It’s been a year since they last met.
Bao Jingyan’s demeanor had grown even colder.
In the cold winter days.
He stood in the courtyard.
Tall and superior, mature and upright.
In a deep blue shirt.
A light grey sweater, and a well-made overcoat on top.
Su Ruanruan didn’t want to talk to him, her eyes dropped as she prepared to pass by him.
But Bao Jingyan stepped forward to block her...
He drew in so close, close enough for her to smell the pleasant male scent on him.
Bao Jingyan’s voice was husky, incredibly sexy: "I have a child, are you unhappy about that?"
Su Ruanruan couldn’t bear it.
She said softly, "Step aside."
"What if I don’t?" His voice grew even more low-pitched.
Su Ruanruan pushed him: "Bao Jingyan, don’t go too far!"
Her eyes were wet: "All I wanted was to accompany the old lady during her last days, what more do you want?"
Bao Jingyan saw tears in her eyes.
He reached out to wipe them away, his voice almost a whisper: "Do you feel like I’m bullying you?"
Su Ruanruan took a step back.
She felt very uncomfortable.
At that moment, Bao Mingyuan came from the main house.
As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw his eldest son bullying the young lady.
He cursed silently: Bao Jingyan, have some shame! You already have a child; do you still expect her to wait for you?
He intervened for Su Ruanruan: "The old lady has been talking about you all morning!"
Su Ruanruan immediately walked into the courtyard.
Bao Mingyuan lectured his son: "Now that you have a child, stop bothering Ruanruan! Look at her... she’s probably been crying."
He glanced at his son again.
Angry that he couldn’t control his desires.
Bao Jingyan, with hands in pockets, had an unfathomable look in his eyes.
Bao Mingyuan continued: "You’re a grown man who can’t take care of a child; find a woman and get married!"
Bao Jingyan looked at him.
He followed Su Ruanruan into the old lady’s bedroom.
Su Ruanruan was very strong-willed, taking meticulous care of the old lady even though she had cried half the night.
The old lady was clear in her mind.
But some things had to be buried deep down for now.
Su Ruanruan cared for her half a day.
She had lunch at the Bao Family, and afterwards rested in the bedroom of the courtyard.
Bao Jingyuan, worried about her, clumsily tried to comfort her.
Su Ruanruan quietly read her book.
But Bao Jingyuan could ramble to herself for an hour...
It began to snow from the sky.
Bao Mingyuan had someone add more coal to the fire in the old lady’s room, rubbing his hands he said: "Let’s set up a small stove tonight, have a hotpot together, warm things up."
The younger generation all felt melancholic.
The old lady lay listening to the sound of the snowflakes falling.
Suddenly, her spirit improved, and she could sit up.
She said: "I just want to play cards one more time."
The corner of Su Ruanruan’s mouth trembled slightly.
She knew the old lady’s time was near; this was her rallying before the end.
Bao Mingyuan saw her and realized it too.
He covered his sorrow and asked Housekeeper Wang to set up a card table.
He asked Jingyan, Jingyuan, and Su Ruanruan to play a few rounds with the old lady... Bao Ziqi sat beside her as the advisor.
Ten minutes later, the card table was ready.
Gui Zhi helped the old lady to the table.
The old lady was cheerful and lucid.
But the younger ones all knew.
The old lady’s time was coming...
Bao Jingyuan couldn’t hide her emotions.
She found an excuse to run to the bathroom and sobbed loudly... Bao Mingyuan hugged his younger daughter.
Bao Jingyuan cried in his embrace.
After playing a few rounds of cards, the old lady’s head slowly drooped...
Bao Mingyuan was overwhelmed with grief.
He called out: "Old lady."
The old lady didn’t react much...
Housekeeper Wang rushed in.
He said, "The roses in the greenhouse have bloomed..."
At her last moments, the old lady heard him.
She spoke with effort: "The ones Ruanruan planted... Jingyan, Ruanruan... accompany me to see them one last time."