The drive from the restaurant to Star Harbor International was only half an hour, but due to the increased Christmas Eve traffic, this half hour stretched to a full hour.

At the restaurant, Ji Mingshu and Cen Yang had chatted about childhood stories. Once they merged into the sea of lights and cars, it was as if they stepped into the adult world, each asking about the other’s real life.

There wasn’t much new or interesting to elaborate on in Ji Mingshu’s real life. She had simply followed the growth trajectory that had been glimpsed since childhood, without straying from the path over the years.

As for Cen Yang, he had originally been the pride and joy of the Beijing Cen family, then suddenly experienced a major change. Though he didn’t fall from the clouds into the mud, from the moment his identity changed, the lofty position of his childhood was destined to be an endpoint that he could never reach again in his life. The subsequent journey that the Cen family prince was supposed to experience became a path he would never have the opportunity to tread again.

Perhaps due to distant family ties, since learning the truth in eighth grade, Ji Mingshu had been able to empathize with Cen Yang’s situation.

She always felt that if some royal prince suddenly told her she was their long-lost daughter, she would happily move over to become a noble little princess.

But if a couple from a small, obscure town’s slum came to claim her, she might faint on the spot, clinging desperately to the Ji family’s porch pillars, refusing to leave.

Hearing Ji Mingshu tactfully express her views, Cen Yang just smiled.

He steered with one hand while taking out a box of gum from the compartment beside him. As he unwrapped it, he gazed at the distant colorful lights and calmly said, “It’s not as unacceptable as you think. I’ve been doing quite well all these years.”

Ji Mingshu turned her head to look at him.

“Actually, it wasn’t great at first, but later I got used to it, and then it was fine.”

Stopping at a red light, Cen Yang handed her a piece of gum, reminiscing with a casual air, “Honestly, maybe because it’s been so long, I can’t remember many things clearly. I only remember that when I first moved out of Nanqiao Hutong, I couldn’t sleep for about half a month… Back then, I couldn’t sleep all night, thinking about my grandparents, my parents, Shuyang, and the others.”

He glanced at Ji Mingshu, “And of course, you, little one. I used to think this little girl was so noisy, but when you stopped coming over to make noise, I felt quite unaccustomed to it.”

Ji Mingshu pressed her lips together without responding.

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 enormous. I would often think, if I were still the Cen Yang of the Cen family, I wouldn’t need to work so hard like now.”

He paused slightly, then laughed softly, “Let’s not talk about this anymore. It’s all really in the past now. Everyone is doing well, each in their place. Life is life, wherever you are.”

“Life is life, wherever you are” is easy to say but truly difficult to experience.

—The little goldfinch who had run away from home for months deeply understood this.

She wanted to offer some comfort but didn’t know where to begin, so she just nodded and changed the subject, “So you’re also… twenty-seven this year, right? Have you had any girlfriends?”

Cen Yang half-squinted his eyes in recollection, “I dated a few girls on and off during university, but they weren’t suitable, so we broke up. These past few years, work has been busy, and I haven’t had time for girlfriends.”

As the traffic light changed and the car slowly inched forward, he remembered something and asked, “I just came from Star City. An’ning said you and he went to Star City some time ago?”

“Yes, we went for a meal. How are An’ning and… Aunt An doing?”

Cen Yang answered without hesitation, “They’re doing well. I was planning to bring them to Beijing to live together once I settled down, but they said they couldn’t get used to it here, so they decided not to come.”

Seeing Cen Yang’s candid expression as he said this, Ji Mingshu couldn’t help but feel confused: Hadn’t Chen Biqing said that Cen Yang’s relationship with them wasn’t good and that he barely contacted them? How come Cen Yang didn’t seem to reject them that much? Strange.

However, from the few words mentioned by Chen Biqing, she had imagined Cen Yang as someone with a cold, gloomy demeanor who couldn’t come to terms with his changed identity. Yet, the Cen Yang she met today was positive, graceful, and seemed to have long since moved on from the past.

—This was the best outcome after such a twist of fate, but Ji Mingshu still felt it wasn’t quite real.

After arriving at Star Harbor International, Cen Yang parked the car and walked around to open the passenger door for Ji Mingshu. Seeing that she was still lost in thought, he leaned in, intending to help her unbuckle her seatbelt.

Ji Mingshu reacted in time, blocking him with her hand, “No need, I’ll do it myself.”

She unbuckled her seatbelt and hurriedly got out of the car with her bag.

It was snowing outside, falling more heavily than when they were on the road.

Cen Yang looked up and asked, “Is this Beijing’s first snow of the year?”

Ji Mingshu nodded, reaching out her hand to catch the snowflakes, “The weather forecast has been predicting it for a while, but I didn’t expect it to snow today.”

As she said this, a barely noticeable trace of melancholy flashed in her eyes.

She wanted to watch the first snow with Cen Sen, and she also really wanted to spend Christmas Eve with Cen Sen.

But Cen Sen hadn’t contacted her since the show, only having Zhou Jiaheng deliver clothes once… as if she really cared about his stupid clothes.

But even if he had contacted her, would it have made a difference? Cen Sen, the type of capitalist machine who would dedicate himself to work until death without emotion, would probably never have the romantic inclination to spend Christmas Eve or Christmas with his wife in this lifetime.

Thinking about it this way, she didn’t feel so disappointed after all.

“…Xiao Shu?” After calling out once without a response, Cen Yang called again.

“Huh?” Ji Mingshu came back to her senses and looked at Cen Yang apologetically, “Sorry, I was just thinking about something. What is it?”

“Nothing, just that seeing you again feels nice.”

Cen Yang smiled lightly, revealing two rows of white, even teeth. His figure was tall and graceful, standing in the winter night’s falling snow, appearing particularly refreshing and warm.

Ji Mingshu couldn’t help but smile back, the smile lingering at the corners of her mouth for a long time before gradually fading.

She looked at Cen Yang and said with some emotion, “Calling you Brother Yang after growing up doesn’t seem quite appropriate anymore, and I don’t think I have the standing to take your side and share your grievances anymore… But regardless of the past or what happens in the future, I genuinely hope you can live a happy life. And I sincerely hope you can always remain as warm and sunny as I remember.”

Cen Yang looked back at her, a faint smile on his lips that didn’t reach his eyes, and suddenly stepped forward to hug her.

A black Maybach was parked in the distance.

Cen Yang looked at the distant, blurry driver’s seat, his gaze quiet and straight, without saying a word.

—Xiao Shu, I’m sorry, but for a long time now, I haven’t been the Brother Yang you remember.

After returning to her apartment, Ji Mingshu went through her usual routine of removing makeup and washing up. The home was quiet. On Christmas Eve, Gu Kaiyang was still struggling on the frontline of overtime work without extra pay, and who knew when he would return.

After applying a face mask, Ji Mingshu checked her phone. That pig Cen Sen hadn’t even sent her a single punctuation mark, which was truly suffocating.

She sat cross-legged on the sofa, becoming increasingly bewildered the more she thought about it.

Hadn’t he also studied abroad? Did he not care about Christmas Eve and Christmas? How could someone who disdained foreign customs so much attend Harvard? Would the stock price drop thirty percent if he sent a “Merry Christmas”? Was he even human? How did he ever get a wife?

Ji Mingshu was hopelessly sinking into the frustration of not being greeted on Christmas Eve when Jiang Chun, of all people, blundered into the line of fire to show off her love life.

Jiang Chun: [Image 1]

Jiang Chun: [Image 2]

Jiang Chun: [The ring Tang Zhizhou gave me, isn’t it pretty!]

Ji Mingshu: […]

Ji Mingshu: [Have you not practiced the finger exercises I taught you at all? Those short, thick fingers that aren’t even as attractive as my toes, and you dare to wear rings? Don’t tell me you’ve already posted it on Moments. Look, if you really must post on Moments, just take a photo of the box instead and don’t embarrass yourself.]

Jiang Chun: […]

Jiang Chun: [I already posted it.]

Jiang Chun was so accustomed to being mocked that she would feel uncomfortable if Ji Mingshu praised her. She’d always feel like Ji Mingshu was preparing some big move, waiting for her to become complacent before knocking her down with one strike.

Now, receiving Ji Mingshu’s usual response, Jiang Chun confidently acted coquettishly with Tang Zhizhou.

She puffed her cheeks and raised her small, plump hands, asking, “Shu Shu says my hands are short and fat and don’t look good with rings. What do you think?”

Tang Zhizhou rubbed her head. “You look good no matter what.”

Jiang Chun nodded and sent another message to Ji Mingshu.

Jiang Chun: [Tang Zhizhou says I look good no matter what, hehe.]

Jiang Chun: [Contentment.jpg]

Fortunately, she knew her limits, and before Ji Mingshu could officially enter attack mode, she promptly offered the latest intelligence to divert attention.

Jiang Chun: [By the way, Tang Zhizhou and I were watching a movie at Jiufang Mall today and ran into Li Xiaolian.]

Ji Mingshu: [Li Xiaolian? Who?]

Jiang Chun: [… Li Wenyin! Can’t you show a little basic respect for your love rival?

Ji Mingshu: […]

Ji Mingshu: [Who was she watching the movie with?]

Jiang Chun: [A man, quite tall, but the cinema was so crowded tonight, I didn’t see his face. And by that time, everyone was already entering the theater, which was pitch black, and I didn’t see them when we came out either.]

Ji Mingshu instinctively thought of Cen Sen, feeling somewhat irritated.

Jiang Chun: [But it wasn’t your Cen Sen. He didn’t have that “I can earn a billion standing here for one minute” tycoon aura like your Cen Sen.]

Ji Mingshu: […]

Ji Mingshu: [Next time, please pay attention to the correct way of punctuating sentences. If not, then don’t speak at all, thank you.]

Jiang Chun: [???]

Jiang Chun: [What did I do wrong now?]

Jiang Chun couldn’t help but express her grievance about being bombarded instead of praised for promptly reporting news. Ji Mingshu was too lazy to read her blabber and was about to put down her phone to wash off the face mask when Gu Kaiyang suddenly called.

She answered, and on the other end, Gu Kaiyang sounded as if he was being chased by a chainsaw killer, breathless and incoherent, “Do you know, do you know what I saw? I’m back, I’m in the elevator, I saw Cen Sen, with a man, downstairs…”

Ji Mingshu froze for a second. “Kissing?”

“…?”

“No, what are you thinking? Just two men, no, one man…”

Ji Mingshu suddenly remembered something and ran to the window without even putting on her shoes, pulling open the curtains.

Cen Yang’s white Mercedes hadn’t sped away but had parked across the street next to a Maybach.

Two men stood between the two cars, hands in their pockets, both looking up at her.