The diary was like a scorching piece of charcoal, hidden in the deepest layer of Su Wanwan's bag and also in the most profound corner of her heart. She tried her best to maintain a calm surface, feeding milk, putting him to sleep and smiling at Lu Tingchen, but there was always a hint of confusion and heaviness deep in her eyes that was hard to dissolve.
Lu Tingchen is so sharp.
He noticed her abnormality. Occasionally, she would stare at him in a trance, her fingers curled up unconsciously. When he casually glanced at her, she would quickly shift her gaze away, pretending to focus on the child or something else. That subtle estrangement and struggle couldn't be concealed from him.
But he didn't press further.
He just stayed by her side even more quietly and unobtrusively. I got home earlier and turned down all the evening meetings. He held his son in his arms and sat beside her, watching those parenting programs that he once found boring. However, his big hand kept patting her back from time to time in a soothing manner, as if soothing a frightened cat.
He would, in the dead of night, when she thought he was asleep, gently pull her into his arms, press his chin against the top of her hair, and whisper in her ear, "Wanwan, I'm here."
There was no questioning, no probing, only silent commitment and companionship.
This kind of silent consideration and understanding made Su Wanwan feel even more guilty. She was almost unable to hold back her words, but as the words were on the tip of her tongue, seeing his and the child's peaceful sleeping faces, she swallowed them back. She needs time and to sort things out.
A few days later, Su Wanwan made another appointment with Aunt Zhou under the pretext of "taking Chenchen out for some fresh air". This time, she chose a more secluded private greenhouse.
"Aunt Zhou," Su Wanwan got straight to the point, briefly informing her of the diary's content and omitting the part about Lin Wanru, "Now..." I don't know what to do My father..." Her voice choked up and she couldn't go on.
After hearing this, Aunt Zhou let out a long sigh, her eyes brimming with pity and understanding: "I guessed..." The content in that diary won't be easy." She held Su Wanwan's cold hand and said, "Child, don't rush to make a decision, nor rush to judge your father." In many cases, the choices people face are far more complex and cruel than what outsiders see. Your mother recorded her pain and struggles, but your father... Perhaps he also has his own helplessness and regrets.
Now I just want to figure out exactly what my mother has discovered. What exactly is that "transaction involving human lives"? Su Wanwan's eyes became resolute. "Also, she said the car felt something was wrong..." This is very likely not an illusion.
Aunt Zhou pondered for a moment and lowered her voice, "There's someone who might be able to offer some clues." The driver, Lao Liu, who used to drive for your family, moved his entire family back to his hometown in another province not long after the car accident. He left in a hurry. I found it strange at that time, but didn't think much about it. Looking back now..."
Su Wanwan's heart gave a sudden jolt: "Do you have his contact information?" "
It's gone long ago. I only know the general name of the city and the village or town of my hometown. Aunt Zhou wrote down an address and pushed it to Su Wanwan, saying, "Wanwan, be very careful." If there was really something hidden about what happened back then, if you investigate it, it might alert some people.
"I know." " Su Wanwan put away the address, her gaze resolute.
She didn't choose to tell Lu Tingchen. Instead, she used another layer of connections - she got in touch with a close friend of Shen Zhe before his death, a reliable person engaged in private investigation work, and entrusted him to secretly search for the whereabouts of Lao Liu.
Meanwhile, in Lu Tingchen's study, another silent contest was also underway.
Qin Hao placed a report on Lu Tingchen's desk and said, "Mr. Lu, Madam has been in contact with Ms. Zhou recently. Today, she went to a private flower house to meet again." Afterwards, the lady, through an informal private channel, entrusted the search for a person named Liu Jianjun. This person was the former driver of the Su family. He left the city shortly after Mrs. Su's car accident."
Lu Tingchen was looking at the report, his eyes deep and profound, showing no emotion. He had known long ago that she would look into it. He had been waiting for her to speak up voluntarily. But she chose to do it alone and secretly.
A slight sting flashed through his heart, but more so was his concern and worry. His young wife, eventually growing up, chose the more difficult path and faced the storms alone.
"Protect her well." Lu Tingchen spoke, his voice undetectable. "The person she's looking for, with our resources, will be found secretly and quickly." Ensure the safety of that Mr. Liu, and... Before he gets in touch with his wife, I need to know what he will say first.
"Understood." Qin Hao nodded, hesitated for a moment, "Then over there for the lady..."
"Let her continue." " Lu Tingchen interrupted him, his gaze falling outside the window. "Don't interfere. Just make sure it's absolutely safe." She needs this process."
He understood her silence. Some knots in the heart must be untied by oneself. Some truths must be touched by oneself. All he could do was not to keep her in an airtight ivory tower, but to ensure that she would not suffer any substantial harm on her way to seeking the truth, and to be her last resort and fallback when she needed it.
A few days later, Su Wanwan received a reply from the investigators. The efficiency was astonishingly high - Lao Liu found it and opened a small grocery store in his hometown town. The other party also attached a secure contact method.
A trace of doubt flashed through Su Wanwan's mind, but the urgency to seek the truth overcame this doubt. Under the pretext of "taking a short trip with the baby to relax", she arranged a trip that was only for herself and her trusted nanny and bodyguard.
Lu Tingchen stood by the window of his study, watching the motorcade slowly drive out of the villa gate. He didn't stop him. Instead, he picked up his phone and said, "Keep up, clear the road and make sure everything is in order."
All the way, Su Wanwan's heart was on edge. She kept rehearsing how to speak when she met Lao Liu.
After several hours' drive, we finally arrived at that peaceful southern town. According to the address, she easily found the grocery store facing the street.
A man with grizzled hair and a slightly plump build was sitting on a small stool at the entrance of the store, dozing off. The sun was shining so hard that he squinted his eyes. Time had etched its marks on his face, but Su Wanwan could vaguely recognize that this was the Uncle Liu who had always been smiling back then.
She asked the nanny and bodyguards to wait a little further away, took a deep breath herself and walked over.
"Uncle Liu?" She called softly.
Lao Liu opened his eyes and looked at the young woman in front of him, dressed exquisitely and with an extraordinary air, as well as the baby in the arms of the bodyguard and nanny not far behind her, who were clearly not to be underestimated. A few seconds later, his eyes suddenly widened, revealing an expression of disbelief.
"You..." You are... Miss Wanwan?"
It's me, Uncle Liu. Su Wanwan tried her best to make her smile look natural. "Long time no see."
Lao Liu's expression instantly became extremely complicated, filled with surprise, fear, and a hint of... Guilt? He subconsciously looked left and right and lowered his voice, "Miss Wanwan, you..." How did you find this place? "Go quickly! I know nothing!" "
His reaction almost confirmed Su Wanwan's guess.
"Uncle Liu," Su Wan stepped forward in the evening, her voice not high but clear and firm. "Before my mother passed away, she thought there was something wrong with the car. Did she tell you?" "
Lao Liu's face turned deathly pale in an instant.
(To be continued...)"