She had no time to deal with Xu Nuo's rumor-mongering right now.
If she gave her home address to Xu Minghua, she would never have a moment of peace again, let alone find a chance to get close to Bo Jinke.
Half a month later, Xu Shiyan arrived at the main gate of Bo Jinke's villa.
She wore a snow-white dress, her hair cascading down to her waist, with two long strands by her temples tied back with a silk ribbon and hanging behind her head. Even her makeup was light, making her superior facial features look all the more like a lotus emerging from clear water.
Any man would feel a surge of pity and affection at the sight.
Xu Shiyan took out a mirror to adjust her hair, deemed it satisfactory, and then raised her hand to press the doorbell.
Yet, after waiting a full several minutes, no one came to open the door.
Xu Shiyan's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she pressed the button a few more times.
That shouldn't be right, should it?
She had been observing for half a month; Bo Jinke almost always came home after ten-thirty, and he only took Saturdays off. Just last night, she had seen with her own eyes that Bo Jinke drove home alone.
Just as she began to suspect that Bo Jinke might not be in, the door finally opened the next second.
Xu Shiyan froze, her face full of astonishment. "Oh, Mr. Bo, how could it be you? I thought you were just passing by that day. It turns out you live right here?"
Xu Shiyan wore a perfectly measured smile, her crimson lips curving outward to reveal white teeth and crescent-shaped eyes.
Bo Jinke was wearing light blue pajamas, his short black hair slightly messy.
Having his sleep interrupted for no reason by the doorbell, Bo Jinke had a low pressure hanging over his stern face.
After seeing Xu Shiyan in the neighborhood that day, Bo Jinke had sent people to investigate the surrounding environment and learned that she lived right next door, so he was not very surprised to see her.
"Something the matter?"
His deep voice sounded like a question, yet it carried the illusion of a beast's low growl, as if he were issuing an eviction notice.
A trace of guilt appeared on Xu Shiyan's face. "Did I disturb you? The water pump for my pool broke. I originally wanted to look for a repairman, but I've run away from home right now and don't want others to find out, so I wanted to ask my neighbor for help. If you're too busy, then never mind..."
Saying this, Xu Shiyan showed no intention of leaving, only stealing glances at his expression from time to time.
Such clumsy acting clearly harbored ulterior motives.
She wondered whether she truly believed he couldn't see through it or if she was intentionally making a fool of herself.
Staring at Xu Shiyan for a few seconds, Bo Jinke suddenly smiled, the corners of his thin lips lifting into a curve.
Perhaps wanting to appreciate Xu Shiyan's acting a little longer, Bo Jinke opened the door fully and stepped aside to clear a path.
"Come in."
Xu Shiyan followed behind Bo Jinke into the villa's living room.
Having successfully entered Bo Jinke's personal territory, Xu Shiyan calmly looked around the surrounding environment.
A person's decor of their private space often exposes their preferences and weaknesses.
Unexpectedly, there were no personal items in the living room; it had a minimalist style as if ready to flee at any moment. The only bright spot was the boat orchid by the floor-to-ceiling window.
It was not yet the flowering season, but one could tell it had been very well cared for, glossy and vibrant.
Xu Shiyan brought it up as if casually mentioning it. "I didn't expect Mr. Bo to also have a hobby of keeping potted plants. I can't even keep a cactus alive."
As she spoke, Xu Shiyan reached out her finger, intending to lightly poke a leaf.
"Don't touch it."
Bo Jinke's voice dropped, the two words squeezed out almost from between his teeth, carrying a threatening weight like a cold dagger piercing someone's heart.
Even Xu Shiyan couldn't help a tremor in her finger, quickly withdrawing it.
Bo Jinke's attitude made her suspect that if she moved again, this hand today would be permanently separated from its owner.
Sensibly raising her hand in surrender, Xu Shiyan forced a smile. "Sorry, I didn't know it was so important to you. My apologies."
Even with a blade pressed against her neck, Xu Shiyan did not forget to test the waters.
Realizing she had lost her composure somewhat, Bo Jinke raised a hand to rub his temples, easing some of his fatigue.
"It's not that important. I just don't like other people touching my things."
That was the favorite flower of the girl in his dreams.
The girl stood by the window, watering the orchid with a spray bottle.
The girl stood against the light, making it impossible for him to see her features clearly, and every time he tried to get closer, the dream would wake up.
It was as if an invisible barrier prevented him from seeing the girl's appearance.
Thus, he kept a potted orchid, thinking that through this kind of external aid, perhaps one day he would be able to see clearly.
Xu Shiyan excelled most at pushing her luck, seizing the opportunity to ask further, "If it's not important, why would it be specially placed here? It gets the best sunlight here, and there's nutrient soil and pest repellent right beside it, plus it's the very first thing you see every time you walk downstairs. Could it be... a token of love?"
Xu Shiyan feigned an innocent and curious expression.
For a grown man to tend to a potted orchid with such meticulous detail, it was truly hard not to let one's imagination wander.
If Bo Jinke's heart genuinely belonged to someone else, then there was a high probability he would not agree to her proposal of a marriage alliance.
If that was the case, she had no need to waste time on Bo Jinke either.
"You certainly observe quite closely. However, it's best not to pry into certain things at will, lest you invite trouble."
Bo Jinke folded his arms and leaned back against the wall, his expression showing a trace of impatience as he tilted his chin toward the back garden.
"Didn't you want a water pump? By the side of the pool, go get it yourself."
Seeing when to stop while she was ahead, Xu Shiyan smiled slightly. "Alright."
Retrieving the water pump, Xu Shiyan walked out the front door.
With a loud "bang," the door was slammed heavily shut behind her.
Visit summary: eccentric, capricious, full of defenses even in his private space, probability of his heart belonging to someone else is twenty percent.
Overall, not a pleasant visit.
Xu Shiyan shook her head.
Suddenly, the image of that pot of orchid flashed through her mind, and a scene hidden deep within her consciousness gradually overlapped with the one she had just seen...
A slight, sharp pain shot through her head, and Xu Shiyan let out a hiss.
This pain vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
Could she just be too tired lately?
Xu Shiyan shook her head, brushing it off.
A few days later, Xu Shiyan received a call from Sheng Zhiyu.
"The Sheng Family's once-every-five-years family banquet is coming up soon. As the future daughter-in-law of the Sheng Family, it is only proper that you attend with me."
Xu Shiyan smiled. "You say it's proper, so it's proper? As a fiancé, you ought to keep your distance from other women, but I don't see you doing that either?"
Sheng Zhiyu sighed, sounding somewhat helpless. "Shiyan, do you have to pick a fight with me at a time like this? I've already said that no matter what happens, I will marry you. You know Grandpa's physical condition as well as anyone; do you really want to upset the entire Sheng Family?"
Sheng Zhiyu was as skilled at moral kidnapping as ever.
Xu Shiyan couldn't help rolling her eyes.
"You don't even have the qualifications to lecture me. When you were being ambiguous with Xu Nuo, why didn't I see you considering Grandpa's feelings? Full of high-sounding righteousness, you only know how to put on an act."
Sheng Zhiyu's tone softened a fraction. "Fine, I don't want to argue with you. In any case, we must attend together to avoid giving people something to gossip about."