Chapter 24: Termination Date
On the third day after the Kyoto earthquake, after confirming that Su Lingwan was fine except for a small bruise on her forehead and a slight shock, and that local communications and transportation were gradually restored, Huo Linshen did not want to stay any longer. He used his connections to arrange the earliest flight and took Su Lingwan and Selina back to Hong Kong.
The atmosphere on the private plane on the return trip was completely different from the one we had on the way in. The anxiety and fear of being on the verge of collapse were gone, replaced by a kind of tranquility after surviving a disaster, and a kind of... tacit understanding, a closer bond.
Huo Linshen held Su Lingwan's hand almost the entire time, his grip neither too firm nor too soft, yet filled with an undeniable sense of possession and assurance. He spoke little, only occasionally glancing sideways at her with a deep gaze, as if reaffirming that she was indeed sitting beside him, unharmed. Su Lingwan leaned on his shoulder, feeling his steady heartbeat and the warmth of his palm. The shock and fatigue of the past few days gradually gave way to a profound sense of security.
Back in Hong Kong, life seemed to be back on track. Huo Linshen quickly dealt with the backlog of official business that had been left behind by his temporary absence. The 10 billion yuan merger and acquisition deal was finally completed without any major problems, though the process was somewhat bumpy, causing some discontent within the group to resurface, but he didn't care.
Su Lingwan rested while preparing for the upcoming internal bidding for "Luminance." The earthquake experience seemed to have tempered her mind, adding a layer of reflection on life, the moment, and eternity to her original proposal. The design lines became more refined, and the concept became more profound.
The days flew by in the busyness, so peacefully that it seemed as if nothing had happened.
Until one day, when Su Lingwan was tidying up the study, she accidentally found the "Love Cooperation Agreement" that was pressed at the bottom of the drawer and had slightly curled edges.
Her movements suddenly stopped.
His eyes fell on the clear signing date in the lower right corner of the agreement.
In three days, it will be a whole year.
The date on which the Agreement ends.
My heart felt like it was gently hit by something. It didn't hurt, but it brought a clear throbbing and trance.
It's been a year.
From the unexpected reunion at the Hong Kong banquet to the signing of the agreement in the study; from the initial attempts at alienation to the uncontrollable kiss in the Macau corridor; from the heartfelt confession on the rainy rooftop to the strong defense at the Huo family's annual banquet; from the clumsy dance and request at the yacht party to the desperate rush to the ruins of Kyoto after the earthquake...
More than three hundred days and nights, every detail flashed through her mind like a movie scene.
This agreement, like a seemingly fragile yet incredibly strong thread, tightly entwined two people who had originally had no connection. It began as a cold transaction, but in the process, it quietly fostered the most passionate and genuine emotions.
Now, the deadline is approaching.
According to the agreement, it will automatically terminate after one year, and both parties will part ways amicably without any entanglement with each other.
But... can they still "part ways amicably"?
Su Lingwan's fingers unconsciously stroked Huo Linshen's powerful signature on the agreement, and a complex, indescribable emotion welled up in her heart. There was uneasiness about the unknown, reluctance to see this relationship coming to an end, and even a hidden anticipation that she herself dared not delve into.
What will he do?
Will he remember this day?
Would he... bring it up?
Over the next three days, Su Lingwan found herself becoming unusually sensitive. She would unconsciously pay attention to Huo Linshen's expression, trying to figure out if there was a hidden meaning behind every seemingly ordinary word he said.
Huo Linshen, on the other hand, seemed no different from usual. He was still busy, still coming to her studio late at night to silently accompany her. He still offered support and guidance in his own unique way when she was frustrated by a design bottleneck (for example, forcing her to leave the studio to go to the mountaintop to enjoy the breeze, or to the food stall they often went to for a late-night snack). He still habitually held her in his arms before falling asleep and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead.
His performance was so calm that Su Lingwan almost doubted whether he had... forgotten that the agreement had expired?
Or did he remember, but like her, he was waiting for the other to speak first?
This unresolved speculation was like a thin feather, constantly scratching her heart and making her feel uneasy.
The night before the contract expired, Huo Linshen had a business dinner that he couldn't postpone. Su Lingwan didn't accompany him, citing the need to prepare the final bid presentation.
She was alone in the study of the Repulse Bay villa—the very study where the agreement had been signed. The moonlight outside the window was beautiful, its clear light shimmering across the sea. She sat at her desk, the bidding proposal she had memorized spread out before her, but her eyes involuntarily drifted to the drawer containing the agreement.
Tomorrow is the last day.
Will he come back tonight? When he comes back, will he bring it up?
All kinds of thoughts came to her mind, making her uneasy.
Time passed minute by minute, until late at night, the sound of a car engine was heard outside the villa.
Su Lingwan's heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously sat up straight, her fingers curled up nervously.
The footsteps approached from afar and stopped at the door of the study. The door was pushed open and Huo Linshen walked in.
He seemed to have come straight from a banquet, still smelling faintly of alcohol and cigars. His suit jacket was casually draped over his arm, and his tie was a little loose. His face was a hint of fatigue from the socializing, but when he saw her, his eyes instantly became clear and focused.
"Haven't you rested yet?" He walked to the desk, his eyes scanning the documents in front of her, his tone normal.
"Well, let's take another look at the plan." Su Lingwan tried to keep her voice calm, but her heart was beating uncontrollably. She looked at him, trying to find any clues about the "agreement" on his face.
Huo Linshen nodded, walked around the desk, and came to her side. He didn't look at the plan, but leaned over, resting his arms on the armrests of the chair, and trapped her between him and the desk, forming an ambiguous and oppressive posture.
He leaned very close, his warm breath with the smell of alcohol brushing her cheek, his deep eyes looked particularly dark under the light, and her somewhat nervous expression was clearly reflected in them.
"Nervous?" he whispered, referring to the bidding meeting.
Su Lingwan looked at his face so close to her. He really didn't seem to want to talk about a deal. A sense of inexplicable loss and grievance crept into her heart.
She lowered her eyes to hide the emotions in them and said "hmm" softly.
Huo Linshen stared at her slightly trembling eyelashes and pursed lips, his eyes darkening. He reached out and gently stroked the almost invisible pale blue bruise on her forehead with his fingertips, his movements filled with an indescribable pity.
"Don't be afraid." His voice was low and magnetic, with a reassuring power. "You did very well."
His touch and words, like an electric current, made Su Lingwan's body tremble slightly. She raised her head and met his bottomless eyes. Besides encouragement, there seemed to be something deeper and more turbulent hidden in them that she could not understand.
He lowered his head and slowly approached.
Su Lingwan thought he was going to kiss her and subconsciously closed her eyes.
However, the expected kiss did not fall. His lips stopped when they were only a few millimeters away from her lips, and their warm breaths intertwined, ambiguous and unsettling.
He seemed to be restraining something, and his breathing was heavy.
After a long time, he whispered in her almost breathless voice, with a barely perceptible hoarseness:
"tomorrow……"
Su Lingwan's heart instantly jumped into her throat! Was he finally going to mention it?
She waited nervously for what would happen next.
Huo Linshen paused, as if he was considering his words. In the end, he just looked at her deeply and finished the second half of his sentence:
"...Bidding meeting, good luck."
After saying this, he stood up, widening the dangerous distance between them. He raised his hand and rubbed the top of her head, his gesture carrying a rare hint of intimacy and... a kind of tenderness before making a decision.
"Go to bed early." He left this sentence and turned to leave the study without looking back.
Su Lingwan sat in the chair in a daze, watching his back disappear at the door, feeling mixed emotions.
He mentioned "tomorrow".
But he only said "Good luck in the bidding meeting".
Does he...remember? Does he care?
Su Lingwan couldn't sleep that night.
Huo Linshen returned to the master bedroom and stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the quiet night outside and the broken moonlight on the sea, his eyes as deep as ink.
How could he not remember?
That date had long been engraved in his heart like a brand.
The date on which the Agreement ends.
A year ago, he drafted this agreement himself and thought everything was under control.
A year later, he found that he had already been deeply involved and unable to extricate himself.
tomorrow.
He needs to make a break.
It's not the end.
Rather, a brand new beginning.
He pulled out his cell phone and sent out a brief command.
Everything is ready.
Just wait until tomorrow.
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