Pure kindness wasn't an excuse to blackmail their family.
Bo Xin smiled, picked up her bag, and left, giving Wen Ni time to think on her own.
Ming Ruyu had made the introduction, so before leaving, Bo Xin said goodbye to Ming Ruyu. She had given them enough options; the rest was up to them.
In the evening, she didn't eat much and brought back a guokui (a type of flatbread) on the way.
Filled with preserved mustard greens.
Having had too many formal meals, Bo Xin actually enjoyed eating street food.
It had a very special kind of liveliness.
She didn't knock and simply unlocked the door. She found Ji Xingzhi sitting inside, who had been out all day.
His eyes were tired—it seemed his day hadn't been easy either.
Ji Xingzhi was propping up half his face. When he saw her, he lifted it briefly, then quickly leaned back.
He tapped his fingers on the table. Because of last time's memory, he didn't put his nails in his mouth, but he really wanted to find something to bite.
Bo Xin once said he was stuck in the oral stage of childhood, and that was absolutely true.
For instance, he was very upset about what the Tao family had done, but his branch company was still in its early stages and had no reputation in the capital.
Even asking He Mingqiao wouldn't work.
That morning, he had clasped his hands and said, "If the child is wronged at a time like this, in a way, it's because his father is useless."
At the time, Bo Xin thought that line was a bit cringey, but on closer thought, it did make some sense.
So she didn't comment.
Ji Xingzhi began to hesitate. "I just said something very cool, didn't I?"
Bo Xin glanced at him indifferently and said, "Then keep it up."
Bo Xin thought that was quite appropriate given the atmosphere, but Ji Xingzhi obviously didn't think so.
The quiet atmosphere lasted until evening.
Next to Ji Xingzhi was a newspaper with news about Tao Wanchun.
Bo Xin: "..."
So she had said he was childish.
But after thinking, Bo Xin walked behind Ji Xingzhi and massaged his cranial nerves with her fingers.
Ji Xingzhi was startled. Because she was so close, he could almost feel the warmth of her breath. But why?
He didn't want to make a big deal out of it, but the documents in his hand hadn't been turned in ten minutes.
Bo Xin couldn't exactly say she didn't want Ji Xingzhi to die too early.
So she explained, "No comparison, no harm."
Compared to Tao Wanchun, Ji Xingzhi, as a father, at least respected the child.
——
Evening, same time.
Wen Ni went to the villa. This was her first visit this year. More than half a year had passed, and she didn't even know if Tao Lehua had grown taller during this time.
She actually liked Chinese culture—the Buddhist prayer bead bracelet on her wrist was proof.
But being truly immersed in this environment made the feeling change.
It was probably somewhat twisted and not free.
But she could choose to escape. Tao Lehua couldn't.
This villa really looked like a place where they locked the child up.
She didn't know what she was thinking when she chose this European-style villa. Probably so the child would think of her when he saw it. But with the high ceilings and the family portrait hanging in the middle of the hallway,
At that time, they didn't have much feeling for each other; their expressions in the photo were numb.
But the child obviously didn't think so.
Wen Ni felt it was inappropriate no matter how she looked at it, so she called Butler Wang. "Take this photo down."
"What are you doing?"
Wen Ni turned around and found the child standing right behind her. His expression was unhappy, but because it was her, he couldn't get angry.
He didn't even speak in a harsh tone.
Wen Ni immediately thought of what Bo Xin had said: 'At least respect the child's thoughts.'
Maybe she could directly ask the child. Of course, except for 'getting them back together.'
In recent years, she hadn't remarried, and Tao Wanchun hadn't remarried either. Not because they still had feelings, but simply because they didn't want to be tied down again.
Tao Wanchun's child outside was almost five years old.
As the Chinese saying goes, 'old enough to run errands.'
Wen Ni decided that the first step to respecting the child was to listen to him and not take down the annoying thing for now.
She waved her hand, and the servants quickly dispersed.
Indeed, working for the wealthy, the worst situation was when employers had disagreements. At times like this, listening to either side was wrong.
Wen Ni had heard from Butler Wang that Tao Lehua wanted to be friends with Bo Yuxu but didn't succeed.
No wonder he looked so disappointed.
Wen Ni wanted to comfort him, but words of comfort were hard for her to say. In the end, she blurted out, "You're too indirect like this."
Tao Lehua stepped back half a step, holding his breath so hard he forgot to inhale.
"...None of your business."
Wen Ni scratched her head, truly unsure how to continue.
But her limited emotional intelligence and little understanding of children told her that his words weren't sincere.
"Tell me, do you still want to be friends with that person?"