The Art of Teasing - Chapter 111
Chapter 111
Although things with Ye Ling taking this turn had somewhat exceeded Wen Zhengyu's expectations, she had been somewhat mentally prepared for it. She just hadn't expected it to happen so quickly, nor had she ever imagined that two people could be this close and comfortable with each other.
She took the changed bedsheets and duvet cover to the laundry room and threw them into the washing machine.
Ye Ling couldn't help but laugh. "Are you trying to destroy the evidence?"
Wen Zhengyu, feigning composure, glanced at Ye Ling, then headed straight to the main courtyard to have lunch in the central residence where the old gentleman stayed.
In all her years, aside from when she was ill, she had never slept in and woken up this late. So when she stepped into the old gentleman's courtyard and met Old Master Wen's gaze, she couldn't help but feel a bit guilty.
Old Master Wen's eyesight had always been excellent. His gaze swept over Wen Zhengyu appraisingly, and he asked, "Slept in?" Without changing his expression, he glanced at Wen Zhengyu, then looked toward Ye Ling, who had entered behind her.
Wen Zhengyu gave a soft "Mm" and said nothing more.
Ye Ling strode through the door, her face radiant with satisfaction, and called out with a beaming smile, "Grandpa." The bright, crisp tone sounded even more affectionate than if she were addressing her own grandfather, causing Wen Zhengyu to look at her sideways.
Wen Zhengyu thought to herself, That's my grandfather. But then she reconsidered—it wasn't wrong for Ye Ling to follow her example and address Old Master Wen as Grandpa.
During the meal, she noticed a constant smile on Ye Ling's lips, her slightly curved, smiling eyes glancing her way from time to time. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she felt that Ye Ling was different today from usual—her eyes seemed to shimmer with rippling light, as if awash with glistening water. Her fair skin glowed with a faint pink luster, her entire being radiating vitality. Every glance, every smile carried the uniquely alluring quality of a woman.
Wen Zhengyu didn't know whether this was because Ye Ling was in a good mood, or because of the intimate acts they had shared the night before.
The private things the two had done in their room at night, recalled in the light of day, were filled entirely with a sense of shy embarrassment. Wen Zhengyu, feeling utterly mortified, fixed her attention intently on her rice bowl and stopped looking at Ye Ling.
In front of the venerable Old Master Wen, Ye Ling very much wanted to exercise restraint, but sitting beside Wen Zhengyu, she simply couldn't help glancing at her. With just a lift of her eyes, she could see Wen Zhengyu's face tinged with bashfulness. Even Wen Zhengyu's full, rounded earlobes were thoroughly reddened, exuding an indescribable allure.
She knew Wen Zhengyu was probably still feeling awkward, yet this gentle, frail, both shy and awkward expression was like a spider spirit spinning silk to entangle her heart, hooking both heart and soul away. She sighed inwardly: A feast for the eyes—that's probably what describes the person before me right now.
If an elder hadn't been present, she would truly have wanted to set down her bowl and pull Wen Zhengyu back to their room.
Although the venerable Old Master Wen was advanced in years, he was still sharp of ear and clear of eye. Besides, the two people before him were simply too obvious—throughout the entire meal, their exchange of glances never ceased. Even though he did not oppose the two of them being together, seeing Ye Ling's triumphant expression, and then seeing his own granddaughter, her ears blushing red to the very roots, putting on an air as if nothing were the matter, he felt so choked up he couldn't even eat. After just half a small bowl of rice, he set down his chopsticks and left.
Wen Zhengyu watched Old Master Wen leave, then said to Ye Ling, "No more smiling." She could tell from the way the venerable Old Master Wen treated Ye Ling what his attitude toward the two of them was—not approving, not opposing. Ye Ling moving in was just like having more people in the house, adding a few more bowls and chopsticks, but as for welcoming her, that was not the case.
Ye Ling placed a peeled shrimp into Wen Zhengyu's bowl and softly responded, "Alright." She picked up Wen Zhengyu's soup bowl to serve her some soup.
She could see that the venerable Old Master Wen had a very unfavorable impression of her, was displeased that she and Wen Zhengyu were together, but simply hadn't expressed his opposition openly. To her, what mattered was whether Wen Zhengyu was willing to be with her. Old Master Wen's attitude was of relatively little importance. If the venerable old gentleman stood up to make things difficult for her, she would meet each challenge as it came. If he didn't oppose, she would simply regard it as having one more elder to care for and show filial respect toward.
The venerable Old Master Wen was unwilling for her and Wen Zhengyu to be together, yet he did not object. He even easily agreed when she proposed bringing bodyguards in. This surprised Ye Ling somewhat. It seemed as if, prior to this, some confrontation had already taken place, and the venerable Old Master Wen had already yielded. Ye Ling thought it over, and the only person she could think of who could make the venerable Old Master Wen compromise on the lifelong matter of his sole granddaughter was none other than Wen Zhengyu.
She quietly said to Wen Zhengyu, "Grandpa actually didn't oppose us being together."
Hearing Ye Ling make such an abrupt statement, Wen Zhengyu knew there was more behind those words. "Just say what you mean."
Ye Ling looked at Wen Zhengyu with a thoughtful gaze, then picked up some food for her with her chopsticks, and shared her private thoughts with Wen Zhengyu.
Wen Zhengyu found that Ye Ling truly overthought things. She said, "Grandpa won't interfere."
Ye Ling pondered for a moment and asked, "He's letting you make your own decision?"
Wen Zhengyu sensed that Ye Ling seemed somewhat cautious. Her thoughts shifted slightly, and she understood. This was her home, and even she needed to adjust to the changes brought by Ye Ling's arrival. For Ye Ling, however, it meant integrating into a family she wasn't very familiar with. When a person goes to an unfamiliar environment, there is always some nervousness and unease. Though Ye Ling was usually somewhat assertive, when it came to her, she was always very careful. Wen Zhengyu suddenly felt a pang of discomfort. Ye Ling had moved in like this because she wanted to be with her, but there was still some measure of grievance in it.
She wanted to tell Ye Ling to treat her home as her own, but when the words reached her lips, they felt awkward and she couldn't say them. She considered that Ye Ling, though adapting to a new environment, wasn't treating herself as an outsider. Besides, Ye Ling didn't seem like the type who would be shy about making herself at home. Thinking this, Wen Zhengyu lowered her head again and slowly drank her soup.
In the afternoon, Ye Ling had business at the company and a banquet to attend in the evening.
Wen Zhengyu went nowhere. She sat by the small lake in her own courtyard, feeding the koi in the pond, lost in thought and spacing out.
She felt somewhat unsettled and apprehensive.
Overnight, her relationship with Ye Ling had changed, and life seemed to have veered onto an uncharted path she hadn't prepared for.
The life she had lived alone had suddenly transformed into a life shared by two.
She admitted that she liked Ye Ling, but as for just how much she liked her, she couldn't quite say. At the very least, she couldn't treat Ye Ling the way Ye Ling treated her. The careful, cautious way Ye Ling treated her was largely because they hadn't yet come together; one slight misstep, and they might never have had the chance to be together. But such cautious maintenance was the hardest to sustain over time—no one is willing to live long-term in a state of constant wariness and anxiety. When Ye Ling no longer treated her with such care, what circumstances would the two of them face then?
Wen Zhengyu couldn't imagine it, couldn't make any predictions, couldn't foresee the future. This left her restless and uneasy.
She wasn't like Wen Li, with that decisive, resolute personality that could pick things up and put them down. Wen Li could manage "if we get along, we stay together; if not, we each find our own peace." Wen Zhengyu needed to gauge things clearly before she knew to what extent she ought to commit, to what extent she was capable of committing, and to what degree she could bear it.
She ate dinner with Old Master Wen.
After the meal, she accompanied Old Master Wen on a stroll along the ancient alley. She said, "Grandpa, I'm a bit uneasy."
The venerable Old Master Wen lifted his eyelids, swept a glance over Wen Zhengyu, and asked, "Then shall we have Ye Ling move out?"
Wen Zhengyu didn't even think about it and directly shook her head.
He was already at this age, with one foot practically in the coffin. Wen Zhengyu was already an adult; whether for good or for ill, she had to experience and bear it herself. The venerable Old Master Wen hadn't intended to say much more, but in the end, he couldn't help adding a remark: "The person is chosen by oneself, the path is walked by oneself."
Wen Zhengyu gave a soft "Mm." She understood what Old Master Wen meant.
At just past nine in the evening, Wen Zhengyu was sitting on the arhat bed reading when Ye Ling called her, telling her that a sudden situation had come up and she might return very late, advising her to rest early.
Wen Zhengyu paused for two seconds, responded with "Alright," and then hung up with Ye Ling.
She read until eleven o'clock. Ye Ling still hadn't returned, so she went to wash up and go to bed.
She was drifting in a hazy sleep when she heard the soft, slow creak of the main door. The sound was very low, very slow, very drawn out, as if someone were stealthily pushing the door open, like a thief. Wen Zhengyu was a light sleeper and woke immediately. Opening her eyes, she saw Ye Ling creeping back on tiptoe. Her top wasn't the same one she had worn when she went out at noon. Her gaze met Ye Ling's, and she saw a smile suddenly bloom across Ye Ling's weary face, as she said to her, "I'll wash up first," and headed straight to the bathroom.
Ye Ling's smile when she was happy, her eyes curving gently with a crescent-moon arc, was truly beautiful. The smile she had just shown seemed brilliant, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.
Ye Ling finished her shower, dried her hair, and slipped under the covers into Wen Zhengyu's bed. She pressed a kiss to Wen Zhengyu's forehead and asked, "Did I wake you, or were you not asleep?"
Wen Zhengyu replied, "You woke me." Having learned from last night that two women sleeping together could do quite a lot of things, when Ye Ling wrapped her arms around her, she immediately tensed up all over—both nervous and somewhat at a loss—and inconspicuously shifted aside. She had barely moved a bit when Ye Ling pressed tightly against her, holding her firmly in her embrace. She struggled a few times but couldn't break free.
Ye Ling held on even tighter, not letting Wen Zhengyu break free, and said, "Don't be angry. I'm sorry I came back late."
Hearing Ye Ling say "I'm sorry," Wen Zhengyu couldn't help but pause briefly. Then she said, "Let go. I don't like being held while sleeping."
Ye Ling remembered how, after falling asleep, Wen Zhengyu would unconsciously burrow into her embrace, and she didn't believe a word of what Wen Zhengyu was saying. She said softly, "Let me hold you for a bit. I was pestered by some little brat all evening. I'm exhausted."
Wen Zhengyu, thinking of how Ye Ling had even changed her top, found it suddenly amusing and asked, "Could it be that a little kid peed on your clothes?"
Ye Ling: "..." She thought to herself: Wen Zhengyu's talking about a baby, isn't she? She said, "No."
She'd guessed wrong. Wen Zhengyu gave an "Oh," said nothing more, and quietly shifted sideways again. As a result, Ye Ling's arm still held her tightly. She sighed inwardly, turned over, and slept with her back to Ye Ling.
Ye Ling wrapped her arms around Wen Zhengyu from behind, and said warmly, "Sleep now." Her voice carried the weight of deep exhaustion.
Wen Zhengyu knew that Ye Ling wouldn't try anything, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Only then did she rest easy and fall asleep.
In the morning, Wen Zhengyu was leading people in the exhibition hall, swapping out the displayed paintings, when a young woman in her twenties sauntered over to her and craned her neck, scrutinizing her.
Judging by this young woman's attire, her family circumstances were quite good. However, the look in her eyes as she appraised Wen Zhengyu carried a hint of provocation.
Wen Zhengyu asked, "Excuse me, is there something I can help you with?"
The young woman pursed her lips into a sweet smile, and then immediately, her expression suddenly darkened, like a Sichuan opera face-change.
Wen Zhengyu instinctively sensed trouble and quickly shifted backward, but her face was still grazed by the young woman's fingertips.
Beside her, Wen Jing, seeing the situation turn dangerous, lunged forward in a single swift movement, shielding Wen Zhengyu behind her. With one hand she seized the young woman's arm, with the other hand she pinned her shoulder, restraining her. The young woman's strength was not great; she struggled repeatedly but couldn't break free, and then tried to kick at her.
The security guards nearby, seeing this, also stepped forward and firmly pressed the young woman to the ground.
Wen Jing looked at Wen Zhengyu anxiously and asked, "Are you hurt?" Then she saw three red marks left on Wen Zhengyu's fair face. She truly had not expected that this young woman, who had seemed acquainted with Wen Zhengyu, would suddenly turn hostile and reach out to scratch her.
The young woman, thrown to the ground by security, grunted in pain.
Wen Zhengyu covered her face and asked Wen Jing, "Is there any bleeding?"
Wen Jing shook her head and said, "There are a couple of red marks."
Wen Zhengyu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Only then did she look toward the door. Seeing no accomplices of this girl outside, she told the security guards to let the girl go.
The security guards and Wen Jing were all on guard against the girl causing further harm. Even after releasing her, they still surrounded her.
The girl rose from the floor, stared at Wen Zhengyu, and asked, "Do you know why I scratched you?" Where she had just been pinned to the ground, her knees and elbows had knocked against the floor tiles and now burned painfully, causing her to draw sharp breaths.
Wen Zhengyu gave a faint shake of her head, waiting for what the young woman would say next.
The girl took out her phone, unlocked it, pulled up the photo gallery, and held it out to Wen Zhengyu.
Wen Zhengyu glanced at the girl with some suspicion and took the phone. She saw a photo of this girl and Ye Ling together. The two were on a cruise ship, behind them a sky as brilliantly blue as a gemstone and shimmering, sparkling seawater. Both were smiling exceptionally brightly, their mood even more radiant than that day's sunshine.
The girl said, "There's more. You can look through them yourself."
Wen Zhengyu glanced at the girl and continued swiping. The phone contained many photos of this girl and Ye Ling—together and solo—spanning venues from amusement parks to company offices and conference halls, and even hotels and photos of Ye Ling sleeping. The time range covered from the year before last to this year.
From the photos, the two looked very much like a couple.
The girl said, "Ye Ling said that she often comes here because someone entrusted her to look after you."
Wen Zhengyu returned the phone to the girl and said, "Let's go upstairs." After speaking, she called Ye Ling and told her to wait for her at her office.
The girl's expression darkened and she asked, "What do you mean?"
Wen Zhengyu, quite composedly, gave the girl four words: "Confrontation, face to face."
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