Chapter 45: You Can't Always Give a Man a Pleasant Face

Wen Ling said: "Repeat it to Miss Chu."

The bodyguard's hand gripping the tattooed man's shoulder tightened; the tattooed man yelled in pain, stammering: "It's, it's a man who hired me, gave me 200,000, to act in a play with him. Seeing Miss Chu, I momentarily felt lust, so I didn't follow the plan."

Wen Ling rested her chin on her hand and asked: "What kind of man?"

"Ordinary looks, wearing a suit, nothing special."

Chu Yao snapped: "Just for 200,000? Am I worth only 200,000?"

"Otherwise?" Wen Ling curled her lip, sneering: "With that brain of yours, scheming against you is a breeze; even 100,000 I'd consider too much."

Chu Yao trembled with anger at her; Wen Ling told the bodyguard: "Hand her over to the Chu Family, let Chu Lin investigate."

After the car started, Wen Ling glanced at Chu Yao's scrapes and bruises, then told the driver: "Go to the hospital."

The driver nodded, pressed the accelerator to the floor, and soon they arrived at the hospital.

After the nurse finished bandaging Chu Yao's wound, Chu Lin rushed over in a hurry; upon seeing her own brother, Chu Yao burst into tears again.

Wen Ling secretly rolled her eyes, listening to the siblings—one crying, the other consoling—and really wanted to go home.

Chu Yao was finally soothed by her brother, sniffling as she told Chu Lin: "Brother, this is Wen Ling; you've probably heard of her—she's the one who saved me."

Chu Lin narrowed his eyes at Wen Ling; Wen Ling stood and gave him a smile, but before she could speak, Chu Lin said coldly: "Miss Wen, you certainly showed up at the right time."

His tone was sarcastic; Wen Ling couldn't miss it. She met his icy gaze and retorted: "Indeed, otherwise your sister wouldn't know where she'd been taken by others, or perhaps you hope Mr. Chu can protect his sister well, instead of suspecting anyone who lends a hand when something goes wrong."

"Then I really ought to thank Miss Wen." Chu Lin gave a curt nod.

Wen Ling's lips curved: "Don't mention it; later my bodyguard will hand over whoever bullied Miss Chu tonight to you. As for who it is, I'm sure with Mr. Chu's abilities you can find out."

Chu Lin's gaze deepened; Wen Ling let out a humored chuckle, walked past the siblings toward the elevator.

Chu Yao watched her back, hesitating for a long time; only after Wen Ling entered the elevator did she summon the courage to call out to her, limping over.

"Wen Ling, thank you for saving me; let's add each other as friends." She thrust her phone forward—her first time initiating a friend request—and blushed all over.

Wen Ling took it, entered her own number to add, then returned the phone.

Chu Yao bit her lip, steeling herself; seeing the elevator doors about to close, she thought, having already mustered the courage to speak once, she wasn't afraid to try again, so she continued: "Once my wound heals, can I hang out with you?"

Wen Ling chuckled lightly: "Sure."

Chu Yao exhaled in relief, raised her hand to wave goodbye to Wen Ling; her smile was so odd that even Chu Lin, who'd grown up with her since childhood, found it strange.

Chu Lin said coldly: "It couldn't be such a coincidence that she rescued you right after your accident."

"But Wen Ling has no reason to scheme against me." Chu Yao blinked, tugging at her brother's sleeve, soft-spoken: "Brother, she's actually fine; the rumors about her were all false, not to be taken seriously."

Chu Lin somewhat regretted raising his sister to be so innocent, and sighed helplessly.

Wen Ling had just stepped out of the hospital when she bumped into Ruan MiaoMiao, who had rushed over in a hurry.

Upon seeing her, Ruan MiaoMiao's expression twisted for a moment, and she asked: "Cousin, why are you here?"

Wen Ling raised an eyebrow, speaking softly: "Thanks to you, cousin."

Hearing that, Ruan MiaoMiao panicked inwardly for a moment, but she thought the other party had never met her, and the people sent had been passed through so many hands that they shouldn't be able to trace it back to her.

She feigned ignorance, puzzled: "What do you mean by that? I don't really get it."

Seeing her act dumb, Wen Ling couldn't be bothered to continue; she lightly shook her head and said gently: "Nothing else, cousin, you'd better go."

Ruan MiaoMiao watched her retreating back, gritting her teeth in silence.

Wen Ling got into the car, rubbed her sore brow, and the driver asked solicitously: "Miss, it's quite late; are you going home to eat or dining out? I can let the kitchen staff know ahead of time."

Wen Ling then glanced at the time—it was already ten o'clock—and sighed: "Too late; let's eat out."

The driver responded, started the car, and headed toward the address Wen Ling had sent him.

The address Wen Ling sent was a private restaurant near Zhou Yinhe's company; the owner, who still remembered her, wondered: "Miss, did you come alone? Where's the Fifth Young Master?"

"I'm eating alone." Wen Ling smiled, pursing her lips: "Just serve the dishes Zhou Yinhe likes."

The owner nodded, led her to a private room, and began serving dishes one after another; as he was about to leave, Wen Ling suddenly asked: "Are these all the dishes Zhou Yinhe likes?"

"Yes, the Fifth Young Master basically eats these whenever he comes." The owner, though puzzled, answered truthfully.

Wen Ling gave an "oh," indicating he could leave.

Zhou Yinhe is a picky eater; these dishes are ones she used to like. She once tried to get Zhou Yinhe to try them, but he flatly refused.

Wen Ling inevitably softened, took out her phone, and replied to Zhou Yinhe, who had sent her a flurry of messages.

【Have you had dinner?】

Zhou Yinhe instantly replied: 【I have, and you? Have you been eating properly?】

Wen Ling replied that she had eaten, then put her phone away.

The novel says you shouldn't constantly give a man a pleasant face, or he'll grow spoiled; a slap then a sweet date works well, and Wen Ling finds it useful, intending to keep using it.

Zhou Yinhe was still dyeing his hair; having just dyed it black again, re-dyeing red was quite a hassle, but fortunately his hair is strong enough to endure it.

Ning Qing had been calling him nonstop since last night, but Zhou Yinhe merely gave perfunctory replies.

Who would have thought Ning Qing still wasn't asleep and just flung a video call at him.

Zhou Yinhe was holding his phone to message Wen Ling when his mother's video call popped up; he answered, and Ning Qing, seeing him dyeing his hair again, blinked in surprise and exclaimed: "Why are you dyeing it again?"

"I like it." Zhou Yinhe said nonchalantly.

Ning Qing gritted her teeth, about to scold her increasingly rebellious son, when she suddenly noticed a faint tooth mark on his exposed collarbone.

Seeing her son's face no longer as gloomy as a few days ago, plus this tooth mark, she—having borne five children—couldn't possibly not understand.

"Have you made up with Wen Ling?"

Zhou Yinhe furrowed his brows: "Mom, can't you leave me alone? Go manage my second brother and my sister instead, or go urge my eldest brother to have a kid."

He unhesitatingly shoved his brothers and sisters forward as shields, but Ning Qing wouldn't have any of it.

"Why should I manage them? They're all less trouble than you! Not to mention your eldest brother—just take your second brother..."