Chapter 78: This time, don't even think of abandoning me

Aunt Zhou asked puzzledly, "The basement is the swimming pool; hasn't Fifth Young Master been there before?"

Zhou Yinhe has been here many times, yet he didn't know the basement is the swimming pool.

Zhou Yinhe pursed his lips and asked, "Lingling is swimming?"

"Yeah." Aunt Zhou, unaware that Wen Ling still maintained her hydrophobia image in front of Zhou Yinhe, smiled and said, "Fifth Young Master, haven't you had lunch yet? Go downstairs and find Ah Ling first; I'll have the chef prepare something for you."

Zhou Yinhe nodded and entered the elevator.

Wen Ling sank in the water, like a lively fish; Zhou Yinhe stood still by the pool, silently gazing at her.

After swimming a lap, Wen Ling planted her fingers on the edge to get out, when a figure suddenly appeared before her; only then did she notice Zhou Yinhe, who had been standing there for who knows how long.

Wen Ling's motion paused, the corner of her mouth curling into a lovely arc, and she softly asked him, "You just left—how come you're back so soon?"

Zhou Yinhe hummed, took a towel, knelt beside Wen Ling to drape it over her, and looking at the red marks on her skin, his eyes sank slightly, his emotions unreadable.

"What's up? Are you startled that I'm not afraid of water?" Wen Ling lifted her eyes at him, smiling brightly as she shook the hair clinging to her, showing no trace of guilt.

Zhou Yinhe shook his head, gently wiping her hair, and whispered, "When did you learn?"

Wen Ling blinked and murmured, "I forgot—was it a year ago or two?"

She suddenly leaned forward, her face nearing Zhou Yinhe's, locking eyes with him, a faint smile on her lips as she asked, "Do you want to know whether Ruan MiaoMiao pushed me that day?"

Zhou Yinhe locked eyes with her, the corners of his mouth drooping, his thin lips pressed into a straight line, making Wen Ling feel he was aggrieved.

"She didn't push me; I jumped myself. Besides wanting to scheme against her, I also knew you'd come, so I deliberately acted weak in front of you." Wen Ling chuckled lightly, her damp hand brushing his cheek, and drawled, "Now that you know the truth, are you angry?"

"No, I don't care about that." Zhou Yinhe pressed her hand, rubbed his cheek against her palm, and murmured, "I just feel that you kept it from me, making my heart uneasy."

After standing up, Wen Ling mercilessly pulled her hand back, lowered her gaze at the still half-kneeling Zhou Yinhe, and snorted, "Why don't you think about your attitude toward me back then? When you weren't sure if you still had me in your heart, you jumped into the lake and then told me I jumped myself—am I crazy?"

Zhou Yinhe lifted his eyes to her, looking somewhat innocent: "Back then, I wasn't sure if you'd come back to find me and end up abandoning me again like three years ago."

"Are you sure now?" Wen Ling raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Zhou Yinhe still hadn't risen, taking her fingertip and kissing it over and over, his voice hoarse: "This time, you'd better not think of abandoning me."

"Don't even think about it." He took her fingertip between his teeth and bit down hard.

Wen Ling hissed from his indiscriminate bite, furrowed her brows, pulled her hand back, and glanced at her finger—clear teeth marks were visible.

She laughed in anger, letting out a soft "Heh": "I just realized you actually have violent tendencies."

"Does this count as domestic violence?" Zhou Yinhe stood up, a conspicuous wet stain on the right knee of his trousers.

He pulled the still somewhat damp Wen Ling into his embrace, deliberately rubbing his hair against her neck; Wen Ling didn't dodge, wrapped her slender arms around him, and kept laughing as his hair tickled her.

Wen Ling tugged at his hair, noticing a short black segment had grown at the roots, and asked, "Does your hair need a touch-up?"

"Yeah, I'll touch it up these two days." Zhou Yinhe stopped rubbing her, his lips pressed to her neck, unable to stop kissing her.

"This afternoon I have nothing to do—would you like me to keep you company?" Wen Ling recalled the hair color she saw when she woke up and scrolled through videos, and thought it would suit Zhou Yinhe perfectly.

"Do you want to dye it the same?" she asked, feigning innocence; Zhou Yinhe hummed three times in agreement, tightening his arms.

Wen Ling couldn't take it anymore, pushed him away and said, "Your clothes are all wet; I've ordered a few sets of loungewear for you, Aunt Zhou washed them and put them in the guest room—go change yourself. I'm going back to my room to shower."

Hearing that, Zhou Yinhe's eyes nearly overflowed with smiles; he held her hand, refusing to let go, and they entered the elevator together.

After changing clothes, he sat in the second-floor living room waiting for Wen Ling, unusually self-conscious and not disturbing her.

When Wen Ling finished her shower and came out, Aunt Zhou just called them to lunch.

Seated in the dining room, Zhou Yinhe picked out fish bones while Wen Ling ate and told Aunt Zhou, "Aunt Zhou, remember to pick up Hehe from the pet store this afternoon, and when you return from your nap next door, let Ya Lun know to dye our hair this afternoon with the color I sent him today—have him prepare it."

"Okay." Aunt Zhou replied and then went back next door.

Even though she and Wen Ling are close, they still wouldn't eat at the same table; she understands the principle of hierarchy.

After the weather turned hot, Wen Ling began taking noon naps, resting two hours each day.

After finishing her meal, Wen Ling didn't abandon Zhou Yinhe and returned to her room alone, lowered the air‑conditioner temperature, covered herself with a blanket, and prepared to sleep; the room door wasn't locked, so Zhou Yinhe, no longer feeling self‑conscious, simply opened the door and slipped in.

Wen Ling heard the door open, narrowed her eyes at him, and warned, "You can sleep, but don't touch me."

Zhou Yinhe raised his hand in a swear‑like gesture; only then did she withdraw her gaze, close her eyes, and begin to drift off.

Holding her in his arms, Zhou Yinhe felt no sleepiness, gazing at the curtains as he fell into thought.

Wen Ling's return was clearly premeditated; following her temperament from three years ago, if someone provoked her she would retaliate on the spot, not caring whether others would think less of her for knowing.

By jumping into the lake, she made herself appear the weak party, using herself to make others doubt the facade Ruan MiaoMiao had always maintained, and her shift in attitude also left Zhou Yinhe puzzled.

Why, then? A flicker of insight flashed in Zhou Yinhe's mind, but he couldn't grasp it.

If he couldn't figure it out, he stopped trying—she in his arms mattered more than anything.

Zhou Yinhe shifted downward, burying himself in Wen Ling's fragrant embrace, contentedly rubbing against her; he closed his eyes and fell asleep shortly after.

Ya Lun arrived with his assistant; upon seeing Zhou Yinhe, he was visibly startled.

Wen Ling's brother Wen Zhuo and Lu Zhaoye, who grew up with her, are both exceptionally handsome men; besides them, Ya Lun has seen many, yet this was the first time a man's looks left him dumbfounded.

How to describe him? Put plainly, he is exquisitely handsome to an exaggerated degree.

Ya Lun thought to himself: This matches the young lady perfectly.

Zhou Yinhe was still courteous to the people around Wen Ling, nodding as a greeting.

Wen Ling said to Ya Lun, "Are you all ready?"

Ya Lun nodded: "Ready, Miss; should I dye you first or this gentleman?"

Wen Ling curled her lips, looked at Zhou Yinhe, and said slyly, "Dye him first—let him be my guinea pig; I'll see how the color turns out."