Chapter 16: A Day Off for Wanwan Classmate

Li Chaoyang couldn’t understand.  Cen Xiu had tried every trick in the book to catch him, but she had caught him so easily and was now threatening him.

Cen Xiu needed his help.  He had offered Li Chaoyang an olive branch, saying that once he became the CEO of Cen’s company, he would help him take down Zhou Lao Ye Zi, so he wouldn’t have to fear the Zhou family’s power anymore.

He had believed him.  He hadn’t believed Cen Xiu, but the power of Cen’s company in Kyoto.

If it hadn’t been for being betrayed by the person he trusted most, Cen’s company wouldn’t have gone through such a crisis.

Li Chaoyang gave up struggling.  “It was Cen Xiu.”

“Cen Xiu has a company overseas.  The embezzled funds are all in his company,” Li Chaoyang continued.  “He gave me the company secrets when we were discussing a project.  He asked me to leak them.”

Cen Wan asked, “Why didn’t he do it himself?”

“If something happened, it would be suspicious.  He used the project discussion as a cover to give me the secrets.  Even if they investigated, no one would suspect him.”

What a clever scheme.  Why hadn’t I known that my good brother was so cunning?

Cen Wan asked, “What are his plans for the future?”

Li Chaoyang said, “I only know that he has a big plan.  I don’t know anything else.  Cen Xiu doesn’t trust me that much.”

“I need evidence,” Cen Wan said.  “I’ll give you a week.”

“I think you know better than anyone that Cen Xiu even plotted against the family who raised him for twenty years.  You’re just a pawn to him.  Your fate might be even worse.”

She paused and continued, “For this week, I’ll take good care of your son.  He’ll have the best food and the best treatment.  If I don’t get the evidence after a week, I’ll bring your son back to meet his father.”

She left without another word.  She would get the evidence within a week.

If she got the evidence and exposed everything Cen Xiu had done, the company’s embezzled funds would amount to nearly a billion.  If nothing else happened, he would go to jail, and she could change the fire at the Cen family’s house a year later.

But jail was too easy for him.  He would still be able to get out someday.

But for now, that was all she could do.  She couldn’t risk her family.  The sooner Cen Xiu went in, the sooner she could rest easy.

With Li Chaoyang as her bargaining chip, she thought it wouldn’t be long before she could send Cen Xiu to jail.

Lu’s company office.

He Yi said, “Lu Zong, Madam has found Li Chaoyang.”

Lu Beixun’s hand paused as he was signing a document.  “I know.  Send people to protect Madam’s safety.”

“Yes.”

After He Yi left, Lu Beixun’s eyes showed weariness.  He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and rubbed his temples.

After a while, he got up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.  He stood there for a long time, his expression obscure.  He didn’t know what he was thinking.

Cen Wan had just returned home when her mother-in-law called her on video chat.  She was stunned.  It felt like a century had passed since their last conversation.

She casually brushed her hair and sat down on the sofa.  She tapped the screen to answer the call.  The woman on the screen had exquisite makeup and looked well-preserved, like she was in her early thirties.  You couldn’t tell she was almost fifty.

Cen Wan smiled sweetly and called out, “Mom.”

Lu Mu responded.  She liked her daughter-in-law more and more.  She was sweet-tongued and quirky.  “My darling daughter, how are you doing?  Has Beixun been bullying you?”

Cen Wan shook her head with a smile.  “No, he wouldn’t dare bully me.”

All along, she was the bad guy.  She was the one who had been bullying him…

“Mom, don’t worry,” she said, thinking of something.  “How are you and Dad doing lately?”

“Your father and I are fine.”

They chatted about family matters for a while.  Cen Wan learned that Lu Mu was going to return to China.  She was so happy.  She couldn’t wait for Lu Mu to come back.  She had another powerful ally to help her get closer to Lu Beixun.

“Mom, let me know when you’re coming back.  I’ll pick you up at the airport.”

“Okay.”

Lu Mu asked about her and Lu Beixun’s recent situation and whether they had any plans to have children.  Cen Wan vaguely brushed over those questions.

Lu Mu thought she was shy.  After all, they had only been married for a month.  She said a few more things and then hung up the phone.

After the call ended, Cen Wan sighed.  They hadn’t even had a proper married life, let alone children.  Even if she wanted them, Lu Beixun wouldn’t want to give her that.

But that might change once her mother-in-law came back.  Her savior was coming.

This mother was much more reliable than the one who gave birth to her.  Her own mother was always saying, “Beixun is so good, Beixun is so wonderful, Beixun is amazing.”

She didn’t care at all about her daughter’s married life.

It was mainly because Lu Beixun was so good at hiding things.  No matter how much she argued or complained, no one dared to say a word.  She should be grateful to have such a man.

But she had believed someone with ulterior motives.

She thought, if she hadn’t been reborn, no matter how many chances she had, she would have chosen to believe Cen Xiu.  Before she saw through him, he was like a light in her world, gentle, humble, and polite.  Even though he wasn’t her real brother, she thought he was wholeheartedly good to her.

Cen Xiu had always protected her since they were little.  He had spoiled her, and her spoiled temper was his fault.  When I was little, I often got into trouble, but with Cen Xiu around, I would get less scolding from my parents.

If he hadn’t harbored those schemes, he would have been the best brother in the world.

Their family would have been happy forever.

The next morning, Lu Beixun had to go on a business trip to Haicheng.  He wouldn’t be back until tomorrow morning at the earliest.  Cen Wan was in a low mood all morning.  She barely ate any breakfast.

She thought about the evening.  She would be alone in this huge villa.  The thought sent a chill through her.

She was afraid of being without Lu Beixun, afraid of the nights without him.

He Yi was already waiting at the villa gate.  Cen Wan clung to Lu Beixun’s clothes, unwilling to let go.

Lu Beixun looked slightly helpless.  He took her hand and gently rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, as if comforting her.  “I’ll be back tomorrow.”

Cen Wan nodded, her eyes downcast.  She reluctantly murmured, “Mm.”

“Be careful.  Remember to let me know when you get to Haicheng.”

“Mm,” Lu Beixun said gently, pulling her into his arms.  “I won’t be here tomorrow morning.  Wanwan classmate gets a day off.  Sleep in.”

But I don’t want a day off…

Cen Wan looked up and tiptoed to peck his lips.  “You should go.  You have to leave.”

She said that and looked at Lu Beixun deeply, her clear eyes filled with reluctance.  She turned and left, going into the living room.

She was afraid that if she stayed any longer, she would beg him not to go on the business trip, clinging to him and refusing to let him go.  He wouldn’t like that, and neither would I.

On the second-floor balcony, she watched the car leave, getting farther and farther away until it disappeared from sight.

She stood on the balcony for a while before leaving and going back to her room.  She curled up in bed and watched dramas for hours.  When it was time for lunch, she received a call from Lu Beixun.  The moment his special ringtone sounded, her eyes lit up.

It took about two and a half hours to get from Kyoto to Haicheng.  Lu Beixun had just landed and immediately turned on his phone to call her and let her know he was safe.

Knowing he had landed, and it was already noon, Cen Wan urged him to eat quickly.  To save him time, she said goodbye and hung up the phone.