The drive from the restaurant to Xinggang International should have taken only half an hour, but due to the surge in crowds on Christmas Eve, that half-hour stretched to a full hour.
At the restaurant, Ji Mingshu and Cen Yang had chatted about childhood memories. Only after merging into the river of lights and traffic did they seem to step into the adult world, exchanging questions about their real lives.
There wasn’t much novelty in Ji Mingshu’s real life worth elaborating on—she had simply followed the growth trajectory visible since childhood, never straying off course all these years.
Cen Yang, however, was different. Once the sole favored son of the Cen family at Jingjian, he had suddenly encountered a drastic change. Though not exactly plummeting from the clouds into the mud, from the moment his identity shifted, the lofty status of his childhood became an unreachable peak in his life. The future that awaited the young master of the Cen family was a journey he would never have the chance to tread again.
Perhaps due to her own shallow familial bonds, ever since learning the truth in her second year of middle school, Ji Mingshu had felt a deeper empathy for Cen Yang’s situation.
She always felt that if a prince from some kingdom suddenly told her she was their long-lost daughter, she would happily move there to become a noble little princess.
But if a couple from an obscure small town’s slums came to claim her, she might faint on the spot, clinging desperately to the pillars of the Ji family’s porch, refusing to leave.
Hearing Ji Mingshu tactfully express her perspective, Cen Yang simply smiled.
With one hand on the steering wheel, he took a box of chewing gum from the storage compartment beside him. As he unwrapped it, he gazed at the distant neon lights, his voice calm. "It wasn’t as unbearable as you might think. I’ve been doing quite well these years."
Ji Mingshu turned her head to look at him.
"Actually, it wasn’t great at first, but I got used to it, and then it was fine."
Stopped at a red light, Cen Yang handed her a piece of gum, recalling it all with remarkable ease. "Honestly, maybe because it’s been so long, I don’t remember many things clearly. I only recall that when I first moved away from Nanqiao Hutong, I had trouble sleeping for about half a month... I couldn’t sleep night after night, missing my grandparents, my parents, and Shu Yang."
He glanced at Ji Mingshu. "And of course, you, little one. I used to think you were such a noisy little girl, but when you stopped coming over to make noise, it felt strange."
Ji Mingshu pursed her lips and didn’t respond.
Cen Yang continued, "It wouldn’t be realistic to say I never felt resentment or hatred. I’m in venture capital now, and when I first started working, the pressure was immense. I often thought, if I were still Cen Yang of the Cen family, why would I have to struggle so hard?"
He paused briefly, then chuckled softly. "Let’s not talk about this anymore. It really has been a long time. Everyone is doing well now, each in their rightful place. Life goes on wherever you are."
"Life goes on wherever you are"—easier said than truly experienced.
—The little golden canary who had run away from home for months knew this all too well.
She wanted to offer some comfort but didn’t know where to start, so she simply nodded and changed the subject. "So, you’re... twenty-seven this year too, right? Have you been in a relationship?"
Cen Yang narrowed his eyes slightly in thought. "I dated a few people on and off after starting university, but none were quite right, so we broke up. These past few years, work has been busy, and I haven’t had time for a relationship."The traffic light changed, and the car slowly inched forward again. Remembering something, he asked, "I just came from Star City. I heard from An Ning that you and he went to Star City some time ago?"
"Yeah, we went for a meal. Are An Ning and... Auntie An doing well?"
Cen Yang answered without hesitation, "They're doing fine. I originally wanted to bring them to the capital to live together once I settled down, but they said they couldn't get used to it here, so they won't be coming."
Seeing Cen Yang's calm expression as he said this, Ji Mingshu couldn't help but feel puzzled: Back then, didn't Chen Biqing say that Cen Yang didn't get along well with them and rarely contacted them? Why does it seem like Cen Yang isn't that resistant to them? Strange.
But then again, based on the few words Chen Biqing mentioned, she had imagined Cen Yang to be a cold, gloomy figure who could never let go of the change in his circumstances. Yet the Cen Yang she saw today was positive, poised, and seemed to have long since stopped caring about the past.
—Clearly, this was the best outcome after fate's twists and turns, but Ji Mingshu couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't quite real.
Upon arriving at Xinggang International, Cen Yang parked the car, walked around to the passenger side, and opened the door for Ji Mingshu. Seeing her still lost in thought, he leaned in to help her unbuckle her seatbelt.
Ji Mingshu snapped back to reality just in time, raising her hand to stop him. "No need, I can do it myself."
She unbuckled the seatbelt, grabbed her bag, and hurriedly got out of the car.
It was snowing outside, heavier than it had been on the road.
Cen Yang looked up and asked, "Is this the first snow in the capital this year?"
Ji Mingshu nodded, reaching out to catch a snowflake. "The weather forecast has been saying it for a while, but it only started today."
As she said this, a faint trace of melancholy flashed in her eyes.
Truthfully, she really wanted to watch the first snow with Cen Sen, and she really wanted to spend Christmas Eve with him too.
But Cen Sen hadn't contacted her since the show, only sending Zhou Jiaheng over once with some clothes... as if anyone cared about his old clothes.
But even if he did contact her, it wouldn't matter. Cen Sen was the kind of emotionless capital machine who would work himself to the bone for his job. He probably wouldn't have the romantic inclination to spend Christmas Eve or Christmas with his wife in this lifetime.
Thinking about it that way, she didn't feel quite as disappointed anymore.
"...Xiao Shu?" Cen Yang called out once, and when there was no response, he called again.
"Ah?" Ji Mingshu snapped back to attention and looked apologetically at Cen Yang. "Sorry, I was just thinking about something. What is it?"
"Nothing, really. I just feel that being able to see you again is really nice."
Cen Yang chuckled softly, revealing two rows of white, even teeth. His tall, slender figure stood in the snowy winter night, looking particularly gentle and warm.
Ji Mingshu couldn't help but smile too, the expression lingering at the corners of her mouth for a long time before fading slightly.
Looking at Cen Yang, she said with some emotion, "Calling you 'Brother Cen Yang' after growing up doesn't seem quite appropriate anymore, and I don't really have the right to stand by your side and share your grievances... But no matter what happened in the past or what happens in the future, I sincerely hope you can live happily. And I sincerely hope you can always be as warm and sunny as I remember you."
Cen Yang looked back at her, a faint smile on his lips that didn't quite reach his eyes. Suddenly, he stepped forward and hugged her.
In the distance, a black Maybach was parked.Cen Yang gazed at the distant, blurry driver's seat, his eyes steady and unwavering, remaining silent the entire time.
—Xiao Shu, I'm sorry. From a long time ago, I haven't been the Cen Yang gege you remember.
After returning to her apartment, Ji Mingshu went through her usual routine of removing her makeup and washing up. The apartment was quiet and still—on Christmas Eve, Gu Kaiyang was still fighting on the front lines of overtime without extra pay, and there was no telling when she'd be back.
After applying her face mask, Ji Mingshu glanced at her phone. Cen Sen, that pig, hadn't even sent her a single punctuation mark—it was truly suffocating.
Sitting cross-legged on the sofa, the more she thought about it, the less she understood.
Didn't he also study abroad for university? How could he be so indifferent to Christmas Eve and Christmas? If he's so against Western influence, why did he even go to Harvard? Would sending a "Merry Christmas" cause his company's stock to plummet thirty percent? Is he even human? How did he manage to get a wife?
Ji Mingshu was trapped in the injustice of not receiving a Christmas Eve greeting, unable to free herself. And as if that weren't enough, Jiang Chun had to flaunt her relationship right at this moment, walking right into the line of fire.
Jiang Chun: [Picture 1]
Jiang Chun: [Picture 2]
Jiang Chun: "Tang Zhizhou gave me this ring. Isn't it pretty!"
Ji Mingshu: "..."
Ji Mingshu: "Have you not practiced the finger exercises I taught you even once? Your fingers are short and stubby, not even as nice-looking as my toes. How can you have the nerve to wear a ring? Don't tell me you've already posted it on social media. If you really have to post, just take it off and take a picture of the box—don't embarrass yourself."
Jiang Chun: "..."
Jiang Chun: "I already posted it."
Jiang Chun was used to being criticized; if Ji Mingshu ever praised her, she'd feel uneasy, always suspecting Ji Mingshu was brewing up some big move, waiting for her to get carried away before striking her down.
Now, having received Ji Mingshu's usual response, Jiang Chun felt reassured and boldly acted coquettishly with Tang Zhizhou.
Puffing out her cheeks, she raised her chubby hand and asked, "Shushu said my fingers are short and fat and don't look good with a ring. What do you think?"
Tang Zhizhou patted her head. "You look good no matter what."
Jiang Chun nodded, then sent another message to Ji Mingshu.
Jiang Chun: "Tang Zhizhou said I look good no matter what, hehe."
Jiang Chun: [Satisfied.jpg]
Fortunately, she still had some sense of propriety. Before Ji Mingshu fully entered attack mode, she promptly offered up the latest gossip to divert her attention.
Jiang Chun: "Oh, right, Tang Zhizhou and I went to see a movie at Jiufang Mall today, and we ran into Li Xiaolian."
Ji Mingshu: "Li Xiaolian? Who's that?"
Jiang Chun: "...Li Wenyin! Can't you show at least a little basic respect for your love rival?"
Ji Mingshu: "..."
Ji Mingshu: "Who did she go to the movies with?"
Jiang Chun: "A man, pretty tall. But the theater was so crowded tonight, I didn't get a good look at his face. And by then, everyone was already inside—the theater was pitch black. We didn't see them when we came out either."
Ji Mingshu instinctively thought of Cen Sen, feeling a bit irritable.
Jiang Chun: "But it definitely wasn't your Cen Sen. That guy didn't have the 'I earn a billion a minute just standing here' domineering CEO aura your Cen Sen has."
Ji Mingshu: "..."Ji Mingshu: "Next time, please pay attention to proper phrasing, or just don't speak at all. Thank you."
Jiang Chun: "...?"
Jiang Chun: "What did I do wrong this time?"
Unable to contain her frustration at being criticized instead of praised for promptly sharing news, Jiang Chun began to vent her grievances. Ji Mingshu, uninterested in listening to her rambling, was about to set her phone aside to wash off her face mask when Gu Kaiyang suddenly called.
She answered the call, and Gu Kaiyang on the other end sounded as if she were being chased by a chainsaw-wielding maniac, gasping for breath and speaking incoherently. "Do you know, do you know what I just saw? I'm back, I'm in the elevator, I saw Cen Sen, with a man, downstairs..."
Ji Mingshu paused for a second. "Kissing?"
"...?"
"No, what are you thinking? It's just two men—no, one man..."
Suddenly remembering something, Ji Mingshu rushed to the window without even putting on her shoes and pulled back the curtains.
Cen Yang's white Mercedes hadn't sped away but had instead driven across the street and parked beside a Maybach.
Two men stood between the two cars, hands in their pockets, both looking up—at her?
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