Chapter 171

Zhou Yinghe saw Wen Ling not smiling, and knew Wen Ling had sensed something off.

When he heard that the Yang family had locked up Ruan MiaoMiao, Zhou Yinghe felt something was off; Wen Ling had no contact with the Yang family, but he had, and had heard about it, so he naturally knew the Yang family weren't that smart.

Afterwards, neither spoke again, each lost in their own thoughts.

The Yang family's villa arrived, Wen Ling got out of the car, looked around, and sarcastically remarked: "Not bad taste."

Zhou Yinghe curled his lips, "Indeed, his family also got rich from developing this area."

The Yang family's butler first noticed the two of them, panicked, and hurried inside to find the Yang family members.

The Yang family members were seated in the living room, Ruan MiaoMiao stood to the side with a swollen, red cheek, and Madam Yang glared at her disdainfully.

"What kind of person did you have to pick? Picking someone infamous— isn't that ruining our family's reputation?"

"What reputation does your family even have?"

A cold, sharp voice rang out, and the Yang family all turned their heads in shock, eyes widening.

"Young Master Zhou? How did he come here?"

Ruan MiaoMiao's eyes lit up at the sight of Zhou Yinghe, she took two steps forward, but upon seeing Wen Ling behind Zhou Yinghe, she abruptly stopped.

She lowered her head to hide her face, not wanting Wen Ling to see her so embarrassed.

Wen Ling couldn't be bothered with her, stood beside Zhou Yinghe, looking down at the three Yang family members.

"Um, Fifth Young Master, why are you here?" Yang Dian, the head of the Yang family, stood up and approached obsequiously.

Zhou Yinghe stepped back, furrowed his brows, his disgust plain on his face, and he said lightly: "I came to Qin's house for a meal with my fiancée; hearing that my fiancée's cousin married into your family and suffered much injustice, I followed to see for myself."

Yang Dian gave an embarrassed laugh, looked at Wen Ling, and feigned surprise: "I never expected Qin Lao to have such a beautiful granddaughter."

His words, both overt and implied, belittled Ruan MiaoMiao's appearance as inferior to Wen Ling's; Ruan MiaoMiao's face fell, having been constantly compared to Wen Ling since childhood, whether in looks or otherwise, she could never measure up.

In the past, she would surely have shouted a tirade, but lately, bullied by the Yang family, she had lost all her former arrogance.

Wen Ling snorted coldly, arms crossed, and said nonchalantly: "Mr. Yang, just hand over my cousin so I can take her away; no matter what, she's still a member of the Qin family."

"On what grounds! Since she married me, she's a Yang family member; you Qin folks have some nerve, saying you'll just take her away? You bitch."

Young Master Yang stood up; he didn't dare curse Zhou Yinghe, but he didn't take Wen Ling seriously, and said he was about to go forward and strike.

Seeing this, Ruan MiaoMiao felt a flicker of schadenfreude.

Whether Wen Ling got scolded or Young Master Yang sought death, to her it was something that could make her happy.

Young Master Yang had just stepped within a meter of Wen Ling when Zhou Yinghe stepped forward and kicked out hard; although Young Master Yang wasn't short, years of staying up late drinking and smoking after his family grew rich, mingling in low-class venues, had left his physique weak, and Zhou Yinghe's kick sent him flying far.

"What gall, daring to insult my wife." Zhou Yinghe snorted, and was about to step forward to kick Young Master Yang again; Yang Dian saw this and hurried forward to block him, while Madam Yang screamed, ran to Young Master Yang's side, crying and shouting concern, and helped him up.

Yang Dian said: "Fifth Young Master, Fifth Master, don't quarrel with him; he's always been this foolish, you surely know this already—just be magnanimous and let him go."

Zhou Yinghe shook off his outstretched hand, curled his lips, and drawled: "Mr. Yang, if you can't control your son, let me help you."

Yang Dian shook his head violently, but Zhou Yinghe sidestepped him, flicked his wrist, preparing to vent his recent pent-up anger on Young Master Yang; Wen Ling, however, stopped him, noting that Young Master Yang's insults hadn't worsened her mood, and she said with a smile: "Don't dirty your hands—let the bodyguards handle it."

"You dare!" Madam Yang spread her arms to block Young Master Yang, warning: "Although your Zhou and Qin families are more powerful than our Yang family, you can't beat my son in our house, or I'll call the police!"

Wen Ling furrowed her brows, stifling laughter, then after holding it in for a while burst out laughing: "Call the police? The Yang family are too naïve—just look at how united the aristocratic clans of Sijiucheng are; after all these years, they still can't see it."

"Fifth Young Master, Fifth Young Master, if you insist on taking her, then take her—we won't stop you." Yang Dian said hurriedly as he saw the bodyguards approaching.

Young Master Yang still wanted to say something, but after Yang Dian gave him a fierce glare, he reluctantly stopped speaking.

Ruan MiaoMiao widened her eyes, feeling glad she was about to escape the wolf's den.

Watching Ruan MiaoMiao leave with the two of them, Young Master Yang grew increasingly unwilling, pushed aside Madam Yang and Yang Dian, and prepared to give chase; the bodyguards behind the trio turned in unison, coldly eyeing him.

Young Master Yang was startled by their intimidating gazes, took a step back, and felt that the spot where he had just been kicked, which had begun to ease, now flared with pain again.

As Ruan MiaoMiao walked out of the Yang residence, she glanced back at the three Yang family members, her gaze provocative, as if she knew they could no longer lay a hand on her.

After leaving the Yang residence, Wen Ling turned to face Ruan MiaoMiao and said coldly: "You brought this on yourself, yet you still have your grandfather do the work for you—your cheek is thick enough."

"Cousin, you…" Ruan MiaoMiao looked at Wen Ling aggrieved; seeing Wen Ling unmoved by her act, she then looked at Zhou Yinghe, whose gaze remained fixed on Wen Ling without shifting, and could only withdraw her gaze in disappointment.

Wen Ling was somewhat speechless at her thick-skinned act: "Cut the act—everyone knows who's who by now; you've already given yourself away, yet you're still pretending to be wronged and pitiful."

Ruan MiaoMiao wasn't embarrassed at being exposed; instead, she smiled gently: "Cousin, not everyone has your good fortune—protected and pampered by the Wen and Qin families, your beaus are all the top-tier figures of Sijiucheng; you have no idea how hard my life is."

Wen Ling, speechless at her sudden outpouring of grievances, rolled her eyes and got into the car first.

Zhou Yinghe followed her into the car, sat beside Wen Ling, leaving only the front passenger seat for Ruan MiaoMiao; she bit her lip, lowered her eyes to hide the hatred within, and took the front passenger seat.

The car headed for the Qin residence; Wen Ling lazily leaned against the back seat, Zhou Yinghe pulled her into his arms so she could rest against him, and only then did Wen Ling recall the earlier oddness.

Zhou Yinghe had been complaining about his back pain, yet just now he was able to kick Young Master Yang, and every movement showed no sign of injury.

"Doesn't your back wound hurt anymore?"

She raised her eyes to ask; Zhou Yinghe paused, then gave an embarrassed cough.

Actually, it still hurt the next day, just not as badly; everything he did was merely to make Wen Ling feel sorry for him.

Wen Ling tugged at the corner of her mouth and gave a humored chuckle.