Chapter 375: Chapter 371: Bao Family Scandals

Bao Wenxuan sobbed while eating, and still had to spare her mouth to recount the grievances she had suffered recently.

In her words, if it weren’t for her cleverness, she might have been forced into marriage by now.

Bao Wenxuan’s tears fell like rain, "It was only at this moment that I realized that parental love has conditions.

The things given earlier had long been marked with a price; I had to repay them with my entire life."

Wen Ran took a deep breath, "Don’t give me these twisted words, just say what you mean."

Hearing Wen Ran’s voice, Bao Wenxuan pouted, and cried even more openly.

While crying, she burrowed her head into Wen Ran’s embrace.

Even then, she didn’t forget to spare a moment to stuff her mouth with buns.

Wen Ran: "..."

Alright.

She should have asked nothing, just let things be.

"Alright, alright, I won’t ask you anymore, you eat first." She tried to pull Bao Wenxuan away, but failed, Wen Ran cursed playfully, "Get up quickly, you’re going to breed lice with what you’re wearing.

If you dirty me, I’ll twist your head off.

Eat quickly, once you’re full, I’ll take you for a bath, and then we can talk slowly inside."

Bao Wenxuan cried emotionally, "Alright, alright, I knew it, even if everyone else ignores me in this world.

Ranran truly cares about me."

Mrs. Xiao teased, "Silly girl, listen to yourself, what are you saying? At home, only Ranran cares for you, and the rest of us don’t?"

"Hehe, that’s not it," Bao Wenxuan snorted, "Everyone cares for me."

Over there, Bai Zhenzhu appeared too.

"Is this young girl going to take a bath?" She handed over the bath ticket in her hand, "I have a bath ticket here."

"Go," Wen Ran accepted the ticket and casually said, "Grandma, why don’t you come along? We can all bathe together."

"Alright!"

When Bai Zhenzhu came over, she already had this idea, but she felt embarrassed to mention it at first.

Actually, she was someone who loved cleanliness.

Even at her age now, she still felt itchy all over if she hadn’t bathed for three days.

Unfortunately, at her age, frequent visits to the bathhouse might lead to a fall, which would be a big trouble.

Originally expected to live until eighty-eight, yet not making it past sixty-eight would be a shame.

It’s such a loss.

When people grow old, their bones become brittle.

They can’t afford a fall.

Young people bounce back easily; a month in bed followed by three months of recovery, and they’re back to running, jumping, eating, drinking.

But for the elderly, every day in bed is a day less.

Even if she had to die, Bai Zhenzhu wanted to go with a bit of dignity.

But with everyone going together, it was different.

More people means more care.

After Bao Wenxuan had her fill, Wen Ran gathered clothes and directly took Bao Wenxuan to the bathhouse.

They washed hair, scrubbed hair, and carefully wiped away the dirt.

Honestly, as Wen Ran washed, she felt like cursing the streets.

"I don’t mean to be rude, but this outfit of yours—did you crawl under a stove?

Or did you play thief, sneaking off to steal things at night? How could you end up like this?"

Wen Ran was thoroughly puzzled.

Bao Wenxuan gave a bitter smile and when she raised her eyes, there was obvious weathering in them.

"Ranran, honestly, I’m quite happy with myself like this. If not, in this condition, I might never have had the chance to stand in front of you."

Judging by Bao Wenxuan’s expression, she wasn’t joking; Wen Ran’s brows knit, and her gaze grew serious.

"Fine, don’t give me any useless words now.

Stick to the main points.

First, tell me how you ended up like this, what happened during your days in the Capital City?

Why did you disappear completely after leaving the team?"

The truth is, these matters are indeed long stories.

Bao Wenxuan initially shed tears of heartache for herself.

It turns out, when she received the news that she passed her university exams, she took her ID information, household registration, and admission notice to return home.

However, even before boarding the train, an overly excited Bao Wenxuan had already sent a telegraph to the Bao Family parents, sharing her good news.

She naively thought that upon returning home, she would be welcomed with celebrations.

But instead, she was greeted with her parent’s moral coercion.

Her parents initially just wanted to share their daughter’s university acceptance, but such news spread easily and attracted attention.

Especially when people learned the school Bao Wenxuan got into was quite good, many affluent individuals became interested.

On her journey home, several groups with gifts came to negotiate with her parents.

Of course, their aim was Bao Wenxuan’s university spot.

Upon hearing this, Wen Ran oddly felt a sense of relief.

How to put it?

The human heart is perhaps the most fragile thing.

Small profits might be scorned, but what if the offer is plentiful?

No need to spell it out, Wen Ran already understood.

She rubbed Bao Wenxuan’s braid and scalp, "And then? How did you run away?"

"My parents, how to say it, had the attitude of never giving up until they achieved their goals."

Bao Wenxuan had calmed down by now.

"They are smart people, but I’m no fool either.

Honestly, I’ve experienced quite a lot of scheming in the rural areas, such deceptive acts, I’m not incapable of them, I just disdain doing them.

But thinking that these people I had to deceive were my biological parents made the feeling of awkwardness inside nearly tear me apart."

Bao Wenxuan sensed her parents’ intentions, felt a jolt inside, refrained from any life-threatening resistance, and instead stormed back to her room to sleep after a heated argument with them.

She knew this matter couldn’t be rushed and had to be approached slowly.

And the foremost condition for this approach was being in good health; only by first replenishing her energy.

Then she could effectively counter any moves they might make.

Everything was false, only the name on the admission notice was real, belonging to her; no one could take away her future.

Not even her biological parents!

"I resisted, made a scene, and after persuasion from my mother, I succumbed."

Bao Wenxuan recounted this with numbness, "Truly, seeing their joyous expressions left me feeling cold."

"That’s understandable."