Chapter Twenty-Seven: A Promise Six Months Hence

Chapter 27: A Promise Six Months Hence

"Did he send you to find me?"

Huo Fei frowned as he regarded the somewhat tense young man before him, tapping his pen against the desk.

Luo Le looked down at his toes and nodded, "Mm-hmm."

"Really? Then why didn't he mention it to me?"

Luo Le was taken aback. Had Huo Lanjing not informed her? Did he forget, or... did he want to embarrass her?

"Alright, let me ask. Just wait a moment."

Huo Fei glanced at Luo Le, who didn't dare to meet her gaze, then got up and entered the lounge.

Before he came in, she had seen him at the Luo residence.

Back then, Luo Le was arguing with her father and smashing things around the house. At that time, she hadn't formed a favorable impression of Luo Le.

Yet, due to the fact that their marriage was arranged by their elders, she had no choice but to accept it.

Oddly enough, she had yet to witness his arrogant side.

Huo Fei confirmed this and stepped out, "I'll handle this matter."

Her tone was commanding.

Luo Le didn't mind, standing up to bow respectfully towards her. "Thank you, Sister. That would be a great help."

Looking at his submissive gesture, Huo Fei found it displeasing to the eye.

"However, there's something I need to remind you about."

Luo Le tilted her head slightly. "Please go on."

"Since you've now entered the Huo family, I hope you won't just think about the Luo family, but also consider our Huo family."

Luo Le pressed her lips together and nodded, "I understand."

How could he not understand Huo Fei's implications? If possible, he didn't want to help Luo Lu...

As the evening lights flickered on, Luozhai was bustling with voices.

Luo Le swirled the red wine in his glass. At the center of the banquet, Luo Lu was accompanying Luo Zhining as they socialized with notable figures in the industry.

He scoffed and drained the glass in one gulp.

Luo Zhining had just turned eighteen, yet Luo Lu was already eager to pave the way for him. He truly was a responsible and caring father.

Throughout the event, many came to toast Luo Le. He sipped from their glasses if he found them amiable, but outright refused those he didn't.

With the title of a General's wife, no one dared to comment on his behavior.

After a few rounds, his face flushed from the alcohol, and his head spun slightly.

Luo Le set down his glass, ignoring the person who had approached him, and headed straight for the stairs.

Ascending to the third floor along the staircase, he made his way to the innermost room.

Luo Le turned the doorknob, and as he pushed the door open, an odd scent mixed with dust wafted in.

He took the handkerchief from his chest and covered his mouth before entering.

The bed was piled high with miscellaneous items, while several boxes of books were scattered on the floor, all covered in a thick layer of dust.

This was the smallest room in Luozhai, and until his marriage, it had been his personal space.

Inside, there was only a table, a bed, and a chair – that was it. The one redeeming feature was a small balcony.

Outwardly, all said Luo Le was spoiled, indulged to no end.

On the surface, Luo Lu doted on Luo Le, as did the mother and son. But little did anyone know that whenever Luo Le embarrassed Luo Lu in public, he would be hanged on the wall and whipped at home.

Each time, he was beaten until his blood dripped, and the Luo family's servants would depend on the matriarch and her son's mood to decide whether to serve him food or not.

Yet, they were well aware of his temperament; it was best not to provoke him when he was riled up.

Such episodes typically last for two weeks.

In the moonlight, Luo Le spotted the familiar small bed, staring at it blankly for a moment. Suddenly, his gaze fell upon a familiar chest.

He slipped through the crack in the chest and pulled out the book on top, brushing away the dust that had settled on its cover. He then opened it.

The dust tickled his nose, causing him to sneeze involuntarily.

When he flipped to the familiar page, his index finger and ring finger brushed against the words.

The Empire's Youngest Admiral—

This was Huo Lanjing's first interview in a magazine, a text-only conversation due to security concerns – his face could not be photographed.

It was shortly after Luo Le had first met Huo Lanjing. That day, he had dressed very inconspicuously, fearful of being recognized.

Upon receiving the magazine, he had been like a lovesick teenager, treating it like a precious treasure. He had taken it home, shut the door, and started reading.

Unfortunately, there were only a few brief segments about Huo Lanjing.

After that, Luo Le seemed to have unlocked a new world, collecting magazines from all around that mentioned Huo Lanjing.

On the day Luo Le moved out, he had an argument with Luo Lu and left in a hurry, never returning since.

Lifting his sleeve carefully, Luo Le carried the box of books to the doorstep.

After completing this task, Luo Le's gaze finally fell upon the table where a small box rested, accompanied by a memorial tablet.

He approached, standing the tablet upright. Gazing at the thick layer of dust on the tabletop, he then turned and entered the bathroom. A while later, he emerged carrying a basin of water.

Unfolding a cloth, he began wiping from the table, starting his cleaning.

"Mom, you always loved cleanliness. Let me tidy up for you."

After a long silence, he continued, "Mom, I'm back. I'm sorry, it's your child's fault for taking so long to come back."

"I've been listening to your words. I wonder how you're doing over there... Do you miss me? Never mind, it's better if you forget about me."

After all, any memories involving him would only bring pain to his mother.

Luo Le smiled bitterly, avoiding eye contact with the small black box.

The union between the Luo and Gu families was once a tale of beauty, but fate had other plans.

Not long after Gu Yin married Luo Lu, the Gu family fell apart. Unable to withstand the blow, her parents took their own lives by jumping from a building.

The collaboration between the two families crumbled as well.

Gu Yin had never been in love or had any romantic interests before marrying Luo Lu. His charming looks and sweet words had captivated her deeply.

Little did she know, Luo Lu was far from an honorable man.

Soon after the Gu family's bankruptcy was announced, his true nature surfaced. He accused her of being a curse and physically abused her.

Eventually, he began spending nights away from home, with a different person reported by the media each day.

Gu Yin grew up in a wealthy family, blessed with good looks and shielded from any hardships. The sudden turn of events proved too much for her, leading to unstable mental health.

It was during this vulnerable time that she discovered she was carrying Luo Le.

Gu Yin, filled with affection, decided to carry the pregnancy to term. Fortunately, she remained relatively stable mentally throughout the pregnancy.

After Luo Le's birth, Gu Yin would alternate between moments of clarity and madness. Luo Le, from a young age, learned to speak softly, fearful of provoking her mother's episodes.

On one occasion, Gu Yin bit Luo Lu. In response, Luo Lu confined both Gu Yin and Luo Le in a mental institution.

Despite her madness, Gu Yin raised Luo Le with care. Occasionally, however, she would confuse him for Luo Lu, directing her frustrations onto him.

Otherwise, Luo Le managed to live a decent life.

In a fit of rage, Gu Yin once nearly strangled Luo Le. Following that incident, Luo Lu brought him back to Luozhai.

Upon his return, Luo Le discovered that Luo Lu had remarried.

He felt indignant on his mother's behalf, wishing he could teach him a lesson, but he was just a child. All he could do was add salt to the tea and disturb Luo Lu's rest in the middle of the night.

Back then, Luo Le had imagined that when he grew up, he would move out and bring his mother back home.

He couldn't cure her, but he wanted to ensure she spent her remaining years in comfort.

But misfortune seems to follow those already plagued by it.

For some reason, Gu Yin managed to escape from the mental hospital that day.

Upon returning, she discovered that the house now had a new female occupant.

In a fit of rage, Gu Yin smashed everything in the room before retreating to hide in one of them.

Luo Lu couldn't be bothered with her and simply instructed the servants to lock her inside.

A month later, Gu Yin suddenly regained her clarity. She took Luo Le to an amusement park, and it became the happiest day of his life. He was dressed like a little prince, with his mother holding his hand.

He rode roller coasters, carousels, Ferris wheels... He bought balloons and dolls, indulging in every available amusement until exhaustion overtook him and he fell asleep.

When Luo Le woke up, he was already back home, still dressed in his neat and tidy attire.

But his mother was no longer there; he... no longer had a mother.

Gu Yin left him a letter, asking him not to hate Luo Lu. She confessed that her life had ended up this way due to her own mistakes, and begged him not to seek revenge. She didn't want their relationship as father and son to be strained because of her. If he truly couldn't help but harbor resentment, she requested that he wait at least eighteen years before leaving, and when he did, to take her ashes with him.

Luo Le meticulously wiped the table and box clean, then covered them with a protective cover. "Mom, forget about him. He's just a heartless man. It's time for you to start anew."

He walked over to pick up the box by the door, took a step, and then slowly turned back around. "Mom, I'll come for you in six months. Wait for me."

With that, he left without looking back.

In the bathroom, Luo Le wiped away the dust on his face and clothes, then found a clean box to pack his books before descending the stairs.

As he made his way down, Luo Lu appeared on the staircase, grabbing hold of him. "Didn't I tell you to stay put?"

Luo Le pushed his hand away with disdain, saying, "Your precious son has already shown his face to quite a few people. Isn't that enough?"

"Lots of people? What do they count for? The Qins and the Wangs haven't even arrived yet. Get back where you belong. What's that you're holding?"

Luo Lu reached out to take it.

Luo Le stepped down a stair to avoid him and sneered, "Don't worry, I'm taking my own belongings, not anything from your Luo family."

"What nonsense are you spouting? What's mine and your Luo family? Don't you bear the surname Luo?"

Luo Le shot back, "Then give me the Luo family?"

A crack appeared on Luo Lu's expression.

Finally relieved from his vexation, Luo Le continued downstairs.

Upon reaching the bottom, he headed straight for the door. Seeing this, Luo Lu rushed over to grab him, "Where are you going?"

Luo Le turned and gave him a cold glance, "Do you really think the Qins or the Wangs would come for me? You overestimate me. Let go."

"How do you know they won't come?"

Luo Le didn't want to engage him and pulled free from his grip on his sleeve.

Luo Lu: "You dare leave?!"

"Ho Miss is waiting for me at the Ho residence. Are you trying to stop me?"

At the mention of this, Luo Lu deflated and didn't dare say another word, allowing him to depart freely.

The bystanders, who had witnessed the entire exchange, kept quiet and pretended not to have seen anything.

Still, this eldest son of the Luo family had quite the temper.

He had been indifferent to them during the toast earlier, and now he was even ignoring his own father's words.

It must be because Luo Lu had spoiled him too much in daily life.

But when they thought about Luo Le's mother, they could understand why Luo Lu might be overly indulgent.

Back then, Luo Le couldn't have helped but hate Luo Lu. Now that he was married to Huo Lanjing, Luo Lu would be more than eager to please him, so how could he not indulge him?

-

In the following days, Luo Le locked himself in his small workshop.

He repaired the mecha with its original outer shell materials and installed a new power system. Up until that point, there were no issues with the mecha. However, after replacing the chip, he found himself unable to access it.

It was then that Luo Le realized it had been the chip all along.

There was a code and a symbol on the chip. The symbol indicated... that the chip had been made by Teacher Tang.

So someone else had encountered the same problem as him?

After a moment's pause, Luo Le sent the chip's serial number to Captain Lin, asking if he could look into it.

Yet, after waiting for what felt like an eternity, there was still no reply from the other end.