Chapter 186

Grandfather Qin, Grandfather Wen, do you have any place you'd like to go? Everything's been settled these two days; once you decide, we can set off anytime.

Wen Lao really did have a place in mind; he smiled and said, "Let's go to Guishan—I want to see the rivers and mountains there."

Wen Ling frowned slightly: "Can you manage it? It's not easy going there."

"You've never been there—how do you know it's not easy?" Wen Lao, who had finally picked a spot, couldn't let Wen Ling veto it outright; he said solemnly, "We're going to Guishan—I won't go anywhere else."

You…

Zhou Yinhe interrupted Wen Ling, agreed to Wen Lao's request, and when Wen Ling shot him a displeased look, he responded with a reassuring gaze.

After settling the preparations to depart the day after tomorrow, the two old gentlemen left straight away, chatting as they walked about where to go play today.

After they left, Wen Ling said to Zhou Yinhe, "Why did you agree to take my grandfather to Guishan? His health certainly isn't suited for that."

Zhou Yinhe soothed, "Don't worry, I'll arrange everything—I guarantee nothing will happen to them, okay?"

Wen Ling hesitated for a long time, but still nodded.

Zhou Yinhe ruffled her hair and asked, "I need to make a trip to Feng Qi Yuan; do you want to come with me?"

"I'm not going; I want to sleep a bit more." She had woken up from hunger, and now, full and satisfied, she felt drowsy.

Zhou Yinhe didn't insist; he was going back to discuss the Zhao family matter with Ning Qing and Zhou Shuanglin, which Wen Ling naturally knew, so that's why she refused.

If she were there, the Zhou family would certainly not handle this matter rationally for her sake.

After Zhou Yinhe left, Wen Ling didn't really go back to her room to sleep; instead, she tried calling Chu Yao.

She thought Chu Yao wouldn't answer, or if she did, it would be Chu Lin picking up, but she didn't expect the call to go through, and the voice on the other end was Chu Yao herself.

"Ah Ling." Chu Yao's voice was obviously low.

Wen Ling whispered, "Did your brother give you the phone?"

Chu Yao hummed, then sighed, "He just gave it to me, and you called right away."

"Yesterday I called your boyfriend; he said you'd already sent someone to tell him we're breaking up."

"Yeah, my brother had someone go."

Wen Ling frowned, recalling the hypocritical Chu Lin, and felt deep down that Chu Lin would sell his own sister to advance the Chu Family; she asked seriously, "Do you need help?"

Chu Yao said, "No need—I promised my brother I'd break up with him and never contact him again."

…… Wen Ling remained silent for a long time, finally just humming, then hung up.

Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, Wen Ling stayed quiet for a long while, roughly guessing what Chu Lin would say to Chu Yao after they left; otherwise, why could Chu Yao change her attitude so quickly in just one night?

But since Chu Yao didn't actively ask for her help, Wen Ling wouldn't intervene—after all, Chu Yao is an adult and will surely figure things out on her own; she doesn't need Wen Ling to make decisions for her.

Wen Ling felt merely annoyed and also a bit heartbroken; she always believed that as the Chu Family's precious eldest daughter, Chu Yao wouldn't be pushed out as a tool to gain status and power.

——

Zhou Yinhe returned to Feng Qi Yuan; his sister and Ning Qing were in the garden, while Zhou Shuanglin was not there.

He parked the car and walked over to them, saying, "Mom, Second Sister."

Zhou Qiyue turned around, saw he was in a bad mood, and sneered, "It's just the Zhao family—why are you so upset?"

When Zhou Yinhe and Ning Qing spoke on the phone that morning, she was nearby and heard it all.

Zhou Yinhe sat on the stone bench, lazily leaning on the stone table; it was a bit cool, but it just woke him up.

Ning Qing, while trimming away dead branches, said, "The Zhao family alone wouldn't make him anxious; it's because Madame Zhao brought up the earlier verbal engagement with the Zhao family in front of Ah Ling, making Ah Ling feel uncomfortable."

Zhou Yinhe didn't answer; he took the tea the butler handed him and drank a few sips.

Ning Qing walked to his side and said softly, "Really, this is my fault—I only wanted to find someone to distract you, hoping you'd move on sooner, but I never expected to cause this."

"What does this have to do with you? It's clearly the Zhao family's problem." Zhou Qiyue sat beside Zhou Yinhe, finished speaking to Ning Qing, then turned to look at Zhou Yinhe and scolded, "You're usually so overbearing with us, yet you can't even handle a Zhao family—how stupid."

Ning Qing sighed, "I'll go to the Zhao residence later to see Madame Zhao's attitude; if it's still like this, then we'll cut ties between the Zhou and Zhao families, and I'll personally go explain things to Ah Ling."

Zhou Yinhe finally spoke his second sentence since arriving at Feng Qi Yuan; he shook his head and refused Ning Qing's request to go find Wen Ling.

"You'd better not go—later she'll surely think we broke off with the Zhao family because she felt resentful."

Before the three of them had exchanged a few words, the butler returned from not far away.

"Madam, Miss, Young Master, Madame Zhao and Miss Zhao have come, saying they wish to see you, Madam."

Ning Qing frowned, somewhat amused by the audacity—she actually had the nerve to come see her.

Zhou Qiyue stood and said to Ning Qing, "Mom, I'll go with you to see them; Xiao Wu can just stay here."

Zhou Yinhe knew his sister's temperament best; he nodded reassuredly and watched the mother and daughter walk away.

The butler had the two Zhao family members sit in the parlor; when Ning Qing entered, she saw the gauze on Zhao Anhao's face.

She greeted Madame Zhao with a smile and asked concernedly, "What happened to Anhao's face? Why is it wrapped in gauze?"

Madame Zhao had thought Zhou Yinhe had already told Ning Qing about the Chen Yue Fu incident; hearing this, she felt a bit lucky, but still ventured, "Didn't Xiao Wu tell you?"

Ning Qing shook her head, looking puzzled; Zhou Qiyue gave a light laugh, sat beside Ning Qing, and neither greeted Madame Zhao nor paid any attention to Zhao Anhao.

Madame Zhao didn't have time to take offense at their disregard; she was eager to smear Wen Ling.

She said earnestly, "You don't know—it wasn't my nephew who smashed Xiao Wu's car, was it? I went with Anhao to apologize to Xiao Wu, but who knew Xiao Wu's girlfriend would take a dislike to Anhao and actually set a cat to scratch her? We've just come from the hospital, and we wanted to tell you this so Xiao Wu wouldn't be deceived by his girlfriend; once she has him under her thumb, she'll certainly not be filial to you either."

Ning Qing drew out an 'oh': "Like that…"

Madame Zhao felt uneasy inside; she had indeed deliberately brought Anhao to Chen Yue Fu, and deliberately brought up the past, all to make Xiao Wu break up with his girlfriend, so perhaps Anhao would still have a chance…

The Zhao family is at the end of its rope; she must do something, just in case… just in case…

Zhou Qiyue leaned against the sofa armrest, her calm, lovely eyes fixed on Madame Zhao and Zhao Anhao; she let out a puff and burst into loud laughter.

The two looked at her, puzzled and displeased.