Chapter 1046: An entire department store

Morning arrived quietly in Imperial.

The first rays of sunlight stretched across the snow-covered city, casting a warm golden glow over the rooftops and streets.

For most people, it was just another ordinary day.

But beneath the peaceful morning, secrets from the previous night remained hidden.

Neither Han Yue Ling nor Lu Tian knew what had transpired at Glory.

They were unaware that Choi Li Sun had narrowly escaped capture, that Gui Tian Lan had encountered a ghost from his past, or that a devastating truth about Lee Shin’s death had finally come to light.

For the couple, the morning began with something far simpler.

Breakfast together.

Yue Ling sat across from Lu Tian at their dining table, slowly sipping her tea while watching her husband finish his coffee.

"Are you sure you don’t have anything important to do today?"

Lu Tian looked up.

"Why?"

"Because you’re coming with me to City Z."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Did you forget whose idea it was to take the private jet?"

Yue Ling smiled.

"I’m just making sure."

Lu Tian set down his cup.

"My schedule is clear."

"Completely?"

"Completely."

She narrowed her eyes playfully.

"Not even one meeting?"

"Not one."

"Not even an emergency?"

He leaned forward.

"Unless Lu Corps catches fire, no."

Yue Ling laughed.

"Don’t say that. You’ll jinx it."

Lu Tian chuckled. He reached across the table and gently brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Today is yours, wife."

Her smile softened.

"And tomorrow?"

"Also yours."

"And the day after?"

Lu Tian pretended to consider the question.

"Hmm. I suppose that depends."

Yue Ling arched an eyebrow.

"On what?"

"Whether my wife continues feeding me breakfast."

She laughed and picked up a piece of the half-cut boiled egg.

"Open."

Lu Tian obediently leaned forward.

She fed him the egg, shaking her head at his shameless behavior.

"You’re impossible."

"Only for you."

After breakfast, the couple gathered their belongings and left the house.

Lu Tian drove them to his private aviation terminal, where his jet was already prepared for departure.

The aircraft stood beneath the pale winter sky, its polished exterior gleaming in the morning sunlight.

Before boarding, Yue Ling took out her phone. She opened her conversation with Lee Hana.

[’Hana, I’ll be in City Z this afternoon. See you soon.’]

The reply arrived almost immediately.

[’YOU’RE REALLY COMING?!’]

Yue Ling laughed.

Another message followed.

[’Little Shin is going to lose his mind! Hurry!’]

She shook her head affectionately.

[’We’re boarding now.’]

After sending the message, she slipped her phone into her handbag.

Lu Tian approached from behind.

"Ready?"

Yue Ling looked up at the jet.

Then smiled.

"Ready."

He took her hand.

Together, they boarded.

The jet ascended smoothly into the morning sky.

Within minutes, Imperial had disappeared beneath a blanket of clouds.

Yue Ling settled comfortably into her seat beside the window. She watched the white clouds drift past, their soft shapes illuminated by sunlight.

Across from her, Lu Tian was reviewing something on his phone.

Then it rang.

He glanced at the screen.

’Xu Long.’

Lu Tian’s expression remained unchanged, but his eyes narrowed slightly.

Yue Ling noticed.

"Your assistant?"

He nodded.

She smiled.

"Go ahead. Take it."

Lu Tian looked at her.

Then leaned forward and kissed the top of her head.

"I’ll be right back."

Yue Ling nodded.

He rose and walked toward the rear section of the jet, where he could speak privately.

Once he was out of earshot, he answered.

"Speak."

On the other end, silence greeted him.

Lu Tian frowned.

"Xu Long."

A deep sigh came through the phone.

"Boss..."

Xu Long sounded unusually serious.

Lu Tian’s gaze sharpened.

"What happened?"

Another pause.

Then Xu Long spoke.

"There’s something I need to tell you."

Lu Tian looked ahead.

"Are you still at home?" Xu Long asked.

"No."

Silence.

Then another heavy sigh.

Lu Tian’s patience thinned.

"Xu Long."

"Boss, it involves the investigation."

The assistant’s words were carefully chosen.

He had spent much of the night struggling with what he had learned.

Lee Shin’s death.

Choi Li Sun’s connection to it.

And the horrifying resemblance between the two men.

He knew Lu Tian needed to hear everything.

But he also knew his boss was supposed to be spending the day with Yue Ling.

Lu Tian turned toward the window.

Beyond the glass, endless clouds stretched toward the horizon.

He remained silent for a moment then he looked toward his wife.

She was still sitting by the window, quietly admiring the scenery.

Her expression was peaceful.

A peace he had no intention of disturbing.

"I’ll hear it when I return."

Xu Long went silent.

"Boss—"

"It can wait."

His voice was calm.

But the finality behind it left no room for argument.

Xu Long hesitated. He knew better than to push too hard.

"Understood."

Lu Tian ended the call.

He stood there for a moment, looking toward the front of the cabin.

He knew something serious had happened.

Xu Long wouldn’t have sounded that troubled otherwise.

But this trip was important to Yue Ling.

She had been preparing herself for it ever since they decided to visit City Z.

Whatever awaited him in Imperial could wait until they returned.

He slipped his phone into his pocket and walked back to his seat.

Yue Ling looked up.

"Everything alright?"

Lu Tian sat beside her.

He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips.

"Everything is fine."

She studied him.

For a moment, she seemed ready to ask another question.

But instead, she nodded and turned toward the window.

Lu Tian watched her. He noticed the slight tension in her shoulders.

The way her fingers unconsciously tightened around his.

And the faint nervousness lingering behind her otherwise calm expression.

He knew why.

City Z.

For Yue Ling, the city held far more than familiar streets and old friends.

It held memories.

Beautiful ones.

Painful ones.

And people she could no longer see except through photographs and the places they had left behind.

"Don’t think too much about it," he said gently.

Yue Ling turned toward him.

Then laughed softly.

"That’s easy for you to say."

Lu Tian leaned back.

"Is it?"

She smiled faintly.

"You don’t have to revisit all the places where your memories are waiting for you."

Lu Tian didn’t immediately answer. Instead, he tightened his hold on her hand.

"I’ll be there with you every step of the way."

Yue Ling looked at him.

His expression was steady. There was no hesitation in his eyes.

No discomfort at the thought of accompanying her to places connected to her past.

Only quiet reassurance.

Her heart warmed.

She leaned toward him and rested her head against his shoulder.

"You’re a good man."

Lu Tian chuckled.

"Only to you."

Yue Ling smiled.

"That’s enough for me."

He kissed the top of her head.

Then rested his cheek lightly against her hair.

Their intertwined hands settled over his thigh.

Neither spoke again.

There was no need.

Outside, the jet continued its journey above the clouds.

And for a little while, the world belonged only to them.

By early afternoon, the jet descended toward City Z.

The landscape below was vastly different from Imperial.

Rolling hills stretched beneath the winter sunlight, while patches of snow rested along the mountainsides.

The city itself appeared in the distance, surrounded by forests and winding roads.

Yue Ling looked out the window. A strange feeling settled in her chest. ⅇℯ𝚕.

’I’m back.’

The jet landed at a secluded private aviation terminal.

A luxury car was already waiting nearby.

Lu Tian stepped down first.

Then turned and offered his hand to Yue Ling.

She accepted it.

The crisp mountain air brushed against her cheeks.

She inhaled slowly.

The air smelled faintly of pine and winter earth.

Familiar.

Almost painfully so.

Lu Tian collected their bags and led her toward the car.

He opened the passenger door and helped her inside before placing their luggage in the trunk.

Then he settled behind the wheel.

As they drove away from the terminal, he glanced toward her.

"Do you want to stop somewhere before we head to your friend’s place?"

Yue Ling watched the passing fields. After a moment, she nodded.

"I want to buy some toys for little Shin."

Lu Tian smiled.

"Little Shin?"

"Lee Hana’s son."

She turned toward him.

"He’s adorable. You’ll love him."

Lu Tian chuckled.

"Will I?"

"Of course."

"Does he like you?"

Yue Ling laughed.

"He’s practically attached to me whenever I visit."

Lu Tian raised an eyebrow.

"Another man competing for my wife’s attention?"

"He’s a little boy."

"Still a man."

Yue Ling shook her head.

"You’re unbelievable."

Lu Tian smiled and entered a toy store into the navigation system.

"Then let’s go meet my competition."

She burst into laughter.

They soon entered the busier part of City Z.

Shops lined the streets, and pedestrians hurried along the sidewalks in their winter coats.

After several turns, Lu Tian pulled into the parking lot of a large toy store.

Inside, the aisles were filled with colorful displays.

Stuffed animals.

Toy cars.

Building blocks.

Action figures.

Educational games.

Yue Ling’s eyes brightened almost immediately.

"Oh, look at this!"

She picked up a toy dinosaur.

Lu Tian pushed the shopping cart behind her.

"Does he like dinosaurs?"

"He’s almost four. He likes everything."

"That doesn’t narrow it down."

Yue Ling laughed. She placed the dinosaur into the cart.

A few steps later, she found a set of toy cars.

Then a building-block set.

Then a small remote-controlled truck.

Lu Tian watched silently as the cart gradually filled.

"My love."

"Hmm?"

"Are we buying gifts for one child or opening a toy store?"

Yue Ling looked into the cart then at him.

"Too much?"

Lu Tian smiled.

"Not at all."

She grinned.

"Good."

And promptly added another toy.

He shook his head affectionately.

As Yue Ling continued browsing, Lu Tian’s gaze wandered toward a nearby display.

Baby clothes.

Soft blankets.

Tiny mittens.

And beneath a neatly arranged row of infant outfits—

A pair of baby shoes.

They were small.

White.

With delicate stitching along the edges.

Lu Tian stopped. His smile slowly faded.

He stared at the shoes.

For a moment, he could almost imagine a little pair of feet wearing them.

A child.

Their child.

The one they had lost.

A sharp ache spread through his chest. He remembered the nursery in their home.

The room they had once prepared with such quiet excitement.

The tiny clothes.

The carefully chosen furniture.

The dreams they had begun building together.

And the door that had remained closed since their loss.

Neither of them had found the courage to open it again.

Lu Tian’s fingers tightened around the shopping cart. He lowered his gaze.

’Our little one...’

Behind him, Yue Ling picked up another toy car. She was about to place it in the cart when she noticed he had stopped following her.

"Tian?"

No response.

She looked toward him then followed his gaze.

The baby shoes.

Her expression softened. A sad smile touched her lips.

She quietly returned the toy car to the shelf before walking toward him.

"What are you thinking about?"

Lu Tian looked down at her. For a moment, he said nothing.

Then he gave a faint shake of his head.

"I was thinking about our little one."

Yue Ling’s heart tightened. She looked at the shoes again.

The sight brought back memories she had tried so hard to make peace with.

The happiness of learning she was pregnant.

The excitement of imagining their future.

And the devastation that followed the accident.

She knew Lu Tian had suffered too.

He rarely spoke about it.

He had remained strong for her, comforting her whenever grief threatened to overwhelm her.

But she knew.

Behind his calm expression was a father who had lost his child.

Just as she had.

Yue Ling stepped closer. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek against his chest.

Lu Tian immediately embraced her.

For a while, neither spoke.

Then Yue Ling’s voice broke the silence.

"Tian..."

"Hmm?"

She stared at the little shoes.

"Do you think we’ll ever have a family of our own?"

Lu Tian’s arms tightened slightly.

Yue Ling lowered her eyes. Her thoughts drifted toward the medical report she had received after the accident.

The injuries.

The complications.

The doctor’s careful explanation that conceiving again might be difficult.

Not impossible.

But difficult.

She had tried not to dwell on it.

Still, the uncertainty remained.

Sometimes it appeared unexpectedly.

In a quiet room.

During a sleepless night.

Or while looking at a tiny pair of shoes in a toy store.

"After what the doctor said..." she whispered.

Her voice trembled.

"I don’t know if it’ll ever happen."

Lu Tian gently pulled back. He cupped her cheek.

"Look at me."

Yue Ling raised her eyes to him and he brushed his thumb across her skin.

"We will."

She searched his face.

"You’re sure?"

Lu Tian smiled softly.

"I believe we will."

Her lips trembled.

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

"But it can wait until after our wedding."

Yue Ling gave a small laugh.

"You’re not worried?"

"About what?"

"That it might take a long time."

Lu Tian looked at her tenderly.

"Then it takes a long time."

He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"We have the rest of our lives."

Yue Ling swallowed.

"And if..."

She hesitated.

Lu Tian understood the unfinished question. He pulled her back into his arms.

"Then we’ll face that together too."

His voice was gentle but firm.

"Nothing about that changes how much I love you. And that means I have more of your time to myself."

Yue Ling closed her eyes. Her fingers tightened around his coat.

Lu Tian rested his chin against her head. He hadn’t forgotten what the doctor said.

The chances might be lower.

The road might be difficult.

But difficult didn’t mean impossible.

And he hadn’t given up hope.

He had been making rather enthusiastic efforts toward that particular goal, though he had no intention of reminding his wife of that in the middle of a toy store.

For now, he wanted her to enjoy the day.

To laugh.

To see her friends.

To remember that their future held more than grief.

He kissed her hair.

"Come on."

Yue Ling looked up.

"Where?"

"We still have toys to buy."

She smiled.

Lu Tian glanced toward their overflowing cart.

"Apparently, little Shin needs an entire department store."

Yue Ling laughed.

And just like that, some of the heaviness in her chest began to ease.

They continued shopping, eventually choosing several toys for little Shin.

Yue Ling also selected thoughtful gifts for Lee Hana and Park Min Lee.

After paying, they loaded everything into the car and resumed their journey.