Chapter 22: She’s Still Waiting For Me

When Jiang Se left Hanshan Temple, she specifically asked Han Yin if she wanted to go to Fuchun Street for New Year’s Eve. She thought it would be nice to keep her company and enjoy the festivities together.

She had no intention of returning to Beicheng, especially at such a crucial time.

Once the matter with the cheongsam shop was resolved, Zhang Yue could no longer delay fulfilling her promise.

As the New Year approached, the snowfall in Tongcheng grew heavier by the day, with large, fluffy flakes filling the dim sky.

Jiang Se parked her car, wrapped the scarf Yu Shiying had knitted for her around her neck, and strolled leisurely toward Liyuan Street. Before she even reached Courtyard No. 48, a familiar laughter floated out from the half-open courtyard gate, carried by the wind.

She stopped in her tracks, glanced at the slightly ajar wooden door, and frowned as she pulled out her phone. The screen displayed a long list of unread messages.

Swiping through WeChat, she soon found an unread message in Cen Mingshu’s chat:
“I have a surprise for you.”

Jiang Se: “…”

With a headache, she stuffed her phone back into her pocket and continued walking toward the end of the street. She hadn’t taken more than a few steps when she heard Cen Mingshu’s loud laughter ring out three times.

That hearty, boisterous laughter was so unmistakably hers.

Jiang Se sighed inwardly as she stopped outside the courtyard. With a slight shake of her head, she pushed open the half-closed wooden door and stepped inside.

The courtyard was lively.

Jiang Chuan, Yu Shiying, and Jiang Ye were all there, sitting with Cen Mingshu under a tree, warming themselves by a charcoal fire while chatting and drinking tea.

At the sound of the wooden door creaking open, several pairs of eyes turned toward her in unison.

Cen Mingshu was the first to speak. “Let me guess, are you cursing me in your head right now?”

“…”

Jiang Se replied, “You showed up without so much as a heads-up. Am I not allowed to grumble a little?”

Cen Mingshu immediately turned to the others. “See? I told you! She definitely isn’t happy to see me. They say people forget their mothers once they have a wife—well, she’s forgotten her aunt now that she has her parents back.”

Everyone: “…”

Jiang Se rolled her eyes. “If I forget anyone, it definitely won’t be you, Aunt.”

She walked over and sat beside Cen Mingshu. “My parents and Jiang Ye are all good-natured people. Stop bullying them.”

Just as she finished speaking, the peachwood window behind her suddenly slid open, and a cheerful voice chimed in, “Dad and Mom might be good-natured, but Jiang Ye has nothing to do with that!”

“Cen Yu!” Jiang Ye turned around in frustration. “Just because you changed your surname doesn’t mean I won’t argue with you!”

Cen Yu chuckled, teasing Jiang Ye before waving at Jiang Se. “Senior!”

Her ability to switch moods was almost as impressive as Jiang Chuan’s.

The room Cen Yu was in had been Jiang Se’s bedroom. A window in there faced the osmanthus tree. When Cen Yu’s face first appeared at the window, Jiang Se was briefly taken aback.

The Cen family was hosting a New Year’s Eve banquet tomorrow, and Cen Yu was the main guest of honor. Given Ji Yunyi’s strict ways, Cen Yu should have been at the old house trying on outfits by now.

Cen Yu didn’t linger at the window for long. She ran into the courtyard, smiling at Jiang Se. “I was feeling a little nervous, so I came back to Tongcheng for the night. I’ll return with Aunt tomorrow morning.”

Yu Shiying looked at her and smiled. “You’ve always been like this. Every time you had a big exam, you’d be so nervous that your eldest sister had to comfort you. But you always ended up ranking first in the entire school. I know that no matter what you’re facing tomorrow, you’ll do great.”

Her eyes were slightly red—she had obviously cried.

After all, Cen Yu had been her daughter for twenty-three years. Changing a surname didn’t erase that bond. Every time she passed by Cen Yu’s old room, she would recall how she used to act coy and affectionately call her “Mom.”

Hearing those words, Cen Yu instinctively wanted to run to Yu Shiying for a hug, just like before. But when she caught a glimpse of Jiang Se from the corner of her eye, she quickly held back and instead said with a bright smile, “That’s why I came back to find you, Mom. Too bad Eldest Sis isn’t here, but at least Senior is.”

Jiang Se, of course, noticed Cen Yu’s movement—the way she had started to reach out but then withdrew her hand. She smiled and said, “I can’t help with comforting you. I’m used to sleeping alone. Why don’t you ask Mom to keep you company tonight?”

Cen Yu paused, met Jiang Se’s gaze, and then both of them burst into laughter.

Cen Yu didn’t put on any airs. She nodded and said, “I think the same. It’s not easy for me to come back for one night. Even if Dad is jealous, there’s nothing he can do about it. Tonight, Mom can only keep me company.”

The Cen family was strict, and it wasn’t easy for Cen Yu to return.

Only when Cen Mingshu spoke up would Ji Yunyi not refuse. Otherwise, how could Cen Yu return so smoothly?

Ji Yunyi didn’t like Cen Mingshu, but she never openly clashed with her. In fact, she was more tolerant of Cen Mingshu than most people, almost as if she didn’t want to deal with the troublesome “little devil” any more than necessary.

Cen Mingshu had traveled a long way to bring Cen Yu back, and it was certainly not just to let her unwind.

Sure enough, just after Jiang Se finished a cup of tea, Cen Yu handed her a simple, elegant invitation card.

The painting on the invitation was clearly from Ji Yunyi’s hand.

Jiang Se glanced over at the opposite side of the courtyard, where Cen Mingshu was happily sipping her tea, then took the invitation card Cen Yu had handed her. She shook her head and said, “I’m not suitable to be at that kind of gathering tomorrow.”

“What do you mean ‘not suitable’? Just because you’ve changed your surname doesn’t mean you no longer have the right to attend an event,” Cen Yu said with a smile, though her expression showed rare seriousness and determination. “You’re a legend in the University business management department. Back in the day, whenever you showed up, all of us younger sisters would forget about the school hunk and just focus on watching you. I really don’t understand why people think that because of you and me, we’re bound to be like oil and water, always at odds. It’s as if they’re just waiting to see the drama unfold.”

She sneered again, “Some people even want to sow discord and make me cause trouble for you! Whether you come tomorrow or not, I’ll make sure everyone knows you were the person I admired most in my student days. No one’s going to use me as a pawn to bully you!”

She was done being made a fool of.

She just wanted to quietly fulfill her dream of becoming the richest person in Tongcheng, so why did she keep running into people who treated her like an idiot?

Did they really think someone who had ranked first all through school and grew up in a place as chaotic as Fuchun Street could be a fool?

Jiang Se roughly guessed who Cen Yu was referring to, but she couldn’t be bothered to engage. With a half-joking tone, she said, “Aren’t you afraid that the moment I show up tomorrow, you’ll become the topic of everyone’s gossip?”

“I’m not afraid.” Cen Yu chuckled along with her, “This invitation from the Cen family has to be personally handed to you. It represents my stance, but whether you come or not, that’s up to you. Actually, I came for another reason too. I want to discuss something with you about the Fu family and Fu Yun.”

Fu Yun?

A handsome, jade-like face floated to Jiang Se’s mind.

“What is it?” Jiang Se furrowed her brow. “Does the Cen family want you to marry into the Fu family in my place?”

“The chairman did suggest something like that, but it’s not settled yet. He said it depends on my and Fu Yun’s feelings,” Cen Yu replied.

Jiang Se glanced at her. “They haven’t raised you for the past twenty-three years. If you don’t want to, neither the chairman nor Mrs. Ji can force you.”

Cen Yu nodded. “I know, Senior. If I haven’t met someone I like, I could consider picking an appropriate person.”

She paused for a moment before asking, “What kind of person is Fu Yun? I heard he’s the Fu family’s illegitimate son and wasn’t brought back until he was in his teens.”

Jiang Se thought for a moment, then answered objectively, “He’s a refined and capable person. Old Master Fu values him a lot.”

Cen Yu seemed somewhat disappointed. “Although being capable is a good thing, gentle and refined is just not my style. I prefer someone more livelier.”

“If you don’t like him, then don’t consider it. If the chairman brings it up again, just let Aunt handle it for you,” Jiang Se said with a smile. “You’re not like me back then. You have a choice. You can stay single for life, just like Aunt.”

---

Cen Mingshu had been single for over forty years, not because she lacked suitors, but because she simply viewed marriage as a burden.

She had always been well-liked and could get along with anyone.

Although she was born into a prestigious family, she never acted pretentious or condescending, and she never separated people into different ranks based on their status.

It was clear that Yu Shiying and the others liked her very much, and knowing she loved to drink, they invited her to “Wangchuan” for drinks as soon as the night fell.

Cen Mingshu didn’t stop until nearly midnight. By the time she left, she was staggering. Jiang Se had been supporting her all the way back to Xiangshu Alley.

Once they arrived at the building, Cen Mingshu let go of her grip and said lightly, “Alright, Aunt, no need to pretend anymore.”

Cen Mingshu straightened up, rubbed her shoulders, and said, “You little ungrateful thing. How much could it have tired you out to help me a few steps? The more I drink, the more I enjoy it, and the happier your parents are. Don’t you get it?”

Jiang Se took out her keys from her bag and stepped onto the damp stairs without changing her expression. “So, didn’t I already support you the whole way?”

Cen Mingshu followed her, her gaze sweeping over the pitch-black corridor, and couldn’t help but frown. “This place has no elevator, which is fine, but how come there are no motion-sensor lights either?”

“The sensor lights are broken. They should be fixed in a few days,” Jiang Se replied. “It’s an old building over forty years old. Please bear with it.”

Cen Mingshu’s frown deepened upon hearing this, but she didn’t say anything more. After they reached the sixth floor and entered the apartment, she spoke again, “Don’t your parents have a place for you to stay?”

After saying that, she started scrutinizing the apartment with a critical eye. After looking around for a while, she saw that the apartment was clean enough to live in, and her expression finally softened a bit.

“It’s not bad inside, just a little small. Your old walk-in closet was bigger than this entire apartment. I really don’t understand how you can stand living here.”

Jiang Se didn’t respond to her comment. She poured Cen Mingshu a cup of honey water and said, “Drink this to help with the alcohol.”

Cen Mingshu took the cup but didn’t drink right away. She walked slowly around the apartment, holding the cup. When she came out of Jiang Se’s bedroom, her mood seemed noticeably better.

“You’ve got a bit of a conscience, at least. You didn’t leave the things I gave you back at the Cen family,” Cen Mingshu said as she sat down on the sofa, graciously sipping half the cup of honey water.

The dressing table in the bedroom held many of the items Cen Mingshu had once given to Jiang Se. Most of them were jewelry, with some other unique trinkets as well. Jiang Se had taken everything with her.

“You’re not going to say you’re not a part of the Cen family, are you?” Jiang Se made herself a cup of red tea and sat beside Cen Mingshu, speaking slowly. “If that’s the case, then the things you’ve given me aren’t considered Cen family gifts.”

Cen Mingshu glanced at her sideways. “I bought that grand finale evening gown at New York Fashion Week last month. It’s your battle outfit for tomorrow.”

“Battle outfit?” Jiang Se chuckled. “Are you really using Cen Yu’s ‘coming-of-age ceremony’ as a battleground? How childish, Aunt.”

Children of the Cen family officially enter the North City social circle on their eighteenth birthday. Tomorrow’s Cen family New Year’s Eve party is, in a sense, Cen Yu’s belated “coming-of-age ceremony,” delayed by almost six years.

“Don’t even think about running away.” Cen Mingshu slammed her cup down on the tea table, crossing her legs and turning her head to look at Jiang Se. “Everyone who needs to be there tomorrow will be there. You’ll have the perfect chance to let everyone know you have nothing to do with the Cen family. Don’t you know that Cen Minghong and Ji Yunyi haven’t given up on you?”

Jiang Se quietly held her teacup, saying nothing, listening to Cen Mingshu continue: “Don’t think about avoiding it. Se Se, you’re a child who came from the Cen family’s old residence. Remember, as long as you come from there, no matter whether your last name is Cen or Jiang, wherever you go, you must stand proud, not like a stray dog.”

Cen Mingshu looked at Jiang Se seriously and said, “Cut off the rotten flesh from the Cen family that’s stuck to you, and let’s get the illness treated properly. Once you’re well, you can truly start a new life. After that, you can go wherever you want. Aunt won’t stop you.”

---

When Jiang Se was young, she had lived in the old residence for a while.

At that time, Old Master Cen was still alive, and as he grew older, he loved to nag. Jiang Se often heard him complain about Cen Mingshu.

Once, perhaps because he thought Jiang Se was too young to remember, or maybe because of Cen Mingshu’s favoritism towards her, the old man suddenly sighed in front of her: “If your Aunt was a boy, I’d feel more at ease handing the Cen family over to her than to your father.”

With sheer stubbornness, Cen Mingshu had ventured abroad, using no resources from the Cen family, and built a successful career on her own.

The Cen family had strict rules. Only legitimate descendants had the right to hold a “coming-of-age ceremony” at the old residence. Naturally, Cen Mingshu’s coming-of-age ceremony was held there.

That night, when Old Master Cen passed away, the legitimate and collateral descendants of the Cen family gathered around his bed, waiting for his last words.

Old Master Cen only spoke to Cen Minghong and Cen Li, but when it came to Cen Mingshu, he only gave her a look full of dissatisfaction, regret, perhaps even worry and expectation.

At that time, Cen Mingshu said only one thing to him: “Don’t worry, Father, I’m a child who came from here.”

Now, in this moment, Cen Mingshu passed those words on to Jiang Se.

Jiang Se stared at the teacup in her hand, lost in thought for a while. After a long pause, she let out a sigh and said to Cen Mingshu, “Aunt, am I really not going to escape tomorrow’s banquet?”

Cen Mingshu answered with a soft “Hmm.”

“You can try to run, but I’ll tie you up and drag you there. I’ve already spoken to Dr. Gina. In a couple of days, we’ll go see her.”

“Fine. Since you’ve already prepared my battle outfit, I can’t let your money go to waste. But as for Dr. Gina’s place, I’m not going.”

She swallowed the last sip of tea, stood up, and went to the dining table to pour herself some hot tea, speaking casually, “Aunt, I found her.”

Cen Mingshu, still not understanding, looked at Jiang Se’s back and asked, “Who?”

Jiang Se stirred the rock sugar in her red tea with a spoon, her expression calm. After a long while, she finally said, “The woman Zhao Zhicheng would rather swallow razor blades and commit suicide than let go of. If I find her, I’ll find Zhao Zhicheng’s past.”

Cen Mingshu’s expression tightened, and she suddenly stood up, her gaze fixed on Jiang Se without a word.

The room was quiet, the windows tightly shut, but the chill of the wind outside made the glass hum and rattle.

Seeing the stormy look on Cen Mingshu’s face, Jiang Se smiled lightly and said, “So don’t worry about me, Aunt. I didn’t come to Tongcheng to run away. Whether I came from the Cen family’s old residence or Liyuan Street, I’ll never be a stray dog.”

But Cen Mingshu’s attention was no longer on whether she was a stray dog or not.

Furrowing her brows, she looked at Jiang Se and spoke in a low, serious tone. “Se Se, all three of the people who kidnapped you are dead, including the mastermind Zhao Zhicheng. What you should do now is focus on getting better and putting that whole thing behind you, not digging into Zhao Zhicheng’s past and being trapped by that shadow for the rest of your life! Tomorrow when we get back to North City, you’re coming with me to see Dr. Gina immediately!”

“No,” Jiang Se responded, shaking her head, her voice firm. “Zhao Zhicheng couldn’t have been the mastermind. There was a fourth person, someone else who was involved. That person is the real mastermind.”

Jiang Se put the spoon down and met Cen Mingshu’s gaze. Her face remained calm, but there was a faint hint of red rust in the contours of her eyes, a sign of the emotional weight she was carrying.

“My illness can only be healed by me. You can call me delusional, or say I’m insane, but it won’t change anything.”

Her voice was steady, but there was a hint of pain beneath it. “Aunt, sixteen-year-old Cen Se is still stuck in that thunderstorm night. She’s still trapped in that abandoned factory. She’s still waiting for me. I need to bring her back myself.”

Her words were resolute, as if she were pledging to face her past head-on, to find closure for herself—no matter the cost.

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