Chapter 40: I Love Him

Cen Xiu was still scheming, completely unaware that his actions had been exposed.

The day before his birthday, Cen Father returned to China. He had originally planned to spend it with Cen Mother abroad, but Cen Wan had acted cute and pretended to be angry, so Cen Father and Cen Mother had to return.

Cen Father was a low-key person, so his birthday was just a family gathering for a meal, blowing out candles, and cutting a cake.

On his birthday, Cen Wan and Lu Beixun each prepared a gift. Cen Wan prepared a set of teaware, while Lu Beixun prepared a set of hand-crafted rosewood chess pieces.

Cen Wan looked at the rosewood chess set. It didn’t look like it was prepared recently: “When did you prepare this?”

“Half a month ago.”

She asked again, “Did you make it yourself?”

Lu Beixun hummed in response.

Cen Wan had no idea when he made it. Her heart felt warm and a little sour. He Yi’s words in the previous life were right. He would only love her by association, and he would never hurt her.

“No wonder my parents like you so much. You’re more considerate than my little cotton jacket.” Cen Wan glanced at the tea set she had chosen at the mall. It couldn’t compare to this chess set.

Lu Beixun reached out and lightly tapped her forehead, saying, “Have a good meal tonight. Don’t make a face.”

Cen Wan responded perfunctorily: “Okay, okay.”

She mumbled resentfully: “You’ve said it so many times. How can you be more nagging than my mom?”

Cen Wan complained on the surface, but her heart was filled with sweetness. He cared about her and also cared about her family.

She understood Lu Beixun’s thoughts. After all, her father had raised Cen Xiu for so many years. It was a final farewell for the family to have a good meal together. They probably wouldn’t see each other again.

When they arrived at the Cen family’s house, Cen Wan carried the cake and Lu Beixun carried the birthday present. Cen Mother had already prepared a large table of dishes, very sumptuous.

Cen Luo had also returned from school. Cen Xiu was chatting with Cen Father in the living room. Cen Wan glanced at him, hiding the hatred in her eyes.

Lu Beixun nodded slightly: “Dad.”

Cen Father smiled and asked Lu Beixun to sit down. Cen Wan was completely ignored. She helplessly carried the cake towards the dining table, making room to put it down.

Then she went into the kitchen and looked at Cen Mother, who was still busy: “Mom, do you need help?”

“It’s the last dish.” Cen Mother smiled: “Go and keep your dad company. He’s the birthday boy today.”

Cen Wan pouted: “My dad only has eyes for his son-in-law, not his own daughter.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.” Cen Mother poked her forehead with her finger, her eyes full of love for her daughter and an unclear emotion.

Cen Wan went to the living room and sat down beside Lu Beixun: “Dad, the gift your daughter gave you this year isn’t as good as your son-in-law’s. Next year, it will definitely be better than your son-in-law’s.”

Cen Father pushed up his glasses and smiled: “You children being safe and healthy is the best birthday gift for Dad.”

“Safety and health are a must.” Cen Wan: “Gifts are essential. Who told you to be my and Luo Luo’s favorite dad?”

She deliberately didn’t mention Cen Xiu. Cen Xiu’s face turned a little ugly.

Cen Father thought for a moment and said, “Next year, the best gift would be for me to hold a grandson or granddaughter. It would be even better if I could hold both.”

Cen Wan and Lu Beixun exchanged smiles: “Then we’ll try our best.”

Although Cen Wan said that, she couldn’t relax and have a child next year. She was afraid that even if Cen Xiu was punished by law, he wouldn’t live to see next year. She was also afraid.

The day of the Cen family fire and the day Lu Beixun was killed by her own hand was a nightmare she would never forget, unless she died.

At this time, Cen Luo came down from the stairs, wrapped her arms around Cen Father’s neck from behind the sofa, and smiled with a mischievous look: “Dad, happy birthday. May you have good fortune like the ocean and live longer than the Southern Mountain.”

“Hmm.” Cen Father saw through it but didn’t say anything. He patiently waited for Cen Luo’s next words.

“That…” Cen Luo: “Dad, I spent all my allowance on your birthday present…”

Cen Father “hmm”ed again, without saying anything more.

Cen Luo froze for a few seconds. Why was it different from what she had imagined? She couldn’t help but speak: “Dad, that allowance…”

Cen Father stopped teasing her: “You little smart aleck, I’ll transfer it to you.”

“Thank you, Dad.” Cen Luo looked at Cen Wan greedily, raised an eyebrow: “Good sister~”

“Okay, okay.” Cen Wan couldn’t resist her gentle offensive: “Here you go, here you go.”

Cen Luo received two allowances as she wished. She happily gave Cen Wan a flying kiss: “Love you, sister.”

They blew out the candles, cut the cake, and Cen Wan put aside her hostility towards Cen Xiu. They had a very pleasant dinner.

After dinner, Cen Wan was about to find a chance to tell Cen Father about this. She looked at Cen Father, who was playing chess with Lu Beixun, and hesitated to speak: “Dad, I have something to tell you.”

Cen Xiu, who was standing by and watching the chess game, froze.

Cen Father glanced at Cen Wan and continued playing chess, his face expressionless: “I know everything. Don’t worry about me.”

This time, it was Cen Wan who was stunned. When did her father know?

She looked at Lu Beixun. Lu Beixun nodded slightly at her. He knew that this was a difficult topic for her to bring up. She had been hesitant and struggling between saying it and how to say it. After dinner, he took the opportunity to speak.

In fact, Cen Father knew, and he had already contacted the police before Lu Beixun said anything.

“Then my mom…” Cen Wan didn’t finish her sentence. It was too cruel for them.

“Go and see your mom.”

Cen Wan nodded: “Okay.”

She walked towards the master bedroom on the second floor with heavy steps. The bedroom door was closed. She gently turned the knob. She saw her mother sitting by the bed, secretly wiping away tears.

Cen Wan’s throat tightened: “Mom…”

Cen Mother quickly wiped away her tears and looked at her: “Why are you here?”

Cen Wan walked into the bedroom, closed the door, sat down beside Cen Mother, and hugged her: “Mom, don’t pretend.”

When she saw Cen Mother secretly wiping away tears, Cen Wan understood. Her mother already knew. She had been holding back all night. She must have wanted the family to have a decent last meal together.

Cen Mother’s voice choked: “Wan Wan, where did we go wrong in our parenting? We gave him the best education. You and Luo Luo have everything, and we never withheld anything from him. Why did he turn out like this?”

Cen Father was a man, the pillar of the family. Even if he was sad, he would put on a strong front and not show his vulnerable side. Cen Mother was different. She was just a woman.

And that person was her son, whom she had raised for twenty years. She had never deprived him of anything, whether it was material things or parental love.

Cen Wan patted Cen Mother’s back reassuringly: “It’s not your and Dad’s fault. Everyone has ambition. When ambition and ability don’t match, some people will resort to any means.”

Cen Mother stroked her face: “For Cen Corporation, you married Beixun. Do you regret it?”

“I did regret it, and I hated him.” Cen Wan smiled: “But I don’t regret it now. I love him.”

Cen Mother nodded with tears in her eyes: “That’s good…”