Snowstorm: I’m Super Rich in the Apocalypse
Chapter 257: Disharmony

Chapter 257: Chapter 257: Disharmony

Lu Wanli’s understanding couldn’t be more different. In his heart, when Su Qing spoke of "her own home," it could only mean the Lu Family.

So he nodded in satisfaction, "Good, with your word, my mind is at ease."

After saying this, he then asked Lu Ruisheng, "Shengsheng, tell Grandfather about how you’ve been all these years, how did you make it to the base after the apocalypse, how did you find your dad?"

These were things he’d always been curious about, but the commotion with Lu Ruiming had made things a bit chaotic. Now that everything was settled down, he naturally wanted to ask.

Lu Ruisheng recounted his time in the orphanage, his studies, how he enlisted in the army, and so on.

When he spoke of becoming a special forces soldier, Lu Wanli’s eyes lit up, "You’ve served in the special forces?"

Lu Ruisheng did not deny it, "Yes, I was discharged due to an injury."

Lu Wanli had a unique fondness for soldiers, having been one himself and never leaving the military in his life. His greatest regret was that none of his grandsons had enlisted. When Zhang Huishu had sent Lu Ruiming to the Beautiful Country, he was both saddened and angered. It was unexpected that his eldest grandson would become a special forces solider on his own merit. His fondness for Lu Ruisheng soared.

He looked at Lu Ruisheng, "Was the injury serious?"

Lu Ruisheng shook his head, "Not serious, but I’m no longer suited for high-intensity training."

Lu Wanli showed his understanding, "It’s not easy to get into special forces. You young man, are truly a Lu Family child, even more capable than your dad and Second Uncle."

Then he continued, "What about after the apocalypse? How did you and Panpan make it here, how did you get to the base?"

Lu Ruisheng glossed over some details that couldn’t be shared, then briefly explained their experiences and how they reached the base. He discussed how they chose their professions at the foundation and also about the tyranny and abuse of power Lu Ruiming wielded over them. He hid nothing that should be told.

Lu Ruiming began to sweat upon hearing these things but didn’t dare to interrupt. Even if he wanted to offer excuses, he had no good ones.

Lu Wanli’s brows furrowed together as he learned about Lu Ruiming’s behavior. He turned to Lu Ruiming and said, "Clearly, your mother didn’t raise you well. We should never have let you go abroad. Had you stayed with us, had you become a soldier, how could you have ended up with this temperament? From now on, you’ll stay by my side and work to correct your past behavior."

Gu Pan could see that although this old man was formidable at work, even capable on the battlefield, he really wasn’t so great at handling domestic affairs.

The saying, "If you can’t sweep your own house, how can you sweep the world?" isn’t absolute. After all, there were many incapable rulers who did well as emperors, but within the imperial harem, strife was rampant. Even some of those in high positions liked to see people living and dying for their entertainment.

In any case, Old Master Lu truly hadn’t balanced work and family very well. In the past, it was a lack of time for management; now, he only wished for harmony. Did he think the intermediate problems would just automatically resolve themselves? Wishful thinking.

Lu Ruiming took the opportunity to quickly agree with Lu Wanli’s words, "Grandfather, I was wrong before. From now on, I’ll definitely turn over a new leaf."

Lu Wanli nodded, "You should learn more from your brother in the future. He is capable."

Inside, Lu Ruiming may have been reluctant, but on the surface, he looked to Lu Ruisheng with humility, "Cousin, my mistakes were all in the past. I will certainly correct them."

Lu Ruisheng actually didn’t care about these things at all because they were inconsequential. He just needed the answers he wanted and to expose Lu Ruiming’s identity. After that, returning to No.7 Base would be the end of it. As for the grand reunion that Old Master Lu wished for, he could dream it into reality.

Before he could say anything, Huang Suzhen and her crew began serving the dishes, all favorites from Lu Ruiming’s childhood.

Lun Wanli called them to wash their hands and sit down for the meal.

Sitting around the round table, Lun Wanli took the main seat to the east, with Huang Suzhen on his left and Lu Ruisheng on his right. Next to Lu Ruisheng sat Gu Pan, followed by Su Qing, with Lu Ruiming naturally beside Huang Suzhen.

Lu Jianshe couldn’t make it back for the meal today; he was too busy. Although the Old Master had retired from the front lines, he was still a significant figure in Hua Country. His age meant no more regular office hours, but he would be picked up for discussions when necessary.

Lun Wanli brought out a bottle of the wine that Lu Ruisheng had brought: "Today’s my lucky day, my grandson has brought some fine wine."

As soon as these words fell, Huang Suzhen spoke up: "You should know your own health; better not drink this wine. Even though the child means well, it’s not good for you."

Her words implied that the gift brought by Lu Ruisheng was not appreciated.

Gu Pan said, "Grandma, we said when we came that Grandpa should have a little every day to satisfy his craving. Drinking in moderation now and then to invigorate the body isn’t a bad thing. Besides the liquor, we also brought ginseng and velvet antler. They could be used to make medicinal wine for Grandpa’s health. The key is to monitor the amount he drinks. You’ll have to keep an eye on him in the future, Grandma, to make sure he doesn’t sneak too much."

Not only did she smooth over the awkwardness Huang Suzhen had caused, but she also dug a hole for her; if the Old Master drank too much in the future, it would mean she hadn’t kept a close watch, shirking her responsibility.

Cornered by Gu Pan’s move, Huang Suzhen had no way to retort and could only awkwardly smile and say, "I’ve surely had my share of worries over the years about this."

Lun Wanli, however, felt quite contented that everyone was so concerned about him: "Come on, let’s eat. The kids must be starving."

Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng were not hungry, and the dishes were far from extraordinary.

But Lu Ruiming was indeed famished, thin as a rail, unlike Lu Ruisheng and Gu Pan, who appeared to hail from entirely different circumstances.

Huang Suzhen kept serving Lu Ruiming, "Mingming, eat more, you’re so skinny. People just aren’t born equal, dear child, you’re quite pitiful."

Su Qing joined in from the side: "Ruiming is far from pitiful. He’s always had his mother by his side; how could he suffer? Unlike our Shengsheng and Panpan, who rely on themselves. These two are really capable. Just the two of them, living high on the hog, never worrying about food or drink. Now they’re the true pride of the Lu Family."

Lun Wanli indeed admired such capable children: "Indeed, Shengsheng is truly my grandson, a Lu through and through. Though not raised at my side, he’s inherited the Lu Family’s excellent lineage."

Huang Suzhen originally meant to appeal to Lun Wanli’s sympathy for Lu Ruiming, hoping for more affection towards him, but Su Qing’s remarks turned the tables, making Lu Ruiming appear incompetent compared to Lu Ruisheng.

Huang Suzhen had been uneasy since learning Lu Ruisheng was alive and had been found. When she saw him, she became infuriated: Why did he look so good? So capable, even his wife was top-notch. The couple from the apocalypse looked as if they had faced no hardships, unlike the families of officials who had their food rationed. Yet these two seemed to have never wanted for anything.

With a hint of enticement, she addressed Lu Ruisheng: "Shengsheng, how do you and your wife manage to find so many resources and live so well? I’ve heard that outside the bases, it’s very cruel, and many resources have been destroyed by the environment or already scavenged. You don’t work inside the base but continue as Scavengers. Do you have some tricks up your sleeve?"

Lu Ruisheng was wary of Huang Suzhen and knew she wasn’t asking from a place of goodwill or curiosity.

So he responded to Huang Suzhen: "What tricks could there be? It’s nothing but brains and brawn. Having grown up in an orphanage, my survival skills were already sharp, plus my time as a special forces soldier equipped me with self-defense skills. The rest is up to intelligence. But this isn’t something the average person can learn. For those without the skills, we don’t bother sparing them."