The two characters "Grandpa" on the mobile phone screen were like two death talismans, stinging Su Wanwan's eyes. The panic that had just been forcibly suppressed by Lu Tingchen came surging again.
Lu Tingchen glanced at the incoming call, his expression as calm as water. He didn't pick it up immediately. Instead, he first instructed the butler on standby beside him, "Take the lady upstairs to rest. No one is allowed to disturb her without my permission."
"No," Su Wanwan suddenly grabbed his arm, her voice trembling with fear, but her eyes were extremely determined. "I want to be here." It started because of me. I can't hide.
She couldn't let him face his grandfather's rage and the overwhelming waves all by himself. Even if she was scared to death, she would still stand by his side.
Lu Tingchen's deep eyes lingered on her face, which was filled with determination, for a moment, but in the end, he gave up. He held her cold and slightly trembling hand with his opposite hand, gently stroking the back of her hand with his thumb as if it were a silent comfort, and then pressed the answer button and turned on the hands-free device.
"Grandpa." His voice was steady, without the slightest ripple.
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone. Then came the extremely cold voice of Mr. Lu, suppressing his intense anger: "Tingchen, is what happened in the news true?" "
The air in the entire living room seemed to have frozen.
Su Wanwan held her breath, cold sweat breaking out from her palms.
Lu Tingchen held her hand tightly, his tone without any hesitation: "Most of them are false reports and malicious slander." I have already had the legal team handle it."
"False?" The old man's voice suddenly rose, carrying an unquestionable authority. "Is the photo fake too?" Isn't that woman who owed a huge debt in the Macau casino Su Mingwei? ! Not your current legal wife? "!"
Every word was like a heavy hammer hitting Su Wanwan's heart, making her face turn even paler.
Lu Tingchen remained calm and composed: "The photos are real, but the specific circumstances of the debt do not match the reports. There is exaggeration and distortion." As for whether she is my wife or not... He paused for a moment, turned his head to glance at Su Wanwan beside him, who was so nervous that she was almost curling up. His tone was resolute, "Of course it is." This has never changed."
Su Wanwan's heart gave a sudden jolt at his words. She looked up at his stern yet determined profile.
From the other end of the phone came the old man's heavy breathing, clearly trying his best to control his emotions: "Alright, even if there are discrepancies in the debt." Then tell me, why is there such an absurd rumor as "substitute marriage" flowing out? ! What on earth is going on here? ! Does the Lu family still want to save face? "!"
Finally, the most crucial and fatal question was asked.
Su Wanwan's heart was in her throat and she hardly dared to listen to the answer. Will she be exposed immediately? Will I be expelled on the spot by my grandpa?
Lu Tingchen felt the coldness and slight tremor at her fingertips. He completely wrapped her hand in his warm palm and faced the phone, his voice calm and composed without a single crack.
Grandpa, it's quite normal for there to be some rumors about the marriage of powerful families with intertwined interests. It's just some shady people who, seeing the smooth cooperation between the Lu and Su families, deliberately spread rumors in an attempt to disrupt the situation and undermine the Lu family's stock price. Why do you take it seriously?"
He effortlessly turned the tables and directly attributed the most fatal "substitute marriage" issue to malicious rumors spread by business competitors!
Su Wanwan was completely stunned and looked at him in disbelief. He was just like this... With an unchanging expression... Distorted the truth?
The old man Lu on the other end of the phone seemed to be choked by this answer as well. He fell silent for a moment, his tone still stern, but his anger seemed to have subsided a little: "Just spreading rumors?" Tingchen, don't come to deceive me just to protect someone!"
I never thought of fooling you. Lu Tingchen spoke respectfully but without any doubt, "That's the truth." Since Wanwan married me, you have seen everything in her words and deeds, whether she is proper, whether she is filial to you and whether she is devoted to me. Just based on a few groundless photos and a few malicious rumors, should you deny everything about her, or even doubt your grandson's way of judging people?
He skillfully threw the question back and insinuated that denying Su Wanwan was equivalent to denying Lu Tingchen himself.
The old man fell silent again, as if weighing his options. After a long while, he snorted heavily, "It would be best if it were as you said!" You must quickly stabilize the company's stock price and the mood of the board of directors! If this matter is not handled properly, you should be well aware of the consequences!
"Understood." I'll clean it up." Lu Tingchen responded.
After hanging up the phone, the living room fell into a deathly silence.
Su Wanwan was still lost in his astonishing move of reversing right and wrong just now, staring at him blankly: "You..." Why do you...
Why not expose her? Why do you still have to hide it for her? Even at the cost of deceiving grandpa?
Lu Tingchen let go of her hand, walked to the wine cabinet, poured a glass of whisky, but didn't drink it. He just held it in his hand and looked at the amber-colored liquid.
"Otherwise?" " He turned his back to her, his voice showing no emotion. "Tell Grandpa, yes, your granddaughter-in-law is fake. She's a fake sent by the Su family. Did we work together to deceive you?" And then let the Lu family become the laughingstock of the whole city? "Let the stock price plumb to the bottom?" "
Su Wanwan was speechless.
He turned around and looked at her sharply, "Su Wanwan, from the moment you stepped into the Lu family, whether it was true or not no longer mattered." What's important is that now the whole world knows you are my wife, Lu Tingchen. When one rises, all rise; when one falls, all fall. Do you understand this principle?"
His gaze was too deep and sharp, as if it could Pierce straight into the deepest part of her heart. Under his gaze, Su Wanwan had nowhere to hide and could only nod blankly.
"So," he walked closer to her step by step, stopped in front of her, looked down at her from a height, his tone carrying an unquestionable sense of control, "From now on, forget the name 'Su Mingwei'." You are Su Wanwan, the legitimate wife I, Lu Tingchen, have married. No matter who asks, no matter who it is, including Grandpa, this is the only fact. Understand?"
His words were like an irresistible order and also like a solid barrier, firmly protecting her under the identity of "Mrs. Lu".
Su Wanwan looked into his deep eyes. There was no mockery or ridicule in them, only a calm, powerful certainty that made one involuntarily want to trust and rely on him.
The panicked and chaotic heart miraculously calmed down.
She nodded vigorously again. This time, there was an extra determination in her eyes to go all out: "I understand."
Just then, Qin Hao returned, his expression even more solemn than before: "Mr. Lu, we've found the source of the information." The initial tip-off email had its IP address camouflaged and redirected multiple times. Eventually, the physical location traced was... "Old house."
Old house! Sure enough, it's Lu Meilin!
Lu Tingchen's eyes instantly froze, and a terrifying chill emanated from his entire body.
"Also," Qin Hao added with difficulty, "We have found out that one of the creditors of Miss Mingwei's debts in Macau seems to have..." There is also the shadow of my great-aunt. It's highly likely that she not only fanned the flames but also secretly pushed for the debt dispute, deliberately making a big deal out of it to give the media a chance to expose it.
Su Wanwan drew in a sharp breath and felt cold all over. It's actually like this! In order to strike at Lu Tingchen, Lu Meilin actually resorted to such means and might even put her own niece Su Mingwei in an even more dangerous situation!
Lu Tingchen's face was terrifyingly gloomy. He suddenly threw the wine glass in his hand onto the table, making a crisp sound.
"Very good." He squeezed two words through his teeth, icy cold. "It seems I was too lenient, making her forget who is in charge of the Lu family."
He picked up his mobile phone and directly dialed Lu Meilin's number.
The phone was picked up quickly, and Lu Meilin's feigned relaxed voice came through: "Hello, Tingchen, why did you suddenly remember to call your aunt?" Did you see the news? Oh dear, I just saw it too. It's really...
"Aunt." Lu Tingchen coldly interrupted her, his voice devoid of any warmth, as if chilled to ice. "Is Macau fun?"
Lu Meilin on the other end of the phone fell silent instantly, and even her breathing could hardly be heard.
"You..." Her voice clearly carried a hint of panic.
"I'll give you two hours." " Lu Tingchen didn't give her a chance to speak at all. His tone was an unquestionable ultimatum, "Within two hours, I want to see all relevant media issue official refutations and apology statements." Otherwise..."
He paused for a moment, each word carrying a weighty threat: "I don't mind that the branch company my cousin is in charge of will go bankrupt and be liquidated directly tomorrow due to a major audit issue." By the way, hand over the detailed accounts of your failed attempts to misappropriate the family fund for "investment" over the years to your grandfather and the board of directors for "appreciation".
"Lu Tingchen!" "Dare you!" " Lu Meilin let out a shrill scream and completely tore off her mask of disguise.
"You can give it a try and see if I dare." " Lu Tingchen's voice was cold and devoid of any human emotion. "Now, you still have one hour and fifty-eight minutes left."
Having said that, he hung up the phone directly, leaving no room for the other party to bargain at all.
Throughout the entire process, Su Wanwan stood by the side, witnessing with her own eyes how he seized the opponent's vital point with overwhelming force and precision. That powerful and decisive aura made her heart race, yet... I felt inexplicably at ease.
It turned out that beneath his cold and hard exterior, there was not only an unknown tenderness but also such terrifying means and power.
After dealing with all this, Lu Tingchen seemed to have let go of a little of his ill will. He looked at Su Wanwan, who was still somewhat stunned, and his gaze softened: "Scared?" "
Su Wanwan shook her head and then nodded, being honest: "A little..." But, more often than not... I think you're really amazing.
Lu Tingchen seemed not to have expected her to say so. He raised his eyebrows slightly, and the corner of his mouth seemed to curl up extremely quickly before returning to its original state.
"Go and change into more comfortable clothes." He ordered, "Come with me somewhere tonight."
"Where to?" " Su Wanwan subconsciously asked, "The storm hasn't subsided yet. Where are they going?"
Lu Tingchen looked out of the window at the gradually darkening sky, his eyes deep and profound.
"Go to a friend's art exhibition." Since some people say that Mrs. Lu behaves improperly, let's go to a crowded place and let them see what the real Mrs. Lu looks like.
He will personally take her along and make a high-profile appearance in the public eye, countering all the rumors and slanders in the most direct and forceful way!
Looking at his composed and calm expression, Su Wanwan's heart, which had been in suspense, finally settled down.
With him around, it seems that the sky really won't fall.