Bo Siming clenched his fists, his teeth grinding audibly.
What a well - liked Bo Jingyu! Even after being suspended by Grandpa, he still couldn't keep quiet. How dare he pull strings right under his nose?
No wonder those holdout households suddenly changed their minds. They must have secretly taken bribes and didn't report anything to him!
At first, Bo Siming had planned to take a gentle approach, gradually making Shen Ximan accept and fall in love with him.
But now it seemed that tenderness wasn't his style.
Taking by force would better demonstrate his authority and intimidation.
After formulating his plan, Bo Siming quickly turned around and left.
Shen Ximan was experiencing all - round service today.
"Second Young Mistress, how do you like the tremella soup?"
An amiable aunt asked softly, standing by her side.
"It tastes great. Actually, you don't have to go to so much trouble. I can get out of bed..." Before she could finish, her legs were gently put back on the bed.
"That won't do. Young Master Bo has ordered that you shouldn't move around too much."
"..."
Shen Ximan felt like she had dug a pit for herself.
She had hands and feet and was perfectly capable of moving around. Why on earth did she have to lie in bed like this? And it was like she was an empress, surrounded by servants.
Besides the aunt in front of her, there were many more behind, each holding plates and bowls, waiting to serve her food.
"I'm really not very hungry. Maybe you can go back first."
Shen Ximan was extremely uncomfortable with this.
"Since Second Young Mistress has spoken, we'll just leave the classic Dongpo Pork Knuckle, Garlic Scallop Soup and Spicy Fried Chicken Cubes for you."
Looking at these aunts in colorful clothes, she felt like she had turned to stone.
If it were before, seeing these delicate dishes, she would surely have a big appetite and gobble them up. But now, Shen Ximan had absolutely no desire to eat.
Knock, knock, knock. A little girl with twin ponytails peeked in timidly, holding a few wildflowers and an envelope.
Curving her eyebrows, Shen Ximan suddenly thought of An Ruo.
A few years ago, she was just like this little girl, thin and shy, too introverted to even look at strangers.
"Little friend, do you have something to tell me?"
"… Uncle."
Shen Ximan got out of bed, walked over and touched her cute chubby cheeks.
"Are you lost?"
The little girl shook her head and handed the wildflowers to her.
"Uncle asked me to give these to you."
They were a few white daisies.
They looked simple and elegant, ordinary yet with a tenacious vitality that allowed them to survive even in crevices.
Shen Ximan took them and sniffed them.
The faint fragrance was refreshing.
"And this. You must go," the little girl said, stuffing the envelope into her arms and then running away quickly.
"Hey? Wait..."
Shen Ximan looked blankly at her small back.
She opened the envelope. The characters on it were bold and powerful, a bit different from Bo Jingyu's style but not out of place.
"Meet me at the hot spring on Huazhi Mountain Peak at the hotel tonight."
She blushed shyly and smiled. "Didn't expect him to be so romantic."
After putting the envelope under the pillow, Shen Ximan picked out a few clothes that the aunts had brought. Standing in front of the mirror, she looked at herself from all angles, wondering which set to wear.
A few hours later, Bo Jingyu returned, looking exhausted.
"Second Young Master."
The aunt opposite greeted him politely.
"How was Ximan's condition this afternoon?"
"She hardly ate anything. We're really worried about her health."
He paused for a moment, pursed his lips and said, "Thank you for your hard work."
Before Bo Jingyu could turn around, he was stopped by the aunt behind.
"Second Young Master, shouldn't you be at the hot spring pool on Huazhi Mountain? Second Young Mistress has been out for over an hour."
His body froze. With a dark face, he asked, "Hot spring pool? Who did you hear that from?"
The aunt was so frightened that she trembled. Cold sweat instantly broke out on her forehead. She stammered, "S - Second Young Mistress said so. She said she received a letter from you and the meeting place was the hot spring pool."
Bo Jingyu rushed into Shen Ximan's room in one stride. His eyes quickly scanned the room and then fixed on the corner of a piece of paper sticking out from under the pillow.
That handwriting was clearly Bo Siming's!
"Damn it!"
A hazy mist enveloped the entire Huazhi Mountain Peak. The natural scenery here attracted many tourists who came to take pictures.
Shen Ximan looked around in the crowd but didn't see Bo Jingyu.
"Maybe I'm early. I'll wait a bit longer."
She murmured to comfort herself.
"Hi, beauty. Could you take a photo for us?"
A woman with big waves smiled and handed over her camera.
"Sure." Shen Ximan took it gladly.
She aimed the camera but before she could press the shutter, a few kids came running and accidentally bumped into her.
She lost her balance and almost fell flat on her face.
Shen Ximan closed her eyes tightly. Instead of the hard impact, she felt a warm and solid chest.
"Why are you so careless?"
Cold sweat broke out on her back instantly.
The woman with big waves covered her mouth enviously and said with a blushing face, "I'm really sorry. I should have stopped those kids."
Bo Siming casually pulled Shen Ximan into his arms and smiled tenderly. "Thank you for being so considerate of my girlfriend."
She struggled reluctantly, but he seemed to have anticipated it. He grabbed her hand and interlaced their fingers, letting their hands hang by their sides.
"Well, we won't disturb your date then."
The woman with big waves gave Bo Siming a flirtatious look and left with her friends, chatting about gossip as they walked.
"Did you notice that guy just now? He seems to be the eldest young master of the Bo Group. Why would he find such an ugly girlfriend?"
"Pfft, we don't understand the world of the rich."
"After eating too much delicious food, you might want to have some plain porridge occasionally? No, even plain porridge is a luxury for her. It should be moldy steamed cake!"
Bo Siming sneered at them. "Shallow."
"Was it you who asked the little girl to give me the envelope?"
This was finally Shen Ximan's chance to angrily question him.
"Judging from your tone, you seem a bit disappointed?"
The light in his eyes gradually dimmed. "You were hoping for Bo Jingyu to come?"
"Let go!" She frowned angrily and struggled continuously.
"Ximan, I think I'm a bit into you."
It was like a heavy blow to her head.
Why were all the Bo family members so strange? If Bo Yanhai knew that these two brothers were vying for an ugly girl, he would be so angry that his face would turn pale.
This sudden confession was a bit hard for Shen Ximan to accept.
Especially with their body heat mingling like this, it always made her think of the scene in the Shen family, when Shen Shiyu was entangled with him.
"I don't like you."
Bo Siming seemed to have expected this. He tightened their interlaced fingers and hooked his lips wickedly.
"I'll make you like me."