Su Ruanruan was feeling uneasy.
How could he want the Gu Family to find out?
As she pondered in silence, Bao Jingyan poured her a glass of milk and spoke with indifference, "Have some milk."
Su Ruanruan bit her lower lip.
Mrs. Gu watched the interaction between the two and covered her mouth with a smile.
It was truly unexpected; Jingyan, known for being dispassionate, was actually so attentive to a girl.
Mrs. Gu held affection for Su Ruanruan, of course, she had to test Bao Jingyan.
After breakfast, Mrs. Gu talked with Bao Jingyan privately for a while before letting him leave.
When Bao Jingyan emerged, he did not see Su Ruanruan, so he went upstairs to her bedroom.
Su Ruanruan stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, silently watching the garden scenery.
Bao Jingyan came in and closed the door.
He hugged her from behind, his voice hoarse: "Why are you doing this?"
Su Ruanruan’s gaze fell.
He kissed her neck: "Why let her hit you? I know you’re not incapable of fighting back."
Bao Jingyan was not a fool.
She allowed the Bao Family to misunderstand, let them scold and beat her, just to stay with the Bao Family.
He knew she had things to do, but his heart ached.
Su Ruanruan turned in his arms and looked up at him, "Bao Jingyan, if you didn’t have these feelings for me, I wouldn’t need this."
It was precisely because she truly had a man that she needed to disguise.
It wasn’t that she didn’t hurt, but she could only endure.
She pleaded with him, "There are girls prettier than me, can you let me go, please?"
Bao Jingyan tenderly stroked her delicate face, "Behave, don’t let others hit you again in the future. Unless you want to see her disappear."
He had methods she had seen before, so she panicked, "You won’t...harm her?"
"’She treats you like that, still concerned about kinship?"
Su Ruanruan shook her head: "After all, I’m from the Su Family, brought to the Bao Family for Bao Ziqi; with no elder sister around, how can I manage?"
Moreover, she was not dull; she could sense Bao Ziqi’s particular feelings towards her.
So, the elder sister would be a good shield.
Bao Jingyan heard this and frowned.
After a pause, he said hoarsely, "I can spare her, but she must be punished a little."
Su Ruanruan bit her lip, "Don’t be reckless, okay?"
But his eyes darkened, he leaned down and kissed her lips...
Su Ruanruan was angry and scared, "Bao Jingyan, you..."
This was the Gu Mansion, he still dared to act recklessly!
After satisfying his craving, Bao Jingyan murmured against her lips, "Mrs. Gu advised me earlier not to bully you."
Su Ruanruan gasped for air, "What did you say?"
He indulged a few more moments, then replied, "I said, you like me bullying you."
She hit him a few times in anger.
Bao Jingyan chuckled lowly, then stared at her seriously: "You’re not allowed to let others hit you on purpose! If it happens again..."
He whispered something in her ear, and Su Ruanruan was terrified.
Her cheeks, flushed completely red.
Bao Jingyan left, and downstairs, he smoked a cigarette with Gu Yuanpei.
Su Ruanruan didn’t have classes today, so she stayed at the Gu Mansion, keeping Mrs. Gu company, making flower tea and snacks.
In the afternoon, a servant from Gu Mansion came to report that Mrs. Bao had arrived.
When a distinguished guest came, Mrs. Gu just slightly lifted her eyelid.
The servant was unsure of her mood and looked at Su Ruanruan.
Su Ruanruan smiled faintly, "I must see her at some point."
"You, you’re just easy-going and easy to handle!" Mrs. Gu laughed teasingly: "With her treating you like that, isn’t it right to keep her hanging?"
As she spoke, her voice dropped a bit: "This trip of hers is probably to give an explanation to Old Madam Bao."