After getting in the car, Bo Jinlan had Li Jing drive to a nearby mall, where he bought Jiang Yaoyao the latest model iPhone.
Then they went to a teahouse and a wine cellar, getting a whole load of gifts for the first meeting.
Watching Li Jing and the store clerks continually move things into the trunk, Jiang Yaoyao coughed twice, "Are all these for my grandpa?"
Bo Jinlan didn't deny it, "The cigarettes are for your uncle."
Jiang Yaoyao hadn't expected him to be so thoughtful and meticulous, so she hurriedly took out her phone, "How about this, add up how much it all costs later and send me the total, I'll give you the money."
After all, it was just an act...
Even though he wasn't short of money, she couldn't just take advantage of him, could she?
Bo Jinlan looked at her.
The young girl's expression was serious, her lovely peach blossom eyes full of the innocence and openness of a young girl.
He slowly curved his lips into a smile, "Alright."
As he spoke, he took out his phone and opened WeChat.
Jiang Yaoyao immediately scanned the QR code.
It was quite funny, even though she had secretly loved Bo Jinlan for many years, this was the first time she had added him on WeChat.
Bo Jinlan's WeChat profile picture was a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, gray and black in color, with a fierce look in its eyes.
The picture contrasted quite a bit with the man himself.
Jiang Yaoyao coughed twice and started typing in the remark column: Scumbag.
Once she had finished making the remark, she began to complain, "Your profile picture is so ugly!"
Bo Jinlan said, "Your profile picture is pretty cute, though."
"Of course." Jiang Yaoyao was smug.
After all, it was a selfie of this fairy!
Bo Jinlan didn't say anything more, just held his phone and looked at it.
A few seconds passed for Jiang Yaoyao before she suddenly realized... he seemed to be looking through her Moments!
She hurriedly picked up her phone, thinking of doing something, then stopped abruptly.
Wouldn't blocking him now seem a bit too much, like she was specifically guarding against him? Would it make her seem like she cared too much about him?
Forget it, forget it!
Her Moments were all photos anyway, and if they were going to go through with the whole act... was she afraid of him seeing her pictures?
Jiang Yaoyao convinced herself.
But she still couldn't quite relax, so she began to sneak peeks.
Bo Jinlan was lounging back in his chair, his long fingers holding the phone, occasionally sliding his thumb across it, while a thin smile perpetually rested on his handsome face.
Jiang Yaoyao couldn't help but start to worry: Was there something funny about her pictures? They were super beautiful!
...
It wasn't until the driver got into the car that Bo Jinlan finally put down his phone.
Jiang Yaoyao's heart settled back in place.
She decided to block him from her Moments once she got home!
**
By the time they arrived at the Jinxiu Garden Residential Area, where the Cheng Family lived, it was already six o'clock in the evening.
As she got out of the car, a burst of cold wind blew by, and Jiang Yaoyao couldn't help but hug her arms.
The autumn in the capital was really cold...
A broad men's suit jacket suddenly enveloped her from behind.
Jiang Yaoyao was startled, "No need..."
"It's windy tonight, be careful not to catch a cold," Bo Jinlan drew closer, his long, attractive fingers pulling the suit to completely wrap her up.
He bent down, his handsome features approaching, and his warm breath barely touching her cheeks.
Their proximity heightened Jiang Yaoyao's heartbeat.
There was no helping it; Bo Jinlan was exactly the man she found most aesthetically appealing, and on top of that, he was speaking so tenderly, standing so close...
Faced with such allure, she gazed at him with wide peach blossom eyes, feeling as though not only her body was enveloped in warmth, but her heart was also melting...
The next second.
"The old man is watching."
!!!
Jiang Yaoyao instantly calmed down and turned her face to look.
As expected.
Behind the pure black wrought iron gate, the little old man was dressed in home clothes, leaning on a cane, sneakily peeking over...
As their eyes met, Patriarch Cheng burst into laughter, "I didn't believe this girl could win over Jinlan, but now I do!"
Jiang Yaoyao: "......"
All right, she was being conceited.
**
Patriarch Cheng had just celebrated his sixty-fifth birthday, and thanks to his years in the military, he stood tall with dyed black hair, appeared elegant and considerably young.
As they entered the courtyard, Bo Jinlan greeted him warmly, "Elder."
Patriarch Cheng's face, which had been blooming with a smile, suddenly changed, "What did you call me?"
Bo Jinlan slightly raised his eyebrows.
Jiang Yaoyao was also surprised.
"Time to change the way you address me," Patriarch Cheng winked and nudged.
Bo Jinlan glanced at Jiang Yaoyao and corrected himself with a smile, "Grandpa."
Jiang Yaoyao: "......"
But Patriarch Cheng laughed once again, "That's more like it! Come on, follow me into the house!"
**
The living room.
Cheng Runzhi had already returned and was sitting behind the solid wood tea table, methodically brewing and pouring tea.
Bo Jinlan had a way with elders, and after presenting a pile of gifts tailored to their liking, Patriarch Cheng was particularly happy and kept on talking to him until—
"Why has Yaoyao become so thin? You can't be like those female celebrities who don't eat to lose weight. It's bad for your health!"
"Grandpa, I'm not thin," pouted Jiang Yaoyao, clinging onto the old man's arm, "I'm almost 100 pounds now…"
"I don't care," Patriarch Cheng turned his face, "Jinlan, you as the boyfriend need to take responsibility, make sure she eats every day and fatten her up till she's plump and healthy, got it?"
Cheng Runzhi was placing the white porcelain tea cups filled with tea in front of everyone, and finally, as he picked up his own cup and began to sip—
"Understood, Grandpa."
Cheng Runzhi: "Cough cough cough—"
The tea went straight down the wrong pipe.
Bo Jinlan cast a sidelong glance at him.
Patriarch Cheng glared at him, "You rascal, all you know is work, you don't even notice when your own niece is dating. What kind of uncle are you? I've raised you for nothing!"
Cheng Runzhi rubbed his temples and put down his tea cup, "I'm going to have a smoke."
"Smoke smoke smoke… that's all you know! No wonder Taotao dumped you and even took my grandson with her. Go on and live with your cigarettes! You deserve to be a lonely old man forever! Useless!" Patriarch Cheng roared with vigor.
Jiang Yaoyao felt like the whole villa was shaking…
Thankfully…
Thankfully, Bo Jinlan had agreed to act with her; otherwise, if Grandpa found out she had a one-night stand with a man…
She would definitely be beaten to death with random sticks!
"Yaoyao…"
"Ah!" Jiang Yaoyao was startled.
Patriarch Cheng looked at her with a chuckle, "I'm asking you, why didn't you stay at home when you came back? And why did you hide from your Grandpa and secretly stay in a hotel?"
Jiang Yaoyao frantically thought of an excuse, "I…"
"It's okay, no need to explain," said Patriarch Cheng, pointing at Bo Jinlan, "Got a boyfriend and forgot your Grandpa, didn't you? Just caring about being affectionate with your boyfriend!"
Jiang Yaoyao's face turned red, "I didn't…"
"It's my fault," Bo Jinlan held his tea cup, his voice gentle and modest, "I upset Yaoyao a while ago, so… it's all my fault."
This speech seemed like an explanation while also explaining nothing.
But Patriarch Cheng had already filled in the gaps himself, "It's normal for couples to have friction, but you can't just find another man because you're angry. In this regard, ah, Jinlan is much more mature than you. Over the years, I've never seen a woman by his side, seems he has only you on his mind, haha…"
Jiang Yaoyao: "......"
Compared to her guilty conscience, Bo Jinlan's handsome face always sported a faint smile, looking gentle and refined, upright, and polite.
It wasn't until his phone rang that he stood up, "Grandpa, I have to take a call."
"Go ahead."