Chapter 95: The love rival reappears, upgraded version?
The highest level of recognition and the weighty "Outstanding Contribution Medal" served as a powerful endorsement, solidifying Su Wanqing's new status and image within the military compound and beyond. She was no longer the awkward "substitute bride" dependent on Huo Tingxiao's aura, but rather "Comrade Su Wanqing," widely respected and recognized for her talent, courage, and crucial contributions at crucial moments. This honor washed away all the shadows of the past and instilled in her a greater sense of confidence and composure.
Life seemed to have entered a period of peace and fulfillment. The burden on Huo Tingxiao's shoulders had been greatly reduced by the thorough elimination of internal and external hidden dangers. Although he remained busy, he spent significantly more time at home. The frost that had long lingered between his brows seemed to have melted away, and occasionally he would even reveal a faint, yet genuine, smile of relief. Su Wanqing's studio was flourishing, having undertaken several significant military collaboration projects. Her design philosophy, combining military elements with humanistic care, was gaining increasing recognition and appreciation.
The two of them enjoyed an unprecedented level of tacit understanding and harmony. Evenings spent together studying blueprints in the study, occasional weekend excursions, and even simply strolling side by side in the courtyard after dinner were filled with a simple yet genuine warmth. The pregnancy plan progressed steadily under Huo Tingxiao's rigorous, "military" management. While the process still carried his characteristic clumsiness and hard-nosed approach, it also gave Su Wanqing a sweet feeling of being cherished.
However, the trajectory of fate always seems to like to throw an unexpected stone at the seemingly calmest moment, causing new ripples.
That day, Su Wanqing was invited to attend a high-profile international design and cultural exchange forum in Beijing. As a recent recipient of the "Outstanding Contribution Medal" and a promising emerging designer, she was scheduled to give a brief speech in the afternoon session on "Cross-Border Integration and Innovation."
The forum was filled with lively atmosphere and a large gathering of distinguished guests. Su Wanqing adjusted her microphone, took a deep breath, and began to expound on her perspective on the "integration of military aesthetics and humanistic care in public space design." She wore a stylish suit, the striking medal on her chest gleaming brightly under the spotlight, but even more captivating was the confident, composed gleam in her eyes and the clarity and fluidity of her expression. Drawing on several practical cases she had worked on for military families and border outposts, she presented a compelling and accessible presentation, combining both professional depth and moving emotional warmth, earning rounds of applause from the audience.
After she finished her speech, she bowed slightly. A distinguished young man sitting in the front row of the audience rose first and gave her an exceptionally sincere and enthusiastic round of applause. His gesture caught the attention of many people around him.
Su Wanqing noticed him, too. He was a man in his early thirties, dressed in a well-tailored dark gray suit. He stood tall, had a handsome face, and wore gold-rimmed glasses. He possessed a gentle and refined demeanor, yet a sharp edge. His eyes held a penetrating appreciation and... a kind of indescribable focus. He looked neither a mere scholar nor a businessman; instead, he exuded a unique charm that blended intelligence with a powerful aura.
Su Wanqing smiled and nodded at him politely without thinking much about it.
During the forum's tea break, Su Wanqing was communicating with several domestic designer colleagues. The man who applauded first took the initiative to walk over, holding a cup of coffee in his hand and with a gentle and decent smile.
"Hello, Ms. Su Wanqing." His pronunciation was standard, with a pleasant, almost unmistakable accent. "Your speech was truly brilliant, with a unique perspective and a deeply moving power. I particularly resonated with the part about the emotional space of 'waiting and watching.'"
"Thank you for the compliment." Su Wanqing responded politely, feeling a little surprised that the other party listened so carefully.
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Gu Shiyan," he said, handing over a simple yet exquisitely crafted business card with a humble smile. "I'm a senior researcher at the 'Global Future' think tank, primarily responsible for trend research in the fields of cross-cultural strategy and innovative design. I'm very interested in your design philosophy. I wonder if it would be convenient for me to ask you a few questions after this meeting?"
Su Wanqing took the business card, feeling the cool, peculiar texture of the paper. She had vaguely heard of "Universal Future," a leading international strategic consulting and cutting-edge technology and cultural research firm with a strong client base spanning major corporations and government organizations worldwide. Known for its forward-thinking perspectives and precise analysis, the firm was renowned for its expertise. Those who could access it were among the industry's top elites.
Gu Shiyan, the man in front of us, is in a high position at such a young age. His abilities and background are obviously unfathomable.
"Mr. Gu, you're too modest. I'm not worthy of your advice. Let's exchange some thoughts." Su Wanqing maintained a polite smile, but her heart was secretly on high alert. After so many upheavals, she was no longer the little girl who was easily fooled by superficial grace. This Gu Shiyan seemed gentle and refined, but those eyes hidden behind the lenses were so sharp that they seemed to penetrate the heart, making her feel a subtle sense of pressure...
In the ensuing conversation, Gu Shiyan's performance was impeccable. He was knowledgeable and engaging, his insights into design, art, and even the integration of military technology and culture were profound and unique. His questions were precise and insightful, completely belying the notion of a layman. He even accurately quoted a little-known paper published by Su Wanqing several years earlier, expressing his strong agreement with it.
The feeling of being so meticulously understood and appreciated by such a powerful figure is indeed easy to feel favorable, even... flattered. However, Su Wanqing remained wary. She responded politely and restrainedly, her answers precise but not in-depth, and she didn't reveal any information related to Huo Tingxiao or the military.
Gu Shiyan seemed to sense her reservations, but he didn't care. He maintained his composure and enthusiasm. Before leaving, he offered, "Ms. Su, our think tank is currently preparing a large-scale, multinational research project on 'Future Urban Security and Human Ecology.' We urgently need experts like you who possess both design talent and a unique perspective to join the advisory panel. I wonder if you're interested? The compensation and resources will surely be world-class."
It was an extremely tempting invitation. But Su Wanqing barely hesitated, smiling and declining. "Thank you very much for your kindness, Mr. Gu, but I'm currently quite busy with studio projects and military cooperation, so I'm afraid I won't be able to spare any time. My apologies."
A quick, elusive flash of surprise and... a deeper interest flashed across Gu Shiyan's eyes, but he quickly returned to normal, his smile still impeccable: "I understand. It's okay, I hope there will be opportunities for cooperation in the future. I look forward to communicating with you next time." His gaze lingered on Su Wanqing's face for a second longer before he politely said goodbye.
Watching Gu Shiyan's departing figure, Su Wanqing frowned slightly. This man was too perfect, and also... too sharp to be disturbing.
When she got home that night, Su Wanqing casually mentioned the forum events, as well as the "very powerful" Gu Shiyan and his think tank invitation to Huo Tingxiao, just like sharing daily anecdotes.
Huo Tingxiao was originally leaning on the sofa reading an internal document. Upon hearing this, his fingers, turning the pages, paused imperceptibly. He raised his head and glanced at her casually, "Gu Shiyan? 'Universal Future'?"
"Well, you know that too?" Su Wanqing was a little surprised.
"I've heard a little about him. He has a deep background and considerable influence." Huo Tingxiao's tone was flat and emotionless, but he put down the documents and sat up straight. This subtle movement made Su Wanqing sense a hint of unusual concern.
He picked up the business card that Su Wanqing had placed on the coffee table, rubbed the paper with his fingers, and his eyes narrowed slightly: "What did he talk to you about?"
Su Wanqing roughly recounted the content of the conversation, including the invitation.
Huo Tingxiao listened quietly, his face expressionless. However, when she mentioned that the other party could accurately quote her old paper, his eyes darkened slightly.
"How did you reply?" he asked.
"I refused." Su Wanqing said as a matter of course, "I feel that person is... too smart and a little unpredictable. It's better to keep a distance."
Huo Tingxiao's deep gaze fell on her face, staring at her for a few seconds. The corners of his hard lips seemed to bend upwards imperceptibly, though it was extremely brief, like the beginning of ice and snow melting. He reached out and gently ruffled her hair. The movement was a little stiff, but with obvious approval: "You're doing the right thing."
He paused, his tone returning to his usual calm, and added, "'Universal Future' is a complex enterprise, and its partners have complicated backgrounds. Gu Shiyan is... not a simple person. If you meet him again, try to avoid him."
"Okay, I understand." Su Wanqing nodded, and the little uneasiness in her heart quietly calmed down after hearing his words. As long as he didn't care, no matter how powerful others were, it had nothing to do with her.
She thought it was just a minor incident that would pass quickly.
However, a few days later, Su Wanqing's studio mailbox received an extremely formal and surprisingly generous invitation to collaborate. The sender was the Global Future Think Tank, and the signature was Gu Shiyan's electronic seal. The invitation invited her to participate in a three-year, international research project as chief design consultant, with a staggeringly high salary.
Almost immediately, a bouquet of extremely elegant, rare white calla lilies was delivered to the studio's front desk. The card had no signature, only a simple line of printed text: "A humble token of respect. Looking forward to the future. Gu."
Su Wanqing looked at the bouquet of flowers and the invitation, her brows furrowed. This seemingly polite gesture, yet with a certain undeniable force and... a subtle sense of transgression, made her feel very uncomfortable.
She directly asked her assistant to return the bouquet and replied with a polite but firm rejection email.
I thought the matter was over.
Unexpectedly, on the weekend, when Su Wanqing and Xia Xiaoran were viewing an art exhibition in a quiet gallery, they "ran into" Gu Shiyan again.
He seemed to have known they would come, and appeared in front of the same painting at the right time, his smile still gentle and elegant: "Ms. Su, what a coincidence. It seems that we have the same taste in art." His eyes swept over Su Wanqing and fell on Xia Xiaoran, and he nodded politely, his demeanor impeccable.
Xia Xiaoran was stunned by his outstanding appearance and demeanor. She subconsciously touched Su Wanqing and whispered, "Wow, Qingqing, who is this? So handsome and elegant!"
Su Wanqing felt a chill on her back. This kind of "coincidence" was accidental once, but twice... it was too deliberate.
She maintained basic politeness, exchanged a few brief greetings, and then tried to find an excuse to leave.
Gu Shiyan, however, didn't seem to mind her indifference. He followed along naturally and made some extremely insightful comments on the painting in front of him. He then led the topic to a wider range of areas. His words inadvertently revealed his amazing understanding of Su Wanqing's past experiences and design works, and he even mentioned some of her father Su Bingtian's early collection preferences (even Su Wanqing herself knew very little about these!).
His tone always maintained just the right amount of appreciation and distance, without any words or actions that went beyond the norm. However, it was like an invisible and dense net that slowly enveloped everyone, giving people a sense of oppression, as if they had nowhere to hide and were completely seen through.
Su Wanqing's alarm and discomfort reached a peak. She stopped responding and quickly left the gallery, pulling the still-confused Xia Xiaoran with her.
When she got home, she immediately told Huo Tingxiao everything about this "chance encounter" and Gu Shiyan's seemingly casual but informative conversation.
After hearing this, Huo Tingxiao's face darkened instantly. His eyes were as sharp as a hawk, and he exuded an icy chill. He picked up his phone and called Assistant Chen directly. His voice was cold and icy:
"Check on someone. Gu Shiyan, from the 'Universal Future' think tank. I want all his information, the more detailed the better. Including all his recent itineraries and contacts. Immediately!"
After hanging up the phone, Huo Tingxiao walked up to Su Wanqing, holding her shoulders with both hands, his eyes deep and serious: "Wanqing, this man is very dangerous. He approached you not just because he admires your talent. From now on, do not act alone, do not accept any strange invitations, and ignore all his contacts. Do you understand?"
Su Wanqing saw the rare solemnity and a barely perceptible... nervousness in his eyes. Her heart tightened slightly and she nodded vigorously, "I understand. Don't worry."
She looked at Huo Tingxiao's stern profile, and the uneasiness in her heart was gradually replaced by a greater worry.
Who was this Gu Shiyan? What was his purpose in trying so hard to get close to me? And how did he know all those things about his father?
Are the peaceful days going to be broken again?
This time, his "rival" seemed no longer the straightforward jealousy and madness of Lin Weiwei, but had become a smarter, more powerful, and more unpredictable... a formidable opponent. And his target was clearly not just her, but perhaps... even Huo Tingxiao, who was behind her.
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