Chapter 137 On the Night of Parting, Uncontrollable Emotions
Less than half an hour later, two uniformed police officers and a serious-looking discipline inspection cadre walked directly into the courtyard.
When Wang Jianguo, who was lying on the ground, saw the person who came, the last trace of color drained from his face, and his whole body was trembling.
The three of them first saluted Old Chen.
"Comrade Wang Jianguo, there are a few issues that require your cooperation in our investigation."
The leading official's voice remained completely calm as he presented his identification.
Wang Jianguo tried to struggle, shouting "innocent" incoherently, but was grabbed by two police officers and dragged out of the yard.
The courtyard fell silent, with only the rustling of grapevines in the wind.
Zhou Jimin stared blankly as Wang Jianguo was dragged away until he disappeared at the end of the alley before he suddenly came to his senses.
He turned around, faced Bai Shu, and bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle.
"Chairman Bai."
This time, the tone was no longer polite and distant, but rather carried a resolute determination and gratitude for a new beginning.
He straightened up, took out a thick stack of notebooks bound with rubber bands from the tattered canvas bag he carried with him, and handed them to Bai Shu with both hands.
"Chairman Bai, this contains all the core technical data and experimental information for the 'Dawn' project. From today onwards, it all belongs to you. I... our entire team is willing to work for you!"
His voice trembled, not from fear, but from excitement.
Bai Shu looked at the notebooks whose edges were curled from being flipped through so many times, but did not reach out to take them.
She simply looked quietly into Zhou Jimin's eyes, a faint smile playing on her lips.
“Zhou, I trust you as a person, not these papers.”
Zhou Jimin was startled and stood frozen in place.
Bai Shu continued, "Keep these things safe. Within three days, I will find you a brand new research institute, with people, equipment, and money if needed."
"You don't need to worry about anything. Just bring your people and get ready to make a big splash."
Complete trust, without the slightest consideration or defensiveness.
Zhou Jimin's eyes instantly reddened. This proud, aloof, and unyielding man could no longer control his emotions at this moment, and tears streamed down his face.
He nodded vigorously, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word, and could only bow deeply once more.
...
As evening fell, the afterglow of the setting sun bathed the military compound in a warm golden light.
Su Wantang was in the kitchen preparing dinner with Wang Ma when Lu Jingyan returned.
He took off his military cap and casually placed it on the cabinet in the entryway, the same action as usual, but Su Wantang keenly noticed something different.
His expression was grave, his jawline taut, and his usually deep eyes now seemed to be weighed down by a heavy, dark cloud.
"What's wrong?" Su Wantang wiped her hands, walked over, and naturally straightened his slightly wrinkled collar.
Lu Jingyan took her hand and pulled her to sit on the sofa in the living room. After a moment of silence, he took out a document from his briefcase.
The two red stamps on the document, reading "Top Secret," were so glaring they hurt the eyes.
"There's an urgent mission." Lu Jingyan's voice was somewhat low.
"The operation in Shanghai last time has been officially launched. A special task force has been established to target 'Eagle's Nest,' with my grandfather personally in charge. I serve as the deputy leader of the task force, responsible for the specific execution."
Su Wantang's heart sank suddenly.
How long will it take?
“One month.” Lu Jingyan looked into her eyes and said, word by word.
"A completely enclosed secret base in the Northwest. We'll depart first thing tomorrow morning."
Tomorrow morning.
So fast.
Su Wantang felt as if her heart was being gripped by an invisible hand, and a sharp pain shot through her.
Just a moment ago, he was happy about Zhou Jimin's situation, but now, all his joy has been washed away by the impending separation.
A month is neither a long nor a short time.
But the thought of not seeing him for the next thirty days left her feeling empty.
Lu Jingyan felt an overwhelming pang of heartache as he looked into her eyes, which dimmed instantly.
He reached out and pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head, greedily inhaling her pleasant scent.
"Wait for me to come back," he whispered in her ear over and over again.
"Stay home and take good care of yourself. If you need anything, contact Gao Jianjun or call Grandpa directly."
Su Wantang buried her face in his firm chest, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat, and mumbled an "Mmm".
He released her, turned and went back to the bedroom. When he came out again, he had two more things in his hands.
A Type 64 pistol with cold, hard lines, and a military dagger that gleamed with a chilling light.
He shoved the gun and dagger into Su Wantang's hands; they were heavy and had the unique coolness of metal.
"Take this for self-defense." Lu Jingyan held her hand and taught her how to unlock the safety and how to load the gun.
"I've loaded the bullets for you. Don't use them unless absolutely necessary. But if there's real danger, don't hesitate, shoot the bad guys, and I'll cover for you if you kill them."
His words, domineering and direct, gradually warmed Su Wantang's icy palms.
Even his parting words carried a reassuringly roguish air about him.
Late at night, only a dim bedside lamp was on in the bedroom.
The two lay side by side on the bed, still separated by the "Chu River and Han Border" formed by the pile of pillows.
Nobody can sleep.
The air was thick with the sorrow of parting, and it was so quiet that you could hear each other breathing.
“When I was a kid, I was really naughty,” Lu Jingyan suddenly said, breaking the silence.
“One winter, I led a group of teenagers from the compound to raid bird nests. I fell from a tree and broke my arm. My grandfather was so angry that he chased me for three blocks with a belt. In the end, my grandmother hid me in the cellar to escape.”
His voice was low, with a hint of a smile, as if he were recounting an interesting story from the past.
Su Wantang turned her head to look at his well-defined profile in the dim light, and listened quietly.
"Another time, I tricked Gao Jianjun into going to the back mountain and told him there were wild boars there. He was so scared that he didn't dare go home all night, and his parents almost turned the whole courtyard upside down..."
He recounted one thing after another, all of them silly and embarrassing things from his childhood, trying to dilute the heavy sadness in the air.
Su Wantang listened quietly, a faint smile on her lips, but a sour feeling welled up inside her.
So this is what a childhood spent exposed to the sun looks like... I don't even have any memories of arguing with anyone or climbing trees with anyone.
Unconsciously, she turned over, crossed the clear-cut "Chu River and Han Border," and leaned towards him.
The moment the soft body pressed against him, Lu Jingyan's voice abruptly stopped.
His whole body froze.
In his arms lay her soft, fragrant body. Through the thin nightgown, he could clearly feel the warmth and amazing elasticity of her skin.
His breathing instantly became heavy.
He slowly turned his head and met a pair of peach blossom eyes that shone brilliantly in the darkness.
There was no shyness in those eyes, only pure, unreserved attachment and reluctance to part.
The string of reason snapped with a "thud".
Lu Jingyan suddenly flipped over, pinning her petite body beneath him.
Before she could react, a hot kiss, filled with intense repression and longing, landed heavily on her lips.
He kissed her forehead, kissed the tip of her upturned nose, and finally, precisely captured her soft lips.
He conquered and plundered, greedily absorbing her sweetness.
Su Wantang trembled all over, her mind going completely blank.
The man's scent enveloped her completely, a unique, hormonal aroma that belonged only to him.
Instead of pushing him away, she stretched out her arms and tightly wrapped them around his strong neck, responding to him awkwardly.
Encouraged, Lu Jingyan's actions became even more out of control.
His kisses grew deeper and more urgent. A large, hot hand, calloused and restless, slipped under the hem of her silk nightgown, covering her flat stomach, and then slowly moved upwards…
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