Chapter 56 - Heaven's Favour

At the entrance of Luozhai stood a floral wall, and the path was illuminated by a row of candles, protected from the light drizzle by canopies.

Luo Le's funeral was unprecedentedly grand. Luo Lu had sent invitations to virtually every prominent family in the empire.

Upon learning that the Huo family would be in attendance, those families all dispatched their representatives.

But how many of these attendees were truly there to mourn for Luo Le?

In the main hall, people in black suits brushed past each other in and out.

In the very heart of the scene, Wind City tenderly placed a cluster of six white roses, lifting their gaze to the youth above them, who smiled triumphantly from under the canopy of leaves. A soft smile graced their own lips in response.

"Brother Le, these are your favorite white roses. I searched through every florist in the empire to find them."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a large hand, seemingly out of nowhere, appeared beside Wind City, gently setting down a bouquet of white roses that were three times his size.

Glancing over, he saw Huo Lanjing attired in a sleek black suit, with a single white rose nestled in the pocket of his chest.

The clothing hugged his body perfectly, and his hair was styled with precision.

At the mere thought of that fateful encounter in Wind City, frustration boiled within him, unnoticed beneath his dark circles.

He lifted his hand to separate the flowers, preventing the two bouquets of white roses from intertwining.

"You shouldn't be here. Brother Le doesn't want to see you, nor does he want your flowers. Take them away. If you truly want to make Brother Le happy, sign that document."

Huo Lanjing paused for a moment, then rose to his feet, leaving without a word.

As the funeral drew to a close, all unrelated individuals left, leaving only Huo Lanjing and the Huo family members behind.

Luo Le was taken to the same mortuary as his mother.

Before he was wheeled in, Huo Lanjing called over a staff member and stepped forward.

He gazed at the serene face before him, hesitated for a moment, then retrieved a blue notebook from his chest and placed it gently in Luo Le's hands with utmost care.

After completing this task, Huo Lanjing opened his mouth as if to say something. However, upon seeing the person lying there, he ultimately said nothing.

He turned away, not daring to witness Luo Le being escorted in.

Huo Lanjing didn't notice the absence of Wind City around them.

In his peripheral vision, he noticed Luo Lu's obvious distraction, causing a wave of irritation to ripple through him. He approached and urged Luo Lu to leave.

After returning home the previous day, Huo Lanjing had instructed Captain Lin to investigate. Now, he knew about Luo Lu's actions, realizing that all the supposed affection and indulgence were mere illusions.

Reflecting on it, he realized that he had never seen Luo Le address Luo Lu as 'father.' Previously, he had attributed this to Luo Le's willfulness, but now, he understood that Luo Le must have been deeply wronged.

Yet, he had remained oblivious, even using it against Luo Le during their arguments. At this thought, a pang of guilt pierced Huo Lanjing's heart, and he clenched his hands on his knees.

The spacious corridor occasionally saw a few passersby, some recognizing him, hesitating before stepping forward, whispering among themselves before departing.

Huo Lanjing paid no heed to them, his gaze fixed on the door before him. Technically, he was no longer associated with Luo Le.

For some inexplicable reason, the moment he read that report, he couldn't bear the idea of Luo Le returning to the Luo family.

For he knew that even if Luo Le returned, she wouldn't receive the proper respect.

In that case, it would be better for him to take her back.

Though they were no longer connected, their four years of marriage couldn't be ignored.

As time ticked by, Huo Lanjing experienced for the first time how torturous passing moments could be.

After a while, a staff member emerged, carrying a black box which they placed before him.

Looking at the box, Huo Lanjing's eyes flickered; Luo Le now lay within, in a square container.

Luo Le, 22 years old...

He averted his gaze from the glaring digits, gave a word of thanks, and then left with the box in his arms.

*

It was winter on Planet 423 in November, with heavy snowfall piling up past the calves, leaving the streets deserted.

At No. 55 Qinghuan Avenue, in a small, aged building at Room 711.

Boiling water in the pot murmurs with steam,

Warm yellow light bathes the youthful countenance of the adolescent, imbuing it with a tender innocence.

He was seated on the sofa, threading a needle through the fabric. In a sudden jolt, the slender needle pierced his index finger, and a vivid crimson stain emerged.

He quickly withdrew his hand, pressing it against his mouth. It was still wrapped with a few band-aids.

Suddenly, a bell chimed, prompting the youth to trace the sound’s origin and diligently search. At last, he uncovered a small, neatly square object nestled within a heap of fabric.

It's a communication device from planet 423, where technology is relatively backward and lacks artificial intelligence. This is how they communicate.

He pressed the button to connect, and a young man's voice came through the line.

"Brother Le, how have you been? Do you need any assistance lately?"

It was Wind City.

The teenager, Luo Le, chuckled upon hearing this and teased, "I've found a place to stay, so you can come over and hang out when you're free."

On that day at the hospital, the exit permit had just arrived, and it wasn't tied to the applicant personally.

Upon regaining consciousness and learning this news, Luo Le resolved to depart.

After all, Huo Lanjing had made it clear: unless he died, he couldn't leave the Huo family.

True to his word, upon learning of his death, Huo Lanjing promptly arranged for their divorce certificate.

Luo Le's mentor had a friend who was enamored with researching peculiar medicines.

He possessed a medicine capable of causing one's breath to cease, turning their complexion deathly pale, all without any doctor being able to detect anything amiss.

His mentor had complained about this friend multiple times before in his presence, mentioning how the latter would constantly brag about this invention. Luo Le had almost grown numb from hearing it so often.

However, the mentor's friend had only dabbled in creating it for fun and had no intention of mass-producing or selling it.

Comparing his options in his mind, Luo Le ultimately chose this medicine. After all, with Huo Lanjing's sharp eyes, he would undoubtedly recognize a robotic imitation immediately.

Wind City had already arranged with the funeral parlor staff that upon Luo Le's arrival, he would be dressed and cremated straight away.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly.

When it came to choosing a place to live, Luo Le made the decision almost instantly.

Though this place lacked everything – from information, technology, to medical facilities – it was remote enough. If Huo Lanjing discovered his whereabouts, he wouldn't be able to locate this place easily. Even if he did, the backward information system would buy Luo Le some time to escape.

Although Luo Le believed that Huo Lanjing wouldn't come looking for him, he couldn't rule out the possibility.

Wind City commented, "Sure, but Brother Le, if you're about to give birth, I'll come and get you. I've heard that the conditions there are quite primitive; it could be too risky."

"Okay, we'll discuss it when the time comes," Luo Le replied. There was a moment of silence on Wind City's end after Luo Le finished speaking.

Seemingly struck by an idea, Wind City chuckled and said, "Brother Le, let me tell you something hilarious."

Luo Le put down the cloth in his hand and walked towards the kitchen, asking, "What is it?"

"Well, actually, it's nothing major. That man from the Huo family suddenly resigned to inherit his family's legacy. No one in the military region could convince him to stay."

Luo Le paused before asking, "Huo Fei didn't object?"

Huo Lanjing was previously impossible to call back. Why would he suddenly resign now?

Forget it, it's none of my business.

"Hmm, I'm not sure. Anyway, a wolf in sheep's clothing took his place. You won't believe how twisted this guy is. He implemented new rules – typical of a new leader trying to make his mark. Many people in the military region, especially me, have suffered greatly."

"Why is that?"

"I'm currently his special assistant, and he's incredibly difficult to deal with. It's exhausting."

How did Feng City, a mere newcomer, become a special assistant?

Luo Le knew it was best not to pry into military affairs, so he suppressed his curiosity.

"Perhaps he's just trying to establish authority. Maybe things will improve after some time."

Perceiving Luo Le's thoughts, Wind City promptly changed the subject.

"Brother Le, how's life over there? Do you want to change your identity or move somewhere else?"

"No need. Look, now that you're in the military, you shouldn't be taking on clients anymore."

Wind City's voice held a tinge of grievance, "Brother Le, you know my situation. I've been without parents since I was young, and this is how I make a living..."

"Lose it. You have other means to feed yourself, and if they find out about this, it'll be serious."

Wind City sighed. "Alright, alright, just kidding. I've long turned over a new leaf."

Luo Le acknowledged with a hum and, after a moment, softly spoke, "Thank you."

If not for Wind City forging him a new identity, he wouldn't have been able to leave the Empire.

"If you insist on thanking me, give me a title then," Wind City said playfully.

Luo Le chuckled. "What kind of title?"

"The father of the child in your womb."

"Sure, sure, I'll prepare the red envelope for you."

After some more casual conversation, the doorbell rang. Luo Le hung up, grabbed a coat to cover his belly, and then picked up the bag on the table before heading over.

Opening the door, an elderly lady stood there with a warm expression. "Mr. Gu, is it ready? How did it go?"

Luo Le nodded, handing her the bag in his hand.

The old lady took it, mentioning that she would transfer the payment later before leaving.

Luo Le closed the door and placed the coat on the sofa.

He had been here for two months. On Planet 423, one could not settle without owning property.

Although this place was backward, the housing prices were surprisingly high. After purchasing this sixty-square-meter two-bedroom, one-living room, one-kitchen, and two-bathroom apartment, he had spent every penny he had.

Luo Le needed to survive, but apart from crafting mechas, he knew nothing else.

After a week of searching, he still couldn't find anything suitable, and he couldn't return to his old profession; it would draw too much attention.

Just as he was feeling lost, he noticed a flyer downstairs seeking someone to sew doll clothes.

What particularly caught his interest was that the job could be done from home, came with online training, and offered generous compensation.

Luo Le investigated the authenticity of this job opportunity that very night.

There were no red flags.

Frankly, the job wasn't difficult, but on this planet, people valued self-fulfillment, and no one was willing to waste their time on such tasks.

After some contemplation, Luo Le decided to take on this job.

Despite still pricking himself with needles from time to time, he eventually managed to pick up the pace.

Here, he had no friends or family, but he relished this solitude, finding it more liberating than life in the Empire.

Luo Le gently patted his belly and said with a smile, "Baby, be good and don't be too mischievous."

A gentle nudge seemed to kick against his abdomen, as if responding to his words.

Luo Le lowered his gaze to his belly, feeling a sense of novelty. Was this what a fetal movement felt like?

Contemplating the life growing inside him, connected by blood, a slight curve formed at the corner of his lips.

Perhaps it was divine favor that granted him this little one.