Chapter 157: Your Son Is Quite Likable

As long as Wen Ling's later words carried praise of his ability, he wagged his tail vigorously, just like a pet seeking its master's approval after finally earning praise.

The rain had stopped long ago; Wen Ling rubbed her wrist and found it didn't hurt as much, so she got up and changed clothes.

She had promised to visit the Qin Family to see her grandfather; going earlier would be best.

Qin Siqing was the same; she arrived at the Qin Family before Qin Lao had even woken up, and the steward, who was cleaning with the servants, was startled to see her come so early.

"Miss, what would you like for breakfast?"

Qin Siqing shook her head, feeling restless; the steward saw this and sighed helplessly.

"The cousin Miss will come; she will surely have eaten breakfast before arriving, and she won't get up very early, so don't worry, have some first."

Qin Lao stood on the stairs, glanced at his usually clever but sometimes clueless little daughter, and said coldly, "Don't bother with her."

The steward looked up at him, then could only nod and leave.

Qin Siqing pressed her lips and said, "Dad, I know I was wrong."

"What's the use of knowing you're wrong if Wen Ling can't get close to you?" Qin Lao bluntly criticized her, "You and Wenhuai are just as selfish, only thinking of your own freedom; you never considered how hard it must have been for this daughter to grow up without parents."

Qin Siqing lowered her head, shame and guilt weighing on her heart; her father's words made her feel somewhat unable to face herself.

Qin Lao snorted coldly, then went downstairs and directly to the dining room to eat breakfast.

Wen Ling only realized when preparing to get in the car that the trunk had been stuffed full by Ning Qing with all kinds of health supplements and gifts.

Ning Qing stood aside, smiling, "You can't go empty-handed; I had the steward prepare a little— not much, but it's a token of thought."

"Thank you, Auntie, but no need to be so formal," Wen Ling said, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Zhou Yinhe placed his hand on Wen Ling's head, turned her around, opened the passenger door, and shoved her inside.

"We're off, Mom; you don't need to wait for us to have dinner tonight."

Ning Qing chuckled, "You're so confident— what if Old Qin doesn't let you stay for dinner?"

Zhou Yinhe chuckled, "Don't you know how likable your son is?"

Ning Qing, trying not to laugh, told Wen Ling, "Give him a hard pinch on the cheek—I want to see if I actually gave him all the cheek skin of his older siblings."

Wen Ling also thought his cheek was thick, but she couldn't bear to leave a mark on the face she loved most; she lifted her hand and gave it a gentle pinch, smiling at Ning Qing and saying, "Indeed, it's a bit thick."

"Right." Ning Qing watched Wen Ling's extremely gentle motion and realized that Wen Ling, like her, judges by appearance.

She stepped back, waved at Wen Ling, then told Zhou Yinhe, "Drive carefully."

Feng Qi Yuan and the Qin Family aren't that close; Wen Ling looked at her phone while moving her slightly sore wrist.

Zhou Yinhe glanced at her occasionally, worried, "Does it still hurt? We have time; let's first go to the hospital for a check-up."

Actually, the family doctor had just examined it, but Zhou Yinhe thought the home equipment wasn't as complete as the hospital's, so he kept insisting on going to the hospital; Wen Ling felt embarrassed, because having helped Zhou Yinhe injure her wrist and still needing to go to the hospital was really strange, right!

"No need to go; it's just a bit sore and will be fine soon." Wen Ling turned her head and glared at him, threatening, "Don't mention it in front of my grandfather, or you'll regret it."

Zhou Yinhe had no choice but to go along with her, preparing to detour to the hospital on the way home if Wen Ling still felt pain in the afternoon.

Wen Ling hummed along to the song playing in the car, swaying her head and playing with her phone; Zhou Yinhe glanced at her several times, twisting the fingers resting on the steering wheel.

How adorable, utterly bewildering.

Upon arriving at the Qin Family, Qin Lao stood with his hands behind his back in the shade of the courtyard waiting for them; seeing Wen Ling, his normally solemn expression instantly softened, and Wen Ling lowered the car window, poked her head out, and waved at Qin Lao continuously. Qin Lao exclaimed "Ai yo" and stepped forward, saying, "Pull back, pull back; we'll talk after the car stops."

Wen Ling obediently sat properly; the car stopped in the courtyard parking area, and she eagerly opened the door and got out, clinging to Qin Lao's hand and constantly acting coquettish.

Zhou Yinhe got out more slowly, first greeted Qin Lao, then opened the trunk.

The steward, who had been standing behind Qin Lao, stepped forward perceptively and helped Zhou Yinhe carry things.

Wen Ling explained to Qin Lao, "These were brought by Aunt Ning; she asked me to pass on her greetings."

"We're practically family already— why be so polite?" Qin Lao gave Zhou Yinhe a meaningful look, then walked ahead with Wen Ling into the villa, saying as they went, "You're staying at the Zhou Family's place, right? When are you going to let our two families' parents meet?"

Wen Ling glanced back at the exceptionally well-behaved Zhou Yinhe at the Qin Family and huffed cutely, "He hasn't even proposed yet; even if we were to meet, we'd have to wait until he proposes to me first."

"Looks like you're complaining he's proposing too late?"

"Not at all," Wen Ling denied. After entering the villa and looking around, she saw no one else besides herself. Qin Lao noticed her searching and smiled, "I sent her back; if you don't mind, I'll call her again at lunchtime."

Wen Ling let out an "oh" and feigned ease, saying, "I don't mind."

"How magnanimous of you." Qin Lao widened his eyes in surprise; Wen Ling frowned, her face flushed with anger, and snapped, "Grandfather, if you keep this up I'm leaving!"

Qin Lao hastily said, "Okay, okay, I won't say more."

Wen Ling hummed, kicked off her slippers, sat cross-legged on the sofa, and Qin Lao gazed at her with a doting expression.

After a while, Zhou Yinhe and the steward entered together; before they could sit down, Wen Ling suddenly exclaimed "ah" and clapped her palms together, startling Zhou Yinhe.

"What's wrong? What's wrong?"

Wen Ling asked, "Did I forget to bring the gift I prepared specially for Grandfather?"

Zhou Yinhe, helpless, rose, walked to where the gifts were placed, picked up a box and brought it over, saying, "I took it, afraid you'd forget—I had already put it in the car ahead of time."

"That's good." Wen Ling breathed a sigh of relief; as for Qin Lao, his gaze toward Zhou Yinhe finally softened a bit.

Wen Ling took the box, opened it for Qin Lao to see, and said, "I bought this a few days ago; I thought you would definitely like it."

It was an inkstone.

Qin Lao enjoys calligraphy; Wen Ling had seen it in a magazine placed at Feng Qi Yuan a few days earlier, had people look it up, learned it had been bought by a collector, and after going through several contacts she finally managed to purchase it.

When that collector made the purchase, hearing that Wen Ling intended to use it rather than merely collect it made his eyes almost pop out of his head.

"This is a collector's item!"

Wen Ling let out an "oh," held a gentle smile, and transferred the money to the collector's card.

After seeing it, Qin Lao was utterly enamored, praised Wen Ling endlessly, then personally took the box back to the study.

Zhou Yinhe saw him leave, then rose from a slightly farther spot and moved to Wen Ling's side.