The quiet hum of medical machines filled the hospital room, broken only by the gentle ticking of the clock on the wall. Lu Zhenwei sat upright against the pillows, dressed in a light hospital robe, his hands resting calmly on the white linen. Though his face looked paler than usual, the sharpness in his eyes had returned.
The nurse outside gave a soft knock and gently opened the door. "Chairman Lu, you have visitors."
He nodded. "Let them in."
The door opened wider to reveal two figures—Mo Tianyi in a sharp gray suit, expression neutral, and behind him, Leng Xuanmo, dressed in his usual tailored black, tall and composed, but with a heaviness in his eyes.
Lu Zhenwei's gaze lingered on the second man.
Mo Tianyi stepped forward first. "Uncle Lu."
"Tianyi," Lu Zhenwei greeted with a small smile. "Good to see you."
They shook hands firmly. Then his eyes drifted to Leng Xuanmo, and the atmosphere changed.
"Chairman Lu," Xuanmo said, bowing slightly in respect. "I hope you're recovering well."
"I am," Zhenwei replied coolly. "Though the world outside hasn't changed much, I hear."
Xuanmo met his gaze without flinching.
"Still full of storms," Lu Zhenwei added, folding his hands.
There was a brief pause before Tianyi cleared his throat. "We thought it was time to come see you. A proper visit."
"And I appreciate it," Zhenwei said, shifting slightly on the bed. His eyes returned to Xuanmo. "Especially you, Mr. Leng. I didn't expect you to come."
"I had to," Xuanmo said. "For Jingyan… and for you."
Lu Zhenwei's face remained unreadable. "For me? That's surprising, considering you were the reason my daughter had to learn how to survive from the ground up."
Tianyi subtly stepped aside, leaving the tension between the two untouched.
Leng Xuanmo lowered his head slightly. "I know. And I will never make excuses for what I did. I came to admit it, not to justify it."
"I already know what happened," Zhenwei said. "But knowing and understanding are two different things. And Jingyan… she's not the same."
"No," Xuanmo agreed quietly. "She's stronger."
The older man studied him carefully. "You know, when a man builds a wall between himself and someone else's future, he better be ready to face the fire when it comes crumbling down. Jingyan walked through that fire, Mr. Leng. And now you're standing here, asking what?"
Xuanmo met his eyes steadily. "Nothing from you. But I owed you my respect. And my truth."
Lu Zhenwei glanced at Tianyi, who stood silent but alert, watching them both.
"So what now?" Zhenwei asked. "You expect her to welcome you back?"
"No," Xuanmo said. "But I'll be here. Whatever she chooses."
Zhenwei gave a low chuckle. "That's quite a change from the cold-blooded businessman who didn't blink while pulling the foundation out from under us."
"I changed," Xuanmo admitted. "Too late, perhaps. But I did."
Silence stretched again. Then Zhenwei gestured to the seats. "Sit, both of you. I'm not dead yet. Let's talk like men."
They obeyed, both pulling chairs to the bedside.
"I'm not here to bless your intentions," Lu Zhenwei said. "But I can see when someone's carrying guilt. It's written all over your face, Xuanmo. The question is—do you regret what you did, or do you regret losing her?"
"Both," Xuanmo said without hesitation.
"And what do you plan to do?"
"Everything I can," he said quietly. "I won't ask her to forgive me. I'll show her she can."
Zhenwei looked over at Tianyi, who gave a single nod.
"You have a long road," Lu Zhenwei said after a beat. "She's not a girl anymore. She's a woman who built herself back up from ashes. Be careful not to underestimate her again."
"I won't," Xuanmo said.
Just then, the nurse poked her head in. "Chairman Lu, time for your medication."
Lu Zhenwei nodded. As the nurse entered, he turned back to the two men.
"I don't need your apologies, Mr. Leng," he said. "But if you truly care about her… don't let history repeat itself."
With that, the two men stood.
"Rest well, Uncle," Mo Tianyi said.
Xuanmo bowed once more. "Thank you… for giving me this moment."
Lu Zhenwei didn't answer—but he didn't stop them either.
And as the door clicked shut behind them, the weight of the visit lingered in the quiet room like the scent of smoke after a fire.