After experiencing the horror of the coffee shop and the utter honesty of the late night, the thin mist that had shrouded Lu Tingchen and Su Wanwan finally dissipated. A deeper connection based on absolute trust and common goals was established between them.
Lu Tingchen no longer completely excluded Su Wanwan from the storm. Instead, he began to let her understand the situation in a more equal and respectful way, and even occasionally listened to her opinions. He would share with her some filtered information that was sure would not cause her excessive anxiety, such as the safe placement of Aunt Zhou and the initial interrogation results of the arrested sniper (the other party was a professional hitman with a very tight tongue, but the source of funds pointed to an anonymous account abroad), etc.
Su Wanwan is no longer the girl who could only passively wait for protection or act impulsively. She became more composed and learned to prioritize the safety of her family while longing for the truth. She temporarily moved her design studio online, reducing unnecessary outings and allowing her to focus more on her family and children. She quietly built a stable and warm haven behind the scenes, enabling Lu Tingchen to face the storm ahead without any worries.
The manor seemed to have entered a strange "eye of the wind" period. The outside world was still in turmoil from Lu Tingchen's previous series of attacks, while the enemies lurking in the shadows were temporarily lying low and catching their breath due to the failure of their last adventure. Inside the manor, however, there was a brief tranquility like that at the center of a storm.
This kind of tranquility is not lifeless but is filled with a tense and positive tension.
In the early morning, Lu Tingchen no longer always left home in a hurry. He would have breakfast with Su Wanwan and their son. Even encouraged by Su Wanwan, he would try to feed his son, although his movements were still a bit clumsy, leaving both father and son with rice porridge on their faces, which made Su Wanwan can't help but chuckle.
On a sunny afternoon, the family of three will stay in the greenhouse garden. Lu Tingchen's tablet for official business was placed aside. His attention was more on his son who was crawling around exploring the world and his wife who was sitting beside him drawing design drafts. Occasionally, when he looked up and saw the warm and serene scene of the sunlight shining on them, the cold and hard lines in his eyes would unconsciously soften.
He would walk over, embrace Su Wanwan from behind, rest his chin on her shoulder, look at the design drafts she had drawn, and offer some "valuable" suggestions with a straight man's aesthetic sense, such as "Add a bow here?" Often, he was met with Su Wanwan's envious and confused glances, but he never got tired of it.
This kind of everyday, fragmented sweetness dilutes the intangible pressure that pervades the air.
In the evening, when the children fall asleep, they sometimes embrace each other on the terrace, gaze at the starry sky and whisper to each other. It is no longer a one-sided notification, but a genuine communication. Su Wan will express some of her concerns and thoughts. Lu Tingchen will listen carefully and then analyze them for her, telling her which ones are excessive and which ones need to be guarded against, and how far his plan has gone.
This feeling of being incorporated into the core of his world and treated equally by him made Su Wanwan's heart more stable and strong.
However, beneath the tranquility, the undercurrents have never ceased.
Lu Tingchen's study was still the command center of the storm. One instruction after another was issued from here, mobilizing vast resources and forces, continuously reaching P.P. The remnants of the foundation are exerting pressure, cleaning up all related parties in various fields, and at the same time, they are also stepping up in-depth investigations into Lin Wanru's past.
Qin Hao's visits became more and more frequent, and his expression grew increasingly solemn. They are like playing a huge, multi-dimensional game of chess. Their opponents are cunning and stubborn, and every move they make requires extreme caution.
Su Wanwan could sense the surging waves beneath that calm appearance. She was no longer anxious but chose to support herself with her actions. She would silently prepare a late-night snack for him who stayed up late, give him a worry-free hug when he came back tired, and take care of all the household chores so that he had no worries at all.
She even used her designer's sharp observation skills to point out a tiny blind spot in the surveillance perspective during a review of the estate's security upgrade plan, which surprised the professional security team and they immediately made adjustments.
Lu Tingchen was extremely proud of this. His little wife is growing incredibly powerful in her own way, becoming a partner he can truly rely on.
On this day, Lu Tingchen received an investigation report with an extremely high encryption level, which was about a nearly erased overseas experience of Lin Wanru in her early years. The time point happened to coincide with the active period of one of the overseas laboratories of "New Life".
His expression turned extremely solemn and he stayed alone in the study for a long time.
That night, he held Su Wanwan in his arms, but he didn't fall asleep as quickly as usual.
"Wanwan," he spoke softly in the darkness, "If..." I mean, if the truth that comes out in the end is extremely bad and even involves my mother... Some unforgivable things... What would you think?"
His voice carried a hint of imperceptible vulnerability and confusion. After all, that was his biological mother.
Su Wanwan turned around and stroked his cheek in the darkness, her voice gentle yet firm: "Tingchen, no matter what the truth is, it's all the grudges and choices of the previous generation." We can't change the past, but we can decide how to face the future. You are you and she is she. I will always be by your side and we will share the burden together.
There is no hypocritical comfort, only sincere support and companionship.
Lu Tingchen held her even tighter in his arms, as if drawing strength from her words and body temperature.
Thank you. He whispered in her ear, and all his words condensed into these two words.
He knew that the road ahead might be even more difficult, but as long as she was by his side, he had the courage to face everything head-on.
The tranquility in the eye of the wind may be brief, but it is enough for them to gather strength, mend their wounds, and unite more closely to face the next, possibly even more violent storm.
At this moment, all they want is to enjoy this hard-won warmth and peace during the intervals of the storm.
(To be continued...)"