Chapter 2029: Just an Outsider

Nan Jiaojiao had to stand up to reach Song Yuan’s bowl.

Her leg was injured, not her hands. Clearly seeing Nan Jiaojiao bend all the way over, she still sat there without moving, just said, “Sorry to trouble you.”

Nan Jiaojiao gave a slight nod, scooped just one spoonful without adding anything, set the spoon on top and carried the bowl back in front of Song Yuan.

“Thank you.”

Song Yuan smiled at her, took a spoonful, but only let it touch the corner of her lips in a light sip, the taste didn’t even have time to spread in her mouth. “It’s good. If there’s a chance next time, can you take me to this shop to try it?”

Nan Jiaojiao gave a faint smile. “Sure, I’ll call you next time.”

She actually didn’t refuse.

Song Yuan, on the contrary, didn’t quite know how to follow up.

She didn’t send that bowl of tofu pudding to her mouth again. Holding the spoon by the handle, she stirred it a few times until the contents in the bowl turned into mush. It looked even more disgusting to her, with not a trace of appetite.

Just then, Auntie Wu led the cook over and set several delicate breakfast dishes in front of Song Yuan.

“This is?”

“The Old Madam said, Miss Song is a guest, and we can’t just casually make do with her food. These breakfasts had already been prepared; it’s just that the Old Madam and the young masters and misses ate other things and filled their stomachs, so they couldn’t eat these anymore. We mustn’t shortchange Miss Song. Please try them, and if anything isn’t to your taste, just let me know.”

Song Yuan felt rather embarrassed. She looked blankly at Old Lady Bo. “Grandma, you’re being too thoughtful. Like this… I don’t even know how to thank you properly.”

The Old Lady waved her hand. “You’re being polite again. I already told you to treat this place as your own home, just relax. Eat. You kept me company walking around the mountain all morning, can’t let your stomach suffer for it.”

Song Yuan just felt a rush of air surge up into her face. She quickly glanced at Bo Yanching, pressed her lips together, her mood all the harder to restrain. “Mm! I understand, Grandma!”

Compared to the junk Nan Jiaojiao brought, this was real food fit for people.

Grandma Bo treated her differently indeed, knowing how to cater to her tastes, taking her feelings into account.

Yet halfway through eating, she suddenly came to her senses.

Why did the Old Lady make a point at the table of explaining why Song Yuan was staying here? It sounded like idle chat, but in fact it was explaining things to Nan Jiaojiao.

And the fact that their whole family ate roadside breakfast while she alone got a special spread, with everyone from the hosts to the servants calling her “guest” over and over was nothing but emphasizing her status.

An outsider, that’s all.

Once she figured this out, Song Yuan grew very uneasy. Before coming, her mother had coached her a lot, and just last night she thought she’d almost got the Old Lady completely under control.

Turns out this old woman was just humoring her!

Song Yuan felt worse and worse inside, and lost her appetite. She put down her chopsticks and pulled a tissue to wipe her mouth.

“Grandma, my leg hurts a bit, I probably need to put on medicine. Do you have a doctor here? If it’s convenient, could you ask them to come help me apply the medicine?”

She deliberately brought up her leg injury. “And if I have to go back to my room… the second floor is not very convenient.”

As she spoke, her gaze flicked toward Bo Yanching.

The weakness in her eyes wasn’t caught by that man. Bo Qingshan suddenly stood up and pulled Qianqian out of Bo Yanching’s arms, and the two children hopped off to go play.

Thrown off like that, Song Yuan didn’t have time to straighten out her expression, so when she looked at the Old Lady she still wore that same look of seeking favor.

“You don’t have to worry about that. Last night the guest room wasn’t ready, so we had you stay in Qianqian’s room for now. From now on you’ll be on the first floor, right next door to my room, just right for keeping Grandma company.”