Chapter 83
When Lu Jingning returned to the light cruiser, Lu Kongbin’s face was visibly as dark as it could get. Even when he was demoted by the military for causing trouble due to being drunk, his expression wasn’t this bad.
Of course, Lu Jingning had no interest in voluntarily going to face a blackened face. As soon as he boarded the light cruiser, he found a spot and lay down, closing his eyes comfortably.
Lu Kongbin had thought he might be appeased with a few words, but during the entire journey back home, Lu Jingning completely ignored him. When they finally reached their destination, Lu Kongbin’s face looked like a door god in a photo, completely scrunched up.
The Lu family’s mansion was not as grand as the Wen family’s, lacking the air of a prominent aristocratic household, but it exuded a sense of discipline, thanks to the high-tech equipment scattered throughout the place.
As Lu Kongbin was often away from home, there were not many servants, so a smart robot named “Lulu” designed by Lu Xuebai, Lu Jingning’s second brother, welcomed them at the entrance. Lulu spoke with an authentic accent from a remote star system, cheerfully saying, “Welcome back, Master!”
Even though Lulu was an AI, it couldn’t completely sense emotions, so it proceeded according to the standard procedure. After taking their coats, it asked, “Would you like to add any other condiments to your tea? We have sugar, honey, or the latest ice fruit preserves.”
Lu Kongbin’s heartache of carefully nurturing his father’s imposing aura was completely shattered by this question. He nearly couldn’t hold back his anger and wanted to overturn the table, shouting, “We don’t need anything! Get lost!!!”
Lulu responded, “Understood. I wish you both a pleasant holiday,” before leaving, closing the door behind it.
Lu Kongbin then heard Lu Jingning chuckling beside him, and his gaze became stern.
At that moment, Lu Jingning also looked over, and they unexpectedly locked eyes. The next moment, Lu Kongbin’s expression softened as he sighed, “Ning, tell your father what’s going on between you and Wen Xingchen?”
It wasn’t that he was spineless, but he had always treated this youngest son as his treasure. Even if he wanted to be strict, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
“Why do you need to ask? If you really want to know, I can’t hide it from you,” Lu Jingning said with a smile, not beating around the bush. He straightforwardly admitted, “Wen Xingchen is my boyfriend now, just like you heard.”
Lu Kongbin touched his chest, puzzled, “Since when?”
Damn it, he remembered that the last time he visited the Imperial Sea Military, they were just pure classmates, right?
After thinking for a moment, Lu Jingning said, “Not too long, after the military academy exchange competition.”
Lu Kongbin nearly gritted his teeth; it took all his strength not to lose his temper. He asked the question that had been haunting him in his heart, “Tell me, how did that guy with the surname Wen deceive…cough, chase you?”
Lu Jingning looked at him strangely, “Chase? Wen Xingchen didn’t chase after me. I chased after him.”
His tone sounded proud.
Lu Kongbin: “……”
Damn, don’t hold him back! He wanted to fly back right now and chop that brat into pieces!!! Being able to get someone like Lu Jingning was a lifetime of good fortune, yet he still dared to pretend and ask Lu Jingning to chase him instead?! Can he bear it???
Lu Jingning didn’t bring this up when he was at the Wen family because he guessed that if Lu Kongbin knew about it, he could fly into a rage at any moment. Now, seeing his old man already fuming with anger, he immediately pushed the teacup in front of him and smiled apologetically, “Lao Lu, believe me, the Alpha I like won’t be inferior.”
Lu Kongbin, under Lu Jingning’s gaze, drank from the cup with a gloomy face and retorted, “You know nothing!”
Seeing that Lu Kongbin managed to hold back his temper for the time being, Lu Jingning spoke quickly, “The first time I saw Wen Xingchen, I thought he was putting on airs, but later during the basketball match, we had some friction with students from other academies…”
When Lu Kongbin heard the words “stimulant,” his entire expression changed, and he lost focus on the rest of the conversation.
For him, he thought that was the most explosive piece of news, but unexpectedly, Lu Jingning casually continued to describe the following events, roughly detailing the marks they had made in the subsequent matches.
“So, you two have already…”
Lu Kongbin subconsciously reached into his pocket, feeling like he needed to carry some quick-acting heart pills at all times.
Lu Jingning said, “Dad, do you understand now? Wen Xingchen is really different from his father; he’s incredibly loyal!”
Throughout the conversation, Lu Jingning kept repeating how loyal Wen Xingchen was.
At this point, Lu Kongbin really couldn’t bear to hear those two words again. If he continued listening, he feared he might forget the meaning of “loyal.”
In the end, Lu Kongbin waved his hand with mental exhaustion and said, “Ning, you must be tired. Go rest first, and I… I need some time alone.”
Lu Jingning tactfully replied, “Sure, you take your time to process this.”
After Lu Jingning left, Lulu, who was waiting outside, peeked inside, “Master, according to the examination, your heart rate and blood pressure are far above normal levels. Would you like some treatment?”
Lu Kongbin took a deep breath, “No need! Be quiet!”
Lulu turned and left, “Alright, continue.”
Lu Kongbin sat there for a long time.
He hadn’t expected that in such a short time since the start of the semester, Lu Jingning had experienced so many things. What saddened him even more was that he, as an inadequate father, only found out about all of this just now.
That Wen Xingchen…
Lu Kongbin closed his eyes heavily and opened the terminal in the study. He connected to a video call with his other two sons.
Soon, the virtual images of the two appeared in the air, “Dad.”
The Lu family had three sons, all of them Omega. Except for Lu Jingning, who didn’t follow the traditional path, his two older brothers chose not to join the military but pursue their respective fields. The eldest, Lu Jiyuan, worked as the Chief Interstellar Consultant in a top law firm, and the second brother, Lu Xuebai, served in the Imperial Research Department.
They were all usually busy, and combined with Lu Kongbin’s frequent missions in other star systems, they rarely had video calls unless there was something important.
Now, Lu Kongbin looked at his two sons, his expression full of complexity, “Today, I think it’s necessary to have a family meeting. It’s about… Jingning.”
…
Surprisingly, Lu Jingning found that his heartfelt conversation had a significant effect. After that, Lu Kongbin never brought up the Wen family matter again.
Life returned to a shameless state as he wished, but due to preparations for the bounty league, overall, it was still very busy. With each passing day, they were getting closer to the start of the league.
Lu Jingning had initially thought that Bing Cang had only arranged for the three of them to participate, but when they departed, he discovered that the entire car was filled with students who had signed up.
Seeing the students from different academies, Lu Jingning’s expression slightly darkened, “What happened to shouldering the future of the school?”
Bing Yunlin, who sat nearby, smiled, “In previous bounty events, many students from every school would sign up. The more participants, the higher the chances of winning. Isn’t that good?”
Lu Jingning’s mouth twitched.
Damn it! This old man is so evil! Every day, he only thinks about enticing us, the future blossoms of the Empire!
Bing Yunlin sensed his resentment and leaned in, using a voice only they could hear to comfort, “Most of the people here are just cannon fodder. You guys, who understand the importance of this league, are the main characters. So, whether or not we succeed will depend on you.”
Wen Ye couldn’t help but glance over, while Lu Jingning snorted but felt much better.
Just as he was about to say something, his communicator suddenly rang.
Opening it, he found it was from his eldest brother.
The content matched Lu Jiyuan’s character: “I will arrive at the B Star System tomorrow afternoon. Let’s have a meal together.”
The B Star System was where the preliminary matches of the bounty league were being held.
Lu Jingning wasn’t surprised how Lu Jiyuan knew he would participate in the bounty league. But upon seeing the message, his eyebrows knitted in distress.
From childhood to now, he feared his disciplined and almost rigid eldest brother the most.
The author has something to say: So, are you sure everything will be fine?
——
From Lu Jingning’s memoirs: One year, when I was still at the Imperial Sea, I participated in a bounty competition in a certain star system and accidentally became famous throughout the interstellar space. It was probably the closest I’ve ever been to being an interstellar idol.
T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!
If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’
How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection
What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
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