Chapter 75 Their marriage is just a formality
When it came to business, Lin Hao's expression became serious and he reported immediately.
"According to the accounts we found, Xu Shiming and Lin Lan may have been colluding for many years."
"They took advantage of their positions and made a lot of money from the Sang family."
The coldness in Lu Tingzhou's eyes deepened.
Lin Hao paused and continued, "And... according to the clues our people found, Madam Sang, Miss Sang Wan's mother, Ms. Sang Jingchu, might have known about these things."
"Knowing?" Lu Tingzhou's voice suddenly turned cold.
"Yes," Lin Hao said stubbornly, "Mrs. Sang should know about their little tricks, but it seems... she didn't take any measures to stop them."
"More importantly," Lin Hao handed over a document with a serious expression, "we found out that Lin Lan and Xu Shiming may have been together for much longer than we thought."
"When Mrs. Sang was still alive, they...had already had an illicit relationship."
"So, Madam Sang knew that Xu Shiming had betrayed her."
The air in the office dropped to freezing point in an instant.
A woman, knowing that her husband was sentenced and that they were embezzling public funds, chose to endure and remain silent.
What secret is hidden behind this?
Lu Tingzhou looked at the document and didn't speak for a long time.
***
The next evening.
Sang Wan dragged her tired body back to the villa arranged by Lu Tingzhou.
As soon as I opened the door, I was stunned.
In the living room, the man who was supposed to be in Shenzhen was sitting leisurely on the sofa.
He changed into a homely grey cashmere sweater, which was less aggressive than the one worn by the shopping mall and more gentle and warm.
That angular face softened a little after seeing Sang Wan coming back.
And on the ground in front of him, there were two... black safes.
The metal box glows coldly under the light, seeming out of tune with this warm home environment.
Sang Wan stood at the entrance, changed her shoes, and did not move for a long time.
Lu Tingzhou hung up the phone and waved at her, "What are you standing there for? Come in."
"Why...are you here?"
Sang Wan said this and walked over slowly.
I haven't paid much attention to him these past two days, and I thought he would come over on the weekend, maybe waiting for her to finish filming and come back next week.
Lu Tingzhou stepped forward and put his arm around her waist, "Let me come over and take a look at you."
His eyes fell on her slightly tired little face, and he couldn't help but feel distressed. He bent down and picked her up.
"Put me down, there's someone here."
Qi Qi quickly turned around and left, "Disappear immediately."
Sang Wan sat down on the sofa with a red face and kicked the two black safes.
"What's this?"
Lu Tingzhou stood beside her, his tall figure completely covering her.
The voice was doting, "Open it and take a look."
Sang Wan crossed her arms, raised her eyebrows, and a sarcastic arc appeared on her red lips.
She glanced at him with disdain, "Mr. Lu, are you...trying to bribe me?"
"Are you afraid that I won't serve you tonight, so you're going to knock me out with a mountain of gold and silver?"
Little fox, every word is full of thorns.
Lu Tingzhou was not annoyed, but just looked at her steadily, pursed his lips and smiled softly.
"Open."
He repeated it, his deep voice full of indulgence.
"See if you like it. The password is your birthday."
Sang Wan glanced at him, with a hint of pride still in her eyes.
It seems to be saying: I will never forgive you no matter what.
She stretched out her slender fingers and slowly turned the combination lock of the safe.
With a "click".
The lid of the box popped open.
In an instant, all the lights in the room seemed to be sucked in, and when they were refracted out, they turned into a dazzling pink galaxy.
Inside the box, there were ten sets of pink diamond jewelry neatly arranged.
From the lightest cherry blossom pink to the rich rose pink, cut into various shapes, on the velvet cushion, quietly flowing with dazzling light.
Sang Wan's breathing stopped for a second.
The sarcasm and alienation in his eyes were instantly shattered by this ultimate luxury.
Almost subconsciously, she quickly rushed to the second safe.
“Click.”
Another splendor that leaves one speechless.
This box contains even rarer purple-pink diamonds with a mysterious and noble hue. Each diamond is like a sunset fallen to earth, breathtakingly beautiful.
No woman can refuse such overwhelming and unreserved love.
This is no longer a simple piece of jewelry, but also Lu Tingzhou's overbearing apology.
Sang Wan's hard-pressed temper completely collapsed under the fierce attack of these two boxes of "pink bombs".
The corners of her lips rose uncontrollably, and the smile overflowed from her eyes, as bright as the rising sun.
Lu Tingzhou kept looking at her, watching the frost in her eyes melt into a pool of spring water, watching her like a kitten who got a favorite toy, satisfied and happy.
His heart also softened.
He stretched out his long arms and easily pulled her into his arms, letting her sit steadily on his strong thighs.
He lowered his head, his nose almost touching hers, and his voice was low and hoarse, with a hint of a smile.
"Do you like it?"
Sang Wan's cheeks felt hot from this sudden intimate posture, but she was still craving the warmth of his embrace.
She tried hard to keep a straight face, but she couldn't suppress the curve of her mouth.
"Just barely."
She said one thing and meant another, but her voice was as soft as cotton candy.
Lu Tingzhou laughed softly, and the vibration of his chest passed through the thin fabric and reached her back, making her feel numb and tingling.
"These 1 billion yuan were not wasted."
He said with a sigh.
"Finally, I got a hug."
Sang Wan couldn't hold it back any longer and burst out laughing, then reached out and punched him in the chest.
"One billion just for a hug? Mr. Lu, your business is really losing money."
Lu Tingzhou tightened his arms and pushed her deeper into his arms, resting his chin lightly on the top of her head and inhaling the fragrance of her hair.
"A beautiful smile is priceless."
The voice was softer than ever before.
Sang Wan commented, "A corrupt and incompetent ruler."
"For you, it's worth being a corrupt and incompetent ruler."
Under his gentle yet strong attack, Sang Wan's heart completely softened.
At this moment, the "other woman" and "Ziyuan" seem less important.
She nestled in his arms, adjusted herself to a comfortable position, and her tone was a little coquettish.
"Mr. Lu, don't think you can buy me off with this little sugar-coated bullet."
"Well," he replied seriously, "then let's use a different bomb next time."
Sang Wan was amused by him and leaned on his shoulder, her voice muffled.
"Wan Baoer," Lu Tingzhou gently kissed her forehead, "Don't be angry."
"I can't change the past."
"But my present and future can only be you."
He paused, his voice lowered, with a solemn promise.
"I'm not selling that apartment in Beijing, not because I'm thinking of someone else."
“It’s because it has a different meaning.”
He didn't say it explicitly, but Sang Wan understood the comfort in his words.
The last knot in my heart was completely untied.
She hadn't missed him much in the past two days.
It is said that when people are deeply in love, one day apart feels like three years.
This is absolutely true.
She was just competing with herself, wasting time and energy, torturing herself and him.
Sang Wan raised her head and kissed him on the chin, giving him a way out.
"Well, for the sake of these two boxes of 'stones', I'll reluctantly forgive you."
The smile in Lu Tingzhou's eyes deepened. He stood up holding her and walked towards the restaurant.
"Have a meal."
Only then did Sang Wan realize that an exquisite dinner was already laid out on the table, but there was no one else in the villa except them.
Even Aunt Liu isn't here.
She was moved. This man had sent everyone away just to be alone with her.
Everyone around her was "bribed" by him without making a sound.
This web he had woven with his own hands was impenetrable, and she was willing to fall into it.
***
After dinner, the two of them snuggled back into the sofa.
Sang Wan leaned in Lu Tingzhou's arms like a lazy cat, taking out the jewels one by one and admiring them carefully under the light.
The radiance of the diamond made her little face sparkle.
Lu Tingzhou lowered his eyes and looked at her, with unwavering doting in his eyes.
He considered it over again and again, and although he was afraid of disturbing this moment of warmth, he still spoke.
There are some things she has the right to know.
"Wanbaoer, how is your parents' relationship?"
Sang Wan's hand holding a necklace suddenly stopped.
The warm atmosphere in the living room seemed to be torn apart by this question, and a cold wind rushed in instantly.
Lu Tingzhou felt the stiffness of her body.
He lowered his eyes, his gaze deep, and watched her reaction. She should... know something.
So, he asked, his voice even softer, "They don't have a good relationship, do they?"
Sang Wan slowly put down the necklace in her hand and was silent for a moment.
She raised her head and looked at him. The joy in her beautiful peach blossom eyes was gone, and only a desolate sadness remained.
"emotion?"
"There has never been any love between them."
"To be more precise, their marriage is just a formality."
Sang Wan took a deep breath and said, "Xu Shiming, he is not worthy of my mother."
When she pronounced the name, there was no admiration for her father in her tone, only alienation and disgust.
"He is not my biological father. When he married my mother, she already had me. He married my mother for his future, but he had another woman outside."
Sang Wan spoke in one breath. Since Lu Tingzhou asked this, there was no need to hide this matter from him anymore.
Lu Tingzhou has already found out about the financial problems between Lin Lan and Xu Shiming. Even if he doesn't tell anyone, he will be suspicious and will try to confirm it.
Although he had expected this, Lu Tingzhou's heart still sank when he heard this fact from her mouth in person.
No wonder his little girl was forced by Xu Shiming to marry a man like Wang Sheng.
He didn't show any surprise, but just reached out and gently stroked her long hair, giving her silent comfort with his actions.
Then, he calmly stated his findings, "What I found confirmed this."
"Xu Shiming and Lin Lan have been together for many years. Your mother knew from the beginning that Xu Shiming had betrayed her."
"I also know that they embezzled public funds."
The air in the living room is condensed.
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