Bao Mingyuan’s heart gave a lurch.
He couldn’t help but look at his son.
Bao Jingyan smiled nonchalantly, "I need to take a call."
He calmly went upstairs.
Bao Mingyuan just watched him.
In a moment, Bao Jingyan appeared at the railing on the second floor, speaking on the phone.
His expression was one of pleasure.
Bao Mingyuan shook his head, feeling that he had been overthinking.
He shifted his gaze back to his own phone.
The call had not connected.
The child Ruanruan hadn’t answered the phone.
Bao Mingyuan felt somewhat melancholic and left disheartened.
Auntie Li saw him out: "Take care."
Just before getting into the car, Bao Mingyuan suddenly turned to ask Auntie Li, "Does Jingyan’s girlfriend often stay over here at night?"
Auntie Li dodged the question with a cunning air, "I don’t usually inquire into the master’s affairs."
Bao Mingyuan didn’t ask any further, opened the car door, and got in.
Auntie Li watched his car drive away before returning to the hall.
Bao Jingyan was downstairs, fiddling with his cellphone. "Gone?"
Auntie Li replied irritably, "Don’t ask me to cover for you again in the future."
Bao Jingyan chuckled, then stood up to go upstairs.
Auntie Li couldn’t help but say from behind, "You should at least give Miss Su some degree of status. No matter how capable Miss Su is, she is still a young lady."
"I know," Bao Jingyan gave Auntie Li an extra glance.
He went up to the master bedroom.
Su Ruanruan was already awake, lost in thought with her phone in hand.
"What are you looking at?" He walked over, took her phone, and started browsing through it.
Su Ruanruan lowered her eyes, "Won’t Uncle Bao be very sad I didn’t answer his call?"
"Fool." Bao Jingyan pinched her face. "It’s better to think about where we might go for a walk."
Su Ruanruan asked, "Do you have any good places?"
"There are some, but I’m afraid you might not dare to go," Bao Jingyan teased her on purpose.
Su Ruanruan didn’t take the bait.
He had no choice but to lower his stance, "Join me for a meal at noon."
Su Ruanruan, too, was feeling restless and agreed.
An hour later, the car entered a rather quaint courtyard. She looked sideways at Bao Jingyan, "Where is this?"
Bao Jingyan stopped the car and said cheerfully, "It’s my maternal grandparents’ house."
He raised his eyebrows: "Scared?"
Su Ruanruan cast down her eyes, and after a long while, she asked softly, "Bao Jingyan, what status should I go in as?"
After speaking, she raised her eyes to look at him.
She had just been involved in a scandal with Gu Ze; would the people of her grandparents’ house dislike her?
Bao Jingyan knew what was on her mind and chuckled, "That’s why you have to be extra nice to me."
Su Ruanruan glared at him but wasn’t as nervous anymore.
Bao Jingyan went round to the trunk to get a gift, then took Su Ruanruan’s hand and they entered together.
Su Ruanruan was a bit uneasy.
"This isn’t right," she said in a low voice.
Bao Jingyan stopped, saying, "Auntie Li just told me I should give you an official status; I think she’s right! Ruanruan, publicly I can’t disclose our relationship at the moment, but here at my grandparents’ house..."
He paused, "I want you to feel a bit more at peace."
Su Ruanruan bit her lip.
Bao Jingyan squeezed her hand, his tone gentle, "Silly again."
"I’m not silly," Su Ruanruan protested softly.
Bao Jingyan lightly laughed.
The Sun Mansion was elegant and serene, reportedly converted from an old princely manor, quite imposing.
Bao Jingyan took her through a five-minute walk towards the main house. The servants of the Sun Mansion all greeted him as ’Young Master’ upon seeing him.
They also sneaked glances at Su Ruanruan.
Su Ruanruan was a little embarrassed.
A butler-like figure approached them with a smile, "The wife and young master of the Gu Family have already arrived, and the old madam is entertaining them."
Bao Jingyan responded with a nonchalant hum.
Su Ruanruan was curious, "Why are Auntie Gu and the others here?"
Bao Jingyan flicked her forehead, "She can’t come? Auntie Gu is well-acquainted with my maternal grandmother."