Chapter 71 Apology and Compensation, Clumsy Tenderness

The dust had settled on the Lin Weiwei incident, like the last heavy stone weighing down Su Wanqing's heart. Though the occasional nighttime dreams of those cold daggers and the kidnappers' hideous faces still made her break out in a cold sweat, the daylight seemed warm and real again. She knew the shadow of malevolence that had been following her everywhere had been completely dispelled. And the man who had wielded such drastic measures to clear the darkness from her was the very man she had once believed to be cold and heartless.

Huo Tingxiao's transformation was clear yet clumsy. He was still not good with words, and his apologies and words of comfort always seemed stiff and brief. But he began to use another more direct and practical way to try to make up for all the harm he had caused her in the past through indifference, misunderstanding, and negligence.

He no longer showed any impatience or resistance to her studies and design-related matters. Instead, he began to pay attention.

Su Wanqing soon discovered that the well-thumbed, out-of-print foreign-language design theory books on her desk had been replaced with brand-new, fully annotated translations. Her particular imported drawing pencils and colored pencils, which were difficult to find in China, would quietly appear in her pen holder just as she was about to run out. She even casually mentioned that a certain contemporary design master's portfolio was difficult to reserve, and a few days later, a hardcover album signed by the master appeared on her bedside table. There was no note, as if it were just a trivial matter.

Each of these meticulous "supplies" accurately addressed Su Wanqing's needs, surprising her with an indescribable warmth. She knew this must have taken a lot of his time and connections, but he never took credit for it, never even mentioning it. He simply silently and continuously built the ladder for her to pursue her dreams with peace of mind.

In addition to material support, his companionship also began to become concrete and... clumsy.

He remained busy, but he tried to bring his work home and finish it in his study. Sometimes, Su Wanqing would be reading or sketching on the living room couch, and she'd glance up through the open study door to see his silhouette, intently bent over his desk. They each went about their own business, not disturbing each other, but their silent presence strangely dispelled the loneliness in the house, bringing a sense of peaceful tranquility.

Occasionally, he would walk out of the study and sit silently on the single sofa next to her, picking up a military journal to read. He would not take the initiative to start a conversation, and sometimes they would sit there for half an hour, the only sound between them being the subtle sound of pages turning.

At first, Su Wanqing felt a little uncomfortable and nervous, but he seemed to be just reading in a different place, never glancing at her desk or drawings, giving her ample respect and space. Gradually, she began to get used to this silent companionship, even sensing a kind of awkward, attempted approach from him.

Late one night, Su Wanqing was stuck on a design composition and felt upset. She paced back and forth in the living room, frowning and thinking hard at the sketch.

Huo Tingxiao came out of the study to pour water. Seeing her expression, he paused. He silently poured a glass of warm water, walked over, and placed it on the coffee table next to her.

Su Wanqing was immersed in her own thoughts and subconsciously said thank you without paying much attention.

He didn't leave immediately, his gaze lingering for a few seconds on the sketch she had spread out on the coffee table. It was a conceptual clothing design that combined traditional ink painting with modern military elements. The lines were still messy, but the concept was bold.

Su Wanqing noticed his gaze and subconsciously tried to cover the sketch with her hands, feeling a little embarrassed: "...I just drew it casually, and it's very messy."

Huo Tingxiao shook his head, frowning slightly, as if he was genuinely thinking. He then pointed to a joint on the sketch and said in a low voice, "The structural strength here may not be enough. In actual combat, this type of connection is prone to tearing."

Su Wanqing was stunned. She had never expected that he would offer suggestions from such a practical...even military perspective.

Seeing her stunned, Huo Tingxiao seemed to realize that he might have said something wrong or interfered with her. He immediately pursed his lips, a subtle trace of annoyance flashed across his eyes, and he turned around as if wanting to leave.

"Wait!" Su Wanqing suddenly stopped him, her eyes lighting up. "You're right! I overlooked practicality! So... what if we added a hidden snap-on structure here? It wouldn't affect the aesthetics, and it would also enhance..."

She picked up a pen and quickly made changes to the sketch, subconsciously asking for his opinion.

Huo Tingxiao stopped and turned, looking at her shining eyes and focused expression, his gaze softened. He walked back and stood beside her, keeping a proper distance, watching her revise, occasionally raising one or two points from the perspective of functionality and structure.

His suggestions were not particularly aesthetically pleasing, but they were extremely practical and to the point, which made up for the lack of practical support in Su Wanqing's wild ideas.

At that moment, there was no cold war, no barriers, only a strange, brief exchange and collision based on their respective professional fields.

Although the communication was still brief and even a little awkward, Su Wanqing felt an unprecedented feeling in her heart. She felt that he was trying hard, using the only way he was good at, to get closer to her world and understand her passion.

This clumsy, silent attempt touched her heart more than any flowery apology.

Besides these, his care for her became more natural and... thoughtful.

He remembered that she disliked greasy breakfasts and would have the kitchen prepare light porridge and side dishes. He noticed that her hands and feet tended to get cold while reading at night, so he would quietly turn up the heat in the living room a few degrees, or quietly cover her with the blanket after she fell asleep. She was weak after an illness, so he somehow managed to procure some supposedly special, extremely rare warming tonic herbs and had the kitchen prepare a different soup for her every day. He never told her the preciousness of the ingredients, simply saying they were ordinary tonics.

All these subtle, silent compensations and care, like trickles of water, quietly soaked Su Wanqing's once dry and wounded heart.

She could clearly sense the apology and tenderness he carefully released beneath his cold and hard shell. Although clumsy, it was extremely sincere; although silent, it was extremely powerful.

She began to stop deliberately keeping a distance and being polite. She would naturally drink the soup he had someone cook, quietly thank him when he silently handed her a new paintbrush, and even occasionally share an interesting passage with him when he sat next to her reading.

The relationship between them is slowly but surely thawing and warming up.

It was a sunny afternoon. Su Wanqing set up her easel by the French window in the living room and began sketching the ginkgo tree in the yard outside, which was sprouting new buds.

When Huo Tingxiao came back, he saw this picture: the sunlight filtered through the glass, outlining her slender and focused profile, the breeze ruffling her hair, the paintbrush making a rustling sound on the paper, peaceful and beautiful.

He walked lightly, not disturbing her, but walked silently to the sofa behind her and sat down. He picked up a document but did not read it. His eyes fell on her and the drawings she was writing for a long time. His eyes were deep, with a kind of tenderness and... satisfaction that he himself had not noticed.

Perhaps, an apology doesn’t have to be expressed in words.

Compensation can also be silent.

True tenderness is often hidden in these clumsy and persistent details.

The iceberg melts, albeit slowly, but eventually the warm sun appears.