"It's truly an honor for me, Shen Yuliang, to have the eldest young master visit my humble abode!" Shen Yuliang stood up, poured a glass of red wine, and offered it with a beaming smile.
"You're overpraising me. I'm the junior. How could I let you toast me?"
While speaking words of flattery, Bo Siming remained motionless in his seat.
"Your status is much higher than mine. If there's anything I can be higher than you, it's probably just my age! Hahaha. Come, I'll drink first."
Shen Yuliang clinked glasses with him on his own initiative and then downed the wine in one gulp.
Bo Siming pretended to be polite and took a small sip, then frowned with a fake smile.
If it weren't for the act, he wouldn't even want to come.
And this red wine was simply sour and astringent, hard to swallow. Not even a pig would drink it.
Shen Shiyu noticed his micro - expression and quickly picked up a piece of braised pork for him with the serving chopsticks. Smiling, she said, "Siming, try this quickly! This is Aunt Liang's specialty in our family. I've loved it since I was a kid."
Bo Siming forced a smile and shifted the topic, "Why haven't I seen the second young mistress? Isn't this your family dinner tonight? Or is it that I, an outsider, am disturbing you?"
Yang Wan immediately waved her hand, "How could that be! You're overthinking. That little girl... that child has been introverted since childhood. Her meals are always sent to her room by the servants."
Fortunately, she managed to correct herself in time. Otherwise, if the eldest young master knew that they had never treated this so - called second young lady as a human being, it would definitely affect Shiyu's marriage.
Bo Siming recalled her actions but couldn't find any suspicious points. He raised his eyebrows and said nothing more.
...
Bo Jingyu had been busy all day and dragged his exhausted body back to the mansion.
"Second young master."
"Where's grandpa?"
The middle - aged man took his coat and said softly, "The old master just finished dinner and is taking a walk in the back garden."
He tugged at his tie and asked, "Where's the second young mistress?"
"Haven't you heard? The Shen family called this afternoon, saying they wanted to pick up the second young mistress to have dinner at their place. She'll come back tomorrow morning."
Bo Jingyu immediately frowned, "Who allowed that?"
"The old master."
Seeing his worried expression, the middle - aged man interjected, "Going back to her natal family for dinner is just a common thing. The second young mistress won't get into trouble. I'll go pick her up myself tomorrow morning."
"No need. You should go and rest quickly."
After saying that, he rushed upstairs.
Looking at the numbers on the clock, Bo Jingyu felt inexplicably impatient.
Tick, tick.
He still couldn't hold it in. He picked up the coat on the hanger and rushed downstairs. Just then, he bumped into Bo Yanhai who had just come back from his stroll.
"Grandpa."
"When did you come back?"
"A while ago." Bo Jingyu looked a bit anxious.
"Where are you going so late? There should be a lot of formalities for you to handle in the company tomorrow." He sounded like a leader talking to an employee. Just a few words revealed his intimidating power.
"Just going out for some fresh air. I'll be back soon."
Bo Yanhai saw his expression, "You're going to find her?"
Bo Jingyu paused for a few seconds, "Yes."
"Humph," Bo Yanhai walked around him with his hands behind his back, sat on the sofa, lit a cigar, and puffed out clouds of smoke. "She's just an ugly and useless girl. Is it really worth your while to care so much about her?"
"I'm just going to take a look on the way."
Maybe he didn't even realize that he always found excuses to cover up the fact that he cared about her.
"As your wife, she hasn't brought you any economic or networking benefits. She's almost a useless existence in our Bo family. What's even more ridiculous is that she doesn't even know the most basic etiquette."
Bo Yanhai's words were like stabs, without any euphemism.
"If you're trying to get my attention with such means, then I can tell you formally now. Don't waste your effort."
"Since the company's directors voted for you to be the heir, then use your cold - hearted means to compete in the market instead of getting entangled in such worthless things."
After saying that, he snuffed out the cigar and went upstairs.
In such a family, Bo Jingyu had never received the love and care from his father, brothers, or even elders.
It was like a cage that trapped him. People outside would cover their mouths in surprise and discuss and scold him.
"Heartless", "Madman", "The useless one of the Bo family".
These labels had accompanied him since he was very young.
Looking back more than a decade ago, Bo Jingyu was eight years old.
"Quick! Call the doctor immediately!"
The sweat on the nurse's forehead soaked through the blue mask. Soon, the hurried footsteps of people echoed in the corridor.
"The patient's heart rate is low. Prepare for cardiopulmonary resuscitation!"
He watched as his mother was blocked by a white curtain. Doctors kneeling on the hospital bed took one measure after another.
But judging from their expressions, the situation was not optimistic.
"Ying'er, you must hold on!"
Bo Jingming's face was pale, and his whole body trembled uncontrollably.
At that time, based on the situation in front of him, Bo Jingyu could roughly guess that his mother might not have much time left.
That night, he overheard the conversation between his grandfather and father.
"How long are you going to be decadent? The company is currently in a good upward trend. If we miss this opportunity, we don't know how many years we'll have to wait for the next one!"
"Don't try to persuade me. Ying'er is now paralyzed in bed. If I don't stay by her side to take care of her at this time, am I still a man?!" Bo Jingming hugged his head in pain, and tears streamed down his face.
"Her illness is a sudden symptom. I've already invited the best professor to treat her," Bo Yanhai said earnestly, "but you just heard the result. There's no possibility of a complete recovery!"
"I didn't agree to her marriage into our family in the first place. It was you who insisted on marrying her! Now look, at such a young age, she has become paralyzed! What have people outside said about our Bo family?"
Bo Jingming suddenly stood up, "Dad! Jiang Ying is now lying on the hospital bed, on the verge of death. How could you say such cruel words?"
"Is the reputation and interests of the Bo family more important than a living life? You're really... so disappointing to me!"
Listening to the quarrel outside, Bo Jingyu could only lie on the crack of the door, biting his lips and shedding tears silently.
He was afraid of waking his mother up, and even more afraid that his grandfather and father would take away the last chance for him to stay by the bedside.
"Yu... Jing, Jingyu..."
Maybe it was mother - son telepathy. Amid the noise outside, Bo Jingyu heard this weak voice clearly.
He quickly crawled to the bedside and choked with sobs, "Mother..."
Jiang Ying used her last bit of strength to lovingly touch his face, "Why... are you the only one here? Where's your brother?"
His eyes were filled with tears, and the face of this gentle woman in front of him was blurred. "Brother is on the way here. Uncle the butler has picked him up. He'll be here soon! Soon!"
"What a good boy."
Jiang Ying knew her own body well. In order to take a few more looks, she tried hard to keep her eyelids open and not fall asleep.