Chapter 175: Feigning ignorance and acting dumb is too late

After Qi Zhan came back, he hasn't been quite right.

Zhou Yinhe pulled out a chair, sat down with a very relaxed posture, and asked: "The people he likes are all with him now; what does he have to be upset about?"

"I'm not joking with you." Jiang Jibai rubbed his sore brow from constant frowning.

Ke Chengyu said: "We called your butler, planning to go to your house to find you, but upon learning Qin Lao and Wen Lao were there, we had to wait here for you."

Zhou Yinhe's expression gradually grew solemn as he listened to Jiang Jibai say: "They probably broke up; given my understanding of Qi Zhan, he won't be like you were back then."

"Talking about Qi Zhan is about Qi Zhan; why bring me up?" Zhou Yinhe speechlessly pursed his lips.

Ke Chengyu said: "He's currently keeping to himself, but the Qi family says Qi Zhan just often goes to the study, nothing unusual."

Zhou Yinhe lowered his gaze, fingers lightly tapping the table a few times, and roughly guessed the reason.

"It's fine, I'm heading back first; we can talk later if anything comes up." Zhou Yinhe didn't know whether telling them would cause a mistake, so he could only keep it hidden for now.

After he left, Ke Chengyu and Jiang Jibai exchanged a glance and whispered: "I feel Xiao Wu knows something."

Jiang Jibai lifted his tea, took a sip, leaned back in the chair, and said lazily: "He definitely knows something, but he's unwilling to tell us."

"So annoying, one after another." Ke Chengyu shook his hair, which he'd messed up himself, and sighed in frustration.

Jiang Jibai put down his teacup, stood up, and said: "Let's go; I'm sick of this place."

"Let's go to your place; just have the manager whip something up." Ke Chengyu followed behind him, and the two walked out together.

Upon reaching Zhou Yinhe's private room, Ke Chengyu paused his steps and asked Jiang Jibai: "Should we go in to greet Qin Lao and Wen Lao? I haven't met Wen Lao yet."

"Let's visit Chen Yue Fu tomorrow; now isn't suitable, we haven't prepared anything."

"Alright."

Zhou Yinhe returned to the private room, and Wen Ling asked doubtfully: "What's wrong?"

"Nothing much; Jiang Jibai and Ke Chengyu were here, we chatted about some company matters."

Wen Ling let out an "oh" and continued eating.

After returning home, Qin Lao and Wen Lao wanted them to accompany them for a walk in the Botanical Park behind Chen Yue Fu, but Wen Ling's afternoon fatigue hadn't faded, so she refused and pushed Zhou Yinhe out, asking him to accompany them instead.

Zhou Yinhe really wanted to be close to her, but at that moment both elders were looking at him, giving him a strange feeling of being expected.

He had no choice but to go along; upon returning, he saw that the food bowls of the cats Hehe and HengHeng both had cat food, so he opened cans for Hehe and HengHeng as an extra meal.

When he returned to the room, Wen Ling was already deeply asleep.

Zhou Yinhe stood beside the bed with his hands on his waist, hesitated for a long time, but still prepared to take a shower first.

He stood at the washbasin, staring at his reflection in the mirror, dazed for a while, his mind in turmoil.

First Zhao Xingtang and Qi Zhan, then Ruan MiaoMiao—all of it solidified into one firm resolve: he must be with Wen Ling for life, and no matter who tries to interfere or cause trouble, he must nip that thought in the bud.

He picked up the phone placed nearby and sent a message to Qi Zhan.

【Tomorrow morning, see you at your company.】

Qi Zhan only replied after Zhou Yinhe finished his shower, with a single word: "【Okay.】"

Zhou Yinhe lowered his gaze at the phone screen, didn't reply, set the phone to silent, clutching it as he returned to the room.

At that moment Wen Ling was spread-eagled, lying like a big character in the middle of the bed; Zhou Yinhe curled his lips, bent down to set the phone down while seeking Wen Ling's lips.

It wasn't too late yet; Zhou Yinhe wanted to give Wen Ling extra rest, so he climbed onto the bed, domineeringly drawing her limbs together, legs between hers, arms bent and pressed against her chest—a cuddling pose, very intimate.

Zhou Yinhe didn't sleep, but holding her, listening to her faint, drawn-out breath, was also a pleasure for him.

But this pleasure didn't last long, because Wen Ling maintained the cuddling pose for less than half an hour before she started flailing her arms and legs again.

Being kneed by Wen Ling, Zhou Yinhe nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood.

He glared fiercely at Wen Ling, then, unable to bear it any longer, reached out and yanked her pajamas.

Wen Ling was awakened by the rough handling; she blinked open her eyes, and the next second found herself staring into Zhou Yinhe's eyes.

His eyes were dark as ink, as if a vortex swirled within—just an instant, and Wen Ling felt as though he had dragged her into a swamp.

After being drenched in sweat and carried by Zhou Yinhe to the bathroom, Wen Ling finally had the strength to accuse him.

"Why are you disturbing my sleep!" Her voice hoarse, clearly from overuse just moments before.

Zhou Yinhe laughed, grabbed a towel, laid it on the washbasin, set her upon it, then turned to fill the tub.

"Didn't you promise me? Tonight you must properly compensate me."

Wen Ling leaned wearily against the mirror, hearing this she replied incredulously: "When did I ever say that?"

Zhou Yinhe didn't care whether she was feigning ignorance or truly forgot; anyway, he had already gotten his fill, and her pretending now was too late.

"Bastard." Wen Ling cried out in a coquettish tone; Zhou Yinhe, who had already reached out to lift her into the tub, hearing her scold him in that voice, inexplicably struck a certain spot in his heart, leaving him with an indescribable feeling.

His fingers began to wander; Wen Ling, still not fully satisfied, widened her eyes to stop him, but he seized her wrist.

By the time they left the bathroom it was already midnight; Wen Ling was now breathing out more than in, utterly lacking the energy to scold him further, nor did she want to use that hoarse voice, fearing it would wake her and backfire.

As soon as they slipped under the covers, Wen Ling fell asleep; Zhou Yinhe voluntarily tidied the bathroom mess, rinsed off a bit more, then returned to the room to hold Wen Ling as they slept.

In the morning Wen Ling still hadn't awakened; Zhou Yinhe, fearing to wake her, went to the living room washroom to freshen up.

After he finished washing up, he glanced at his phone and then went straight to the underground garage, drove out, and headed for the Qi family's corporate headquarters.

Qi Zhan was waiting for him in his executive CEO office, slumped on the sofa in a listless manner.

When Zhou Yinhe arrived and saw him like that, he asked lightly: "You broke up?"

Qi Zhan hummed, moved the arm shielding his eyes to look at Zhou Yinhe, seeing his gaze full of scrutiny and pressure, Qi Zhan gave a light chuckle.

"It seems you already knew about this."

"Mm, I overheard it." He said that, indicating he also knew, and Zhou Yinhe saw no need to hide it, openly admitting.

Qi Zhan rested his elbows on his knees, bent forward, as if something were pressing down on him from behind.

Zhou Yinhe sat opposite him, leaning against the chair back with his legs crossed, forming a stark contrast to Qi Zhan's entire demeanor at that moment.

"I found out by accident; I've long sensed Zhao Xingtang was hiding something from me, but I never imagined it would be this."