Chapter 88 Control
The Xinghuo Base has many ditches and streams. While the two children were playing, one of them accidentally rolled into a ditch by the roadside. Luckily, Junjun and Lele were with them and were able to rescue the two children from the ditch in time.
Yuanyuan was alright; she cleverly grabbed onto the grass beside the ditch and only got her clothes wet. Xiaoheng wasn't so lucky; he choked on some water, and his little face turned pale.
When Jiang Rong arrived, the children had already been taken to the hospital by kind-hearted people. After examining the two children, the doctor admitted Jiang Xiaoheng to the hospital, saying he needed to be observed overnight. If he didn't develop a fever or cough that night, he could be discharged the next day.
Jiang Xiaoheng looked miserable and aggrieved. After choking on water, his voice was a little hoarse, "I don't want to be hospitalized..."
The Chu family elders were also trying to reason with the doctor: "How about we don't admit him to the hospital? We'll take care of him tonight, and if anything happens, we'll take him to the hospital then, okay?" The Chu family lived close to the hospital; they could get there in ten minutes by riding their little donkey.
Despite the Chu family elders' good intentions, Jiang Rong decided to let the child stay in the hospital for one night. The Chu family elders were elderly, and she didn't want them to lose sleep over the child's condition. "It's better to have the child hospitalized; in case of any emergencies, the doctors can handle it promptly."
After thinking for a moment, the Chu family elders said, "Alright, let's admit him to the hospital then. Xiao Rong, you go to work first, we'll stay with Xiao Heng."
Jiang Xiaoheng looked up at Jiang Rong with expectant eyes, his big eyes filled with anticipation. Jiang Rong understood the child's feelings; since the base was built, he had had less and less time to spend with him. Xiaoheng wanted him to be with him, and the child was so understanding; even though he was full of anticipation, he couldn't bear to disturb him.
Sure enough, Jiang Xiaoheng pursed his lips and lowered his head, looking as pitiful as could be, "Daddy, go to work..."
Jiang Rong felt a pang of sadness, thinking of how, when she was a child and sick, she wished her parents would be by her side when she opened her eyes. Xiao Heng was just a child; all he wanted was companionship, and that request was not unreasonable at all.
Jiang Rong smiled and ruffled the child's hair. "Xiao Heng, don't be afraid. The doctor just wants to keep you here for observation overnight. If everything is normal tomorrow, you can go home. Daddy will come to visit you after he finishes work today, okay?"
Jiang Xiaoheng's eyes suddenly lit up, and he grinned and chuckled twice, "Really?"
Jiang Rong raised her little finger and made a pinky promise with her son: "Of course it's true, when has Dad ever lied to you?"
Jiang Xiaoheng cheered up. He obediently lay down on the bed, covered himself with the blanket, and then waved to Jiang Rong: "Dad, go to work quickly, and come back early when you're done."
*
After the first day's itinerary concluded, Jiang Rong arranged for Liu Heng and the others to stay at the best hotel in the Xinghuo Base. After settling the ability users from the Peace Base, Jiang Rong and Guan Shao hurried to the hospital ward.
When Jiang Rong pushed open the ward door, the lively scene inside made him raise an eyebrow. He had thought Jiang Xiaoheng would be lying alone in bed, but unexpectedly, Jiang Hao and Yuanyuan were crammed into the bed, Lele, Junjun, and the lazy cat were lying under the bed, and Xiaoguaiguai and Xiaoxiannu were hanging outside the window.
The spacious single room was crammed together, a group of little ones staring intently at the television on the wall. The voice of Captain White Cat blared from the screen: "Fire at all evil—"
The little ones responded excitedly to what was being said on TV, waving their arms and legs: "Fire! Fire!"
Jiang Rong waved the steamed buns she was carrying: "Which little one wants some steamed buns?"
Jiang Hao and the others shifted their attention from the television to Jiang Rong, and they ran over excitedly, waving their little hands: "Me, me~"
Jiang Rong gave each of them a few steamed buns, then handed them to Guan Shao, saying, "Alright, Xiao Heng is going to be hospitalized today, so you two have to behave well."
Jiang Hao and Yuanyuan, clutching their steamed buns, drawled out, "Okay~"
Jiang Rong smiled and said to Guan Shao, "There's not much food left in the fridge. Why don't you take the two kids to the cafeteria for dinner later? Don't let them watch cartoons when you get back. Let them go to bed early after they finish their homework."
Guan Shao held the children in his arms and nodded slightly: "Don't worry, I'll take good care of them. Is there anything you and Xiao Heng would like to eat? I'll make it for you in a bit."
Jiang Rong smiled warmly, "You don't need to worry about us, just take good care of Xiao Hao and Yuan Yuan. Guan Shao, the family is in your hands now."
Guan Shao's eyes were gentle: "Okay, call me if anything comes up."
After Guan Shao led the children away, the ward finally quieted down. Jiang Xiaoheng stretched out his arms to Jiang Rong: "Daddy, hug me~"
Jiang Rong hugged her son tightly, "Hug me~ Is anything bothering you, baby?"
Jiang Xiaoheng touched his chest: "It hurts a little here."
Jiang Rong patted Xiao Heng's head: "It's true that your chest will feel uncomfortable if you choke on water. But don't worry, the doctor said it's normal and you'll feel better after a good rest."
Only the father and son remained in the ward. Jiang Xiaoheng became unusually clingy, holding tightly to Jiang Rong's clothes and refusing to move in his arms: "Dad, I feel so happy."
Jiang Rong was both amused and exasperated. "You're in the hospital, and you're still happy?"
Jiang Xiaoheng pressed his little face against Jiang Rong's chest, "Because today I can be with Dad by myself. There's no Uncle Guan, no Yuanyuan, and no Brother Xiaohao. It's just the two of us." He couldn't remember the last time he was alone with his father.
Hearing his son say that, Jiang Rong felt a pang of guilt. He kissed his son's forehead and said, "After Dad finishes his work, I'll spend a lot of time with you."
He wants to enjoy quality time with his child before they officially start school. He's heard that once the child starts school, tutoring will be chaotic every day. Then he won't be the child's beloved dad anymore, but rather the dad they dread seeing.
Jiang Rong had just finished feeding her son dinner and was about to give him a bath when there was a knock on the hospital room door. Opening it, she saw Liu Heng standing there carrying several gift boxes. Jiang Rong was taken aback. "Mr. Liu, what brings you here?"
Liu Heng said with a smile, "I heard that President Jiang's baby was hospitalized, so I came to visit. It's after get off work hours now, so it's not too much for me to come see my brother's child and catch up with my nephew, is it?"
Jiang Rong quickly led Liu Heng inside: "Please come in, please come in. Xiao Heng, quickly say hello to Uncle Liu." Jiang Xiaoheng greeted him softly: "Hello, Uncle Liu~"
Liu Heng smiled kindly, "Hello baby! Uncle brought you some toys, see if you like them?"
The toys Liu Heng brought were all presentable before the crisis, so Jiang Xiaoheng naturally liked them. He hugged the large gift box and sweetly thanked him, "Thank you, Uncle Liu." Liu Heng smiled so broadly his eyes narrowed into slits: "Oh, so good!"
Liu Heng knew exactly how to get closer to Jiang Rong. After exchanging pleasantries with her in the hospital room, their relationship became familiar at a visible speed.
Because of the toys, Jiang Xiaoheng had a very good impression of Liu Heng. Plus, Liu Heng used his metal-based supernatural abilities to make him several small animal-shaped figurines, and before long, Xiaoheng's eyes lit up when he looked at this uncle.
Jiang Rong smiled and said, "I didn't expect President Liu to be so good at coaxing children."
Liu Heng chuckled, "If my child were still alive, he wouldn't be much older than Xiao Heng."
Jiang Rong opened her mouth and said, "Please accept my condolences."
With a sorrowful look in his eyes, Liu Heng said, "We are all parents, and our children are everything to us. President Jiang, please spend more time with your children. Don't end up like me, regretting it only after you've lost them." Shortly after saying this, Liu Heng got up to take his leave.
Watching Liu Heng's dejected figure leave, Jiang Rong was filled with emotion. Jiang Xiaoheng tilted his head curiously and asked, "Dad, aren't you happy?"
Jiang Rong stroked her son's hair. "No, Dad is especially happy to be with Xiao Heng."
Jiang Xiaoheng chuckled and hugged Jiang Rong, swaying his body affectionately. "I'm so happy too~"
*
In the early hours of the morning, Jiang Xiaoheng developed a high fever and his breathing became labored. Jiang Rong's worst fears came true: Jiang Xiaoheng had developed pneumonia due to a lung infection caused by choking on water.
If it were just a sprain or bruise, the healing-type ability users at the Spark Base would be of some use. But for childhood pneumonia, they really couldn't do anything, so Jiang Xiaoheng would have to stay in the hospital for a while longer.
For the next two days, Jiang Rong accompanied the superhumans from the Peace Base to meetings and visits during the day, and spent her evenings at the hospital with her son. Pneumonia was taking its toll; in just a few days, Jiang Xiaoheng's round face had thinned considerably.
Jiang Rong saw this and felt a pang of heartache, but besides staying by his side, there was nothing he could do. Xiao Heng's physical abilities were far inferior to Xiao Hao and Yuan Yuan's. Of the three children in the family, only Xiao Heng was an ordinary person. How could an ordinary person's body compare to that of a superhuman?
Fortunately, the doctors at the Spark Base were highly skilled, and Xiao Heng stayed in the hospital for three days. By the fourth day, his condition had greatly improved, and Jiang Rong finally felt relieved.
Just as Jiang Rong was busy packing Xiao Heng's things, there was another knock on the ward door. Turning around, she saw Liu Heng carrying large bags and small packages to see Jiang Xiao Heng again.
Jiang Rong felt bad and said, "Mr. Liu, you come all this way, why do you always bring so many things?" These past few days, Liu Heng has been visiting Jiang Xiaoheng every day, and each time he brings a bunch of toys.
Liu Heng skillfully put the gift box down and said with a smile, "We're leaving the Starfire Base tomorrow, so it's only reasonable for me to come see my nephew one last time, isn't it?"
Jiang Xiaoheng coughed as he thanked him, "Thank you, thank you Uncle Liu, cough cough..."
Liu Heng raised his voice: "The child has started coughing again. Where is the water cup? I want to give the child some water."
Jiang Rong couldn't let the guest help him. He put down what he was holding and picked up Jiang Xiaoheng's water glass. "I can do it. Mr. Liu, please have a seat. It will be ready soon."
As Jiang Rong turned her back to him and fed her son water, Liu Heng's pupils suddenly turned a dazzling silver. If Jiang Rong were to turn her head now, she would find that Liu Heng's eyes were exactly the same as those of the deceased Meng Liang.
Liu Heng's facial muscles twitched involuntarily, and silver supernatural energy occasionally emanated from his fingertips due to excitement. If Zhou Xing were present, he would have recognized that this energy fluctuation belonged to his deceased boss.
Unbeknownst to everyone, Meng Liang had already taken over Liu Heng's consciousness. Liu Heng's body became a vessel, and the soul within it belonged to Meng Liang.
Liu Heng's supernatural power was too domineering and unsuitable for his soul to reside in for long. Meng Liang had long wanted to change to a better body. The next body he chose was Jiang Rong. Jiang Rong was young and beautiful. As long as he could control Jiang Rong, he could start a perfect life.
Meng Liang had been waiting for this opportunity for far too long. From the first moment he saw Jiang Rong, he had been plotting how to get close to her. Jiang Rong was resolute and had a strong sense of self-preservation. If it weren't for the accident that caused his son to be hospitalized, he didn't know how long he would have had to wait.
Heaven has eyes! He risked his life, staking out the hospital for so long, and finally caught Jiang Rong off guard. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; Jiang Rong had no mutated plants or animals around him, and his fellow ability users had all temporarily left.
This time, he will definitely not let Jiang Rong escape. He is determined to have both Jiang Rong and the Xinghuo Base.
Meng Liang approached Jiang Rong step by step, raising his right middle and index fingers and slowly extending them towards Jiang Rong's fair neck. Sunlight streamed in through the window, and thousands of almost transparent supernatural tentacles fluttered in the air.
Thousands of tentacles wriggled and reached towards Jiang Rong's neck. Jiang Rong was completely unaware; he held Jiang Xiaoheng's body with one arm and fed the child water with the other.
Jiang Xiaoheng's eyes widened little by little, and a dazzling light suddenly appeared deep within his dark pupils. That light came from the mental energy tentacles in the air, and also from the depths of Xiaoheng's soul.
Time seemed to stand still, and Jiang Xiaoheng's hair stood on end. Liu Heng's face changed in his vision, becoming a luminous, menacing figure, like a terrifying villain from the Meow Meow Team cartoon.
The floating, supernatural tentacles writhed and approached his father, causing Jiang Xiaoheng's small body to tremble. Instinct told him that something terrible would happen if his father were entangled by these tentacles.
No, he can't let that big bad guy hurt Dad!
Jiang Xiaoheng suddenly hugged Jiang Rong's neck, his small body shielding Jiang Rong. His voice was sharp and urgent, "Get away! You're not allowed to hurt my dad!"
The dazzling silver swallowed the darkness in Jiang Xiaoheng's pupils, turning his eyes into a magnificent silver, like two finely crafted diamonds. A powerful supernatural ability erupted from the child's small body. The ability itself was colorless, but when sunlight passed through it, it burst forth with iridescent light.
The shimmering threads in the air melted away like bubbles into the multicolored supernatural power. Meng Liang's soul seemed to be burning, and he let out a bloodcurdling scream: "Ah—"
Jiang Rong, still holding the child, abruptly turned her head. Liu Heng was covering his face with his hands, a distorted expression visible beneath them. Jiang Rong recognized that face—it was none other than Meng Liang's!
Meng Liang didn't die; he actually possessed Liu Heng's body!
Jiang Rong got goosebumps all over her body. "My little darling!"
Guan Shao and Chu Qiang had just finished their discharge procedures and were about to return to their ward when they suddenly heard a cracking sound overhead. Looking up, they saw that Xiao Guaiguai had broken through the glass of the inpatient department, and the shattered glass, reflecting a dazzling light, fell down.
In the blink of an eye, the little darling had hung a person screaming and covering their face upside down outside the window. Guan Shao's pupils contracted. "Liu Heng?"
Author's Note:
Although everyone had already figured out that Meng Liang had possessed Liu Heng, did you ever guess that there was a little psychic at home?
This chapter should be titled: Xiao Heng's Advance~
I washed my hair and took a shower last night, and afterwards I felt extremely tired and couldn't even sit up.
When I woke up this morning, I noticed... my cat's eyelids were swollen.
The old cat now has two big puffy eyes and doesn't know what to say.
There's nowhere to reason with them.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
