Time passed, summer vacation was over, a new semester began, and Jian Dan, after more than half a year, sent Bo Qin a message, "Uncle Qin, will you come home for dinner today?"
This was the last weekend of the first semester of their second year in high school. Finals were next week, followed by the winter break. Usually, in such circumstances, Bo Qin would have dinner with Jian Dan. No matter the reason, he had never missed it.
Soon, Bo Qin replied, "No, I’m really busy tonight, I have to go on a business trip. Tell me what you want to eat, just inform Aunt Li and Aunt Lin, they will prepare the food you like. If you’re bored, you can also invite classmates over to the house."
Jian Dan’s eyes reddened as soon as she saw the message. She buried her head, crying softly, a covert sorrow that most people wouldn’t even notice.
The driver took it lightly and didn’t pay attention.
She didn’t reply to Bo Qin’s message, turned off her phone, leaned back into her seat, and rested with her eyes closed.
Thinking she was feeling unwell, the driver asked, "Miss, are you alright?"
Jian Dan shook her head without opening her eyes, "I’m fine, just a bit tired. Xiaolin, let’s go straight home, no need to stop by the supermarket."
She had intended to buy some snacks at the supermarket, but now, she had lost interest.
The driver, unaware of what had happened, nodded and continued driving home, thinking he’d call Secretary Zhou later to report the situation.
Upon arriving home, Jian Dan greeted Aunt Lin listlessly before heading straight to her room. The driver, carrying her suitcase, followed her in. Aunt Lin pulled him aside, "Xiaolin, what’s going on? Miss seems to be in such a poor mood?"
The driver, also clueless, shook his head, "I don’t know, but it’s been a long while since the master has been home. Maybe that’s why the miss is unhappy. How about you ask the master if he can come home and have a meal with the miss?"
Aunt Lin fell silent at once.
This matter, she had hinted at to the master before. Then the master had said he’d be extremely busy and wouldn’t have time to come for meals. If the miss inquired, he was to be told he was unavailable, but to agree to any of her requests.
But now, the miss’s mood clearly showed she felt withdrawn because she couldn’t see the master.
The driver set the suitcase by the door and said to Aunt Lin, "Perhaps you should call the master, the miss has been really off lately."
Aunt Lin nodded, "I understand. You report as you need to, and don’t worry about this side; I’ll handle it."
Jian Dan threw herself on the bed, feeling lifeless and weak. She just closed her eyes to rest, going over everything from the time she met Bo Qin to the present.
Bo Qin had never given her any signs that he liked her. He did dote on her, but that was the affection of an elder for a niece or daughter, all the care a senior could offer a junior.
For Jian Dan to fall for Bo Qin was inappropriate to begin with; now that Bo Qin was avoiding her, rationally, she couldn’t resent him for it because she was the one who had crossed the line first.
Just because she had fallen for Bo Qin, did it mean he had to like her back? There was no such mutual affection.
Bo Qin had only the responsibility to raise her, not an obligation to love her. She couldn’t demand that Bo Qin like her.
Bo Qin made sure she wanted for nothing and kept her far away from the vampiric relatives, affording her the life she now had: a good school, good friends, a good learning environment. What she had was all thanks to Bo Qin, yet she failed to appreciate it and even longed for him.
Anyone would think poorly of her for that.
"Knock knock knock..."
Someone knocked from outside, interrupting Jian Dan’s thoughts. Then Aunt Lin’s voice came through, "Jian Dan, I’ve made dumplings, come out and have some."
Jian Dan responded with an ’oh’, got up to open the door for Aunt Lin, her eyes red as if she had just woken up. Aunt Lin smiled and said, "You must be tired, right?"
Jian Dan nodded, "The coursework is quite demanding lately, I am a bit tired, but it’ll be better after the exams."
"Don’t stress yourself out too much; if you’re this anxious in your second year, what will you do in your third year?"
Jian Dan hummed in acknowledgment without further comment and went downstairs. She ate a bowl of dumplings and drank a bowl of chicken soup, feeling her stomach fortified. She spread out on the couch, her gaze drifting to Aunt Lin, busy in the kitchen. Jian Dan said with a smile, "Aunt Lin, prepare the main course for tomorrow. My friends are coming over to play. There’s also something I will discuss with Uncle Qin later and tell you about."