Cen Zhengnian’s face was expressionless, his tone calm and not particularly angry, even his voice wasn’t loud—unlike Luo Dafu’s, which boomed like thunder, audible throughout the building.

Yet Luo Dafu was inexplicably intimidated by Cen Zhengnian.

The look in Cen Zhengnian’s eyes made him uneasy, something he couldn’t believe was happening.

“Zhengnian, how can you say such things?” Wang Yulan suddenly spoke up in a tearful voice, leaning against Luo Dafu with a heartbroken expression.

“When you weren’t home, I was the one who took care of Chu Xia during her pregnancy, her childbirth, and her confinement. I also helped look after An An. These four years while you were away, I visited often, worried that someone might bully them. And now, instead of being grateful, you accuse us of tormenting them. Zhengnian, have a conscience when you speak!”

Luo Chuming immediately chimed in with a sigh, “I get it, brother-in-law. You’ve made it now, and An An has grown up, so you don’t need us anymore and can just turn your back on us. But you should at least have a conscience—this TV and refrigerator were gifts from me and my brother. My mother even gave your sister five hundred yuan. If all of this is considered torment in your eyes, then I have nothing more to say. I only blame my parents for their poor judgment.”

If Cen Zhengnian hadn’t already known the truth, Wang Yulan and Luo Chuming’s performances might have convinced him, and he might have been grateful to them.

Watching these two put on a show of pity, Chu Xia felt nothing but disgust.

Some people had such thick skin that it was beyond belief.

They could cry, but couldn’t she cry too?

“Zhengnian, don’t believe their lies…” Chu Xia suddenly threw herself into Cen Zhengnian’s arms, tears flowing freely, quickly soaking through his shirt.

Cen Zhengnian, caught off guard, held her close, gently patting her back to soothe her as he listened to her sobbing.

His heart felt as if it were being squeezed tightly, and when he looked at the Luo family, his gaze grew even colder.

“When I gave birth, it was Sister Li who took me to the hospital. My mom was sleeping next to me and didn’t even know I was in labor. Afterward, she said she would come to take care of me during my confinement period…” Chu Xia cried even more sadly, “But I had to do everything myself. She just sat in the room, and when the baby cried, she wouldn’t even pick him up. Instead, I served her good food and drinks for a whole month. And when she was taking care of An An, she gave all the food that An An’s grandmother sent to my elder brother’s family and only fed An An rice soup. And there’s more…”

Chu Xia had the original host’s memories, and things that the original host once thought were only natural were now being recounted one by one to Cen Zhengnian.

These details were known to no one but the original host and Wang Yulan.

Wang Yulan never imagined that Chu Xia wouldn’t care about Cen Zhengnian’s opinion and would reveal everything.

After all, when she took things away and didn’t treat Cen Huai’an well, even her daughter had approved.

If Cen Zhengnian found out, her life wouldn’t be any easier.

That was precisely why Wang Yulan dared to come with her husband and children, thinking she could use this to pressure Chu Xia.

Who knew Chu Xia would be so fearless?

Seeing Cen Zhengnian’s face becoming darker and his gaze turning cold enough to freeze, with the veins on his hand bulging one by one, Wang Yulan knew her cause was lost.

Staying any longer would not only fail to gain any favors from Cen Zhengnian but might also make him hold a grudge.

Her face turned pale as she grabbed Luo Dafu, who was red-faced with anger, and Luo Chuming, who was still trying to say something.

She looked at Chu Xia with disappointment and said, “Chu Xia, it seems you’ve really decided to be an unfilial daughter. Your father and I won’t stop you then.”

After saying this, she ran out crying. Luo Dafu, who was distressed about his wife, immediately followed her, shouting back at Chu Xia while running, “If anything happens to your mother, I won’t forgive you!”

With their parents gone, Luo Xiaomei was afraid of Chu Xia, and Luo Xiaoge could only give up and leave as well.

Chu Xia wiped her tears away, pushed past Cen Zhengnian, and walked sadly to the door.

She gave the neighbors, who were enjoying the spectacle, a look that conveyed deep hurt by her family and then shut the door, cutting off their curious gazes completely.

“Chu Xia…” Cen Zhengnian called her name with a frown, looking at her with concern.

But as soon as Chu Xia turned around, she wiped away all her tears and sat down at the table as if nothing had happened.

She looked up at Cen Zhengnian and asked, “What’s the matter?”

“What just happened…?” Cen Zhengnian’s eyes showed confusion.

Chu Xia smiled.

She didn’t have a stunning appearance, but her smile was especially beautiful, like a lotus blooming after the rain—delicate and captivating.

“What did I just do? Would they have left if I hadn’t acted that way? Not only would they not have left, but they would also have tarnished both your and my reputation. Besides, everything I said was the truth. In the past, An An and I lived poorly. I’ve told you before; back then, I wasn’t thinking clearly and trusted my family too much. If you want to blame me, go ahead.”

Chu Xia didn’t want to admit to the past, but since she had taken over the original host’s body, all the good and bad of the original host belonged to her.

In the future, she could live as she wished, but she would not deny her past.

Cen Zhengnian immediately replied, “I don’t blame you.”

Not only did he not blame her, but he also felt pity for her.

A woman raising a child alone was not easy, and relying on her family was perfectly normal.

It was just that Chu Xia’s family was too disappointing—they wanted benefits and spoke sweetly but did nothing in return.

Chu Xia looked up at Cen Zhengnian, sensing the pity in his eyes.

She didn’t know what he was thinking, but she guessed he saw her and An An as pitiful.

…..

After that, the Luo family didn’t bother them anymore.

Even if they had wanted to come, they wouldn’t have had the time because their family was in chaos.

First, Luo Chuming’s fiancée’s father suddenly called him out for being scheming and forced his fiancée to break up with him.

Then, while at work, he somehow made a mistake on a critical tractor part and was immediately fired from the factory.

It was hard to dismiss formal workers, as they had an iron rice bowl, but Luo Chuming was a temporary worker awaiting promotion, so he was easily dismissed and quickly replaced.

Next, Luo’s older brother and sister-in-law also began having trouble at work.

Their supervisor constantly picked on them, resulting in daily criticism and having to redo their work.

Even Wang Yulan wasn’t having a good time at the factory.

Meanwhile, Luo Dafu still had his retirement position in the factory, as he was a veteran, so no one touched him.

However, he couldn’t help with the family’s problems.

He didn’t know how to find connections or ask for help, so he was constantly criticized by his children at home.

His wife didn’t have the energy to comfort him either.

In his helpless rage, he could only lose his temper at home, which only worsened the family conflicts.

….

In October, the whole city of Liangzhou is filled with joy for National Day, and Chuxia has long forgotten about the Luo family’s matters.

Today, there are various mass parades from different factories, and Chuxia is involved in the one organized by the textile factory, so she knows it best.

“An An, there will definitely be a lot of people on the street later, so make sure you hold onto your dad and me and don’t let go.”

Chuxia, feeling uneasy, reiterates her instructions to Cen Huai’an.

On this day of national celebration, Chuxia wants An An to experience the atmosphere and have a beautiful memory of his childhood.

She knows that in the future, there won’t be many opportunities for her and Cen Zhengnian to accompany him to such events, so she doesn’t want An An to miss out.

When she asked An An yesterday, although he said, “Anything is fine,” he secretly glanced at Cen Zhengnian, clearly wanting to go out as a family to watch the parade.

“Okay.” An An grabs his small flag and is ready to go.

Cen Zhengnian notices Chuxia’s nervousness and reassures her, “I’m here, so don’t worry. We’re not going to the busiest place, Longfeng Tower, so there shouldn’t be too many people.”

Longfeng Tower, the most famous building in Liangzhou, is located at the city center next to the train station, the most densely populated area, and also the endpoint of the parade.

The parade will circle the city and then return from the other side to ensure that everyone in Liangzhou can see the celebration.

Chuxia’s family’s street, right at their gate, is a main road the parade will definitely pass by.

That’s why she and Cen Zhengnian decided to watch from there, which is safer.

During such grand events, pickpockets and human traffickers are more rampant. Besides, large crowds can lead to stampedes.

So, Chuxia is very concerned about safety.

Last night, she taught Cen Zhengnian and An An many ways to protect themselves in case of emergencies.

She even asked questions afterward to make sure they remembered.

Finally, they set out, and An An let out a quiet sigh of relief.

He looked up just in time to meet Cen Zhengnian’s smiling eyes.

His ears slowly turned red, and he quickly turned his head toward Chuxia.

Cen Zhengnian couldn’t help but pat his head, which made An An glare at him without menace, causing Cen Zhengnian’s smile to deepen.

Once outside, there were already many people waiting on the streets.

At this time, there aren’t many entertainment options, so everyone likes to come out to watch activities, especially for the annual National Day celebration.

Chuxia felt they had come out very early, but when they arrived, they found they couldn’t even get the spots at the front.

“Auntie! Auntie! Over here!”

Just as Chuxia was looking for a less crowded spot, she heard the sound of chopsticks.

A small figure emerged from the crowd, nearly getting squeezed out.

Chuxia’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly pulled An An and Cen Zhengnian over.

“What are you doing, Chopsticks? It’s too dangerous!”

Chopsticks gave Chuxia a “hee-hee” smile, scratched his head, and said, “It’s fine, Auntie, I’m small, so they can’t push me. We saved you a spot, come on over.”

As he wiped his hands on his clothes, he grabbed Chuxia’s sleeve and guided her in.

Chuxia looked at his actions, feeling a mix of sweetness and sadness.

She reached out and held Chopsticks’ hand, causing his face to show disbelief.

Ignoring his reaction, Chuxia smiled and said, “Let’s go.”

Her actions conveyed that she had never disliked him or Bangzi. Chopsticks’ free hand curled up, his eyes becoming a bit misty.

He felt that An An’s mother’s hand was very warm; if his own mother were still around, holding his hand would probably feel the same.

Bangzi and the others were at the front.

When Chuxia and her family arrived, they immediately made room, saying, “Auntie, we still need to sell things. You guys enjoy the parade!” They then swiftly disappeared into the crowd, like monkeys.

“Are these the kids who do business with An An?” Cen Zhengnian, who had been silent when they arrived, asked after the kids had left, his eyes still following them.

“Yes.”

“They’re all good kids.” Cen Zhengnian had a keen eye for people.

Although these kids were a bit wild and fierce, their eyes were pure and free of malicious intent.

“Of course, An An’s friends couldn’t be bad!”

“Indeed, since An An is so great, his friends must be great too!”

He smiled and lifted Cen Huai’an onto his shoulders, placing him on his neck amid Cen Huai’an surprised eyes.

Cen Huai’an sat on Cen Zhengnian’s shoulders, his disbelief quickly turning into excitement.

His smile was so broad he couldn’t keep it down; he kept turning his head to look around.

So high up!

So this is what it feels like to ride on Dad’s shoulders like a horse; it feels like everyone has become smaller, and he’s the giant from the stories his mother told.

Chuxia was startled by Cen Zhengnian’s action.

She was about to say it was dangerous but swallowed her words when she saw Ven Huai’an’s joyful and excited eyes.

Well, as long as they’re happy.

The parade soon arrived, with drums beating and people singing and dancing.

Everyone’s faces were radiant with smiles, and people with flowers and small flags kept waving to the crowd.

Even Chuxia was caught up in the enthusiastic atmosphere, waving her own small flag and joining in the cheer and laughter with everyone.

Cen Huai’an felt that he had never been happier than today.

His parents took him to see the National Day celebration, and his dad even let him ride on his shoulders.

Now that his dad is back, he can forgive him a bit more.

On the way back, Cen Huai’an, still reluctant to leave, looked up at Chuxia and asked, “Mom, will there be another National Day celebration tomorrow?”

Chuxia replied, “No.”

Cen Huai’an asked, “Then when will there be another one?”

Chuxia answered, “Next year.”

Cen Huai’an said, “I want to come again next year.”

Cen Zhengnian responded, “Okay.”