Chapter 53: Born to Clash

Zhou Qiyue said lightly, "I don't want Miss Ruan to worry about my Xiao Wu."

After saying that, she hung up, gave Zhou Yinhe a call with a stern face, but the phone rang for a long time with no answer.

The assistant beside her saw this and softly advised, "Fifth Young Master probably has something going on."

What could it be? He's probably afraid she'll call to scold him, so he just doesn't dare answer.

Speaking of the Zhou family's seven members, even adding Zhou Second Uncle's household, the one who treats Zhou Yinhe worst is her, this older sister.

Because the age gap isn't big, and Zhou Qiyue herself has a bad temper, she and Zhou Yinhe are pretty evenly matched, so normally Ning Qing wouldn't send her own little daughter out unless it's a special situation, fearing the siblings would start fighting and never stop.

Zhou Qiyue hung up, narrowed her eyes while calling her mother, and coldly said, "First return to Hua Guo."

She has a violin performance coming up at the F Country theater, but she always says what she means; the assistant hesitated a moment, received Zhou Qiyue's slightly threatening gaze, and quickly nodded to go negotiate with the F Country side.

The country Zhou Qiyue is in and Hua Guo don't have much time difference, so Ning Qing answered the call quickly.

"Qiyue, what's wrong?" It seems Ning Qing still doesn't know what her Xiao Wu has been up to, her tone very relaxed.

Zhou Qiyue said sternly, "Mom, do you know what good deeds your Xiao Wu has done? People have come to complain to me about him."

Ning Qing stared for a moment, then carefully asked, "What happened to him?"

Zhou Qiyue was half‑believing, half‑doubting what Ruan MiaoMiao said; when Ruan MiaoMiao told her, she ordered her assistant to check what happened at the Chu family tonight. Now the full story is clear, and although Ruan MiaoMiao's account was somewhat exaggerated, it wasn't far off.

Zhou Qiyue took the tablet the assistant handed her, looked at the displayed content, and said word by word, "He went to the Chu family young lady's birthday banquet to find Wen Ling, and in front of the guests he coaxed Wen Ling softly and submissively—you didn't know that?"

Ning Qing really didn't know, and Zhou Qiyue continued, "I'm returning to Hua Guo right now."

"No, Qiyue, don't argue with your brother." Ning Qing really panicked now, shoved away Zhou Shuanglin who was massaging her shoulders, and anxiously said, "Your brother—"

It's not really her playing favorites; mainly these siblings are born to clash, and when they fight they can disturb the whole household.

"Mom," Zhou Qiyue interrupted Ning Qing's words, coldly said, "Xiao Wu these days is just spoiled by you all."

After saying that, she didn't wait to see if her mother wanted to add anything, and simply hung up.

Ning Qing angrily slapped away Zhou Shuanglin's hand reaching out again, and snapped, "Who exactly is being so meddlesome, going to Qiyue's place to file a complaint against Xiao Wu!"

Zhou Shuanglin, whose hand she had slapped and hurt, rubbed the obvious red mark on the back of his hand and asked with a smile, "What's up? What good deed did Xiao Wu do this time?"

"You go ask Xiao Wu yourself; anyway, this time Qiyue coming back means she might hit Xiao Wu, and I won't stop her." Ning Qing slipped on her slippers, her steps up the stairs both angry and hurried.

Zhou Shuanglin walked over to the side to pour himself a cup of water; he wouldn't call his son, because that would just be tipping him off. Having the daughter come back to straighten him out would be good, so he wouldn't keep bullying his brothers and sisters and then his parents.

He drank half a cup of water, then slowly went upstairs to comfort his wife.

Seeing Zhou Qiyue's incoming call, Zhou Yinhe pursed his lips, muted the phone, pretended not to hear—not because he was afraid, but mainly because he found Zhou Qiyue annoying.

He leaned in the car, closing his eyes to rest; Chen Yu parked the car at the Nys entrance and softly called to wake him.

Zhou Yinhe walked in, yawning and moving slowly; Jiang Jibai and Ke Chengyu, along with a few others, had already arrived and were now gathered together playing cards and drinking.

They had just watched the video of what happened earlier; seeing him arrive, they all gave him a teasing look.

Zhou Yinhe was in a good mood, raised his eyebrows looking back; Ke Chengyu couldn't hold back and asked, "What's up? Have you made up?"

"No." Zhou Yinhe walked over to a sofa, sat down, picked up the newly opened bottle, glanced at it, satisfiedly poured a cup and took a few sips.

Jiang Jibai looked at his picky demeanor, rolled his eyes hard, and said, "Can I entertain you with just a simple drink?"

"Not reconciled, yet there was hugging and kissing." Qi Zhan glared at him, while Zhou Yinhe looked at him puzzled and asked, "Did you kiss?"

"No, just a hug."

Zhou Yinhe wasn't surprised they knew this, because the news that Wen Ling appeared at the Chu family young lady's birthday banquet had been told to him by one of the second‑generation heirs in the group.

Qi Zhan frowned: "The point is whether it was a kiss or a hug?"

"What else would it be?" Zhou Yinhe continued to play dumb, propping his legs up while playing a game on his phone.

"No, you—" Qi Zhan wanted to have a proper talk with him, but Ke Chengyu lightly kicked his leg, so he had to swallow his words.

Zhou Jingyuan sat opposite Ke Chengyu, lazily threw down a card, didn't even look at his younger cousin, and lightly said, "You know Xiao Wu's flaws, yet you still chat with him, and you're not afraid of being led around by him."

Zhou Jingyuan is Zhou Yinhe's paternal cousin; he had been on a business trip in M Country until recently, just returned to Hua Guo yesterday, and with the time difference not yet adjusted, he was called out for drinks.

He wore an expression of fatigue, seemingly offhandedly saying, "I have to say, this Wen Zhuo is capable—an adopted son actually manages to control that bunch of stubborn old fogies from the Wen family."

Zhou Yinhe heard this, a chill flashed in his eyes, then he heard Zhou Jingyuan continue: "The project I had my eye on, Wen Zhuo and Lu Zhaoye originally weren't interested, but once they knew I wanted it, they teamed up to screw me over—do you think I should have Xiao Wu compensate me?"

Qi Zhan snorted laughingly: "This adopted son—his intentions don't seem pure."

Ke Chengyu has seen Wen Zhuo; his methods are gentle yet sharp, and he even has a face that doesn't lose to Zhou Yinhe's, but nominally he's Wen Ling's brother, so even if his motives aren't pure he still has many scruples. The one Zhou Yinhe should really worry about is the Lu Zhaoye from the Keluosi family—he's a bastard who fought his way out among the Keluosi family's many legitimate young masters, and his tactics are naturally formidable.

"Wen Zhuo isn't important; he's just a brother in name. What matters is Lu Zhaoye—he's Wen Ling's childhood sweetheart. Xiao Wu, aren't you worried?"

Zhou Yinhe set down his cup, lazily stretched his arms, his tone revealing thinly veiled contempt.

"Then let's give it a try."

"He's always been arrogant, but he has the capital to back it up."

Seeing him like that, Ke Chengyu also stopped worrying, only smiling and saying, "I don't know whether our Xiao Wu will suffer another heartbreak this time."

Zhou Yinhe lifted his gaze toward him, his dark eyes full of resolve, and said word by word, "She has no chance."

Ke Chengyu looked back at him, seeing madness and obsession staining his face, and felt a stir in his heart.

Then it's good.