Chapter 94

After the manager brought over the packaged item in its exclusive box, Ning Qing took it and directly handed it to Zhou Yinhe.

All set.

Zhou Yinhe showed no reaction, merely carrying it and following behind Ning Qing.

Ning Qing said while strolling: "When your sister-in-law and your elder brother were dating, Mother gave her a custom-made bag; I had one custom-made abroad a few days ago, and once it arrives, I'll have you give it to Wen Ling as my thought."

Zhou Yinhe glanced at Ning Qing, curled his lips and hummed; coincidentally, Ning Qing saw it when she turned back and chuckled, "Look at you, always wearing a cold face, but you smile the moment you mention giving Wen Ling a bag."

She sighed as if deep in thought, "Children grow up and won't stay."

"Mom, what do you want to buy today? I'll treat." Zhou Yinhe stepped forward, walking side by side with Ning Qing, smiling with his lips curved.

Ning Qing shook her head, chin slightly raised: "No need for you to pay; keep your money for your wife. I'm putting it on the company account today, let them ask your dad for money."

Zhou Yinhe raised an eyebrow; Ning Qing tugged his arm and whispered, "Let me tell you: a man's earnings should go only to his wife. For other women—like Mother, sisters, sister-in-law, and even your aunt—you can spend a little occasionally. But toward your wife, you ought to have the mindset of giving her a hundred while keeping ninety-nine for yourself. Got it?"

Zhou Yinhe nodded, one hand in his pocket. He was more than a head taller than Ning Qing; as he leaned slightly to listen to her, to onlookers he looked like a handsome rich woman out shopping with her kept younger brother—at least that's what the young women buying necklaces and accessories in the store thought.

Zhou Yinhe, who had inadvertently overheard their conversation, frowned slightly and blurted, "Mom, this necklace looks nice."

Ning Qing glanced sideways at the necklace Zhou Yinhe pointed to, doubtful: "It's okay, but the pendant's too big for daily wear, son—is this really something your taste would pick?"

Zhou Yinhe glanced at the two girls with his peripheral vision; seeing their eyes widen in surprise, he satisfiedly withdrew his gaze and told Ning Qing, "Oh, I thought it was fine just now, but after you said that, I find it merely average."

Ning Qing gave him a look as if he were an idiot, then turned away to continue looking at what she liked.

At noon they ate lunch outside; Ning Qing didn't keep dragging her son around the shops, and together they returned to Feng Qi Yuan.

Zhou Yinhe went back to his room for a short nap, then greeted Ning Qing and returned to Lang Po Wan.

Since his injury, he has been moving his clothes to Lang Po Wan bit by bit, like ants relocating; consequently, Wen Ling had no choice but to shift a wardrobe to make space for him.

Madam Zhou knew he disliked being attended to even more than Wen Ling did, and Zhou Yinhe had said he didn't need meals prepared for him; thus, while Wen Ling was away these days, aside from bringing in cleaners to tidy when Zhou Yinhe wasn't around during the day, or feeding Hehe, she stayed next door the rest of the time.

He casually packed a few clothes; the rest could be bought later. After packing, he held Hehe and played for a while.

Night fell; Zhou Yinhe drove alone to the airport. Before leaving, he called Madam Zhou to tell her he was going to see Wen Ling and asked her to take good care of Hehe.

Madam Zhou was momentarily stunned, then laughed heartily and wished him a safe journey.

Zhou Yinhe parked his car in the lot, went to the VIP lounge, but at the entrance he ran into Chu Lin arriving with his assistant.

He narrowed his eyes, intending to pretend he hadn't seen him, but Chu Lin spoke first: "Fifth Young Master, where are you headed? You didn't even bring an assistant."

Zhou Yinhe glanced at him sideways and countered, "Where are you going?"

Chu Lin remained expressionless, calmly saying, "I'm going on a business trip to Y Country."

"Oh." Zhou Yinhe withdrew his gaze, nonchalantly replying, "I'm going to M Country."

Chu Lin lowered his eyes to glance at his watch; he had learned from his sister Chu Yao that Wen Ling had returned to M Country to visit Wen Lao, so knowing Zhou Yinhe was also heading to M Country came as no surprise.

As they entered the lounge and went their separate ways, the assistant followed Chu Lin behind him. Having mingled in Sijiucheng's malls for years, he naturally knew the local gossip and whispered, "Chu Zong, this Fifth Young Master is really different."

Chu Lin's expression remained bland as he asked, "In what way?"

"Other families' young masters have women running after them, but the Zhou family's Fifth Young Master runs after women." The assistant chuckled, "Or rather, he's trailing a woman who dumped him three years ago."

"It's not that he's different; it's that the woman is different." Chu Lin turned to glance at Zhou Yinhe, curled the corner of his mouth, and continued, "That woman is quite special."

His unintentionally revealed interest made the assistant's heart skip; he lowered his eyes, said nothing more, but felt uneasy inside.

If the person who understands Chu Lin best in the world is himself, then this assistant must be the second-best.

Chu Lin blatantly exposed his interest in the woman of the Fifth Young Master Zhou; if Zhou Fifth Master found out, he wouldn't be a mild sort, and Sijiucheng would surely be turned upside down.

The first thing Zhou Yinhe did after boarding the plane was to message Wen Ling; she was still lying in bed playing on her phone, saw his message and replied with an OK emoji, then checked his arrival time in M Country—it would be tonight, close to midnight.

She got up and went downstairs; Wen Zhuo and Wen Lao were playing chess. Seeing her, Wen Lao smiled and asked, "Are you hungry? I'll have the butler prepare breakfast for you."

Wen Ling shook her head and sat beside them to watch the game.

Since Wen Ling returned, Wen Zhuo has not gone to work, staying on standby at home so she won't lack company if she wants to go out.

Wen Ling lowered her gaze for a moment, then suddenly said, "Zhou Yinhe will arrive at the M Country airport at eleven tonight."

Wen Lao and Wen Zhuo both startled, then looked at Wen Ling in unison.

"Let's go pick him up together," Wen Zhuo replied first, speaking gently, "Sister, should we let him stay here or book a hotel?"

Wen Ling looked at Wen Lao, lips curved, and asked, "Grandfather, what do you think?"

Wen Lao didn't want any brat, especially one harboring designs on his precious granddaughter, to stay at their Wen Garden; but at this moment his granddaughter's gaze clearly sought his approval.

He grunted an affirmative, Wen Ling smiling with bent brows and eyes, and called the butler to have them prepare the guest room next door.

The butler didn't hesitate, taking staff to tidy it up; after all, he knew better than anyone that in this Wen Garden, the young lady held the most authority.

Seeing her goal achieved, Wen Ling stretched, changed into a swimsuit, and went to swim in the pool; after Wen Zhuo and Wen Lao finished their chess game, they brought a fruit platter and red wine to the poolside.

When Wen Ling emerged from the pool wrapped in a bathrobe, he smiled and said, "Sister, you've only been back a few days and the Fifth Young Master can't wait to come see you."

Wen Ling curled her lips, gave no reply, merely sipped her red wine and lay back on the lounge chair.

Wen Zhuo stared straight ahead at the water Wen Ling had brought up from the pool's edge, his eyes dark and gloomy.