Chapter 33: What Do I Want? What Can You Let Me Do?

Chapter 33: What Do I Want? What Can You Let Me Do?

The man took a glance and then looked at him. "Luo Le, right? Nice to meet you. My name is Yu Bing. We'll be working together from now on. Please guide me."

Luo Le shook his hand.

After the pleasantries, Yu Bing said, "Follow me," then turned left.

Luo Le acknowledged and followed.

Inside the mecha building were white floors, white walls, and a white ceiling. Display cabinets lined both sides, showcasing mechas.

It felt somewhat desolate.

A few minutes later, Luo Le stood in front of a lab door, which was open. Three people were rushing about inside.

He saw Yu Bing with his arms crossed, sternly asking, "What are you doing? Are you going to dismantle the place?"

One of the men, wearing black-rimmed glasses, approached, out of breath.

"Professor Yu, the general will be arriving shortly. We've been given only ten minutes to showcase the new mechas. But with so many, how could that possibly be enough?"

Yu Bing frowned. "Don't panic, Luo Le. Come help me. Follow me."

Luo Le acknowledged and followed him into a room filled with machinery.

"You'll push out the mechas in the sequence listed on the chart. They'll take it from there."

Luo Le nodded. "Understood."

This was similar to the operation he experienced during an earlier mecha exhibition guided by his mentor.

Yu Bing cast a skeptical glance. "Are you sure you can handle it?"

Luo Le answered truthfully, "Yes, I can."

It was identical to the setup at the previous exhibition.

"Alright, come find me if you have any issues," Yu Bing said, then placed a brief hand on Luo Le's wrist before hurrying off.

Luo Le retracted his gaze and sat down, observing the busy figures on the surveillance screen. He pulled up a document and started working as well.

Why was Huo Lanjing here? From what they just said, it seemed he was looking at mechas. Could it be that Lone Wolf was damaged?

Lost in thought, Luo Le continued filling out the form.

Eight minutes later, Yu Bing returned.

He took the document on Luo Le's right side and asked, "Shall we head over together?"

Luo Le shook his head. "No, I'll wait for you here."

For now, he couldn't meet Huo Lanjing.

Yu Bing didn't insist. He checked the time and left with long strides.

Luo Le sat back down but didn't stay seated for long. He got up again, striding briskly to catch up.

As he approached the atrium, he heard Yu Bing's voice.

"{Luo Le} cautiously peeks from the corner as {Huo Lanjing}, with a stern expression, studies the mecha's profile displayed on the holographic screen, seemingly comparing his options.

"If you're not fond of this one, we also have this model..."

{Yu Bing} shifts to another display and proceeds to showcase the next option.

Is the Wolf Warrior truly beyond repair?

On the surface, {Huo Lanjing} appears aloof but he's deeply nostalgic. He had a small robot that accompanied him from childhood to adulthood, undergoing numerous repairs throughout its service.

Even after it was irreparably damaged, {Huo Lanjing} still kept the little robot in a corner of his home.

No matter how excellent the Wolf Warrior is, prolonged use will inevitably wear down its components, especially with such frequent utilization.

If every part were replaced, it would no longer be the Wolf Warrior.

Yet, he knows that {Huo Lanjing} would persist in using it regardless. "

Huo Lanjing, however, is here to inspect the mechas. Could it be that the Wolf Warrior truly can't be repaired?

If that's the case, then Huo Lanjing must have had a tough battle on the Ninth Planet. Was he injured?

Luo Le stared fixedly at Huo Lanjing, barely managing to restrain herself from rushing over.

Suddenly, Huo Lanjing turned his head, and Luo Le hastily retreated to her left.

Huo Lanjing's gaze, sharp as an eagle's, locked onto Luo Le's position. He lowered his eyes in thought before turning to approach her.

With his back against the wall, Luo Le's heart pounded as if it might burst out of his chest. Could it be that Huo Lanjing hadn't seen him? What if he was discovered? Maybe he should just leave.

Still grappling with his thoughts, Luo Le suddenly heard a gentle voice, "General, what are you looking at?"

All movement ceased, and Luo Le felt as if he were frozen in an ice chamber, with a roaring noise echoing in his ears.

It turned out that Huo Lanjing wasn't here to view the mechas on his own initiative, but rather to accompany Chen Wuxing.

In the past, Luo Le had also pleaded with Huo Lanjing to watch mechas together, but he was told it was a waste of time.

So, what are we doing now?

Or is it a waste of time just to be with him?

Luo Le heard Huo Lanjing say, "What do you think?"

It wasn't his usual coldness, nor was it impatience.

Suddenly, Luo Le's heart was pierced, and something rushed out, flooding upward. Her eyes burned with warmth.

That gentle voice rang out again, tinged with amusement, "No, I heard that there will be another batch coming out the day after tomorrow. Let's come back and see then."

Huo Lanjing replied, "Mm."

"Then let's go. Oh, right, take your clothes with you."

Clothes? What clothes?

Luo Le's mind went blank as she returned to her original spot.

In Chen Wuxing's hand was a deep blue coat, which he unfolded with a smile, draping it over Huo Lanjing's shoulders.

Neither of them found this unusual; it seemed like a common occurrence that had happened numerous times before.

Despite their long marriage, Luo Le had never offered to put a coat on Huo Lanjing. Compared to him, Chen Wuxing appeared more like Huo Lanjing's spouse.

Luo Le's hand on the wall gradually clenched, his gaze fixed on the receding silhouettes of the two in the distance.

He leaned against the wall and looked up at the pristine ceiling, his eyes hollow.

A faint curve formed at the corners of Luo Le's mouth. So, this was why Huo Lanjing didn't come back.

When did it start between them? Right after they got married? Or was it much earlier?

Could it be that Huo Lanjing had been forced into marrying him due to family pressure, deliberately ignoring him in hopes that Luo Le would initiate a divorce, allowing him to spend his life with Chen Wuxing?

Their love truly seemed unbreakable.

Luo Le gripped the fabric of his shirt over his left chest, feeling a sharp pain—like being pricked by a needle.

So... what was his status here, and what was the point of all this?

Luo Le rubbed his cheeks and took a deep breath before retracing his steps.

Yu Bing would still need to guide him through his work later.

-

That night, after Huo Lanjing finished his evening routine, he returned to his study. Just as he sat down, a sudden rush of sound erupted.

Without even looking, Huo Lanjing knew it was Luo Le. It was the unique ringtone that Luo Le had set for himself.

He hadn't changed it because he knew Luo Le would throw a tantrum if he did.

When the second ringtone sounded, Huo Lanjing lazily answered the call.

On the light screen, Luo Le's background appeared somewhat dim.

"Is something up?"

Listening to the impatient tone, Luo Le recalled Huo Lanjing's words from that morning, and her lips twitched unconsciously.

Huo Lanjing, not hearing a response for a long while, shifted his gaze and dismissed her, focusing on his documents as if she wasn't there.

He didn't hang up because he knew Luo Le would call back.

Staring at the image of the grand entrance on the screen, Luo Le felt somewhat dazed.

"Luo Le."

No reply came.

"Huo Lanjing!"

"Uh-huh."

"What were you doing this morning?"

"Busy."

Did Luo Le seek him out this morning?

Luo Le scoffed coldly. "Busy with what?"

Huo Lanjing gazed at the pile of non-sensitive documents he had brought back to deal with. What else could he be busy with?

He remained silent.

All the pent-up emotions within Luo Le erupted. "Huo Lanjing, I'm talking to you. Can't you show me some respect? I am your wife."

Why did she always speak to him in this manner while she was so gentle with Chen Wuxing?

She was, after all, his rightful and legitimate wife.

Huo Lanjing lifted his hand in confusion upon hearing her words, only to see Luo Le's reddened eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks, drop by drop.

Huo Lanjing paused. He had only ignored her, and yet she was crying? How delicate she was.

He halted his actions.

Luo Le asked straightforwardly, "When did you meet Chen Wuxing?"

Huo Lanjing glanced at him indifferently. "What do you want?"

Under the solitary streetlight, Luo Le's silhouette stretched long on the empty road.

Suddenly, Luo Le laughed, tears falling with his laughter. "What do I want, Huo Lanjing? What do you think I can do, what would you let me do?"

Frowning, Huo Lanjing studied the dark background on the screen where Luo Le stood. A hunch told him that Luo Le had been drinking. He asked, "You've been drinking?"

With emphasis, Luo Le repeated, "Answer me. When did you two meet?"

Looking at Luo Le's expression, Huo Lanjing replied almost involuntarily, "Seven years ago. Is that what you wanted to know?"

Seven years ago, before their wedding...

Luo Le felt all his strength drain away. He had already guessed it, so why ask now?

Given Luo Le's temperament, he should have relentlessly probed for answers, demanding why Huo Lanjing treated him this way. Yet, inexplicably, he didn't.

He merely curved his lips slightly and softly replied, "Yes, thank you for telling me."

Luo Le hung up without further ado and then switched off his AI device.

What should he do next? He wasn't sure; he needed to think it over.

On the other end, Huo Lanjing listened to the busy tone, feeling stifled as he recalled Luo Le's demeanor.

He tried calling again, but it didn't go through.

Impatiently, he dialed another number.

"Something up?"

"Huo Fei, can you help me find Luo Le?"

Huo Fei pretended to be annoyed. "Do I owe you something? You two had a fight, and now you want me to find him?"

"He's drunk and outside."

Huo Fei's expression shifted slightly. "Alright, I'll go look for him."

Next to the hovering chair, there were over a dozen empty beer cans scattered about, with two more packs still on the seat.

Luo Le lounged back in the armchair, holding a can in his right hand. With a flick of his index finger, he tilted his head back and took a swig, then shook the can.

The more he drank, the more alert he felt.

Frustrated, Luo Le tossed the beer can into the trash, glanced up at the sky, and got up to clean up the mess.

He straightened his clothes, rinsed his mouth, and turned to head back to the dorm.

Yang Liqing, having finished his own grooming, didn't see Luo Le return. It was already past curfew.

Luo Le still wasn't back, and attempts to reach him through his smart brain failed. Could something have happened?

"A hand, please," came a deliberately muffled voice from the window.

Yang Liqing walked over to find Luo Le clinging to the windowsill with one hand, his feet balanced precariously on a narrow ledge.

He panicked, gripping Luo Le tightly and pulling him inside. "Are you crazy? How high is this?"

As Luo Le entered, a faint scent of alcohol mixed with his cologne wafted over.

Yang Liqing frowned. "You've been drinking?"

"I had a bit, but I'm not drunk. I'll soak for a while longer inside; once the smell is gone, I'll come out. You go ahead and sleep."

Yang Liqing sighed. "Is that the issue? You really are..." Suddenly, he noticed the redness around Luo Le's eyes. "You... forget it. Just go take a shower."

"Alright."

Luo Le placed his shoes by the shoe cabinet and, after finding his pajamas, headed into the bathroom.

Yang Liqing gazed at Luo Le's retreating figure and, for some reason, sensed a hint of loneliness in him.

The next day, Huo Lanjing hadn't slept well. When he woke up, he saw a message from Huo Fei.

After searching all night, she couldn't find him. She'd asked the school, and they said he had taken a leave of absence.

Not that I'm saying this, but how did you provoke him? Give him some leeway, after all, he is your man.

Huo Lanjing's face grew increasingly grim as he read through the messages.