Chapter 146: Two weeks is enough, right?

Noticing Wen Ling had woken, Zhou Yinhe lowered his gaze to look at her.

"Awake?"

Wen Ling was still a little dazed from just waking up; she nodded, then tried to turn and lay her leg on Zhou Yinhe, but as she moved her leg a fierce soreness made her eyes fill with tears.

"Ugh, it's so uncomfortable." She pitifully grabbed Zhou Yinhe's hand.

Zhou Yinhe let out a chuckle, unwilling to see her uncomfortable, so he put his phone on the bedside table and went to massage her waist and legs.

While massaging, he asked, "Will you keep doing this from now on?"

Wen Ling felt wronged, and in a muffled voice said, "Not anymore."

Zhou Yinhe curled the corner of his lip, massaging her seriously and carefully for a long time, only letting go when Wen Ling felt the soreness ease.

He thoughtfully helped Wen Ling to the bathroom, filled the tub with water and bath balls, then held her as he placed her in the tub, squatted beside it to knead her tender cheeks, then got up to clean up the floor he hadn't had time to tidy from the night before.

Because Wen Ling was there, he worried she'd feel uneasy, so he personally did many things he hadn't done before, such as changing the bedsheets and cleaning their bedroom.

After tidying up while Wen Ling was still in the bathroom, Zhou Yinhe went in, saw her enjoying herself with eyes half‑closed, and instructed, "Don't fall asleep here; I'll go downstairs to feed Hehe Huhuh, and if you wake up feeling unwell, call me—don't trip."

Wen Ling opened her eyes and hummed in acknowledgment, then Zhou Yinhe felt relieved and went downstairs.

In the villa, the air‑conditioning ran all day; Hehe Huhuh was lying on the nearly three‑meter‑high cat‑climbing frame prepared for them by the floor‑to‑ceiling window, basking in the sun. Seeing Zhou Yinhe come down, it meowed as it descended the frame and followed him to where they eat.

Zhou Yinhe filled their cat food, opened two cans for them, saw they were eating happily, then went back upstairs to find Wen Ling.

He still worried that Wen Ling, unreliable in daily life, might fall asleep in the bathtub.

Sure enough, as soon as Zhou Yinhe entered the bathroom, Wen Ling was leaning her head against the tub's edge, half‑asleep.

"If you're sleepy, go back to the room and nap a bit." Zhou Yinhe bent over, not minding that water on Wen Ling might wet his clothes, lifted her, helped her to the shower area to rinse off, then brought her back to bed, after which he went back to take another shower and change into dry pajamas.

After he left, Wen Ling was already awake, lying in bed looking at the photos she'd taken yesterday, her fingers itching to share them but feeling reluctant.

Zhou Yinhe deliberately approached her silently, narrowed his eyes to look at her phone screen, and when she repeatedly tapped the share button, he suddenly spoke, startling Wen Ling into a violent shudder.

"Why are you scaring me!"

"Zhou Yinhe said lightly, 'Who are you planning to share it with?'"

Wen Ling, now too embarrassed to accuse him, pressed her lips into an awkward smile: "No, I just hit it by accident; I wouldn't share it with anyone else—such a beautiful photo should definitely be kept for myself."

"Really?" Zhou Yinhe doubted her; Wen Ling blinked her sparkling eyes and promised, "Don't worry—if I post it, I'll owe you two extra weeks! Is that okay?"

"Healed scars forget the pain" describes Wen Ling herself—last night she cried pitifully, full of regret; now her waist and legs no longer ache, and as soon as she spoke she doubled down on her regret, adding another full measure.

Zhou Yinhe actually thought it would be fine if Wen Ling shared it, because then he could gain nearly half a month of wonderful time.

Anyway, everyone Wen Ling knows in Sijiucheng has seen his childhood, so he wouldn't think it a big deal.

Just as Zhou Yinhe was about to go downstairs to bring her lunch, Wen Ling suddenly remembered her promise to meet Zhao Xingtang tonight, and asked him for her phone to take a look.

Zhao Xingtang sent her the address and time; Wen Ling replied okay, then told Zhou Yinhe, "Tonight I'm going to meet Zhao Xingtang for fun and eat out."

Half true, half false—she really was going to see Zhao Xingtang, but not just for fun.

Zhou Yinhe gazed deeply into her eyes, without objection.

After Zhou Yinhe left the room, Wen Ling finally exhaled and called Lu Zhaoye.

Lu Zhaoye had been busy with company affairs, his feet hardly touching the ground, and it had been a long time since he'd last contacted Wen Ling.

His company now had help from the Zhao family, and things had gone fairly smoothly so far.

Upon receiving Wen Ling's call, he felt a bit strange and drawled in a teasing tone, "Yo, busybody, what made you think of me?"

Even though Lu Zhaoye couldn't see her, Wen Ling rolled her eyes and said, "Cut it out—I want to tell you something."

"Go on," Lu Zhaoye said, seeing Wen Ling was serious, and became a bit more serious himself: "What is it?"

"Zhao Xingtang knows I was reborn; she's arranged to meet me tonight. I suspect the reason I've gotten this far so smoothly is that she's helping me behind the scenes—and not by proper means." Wen Ling lowered her eyes, her face solemn as she continued, "You've been in Sijiucheng a while; you should know about the Yang family."

Lu Zhaoye narrowed his eyes and hummed in acknowledgment.

"The Yang family only has a little money, nothing else; not to mention their eldest son. Ruan MiaoMiao is a refined egoist—she wants status and power, which the Yang family can't give her, yet she's actually dating the Yang family's eldest son." The more Wen Ling thought about it, the stranger it seemed; at first she'd thought Ruan MiaoMiao was only in the Yang heir's car for some other reason, but last night she had someone check and found they really were together.

"So, it's definitely Zhao Xingtang pulling strings behind the scenes."

"Besides, Lu Zhaoye is Wen Ling's childhood friend; after hearing her words he quickly guessed her suspicion: 'Do you think everything that's happened to you since arriving in Sijiucheng—including the Qin family suddenly distrusting Ruan MiaoMiao's words, the loss of her heroine halo that made netizens turn on her—is actually Zhao Xingtang's scheming?'"

Wen Ling exhaled, "Yes, she's very abnormal."

"Tonight I'll accompany you to see her—don't let her suddenly come up with something else to scheme against you."

"No need, I'll go myself." Wen Ling refused, "I'm just doubting myself, but I'm not sure if my suspicion makes sense; hearing you, I now feel convinced."

"If I don't go, then you must stay safe—keep the line open with me so I can show up promptly if anything happens."

Lu Zhaoye knew Wen Ling wouldn't bring Zhou Yinhe along.

"Okay."

Wen Ling isn't the type to recklessly show off; with Lu Zhaoye nearby, at least she can put half her mind at ease.

The room door opened the instant Wen Ling hung up, and Zhou Yinhe asked, "Who were you just talking to on the phone?"

Wen Ling's heart jumped, "You heard that?"

"I heard," Zhou Yinhe raised his brows, "so, who were you talking to on the phone?"