When the rooftop was draped in a layer of pure white, Song Ci knocked on Cen Jin's door, bringing her daughter along. Mother and daughter each held an umbrella—one large, one small, nearly identical in color. After shaking off the snow, they placed them side by side in the umbrella holder, creating an oddly endearing sight.
Li Wu fetched slippers for them, and Song Ci thanked him before urging her daughter to greet the adults.
The little girl first called out "Auntie Cen." When her gaze landed on Li Wu's youthful face, she hesitated briefly but ultimately addressed him clearly, "Uncle."
Li Wu quirked the corner of his mouth and acknowledged her.
Cen Jin teased from the side, "Why not call him 'brother'? I was hoping to gain some seniority."
Song Ci said, "The child is more sensible than you."
She knelt down to remove her daughter's scarf and down jacket, then patted her arm to send her inside first.
Only then did Cen Jin get a clear look at Song Ci's daughter's face. She was quite lovely, with soft, long hair and features that blended the best of both parents—delicate and exquisite, as if a Snow Doll from outside had come to life and walked in.
Li Wu led the little girl to the sofa and pointed to the snacks on the coffee table, asking which one she wanted.
Song Ci glanced over and gently reminded, "Xiao Cao, don't eat too much. We'll have dinner soon."
When interacting with her daughter, Song Ci's demeanor was entirely different from her professional self—the sharpness in her eyes softened, replaced by a gentle warmth.
Cen Jin, having no real experience of motherhood, didn't quite understand this chemical change and simply asked, "Is her name Xiao Cao? How old is she?"
"Six years old," Song Ci replied as she followed her inside. "Xiao Cao is her nickname. Her full name is Zhou Yi, with 'Yi' meaning 'meaning' or 'intention.'"
"Xiao Cao," Cen Jin called out to the girl sitting intently on the sofa, waiting for Li Wu to open the snack packaging.
Xiao Cao looked up, her voice sweet like milk candy: "I'm here!"
Cen Jin gazed at her round, chubby cheeks and smiled. "You're so adorable."
Li Wu handed a chocolate-coated Pocky stick to Xiao Cao and lifted his eyelids slightly. "Why don't you call me?"
Cen Jin made a disgusted face and replied dryly, "Xiao Wu."
Li Wu's eyes sparkled as he responded with equal emphasis, "Hmm, I'm here."
Song Ci shook her head with a soft sigh. "I can't stand you two."
Cen Jin exhaled in agreement. "See? Dating someone younger is like raising a son."
However, this "son" was an exceptional cook, having prepared a table full of delicious dishes. Even the notoriously picky Xiao Cao exclaimed enthusiastically at the dinner table: "The food at your house is so delicious! It's even better than Grandma's. This is the first time I've eaten such tasty food."
Cen Jin smiled, her eyes curving, and pushed her favorite sweet and sour pork with pineapple closer to the girl. "Then eat more."
Song Ci held her chopsticks and glanced at her daughter, who had begun clearing her plate, before bringing up business: "The name you sent me on WeChat today—I still feel it's lacking something."
Li Wu asked curiously, "What name?"
Song Ci replied, "The naming for the company Cen Jin and I are starting."
Cen Jin picked up her glass and took a sip of fruit beer. "It's too hard. I was about to ask my parents to recommend some Five Elements masters to come up with one for me."
Li Wu, absentmindedly picking at his food, suddenly had a spark of inspiration and set down his chopsticks. "I have an idea."
Cen Jin propped her chin on her hand, ready to listen. "Let's hear it."
Li Wu asked, "Do you know the mass-energy equivalence formula?"
The two women, both humanities majors, exchanged blank looks, completely clueless.Li Wu thought for a moment, organizing his words: "It's a formula, E=mc². That last part with C squared—I think it suits you both perfectly."
Cen Jin grew somewhat interested, propping her chin up: "What's the specific concept?"
"Nothing complicated." He dipped the tip of his chopstick in wine and casually drew a "C" on the table, adding a small "2" in the upper right corner: "Your name is Cen Jin, and Sister Song is Song Ci—both your names contain the letter C. In physics, C represents the speed of light, the fastest observable speed. It symbolizes a powerful union and rapid development."
Cen Jin pondered: "So it's C squared?"
Li Wu: "Mm."
Song Ci was pleasantly surprised: "Truly family. Your boyfriend might have a knack for creativity."
Cen Jin smiled knowingly: "He does. When I first joined Aoxing and was learning to pitch proposals, I had him vet them for me." Song Ci agreed: "The name he suggested is good. We can add it to the shortlist."
Cen Jin concurred: "I think so too."
Flushed with praise, Li Wu grew humble and quiet, burying his face in his rice bowl.
"What are you all talking about? I can't understand a word!" Xiao Cao complained after listening to what sounded like gibberish.
Song Ci pulled a tissue to wipe her daughter's mouth: "We're discussing the name of the castle Mommy will build someday. When it's finished, I'll bring Xiao Cao back to be a real princess, okay?"
Xiao Cao nodded vigorously: "Okay!"
—
Over the following days, the two female partners set aside time to discuss and select a name for their future company. In the end, Li Wu's suggestion won for being concise, intuitive, and memorable. Cen Jin promptly handed it to Chun Chang for logo design. They also created a group chat titled "Three Cobblers Are Equal to Zhuge Liang," dedicated to discussing startup matters.
Meanwhile, Cen Jin received other good news: her property on Qingping Road sold smoothly at her expected price. Additionally, through the same agent, she learned that a small securities company on Nanhuai Road was relocating, vacating a 300+ square meter office space.
Squeezing out two weekends, Cen Jin and Song Ci visited the office building for an inspection. The space was excellent, meeting all their requirements, so they decisively secured it without much deliberation.
The year-end was busy yet fulfilling.
With Spring Festival approaching, on New Year's Eve, Cen Jin decided to test her mother's mood.
Mother and daughter hadn't spoken in nearly a month—she wondered if her mom was still upset with her.
But regardless of her mother's attitude, Cen Jin was determined to bring Li Wu home. Not only was he her beloved, but he was also like family to the Cens.
If he didn't celebrate New Year at her home, where would this guy go?
While Li Wu was still showering, Cen Jin sent her mother a WeChat message, tentatively calling out: "Mom."
Cen's Mother remained silent.
Cen Jin pestered: Mom mom mom mom mom my dear mom.
Cen's Mother finally reacted, replying haughtily: Oh.
Cen Jin laughed: I'm coming back with Li Wu tomorrow.
Cen's Mother: Come back if you want. It's not like I can chase you out. Even if I wanted to, would your dad allow it?
Cen Jin cooed: Exactly. It's so cold this year, dear Mom. If you still chased us out, we'd become a pair of Ill-fated Ice Mandarin Ducks outside, boohoo.Cen's Mother was someone who responded better to softness than force: "Stop making your mom nauseous. Are you bringing Li Wu back? It's not like I have any say in this house anyway."
Cen Jin noticed the deliberate change in how she referred to him and asked pointedly: "Why so distant? Not calling him 'Little Wu' anymore?"
Cen's Mother: "Hmph."
Cen Jin laughed, propping her elbow on a cushion: "Mom, after we go back tomorrow, please don't give Li Wu the cold shoulder, okay?"
Cen's Mother said: "I knew you were going to bring this up."
Cen Jin: "I'm begging you. He's young and sensitive, a kid with strong self-esteem, and he treats me exceptionally well. I don't want to see him embarrassed or upset."
Cen's Mother replied: "So you do know he's just a kid."
Cen Jin leaned back against the headboard, her expression gentle: "But I don't love him because he's a kid. I treat him like a kid because I love him."
Cen's Mother seemed to sigh: "After what he wrote in that letter, how could I stay angry?"
Cen Jin's fingers paused on the screen in surprise: "What letter?"
Cen's Mother asked: "You don't know?"
Cen Jin: "I have no idea. What letter?"
Cen's Mother fell silent.
Cen Jin pressed: "What letter exactly? Did Li Wu write to you?" Cen's Mother sent a voice message directly: "Li Wu wrote a letter to me and your dad. I thought you put him up to it, but your dad insisted otherwise. It was very sincere. Of course I was moved after reading it, but I suspected you two had planned it together, with you as his strategist. So you were kept in the dark too?"
Cen Jin's fine brows furrowed slightly: "I had no clue. Can you show it to me?"
Cen's Mother hesitated briefly: "Hold on, your dad put it in the safe. I'll take a picture and send it to you."
Cen Jin touched her lips: "What kind of letter needs to be stored like that?"
Cen's Mother said: "Your dad said sincerity is priceless and should be kept properly."
...
Five minutes later, Li Wu emerged from the steam-filled bathroom, drying his damp black hair while calling out, "I'm done, you can shower now."
His gaze drifted toward the bed, where the first thing that greeted him was Cen Jin, her face streaming with tears. The woman sat curled up with her knees drawn, clutching her phone in one hand, continuously wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand. Her tear ducts seemed to have burst open, unable to be stemmed.
Li Wu panicked, rushing over in a flash.
"What's wrong?"
"What happened?"
"Cen Jin?"
"Sis?"
"What's going on with you?"
He anxiously moved from one side of the bed to the other, chattering incessantly, trying to get a clear answer. But Cen Jin stubbornly ignored him, sobbing and weeping on her own, making the freshly showered youth break out in a sweat all over again.
Finally, after her emotional release subsided, Cen Jin wrapped her arms around Li Wu's neck and whispered through her sniffles: "I saw the letter you wrote to my parents."
Li Wu froze for a moment, then relaxed and hugged her back: "I thought something was really wrong..."
"Are you trying to make your sis cry herself to death, writing such sentimental stuff?" She pulled her face back slightly, studying him as if tracing his features with her gaze. Her thumb gently stroked his cheekbone, the corners of her eyes tinged with a soft blush: "Why couldn't you just say those things in person?"
Li Wu's expression and tone were as calm and comforting as ever: "I was afraid I might not even get the chance to meet your parents."
Cen Jin's heart twisted sharply, her eyes welling up again: "How could that be? You still have me.""But I don't want to be a coward hiding in his shell. I want to be your legitimate boyfriend," he added, his tone intensifying: "The kind of man who can truly stand by your side and shield you from harm."
Cen Jin pressed her cheek against his, like two animals huddling together for warmth in winter: "You already are."
"In your sister's eyes, you're already a man who stands firm between heaven and earth," she pursed her lips, unable to stop her heartache from transforming into liquid that streamed down both cheeks: "There isn't a better boy in the whole world than you."
He was her priceless treasure, an unexpectedly discovered virtue of unwavering loyalty.
Li Wu felt scalded by her tears, flusteredly wiping them away as he clumsily comforted her: "Don't cry, sister, please stop crying? If I'd known this letter would make you cry like this, I wouldn't have written it."
Cen Jin embraced him again, declaring with conviction: "Come home with me for New Year's tomorrow. Both my parents want to meet you, regardless of whether that letter existed or not."
"Mhm," the boy smiled where she couldn't see, somewhat uncertain: "Really?"
"Really. Who would dare not like you, heartthrob?" Cen Jin mumbled.
Li Wu was overjoyed, anxiously getting off the bed and saying he needed to fetch something from the next room.
Cen Jin grabbed him, tears still clinging to her lashes: "What thing?"
Li Wu said: "The New Year's gifts I bought for your parents."
Cen Jin paused: "You prepared them already?"
"Mhm, even though the possibility wasn't that great, what if I actually ended up going to your home?" His expression was solemn, his eyes filled with the sincerity of complete preparation.
Cen Jin was utterly convinced.
Just as the boy was about to leave the bed, Cen Jin pulled him back. The woman mumbled: "What about my New Year's gift? Do I get one?"
Li Wu said: "Yes."
"What is it?"
Li Wu turned back: "I'll give it to you tomorrow."
Cen Jin acted spoiled: "I want it now."
Li Wu leaned forward, capturing her lips with his, sucking gently before looking at her with a smile: "Let me use this to muddle through today."
His hair was still damp, leaving a faint trace of moisture on her forehead.
Cen Jin's body felt as if submerged in warm water, becoming buoyant, dissolving into steam.
She kissed him back, using a similar method. But she didn't pull away, instead lingering before him, their noses nearly touching.
Li Wu's eyes gradually darkened, like oppressive black whirlpools devouring her.
"I don't think it's enough," Cen Jin's lips advanced again, using this to verify his unique gravitational pull.
As they kissed entangled, Cen Jin slid down onto the bed, allowing Li Wu to scatter sparks from above, igniting her while burning himself - they seemed capable of drafting an unbreakable pact to face life and death together through their fierce invasion and absorption of each other. The world became narration, with only them at the center of the frame, painted in vibrant colors by love, magnificent and vivid, intense as fireworks.
...
OpenNovel