Chapter 27: Lu Qiaoge Through the Telescope

As long as there is no worry about food or clothing, even after lying flat for two years like this, getting into a university later would still make one a state official.

Therefore, what she said to Naughty Swallow was actually something else: "There's going to be a massive storm here in about three days. Is your nest sturdy enough? Do you want me to move you to my house?"

Naughty Swallow immediately flew up, asking in shock: 【Can nests be moved?】

Lu Qiaoge wasn't sure either. Generally, once birds have built their nests, they can't be moved, right?

The swallow thought for a moment and said: 【It can't be moved. The babies are already fully formed. What if they feel something is wrong with the scent and refuse to come out?】

Lu Qiaoge:...

"I'm going to the lakeside to find Old Turtle now. I'll go and reinforce your nest for you this afternoon."

After her divorce, Qi Shuang was still living in that house. After all, the rent had been paid for a year, and since she was the one paying for everything, it saved a lot of trouble.

Meanwhile, in the first workshop of the military factory.

Old Dong tried to speak to Old Lu, but Old Lu continued to walk past, ignoring him.

Old Dong's face turned red with anger: "I've already apologized to you, why are you still being so stubborn?"

Someone nearby said, "You could go talk to the leadership to make peace."

"I did, but it was completely useless."

"Go find Representative Qin. I feel like Old Lu has a very good impression of Representative Qin. He's always the first to complete the tasks assigned by Representative Qin and is extremely cooperative."

Old Dong's heart stirred; he thought this was a good suggestion.

Thus, after Qin Hengzhi returned from the quality inspection room, he went to the first workshop.

Seeing Representative Qin looking for him, Old Lu felt a surge of joy. He had been feeling quite tormented these past few days; after Qiaoge finished saying those frightening things, she completely ignored the matter, never even mentioning it, but he couldn't.

What if... what if it was actually true!

Old Lu was still very happy that Qin Hengzhi had come to find him.

Qin Hengzhi's voice was gentle: "Master Dong sought me out just now." After a pause, Qin Hengzhi spoke truthfully: "He cried, but he didn't go into detail. Based on your character, Master Lu, I assume Master Dong must have said something particularly offensive?"

Old Lu cursed Old Dong inwardly for being shameless—at his age, he was actually acting like a petty woman.

However, the words Representative Qin spoke made him feel very comfortable.

"Representative Qin, it's not that I don't want to give you face, but he actually dared to look down on my second daughter. He said such nasty things; how could I tolerate him? Not having beaten him up is already my greatest concession."

Qin Hengzhi's eyes darkened: "Mm, naturally, that cannot be tolerated."

Old Lu breathed a sigh of relief, feeling his worries had been in vain.

But what he was thinking about now was something else.

This time, Old Lu did not hesitate and said directly, "Representative Qin, I have something to report to you, but I'm not even sure of its veracity myself."

Qin Hengzhi raised an eyebrow. What did he mean by "not sure of its veracity"?

He didn't feel like Master Lu was the type to talk nonsense.

However, Master Lu's next words caused Qin Hengzhi's expression to instantly turn solemn.

After Master Lu left, Qin Hengzhi took his secretary, Xiao Su, toward Red Star Lake.

At this time, Lu Qiaoge had brought Xiao Si along to Red Star Lake. She had Xiao Si carry a small iron bucket, while she carried a small vegetable basket containing some leafy greens and half a steamed bun.

Lu Qiaoling also wanted to come out and play, but she was held back by Meng Xia and told to focus on pasting paper boxes.

Lu Qiaoge's excuse was that she was going to catch bitterlings. There were many bitterlings in Red Star Lake lately, and fish were a meat dish—especially small fish, which tasted good no matter how they were prepared.

Meng Xia didn't suspect her, as Qiaoge had returned full of harvest both times she had gone.

Still, she cautioned: "Go early and come back early. Don't wander off."

After they left, while pasting paper boxes, Meng Xia nagged to her mother-in-law: "Isn't there a saying that once bitten by a snake, one is afraid of a rope for ten years? Why doesn't Qiaoge seem to care at all?"

Old Lady Lu didn't know either, but she felt that her second granddaughter was becoming more and more bright, vivid, and lovable.

***

The shallow waters of Red Star Lake were theoretically quite far from the military factory's residential compound.

But if one took the back gate of the bungalow area, it was much closer.

Lu Qiaoge, accompanied by her younger brother, the tabby cat, and Naughty Swallow, wandered leisurely for half an hour until they reached the lakeside.

The sunlight was good today, and Old Turtle was lying on a rock basking in the sun.

Sensing a human approaching, it was about to enter the water when it realized it was Lu Qiaoge.

Lu Qiaoge called out directly in her mind: "Old Turtle, come here. I brought you a bun and some leafy greens."

Old Turtle: 【Actually, I prefer meat.】

Lu Qiaoge: *I don't even have meat to eat, and you want meat?*

Lu Qiaoge found a spot where she felt there were many bitterlings and had Xiao Si use a fishing net to scoop them up. Meanwhile, she whispered to the Old Turtle, who was eating the bun quite happily: "I'll tell you the prescription my brother is currently using. See if it's suitable?"

After listening to Lu Qiaoge, Old Turtle recalled carefully: 【It seems suitable and targets the symptoms, but prescriptions vary from person to person. I cannot take a pulse, so it's hard to say for certain.】

Lu Qiaoge waved her hand: "Then never mind."

She then asked if the upcoming storm would affect it. If it would, she could take it home to take shelter.

【No effect. Besides, if I go back with you, what if your family turns me into soup?】

Lu Qiaoge burst into laughter.

To be fair, that might actually happen.

At that moment, on the surface of Red Star Lake, Qin Hengzhi was standing at the bow of a boat, looking this way through binoculars.

Through the binoculars, Lu Qiaoge's features appeared exquisite, with snowy skin and red lips.

She seemed very happy, her smile bright and radiant.

However, the swallow perched on her shoulder looked very familiar.

Qin Hengzhi continued to look down; the tabby cat lying lazily on a large rock nearby looked even more familiar.

*Hmm, and an Old Turtle eating leafy greens?*

Qin Hengzhi silently lowered the binoculars, thought for a moment, and said to Xiao Su, "Row to the other side. I have something to do, I'm getting off the boat."

Xiao Su rowed the small boat toward the nearest shore.

Once they arrived, he saw his Representative Qin leap into the air, landing lightly in the grass by the shore.

As expected of the king of the military, Representative Qin!

Subsequently, Xiao Su threw the fishing rod and the iron bucket over with force.

Qin Hengzhi picked up the fishing rod and the small iron bucket and walked leisurely toward Lu Qiaoge.

Meanwhile, Old Turtle was pondering in its mind. Just now, Lu Qiaoge had tapped its shell with her hand. Although it was impolite, it hadn't stopped her because the place she tapped felt warm and incredibly comfortable.

Old Turtle looked at Lu Qiaoge suspiciously. The tabby cat and the swallow had said she had great strength; even when holding back, she could kick a grown man away.

So, did her fingers possess a special kind of energy?

According to what the old Taoist Lingxu said, was it "spiritual qi"?

Old Turtle became secretly excited.

It decided to take the initiative to show goodwill: 【Actually, there is a type of aquatic plant at the bottom of Red Star Lake. If humans eat it, it can replenish qi and blood and strengthen the constitution. It would be very beneficial for your brother's health.】

Lu Qiaoge narrowed her eyes. This Old Turtle claimed to have lived for over a hundred years, but Lu Qiaoge felt it was much more than that.

But Lu Qiaoge didn't care; she had no intention of turning it into soup.

However, she and Old Turtle were quite familiar now, and it knew Xiao Si too—why was it only mentioning this today?

Lu Qiaoge unconsciously clenched her hands...