The Art of Teasing - Chapter 126
Chapter 126
Ye Ling emerged from her shower to find Wen Zhengyu sitting despondently on the Arhat Bed, gazing at her with eyes full of grievance. She approached and coaxed in a gentle voice, "Don't be upset. I didn't bully you. Did I bite too hard?" As she spoke, she reached to lift Wen Zhengyu's collar, wanting to examine the shoulder she had bitten moments ago.
Wen Zhengyu pressed her lips together, her face taut, and went to the bathroom expressionlessly.
Ye Ling had just touched Wen Zhengyu's collar when Wen Zhengyu walked away. She thought to herself: Did I really bite too hard? She quickly followed to the bathroom door, but Wen Zhengyu had already shut it. Through the door, she said, "I didn't mean to hurt you. Come out and let me see—is it red? Did I break the skin?"
Wen Zhengyu's voice came from inside the bathroom: "No."
Ye Ling asked, "Then what's wrong?"
Wen Zhengyu opened the bathroom door, extended ten completely bare fingers in front of Ye Ling for her to see, then shut the door again.
Ye Ling froze for a moment, then the smile on her face grew wider and wider until she couldn't help laughing aloud. After laughing, she felt both delighted and pained. It wasn't that she absolutely needed Wen Zhengyu to do that to her—she could endure it if necessary. What bothered her was that she apparently mattered less to Wen Zhengyu than fingernails. But she never imagined Wen Zhengyu would actually be willing to cut off all her beautiful, carefully maintained nails. Now, thinking of those meticulously cared-for nails, she felt a pang of heartache on Wen Zhengyu's behalf. Wen Zhengyu played the guzheng; nails kept too long would affect the tone, yet even so, she had never cut them.
Ye Ling walked over to the wastebasket beside the Arhat Bed. Inside was a wad of tissue crumpled into a ball. She unfolded the tissue and, sure enough, found the clipped nails wrapped within. She went to the vanity, found an empty small brocade box, and placed the fingernail clippings inside. Something this commemorative absolutely had to be kept.
Ye Ling was practically giddy; the smile spreading across her face was utterly irrepressible. She waited until Wen Zhengyu had finished her shower, dried her hair, and emerged from the bathroom, then stepped forward and took hold of Wen Zhengyu's hand. "Just knowing I'm more important than your nails makes me very happy. In the future, if you want to grow your nails long, go right ahead."
Wen Zhengyu swept a skeptical glance over Ye Ling. Something about those words struck her as odd—what did she mean, more important than her nails? Her thoughts turned for a moment, and she asked, baffled, "You're jealous of my fingernails?"
The smile froze on Ye Ling's face. After two seconds, she admitted candidly, "Yes."
Wen Zhengyu immediately felt a surge of exasperation. "It wasn't because I wouldn't do that thing to you?"
Ye Ling blinked playfully and said, "That too." With Wen Zhengyu, she couldn't count on maintaining any pretense of reserve. This young miss's reflex arc was extraordinarily long; if she acted reserved, by the time Wen Zhengyu figured things out, the moment would have long since passed. She pulled Wen Zhengyu to the bedside and, delighted, gently brushed the curve of Wen Zhengyu's chin with her finger. "Don't worry, your big sister won't let you cut your nails for nothing. When I said there'd be benefits, I meant it." Her words were decisive, each one landing with weight.
Confusion surfaced in Wen Zhengyu's eyes, and then immediately Ye Ling wrapped an arm around her neck.
Ye Ling's lips pressed against hers as she asked in a low voice, "Do you want me?"
Wen Zhengyu felt her heart clench forcefully; her breath caught. Ye Ling's lips were already covering hers, the soft sensation mingling with that familiar warm, gentle scent as it unfurled. Wen Zhengyu closed her eyes, her thoughts overtaken by Ye Ling's kiss, only snapping back to awareness when Ye Ling's hand slipped inside her collar and began pushing aside her sleeping robe. She opened her eyes. Ye Ling was gazing at her with burning intensity, her eyes carrying an ineffable meaning, somewhat alluring.
Wen Zhengyu steadied herself, refusing to be seduced by Ye Ling. She said, "The benefit."
Ye Ling let out a soft laugh and answered tenderly, "All right." She turned around, untied the sash of her sleeping robe, then let the robe fall away.
The robe was tossed aside carelessly, revealing a body of sinuous curves. A phoenix gleaming with golden light was half-hidden, half-visible beneath the cascade of long hair. Together with the slightly wavy tresses and fair skin, it blended into a scene of breathtaking allure.
Wen Zhengyu stared at Ye Ling's back, losing herself, unable to look away.
Ye Ling, seeing no movement from Wen Zhengyu, glanced back and found Wen Zhengyu looking utterly dumbstruck. She sighed with amusement. "So you see, you really should have kept your nails."
Wen Zhengyu came back to herself. "I already cut them." She looked toward Ye Ling again, only now realizing that her own breathing had grown disordered and somewhat rapid. She said sheepishly, "The phoenix tattoo is... very well done." As she spoke, her gaze inadvertently brushed Ye Ling's chest, and she hastily averted her eyes. She recalled Ye Ling's words about being able to take a few more bites, and her cheeks immediately burned.
Ye Ling couldn't help laughing. She slipped under the covers and beckoned Wen Zhengyu, "Hurry up and warm the bed."
Wen Zhengyu, face flushed, burrowed under the covers. She wanted to do something, but she was too nervous and didn't dare make a rash move. She merely looked up at Ye Ling and asked with pointed implication, "Wh-what... is the... benefit?" Not only did she feel guilty, she was also very uneasy, not daring to look Ye Ling in the eye. Her gaze darted everywhere.
Ye Ling teased her, "What do you think?"
Wen Zhengyu knew what benefit Ye Ling was referring to. She stole a glance at Ye Ling, extremely excited yet deeply embarrassed. So, gritting her teeth, she cried, "Sleep!" She pulled the blanket over her head to cover her face, secretly vexed with herself: Utterly hopeless!
Ye Ling was briefly stunned, then completely speechless: You eternal bottom.
She fished Wen Zhengyu out from under the blanket and said, "You really did cut those nails for nothing." Having spoken, she kissed Wen Zhengyu's lips, her hands roaming freely up and down.
The next day, Ye Ling slept until the afternoon before waking.
She lounged lazily in bed for a good while before finally getting up.
After rising, she went to the front courtyard.
Wen Zhengyu had instructed Sun Yuan to keep soup warm and food ready for her, so she could eat as soon as she got up. As she sat at the dining table eating, she sent a text asking Wen Zhengyu, "You're not home?"
A moment later, Wen Zhengyu replied: "The weather's cold. I'm sending some clothes and a blanket over to Wen Shiyi."
Ye Ling: "......"
Wen Zhengyu sent another message: "I don't want to see him, so I asked Brother Xi to deliver it."
Ye Ling stared at the two messages Wen Zhengyu had sent, pondered for a moment, and understood. Wen Zhengyu was softhearted; she couldn't just let Wen Shiyi suffer in the cold. Old Master Wen, though he didn't say it aloud, would still worry in his heart. If someone from the Wen family went to check on Wen Shiyi, Wen Shiyi might think the family still cared about him and might start getting ideas again. But if someone from the Lian family went, Wen Shiyi would truly have to weigh carefully what would happen if he schemed against Wen Zhengyu again.
When Wen Zhengyu returned after sending the items for Wen Shiyi, she helped Old Master Wen pack his luggage.
Old Master Wen was flying out tomorrow. He was going to the Capital with her Second Aunt, and the return date hadn't been set yet.
Wen Zhengyu couldn't bear to see the old man go. She knew the old gentleman was leaving to avoid Wen Shiyi. Now that the matter with Wen Shiyi had been reported to the police, there wasn't much room for her to interfere. Whether he left or not, the situation was what it was. But with the old gentleman at home, if anything came up, she could still discuss it with him. She negotiated with the old gentleman: "What if you don't go, Elder?"
Old Master Wen said, "In a few days, it'll be Bai'er's birthday. I'll go stay for a short while and then come back. If you have matters to attend to, just call me. It's convenient enough to return." He then carefully instructed Wen Zhengyu on household matters.
Zhan Cheng had been with the Wen family for over a decade and was thoroughly familiar with everything inside and out. Now that many new staff had been added to the residence, Old Master Wen left Zhan Cheng at home to oversee things.
Wen Zhengyu now had two additional bodyguards provided by Wen Shishu. Wen Jing and Ma Jun stayed close to her person, while the other two bodyguards provided covert protection.
That evening, her Fourth Uncle hosted a dinner. Wen Zhengyu attended with her grandfather, her Second Aunt, and Ye Ling. Added to that were her other paternal uncles and aunts—a great crowd of relatives gathered together, making it very lively.
Inevitably, someone asked about Wen Shiyi's situation. Her cousin Wen Chen even advised her that he was her biological father, that between father and daughter there should be no overnight grudges, and how could she sue her own father and send him to prison? She also said that if word got out, it would damage her reputation.
Wen Zhengyu merely listened and said nothing.
When Wen Shishu overheard Wen Chen's words, she called out, "Chen'er, less discussion on these matters."
Wen Chen said, "Second Aunt, if it were anything else, I wouldn't say a word." She glanced meaningfully at Ye Ling as she spoke, then continued, "But Third Uncle is one of our own." The words "one of our own" were especially emphasized. She then said to Wen Zhengyu, "You're ruining our Wen family's reputation."
Ye Ling discovered that every family invariably had one or two such disagreeable members.
Wen Zhengyu pulled Ye Ling over to sit beside Wen Li, far away from Wen Chen. Once the meal was finished, she and Ye Ling left together.
After getting into the car, Ye Ling asked Wen Zhengyu, "Wen Chen spoke to you like that, and you didn't even reply?"
Wen Zhengyu said, "Just don't associate with her, that's all." Seeing Ye Ling looking at her speechlessly, she added, "There are many relatives in a family; there are always some you get along with and some you don't. Stay close to those you get along with, keep your distance from those you don't."
The next morning, after breakfast, Wen Zhengyu saw Old Master Wen and Madam Wen Shishu to the front gate.
With Madam Wen Shishu present, there was no need for her to accompany them to the airport.
Old Master Wen retreating like this left Wen Zhengyu feeling extremely upset. Standing listlessly beside the car door, she said to the old gentleman, "Come back soon."
Old Master Wen said, "I need to stay for quite a while. While I'm not home, don't slack off. You need to maintain proper social visits with the families you should be visiting." He once again gave Wen Zhengyu repeated instructions, only signaling the driver to go when Wen Shishu urged him.
Wen Zhengyu stood at the entrance, still staring blankly even after the old gentleman's car had rounded the street corner and disappeared from view. Her household now seemed lively on the surface, but it was filled entirely with bodyguards and household staff. The only family members were her grandfather, herself, and Ye Ling—just three people in total.
Now that her grandfather had gone to Second Aunt's house, only she and Ye Ling remained at home.
Just as she was feeling melancholy, Ye Ling leaned in from the side, bringing her face directly before hers, and asked, "Can't bear to let him go?"
Wen Zhengyu made a muffled sound of affirmation and turned to walk back into the courtyard.
Ye Ling said, "I have time today. How about we go out and wander a bit?"
Wen Zhengyu said, "I need to go to Grandmother's today. If you're free, come along."
Ye Ling gladly agreed, "All right."
With Ye Ling at her side, Wen Zhengyu's mood improved slightly.
She and Ye Ling went out late. The old madam called, gave her an address, and told her to go there directly.
When she arrived, she discovered it was an old urban district, filled with green-brick buildings from the last century. Due to its remote location, there were few people around, only some studios that favored ambiance set up here and some buildings that appeared to have been converted into warehouses.
Between the little buildings stood large trees that had been growing for several decades. In this season, all their leaves had fallen, lending an air of bleak chill.
She spotted the old madam's car and found the address the old madam had given without much trouble.
The old madam's bodyguards were stationed at the door. When she and Ye Ling entered, they saw that the double doors stood wide open. The interior seemed to be a warehouse with quite a few items stored inside.
The moment Wen Zhengyu stepped inside, what first met her eyes were raw wood materials stacked neatly in a corner. They were piled very high. At first glance, the place looked like a lumber shop or a wood warehouse. The surrounding area was packed solid with solid wood furniture. The wood and craftsmanship of these pieces were all very refined. If one disregarded considerations of age, judging solely by the workmanship and materials, they were no less fine than the set in her own room.
Her sharp eyes caught sight of the old madam touching a dressing table, dabbing at the corner of her eye. Then the old madam noticed her and called out, "You've come."
Wen Zhengyu understood in an instant. These must be the furniture from her mother's dowry. She moved closer and asked, "Grandmother, why are there raw timber materials among my mother's dowry furniture?"
The old madam said, "Those were gathered for you bit by bit over the years. Since I didn't know what style or type of furniture you'd like, I only prepared the timber. We haven't yet made your marriage furniture."
Wen Zhengyu's mouth opened and closed a few times in astonishment. She asked, "For me?"
The old madam said, "Huaijin is gone, so someone has to arrange your dowry for you." She sighed again and said, "Now, though, we've saved ourselves the trouble."
Ye Ling looked at the room full of furniture and estimated that after Lian Huaijin passed away, the old madam had most likely emptied the courtyard where she used to live. She recalled the old customs: generally, the groom's family prepared the courtyard, while the bride's family was responsible for measuring the dimensions and crafting the furniture. Before the wedding, the furniture would be carried over and the new rooms furnished appropriately. So the furniture should technically belong to the bride's side. Thinking along these lines, it was entirely possible the old madam had indeed emptied the courtyard where Lian Huaijin once lived.
The old madam said to Wen Zhengyu, "Take a look first. If you're dissatisfied with the old pieces, we'll make new ones. There's enough timber. As for Huaijin's... you decide what to do." She thought about how Huaijin had passed away barely two years after marrying and worried that Wen Zhengyu might find using her furniture unlucky. But then she considered that these were the possessions of her birth mother, and said no more.
Wen Zhengyu gazed at the room packed with furniture and asked, "Were these all made when my mother was married?"
The old madam said, "Not at all—they were gathered for her since she was a child. That bed of hers alone took three years to make."
Ye Ling looked at that Babu Canopy Bed, whose carving work was even more intricate and elaborate than the bed Wen Zhengyu currently slept in. Seeing this entire room of furniture, she genuinely thought it was a miracle the Lian family hadn't done Wen Shiyi in. She estimated that with Wen Shiyi causing this latest uproar, the Lian family truly had the desire to finish him off. Of course, the Lian family wouldn't lift a hand themselves. But with all the trouble Wen Shiyi had stirred up, the loan sharks would be the first ones looking for ways to deal with him.
The old madam showed Wen Zhengyu through the furniture. Afterward, Wen Zhengyu and Ye Ling went to the old madam's place to have lunch.
In the afternoon, Ye Ling went to the company, while Wen Zhengyu headed to the art studio. It had been over a week since she'd last been there.
Between the company the old madam had entrusted to her and various social obligations, she was genuinely reaching a point where she could barely cope. The old madam had said those companies had general managers to handle operations, and she only needed to oversee the accounts. But she couldn't even get through reviewing the accounts now, let alone operational matters—she had absolutely no clue where to begin.
By the time Wen Zhengyu had cleared the backlog of work at the studio, the sky had already darkened.
She and Ye Ling plunged into their respective busyness. For half a month straight, they'd leave the house together every morning and not return home until eleven or twelve at night.
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