Chapter 27

Taken Home by Lu Yuetang

The jeep drove into the military compound, passing several checkpoints before stopping in front of a duplex-style independent house.

For Hu Ouhua, this was her first time realizing that the military compound had such strict security measures.

She became acutely aware of the vast difference between her and Lu Yuetang.

Her hand gently brushed over her stomach.

Her thoughts became even more resolute.

The car stopped outside the gate. Lu Yuetang stepped out, and as the high gates slowly opened, a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl rushed out. She immediately clung to his arm upon seeing him.

“Brother, you’re finally back! Mom made ginseng soup just for you and Brother Shen.”

At that moment, she noticed Hu Ouhua stepping out of the car. Tilting her head, she looked at her with guarded eyes before turning to Lu Yuetang.

“Brother, who is she?”

The Lu family had strict rules. They never allowed outsiders into their home.

Bringing a woman home? That was unheard of.

Even the most flirtatious children of military families only dared to fool around outside in secrecy.

Lu Yuetang pried his younger sister, Lu Jingjing’s, hand off his arm and introduced Hu Ouhua.

“She is a nanny we hired in Ningcheng. She’s an excellent cook and was also the top scorer in Ning Province’s college entrance exam. She’s coming to study at Kyoto University. I brought her over early, but once school starts, she’ll naturally go to her dormitory.”

Nanny. Top scorer. Kyoto University.

Lu Jingjing processed these words for a long time before the alarms in her head settled. She quickly smiled and stepped down the stairs.

“Sister, my name is Lu Jingjing. Welcome to our home! May I know how to address you?” she asked enthusiastically.

“Hello, I’m Hu Ouhua,” she replied.

Meanwhile, Shen Fubai had parked the car and walked over with the keys in hand. Smiling, he ruffled Lu Jingjing’s hair.

“You’ve grown taller again. At this rate, you’ll be as tall as me. How will you ever find a husband?”

“Ugh, you never say anything nice!”

“If a dog could spit out ivory, it wouldn’t be a dog anymore,” he teased.

After exchanging a few jokes, they all went inside. Hu Ouhua followed behind cautiously, trying to minimize her presence and avoid making a bad impression on the Lu family.

“Mom! Mom—”

Lu Jingjing had just spoken when an elegant, full-figured middle-aged woman in the kitchen interrupted her.

“Why are you shouting? Go call your grandmother for dinner.”

The woman then noticed the unfamiliar face in the house and momentarily paused. She quickly removed her apron and handed it to Liu Mei, the housekeeper, who was preparing vegetables.

“Liu Mei, put down the vegetables. We have a guest. Go and entertain them.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Liu Mei set aside the vegetables and subtly glanced at the guest out of the corner of her eye. Seeing a young, beautiful girl who didn’t quite resemble the child of an official family, she opened the second cupboard and took out some brown sugar and rice snacks.

“Yuetang, has he returned?”

Accompanied by Lu Jingjing, a dignified elderly woman in a vest emerged from her room. She immediately stopped speaking upon seeing the unfamiliar girl in the living room.

Lu Jingjing quickly broke the silence, smiling.

“Grandma, this is… Hu Ouhua from Ningcheng.”

She then repeated what her brother had said.

Grandma Lu’s kind eyes scrutinized Hu Ouhua from head to toe.

Beautiful—too beautiful.

A girl with looks like hers, willing to be a nanny for her grandson for a month?

Was she truly without ulterior motives?

Grandma Lu had her suspicions.

She then spoke with polite distance.

“Yuetang, you should’ve let us know if you were bringing a guest. We would have prepared more food.”

Lu’s mother, Gu Wanyu, also nodded slightly, expressing her dissatisfaction with her son’s decision.

Hu Ouhua immediately felt uncomfortable.

She lowered her gaze and politely greeted the two women.

“Hello, Grandma Lu. Hello, Auntie. This is my fault. I didn’t expect Commander Lu to bring me here directly. I sincerely apologize for the intrusion. I’ll leave now.”

However, before she could leave, Shen Fubai stopped her.

“Grandma Lu, Auntie, don’t be so formal. I consider her my little sister, so I never saw her as an outsider. Otherwise, how could I have let Lu bring her here without notice? Not to mention, she was practically a perfect scorer in the college entrance exam—she’s a true talent.”

Then, he nudged Lu Yuetang’s arm.

“In Ningcheng, my little sister here is a master chef. If it weren’t for her taking care of him, Lu would’ve been in serious trouble several times. She practically saved his life!”

“Hmm. The treatment didn’t go too smoothly this time—there were some complications,” Lu Yuetang said indifferently.

The calmer his tone, the more it emphasized the danger of the situation.

The two women, who had been wary of Hu Ouhua, suddenly softened. They immediately stepped forward and took her by the arms.

“You poor child, so humble. Taking care of our Yuetang must have been difficult. Don’t be shy, stay here for now. Once school starts, we’ll figure things out. Our home may not be big, but there are still spare rooms,” Grandma Lu said warmly.

Gu Wanyu nodded in agreement.

It was no wonder her son had brought this girl home.

He must have owed her a debt of gratitude in Ningcheng and wanted them to help repay it.

“Come, let’s eat first. I bought ginseng and pork tripe this morning and made a soup. Let’s have a meal together,” Gu Wanyu said with a smile.

“Thank you, Auntie,” Hu Ouhua replied.

Lu Yuetang cast a subtle glance at Shen Fubai as a silent gesture of gratitude.

With so many women in the house, there were bound to be many suspicions.

No matter what he said or did, it would raise questions.

But Shen Fubai, as an “outsider,” was instantly trusted by all three women.

Shen Fubai patted Lu Yuetang’s shoulder and mouthed, You owe me a meal.

Lu Yuetang nodded slightly.

The dishes were served: stir-fried greens, stir-fried beans, braised potatoes… and a steaming pot of ginseng pork tripe soup.

The moment the bitter ginseng scent mixed with the pork’s gaminess hit her nose, Hu Ouhua’s stomach churned. She couldn’t help but gag.

“Huh? Sister, are you okay? Do you feel sick?” Lu Jingjing asked, concerned.

At once, all eyes turned to Hu Ouhua.

She fought the nausea and forced a smile.

“Maybe I caught a bit of a cold. It’s nothing serious. Thank you for your concern.”

“Don’t worry, have some hot soup—it’ll make you feel better,” Gu Wanyu encouraged warmly.

Hu Ouhua nodded obediently.

Soon, everyone gathered around the table, including Shen Fubai. However, seeing the mostly vegetarian dishes, he immediately lost his appetite.

“Auntie, when I ate with Lu in Ningcheng, there was always fish and meat. How can I eat without meat?” he complained.

“You’re getting fat!” Gu Wanyu scolded playfully.

The Lu and Shen families had been close for three generations. Shen Fubai was practically like a son to Gu Wanyu, so she wasn’t the least bit annoyed by his complaints.

Grandma Lu chuckled.

“Liu Mei, buy some pork belly tomorrow and cook something for this greedy boy.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Liu Mei replied.