Chapter 105: Who Can I Trust?

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Lu Yan took the glass of water, and saw Shen Qingyi pick up the medicine box on the desk, pour out two tablets, and hold them out to him. He took them and swallowed.

When Shen Qingyi saw that he was about to go back to work, she said, “Didn’t the doctor tell you to rest for a while?”

“No. I want to finish the work early, then drive you into the city this afternoon and buy back anything you need.”

Shen Qingyi sat down across from him and reached out to cover the manuscript. “Wait until you’re better before you say that. Didn’t your superiors already approve your leave? Work can never be finished. Don’t keep thinking about comparing yourself with the technology of Country A. You’ve already done very well.”

She hoped his illness would get better soon; he should be able to understand that.

Lu Yan looked up into his wife’s calm, clear eyes and set down the pen in his hand. “Why can’t we compare ourselves with Country A?”

It was the first time he had heard his wife discuss work with him.

Shen Qingyi thought for a moment. “My father once tried just as hard to close the gap between us and them, but the result was still nothing more than that. These things are not something effort alone can use to defy fate.”

Lu Yan put down the pen in his hand, rested his chin on his palm, and looked at his wife with unblinking dark eyes. In a very serious tone, he explained to her, “How could that be? China once stood at the summit of the world too. If others can rise from behind and overtake us, why can’t we?”

“It’s just... it’s just that the gap is too large right now.”

The corners of Lu Yan’s lips curved slightly. “Other things can be bound by the realities of that gap, but thought cannot. If you don’t even dare to imagine it, then it’s over. Our concepts, our designs, and our top-level future plans have always been benchmarked against the strongest there is.

“So, what we lack is only the material side of technology, and that is nothing more than a matter of time.”

When Lu Yan said these things, even though his tone was gentle and restrained, he could not hide the confidence and arrogance that radiated from his bones.

Shen Qingyi froze for a moment, then asked, “So you don’t want to rest?”

Lu Yan smiled. “No. Talking with you for so long already counts as rest, doesn’t it?”

Shen Qingyi suddenly felt that Lu Yan was rather eloquent. After hesitating for a moment, she moved her hand away from the notebook.

Lu Yan resumed his work. By lunchtime, someone came by to deliver the meal, and Lu Yan asked them to come take the manuscript.

After eating, Lu Yan said to Shen Qingyi, “I’ll drive you to the department store.”

“I don’t need anything,” Shen Qingyi said.

He was still coughing yesterday, and he hadn’t recovered yet.

“I want to eat watermelon!” Lu Yan gave her no chance to refuse.

An An jumped up with delight.

“It’s already autumn. Where would there still be any watermelon? If you really want to go, then go.” Shen Qingyi suddenly found it a little funny; he couldn’t even come up with a proper excuse.

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Lu Yan went outside, drove the car to the front gate, stopped, got out, and opened the door. He lifted An An into the car, then turned back and reached out to help Shen Qingyi. But Shen Qingyi bent slightly and climbed in, sitting beside An An.

A one-and-a-half-hour drive brought them to the city center, where the car stopped in front of a department store.

An An was carried out of the car. Shen Qingyi followed behind. Because she was a little carsick, her foot nearly missed the step, but a strong hand at her slender waist steadied her at once. A breath belonging solely to him, mixed with a faint medicinal scent, drifted into her nose.

Only after she had stood firmly did that scent gradually fade.

Inside the department store, Shen Qingyi did not have anything particular she wanted to buy. This department store was far too small compared with the one in the capital, and the variety of goods was limited as well. She bought a little food, and also bought a pair of slippers each for herself and An An.

When they were paying and heading downstairs, Lu Yan suddenly said, “Wait. I’m going back up to buy a few things.”

Shen Qingyi stood where she was and waited for him.

About twenty minutes later, Lu Yan came back down. His hands were empty, yet he said, “I’m taking you to buy something to eat.”

Lincheng had a local specialty snack filled with minced meat, roasted crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. It was somewhat similar to the baked flatbread Shen Qingyi had eaten before in the capital, but the texture was even better.

“Yay!” An An agreed happily.

The car stopped at the entrance of an alley. After Lu Yan shut off the engine, he said to Shen Qingyi and An An, “Wait for me in the car.”

The two of them sat obediently in the car, and soon Lu Yan came back with a bag.

He took out two pieces, gave one to Shen Qingyi and one to An An. “Try it.”

Looking at the fragrant, crisp, golden-brown flatbread, Shen Qingyi could not help taking a bite. The taste really was good.

The car started again, and through the rearview mirror Lu Yan saw Shen Qingyi eating bite after bite, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

By the time they reached home, Shen Qingyi had already finished the entire flatbread. One had to know that she usually ate very little.

When Lu Yan returned the car to the station, Su Yang was just getting off work.

The two met, and Su Yang was rather surprised. “Lu Yan, you borrowed a car?”

“Mm.”

“Aren’t you still sick? Isn’t it dangerous to drive?”

Lu Yan glanced at him and did not answer. The two continued walking.

After a while, Su Yang looked at him again. “Why do I feel like your illness has gotten better?”

He could hardly hear any coughing at all.

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Lu Yan’s eyes flickered. He quickened his pace, intending to leave, when he heard Su Yang say, “I’m coming over to your place for dinner later. Since your wife is here, you must have prepared plenty of dishes.”

Lu Yan stopped. “We just ate in town.”

With that, he left, leaving Su Yang standing there, dazed.

When he got back, he saw Shen Qingyi taking the slippers she had just washed outside to dry.

After she finished hanging them up and came back in, Lu Yan took a lipstick from his pocket and held it out to her. “For you.”

Shen Qingyi was a little surprised. After taking it, she realized it was actually a lip balm.

Since yesterday, her lips had been a little dry.

But she had only brought lipstick with her, and lipstick had no moisturizing effect. Even after applying it today, her lips still felt dry and uncomfortable.

She had not expected Lu Yan to be so thoughtful.

She looked at the man before her and said softly, “Thank you.”

“No need.” After answering, Lu Yan hesitated before saying, “The Zhao family has dealings with overseas interests. If Father really has that manuscript, don’t hand it over to Mother no matter what.”

Shen Qingyi pressed her lips together, suddenly unsure how to answer. If she agreed, wouldn’t that be proving to Lu Yan that she had it?

Her father had said to hand it over to him after six years. Though she did not understand the special meaning behind it, her father had never done anything without a reason.

After thinking it over, she said, “You don’t need to worry about this.”

“You are my wife. I will not allow those people to set their sights on you. The Zhao family has been in business for so many years; it’s impossible for all of it to have been clean.” Lu Yan’s voice suddenly grew heavy.

When Shen Qingyi heard this, she looked up at once. “You want to find leverage against the Zhao family?”

Lu Yan did not answer directly. Instead, he reminded her, “So what Mother says, don’t believe all of it.”

Shen Qingyi looked at him, her eyes bright and clear. “Then who can I believe?”

“I’m your husband.” He wanted to tell her to believe him, but when he thought of the disgraceful things he had done before, the words would not come out.

Shen Qingyi’s eyes lit up for a moment, then quickly dimmed again. If even she did not take her father’s case to heart, then there would not be a second person in this world who would think to clear his name. He had been such a good man, toiling all his life, yet dying so dishonorably.

She could not let herself waver because of a single sentence from Lu Yan.