NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2
Chu Muxi lay on the bed with his eyes open, his mind still processing the memories that had recently returned.
The calendar clearly indicated that it was the beginning of March in the 115th year of the New Interstellar Era, and there were still five days until his eighteenth birthday.
And, another twenty-five days, the system would match him with Imperial Marshal Lu Junzhi.
Then came the nightmarish future where he would meet his demise on a cold floor.
Wait a moment! On this day, at this time, his grandfather was about to depart for the Blue Galaxy to discuss a business deal. During the return journey, he would fall victim to Chu Tianhao’s treachery, who in cahoots with the pirate group.
He had to inform his grandfather immediately and prevent him from going!
Chu Muxi promptly got out of bed, activated the nearby communication device, and silently urged in his heart: “Please pick up! Please pick up! Please pick up!”
A beep sounded, and the communication device connected.
“…Xiao Xi?” It was almost unbelievable. This child hadn’t been in touch for a long time since his mother’s departure.
“Grandpa!” Chu Muxi’s eyes filled with excitement as he saw his beloved grandfather once more.
Shen Wu had joined the army at a young age, later returning to the Shen family to inherit the family leadership. He had always possessed a serious demeanor and had previously looked down upon his unruly grandson, who was overly indulged by his son-in-law.
Nonetheless, deep down, he genuinely cared for him as he was his only grandson.
Seeing Chu Muxi crying, Shen Wu’s heart constricted.
“What’s wrong? A man should remain strong. If anyone mistreats you, fight back. Grandpa will take care of the rest!” His tone remained somewhat stiff, but it conveyed the deep affection he held for his grandchild.
Previously, Chu Muxi would hang up the phone as soon as he heard the first part of that sentence. But now, he wished that his grandfather would continue speaking.
“No…” He couldn’t reveal everything to his grandfather just yet. He knew that he wasn’t a match for Chu Tianhao at this point.
“I miss you, Grandpa,” Chu Muxi said, wiping his tears away.
Shen Wu’s heart softened when he heard those words. His tone also softened. “Grandpa is also—”
Shen Wu couldn’t bring himself to say the words due to his typically stern nature, but he was immensely concerned, fearing his grandson might misinterpret his feelings once more.
Unexpectedly, Chu Muxi wiped his eyes, furrowed his brow, and interrupted him, “I know Grandpa loves me the most. I know, I know…” As he concluded, his voice quivered.
Shen Wu felt a pang of sorrow but still said, “That’s good. You—”
“I just want Grandpa to love me,” Chu Muxi unexpectedly blurted out.
Shen Wu was taken aback. “Xiao Xi.”
“Grandpa, I miss you so much. I want to come to visit you. Are you in the Central Star?” Because Shen Wu often traveled to other galaxies, Chu Muxi didn’t frequently contact him before, which was why he inquired now, hoping not to reveal any inconsistencies.
Surprisingly, Shen Wu only heard the words “I miss you” and replied cheerfully, “Grandpa is on the starship, getting ready to depart for Blue Galaxy No. 1 for a business negotiation. When Grandpa returns, I will come and see you, alright?”
Chu Muxi asked eagerly, “You’re on a starship and going to the Blue Galaxy?”
Could it be that the timing is off? Why is Grandpa on the starship now? What should he do? Is it too late to call Grandpa back?
“Yes, what’s the matter, Xiao Xi? Is there something wrong?”
“No, no, um, how could this happen?” Chu Muxi muttered to the communication device, wondering if he had remembered it incorrectly. What should he do, what should he do!
Just as he was contemplating, he suddenly heard another voice coming from his grandfather’s end.
[Chairman, Deep Blue has requested to have a call with us.]
Before Shen Wu could react on his side, Chu Muxi exclaimed, “Deep Blue is the flagship of Lu Junzhi’s Deep Space Fleet, the primary vessel Lu Junzhi exclusively travels on. How could Lu Junzhi contact my grandfather?”
“Grandpa, please answer first. I’m not in a hurry.” He needed to find out what was happening right away.
Shen Wu, naturally aware that Lu Junzhi, the Imperial Marshal, didn’t disconnect the communicator but established a direct link between the starships, responded, “Hello, Marshal Lu, I’m Shen Wu.”
“Hello, Mr. Shen, I’m Lu Junzhi, the captain of the Deep Blue.” A voice as stern and cold as a machine emanated from the communication device, reaching Chu Muxi’s ears.
In his previous life, Chu Muxi had only crossed paths with Lu Junzhi once, spotting him alongside Chu Lulu in a restaurant. They hurriedly passed each other, and he recalled that the man had a face that could captivate both men and women. With his status as the next-generation head of the Lu family and the empire’s marshal, he was the dream lover of countless people in the empire.
It turned out that his voice was like this.
While Chu Muxi searched for information about his grandfather’s starship, he perked up his ears and listened to the conversation unfolding over there.
“HaHaha, I didn’t expect to encounter Marshal Lu here.” Shen Wu was quite knowledgeable and refrained from asking Lu Junzhi about his mission as it was an imperial secret.
After all, the man was in a higher position.
“The Deep Blue is on a routine cruise. Lately, a pirate group has emerged along this route. Mr. Shen, please take care of your safety.”
Hey, is he genuinely concerned about others? Weren’t they saying that Lu Junzhi was cold and unfeeling, a perfect war machine?
“Xiao Lu, are you advising me as a marshal, or are you showing concern as a junior of the Lu family?”
Chu Muxi didn’t expect that his grandfather would also exchange light-hearted banter. It seemed like they were quite familiar.
“Alright, I understand, thank you very much. When I return, I’ll come play chess with your grandfather, even though that old man always cheats.”
So, they really know each other, but why hasn’t he heard about him before, Chu Muxi wondered.
“Okay, I’ll pass it on,” Lu Junzhi said and then ended the call. He truly was a man of few words.
“Xiao Xi, are you still there?” Shen Wu inquired.
“Yes, Grandpa. Do you know Marshal Lu?” Chu Muxi asked, feigning curiosity.
Shen Wu smiled, “I have some friendship with his grandfather, but this child has been reserved since young. He seldom speaks many words.”
Suddenly, thinking of his daughter, Shen Wu sighed, “Initially, we considered a match between your mother and his father. It’s a pity that things didn’t work out as planned.”
It’s a pity that her mother was deceived by Chu Tianhao, a scoundrel.
When Chu Muxi thought of Chu Tianhao, his heart filled with hatred, and he listened as Shen Wu continued with a smile,
“However, when your mother later gave birth to you, Old Man Lu brought up the idea of arranging a marriage between our grandchildren. But I felt you were just born, so it would be best to let you make your own choice in the future.”
Chu Muxi was utterly astounded. So, he almost had an arranged marriage with Lu Junzhi?