A Promise in a Thought 61

Chapter 61

Jiang Chenyin arrived home a little later than usual. Besides buying groceries, she had also brought back a chestnut cake for Bo Muyu.

For dinner, Bo Muyu assisted Jiang Chenyin, preparing the ingredients properly and then waiting by the side, lending a hand from time to time.

After dinner, Jiang Chenyin didn’t go to the study to work. She chatted with Bo Muyu for a while and then went to work out. After returning to her room, she urged Bo Muyu, who was playing on the computer, to take a shower, telling her that she had to go to bed early during her days off to recuperate.

Throughout the evening, Bo Muyu was not only as obedient to Jiang Chenyin as usual, but she also did not reveal that she knew Jiang Chenyin had hidden things about Shao Sibei.

She was going to communicate, but tonight was not the time.

The next day, Jiang Chenyin went to work, telling her to rest at home and to call her if she wanted to eat or buy anything.

Not long after Jiang Chenyin had left, Bo Muyu got up and changed her clothes.

She was full of energy, her eyes slightly narrowed, deep in thought as she changed, her dark pupils bottomless.

She had arranged to meet Mrs. Shao outside and had prepared a bank card to disguise her intentions. This was the last time. After three times, what she had obtained would be enough to protect Jiang Chenyin in the storm to come.

The morning light outside was just right, the temperature suitable.

Bo Muyu was wearing a white baseball jacket and slim-fit jeans. Her long, straight black hair was tied back in a ponytail. Her face was delicate and fair, her expression indifferent, her eyes clear and transparent.

Her clean and sunny appearance made a neighbor who was also going out look at her a few more times. Such a girl was like a breath of fresh air in a crowd, easily capturing one’s attention. How could one not look a little longer?

She drove her own car out and headed to the place where she was to meet Mrs. Shao.

Bo Muyu’s car turned in one direction after leaving the residential complex, and in the other direction, a car stopped. Jiang Chenyin, who had forgotten to take her files, frowned, her right index finger unconsciously stroking the steering wheel.

She followed without hesitation, keeping a certain distance from Bo Muyu’s car.

Bo Muyu usually walked for a bit and then took the subway, or a bus or a taxi. She wouldn’t drive the car Bo Mingliang had given her unless it was something urgent. Besides, Jiang Chenyin usually drove her to and from work, so she rarely drove.

If something had happened, why didn’t she say so? This question quickly popped up in Jiang Chenyin’s mind. She had just left, and Bo Muyu had come out. It was obvious that she had probably gotten out of bed as soon as she had left.

Was it a friend who had an emergency and had called Bo Muyu right after she had left, or did Bo Muyu suddenly have an emergency? In any case, Jiang Chenyin felt that it was not a small matter, otherwise she wouldn’t be in such a hurry.

She composed herself and continued to follow. When she saw the sign of her coffee shop, she let out a slight sigh of relief and laughed at herself for being too sensitive.

But just as her gaze shifted, Jiang Chenyin saw Mrs. Shao inside the glass wall.

A dozen or so seconds after Bo Muyu had entered the coffee shop, Jiang Chenyin followed, her expression grave.

The shop manager saw her and hurried over. “Jiang…”

Jiang Chenyin waved her hand to signal her not to say any more, and then scanned the situation in the shop. This coffee shop was quite large. Mrs. Shao had chosen the corner-most seat, her back to the wall, very safe.

Just as she was thinking this, Bo Muyu had already sat down in front of Mrs. Shao, who had a smile on her face.

Jiang Chenyin’s brow tightened. She turned to the side so that her face was not facing that direction, and then said to the shop manager in a low voice, “Keep an eye on the area around that table. Don’t let anyone get close.”

The shop manager was a little confused. “Huh?”

Jiang Chenyin glanced in that direction and then turned back, saying softly, “That girl is from my family. She has something to deal with now. Have someone keep an eye out and don’t let any customers get close to that area.”

The shop manager finally understood and quickly nodded. “Okay.”

Just as she was about to turn and instruct the staff, Jiang Chenyin’s face turned cold and she said again, “Wait.”

The shop manager stopped in her tracks. Jiang Chenyin’s eyes were like ice blades as she calmly overturned her previous arrangement. “All the customers in the shop now are on the house. Please have everyone leave immediately. We’ll be temporarily closed until I leave. You go personally, and be quiet about it. Don’t disturb the two at that table in the back.”

The shop manager realized that it was not a small matter. After receiving Jiang Chenyin’s instructions, she immediately went to explain to the other few tables of customers in a gentle tone. Although the customers felt it was a bit of a letdown, the free meal was a compensation, and they soon left one after another.

A “Temporarily Closed” sign was hung on the door of the coffee shop. Jiang Chenyin took a long way around and sat down near the table where Bo Muyu and Mrs. Shao were. A decorative partition between the two rows of tables happened to completely hide her.

It was only now that Jiang Chenyin had time to let her doubts surface one by one.

When had Bo Muyu gotten in touch with Mrs. Shao? What was this meeting for? And why had Bo Muyu hidden these things from her? And also, Mrs. Shao’s friendly look. What had Bo Muyu done?

These questions swirled in Jiang Chenyin’s mind, and from the next table, she could faintly hear Mrs. Shao’s voice praising Bo Muyu.

She only heard Mrs. Shao’s smiling voice, but her words were suggestive. “Little sister, you’re so beautiful. Why do you have to rely on Miss Jiang? What I said at her house last time, that might not be fake, you know.”

Bo Muyu placed her phone on the table, took a light sip of her coffee, and then asked with a puzzled look, “What are you talking about?”

Mrs. Shao replied, “It’s what I told you last time. The two grandsons of the Jiang family are not young anymore.”

Bo Muyu’s eyes widened in realization. “Oh, that. I remember.”

Mrs. Shao sized her up a few times and said with a meaningful smile, “But I actually understand you too. Being taken care of is of course much happier than working hard for a little money. That feeling, it’s like being provided with good food and drink every day. If you suddenly have to go back to that life where you have to consider if you have money before you do anything, it’s too unbearable.”

Bo Muyu’s eyelashes trembled, and a hint of curiosity appeared in her eyes. “Is that the case for Mrs. Shao too?”

Hearing this, the wrinkles on Mrs. Shao’s forehead were also tinged with a smile. “You can’t blame me for this. Just as I said just now, once you’ve lived a good life, who would be willing to go back to the old life of worrying about daily necessities?”

Bo Muyu nodded as if she understood, and then continued, “That’s true, but you and Auntie Yin have already agreed not to come again. Now you don’t want to let her go. That’s not really right.”

Her face was natural, her words clear, her pace slow. She looked like a girl who didn’t understand the reason and was just curious.

Mrs. Shao said with a forced smile, “What’s not right about it? I told you last time. The money she gave me was exchanged for my son’s life. It’s what I deserve. I have two sons. My older son died at a young age because of her. Even if I promise her a hundred or a thousand times not to look for her again, so what? What can she do to me the next time I go? Has she forgotten how my son died?”

Bo Muyu held her coffee cup in one hand, the thumb hidden by the cup turning white from her grip. She lowered her eyes slightly and said placidly, “Mrs. Shao, Auntie Yin gave you money for you to live on. Is it not right for you to use it for gambling and then continue to ask her for money?”

Mrs. Shao’s face changed. “What do you mean by that?”

Bo Muyu smiled faintly. “I mean, what if you’re found out? If Auntie Yin finds out that you’re using this money for gambling instead of living a proper life, she might get angry.”

“So what if she finds out!” Mrs. Shao sneered, her tone full of disdain. “So what if she’s angry? She still has to give me money. I don’t believe the Jiang family is willing to let such a scandal be exposed. At that time, at worst, we’ll both go down. If I can’t get the money, I’ll let everyone see Jiang Chenyin’s stain.”

Bo Muyu thought to herself, just as I expected.

The Jiang family had deep roots and could not be easily shaken. But if she were to directly attack Jiang Chenyin, even if it couldn’t cause her too much damage, her clean reputation would definitely be tarnished.

With something of this nature, by the time the Jiang family took action, the news would surely have spread. At that time, even if it were controlled on the surface, there would definitely be people spreading it in private. The Jiang family would have to produce enough evidence to restore the truth of that year, otherwise they would be seen as bullying others with their power.

During this period, Jiang Chenyin would suffer criticism.

And that was just what could be seen on the surface. What about what couldn’t be seen? Jiang Chenyin had been uneasy for many years, plagued by nightmares. With such a farce playing out, Bo Muyu couldn’t imagine how many people would be pointing at Jiang Chenyin’s back, saying that she had killed someone.

Anger continued to surge in Bo Muyu’s heart, while Mrs. Shao was still gloating and mocking, “Since she watched my son die, then she should be prepared to atone for her sins. The Jiang family is rich and powerful, but we poor people are not to be trifled with. She killed my son. I can’t make her pay with her life, so she has to give me everything she has. Otherwise, if I’m not happy, I won’t let her be happy either.”

Bo Muyu’s face turned cold, and the anger in her heart burned in her eyes.

“If it weren’t for her, I would have grandchildren by now,” Mrs. Shao lamented with a sigh, then quickly smiled and said to Bo Muyu in a low voice, “That Jiang has been without a boyfriend for so many years. I think it’s retribution, for her not saving my son. She deserves…”

“Enough!” A sudden chill appeared in Bo Muyu’s eyes, her fingers gripping the coffee cup so hard it was as if she were about to crush it.

“What are you doing?” Mrs. Shao was startled by her and trembled, then patted her chest and muttered, “Forget it, forget it. Let’s not talk about this. You’re living in her house, after all. It’s only right that you’re a little grateful to her.”

Bo Muyu did not reply, her gaze fixed on Mrs. Shao’s face like a sharp knife. If looks could kill, Bo Muyu had no doubt that Mrs. Shao would be cut into a thousand pieces by her at this moment.

She could not let Jiang Chenyin be in such a dangerous situation. She could not let her be pointed at by thousands of people. Today was the last meeting to close the net.

Bo Muyu was introverted by nature. Mrs. Shao could tell that she was not lively, and at this moment, she just thought that she didn’t know what to say, so she continued to ask, “By the way, didn’t you say you were going to give me money today? Did you bring it?”

Bo Muyu put her phone away, pressed pause on the recording and saved it, then looked up and sneered, “Money?”

“Yes, money…”

Mrs. Shao casually looked up, and this time, her whole person was as if she had swallowed a block of ice, cold from head to toe.

The sound of her gasping made Bo Muyu sense that familiar aura. She subconsciously turned to look.

The woman who had walked to the side and behind Bo Muyu’s seat had a sharp, cold glint in her eyes, fixed on Mrs. Shao. Her sharp aura made Mrs. Shao feel a chill run up from the soles of her feet to her brain, and she couldn’t utter a single word.

Jiang Chenyin looked down at Bo Muyu, her voice as deep as her expression. “Come home with me.”