Bo Nianyao and Bo Xichen exchanged glances and chuckled, a laugh that carried a hint of helplessness.
Lady Bo asked, "Everyone is back, why are you all gathered in the study again? Is the sky about to fall?"
At her words, Bo Nianyao chuckled, flicked his robe, sat down, and responded, "Pretty much."
"What happened?" Lady Bo asked in shock.
"Fetch a bottle of white wine. Xichen and I will have a few drinks. And prepare a pot of green tea for the kid," Bo Nianyao responded calmly.
"None of you are going to sleep?" Lady Bo asked curiously.
Bo Nianyao’s expression grew slightly odd. It was a while before he said, "Just do as you’re told. Stop asking questions."
Normally, Lady Bo would’ve admonished him, but she sensed sothing was off. Noticing that her husband was in a gloomy mood, she smiled gently and said, "Alright, I will go."
The little imp promptly rushed over, saying, "I’ll co with you."
"I can go alone. Sit still here and don’t wander off," Lady Bo instructed, holding her by the shoulder.
At this point, Lord Bo also sat beside her and coughed lightly, saying, "That’s right. It wasn’t easy for Xichen to find a wife. We need to keep a close eye on her."
Lady Bo looked at him, feeling at a loss for words.
While she was preparing the drinks, Lord Bo leaned close to their son and asked with sincere curiosity, "What’s wrong, Nian Yao? Your face looks as if our old dog had died; you look utterly devastated."
Bo Nianyao was indeed feeling distressed at the ti and couldn’t help but chuckle at his father’s words, saying, "What kind of comparison is that?"
Lord Bo glanced at the door cautiously, then whispered, "Or have you taken a mistress outside, and you’re afraid Lin Yun will find out? Tell , I promise I can help sort things out."
Bo Nianyao could not refute a single word.
Gu Anxi asked from the side, "Does Lord Bo want to take her in?"
Lord Bo imdiately widened his eyes. "What are you talking about? I’ve been a vegetarian since I turned sixty. I don’t eat at."
Though nonsensical, the conversation did lift the tense atmosphere a little. At this point, Bo Nianyao sighed and said, "Master He, who turns out to be Bo Qing and Song Jia, the Beauty’s ntor, has planned everything for these past years, including the eting between Bo Qing and the kid."
He sighed again. "Had it not been for Xichen’s car accident years ago, the kid would’ve t him sooner."
Lord Bo’s eyes widened even more after hearing this. "Didn’t the kid have soone she liked at the ti? Would she even consider Xichen?"
His question left the Bo father and sons speechless.
The little imp imdiately declared, "I am capable of shifting my affections."
Bo Xichen glanced at her, quite speechless.
Just then, footsteps resounded from the doorway—Lady Bo had returned. She had actually overheard everything from outside the door. Stunned and shocked, she managed to steady herself before entering.
She had a close relationship with Master He’s wife. Now... what about the future?
Setting down the white wine and three cups, she poured a glass for each of the three gentlen, then poured two cups of green tea for herself and the kid, and sat down.
Bo Nianyao looked at Gu Anxi and softly said, "Now speak, what else don’t we know?"
Gu Anxi held her tea, took a sip, and after a long pause, she quietly said, "Zhou Yunchen and Song Jia, the Beauty... are his children."
Bo Nianyao was stunned at the revelation. Even Lin Yun was speechless for a long mont.
Everyone knew that Master He’s wife was unable to bear children, so where did these two children co from?
Gu Anxi answered honestly, "King Jingyao figured this out, which was why he beca so furious."
The Bo family ho fell silent.
After a long pause, Bo Nianyao finally said, "This is a serious issue. Had Zhou Yunchen been an ordinary person, it wouldn’t have mattered so much. But King Jingyao has high hopes for him. How will he cope with this now?"
"Who cares how he deals with it!" The little imp’s temper flared, and she coughed lightly. "If worst cos to worst, we’ll all go back to Qingcheng. Zhou Yunchen doesn’t need to slave away for him anymore. Let’s all go! Let that old fellow enjoy his good fortune alone in Beicheng!"
At this mont, Lady Bo regained her senses. She said faintly, "This matter... is truly significant."
When Bo Nianyao explained Master He’s situation, Lady Bo’s gaze towards the kid beca difficult to describe. Lord Bo was so shocked he audibly swallowed.
Truly ruthless! Cutting the Gordian knot.
No wonder King Jingyao was livid. Anyone would be, to see such a significant figure let go so lightly. It’s natural to be enraged.
After Lady Bo finished speaking, her tone changed. "Why all the long faces? Worst case, we all quit and go back to Qingcheng. The kid can support us. We definitely won’t starve."
The little imp earnestly declared, "I’ll work hard to support the family."
Bo Nianyao laughed at that, his mood improving slightly. "Alright, what’s done is done. Regarding Master He... Lin Yun, please go visit his wife. Take good care of her and offer so comfort."
Lin Yun nodded.
Having said what needed to be said, the sky was beginning to brighten, and everyone eventually dispersed.
On the way back, Bo Xichen carried Gu Anxi on his back. She leaned against him, both of them silent.
Lord Bo followed behind. He strolled along slowly, thinking to himself, I never played the third wheel when I was young, yet now in my old age, I’m constantly watching this young couple being affectionate. Part of wants to move out of the Orchid Room to show so backbone, but another part is reluctant to leave. How undignified! He quietly scolded himself.
He followed them all the way to their courtyard. With no more reason to go inside with them, he retreated to his own room.
Gu Anxi followed Bo Xichen back to the bedroom. In the sitting room, she sat for a bit and said, "It’s almost five o’clock. Little Uncle, you should get so sleep. You still have to go to work."
She usually fooled around, just slacking off at work, but her Little Uncle couldn’t. He was a doctor.
Bo Xichen leaned back on the sofa, exhaled softly, and lowered his head. "I can’t really sleep right now. I’ll just sit here and rest for a while."
She humd in agreent and snuggled into his shoulder. She spoke softly, "Actually... if I hadn’t acted, I could have pleaded for his life. But he would have spent the rest of his days in prison. For him, that would be worse than death—his reputation and freedom, all gone... Besides, for Zhou Yunchen’s future, I had to do it this way."
Truthfully, she didn’t hate Master He that much. After all, those past hurts were over, and he had genuinely been good to her. All the fatherly love that should have belonged to Zhou Yunchen and Song Jia, the Beauty, he had given to her.
Now, with things as they were, she couldn’t deny feeling sad.
Bo Xichen didn’t say anything, just stroked her small head.
The two leaned on each other in silence. As ti passed, and due to exhaustion, Gu Anxi fell asleep.
When she woke up, she found herself lying on a soft bed. Little Uncle Bo had probably gone to work, as he wasn’t there. As she sat up, a pang of heartache hit her. She rubbed her hair and got out of bed, only then realizing it was past noon.
While brushing her teeth, she called Bo Xichen. "Little Uncle, are you sleepy? Shall I bring you sothing good to eat?"
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