Chapter 73
When the child was first born, he was thin and small, and wrinkled. Although the midwife kept saying that this was the best-looking child she had ever delivered, Lu Ze and Wei Yan just frowned, unable to see where he was good-looking.
Fortunately, as the child slowly grew, his delicate and beautiful features could indeed be seen. His small face was fair and tender, and his eyes were round and black. A small cinnabar mole between his eyebrows showed his identity as a ger, and it also added a bit of jade-like cuteness to his whole face. He looked extremely well-behaved and beautiful, completely different from his mischievous appearance in Wei Yan’s womb.
Even when he went to the palace after his full moon, the emperor and empress would smile when they saw him and would not be willing to let him go.
Lu Ze had never seen such a cute child before, not to mention that he was his own child. He would tease him every day, and when he saw him smile brightly at him, his heart would also slowly soften. He only thought that he had a well-behaved and sensible little cotton-padded jacket. But he didn’t expect that as he gradually grew up and learned to climb, turn over, and walk, he would slowly show some signs of being not quite right.
Lu Ze had originally thought that it was normal for a child to be lively and active, but it wasn’t until he was three years old that he would climb walls, climb trees, and get into bird nests, chase cats, tease dogs, and roll in mud pits, like a mischievous monkey, and there was nothing he couldn’t do.
Only then did he realize that his own cub was not the considerate little cotton-padded jacket he had imagined, but a proper little devil.
Especially since the cub had inherited Wei Yan’s talent for martial arts. He was not interested in anything else, but for martial arts, he would get up at the hour of the rabbit every day without fail, and would take the initiative to practice. He had even developed a good set of martial arts skills, and climbing walls and trees was not a problem for him.
In his words, it was because Ah Zhi’s body was too weak. As an older brother, he had to practice martial arts well to protect him.
Ah Zhi was the emperor’s second legitimate son, only a year younger than Lu Changfeng. He had been born prematurely by accident, and his body had never been very good. But he was good-looking and had a gentle and soft personality. Changfeng had taken a liking to him after just one look, and from then on, he had taken him into his protection circle, stating that he was the older brother and had to protect his younger brother well.
Just like at this moment, Lu Ze was comforting Wei Yan, who was so angry with Lu Changfeng that he was about to explode. The little guy was standing obediently in front of the two of them, listening to the lecture, his small head held high, with that jade-like and beautiful face, and a very well-behaved posture, promising that he would never climb the wall again. But when he heard the butler come to report that the second prince had arrived, he suddenly jumped up and, disregarding his promise just now, he jumped over the railing of the pavilion with a “whoosh,” and shouted from a distance, “Daddy, little brother Ah Zhi is here! I’m going to entertain the guest!”
Wei Yan was both angry and amused. In the end, he leaned against Lu Ze’s embrace and watched from a distance as the two children ran towards each other from a long way off, and he heard Lu Changfeng’s childish words, “Ah Zhi, don’t run. Your body is not good, you can’t run!”
Ah Zhi’s voice was gentle and soft. “I won’t run anymore. You shouldn’t be in a hurry either, big brother Changfeng, otherwise you’ll fall again…”
Wei Yan watched, a smile in his eyes. He pinched his nose and sighed, “Forget it, forget it. At least there’s someone who can control him. Let him be.”
Lu Ze also watched from a distance, holding Wei Yan in his arms, and comforted him in a gentle voice, “It’s good that he has someone he wants to protect. In the future, he will slowly become stronger, and others won’t be able to bully him easily.”
The two looked at each other and both smiled helplessly.
***
The years passed by in a hurry, and in a blink of an eye, it was their old age.
Lu Ze had stopped at the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works all these years. It wasn’t that the emperor wouldn’t promote him, but because he was in charge of the military armory, his responsibility was great, and it was not suitable for him to be exposed to outsiders. That was why he had stayed in such a neither high nor low position for half his life.
In the eyes of outsiders, the Tanhualang who had married the Marquis of Weibei back then was now also mediocre in the court and had not made any great achievements. But in fact, only those ministers in the court knew Lu Ze’s status.
He led the people of the military armory to develop agricultural tools, industrial tools, and military weapons, making it more convenient for the people to cultivate and saving manpower. He also provided more convenient machines for craftsmen, making the machinery circulating in the market more exquisite and unique. He further strengthened the national strength of the Great Zhou, so that the Great Zhou was no longer afraid of the invasion of neighboring countries.
Lu Ze’s contribution was to the country and the people.
What was most talked about was undoubtedly his relationship with the Marquis of Weibei. It was said that Master Lu had only one fulang in his life and never took a concubine. Although some people said that he was afraid of the Marquis of Weibei and did not dare to take a concubine, the disturbances of the outside world could not disturb them. How could those who truly knew them not see the unchanging affection between them for decades?
It was spring again, and the results of the palace examination were announced. The top three scholars rode their horses through the streets, their glory boundless.
Inside the marquis’s mansion, the sun was just right. Wei Yan was lying on a rocking chair, squinting at the sun. He suddenly looked at Lu Ze next to him and said with a smile, “I heard from Changfeng that this year’s Tanhualang is not bad-looking and can be compared to you when you were young.”
Lu Ze snorted, “He still has the mind to look at that Tanhualang? Isn’t one Xiao Zhi enough for him?”
Wei Yan said, “Everyone has a love for beauty. It’s just a look. What can happen?”
Lu Ze opened his eyes and looked at him, and suddenly said, “Then if there had been someone who was more outstanding in appearance than me back then, would the Marquis have chosen him?”
Wei Yan glanced at him and chuckled softly. “Childish.”
Lu Ze went to tease him. “I’m just being childish. Why don’t you hurry up and say it?”
Wei Yan turned his head away to hold back his laughter, and his lips were tightly pressed, unwilling to speak, but he thought in his heart.
No matter when, you are my only choice.
.
In this world, Wei Yan lived to be seventy-six years old. Before he left, he held Lu Ze’s hand and murmured in a low voice, “In the next life, you have to find me too, and we have to be together…”
Lu Ze’s heart trembled. He held his hand back and promised in a low voice, “I will find you. We will definitely be together.”
A smile appeared on the person’s face, and his eyelids slowly closed, and his hand suddenly went limp. Lu Ze was silent for a moment, and his forehead slowly pressed against his hand.
When Lu Changfeng outside the room sensed that something was wrong, he pushed the door open and entered, and his face was instantly covered with tears.
.
【Ding! Data processing…】
【World settlement in progress…】
【Congratulations, Host. The mission of small world 17359 has been successfully completed. The mission evaluation is S-rank. The mission points…】
The long-lost voice of the system sounded in his ear, and Lu Ze was in a daze for a moment.
777 asked carefully, “Host, are you not very happy?”
Lu Ze was silent for a moment. “It’s not very comfortable to see my lover die in front of me.”
Even though he knew that they still had a next life, and a next next life.
But that moment of loss was real.
He rubbed his temples. “777, how many more worlds do I need to complete?”
777 glanced at the points and said, “Host, you are still short of 64,800 points. It is currently estimated that you will need three or four more worlds.”
“Okay.” Lu Ze nodded and said, “Let’s continue to the next world.” He couldn’t wait to see him again.
777 said cheerfully, “Okay! The next world is a modern world. Please be prepared, Host!”
【World loading…】
【…】
When Lu Ze opened his eyes again, he saw that the surrounding environment was dim and noisy, but the decoration was high-end and luxurious. It seemed to be in a private room of a clubhouse.
He looked around without a change in expression and saw that many people were sitting around. The group of people opposite were unrestrained and dissolute, holding wine glasses and talking and laughing. The rest were sitting with him, and they all looked like young boys, and they were all very good-looking.
The relevant information in his mind had also been transmitted. Lu Ze slowly digested it, and his brows moved slightly.
Just then, a voice suddenly came from the opposite side, with a teasing smile and some dissatisfaction. “You’re already here. Don’t you know the rules or what? Raise your heads and have a look.”
Lu Ze looked up and saw a man in a gaudy shirt holding a cigarette, but it was not lit. Instead, he was looking at a corner on the side and smiling fawningly. “Brother Si, the people are all here. Please have a look. I guarantee they are all clean, and no one has touched them.”
Lu Ze followed his voice and looked. The lights in the private room were dim, and the man in the corner was mostly hidden in the thick darkness. Only the cigar between his fingers showed a little scarlet light. He was half-leaning against the sofa, his posture casual, his suit jacket on the side, and he was only wearing a shirt on his upper body, and the firm curve of his chest muscles could be vaguely seen.
The man turned his face sideways, and the features that were exposed to the light were sharp and outstanding. He looked up, and his gaze slowly fell on Lu Ze. The cigar in his hand moved, and after a moment, he beckoned, his voice lazy and hoarse. “Come here.”
