Chapter 61 Pursuit "Did you hear that? Jin Yunyan likes you."...
The more she dodged, the more he wanted the answer.
The two figures overlapped, and she had nowhere to escape in the narrow space. She didn't need to speak, the blush on her cheeks had already given the answer.
Bo Xia knew this, and with a hint of anger in the corners of his eyes, he said, "Jin Yunyan, you broke the rules."
The smile in Jin Yunyan's eyes grew wider, and he even said "hmm".
After all, there are no rules in his world.
He even asked, “So what are you going to do?”
As if knowing she was always soft-hearted around him and couldn't do anything to hurt him, Jin Yunyan didn't back down. He looked a bit fearless, which made Bo Xia kick his trouser leg.
The force wasn't strong, more like a flirtation.
There was a sound beside her ears, and the glass window was suddenly covered with fine raindrops. With the sound of splashing, the rain became heavier, and Jin Yunyan stopped teasing her.
He said he didn't bring an umbrella and asked her to take him downstairs.
Bo Xia's mind was a little confused, so she stood there for a long time. When she raised her eyes, she found that he was still so close to her, so she looked at him angrily. Only then did Jin Yunyan chuckle and move away.
He wasn't entirely sure she would always soften her heart, but when he looked up he still saw her bending down to take the umbrella.
Jin Yunyan looked at her slender waist from a distance, his eyes darkening. He waited for her to come and take him downstairs. The two walked side by side without saying much.
The heavy rain swept away the heat in the air.
Bo Xia held an umbrella for him while waiting for the bus, but the wind was too strong at the moment and the cold water droplets still fell on his feet.
As they waited, they stood together, their shoulders almost touching. Suddenly, her heart beat with a long-lost throb, and she wondered if, at that moment, she had wanted more than anyone else to stand under the same umbrella with him.
They looked at each other across the humid air, and Bo Xia asked him why the car hadn't arrived yet.
Jin Yunyan didn't mention that he hadn't called the driver at all. He just looked at the rain, his voice not sounding so sincere: "Will you see me again in the future?"
It was clearly not a question of whether they should be together, but when it was said it seemed to carry other meanings.
Bo Xia said, "When did I say I didn't want to see you?"
Yeah?
He looked at her for a long moment, his eyes lowered, as if questioning her about the distance she had deliberately kept from him some time ago, but he didn't say it explicitly: "Do you remember that day when it was raining heavily in Nan'an and I brought you an umbrella?"
Of course she wouldn't forget.
"From now on, it's your turn to hold the umbrella for me, and I'll be the one chasing you, okay?" Jin Yunyan said gently, "Last time, didn't you say you hadn't made up your mind yet? If possible, give me another chance, give the arrogant Jin Yunyan from before another chance."
Bo Xia had never thought that someone as proud as him would use such an adjective in front of her. She shook her head. When Jin Yunyan rejected her, his eyes dimmed a little. A moment later, she heard her say, "You are not arrogant, it's just that I liked you too softly."
Jin Yunyan's heart trembled slightly and he looked at her for a long time.
He thought that it seemed impossible not to like her.
He didn't give her another chance to refuse. Before leaving, he told her that she didn't have to respond, but she shouldn't push him away again.
Thinking about it later, if she had really completely rejected the idea at that time, and Jin Yunyan had not forced her, perhaps there would not have been any more stories between them later.
Life is like this sometimes. Taking a step forward or a step back will lead to two completely different outcomes.
The rain had come and gone quickly, and Bo Xia didn't think about it again after returning to the office. Someone asked her about gossip, and she said they'd just been talking about work. Xiao Zhou laughed and said it was the first time they'd ever talked about work that way. Through the corner of the window, he saw they were practically touching.
Bo Xia couldn't explain it clearly so he simply gave up. Anyway, they were just asking casually. Given the working environment in their company, no one had the time to slander behind people's backs.
Xiao Zhou also said, "I support you two. You two look like a perfect match."
The people around him complained in their hearts, "Last time you said that Mr. Bo and Mr. Meng were a good match. You change your attitude faster than anyone else."
After that, Bo Xia no longer avoided Jin Yunyan like before. He would always send her a bouquet of flowers and put up a new one before the flowers withered. Sometimes the bouquet of flowers would be in his arms. He would ask her if she wanted to see him today, and she would stay only if she agreed.
Of all the flowers, her favorite was Endless Summer.
Hydrangeas always have a long flowering period. As long as they are given sufficient water, they can grow round and brilliant. Such quiet flowers always grow in moist and shady places, clustering together to form their own universe.
That flower looks like her.
Jin Yunyan also liked it, but he didn't send her flowers often. He specially sent some delicate flowers so that he could find an excuse to see her.
On the day when Bo Xia didn't come, she chatted with Wen Xin. Although Wen Xin had always been pessimistic about them being together, she couldn't bear to see her hesitation: "Actually, if you think about it, being with Jin Yunyan wouldn't be a loss. Even if there's no follow-up, it's still a gain to sleep with such a beautiful girl."
"..." She hesitated, "Aren't you talking a little too far?"
"How far is it? Haven't you thought about it?"
She was indeed attracted to his body sometimes, but she didn't think about it that deeply. But people's imaginations are always very extended. When Wen Xin mentioned this, she really remembered what she saw at the door of his hotel that day.
His muscles are well-proportioned and his body looks very powerful, which seems to be somewhat different from his usual gentle image.
Bo Xia's breathing became hot, and the last words he heard were -
"Everything should be done from the heart. Why think so far ahead? She's been single for so many years and her conditions are pretty good. She's definitely a good match. Even if it's just because of some lingering feelings and reluctance from the past, what's wrong with giving it a try?"
When she got home, her roommate was not at home. When Bo Xia went to the balcony, she caught a glimpse of the pot of mint that Jin Yunyan had given her. It seemed that her roommate had watered and trimmed it for her a few days ago. Just like that, the plant that seemed hopeless had come back to life.
Bo Xia didn't know how long she watched before she picked up her clothes and went to take a shower.
That night, she felt a little unwell and thought it was a stomachache caused by her recent irregular diet, so she took a painkiller. Unexpectedly, the next day, her condition worsened. She took a day off and went to the hospital for an appointment. The doctor diagnosed her with acute appendicitis and told her to prepare for surgery that evening.
If the surgery didn't require someone else's signature, she would probably have gone through it alone. She called Wen Xin, who was out of town at the moment and asked, "Are you sick? Is it serious?"
"It's nothing serious, I just need someone to sign."
"Isn't it serious that you need someone to sign? Wait, I'll get someone over."
She was afraid of bothering Wen Xin: "It's okay, I'll call my colleague."
Bo Xia asked Xiao Zhou to come over and help her sign. When Xiao Zhou offered to take care of her, she said, "I've found a caregiver. You might not be as professional as she is."
Xiao Zhou had no choice but to say okay okay.
It would be a lie to say that she didn't feel anything at all, but she had been through it all on her own all these years.
When she was a child, she coughed badly and ran a long way to the clinic to get an IV drip even when she had a fever. When she was in junior high school, her wisdom teeth became inflamed, but her family was unwilling to take her to the hospital. Later, when she first came to Beijing, she was alone in the hospital receiving IV drips. She was in great pain and no one cared when she mentioned it to her family.
She's used to it.
After being wheeled out of the operating room, Bo Xia still needed an IV drip, and someone had to stay by her bedside to watch over her and prevent her from falling asleep. A nurse called out to her, but she was still half-conscious, and vaguely heard someone say, "Let me do it."
Bo Xia never thought that the person in front of him would be Jin Yunyan.
He frowned, his shirt a little messy, perhaps because he was anxious. Seeing her lying on the bed with a pale face, his expression eased a little: "Does it hurt?"
For some reason, she inexplicably felt much more at ease.
His face looked a little unhappy, as if he was a little tired. He looked at her with his eyes downcast, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated, but his movements were still gentle.
Jin Yunyan stayed with her patiently all night. When it was almost dawn, Bo Xia wanted to get out of bed to go to the bathroom, but she felt it was inconvenient to do so in bed, so she had another difficult time.
His voice was filled with commanding authority: "Don't move."
Jin Yunyan leaned over and gently helped her move her body, supporting her all the way to the bathroom door. Her face was already flushed, but when they reached the door, he still kindly asked her if she needed help.
“…”
Bo Xia really wanted to say that she could unbutton her pants.
But she just looked up at him with a little anger. Jin Yunyan stopped teasing her and told Bo Xia to be careful.
Perhaps people are always a little more fragile when they are sick. Bo Xia remembered that when he woke up in the hospital at noon, he saw Jin Yunyan lying on the side of the bed. His usually smooth shirt was now wrinkled, and a crack appeared on his chest.
Over the years, she has become accustomed to being strong and independent, but when you adapt to it, when the whole world thinks you are indestructible, there is someone who insists on staying by your side, which always makes you feel inexplicably moved.
She always seems to be saying she doesn't need it.
She doesn't need love or care. She has always pushed others away and moved forward alone during these lonely years. But there are always people who want to tell her: You can be independent, but you shouldn't be afraid to accept love from others.
Love brings pain, but love also brings happiness.
There was a hint of moisture in the corners of her eyes. When she saw Jin Yunyan's body move, she subconsciously closed her eyes, probably because she didn't know how to face it.
Bo Xia heard a slight rustling sound; he was tidying her quilt, and then there was a long silence, so quiet that her eyelids felt hot.
She didn't know how long it had been before she tried to open her eyes and saw Jin Yunyan coming over with a cup of warm water. She was afraid that she would not be able to hold back again, so she simply didn't say anything.
Jin Yunyan was a little angry at first, but seeing her so well-behaved, he couldn't bear to blame her. After a while, he lowered his eyes and said, "I was out of Beijing on a business trip yesterday, so I came late. Are you still upset?"
Bo Xia now realized that it was probably Wen Xin who called.
But... he was on a business trip, so after learning that I was in the hospital, he hurried over and stayed with me all night?
She wanted to say something, but suddenly looked at him embarrassedly: "I want to go to the bathroom."
"It's not the first time, why be embarrassed?" Jin Yunyan smiled.
“…” Why does this sound so strange?
Jin Yunyan took care of her in the hospital for most of the day. She urged him to go back and rest. He said okay. Not long after he left, Wen Xin came to take over. This person also came to the hospital not long after he came back.
Bo Xia happened to be walking around. She asked Wen Xin if she was the one who called Jin Yunyan. Wen Xin said yes: "You just can't speak. Let me help you."
"Where can I get it?"
"Okay, you didn't. You're ready to bear it all by yourself even if the sky falls," Wen Xin looked at her. "Did you know that when I called Jin Yunyan yesterday, he, who is usually so gentle and steady, was a little angry?"
Bo Xia didn't expect this to happen and asked him what he was angry about.
"What do you think? You didn't even call him when you were sick." Jin Yunyan confirmed this again and again. It seemed that he didn't expect Bo Xia didn't call him. There was an obvious suppression of some emotion in his tone.
She murmured, "But we don't have a relationship yet."
Wen Xin was very impressed and said with a smile, "Then when Jin Yunyan comes later, tell him this. I really want to see him angry in person."
After walking around for a while, Bo Xia returned to the ward. Just then, her parents called, but she didn't mention a word about her illness.
Wen Xin couldn't bear it anymore and said she was sick and in the hospital. She thought the other party would at least show some concern, but the first sentence on the phone was: "How much did it cost? I don't have any money to give you."
Then he started to ask about the patient's condition.
“…”
Just as children who have never been loved cannot imagine their parents loving them, children who are loved by their parents cannot imagine that there are parents in this world who do not love them. Wen Xin was stunned for a moment, and suddenly she understood why Bo Xia did not have a deep relationship with her family.
She looked at Bo Xia with some sympathy, but the latter didn't react at all. The smile on the corner of his lips was a little self-deprecating: "I'm used to it."
It seems that there is no more expectation.
Because I have seen them at their most cruel.
Many relationships in this world are actually nothing more than an exchange of interests, including marriage, friendship, and parent-child relationships, but humans have added a layer of love shackles to them.
If both parties in a relationship love each other, the balance will not tilt. Otherwise, whoever believes the lies of love will take the initiative to put on shackles and be trapped by love, and the imbalance of interests will be beautified as the sacrifice of love.
She just couldn't see through it at that time.
Not long after, Jin Yunyan came over. He looked much more refreshed. Wen Xin handed the care work to him and said to him before leaving: "I asked for you. She just said that you are not qualified to care for her. Got it?"
Bo Xia's frantic attempts to stop him were of no avail.
She looked at Jin Yunyan with a guilty conscience, and after observing him for a while, she found that he didn't react much: "Aren't you angry?"
"You're telling the truth," he said, his eyes filled with tenderness. "Did you feel at ease when I was with you last night?"
She nodded.
Jin Yunyan's breathing was slightly heavy, and judging by his expression, he felt quite comforted: "Rest for a while, I will continue to accompany you."
Bo Xia was actually no longer feeling sleepy, but his consciousness was gradually becoming unclear.
In a trance, she dreamed of her youth when she was lying on the desk in the classroom and wanted to secretly glance at him but was accidentally caught by his eyes. He didn't know whether he had any impression of her, but he actually smiled at her.
In the dream, Jin Yunyan walked towards her and asked her if he was looking at her just now?
That look was so gentle, so gentle that it seemed like a bubble about to burst.
So when she woke up, she saw Jin Yunyan looking at her, as if he was recreating the scene in her dream. She was a little unable to react for a while, and in a trance she thought she was still in a dream.
…
"Jin Yunyan?"
He said "hmm" and heard her scream again.
Bo Xia couldn't help but say, "I always didn't dare to call your name before."
Jin Yunyan didn't know why, but his heart ached because of such a simple sentence, but he still had a smile on his face: "Do you dare now?"
He lowered his eyes and said, "If you hadn't called me that every day, I wouldn't have known that my name could sound so nice."
“…”
It was clearly just a casual remark, but her heart began to beat wildly for him again.
Jin Yunyan had been taking care of her in the hospital. After she recovered a little, Bo Xia returned to the company. She didn't want to waste her own time or Jin Yunyan's time.
What can Jin Yunyan do to her? She is casual about small matters and no one can make decisions for her about big matters.
Even Meng Xubai was a little surprised and asked if she had been given sick leave. She said she had a lot of work to do and then she was too lazy to listen to what Meng Xubai said about calling a meeting with his subordinates.
Meng Xubai: "..."
At noon, Bo Xia remembered that he had left some materials in the rental house, so he went back. When he was looking for them, he accidentally knocked over the box he brought with him.
The diaries, letters and other things inside were scattered all over the floor.
When she was packing, she accidentally put the letter among the documents. She didn't find it until she got to the company. It had been so long that it took her a long time to remember that the letter was received by her family before. They didn't know what it was and just put it on her desk.
Bo Xia didn't take it seriously at first, until he saw the familiar handwriting on it, it was as if he was suddenly struck by something.
It was a letter she wrote to herself ten years later when she was seventeen.
It was not until today that she opened the letter.
——"Hello, I am you from ten years ago.
Ten years ago, you were looking forward to the future. "
The image of the young yet expectant girl from that year seemed to appear before my eyes. At that time, she was far from knowing the cruelty of life. If she knew, would she still look forward to the future?
——"How are you now? Did you get into the university of your choice? Did you study architecture as you wanted? Did you leave Nan'an and live the life you wanted? Do you still remember the first person you had a crush on? Is there any follow-up between you two..."
She seemed to be talking to her past self, saying to that girl, "You got into the university of your dreams and studied architecture, but your future life isn't as good as you imagined. You've stopped worrying about whether your secret crush will ever come to fruition, but the person you like has started to respond to you."
After reading the last line, Bo Xia seemed to recall her own quiet burning passion. All these years had passed, and life had worn away too many of her edges. The damp lamp of her youth was now about to be blown out.
She looked at herself in the decorative mirror on her desk, as if she was having a conversation with her past self across time and space.
Bo Xia, if you were in the past, what would you choose when the person you secretly love starts to respond to you?
She thought about it and realized that her past self wouldn't hesitate. Even though her younger self didn't dare to express her feelings, she was so determined to love someone.
Over the years, she has actually begun to lose the courage to love someone, and even has to think twice and weigh the pros and cons of love.
But matters of the heart don't require so much measurement and consideration. If she doesn't choose to start because there will be no results, if she doesn't choose to start because she is uncertain, how can she experience true love?
Bo Xia later carefully kept the letter, as if he was preserving those youthful years.
She seemed to be more dazzling than before, but the past was never a time that needed to be concealed, because during that time, even if she did not escape from the swamp, even if she did not know what kind of situation she was in, she never gave up looking up at the light in the darkness and escaping from the place that bound her.
She wanted to tell the seventeen-year-old Bo Xia, I didn’t let you down, but you never let me down either.
Such a small episode inadvertently gave Bo Xia the answer.
After that, Bo Xia and Jin Yunyan became closer. He would occasionally take her out to eat, and occasionally have home-cooked meals delivered to her, saying they were made by the nanny. He said that if he wasn't too busy with work, he would definitely cook for her.
Bo Xia thought he was just saying it casually, but she did eat the meal he cooked later. When a colleague saw her, they asked her if she had a boyfriend. He was so thoughtful. After all, with her workaholic nature, she didn't have time to prepare such things.
Jin Yunyan would also take her to some occasions. At that time, Bo Xia thought that he just wanted her to meet his friends and introduce them to each other. It was not until a long time later that she realized that he wanted to expand her network of contacts. He valued the career she liked and wanted to "support" her.
That day, she had nothing to do and went to meet some of his friends. He sat next to her and watched her play mahjong with a smile in his eyes. Although they didn't say anything, they knew very well about their relationship.
Who would have thought that Jin Yunyan liked someone like this.
He smiled happily when people won money, and he also smiled happily when they lost money. He whispered to Bo Xia next to him that it didn't matter how much they lost, and he would do them a favor.
Sheng Chi was also a man who understood signals. Moreover, he had been "taught a lesson" by Bo Xia before for speaking carelessly. Now he spoke more normally. He jokingly said, "Ayan, I think you should not come to the table from now on. Bo Xia's card skills are much better than yours."
Jin Yunyan was not angry either, as if there was no difference between praising Bo Xia and praising him.
Just when they were playing, an uninvited guest came. Sheng Chi saw the face of the person outside paused, and looked at Jin Yunyan awkwardly. The person next to him had an expression of enjoying the show, but he was kicked directly by him.
The person who came was Yu Qinghe. She had just returned from abroad. When she heard that Jin Yunyan had someone he liked, she just couldn't believe it and wanted to come and see it with her own eyes.
Sheng Chi was afraid that she would be ignorant and make things awkward, so he stood up and said he would take her somewhere else to play. However, Yu Qinghe was spoiled by nature and didn't buy his plan: "Why, you don't want to take me out to play?"
"Today is not the right day."
"What's inappropriate? I'm not the only girl here, right?" She looked at the people around Jin Yunyan with a hint of hostility in her eyes.
“…”
But after all, she was their friend, and she didn't make her purpose clear after she came. They were all in the same circle and it would be difficult to drive her away, so everyone just let her be.
Yu Qinghe saw them playing mahjong and said she wanted to join in too. Sheng Chi was just about to give up his seat to her, but she said she wanted to sit next to Bo Xia. It was obvious that he was targeting her, so how could Bo Xia not know that?
Jin Yunyan's face looked a little unhappy. He held Bo Xia's waist and hinted that she didn't need to get up. However, Bo Xia gave her seat to Yu Qinghe and sat next to her. She said, "I just feel a little tired."
Yu Qinghe took her place, and Jin Yunyan also left the mahjong table. She played for a while without saying anything excessive, until Jin Yunyan went out to answer the phone, and suddenly said to Bo Xia: "Miss Bo, you are so kind, why don't you give Ah Yan to me too? I have liked him for a long time."
The box suddenly became quiet and everyone looked at them. Sheng Chi sent a message to Jin Yunyan while comforting Yu Qinghe, but the other party did not take him seriously.
Bo Xia smiled, crossed her legs and sat there calmly: "I won't let you."
Yu Qinghe paused, then heard the second half of her sentence: "But I won't compete with you for it."
"What do you mean, you don't dare to compete with me, are you afraid of being outdone by me?"
"Love is a matter of mutual consent and it happens naturally. I'm not interested in competing with a woman for another man."
When she said this, she showed no hostility towards the person in front of her. She was generous and confident, making people feel that anyone who liked her had the right to do so.
After Jin Yunyan came in, he sat next to her without looking at Yu Qinghe.
The man leaned one hand on the back of the thin summer chair, lowered his eyes and chuckled, but the smile did not reach his eyes: "It's not easy to chase her, don't scare her away."
His tone sounded like he was joking, and he didn't make the situation too awkward, but the meaning behind his words was—
It was he who was pursuing Bo Xia, and it was he who wanted to force her.
Before Yu Qinghe came, she didn't believe that he had someone he liked. There had been no one around him for so many years, and even she couldn't make him develop feelings for her. But how could he really have someone he liked just by being away for a while?
"Jin..."
"Ms. Yu."
Seeing the other party's cold expression and even the cold address he gave her, she didn't dare to continue for a moment.
Although Jin Yunyan has always had a good temper, based on her experience of not getting any response from him over the years, she knew that if he was really angry, he would turn his back on her.
In the end, Sheng Chi couldn't stand it anymore and tried to smooth things over: "Qinghe, stop joking. Your brother Yan has been trying to please your future sister-in-law and has been neglecting his appetite lately. It would be a sin if he ruined it."
This was a hint to her not to act rashly, as Jin Yunyan would get angry and it would be difficult to resolve the situation.
After the conversation ended, Bo Xia remained silent. Jin Yunyan thought she had misunderstood and explained to her that there was nothing between them: "We're just ordinary friends."
Actually, strictly speaking, they weren't even friends. The Yu and Jin families were old friends, and they used to live close to each other. He sometimes had to socialize with Yu Qinghe out of respect, but he never crossed the line.
Bo Xia was still thinking about what he had just said about pursuing her. After coming to her senses, she said "hmm".
She knew better than anyone how ruthless he was to people he didn't like.
Seeing her cold look, Jin Yunyan came to his senses and chuckled softly.
Bo Xia asked him what he was laughing at, and he said he was laughing at himself because he was weird, afraid that she would be jealous, but also afraid that she wouldn't be jealous. He looked at her and called her name: "Bo Xia, can't you just take it to heart?"
"Um……"
Jin Yunyan looked at her deeply again: "You don't feel angry at all?"
"I actually admire that girl. Look at her. She's willing to fight for everything. Maybe I wouldn't be able to do that if it were me."
He burst out laughing.
Jin Yunyan wondered if he should be glad that she didn't really give in just now?
He always felt that he didn't know her well enough, so he looked at her for a long time. After a while, he asked, "Is it true that no one can stir up trouble in your heart?"
Bo Xia confessed, "Actually, I was jealous of you before, but that was a long time ago."
She talked about what happened in the bookstore that year, but she didn't know that the person at that time was also Yu Qinghe. She recalled her mood at that time and compared it with the present, and was glad that she didn't have the same low self-esteem as before: "Don't you think it's strange that I was actually very happy when I found out that you two were not boyfriend and girlfriend. You didn't say you liked me at that time, did you?"
She was still smiling when she spoke of this, as if it was a trivial matter. But Jin Yunyan did not speak for a long time.
How could he have known at that time that his every move would affect her mood? If he had known that he couldn't bear to see her sad now, would he have just treated her as a classmate?
Jin Yunyan didn't like her in the past, so he didn't care about her feelings.
But Jin Yunyan likes her now, so he doesn't want to make her sad in the past.
Even though Bo Xia no longer cares about it now.
His Adam's apple rolled and his eyes looked a little dim.
Bo Xia was still talking about the past. She said, "Look, I was a coward back then. I didn't dare rush up to you and tell you that I just liked you." She didn't even dare let anyone know those secrets, for fear that she would get nothing if she said them out loud.
She looked like she had let it go, but Jin Yunyan looked at her with a look of heartache. He helped her tidy up her hair and suddenly said, "Jin Yunyan likes you."
The naive secret love of that year finally got a response many years later.
His tone was gentle, and then he lowered his eyes and repeated solemnly: "Did you hear? Jin Yunyan likes you."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
