Shoutout to Alinaza for the commission!
At three in the morning, the drinking had ended and the crowd had dispersed, and the private room was littered with cigar butts and empty bottles.
Cen Li flipped through the spending statement from tonight at the club, his chest aching.
Had that bunch of b*stards never drunk wine or smoked cigars before, why hadn’t they drunk themselves to death or smoked themselves to death!
His pained, teeth-gnashing expression made Guo Song roll his eyes on the spot.
“Alright, Cen Scrooge, you only treat once in however many years, do you have to feel this distressed?” Guo Song crossed his legs, took a cigar from the inner pocket of his suit, lifted it to his nose and sniffed it, saying, “Everyone saw your sincerity tonight, but will Sese really come tomorrow? Qianqian said she won’t be returning to Beicheng any time soon.”
Cen Li glanced at the cigar in his hand and said: “Don’t know.”
Guo Song laughed at that, clamped the cigar between two fingers and flicked it slightly, saying: “If she doesn’t come tomorrow night, won’t you have lost big? Tsk tsk, all those cigars and aged liquors you’d treasured for so many years all contributed.”
Cen Li held it in: “Why do you care whether she comes tomorrow night or not, anyway she’ll come back to Beicheng sooner or later. You drank my wine, smoked my cigars, if you can’t do what you promised, then spit it all back out for me.”
As he said this he took out his phone, opened WeChat and glanced at it.
Cen Mingshu and Cen Yu still hadn’t replied to him.
Thinking of Sese’s temperament that ten oxen couldn’t drag back, his heart felt stuffed again.
Guo Song saw his expression and knew he himself wasn’t sure either, just as he was about to say something, Lu Huaiyan, who had been silent the whole night, spoke up out of nowhere: “How do you know she’ll come back to Beicheng sooner or later?”
As soon as these words fell, the private room went quiet for a moment.
Cen Li and Guo Song exchanged a glance, then both looked toward Lu Huaiyan.
Cen Li said: “She grew up in the Cen family since she was little, how could she not come back? My parents may be very angry about her changing her surname on her own, but with me here, they’ll compromise in the end. As long as Sese is willing to stay, who cares what surname she wants.”
He had only come back from Australia two days ago, the newly developed project there was at a critical stage; at most he’d stay half a month in Beicheng before needing to leave.
Cen Minghong and Ji Yunyi had been back for some time now; on the surface they acted like they didn’t care about Sese, but every time Cen Li mentioned the news he’d pried out of Han Yin, they always listened, which showed they didn’t really intend to cut ties with Sese completely.
On the other side, Lu Huaiyan leaned back on the sofa, chin slightly raised, looking at Cen Li without speaking.
After a long while, he finally said slowly: “What does your sister usually like to play?”
Guo Song slid the cigar back into the cigar box, and when he heard this, he looked at Lu Huaiyan out of the corner of his eye without a change in expression.
Cen Li lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, “The greatest hobby of us Cen family people is of course making money, besides making money… no, why are you asking this?”
He narrowed his eyes and sized Lu Huaiyan up, clicking his tongue: “And don’t you think about who it was back then who wasn’t even willing to lend a hand.”
Lu Huaiyan seemed to think of something, the corner of his lips lifted a bit: “Just take it as a momentary curiosity.”
“Momentary curiosity?” Cen Li showed a baffled expression, “What the h*ll?”
Lu Huaiyan ignored him, probably thinking Cen Li’s answer was boring and not worth listening to any further. He stood up and walked toward the door, took his coat from the coat rack, and said: “I’m heading back first.”
After he left, Guo Song looked at the soft-closing door and said thoughtfully: “Tonight Ah Yan didn’t touch your cigars or your stash of liquor.”
“If he really touched them that’d be my loss! With that cold-blooded temperament of his, I don’t even dare expect any consideration from him, whether for Little Yu or for Sese!”
Guo Song: “……”
Forget it, talking to a brick wall, better not talk.
—
The Cen family’s banquet started at eight, and Lu Huaiyan arrived before seven. The butler led him to the third-floor study; when he entered, Cen Li was standing by the window on a call with Cen Mingshu.
The call was already wrapping up, Cen Li said with relief: “Alright then, Little Aunt, see you later. Tell Sese that when she comes, don’t rush off, her older brother has something to say to her.”
Lu Huaiyan lifted his gaze at him, the hand reaching into his pocket paused before coming back out.
The lighter and cigarette case lay obediently in his coat pocket, untouched.
Cen Li had already noticed Lu Huaiyan’s figure; he clicked his tongue: “Well well, you actually came early today, old sir.”
They all knew Lu Huaiyan’s habits, unless necessary, he always arrived exactly on time for banquets. Coming an hour early like today was truly rare.
The study’s walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling cherry-wood bookshelves, two sliding wooden ladders standing still on either side.
Lu Huaiyan let out a soft “mm,” taking off his coat as he walked toward one wall, then draped the coat over his arm and stood still, his gaze sweeping over the photos displayed there.
The photos were framed in cherry-wood matching the shelves, the glass wiped spotless, reflecting warm light.
These photos had been there before, Jiang Sese’s photos still among them. There weren’t many, mostly ones from her school days.
In one group photo, Lu Huaiyan was there too.
In the photo, the little girl tilted her head toward him, smiling with curved eyes.
It was still her usual gentle smile, yet somehow a bit different.
Lu Huaiyan quietly stared at the girl in the photo and said in a low voice: “How come I don’t remember this photo?”
Cen Li walked over and followed his line of sight, “Isn’t it normal you don’t remember? You’ve always been absent-minded when taking photos, how could you remember every single one.”
Lu Huaiyan didn’t remember, but Cen Li remembered clearly.
That day was Cen Li’s twenty-first birthday, Sese had just turned seventeen, more than half a year had passed since that incident. Sese, like Lu Huaiyan, never liked taking photos. But that day, when she heard Ah Yan was there, she went downstairs of her own accord to take this photo that Lu Huaiyan was now looking at.
That was when Cen Li first realized Sese’s feelings.
Of course, after her coming-of-age, Sese completely lost those feelings. Her liking for Lu Huaiyan came quickly and went quickly. In her mother Ji Yunyi’s words, Sese was clearer-headed than any of the Cen family, and more ruthless when needed.
Even if that was the first time she liked someone, it was probably also the only time in her life.
Cen Li had once thought about helping Sese get what she wanted; it was here in this study that he laid out the pros and cons to Lu Huaiyan, wanting to match the two of them.
It really wasn’t a good time.
Lu Huaiyan had just won a bet against his grandfather, and from then on his marriage was his own decision, no one could interfere. And Sese was too young, though calmer and steadier than girls her age, she was still just newly an adult, not someone who could catch Lu Huaiyan’s eye.
Cen Li had barely started speaking when Lu Huaiyan half-lowered his lids and looked at him coolly: “Are you taking me for a **?”
** censored, not sure what word here
After that he even threw out a string of mockery to shut down Cen Li’s idea.
Thinking of what Lu Huaiyan had said back then, Cen Li still ground his teeth in hatred.
He took out a cigarette, bit it between his teeth, lit it, and drawled: “You probably didn’t know, back then Sese liked you. The reason she was willing to take this photo was just because the person taking it with her was you.”
Lu Huaiyan’s gaze had already moved to another photo.
It was a solo photo taken on the day of Jiang Sese’s coming-of-age ceremony; she was wearing a black evening gown, standing on the spiral staircase of the Cen family’s old house, like a noble and elegant princess, looking down at the guests below, smiling a little.
On the hand resting on the railing, that stretch of snow-white wrist wore the jade bracelet gifted by the Fu family.
As soon as Cen Li finished speaking, Lu Huaiyan’s gaze abruptly withdrew from that jade bracelet.
The man looked back faintly, the gold-rimmed glasses sweeping a streak of cold light. Catching sight of the cigarette Cen Li was biting at the corner of his lips, he lifted a hand and snuffed it out, and at the same time asked calmly: “Jiang Sese liked me? When was that?”
—
When the hour and minute hands pointed to seven-forty, Jiang Sese finally couldn’t hold back and asked Cen Mingshu: “Little Aunt, when are we going over?”
She had taken Cen Mingshu’s private jet from Tongcheng back to Beicheng early this morning; as soon as the plane landed, Ji Yunyi sent someone to take Cen Yu away.
Jiang Sese followed Cen Mingshu back to the apartment she kept near the old house.
Cen Mingshu always attended banquets according to her mood; whether she went, and when she went, was always uncertain.
She swirled the wine glass in her hand, circling Jiang Sese from head to toe with her eyes, nodding in satisfaction: “This dress is nice, it suits you very well.”
Jiang Sese accepted the compliment, removed her elbow-length silk gloves, took away the wine glass from her hand, and curved her lips: “It is nice, but I don’t like being late, and this dress isn’t suitable for driving. To avoid drunk driving, you can’t drink right now.”
Cen Mingshu: “……”
She slanted a look at Jiang Sese: “If we go early, there are more things to say, and you like that?”
At banquets one inevitably had to put on a mask and play along with others; Jiang Sese, like Cen Mingshu, never liked it.
Only, unlike Cen Mingshu who wore her dislike openly, Jiang Sese hid hers very deep; she was extremely good at playing along with others.
“I don’t like it, but I dislike being late even more.” Jiang Sese set down the wine glass, slowly putting her gloves back on, “Anyway I won’t stay there long, going early means leaving early.”
Cen Mingshu snorted: “What are you afraid of, I’ll drive myself, I guarantee you won’t be late.”
Cen Mingshu’s car suited her too, an extremely flashy Ferrari sports car, flame-red, as if it could trail fire behind it when speeding down the road.
After the two got in, Cen Mingshu brought up old talk again: “Don’t think I didn’t notice the medicine on your bedside last night, you’re living wound-up too tight. I won’t stop you from doing what you want, I can’t stop you anyway. But you have to promise me, treat your illness properly. When you have time, find someone and have an adult relationship, just to lighten your mood.”
Jiang Sese smiled, her gaze passing over the familiar streets of Beicheng: “Got it, I’ll think about it.”
At five to eight, Cen Mingshu drove into the parking lot in the back courtyard reserved for the Cen family. Several old servants held indigo satin umbrellas and respectfully came forward.
When Jiang Sese got out of the car, the servant holding the umbrella for her froze in shock, and subconsciously called: “Young Mi—”
“Uncle Chen,” Jiang Sese cut off his mistaken form of address, smiled, “long time no see.”
Uncle Chen had always served at the old house and was close with Uncle Tong.
Hearing her, he was stunned for a moment, then quickly recovered: “Miss Jiang, long time no see, please follow me, the banquet is about to start.”
Cen Mingshu walked ahead at a leisurely pace, asking as she went: “Where are Mister and Madam?”
The servant holding her umbrella answered respectfully: “Mister and Madam are already in the banquet hall.”
The back courtyard had a long corridor directly connecting to the banquet hall; as they passed through it, the servants waiting outside the hall bowed low and slowly pulled open the two heavy wooden doors. The glittering light of the crystal chandeliers spilled out through the widening gap, solemn symphonic music flowing like water in the lightly fragrant air.
Jiang Sese stepped inside, once again returning to this circle of fame and fortune where she had once felt entirely at ease.
The door connected to the back courtyard was only for the Cen family to enter; it was in a cold, deserted corner on the northwest side of the old house, empty of people until turning past a winding corridor where voices finally appeared.
Jiang Sese fixed her gaze on the pair standing at the center of the banquet hall, and said softly: “Little Aunt, go see junior sister, I’ll find them myself.”
Cen Mingshu followed her gaze, nodded: “Alright, go give them a proper goodbye.”
Jiang Sese curved her lips with a hum, indeed it was time to give a proper goodbye, to say a final farewell.
Out of ten people attending this banquet, nine knew Jiang Sese. When they saw her, without exception, surprise flickered across their faces. Quite a few, after greeting her, even stepped back to give her a clear path toward the center of the hall.
There stood Cen Minghong and Ji Yunyi, both wearing expensive formal attire in similar shades, each holding a glass of champagne, smiling and speaking softly, looking every bit like a loving, respectful couple.
They had always been each other’s best fig leaf.
As Jiang Sese walked toward them, Ji Yunyi seemed to sense it; she lifted her head and looked over, her exquisitely made-up face carrying a constant touch of elegant smile.
For a brief moment, the instant Jiang Sese halted, the banquet hall seemed to fall silent for a second.
Jiang Sese inclined her body a little, making a perfectly proper junior’s bow, and said unhurriedly: “Chairman, Teacher Ji, long time no see.”
