Today, Mesa City felt a little different. All over town, you could spot men in black searching for something, and the whole place had a tense, restless vibe.
After breakfast, Landon Lu headed to the Special Police Base.
Aside from a short meeting and reviewing a few cases, Landon was basically idle.
Near noon, Secretary Xiao Liao came to report that a female major was outside, wanting to see him.
"Let her in."
Just as Landon expected, the visitor was Donna Dong.
"It's been so long. Why haven't you called me?" Donna, dressed in a bright green uniform, looked at him with a teasingly resentful gaze.
"Why should I call you?" Landon raised his eyebrows.
"Are you trying to back out now?" Donna's eyes glinted with a hint of menace.
"Responsibility for what? I don't owe you anything!" Landon made a face.
"Bastard! You got what you wanted and now you're pretending nothing happened? I'll kill you!" Donna shouted angrily, lunging at Landon and swinging her fist at his cheek.
Even with Donna accompanying him, Landon still had to register.
"Donna, you should go," Landon said.
"Miss, you're back. And this gentleman is...?"
Donna smiled and introduced, "Auntie Tian, this is our friend Landon Lu. By the way, is my dad home?"
"Uncle, do you look down on me?" Landon asked with a smile.
"Okay, thanks Auntie Tian. I know. Landon, come with me!"
The man was handsome and sharp; the woman was confident and strikingly beautiful.
Needless to say, they were Landon Lu and Donna Dong.
Donna knocked on the study door and called out, "Dad, are you in there?"
"Are you really that worried about not getting married?" Landon teased.
"Landon Lu, answer me seriously. Will you marry me or not?" Donna demanded, her voice edged with anger.
"Of course I'll marry you!" Landon replied, suddenly serious.
"You said it!" Donna broke into a smile through her tears. "My dad wants me to marry Marshall Charles Feng's son. Now, you're coming with me to tell him you're marrying me!"
The highest military officer in Aries District was Leon Qian. Under him were three corps commanders, and Charles Feng was one of them. Donna's father, Daniel Dong, was deputy commander of the 96th Division. With the Kevin Guan incident hurting Harvey Guan's reputation, rumors say Harvey is about to be transferred out. Once he leaves, the division commander seat opens up, and Daniel Dong—being deputy—has a big shot at promotion. If he gets Marshall Charles Feng's backing, his chances skyrocket. That's why he wants Donna to marry Sean Feng, Charles Feng's son. With a family alliance, the division commander job would be locked in.
"You think me going will change your dad's mind?" Landon asked.
"I don't care! I'm not marrying that Sean Feng no matter what!" Donna shouted.
Landon asked thoughtfully, "Your dad wants you to marry Sean Feng just to curry favor with Marshall Charles Feng, right?"
"Obviously!" Donna snapped. "He's so desperate to become division commander that he'd use his own daughter as a bargaining chip!"
"Isn't Harvey Guan the 96th Division commander?" Landon asked, puzzled.
Donna glared at Landon. "It's all your fault. Last time, the Kevin Guan incident blew up so much that it hurt Harvey Guan's reputation in the 96th Division. Rumor has it, he's already resigned and asked for a transfer!"
Hearing Donna say that, Landon really did feel a bit responsible.
"Alright, I'll go with you to see your dad today. But I can't promise he'll change his mind!" Landon said after thinking it over.
"Great, let's go right now!" Donna said happily.
Half an hour later, a military hovercar entered the 96th Division base and finally landed in front of Villa No. 3 in the officer housing area.
Then, a man and a woman stepped out of the car.
The man was handsome and sharp; the woman was confident and strikingly beautiful.
Needless to say, they were Landon Lu and Donna Dong.
Villa No. 1 was home to Harvey Guan, the division commander. Villa No. 2 was occupied by Political Commissar Leon Qian, who was Daniel Dong's strongest rival for the commander position.
Villa No. 1 was home to Harvey Guan, the division commander. Villa No. 2 was occupied by Political Commissar Leon Qian, who was Daniel Dong's strongest rival for the commander position.
Even with Donna accompanying him, Landon still had to register.
"Miss, you're back. And this gentleman is...?"
As soon as they entered the villa's main hall, a middle-aged woman came up to greet them.
Donna smiled and introduced, "Auntie Tian, this is our friend Landon Lu. By the way, is my dad home?"
Auntie Tian gave Landon a meaningful look before replying, "Commander Dong is upstairs in his study reading."
"Okay, thanks Auntie Tian. I know. Landon, come with me!"
Donna knocked on the study door and called out, "Dad, are you in there?"
"Come in!" a friendly voice called from the study.
Donna glanced nervously at Landon, then pushed open the study door, still holding his hand as they walked in.
Daniel Dong, who had been reading, looked up sharply at the sound. Seeing Donna holding hands with Landon, his eyes flashed coldly and he barked, "Who are you? Let go of my daughter's hand, now!"
Facing Daniel's scolding, Landon didn't let go. Instead, he smiled and said, "Hello, uncle. My name is Landon Lu, and I'm Donna's boyfriend!"
In his previous life, he'd been an emperor in a fantasy world—how could a mere deputy division commander intimidate him?
"Boyfriend?" Daniel's face grew even darker. He stared at Donna and snapped, "Donna, what's going on? You didn't bring home a fake just to fool me, did you?"
Donna said aggrievedly, "Dad, Landon really is my boyfriend. I just never told you before. Honestly, I wanted to keep it secret longer, but now that you're trying to marry me off to Sean Feng, I had no choice but to bring him here!"
Daniel's eyes narrowed, then he said, "Donna, go out for now. I want to talk to Landon alone."
"Dad!" Donna's pretty face changed.
"Don't worry, I won't do anything to him," Daniel said, his tone much softer.
"Donna, you should go," Landon said.
"Okay!" Donna gave Landon a worried look, then left the study.
As soon as Donna left, Daniel's expression changed. He glared at Landon and threatened, "Landon, right? I want you to leave my daughter!"
"What do you mean by that, uncle?" Landon asked in a serious voice.
"Exactly what I said. In short, my daughter will never marry you!" Daniel sneered, eyes filled with disdain.
"Uncle, do you look down on me?" Landon asked with a smile.
Daniel nodded without denying it.
Landon smiled again. "Uncle, believe it or not, if I joined the army, I could get a rank equal to yours right away. What right do you have to look down on me?"
"Uncle, do you look down on me?" Ian asked with a smile.
Daniel nodded without denying it.
Ian smiled again. "Uncle, believe it or not, if I joined the army, I could get a rank equal to yours right away. What right do you have to look down on me?"