The afternoon sunlight filtered through the glass Windows of the coffee shop, casting warm patches of light on the solid wood tables. Su Wanwan arrived a little earlier. Her fingers stirred the latte in the cup unconsciously, and her eyes kept glancing at the door from time to time.
Aunt Zhou showed up on time. She was dressed simply and there was a hint of fatigue in her expression, but when she saw Su Wanwan, she still managed to give a gentle smile.
"Wanwan, have you been waiting for a long time?" " Aunt Zhou sat down and ordered a glass of clear water.
"No, Aunt Zhou. I just arrived too." Su Wanwan took a deep breath and decided to come straight to the point, "Thank you for being willing to see me." I came this time to... Learn more about my mother. Especially during the period before her death.
Aunt Zhou's eyes dimmed for a moment. She fell silent for a moment, as if organizing her words: "Qingya..." It was indeed a bit different back then. She became very anxious, often suffered from insomnia, and sometimes would suddenly come to me and say something... At that time, I thought it was very strange."
"What words?" " Su Wanwan's heart tightened.
She said... It seemed that someone was staring at her, thinking that the car had been tampered with, but there was no evidence. Aunt Zhou sighed, "She also said that she had discovered some things, some..." The matter about the person she trusted the most scared her and she didn't know what to do.
The person you trust the most? Su Wanwan's heart sank sharply. Father? Or... Others?
I asked her exactly what she had discovered, but she refused to elaborate, only saying that she would tell me when she was sure. Aunt Zhou's eyes reddened. "But before she could make sure, such a thing happened..." Later on, I kept thinking that if I had asked her a few more questions at that time or taken her words more seriously, would it have been..."
"Aunt Zhou, it's not your fault." " Su Wanwan held Aunt Zhou's hand and comforted her, also comforting herself at the same time. The pressure and fear that my mother endured back then still break her heart even through the long years.
Later, when she was sorting out her belongings, Aunt Zhou carefully took out something wrapped in kraft paper from her cloth bag and pushed it in front of Su Wanwan. "Your father was in deep sorrow at that time. I helped sort out a lot of things." This... It was I who found it in the inner layer of the old bookcase. I think this might be left by Qingya."
Su Wanwan took the package and found it quite substantial. She opened the kraft paper layer by layer. Inside was a slightly old soft leather-copied diary. On the title page was her mother's elegant handwriting - Li Qingya.
Her fingertips trembled slightly.
I have kept this diary for many years. Aunt Zhou whispered, "At first, I was afraid your father would be even more heartbroken if he saw it. Later..." I'm afraid of causing you trouble. But now that you've grown up and have your own family and children, I think... Perhaps it's time to leave it to you.
Su Wanwan held the diary tightly, as if she could feel through the cover the warmth and struggle of her mother back then. "Thank you, Aunt Zhou."
"Take a look, kid." Aunt Zhou's eyes were complicated. "But promise me that no matter what you see, you must take good care of yourself and Little Chenchen." What's past is past after all.
After seeing off Aunt Zhou, Su Wanwan didn't leave immediately. She sat where she was, and the sunlight shifted, falling on the diary in her hand. She took several deep breaths before slowly opening it.
Diaries are not written every day. They are written on and off, more like notes of mood and records of important events. The previous content was mostly about a young girl's inner thoughts, her yearning for love, the sweetness of falling in love and getting married to her father, and the joy of becoming a mother for the first time (documenting every little detail of Su Wanwan's birth). From the words, it can be seen that the mother is a sensitive, gentle and talented woman.
Su Wanwan turned the pages one by one, smiling from time to time and her eyes moistening from time to time. Through these words, she touched upon a more three-dimensional and genuine mother, rather than merely a vague, gentle outline in her memory and an old photo.
In the second half of the diary, the handwriting began to become a bit messy and the mood became obviously low and anxious. Su Wanwan's heart tightened as well.
She turned to a page, and the date was less than two weeks before her mother's car accident.
** [XTH, X month] **
*... It ended on bad terms once again. I can't believe he would actually get involved in such a thing! That's a living person! Can one's conscience be extinguished for the sake of profit? He said that everything was for this family and for Wanwan's future. But such a future, built on the pain or even destruction of others, can we really feel at ease? I felt scared. The person sleeping beside me had become so strange... *
** [XTH, X month] **
*... Some materials were secretly photocopied. I don't know if this is the right thing to do, but I know I can't pretend to know nothing. I must do something. I've made an appointment to meet Wanru tomorrow. She has a lot of experience and might be able to give me some advice... I hope everything is still in time. *
Wanru? Lin Wanru? Mother-in-law? Did the mother meet the mother-in-law before the accident?
Su Wanwan's heart suddenly beat faster. She couldn't wait to turn the page. The date on the next page was the day before the car accident.
** [XTH, X month] **
*... I've talked to Wanru. She was even more shocked and angry than I had imagined. She advised me to take Wanwan away immediately and take a break for a while. She said that the affairs of the Lu family were far more complicated than I had imagined. They involved too much and were not something I could handle alone. She promised to help me... But I'm still very scared. The car feels off again today. I hope it's just an illusion... Let's go and check it again tomorrow. God, please bless my Wanwan to grow up safely... *
The diary comes to an abrupt end here.
Su Wanwan closed her diary. Her hands were icy cold and her heart was pounding violently in her chest.
The diary contains a vast amount of information, confirming that my mother's death back then was by no means an accident! She discovered her father's secret - an immoral deal involving human lives. She tried to stop it, even collected evidence and sought Lin Wanru's help!
And the father... Did he know? Could it even be a participant? Did he use "for this family" as his reason?
The huge impact made Su Wanwan dizzy for a moment. The image of her gentle and doting father in her memory began to show cracks. The fear and despair of her mother back then, through the paper, weighed heavily on her heart.
So, that mysterious phone call was not groundless. Father did conceal a deeper secret.
And the mother-in-law, Lin Wanru... Did she know all this long ago? Why has she never mentioned it? What role did she play in it?
Su Wanwan picked up her mobile phone and subconsciously wanted to call Lu Tingchen. She wanted to ask him immediately, to know all the truths.
But just a second before the dial button was pressed, she stopped.
She recalled what Lu Tingchen had said before: "The past was very complicated..." But I can assure you that no matter what the truth is, it has nothing to do with our current relationship.
She recalled the resolute and tender look in his eyes when he looked at her and the child.
If... If the truth really involves some of his mother's behaviors or even more unbearable past events, and he is now fully engaged in dealing with the current crisis, is she really going to question him at this time with the past, perhaps even more cruel truth, to add to his burden?
Looking at her diary, she was plunged into a fierce inner struggle.
The desire to seek the truth and the willingness to protect the existing happiness clashed fiercely in her heart.
Finally, she slowly put down her phone.
She carefully put the diary away and placed it in the innermost compartment of her bag.
She needs time to digest all of this. She needs to think more calmly about how to face this new round of shock from the past.
The sun was still shining brightly, and soothing music was playing in the coffee shop, but Su Wanwan's heart sank deeper into a mist. She learned more, but found that the road ahead seemed even more confusing.
She stood up and walked out of the coffee shop. Outside, there was a heavy flow of traffic and a bustling crowd.
She took a deep breath and tightened the strap of her handbag.
No matter how unbearable the truth is, she must keep going. For her mother, and for herself and her family.
This time, she decided to keep this secret buried deep in her heart for the time being.
(To be continued...)"