Chapter 69 Farewell

Chapter 69 Farewell

After Xie Guiluan left the hospital, he took Cen Wu home. On the way, he bought him a lychee milk tea to warm his hands. It wasn’t snowing tonight, and the moon was clearly visible when you looked up.

Cen Wu never expected that he could see the same moon as Xie Guiluan.

As usual tonight, Xie Guiluan boldly grabbed his hand and walked him to the entrance of the house. For some reason, he started spouting flirtatious words, which got him a beating from Cen Wu.

Then Cen Wu turned and ran towards the house.

But this time, Cen Wu stopped halfway, turned around, and waved at him.

Under the deep night sky, Xie Guiluan smiled at him, and only then did Cen Wu continue running forward.

On Monday at school, Cen Wu brought Xie Guiluan breakfast and sat next to him to eat. Xie Guiluan was still as busy as ever, with a half-finished test paper beside him.

Lu Wang carefully observed for a few days and found that they had indeed reconciled and were no longer arguing. He then sent a message to his father.

Lu Wang: It's all right, Dad, I can still be your child. Hands folded in prayer.jpg

Dad Lu: ???

Don't make him laugh his head off.

Xie Guilan and several other classmates represented Huaijing No. 1 Middle School to participate in the mathematics league. This exam was not held in the province. Xie Guilan had a flight tonight and had to go to the airport around 11pm.

He didn't attend evening self-study today, so Meng Liangping waited until the last class was about to end and called him to his office again.

He wanted to invite Xie Guilan to his house for a meal before leaving. This training camp happened to coincide with New Year's Day, which was New Year's Eve after all. Xie Guilan couldn't spend it at home, so he could just have a New Year's Eve meal in advance.

Xie Guilan pursed his lips, but he didn't agree. He said to Meng Liangping, "He also asked me to go to his house tonight."

Meng Liangping was taken aback for a moment before realizing who Xie Guiluan was referring to; it must have been that baby.

Meng Liangping immediately became worried. At the age of seventeen or eighteen, going to someone's house late at night could lead to impulsive behavior. With several hours to spare before Xie Guiluan's departure to the airport, there was enough time for things to go wrong.

"Xiao Xie...you...I...ah," Meng Liangping considered his tone and asked with difficulty, "She asked you to go to her house in the evening..."

Xie Guilan still had a sluggish face and said, "He wants to take the provincial exam and asked me to do my homework."

Meng Liangping: "……"

Meng Liangping: "Ah?"

Meng Liangping didn't expect that little Bao to have such lofty ambitions; it was so outrageous that he didn't even suspect Xie Guiluan of lying.

He nodded with relief and said, "Yes, at your age, the most important thing is the college entrance examination."

Xie Guiluan responded.

Meng Liangping took him aside and gave him a lot of instructions, and gave him several sets of examination papers from other schools. When Xie Guilan left the office, the class was over. Cen Wu sent him a message saying that he was waiting for him at the school gate.

It was late winter evening, the sky was getting dark, and Xie Guilan saw Cen Wu waving at him from afar at the school gate. There was a flashy silver-blue sports car parked next to him, and a man was standing with his back to him.

In the vast and gloomy twilight, Xie Guiluan's pitch-black pupils, like soaked in water, subtly sank without a trace.

He walked towards Cen Wu, and the man turned his head. He then realized it was Cen Xiao. Xie Guilan's cold eyes suddenly softened a lot, and he moved his thin lips and said, "Boss Cen."

Cen Xiao was not wearing a suit today. When he raised his head and met Xie Guilan, he knew that Xie Guilan had misunderstood something.

It seems he's regarded as some kind of male model.

Cen Xiao frowned discontentedly.

Men, don't be so jealous. Even if Cen Wu really brought someone here, so what? There's nothing to worry about. How can you not even have the magnanimity to tolerate others?

Cen Wu was sweating profusely beside him. He felt like he was playing both sides of the fence again. He couldn't afford to offend anyone and there was a risk of capsizing at any time. He quickly pulled Xie Guilan into the car.

Xie Guiluan was quite obedient, following him to sit in the back row, while Cen Xiao, with a dejected expression, went to drive the car.

"You...you come to my house for dinner tonight," Cen Wu and Xie Guilan sat side by side. He muttered to Xie Guilan in a low voice, "Then I'll take you...take you to the airport."

He took a special leave for evening study.

Xie Guilan did not refuse and said, "Thank you, Master."

Cen Xiao held the steering wheel, and in his heart he imitated Xie Guilan's words in a sarcastic tone, "Thank you, Master!"

Cen Wu put his hands on his knees and sat obediently, afraid of being scolded by Cen Xiao. Xie Guilan did not insist on holding his hand. As night fell, the car became darker and darker.

Cen Xiao didn't say anything, and no one spoke. In the dim car, Cen Wu could clearly hear Xie Guilan's breathing.

As the car passed over the speed bump at the intersection, it jolted slightly, causing his hand to brush against Xie Guiluan's.

Xie Guilan grasped his hand and steadied him, his cold fingertips casually hooked across his palm, and asked softly and thoughtfully, "Master, are you okay?"

"No...no." Cen Wu's hands curled up immediately, and the cold white tips of his ears were slightly red.

Cen Xiao: "……"

Dead green tea.

Cen Wu wanted to take Xie Guilan home for a meal before going to take the exam, otherwise Xie Guilan would definitely just eat a little bit. Besides, the holiday was coming soon, and Xie Guilan would not be able to spend New Year's Day at home this year.

Dinner was ready when they got home. Cen Wu originally wanted to feed the puppy first and then go eat with Xie Guilan, but he was silent for a moment and decided to take Xie Guilan to the restaurant first.

Eldest Young Master.

So difficult to please.

Cen Wu was already very skilled at coaxing men. No matter what happened, it would be right to take care of Xie Guilan first. Xie Guilan's long eyelashes drooped, and he was indeed in a very stable mood tonight.

Most of the dishes in the evening were prepared by the chef, but Guan Xingxue made salt-baked crayfish. Xie Guilan peeled the shrimp for him, and Cen Wu put some into his bowl when no one was paying attention.

Well-fed, one should not go hungry even at home.

The Cen family’s home is a little far from the airport, but it’s still early and they can leave at nine o’clock. After dinner, Cen Junshan called Xie Guilan and talked to him for a while, while Cen Xiao was playing games next to him.

He was curious to see what this green tea was up to.

Xie Guilan has a cold personality and is indifferent to others, but he is not bad at socializing. It just depends on whether he wants to or not. Now that he wants to, he can chat with Cen Junshan.

Xie Guilan did not try to please Cen Junshan in order to pursue Cen Wu. His attitude was very polite, but still as cold as usual, and he didn't say much, which made Cen Junshan very impressed.

Xie Mingcheng is hypocritical and arrogant; the decency in the business world is all a facade. I didn't expect Xie Guiluan to be so patient and composed.

Cen Junshan felt that he was also quite sick. Xie Guilan's indifference was inexplicably familiar. Although Xie Guilan didn't pay much attention to him, he still wanted to say a few more words to Xie Guilan.

Moreover, Xie Guiluan has excellent grades; it's such a pity that he is Xie Mingcheng's son.

Cen Xiao: “...”

Nerve.

Cen Junshan has been in a high position for many years. He is a very cold and reserved person and rarely interacts with younger generations.

There are many noble families in Huaijing's upper circles who are on good terms with the Cen family, and Cen Xiao has never seen him care about the performance of any young people in that family.

Cen Wu ran upstairs with a clatter. He wanted Xie Guilan to have more contact with Cen Junshan, but the Cen family was a wealthy and aristocratic family, so due to their status, they would not be too humble.

Xie Guiluan is also very sensitive.

Cen Wu was worried that he would feel uncomfortable, so he didn't dare to leave. He found a cushion to sit on the stairs, where he could see the downstairs but not easily discovered by Xie Guilan and the others.

He thought Xie Guiluan hadn't noticed him, but Xie Guiluan's peripheral vision had been on him all along. As Cen Wu cautiously poked his head out, Xie Guiluan turned, and Cen Wu immediately dodged.

Xie Guilan pretended not to notice him. When Cen Wu opened his eyes wide and then carefully looked out, he looked at Cen Wu again as if nothing had happened.

Cen Wu was startled several times and pursed her lips unhappily, while Xie Guiluan couldn't help but smirk.

Cen Xiao: "……"

Besides him, are the rest of them all blind? No one noticed the clandestine flirting right under their noses?!

Cen Junshan, a shrewd businessman, was surprisingly deceived by Xie Guiluan's facade.

He absolutely could not be deceived by Xie Guiluan.

Cen Wu was wearing a pair of fluffy home pants. His thick, long, curly eyelashes drooped. He lowered his head to pull the fluff on his pants, and then suddenly someone touched his head.

"Xiaobao," Guan Xingxue sat down next to him, "Why are you sitting here alone?"

Cen Wu moved his butt and gave her half of the cushion. Guan Xingxue was amused by him and sat on it with him, then put her arms around Cen Wu and let Cen Wu lie on her knees.

"Mom," Cen Wu pinched her legs, blinked and said, "If I...if my grades were better, would you be happy?"

His mother was a dancer and had suffered leg injuries many times. He learned massage from his father and used to massage her often. Guan Xingxue contracted rheumatism while filming when he was young and often had leg pain.

Guan Xingxue didn't answer this kind of life-threatening question. She said, "No matter how good your grades are, mom and dad love you."

"Just... just think about it," Cen Wu tested her, "If I was born to look like... most like you, taller than I am now, with good grades, would you like it?"

Guan Xingxue reached out and touched his head. Her skin was very fair, and except for a few wrinkles that were difficult to detect, she looked no different from when she was young. She also blinked her peach blossom eyes and thought along the lines of Cen Wu's words.

She would, of course, be delighted.

Cen Wu persistently indoctrinated her, and when Guan Xingxue began to feel something was amiss, he shifted his gaze and changed the subject.

"You kid," Guan Xingxue poked his forehead, her tone intimate and indulgent, "Why are you so annoying today?"

She couldn't figure out why a person would suddenly become another person. She even looked up Cen Wu and found out that the video of the Huaijing No. 1 Middle School anniversary party was posted by Cen Wu.

Although she is an actress, she has retreated behind the scenes in recent years and has also participated in directing and producing.

Cen Wu’s video is not long, but the camera and editing are very professional. She raised her own child, and she knows that the child definitely does not have these abilities.

Cen Wu had a snow-white face, a pointed chin, and misty eyes, often with a hint of loneliness and emotions that she couldn't understand.

Guan Xingxue suddenly remembered a year when she was filming. It snowed heavily that year and the set was covered with snow. The production staff took people to clear the snow. She was going to get in the car and wait, but she met a little child on the set.

He was only three or four years old. There was no adult around him. He stood in the snow sucking his fingers, his little face red from the cold.

"Baby," Guan Xingxue gathered her coat, walked over and squatted, holding his little hand and asked, "Whose baby are you?"

He could not speak very well yet, and was holding a very tattered little rabbit doll. His face was gloomy, but he was not crying or anything. But when Guan Xingxue asked him, his eyes suddenly became red and he choked up.

Guan Xingxue picked him up, wiped his tears, and asked her assistant to find his parents. Half an hour later, the assistant came with someone, who turned out to be the child of an extra from the nearby crew.

"Thank you," the person said with red eyes, hugging the child and expressing gratitude repeatedly, "Thank you, Teacher Guan."

He was too busy and couldn't trust the child at home alone, so he had to bring him to the film crew. Who would have thought that in a moment of inattention, the child would wander off and get lost.

Guan Xingxue likes children very much. The acting of that extra was good and they had worked together before. She happened to be filming a movie, so she gave him a supporting actor role in her movie. Although it was a small role with few appearances, what the other party lacked was opportunities.

Because of this movie, his career finally improved and he started getting third and fourth male roles, and even won the Best Supporting Actor award.

Whenever Guan Xingxue saw Cen Wu, he would always think of that little child. His forced indifference and toughness were broken, and all that was left was confusion and fragility, as if he could get lost in the snow at any time.

Whenever she saw Cen Wu, her throat would swell slightly and she would have a premonition of separation.

"Baby," Guan Xingxue stroked his hair, "Tell mommy what you are thinking about?"

Cen Wu shook his head. In the original novel, the original owner almost caused Cen Junshan and Guan Xingxue to get into a car accident. He was as stupid as Song Lingwei and thought that he could really kill them with his own abilities.

When the original owner received a call from Cen Xiao, she ran to the hospital crying without even listening to what he said. Her voice was hoarse and she shouted "Mom" loudly in a sobbing tone. Then she found out that Guan Xingxue and the others were just a little frightened. Cen Xiao was worried, so he asked them to go to the hospital for a check-up.

On the night when Xie Guilan killed him, the original owner kept crying and shouting, "Mom, save me."

Cen Wu now felt like crying too, because Guan Xingxue was very much like a mother, and in her embrace, all pain would vanish.

It's like being taken back to the tiniest of times, when being sick or hurt always made one want to seek out their mother; she became one's entire world. Thinking of those two words brings comfort for a lifetime.

Cen Wu discreetly wiped his eyes; it was already past eight-thirty. He stood up to escort Xie Guiluan to the airport.

Cen Xiao didn't feel like watching their affectionate display. He dropped Cen Wu and Xie Guiluan off at the airport entrance and then went to wait for Cen Wu in the parking lot.

Cen Wu bought a ticket and went in with Xie Guilan. As soon as Cen Xiao left, Xie Guilan showed his true colors and reached out to hold his hand again. Cen Wu's face was numb and he had given up resisting.

They were about to board the plane. Xie Guilan hugged him and bent down to rub his ear. The tip of Cen Wu's cold white ear turned red. He tried to push Xie Guilan away, but Xie Guilan grabbed his hand and kissed his fingertips.

Xie Guiluan's dark peach blossom eyes drooped as he fixed his gaze on him and said, "Brother, when I finish the exam, will you come to pick me up?"

Cen Wu covered his mouth to prevent him from calling him brother, but even though her lips moved, she couldn't agree with him.

There was a little girl crying next to her. She and her mother were going abroad tonight and would not be back for half a year. Her father came in to see them off.

"Daddy," the little girl murmured, holding her father's hand, choking with sobs, "you have to come and pick us up."

Her father quickly agreed, smiling and saying, "Of course, Dad will come to pick you up."

Xie Guilan hugged Cen Wu like a boneless person, then hunched over and put his chin on Cen Wu's shoulder. He said in a rather resentful tone, "Other children have people to pick them up, I want one too."

Cen Wu: "……"

Cen Wu couldn't fathom how someone could have such an impenetrable layer of shamelessness.

The little girl was no more than five years old. When she heard what Xie Guilan said, she turned her head, opened her eyes wide, and asked Xie Guilan: "Why didn't your father come to pick you up?"

The little girl's parents quickly told her to shut up and apologized, saying, "Sorry, sorry."

Xie Guilan raised his head. His eyes were dark and gloomy, and his expressionless face could scare a child to tears. But he was in a good mood tonight and didn't argue with her. He said, "My brother is here to pick me up."

After saying that, Xie Guilan curled his lips and asked Cen Wu with a bit of malice: "Is that right, brother?"

Cen Wu could no longer bear it. Maybe tonight would be the last time he and Xie Guilan saw each other. He didn't want to hit anyone, but in the end he couldn't help it and slapped him with a red face.

I told you not to shout indiscriminately.

Then he turned his head and walked straight towards the boarding gate.

"Your brother doesn't seem to want to pick you up." The little girl looked at the slap mark on Xie Guilan's face and said frankly.

Xie Guilan still felt that Cen Wu loved him very much, otherwise why would Cen Wu be willing to slap him? He pressed the tip of his tongue against the inner wall of his mouth and said coldly: "You don't understand, he is just being tough, but in fact he is very..."

Love me.

Cen Wu never knew Xie Guiluan could be so talkative. He gritted his teeth and, with a face flushed to the point of dripping blood, he hurried back and quickly dragged Xie Guiluan away before he could finish speaking.

He felt that Xie Guilan was like a love-brained person, the kind of person who would post online to share his love experience, and when netizens scolded him for respecting, blessing and locking him up, he would not understand that they were scolding him, and would reply to the netizens by saying thank you and that he would lock him up.

Xie Guiluan delayed boarding, only releasing Cen Wu's hand when there were only five or six people left at the boarding gate.

Cen Wu watched him go to check the tickets, intending to wave goodbye, when Xie Guiluan turned his head, bathed in moonlight, and suddenly strode towards him, embracing him tightly with great force.

Cen Wu's bones were sore from being strangled. He raised his hands and hugged Xie Guilan, patting his back. His voice trembled uncontrollably as he said to him, "Take care of yourself and don't be unhappy."

"Hmm." Xie Guiluan agreed.

Thinking of Cen Wu waiting for him here, he felt no sadness, even finding the moonlight tonight exceptionally bright, reflecting off the dazzling snow, capable of sweeping away all the ashes in his heart.

From now on, even if I travel thousands of miles, I will have a direction to return home.

It could no longer be delayed. Xie Guiluan leaned over and planted a kiss on Cen Wu's ear, then released him and walked towards the boarding gate.

Cen Wu stood by the window of the airport and watched him walk to the jet bridge until the plane took off. He waved his hand under the snowy night, then left the airport and walked to the parking lot.

Cen Xiao glanced at his pale face, as if he had been crying, and his eyes were still red, and he really wanted to scold him for being unworthy.

Just a few days away, taking an exam, it's not like we'll never see each other again. There's no need for such a hard parting. Fortunately, he didn't tell Cen Junshan and the others, or Cen Wu would have had a lot to cry about.

But he moved his lips, and he couldn't bear it anymore. He reached out and hugged Cen Wu, ruffled his hair, and coaxed him helplessly: "Okay, okay, go home with brother."

Cen Wu would never cry for a man before. Cen Xiao knew his younger brother and knew he was not such a sensitive and soft child.

Why.

Cen Wu fell asleep as soon as he got home. When he woke up the next day, he found that Xie Guilan had sent him a message saying that he had arrived at the dormitory arranged by the competition organizer and that he would be in closed training and would hardly be able to use his mobile phone.

Xie Guiluan also took photos of his dormitory for him.

Cen Wu replied to his message, but Xie Guilan did not reply to him again, probably because he had handed in his phone.

Cen Wu then went to school for his classes. He had not yet taught Lu Wang how to perform addition and subtraction. Cen Wu was originally a very patient person, but with no time left, he couldn't help but speak a bit more sharply.

When he was filming "Butterfly", he was so busy that his health was not good. He already knew that sometimes it only takes a moment for a person to leave this world, and he was not sure how long he could last.

Lu Lian does not have the ability to take on the main responsibility and be an independent director, and he is also very honest. If he goes to other crews to be an assistant director, he will be bullied. He has no choice but to force him to learn.

What if he's also gone?

He had already come to understand that this world was never short of malice, yet people were often very lonely. On such a long journey, there were always times when one had to be alone; how was he to protect them then?

Lu Wang felt a bit wronged after being scolded, but noticing Cen Wu's eyes turning a bit red, he quickly said, "I'll do it again."

He calculated again, 82 plus 17, and got 6, which was worse than before. At least before he had said it was 100. He showed a big smile and said to Cen Wu, "This time it's right, isn't it?"

Cen Wu: “…”

Cen Wu took a deep breath, put on a stern face, tore up his draft paper, replaced it with another one and said, "Rewrite it."

Lu Wang sobbed, writing while crying.

Cen Wu hadn't heard from Xie Guilan for several days until the evening of New Year's Day, when Xie Guilan suddenly called him via video.

When he picked up the phone, he found that Xie Guilan was outside. It was snowing heavily. In the past, Xie Guilan would definitely wear a thin down jacket, scarf, gloves and nothing else, as if he was unaware of the cold.

But because he was afraid that Cen Wu would worry, he wore a very thick down jacket tonight and also wore the scarf that Cen Wu bought for him.

"You...why are you outside?" Cen Wu was lying on the bed and video chatting with him. It was already past eleven o'clock in the evening, and the lights in Xie Guilan's dormitory should have been turned off.

"I said I miss my brother too much," Xie Guiluan lifted his peach blossom eyes, speaking with an ambiguous and teasing tone, "Tonight is a festival, I must call him; otherwise, I won't be in the mood to study."

The lights in the dormitory building were off, and the snowy night was very dark. Cen Wu couldn't actually see his face clearly, but Xie Guilan's voice was naturally cold, and it seemed even colder against the snowy night. Yet he spoke to him with a smile on his face, his voice low and hoarse, making his ears numb.

Damn it, vixen.

Cen Wu didn't believe a word of his nonsense, but Xie Guiluan spoke so convincingly that he began to doubt and couldn't help but ask, "You... you wouldn't have actually told the teacher like that, would you?"

"Why would I deceive you?" Xie Guiluan chuckled softly.

He participated in the first-year high school math league last year and knew the team leader. This year, that teacher was assigned to be in charge of the boys' dormitory, so Xie Guilan went to find him and said he wanted to call home.

Today is a holiday, and they were allowed to make phone calls, but everyone else called during the day; only Xie Guiluan called this late.

The teacher couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, "Who are you calling at home?"

He was used to Xie Guilan's cold face, and the first time he saw him holding a mobile phone, he had a smile on his lips. Xie Guilan was not an internet addict, and the mobile phone was his lifeblood.

Xie Guiluan said, "Give it to my brother."

The teacher didn't expect that his brother was not a serious brother, and sighed: "You brothers have such a good relationship."

"Hmm," Xie Guiluan shamelessly admitted, saying, "So he's afraid that he might miss me."

Cen Wu: "…………"

Go to hell!

Cen Wu's face flushed, and he almost hung up the phone, but the New Year's bell suddenly rang, and fireworks ignited in the night sky over Xie Guilan's side. Xie Guilan's deep eyebrows were illuminated by the fireworks, and he said to him in a very gentle tone: "Happy New Year."

"..." Cen Wu was no longer angry at once. What could he do? He would never be angry with Xie Guilan. He scratched the corner of the quilt and whispered to Xie Guilan, "Happy New... Happy New Year."

Xie Guilan didn't say anything else. He raised his phone and watched the fireworks quietly with Cen Wuan before speaking:

"Can I make a New Year's wish?"

"What... what wish?"

"Still in need of a boyfriend for the new year."

“…”

"Absolutely not! Get out!"

Cen Wu was simply convinced. Xie Guilan was pestering him like a male ghost. When he confessed his love, he said "I love you", but it sounded like he would not let him go even if he became a ghost.

It was getting late, and snow was still falling. Cen Wu, worried he might catch a cold, urged him to return to the dormitory. Xie Guiluan finally hung up the phone, but not before teasingly asking if he could give a kiss.

Cen Wu scolded him and asked him what nonsense he was talking about. He had no idea how Xie Guilan wanted to kiss him from such a distance. He was so angry that he stuttered and cursed, but Xie Guilan just kept suppressing his laughter in a low voice.

Cen Wu suddenly became even angrier, and then he heard Xie Guilan kiss the microphone and whispered to him, "Good night."

Cen Wu froze for a moment, his face buried in the pillow, his snow-white ears turned red and hot, and finally he said reluctantly: "Good night."

Time passed quickly after New Year's Day. Cen Wu arrived at school, lay on Xie Guilan's desk for a while, and peeked at Xie Guilan's notebook, thinking that Xie Guilan had to take an exam tomorrow.

Xie Guilan was not around, but Lu Wang was secretly happy because Cen Wu would go to the cafeteria with him to eat.

In the evening, Cen Wu, Lu Wang, Zhang Yuanzhou and several other boys went to the cafeteria to eat, and then came back for evening self-study. When the bell rang, Lu Wang packed his schoolbag, walked to the door of the classroom, and waved to Cen Wu, "Wuwu, see you tomorrow!"

Cen Wu also waved at him but said nothing.

"Let's go, Second Young Master." Zhang Yuanzhou also picked up his schoolbag, "Let's go to Jinghai to play games after school tomorrow."

After the school anniversary party, the classmates in the class became a little more familiar with each other than before. After school in the evening, several people greeted Cen Wu. Cen Wu was almost the last one to leave in the class. He put on the pair of gloves that Xie Guilan gave him and left the classroom.

When they got home in the evening and had dinner, Cen Junshan was working in the study, and Cen Wu wanted to pour him a glass of water.

The moment he picked up the tray, the old butler, wearing his black tailcoat, hurried over in a single stride.

The second young master, your old servant has arrived.

Cen Wu: “...”

Cen Wu finally persuaded him to take it himself after much persuasion, and the old butler turned around dejectedly.

The second young master, your old servant takes his leave.

Cen Wu: “……”

Cen Wu had no choice but to let him carry the tray. He carried a tea bag himself. The old housekeeper was afraid that the thin string on the tea bag would pinch his hand. Cen Wu's face was numb, and he held the tea bag with both hands instead.

Cen Junshan: “……”

He was startled as soon as he lifted his head.

There's no need to be so formal when drinking tea, as if he were some feudal patriarch who was being served tea.

Cen Junshan thought Cen Wu wanted to buy something again, which was why he was being so agreeable. But then Cen Wu lifted the lid of his teacup, dropped the tea bag inside, and said heartlessly, "I... I'm leaving, Dad."

Cen Junshan: "……"

A paragon of filial piety.

Cen Wu wandered over to look for Cen Xiao again. Cen Xiao was reading a newspaper on the sofa in the living room. When he saw Cen Wu wandering over, he raised his eyebrows and asked, "What's wrong? What do you want to say?"

"Nothing... nothing." Cen Wu sat down next to him.

Cen Xiao hooked his arm around his neck and whispered menacingly, "Tell me about your green tea... boyfriend who makes a great brew?"

Cen Wu: “...”

You might as well just call him a green tea.

Cen Wu jumped up, pretending not to understand what he was saying, and stammered, "Brother, good night...good night."

Guan Xingxue had already fallen asleep; she seldom stayed up late unless it was necessary. Cen Wu swayed over and noticed a bit of her quilt had slipped down, so he tucked it back in for her, then closed the door behind him and left.

As the night fell, Cen Wu passed the corner of the stairs, touched the Duke's dog's head, and whispered to it, "Goodbye."

Xie Guilan still had to take the exam for a whole day this time. He left the examination room at five in the afternoon, went to the teacher in charge to get his mobile phone, and then sent a message to Cen Wu.

Cen Wu did not respond to him, and Xie Guiluan did not pay much attention to it. He went to the airport first, as he was on the same flight with a few classmates from Huai Jing No.1 High School, which would take three and a half hours to reach Huai Jing.

Xie Guilan slept for a while on the plane. He couldn't receive any messages on the plane, but he still kept holding his phone.

He arrived in Huaijing at around nine o'clock in the evening, but he still hadn't received any news from Cen Wu after getting off the plane.

Xie Guilan raised his head and looked around the airport. He thought Cen Wu would come to pick him up, so there was no need to reply to his message.

Though Cen Wu couldn't speak, the moon was always there, silent yet never leaving, within his line of sight whenever he looked up.

"Bro Xie," as they reached the exit, several classmates noticed him halting and inquired curiously, "Aren't you leaving?"

It was already very late when they arrived at Huaijing. They didn't have to go to evening self-study, so they all went home or were picked up by their parents.

Xie Guilan didn't find Cen Wu at the exit, so he sent Cen Wu another message, refreshing the interface repeatedly, and told them: "Someone is picking me up, I'll wait a while."

Several classmates left the airport first.

Xie Guilan's Adam's apple rolled, and his cold eye sockets were swallowed up in the darkness. He resisted the urge to send another message to Cen Wu, and he became visibly anxious.

He waited for half an hour at the airport, but Cen Wu did not arrive.

Xie Guilan picked up his schoolbag and left the airport. He suddenly remembered that Cen Wu should still be attending evening self-study classes at this time. He wanted to take the provincial exam and would definitely not be looking at his phone the whole time.

It was fine if Cen Wu didn’t come to pick him up; in about an hour, the evening study session would end, and he could go to meet Cen Wu after school.

Xie Guiluan first went to the hospital to drop off some items, planning to head to school afterwards, just in time to catch the end of classes.

But when he reached the door of Song Lingwei's ward, he heard an argument and suppressed crying inside.

Xie Guilan's face suddenly darkened. He thought it was Xie Mingcheng or Xie Shangjing who had sent someone to cause trouble, but when he opened the door, he saw Guan Xingxue and Cen Junshan.

Arriving late at night, covered in snow, he confronted Song Lingwei.