Bo Siming hadn't finished speaking when he was sharply interrupted.
"I told you to follow up on the project a week later! These kinds of banquets are full of rich kids. Haven't you seen enough of them?"
Bo Yanhai's words left him speechless.
Since childhood, Bo Siming had been competitive and never played with kids of lower status. Everyone in the Bo family was well aware of this flaw.
The only reason he wanted to get involved in this occasion now was to prove that Bo Jingyu posed no real threat to him.
Others might not know, but how could Bo Yanhai not?
"...... I understand, Grandpa."
"Sit down and have your meal quickly."
Bo Siming suppressed the rising anger inside him. He took a sip of coffee. As he looked up, he saw Shen Ximan staring at him.
The prominent scar on his face showed the newly grown uneven and pitted skin.
"Is there something on my face?"
He pretended to be amiable and spoke in a soft voice.
"Big Brother, did you forget to wash your face this morning? Why do you look so dark? Or are you in a bad mood?"
Shen Ximan! This woman was doing it on purpose!
Bo Jingyu took a sip of coffee with a faint smile and calmly cut his fried eggs.
"Sister-in-law sure knows how to joke." Bo Siming's veins bulged on his forehead.
"Thank you for the compliment, Big Brother."
Shen Ximan squinted and smiled. The more she smiled, the more natural and open she seemed. In this deadlock, the one who panicked would be the one embarrassed.
"Alright, it's getting late," Bo Yanhai wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up. "Get ready. We'll leave in half an hour."
Back in his bedroom, Bo Siming was furious.
"Good for you, Shen Ximan! Hinting at me in front of Grandpa?"
Just then, an unfamiliar number called.
"Hello!"
Yang Wan was startled by his growl and stammered nervously.
"Q, Young Master Siming, I'm Yu'er's mother."
Bo Siming frowned. "What's the matter?"
She burst into tears. "Yu'er wants to see you now. She cut her wrist!"
He wasn't particularly surprised. That kind of woman's life - and - death drama didn't really matter to him. However, the Shen family had considerable influence. Cutting ties at this moment might mean losing a stable source of resources.
He still had to put on an act.
"What happened? Why didn't you call me immediately?"
Yang Wan felt a warm current in her heart.
"Young Master Siming! Wuwuwu, it's so good that you still care about Yu'er. I'll send you the address right away!"
After hanging up the phone, Bo Siming lit a cigarette and took a deep puff.
"Just causing trouble."
After quickly finishing the cigarette, he grabbed the coat on the bed and rushed downstairs.
"Tell Grandpa that I have something to do at the company and I'll leave first. Please take them to Hengsheng Hotel."
"Sure, Young Master." Butler Yan nodded.
Knock, knock, knock.
Shen Ximan was almost done changing into her evening dress when someone knocked on the door.
"Wait a minute!"
In her hurry, she put on her slippers backwards and stumbled towards the door.
Bo Jingyu saw her messy hair and was about to come in.
"What are you doing!"
"Putting the book away." He waved the thing in his hand in front of her.
Shen Ximan blushed. The zipper at the back of her evening dress hadn't been fully pulled up and was slowly coming undone.
"No!"
"This is my bedroom." Bo Jingyu was clearly displeased, thinking her full - fledged resistance was over - reacting.
"Still, no! Can you wait for five minutes before coming in?"
He saw her with her head down and her earlobes extremely red.
"Why?"
Shen Ximan bit her lower lip. She was almost begging him.
She quickly straightened up and reached behind her to grab the zipper.
"Then, you can go in and put it away first. Leave right after!"
Bo Jingyu's playful side came out. With a smile, he said disobediently, "No rush. I'll go to the dressing room to pick a watch. You go ahead with what you're doing."
She breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay."
Only after she watched him walk in did she let go of the zipper. She turned her back to the mirror and struggled to pull it up.
"This Steward Qin! Must... huff, must have deliberately given me a smaller - sized dress. It's so hard to zip up."
Just as Shen Ximan was mumbling, Bo Jingyu suddenly popped out.
"Which color tie do you think looks better?"
She was so startled that she sat down on the ground. Squeak...
The zipper completely came off, and her entire back was exposed.
The air instantly froze. Shen Ximan trembled her lips, on the verge of crying. She felt she could never hold her head up in front of him again. It was so embarrassing!
Bo Jingyu let out a soft laugh and said gently, "Silly girl."
"You! Who told you to come out! Did you do it on purpose?"
She kept tugging at her clothes and didn't dare to stand up. She could only move a few steps backward on her butt.
"Come here. I'll zip it up for you." He showed a row of white teeth as he smiled.
He looked sunny and handsome, without any hint of mockery.
Shen Ximan swallowed nervously. Before she could say anything, Steward Qin knocked on the door and urged them outside.
"Second Young Master, Second Madam, there's only ten minutes left. The old master is waiting."
Bo Jingyu replied first. "Got it."
After the footsteps faded away, he spoke again. "If you keep dawdling like this, Grandpa will scold me later. Come here quickly."
Shen Ximan was extremely ashamed but had no choice but to turn her back to him obediently.
He stepped forward and raised his well - defined hand.
"Hold your breath, or I won't be able to zip it up."
She was so ashamed that she felt like exploding. She buried her face in her palms and obediently sucked in her abdomen. The zipper went up smoothly.
Bo Jingyu picked up the comb on the table and helped her comb her hair.
"I can do my hair myself!"
"You're too slow."
He simply combed it a few times and found a narcissus hairpin, pinning it on one side of her hair. It looked simple and pure.
"I'll ask Qianli to order a larger - sized evening dress. You can change in the lounge later. It's too late now. Bear with it."
Bo Jingyu said these gentle and considerate words.
For some reason, Shen Ximan's heart skipped a beat.
"What are you standing there for?" he asked curiously.
"Ah, um, I think the blue tie looks nice."
Bo Jingyu was stunned for a moment before he understood.
He quickly went into the dressing room, tied his tie, and opened the door. With a fake smile on his lips, he reached out his hand to her. "A pleasant cooperation, Mrs. Bo."
The anticipation in Shen Ximan's eyes was instantly doused like being splashed with cold water.
Yes, a banquet was the most eye - catching occasion.
Even a fake couple had to act as lovingly as a real one.
They couldn't disgrace the Bo family. This was Shen Ximan's promise to Grandpa and the only way to successfully escape from under Bo Jingyu's control.
Bo Yanhai watched them holding hands as they came downstairs. He nodded approvingly and then immediately put on a solemn expression.
"So slow."
"Sorry, Grandpa." Bo Jingyu apologized first. Although it was actually Shen Ximan who was slow, he took the blame on himself.
Thump, thump. Her heart started beating faster again.
In the car, Shen Ximan was still breathing slightly heavily. Especially her mind couldn't stop recalling...