25 – Chapter 25
An Sheng glanced at Shi Yan with slight surprise, “I assume Assistant Shi doesn’t view me as some clueless young girl, right?”
Shi Yan coughed and turned slightly, “Of course not.”
He just never expected you’d say such things in front of me.
If President Bo found out, he’d probably be overjoyed.
“I’ve seen the necklace Mr. Pei sent. There’s a circle of letters inside that should spell ‘An Ruyue’,” An Sheng smiled.
“I don’t know whether Mr. Pei brought the wrong gift by mistake, or if he did it intentionally, wanting to send it to An Ruyue through A Ye’s hands?”
Shi Yan frowned slightly, “I’m not clear about that.”
An Sheng put down her wine glass, “A Ye is really… foolish.”
“These two have been carrying on right under his nose, and he never noticed before.”
Shi Yan adjusted his glasses and sighed softly, “I’m not trying to defend President Bo, but before marrying you, he truly paid little attention to Miss An Ruyue and Mr. Pei’s relationship.”
“After marriage, he became even more careful to avoid suspicion.”
“They grew up together, and Mr. Pei has always been quite attentive to women. To put it bluntly, until he lost his memories, President Bo was a clueless straight man who didn’t understand romance or even recognize romantic relationships.”
“Expecting him to notice anything unusual between Mr. Pei and Miss An Ruyue was impossible.”
An Sheng laughed, “So you’re saying he only learned how to pursue women after losing his memories?”
Shi Yan gazed at the night view of Brocade Garden, “Probably because only after losing his memories did he focus his attention on chasing women.”
“You could ask Xi Yuan. Being a Bo family member, he knows more about certain things than I do.”
After speaking, Shi Yan bowed slightly, returned to the living room to get his coat, and left.
He still had work to do and couldn’t stay at Brocade Garden.
An Sheng stood thoughtfully on the balcony, lowering her gaze as she pondered Shi Yan’s words.
Bo Xiyuan was sketching in his room when An Sheng knocked, “Xi Yuan…”
The door opened, and An Sheng smiled faintly, “There are some things I’d like to ask you. Do you have time now?”
Bo Xiyuan opened the door wider to invite her in, “Please come in…”
An Sheng noticed the drawing board, “Xi Yuan can draw too?”
“Just a hobby. What did you want to ask me?” Bo Xiyuan walked over and covered the drawing board.
“I want to know about A Ye’s childhood and his life before marrying me,” An Sheng looked at him.
Bo Xiyuan sat opposite An Sheng, narrowing his eyes, “Madam Ning Xu was a very strict mother, and also a ruthless one.”
“President Bo received elite education since childhood, even crueler than most. If he failed to meet expectations, he’d be physically punished – beaten until unconsciousness wasn’t unheard of.”
“He hardly had any rest time. Madam Ning Xu seemed to know early that she wouldn’t be around to see President Bo start a family, so she forced him to learn everything in advance.”
“Fortunately, President Bo didn’t disappoint Madam, but he disappointed himself.”
“President Bo is a workaholic. He’s also someone who doesn’t understand romance and lacks any romantic sensibility. Every year, his gifts to Miss An Ruyue were nothing but jewelry – whichever was most expensive, he’d buy that.”
Bo Xiyuan almost laughed as he spoke, “So when something happened to President Bo, both Shi Yan and I were shocked.”
“We never expected he had this side to him.”
“Shi Yan said it might be because he never had a normal childhood or adolescence, so he’s taking the chance to relive it.””So now, his heart belongs only to you, Little Madam. He would spare no effort to please you, to love you, doing things he would never have done before.”
An Sheng looked at him, “Then why did his attitude suddenly change?”
“Only President Bo himself knows the reason. I don’t understand why, but I do know he’s truly determined to break ties with those two.” Bo Xiyuan glanced toward the doorway.
Footsteps echoed on the stairs as Bo Jinye, freshly showered, came looking for someone.
“For company matters, you can ask Shi Yan anything. He’ll tell you everything, because President Bo said everything can be entrusted to you.” Before Bo Xiyuan finished speaking, the man’s figure appeared at the door.
Glaring angrily at Bo Xiyuan, “Why is Sheng Sheng with you?!”
Taking advantage of Bo Jinye’s need to maintain his act, Bo Xiyuan retorted leisurely, “Little Madam wanted to come.”
Bo Jinye looked as if struck by lightning, staring blankly at An Sheng, “Sheng Sheng…”
[I actually lost to Bo Xiyuan?? Unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable!]
An Sheng curled her lips, her eyes sparkling with teasing laughter, “Oh dear, A Ye found out.”
“I’ve actually wanted to visit Xi Yuan for a long time, but A Ye kept clinging to me so I never had the chance.”
Bo Jinye had already rushed in, scooping An Sheng up and immediately running away with her.
Bo Xiyuan looked at the overturned armchair in his room and the flower stand Bo Jinye had deliberately pushed over, rolling his eyes.
So petty…
Bo Jinye looked ready to cry. After carrying An Sheng back to the bedroom, he placed her on the bed, then sat on the floor himself, leaning against An Sheng’s legs with a wronged pout as he glared at her.
Slowly, his eyes reddened.
His voice came out choked with sobs, “Sheng Sheng abandoned me.”
An Sheng looked down at him, watching the man before her, recalling Bo Xiyuan’s words from earlier.
Because he never had a normal childhood or adolescence, he wanted to relive it.
An Sheng’s heart trembled, feeling a surge of tenderness for Bo Jinye.
It seemed they were both people with unfortunate childhoods.
The only difference was that one lost their mother, while the other lost their father.
Seeing An Sheng just watching him without speaking, Bo Jinye’s sobs intensified, “Does Sheng Sheng not want me anymore?”
An Sheng snapped out of her thoughts, took a deep breath, and pulled him up into her embrace, “How could that be?”
Bo Jinye immediately pushed his advantage, trying to kiss her, “Then why were you in that man’s room?!”
“Just asking about some things, you jealous thing.” An Sheng kissed him.
“I am jealous! Sheng Sheng is married to me. If you want to go to another man’s room, you have to take me with you!” Bo Jinye chased after An Sheng’s lips relentlessly.
“What nonsense are you talking about? Why would I go to another man’s room?” An Sheng was pressed down onto the bed.
Bo Jinye propped himself up, his eyes slightly brightening, “Oh? Sheng Sheng said Xi Yuan isn’t a man. Noted.”
“You remember the inappropriate remarks so quickly…” An Sheng wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling slightly, “A Ye, I’ve never been to your company.”
“I want to visit tomorrow. Do you agree?”
Bo Jinye looked confused, “The company? No, if Sheng Sheng goes out without me, I’ll feel wronged.”
An Sheng stroked the hair falling over the man’s forehead, “I’d like to take you, but unfortunately, the employees remember A Ye as the aloof president, not the clingy one.”
“I’m only Sheng Sheng’s clingy one. In front of them, I’m still Bo Jinye.” The man leaned down, monopolizing the girl’s embrace.”Take me with you, take me with you. I don’t want to stay home alone.”
“Does A Ye finally understand how hard it is to be alone at home? But I spent four years alone in the old mansion.” An Sheng tugged lightly at the man’s hair.
Bo Jinye was utterly miserable, burying his head against An Sheng’s chest, nuzzling back and forth. “I was wrong…”
“I’m a scoundrel, a complete scoundrel.”
“Sheng Sheng, why don’t you lock me up too? Tie me to your side, okay?”