Chapter 81: Xiao Wu Is Too Clingy

Until getting in the car, Wen Ling never saw the video of Zhou Yinhe crying and shouting; instead, she annoyed him.

Zhou Yinhe drove silently, his expression giving nothing away; Wen Ling teased him several times, but he didn't speak.

Wen Ling curled her lips, no longer boring herself, took out her phone to watch the video.

Their dinner was set at the Cloud Club; the car parked in the lot, Wen Ling got out on her own, Zhou Yinhe sat in the car a while, watching her walk without looking back toward the overly luxurious doors bathed in warm yellow light.

Zhou Yinhe hurried out of the car to chase her, grabbed her and faced her, he pressed his lips tight but still said nothing.

Wen Ling looked at him; the grievance and awkwardness in his eyes were about to spill over, she couldn't help curling her lips and asked, "What are you doing? Aren't you just throwing a tantrum?"

"Why didn't you coax me?" he said, sounding rather self-righteous.

Wen Ling smiled and frowned, "I've been coaxing you all the way, Baobao."

"That's mocking! That's not coaxing me!" Zhou Yinhe grew more aggrieved, questioning, "Are you that happy just because I cried over you?"

Wen Ling paused, then said to him, "Don't be angry, let's go in, don't let your sister wait anxiously."

Just now on the road, Zhou Yinhe received a call from Zhou Zhaoning, informing her that she had arrived and already ordered the dishes, and she warned him in a stern tone not to be picky, to come early.

Zhou Yinhe lowered his gaze, just about to let go when Wen Ling actively took his hand and shook it.

The irritation from just then faded quite a bit because of her little gesture.

Zhou Zhaoning stood by the observation window looking down, her eyes similar to Zhou Yinhe's slightly narrowed, she took out her phone and captured photos and videos of the couple downstairs pulling arms and holding hands, then sent them to the family group chat.

Of course, there was no family group chat for Zhou Yinhe; it was newly created when Wen Ling returned to Sijiucheng.

She lowered her gaze to look at the messages in the group, until the private room door was pushed open.

She first looked at Wen Ling, feeling moved inside.

No wonder.

This is a woman Zhou Yinhe finds hard to control.

She smiled and stepped forward to greet: "Miss Wen, I am Zhou Yinhe's sister, Zhou Zhaoning."

"Hello." Wen Ling's eyes curved, she took hold of the fair, slender hand before her, painted with red nails.

"Please sit." Zhou Zhaoning gestured for her to sit, speaking gently: "I don't know what Miss Wen likes to eat, so I casually ordered a few signature dishes; later I'll have Xiao Wu order some things you like."

Wen Ling politely said: "No need, I can eat anything."

Zhou Yinhe frowned at their pleasantries, then sat directly beside Wen Ling, giving Zhou Zhaoning a look where Wen Ling couldn't see.

Zhou Zhaoning helplessly curved her lips: "Miss Wen, I'll just call you Ah Ling; you and Xiao Wu can call me sister, and if that feels awkward, you can call me Sister Zhaoning."

"Okay, Sister Zhaoning." Wen Ling glanced sideways at Zhou Yinhe, knowing he must have signaled his sister not to be so distant with her.

Actually, keeping some distance is fine; just treat Zhou Zhaoning as a young elder to get along with, but who knew that now being close, she instead didn't know what to say.

The manager, knowing the siblings were there, personally brought a delicate fruit platter with the waiters to serve the dishes; during this, he even wanted to stay and attend to them, but Zhou Yinhe gave him a cold glance, so he had to leave.

During this, Zhou Zhaoning kept getting up to serve Wen Ling dishes, chatting with her about makeup, nails, yoga, weight loss, and continuously booked Wen Ling for several sessions.

During this, Zhou Yinhe kept making small gestures toward Wen Ling: twisting her hair, rubbing her earlobes, pinching her palms, pressing her fingertips.

Wen Ling's patience was wearing thin; in front of Zhou Zhaoning she bullied Zhou Yinhe, afraid that Zhou Zhaoning as his sister would be unhappy.

After all, who wants to see their own younger brother bullied?

But the Zhou siblings are different; Zhou Zhaoning frowned at Zhou Yinhe and scolded: "What's wrong with you? Your hands are itchy—do you want me to chop them off?"

She retorted at her brother without mercy; Wen Ling stared wide-eyed in surprise at her, Zhou Zhaoning gave her a reassuring smile, then continued glaring at Zhou Yinhe.

"What's wrong with me touching my girlfriend? You can't stand it that I called Zhao Ningyan over." Zhou Yinhe lifted his chin, directly put his arm around Wen Ling's shoulder, and gave his sister a provocative look.

Wen Ling shook off his arm, stood up, and said to Zhou Zhaoning: "Sister Zhaoning, I'm going to the restroom."

Zhou Zhaoning smiled and nodded at her; after Wen Ling left, she continued: "Do you really think so? Do I look like I'm here to break you up?"

Zhou Yinhe sat upright, his voice low and solemn: "Sister, she means more to me than I do myself; I know you're still dissatisfied with her because of past events, but that truly isn't her fault."

Zhou Zhaoning looked at him silently, then after a while resignedly said: "Alright, I understand."

She rose to go out, but Zhou Yinhe reached out to block her, frowning: "Where are you going?"

"Don't worry, could I possibly throw money at her to make her leave you? The Wen Family's finances are no worse than the Zhou Family's." Zhou Zhaoning patted her brother's shoulder, speaking gently: "I'll go tell her I won't stand in the way of her being with you."

Zhou Yinhe's doubts only half dissipated; Zhou Zhaoning directly shook off his arm and walked out.

At that moment Wen Ling stood at the washbasin washing her hands; when Zhou Zhaoning walked in, she was momentarily stunned.

"Sister Zhaoning."

Zhou Zhaoning gave her a warm smile: "Ah Ling, I wanted to have a private chat with you, but Xiao Wu is too clingy to you, so I can only talk a few words here in the restroom."

Wen Ling's lips curled, but she thought: Is she preparing to reason with me and move me emotionally to leave? Or to throw money at me?

But Zhou Zhaoning said: "I know, between the two of you, the one who truly can't be separated is my brother; I can also see that you still keep some distance from him, as if you're wary of something."

Wen Ling lowered her gaze, wanting to explain but not knowing where to start.

Zhou Zhaoning, while washing her hands, said: "Xiao Wu has been spoiled since childhood; he's the youngest in the Zhou Family and also smart; things that take us older siblings a day to learn, he masters in half a day; you know his company—it's just something he started as a hobby, so our grandfather loved him the most before he passed."

Wen Ling hummed in acknowledgment, showing she was listening.

"From childhood to adulthood, those around him have always been the young masters of the various aristocratic families in Sijiucheng; of course there are many young ladies, but he finds girls too troublesome, so he never befriends girls."

"I don't know what's good about him; those young masters protect him no less than our own blood siblings—take Zhao Ningyan, for example: his family's status is special, and even if some of Xiao Wu's actions are indeed excessive, he still takes care of them."

"Xiao Wu has been arrogant since childhood, looking down on everything; few people can get him to look at them, and he's even told family members: 'I want freedom, I want no restraints'—such childish talk." Zhou Zhaoning said this and couldn't help laughing for a while.