Chapter 1229: Chosen Road
"Of course, I'm going to properly propose to your Aunt Jinjing," Lu Zihao said without any hesitation. "I already put this much effort in the preparations and even lowered my pride to ask your damn father for some advice. Since I already made up my mind, I'm going to do it."
"That is good," Bacon commented in a deceptively bored tone, even though his glowing golden eyes and swishing tail indicated his strong interest in the topic. "Uncle Zihao has to treat Aunt Jinjing well because she doesn't deserve to continue feeling sad and hurt by a scumbag like you all throughout her life especially now that she's pregnant with Bacon's little human cousin."
Lu Zihao's expression turned black. The little devil had a poisonous tongue as usual, calling him a scumbag without any filter. He didn't bother retorting or scolding the rascal, though. It wasn't worth it.
His AI nephew inherited Evelinka's blunt eloquence multiplied by ten, no, a hundred. His sister wasn't as vicious as Bacon, the little poison-tongued devil.
Then Bacon added, "And please don't call Bacon's father my 'damn father'. It hurts my feelings. Father might be uncool sometimes but he's still a great man who deserves to stand tall and proud beside an extraordinary genius like Mother. If Mother hears that her own big brother is calling her husband like this, she'll surely be sad."
This speech pattern was already familiar to Lu Zihao. He predicted what Bacon would say next. And he was right.
"At this rate, Uncle Zihao will need to pay Bacon some compensation for emotional distress even though I already have a lot of red packets."
Lu Zihao sneered. The money-grubbing kid had already become an expert in blackmail and extortion. He inwardly criticized his own AI nephew, not realizing that Bacon had become adept in blackmail and extortion by following his example and that of his subordinates from Shadow Winds. In his mind, it was all the fault of his brother-in-law, Jin Liwei, for failing to educate his own kid.
"Uncle Zihao, please don't ignore Bacon. It's hurting my feelings even more. If Uncle Zihao continues to ignore me, I will visit Aunt Jinjing and tell her—"
"Don't you dare disturb your aunt!" Lu Zihao was quick to stop the little devil. "Didn't you see that she's very happy right now? And you're going to tell on me and make her unhappy?"
The black cat AI's fluffy tail paused swishing. "Bacon understands. For the sake of Aunt Jinjing, I will not pursue this compensation even though my feelings have really been hurt. In addition, Bacon will also give Uncle Zihao a family discount when you have to pay compensation for emotional distress next time. This is a good deal because Bacon never offers discount to anyone, family or not. Uncle Zihao needs to save more money for your wedding and for raising your own family. Bacon doesn't want to be the reason why you run out of money and can't raise my little human cousin."
"Thanks fucking very much," Lu Zihao said in a dry tone.
Bacon's tail began swishing again. "You're very welcome, Uncle Zihao. Mother and Father taught Bacon to be generous to those who deserve it. Since Uncle Zihao looks like you're finally going to redeem yourself and start taking proper responsibility for Aunt Jinjing, Bacon thinks that you barely deserve my generosity. Please don't be a scumbag anymore. It is a bad example to Bacon's little human cousin."
Lu Zihao glared at the little devil but Bacon only blinked his golden eyes, widening it in an effort to look cute. The man scoffed, no longer paying attention to the black cat AI on the dashboard monitor. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]
Despite this, he still couldn't help but reflect on himself after what his AI nephew said. Indeed, he was going to be a married man and a father soon. His criminal background wasn't a suitable environment to raise a family, especially since he had no intention of dragging a wife and child into the underworld.
It was already enough that Long Jinjing knew about Shadow Winds. He didn't plan on hiding it from their own child either. However, letting them become involved was a different matter.
He could go to hell on his own, no problem. But there was no fucking way that he would allow his wife and child to follow him.
For the first time ever, he started doubting his decision to pursue revenge. Not even his sister was able to change his mind. Now, however, he began to worry when it was his own wife and their child that were involved.
After their marriage, Long Jinjing and their child would become his immediate family. If he and Shadow Winds failed in any way, the first people who would be in utmost danger would be Long Jinjing and their child. This was unacceptable!
The car stopped on a red light. There was a fork in the road leading to the highway. He could take either way and still arrive at his destination. One was longer, the other a shortcut.
In his mind, however, the fork represented his choices.
One road led to revenge—his ultimate goal after dying as Nikolai Vetrov and being reborn as Lu Zihao.
The other road led to a new, peaceful life—a possibility dangling in front of him with his inevitable marriage to Long Jinjing and fatherhood after the birth of their child.
His eyes darkened while his hands tightened on the steering wheel. Which road would he take?
The traffic lights turned from red to green. The car moved and he chose a road.
This was his resolve and yet his heart felt heavy. The urban view along the highway disappeared as his mind painted his surroundings into a dark tunnel filled with flowing blood, rotting corpses, endless brutality, and the stench of death.
He shook his head and the hellish scene dissipated. The concrete highway reappeared in front of him. He focused on the road ahead.
Yes, that was what he needed to do—to focus on his chosen road.
'I'm sorry, Jinjing.'
After making his choice, he would do his best to secure Long Jinjing and their child a happy and safe life.
Even when he was gone one day.