Chapter 7
In the private hospital room, Bo Chi chatted with Yu Zhao’s mother for a long time. Only when it was almost mealtime did she tactfully stop, rising with a smile and waving goodbye before leaving the room with Yu Zhao and heading towards the hospital cafeteria.
Halfway there, with no one around, Yu Zhao suddenly grabbed Bo Chi’s soft hand and pulled her into a quiet corner.
Bo Chi was startled, shrinking back slightly. “I didn’t snitch on purpose! You are a picky eater. I was just thinking about your stomach!”
Yu Zhao raised an eyebrow. “I initially thought you were looking out for me. Now that you mention it, were you actually trying to subtly tattle?”
Bo Chi: “…”
Having accidentally exposed herself, she looked guilty, not daring to meet Yu Zhao’s gaze.
Bo Chi’s cuteness made Yu Zhao’s heart itch. Added to her existing thoughts, she reached out, pinched the girl’s chin, lifted her shy face, and gently lowered her head—kissing Bo Chi on the forehead.
Bo Chi’s eyes widened in surprise, staring blankly at her, speechless.
Yu Zhao’s expression remained composed, but the blush on her ears spread down her long, white neck. Her gaze swept over the girl’s delicate, red lips before quickly moving away. Feigning calmness, she said, “This is a thank you… for speaking up for me in front of my mother. She’s always disliked me getting into fights. If she knew I’d fought with a man, she’d be upset.”
Bo Chi trembled slightly, touching her forehead where she could still faintly feel the soft press of Yu Zhao’s lips. Stunned by the unexpected kiss, she blurted out, “Can I return this thank you gift?”
Yu Zhao froze, then quickly understood. Her lips pursed slightly, a hint of shyness in her eyes. However, her body honestly lowered her head, closing her eyes, her voice husky and strangely alluring. “Return it then.”
Bo Chi: “?”
Bo Chi: “?!?”
She meant to politely decline, not to kiss her back!
Yu Zhao, get a grip!
Bo Chi’s pupils quaked, her mind blank. She didn’t react for a long moment.
Yu Zhao waited, then opened her eyes to see Bo Chi’s cheeks flushed with shyness, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes shimmering with unshed tears. She couldn’t help but chuckle and pinch her cheek, standing up straight. “You seem so fierce, like a cat with its claws out, but you’re more timid than a mimosa.”
Bo Chi struggled to find words, finally glaring at her in exasperation and turning to leave.
She was timid?
Hmph, Yu Zhao, with her neck still flushed from the kiss, was no better!
In the end, Bo Chi didn’t ask Yu Zhao why she had kissed her. The action was too ambiguous. She worried Yu Zhao would laugh at her if she asked seriously. To avoid giving her nemesis the chance to mock her, even though her mind was filled with questions, she stubbornly maintained an indifferent expression.
Yu Zhao observed her discreetly, feeling both amused and helpless.
Amused that Bo Chi’s crush on her was so deep that she meekly accepted the unexpected kiss.
Helpless that the girl was so awkward, her initial pursuit resembling a vendetta, now shyly refusing any intimacy.
Sigh.
Her future little wife.
So contradictory, causing both headaches and fondness.
**
After collecting their lunch, Bo Chi, feeling uneasy under Yu Zhao’s strange gaze, returned to the hospital room.
As they pushed the door open, they saw a middle-aged doctor standing by the bed, flipping through the medical results and talking to Yu Zhao’s mother. “…the hospital recommends she stays for further observation.”
Hearing the door open, the doctor looked over and nodded kindly. “You’re her family, right? Put the food down and come listen.”
Yu Zhao unconsciously tightened her grip on Bo Chi’s hand, her expression improving only after Bo Chi squeezed back reassuringly.
Taking a deep breath, she calmly nodded, sat down by the bed, and listened quietly.
The doctor’s words were similar to the plot, pointing out that Yu Zhao’s mother had a heart condition, which would worsen with age and strenuous physical activity.
The best solution was hospitalization, relaxation, careful recuperation, and early surgery for a swift recovery.
Every single item mentioned required money.
After the doctor left, Bo Chi glanced at Yu Zhao’s mother, who was forcing a smile, and tactfully excused herself, leaving the mother and daughter some space.
Bo Chi didn’t go far. She still had things to discuss with Yu Zhao, so she stood in the corridor, staring blankly at the medical notices on the wall.
Soon, Yu Zhao emerged, her expression relatively calm, but her eyes were red-rimmed.
Bo Chi took a closer look, suddenly recalling Yu Zhao in elementary school. Back then, Yu Zhao was constantly hungry, wearing long sleeves and pants year-round. It wasn’t until she peeked under Yu Zhao’s clothes during naptime that Bo Chi discovered the bruises from her father’s abuse.
Yu Zhao had never told anyone about it, nor had she shown any outward signs. No matter how badly she was beaten, she would grit her teeth and limp to school, her eyes filled with stubborn defiance.
Bo Chi had always assumed Yu Zhao was naturally indifferent to family. When she couldn’t stand seeing Yu Zhao bullied and begged her parents to have Yu Zhao’s father imprisoned, Yu Zhao had completely ignored her father’s cries and curses, treating him like a stranger, lowering her head to continue reading as he was dragged away.
Only now, staring at the redness in Yu Zhao’s eyes, did Bo Chi realize—Yu Zhao did have feelings.
It was just that she had been hurt too deeply as a child, hurt to the point of numbness, extinguishing any longing for family affection.
Now, having forgotten the past, she had rediscovered her love and care for her family.
Blessings and misfortunes intertwined. Bo Chi suddenly didn’t know whether the car accident that had killed them was a good or bad thing. After a moment of contemplation, she decided to stop dwelling on unanswerable questions and asked softly, “Is Auntie alright?”
Yu Zhao hummed in response, her gaze fixed on Bo Chi’s slender, white fingers, her expression distant, lost in thought.
Bo Chi blinked, guessing she was thinking about the medical expenses. She reached into her bag, pulled out a card, and placed it in Yu Zhao’s hand. “This is the allowance I’ve saved up. It’s not much, only 700,000. Use it first, and later…”
Before she could finish, Yu Zhao abruptly grabbed her wrist and firmly returned the card. “I can’t accept your money.”
Bo Chi faltered, a wave of disappointment washing over her.
It was like this again…
Whether it was money or connections, Yu Zhao always rejected her goodwill immediately.
Bo Chi couldn’t understand before, even pestering Yu Zhao relentlessly.
It wasn’t until Yu Zhao, unable to bear it any longer, had confessed with pursed lips that she didn’t consider them best friends that Bo Chi understood the rejection stemmed from a desire to maintain distance.
“Take the card back. I won’t accept it,” Yu Zhao emphasized, noticing Bo Chi’s dazed expression. “Especially your money.”
Yu Zhao knew she needed money and that Bo Chi didn’t care about it.
But she cared.
She cared that their relationship might change due to financial transactions. She worried that the money would create an imbalance between them, that she might overthink things and become unable to distinguish whether she loved Bo Chi or was simply repaying a debt.
Her inferiority complex, hidden in the shadows, always lingered when facing Bo Chi.
But this was her only bottom line, her only dignity.
Yu Zhao needed money, but she wasn’t desperate. While there were still other options, she resolutely refused to allow any potential for conflict between them.
After returning the card, Yu Zhao mumbled, “I’m going to the restroom.”
She turned and left, her pace quick and hurried, eventually arriving at the rooftop and taking out her phone.
The ringing tone lasted for more than ten seconds before a man’s languid voice answered, “Hello, this is Bo Ji. Who is this?”
Yu Zhao calmly replied, “Hello, Mr. Bo. This is Yu Zhao. You should have heard my name recently.”
Bo Ji paused mid-signature.
He had indeed heard the name frequently lately.
Partly from Bo Chi.
As a doting older brother, he was very concerned about his sister’s friendships. Hearing that his little princess had changed her ways, pairing up with a female classmate and acting unusually intimate, he immediately looked up Yu Zhao’s information, recognizing her as the beauty he had once intended to pursue.
Besides his sister, he had also inevitably heard about Yu Zhao during recent company meetings.
As a newcomer with connections, Yu Zhao not only didn’t abuse her power or slack off, but was diligent and hardworking, her work consistently impressive. The old foxes in the company, shrewd and experienced, immediately recognized her potential. With a few years of polishing, she was bound to achieve great things.
Therefore, Bo Ji frequently received recommendations. He could even sense the old foxes’ desire to take her under their wing, unwilling to let such a promising talent slip away.
—When he first joined the company, his parents had urged him to perform well. If he caught the eye of those shareholders, a few years of mentorship could potentially lead the Bo Corporation to even greater heights.
Yet, the task he had failed to accomplish after years of groveling had been achieved by an intern who had just started working?
Bo Ji felt a surge of displeasure, but he knew what was important, his tone softening into a smile. “So it’s Miss Yu. Is there something you need?”
Yu Zhao stared at the azure sky and said calmly, “I’d like to propose a wager.”
“…What?” Bo Ji almost thought he’d misheard.
Yu Zhao’s tone remained composed. “The senior staff recently asked me to draft a plan for District P. Since our company’s primary businesses are concentrated in Z City, I’m making a bold guess… the higher-ups intend to expand into District P within the next few years, taking over all the business there?”
Bo Ji’s expression turned serious. Although he didn’t speak, he was genuinely startled by Yu Zhao’s sharp insight.
Yu Zhao, unfazed by his sudden silence, continued calmly, “District P is a tough nut to crack. Based on our company’s usual methods, I don’t think we can easily secure it. But I’m willing to make a bet. You invest five million in me, and I’ll deliver District P completely within two years.”
“If I win, the five million and District P belong to the Bo Corporation.” Hearing Bo Ji’s breathing quicken, Yu Zhao’s lips curved slightly. “If I lose, I’ll return the five million in full and work for the Bo Corporation for twenty years without any salary.”
Bo Ji pondered for a long time, so long that an ink blot formed under his pen tip. Finally, he said sternly, “Five million isn’t a small sum for you. Frankly, even if you worked for the Bo Corporation for twenty years without pay, you wouldn’t earn that much.”
Yu Zhao didn’t get angry, responding calmly, “You underestimate me, Mr. Bo. I’m confident in my abilities, as everyone in the company can attest. If you’re trying to use this as leverage for other conditions, please be direct. There’s no need for such roundabout tactics.”
Bo Ji felt a surge of embarrassment, his face alternating between dark and pale, nearly losing face.
While feeling annoyed, he wondered how he had ever been so blind as to be attracted to someone as sharp-tongued as Yu Zhao.
Bo Ji sighed, clearing his throat and continuing shamelessly, “In that case, I’ll be blunt. I can give you the five million, repayable or not, but I have one condition.”
Yu Zhao’s eyes narrowed slightly, her tone unchanged. “What condition?”
“You’re talented. I admire you,” Bo Ji said frankly. “Therefore, I hope you’ll marry into the Bo family and become… Bo Chi’s fiancée.”
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