Chapter 178 - Little ball's fears
Ever since he was young, he was already aware that his parents have been killed when he was still a baby. He heard it once when he accidentally heard a couple of maids gossiping while he was playing.
After that, he innocently ran back to his father and asked him about it. Later, he didn’t see those maids in his mansion anymore.
Even though he was still a child, he wasn’t stupid. Lu Chen honestly told him that he was originally his nephew before he officially became his adopted son. He was mildly depressed about it for a short while, but his father would always shower him with love every time he was home that he gradually forgot about it.
And then as he grew up, in the cartoons and the animal life tv that he watched, he would always see a mother and father figure beside their children. A desire slowly rose from within him and he became envious of the 2D figures he was watching.
His curiosity grew and using his knowledge about technology, it was quite easy for him to learn how his parents died. They got caught in a random shooting and was killed in the process. So that’s why they weren’t able to return home and pick him up from his father...no, it should be his Uncle, isn’t it?
A subconscious fear was planted in his mind and sometimes, he would often worry whether his father would suddenly get in an accident and leave him just like his biological parents did. But the more he spent time with his father, he realized how strong his father truly was.
He has a lot of people working for him and he knows how to use guns. He would sometimes bring him for a spar or take him for a survival test twice a year. Lu Chen’s father figure became something that Lu Qiang greatly admired. He was omnipotent that no one could compete with.
And so, his fear was thrown at the back of his head as the possibility of his father getting killed became an impossible possibility in his mind.
And then, his mother came into his life. After that fateful encounter at the playground and the coincidence that she turned out to be working under his father’s company, Lu Qiang grew mischievous.
This woman was the only woman he saw that could stand beside his father. Then maybe, she was going to be his mother?
His desire for a mother figure bloomed and he shamelessly called that woman his mother. At first, Xiu Mei was quite embarrassed but since Lu Qiang saw his father not saying anything about it, he just continued his evil deeds and made her his mother.
And then one day, his father brought her mother home and told him that she was now his mother. Lu Chen even showed him the adoption papers that proved it afterward. Lu Qiang kept it carefully under his secret drawer and would sometimes take it out to see.
Everything was going well. Lu Qiang felt the warmth he has never felt before from Xiu Mei. Before, he thought that having his father would be enough. But now that he had a taste of having a mother, he never wanted to let go of it anymore.
Ah... truly a person from the Lu family. Never letting go of the prey once he sets his sight on it. Xiu Mei never knew the trap she had gotten into.
He became a 24/7 filial son to his mother. He would always stick to her whenever she returns home and he would always listen to her. And then he would go to his room to sleep while his mother would tuck him to bed and tell him bedtime stories that he found quite interesting when he finally had a mother.
He was so caught up with his happiness until his mother told him that she would need to go on a business trip and she will return after a few days. He was stunned and his fear that he thought already went away returned. And then he remembered again how his parents never returned after leaving him here with his father.
Lu Qiang didn’t know what really happened but he recalled his mother lying on the hospital bed before she became his father’s wife. She looked so pale and she was badly hurt on her head. When Lu Qiang first saw her like that, he cried and never left her side.
His parents’ death and her image looking pale lying on that hospital bed overlapped on his mind. He was suddenly afraid... afraid that his mother won’t return just like how his parents did. That if she goes somewhere far without him, she’ll suddenly disappear. And then he’ll be without a mother again.
He didn’t know how those thoughts festered in his mind. The first night that his mother called him while she was in a different city, he couldn’t help himself and revealed his selfish mind. His mother had to go somewhere because it was about work. And his mother works for his father. Which means that his father was the one who made her leave.
He reflected after that and thought that he was requesting too much. He wanted to apologize to his mother the next day but his mother never brought it up again as if she forgot about it. He silently sulked but still became the filial son he always was.
He thought that he was probably thinking too much and everything would be just fine. Like how much of a coincidence it would have to be if something happens to his mother? Plus he knew that his father’s men would always protect her. And also the fact that his mother came from the family of soldiers, she would be very well protected everywhere she goes.
And then one day, he suddenly realized that he was very wrong. That if it was really meant to happen, it would happen.
His father left a few days after his mother left. Told him it was also a business trip. Lu Qiang wasn’t overly concerned about it at all and nonchalantly sent him off. And the day his mother was due to return came.
With the help of the chef and his nanny, he cooked some of her favorite foods. He eagerly waited for his mother to come home, be showered by her kisses, and surely, she would also bring home some presents for him as well. He waited in the living room, watching the clock and listening in on the door for any sounds.
But no matter how much he waited, his mother never came. He didn’t even notice it was already very late.
He called her phone, but his mother didn’t answer at all. His fear bubbled up and he continuously contacted her but still no response. He was filled with fear as he thought of something.
His mother never missed to call him even in the morning and before sleeping. But she... didn’t call him at all today or last night. He was too excited and giddy that she was coming home that he didn’t even notice that.
This time, Lu Qiang called his father. It took a couple more tries before his father answered. If something happened to his mother, then his father would surely know about it. He briefly said that he’ll contact him again soon before hanging up. He didn’t even answer his questions.
Lu Qiang lost sleep that night.
And then his great grandparents visited him very early the next day. By early he meant that the sun was still not up when they came into their house. It was his great grandparents from the Xiu family who visited him and stayed with him for a short while. And then after lunch, they brought him away to a hospital that was filled with soldiers.
He was momentarily fascinated by those cool valiant soldiers, but when he realized it was a military hospital, he finally found something was wrong.
Why were they suddenly here?
He remembered his first uncle is a soldier so he thought that maybe they were going to visit his uncle. And then he finally saw his father and his grandparents outside the room.
His grandmother was even crying while hugging his grandfather. His second uncle looked very angry while talking with someone on his phone. And his father... his father was standing outside of the door as he looked through the small glass window.
He pulled away from his great grandmother Xiu’s grip and ran towards the figure of his mother. With puzzled eyes, he raised his head and tugged on his pants to get his attention.
Lu Chen looked down and saw his son. He seemed to have frozen for a second before taking a deep breath. And then his father picked him up to his arms and he finally saw what he was looking at behind the glass window.
No, it wasn’t what. It was who.
Lu Qiang’s heart almost stopped beating. He saw the bandaged figure lying on the bed with a couple of doctors in military uniforms surrounding that person.
Wasn’t that... his mother?