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For a moment, the He family living room was utterly silent.
Mrs. Chen was the first to break, letting out a chuckle. She looked at He Jingxiu with a half-smile, teasing, “Why didn’t you go on the show?”
He Jingxiu: “...”
He wanted to, but he didn’t meet the requirements.
He’s father also joined in the fun, “This young man is indeed quite handsome. He seemed good during the interview too.”
He Jingxiu choked slightly and retorted, “He’s a company employee.”
He’s father raised an eyebrow, praising, “Oh, our company now has good taste in choosing people.”
Bo Ying suppressed a smile and explained, “Netizens like to randomly pair people up. Uncle, Auntie, please don’t mind them.”
Mrs. Chen: “I like it too.”
She said cheerfully, “It’s fun to watch others fall in love.”
He Jingxiu paused and reminded her, “They’re not in a relationship.”
Mrs. Chen: “Then I also like shipping couples.”
She had no other hobbies now. Every day, besides shopping, traveling, accompanying He’s father fishing, and playing mahjong with her girlfriends, she watched novels and TV dramas. She knew them all by heart, watching all sorts of melodramatic shows and even following celebrities.
He Jingxiu had been called by her several times to vote for her favorite celebrities.
Of course, He Jingxiu ignored her.
Hearing this, He’s father nodded, “That’s true. Your mother was even picking a suitable romantic partner for an actor a while ago.”
“Who?” Bo Ying asked curiously.
“A new actor. Wasn’t there a movie released recently? She watched it and loved it, kept saying that the actor was handsome, had good charisma, and needed to be paired with a beautiful actress to form a couple...” He’s father tried hard to recall, “The actor seemed to be named Yan or something.”
Bo Ying was stunned, her eyes lighting up, “Zhou Yan?”
He’s father hadn’t spoken yet when Mrs. Chen excitedly said, “Yingying, do you like him too?”
Bo Ying: “...”
She pointed to Yu Mengjia, who appeared on the screen, and smiled, “Auntie, our colleague here likes him.”
As soon as she spoke, Yu Mengjia’s voice happened to come through.
She was telling Bo Ying about her celebrity crush, and Bo Ying, after listening, tried to ease the atmosphere and make her less nervous by saying something like, “Our CEO He is also incredibly handsome.”
As soon as that remark came out, Mrs. Chen couldn’t help but laugh, “That’s true, my son is quite handsome.”
He Jingxiu was about to nod when Mrs. Chen said, “But Yingying, don’t you think there’s still some difference between him and Zhou Yan? Zhou Yan’s divine looks are incomparable.”
“...”
He Jingxiu didn’t know whether to cry or laugh for a moment.
He looked at Mrs. Chen helplessly, “Mrs. Chen, isn’t that a little too much?”
Mrs. Chen: “I’m telling the truth. If you don’t believe me, ask Yingying.”
Instantly, all three of them simultaneously looked at her.
Bo Ying was slightly embarrassed. She thought about the photos of Zhou Yan she had seen, then looked at He Jingxiu, and mumbled indistinctly, “There is some difference.”
Before He Jingxiu could get angry, she quickly added, “But in my eyes, you’re the most handsome.”
Mrs. Chen chuckled, “In my eyes, you’re the most handsome too.”
He’s father mimicked them, “Mm, that’s right.”
He Jingxiu: “...”
He wasn’t very happy.
________________________________________
The four of them watched most of the show together, still reluctant to stop even when it was time for dinner.
Mrs. Chen wanted to finish watching it in one go, but He’s father pulled her to the dining table. With Bo Ying present today, even though everyone had easygoing personalities, they couldn’t be too casual.
After eating, Mrs. Chen and Bo Ying immediately returned to the television.
The variety show itself was quite relaxed. Although there were deliberately created moments of tension, it mostly depicted the current situation of graduate interviewees.
Bo Ying performed well, and as soon as she appeared, many people praised her.
Some called her beautiful, others praised her figure. She was completely at ease during the interview, calm and composed like an experienced veteran.
Of course, some people also analyzed her attire, identifying the brands of her clothes, watch, shoes, and bags.
She rarely watched variety shows before, preferring movies and TV dramas. The only domestic variety shows she had watched were Chi Xiaolu’s and her brother’s, so she was quite surprised watching this now.
“Oh my god,” Bo Ying said, “If I had known that workplace variety shows would have people analyzing my clothes, I would have dressed up more beautifully that day.”
Mrs. Chen: “You’re already very beautiful.”
She said happily, “Our Yingying is so pretty.”
Bo Ying was amused by her, “Thank you, Auntie.”
“Auntie is telling the truth,” Mrs. Chen glanced at her, “Why thank me?”
She let out a sigh of contentment, “But honestly, you and Fang Boyu really do look quite well-matched when standing together.”
“...”
Bo Ying remained silent.
She secretly glanced at the man who had just arrived from the dining room and felt a tiny bit of sympathy for He Jingxiu.
So tragic.
He Jingxiu, however, showed no expression. He handed the freshly squeezed juice to both of them and turned to Bo Ying, “Want to go for a walk outside?”
Mrs. Chen: “Go, go, but don’t stay outside too long, it’s cold. Yingying, remember to take your coat and scarf.”
Bo Ying was startled, then lowered her gaze and smiled, “Okay.”
Besides He Jingxiu and Chi Xiaolu’s group, this was the first time she had heard such words from an elder.
When she was little, no matter how many layers Bo Ying wore, her parents wouldn’t say a word. Sometimes, she would deliberately wear less, hoping to get their attention and make them talk to her more, but it was always to no avail.
In the end, she would freeze herself into a cold and end up in the hospital, and her parents rarely visited her. Most of the time, the auntie at home took care of her.
Their reason was always that they were busy, too busy to need family.
He Jingxiu’s current residence was moved into a few years ago.
He told Bo Ying that before, for his schooling, the family lived in a place closer to the school. They only moved here after he went to college.
But the surrounding environment here was very good, suitable for retirement.
Bo Ying walked with him in the community, where lush green plants could vaguely be seen even in winter.
Her hand was tucked into the man’s pocket and held by him, quietly enjoying the tranquil moment.
After walking for a short distance, He Jingxiu introduced her to the places he frequently visited.
There was a large lake behind the villa where fishing was allowed. The house was initially chosen for its location purely because He’s father enjoyed fishing.
“What about you?” Bo Ying couldn’t help but imagine, “Do you think you’ll like fishing when you’re old?”
He Jingxiu raised an eyebrow and smiled, “I quite like it now.”
“Huh?” Bo Ying hadn’t known he had this hobby. “How come I’ve never seen you fish?”
He Jingxiu looked at her, “If you’re interested, shall I take you to try it out this afternoon?”
“It’s winter, aren’t the fish hiding?”
He Jingxiu was amused by her thought, tilting his head and contemplating, “Probably not.”
Bo Ying curved her lips, very reluctantly saying, “Alright then, I’ll go fishing with you this afternoon.”
The two exchanged smiles.
________________________________________
Walking a bit further, Bo Ying changed to holding He Jingxiu’s arm, and mumbled, “He Jingxiu.”
“Mm?”
“Your family atmosphere is really good.”
He Jingxiu paused slightly, looked down at her, and smiled, “Bo Ying, that’s a bit irresponsible of you.”
Bo Ying looked at him, puzzled.
He Jingxiu asked, “Isn’t this your home?”
“...”
Bo Ying was momentarily stunned, then realized what the man meant.
She thought for a moment, then pouted and said, “Not yet.”
She snorted lightly, haughtily, “CEO He hasn’t even made a declaration, so how can it be my home?”
He Jingxiu paused, then smiled, “Got it.”
He lowered his head, touched her nose with his, and gently said, “It will be your home in the future. Don’t envy me; they will be your parents too.”
Bo Ying smiled, not giving him a definitive answer, “We’ll see about that.”
He Jingxiu knew she was shy and didn’t push her.
After walking around outside, the two returned home.
As soon as she entered the house, a hand warmer was placed in Bo Ying’s hand. It was prepared by Mrs. Chen.
“Thank you, Auntie.”
“Are you cold?” Mrs. Chen looked at her, “Your face is red from the cold, you’re wearing too little.”
She touched Bo Ying’s hand, then asked, “Are your feet cold? How about a foot bath?”
Bo Ying blinked, looking at He Jingxiu.
“Have one,” He Jingxiu said, “Her feet are always cold.”
Mrs. Chen nodded, “Then soak your feet more often in the future. If you persist, it can improve.”
Bo Ying curved her lips, smiling and agreeing, “Okay.”
Afraid that Bo Ying wouldn’t feel comfortable downstairs, Mrs. Chen urged He Jingxiu to take her to his room.
The two went upstairs. He Jingxiu carried the foot bath tub Mrs. Chen gave him and put some things in it for her.
Bo Ying was curious, “What’s this?”
He Jingxiu looked at her fair legs, his eyes darkening, and whispered, “I don’t know, Mrs. Chen uses them often.”
Bo Ying suppressed a laugh, “So your mom often takes foot baths too?”
He Jingxiu “mm”-ed, “She stays up late and takes care of her health at the same time.”
Bo Ying was exasperated but amused, “Young people are all like that now.”
He Jingxiu agreed, “That’s why she often says she’s young.”
Bo Ying laughed, and thinking about it, she did feel that Mrs. Chen was indeed very much like a young person, reading novels, chasing celebrities, watching variety shows, and shipping couples. This was indeed very youthful; her mindset was too good.
A person with such a mindset must also have a good family atmosphere.
Bo Ying envied it.
She didn’t know how to express it, but she was just so, so envious.
As she was thinking, she suddenly noticed He Jingxiu squatting in front of her. Bo Ying was startled and immediately said, “What are you doing?”
He Jingxiu’s sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, revealing the smooth lines of his muscles.
He said calmly, “I’ll give you a massage.”
“...”
“Foot massage?” Bo Ying immediately refused, “No, no, I can do it myself.”
He Jingxiu looked up at her, paused, then asked, “Shy?”
Bo Ying: “...You know I’m not.”
“Then what are you afraid of?” He Jingxiu’s eyes were full of laughter, “Isn’t it proper for me to serve my girlfriend?”
Bo Ying opened her mouth, unsure of what to say for a moment.
She stared at He Jingxiu, unable to believe that such a man, who was always looked up to and respectfully called “CEO He” by others, would willingly bend his knee in front of her, willing to use his hands, which controlled everything, to wash her feet and even massage them.
“But—”
“No buts,” He Jingxiu directly interrupted her, his hand slipping into the tub filled with hot water, and asked softly, “Do you need more hot water?”
At first, Bo Ying felt it was too hot, so they added a lot of cold water. Now the temperature didn’t seem as high.
“No need.”
Bo Ying pursed her lips, her head bowed, “This is good enough.”
He Jingxiu responded deeply.
The two, one sitting and one squatting, made for a remarkably beautiful scene.
They were like figures in a painting, yet they were figures in a painting imbued with the essence of everyday life.
He Jingxiu was massaging for the first time and was still a bit unskilled.
But Bo Ying felt it was very good.
After the foot bath, she pulled He Jingxiu into the bathroom.
He Jingxiu looked at her actions and teased, “Pulling me in here, are you going to tell me a secret?”
Bo Ying glared at him, turned on the faucet, squeezed some hand soap, and smeared it on his hands, “Wash your hands.”
He Jingxiu let her, allowing her to wash his hands for him.
As they washed, the hand-washing took on a different flavor.
________________________________________
Inexplicably, the atmosphere in the bathroom became very strange.
Bo Ying heard the man’s breathing beside her, and similarly, she felt her own heart beating too fast.
Instinctively, she pursed her lips.
Suddenly, the man’s hand slipped from her palm and landed on the back of her neck.
Bo Ying was forced to look up, her eyes meeting the man’s deep pupils.
“You...” She swallowed, “What are you going to do?”
He Jingxiu smiled, answering with action.
He wanted to kiss her.
Right here.
When He Jingxiu kissed Bo Ying, most of the time it was gentle, without plunder.
But this time, it was a little different.
He unreasonably pried open her pearly teeth, intertwining with her tongue, his kiss heavy and forceful.
Before long, Bo Ying felt a sense of suffocation, as if she couldn’t breathe.
Her legs went weak.
A moment later, she was lifted onto the sink by the man. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again.
The sounds of flushed breathing filled the bathroom.
After an unknown amount of time, the man finally retreated slightly, but his lips still lingered on her face. He moved from her rosy lips to her nose, forehead, and behind her ear.
As he held her earlobe, He Jingxiu’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he whispered, “Is Zhou Yan really more handsome than me?”
“...”
Caught off guard, Bo Ying was momentarily stunned before she realized, “How could you—”
She looked at the person in front of her, both exasperated and amused.
“What?”
He Jingxiu bit her earlobe angrily.
Bo Ying suppressed a laugh, then actively hooked her arms around his neck, leaned in to kiss his chin, and said clingily, “In my eyes, you’re the most handsome.”
Hearing this, He Jingxiu wasn’t very happy.
He continued to kiss downwards, and then asked, “Fang Boyu usually has a good relationship with you guys.”
Bo Ying suppressed it, then couldn’t help but punch him, accusing, “You’re the one who always had him relay messages and deliver things to me! For some of what the netizens said, you have to take the blame!”
He Jingxiu: “...”
If he had known earlier that netizens would pair them up, he would have appeared on screen himself.
“What’s wrong?” Bo Ying seized his weakness, raising her eyebrows and asking smugly, “Did you realize you were wrong?”
He Jingxiu didn’t answer her, expressing his displeasure with actions.
Bo Ying was pressed against the bathroom wall and kissed by him for a while longer. If this wasn’t Bo Ying’s first time at the He family home, and He Jingxiu hadn’t considered various reasons, she suspected she wouldn’t have been able to leave the bathroom for an hour.
Bo Ying slipped out of the bathroom, and it was a long time before He Jingxiu emerged.
Instinctively, Bo Ying glanced downwards.
Noticing her gaze, He Jingxiu stepped over and pinched her cheek, “What are you looking at?”
“Nothing,” Bo Ying chuckled, “CEO He brought it on himself.”
He Jingxiu patted her head.
Bo Ying yawned and whined, “I’m sleepy.”
“Take a nap.”
“Mm,” Bo Ying snuggled into his arms, “Just for a bit. We’ll get up early so your mom doesn’t think I’m too lazy.”
He Jingxiu: “Being a bit lazy is good.”
Bo Ying opened her eyes and looked at him, “Good in what way?”
He Jingxiu pondered for a moment, then looked at her and said, “You can relax more.”
He rubbed Bo Ying’s temples, “Sleep.”
Bo Ying: “...Okay.”
The two embraced and slept in the afternoon.
The warm winter sun slanted in from outside the window, hot and cozy.
Everything was just perfect.
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