CH 74

Feeling the coolness on his neck, along with this choked out apology, Pei Yi’s heart seemed to be crushed into two halves.

These few hours, how much had Bo Yueming suppressed his self-blame for his kidnapping?

This was why he was so wild, fragile, and agitated.

“Er-ge, it’s not your fault. You don’t need to apologize to me.”

Pei Yi mirrored Bo Yueming’s actions in order to comfort him, gently rubbing the back of his lover’s neck again and again. “I know, I know, I didn’t let you come to me.”

“I should have gone,” Bo Yueming replied very softly, the strength of his embrace never relaxing.

“I shouldn’t have left you alone. I should have learned my lesson from the first two banquets, but I still took it lightly.”

Pei Yi coaxed him with a hint of humor, “Okay, I forgive you. I’ll ask Mr. Bo to pay attention next time, all right?”

One couldn’t imagine that a thief was living in their own house.

Who would have expected that Bo Guancheng would still be thinking of finding someone to attack him at this juncture?

Thanks to their infrequent contact and his “foolish” disguise on the occasions they met, the poor information had given Pei Yi the chance to escape.

Bo Yueming regained his sanity in his lover’s embrace, and finally recovered from his ruthlessness. “Did I hit him hard just now?”

Pei Yi patted him on the back. “Yes, ah. If I hadn’t come, you would have beat him to death.”

Bo Yueming loosened his grip, but the hostility in his heart had not completely dissipated. “He should be killed.”

Bo Guancheng’s tricks had not been used once or twice. He had planned the car accident, drugged and slandered him—

Bo Yueming could bear it for the sake of the overall situation, but today, the other party had touched his bottom line, and he couldn’t stand it anymore!

“That won’t work. If you kill him, you’ll be at fault.” Pei Yi kissed Bo Yueming’s lips, and said regretfully, “We should send him to jail, the longer the better.”

For a young master like Bo Guancheng who was used to living a good life, sending him to prison would be worse than death for him.

Bo Yueming took a deep breath. “Don’t talk about him, let me see. Where are you hurt?”

Pei Yi said with a guilty conscience, “I’m not hurt, ah.”

Bo Yueming debunked his lover’s well-intentioned excuses. “You can’t hide it from me. During the video call just now, you held the phone very close on purpose, because you were afraid that I would see and be distracted during the meeting.”

“…….”

Bo Yueming took him to sit on the sofa. “Is this coat Mr. Qin’s?”

“En, I was caught off guard today and tied up, and I didn’t have enough clothes……” As he spoke, Pei Yi remembered one important thing.

His expression changed, and he raised his hand, slapping his thigh with force, but unfortunately, his unspoken question changed in tone, “—Hiss!”

His injured right arm went numb with the movement, and Pei Yi’s face twisted.

Bo Yueming was suddenly anxious. “What’s wrong?”

Pei Yi endured the pain and said, “It’s not me, it’s Uncle Kai! Uncle Kai fainted!”

Bo Yueming explained, “I’ve already asked Lao Fu to rush back. He just passed out for a while with a slight concussion, and he’ll be fine after a few days.”

“What about your arm—”

Carefully taking off his lover’s coat, he stopped in astonishment halfway through his words of concern.

There was a tear in Pei Yi’s right sleeve, and when carefully peeled open, it could be seen that there was a big abrasion, red, swollen, and bruised, with oozing blood. It looked very serious.

In contrast, the ligature marks on his wrists and ankles looked very light.

“What happened!”

Bo Yueming’s heart ached as if someone had their hands around his arteries. “Did they mistreat you? How did you get hurt?”

Pei Yi lowered his eyes and muttered, “I was careless and fell down.”

“Don’t try to lie to me!” Excessive worry caused Bo Yueming to raise his voice for a moment, then he quickly softened it and coaxed, “Kitten, be honest.”

Pei Yi knew that the possibility of deceiving his lover was very slim, so he briefly talked about his experience of being tied up, and then vaguely talked about the end—

“I really couldn’t escape out the front, and I couldn’t let them take me to another location, so I jumped out the bathroom window on the third floor and j-jumped to a second floor platform on the other side.”

Pei Yi carefully observed his lover’s face, and the more he looked, the more confident he became. “I d-didn’t land firmly, and fell sideways.”

“……”

The blue veins on Bo Yueming’s forehead stood out, as if he was trying to restrain himself, and his eyes were beyond red.

“Aiya, I told you I’m fine.” Pei Yi rubbed the corners of Bo Yueming’s eyes with his warm fingertips, and deliberately teased, “Are you twenty-six or a seven-year-old child? Why are you still crying?”

Bo Yueming suppressed his emotion and held his hand, wanting to touch but daring not to. “Does it hurt?”

“It hurts, ah.”

Pei Yi simply stopped hiding it.

He slipped into Bo Yueming’s arms, both coquettish and comforting. “I need you to hug me so I feel better.”

Bo Yueming avoided his injury as much as he could, and kissed his hair. “Do you want to go to the hospital? Or do you want to go home and call for private medical treatment?”

“En, let’s go to the hospital. My brother has been worried this whole way.”

Pei Yi had originally planned to rush to Bo Group and then deal with the injury, but upon arriving to the door—

He saw law enforcement officers taking away a nearly fainting Cheng Yangshan, as well as an ashen-faced Bo Lihui, but only Bo Guancheng was nowhere to be seen. 

For some reason, Pei Yi was instinctively worried about Bo Yueming, so he rushed over just in time to see the previous scene.

His lover hit as hard as he could, and the powerless Bo Guancheng was beaten until he almost passed out.

Pei Yi asked in confusion, “By the way, why wasn’t Bo Guancheng taken away?”

Bo Yueming replied, “Some time ago, Zhong Yi and I checked the company’s accounts for the past year. Without exception, all of the financial records and projects were signed by Bo Lihui.”

It was possible that Cheng Yangshan and Bo Lihui had kept a trick up their sleeves by preventing Bo Guancheng from participating.

It was also possible that Bo Guancheng had calculated the danger of being exposed and took himself out early.

Pei Yi thought of Bo Guancheng’s behavior all this time and was leaning toward the latter option—

Bo Guancheng had Cheng Yangshan and Bo Lihui’s selfish genes engraved into his bones, and even more. He was the one who knew best how to instigate schemes while protecting himself amongst these three relatives!

Pei Yi asked, “What does the Old Madam intend to do? Is she going to be lenient with Bo Guancheng?”

After all, he was one of the grandsons that she had once favored.

Bo Yueming shook his head. “Grandma isn’t someone who acts unreasonably in favor of her own relatives. My car accident and your kidnapping were caused by Bo Guancheng. As long as there is evidence, she won’t play favorites.”

“That’s great.”

That being the case, they had nothing to be polite about.

At the next prison meal, Bo Guancheng must also have a bowl, so that the three surnamed Cheng family members could be reunited.

Bo Yueming glanced at the electronic clock on the wall. “Let’s go, I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Pei Yi didn’t refuse. “Okay.”

When the two walked back to the headquarters lobby, they happened to bump into someone taking Bo Guancheng, who had lost blood and fainted, to the hospital.

Qin Yishun saw his little brother’s figure and approached. “Xiao Yi.”

Pei Yi murmured softly, “Brother, why are your men sending that guy to the hospital?”

“If he isn’t sent to the hospital and there are serious consequences, who will it fall on?”

Qin Yishun glanced at the “culprit”, Bo Yueming, and added, “I’ll send someone to watch Bo Guancheng. As long as those three confess to the police, he will definitely not be able to escape punishment.”

Bo Yueming knew that he had lost his calmness and sense of proportion, so he gave his sincere thanks, “Mr. Qin, thank you for today.”

Qin Yishun still put on the air of “being a big brother,” and pretended to be indifferent. “Don’t be polite. I’m doing it for Xiao Yi, not for you.”

“Thank you, Brother!”

Pei Yi jumped on the opportunity to create peace, and asked on the sly, “Brother, weren’t you going to help me beat him?”

Qin Yishen covered his lips with a clenched fist, feeling a little uncomfortable about ‘doing bad things.’ “I made a few moves while helping to put him on the stretcher. It hurt the bones, but not the skin. He’ll suffer.”

Bursting with delight, Pei Yi gave him a covert thumbs up with his uninjured left hand. “Awesome! As expected of my big brother!”

He thought of how beaten up Bo Guancheng was when awake, and how he was plotted against while he was unconscious—

En, so cool!

Qin Yishun’s expression eased a lot in the face of his little brother’s smile. “All right, let’s go to the hospital.”

Bo Yueming was in the same camp. “Yes, let’s go to the hospital first. Nothing is more important than your injury right now.”

Having finally heard a pleasing sentence, Qin Yishun nodded slightly.

Not bad!

His little brother’s affairs should come first.

Pei Yi looked at his elder brother and his lover who were not yet on friendly terms, and decided to contribute his own strength to the harmony of the family!

With no delay, he tugged Qin Yishun’s wrist with his injured left hand and gently hooked Bo Yueming’s fingertips with his injured right hand.

“Go, go, I’ll go to the hospital with you both right away!”

As soon as these words fell, the three of them saw the nearby elevator door open—

Sitting in a wheelchair, Bo Peizhi was pushed out of the elevator by Zhong Yi, the latter’s complexion slightly grim.

Pei Yi looked at Qin Yishun and changed track in a whisper. “Brother, can you go and start the car first? We’ll go over immediately after greeting the Old Madam.”

Qin Yishun nodded. “Okay. Don’t delay too long, your injury still needs to be dealt with as soon as possible.”

“En.”

Bo Yueming and Pei Yi walked up to the Old Madam. “Grandma, are you feeling unwell? Shall we take you to the hospital again?”

Bo Peizhi shook her head. “No, it’s just that I haven’t had the energy to talk this much for a long time. I feel a little tired after slacking off for so long, so I just need to go home and have a good rest.”

She hadn’t been back to Bo Manor for a long time, and now that the root of evil had been dealt with, she could finally pack up and go home.

The bodyguards sent by Qin Yishun were still there, and the medical staff from Mingxi Manor had been paid for at-home services, so there was nothing for her juniors to worry about.

At this thought, Bo Yueming unconsciously glanced at Pei Yi.

Pei Yi at once politely greeted, “Old Madam.”

Bo Peizhi asked in a low voice, “Have you been wronged? Did that bastard Guancheng plot against you?”

She couldn’t think of any other reason that could have made the always calm and restrained Bo Yueming lose control like that.

Pei Yi also didn’t want his elder to worry. “It was a small matter. Old Madam, please rest well. Don’t be concerned about me, I have Er-ge.”

The last sentence was infused with a bit of unique sweetness.

Bo Peizhi smiled, liking Pei Yi from the bottom of her heart. “Deal with it early and go home, then have a reunion dinner with Grandma tonight.”

Although there were fewer people, there was the new addition of Pei Yi, and the atmosphere must be much better than before.

Pei Yi understood tacitly. “Okay, Grandma.”

Hearing his lover change his address, there was finally a hint of a smile in Bo Yueming’s eyes, and the frightening feeling of being on the verge of losing control just now disappeared at last.

Bo Peizhi was also very satisfied, and waved her hand with a smile. “All right, you two go first.”

Under her affirming eyes, lightly held his lover’s hand again and led him to turn around and leave.

Zhong Yi gazed at the backs of the departing young couple and bent down with a slight smile. “Old Madam, these two kids are really a match. I used to look at Yueming’s indifferent temperament and think that he would never find a partner in his life.”

As she spoke, she remembered the entertaining story of Pei Yi at the exchange banquet in Wencheng, and joked about it with Bo Peizhi in a whisper.

Bo Peizhi followed suit with a smile. “Xiao Yi is an interesting kid, smart enough, straightforward enough, and cute. And he’s able to manage Yueming’s cold temperament.”

That shameless old bastard Cheng Yangshan did the right thing by making this mistake!

Bo Peizhi recalled the secret preparations they had made recently, and patted Zhong Yi’s wrist. “A-Yi, you’ve worked hard during this time, coming here to help with everything.”

“Old Madam, what are you talking about? You treat me just like your own daughter.”

“After I got married, everyone thought that I followed my husband to go out and start a business. Only you understand and know that I am the one who really wants to work hard on my own and take care of things outside.”

From graduating university until now, Zhong Yi had learned and benefited a lot from Bo Peizhi, and was grateful.

Zhong Yi asked with a smile, “My company over there is stable, and my daughter is also being taken care of by her father and nanny. I’ll stay in the capital with you for a while longer before I leave?”

Bo Peizhi answered, “Yes, of course.”

The two returned to the parking lot with the rest of the bodyguards, and saw a figure from a distance.

Bo Jiao ran up, and said with some rare embarrassment, “Grandma.”

Bo Peizhi understood her unspoken thoughts. “Jiaojiao wants to go back with me?”

Bo Jiao nodded. There was something in her heart that she wanted to ask clearly.

Bo Peizhi didn’t refuse. “Then let’s go together.”

The car door closed, and they drove toward Bo Manor.

Bo Jiao still had her straightforward personality, and couldn’t help but ask, “Grandma, did you and my brother prepare ahead of time and set up today’s shareholders meeting?”

Hearing this address from Bo Jiao’s mouth, she smiled slightly and responded, “Yes.”

She looked at her granddaughter who had grown up abroad. “Jiaojiao, I know what you want to ask. Your brother offered to let you speak for the first round of reports at the meeting.”

This was something that she and Bo Yueming had prepared in advance—

Bo Jiao had the same demeanor that she had in the past, but she was still young and lacked experience, and wasn’t a familiar face in front of the shareholders. Today’s shareholders meeting was a good opportunity.

“Jiaojiao, Grandma is actually very glad that you grew up with the Xue family abroad. At least you could avoid being affected by the bad views and influences from our family.”

“After you joined the group, you spent a lot more time with Yueming. You should know what sort of character he has, right?”

Bo Jiao nodded.

Watching the street go by outside the window, Bo Peizhi spoke earnestly, “There are people in the main branch and second branch who think that I’m biased, but you must think about it—”

“It was your father’s mistake in his youth that produced Yueming before he met your mother. This sort of background shouldn’t be considered a sin on Yueming’s shoulders.”

“During these years, if I didn’t protect him a little more, he would have only received more indifference and ridicule.”

Bo Jiao’s eyes lowered slightly. “I understand.”

Not to mention other people, Xue Min’s disgust toward Bo Yueming and Bo Wang’s bullying alone were not something that an ordinary person could bear.

After this experience, the second branch knew who was right and who was wrong, who was good and who was bad.

“I know your father is not good at managing things, so I gave him a more relaxed subsidiary company. If you and Bo Wang are interested in the affairs of the group and having positions, Grandma is willing to give you a chance to practice.”

“The Bo family can stand firm by relying on pure strength, so don’t think about crooked ways, all right?”

“Understood.”

Bo Peizhi breathed a sigh of relief, and said calmly, “You are the future of the Bo family. If you, brother and sister, do not separate, our Bo family can go far.”

Bo Jiao’s heart was moved, and she replied even more resolutely, “Grandma, don’t worry, I will talk to my mother—”

“In, in the future, I will definitely not treat my brother like before.”

“En, good child.”

. . . . . . .

Ten p.m.

Pei Yi, who had been exhausted all day, finally lay back in bed. “So tired. So sleepy.”

Bo Yueming approached his lover and carefully peeled off the waterproof wrapping from his wound. “Did you get any water on it when you washed? Does it still hurt?”

“No, I was very careful.”

Pei Yi could see that Bo Yueming was still anxious, and he only said, “It doesn’t hurt very much, but my arm is still swollen and I can’t lift it up.”

Bo Yueming was still distressed. “It will probably take ten days to half a month for the swelling to subside.”

Pei Yi didn’t want him to continue thinking about the wound, so he changed the subject. “Er-ge, did you notice tonight that the second branch’s attitude toward you is much better?”

“Especially Bo Wang.”

That kid used to turn up his nose at Bo Yueming, but tonight at the dining table in the main house, he offered to pour wine for Bo Yueming.

Bo Yueming replied placidly, “Something like that happened to the main branch, and they restrained themselves toward me for Grandma’s sake.”

Pei Yi shook his head. “When Grandma was at home before, did they restrain themselves? I see, ah. Time reveals a person’s heart, and they finally see you.”

Bo Yueming was indifferent. “I’ve been here for so many years. No matter whether they treat me well or not, it doesn’t mean much to me anymore.”

As long as they didn’t touch his bottom line like the main branch did, Bo Yueming was willing to coexist peacefully with them, but there would be no deeper emotions.

Pei Yi nodded and yawned a little, nestling into the left side of the bed as usual. “I’m a little sleepy.”

“Then rest.”

Bo Yueming also lay down, saying, “You lay down with your back facing me. Don’t press on your left arm tonight.”

“En.”

Pei Yi obediently leaned into his lover’s arms.

Bo Yueming encircled him tightly and pressed his lips against his lover’s neck, but didn’t attack. “Pei Yi.”

It was a simple call, with the joy and cherishment of regaining something lost.

Pei Yi lightly rubbed the back of his hand. “En?”

“Nothing, go to sleep.” Bo Yueming hesitated to speak, and kissed his ear. “Good night.”

“Good night,” Pei Yi responded in a whisper.

He only felt that Bo Yueming’s grip on his waist was tighter than before.

. . . . . . .

Bo Yueming didn’t sleep soundly this time. In his sleep, he heard the ringing of a phone—

When he rummaged around and found that the call was connected, it was still that same call from the kidnappers, but this time they refused to let him see Pei Yi!

Bo Yueming was vaguely flustered, but didn’t believe it. He subconsciously believed that Pei Yi was sleeping in his arms. He struggled to wake up from the dream, and before he could take a breath—

His arms were empty!

The lover who was supposed to be sleeping in his arms had disappeared!

“…….”

Dream and reality tangled together in a flustered maze, firmly capturing Bo Yueming inside it.

His mind went blank for a moment, and he almost fell out of bed as he rushed out. “Pei Yi? Pei Yi!”

“Er-ge?”

Pei Yi returned from outside in the small living room, his voice abnormally hoarse. “Why are you awake? Did I disturb you?”

As soon as the lingering sound fell, Bo Yueming approached in big strides and pulled him into his arms, still remembering to avoid the injured arm.

“Where did you go in the middle of the night?” Bo Yueming tried his best to restrain himself, but there was still undue tremor at the end of his tone. “Where did you go?”

“……”

Pei Yi’s dizziness brought on by the exertion stopped, and he murmured hoarsely, “I was a little uncomfortable, so I wanted to get up and drink some warm water.”

He had been very careful not to wake Bo Yueming, but didn’t expect to hear the other party’s panicked shouts just a few steps into the living room.

Pei Yi reached out and patted Bo Yueming’s head, coaxing, “Er-ge, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay by your side.”

“……”

Bo Yueming breathed in with great effort, and managed to calm down.

He felt Pei Yi’s forehead, picked up his lover in front of him again, and brought him back to the bed to settle down.

“You’re sick with a fever? Why didn’t you wake me up when you felt uncomfortable?”

Pei Yi murmured, “I thought about it for a minute or two, but I didn’t want to bother you.”

When he was sick and didn’t feel good in the past, Pei Yi could take care of himself well. But the drinking fountain at the water bar seemed to be broken, and since he was unable to get his warm water, he intended to go downstairs.

“What is the relationship between us? How can you mention bothering me?” Bo Yueming was angry and helpless as he wrapped the quilt tightly for him.

“Stay still, I’ll get you some water.”

Pei Yi leaned forward to kiss his lips, and obeyed in a well-behaved manner. “Okay.”

Three minutes later.

After drinking half a glass of warm water, Pei Yi’s thirst was relieved.

Bo Yueming took his temperature with an electronic thermometer. “You have a slight fever, but there’s no need to take medicine for the time being. Sleep for the night and I’ll check it again when we wake up tomorrow morning.”

Pei Yi nodded, and took the initiative to move his position. “Er-ge, let me switch sides with you? I like to sleep face to face in your arms.”

“All right.”

The bedside lamp gave off only the dimmest gleam of light.

Pei Yi huddled in Bo Yueming’s warm embrace. Recalling the two panicked and uneasy cries he heard not long ago, he felt a little distressed.

He raised his eyes to look at Bo Yueming, who was only a short distance away, and understood the unease deep in his heart.

Pei Yi had always known that he was important to Bo Yueming, but now he had a new understanding of this importance.

Pei Yi breathed lightly. “Er-ge, do you know what I was thinking when I jumped out of that window today?”

Hearing the words “jumped out of that window,” Bo Yueming’s body automatically tensed. “Hm?”

Pei Yi kissed his Adam’s apple. “I was thinking, wouldn’t it be such a pity if an accident happened?”

Bo Yueming denied, “What pity? Don’t talk nonsense!”

Pei Yi looked into his eyes and leaned up to kiss his lover’s lips, saying carefully, “Bo Yueming, I’m right here, staying in your arms.”

“I know,” Bo Yueming replied in a whisper.

“I can take care of myself. I’ll avoid danger as much as possible, and I will not disappear suddenly, much less leave you alone in the middle of the night. I promise.”

“……”

The uneasiness deep in Bo Yueming’s heart was stripped away until it was completely gone. “Don’t lie to me.”

Pei Yi leaned close and kissed his lover over and over. “I won’t lie to you.”

The two exchanged light kisses.

Pei Yi’s cheeks flushed faintly, and he continued to tell him what he hadn’t finished voicing just now in a light manner. 

“I thought for a second or two when I jumped out of the window today that I hadn’t been able to communicate with you in-depth. Wouldn’t it be a pity if I just fell stupidly and miserably like that?”

“If so, I would rather be sleeping with you……”

“……”

Bo Yueming was taken aback. “You’re talking nonsense again.”

Pei Yi smiled and got closer, shyly comforting him and boldly showing his love. “Er-ge, do you want me?”