Knock, knock. The waiter knocked on the door and came in.
The bickering atmosphere that had just prevailed came to an abrupt halt and gradually returned to calm.
"Mr. Bo, your dishes are all served."
Bo Jingyu nodded. "Thank you. You can go out now."
Shen Ximan had just been about to get up and leave, but when she saw the steaming dish on the table, memories suddenly flooded into her mind, causing ripples in her resolute heart.
"Did you deliberately order this dish to provoke me?"
Shen Ximan pointed at the stir - fried tender tofu and sliced pork, with a hint of disappointment in her eyes.
She still remembered that when Bo Jingyu was hospitalized before, she got up early in the morning and fumbled around in the kitchen to make this dish. After finally making it to her satisfaction, she happily brought it for him to taste, but didn't receive a good look from him.
He even told her never to make this dish again.
"I apologize for what I said back then. But please calm down and listen to my explanation, okay?" Bo Jingyu behaved very sincerely.
This made Shen Ximan feel a lot better.
"Okay."
"When I was young, I loved this dish that my mother made for me the most. It looked no different from the one in a cheap eatery, plain and simple without any amazing features."
When he talked about the past memories, his eyes were always soft.
"But I especially liked it because no one could replicate the taste that only my mother could make. The one you made for me in the hospital last time was delicious. I just didn't know how to express my feelings."
Bo Jingyu stared at Shen Ximan, with the sorrow in his heart unable to be released.
"After my mother passed away, everyone thought it was my fault. They thought I was cold - blooded and heartless. But you were the only one who accompanied me regardless of the rumors and even dared to confront my grandfather."
Her eyes were slightly red, obviously affected by his emotional plea.
"Let the past be the past. Don't bring it up again."
"I've lost you once. I don't want to lose you a second time. Whether you hate me or resent me, please don't take risks alone, okay?" His tone was like a plea.
Shen Ximan endured the mist in her eyes, not wanting to show weakness in front of him. How could she not understand these things? She also wanted to struggle and break free from this damned cage!
But as long as she couldn't let go of her hatred, she couldn't live freely.
Bo Jingyu's love came too late and at a very inopportune time.
If they could have confided their feelings to each other and been unwavering in love when they were still husband and wife, they wouldn't have ended up in such a mess.
"I still stand by what I said. You don't need to interfere in my business."
Shen Ximan calmed her emotions and got up. "I'm warning you. If you interfere with my plan, our cooperation will end here!"
She threw the coat on her body back to him and rushed out of the door in a hurry.
Bo Jingyu felt as if his heart was being cut by a knife. He looked at the table full of dishes helplessly.
"Waiter, take my order."
The waiter came in, looking blank - faced with the order pad in hand.
"Mr. Bo, you haven't even touched these dishes."
"Sweet and sour pork tenderloin, fresh meat rice rolls, squirrel - shaped mandarin fish..."
Bo Jingyu didn't respond to her. He just reported the names of the dishes on his own.
The waiter didn't dare to ask any more questions and quickly wrote them down.
"Pack them up after they're ready and send them to Ahaorui Company. Be there in five minutes."
"F - five minutes?!"
His cold eyes glanced over. "Is there a problem?"
"No! I'll go tell the kitchen right away!"
Shen Ximan stomped downstairs angrily. When she saw the man waiting at the door, she jogged over and grabbed his collar.
"Who told you my whereabouts? Who?"
Qian Li was so scared that he tilted his neck back. "M - Miss Wen! Please talk nicely. Don't be so rough."
"You won't say, right? Fine. I'll go back to the company and interrogate everyone one by one."
She let go forcefully and was about to leave in a huff.
"Miss Wen, you're going the wrong way. The car is over here!"
Shen Ximan came to her senses and then stomped back angrily in her high - heels.
"Need you to tell me?"
"..."
Qian Li was speechless. He carefully followed behind and watched her get into the car.
Just as the car was about to start, a chef wearing a tall hat ran out, carrying a brown cloth bag in his hand.
"Wait! Wait a minute!"
He poked his head out and asked curiously, "What's going on?"
"Oh my goodness, I finally caught up. These are the dishes Mr. Bo ordered for that young lady just now. He also asked me to deliver a message, saying that she's been busy all day and hasn't eaten much. She must take good care of her body."
Tears welled up in Shen Ximan's eyes in the back seat.
Qian Li glanced at the back and then took the bag. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Drive safely!"
The chef wiped the sweat off his forehead as he watched the car in the distance. "Thank goodness I was in time. Otherwise, it would have been delivered in five minutes before I even got out of the door."
On the way back, neither of them in the car said a word.
Only the fragrance of the food wafted out from the cloth bag.
The car stopped at the door of Ahaorui Company. Qian Li hesitated for a long time and then said, "Miss Wen, I'll just say a few words. It won't take long."
Shen Ximan nodded. "Go ahead."
She had been holding back her tears just now, so now her nose was a bit stuffy.
"Maybe you still have some grudges against Second Master, but he wasn't the one who directly hurt you. If he didn't have feelings for you, he wouldn't have secretly sent you to Lanshan after the cooperation meeting."
"Second Master has really changed a lot. Please give him a chance. That's all I want to say. If I've offended you, you can scold or beat me as you like." After Qian Li finished speaking, he unlocked all the car doors.
Shen Ximan was silent for a long time before she spoke hoarsely.
"Help me deliver a message to him. Say..."
The four words "Go your own way" got stuck in her throat. No matter how much courage she summoned, she just couldn't say them. Just thinking about it made her chest ache.
"Just say thank you for his invitation. I'll finish all these dishes."
With that, she got out of the car with the heavy cloth bag.
Qian Li watched her back and felt relieved.
Then he quickly took out his phone and typed a message.
Ding Dong. Xue Xiaoqi's pocket vibrated.
She took out her phone and saw the pop - up message on the screen -
"Miss Wen knows everything. She may suspect you. Just tell her it was me. You're not involved in this at all."
Click. The door of the meeting room was opened. She was so startled that she didn't even have time to put her phone in her pocket. She stared at Shen Ximan blankly and innocently.
"What are you spacing out for?"
"Ah? I, I was preparing materials for the commercial building."
Her tone softened. "Have you eaten?"
Afraid of being scolded, Xue Xiaoqi lowered her head and shook it.
"Just in time. Bo Jingyu ordered a lot of dishes for me. I can't finish them all. You can join me. If A Kun is also in the company, call him too."
"Wh - where are we going?"
Shen Ximan smiled. "Where else? My office."