As she said this, Li Susu subconsciously glanced in the direction of Bo Junyi, meeting the man's deep, light-reflecting eyes. They were stern and carried a hint of scrutiny, like a bottomless cold pool that could drag someone under.
Only then did she belatedly realize she had just said something extremely ambiguous, making it sound as if their relationship was unusual.
Her heart skipped a beat, and with a guilty conscience, Li Susu averted her gaze. Out of nervousness, her fingers instinctively clenched the edge of the blanket, her fingertips turning white from the force.
Looking at the young girl's aggrieved and uneasy appearance, Wen Nianshu was instantly overwhelmed by a boundless surge of maternal affection.
She gently grasped Li Susu's thin shoulders and comforted her softly, "Susu, you can tell right away that you're a sensible child, and Auntie believes you. Actually, Junyi isn't the irresponsible type; he had a misunderstanding about you before and got cold feet. Now that everything's out in the open, just try your best to get along—"
With her head lowered, feeling the man's icy gaze upon her, Li Susu did not dare say another word.
Because his attitude was already clear: he did not want this child.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have agreed to her surgery, nor would he have deliberately told his mother that she had a boyfriend.
Seeing Li Susu's hesitant attitude, the sparkle in Wen Nianshu's eyes dimmed a little. She asked softly, "Susu, tell Auntie honestly, do you like Junyi?"
As the words fell, the air seemed to freeze for a fraction of a second.
Without raising her head, Li Susu could feel the gaze suspended above her grow even colder and more menacing.
He said nothing, simply staring at her as if waiting to watch a good show.
Her nerves grew tense in an instant, the stagnant atmosphere wrapping around her like an invisible, suffocating net.
For a moment, she didn't know how to answer.
If she didn't like Mr. Bo, why would she choose to sleep with him?
Since Mr. Bo had deliberately called her "Susu" with such affection just now, he certainly didn't want his family to know that their relationship was merely a transaction.
Mr. Bo had gone above and beyond for her; she couldn't drag him down.
As for the child, if he truly didn't want it, she would follow his arrangements. In any case, she would never cause him any trouble.
At this thought, she nodded gently, though she still didn't dare look at Bo Junyi.
"Auntie, half a year ago, I was held up by a group of thugs. Mr. Bo saved me and even took me to the hospital, so I've had a crush on him from the very beginning..."
Carefully fabricating her story for fear of saying the wrong thing, Li Susu's voice grew softer and softer.
At that moment, the man who had been silent all this time leaned over, fixing his gaze straight on her. He lowered his voice, making his tone deliberately deep and magnetic, yet the words he uttered carried not a shred of warmth.
"Actually, I did have a bit of a soft spot for you at first, but after spending time together, I realized we aren't a good match. If you're willing to give birth to the child, I will offer you some compensation, but marriage is completely out of the question."
"Shut your mouth!"
Furious, Wen Nianshu sharply interrupted him, "Bo Junyi, is that something a man should say? You had a soft spot at first, but once you got the girl pregnant you decided it was boring? You ungrateful scumbag who pants and walks away, you deserve to be single for the rest of your life!"
As if surprised that his mother would describe him in such a pathetic light, Bo Junyi couldn't help the twitch at the corner of his mouth.
"Auntie, please don't blame Mr. Bo. Actually, I made the first move." When Li Susu said these words, she could clearly feel her cheeks burning completely out of her control.
Bo Junyi was somewhat taken aback. He looked at his mother, only to receive a heavy roll of the eyes in return.
"Susu, with Auntie here, you don't have to be afraid of him, and you don't always have to cover for him." When Wen Nianshu looked at Li Susu, her gaze was exceptionally gentle.
Fearing she would make things worse, Li Susu quickly reiterated, "Auntie, I'm not lying to you. It really was my initiative. I acted on a momentary impulse while Mr. Bo was drunk—"
"Will you die if you say a little less?" The more Bo Junyi listened, the more absurd it sounded, and he abruptly cut her off.
With her gentle and pitiful appearance, she looked like she was easy to bully. How could she possibly make his mother believe that she had seduced him?
Any normal person would assume she was being coerced.
Bo Junyi's tone was cold and harsh, carrying a trace of mockery if one listened closely, which made Wen Nianshu's blood boil.
"Bo Junyi, is that any way to talk? So what if Susu made the first move? If you really didn't like it, you could have completely refused. Did anyone put a knife to your throat and force you? When it comes down to it, you're just running away from your responsibilities!"
"I didn't say I wouldn't take responsibility. The child can be born, and I will give her fifty million in compensation—enough for her to live a comfortable life without worries for the rest of her days."
"No, you must get married!" Wen Nianshu's aura was formidable as she gritted her teeth, two flames of anger dancing in her eyes. "I will not let Susu be separated from her babies, and don't even think about it either!"
"Since she's more important to you, I choose to go abroad, and I'll leave the domestic side of things to my sister to manage."
Her chest heaving with anger, Wen Nianshu took a moment to calm herself down, then said with exasperated disappointment, "You don't want to get married, and I don't want to lose Susu. How about this: I'll take Susu as my goddaughter. From now on, whether she dates or gets married, you have no right to interfere!"
Li Susu had never expected the plot to develop in this direction. Looking at the mother and son locked in a stalemate before her, her mind still struggled to catch up.
"Auntie, feelings can't be forced. As long as I can bring the children into this world and give them a good growth environment, I will be completely content. As for marriage, I've never even thought about it. Auntie, thank you for looking out for me, but please don't make things difficult for Mr. Bo anymore, okay?"
"Oh my, how can our Susu be so kind and sensible! Alright, Auntie will listen to you. For now, let's not think about anything else and focus on having the baby first." Wen Nianshu gently stroked Li Susu's hair, then turned her gaze to Bo Junyi. "Fifty million, not a penny less."
Hearing that sum, Li Susu turned pale with fright. "Auntie, fifty million is too much. I can't take it, and I could never use that much money. Actually, two or three thousand a month is plenty—"
Her heart aching at her words, Wen Nianshu quickly comforted her, "Susu, don't try to save money for him. He has plenty of it; don't let it go to waste. With money, whether you look for a boyfriend or get married in the future, you'll be able to stand tall."
Having no idea how to respond, Li Susu remained silent for a long while before finally whispering, "Okay."
If she didn't agree, it would only make Mr. Bo think she had ulterior motives.
If she could choose to keep the child, she wouldn't have to face the risk of severe bleeding from an abortion surgery, and she would also be able to do right by the two little lives tied to her fate. This was already the best possible outcome.
"Susu is such a good girl," Wen Nianshu praised her with doting fondness.
The praise left Li Susu feeling rather embarrassed, but fortunately, the man nearby was finally getting ready to leave.
"If there's nothing else, I'm heading back to the company." With his hands shoved into his suit trouser pockets, Bo Junyi looked languid and cold, exuding an aura of absolute aloofness.
"Go on, go on, and stay out of my sight."
"What about her?" Bo Junyi's gaze fell upon Li Susu.
Wen Nianshu curled her lips. "What do you mean, what about her? She's coming back to the old mansion with me, of course. In her condition, what if she trips or bumps into something at school?"
Hearing this, Li Susu quickly interjected, "Auntie, I can be very careful at school; there won't be any problems at all."
Sensing that the young girl genuinely did not want to fall behind in her studies, Wen Nianshu understood she couldn't be too autocratic, even though she didn't want Li Susu to return to school. After all, at her age, she was in the prime period for learning, and keeping her cooped up at home for too long would only lead to depression.
"Fine. Since you want to go back and study, Auntie won't stop you, but you must come back to sleep every night. We have a dedicated family driver to take you to and from school every day. Also, your body is weak these past couple of days; go to school only after you've recovered properly, alright?"
Unable to utter a word of refusal, Li Susu could only nod and say, "Okay."
She stole a glance at Bo Junyi. The lines on the man's face were as hard as knife-carvings, entirely devoid of expression.
It made her heart ache terribly.
Without lingering any longer, Bo Junyi opened the door, stretched out his long legs, and prepared to leave.
"Mr. Bo, please wait a moment."
Hearing Li Susu's voice, Bo Junyi turned back to look at her, his expression calm, indifferent, and carrying a hint of inquiry.
Li Susu's lips moved, her voice no louder than a mosquito's buzz, "I—I want to go back to school to get some books. Can I ride in your car?"