The person who called was Jiang Yihe, and the name saved in my phone felt somewhat familiar.

Bo Jingzhou saw the two characters "Yi He" at the top, his eyes narrowed slightly.

Shen Wanci couldn't bear his intense gaze and wanted to turn away, but before she could move, she was pulled back by the man. He didn't speak, but his meaning was clear: stay here and receive it.

"Hey."

Ginger's worried voice came from the receiver, sounding completely genuine: "Wanci, I heard you had trouble at the museum yesterday? Is Zhao Hongwei crazy? Why is he acting like a rabid dog, clinging to you? Even if you broke something, he should have talked to you privately."

If one hadn't investigated Jian Yihe's character beforehand, and coupled with Shen Wanci's naturally slow-burning nature in matters of the heart, then this righteous indignation, as if she were constantly fighting for herself, would be enough to make people let down their guard.

When someone is wronged, their psychology tends to be more vulnerable. They may develop a sense of dependence and the urge to confide due to another person's concern and favoritism.

On the phone, Jiang Yihe was still fighting for her. A subtle smile appeared on Shen Wanci's delicate face. She tilted her head and said softly, "That artifact didn't get damaged because of my restoration. This matter was already clarified yesterday at the museum."

The phone went silent.

Time was short, but when Jiang Yihe's voice rang out again, there was nothing unusual about it. "That's how it is, then that person is really over the top, starting to spout nonsense before even investigating the matter."

She paused, then changed the subject, "Wàncí, I heard from Yùguǎn that you took a day off today. It's perfect timing, let's go shopping! I don't know anyone familiar in Kyoto. This time has been driving me crazy."

Jiang Yi's voice was filled with anticipation and excitement, just like a little girl who had been cooped up at home for too long and was finally able to go out.

Shen Wanci felt the pressure of Thin Jingzhou's grip, not painful but enough to make her aware.

She looked up, meeting the man's warning gaze.

The living room was quiet, and Bo Jingzhou stood beside her again. Even without using a speakerphone, he could hear Jiang Yi's words clearly.

He frowned, looking down at her with an air of superiority, his whole body radiating the message: Don't go, don't agree.

Shen Wanci hadn't thought about how to answer, but at this moment, whether it was out of curiosity about Jiang Yi's plan or a deliberate attempt to annoy the man, she simply nodded in agreement.

Before the word "good" could even take shape, or make a sound, Bo Jingzhou's lips pressed down on them.

Their soft lips touched, but there was no further deepening of the kiss, only a lingering press.

But even so, Shen Wanci hastily closed her mouth and dared not speak again. With her empty hand, she pushed him forcefully.

Bo Jingzhou easily took her hand, turning it behind her back and pulling her closer into his arms.

Ginger also remained silent.

Although she couldn't see or hear anything, sometimes aura was just such a mysterious thing.

In this eerie silence, Shen Wanci was the first to crack, hanging up the phone, "Bo Jingzhou, are you sick?"

Shen Wanci's voice was quite fierce, but compared to before, her aura had weakened considerably.

This subtle change was only noticeable to those around them.

Bo Jingzhou let go of her, tidied the clothes he had messed up, and raised an eyebrow: "If you had just refused or listened a little better and avoided her, I wouldn't have had this relapse."

Shen Wanci: “……It takes some skill to have a face as thick as yours.”

“Well,” the man chuckled, not refuting her, “Since you don’t like me hanging around you, then just stop putting yourself in danger. You know, I can’t help but care about you. I can’t just ignore what happens to you. If you’re having a hard time, I always want to do whatever I can to help. Back and forth, and before I know it, I’m even more entangled.”

He looked at her furrowed brow and smiled, rubbing her temples. "How about a deal? I'll investigate Mom's situation, and you live your best life. When things are settled, and you're doing well, I'll leave you alone."

This man had been appearing frequently before her since the divorce, to the point that the thought of setting boundaries with him had become an obsession. Hearing suddenly that he wouldn't bother her anymore, Shen Wanci wanted to cheer and shout "Yay!" but it wasn't quite that joyful.

She now believes that this man likes her.

She had worked at the Bo family company before, though only on the periphery. Still, she knew the length of Thin Jingzhou's workday and the general content of his work every day. "Busy as an ant" was a perfect description, but this man who seemed to be drowning in work and could barely spare time for himself, now spent a significant amount of his time on her, for almost a year straight.

If it's just acting for appearances and unwillingness to accept being dumped, then that's too much of an act.

Although Shen Wanci still hadn't thought about getting back together with him, her refusal wasn't as firm as before. Bo Jingzhou was right, she had softened her heart.

This is not a good phenomenon at all.

Shen Wanci looked at Bo Jingzhou, who was sitting opposite her and negotiating with her, with a face full of vigilance: “What standard constitutes living well? What if I think that's a good life, but you don't?”

After a moment of serious thought, Bo Jingzhou responded with a grave expression: "Then I can only use my standards. After all, seeing you suffer and being unhappy is what troubles me the most. It's also me who can't help but want to be by your side."

Shen Wanci glared at him angrily: "Are you teasing me? Who knows if you'll say something like 'My life wouldn't be happy without you' later."

This man is simply despicable.

She actually still had a soft heart.

Bo Jingzhou was startled, then chuckled softly: "Good idea, I can accept it."

Shen Wanci glared at him viciously, then turned and left.

The man's smile disappeared from his face and he grabbed her arm. "Where are you going?"

"Go find Yuezhi."

Then, Bao Jingzhou let go.

……

Qin Yuezhi was weaving in the shop. When Shen Wanci arrived, she was resting her chin on her hand, staring out the window blankly, not even noticing when she walked in.

Shen Wanci raised her hand and waved it in front of her: "What's wrong? You look so out of it first thing in the morning."

Qin Yue's gaze shifted from outside back to her, but her eyes were confused. If you looked closely, there was a hint of redness around her eyes, and she seemed off in general.

The smile on Shen Wanci's face gradually subsided, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Is Bo Jingzhou still chasing you? If you let him..." Qin Yuezhi's voice trailed off, and she quickly lowered her eyelashes. "It's nothing, I just watched a TV series, the male and female lead both died, a little sad."

After knowing Qin Yuezhi for so many years, Shen Wanci couldn't tell if something was wrong with her?

Her carefree personality meant she could laugh even if the main characters, or everyone, died. She might cry buckets on screen but she'd never let her emotions spill over outside of it.

She frowned and asked, "What's going on?"