Once he ceased his worrying, Lu Hetian’s face turned grim. He wanted nothing more than to drag his daughter over immediately and give her a good beating.
“Lu Liangwei, you’re becoming much too bold. How dare you come to such a place? Aren’t you afraid of being eaten by wild beasts?”
Lu Liangwei pulled on her reins and jumped down from her horse as she said with a cheeky laugh, “Can’t you see I’m standing safely here? Your daughter stinks too much. Even the beasts walked away from me when they spotted me.”
Lu Hetian did his best to maintain the stoic expression on his face, which helped him to stop laughing out loud.
This daughter of his was too audacious. She had actually ignored the danger and came to this menacing place. It was a must to teach her a good lesson to permanently remind her never to do something so risky ever again.
He pulled a face and his voice was filled with authority. “Stop being so cheeky! You truly have no idea of the dangers of this world and had the audacity to do something so hazardous. When we get back, you will go straight to the ancestral hall…”
He paused. He wanted to tell her to kneel for a night, but when he saw his daughter’s petite and delicate demeanor, he could not bear to punish her too harshly and changed the sentence awkwardly. “And kneel for one hour.”
Lu Liangwei knew that laughing was inappropriate, but when she heard him sentencing her to one hour of kneeling, she finally burst out laughing.
“Father, you’re truly my dear father. I knew you always treated me the best,” she quickly hugged his arm and shook it about before Lu Hetian’s temper could act up again.
When Lu Hetian saw the cute and charming actions of his daughter, it did not matter how cold-blooded or cold-hearted he was, he was practically melting and nearly fell off from his horse.
However, remembering his personal guards behind him, he knew he could not allow them to witness such an embarrassing sight and he held tight onto the reins, doing his very best to maintain his dignified image.
Lu Liangwei opened her bag and said in an air of presenting him with treasures, “Father, see what I’ve picked. These are all tonics you won’t be able to buy even if you have lots of money. I’ve come here specifically to pick them for you and Grandmother. I hope you and Grandmother will stay healthy and lead a long life.”
Lu Hetian’s eyes turned red and he could no longer maintain a grim facade. He jumped off his horse. If it was not for his daughter being all big and grown-up now, he would have lifted her high into the air.
In the end, he could only regretfully tousle her hair while lecturing her, “You cheeky girl. Your grandmother and I are still healthy. We don’t need you to risk your life to come here and pick herbs for us.”
“These wild herbs can’t be compared to those selling in the market. These wild medicinal ingredients have a higher nutritional value. When we return home, you and Grandmother must remember to boil them every day to drink.”
Lu Hetian was filled with emotions. He instantly felt a deep sentiment of life being complete with a daughter. His love for her had not been for nothing. She had learned how to be filial to her elders.
Lu Liangwei’s heart also melted when she saw her father standing silently with a look of extreme warmth on his face.
Lu Hetian truly loved this daughter of his.
He had been so worried about her, yet did not bear to punish her severely.
She blinked a few times and suddenly opened her arms. “Father, I suddenly feel like giving you a hug.”
As she said this, she ran into his wide arms before Lu Hetian could agree and hugged him around the waist.
Lu Hetian stiffened, but soon felt giddy with delight as he gave a silly laugh.
Hugging his daughter felt like he was hugging the whole world.
While the warm scene was playing out, Long Yang was watching the father and daughter in each other’s arms nearby from the forest. For some reason, an uncomfortable feeling grew within him.
That old man, Lu Hetian, was truly shameless. How could he hug his daughter so openly in front of his subordinates? That was too unruly.
Once he returned, he must remind the imperial censor to give Lu Hetian a warning.