The meeting place arranged by Lu Tingchen was neither the Lu family's old residence nor any place that might be under surveillance, but a private art gallery far from the city center with extremely high security. This place is quiet, secluded and completely under Lu Tingchen's control.
When Su Wanwan arrived, Lin Wanru had already arrived. She was dressed in a simple and elegant cheongsam, standing in front of a huge abstract painting. Her back was still graceful, but upon closer inspection, the lines of her shoulders and neck showed an imperceptible tightness.
Hearing footsteps, she turned around, with the gentle smile on her face as always: "Wanwan is here." " Her gaze fell on Su Wanwan, with concern. "Why do you look a bit pale?" Is it too tiring to take care of Chenchen?"
This natural care almost gave Su Wanwan a false impression. She composed herself, without any small talk, and walked directly to the nearby rest area to sit down. She placed the bag she had brought with her beside her - inside were her mother's diary and the scanned copy of that fatal agreement.
"Mom," she called herself that, but her voice was so calm that there wasn't a hint of emotion. "I came here today to talk to you about my mother, Li Qingya."
Lin Wanru's smile froze slightly. Then she naturally walked over to the sofa opposite her and sat down, sighing softly, "Qingya..." She was a very nice person, but unfortunately she passed away too early. Over the years, I have often thought of her."
Of course you will think of her. Su Wanwan looked straight into her eyes, no longer beating around the corner. "After all, the last person she saw the day before the accident was you." "
Lin Wanru's hand, which was holding the teacup, paused almost imperceptibly. She lowered her eyelids and blew on the non-existent tea foam, concealing her momentary panic.
"Wanwan, why did you suddenly bring this up?" That was so long ago...
"Because someone doesn't want this matter to pass!" " Su Wanwan's tone intensified a bit. She took out her mother's diary from her bag, turned to the last page and pushed it in front of Lin Wanru. "My mother wrote it very clearly in her diary. She discovered a terrifying truth and was so scared that she wanted to run away. She came to you for help!"
Lin Wanru's gaze fell on those familiar handwriting, and her complexion gradually turned pale. Her fingers holding the teacup tightened slightly, and the knuckles turned pale.
And this one. Su Wanwan placed the scanned copy of the confidentiality agreement beside her diary again, "My dad signed it. He sent my mom to an illegal human experiment!" Do you know about this matter?"
Lin Wanru looked at the agreement and her breathing became noticeably rapid. She closed her eyes as if overwhelmed.
The gallery was terrifyingly quiet, as if the air had frozen.
After a long while, Lin Wanru slowly opened her eyes, which were already filled with a moist and painful clarity. She no longer pretended. The gentle mask that had long worn on her face shattered, revealing the hidden exhaustion and regret beneath.
"Yes..." I know." She finally admitted it, her voice hoarse and heavy. "When Qingya came to me, she was already very panicked." She showed me some data she had secretly recorded and the abnormal reactions of her body... She suspected that she had been treated as an experimental subject, and all of this was caused by her most trusted husband himself.
Her tears rolled down: "I... At that time..." Shocked and angry... I asked her to take you away immediately and get out of there. I'm willing to help you... But I didn't expect... I didn't expect them to act so quickly..."
"Them?" " Su Wanwan seized the key word, "Who is it?" P.P. Foundation? Or... "People from the Lu family?" She stared at Lin Wanru intently, not letting go of any change in her expression.
Lin Wanru shook her head in pain and then nodded, her emotions somewhat out of control: "Is there any difference?" At that time... The Lu family and P.P. are simply entangled! Many so-called family cooperation projects have their own shadows behind them! Lu also invested money in that neurosedative project! Your grandfather... He is even one of the insiders!"
This truth was even more cruel than Su Wanwan had imagined! Is the Lu family not just indulging but even a participant? !
So you chose to remain silent? Su Wanwan's voice trembled in disbelief. "Watching my mother die?" Then for all these years, pretending to know nothing, even... Even after I married into the Lu family, could you still show me such a caring smile?"
This questioning was like a knife, stabbing fiercely into Lin Wanru's heart. She suddenly raised her head, her face streaming with tears: "No!" It's not like that! I tried to stop it! I went to see your grandpa. I begged him to step in and save Qingya and stop that crazy project! But he..."
She choked up and couldn't continue. The immense pain made her tremble all over: "But he refused!" He said the project couldn't be halted. The investment was too large and the involvement was too deep... He said that a woman of no consequence should not affect the overall situation... He even... Threatening me with Tingchen's future, if I dare to say anything, Tingchen will never get the inheritance rights of the Lu family, and even his life will be in danger..."
So that's it.
Su Wanwan was stunned. All the doubts suddenly became clear at this moment.
Lin Wanru's "feigned death", her distance, her years of silence... Not only because of depression, but also to protect Lu Tingchen! She was silenced by the old man with the safety of his own son!
"I can't beat him..." I'm too cowardly..." Lin Wanru broke down in tears. The guilt and pain that had been pent up for over twenty years burst completely at this moment. "I'm sorry, Qingya..." I'm sorry to you too, Wanwan... I watched you marry in, feeling both happy and scared... I can only do my best to be nice to you and make up for a little bit... But I have no right to ask for forgiveness at all..."
She slumped into the sofa, as if all her strength had been drained away, just a pitiful mother completely crushed by the past.
Su Wanwan looked at her, and the anger and doubt in her heart were gradually replaced by a complex and sorrowful understanding.
The mother-in-law before her eyes, like her cowardly father, was both a victim and a compromise of that dark era. They were crushed by greater forces and coerced by what they cared more about. Eventually, they chose to remain silent and protect themselves.
But what about mother? Does a mother deserve to be a victim?
The revelation of the truth does not bring relief but rather an even heavier sense of powerlessness and sorrow. Enemies seem to be everywhere, yet none of them seem to be pure demons, which makes the hatred have nowhere to go.
Su Wanwan sat in silence for a long time before she slowly got up.
"Mom," she called her again, her voice tinged with exhaustion, "The tragedy of the past has already happened." None of us can change it.
She looked at Lin Wanru, whose eyes were brimming with tears, and said, "But now, someone wants to use the same method on my child." This time, I won't be silent, and neither will Tingchen."
Her words seemed more like a statement than a declaration.
Lin Wanru suddenly raised her head, a trace of fear flashing in her eyes: "They..." They still have to deal with Chenchen..."
"So," Su Wanwan interrupted her, her eyes becoming sharp and resolute, "If you still want to atone for your SINS and protect your son and grandson, please tell me everything you know about P.P. Tell me all the internal information about that experimental project from the foundation. "Don't miss a single detail." "
She took out a brand-new voice recorder from her bag, placed it on the table and pressed the recording button.
Now, let's start from the very beginning when you first knew about this project.
This time, she was no longer a victim seeking the truth, but a negotiator with chips in hand.
Lin Wanru looked at the small voice recorder and then at Su Wanwan's eyes, which were extremely similar to Li Qingya's but even more resolute and determined, as if she could see the unfinished journey of her former friend.
She trembled and took a deep breath. Finally, she nodded slowly.
The shattered past, like the wreckage of a sunken ship, is finally about to be salvaged bit by bit. And a new storm will also accelerate its attack amid a thorough settlement.
(To be continued...)"