn’t want Han River to gain any more graves.
Those two hundred graves felt like his inner demon, clinging to him whenever his blood boiled, striking him with a sobering blow.
“I said Han River won’t be involved in this,” He Chen said in a low voice.
“I haven’t forgotten,” Lu Changqing said.
“I wasn’t trying to persuade you to join in. I was just answering your question. I hate Lu Jingshan and oppose Lu Jingshan, but I won’t abandon my internal principles just because I’m fighting him, or become the same kind of person as him.”
“I just wanted you to see clearly who I am.”
Lu Changqing pulled He Chen. Their bodies continuously shrank, returning to their original size. The chessboard and the giant hands disappeared. The forest, the mountain spring, the flowing water, and the drifting clouds—Lu Changqing’s mental domain returned to its original state.
“I don’t possess as much love and responsibility as you think, but I am also not bloodthirsty, warmongering, or someone who regards human life as grass,” Lu Changqing said, looking at He Chen, his eyes deep.
He couldn’t tell He Chen his true form, but perhaps he could let He Chen feel his true heart.
A seed appeared in his hand: “Do you know why I like raising flowers and planting trees?”
He Chen shook his head: “Innate?”
Perhaps he was naturally refined?
Lu Changqing shook his head: “When I was young, I had no relatives or friends around, only a small dog as a companion.”
“Later, that little dog got sick and died.” He recounted this calmly, but He Chen couldn’t help but glance at him.
“I saw that big trees lived long, so I started planting trees. Later, I tried raising flowers too. From that time on, I found that I liked raising them, I liked watching a life break through constraints and grow upward.”
“Then, don’t you ever feel lonely?” He Chen’s focus was still on the sick, dead puppy.
“Occasionally. But when I’m busy breaking through constraints myself, I don’t think about it much,” Lu Changqing said.
“I understand.” He Chen looked at him, his eyes serious. He understood Lu Changqing’s feeling because he was the same—busy surviving, unable even to feel lonely, though loneliness was still pervasive.
“I understand that you understand,” Lu Changqing also looked at him.
The two were suddenly silent for a moment.
The world was soundless. Only the seed in Lu Changqing’s palm suddenly cracked open, sprouting two tender green leaves.
Lu Changqing regained his focus: “I respect life, regardless of status, and regardless of… species. I am not dragging everyone into a game of chess for my own selfish reasons; everyone is already on the board, and everyone is striving for themselves. I exert my force, and they will make their choices.”
“Shen Xingzhou, Zhao Huai, He Fei, the Emperor… their choices stem from their hearts, I am not manipulating them. As I said, I merely understand.”
“I won’t manipulate anyone the way the He family coerced Han Jin and Xiang Heng. That kind of tactic is too ‘Lu Jingshan.’ I disdain it and won’t stoop to it.”
“Too ‘Lu Jingshan’?” He Chen was confused.
Lu Changqing paused: “Do you know why Lu Jingshan, despite our conflict, still entrusted me with something as important as Zero?”
“Why?”
“He controls me with medication.”
“Medication?” He Chen’s expression changed. “What kind of medication?”
“A certain medicine that only he can counteract.” Lu Changqing told a slight lie.
“Don’t worry, I’ve already dealt with it. The medicine has long since become ineffective on me, he just doesn’t know.”
“Really?” He Chen asked.
“Absolutely true,” Lu Changqing replied.
He Chen sighed in relief, then felt indignant: “He truly fails as a father!”
Lu Changqing smiled slightly: “I haven’t seen you get this angry about He Yayun.”
“Because I finished being angry a long time ago,” He Chen said glumly.
Not wanting to lead him astray, Lu Changqing returned to the topic: “Now, can you understand my intentions?”
“Probably, yes,” He Chen replied, gazing around.
He could feel that Lu Changqing’s mental domain was deep, vast, and tranquil, yet all things coexisted, and life was continuous. This direct feeling was perhaps more effective than ten thousand explanations from Lu Changqing.
“I apologize, Senior Brother, I was too narrow-minded.”
“You are not narrow-minded, nor are you paranoid,” Lu Changqing said. “All your suspicions stem from one reason: you don’t want history to repeat itself, and you don’t want yourself and your comrades to become tools in a power struggle again.”
He Chen paused: How could someone understand him better than he understood himself?
“Do you turn into a giant and look at the chessboard in these green mountains and clear waters, pondering others, whenever you have nothing else to do?” He looked at Lu Changqing.
Lu Changqing chuckled: “That is not my true interest.”
“I know, your interest is raising flowers,” He Chen met his eyes, then inexplicably looked away, muttering softly.
“Yes, but my favorite flower is not one I raised. It grew in the wind and rain, and even without the proper care and attention, it never gave up on itself,” Lu Changqing said, looking at He Chen, his voice low.
What, what does that mean… He Chen felt a tingling sensation from his words, worried that he might sprout leaves and buds the next second.
Seeing his flushed face, unsure what he was thinking, but clearly not rejecting or disliking him, a gentle breeze stirred in Lu Changqing’s previously solemn mental domain, and even the clouds in the sky flowed faster than before.
He focused on He Chen, his eyes reflecting the other man’s shadow: “You said the other day that you ‘don’t dislike people like me.’ Does that mean I still have hope?”
He Chen pinched his fingers, about to speak, when a child’s voice suddenly appeared behind them: “Papa, Daddy?”
He Chen was startled and looked at the “fur ball” in mid-air: “Le Yan?”
“How did you get in here?”
“I don’t know, I need to pee…” He Leyan answered blankly. He woke up needing to go, and seeing Papa and Daddy motionless, he touched them.
“My mental domain was open so I could monitor Le Yan’s movements,” Lu Changqing explained—and instantly regretted it.
This child’s talent was too good; he could stumble into his mental domain even in a semi-conscious state.
With this interruption, He Chen withdrew from Lu Changqing’s mental domain, rushing to take He Leyan to pee. He tried to reach out, but his right hand wouldn’t lift.
Lu Changqing stepped past him, picked up He Leyan, and headed to the restroom. When he returned, he found that He Moyan had also come back.
Their conversation clearly couldn’t continue.
“You two rest first.” After putting He Leyan back in bed, Lu Changqing kissed him, said goodnight to He Chen, and turned to leave.
He Leyan snuggled up and fell asleep next to He Chen. He Moyan waved his hand in front of He Chen—the other person had been gone for a long time, yet He Chen was still staring at the doorway.
“Where were you, coming back so late?” He Chen snapped back to reality and looked at him.
“Training. New game,” He Moyan replied.
New game? He Chen thought for a moment and understood: Lu Changqing had given him a set of simulation operation games specifically designed for Zero, allowing people to master operational skills in the game. He had selected a group of people to start training.
“Is it fun?” He Chen asked He Moyan.
Moyan nodded.
He Chen drifted off again, pondering the conversation he had just had with Lu Changqing: everyone is already on the chessboard…
He Moyan waved his hand in front of him again, and He Chen caught his wrist. He Moyan saw that he was fine and turned to take a shower.
But after a few steps, the child turned back: “What is his spiritual entity?”
“Whose?” He Chen was confused.
“Lu Changqing.”
“Be polite, call him Uncle Lu,” He Chen said, then explained to He Moyan, “Uncle Lu is a Healer, not a Warrior. Only Warriors have spiritual entities; Healers don’t.”
After explaining, he was heartbroken: “Where did you waste your tuition money? You didn’t even learn basic common sense…”
He Moyan gave him a silent look, pursed his lips, and walked into the bathroom, releasing Little Black. He looked at the snake scales on Little Black’s body: Lu Changqing clearly had them too!
*
The next morning, Lu Jingshan seemed to have urgent matters to attend to and changed his original itinerary. He hurriedly requested He Chen to summon the chief administrators of the Han River and Pingshan bases, as well as several administrative and resource planets, along with Vice Minister Chen of the Military Department. They announced that the Pingshan Base would temporarily merge into the Han River Base, and all affairs previously managed by He Hongsheng would be temporarily overseen by He Chen.
With the dust settled, He Chen and Lu Changqing exchanged glances across the crowd and applauded.
“Oh, one more thing—” Just before leaving, Vice Minister Chen remembered something. “The Military Department has concluded the case involving collusion with the Fire Fox. I’m notifying you on behalf of their Investigation Division. The investigation found that the mastermind behind the case was He Hongsheng. Since both he and the other party involved, Xiang Heng, died in the refugee riots, responsibility cannot be pursued further. That’s the end of the case; you just need to know.”
His tone was quite casual, as if mentioning a trivial matter—which, to him, it certainly was.
He Chen wore a polite smile: “It’s good that it’s concluded. It resolves an old matter for us.”
After speaking, he glanced at the dazed Ning Tian and subtly kicked him. Ning Tian reacted, escorting the two guests and their team onto the departing spaceship.
“That’s it?” After seeing them off, Ning Tian looked at He Chen and asked.
It was abrupt, but He Chen knew what he was asking.
“That’s it.” This was the truth and justice they had sought. But somehow, something still felt missing.
“When the case report comes out, burn a copy for everyone,” He Chen said.
“Yes.” Ning Tian accepted the order, and together, they looked deeply toward the direction of the cemetery.
He Chen knew that Ning Tian must feel the same way he did now—the long-awaited wish was finally fulfilled, yet there was a strange sense of emptiness. He looked at Ning Tian, about to offer a few words of comfort, but Ning Tian spoke first: “I submitted the Pingshan Base defense plan to you. When will you review it?”
Hmm? He Chen was stunned.
“Also, when should we discuss the personnel integration between the two sides? I want to pick the people assigned to me myself.”
“Pick what? Do you think you’re buying cabbage? Whoever you get is who you get. We’ll integrate first, then talk,” He Chen reacted, glaring at Ning Tian.
Ning Tian quieted down, said nothing, and went off to handle his business.
His face was still like ice, but his steps were brisk and very… motivated.
Was it true that human emotions were not interconnected? That kid was already moving forward, and only he was left behind feeling “empty”?
“Your hand needs treatment,” Lu Changqing walked over and reminded him.
He Chen regained his focus and looked at him: “Senior Brother, thank you.”
“Thank me for what?”
“Thank you for helping me reach this point today.”
“You’re welcome. I promised you,” Lu Changqing said, opening the door of the hovercar behind him. “Hurry up. Are you afraid of pain and deliberately stalling?”
Without removing the prosthetic limb, He Chen’s wound was already slightly inflamed, and Lu Changqing was worried that delaying it further would damage the nerves.
He Chen got into his car, driving toward the place where his wounds would be repaired, moving farther and farther away from the cemetery where the heroic souls slept peacefully…
“I will pay the debt, you walk the path,” Xiang Heng’s last words surfaced in He Chen’s mind.
Brother Xiang, how should I walk?
*
“Ahem, can you please not look?” He Chen asked Lu Changqing before the anesthetic was administered.
It was a minor surgery, and He Chen insisted he didn’t need company, but Lu Changqing said that since he had experienced a rampage, his spiritual power was still unstable, and problems could arise after anesthesia, so a Healer must be present.
Since it involved his life, He Chen compromised.
But he asked the doctor to operate behind a curtain.
“It’s too ugly, it might affect your appetite,” he explained to Lu Changqing after the anesthetic was given.
With the prosthetic removed, his residual arm was truly unsightly; he didn’t even want to look at it himself.
“You’re overthinking it.” Lu Changqing, wearing sterile clothing, lowered his head to look at him, his hand… seemed to land on his forehead, stroking his hair…
Ah, no, there are other people here… But Senior Brother’s eyes are so beautiful, especially when he looks at me like this… He Chen thought hazily and confusedly, his eyelids drooping.
When he woke up again, he was already out of the operating room, and the first thing he heard was Le Yan’s voice: “Papa, you’re awake!”
He Chen looked at him, but when he turned his head, he felt unusually heavy.
Had the anesthesia not worn off yet? He Chen thought, smiling at Le Yan: “Le Yan, blow on Papa’s hand.”
He Leyan was very obedient, blowing hard several times through the bandage.
“Commander, please try moving it. Is the function normal?” the doctor asked softly nearby.
He Chen clenched his right hand and lifted his right arm: “I can move it, but I can’t exert force. Is it because of the anesthesia?”
He asked the doctor.
“The anesthetic has worn off. You have a high fever, and we are still investigating the cause,” the doctor reported nervously.
He felt wronged; the surgery was completely normal, yet the Commander started having a strange fever during the final stages of the operation. His temperature kept rising, and the monitor was about to max out.
They initially didn’t dare to continue, but Chief Lu insisted. They confirmed it wasn’t a surgical issue, so they sped up the completion of the operation.
“I know,” He Chen had already guessed the reason.
He touched his chest, felt the inhibitor was there, and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Why is Le Yan not having a fever, but Papa is?” He Leyan sensitively asked at this moment. “Did Le Yan pass it to Papa?”
“Maybe so,” He Chen said lightly. “Fortunately, Le Yan is better now and has antibodies. Pass some antibodies to Papa.”
He Leyan suffered from a lack of knowledge. He Chen’s explanation sounded plausible, and he believed it immediately. He stood on his tiptoes and kissed He Chen’s face, looking at him with wide eyes: “Is this okay?”
“Kiss me a few more times, just to be safe,” He Chen replied with a smile. While enjoying his cub’s kisses, he subconsciously searched the ward—searching for Lu Changqing’s figure.
Lu Changqing wasn’t there. But one of his assistants was: “Commander He, the Chief had some urgent matters to handle and instructed me to look after you first. He will be back soon.”
He Chen nodded: “I have doctors and nurses here. You can go about your business.”
“Yes,” the assistant replied, but did not leave. He poured He Chen a cup of warm water and waited nearby, constantly monitoring his needs.
He Chen didn’t have many needs; he was just dizzy and uncomfortable.
“I’ll rest for a while. You take Le Yan to—no, you let Le Yan draw here. You can have someone fetch his drawing book.”
Lu Changqing’s assistant should be trustworthy, but He Chen still didn’t want Le Yan to be taken away and out of his sight. “Where is Deng Tie?” he asked, his mind slightly hazy.
The more confused he became, the more vigilant he grew. His hand subconsciously gripped Le Yan’s wrist, afraid someone might take him away.
“Uncle Deng is cooking millet porridge for Papa. Uncle Deng’s porridge is delicious,” Le Yan explained.
“Mm.” He Chen shifted, pressing against his wound to keep himself awake, and looked at Lu Changqing’s assistant. “Help me raise the bed.”
“Raise it for what?” Lu Changqing walked in quickly from the doorway. “Do you need to use the restroom?”
You go use the restroom.
He Chen felt a strange sense of grievance.
But his heart relaxed, and his body relaxed too. With this relaxation, the world became blurry and inverted. He Chen raised his hand and grabbed Lu Changqing’s slender fingers, which were barely discernible in the blurry world: “Senior Brother, don’t leave…”
When he opened his eyes again, he heard Le Yan’s voice: “Papa, you’re awake!”
He Chen looked at him, but when he turned his head, he felt his body was extremely heavy.
Had the anesthesia not worn off yet? He Chen thought, smiling at Le Yan: “Le Yan, blow on Papa’s hand.”
He Leyan was very obedient, blowing hard several times through the bandage.
“Commander, please try moving it. Is the function normal?” the doctor asked softly nearby.
He Chen clenched his right hand and lifted his right arm: “I can move it, but I can’t exert force. Is it because of the anesthesia?”
He asked the doctor.
“The anesthetic has worn off. You have a high fever, and we are still investigating the cause,” the doctor reported nervously.
He felt wronged; the surgery was completely normal, yet the Commander started having a strange fever during the final stages of the operation. His temperature kept rising, and the monitor was about to max out.
They initially didn’t dare to continue, but Chief Lu insisted. They confirmed it wasn’t a surgical issue, so they sped up the completion of the operation.
“I know,” He Chen had already guessed the reason.
He touched his chest, felt the inhibitor was there, and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Why is Le Yan not having a fever, but Papa is?” He Leyan sensitively asked at this moment. “Did Le Yan pass it to Papa?”
“Maybe so,” He Chen said lightly. “Fortunately, Le Yan is better now and has antibodies. Pass some antibodies to Papa.”
He Leyan suffered from a lack of knowledge. He Chen’s explanation sounded plausible, and he believed it immediately. He stood on his tiptoes and kissed He Chen’s face, looking at him with wide eyes: “Is this okay?”
“Kiss me a few more times, just to be safe,” He Chen replied with a smile. While enjoying his cub’s kisses, he subconsciously searched the ward—searching for Lu Changqing’s figure.
Lu Changqing wasn’t there. But one of his assistants was: “Commander He, the Chief had some urgent matters to handle and instructed me to look after you first. He will be back soon.”
He Chen nodded: “I have doctors and nurses here. You can go about your business.”
“Yes,” the assistant replied, but did not leave. He poured He Chen a cup of warm water and waited nearby, constantly monitoring his needs.
He Chen didn’t have many needs; he was just dizzy and uncomfortable.
“I’ll rest for a while. You take Le Yan to—no, you let Le Yan draw here. You can have someone fetch his drawing book.”
Lu Changqing’s assistant should be trustworthy, but He Chen still didn’t want Le Yan to be taken away and out of his sight. “Where is Deng Tie?” he asked, his mind slightly hazy.
The more confused he became, the more vigilant he grew. His hand subconsciously gripped Le Yan’s wrist, afraid someone might take him away.
“Uncle Deng is cooking millet porridge for Papa. Uncle Deng’s porridge is delicious,” Le Yan explained.
“Mm.” He Chen shifted, pressing against his wound to keep himself awake, and looked at Lu Changqing’s assistant. “Help me raise the bed.”
“Raise it for what?” Lu Changqing walked in quickly from the doorway. “Do you need to use the restroom?”
You go use the restroom.
He Chen felt a strange sense of grievance.
But his heart relaxed, and his body relaxed too. With this relaxation, the world became blurry and inverted. He Chen raised his hand and grabbed Lu Changqing’s slender fingers, which were barely discernible in the blurry world: “Senior Brother, don’t leave…”