Chapter 222: Engagement Gift

Okay.

I could only agree, otherwise what could I do? Let him pester me all night? Wen Ling wearily rubbed her forehead.

Zhou Yinhe, upon hearing that, sprang up, grabbed his phone and started tapping on the screen.

Wen Ling asked doubtfully, "What are you doing?"

Zhou Yinhe said, "I'm sending a message to my mom, asking her to get my household registration ready."

…… Wen Ling felt a black line creep across her forehead, she helplessly said, "It's already this late, and you're still messaging Auntie? Can't whatever you have wait until later?"

"No way, I'm afraid you'll renege." As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Yinhe turned on the recorder, shoved the phone toward Wen Ling's mouth, and said seriously, "Say it, say it again."

"Say what again?" Wen Ling frowned.

"Just say you agreed to get engaged and then go get the marriage certificate with me! You won't deny it now, will you?" Zhou Yinhe stared at her in disbelief, then simply knelt on the bed, arm outstretched holding the phone, refusing to let go until she said those words.

Wen Ling looked at him as if he were a child, exhaled, and cooperated mechanically: "After the engagement, I promise to get the marriage certificate with Zhou Yinhe."

Zhou Yinhe happily took back his phone, carefully saved it and made a backup; Wen Ling pushed him away and lay down, watching his actions with some helplessness.

"Is it really necessary?"

"It's necessary, who let you always renege?" Zhou Yinhe gave a humorless chuckle, recalling the several conditions Wen Ling had previously gone back on, and felt he needed to guard against it in advance.

He got up to take a shower, while Wen Ling lay on her side in the blankets playing with her phone; when Zhou Yinhe returned, his body was icy cold, and he didn't care whether it would chill Wen Ling, he bluntly pulled her into his arms. Hearing Wen Ling scream, he laughed with ill intent.

"You jerk, I knew you weren't drunk." Wen Ling said through gritted teeth.

Zhou Yinhe, however, acted coquettishly, rubbing against him, and said with a squinting smile, "I really was drunk, I just sobered up."

Wen Ling didn't believe it, and flicked his forehead with her finger.

Zhou Yinhe covered his forehead and gave a whimper, not dodging, feigning grievance as he shook her waist.

After they tussled for a while, they gradually fell silent, each playing with their phone for a bit, when Zhou Yinhe suddenly asked, "Are you nervous?"

"What's there to be nervous about? It's just an engagement—go on stage, walk around, then eat and drink. What's there to be nervous about?"

Wen Ling didn't think much of it, but Zhou Yinhe, the closer the engagement came, the more nervous he grew, his heart pounding; hearing Wen Ling's words, he fell silent for a moment, then said, "I'm really nervous, and I have this inexplicable premonition, I don't know where it's coming from."

Wen Ling, who had her back to him, turned around upon hearing him say that and looked at Zhou Yinhe.

He lay flat at that moment, eyes vacant as he stared at the ceiling, a bit dazed; Wen Ling felt pity, put her phone aside, placed her hand on his chest and gently patted, coaxing, "It's okay, don't be nervous, I'm right here."

She had intended to lull Zhou Yinhe to sleep, but he wasn't asleep yet, so she ended up soothing herself to sleep.

Zhou Yinhe was still enjoying her light taps, noticing her movements growing smaller, he turned his head and saw that she had already closed her eyes, the only remaining motion being a reflex.

"Sleep, Baobao." Zhou Yinhe whispered.

Zhou Yinhe's most nerve-wracking engagement ceremony was about to begin; at that moment he paced back and forth in a suit, while Wen Ling stood nearby holding a cup of hot water, amusedly watching his nervous demeanor.

"I can't take it, Baobao, I'm going to the restroom."

Zhou Yinhe said that and turned to run off, leaving Wen Ling standing there bewildered; since the wait began, he had already gone to the bathroom three times.

Not long after Zhou Yinhe left, someone not far away called Wen Ling's name.

She glanced sideways and saw it was Zhao Xingtang, who had disappeared for a long time; Wen Ling frowned, but still walked over.

Mainly because the surroundings were full of bodyguards, Wen Ling wasn't afraid of what she might do, and Zhao Xingtang probably wasn't that foolish, preparing to go all out to cause trouble.

"The invitation list—I don't recall you being on it, right?"

Wen Ling was a bit puzzled; when the original list lacked Zhao Xingtang's name, she had asked Zhou Yinhe about it, and his explanation was that Zhao Xingtang and Qi Zhan's breakup hadn't been pleasant, and besides, the Zhao Family already had Zhao Ningyan's family present, so it wasn't a breach of etiquette.

Zhao Xingtang smiled and said, "Indeed I'm not on the list, but I want to give you an engagement gift."

Wen Ling instinctively stepped back, voice cold: "We're not that close yet; you don't need to give me a gift."

"How could that be?" Zhao Xingtang tugged at the corner of her mouth and said softly, "Aren't you curious about who messed with Ruan MiaoMiao back then, and who pushed you and Zhou Yinhe toward reconciliation?"

She enunciated each word: "I'll tell you today."

Wen Ling only felt something was off, turned to call for bodyguards, but Zhao Xingtang had already prepared; just as she was about to speak, several people emerged from the darkness behind her, clapped a hand over her mouth, and dragged her to the underground parking level below.

Those few people were swift and efficient, quickly binding Wen Ling's hands and feet with thick rope, tying her to a chair.

Zhao Xingtang walked up slowly, pulled the cloth gag from Wen Ling's mouth, and asked with a smile, "Wait here; the people coming to watch the show should arrive shortly."

Wen Ling stared at her silently, but inwardly thought, "If Zhao Xingtang wanted to kidnap her, it would be easier to take her straight out of the hotel; instead she bound her here, which is really suspicious."

If Zhou Yinhe returned and didn't find her, he would probably come looking soon; as for the person Zhao Xingtang mentioned, their true identity would soon be revealed.

Wen Ling suddenly vanished, and Zhou Yinhe went nearly mad with worry; her several bodyguards dropped to their knees, feeling guilty enough to bite their tongues and kill themselves.

"A bunch of useless trash!"

Wen Zhuo could no longer maintain her pure and obedient facade, she kicked forward and snarled, "You can't even protect my sister—what good are you?"

The bodyguards dared not speak up, nor would they say that Wen Ling had arranged for them to rest far away; besides, it was indeed that they had let their guard down, having stayed in Hua Guo for so long without incident, so when Wen Ling made the arrangements they didn't think much of it.

Zhou Yinhe could barely stand, his eyes reddened, and he roared at all the security and bodyguards, "Check the surveillance, search every room, quick!"

Wen Ling wouldn't just leave suddenly; there must be a reason, there must be a reason……

The surveillance footage was quickly pulled up; seeing it, Zhou Yinhe bolted for the elevator, but the elevator was stalled on the first floor and would take time to come up, so he couldn't wait and ran straight for the stairwell.

Behind him, the bodyguards and the Zhou and Wen family members hurried to follow; Jiang Jibai, who was close to Zhou Yinhe, saw his legs give out and nearly tumble down the stairs, and quickly steadied him.

"Don't be scared, Xiao Wu; since Zhao Xingtang did this, she won't abandon the Zhao Family's second branch."