Miss Si's feigned innocence went too far, and the aloof Mr. Bo was easily swayed.

Si Yuan has always been strong-willed.

When faced with someone who requires strategy, she uses her strengths, skillfully employs the Thirty-Six Stratagems, and is meticulous and profound in her thinking.

When faced with those who hurt her, she used their strength against them, ruthless and merciless.

This was the first time Bo Yusen had ever seen her so vulnerable.

His voice was low and muffled, carrying a hint of barely perceptible grievance and caution.

Nobody hates you.

Bo Yusen's voice was very pleasant, with a soothing quality that calmed Si Yuan's tense nerves and anxious heart.

"There are... a lot of people who hate me."

"That's their own problem, it has nothing to do with you."

Bo Yusen is not good at comforting people; he has never comforted anyone in his life.

He can't comfort ordinary people.

At most, Jiang Zhe would come to him seeking comfort, only to be driven away by a few sharp words from him.

But when facing Si Yuan, his voice softened unconsciously.

"If you're unhappy because of those who dislike you, aren't you falling into their trap?"

Si Yuan suddenly looked up at Bo Yusen, her eyes sparkling, "Right? I think so too."

Just a moment ago she looked like she was about to cry, but now she's all smiles. "Hmph... they hate me, but it doesn't hurt me."

She tiptoed and kissed Bo Yusen on the lips. "As long as you don't hate me, that's fine."

Bo Yusen: "..."

I placed my thumb and forefinger on either side of her cheeks and pinched her mouth into an "O," saying, "Stop pretending to be a pitiful little thing."

"Hmm... So, do you feel sorry for me?"

Si Yuan's mouth is still O-shaped, and she speaks indistinctly.

Bo Yusen remained expressionless. "I never feel sorry for anyone."

Si Yuan looked up at him, her clear eyes full of sincerity, "Then, from now on, can you be a little more considerate of me?"

Bo Yusen looked at her quietly, "I thought you didn't need anyone to feel sorry for you."

"I don't need anyone else to feel sorry for me, but I need you to feel sorry for me... and..."

Si Yuan reached out and cupped Bo Yusen's face in her hands. "I'm free now."

"A free person..."

Bo Yusen repeatedly pondered these three words, "What do you want to do?"

"I……"

Just as Si Yuan was about to speak, someone suddenly rushed in, "I'm exhausted, I want to rest..."

The words that were left unsaid came to an abrupt halt when he saw the two people in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.

There was only one person who dared to barge into Bo Yusen's office without knocking.

Jiang Zhe——

Si Yuan, who was always well-mannered in front of outsiders, immediately distanced herself from Bo Yusen.

Jiang Zhe's expression changed when he saw the two of them being so affectionate.

Soon, as if he hadn't seen anything, he casually sat down on the sofa and smiled at Si Yuan, saying, "Miss Si, it's been a long time."

"Young Master Jiang..."

"I heard about what happened to your Si family before. I don't know whether to congratulate you on getting rid of that scumbag or feel sorry for you losing your lover."

Jiang Zhe had a faint smile on his lips, but Si Yuan still sensed a subtle malice in him towards her.

She doesn't seem to have offended Jiang Zhe, does she?

Before Si Yuan could speak, Bo Yusen's voice rang out, "What are you doing here?"

Bo Yusen was clearly protecting Si Yuan; how could Jiang Zhe not see that?

He scoffed, "Can't I just come to see you because I missed you?"

Thinking that the two had official business to discuss and that it was inconvenient for her to be there, Si Yuan said to Bo Yusen, "Ninth Master... I'll be leaving now."

Bo Yusen glanced at the weather; it was snowing outside.

"I'll have Lan Hai take you back."

"Thank you for your kindness, Ninth Master, but it's alright. Xingzhu will come to pick me up in a bit."

"Okay, take care of yourself, don't catch a cold."

Si Yuan was surprised that Bo Yusen would show concern for her in front of Jiang Zhe, and her heart warmed instantly. "Okay."

Jiang Zhe's brows furrowed even more. Seeing Si Yuan walk to the door, he deliberately said loudly, "Today is Mingyue's birthday. What birthday present did you prepare for her this time? Let me guess, it's not a diamond ring, is it?"

Si Yuan paused, but did not stop, and left directly.

Bo Yusen's face darkened completely.

He stared coldly at Jiang Zhe, who felt a chill run down his spine from his gaze. Jiang Zhe stood up and walked up to him. "All I did was mention a diamond ring in front of Si Yuan. Why are you reacting so strongly?"

"Why are you suddenly saying things like that?"

"Of course, it's to give you a wake-up call, Yusen. Haven't you noticed that you treat Siyuan completely differently from everyone else?"

The events of that year were so tragic that Jiang Zhe did not want the tragedy to repeat itself, and he did not want to see Bo Yusen follow in his uncle's footsteps.

Seeing that Bo Yusen did not refute, Jiang Zhe's expression grew even more unpleasant. "You...you wouldn't really..."

"Yes……"

Neither of them said it outright, but they both understood what the other meant.

Jiang Zhe's mind went blank.

Soon, he let out a cry that shook heaven and earth—

Hold--

"I knew it—"

"I knew it!"

"That Si Yuan is Si Qingwan's most favored daughter. She is cunning and scheming—"

"I thought that with your personality and self-control, you wouldn't fall for her even if you slept with her, but I never expected that she would still be bewitching you!"

"Bo Yusen, you have disappointed me greatly! You have left me utterly defeated!"

Jiang Zhe paced back and forth in his office in anger, with nowhere to vent his rage.

He was extremely depressed and irritable, like a madman in a fit of impotent rage.

Bo Yusen's face remained expressionless. "If you want to yell, go do it outside. Don't interfere with my work."

Seeing Bo Yusen so calm and focused on his work, Jiang Zhe became even angrier.

A feeling welled up inside me, like that of an emperor who isn't worried but a eunuch who is.

Pah!

Even if Bo Yusen is the emperor, he is not a eunuch.

"You...you...you...you..."

He pointed angrily at Bo Yusen, and it took him a long time to regain his composure. "You don't really think your feelings are just a one-sided matter, do you? Aunt Ji hates the Si family so much. Even if Si Yuan and Xiang Mingche break off their engagement, do you really think you can be with Si Yuan?"

Bo Yusen's patience ran out, and he gave Jiang Zhe a warning glance.

Jiang Zhe immediately chickened out.

"Hmph—it's no use glaring at me, after all, this is a fact right in front of us."

Bo Yusen pressed the internal button and had Lan He drag Jiang Zhe out.

Jiang Zhe's words bothered Si Yuan.

Gu Mingyue is Gu Yinhe's older sister and the eldest princess of the Gu family. She and Bo Yusen grew up together as childhood sweethearts.

After Bo Yusen went abroad for further studies, Gu Mingyue followed him.

Si Yuan knew that the Bo family and the Gu family had many shared interests.

But she was unaware that there would be a romantic entanglement between Bo Yusen and Gu Mingyue.

When they initially investigated Bo Yusen, all they knew was that he was single…

I haven't heard anything about him and Gu Mingyue, but if there really is nothing between them, why would Jiang Zhe say such a thing?

The phone rang; it was Shen Xingzhu calling. "A-Yuan, I've arrived. Where are you?"

Si Yuan saw Shen Xingzhu's car and waved to her.

Shen Xingzhu immediately drove the car over.

As soon as they got out of the car, Shen Xingzhu gave Si Yuan a big hug. "A Yuan, you've suffered so much."