Cen Zhiyuan understood it now. The “he” in Cen Zhisen’s mouth was the real member of the Cen family, not him.

How absurd.

The uncle who spoke the most began, “You’ve seen it yourself, there’s no need for us to keep it from you. You’re not this family’s son. When my sister-in-law gave birth, she had an amniotic fluid embolism, and everyone didn’t have time to care for the child. As a result, the hospital nurse made a mistake. Fortunately, Zhisen discovered this matter, preventing further mistakes.”

“Zhiyuan, it’s not that we uncles and aunts have any opinions about you,” another uncle continued, “but you’re indeed not our family’s child. You’ve been living in our house for so many years, taking advantage of it. Eldest brother originally didn’t want to reveal it, fearing you would think too much. If you were a bit sensible, you shouldn’t ask for things that don’t belong to you.”

“That’s enough, all of you. You don’t need to say more,” Cen Shengli sternly scolded them. “It has nothing to do with you. This is my family matter.”

His younger sister continued acidly, “We’re all doing it for Zhisen and Congcong and Feifei. Think also about your other biological son. Originally, the things he should have enjoyed were taken by someone else. We don’t even know what kind of person he is now. Isn’t he pitiful?”

“Ning Zhe is pursuing a Ph.D. at Peking University, specializing in artificial intelligence computer vision applications. He can also join Cen An in the future. Dad will give him what he deserves.”

Cen Zhisen didn’t appreciate the concerns expressed for him by the younger aunt. A few remarks managed to change the expressions of the people present.

Cen Zhiyuan, who hadn’t left yet, now had an additional contender for the family property, and it was a highly talented student from Peking University. This was indeed beyond their expectations. While they said they wanted to bring back a family member, what they really meant was to bring back a quiet and unassuming person, not a second Cen Zhiyuan.

Xu Lan bit her red lips, suddenly regretting bringing the matter to light.

“Enough, all of you can go back now. Don’t spread this matter outside, and later, I will report it to the company’s board of directors myself.”

Cen Shengli unceremoniously issued the eviction order, which also drove Xu Lan out of the study.

Cen Zhiyuan was still looking at the paternity test reports, his gaze fixed on the words “exclusion of paternity” in the first report.

He hadn’t heard any of the arguments that followed. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, and the first thing he thought of was the joke his assistant made in the car, “Maybe, he’s holding back some big moves.”

No wonder his actions were becoming more aggressive, but Cen Zhisen remained indifferent. Cen Zhiyuan suddenly understood; perhaps in Cen Zhisen’s eyes, everything he did was a joke.

So, the so-called holding back big moves was like this.

“I didn’t tell you before for two reasons: one, it wasn’t fully confirmed, and two, I really didn’t know how to tell you,” Cen Shengli said to him after everyone had left, “I also learned about this matter not long ago, and it was difficult to accept initially. But it has to be faced. Fortunately, you’re all adults now, with fewer concerns. I will still treat you as my son. I don’t want this matter to cause any grudges between us.”

Cen Zhiyuan fell silent for a moment and asked, “What do my biological parents do?”

“They are surnamed Ning. Both of them are high school teachers, very cultured intellectuals. If you’re willing, I can ask Zhisen to arrange it. We can meet them in a few days.”

Cen Zhiyuan asked, “No need to wait. Tomorrow is Saturday, let’s do it tomorrow.”

At 8:30 in the evening, Cen Zhiyuan walked into the bustling bar. The woman had already ordered the drinks and was waiting for him at the bar.

Cen Zhiyuan sat on a high stool, legs casually crossed, glancing over the woman’s face. She had applied glamorous smokey makeup, but tonight, he couldn’t muster any interest.

He picked up a glass, poured half a glass of whisky with ice into his mouth.

The woman approached, clinking glasses with him. “Xiao Cen, is something bothering you tonight?”

Cen Zhiyuan lit a cigarette, held it between his fingers, took intermittent drags, and only spoke after a while, “Do you also call me Xiao Cen?”

“What should I call you then?” the woman asked with a smile.

Cen Zhiyuan poured another drink into his mouth, and as he set down the glass, he looked through the golden liquid in the glass, as if seeing his somewhat desolate eyes.

“Do you know why everyone calls me Xiao Cen?” he asked.

“Because there is another Mr. Cen?” she guessed.

“Yes, because there is another Mr. Cen, and with him around, I will always be the one standing behind. However…”

“However what?” she inquired.

Cen Zhiyuan looked at the curious woman, took a deep drag of his cigarette, exhaled slowly, and then smiled, “From now on, it won’t be like that.”

“Why won’t it be like that anymore?” she asked.

“Well,” Cen Zhiyuan said slowly, “the title ‘Xiao Cen’ will have to be handed over to someone else.”

When Cen Zhisen’s call came in, Cen Zhiyuan had already started his third drink. Seeing the displayed name, he raised an eyebrow in slight surprise and casually answered the call.

“Where are you?” Cen Zhisen immediately asked.

“Anything wrong?” Cen Zhiyuan responded.

“Dad is worried you might get into trouble, so he asked me to call you.”

“What trouble could I get into?” Cen Zhiyuan laughed, “Cen Zhisen, you don’t think I’m desperate, do you?”

Cen Zhisen repeated, “Where are you?”

“I’m having a drink with a friend, don’t worry about it.”

“Give me the address.”

Cen Zhiyuan wasn’t interested in further conversation. He provided the name of the bar and hung up.

Afterward, somewhat intoxicated, with the woman standing up, her alluring figure drew close, and her breath reached his ear, “Xiao Cen, shall we go to a hotel?”

Cen Zhiyuan caught a strong whiff of the woman’s perfume. He raised his hand and adjusted her long hair. With a mesmerized gaze fixed on the strands slipping through his fingers, he spoke slowly, “I’m not in the mood.”

The woman chuckled softly, kissed her fingertips coated with lipstick, imprinted them on his lips, and provocatively said, “Come on, I have a way to make you interested.”

When Cen Zhisen arrived, he witnessed this scene.

Cen Zhiyuan sat lazily at the bar, one hand supporting his head, cigarette between his fingers, and the other hand playing with the woman’s long hair. It appeared as if he was flirting and being dissolute while pretending to be intoxicated.

Cen Zhisen approached and tapped the bar with his curved fingers.

As the woman looked up, Cen Zhiyuan also turned to look at him. Seemingly surprised that Cen Zhisen had actually come, he gazed into the air for a couple of seconds, tilted his head back, and said, “Are you here to drink too?”

Cen Zhisen’s tone was cold, “Let’s go.”

The woman looked at Cen Zhisen hesitantly and said, “You…”

Ignoring her, Cen Zhisen reminded Cen Zhiyuan again, “Get up.”

Feeling bored, Cen Zhiyuan dismissed the issue. He extinguished the cigarette, stood up, and the woman held onto his arm, “Xiao Cen, are you really leaving?”

Cen Zhiyuan pulled away his hand, “Next time, perhaps.”

Cen Zhisen turned and walked away.

They left the bar one after the other, maintaining a half-meter distance. When the cold wind blew, Cen Zhiyuan felt a strong nauseating sensation in his stomach. He quickly walked to the side of the road, leaned against a lamppost, and vomited all the consumed alcohol.

After half a minute, a cold mineral water bottle was handed to him. When Cen Zhiyuan lifted his eyes, he saw a hand clasping the bottle. Cleanly trimmed fingernails flashed in front of his eyes.

Momentarily stunned, he took the water, unscrewed the cap, and avoided Cen Zhisen’s gaze.

Cen Zhisen had driven himself, and the car was parked by the side of the road. Cen Zhiyuan opened the car door and sat in the back seat. Leaning against the seat, he closed his eyes and hadn’t spoken a word to Cen Zhisen since leaving the bar.

Cen Zhisen also stayed silent. Only at a traffic light did he glance at the person in the rearview mirror for a moment. Neon lights from outside alternately illuminated and slid across Cen Zhiyuan’s face, then disappeared into the night.

Cen Zhisen drove back to the Cen family villa.

He rarely stayed overnight here, usually just coming over on weekends to have a meal with Cen Shengli. Cen Zhiyuan, on the other hand, had been staying here two or three nights a week for the past six months, playing the role of a dutiful son in front of Cen Shengli. Unfortunately, all his efforts seemed in vain.

By now, it was almost 11:00 PM. Cen Zhisen stopped the car, and Cen Zhiyuan opened his eyes. He might not have actually fallen asleep.

Entering the house silently and going upstairs, both of their rooms were on the second floor, diagonally across from each other.

Cen Zhiyuan paused in front of his own room door. When Cen Zhisen passed him from behind, he suddenly turned around, took a step forward, and grabbed Cen Zhisen’s shirt collar, pushing him against the wall.

His fingers tightened, clutching onto Cen Zhisen in the dark. He leaned in close, his breath near Cen Zhisen’s ear, “Cen Zhisen, are you particularly pleased with yourself? Defeating me in such a manner?”

His voice was hoarse, perhaps from being drunk, but he was unwilling—truly unwilling.

He was clearly not inferior to Cen Zhisen in any aspect, yet he had always remained subordinate to him. Even now, he felt he had lost completely, with no possibility of winning against this man.

Cen Zhisen, backed against the wall, didn’t move, nor did he push Cen Zhiyuan away. Suddenly, the motion sensor night light illuminated the scene, revealing Cen Zhiyuan’s eyes. This usually confident man now only displayed defeat, his eyes even reddened.

The light was slightly uncomfortable for Cen Zhiyuan, who subconsciously closed his eyes a few times, colliding with Cen Zhisen’s gaze.

There was no sarcasm, no ridicule, but it was even more unbearable than those.

The things he had desperately tried to compete for were effortlessly obtained by this man.

In the end, he, like a clown, was slapped back to his original form, continuing to endure the condescending gaze of this man.

His tumultuous and intense emotions conflicted. Burned by alcohol, his mind became even hazier. Leaning closer to Cen Zhisen, he tried to see through him.

Until the scent of perfume reached his nose—not the sweet fragrance from the woman, but a completely different scent of cedar mixed with Cen Zhisen’s own essence, making it even more piercing.

With a start, Cen Zhiyuan, regaining his senses, released his grip and stepped back, creating distance between them.

Finally, Cen Zhisen spoke, reminding him in a calm tone, “Dad has already said he will still consider you his son. If he doesn’t mind, why do you?”

Cen Zhiyuan lowered his eyes, concealing his emotions, and said dismissively, “Huh.”

As the door closed, the night light sensor extinguished, leaving Cen Zhisen alone in the darkness for a moment.

In the instant when the light turned on just now, Cen Zhiyuan’s gaze remained in his mind, persistent and unshakeable.

Unexplainably, he felt the urge to smoke. His hand touched the cigarette box in his pocket but decided against it, turning and entering the room.