My Queen, My Rules - 49

First Snow

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The drive from the restaurant to Xinggang International should have taken only half an hour, but the surge of Christmas Eve traffic stretched it to nearly double that.

Inside the restaurant, their conversation had been filled with lighthearted childhood memories. Now, merged into a river of taillights, they seemed to step into the adult world, exchanging questions about their present lives.

There wasn't much novelty to Ji Mingshu's current reality. Her life had largely followed the trajectory visible since childhood, never veering far from the expected path.

Cen Yang, however, was a different story. Once the sole, celebrated golden boy of the Jingjian Cen family, his world had been upended overnight. While he hadn't plummeted from the clouds into the mud, once his identity changed, his privileged childhood became a peak he could never scale again. The future laid out for the Cen family heir was a road he was forever barred from traveling.

Perhaps because her own familial bonds felt somewhat shallow, since learning the truth in middle school, Ji Mingshu had felt a peculiar empathy for Cen Yang's situation.

She always felt that if, say, some foreign monarch suddenly told her she was their long-lost daughter, she'd happily pack her bags and become a pampered little princess.

But if a poverty-stricken couple from some no-name town showed up to claim her, she'd probably faint on the spot, clinging to the pillars of the Ji family mansion for dear life.

When Ji Mingshu tactfully shared this perspective, Cen Yang simply smiled.

Steering with one hand, he pulled a pack of gum from the glove compartment. As he unwrapped a piece, his gaze drifted toward the distant neon lights. "It wasn't as hard to accept as you might think," he said, his voice calm. "I've been fine all these years."

Ji Mingshu turned her head to look at him.

"Well, the beginning was rough, I won't lie. But you get used to it. After a while, it just becomes your normal."

Stopped at a red light, he offered her a piece of gum, his recollection seemingly casual. "Honestly, maybe it's just been too long, but a lot of it is blurry now. I just remember, right after I left Nanqiao Hutong, I had trouble sleeping for about half a month… Lying awake all night, missing Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Mom, Shu Yang, and the others."

He glanced at her. "And you, of course, little one. I used to think you were such a noisy little girl. But when you weren't around making a racket at the house anymore, it felt… strangely quiet."

Ji Mingshu pressed her lips, offering no reply.

Cen Yang continued, "Saying I never felt any resentment or hatred wouldn't be true. I work in venture capital now. When I first started, the pressure was immense. I'd often think, if I were still the Cen Yang of the Cen family, I wouldn't have to struggle like this."

He paused, then chuckled lightly. "But let's not dwell on that. It's all truly in the past. Everyone is doing well now, everyone in their rightful place. Life goes on, wherever you are."

‘Life goes on, wherever you are.’ The words were easy to say, but experiencing it was another matter entirely.

—The little golden canary who had flown from the cage for months could attest to that firsthand.

She wanted to offer some comfort but didn't know where to start. She simply nodded and changed the subject. "So, you're… twenty-seven this year, right? Are you seeing anyone?"

Cen Yang half-closed his eyes in thought. "Dated a few here and there during college. None were the right fit, so it ended. These last few years, work's been too busy. No time for a girlfriend."

The light turned green, and the car crept forward again. He seemed to remember something. "I just came from Xingcheng. An Ning mentioned you and… him visited not long ago?"

"Yeah, we went for a meal. How are An Ning and… Auntie An?"

"They're doing well," Cen Yang replied without hesitation. "I originally wanted to get settled and then bring them to the capital to live with me. But they said they're not used to it here, so they decided not to come."

Seeing the calm expression on his face, Ji Mingshu felt a flicker of doubt: Hadn't Chen Biqing said that Cen Yang's relationship with them was strained, that he rarely contacted them? Why did Cen Yang seem not to resent them at all? Strange.

Then again, based on Chen Biqing's few remarks, the Cen Yang she had imagined was a cold, brooding figure, forever unable to come to terms with the hand fate had dealt him. The Cen Yang she met today was positive, well-adjusted, and seemed to have long since moved past the past.

Logically, this was the best possible outcome after fate's cruel trick. Yet, Ji Mingshu couldn't shake a sense of unreality.

When they reached Xinggang International, Cen Yang parked, walked around to the passenger side, and opened the door for Ji Mingshu. Seeing her still lost in thought, he leaned in as if to help her with the seatbelt.

Ji Mingshu reacted in time, raising a hand to stop him. "No need, I've got it."

She unbuckled herself, grabbed her bag, and hurriedly got out.

Snow was falling outside, heavier now than during the drive.

Cen Yang looked up. "Is this the capital's first snow this year?"

Ji Mingshu nodded, reaching out a hand to catch a flake. "The forecast’s been predicting it for a while. Didn't expect it to finally come today."

A faint, almost imperceptible melancholy flickered in her eyes as she spoke.

Actually, she really wanted to watch the first snow with Cen Sen. She really wanted to spend Christmas Eve with him too.

But Cen Sen hadn't contacted her since the show, except to have Zhou Jiaheng deliver some clothes… As if she gave a damn about his stupid clothes.

Not that it would have mattered anyway. A work-obsessed, emotionally stunted capitalist machine like Cen Sen, who would give his life for the company, probably lacked the romantic bone required to spend Christmas Eve with his wife.

Thinking about it that way… it didn't feel quite so disappointing anymore.

"...Xiao Shu?" Cen Yang called once, then again when she didn't respond.

"Huh?" Ji Mingshu snapped back to attention, looking apologetically at Cen Yang. "Sorry, I was thinking about something. What is it?"

"Nothing, really. I was just thinking… it feels good to see you again."

Cen Yang gave a light laugh, showing a row of neat, white teeth. His tall, slender figure stood in the swirling winter snow, emanating a clean, warm presence.

Ji Mingshu found herself smiling back, the expression lingering on her lips for a long moment before fading slightly.

She looked at Cen Yang, a touch of sentimentality in her voice. "Calling you 'Brother Cen Yang' now that we're grown up doesn't feel quite right anymore. And I don't think I have the right to stand on your side, sharing your grievances… But no matter what happened before, or what comes after, I sincerely hope you can find happiness. I truly hope you can always stay as warm and bright as you are in my memories."

Cen Yang met her gaze, a faint, somewhat distant smile on his lips. Suddenly, he stepped forward and hugged her.

A black Maybach was parked in the distance.

Cen Yang's gaze, steady and direct, remained fixed on the distant, blurred figure in the driver's seat. He didn't say a word.

—I'm sorry, Xiao Shu. I stopped being the 'Brother Cen Yang' from your memories a long, long time ago.

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Back in the apartment, Ji Mingshu went through her usual routine of removing her makeup and washing up. The apartment was quiet. On Christmas Eve, Gu Kaiyang was still fighting on the front lines of unpaid overtime, with no telling when she'd be back.

After putting on a face mask, Ji Mingshu checked her phone. That pig, Cen Sen, hadn't sent her so much as a punctuation mark. It was infuriating.

Sitting cross-legged on the sofa, the more she thought about it, the less it made sense.

Didn't he go to university abroad too? Did he just not care about Christmas Eve or Christmas at all? If he's so unimpressed by Western things, why did he go to Harvard? Would sending a "Merry Christmas" cause his stock to plummet thirty percent? Is he even human? How did he ever manage to get a wife?

Lost in her indignation at being ignored on Christmas Eve, Jiang Chun just had to choose this worst possible moment to brag about her love life.

Jiang Chun: [Picture 1]

Jiang Chun: [Picture 2]

Jiang Chun: [The ring Tang Zhizhou gave me! Pretty, right?!]

Ji Mingshu: […]

Ji Mingshu: [Have you practiced the finger-slimming exercises I taught you even once? Your fingers are so short and stubby, even my toes are more elegant. And you have the nerve to wear a ring? Don't tell me you've already posted this on Moments. If you absolutely must post, just take a picture of the box. Spare us the secondhand embarrassment.]

Jiang Chun: […]

Jiang Chun: [Already posted.]

Jiang Chun was used to being roasted. If Ji Mingshu ever complimented her, she'd feel uneasy, convinced Ji Mingshu was setting her up for a bigger fall later. Getting Ji Mingshu's standard, sarcastic reply was actually reassuring. Emboldened, she went to whine to Tang Zhizhou.

Puffing out her cheeks, she held up her slightly chubby hand. "Shushu says my fingers are short and fat, that they don't look good with a ring. What do you think?"

Tang Zhizhou ruffled her hair. "You're beautiful no matter what."

Jiang Chun nodded, satisfied, and messaged Ji Mingshu again.

Jiang Chun: [Tang Zhizhou said I'm beautiful no matter what. Heehee.]

Jiang Chun: [Satisfied.jpg]

Fortunately, she retained some sense of self-preservation. Before Ji Mingshu could fully unleash her attack mode, Jiang Chun deftly provided a distraction with some fresh intel.

Jiang Chun: [Oh, by the way, Tang Zhizhou and I went to see a movie at Jiufang Department Store today. We ran into Little Lotus Li.]

Ji Mingshu: [Little Lotus Li? Who?]

Jiang Chun: […Li Wenyin! Could you show your love rival some basic respect?!]

Ji Mingshu: […]

Ji Mingshu: [Who was she with?]

Jiang Chun: [A guy. Pretty tall. But the cinema was packed tonight, I didn't get a clear look at his face. And we were all going in then, it was pitch black inside. Didn't see them on the way out, either.]

Ji Mingshu's mind immediately went to Cen Sen, and a wave of irritation washed over her.

Jiang Chun: [But it definitely wasn't your Cen Sen. That guy didn't have that 'I-make-a-million-bucks-a-minute-just-standing-here' CEO aura your man has.]

Ji Mingshu: […]

Ji Mingshu: [Please learn to phrase things properly, or just don't speak at all. Thank you.]

Jiang Chun: […?]

Jiang Chun: [What did I do wrong this time?]

Jiang Chun started whining about the injustice of being attacked after dutifully reporting news, but Ji Mingshu couldn't be bothered to read her complaints. She was about to put her phone down and go rinse off her face mask when Gu Kaiyang suddenly called.

She answered. Gu Kaiyang on the other end sounded like she was being chased by a chainsaw-wielding maniac, gasping for breath, her words tumbling out incoherently. "You know… you know what I just saw? I'm back, I'm in the elevator… I saw Cen Sen… and a man… downstairs…"

Ji Mingshu's brain short-circuited for a second. "Making out?"

"…?"

"No! What are you thinking? Just two men, no, one man…"

Ji Mingshu suddenly remembered something. Barefoot, she ran to the window and yanked the curtains open.

Cen Yang's white Mercedes hadn't sped away. It had driven to the opposite side of the street and stopped next to a Maybach.

Two men stood between the two cars, hands in their pockets, both looking up… at her?

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