Chapter 206 The Grand Finale (The End)

Su Xiaonuan's face turned even redder, like a ripe apple.

She blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, and then she nodded forcefully and heavily.

"Mmm!" she replied, her voice not loud, but incredibly clear.

Then, she gripped Lu Zheng's hand tightly in return, feeling the warmth of his palm and the calloused texture on her fingertips—real and comforting.

There was no grand declaration of love, no flowery promises.

In the deep autumn night, beside a food stall filled with the lingering aroma of food, a simple handshake, a humble inquiry, and a firm nod.

Some feelings are like a soup simmered over a low flame, the flavor permeating every little detail of daily life. When the lid is lifted, the room is filled with fragrance, naturally and effortlessly.

From that day on, Lu Zheng appeared around Su Xiaonuan more frequently, and his attitude became more... self-righteous.

When helping her get rid of a troublesome drunkard, he would put his arm around her shoulder and say to the man with a cold face, "This is my girlfriend's stall, please have some self-respect."

This provoked a good-natured teasing from the regular diners nearby. Su Xiaonuan blushed and glared at him, but her eyes were filled with starlight.

On the day Lady White was executed, the first light snow of the winter fell from the sky.

The execution site was located in a heavily guarded area far from the city center.

Lu Zheng and Su Xiaonuan did not enter the core area. Instead, they stood on a high ground at a great distance, which was permitted by law, and silently gazed in that direction through the vast snow fog.

The snow fell silently, and the world was solemn.

When the appointed time arrived, and the faint sounds of a solemn ceremony could be heard in the distance before quickly fading into silence, Su Xiaonuan gently exhaled a breath of white air and tightened her grip on Lu Zheng's hand.

Lu Zheng's hands were steady and warm.

The dust has settled.

As they turned to leave, they noticed two people standing under an old, leafless locust tree not far away.

One man and one woman.

The man was wearing a long black coat, and his pinkish-black hair, which he had dyed back at some point, looked somewhat dull in the snow. He had his hands in his pockets, staring in the direction of the execution ground, his profile taut.

The woman was wrapped in a thick white down jacket and a large scarf, revealing only a pair of bright yet complicated eyes; it was Fu Lilian.

It's Han Ming and Fu Lilian.

They did come, just as expected.

Su Xiaonuan and Lu Zheng exchanged a glance and walked over.

"You've arrived," Su Xiaonuan greeted softly.

Fu Lilian turned her head, saw them, nodded, pulled off her scarf to reveal her somewhat pale face, and smiled: "I have to see it with my own eyes before I can truly let go."

Her tone was calm, but Su Xiaonuan could sense that beneath that calm was the exhaustion and relief that came from the surging hatred that had finally found an outlet.

Han Ming also turned his head.

He looked thinner than the last time we met, and the cynicism and gloom in his eyes seemed to have faded considerably, replaced by a deep weariness and something... settled.

His gaze lingered on Su Xiaonuan and Lu Zheng's faces for a moment before finally settling on their naturally clasped hands.

Snowflakes landed on his shoulders and hair, quickly melting into tiny water droplets.

"It's over," Han Ming said, his voice a little hoarse.

“Yes, it’s over,” Lu Zheng replied.

Another silence fell, broken only by the soft patter of falling snow.

"You..." Han Ming suddenly looked at Su Xiaonuan, his gaze focused, as if trying to confirm something from her face, "Are you happy like this now?"

The question came as abruptly astray.

Su Xiaonuan was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously looked at Lu Zheng.

Lu Zheng was also looking at her, his gaze steady and gentle.

Su Xiaonuan turned around and met Han Ming's gaze. A genuine and warm smile slowly bloomed on her face, and she nodded vigorously: "Yes, I'm happy."

A very simple answer, without any unnecessary embellishment.

But the peace and contentment that overflowed from his eyes were genuine.

Han Ming stared at her for a few seconds, then very slowly, he looked away and turned his gaze back to the execution ground in the distance, which was now blurred by the snow.

Snowflakes landed on his long eyelashes and frosted over.

He didn't say anything more.

After a long while, he seemed to finally pull himself out of some emotion and whispered to Fu Lilian, "Let's go."

Then, without even saying goodbye to Su Xiaonuan and Lu Zheng, he turned around and walked away alone, step by step, through the increasingly thick snow.

The figure in the black coat appeared exceptionally lonely, yet also exceptionally resolute, against the vast snowfield.

Fu Lilian smiled apologetically at Su Xiaonuan and Lu Zheng, scratching her head: "Well... that's just how my brother is. He's always been awkward, and he's actually quite grateful to you two, he just doesn't say it. We're... kind of siblings now, right? We live together. I can still work and support him. But he insists on going back to fight those old foxes from the Han family for the inheritance, saying he can't rely on his sister to support him and he wants to take back what's rightfully his..."

She talked on and on, her tone tinged with helplessness, but also with a subtle, almost imperceptible, familial concern.

Su Xiaonuan nodded understandingly: "He has his pride and his own path to walk. It's good that you can look out for each other."

Fu Lilian chatted for a few more minutes about their recent situations, agreed to meet again when they had the chance, and then turned around and followed in Han Ming's direction.

The snow was getting heavier.

The world was pure white, as if it could temporarily cover up and purify all the bloodshed, sin, and sorrow.

Lu Zheng opened the umbrella he had been holding and held it over Su Xiaonuan's head.

Su Xiaonuan nestled against him, and the two slowly walked back.

"Han Ming..." Su Xiaonuan said softly, "It seems like he's let go, but it also seems like he hasn't."

Lu Zheng put his arm around her shoulder: "Some things, only he can figure out for himself. It's already good that he was able to get through this and choose to fight for it in a legal way, instead of sliding into the abyss again."

Su Xiaonuan nodded and said no more.

Everyone has their own battlefield and path to redemption.

When they reached the parking area, Lu Zheng folded his umbrella and brushed the snowflakes off her hair and shoulders.

The two stood in front of the car, their eyes meeting.

Fine snowflakes, like cotton wool, silently drifted down onto their hair and eyebrows.

It was extremely quiet all around; it felt as if only the two of them remained in the world.

Looking at Su Xiaonuan's slightly red nose and bright eyes, Lu Zheng felt an indescribable warmth and relief welling up in his heart.

I'm so glad she's still by my side. I'm so glad they went through so much darkness together and finally ushered in a future we can look forward to.

He couldn't help but lower his head and slowly approach.

Su Xiaonuan seemed to sense his intention. Her heart suddenly raced and her cheeks flushed. She did not flinch, but simply closed her eyes gently, her eyelashes trembling slightly like startled butterflies.

Their breaths mingled in the cold air, drawing ever closer...

"Ring ring—!"

A crisp, cheerful cell phone ringtone abruptly shattered the tranquility!

Su Xiaonuan shuddered in fright and suddenly opened her eyes. Lu Zheng also froze, straightened up with some annoyance, and took out his phone from his coat pocket.

The screen displayed the word "Youyou" along with a close-up photo of a little girl making a funny face.

Lu Zheng took a deep breath, pressed the answer button, and unconsciously softened his tone: "Hello, Youyou?"

The little girl's clear, cheerful voice, like a lark, immediately came from the other end of the phone: "Daddy, Daddy! We have an activity at school this afternoon, so we're dismissed early! Teacher Liu said we can't walk by ourselves, and parents have to pick us up! When are you and Aunt Nuannuan coming to pick me up? I want to eat Aunt Nuannuan's takoyaki! Wang Xiaopang from my class said his mom took him to eat it, and it was so delicious! Does Aunt Nuannuan know how to make it?"

The little girl's rapid-fire questions instantly dispelled all the previous ambiance and heaviness.

As Lu Zheng listened, his serious brows and eyes unconsciously relaxed, and the corners of his mouth even curved into a very faint, helpless yet doting smile.

He looked up at Su Xiaonuan.

Su Xiaonuan also heard the childish words coming from the receiver and couldn't help but burst out laughing. Her eyebrows and eyes curved into crescent moons, and the shyness she had just felt was replaced by a softer and warmer emotion.

Looking at Lu Zheng's somewhat embarrassed yet gentle expression, she suddenly felt that being interrupted like this wasn't so bad after all.

Isn't life made up of these trivial, warm, and sometimes noisy moments?

There are unsolved cases, heartbreaking farewells, hot and delicious food, comrades-in-arms, children who need protection, and... this clumsy yet reliable lover by my side.

Lu Zheng patiently replied into the phone, "Okay, I got it, we'll be right there. Takoyaki... I'll ask your Aunt Nuannuan if she knows how to make it. You stay here with the teacher and wait, don't wander off."

After hanging up the phone, he looked at Su Xiaonuan, who was smiling so broadly her eyes were almost closed, shook his head helplessly, and reached out his finger to gently tap her cute little nose, which was red from the cold.

“Let’s go,” he said, his tone more relaxed and gentle than ever before, “Comrade Su Xiaonuan, Officer Lu’s partner, girlfriend and…takoyaki supplier.”

Su Xiaonuan laughed even harder, took his arm, and said in a clear voice, "Yes, sir! Let's go, Officer Lu, our destination—City No. 1 Elementary School, let's go pick up our little princess!"

The fine snow continued to fall.

The two got into the car together, and the silver-white SUV slowly started, its wheels rolling over the thin layer of snow, leaving two clear tracks, as it drove into the warm and bright lights of the city.

The headlights, against the backdrop of the thickening snow, created two warm yellow halos that gradually faded into the distance, eventually merging into the bustling city traffic, becoming a warm and resolute scene in this ordinary winter day.

(End of article)