In the early morning, when Grandpa Lu came downstairs, the area was already a mess.
An arctic wolf was running around in the living room downstairs, tearing a sofa cushion on the left and biting a plastic cup on the right, making a mess of the house.
Ruan Mian followed him and shouted anxiously: “Baby Lu, calm down.”
Grandpa Lu stood on the stairs and watched for a while, the veins on his forehead throbbing, watching the arctic wolf downstairs roaring in unbearable anger, “You are a wolf, not a husky!”
The arctic wolf smashed the last vase and finally stopped. He shook his fur and turned into his human form. He grabbed a glass of water and drank it noisily. He set the glass down, kicked off his slippers, and began eating fruit—all while making an intentionally loud racket with every action.
Grandpa Lu rubbed his temples, struggling to contain his frustration, and asked, “What exactly are you trying to do?”
Lu Yang pursed his lips and said angrily: “I don’t want to go to the army.”
“No, you must go.” Grandpa Lu’s attitude was extremely firm this time, leaving him no room for objection.
Lu Yang glanced up at his grandfather. Under the weight of Grandpa Lu’s intimidating gaze, he didn’t dare to retort and instead stomped around noisily, making an exaggerated noise with his slippers as a silent protest.
Ruan Mian looked at Grandpa Lu who was angry, and asked in a low voice: “Grandpa, how long do you want Baby Lu to stay there?”
Grandpa Lu unconsciously restrained his anger when facing Ruan Mian, “It depends on his performance. If he performs well, he can come back soon. If he performs poorly, he won’t have to come back this summer.”
Lu Yang pretended to be eating strawberries with his head down, but he was secretly listening to their conversation. When he heard Grandpa say that he might not be able to come back for a summer vacation, he couldn’t help but frown. A summer without air conditioning, ice cream, and games was terrifying just thinking about it.
Ruan Mian frowned, looked at Grandpa Lu, and asked again: “Grandpa, when do you want to send Baby Lu to the army?”
Grandpa Lu took a sip of tea and said: “Right away. I have already contacted the army and handed Baby Lu’s documents to one of my former subordinates. He will come to pick up Baby Lu later.”
“So soon!” Ruan Mian couldn’t help but be surprised.
When Lu Yang heard that his grandfather was going to send him away so soon, he stomped his slippers hard and huffed. He wanted to object, but he didn’t dare to speak. He could only sulk with his slippers alone.
Since he was born, this was the first time that his grandfather was so firm in his attitude towards him. He knew clearly in his heart that it was useless to get angry this time. Since his grandfather had made a decision, it could not be changed.
Grandpa Lu looked up at him for a while and suddenly said earnestly: “Baby Lu, you need to understand that the military is a place where your father, I, and many of our relatives have dedicated our lives. It is sacred, solemn, and magnificent. Your father and I have shed blood, sweat, and tears there. We’ve faced life and death with many comrades. Don’t you want to see that place for yourself?”
Lu Yang’s kicking slowed, his head bowed and his face hidden in shadow. He stood with slumped shoulders for a while, seemingly lost in thought. After a moment, he slowly lifted his foot and walked toward the room, muttering, “I’ll go pack my bags.”
Grandpa Lu’s eyes showed some relief, and he smiled gently.
Seeing that Lu Yang compromised and was really about to leave for the army, Ruan Mian couldn’t help but get anxious and stood up to walk out.
Grandpa Lu saw him standing up in a hurry and asked: “Mian Mian, where are you going?”
While changing shoes, Ruan Mian said: “I’m going to buy some snacks for Baby Lu and let him take them to the army.”
“No need.” Grandpa Lu shook his head and stopped him, saying: “The army doesn’t allow snacks. Even if you buy them, he can’t take them in.”
“Then…” Ruan Mian got up in a panic, lowered his head, and thought for a while, “I’ll buy him some regular medicine, a small fan, a water jug, a towel, a toothbrush… Baby Lu must not be used to the things in the army. He is very picky about clothes. I don’t know if he will be allergic to wearing military uniforms. I’ll buy him some allergy medicine and take it with him.”
The more Ruan Mian talked, the more sad he felt. Lu Yang had been spoiled since he was a child, and he ate and used the best materials. If he couldn’t get used to it in the army, he would definitely suffer.
Grandpa Lu stopped him and said earnestly: “Mian Mian, you don’t need to buy anything. The army has everything he needs. If he wants to bring things in, he has to go through a strict inspection. The things you bought may not pass the inspection, and it will be troublesome.”
He paused for a moment and continued, “There are military doctors in the army, so there won’t be any problems. Don’t worry. Baby Lu is a man and an Alpha at that. It’s my fault for pampering him too much before. Now, sending him to the army is to let him face some hardship and correct those spoiled habits of his.”
Ruan Mian’s eyes were red, he sniffed and asked: “What can I do now?”
Grandpa Lu patted his head gently and said: “Go and help Baby Lu pack his luggage, pick out some useful things to take, and discard the useless ones.”
Ruan Mian nodded gently, walked upstairs with heavy steps, and when he reached the door, he took a deep breath, trying not to show such a sad expression, and pushed the door and walked in.
Ruan Mian helped Lu Yang pack his luggage. Lu Yang went to the kitchen for some reason and didn’t come back for a long time.
After he packed his suitcase, he was worried that Lu Yang would not have enough to eat in the army, so he secretly put a few candies in his pocket. He thought about it and secretly put sunscreen in Lu Yang’s bag. With Lu Yang’s delicate skin, he didn’t want him to get sunburned.
When Lu Yang walked in, he saw Ruan Mian running around in the room, stuffing this and that in his suitcase, busy all the time.
He couldn’t help but smile, leaning against the door, quietly watching Ruan Mian busying around.
When Ning Muxiang learned that Grandpa Lu was about to send Lu Yang off to the military, she hurried downstairs and added a few pieces of close-fitting clothing to Lu Yang’s suitcase to prevent him from having an allergic reaction to the military uniforms.
As Ning Muxiang and Ruan Mian were still trying to stuff more items into the backpack, Grandpa Lu walked in from outside. Looking at the overstuffed suitcase, he sighed and said, “Lu Yang has turned out like this because of all your indulgence.”
While putting things into the suitcase, Ning Mixiang couldn’t help but retort, “Dad, you have contributed the most to Baby Lu’s becoming like this. I said Baby Lu was too arrogant and wanted him to be restrained. But you said he was the grandson of Marshal Lu and should be so arrogant. Not only did you not want to discipline him, but you indulged him.”
Grandpa Lu was choked and speechless. It was indeed because he was too doting that Lu Yang became lawless. He knew that he had gone too far, and now he wanted to make efforts to correct Lu Yang’s bad habits.
He looked at his daughter-in-law’s accusing eyes and pretended not to see them. He walked over and closed the suitcase, “Xiao Song is here. You guys should come out quickly.”
Xiao Song, as Grandpa Lu called him, is Song Weimin, who is in his forties. He used to work for Grandpa Lu and is now training recruits in the army. He looks a bit serious and has great respect for Grandpa Lu.
Ruan Mian didn’t expect Song Weimin to come so soon. He couldn’t help but look up at Lu Yang reluctantly.
Lu Yang had been quiet since just now, not making a fuss. Now he heard that the person who was going to pick him up had arrived. He unwillingly kicked the suitcase and hugged Ruan Mian.
Lu Yang hugged Ruan Mian tightly and said with a pursed mouth: “We just got engaged, and Grandpa separated us. He must be the cruelest grandpa in the world.”
Grandpa Lu: “…”
Ruan Mian: “After you go in, remember to behave well and try to come out early. I will wait for you outside.”
Ning Mixiang: “…” Something seems wrong.
Lu Yang: “You must be obedient outside. You can’t have other wolves behind my back. I will work hard inside and try to come out early…”
Before their conversation became more and more strange, Grandpa Lu dragged Lu Yang out.
“Hurry up, if you don’t hurry up, don’t think about coming back this summer.”
Grandpa Lu pulled Lu Yang all the way to the car, not giving him a chance to resist.
Ruan Mian, with tearful eyes, followed behind them, pressing his face against the car window to gaze at Lu Yang. Lu Yang, feeling anxious, quickly rolled down the window and held onto Ruan Mian’s hand, refusing to let go.
“Tutu!”
“Baby Lu!”
Seeing that the two of them were about to cry, Grandpa Lu hardened his heart, stepped forward and forcefully separated their hands, and asked Song Weimin to drive Lu Yang away quickly.
Grandpa Lu grabbed Ruan Mian’s arm and watched the car drive away. Lu Yang leaned out of the car halfway and waved his arms stubbornly at Ruan Mian.
Grandpa Lu looked at them, and for some reason, he inexplicably felt a sense of forcing a couple to part.
Ning Muxiang stood by, watching her son, who had seemingly forgotten his mother now that he had a wife. She silently shed a tear for herself in her heart.
After Lu Yang left, Ruan Mian stood there for a long time before reluctantly returning to the house. Without Lu Yang, the Lu residence seemed to become empty, and the faint smell of ice cream that had been permeating the house gradually dissipated.
Ruan Mian returned to the room disappointed, lying listlessly on the bed, closing his eyes motionlessly.
It was not until it got dark that he moved slightly and opened his eyes to look at the darkness outside the window. He couldn’t help but worry about Lu Yang and wanted to ask about his current situation.
He picked up the phone and wanted to dial him, but after a while, he put it back.
The army didn’t allow phone calls, so when Lu Yang left, his phone was thrown at home by Grandpa Lu, and he didn’t take it to the army at all.
He was not in the mood to eat dinner. When he thought that Lu Yang might be suffering, his heart was sour and uncomfortable, and he just wanted to suffer with Lu Yang.
Lu Yang has lived a precious and pampered life since he was a child, and he must be having a hard time now.
After a long time, he slowly sat up from the bed and wanted to find a glass of water to drink.
He looked up and found that there was a container on the table at some point, with a bow tied to it.
He walked over in surprise and opened the container. It contained washed carrots, which were carved into various shapes, including heart-shaped, star-shaped, and rabbit-shaped… But it was obvious that the person who carved these carrots was not very skilled.
Ruan Mian looked at the carrots for a long time before he could barely tell what he had carved from these strange-shaped carrots.
There was a note on the lid of the lunch box. Ruan Mian unfolded the note and looked at it. Lu Yang’s handwriting was written in a flamboyant style. Ruan Mian had seen his handwriting since he was a child, and he was very familiar with it. He could tell at a glance that it was written by him.
[Tutu, you are not allowed to skip dinner! Eat all of this (first time making it, not very skilled yet, just make do with it.)]
At the end of the message, Lu Yang drew a crooked sketch of a wolf and a rabbit. The rabbit was standing on top of the wolf’s head, while the wolf lay on the ground with a look of unwillingness on its face.
Ruan Mian couldn’t help laughing as he looked at the carrots. He suddenly felt that the carrots in the container had become very cute. He didn’t feel hungry at first, but after seeing Lu Yang’s message, he gradually began to feel hungry.
He lay on the table, staring at the carrots for a long time, and couldn’t bear to eat them. It was not until the night deepened and his stomach growled that he picked up the carrots and put them in his mouth, eating them carefully.
He now seemed to understand why Lu Yang was so angry when Ren Ge took him on a trip.
Perhaps it’s because Lu Yang missed him a lot too.
T/N: Hi guys ^^ Unfortunately school is about to start so I’m going to do 2 chapters per week (Wed, Fri) again so maybe I can buy some more time and not leave you hanging for too long. I’ll come back when I have free time (and looking at my schedule, I doubt that) but you guys can rest assure that I’ll be back on Christmas break!!! Happy reading ^^
