Chapter 48: A childhood friend can never match a heavenly gift

"Not, you……" Wen Ling had just been scolding him when Zhou Yinhe smiled and said, "I'm going to the office, see you tonight."

He turned and slipped away; before Wen Ling could react, his figure was gone.

Lu Zhaoye's voice came from the phone, a cold chuckle, casually saying, "You made up and didn't even tell me?"

Wen Ling pressed her lips: "We didn't reconcile."

"Not reconciled, yet you're giving parting kisses and saying see you tonight—who are you fooling?" Lu Zhaoye didn't buy it.

"He did it on purpose." Wen Ling explained: "He heard me on the phone and deliberately said it for you to hear."

Lu Zhaoye snorted again; Wen Ling giggled: "Your tooth hurts?"

"When are you planning to come back?"

Wen Ling thought: "After a while; things aren't settled yet."

"Something that could be settled in one go, you insist on splitting into several parts—how idle of you." Lu Zhaoye's tone dripped with sarcasm: "I guess you just can't bear to part with Zhou Yinhe."

The smile in Wen Ling's eyes faded gradually; she blinked: "No, I just find the process interesting."

"Hope so."

Lu Zhaoye tossed out four words and hung up decisively.

He stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and looked down at the skyscrapers.

The assistant knocked, entered, and said softly: "Boss, the documents are done; I'm leaving work."

"Go back; overtime pay will be doubled tonight." Lu Zhaoye turned, glanced at him, and suddenly said: "Song Lin, do you want to return to Hua Guo?"

Song Lin blinked, helplessly: "I do—my parents are still back home; I bought them a house they don't live in, waiting for me to return."

"I'm wondering whether to set up a branch in Hua Guo." Lu Zhaoye lowered his eyes, lightly said: "I also feel that going to Hua Guo would be pointless."

Everyone says childhood friends can't beat a heavenly descent; besides, in Wen Ling's eyes, he's no different from Wen Zhuo.

"But, Boss," Song Lin took a deep breath, gathered courage, and continued: "Why can't you give it a try? Whether it succeeds or not, at least there'd be no regrets."

Lu Zhaoye blinked, then gave a low chuckle: "You make sense. Clock off, go rest early; no need to rush in tomorrow."

"Thanks, Boss." Song Lin smiled and turned to leave.

Lu Zhaoye stretched, lounged on the chair by the window a while, then got up and left work.

Wen Ling curled up on the sofa, texting Zhou Yinhe; her slender fingers clacked on the screen as she gave him a scolding.

Zhou Yinhe played the clueless act to the fullest, replying: 【Lingling I've arrived at the office, need to get busy, see you tonight.】

He also shamelessly sent a kiss emoji.

Wen Ling kept a straight face, pressed her lips, but couldn't help the corners of her mouth turning up.

How can this person's persona vary so wildly?

From an ascetic, arrogant young master to a thick‑skirted love‑brain, still a young master—one who is lavishly loved.

After tossing Zhou Yinhe out of her mind, Wen Ling lay on the sofa watching a rerun of a civilian romance show, her phone tossed aside, notifications popping but unheard.

In the show there was a refined, pretty female star with a high‑cold elder‑sister face; when she criticized the arrogant, overbearing male lead, each line was more venomous than the last.

Wen Ling's eyes lit up; she watched to the end, still wanting more, grabbed her phone to look up the actress—then saw Chu Yao had sent her a location.

【Wen Ling, today is my birthday; the party is at my home, I'd like to invite you to my birthday celebration.】

【You must come, don't worry—I didn't invite Ruan MiaoMiao.】

……

【You don't want to come, do you? Why aren't you replying to my messages?】

Wen Ling raised an eyebrow and replied.

【I'll be on time.】

Chu Yao quickly replied, sending a cute emoji pack; Wen Ling smiled, also forgetting to look up the actress, and called Alan over to do her styling.

After finishing styling, it was about time; as night fell, Zhou Yinhe called her; after she got in the car, she glanced down, her mind endlessly flashing bullet comments.

Don't be soft, don't give too many pleasant looks.

Don't be soft!! Don't give too many pleasant looks!!

She simply turned off her phone, ignoring him.

The driver parked the car outside the Chu Family Estate gates and said softly: "Miss, you can't go inside the compound; you can only park here."

Wen Ling glanced out the window and told the driver: "Get something to eat nearby and rest; after I send you a message, come back—expenses can be reimbursed to Aunt Zhou."

The driver nodded.

After Wen Ling got out of the car, she lightly tugged at the trailing bow of her skirt; her heels clicked on the smooth floor.

Chu Yao had been waiting at the gate; seeing her, she trotted over, brows and eyes curved, full of smiles as she looked at her.

"You're here—I've been waiting for you a long time."

Wen Ling chuckled lightly: "I promised I'd come; what are you doing here?"

"I'm afraid they'll bully you—they've heard all sorts of nonsense rumors about you; what if they do?" Chu Yao gave a light hum and told Wen Ling: "They're just fair‑weather folk; don't mind them."

She took Wen Ling's hand and walked into the estate together, ignoring the curious glances of the young ladies, passing through the long garden path into the villa.

The guests were all in the garden; the villa was very quiet at that moment.

Wen Ling didn't ask why she was being brought in, letting Chu Yao lead her absentmindedly; just inside the villa she ran into Chu Lin coming down from upstairs.

"Miss Wen." Chu Lin gave her a bland once‑over and greeted her.

Wen Ling smiled: "Mr. Chu."

"Last time, thank you, Miss Wen—I've already found the mastermind behind it." Chu Lin's face remained paralyzed, but his tone was immeasurably better than before.

Chu Yao interrupted their small talk, saying to Chu Lin: "Brother, hurry out—I want to go with Wen Ling to my room to look at something."

Chu Lin helplessly glanced at his sister, then had to step aside and leave.

"Don't worry about my brother—he's always had that cold face since childhood." Chu Yao explained to Wen Ling: "He doesn't hold a grudge against you."

Wen Ling smiled as she looked at her: "I know, you want to show me what?"

Chu Yao's eyes brightened slightly, and she exclaimed excitedly: "I have a gift I want to give you."

She and Wen Ling stepped onto the rotating staircase together, her voice gradually fading; Chu Lin walked to the doorway, suddenly turned back, and his gaze fixed directly on Wen Ling, who only showed a side profile because of the angle.

Wen Ling had no idea about this; she stood outside Chu Yao's room, her steps stopping in place.

The room was filled with a large amount of pink and lace elements; after looking, Wen Ling only felt her eyes hurt, she withdrew her gaze and looked at Chu Yao, who stood still in place with a curious expression.

"Is this room designed according to your preferences?"

Chu Yao nodded: "Yeah, I just like this style; isn't it pretty?"

Wen Ling bit her lip, holding back the harsh words that were about to slip out.