Chapter 67: Heart Aches for Her

Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Heart Aches for Her

Su Wan’s voice was gentle, but what she said was very practical.

Lu Zhengchuan took her words to heart. He looked down at Su Wan’s long, beautiful eyelashes. "You’re right. I wasn’t thinking things through before."

"It’s just... when are you going to the Capital?" Lu Zhengchuan’s heart sank when he heard this.

Su Wan didn’t hide it. Even though she felt his eyes on her, unsure of his thoughts, she was upfront about it. "I’ve already asked Xiao Li to buy a ticket for the earliest available train."

"My work at the research institute is done, and there’s nothing else I must do in the military compound. Besides, Third Brother has already rented a place in the Capital. I should go over sooner rather than later, so his efforts don’t go to waste."

Lu Zhengchuan opened his mouth to speak. "Third Brother has already gone to the Capital?"

"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you. Third Brother didn’t just go to the Capital; he came to the base first."

Su Wan told him what had happened.

Lu Zhengchuan replied instinctively, "I didn’t even know."

He bounced her lightly in his arms.

Su Wan instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck and adjusted herself into a more comfortable position.

"It’s because you didn’t send me any letters, and I didn’t have an address to contact you, so of course I couldn’t tell you," Su Wan retorted.

Lu Zhengchuan had no grounds to argue, and even less reason to feel jealous.

"Did Third Brother ask you to go to the Capital?" Lu Zhengchuan had to admit, his guess was pretty much spot on.

"Yes. After all, Third Brother made two trips for me." Su Wan considered that for Su Jue to make a trip like this, he would have had to find a way to do business just to afford the train ticket.

Even once he got to the Capital, she knew without a doubt that her third brother would have to keep doing business to cover the high cost of living there.

Whenever Su Wan thought about these things, her heart ached for Su Jue.

No one else saw the hardships her third brother went through.

Lu Zhengchuan saw the ache in her eyes and immediately stated his support. "You’re right. The fact that Third Brother came to see you shows how much he cares. He left so quickly, I didn’t even have time to host him."

"How about this, I’ll go to the Capital with you, and I can thank Third Brother in person." Lu Zhengchuan realized he had to start taking the Su family seriously.

It was obvious that her family was very important to Su Wan.

Crucially, the brothers and relatives of the Su family were genuinely good to Su Wan.

’If I can’t do better than them, it means I’ll never hold a unique place in her heart. What if I’m just on the same level as her brothers? I’m not sure I could be satisfied with that.’

"You’re going to the Capital with me?" Su Wan was surprised and reflexively asked, "Can you even get leave?"

"It’s not a short trip to the Capital. The round trip alone will take five or six days." Su Wan didn’t think Lu Zhengchuan could get that much leave.

Besides, once the new model of mine detector was released, Lu Zhengchuan would probably be even busier for a while.

"...After this mission is done, I should get a few days of leave." Even Lu Zhengchuan himself sounded uncertain.

Su Wan heard the uncertainty in his voice.

After a moment’s thought, she reassured him, "Think it over first before you tell me. There’s no rush."

"Mm."

Chatting like this, they entered the family courtyard before they knew it.

Lu Zhengchuan put Su Wan down at their doorstep. Before he could take out his key to open the door, Aunt Liu from across the way called out to Su Wan.

"Aunt Liu."

Su Wan turned around. "Is something the matter?"

Aunt Liu frowned and walked over in a few quick steps. "I heard Liu Lang was injured? Is it true?"

"Auntie, when did you hear about this?" Su Wan was surprised the news had traveled so fast. Judging by Aunt Liu’s expression, something else seemed to have happened.

"Just tell me if it’s true or not," Aunt Liu asked, her face grim.

Her displeasure wasn’t directed at Su Wan; clearly, something had happened that Su Wan didn’t know about.

"Yes. I was just at the clinic and happened to see Lieutenant Liu being brought in for treatment. I don’t know the specific details."

Su Wan told her what she knew.

Aunt Liu slammed a fist into her palm and said angrily, "I get it now. Thanks, Wanwan."

"Auntie, is something wrong?"

"It’s nothing. I have to go. Don’t let me keep you." Aunt Liu clearly wasn’t going to tell her.

Su Wan watched her hurry away, able only to tuck away her confusion.

"Su Wan, take your medicine first." Lu Zhengchuan opened the door, went into the house, boiled a kettle of water in the kitchen, and placed the medicine and an enamel mug in front of her.

Su Wan was placing a piece of paper into a small tin box.

Lu Zhengchuan caught a glimpse of it and saw an address and a contact number written on the paper.

"What’s this?"

"It’s Third Brother’s address and contact information," Su Wan said.

Lu Zhengchuan quickly memorized it.

After taking her medicine, Su Wan wanted to rest. She was already exhausted from the final three days of experiments, and with so many things happening so suddenly, she really didn’t feel well.

"I’m going to rest for a bit." Su Wan washed her feet and lay down on the bed.

Lu Zhengchuan nodded. "Okay, you rest. I’m going to go report to the leadership."

"Didn’t you come back, take a shower, and then come see me? You mean you didn’t go report to your superiors first thing?" Su Wan suddenly remembered this and said it out of the blue.

Lu Zhengchuan, who was on his way out, paused. He subconsciously glanced at his clothes and could vaguely see his sleeve was still a bit damp where water droplets had soaked through.

"I had just gotten back and was a bit dirty, so I thought I’d wash up before seeing you. I was afraid something on me might affect your health. You’re pregnant, so we have to be extra careful." A smile played on Lu Zhengchuan’s lips, pleased with his own thoughtfulness.

Su Wan got her answer. So all those little gestures were for the baby. A wave of emotion washed over her, but she forcefully suppressed it.

"Oh. Then you should go. I’m going to sleep now." Su Wan closed her eyes, turned her back to the door, a thin blanket covering her waist, and her breathing steadied.

Lu Zhengchuan placed a fan by her side and said softly, "Alright, I’m going now. You get some rest."

He turned, closed the door, and left, heading straight for the office area.

When he arrived, Master Ji and Political Commissioner Lin were both there, along with Dean Xu from the research institute.

Lu Zhengchuan announced himself and entered.

When Master Ji saw him, he said happily, "Xiao Lu, you’re back at the perfect time. Come with us to the training grounds now."

"Dean Xu has some good news for us."

’Good news?’

Lu Zhengchuan couldn’t help but think of what Su Wan had said. He instinctively asked, "Could it be that there’s been some technical progress with the mine detector?"

"Exactly!" Political Commissioner Lin agreed happily, reaching out to pat his shoulder. "And we have your wife, Comrade Su Wan, to thank for it."

"Let’s go, let’s go have a look." Master Ji was more concerned with whether the functions of the new detector Dean Xu mentioned were really more advanced.

He couldn’t wait and headed out the door.

The group of leaders followed, heading for the training grounds.

At some point, Lu Zhengchuan and Zhang Qiao found themselves walking side-by-side behind the leaders.

Zhang Qiao looked at him, seeming to want to say something but hesitating.

"What is it?" Lu Zhengchuan raised an eyebrow.

"Is sister-in-law okay?" Zhang Qiao’s question instantly reminded Lu Zhengchuan of the incident where he had saved Su Wan.

His expression immediately darkened.