The atmosphere instantly became tense.
When it came to the matter of Cen Xi being an illegitimate daughter, Cen Jiansheng was ultimately the one at fault. Faced with An Suqin’s accusations, he naturally had little to say in his defense.
“You’re a bad person!”
In the midst of the silence, Cen Chen’s shrill cry suddenly rang out from upstairs.
An Suqin doted on her son deeply. The moment she heard the commotion, she abandoned her meal and rushed upstairs.
Cen Jiansheng rubbed his temples with a sigh and followed after her.
“You’re a bad person! I hate you!”
Inside the toy room specially built for Cen Chen, soft carpeting covered the floor, while toys of every kind filled the corners.
Cen Chen stood among the toys, wiping his tears. His little body shook as he sobbed uncontrollably.
Cen Xi stood opposite him, completely baffled as to why he had suddenly burst into tears.
“Little Chen!”
An Suqin pushed open the door and immediately gathered the crying boy into her arms.
The moment he saw his mother, Cen Chen cried even harder.
Cen Jiansheng arrived behind her.
“What happened?”
As An Suqin gently patted her son’s back, the corner of her eyes swept darkly toward Cen Xi.
Her voice was sharp and sarcastic.
“You should ask your precious daughter. Who knows whether she took advantage of the adults not being around to bully Little Chen?”
Cen Xi had always known that An Suqin disliked her.
Hearing those words only made her find the situation ridiculous.
“Ms. An, Cen Chen is six years old. I’m twenty-eight. I have no reason to pick a fight with a child.”
This dinner had already become unbearably tedious.
Cen Xi raised her head and looked directly at the surveillance camera mounted across the room.
In a calm voice, she said,
“If you’re really worried and think I bullied your son, then check the security footage.”
From beginning to end, she had no idea why Cen Chen had suddenly started crying.
She had barely gone upstairs and spoken a few words before he burst into tears.
An Suqin’s eyes flickered slightly.
Still sobbing, Cen Chen pushed away from An Suqin and ran to Cen Jiansheng.
Clinging to his father’s leg pitifully, he said through tears,
“Dad, she pushed me and pinched my arm. Little Chen hurts…”
As he spoke, his body trembled fearfully.
He certainly didn’t look like he was lying.
Cen Jiansheng knew his son had been spoiled from childhood.
Fearless and reckless would not have been an exaggeration.
This was the first time he had ever seen the boy trembling in fear like this.
Picking him up, Cen Jiansheng stroked his little face.
“Don’t be afraid. Tell Daddy properly. Did your sister really pinch and push you?”
Cen Chen blinked his long eyelashes.
He first glanced at An Suqin before looking toward Cen Xi.
Mom had told him that this was the bad sister.
As long as she remained around, Big Sister would never be able to come home…
But Cen Chen did not answer.
Instead, he pursed his lips and cried even harder, almost unable to catch his breath.
Naturally, Cen Jiansheng felt heartbroken.
As for the surveillance footage, he could not be bothered checking it.
Cen Chen was the son he had personally watched grow up.
Of course his heart was biased toward him.
“Cen Xi!”
After handing Cen Chen back to An Suqin, disappointment filled his eyes.
“Little Chen is your younger brother. He’s only six years old. You finally came home for once, and he even wanted to share his toys and play with you. Yet you pinched and pushed him. Apologize to your brother.”
Cen Xi remained silent.
Her calm gaze rested on the still-crying Cen Chen.
For a six-year-old child, he was quite the actor.
“I already said it. Check the surveillance footage.”
She would never admit to something she had not done.
Nor did she want to stay there any longer.
Turning around, she walked out of the toy room.
“You…!”
Seeing her remain so defiant only caused Cen Jiansheng’s anger to surge from three parts to seven.
“I knew it. Your mother raised you wrong!”
Cen Xi stopped in her tracks.
Her expression chilled.
Why bring her mother into this?
She turned around again and strode directly toward An Suqin.
Startled by her expression, An Suqin subconsciously stepped back.
“What are you trying to do…?”
Without wasting words, Cen Xi grabbed Cen Chen and pulled him down, clutching his collar.
“Mom! Dad!”
After all, Cen Chen was only six years old.
His family had always spoiled him.
Though he wasn’t familiar with Cen Xi, being grabbed by the collar was enough to genuinely frighten him.
Cen Xi usually had a gentle temperament.
That did not mean she would never stand up for herself.
Staring into Cen Chen’s tear-filled eyes, she refused to back down.
“I’ll ask you one more time. Was it really me who pushed and pinched you?”
This time, Cen Chen was so frightened that he forgot to cry.
He merely hiccupped through his sobs, unable to say a single word.
An Suqin immediately moved forward, trying to pull her son back.
Her voice carried a sob as she said,
“You already stole Ningning’s marriage. Why are you bullying Little Chen now? Cen Xi, just tell me what you and your mother want. Whatever it is, I’ll give it to you. Ningning and I will give everything to you…”
Those words instantly provoked Cen Jiansheng.
His wife and child were not people Cen Xi had any right to discipline.
“Unfilial daughter!”
He raised his arm.
The forceful slap was aimed directly at Cen Xi’s fair cheek.
“Xi-Xi—”
A warm, mellow voice suddenly sounded from afar, drawing closer.
Along with it came a series of steady footsteps.
Cen Jiansheng’s hand froze in midair.
His palm stiffened.
At some point, Shang Hanzhou had unexpectedly arrived at the Cen Family Residence.
The top two buttons of his black shirt were casually undone, revealing a glimpse of his cool collarbone.
His sleeves were rolled up slightly, exposing firm forearms lined with distinct veins.
He climbed the stairs unhurriedly.
His long legs carried him straight to Cen Xi’s side.
Then, as naturally as breathing, he wrapped an arm around her slender waist.
His sharp, handsome face showed little emotion.
Yet the deep, ink-dark eyes beneath his brows carried an innate pressure.
Without saying a word, his gaze settled on Cen Jiansheng.
Cen Jiansheng’s hand trembled.
In the end, he clenched it into a fist and lowered it.
A smile immediately spread across his face.
“Hanzhou, what brings you here? Xi-Xi was telling us earlier that you weren’t feeling well and wouldn’t be coming today.”
As the faintly sweet scent of bergamot drifted over, Cen Xi’s entire back stiffened.
Shang Hanzhou’s arm around her waist was firm.
She fell silent as well.
She had never expected him to come.
After all, she had never even told him about this dinner.
Lowering his pale eyelids, Shang Hanzhou smiled faintly.
“If Xi-Xi came home, naturally I’d accompany her.”
“That’s good, that’s good.”
The anger that had filled Cen Jiansheng moments earlier was gone.
Now he could only awkwardly rub his hands together.
He shot An Suqin a glare, signaling her to take Cen Chen away immediately.
An Suqin bit down hard on her teeth.
Without saying a word, she carried Cen Chen back to his room.
“Hanzhou, since you’re already here, why don’t you come downstairs and have dinner with us?”
Cen Jiansheng smiled amiably, speaking as though nothing unpleasant had happened.
Not even a flicker crossed Shang Hanzhou’s brows.
His cool voice remained calm.
“No.”
He could not even be bothered to offer an explanation.
Just a single word.
Cen Jiansheng still maintained his smile as he escorted them downstairs.
“The next time you and Little Xi come back, make sure to give us advance notice. I’ll have the kitchen prepare more of your favorite dishes.”
The black Maybach was parked directly outside the villa.
Shang Hanzhou had not even bothered driving into the courtyard.
Cen Xi followed him into the car.
Even after they had driven some distance away, she could still see Cen Jiansheng standing at the entrance.
A mocking smile tugged at her lips.
“Crying?”
The deep voice suddenly sounded beside her.