Chapter 60: Injured

Chapter 60: Injured

At this thought, Huo Lanjing felt a bit annoyed. Luo Le was joking around with his own health.

There were only the two of them in the elevator. Luo Le decided to ignore whatever Huo Lanjing might say and would get off one floor down if the man made any physical advances.

In the end, Huo Lanjing didn't utter a single word to him throughout the ride.

Confused, Luo Le glanced at him sidelong. Had he changed his personality?

Huo Lanjing only turned back and drove away after watching Luo Le enter the old lady's house.

After that day, a week had passed without Huo Lanjing bothering him again.

It was very strange. This wasn't like Huo Lanjing's usual behavior.

How could he give up so easily?

But then again, who cared? It was better this way. Luo Le wouldn't have to bother dealing with him anymore.

Today was the day for the prenatal checkup. Luo Le, as usual, packed up and headed out.

The weather was colder than last time, with snowflakes swirling in the sky.

Upon reaching the hospital entrance, Luo Le couldn't resist leaning against a tree to vomit.

The smell in the car still nauseated him.

Relieved that no one seemed to have noticed his episode, Luo Le caught his breath.

Everything proceeded as it had before. In the clinic, the doctor put down whatever was in hand and looked up, saying, "Take a seat."

The tone wasn't as eager as it had been previously.

Luo Le walked over, sat down, and handed the notebook over.

"Alright, put your belongings aside and lie down. I'll examine you."

"Okay."

Twenty minutes later, the doctor had the examination results.

Not long after Luo Le sat down, a piece of paper was slid in front of her. On it was a blurry image that already vaguely showed features – it was Chen Chen. That mouth was identical to Huo Lanjing's.

Luo Le gently touched her belly, relieved that the baby at least resembled him a bit; otherwise, she would have been devastated.

"The indicators are better than last time, but your nutrition is still lacking. Have you been taking the nutrient supplements regularly?"

"I've finished a whole box already."

"Good, keep taking them. From now on, come back every two weeks. At 27 weeks... yes, in another 13 weeks, our little one will be here. Have you given any thought to what we discussed last time?"

Should they go to the Empire?

Luo Le pursed her lips. "I'll think about it more."

"Alright, make up your mind by the next visit. Otherwise, you won't be able to use our hospital's facilities."

"I understand, thank you, Doctor."

Exiting the clinic, Luo Le felt a weight on his heart.

Without money, he could go nowhere.

He never imagined that there would come a day when he'd be so troubled by financial issues.

Upon reaching the hospital entrance, the corner of his eye caught sight of someone seated on a chair. Despite the cold weather, the person was clad in a dirty, thin garment, with a white shirt rolled up to reveal a crimson stain at the sleeve. Their hands were wrapped up like pig's trotters, and their leg was encased in a plaster cast.

Luo Le would recognize that face even if it were reduced to ashes—it was none other than Huo Lanjing.

He appeared like an abandoned puppy, looking lostly ahead with confusion.

What happened to Huo Lanjing? Should he go over and inquire?

Luo Le took a step towards him but then hesitated.

If he asked and ended up being implicated, what would he do?

With this thought, Luo Le lowered the brim of his hat and changed direction.

Huo Lanjing, using his uninjured hand, leaned against the wall and slowly stood up, hopping along with his crutch.

After just a few steps, he suddenly noticed a pair of shoes in front of him. As he looked up, he recognized the person and his eyes lit up.

"Le Le."

Luo Le touched the mask on his face and asked indifferently, "What happened to you?"

Huo Lanjing paused, "I... Oh, I accidentally slipped and fell."

How could one fall so badly?

Since he didn't want to talk about it, there was no point in pressing further.

"Oh," Luo Le said before turning to leave.

Huo Lanjing hurriedly hopped towards Luo Le's direction, "Wait."

"Is there something you need?"

Luo Le paused but didn't turn around.

Huo Lanjing stepped in front of Luo Le and lifted his head, adopting an attitude of resignation. "I... got mugged, and my AI is malfunctioning. Can you help me get in touch with Uncle Wang?"

Got mugged?

Luo Le furrowed his brow, looking at the man towering over him with skepticism on his face.

Huo Lanjing? Robbed?

Noticing Luo Le's gaze, Huo Lanjing shifted his eyes awkwardly and cleared his throat. "I underestimated them."

Luo Le's AI had been deactivated the moment he was declared dead. The only reason he could communicate with Wind City was due to an implanted program.

Thus, he could only convey messages through contacting Wind City, but he had been unable to reach it these past few days.

Suddenly, Luo Le had an idea.

"You're from the Empire. Why don't you contact the 423 Planet Military District?"

"They only recognize IDs. My AI brain is damaged, so I can't display my identity information."

He had indeed overlooked that fact.

Luo Le lowered his head in thought, then looked up at him and patted his pocket.

"Where do you live?"

Huo Lanjing replied, "Emperor Xuan Pavilion."

Luo Le asked, "Until when?"

Huo Lanjing answered, "Two o'clock this afternoon."

The Emperor Xuan Pavilion Hotel - the best five-star hotel in the area.

Huo Lanjing truly lived up to his reputation for only staying in the finest accommodations and using the best amenities, no matter where he was.

He couldn't afford to extend his stay.

In truth, he could have simply turned around and left. However, he couldn't reconcile himself to doing so.

It wasn't because the person was Huo Lanjing, but rather due to the man's circumstances.

Even if it had been a stranger, Luo Le wouldn't have been able to ignore the situation.

Moreover, whether he wanted to acknowledge it or not, the child in his belly was also a part of this person.

After a moment's deliberation, he sighed. "I'll have Wind City convey the message. Before you get in touch with him, you should change hotels. I'll lend you the money for now."

"No need."

Luo Le knew that the man was too proud to accept his money.

"It's not a free loan. The interest is 60% of the principal. You'll have to repay me with both principal and interest when the time comes."

Huo Lanjing still shook his head. "I... can't sleep in other hotels."

Luo Le was speechless. He truly was a young master, so hard to please, still picky even at a time like this.

That hotel room cost ten thousand a day; there was no way they could afford to extend their stay.

"Hmm, you have two options now. One, my place, same price as the hotel. Two, the streets, for free."

Huo Lanjing paused, "I choose one."

"Alright then."

With that, Luo Le turned and left, with Huo Lanjing following closely behind.

As they reached the door, Huo Lanjing, dressed in thin clothing, felt the chill and couldn't help but sneeze from the cold.

Luo Le heard the sound and turned back. Seeing him shivering yet standing stiffly with no change in his expression except for a slightly reddened nose, Luo Le's lips twitched.

He pulled out a small blanket from his bag and offered it, "A thousand."

Upon hearing the price, Huo Lanjing didn't hesitate and took the blanket, draping it over himself.

Thus, Luo Le brought Huo Lanjing back home.

Looking at the limping figure, Luo Le suddenly regretted bringing him along.

Was she out of her mind, bringing someone back to add to her troubles?

But then again, a thousand dollars per night wasn't a bad deal.

"Three rules: First, you're not allowed in this room without my permission. Second, if I don't initiate conversation, you're not to bother me. Third, I'll think of more rules if needed, and inform you then."

Seated on the sofa with a cushion in hand, Luo Le looked at him solemnly.

Without hesitation, Huo Lanjing agreed.

"Am... I sleeping here?"

"Yes. If you want the inner room, it'll cost extra, extra..."

"That's fine."

On this couch, he couldn't even stretch his legs. He readily agreed without hesitation.

Luo Le smiled, delighted to have found a willing victim. Once Uncle Wang came to pick up Huo Lanjing, he would head to the Second Planet.

The Second Planet was quite close to the Empire, and the medical facilities there were not vastly different. Besides, the cost wouldn't be excessively high – it was a perfect fit.

"Alright, go in and rest."

As Huo Lanjing finished speaking, his stomach chose an inconvenient moment to rumble.

Luo Le pursed his lips. "Five thousand credits for a meal. Do you want it or not?"

"Eat."

He was decisive, and Luo Le promptly entered the kitchen with equal enthusiasm.

The moment he left, Huo Lanjing set his crutches aside and gingerly sat down with his plastered leg.

All signs of his previous illness had vanished.

The house, though old and worn, was tidily arranged with warm-hued curtains and sofa covers.

It screamed Luo Le's style.

Their matrimonial home had initially been decorated in this palette too, but he had disliked it and even thrown a tantrum over it.

Since then, the house had reverted to a black and white theme.

Recalling this, he couldn't help but mutter a curse under his breath.

The sounds of washing vegetables and slicing meat drifted from the kitchen, a pleasant symphony to the ears.

Huo Lanjing lingered for a moment before making his way to the kitchen with his cane.

He leaned against the corner and peered inside.

Luo Le deftly transferred all the meat from the cutting board into a clay pot before covering it up.

Then, she began chopping the second dish. Afterward, she poured oil into the pan, waited for it to heat up, and then swiftly tossed in the vegetables with both hands.

Sizzling, the damp vegetables met the hot oil, causing it to splatter onto Luo Le's wrist. He instinctively jerked back, his body swaying unsteadily.

Huo Lanjing watched in alarm, ready to rush over to help, but Luo Le regained his balance the next moment.

Relieved, Huo Lanjing returned to his original position.

After stir-frying for a while, Luo Le transferred the dish to a plate.

Huo Lanjing began to understand why Luo Le was malnourished.

Amused yet also sympathetic, he realized that Luo Le must have had a tough time lately.

The eldest son of the Luos, who had come to this backward place with no robots or servants, had gone from being ignorant about basic necessities to now cooking edible meals.

It was unclear what kind of conviction had sustained him through such a stark contrast in lifestyle.

Luo Le suddenly turned around, leaving Huo Lanjing in a fluster as he hastily propped up his cane, returning to his previous posture.

"What are you doing here?"

Huo Lanjing pressed his lips together. "Nothing."

Was he afraid that Luo Le would poison him?

Luo Le snorted coldly. He wished he could.

"Eat if you want. Five thousand for a meal, no negotiations."

Huo Lanjing shook his head. "I'll eat."

It wasn't some bone broth or anything; it was just a regular meat soup that took only about ten minutes to cook.

Luo Le served the food into bowls and placed them on the dining table, along with a soup.

"Dig in."

Huo Lanjing nodded and picked up his chopsticks to taste a piece of meat. He looked up at Luo Le and said, "It tastes great."

Did he really think that Luo Le couldn't tell he was being polite?

"Oh," Luo Le replied perfunctorily.

"How did you get that cut on your hand? Was it from a knife?"

Huo Lanjing nearly choked when he heard this unexpected question.

"No, it's just... a small bump," he replied.

"Oh," Luo Le responded, not pressing the matter further.

After dinner, Luo Le retreated to his room with a bag in hand.

He still had work to do, but he didn't want Huo Lanjing to witness him working.

Huo Lanjing gazed at the closed door before turning his head to the sewing machine nearby.

Was Luo Le starting work now?

A once-talented mecha engineer was now engaged in tailoring clothes.

All this...was because of him.

If not for him, Luo Le would be in a laboratory doing what she loved, leisurely strolling through malls to purchase her favorite items.

Instead, she was now pregnant and taking care of herself, sewing clothes to make ends meet while carrying a significant pregnancy.

Huo Lanjing's expression darkened further. Clenching his fists, he was unaware that his nails had dug into his flesh.