Сhарtеr 8: Love-Struсk
Сеn Хiu’s uрward-curving lips frоzе for a fеw secоnds bеfоrе flаttеning.
Fathеr Сеn hеard his daughtеr’s words and beamеd with jоy. “Gооd, уоu уoung реоple, рut in sоme еffort so yоur mothеr and I can hоld a grаndchild sооner.”
“We will.” Сen Wan smiled аt Lu Веiхun. “You chаt with Dаd, I’ll gо hеlp Mоm with dinner.”
“Мm.” Lu Beiхun reminded hеr, “Be сareful with the knifе, dоn’t hurt уoursеlf.”
Сen Wan noddеd obеdiеntly. She knеw Lu Beiхun was just рlауing alоng in front of hеr parеnts, but shе wаs still happy inside.
Both thought thе оther was acting, unаwаre that evеrу word they spoke was sincere.
Cen Wan wanted to have a child with Lu Beixun. Similarly, Lu Beixun hoped she would take good care of herself and avoid getting hurt.
It was just that some words could only be spoken under the guise of acting.
Father Cen teased, “You two, already married, yet more lovey-dovey than young couples just starting to date.”
Cen Wan stood up, lifting her chin slightly. “We’ll be lovey-dovey until we’re old!”
“Alright, alright, as long as you young people are happy.”
As Cen Wan walked past Cen Xiu, he opened his mouth as if to say something, but she ignored him and headed straight to the kitchen.
She only knew how to make two dishes, so she honestly stuck to assisting and didn’t embarrass herself, leaving the cooking to her culinary genius of a mother.
While washing the vegetables, Mother Cen asked as she chopped, “What’s going on between you and your brother?”
“You used to be the best siblings, why are you so distant now?”
Her hands paused briefly while washing the vegetables. After a few seconds, Cen Wan answered her mother casually, “I’m love-struck. When Lu Beixun is around, I can’t see anyone else.”
Mother Cen sighed helplessly. “Cen Xiu is your brother.”
Cen Wan muttered, “He’s not my real brother anyway.”
Mother Cen poked Cen Wan’s forehead in exasperation. “You ungrateful little thing, how can you say that? Have you forgotten how good Cen Xiu was to you? Even a real brother couldn’t have done better.”
A flicker of mockery passed through Cen Wan’s eyes. Yes, it was precisely because Cen Xiu had been so good to her that she trusted him unconditionally, only to be deceived so terribly, ending up killing the person she loved most with her own hands.
With less than a year left, she was determined to make Cen Xiu suffer endlessly.
“We’ve grown up, and I’ve started my own family. It’s only right to keep some distance.” Even if she said certain things, her mother wouldn’t believe her. After all, in this lifetime, the upheaval in the Cen family hadn’t happened yet. If she spoke up now, she’d probably be seen as crazy.
Mother Cen didn’t disagree with her words. “But keeping distance doesn’t have to mean being this cold, does it?”
If it weren’t for the Cen family’s financial crisis and Lu Beixun stepping in, she would have hoped for her precious daughter to end up with Cen Xiu. Childhood friends, deep affection—Cen Xiu had come to the Cen family at six years old and grew up right under her watch. He was outstanding in every way, and his character was beyond reproach.
Being together would mean marrying within the family, avoiding mother-in-law conflicts, and not having to worry about her daughter being mistreated.
However, every time she hinted at it to Father Cen, he would change the subject, as if he didn’t approve. Later, Cen Wan married Lu Beixun, and the Cen family’s financial crisis was resolved.
When Cen Wan took the initiative to propose marrying Lu Beixun, she finally understood that Cen Wan’s feelings for Cen Xiu were nothing more than sibling affection.
“Wan Wan, I need to talk to you about something.”
Before Cen Wan could answer her mother’s question, a voice interrupted her. She frowned slightly but quickly relaxed.
Mother Cen took the vegetables from her hands and nudged her toward the kitchen door. “Go on, your brother is looking for you.”Cen Wan sighed helplessly, glanced at Cen Xiu, untied her apron, and followed him out.
Cen Xiu took her to the study on the second floor. As he stepped into the study, he was about to close the door when Cen Wan stopped him: “Don’t close the door. It’s not good for a man and a woman to be alone together, and I’m afraid Lu Beixun won’t be able to find me in a moment.”
His hand paused on the door handle, then withdrew. He still wore that gentle, jade-like demeanor: “Wan Wan, has something happened to you recently?”
“No,” Cen Wan replied coldly.
“Have you fallen in love with Lu Beixun?”
“Yes, I love him, very much.” Cen Wan’s gaze was firm and sincere.
Hearing this, Cen Xiu looked at her with deep disappointment: “Wan Wan, have you forgotten what he did to the Cen family?”
From the moment he noticed the way Cen Wan looked at Lu Beixun in the living room earlier, he knew she wasn’t acting—she had truly fallen for him.
Cen Wan curved her lips slightly: “There’s no evidence pointing to Lu Beixun regarding the Cen family’s financial crisis.”
“To leave no trace at all—in all of Jingdu, no one but him has that ability. You should know that.” Cen Xiu spoke with conviction. “You can’t just forget that the Cen family was on the brink of bankruptcy a month ago just because you’ve fallen for him!”
Looking at Cen Xiu’s righteous and serious demeanor, anyone who didn’t know better would think Lu Beixun had committed some unforgivable atrocity like murder or arson.
In her previous life, she had been deceived by him like this.
“Leaving aside the lack of evidence,” Cen Wan said, “even if it really was Lu Beixun, he only did it to keep me by his side. He filled the financial gaps in the Cen family and even helped it develop better than before.”
“My parents like him too. I don’t think it’s a big deal.”
Cen Xiu pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, then suddenly grabbed her shoulders, his eyes full of disappointment: “Cen Wan, can you stop being so love-struck?”
“I’m so disappointed in you.”
Love-struck? The word sounded almost comical coming from him.
Cen Wan took a step back, avoiding his hands: “Unless Lu Beixun doesn’t want me, nothing can separate us. Even if he committed the most unforgivable act in a marriage—domestic violence—and beat me to death, I’d accept it.”
Given Lu Beixun’s inherent upbringing, he would never resort to domestic violence. But if he did beat her to death, this life would be what she owed him—nothing more than repayment.
“What if he cheats on you?” Cen Xiu’s gentle demeanor vanished. “Would you still not leave him?”
“He won’t.” Cen Wan’s tone was resolute. With those words, she turned to leave, only to find Lu Beixun standing at the door.
When had he arrived?
Cen Wan quickly hid the disdain and mockery in her eyes, giving him a sweet smile as she walked over and linked her arm with his: “When did you get here?”
“Just now.” Lu Beixun gave her a complicated look before turning his gaze to Cen Xiu.
Thinking Lu Beixun was jealous—just as he had secretly been jealous of Cen Xiu many times in her previous life—Cen Wan suggested, “Shall we take a walk in the backyard?”
“Alright.”
What Cen Wan didn’t know was that Lu Beixun had heard every word of her conversation with Cen Xiu. This time, it was the only occasion he hadn’t felt jealous when they were alone together.
Hand in hand, the two descended the stairs, her hand enveloped in Lu Beixun’s palm.
Father Cen shook his head at the sight. They were too clingy—they couldn’t even be apart for a few minutes. The moment Cen Wan went upstairs, Lu Beixun had followed.
He had never been that clingy in his youth.The two of them went to the backyard. Cen Wan tilted her head to look at him, her eyes filled with unconcealable joy: “Your palm is so warm. If only you could hold my hand like this at the Lu residence.”
Here, it was merely an act. She sighed, a flicker of disappointment passing through her eyes, which Lu Beixun noticed.
“Alright.”
“Really?” Cen Wan’s eyes lit up at his words.
“Mhm.”
At this moment, it felt almost like a dream. Cen Wan reached out and pinched his cheek lightly: “Does it hurt?”
Lu Beixun: “…”
“No.”
Cen Wan withdrew her hand and pinched her own cheek hard. It hurt a little, and she frowned, then suddenly smiled: “It hurts, so it’s not a dream.”
“If you promise me, you can’t go back on your word. Breaking a promise makes you a puppy. I bet you don’t want to be Lu the puppy, do you?”
Her smile was radiant. For now, she had temporarily set aside her hatred, her heart and eyes filled only with him.