Chapter 248: Grandfather Lu Qidong

Completely ignored the little black dog at his feet, looking at him eagerly.

He pulled on the leash again, testing its firmness to ensure it wouldn’t easily break.

The man with a cold demeanor seemed finally satisfied.

He slightly curled his thin lips and patted the little girl’s head with his pale big hand:

"Okay, run along."

Upon hearing these words, the little loli, dressed in camo and with two little ponytails, hopped and skipped away happily.

The dog-trainer soldier: "..."

Song Qingwan turned her head and saw this dog-walking-like scene, immediately forgetting the elder’s earlier warning for her to say less.

Instantly, her eyes widened, her voice trembling:

"You... you brat! What are you doing?"

Lu Junhan slightly lifted his indifferent gaze, the leash wrapped several times around his fair, slender index finger, his expression extraordinarily calm:

"Obviously, I’m with the child."

"..."

Will you shamelessly say that again?

What are you with?

Song Qingwan was fuming internally, yet maintained a poker face, locking eyes with him:

"If I’m not mistaken, what you’re holding should be a dog leash."

She emphasized the word "dog" heavily, as if fearing Lu Junhan wouldn’t catch on.

Lu Junhan’s expression maintained its usual calmness, without any change: "No, you’re mistaken."

Song Qingwan: "..."

The police dog-trainer soldier: "..."

The little girl loved to run wildly around, full of energy, curious about everything.

The wild grasses along the road had to be crouched and touched, the chilly floor reflecting her image needed a closer look, and even the murals on the walls had to receive an additional glance.

But the leash was only that long.

So, whenever the little girl ran ahead, she had to stop now and then, turning her head to urge her dad to hurry up, or she wouldn’t be able to walk further.

Finding it too troublesome, Lu Junhan handed the leash to Song Qingwan, asking her to keep an eye on the little girl running amok.

Song Qingwan was ecstatically happy inside, but outwardly calm as she took the leash over, forcibly keeping her pride:

"Oh, upon closer inspection, I found I was indeed mistaken, it’s actually just a regular leash."

The dog-trainer soldier expressed his bewilderment with the wealthy mindset.

This building may appear simple from the outside, but in reality, it’s labyrinthine inside with several pathways leading to forks, resembling a maze.

Though secure, if a fire broke out, there would be no escape.

Song Qingwan stated that she didn’t envy it at all, truly.

Eventually, it was the little black dog on its leash, seized earlier by Lu Junhan, who led the way.

With the elder constantly swiping ID cards ahead, they passed through door after door of steel—

Finally, they arrived at the innermost room.

There were just the three of them, no one else.

In the corridor, the flooring gleamed with cold sterility, void of any vitality.

The air and time seemed to be completely frozen here.

Everything turned extremely silent.

Yet, due to the excessive silence, it seemed you could still faintly hear the "beep, beep, beep—" sound of machines within the room.

"This is..."

Suddenly, Song Qingwan seemed to have realized something; her pupils abruptly shrank and her heart raced uncontrollably!

Unbeknownst to her, tears had suddenly gathered around her eyes.

Covering her mouth, she fixed her gaze intently on that room, her choked voice trembling intensely:

"Wh-wh-what place is this?"

Lu Junhan slightly narrowed his eyes, his gaze deepening in the dim light.

The little girl blinked, pursed her little mouth; though curious, she sensibly remained silent.

The elder stood in the doorway, always solemn and dignified, his aged yet impeccable features showing a faint sign of defeat for the first time.

Even his rigidly straight iron frame hinted at a touch of desolation and melancholy after changes over the years.

He said nothing, merely opened the door.

His aged, hoarse voice lacked any discernible emotion: "Let’s all go inside."

Song Qingwan seemed unable to wait, disregarding everything else, focusing solely on this room.

In a few large strides, she reached the door.

This moment had been awaited for over two decades; even knowing she was close to death, she still fantasized about such a day; not a single day went by without thinking of it.

But when the time came, she felt a bit reluctant.

If her brother hadn’t died, then why didn’t he find them in these twenty years?

Indeed, if possible, how could he not have come to find them?

Song Qingwan raised her eyes in a daze.

At once, she saw lying on the bed was a handsome man who bore a seven to eight part resemblance to Lu Junhan, though his demeanor was even more mature and steady.

Time seemed to have paused for twenty years on him.

Apart from the unnerving pallor on his face, he was identical to Song Qingwan’s memories of her all-capable brother—

Exactly the same.

She couldn’t help it, closed her eyes for a moment, and let her tears fall like rain.

It really was her brother!

Her brother hadn’t really died!

At last glance, she really... indeed saw him.

If destiny allowed, Song Qingwan might just kneel down in gratitude and knock her head forcefully.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Lu Junhan’s dark gaze also fell on Lu Qidong lying on the bed.

At almost age six, when Lu Qidong perished in a car accident, his memory of him was not fond.

Yet he always remembered Lu Qidong was a very good father.

Lu Junhan’s feelings for Lu Qidong weren’t as profound as Song Qingwan’s, quickly regaining composure.

Pressing his thin lips together, he glanced at the elder, his soft voice carrying some indifference:

"You have three minutes to explain."

The little girl looked around, uncertain of what to say, so she nodded vigorously beside her dad: "Yeah! Explain!"

The elder: "..."

These two brats, how dare they act arrogantly on my turf?

"Right, Dad! What’s going on here?!"

Song Qingwan forced herself to calm down, though her eyes remained red.

She grit her teeth, went and nudged Lu Qidong, called him several times to no response.

Her voice trembled as she turned to ask: "And my brother, why is he..."

The elder sighed, seemingly accustomed to seeing Lu Qidong like this.

He was far calmer than Song Qingwan.

But his words caused her pupils to constrict suddenly:

"It’s useless. He’s in a vegetative state; no matter how you push, he won’t wake up."

Song Qingwan seemed to lose her soul, frozen in place.

Staring at Lu Qidong on the bed, she murmured:

"Ve-ve-vegetative, how can he be, how can he be in a vegetative state..."

In the next moment, her body shook violently, her eyes reddened, choking:

"Dad... what, what’s going on here..."

"I..."

"Hurry up and tell us! Can you quit dragging on? Can’t you be a man for once?"

The elder: "..."

If the circumstances allowed, I’d destroy you on the spot!

The elder lost his patience, refrained from dragging on, and directly stated: