Chapter 252 Tenderness and Testing
A quiet two-story building on the outskirts of Beijing.
This is the property that Su Wantang purchased, and today is the first time she has moved in.
On weekends, the kitchen is filled with steam and the fresh aroma of ingredients.
"Hey, don't move, I'll do it." Lu Jingyan's tall figure was squeezed into the not-so-spacious kitchen as he clumsily tried to knead the dough. He had taken off his military jacket, leaving him in only a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his strong forearms.
Su Wantang crossed her arms and leaned against the door frame, watching with a smile as this man who had once been a formidable force on the battlefield was now somewhat disheveled by a lump of flour.
"Brigade Commander Lu, are you kneading dough or preparing for a demolition? Look at all that sweat on your face," she teased.
Lu Jingyan turned around and glared at her, but his movement was so big that flour flew up from his hands, getting quite a bit on his face, making him look like a big, spotted cat.
Su Wantang finally couldn't help but laugh, her body trembling with laughter. She stepped forward, stretched out her slender finger, and deliberately drew a light line across his high, straight nose.
"To add a touch of color to your life."
A white mark appeared on the tip of his fair nose, which, combined with his feigned serious expression, made him look particularly comical.
Lu Jingyan stopped moving, his deep eyes fixed on her, watching her smile with her eyes crinkling, her peach blossom eyes seemingly filled with shattered starlight.
"Do you want to?"
He whispered something, and the next second, he stretched out his long arm and directly wrapped it around Su Wantang's slender waist. With a little effort, he lifted her up and placed her steadily on the smooth glass stove next to him.
The sudden feeling of weightlessness made Su Wantang gasp and instinctively hug his neck.
This position forced her to tilt her head slightly upwards to look at him. He leaned down, and the distance between them instantly closed to the point where they could hear each other's breaths.
His pleasant scent of soap mixed with a faint tobacco aroma completely enveloped her.
"You..." Su Wantang was about to speak when Lu Jingyan lowered his head.
His kiss didn't land on her lips, but rather precisely on the finger that had just brushed against his nose, and then on her cheek. His warm lips brushed against her skin, finally stopping at the tip of her nose.
Su Wantang felt a warm, moist touch. He actually... used the tip of his tongue to gently lick away a bit of flour that had gotten on the tip of her nose.
Her body froze instantly, a tingling electric current shooting from her tailbone straight to the top of her head.
"The flour is quite sweet." Lu Jingyan's voice carried a hint of triumphant laughter.
Su Wantang's cheeks flushed bright red instantly, like a ripe apple. She punched him in embarrassment and annoyance.
A simple home-cooked meal, yet filled with a warm and ambiguous atmosphere, brimming with the spirit of spring.
After dinner, the two snuggled together on the sofa in the living room, neither paying attention to what was on TV.
Lu Jingyan gently stroked Su Wantang's soft hair with his large hand, creating a warm and peaceful atmosphere in the room.
"What do you plan to do about 'Mr. Shadow'?" His deep voice broke the silence.
Su Wantang shifted into a more comfortable position in his arms, a sly glint in her eyes, like a little fox plotting to steal a bite.
"What's the rush? He's a scaredy-cat right now. The hidden pieces he's laid in Beijing will definitely make their move. We should just wait and see. It'll be more interesting when he shows his true colors and we catch him in one fell swoop."
She paused, her voice taking on a cold tinge, "Didn't he want to manipulate memories and achieve immortality? I'll make him watch with his own eyes how everything he's built will vanish into nothingness. What I want is to destroy his spirit."
Lu Jingyan felt the immense energy contained within the petite body in his arms, and without asking any further questions, he simply held her even tighter.
...
The next day, at the Kyoto Botanical Garden.
The autumn sun was warm and gentle. Meng Wan pushed Lu Jingyue in a wheelchair, taking her out for a walk to relax.
Since Su Wantang suggested using flower stimulation therapy, Lu Jingyue's condition has improved significantly. She is no longer as unresponsive to the outside world as before, and occasionally looks around curiously, although she still doesn't speak.
A crabapple garden has been specially set up in the botanical garden, and it is currently in full bloom, with crabapples of all colors in full bloom.
Meng Wan pushed Lu Jingyue to a stop by the flower bushes, while she went to buy water a short distance away.
Lu Jingyue sat alone in her wheelchair, staring blankly ahead. A gust of wind blew by, and a crabapple blossom in full bloom trembled gently.
Her gaze, as if drawn by something, slowly focused on the flower.
She reached out her thin hand, as if to touch it; her lips moved, and a muffled sound was squeezed out of her throat with difficulty.
"Mom...Mom...flower..."
The voice was very soft, with a childlike indistinctness, but it was clear enough for Meng Wan, who had just returned, to hear clearly.
"Clang—"
Meng Wan dropped the water bottle in her hand, spilling water all over the ground. Completely ignoring it, she rushed to the wheelchair, knelt down, and trembled with emotion.
"Yueyue? What... what did you just say? Call me again?" She grabbed her daughter's hand, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.
Lu Jingyue was startled by her excited reaction, shrank her neck, and returned to that empty state.
Meng Wan realized she had lost her composure, quickly wiped away her tears, and dialed Su Wantang's office number with trembling hands.
Half an hour later, Su Wantang rushed over.
She didn't rush forward immediately, but stood a short distance away, observing carefully. She noticed that although Lu Jingyue stopped speaking, her gaze kept drifting unconsciously towards the crabapple blossoms.
Su Wantang had made up her mind. She walked to Meng Wan's side and said softly, "Mom, don't worry."
She carefully picked the crabapple blossom that Lu Jingyue had just been looking at from the flowerbed, walked to the wheelchair, and held the flower to Lu Jingyue's nose.
A rich fragrance wafted over.
Lu Jingyue's pupils contracted sharply, and she began repeating those broken syllables again: "Mom...flowers...smell..."
This time, it was much clearer than before.
...
Meanwhile, at the military district building.
Gao Jianjun walked hurriedly into Lu Jingyan's office, his expression solemn.
"Brigade Commander, there's new information."
He placed a document on the table. “Our people have discovered that recently, several groups of people in Beijing’s underground black market have been secretly inquiring about Haitang Technology, especially… Zhou Jimin’s information.”
Lu Jingyan's gaze instantly sharpened.
"They investigated very thoroughly, from Zhou's family background to his previous experience of being ostracized at the research institute. It seems they are very interested in Zhou's technology," Gao Jianjun added.
Lu Jingyan tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, making a rhythmic, soft sound.
Mr. Shadow.
He indeed set his sights on Haitang Technology. Zhou Jimin is a vital asset to the nation; the technology he possesses is the lifeline for the next few decades, and there can be no mishaps.
"Understood." Lu Jingyan's voice was devoid of emotion.
"Raise Zhou Jimin's security level to the highest level. From now on, he and his family must be under 24-hour close protection by our people whenever they go out. At Haitang Technology, double the perimeter security."
"yes!"
"Furthermore," Lu Jingyan raised his eyes, his gaze icy, "spread a false rumor that Zhou Jimin was seriously injured in an experimental accident and is recuperating at home."
Gao Jianjun was taken aback, but then he realized that this was a ploy to lure the snake out of its hole.
"clear!"
When Lu Jingyan returned to Courtyard No. 1 at night, Su Wantang was already asleep.
He tiptoed into the bedroom and saw that even though she was asleep, her brows were slightly furrowed.
He knew that she had also received the message from earlier that day.
This woman always prefers to shoulder everything herself and hides all her sharpness in her heart.
He sat down by the bed and, using the moonlight streaming in from the window, traced her delicate sleeping face. He felt a barely perceptible, slight tremor in her body.
That wasn't fear, but excitement. It's the instinctive reaction of a hunter when he spots his prey.
But in his eyes, this trembling pained him.
He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her smooth forehead, then pulled her and the blanket into his arms.
Su Wantang was startled awake. Upon smelling the familiar scent, her body immediately relaxed.
"Did I wake you up?" he asked in a low voice.
"No." She snuggled closer to him, finding a comfortable position.
Lu Jingyan held her, feeling her body temperature, and after a long while, he spoke in her ear, word by word, with utmost solemnity:
"Don't be afraid, I'm here. I will protect you and protect Haitang Technology."
"No one is allowed to touch it."
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