Xue Xiaoqi held Shen Ximan's hand, her eyes full of pity.
"Now, elder sister is truly outstanding, a paragon beyond compare. But somehow... I always feel you're not as carefree and happy as before."
"I was carefree because I was naive and foolish!"
Her eyes welled up with emotion as she grew agitated. "I was bossed around by Bo Jingyu, belittled by the Bo family, and laughed at by everyone! I even sacrificed my life for Bo Siming's grand plans."
"Xiaoqi, I know you want me to be happy and live freely without constraints. But reality is cruel. If I'm kind, I'll be bullied. I have to build a wall around myself to protect myself!"
Shen Ximan pulled her hand back and wiped the moisture from the corner of her eyes.
"Stop wasting time. Let's go now!"
"...... Elder sister, what are you doing?"
An Ruo ran out of the bedroom at this moment, clutching the teddy bear Bo Jingyu bought for her in one hand and looking at them pitifully.
"You take her to the car first. I'll push Grandpa over later."
Xue Xiaoqi was helpless and could only obediently follow the order.
"Miss San, let's go to the car."
"Why do we have to go to the car? It's raining heavily outside. We can't go."
An Ruo stubbornly stepped back and refused.
"Are you going to be obedient? Do as you're told!"
Shen Ximan lost her temper and turned her face away, shouting.
"Woo... Wah!" It was the first time she'd been glared at by her elder sister like this.
"Bad, bad elder sister! Woo, An Ruo won't leave. I won't leave!"
"Miss San, don't cry. Be a good girl, okay?"
Xue Xiaoqi quickly squatted down and hugged her to comfort her.
"Elder sister has changed! The elder sister before never shouted at me. I want to find brother. Woo, where's brother? I don't want elder sister!"
An Ruo struggled in her arms, and her cries grew louder.
"I'm your real elder sister!" Shen Ximan was so angry that cold sweat broke out on her forehead.
"Is this how a real elder sister educates a child?"
The door suddenly opened, and Bo Jingyu came in, soaked from head to toe.
The strong wind outside blew in, making the door creak.
"Brother!"
An Ruo's eyes were red from crying, and she stretched out her hands, about to run over.
"Don't come here first. I'm all wet." Bo Jingyu lovingly stroked her little head, his eyes softening.
"Could you please get me a blanket?"
He said to Xue Xiaoqi.
"No problem!"
Shen Ximan saw the car with its lights still on outside the door. She glared at him angrily. "What are you doing here? Are you crazy?"
"If I weren't crazy, how could I fall for you?"
There was obvious anger in Bo Jingyu's tone.
"Staying with you is suffocating!"
With that, she rushed out without looking back.
He immediately panicked. First, he comforted An Ruo to stay in place obediently, then he strode out to chase after the faint red figure.
"Second Master!"
Ruo Chi got out of the car and also rushed out to chase.
Shen Ximan's red clothes were instantly soaked by the rain and clung to her skin. The long pants on her legs were the same, as if filled with water.
Every step was a struggle.
"Man'er! Man'er!"
The man behind kept shouting her name.
Every word revealed his love and affection for her.
But all she could do was run aimlessly.
"I have to leave... I must leave..."
There was a landscape light every few hundred meters on the dark mountain.
Bo Jingyu gasped for breath, afraid of losing sight of Shen Ximan.
Boom, boom.
Lightning, strong wind, and raindrops like hail.
She felt out of her mind, and he felt muddled.
But their goals were the same.
One wanted to escape, and the other was determined to catch up.
Ruo Chi was so tired that he stopped under a landscape light, bending over with his hands on his knees, gasping for breath. "Good heavens, are these two running a marathon?"
After complaining, he tried to find a signal on his phone and called for reinforcements.
"Second Master, wait for me..."
Plop, Shen Ximan was tripped by something under her feet.
She fell face - first into the mud, with mud on the corner of her mouth.
"Ugh! I'm so unlucky!"
Just as she got up and was about to continue leaving, her wrist was grabbed.
Bo Jingyu pulled her into his arms and lovingly kissed her hair.
"Stop running. Please, I'm begging you!"
"Let go of me... Let go of me!"
In fact, Shen Ximan had no strength left.
In the bad weather, they could hardly hear or see anything except shouting at the top of their voices.
"If I let go, where will you run to?"
He held her shoulders tightly, his expression on the verge of crying.
"Is it really that unbearable for you to stay by my side?"
"Yes! That's right!" Shen Ximan roared.
"I hate you. I loathe you. I never want to see you again!"
Bo Jingyu's heart felt as if it had been tightly squeezed by a hand.
The pain made him hold his breath.
"Why didn't you tell me your plan? Why did you have to shoulder everything alone? If Bo Siming finds out and something bad happens, what am I supposed to do?"
Shen Ximan burst into laughter, as if she'd heard the biggest joke in the world.
"Don't forget you have a fiancée. Why don't you go and care about her instead of me? What am I to you?"
Looking at her indifferent eyes, Bo Jingyu got angry.
He grabbed the back of her head and pressed his cold lips against hers.
Shen Ximan's pupils dilated, and her whole body froze.
"Um! Um... Bo Jing..."
All her struggling words were blocked by his lips.
The kiss was deep, intense, domineering, and irresistible.
She could feel that Bo Jingyu was emotional and very angry.
Taking the opportunity, Shen Ximan bit his tongue hard.
She heard a pained groan from his throat, but he deepened the kiss immediately. The coppery - sweet taste spread between their lips and teeth.
Ruo Chi finally climbed up. Just as he was about to shout, his expression froze instantly, and a bitter feeling welled up in his heart.
"...... It's so nice. I climbed up here for so long with my legs about to break, just to watch these two show their affection. I really look like a clown."
He squatted there dejectedly, sighing about his miserable experience.
When Bo Jingyu felt the person in his arms go weak and almost lean most of her body on him, he finally pulled away from her lips.
"Are you calm now?"
"Lecher!" Shen Ximan scolded angrily.
He suddenly laughed and hugged her tightly.
"You haven't called me that in a long time."
They often bickered when they lived in the mansion before.
Now, experiencing this feeling again was truly a rare blessing.
"Do you have a masochistic tendency? Do you like being scolded?"
Bo Jingyu grinned wickedly. "It depends on who scolds me. Only you can do it."
Shen Ximan was stirred by his flirting.
"Let go! Don't hug me."