37: Chapter 37: Harbor and Starlight

At eleven o'clock at night, the Spark Technology headquarters building stood like a proud lighthouse in a dark forest. Only the lights in the top-floor CEO's office and a few distant R&D centers remained stubbornly lit, echoing the stars in the firmament.

Su Chen leaned back in his large office chair, pressing hard against his throbbing temples. On the holographic projection before him was the next-stage R&D roadmap for the Xinghuo Chip. The dense nodes and parameters were like a giant spiderweb entangling his mind. The joint strangulation from the US and Europe, the plummeting stock price, the myriad complexities of industrial transformation... even someone as strong as him felt an unprecedented mental exhaustion after several days of high-intensity work. This fatigue didn't stem from physical labor but from the heavy pressure of carrying the fate of tens of thousands of employees and the mission to break the technological blockade.

There was a soft knock on the office door.

"Come in." Su Chen didn't look up, his voice sounding a bit raspy.

Lin Wan walked in carrying an exquisite porcelain bowl filled with steaming rock sugar bird's nest soup, accompanied by a small plate of refreshing pastries. Seeing the deep weariness etched between Su Chen's brows, a flash of heartache crossed her eyes.

"President Su, it's almost midnight. Please eat something. You barely touched your food this evening." She gently placed the late-night snack on the table. Her voice was as gentle as ever, but held a bit more insistence than usual.

Su Chen finally looked up. Seeing it was her, his tense expression softened slightly. "Why haven't you gone back yet? Didn't I tell you to rest early?"

"President Shen and the others are still monitoring data over at the chip division, and I still had some documents from the overseas defense companies that needed final confirmation." Lin Wan walked to his side and naturally reached out. Her fingertips, slightly cool, gently massaged his temples. "Don't push yourself too hard. Things have to be done one step at a time."

Her movements were gentle and professional, the pressure from her fingertips just right to disperse some of the throbbing in his head. Su Chen closed his eyes, enjoying this moment of peace. He didn't refuse; or rather, in this state of extreme exhaustion, he deep down craved this kind of care that carried no ulterior motives.

He stood up and walked with Lin Wan to the massive floor-to-ceiling window. Outside was the night view of Shenzhen, with the lights of ten thousand homes outlining the city's silhouette. Closer by, the lights of the Xinghuo Chip R&D center and the Xingchen Heavy Industry base shone like sleepless eyes in the night.

"Sometimes looking at these lights, I feel like they're candle flames flickering in a violent storm," Su Chen suddenly spoke, his voice somewhat ethereal. "Outside are monstrous waves, wishing they could extinguish all of us disobedient sparks at once."

Lin Wan stopped massaging and stood by his side, following his gaze. "But as long as the candle flame isn't extinguished, it has the chance to become a prairie fire," she responded softly, her tone firm. "And look, we aren't just one candle; we are a field of sparks. chips, batteries, machine tools, military industry... every light is a spark. Together, they reflect and support each other. No matter how big the storm, it cannot blow them all out at once."

She paused, turned her head, and looked at Su Chen's profile with clear and sincere eyes. "President Su, I know you carry too much on your shoulders. But please believe that you are not alone. Whether it's a violent storm or crashing waves outside, I will be here, by your side, doing everything I can to carry it with you."

She spoke these words softly, yet every word was clear, carrying an unquestionable determination.

The window glass reflected the two figures standing side by side. Su Chen slowly turned his head, meeting Lin Wan's eyes, which were exceptionally bright in the night. There was concern, trust, understanding, and an emotion he had deliberately ignored before but was now unmistakably clear.

For a long time, they had been the most tacit partners and each other's most trusted comrades-in-arms. He focused on technology and strategy, while she managed everything in the rear, refining his grand visions into executable steps. They had experienced the despair of the brink of bankruptcy together, shared the glory of a hundred-billion-dollar market value, and were now facing this mountain-like predicament together.

In their careers, they were perfect complements. And emotionally, the dependence and attraction that had long since quietly sprouted were amplified infinitely in this quiet and weary late night, no longer able to be hidden.

The atmosphere became subtle and ambiguous. The air seemed to freeze, leaving only the sound of their light breathing.

Su Chen looked deep into her eyes, as if trying to see through them into her heart. After a long while, he reached out and gently grasped Lin Wan's hand, which was resting on the windowsill and felt slightly cool.

"Lin Wan," his voice was low and gentle, carrying an unprecedented solemnity, "from now on, when we aren't at the company, call me Su Chen."

Lin Wan's heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks instantly flushed crimson. She subconsciously wanted to pull her hand back, but Su Chen held it even tighter.

"I know that saying this now might not be the best timing," Su Chen's gaze didn't waver as he continued. "The company is facing huge challenges, and the road ahead is unknown. But it's exactly at a time like this that I realize more clearly how important you are to me. Not just in work, but... here." He pulled her hand and pressed it gently against the left side of his chest, where a steady and powerful heartbeat could be felt.

"I want to walk the path of the future not just as comrades, but as partners. Are you... willing?"

There were no flowery words or romantic buildup, only the most simple and direct confession, yet it carried more weight than any sweet talk.

Lin Wan's eyes instantly reddened, and crystalline tears shimmered in them, but they weren't from sadness; they were from immense joy and emotion. How long had she waited? From that initially cautious CEO's secretary to the core member of the group who could now hold her own, her gaze had always followed this man's back. She had witnessed his rise, shared his pressure, and had long since unknowingly tied her whole heart to him.

She nodded vigorously, her voice carrying a hint of a sob but remaining perfectly clear: "I am willing. Su Chen."

Those three simple words were like heavenly music. A smile of relief and immense joy appeared on Su Chen's face. He opened his arms and drew Lin Wan gently into his embrace. These two souls who commanded the business world shed all their defenses at this moment, holding each other tightly. In this silent late night, on the top floor overlooking the "empire" they had built together, they confirmed their feelings for one another.

**A few days later, on a weekend afternoon.**

Su Chen and Lin Wan were in the office discussing the preliminary design for "thunderbird no. 2" sent by Spark-Arab Defense Company. Although their relationship was established, they still maintained a high level of professionalism and chemistry in their work.

Just then, the office door was pushed straight open. The receptionist followed behind with a panicked look: "President Su, this elderly gentleman and lady said they are your parents and came straight up..."

Su Chen and Lin Wan looked up simultaneously to see a middle-aged couple with an elegant aura and concerned expressions walking in. It was indeed Su Chen's parents! They had clearly come straight from the airport, looking travel-worn, with their luggage still by the door.

"Dad, Mom? Why are you back? You didn't even say anything in advance!" Su Chen stood up in surprise.

Su Chen's mother didn't look at her son first; her gaze immediately fell on Lin Wan, who had also stood up and appeared slightly awkward but remained calm. She sized Lin Wan up, a faint flash of approval crossing her eyes—pretty features, a capable aura, and eyes that were clear and steady. Facing them as unexpected guests, she was surprised but didn't lose her composure at all.

"We saw the news. With things getting so loud over there, how could we be at ease?" Su Chen's Father said in a deep voice. His gaze swept across the office, seeing the design drawings spread on the table and the complex models on the computer, then seeing his son's spirit, which was weary but still sharp, and he felt slightly relieved.

"Uncle, Auntie, hello. I am Lin Wan, President Su's... assistant." Lin Wan quickly adjusted her state, greeting them with poise and moving nimbly to brew tea.

"Lin Wan? Oh, I know you. Chenchen often mentions you on the phone, saying you are his most capable helper." Su Chen's mother showed a kind smile and took Lin Wan's hand to have her sit down. "Don't busy yourself, sit down. We were just worried and came back to check; we didn't expect to interrupt your work."

"You're too kind, Auntie. It's no interruption at all," Lin Wan replied with a smile, her behavior proper and her speech gentle.

Su Chen's Father and mother exchanged a look, both seeing satisfaction in each other's eyes. They were experienced in the business world and were excellent judges of character. This Lin Wan was not only outstandingly capable, staying by their son's side to face things together at this critical moment, but she also had excellent looks and temperament—steady, dignified, and not at all petty.

**That evening, at the Su family villa.**

Su Chen's mother cooked personally, making a table full of Su Chen's favorite home-cooked dishes. At the dinner table, there were no interrogations about the troubling business crisis or international pressure; the atmosphere was warm and relaxed.

Su Chen's mother kept putting food on Lin Wan's plate: "Xiao Wan, eat more. Look how thin you are. You've worked hard staying by Chenchen's side during this time."

Su Chen's Father was also uncharacteristically pleasant, asking about Lin Wan's family and work matters, his words full of an elder's care.

Lin Wan handled it perfectly, being neither humble nor arrogant while showing full respect to her elders. The upbringing and wisdom revealed in her conversation and behavior made Su Chen's parents like her more and more as they watched.

After dinner, Su Chen's mother took out a transparent and lustrous emerald jade bracelet from a brocade box. She took Lin Wan's hand and placed it on her without allowing for refusal.

"Xiao Wan, this bracelet was passed down to me by Chenchen's grandmother. Now, I am giving it to you." Su Chen's mother patted the back of Lin Wan's hand, her gaze loving and serious. "Chenchen is a stubborn child; once he's decided on something, nine oxen couldn't pull him back. In the future, I'll have to ask you to take more care of him and be more patient with him."

This was almost an explicit recognition of Lin Wan's status as the "future daughter-in-law"! Feeling the cool touch of the jade bracelet on her wrist and seeing the unreserved approval and blessing in Su Chen's mother's eyes, a massive warm current surged in Lin Wan's heart. She nodded solemnly: "Auntie, please rest assured, I will."

Su Chen watched from the side with a warm smile. His family's approval made his relationship with Lin Wan feel even more solid.

**In the study, Su Chen's Father handed him a cup of ginseng tea.**

"I know all about the storms outside." Su Chen's Father looked at his son, his eyes holding no blame, only deep fatherly love and a hint of pride. "You did the right thing, and you've done better and shown more backbone than I imagined! Like a real man! We members of the Su family can be knocked down, but we can never be broken!"

Su Chen took the ginseng tea, his heart warming: "Dad, thank you."

"What's there to thank?" Su Chen's Father waved his hand. "You don't need to worry about things at home; your mother and I are here. What you need to do now is steady your ground and lead Spark through this hurdle. Also," he paused, his tone becoming even gentler, "treat Xiao Wan well. This girl is very good; she's your blessing, and our Su family's blessing as well."

"I will, Dad," Su Chen promised solemnly.

After seeing his parents off, Su Chen and Lin Wan stood side by side on the villa's balcony. The night breeze blew gently, carrying the fragrance of flowers and grass. In the distance, the city was still bustling, but their hearts had now found a common, peaceful harbor.

"It feels like a dream," Lin Wan said softly, leaning against Su Chen.

Su Chen put his arm around her shoulder, looking at the brightest star in the night sky. His tone was steady and full of power: "It's not a dream. This is just the beginning. With you and with my family's support, no matter how hard the road ahead is, I have the confidence to keep going."

At this moment, all the fatigue and pressure seemed to melt away in this warm night. The dual comfort of love and family was like the most solid backing, making Su Chen's inner self more complete and powerful. He knew the challenges of the future would not decrease, but he was no longer afraid. Because he knew that no matter what lay ahead, there would always be a harbor lighting the way for him, and a star walking beside him.