Chapter 39: Moving House

Su Xingzhi had been tailing that large motorcycle all the way to the building where Su Miao lived.

Even though it was quite late and they were navigating through dark, narrow side streets, the motorcycle moved surprisingly fast. It was easy to lose track of it if he wasn't careful, so he had to keep his wits about him. Frowning, Su Xingzhi felt even more annoyed—how were these two young women so reckless? One dared to drive it, and the other truly dared to ride along.

To be fair, Cen Mo’s skills were actually quite impressive. Her turns were sharp and clean; she was practically drifting on the flat road. A motorcycle shares the same lanes as motor vehicles, and at the start, when they were on the main road surrounded by cars, seeing her weave through the traffic alone made one’s heart skip a beat.

Su Xingzhi felt it was time to put a stop to this. He intended to overtake them, but the moment he tried to accelerate, she nimbly weaved through the flow of traffic, nearly shaking him off entirely. He didn't know if she had done it on purpose, but it was incredibly infuriating.

It wasn't until the roar of the motorcycle finally ceased that Su Xingzhi pulled over to the side, stopped his car, and stepped out with long strides. Ahead, Cen Mo and Su Miao were chatting and laughing as they removed their helmets. Hearing the footsteps behind them, the two girls glanced back, then turned away as if nothing had happened, walking toward the building arm-in-arm.

"..."

Su Xingzhi remained speechless for a few seconds. With one hand in his pocket and his brow furrowed deeper, he realized they must have spotted his car earlier—otherwise, they wouldn't have been so nonchalant. He followed them up and, after entering Su Miao’s apartment, sat on the sofa in silence, waiting.

Cen Mo and Su Miao whispered to each other for a while before retreating into the bedroom. Seeing the room in such a mess, Cen Mo’s fingers itched to organize. "Miaomiao, this won't do. If you keep staying in a room like this, your mood won't be good either."

Perhaps because they had just shared the experience of riding the motorcycle, their relationship had blossomed significantly; they had dropped their full names in favor of nicknames. Cen Mo wasn't usually the type to make friends easily. Having been through so much, she always kept a sliver of wariness toward others and wouldn't open up casually. But Su Miao was different. For one, the girl was forthright and generous, much like her own personality; more importantly, because she was Su Xingzhi’s younger sister, Cen Mo felt an unconscious sense of closeness, as if they were family.

Surveying Su Miao’s walk-in closet, Cen Mo suggested, "Do you want to buy some storage tools? Folding boards, storage racks—they’re small things, but very convenient to use."

"What are those?" Su Miao pulled out her phone, searched for them, and quickly placed a large order. She clapped her hands and said, "Great! When they arrive in a few days, I’ll call you over to unbox them with me, okay? And you can teach me how to use them."

"Sure," Cen Mo nodded, then added, "Also, tools alone aren't enough. You have to be diligent. Fold your clothes properly as you put them away, and tidy up as you go instead of waiting for everything to pile up."

"But I just can't," Su Miao sighed, looking distressed. "I get annoyed the moment I see this mess. I really have no clue where to start. I used to hire someone to clean the room once a month, but then I kept losing things, so I just gave up."

Some people are simply not gifted at organizing; there was no helping it. Cen Mo sighed, "Fine. When I have time later, I’ll teach you slowly."

Su Miao had consumed a bit of alcohol, and since it was quite late, she was tired. After a few more words, she washed up and went to the bedroom to sleep.

Cen Mo returned to the living room alone. Su Xingzhi was still sitting on the sofa, his long legs crossed casually as he stared at her.

"Miaomiao is asleep. Shall we go?" Cen Mo walked over, choosing to ignore the look on the man’s face.

*Miaomiao?* She certainly sounded close with her.

Su Xingzhi didn't get up. He leaned back and gave a casual wave of his hand.

Though she wasn't particularly keen, Cen Mo walked over anyway. "What is it?"

In the next second, she felt a pull on her arm, and she was yanked into his lap. A large hand clamped around her waist, pinning her in place.

"Do you have a license? You’re just out there riding motorcycles," Su Xingzhi said, his tone stern. His other hand reached up to tuck a lock of her short hair behind her ear.

"I do." Cen Mo struggled twice, but failing to break free, she settled down obediently.

The man didn't seem to believe her; he grabbed her bag and insisted on checking it himself before he was satisfied.

"And what’s going on with my sister?" he continued.

"We just... hit it off while chatting. And since we’ll have plenty of chances to interact in the future, isn't it good to build a relationship early?" Cen Mo dangled her feet, speaking slowly.

"What kind of 'interaction'? Have you already decided she's your sister-in-law?" Su Xingzhi’s expression softened, his fingers gently brushing against the curve of her ear.

Sure enough, it turned bright red instantly.

She jabbed her elbow backward, and taking advantage of his distraction, Cen Mo stood up and headed for the door without looking back.

As she lowered her head to put on her shoes, Su Xingzhi walked over, crouched down, and zipped up the back of her boots before standing up. "What’s wrong with you today? You’re like a firecracker—ready to go off at the slightest touch."

He had noticed it from the start: she had been dismissive of him, ignoring all his calls. When he followed her in his car, given her observational skills, she must have known he was there. Yet, she hadn't stopped; instead, she had deliberately accelerated to shake him off. Everything pointed to her being upset, yet he hadn't done anything to offend her recently.

Su Xingzhi was puzzled, so he pulled her into his arms to get to the bottom of it.

Cen Mo leaned lazily against him, glared upward, and after a long moment, muttered, "Childhood sweethearts coming over to throw themselves at you, getting confessed to by girls every day at school... you’re certainly popular, aren't you?"

Su Xingzhi was silent for a moment before asking, "Did Miaomiao tell you that?"

He looked toward Su Miao’s bedroom door, intending to walk over.

Cen Mo’s expression darkened, and she said gloomily from behind him, "What? Are you going to go settle the score with her?"

"I'm just checking if the kid is asleep." Su Xingzhi turned back with a helpless look, opened the door to peek inside, and then closed it again. "She's asleep. I tucked her in. Let’s go."

As he led her out and they got into the car, Cen Mo was still unhappy. *Not explaining is just covering it up.* From his reaction, she could tell this man hadn't exactly been a saint in the past. Even though there was no need to bring up the past, she felt a sting of jealousy. While she wasn't quite at the point of throwing a tantrum, she didn't really want to talk to him.

In contrast, Su Xingzhi’s expression was much better than before; he even seemed to be in a good mood as he drove the car smoothly.

Halfway there, Cen Mo couldn't hold it in anymore. "Don't you have anything to say to me?"

"Not really." The man turned the steering wheel, took the turn at the intersection, and headed straight toward her place.

Cen Mo fell silent again, gazing out the window. It was a childish thing to do, but she couldn't help herself.

When they arrived at her apartment complex, Su Xingzhi finally stopped the car. He leaned over to unbuckle her seatbelt and pinched her cheek. "Are you jealous, Momo?"

Cen Mo turned her face away, ignoring him.

The man was clearly in high spirits; he even let out a low chuckle. "You’re cute when you’re jealous. Not bad."

*Was that supposed to be a compliment?* What did he mean by "cute when jealous"?

If Cen Mo were a cat, she would be bristling with fur right now. She pursed her lips and sat there without a word, using her silence to protest.

After watching the young woman sulk for a moment, Su Xingzhi leaned over and gently kissed her cheek, pulling her small hand into his palm. "You know, don't you? I’ve always hated physical contact with others—except for you."

He whispered this right by her ear, his voice low and magnetic. Hearing it, Cen Mo’s attitude softened inexplicably. She knew her tantrum had been irrational, but she hadn't been able to control it. She realized now that what she had wanted all along wasn't an explanation—she just wanted him to coax her.

*Am I being too delicate?* Is this what it's like to be in love? She found it astonishing. Her ears turned red again, and she turned to look at him, letting the man kiss her for a while. They lingered in the car for a long time, unable to bring themselves to step out.

When Su Xingzhi finally let her go, Cen Mo remembered the main issue. "Have you thought about why Su Miao’s attitude toward you is always so poor? She has always misunderstood you."

"I know." Su Xingzhi leaned back against the seat and nodded.

"Then aren't you going to explain?" Cen Mo couldn't help but ask.

"How could I? I don't really want them to know about my past; it would only cause them unnecessary worry," Su Xingzhi said calmly.

Cen Mo knew that by "them," he meant his mother and his sister, Su Miao. His parents had divorced when he was young, and Su Miao had lived with their mother. That was all Cen Mo knew about Su Xingzhi’s family, and she preferred not to pry into such personal matters.

Still, she offered one last piece of advice: "Su Miao was very attached to you when she was little, and she has deep feelings for you as her brother. That’s why she acts out. She isn't truly angry; she’s just afraid you don't care about her. You just need to convey that you do."

Su Xingzhi thought about it for a moment. "Alright, I’ll find time to talk to her. Since I returned to the country, I’ve been too busy with work, and this girl has been avoiding me. I suppose I have neglected her."

With that said, Cen Mo finally got out of the car and headed home.

...

Regarding the matter of Jiang Lingling, Cen Mo still held reservations in her heart. Although she had already sent her and Sun Qiang to the detention center and the lawsuit was progressing well, the issue of Jiang Lingling’s parents remained a problem.

Even though Cen Mo called them "Uncle and Aunt," deep down, she never wanted to see them again. She despised them from the bottom of her heart. From the very beginning, they had only adopted her to get their hands on her inheritance, without a shred of humanity or familial affection. That she had managed to grow up safely was only because of her own resilience.

But Jiang Lingling was different. Although she had been scolded plenty during their childhood, she was the couple’s biological daughter. Now that she had been in trouble for so long, it was impossible that they hadn't noticed.