Chapter 31 It’s OK if My Last Name Isn’t Cen

Cen Bowen was completely stunned.
He started to reach for Song Yiyi’s hand, but his own dropped weakly. He could only watch as blood dripped, one drop after another, his eyes gradually filling with fear.
“Deputy Commander, you—”

Cen Bowen had never suffered such humiliation before.

Gu Chengze said nothing, his face set in stone as he stepped forward. Cen Bowen instinctively backed away. Gu Chengze’s hand went to Cen Bowen’s side, pulling Song Yiyi—who was shielding him—out of the way. His voice was colder than ever:

“I’m not hitting you as a deputy commander. I’m hitting you as Song Yiyi’s family.”

“Remember this—Yiyi has nothing to do with you. Don’t go near her again.”

From behind Gu Chengze, Song Yiyi poked her head out and shook her little fist at Cen Bowen, her face full of smug triumph.

Cen Bowen just stared, forgetting even to cover his nosebleed.

Only when Gu Chengze was already walking away with Song Yiyi did Cen Bowen snap back to himself and shout:

“Yesterday! Uncle Song already met with my mom! They’ve been discussing the date for our wedding banquet! We’re getting married—why should I stay away from her?!”

Song Yiyi froze in her tracks.

Gu Chengze turned around. “What did you say?”

Cen Bowen wiped his nosebleed. “Uncle Song personally asked me to get my mom so they could talk about Yiyi marrying into our family. What do you mean by this now?”

He looked genuinely wronged.

If it hadn’t been for him going over yesterday to apologize, and Song Minghui unexpectedly suggesting they meet the elders, he never would have imagined this. After all, Gu Chengze had already said such harsh things in front of the whole regiment.

Cen Bowen had gone to see Song Minghui simply to apologize to Song Yiyi. Since she wasn’t home, he ended up talking to her father instead.

Yesterday, Song Minghui met his mother; the two had a pleasant conversation and agreed that the day after tomorrow, when he had leave, both families would have a meal together. If everything went well, he’d file a request immediately, and once it was approved, they’d register the marriage.

It was precisely because of this that Cen Bowen assumed Yiyi had come to the base today to find him.

Seeing the shocked expressions on their faces, Cen Bowen, slow as he was, sensed something was wrong.
“What, you didn’t know?”

Song Yiyi’s gaze went icy.

No wonder yesterday Song Minghui had said, ‘It’s not up to you.’
So this was the ‘not up to her.’

She started walking away.

Gu Chengze grabbed her. “Yiyi, I’ll go talk to Dad.”

Her brows drew together. “No need. I’ll handle my own business.”

After all, the word ‘father’ had always been a luxury to Song Yiyi—something she’d never had, and shouldn’t expect.

“Yiyi, I know you’re angry.” Gu Chengze lowered his voice, coaxing her gently. “I’m here. Trust me, alright?”

“Are you done hitting him?”

The cool voice came from not far away.

Before Song Yiyi or Gu Chengze could react, Cen Bowen—still standing to the side with his head tipped back—spoke up first:

“Little Uncle, you’ve been watching all along? And you didn’t step in? Look at me, I’m a mess.”

His voice trailed off, but his sense of grievance swelled, and he couldn’t help muttering, “We’re the ones who are really family, so why would you—”

One glance from Cen Yue, and Cen Bowen shut his mouth instantly.

“Old Gu, let’s talk in the office.”

Cen Yue’s expression was indifferent, his voice low and even:
“When it comes to your little sister, you’re always so impulsive.”

He spoke in that unhurried way of his that somehow didn’t quite suit the situation, a little too casual.

“The reason I kept her here was to talk about this matter,” Cen Yue said.

Only then did Gu Chengze’s expression ease slightly.

He held Song Yiyi by the arm. “Yiyi, come inside. When we’re done talking, I’ll take you home.”

They started toward the office. Cen Yue and Cen Bowen trailed behind.

Cen Bowen glared sullenly at the brother-and-sister pair ahead, muttering under his breath:
“They’re not even blood siblings, what’s he being so controlling for?”

Cen Yue’s gaze dropped to Gu Chengze’s hand on Song Yiyi’s arm. His dark eyes were fathomless. When he turned his head to look at Cen Bowen, there was open mockery in his expression.

“Those punches just now weren’t enough to teach you a lesson?”

Cen Bowen shuddered all over and fell silent.

Once inside the office, Gu Chengze spoke first:
“Yiyi, do you want to marry Deputy Company Commander Cen?”

Song Yiyi didn’t hesitate. “No.”

That was all Gu Chengze needed to hear. He turned to Cen Bowen. “You heard her, right?”

Cen Bowen muttered in protest, “But Uncle Song said—”

“Deputy Company Commander Cen, you’re a soldier. You should know the current policy promotes freedom of marriage.”

Gu Chengze had no patience for the same argument again. His tone was blunt:
“Go back and tell your mother that the meeting the day after tomorrow is canceled. Yiyi doesn’t want to marry you, and no one can force her.”

Cen Bowen looked to Cen Yue for help.

But Cen Yue, clutching his beloved purple clay thermos, sipped his tea with studied indifference—as if this had nothing to do with him.

Gu Chengze went on:
“Our family will handle our own affairs. All you need to understand is that Yiyi has no wish to marry you, and she doesn’t want anything to do with your Cen family.”

Then, thinking that might have sounded a bit too much, he glanced at Cen Yue.

Cen Yue’s lips curved carelessly, his tone lazy:
“That’s fine. I don’t have to be a Cen either.”

Cen Bowen was now completely speechless.

He hadn’t expected that when Yiyi said she was done with him, she really meant it—without leaving him a shred of hope.

“Little Uncle, didn’t my mom ask you to be my groomsman? If my wedding falls through, she’s definitely going to cause a scene at the base, and there’ll be no way to smooth it over.”

Cen Yue gave him a sidelong glance and set down the thermos he’d been so attached to.

His expression turned serious in an instant as he addressed Gu Chengze:
“Old Gu, if you take your sister home now, it might be hard to explain to Uncle Song.”

Gu Chengze’s face darkened. “It’s fine. I can handle it.”

Cen Yue pondered for a moment, then said slowly:
“An arrangement made in private between two elders doesn’t hold water. But the way this has been going back and forth, the fallout isn’t small. Here’s what I suggest—the meeting the day after tomorrow should still happen. With everyone there, we can make things clear face to face.”

Gu Chengze hesitated.

Cen Yue wasn’t wrong. Without giving both families an explanation, this matter might not end so easily. And knowing Song Minghui’s temper, if he learned what Gu Chengze was thinking, he might get even more worked up—possibly to the point of doing something extreme.

After thinking it over, Gu Chengze said, “Alright. I’ll go the day after tomorrow—Yiyi doesn’t have to.”

Song Yiyi, who had been distracted since earlier, suddenly spoke up:
“Brother, I want to go. It’s my business—I have to make it clear myself.”

She was not the type to run from problems.

Besides, she’d just thought back carefully and remembered some of the original novel’s plot.

In the book, around this same time—shortly after Gu Chengze returned from a mission—the original Yiyi had married Cen Bowen. The reason for the hasty marriage… was not entirely respectable.