Old Madam Lu reached out and patted his hand lightly, a gentle smile playing at her lips, "Thank you, Ah-Zhen, always so attentive."
He paused, then nodded once before returning to his seat beside Ting Cheng.
As the maids began placing bowls of steamed vegetables, poached eggs with soy drizzle, and sliced braised beef onto the table, the dining room fell into a moment of peaceful silence.
Outside, birds chirped faintly among the sprawling garden trees, unaware of the storms this family weathered silently each day.
Old Master Lu sipped his tea slowly, eyes scanning his grandsons with an intensity that belied affection hidden behind stoic discipline.
Finally, he set his cup down and spoke again, his voice low but steady.
"After lunch, come to my study room. There are updates from the northern front I want you both to hear."
"Yes, Grandfather," both boys replied in unison.
Old Madam Lu glanced between them with quiet pride before picking up her chopsticks and beginning the meal.
— — — —
Guest Room – Late Morning
The soft rustle of curtains brushing against the window woke Song Yaya from her restless sleep.
Her eyes fluttered open, staring up at the elegant white ceiling moulded with gold accents.
The thick duvet covering her legs felt unfamiliar, the scent of expensive fabric softeners and faint sandalwood calming yet strange.
She blinked rapidly, disoriented, her heart hammering against her ribcage as the memories from last night came flooding back, gunshots, masked men, blood splattered across the concrete floor, and Lu Ting Zhou's unconscious body being carried away.
She sat up abruptly, the duvet pooling at her waist, her breathing ragged and shallow. Her head spun slightly, vision blurry with unshed tears.
"Yaya…?" a low, quiet voice called out beside her. He has been awake beside her this entire time.
She turned her head sharply to see Gabriel sitting in the armchair by the window, still dressed in the same black official pants and long-sleeved fitted shirt from last night, though his sleeves were pushed up to his elbows now. His hair was slightly dishevelled, and dark circles underlined his piercing blue eyes.
He had been watching her the entire time she slept, guarding her silently.
Seeing him only increased her panic. She threw off the covers and swung her legs off the bed.
"Where's Ting Zhou?" she gasped, her voice hoarse from sleep and emotional exhaustion, "Where is he?! Where is Ting Cheng?!"
"Yaya, calm down," Gabriel said quickly, standing up and reaching for her arm, "You are safe. He's..."
But she wasn't listening. She stumbled to her feet, ignoring the slight ache in her hip where she had fallen the night before.
Her bare feet touched the cool marble floor as she hurried towards the door.
"Yaya...." Gabriel called her out in panic, but she yanked open the guest room door with shaking fingers.
She stepped into the wide hallway, her eyes darting frantically left and right searching in such a massive place for his shadow.
The corridor was silent, lined with paintings and soft carpets muffling her rushed footsteps.
She turned right, nearly running as she searched for any familiar face within her reach.
Her heart heavily thudded painfully in her chest, a cold sweat breaking out along her hairline. What if something had happened to him? What if he were gone?
"Honey...." Gabriel called again, following her swiftly, his rovers silent against the carpet, "Wait, please dear one. You will only hurt yourself if you rush like that!"
She ignored him, practically tripping down the last step as she entered the expansive sitting area, her eyes scanning the plush couches and tall vases of peonies.
Empty.