"Why are you looking at me like that? Did I miss anything?"
Susu shook her head. Both he and Shu Zhongze seemed ready to go to war with that Lu Yuanhong, and a nameless worry gnawed at her heart.
Tianyi held her tighter and whispered in her ear, "Mrs. Qin, I don't want to go through something like this again. No more next times. I want our child to be born safely, and I want you and the children to be safe."
Susu embraced him back, "I knew that once I told you, you would shield me from everything. Be careful yourself; we can't lose you either."
Tianyi rested his forehead against hers and smiled, "You have to believe we'll all live long lives."
"I believe it," Susu told herself not to overthink. She took his hand and smiled, "Let's go down for dinner quickly, or Chen Ma will come up to rush us."
Tianyi reminded her, "Aren't you changing your clothes? I'll wait for you."
"Oh, right." Susu let go of him and went to the walk-in closet.
Tianyi leaned back on the sofa, a slight smile playing on his lips. Dealing with Lu Yuanhong and Jia Nanfang wouldn't be that simple. He needed to strengthen the protection for Susu and their child, and he had to meet with Shu Zhongze.
Susu was right. Given the current situation, even if they stood by and did nothing, once Lu Yuanhong dealt with Shu Zhongze, he would likely come after them seeking revenge for Shu Yan.
He opened his phone and looked at a designed wedding scene. He could only hope these matters wouldn't affect the wedding he was planning for her.
...
Tianyi told her not to worry about the Shu Group's crisis, saying he would resolve it with Shu Zhongze.
She hadn't inquired about the Shu Group's situation for the past few days, not wanting to upset Tianyi. Thinking that Ya Nan would be arriving in Lancheng tomorrow, she was excited about accompanying her to that dreamlike island.
The preliminary preparations for the wedding were all done. She and Tianyi had planned it this way: she would take Xiao Xing and her close female companions on a chartered flight to the island two days in advance.
Tianyi would take another chartered flight with the remaining guests a day earlier. This way, the women would have more time for arrangements and preparations.
Chen Ma and Xiao Mei had already packed their luggage. Tomorrow, Susu just needed to wait for Ya Nan's arrival and then depart.
Having nothing to do today, she thought of the diary Shu Zhongze had given her. She took it out of her bag from that day and sat by the chair, opening the first page.
The two sentences on the first page were what Shu Zhongze had written on a card he gave her once: "Flowers are similar year after year, but people change with each passing year."
The date at the bottom was from decades ago.
The elegant handwriting was slightly yellowed, but from it, one could tell that Wen Shuman had received a good education in that era.
Susu read the first few entries, which were all Wen Shuman's reflections and joys about her new life of freedom after escaping the cage of the Lu family.
Occasionally, between the lines, she also revealed her longing for her young son. She felt maternal love for the child she had in the Lu family, but she couldn't take him with her when she left.
Susu couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness as she closed the diary.
The child Wen Shuman missed was likely Lu Yuanhong. Why Lu Yuanhong harbored such deep hatred for the Shu family was probably a very sad story.
Susu didn't want to spoil her mood for the upcoming wedding. She decided to finish the diary after returning from the island.
The next day, Susu woke up very early and found that Tianyi hadn't returned all night. As soon as she dialed his phone, she remembered they had agreed not to see each other for three days before the wedding, according to custom.
She heard Tianyi's groggy voice on the other end of the phone, "So early, what's wrong?"
"Ah, sorry to wake you up." It had only been a day since she last saw him, and Susu already missed him. She said, "I just woke up and saw you weren't beside me. I forgot you went to Mr. Xiao's place last night."
"You miss me, don't you?"
"No," Susu denied it, though her heart said otherwise.
Tianyi said lazily, "I miss you too. You and Xiao Xing will fly over first today, and I'll arrive a little later tomorrow."
"Mhm, remember to double-check the guest list before the plane takes off tomorrow."
"I will," Tianyi said gently, "Don't worry, Shu Zhongze promised me he'd be there tomorrow too. I haven't invited many elders, so you must have at least one elder on your side."
"Whatever you say, but I don't acknowledge him as my elder." Susu still had a thorn in her heart, unable to forgive Shu Zhongze for his past absurdities.
"Got it, he'll be considered one of my guests..."
Before Tianyi could finish, Susu heard Xiao Anjing's voice from his end, "Not sleeping in the morning, who are you talking to on the phone?"
"None of your business," Tianyi replied rudely, annoyed. "Why did you barge into my room without knocking?"
"This is my house, where do you have a room..."
Susu couldn't listen anymore and quickly said, "Tianyi, I'm hanging up. See you tomorrow."
After hanging up, she placed her phone under the pillow and smiled.
Good heavens, just hearing them bicker made her imagination run wild, picturing the passionate scenes of these two living under the same roof.
When Qin Tianyi put away his phone, Xiao Anjing, sitting in the driver's seat, glanced at him and said, "Why do you have to personally handle that guy named Lu? With Shu Zhongze's men and the police watching, do you think he can fly away?"
"Actually, Jia Nanfang is not to be feared. The truly terrifying one is this man. It's rare to catch his tail. If I don't deal with him during his illegal transaction today, I won't be at ease." Qin Tianyi sat in the passenger seat beside him, staring ahead.
The two of them were not at Xiao Anjing's house at all. They were in a black car by the roadside, having kept watch outside the hotel where Lu Yuanhong had stayed the previous night.
At that moment, Lu Yuanhong, with his hair completely white, wearing sunglasses and casual attire, emerged from the hotel lobby and got into a taxi waiting at the entrance.
"Follow him," Tianyi immediately urged Xiao Anjing.
Xiao Anjing started the car and followed the taxi at a safe distance.
They had already investigated Lu Yuanhong's rise to prominence in Southeast Asia, which was likely related to drug cartels.
After arriving in Lancheng, he had probably established a network for sales and distribution, personally handling any significant transactions.
His charitable work was a cover for his identity. The restaurants he owned might also be fronts for drug trafficking.
He had finally obtained information from Wei Laoda's former subordinates. If they could catch him red-handed with the police this time, then Susu and the children would be safe.
...
Susu came downstairs and found that Chen Ma and Xiao Mei had also just woken up.
Chen Ma smiled when she saw her, "Young Madam, you're up so early today. Miss Wei hasn't arrived yet, why didn't you sleep in more?"
"I couldn't sleep. I woke up early to exercise." Susu stretched her arms in front of them.
Xiao Mei quickly said, "Then I'll go to the young master's room and wake him up."
"No need, let him sleep a bit longer. He still has to sit on a plane for several hours later." Susu swung her arms cheerfully.