HomeSniper ButterflyChapter 80: The Eightieth Wing Beat

Chapter 80: The Eightieth Wing Beat

When the rooftops were wrapped 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 and one small, similar in color. After shaking off the snow and placing them in the umbrella stand side by side, they created an endearing sight.

Li Wu took their slippers for them. Song Ci expressed her thanks and urged her daughter to greet everyone.

The little girl first called out “Auntie Cen,” but when her gaze landed on Li Wu’s young face, she hesitated slightly before finally calling out “Uncle” in a clear, bright voice.

Li Wu’s lips quirked up as he responded.

Cen Jin teased from the side, “Why not call him brother? I was hoping to claim seniority here.”

Song Ci replied, “Children are more sensible than you.”

She crouched down to help her daughter remove her scarf and down jacket, then patted her arm, telling her to go inside first.

Only then did Cen Jin truly see Song Ci’s daughter’s face. She was very pretty, with soft long hair and features that combined the best genes from both parents. She was delicately beautiful like a snow doll from outside had come to life and walked in.

Li Wu led the little girl to sit on the sofa, pointing at the snacks on the coffee table and asking which ones she’d like.

Song Ci glanced over and gently reminded her, “Xiao Cao, don’t eat too much. We’ll be having dinner later.”

When interacting with her daughter, Song Ci’s demeanor was completely different from her workplace persona. The sharp edge in her eyes completely disappeared, replaced by a warm maternal gentleness.

Cen Jin, having never experienced motherhood herself, wasn’t sure what kind of chemical transformation this was, so she just asked, “Is she called Xiao Cao? How old is she?”

“Six years old,” Song Ci said as she walked inside with her. “Xiao Cao is her nickname. Her full name is Zhou Yi, the ‘yi’ meaning ‘meaning.'”

“Xiao Cao,” Cen Jin called out to the girl sitting on the sofa, who was intently waiting for Li Wu to open a package for her.

Xiao Cao looked up, her voice sweet as milk candy: “I’m here!”

Cen Jin stared at her chubby cheeks and smiled, “You’re so cute!”

Li Wu handed Xiao Cao a chocolate-covered Pocky stick, lifting his eyelids slightly: “Why don’t you call me that?”

Cen Jin made a face of disgust and replied coldly, “Xiao Wu.”

Li Wu’s eyes sparkled as he responded with equal conviction: “Mm, I’m here.”

Song Ci shook her head with a slight sigh: “I can’t handle you two.”

Cen Jin exhaled in agreement: “See what I mean? Dating someone younger is like raising a son.”

However, this “son” was an excellent cook. He prepared a table full of delicious dishes, and even the typically picky Xiao Cao exclaimed three times at the dining table: “The food at your house is so delicious! It’s even better than grandma’s cooking. I’ve never had such tasty food before!”

Cen Jin’s eyes curved in a smile as she pushed the sweet and sour pineapple pork, which was Xiao Cao’s favorite, towards her: “Then eat more.”

Song Ci held her chopsticks, glancing at her daughter who had started to clean her plate, and brought up business matters: “The name you sent me on WeChat today, I feel it’s still missing something.”

Li Wu asked curiously, “What name?”

Song Ci replied, “The name for my and Cen Jin’s company.”

Cen Jin lifted her cup and took a sip of fruit beer: “It’s too difficult. I was about to ask my parents to recommend some feng shui masters to help me think of something.”

Li Wu absentmindedly picked at his food, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration and put down his chopsticks: “I have an idea.”

Cen Jin propped up her chin, ready to listen: “Let’s hear it.”

Li Wu asked, “Do you know the mass-energy equivalence equation?”

The two women with liberal arts backgrounds looked at each other blankly, not understanding.

Li Wu thought for a moment, organizing his thoughts: “It’s a formula, E=mc², that last C squared, I think it’s perfect for you two.”

Cen Jin showed some interest, propping up her chin: “What’s the specific concept?”

“It’s not complicated.” He dipped the end of his chopsticks in some wine and casually wrote a “C” on the table, then added a small “2” in the upper right corner: “Your name is Cen Jin, and Sister Song is Song Ci. You both have the letter C in your name. In physics, C represents the speed of the light unit, which is the fastest speed visible to the naked eye, symbolizing powerful joint development and swift progress.”

Cen Jin pondered: “So it’s C squared?”

Li Wu: “Mm.”

Song Ci was quite delighted: “As expected of family members. Your boyfriend might have potential in creative work.”

Cen Jin smiled knowingly: “He certainly does. Back when I first started learning to make proposals at Ao Xing, I had him help me review them.”

Song Ci approved: “The name he suggested is good, we can add it to the shortlist.”

Cen Jin agreed: “I think so too.”

Li Wu’s cheeks grew warm from the praise, and he became humble and low-key, silently lowering his head to eat.

“What are you all talking about? I can’t understand a word,” Xiao Cao, who had been listening to what seemed like gibberish for a while, complained loudly.

Song Ci took a tissue to wipe her daughter’s mouth: “We’re talking about the name of the castle mommy’s going to build in the future. When it’s built, Mommy will bring Xiao Cao back to be a real princess, okay?”

Xiao Cao nodded vigorously: “Okay!”

―

In the following days, the two female partners would set aside some time to discuss and select their future company’s name. In the end, Li Wu’s suggestion won out for its simplicity, directness, and memorability. Cen Jin quickly passed it to Chun Chang, who would be responsible for designing the logo. They also created a group chat named “Three Cobblers Surpass Zhuge Liang,” specifically for discussing startup matters.

Meanwhile, Cen Jin received other good news: her house on Qingping Road sold successfully at her expected price, and she learned from the same real estate agent that a small securities company on Nanhuai Road was relocating, leaving vacant an office space of over 300 square meters.

Over two weekends, Cen Jin and Song Ci went together to inspect the office building in person. The space was indeed good, with conditions and facilities that matched their needs perfectly, so the two didn’t hesitate much before making their decisive move.

The end of the year was both busy and 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 a word to each other for nearly a month, and she wasn’t sure if her mother was still angry with her.

But regardless of her mother’s attitude, Cen Jin was determined to bring Li Wu home, because he wasn’t just her lover, but also half a family member to the Cen family.

If he didn’t spend New Year’s at her house, where else would this boy go?

While Li Wu was still in the shower, Cen Jin sent her mother a WeChat message, tentatively calling out “Mom.”

Mother Cen didn’t respond.

So Cen Jin persisted: Mom mom mom mom mom my dear mom.

Mother Cen finally showed some reaction, responding haughtily with: Oh.

Cen Jin laughed: I’m coming home tomorrow with Li Wu.

Mother Cen: Come if you want to come, it’s not like I can drive you away. Even if I wanted to, would your father allow it?

Cen Jin wheedled: Exactly, it’s so cold this year. If my dear mother drives us out, we’ll have to be a pair of suffering ice lovebirds outside, boo hoo.

Mother Cen, soft-hearted: Stop disgusting your mother. You’re bringing Li Wu back? It’s not like I have any say in this house anyway.

Cen Jin noticed her deliberate change in how she referred to him and deliberately asked: Why so formal? Not calling him Xiao Wu anymore?

Mother Cen: Hmph.

Cen Jin smiled, propping up her elbow with a pillow: Mom, when we come back tomorrow, please don’t give Li Wu the cold shoulder, okay?

Mother Cen said: I knew you were going to say that.

Cen Jin: I’m begging you, he’s young and thin-skinned, a child with strong self-esteem, and he’s especially good to me. I don’t want to see him embarrassed or upset.

Mother Cen replied: So you do know he’s a child.

Cen Jin leaned back against the headboard, her expression gentle: But I don’t love him because he’s a child; I treat him like a child because I love him.

Mother Cen seemed to sigh: After he wrote that kind of letter, what is there left for me to be angry about?

Cen Jin’s fingers paused surprisingly on the screen: What letter?

Mother Cen asked: You don’t know?

Cen Jin: I don’t know, what letter?

Mother Cen fell silent.

Cen Jin kept asking: What letter exactly? Did Li Wu write you a letter?

Mother Cen sent a voice message: “Li Wu wrote a letter to your father and me. I thought you put him up to it, but your father insisted it wasn’t you. It was written very sincerely. To say Mama wasn’t moved would be a lie, but I suspected you two planned it together, with you as his strategist. So you were kept in the dark?”

Cen Jin’s fine brows furrowed slightly: I had no idea about this. Can I see it?

Mother Cen hesitated for a moment: “Wait, your father put it in the safe. I’ll take a photo for you.”

Cen Jin pressed her lips together: What kind of letter needs to be stored like that?

Mother Cen said: “Your father said sincerity is priceless and needs to be kept safe.”

……

Five minutes later, Li Wu came out of the steam-filled bathroom while drying his wet black hair, saying “I’m done, you can go wash now.”

His gaze drifted to the bed, where he was greeted by the sight of Cen Jin crying fountains of tears. The woman sat there with her knees drawn up, clutching her phone in one hand, constantly wiping her face with the back of her hand, her tear ducts seemingly unable to stop flowing like a broken dam.

Li Wu panicked and rushed over in one stride.

“What’s wrong?”

“What happened?”

“Cen Jin?”

“Sister?”

“What’s wrong with you?”

He anxiously moved from one side of the bed to the other, chattering non-stop, trying to get a clear answer, but Cen Jin simply wouldn’t respond, continuing to sob and sniffle on her own, making the young man who had just showered break out in sweat again.

Finally, after Cen Jin had released all her emotions, she reached out and hooked her arms around Li Wu’s neck, choking softly: “I saw the letter you wrote to my parents.”

Li Wu was stunned for a moment before relaxing and hugging her back: “I thought something had happened…”

“Are you trying to cry your sister to death, writing such sappy things,” she moved her face back a bit to study him as if tracing him with her gaze. Her thumb gently stroked his cheekbone, the corners of her eyes tinged with gentle red: “Why couldn’t you say these things in person?”

Li Wu’s expression and tone remained as considerate and steady as always: “I was afraid I wouldn’t even get the chance to meet Uncle and Auntie.”

Cen Jin’s heart clenched painfully, and her eyes welled up with tears again: “How could that be possible? You still have me.”

“But I don’t want to be a coward. I want to be your legitimate boyfriend,” he added, emphasizing: “To become the kind of man who can truly stand by your side and in front of you.”

Cen Jin pressed her cheek against his, like two animals nuzzling for warmth in winter: “You already are.”

“In sister’s eyes, you’re already a real man,” her lips trembled, unable to stop the feeling of heartache from turning into liquid, streaming down her cheeks: “There couldn’t be a better boy in the world than you.”

He was her priceless treasure, an unexpected harvest of steadfast virtue.

Li Wu was scalded by her tears, clumsily wiping them away while awkwardly comforting her: “Don’t cry anymore, sister, please don’t cry. If I had known it would make you cry like this, I wouldn’t have written it.”

Cen Jin hugged him again, stating firmly: “Come home with me for New Year’s tomorrow. My parents are willing to meet you, with or without that letter.”

“Mm,” the young man smiled where she couldn’t see, not quite certain: “Really?”

“Who wouldn’t like you, Mr. Popular,” Cen Jin mumbled.

Li Wu was overjoyed and eagerly got off the bed, saying he needed to get something from the next room.

Cen Jin grabbed him, tears still hanging on her eyelashes: “What thing?”

Li Wu said: “New Year’s gifts for Uncle and Auntie.”

Cen Jin paused: “You prepared them already?”

“Mm, although the possibility wasn’t that high, what if I did end up going to your house?” His face was solemn, his eyes full of sincere readiness.

Cen Jin was thoroughly impressed.

Just as the young man was about to get off the bed, Cen Jin pulled him back again. She pouted and asked: “What about my New Year’s gift? Do I have one?”

Li Wu said: “Yes.”

“What is it?”

Li Wu turned back: “I’ll give it to you tomorrow.”

Cen Jin whined: “I want it now.”

Li Wu leaned forward, caught her lips, sucked gently, and smiled at her: “Use this to get through today first.”

His hair was still wet, leaving a faint trace of moisture on her forehead.

Cen Jin’s body felt as if warm water was washing over it, becoming buoyant and melting.

She kissed him too, in much the same way. But she didn’t slip away, instead lingering before him, their noses almost touching.

Li Wu’s eyes gradually deepened, like dark whirlpools, drawing her in.

“I don’t think that’s enough.” Cen Jin’s lips moved forward again, testing his unique gravitational pull.

They kissed passionately as Cen Jin slid down to lie back, allowing Li Wu to sow seeds of fire from above, igniting and self-immolating. They seemed able to write an inseparable contract of life and death through their fierce mutual invasion and absorption. The world became mere narration, with only them at the center of the frame, covered in the colors of love, gorgeous and vivid, fierce as fireworks.

……

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