The Art of Teasing - Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Early morning, after Wen Zhengyu had finished washing up, she slung her backpack over one shoulder and went downstairs to find Old Master Wen playing with the small rosewood longevity pine ornament she had placed on the display shelf in the living room the day before.

Rosewood, due to its slow growth, was in short supply, its price climbing year after year. The longevity pine symbolized long life, and the carved rockery and pine trees looked beautiful as decoration on the display shelf, antique and elegant. Whether for one's own furnishing or as a birthday gift for an elder, it was quite suitable.

Wen Zhengyu called out, "Grandpa, morning." She set her backpack on the sofa and leaned in, asking, "I picked a pretty good ornament, didn't I?"

Old Master Wen inquired about the price, then nodded and said, "It's acceptable." He placed the ornament back and, supported by Wen Zhengyu, went to have breakfast. He asked, "I heard Zheng Dongsheng offended you and was dealt with jointly by Ye Ling and Lian Xin?"

Wen Zhengyu was quite surprised and froze for a moment before recovering to say, "It wasn't really an offense, just... I found the man rather disgusting." But since the old master had brought it up, she still explained the situation: "When we were selling the mansion last year, he had some crooked intentions. I rejected him, and he didn't appear again. Last time at Grandmother's birthday, I ran into him, and he apologized to me at the banquet. Although I found him quite disgusting, he didn't actually do anything to me, so the matter was just dropped." She paused, then added, "Ye Ling was sitting next to me at the time."

Old Master Wen nodded and said nothing more.

Wen Zhengyu accompanied the old master through breakfast, then headed to the art studio.

Since being scolded by her maternal grandmother, Wen Zhengyu no longer dared to be negligent. No matter how busy she was, she had to swing by the studio morning and evening to check on things. The studio was close to her home anyway—just a few minutes' drive. She was going to the studio in the morning, so she had arranged with Ye Ling to depart together from there.

The studio opened for business at nine, with staff starting at eight. Because the studio housed many valuable paintings, security was strict. After closing time, the anti-theft systems in exhibition areas, storage, and other zones holding valuables were all activated. Every morning, after a security inspection confirmed there were no issues, the head of security would then open the main gate and let the staff in.

Saturday they were going fishing, Sunday there was a one-month banquet to attend. The studio's work had been completed in advance. After a routine inspection round, by nine o'clock, she was already able to head out.

She had arranged to meet Ye Ling at nine. Ye Ling arrived right on time, didn't park, just drove directly to the main entrance and called her.

After coming out, she got into Ye Ling's car.

Ye Ling was wearing a white outdoor outfit today, its style somewhat resembling a loose long-sleeved blouse, though the sleeves, shoulders, and silhouette differed slightly from a blouse. Her collar was slightly open, revealing her beautiful collarbone and a delicate necklace, on which hung a charming little tiger pendant.

Shedding her usual severe and restrained business attire, Ye Ling appeared entirely more radiant, exuding femininity, emanating sexiness from head to toe.

She suddenly felt that when Ye Ling said she was prettier than Qi Wei, she hadn't been entirely going against her conscience.

Wen Zhengyu couldn't help but look a few more times.

Ye Ling was in a very good mood, a smile on her face, her eyes curving into a beautiful arc. She asked Wen Zhengyu, "Is today a family activity?"

Wen Zhengyu was too embarrassed to go against her conscience and say it wasn't. She said, "My cousins are bringing their wives and children, and I... uh... am all on my own..." Mid-sentence, she caught Ye Ling's ambiguous smile and the vaguely threatening look in her eyes, and she abruptly swallowed the rest of her words.

Ye Ling drawled, asking her, "All on your own?"

Wen Zhengyu felt slightly guilty and said, "Cousin said to bring a companion."

Ye Ling, watching Wen Zhengyu's timid and guilty little expression, truly wanted to reach out and rub her head. But she wasn't as thick-skinned as Qi Wei, and she knew if she dared to reach out, Wen Zhengyu would definitely be displeased, so she didn't dare. Thinking of Qi Wei, she recalled something. She turned and handed Wen Zhengyu a report from the storage compartment beside her, saying, "Fresh out of the oven." After saying this, not daring to rub Wen Zhengyu's head, she pretended to help adjust her bangs, using her fingertips to lift the hair hanging beside Wen Zhengyu's forehead and tuck it behind her ear.

With the long hair tucked behind her ear, the earlobe like pearl and jade was revealed, adorned with a delicate gemstone ear stud, causing Ye Ling's attention to briefly wander.

Wen Zhengyu took the document-like thing Ye Ling handed over. Upon closer inspection, it was actually a medical examination report. She paused, then looked at Ye Ling in astonishment.

Ye Ling said, "Take a look. It's very thorough."

To be honest, something as private as a medical examination report, Wen Zhengyu was truly embarrassed to open. This was equivalent to having a person's bodily information laid out before her without reservation. Holding Ye Ling's examination report, her heart inexplicably tensed.

Wen Zhengyu turned her head to look at Ye Ling.

Ye Ling said, "It's for you."

Wen Zhengyu wanted to push the examination report back to Ye Ling, saying she wouldn't look, but that would seem overly coy. She hesitated for a moment, then slowly opened it. She wasn't a medical student; many technical terms were incomprehensible. But the test data and ranges marked on it, along with words like "normal" and "no abnormalities detected," still indicated that Ye Ling's body was quite healthy. When she flipped to the back, she saw the gynecology report.

Wen Zhengyu paused briefly. When she went for checkups, she had also been prescribed gynecological exam items before. When she went, they asked if she had been sexually active. She answered no, and then she came out exactly as she went in.

Seeing Wen Zhengyu staring at the gynecology exam in a daze, Ye Ling knew what Wen Zhengyu was thinking. She said, "I had a girlfriend in college."

Wen Zhengyu gave a soft "oh," thinking it was quite normal for Ye Ling to have had a girlfriend, yet she couldn't quite say why she felt a strange, awkward discomfort in her heart. She didn't know what was going through her mind; her thoughts drifted for a moment, and then she finished flipping through the report. She hadn't scrutinized the following content too carefully. In any case, it seemed Ye Ling's overall physical health was quite good. She handed the report back to Ye Ling, saying, "I've read it." She opened the small cooler beside her, took out a drink, and didn't look at Ye Ling. Not looking at Ye Ling, her gaze had nowhere to settle, so it swept around restlessly.

Ye Ling took in all of Wen Zhengyu's reactions. She was what she was, and she wouldn't hide it from Wen Zhengyu.

Wen Zhengyu's thoughts and gaze were both drifting randomly, and Ye Ling didn't speak either. The car was very quiet.

Without realizing it, Wen Zhengyu finished the entire bottle of drink.

Ye Ling took the empty bottle from her and placed it in the trash bag.

Wen Zhengyu then felt as if two little figures were floating in her head: one saying, "It's perfectly normal for Ye Ling to have an ex-girlfriend," and the other saying, "Ye Ling actually had an ex-girlfriend, and they even tumbled in bed," which then evolved into a vast expanse of mosaic and garbled code. It was a bit like discovering a new continent, opening a door to a new world, yet also somewhat stifling.

She continued this chaotic musing until they met up with Lian Xin, Lian Xi, and Lian Ming.

Lian Xin and Lian Ming were both the sons of her eldest maternal uncle. Her eldest uncle had three sons; Lian Xin was the second son, and Lian Ming was the third. The children of the Lian family were numbered together, including the children of her second and third uncles. Lian Xin was ranked fourth, Lian Ming became sixth, and Lian Xi was seventh. The other cousins had matters to attend to and didn't come.

Among the three of them, except for Lian Xi, who was still a couple enjoying their time alone, Lian Xin and Lian Ming were both fathers now, each bringing their wives and children, and had driven over.

After they met up, they didn't get out of their cars. They rolled down their windows to greet each other, then set off together.

It took Wen Zhengyu a while to come back to her senses. She then asked about Zheng Dongsheng again.

Ye Ling said, "Seeing Zheng Dongsheng's reaction that day, I felt there must be more to him, so I had Dong Yuan investigate. His driver had a loose tongue and spilled Zheng Dongsheng's entire background in no time." She then told Wen Zhengyu about how Zheng Dongsheng used his uncle's connections to acquire land, and the demolition incident resulting in a death that still had an open case.

Wen Zhengyu said nothing more.

The car pulled into the parking lot beside the yacht marina.

After Wen Zhengyu got out of the car, she saw Ye Ling's assistant and bodyguards carrying a large amount of gear: bags containing fishing tackle, nets, oxygen coolers, backpacks, and more.

She looked over at Lian Xin and the others and noticed their fishing equipment consisted of just one tackle bag each, plus her sisters-in-law each had a backpack.

Having gathered their things, she and Ye Ling followed Lian Xi and the others to the dock and boarded the yacht.

There were two pilots on the yacht. After boarding, Lian Xi greeted them first, then led the group toward the lounge.

The private yacht was fully equipped with a kitchen, dining room, lounge, and bedrooms.

Ye Ling's two bodyguards swept their eyes around outside the lounge doorway and remained stationed outside the cabin, not entering.

Lian Xin and Lian Ming put buoyancy vests on their respective children, gave them a few instructions, and then let them go play on their own.

Lian Xi said to Wen Zhengyu and Ye Ling, "We'll go prep the tackle first." Holding his wife's hand with his left and carrying the large tackle bag with his right, he headed to the stern.

Wen Zhengyu responded, "Alright." She placed her backpack on the sofa, took out her cosmetic bag from it, found sunscreen, and applied it.

Beside her, Ye Ling opened her backpack and took out two fishing vests with large pockets, wide-brimmed sun hats, and gloves.

The fishing vests had a built-in life preserver function, multiple pockets, and were convenient for carrying things.

After Wen Zhengyu was fully geared up, Ye Ling even double-checked, then led her to the stern.

Ye Ling's tackle had been placed at the stern by the bodyguards. Lian Xin was also at the stern, while Lian Ming and Lian Xi had gone to the bow.

When she arrived, she saw Lian Xin in the middle of tying a fishhook. He held the hook in one hand and the line in the other, winding it around and threading it through with knots, looking quite professional.

She called out, "Brother Xin." Lian Xin and Ye Ling exchanged greetings, and then each busied themselves with their own tasks.

Ye Ling opened the tackle bag, took out the contents, and asked Wen Zhengyu, "Do you know what these are?"

Fishing rod, reel, line, sinker—these she recognized. Some other specialized items she hadn't seen before, she didn't quite recognize.

Ye Ling first carefully introduced the names and uses of these items to Wen Zhengyu, then began threading the float and sinker, and tying the fishhook. How to attach the float, how to string the sinker, how to tie the hook—she explained and demonstrated simultaneously, then had Wen Zhengyu follow along and do the same.

Ye Ling cautioned, "The fishhook is very sharp. Be careful not to prick your finger—" Before she could finish, she heard Wen Zhengyu hiss sharply. Her words immediately stopped as she saw the sharp point of the fishhook pierce into the delicate fingertip of Wen Zhengyu's hand. The hook point had already gone beneath the skin. She immediately grasped Wen's hand, exclaiming, "Don't move." Extremely carefully, she removed it for Wen Zhengyu, then after squeezing the blood from Wen Zhengyu's fingertip, she took out the medical kit from the tackle bag, found alcohol and cotton, and cleaned the wound for Wen Zhengyu. She said, "Alcohol on a wound stings a bit. Bear with it." As she spoke, she cleaned the wound with alcohol while blowing gently on it.

The moment the alcohol touched the wound, it stung a little, but with Ye Ling blowing like that, a cool sensation spread, and it immediately stopped hurting.

However, Wen Zhengyu felt a bit embarrassed and also felt her face grow somewhat warm.

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