Chapter 90

Chapter 90

Holding a bouquet of flowers, Lu Wei waited aboard the spacecraft for it to arrive at its destination. Some people simply couldn't contain their impatience.

[His Canine Majesty: Not there yet?]

Thirty seconds later:

[His Canine Majesty: Hurry up.]

Two minutes later:

[His Canine Majesty: Next time, we'll establish a direct express route from Emperor Star to Sarter Star.]

The chat was flooded with messages from His Canine Majesty.

He couldn't ignore them; the Earthling replied to each one.

Lu Wei's lips curled into a smile, acknowledging that he was utterly hopeless.

An Earthling, clutching a bouquet, stepped off the starship and headed straight for the Royal City, it was his first time returning since regaining his memories.

Familiar places, familiar sights.

After exchanging greetings with the maid, he received an astonished exclamation.

His Majesty the Dog was already waiting for him.

Upon seeing Lu Wei arrive with flowers in hand, his eyes narrowed.

Lu Wei presented the bouquet, "This is what you give when you're courting."

His Majesty the Dog took the flowers and promptly turned to leave.

Lu Wei asked, "Where are you going?"

Without looking back, His Majesty replied, "To have them framed."

It amused Lu Wei.

His Majesty the Dog was always unreasonable. Not content with criticizing himself, he now demanded that someone preserve the flower perfectly.

Ordinary flowers couldn't be preserved indefinitely, even with interstellar preservation technology which could only extend their lifespan by a few years at most.

Lu Wei flicked his forehead. "Don't cause trouble for working people."

The attendant left in relief.

The dog king complained, "It's too late today."

Lu Wei sat down. "What can I do? I have to take care of your son. With the eldest pup hitting his head like that, how can I just ignore it?"

The dog king chuckled lazily. "Huo Nian would hit his head?"

Lu Wei didn't understand the implications. "Yes, there was blood on his head."

The dog king fell silent again.

It was the fourth day that Lu Wei had brought food to Huo Nian.

The little one would be in the hospital for about a week, so he needed to take care of his daily needs during this period.

Initially, Pang Qiu felt a bit awkward, and their interactions were somewhat stiff. But lately, they had grown more comfortable with each other.

Carrying the meal, Lu Wei pushed open the door to the hospital room.

The little one sat obediently on the bed, the white patient's gown accentuating his pale complexion. The tiny child seemed almost swallowed up by the large bed, nearly hidden beneath the covers.

Lu Wei placed his lunchbox on the table. "I brought vegetable soup and stir-fried dishes today."

The nurse replied, "Your Highness, we provide free nutrient solutions here."

The Earthling thanked the nurse, but after she left, he clicked his tongue. "This stuff only makes the kid lose his appetite even more."

A colorful array of nutrient solutions was displayed on the table.

You have a point, but the kid just gets more listless with each sip.

Particularly the scent of mandarin oranges.

Eternal Rival.

Pang Qiu nodded in agreement, a touch of endearment in his action.

Lu Wei opened the lunch box for the young one, handing him the utensils.

"Are you capable of handling the spoon on your own?"

The child didn't hesitate at all. "No way."

A two-and-a-half-year-old, and he was injured too.

So pitiful.

Lu Wei picked up Pang Qiu and placed him against the headboard, making it convenient for him to feed the little one.

With every bite, the child would look up at him, his eyes shining brightly.

An Earthling accessed the interstellar network and randomly selected a binge-worthy drama.

It seemed to be of a similar genre as the popular dramas on Earth, quite a rural and upbeat one.

A galactic family drama.

Just then, a scene played out where a father abandoned his child at a crossroads.

As Lu Wei watched, he silently ridiculed in his heart that this fellow would abandon his child at a crossing as if he was afraid others wouldn't see it?

However, Little Pang Qiu looked up with a serious expression. "Will babies get abandoned like that?"

Lu Wei replied, "Surely there are parents who want to abandon their children, perhaps because they're unprepared and don't wish to take on the responsibility for them."

The little one's eyes dimmed. "That's so despicable."

Lu Wei supported his chin. "You and Danjiao were also unexpected babies for Dad."

The little one looked at him. "Us too?"

"Well, Dad back then... he didn't expect to get pregnant, anyway."

Lu Wei paused before playfully asking, "Did you know that Dad is an alien?"

The child was somewhat stunned. "From which planet?"

It was the first time the child had heard that Lu Wei was an alien. Even those from the same galaxy wouldn't be considered aliens here. Perhaps Dad's planet was quite far away.

"It's a place you're not familiar with, called Earth."

"Empyrean Sphere?"

"The land beyond the horizon."

Lu Wei took the chubby little hand and wrote that character on it.

"Is it very far?"

"Yes, so far that even Daddy doesn't know where it is right now."

The little one held onto his index finger tightly, as if afraid that he would vanish the moment he let go: "Does Daddy not know how to go back either?"

"I don't know," Lu Wei said, looking down. "If I did, I'd take you all on an interstellar trip."

The little one had been somewhat anxious, but his expression relaxed when he heard that Lu Wei's plans included him.

Recalling the past, Lu Wei continued, "Before Daddy came, I didn't expect to become pregnant, so I was more lost than happy back then."

The little one probed further, "What happened after you found out?"

Lu Wei stroked his forehead. "Daddy thought about it for a long time."

Pang Qiu, the plump little ball, asked, "Was it because you didn't want the baby?"

Lu Wei shook his head. "Daddy was thinking about how to be responsible for the baby and how to be a qualified parent after having you."

The little one listened with interest as his father shared stories from before they were born.

"But we couldn't find a solution, perhaps Mommy and Daddy hadn't fully thought things through before becoming parents," Lu Wei concluded.

The child lifted his head, his eyes holding a maturity beyond his years. "Mm, I understand."

Lu Wei ruffled his hair. "So you can also keep an eye on Dad. We're both new to being family to each other, so we can be open with each other about anything."

Family.

Despite his tousled hair, the child's expression instantly turned sweet.

Lu Wei watched a few episodes of silly stories with Little Fatty Pang. Just as he was about to leave, the child tugged at his sleeve.

"Dad, my head hurts."

Lu Wei was surprised—the child had called him 'Dad'!

His little one seemed so vulnerable; he must be feeling quite wronged.

But Lu Wei was delighted. This indicated that the child was beginning to seek reliance on him emotionally.

Huo Nian's face was a perfect inheritance from the Canine Monarch, his gaze holding great intensity when he looked at someone. Yet, Lu Wei could sense a hint of vulnerability in those eyes.

Lu Wei gently patted the child's head with his backhand, "It's normal to have a headache when you're bleeding."

The little one gazed up at him with wide, beautiful eyes, reflecting his entire image, "Mmm."

The chubby fingers of the toddler clutched tightly onto the fabric of the clothes, as if afraid that he would disappear if he let go.

"I feel dizzy."

His child, whom he had lost for nearly three years, now acted like Lu Danjiao, able to cuddle up to him and be spoiled.

In the blink of an eye, this child he had never taken care of was already three years old.

Lu Wei examined the wound on the little one's head carefully. It was clear that the injury was severe, not just a shallow scratch but one with depth.

It must have been painful for the little one.

But Huo Nian hadn't made a single sound of complaint since the beginning.

"There's a pain-relieving spell for children in my hometown," Lu Wei said.

"Earthly magic?"

Lu Wei nodded seriously and pretended to grasp at the air, waving his hand in front of Little Fatty Pang's forehead before opening his palm.

—He had failed before in front of His Majesty the Dog, who had even laughed at him. But it should work on a two-and-a-half-year-old kid.

The little one blinked. "It doesn't hurt anymore."

The child's response was as if he were comforting Lu Wei, giving him face.

This was something he shared with both His Majesty the Dog and Lu Danjiao.

The three of them, big and small, liked to soothe him.

Feeling defeated, Lu Wei covered his face. "Forget it, you don't have to give me so much face."

The little one seemed to smile, revealing a few pearly white teeth.

Upon seeing this, Lu Wei felt a bit embarrassed and the child quickly hid his smile.

"I'm not lying to you, Dad. It really doesn't hurt anymore."

Lu Wei looked at him with affection.

This child's emotions were less expressive than Lu Danjiao's, and he seemed mature and understanding for his age.

"Tell me how this happened," said Lu Wei, rolling up his sleeves. "Dad will get justice for you!"

The young prince shook his head. "I did it to myself."

As he spoke, he lowered his eyelids, hiding the emotions in his eyes.

It was clear that there was more to the story than he was willing to share.

Lu Wei clenched his fists, the size of sandbags. "No, this is bullying! Child bullying!"

The Earthling flexed his muscles. "Brother's got your back forever. Whatever happens, just tell your old man, and I'll stand up for you!"

The muscle lines on his arms were beautiful, exuding a sense of robust strength – no wonder he called himself a mature Earthling father.

Lu Wei didn't intend to take this opportunity to teach him a lesson; instead, he was fiercely protective and ready to avenge him.

Pang Qiu lifted his face, his eyes shimmering with anticipation.

"But isn't it possible that I was also at fault?"

Lu Wei flexed his arm muscles. "In our family, we don't believe in the idea that it takes two to tango. Our family principle is to protect our own."

A radiant smile spread across Little Pang Qiu's face.

It was clear that he was being coaxed effectively.

After resting with him for a while, Lu Wei received a message.

Without even looking, he knew it was his girlfriend from the Bomb Disposal Department's relentless stream of calls.

The young one stared at him for a moment. "Is it Father again?"

Lu Wei sighed helplessly. "Yes, she's quite clingy."

With his cheeks resting in his hands, the young one seemed lost in thought, his expression rather profound.

"You rest well, buddy. Dad's leaving first."

Little Pang Qiu wanted to say something more, but in the end, he waved goodbye to Lu Wei.

After soothing the youngster, Lu Wei left, planning to find His Majesty the Dog.

Halfway there, he suddenly remembered that he had forgotten his lunchbox, which was still with the little one.

"Damn, lucky I didn't go too far."

It wouldn't take long to turn back now.

The Terran felt a moment of relief before retracing his steps.

Before reaching the room, he heard voices coming from inside.

Curious, Lu Wei peeked inside.

It was the youngster with his back turned to him and another child.

Lu Wei hadn't seen this child before, but judging by the appearance, the kid was also a patient here.

Lu Wei overheard their conversation.

The child seemed rather timid, muttering, "Can anyone still hurt you?"

"You saw it, so just keep quiet obediently."

The expression on the youngster's face was entirely different from when he was around Lu Wei. His gaze was cold, and his tone was indifferent, as if nothing mattered to him.

The child was evidently afraid of him, shrinking his neck and saying, "I, I got it... It was just a coincidence at the hospital, I really did see it accidentally, I promise I won't tell anyone else."

Pang Qiu didn't reveal any particular emotion, simply responding with an "Mm."

Despite this, the child couldn't help but ask softly, "Why would you hurt yourself on purpose?"

Pang Qiu's dark irises shone insistently. "It's none of your business."

The child, intimidated by Pang Qiu's expression, dared not probe further. Closing his eyes, he shook his head. "I'll pretend I saw nothing. I'm leaving..."

The Earthling failed to grasp the implications immediately, experiencing a brief moment of mental stagnation.

It meant...

Had Huo Nian inflicted these injuries on himself?