Chapter 143

"What's wrong with your arm?"

Anyway, Zhou Yinghe is like a younger brother to them; hearing he'd sprained something, all three looked worried.

Zhou Yinghe rubbed his shoulder and casually said, "Maybe I slept in a bad position."

No, it's because before sleeping, Wen Ling insisted on pulling his arm to fall asleep, but wouldn't let him hold her, which made his shoulder uncomfortable when he woke up.

The three shared an unspoken understanding, all clicking their tongues; they'd guessed the reason, but their thoughts had gone too far afield.

Zhou Yinghe frowned and glared at them, "What are you thinking about?"

Qi Zhan let out a snort-laugh, sat on the sofa diagonally opposite, propped up his legs, and appeared completely relaxed.

"You guys came so early," Zhou Yinghe said, with a hint of disdain.

Jiang Jibai laughed angrily at him, "Xiao Wu, can't you stop forgetting us brothers once you have a girlfriend? We grew up with you—don't they say brothers are like limbs, women like clothing?"

Zhou Yinghe curled his lips, gave a faint "oh," letting Jiang Jibai's words go in one ear and out the other, not caring at all.

Ke Chengyu stood aside, couldn't help mocking Jiang Jibai: "You're not unaware, yet you insist on boring yourself."

"I'm impressed," Jiang Jibai gave Zhou Yinghe a thumbs-up.

——

Wen Ling was woken up by Hehe stepping on her; the big cat jumped straight onto her belly, and Wen Ling yelped, all sleepiness gone.

"What are you two doing here?" Wen Ling sat up, grabbed Hehe and rubbed him hard, glanced around not seeing Zhou Yinghe, then lowered her voice and asked, "Where's your dad?"

Hehe purred while lying on her, while the snorting cat originally rolling on the ground, seeing the brother so happy, jumped up also wanting Wen Ling to scratch it.

Wen Ling also gave the snorting cat a few scratches, then moved the two aside, slipped on her slippers, and walked out of the bedroom.

After hearing other voices, Wen Ling returned to the room, changed into casual clothes, and led the two cats downstairs.

Seeing Wen Ling still yawning, Ke Chengyu asked with a smile, "Do you guys stay up all night every day?"

He was genuinely curious; sometimes they'd chat in the group in the afternoon, but Zhou Yinghe never replied, calls went unanswered, and only in the evening would Zhou Yinghe appear, confidently saying he had just woken from a nap.

Wen Ling let out an "ah," embarrassed, and said, "No, it's just that summer is hot; I don't like going out, so I end up sleeping at home."

Jiang Jibai drew out an "oh," and Qi Zhan swung his leg, saying, "Calling you guys out to play and you don't come—you're pretty reclusive."

Before Wen Ling could respond, Zhou Yinghe got up to take her hand and said, "We've grown tired of the places you hang out."

"We found a new place—do you want to go?" Jiang Jibai teased, "Don't end up not coming again."

"Sure, why not?" Wen Ling agreed first, "If you invite us, we'll go."

Jiang Jibai looked at her admiringly, "You're much better than Xiao Wu; Xiao Wu is really hard to please."

Wen Ling agreed wholeheartedly, smiling, "I feel the same."

As the sky gradually darkened and the temperature dropped considerably, the butler appeared with the servants, and the five of them first moved to the backyard.

Later came Zhao Ningyan and Zhou Yinghe's sister Zhou Zhaoning; after the butler brought them to the backyard, the men naturally gathered to discuss the barbecue, while Zhou Zhaoning and Wen Ling leaned together chatting.

Chu Yao and Fu Huahua came together, rushing over in a fluster, panting, "Ah Ling, do you know who I just saw?"

Wen Ling looked at Chu Yao, puzzled, "Who?"

"Ruan MiaoMiao," Chu Yao said, "When we were driving over, passing the neighboring villa area, we saw Ruan MiaoMiao sitting in a man's car."

She crept up mysteriously, Wen Ling amusedly played along, and Zhou Zhaoning leaned in eagerly to gossip, hearing Chu Yao say, "That man is the Yang family's good-for-nothing young master."

Wen Ling's smile faltered, her brows knitting tightly.

During this time, she'd been with the Zhou family women, chatting nothing but gossip, so she naturally knew about the Yang family.

In Sijiucheng they were quite notorious—of course, not for anything good. The Yang family had only recently risen; earlier they were ordinary real-estate developers, got lucky and made a fortune, only then gaining fame in Sijiucheng; as for the Yang family's eldest son, there's no need to mention him.

Before making money, he was just a street thug; after getting rich, he started decking himself out—flashy cars and beautiful women.

"Isn't it surprising that someone as aloof as Ruan MiaoMiao would end up mingling with such people?"

Wen Ling didn't respond, lowered her gaze, her expression turning grave.

Whether following the original plot or its later changes, Ruan MiaoMiao would never lower herself to seek a man like that.

Even if she were to look, she'd only seek the aristocratic elite of Sijiucheng.

Wen Ling suddenly recalled what Zhao Xingtang had said yesterday; her fingers tightened around her phone, she sprang to her feet, and told the others, "I'm going to the restroom."

The three watched her leave, bewildered; Zhou Yinghe, who had been standing nearby watching Wen Ling, saw her go and strode over.

"What's wrong, Lingling?"

The three shook their heads, Zhou Yinghe frowned, and pursued in Wen Ling's direction.

Wen Ling returned to the villa, entered the bathroom on the first floor off the living room, and felt somewhat uneasy.

Everyone's attitude toward Ruan MiaoMiao had shifted; she could understand it as either the fading of her protagonist halo or her presence disrupting the original plot.

But now, Ruan MiaoMiao suddenly acted in a way utterly unlike her, forcing Wen Ling to ponder the cause.

Wen Ling pressed her lips, called Zhao Xingtang, who answered quickly, saying, "It seems you know about Ruan MiaoMiao's situation."

Wen Ling hummed in affirmation and asked, "Is it you?"

"What do you mean, 'is it you'?" Zhao Xingtang chuckled lightly, feigning ignorance, "I know nothing; it's her own choice."

"Impossible." Wen Ling, not understanding others, couldn't she still not know Ruan MiaoMiao? She said coldly, "Ruan MiaoMiao wouldn't be that kind of person; if she were, she wouldn't be fixated on Zhou Yinghe, and the original plot wouldn't exist."

Zhao Xingtang burst out laughing with a "puhah," saying, "I did this—shouldn't you thank me? I'm making those who bully you suffer more and more."

"I dislike her," Wen Ling said, not being a saint; seeing Ruan MiaoMiao suffer made her genuinely happy, but Ruan MiaoMiao shouldn't end up like this, especially since it's others' deliberate doing.

"Wen Ling, let's meet tomorrow; if there's anything, I'll tell you after we meet."

Wen Ling readily agreed, hung up, tossed her phone aside, turned on the tap to wash her hands, and stared blankly at the water in the sink.

The bathroom door was knocked a few times, and Wen Ling snapped back to attention.