Chapter 92

Chapter 92

Lu Danjiao returned from his scavenging trip.

With joy, he informed Lu Wei that everything was settled at the research institute and they just needed to finalize the connection back at the Emperor Star headquarters.

"Daddy, I missed you so much!"

Upon his return, Lu Danjiao sought a hug and bounced around, asking Lu Wei to take him out to play.

Lu Wei explained the situation with Huo Nian's hospitalization, and they both went to visit their eldest child in the hospital.

Detective Lu Danjiao was on high alert. "Agent 2 is actually injured?"

The young prince, lying in bed, smiled and nodded gently.

Lu Danjiao rubbed his cheeks. "…Alright then."

The two little ones shared a silent understanding, exchanging a glance before looking away quietly.

The remaining days saw Lu Wei solely taking care of the two children.

Of course, there was still a ticking time bomb back on Emperor Star.

Lu Wei had the illusion of being the only adult responsible for three kids.

Huo Nian's hospital stay wouldn't last long. When the young prince recovered, Lu Danjiao rested his chin in his hands and said, "Daddy, can we not go back to Emperor Star for now?"

Looking up, Lu Wei asked, "Then where do you want to go?"

Lu Danjiao gestured, "Anywhere but Emperor Star. We can take a round trip through space first, no need to rush back there."

The most crucial point, however, Lu Danjiao kept to himself.

They didn't want to return to Emperor Star to avoid encountering the devil!

Otherwise, once they went back, they might never be able to leave again. The devil surely wouldn't let them spend time alone with their father.

Lu Danjiao continued to coax, "Please, Daddy, let's go play on another planet first, okay?"

The Terran clicked his tongue, not immediately agreeing.

Sure, they could go, but the problem was that clingy and twisted creature at home. He'd bombard them with endless calls, and if he found out that they had left their two "offspring" behind to have fun, he would probably be overwhelmed with jealousy.

"Hmm..."

Huo Nian suggested, "There's a nearby Garden Planet that's said to have very rare crops. Every year, many specialized exploration teams visit."

This piqued Lu Wei's interest. "New crops?"

Little Fat Ball No. 2: "Some have unique flavors, some are perfect for cooking, and there are also extremely rare and hard-to-find varieties."

New crops equaled new ingredients and recipes, and potentially a new business opportunity!

Lu Wei's eyes lit up. "That makes sense. We can check out that Garden Planet first. But..."

He was worried about His Majesty the Jealous Dog.

Huo Nian: "I want to go too."

When the young one spoke earnestly, his gaze was intensely focused on the person he was addressing.

Lu Wei's heart stirred; this was the first time the elder child had made a request of him.

He couldn't bear to refuse.

"Alright, let's go take a look."

The two youngsters exchanged a glance, both wearing sweet smiles.

It was unclear how many spies the Canine Sovereign had placed among them, but by that very afternoon, he was well-informed of their plans.

He was furious enough to turn into a black-eyed octopus on the spot.

Attendant: "Your Majesty?"

To them, the Sovereign's temper had been much improved lately; it was rare to see him this enraged.

Huo Jin's eyes were dark and profound. "Nothing, just ran into two little sly ones."

Servant: ???

Little Green Tea?

Who's this Little Green Tea?

Meanwhile, Lu Wei had just boarded the Starship when he received a message from His Doggy Majesty.

[His Doggy Majesty: You can't go!]

Soon, an emoji was sent over, depicting an octopus with angry black eyes.

Lu Wei saved the emoji in his collection.

[It looks just like you.]

[His Doggy Majesty: You can't go unless you take me with you.]

[But aren't you still busy with something?]

Huo Jin sneered.

Those two kids must have timed their conversation just right.

At such a young age, they were already so cunning.

Lu Wei took his two children and turned back towards the Garden Star.

The Garden Star was equidistant from both the Sart Planet and Emperor Star, a simple spaceship journey away.

As soon as Lu Wei stepped onto the spaceship, he could feel all eyes on him.

His attire was the most distinctive among everyone on board, and most of the attention was focused on his clothes.

Lu Wei wore his favorite vest, openly showcasing his physique. A father dressed so provocatively holding hands with two identical toddlers was indeed eye-catching.

After they sat down, an elderly lady across from them struck up a conversation: "You already have two more kids at such a young age? You look so youthful."

Lu Wei scratched his head. "Yes, these two are my children."

Two small children sat on either side of him, resembling two fluffy snowballs. They were roughly the same size and had similar appearances; at first glance, they seemed like carbon copies of each other.

"The both of you look to be in your twenties, yet you already have two kids," the elderly lady remarked.

The two youngsters were visibly intelligent and didn't cause a ruckus as some young children might upon boarding the vehicle.

The old lady seemed quite interested in them, constantly asking questions.

"How adorable these two are! How old are they?"

"Two and a half years old."

Both youngsters reacted differently – Lu Danjiao greeted the elderly lady, while Huo Nian simply stared at her without speaking.

The old lady found it intriguing. "Their personalities really are innate, aren't they? The two of them are quite distinct."

Lu Wei: "…"

"Well, not really. It's more due to upbringing," he clarified.

It was all because of certain people who had influenced their child in this way.

The elderly lady seemed somewhat envious. "So you're saying they're twins, right?"

"Yes, they're identical twins."

The two little ones looked exactly alike, but their demeanor and attire were distinct.

Lu Wei dressed the twins according to his own aesthetic preferences.

One wore a small jacket, while the other donned a hoodie.

Earthling: "Doesn't this little jacket look cool with a vest?"

Huo Nian's previous shirts had never sat well with Lu Wei's eyes; thus, he planned to dress the kids in vests and cargo pants when he returned.

Auntie: "It... sounds nice."

The old lady's envy was evident on her face. "Still, it's quite fortunate for you to have twins at such a young age. Unlike my son, who has been trying to conceive for a long time without any success."

"The child's father probably has a high compatibility with you."

"Haha."

Indeed, quite high.

After all, the fertility rate was only 0.0000001%.

What a joke.

In the latter half of the journey, Lu Wei retreated to the lounge to receive a three-dimensional communication. Despite his busy days, he had briefly informed the store about the situation.

The store on Wu Star had already appointed a proxy manager and was running smoothly. As for the new store in the Z galaxy, recruitment was ongoing. Arrangements for a new store on Emperor Star could also be made.

While Lu Wei was in the spaceship's lounge communicating with the other party, he collided with someone coming in the opposite direction when he came out.

It was a rather delicate-looking man.

"Sorry, buddy," Lu Wei instinctively turned his head and said, then resumed his three-dimensional communication.

After finishing the work-related matters, the Earthling finally returned to the spaceship's hull.

Both Lu Wei and Lu Danjiao were outgoing by nature, able to engage in lively conversations with even elderly aunts.

Huo Nian found it somewhat dull. Yawning, he went to the spaceship's cafeteria to fetch them something to eat.

Despite being a short journey, starships typically came equipped with a wide range of entertainment facilities. However, the food options were rather disappointing—predominantly fixed-flavor nutrient fluids that paled in comparison to what their father prepared.

Pang Qiu didn't take any nutrient fluid but instead grabbed some fruit and vegetable juices.

As he passed by the lounge, he heard a voice.

"Haven't we heard rumors that the Queen has already returned?"

Upon hearing the word "Queen," the young one paused in his steps.

Within was a man engaged in conversation with others.

"You actually believe those gossip rumors? They're merely fabricated news spread by those who fear we might beat them to it. The Queen has been gone for years; how could she possibly be found now?"

He firmly believed that the recent news of the Queen's return was a fabrication.

After all, the rumors even claimed that the Queen had returned with a child.

—Given how arduous it was for the royal family to conceive, the birth of a young prince was already an extraordinary rarity. How could there possibly be another child?

Indeed, but I don't have the confidence to become a stepmother to the young prince. I've heard he's distant and not someone to be trifled with. Such children are likely very mature for their age; if they want to cause trouble, they'd have plenty of ways to do so.

The other man replied, "They're not asking you to actually take care of the child. Your role is to win the Emperor's favor and influence his decisions, making business on our planet more prosperous."

Huo Nian's eyes darkened like pools of ink, a coldness settling over his features.

He overheard them continue, "Since His Majesty can find one substitute, he can find others. I've heard that Count Hederle has sent his youngest son over as well, probably planning to establish deeper ties with the royal family."

"..."

The young one stood by the door with an indifferent expression.

He must have heard these sorts of things at least fifty times, if not a hundred.

In the past, it was all fine, insignificant.

But not anymore.

Pang Qiu's gaze was icy cold.

He cherished his current life, and no one was allowed to disrupt it.

Huo Nian lifted his eyelids, memorizing the faces of those individuals.

Back on the starship hull.

Huo Nian handed them their food: "Fruit and vegetable juice."

His calculation was accurate; this was the only onboard food that Lu Wei could tolerate.

Upon their return, not only the elderly auntie but also the others could now engage in smooth conversations with Lu Wei and Lu Danjiao. Soon after, the rest of the group joined them.

The young man who was to be sent to their father was clearly good-looking. After their whispered discussion, they all wore smug expressions.

Pang Qiu averted his gaze.

The uncles and aunts around them were discussing noble surnames and the allocation of academies.

"Hey kids, what's your surname?" one asked.

Before Lu Danjiao could respond, his companion spoke up, "Huo."

The old auntie's son was said to have been trying to conceive for ten years without success. She couldn't help but express her envy towards Lu Wei, "Then your family, the Huos, must be truly blessed to already have twin boys."

"But I don't recall any prominent Huo family from around here. They might end up being assigned to a more remote academy."

Huo...

Who else around here had the surname Huo?

...Who was it, with the surname Huo?

Considering the possibilities, everyone immediately lifted their heads to look at the duo, one large and one small.

There was indeed someone with the surname Huo in the neighboring planets.

- Quite an amusing coincidence.