Dragon Clan: Lu Mingfei Returns from Japan

Chapter 695 Su Zhenqi's Problem
Su Zhenqi hadn't considered that both scenarios could actually be true.

It could mean that Su Xiaoqiang and Lu Mingfei's relationship has progressed to a level of intimacy akin to that of an old married couple, or it could mean that they have achieved a profound spiritual connection. They are not contradictory.

However, given the current situation, Su Zhenqi still needs a reasonable explanation... at least one that he can accept psychologically.

Su Xiaoqiang sat upright on the sofa, head down, lips pursed, hands on her knees, her eyes glancing at the boy beside her with a mixture of shame and indignation, as if blaming Lu Mingfei for saying he wanted to carry her back to the room for no reason.

Lu Mingfei, sitting next to Su Xiaoqiang, also looked completely innocent, thinking to himself, "Little Fairy, you didn't tell me that my father-in-law was coming back today."

At that moment, a soft cough sounded across from the young couple. Su Zhenqi, sitting on the sofa opposite them, looked at Lu Mingfei and spoke:
"Lu... are you coming to our house to play today?"

The reason for asking this question is that Su Zhenqi's most urgent task is to figure out whether the pig has already settled in his vegetable garden or just occasionally climbs over the fence and sneaks into the garden to root up the cabbages.

If it's just occasionally rooting around in the cabbage, that's fine; but what if this pig has practically lived in your own vegetable garden for a long time...

No way! Even occasionally digging for cabbage isn't allowed!

However, before Lu Mingfei could answer Su Zhenqi's question, Su Xiaoqiang spoke up first.

“No, Mingfei has been staying at our house all this time,” Su Xiaoqiang said directly.

Su Zhenqi was even more stunned... Although he had been somewhat prepared for this, he still couldn't instinctively accept it when he heard his daughter say that Lu Mingfei had been staying at home all this time.

Lu Mingfei was somewhat surprised by Xiaotiannv's answer; he thought that no matter what she said, Xiaotiannv would deny it first.

Su Xiaoqiang did want to keep it a secret that she and Lu Mingfei were living together. The main problem was that Lu Mingfei's clothes and belongings were all at home, and his room wasn't far from hers; a simple walk around the house would reveal his personal items. It was impossible to hide it from him.

So instead of stammering and lying to cover it up, it's better to just admit it directly.

Anyway... she got her father's permission! She was perfectly justified!
"Have you been staying at our house all this time?" Su Zhenqi asked, his voice trembling with fear.

“Yes. After you and Uncle Li stopped living at home, I was living alone. I was scared to be alone, so I asked Mingfei to come and stay with me. Anyway, there are so many rooms in the house, and Mingfei used to rent a place outside, so staying with us can save some rent.”

Su Xiaoqiang put her hands on her hips: "What, is that not allowed?"

At this point, Su Xiaoqiang had clearly adopted a "what's the use" attitude, fiercely protecting his son to the very end. He absolutely couldn't lose in terms of presence when confronting his father—a lesson learned from years of rebellious behavior.

Faced with his daughter's compelling reasons, Su Zhenqi was momentarily speechless. After all, it was indeed unsafe for Su Xiaoqiang to live alone in such a large villa.

Although letting Lu Mingfei move in wasn't exactly a reassuring move... he was, after all, Su Zhenqi's basically accepted future son-in-law, and his brother-in-law also spoke highly of him, so the potential harm was relatively low.

Even if something did happen... it was bound to happen eventually, it was just a matter of time. We'll have to accept it eventually.

However, Su Zhenqi felt that he still had to maintain his basic dignity as a father in front of his daughter and future son-in-law. He paused for a moment and said, "Well, it was indeed a mistake to leave Qiangqiang alone at home. But even if you want Mingfei to move in with you, you should at least tell me first, right? After all, I am your father."

Unbeknownst to him, Su Zhenqi had changed his way of addressing Lu Mingfei from "Classmate Lu" to "Mingfei," having been influenced by his daughter.

"I told you."

Su Xiaoqiang raised her chin: "Didn't I tell you about this a long time ago?"

"When?"

"It was around the end of March. I made a long-distance call to you to say that I have a very good friend who might come to stay at our house for a few days, and I asked if that would be okay."

"?"

Su Zhenqi was taken aback. His memory drifted back to a few months ago, and he vaguely remembered that there had been such a phone call.

After all, Su Xiaoqiang had always been rather withdrawn from elementary to middle school, never bringing friends home to play. It wasn't until she started dating Lu Mingfei that she finally became more positive and outgoing, and made more and more friends. Last year during the Spring Festival, she finally brought some friends home to play; they were several very pretty girls.

As a father, seeing his daughter become more cheerful and happy is, of course, the most gratifying thing to see.

Therefore, when Su Xiaoqiang suggested bringing her friends home to stay overnight, Su Zhenqi agreed without hesitation.

Su Zhenqi was stunned for a moment before asking, "Mingfei is your very, very good friend?"

"Isn't a boyfriend a friend?"

"...But didn't you say it would be a few days?"

"Isn't more than a hundred days a few days?"

Su Zhenqi suddenly realized that his daughter was actually using this to exploit a bug in his system.

Wait a minute! So, this means Lu Mingfei was already living with Qiangqiang back in March?
They lived together under the same roof for over three months?!
Su Zhenqi suddenly seemed a little dazed.

He could see perfectly well how much his daughter liked Lu Mingfei. The passionate young couple had been living under the same roof for over three months… Su Zhenqi didn't dare to think too deeply about what might happen.

"……wrong!"

Su Zhenqi frowned as if he had just remembered something and said, "I remember asking you if you were a boy or a girl. You told me you were a girl."

“I told you there are girls here,” Su Xiaoqiang said. “Mingfei’s cousin also lives with Mingfei in our house, as does a new Japanese exchange student from our class. It’s more complicated for foreign students to rent apartments outside, so I let her stay at our house.”

"cousin?"

"Yes. Haven't you met Mingfei's cousin? I brought her home to play during the Chinese New Year. She's my junior sister, Xia Mi, who's a year younger than me."

Su Zhenqi paused. Of course, he still remembered the friends Su Xiaoqiang brought back during the Chinese New Year. He also had a deep impression of the girl named Xia Mi; she was a very beautiful and polite girl.

After Su Xiaoqiang mentioned it, he remembered that when he entered the door, he not only saw men's shoes, but also several pairs of women's fluffy slippers.

He initially thought it was Qiangqiang's friends coming over to play, and he found them some fluffy slippers to wear. After they left, Qiangqiang didn't tidy them up and just left them lying around the door.

He would feel a little more at ease if it wasn't just Lu Mingfei staying at his house, but also his cousin and another female classmate.

Young lovers are like dry tinder; a tiny spark can ignite a blazing fire. But if there are other people around, then nothing bad should happen…

Thinking of this, Su Zhenqi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a great weight lifted from his shoulders, and his gaze towards Lu Mingfei became more comforted.

Seeing her father's furrowed brow relax, Su Xiaoqiang glanced at the boy beside her out of the corner of her eye. Just then, the boy's gaze met hers, and the young couple's eyes locked, one to the left, one to the right, one above and one below. Knowing the matter was over, Su Xiaoqiang quickly changed the subject to avoid further questions from her father: "Dad, have you finished dealing with things at your company? Why are you back a month earlier than planned?"

"It's not finished yet."

Su Zhenqi said, "I just finished some important things at hand and took a few days off to come back. I'll be flying back in a few days."

Upon hearing this, Lu Mingfei understood that Su Zhenqi had rushed back specifically to meet with Xiaotiannv before she left home for the capital.

Although this wasn't the first time Little Fairy had traveled far from home, it was her first time truly away from home. She had been to Portugal, which was even further away, but for Little Fairy, Portugal was like her maternal grandmother's home, so it couldn't be considered a real departure from home.

Although Beijing isn't far away—it's only a two- or three-hour flight away, perhaps even closer than Portugal—this transfer to a school in Beijing marks the first time the young girl has truly left the protection of her family and begun living independently.

Every parent knows that a frail fledgling eagle will eventually spread its wings and soar. But when that day comes, parents are often more worried than their children.

Su Xiaoqiang wasn't stupid either. Although she seemed like an unconventional girl on the surface, she was actually quite perceptive and knew why her father had come back this time.

She said softly, "Actually, there's no need to worry about me so much. It's not like this is my first time traveling far from home. Besides, I'm not the only one transferring schools. Mingfei will be transferring to the capital with me too, won't he?"

That's true. With Mingfei taking care of Qiangqiang, he... he can't feel at ease anymore.

However, the important thing right now is not to worry about Lu Mingfei.

He adjusted his glasses and looked at Su Xiaoqiang, saying, "Qiangqiang, you should know what joining Kassel College means, right? It's not a school in the ordinary sense. You must have experienced something similar when you were in Portugal."

Su Xiaoqiang nodded. She had now glimpsed a corner of the world of mixed-race people, and she also knew that her father knew some things about mixed-race people.

"Since Qiangqiang knows..."

Su Zhenqi took a deep breath and looked at Su Xiaoqiang seriously, saying, "I just want to ask you—have you really thought it through and decided to accept the invitation from Kassel College?"

In fact, Su Zhenqi knew that there was no need to ask this question, because his daughter's answer was already obvious.

But just like when a newlywed couple gets married, the father-in-law always goes on stage, holds the hands of both the bride and groom, and asks the bride if she is really ready to start a new family with the groom, and asks the groom if he is willing to take care of his daughter in the days to come.

He wanted to hear the answer to this obvious question from his own daughter.

Just as Su Zhenqi had expected, after hearing his question, Su Xiaoqiang subconsciously turned her head, exchanged a glance with the boy next to her, and then looked at him again, nodding slightly.

"I've made up my mind," Su Xiaoqiang said earnestly.

Actually, she had already thought it through long ago. Back in Portugal, when she didn't want to forget everything with Lu Mingfei and rushed towards him regardless of everything, she already knew the answer in her heart.

Is the world of mixed-race people dangerous?
It's probably—no, it must be dangerous. Otherwise, why wouldn't either my father or mother want me to set foot in that world?

But so what? As long as Lu Mingfei was by her side, she seemed to have the courage to face any danger ahead. She was, after all, a fearless little fairy.

But if Lu Mingfei weren't in her future... she didn't want to think about it, nor dared to consider that possibility.

This peace of mind is my hometown.

As soon as Su Xiaoqiang finished speaking, she felt her hands, which were resting on her knees, being grasped by a pair of warm, large hands. Looking up, she saw that it was Lu Mingfei who had placed his hand on the back of Xiaotiannv's hand.

"Uncle, don't worry, I can assure you that I will take good care of Qiangqiang in the days to come and will never let her get hurt in the slightest," Lu Mingfei said earnestly.

...Wait, wait!
Su Xiaoqiang was surprised that Lu Mingfei dared to hold her hand in front of her father, and even more surprised by what Lu Mingfei had just said.

This dialogue sounds a bit strange. They're just transferring schools to other places... why is it acting like they're meeting the parents and discussing marriage?
Su Zhenqi said, "Are you really sure you can do it? Can you guarantee that?"

Lu Mingfei said, "I promise. I will protect Qiangqiang with my life. Please rest assured that you can entrust her to me."

...This sounds more and more like they're talking about getting married?! So all we're saying is we're transferring schools!

Su Xiaoqiang lowered her beautiful eyes and stared at the ground. Her delicate toes curled up shyly, and the smooth floor reflected her flushed face clearly.

Lu Mingfei and Su Zhenqi stared at each other, their expressions serious. He wasn't exaggerating; he truly meant to protect the Little Heavenly Maiden with his life, guaranteeing she wouldn't be harmed. He had the ability and the determination.

However, Lu Mingfei originally thought that it might take some time to completely convince his father-in-law. But after listening to Lu Mingfei's words, Su Zhenqi remained silent for a few seconds before calmly nodding.

"I understand." Su Zhenqi stood up from the sofa. "Then wait here for me. I'm going back to my room to get something."

Need something?

Watching Su Zhenqi's retreating figure as he went upstairs, Lu Mingfei wondered what his father-in-law was going to get from his room.
Could it be a bank card? Isn't that how it always goes in TV dramas? The female lead's father throws a bank card at the male lead, saying things like, "There's 500 million in this card, leave my daughter," or something like that. But isn't it a bit too late to try and buy him off with money now?
Su Xiaoqiang was also curious about what her father would go to his room to get. She often went to his room and found only designer suits, designer watches, work documents, property deeds, household registration books, and other rather mundane things.

Wait a moment.

Su Xiaoqiang recalled the strange atmosphere between Lu Mingfei and her father earlier... The old man couldn't possibly be going back to his room to get the household registration book, could he?

Su Xiaoqiang was suddenly a little confused, unsure whether she and Lu Mingfei would transfer schools or get engaged.

While Su Xiaoqiang was feeling uneasy, Su Zhenqi had already come downstairs in no time.

Su Xiaoqiang immediately looked up, and what the old man was holding wasn't a household registration booklet! It was just a small, ordinary-looking box. Thank goodness…

Su Zhenqi returned to the two people, sat down, opened the small wooden box in his hand, and said:
"This is something your mother asked me to give you."

Su Xiaoqiang and Lu Mingfei paused at the same time.

"Mom's things...?"

Su Xiaoqiang murmured, looking down at the small wooden box in Su Zhenqi's hand, inside which was an exquisitely crafted badge.

Su Zhenqi said, "Your mother told me that the world of mixed-race people is too dangerous. She hopes that you can stay away from that place and grow up healthy and happy as an ordinary girl. But if one day you still choose to step into the world of mixed-race people, then let me give you this."

……

(End of this chapter)