Chapter 47: The Sprite That Drained Her Vital Energy

"Don't pretend… " Wen Ling hadn't even finished speaking when she couldn't help but tilt her head back.

Her fingertips dug into his long, strong arms, and she stammered, "Bastard, get out of my room!"

"No." Zhou Yinhe shook his head, the depths of his eyes bloodshot, and lowered his head to kiss her.

Wen Ling bit his lip hard, only releasing it when the metallic taste of blood spread, and she gazed at Zhou Yinhe's face before her with hazy eyes.

She turned her head away, refusing to look at him, and bit her lip in disgust at her own infatuation.

Exhausted, Wen Ling felt a large hand grip her ankle and gritted her teeth, "Are you done or not?"

"Not done." Zhou Yinhe smiled, lowered his head, and kissed the top of her foot.

Wen Ling struggled all night to no avail, now utterly exhausted, she could only sigh, "Can't you just go back to being the Zhou Yinhe you were at the start?"

Instead, he was like a goblin that had sucked her vital energy, growing ever more spirited and radiant, and he chuckled lowly, "Then can't you change back to the Wen Ling you were when you first came looking for me?"

Wen Ling's teeth itched with hatred, and she lifted her leg to kick him.

Zhou Yinhe had long been prepared, and he pressed down on her leg…

Only when Wen Ling returned to the bed did she realize she was actually lying in the guest room.

Zhou Yinhe apologized, "The master bedroom can't be slept in anymore."

Wen Ling pressed her lips together, gave him a cold glance, then turned away so she wouldn't have to look at him.

"I'm wrong, I'm wrong." Seeing her state, Zhou Yinhe rushed forward to placate her, but Wen Ling spoke in a muffled voice, coldly, "We're over. Get lost."

"I don't want it to end, Lingling, don't be angry—I know I was wrong." Zhou Yinhe hugged her tightly, anxious, "I just miss you too much and like you too much—please don't be mad at me, okay?"

"Let go of me."

"If you don't take back those words, I won't let go." Zhou Yinhe clung to her like a child, burying his face in her embrace and murmuring, "I really do know I was wrong."

Wen Ling pressed her lips shut and said nothing, but her heart softened.

Zhou Yinhe lifted his gaze to her, saw that her expression was no longer as cold as before, realized Wen Ling had softened, leaned in to kiss her cheeks still flushed, and whispered, "I won't be like this again."

Wen Ling met his eyes; Zhou Yinhe's gaze held an emotion she couldn't read, and she found she could do nothing about him, closing her eyes and humming softly.

Zhou Yinhe exhaled in relief, holding her tight in his arms; from an angle Wen Ling couldn't see, the smile he'd been holding faded gradually, his eyes growing somewhat dim.

They had fallen asleep at three a. m., and woke just past noon; Zhou Yinhe woke early, tidied up the mess from last night in the master bedroom, carried Wen Ling back, and then lingered by her side, staring at her without blinking.

Wen Ling gazed at him with sleepy eyes, and he startled her.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" she said, her voice hoarse, shifting her sore waist and rolling over.

"I just want to look at you." Zhou Yinhe lowered his head to kiss her, but Wen Ling raised a hand to block him, warning, "Don't cross the line—if you do it again, I won't forgive you."

Zhou Yinhe looked aggrieved: "I understand."

"Get up, go out."

Zhou Yinhe gave an "oh," got up and left; only then did Wen Ling get up, change clothes, and head to the bathroom to wash up.

Zhou Yinhe strolled downstairs leisurely; Aunt Zhou, knowing he had stayed over last night, had purposely come at noon and was now watching the chef cook.

Zhou Yinhe approached the kitchen and said softly, "Aunt Zhou."

Aunt Zhou turned to look at him, smiling lightly, "Young Master Zhou, would you like to stay for lunch?"

"May I?"

"You're our young lady's friend, so of course you may." She smiled, but her manner was distant.

Zhou Yinhe bore no grudge, curling his lips into a smile, "Then I'll stay and eat."

Aunt Zhou nodded and went back to her chores; Zhou Yinhe wandered around and ran into Hehe, who came out of a room swaying its tail.

Hehe meowed at the sight of him, and Zhou Yinhe casually grabbed a snack from the shelf and fed it, making Hehe cry out even more happily.

Wen Ling came downstairs, saw the person and cat so close, rolled her eyes, and went to the kitchen to look for Aunt Zhou.

Aunt Zhou saw her, pulled her aside, and whispered, "Ah Ling, why has the Fifth Young Master of the Zhou family come again?"

Wen Ling fidgeted with her collar, uneasy, and said softly, "Well, he was at the door late last night, so I let him in."

Aunt Zhou's eyes were sharp; she had already noticed the obvious marks on Wen Ling's neck and collarbone as she came downstairs, sighed, and said, "All right, I know you have your own ideas, but you must protect yourself—women are the ones who suffer in such matters."

"I know, don't worry." Wen Ling linked her arm with Aunt Zhou's, rubbed against her, and said in a coquettish tone.

Zhou Yinhe, who had somehow come up behind them, heard Wen Ling coquetting with Aunt Zhou and felt a twinge of discomfort.

Aunt Zhou gently patted Wen Ling's hand and said, "Go play in the living room for a while; dinner will be ready soon."

Wen Ling nodded, turned around, and saw Zhou Yinhe; her smile faded considerably, which made Zhou Yinhe feel even worse inside.

As Wen Ling walked past him, she gave him a strange look and asked curiously, "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing." Zhou Yinhe shook his head, reached to take her hand, but she dodged away, hearing her lightly remind him, "Don't cross the line."

"……"

Zhou Yinhe gave an "oh," followed Wen Ling to the living room, and Hehe, upon seeing her, leapt straight into her arms.

Wen Ling's heart melted at Hehe's mewing cuddles, and she kept kissing its forehead; Zhou Yinhe felt as if he were steeped in vinegar, bewildered, having swallowed Aunt Zhou's vinegar and then Hehe's.

After lunch, Wen Ling said to Zhou Yinhe, "Aren't you going to the company?"

"I'll wait for my assistant to bring my clothes before I go."

Wen Ling nodded, and her fingers stroked Hehe's fur back and forth.

Not long after, Chen Yu arrived, pressed the doorbell, and Aunt Zhou went to open the door for him.

Chen Yu stood at the doorway without entering, and respectfully told Aunt Zhou, "Hello, could you please give the clothes to our Fifth Young Master?"

Aunt Zhou nodded, picked up the clothes, and returned to the villa.

"Young Master Zhou, this is what your assistant brought."

Zhou Yinhe glanced sideways at Wen Ling, saw she had no reaction, and gave a low, muffled "thanks."

He got up to change clothes in the bathroom, and upon returning heard Wen Ling on the phone.

"Mm, then when you have time, go to Wen Garden and check on my grandfather for me."

Don't bother managing me, just take care of yourself.

Alright, Young Master Lu, mighty and imposing.

Zhou Yinhe stood in place, seeing Wen Ling smile with her eyes bent, happy inside, he felt very displeased.

He strode forward and said softly, "Lingling, rest well at home; I'm going to the company, I'll come back tonight to keep you company."

Wen Ling frowned at him; Zhou Yinhe lowered his head, taking advantage of her inattention, and kissed her fiercely, just so the person on the other end of the phone could hear the sound.

Wen Ling covered her mouth, eyes wide open.

Zhou Yinhe looked at her innocently: "What's wrong? Didn't you say you wanted a farewell kiss?"