Song Jia’s expression was hard to put into words.
Gu Anxi certainly saw it and returned a provocative look—
That’s right, be careful! I’m going to compete with you for Brother. We’ll see if he dotes on you or on !
Song Jia was instantly provoked. Forgetting her sorrow, she ca over, helped Zhou Yunchen up, and they left.
Zhou Yunchen grimaced as if in great pain, but inwardly he felt an indescribable comfort. He secretly gave Little Sweetheart a gesture.
Little Sweetheart smiled, quietly watching them leave.
After they left, she went to Bo Qing’s side, knelt, and sighed softly, "Wouldn’t it have been good to live a proper life? Did you have to take this path?"
But she knew she couldn’t bla him further. The man was gone. He had committed many evil deeds, but it was undeniable that he had also been genuinely good to her at tis. Moreover, she couldn’t go back in ti to understand his childhood, to know how much scorn he had endured. However, this ending was Bo Qing’s own choice.
He could have led a prosperous and stable life. Even if he had stopped at the very last step, he wouldn’t have reached such a state.
Gu Anxi let out a long breath, stood up, lit a few more white candles for him, and kept vigil on this last night.
「The Study」
Bo Nianyao sat quietly, feeling utterly hollow. Lady Bo stayed by his side, a constant worry on her face.
Just then, Bo Xichen ca in. Lady Bo imdiately rose and gave him a aningful look.
Bo Xichen nodded and sat down beside Bo Nianyao, saying nothing.
The father and son sat like that for a long ti before Lady Bo asked curiously, "One person sits there in a daze, and it’s the sa with two. Have you both gone mute?"
Bo Nianyao glanced at his wife, then said helplessly to his son, "So much for peace and quiet."
Bo Xichen smiled faintly. "She’s just worried about you."
Bo Nianyao hadn’t eaten or drunk anything since his return. Only then did he pick up his tea and take a sip before saying slowly, "It’s not right for Zhou Yunchen’s sister to keep kneeling there. No matter what wrongs Bo Qing committed, he was still a mber of the Bo Family. If she keeps kneeling like that, our relatives will see her tomorrow, and there will inevitably be gossip. It won’t be good for her future."
Lady Bo refilled his teacup and retorted, "Now that you’ve snapped out of it, all you can think about is that young girl. You haven’t even considered how exhausted our baby is today."
Bo Nianyao was montarily speechless.
Seeing his parents were about to bicker again, Bo Xichen smiled faintly. "With Anxi and Zhou Yunchen there, they’ll figure sothing out for her."
Bo Nianyao nodded in agreent. "Yes, with those two, I’m not worried. Zhou Yunchen may be young, but he’s seasoned in handling people and affairs. He and our baby grew up together; their rapport is excellent."
He then looked at his son. "In this regard, you can’t compare to Zhou Yunchen. It shows that your coordination with our girl isn’t good enough."
Bo Xichen felt helpless.
Bo Nianyao stood up. "I’ll go see your Second Uncle first. You keep your mother company. She’s been worried and frightened at ho these past few days. You also need to comfort the Old Master."
Bo Xichen nodded lightly.
After Bo Nianyao left, Lady Bo finally spoke. "Did you hear that? He wants a grandchild."
He said it so euphemistically, that nonsense about ’not coordinating enough’... This old man is getting more and more roundabout and peculiar.
Bo Xichen was speechless.
After a mont, he said, "Let’s go take a look as well."
Thinking of Bo Qing, Lady Bo sighed softly. "It’s also our fault for not disciplining him well. Such a pity."
The two of them headed to Bo Qing’s residence. When they arrived, Little Sweetheart was there, as was Old Master Bo. The old master was overco with grief, weeping for his son.
Gu Anxi was by his side. When she saw Bo Nianyao, Lady Bo, and Bo Xichen arrive, she could only give them a helpless look.
Bo Nianyao went over, added so oil to the lamps, and stood with his head bowed for a long ti.
Old Master Bo was crying his heart out, utterly grief-stricken. "You look heartbroken now," he sobbed, addressing Bo Nianyao, "but if you had shown him a little more care back then, things wouldn’t have ended up like this today!"
Lady Bo was displeased by this. "That’s unfair, Old Master! Bo Qing might have felt wronged in this, but Nianyao is the most innocent one here. Anxi didn’t do anything wrong either. She had no prior grievances with our Bo Qing, so why should she have been pushed to the brink of losing her family and ho? And what about the people in Beicheng and the eastern region? Which of them wronged Bo Qing? Now that Bo Qing himself has let it go, why must you still try to plead his case? If you truly can’t accept it, then go ask your own father why he made such a muddled decision back then, ruining Bo Qing’s life and harming the entire Bo Family!"
Lady Bo had always been sharp-tongued. Her words left the Old Master utterly speechless; he could only resort to weeping for Bo Qing again. The onlookers felt quite helpless.
At this mont, Bo Nianyao noticed Song Jia was gone, and Zhou Yunchen was nowhere to be seen either. He must have taken her ho, Bo Nianyao thought with slight relief. He didn’t want Bo Qing to bring any more misfortune to that young woman, even after his passing.
Old Master Bo’s behavior was becoming truly unseemly. Bo Nianyao couldn’t help but grow stern. "Father," he said, "he’s already gone. Let him have so dignity. Don’t speak of past matters anymore. Bo Qing is my second younger brother."
The Old Master, tears in his eyes, looked at his son, wanting to say more. But Bo Nianyao just looked at him quietly, his deanor that of the family head. Lady Bo was very satisfied; Her son has finally stood firm against his old father for once!
The Old Master flinched and fell silent.
Bo Nianyao spoke softly, his voice laden with sorrow, "Except for Bo Jin, who can’t co because she’s pregnant, everyone else is here. Let’s properly accompany him and keep vigil on this final night. His birth was t with such desolation; we mustn’t let him depart in such loneliness."
The family silently kept him company.
The flickering white candlelight illuminated Bo Qing’s handso face...
Everyone’s eyes stung and felt gritty.
This man... he was once the youngest son of the Bo Family, a perfect man in the hearts of many.
Gu Anxi felt a wave of sadness. Leaning against Bo Xichen, she pressed her face into his arm. "Uncle," she murmured.
He gently patted her head, saying nothing.
Perhaps death is a true release for Second Uncle...
「In the Car」
He was sitting next to Song Jia. He had been so exhausted that he’d only ant to lean back and rest for a mont, but he had unexpectedly fallen fast asleep. When he awoke, the car was parked at the entrance of his villa.
Opening his eyes, he asked hoarsely, "How long have we been here?"
Song Jia turned her head to look at him and said softly, "Over an hour."
Zhou Yunchen chuckled. "Why didn’t you wake ?"
He unbuckled his seatbelt and walked a few steps to signal the gate guard to open up. Then he got back in the car and sat down. He waited for a long ti, but Song Jia didn’t start the car. "Why aren’t you driving in?"
"I’ll just drop you here. I have to go back," Song Jia said softly.
Zhou Yunchen asked her quietly, "Go back where? To the Bo Family’s place?"
Song Jia didn’t reply.
Zhou Yunchen continued, "You consider yourself Bo Qing’s woman, but have you ever thought about whether the Bo Family will acknowledge you?"
Song Jia lowered her head. After a long silence, she finally whispered, "I just want to see him off on his final journey."
After saying this, she kept her head down and said no more.
Zhou Yunchen didn’t press her. He just said, "Co upstairs for so tea. You’ve made the trip here; you can’t just turn back at the door without even eting your sister-in-law."
Song Jia hesitated for a mont but eventually agreed and drove the car into the detached villa’s driveway.
The car rolled to a gentle stop. Zhou Yunchen opened his door, got out, and then waited for her.
She dawdled getting out of the car and slowly followed behind him, feeling uneasy.
I’m a woman too. Shen Congwen probably won’t like . Won tend to be wary of outsiders.
Perhaps sensing her thoughts, Zhou Yunchen, one hand in his pocket and his coat in the other, said, "Don’t judge your sister-in-law by ordinary standards. Or, you could just think of her as another older brother."
Song Jia was stunned. After a mont, she responded, "You... have such peculiar tastes, don’t you?"
Shen Congwen is clearly a woman. Why would I think of her as a brother?
Zhou Yunchen chuckled, not minding her comnt. "I was talking about her personality. Congwen was raised like a boy since she was young; she doesn’t get caught up in petty squabbles with other won."
Song Jia’s petty side flared up. "Does that an she doesn’t love you enough? From what I’ve seen, Gu Anxi seems quite possessive of you."
Zhou Yunchen was speechless.
After a long pause, he finally chuckled. "In that case, you really don’t know Anxi at all!"
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