The Art of Teasing - Chapter 105

Chapter 105

Wen Zhengyu helped the old lady downstairs and saw Ye Ling sitting on the living room sofa, keeping her uncles company in conversation. Ye Ling's complexion was extremely haggard from a severe lack of sleep. Zhengyu wanted to tell Ye Ling to go catch up on sleep in her room, but seeing the kitchen staff already setting dishes on the dining table, she figured they would eat first and she would accompany Ye Ling home to sleep afterward. Worried the old lady would be unhappy if they ate and left immediately, she whispered, "Grandma, Ye Ling was up with me all night and hasn't rested at all today. After dinner, we'll head back first so she can get some proper sleep."

The old lady thought to herself, Already feeling protective, are we? She glanced at Wen Zhengyu, gently patted her hand, and said, "Alright." She then looked at Ye Ling's weary expression, then back at her own granddaughter. Sighing inwardly, she murmured, "When two people are together, you have to be considerate of each other. Only then can it last."

Wen Zhengyu darted a look at her grandmother and thought, It's barely even started. Still, the old lady's words held wisdom, and she could only nod in agreement.

By now, it was quitting time, and her male cousins were returning one after another. Seeing the old lady already up and walking about downstairs, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

During dinner, conversation revealed that the old lady had been driven to her state by sheer anger at Wen Zhengyu.

Lian Xi lowered his voice and said to Wen Zhengyu, "You've really got guts." His voice dropping even lower, he asked, "Didn't Grandmother send someone to haul you back for a beating?"

Wen Zhengyu stared at Lian Xi, wide-eyed and speechless, taking a full few seconds to recover before answering, "No."

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After dinner, Wen Zhengyu and Ye Ling left the Lian family residence. Ye Ling was already so exhausted she was in a daze.

Once they got into the car, Ye Ling wrapped her arms around Wen Zhengyu's arm, rested her head on her shoulder, closed her eyes, and fell asleep instantly.

Wen Zhengyu felt the weight pressing on her shoulder and arm, the soft, warm sensation. It stirred a mix of feelings—some heartache, some guilt, and another feeling she couldn't quite name.

The car stopped in front of the house. Wen Zhengyu woke Ye Ling.

Ye Ling tightened her hold on Wen Zhengyu's arm, miserably nuzzling her head into the crook of Wen Zhengyu's neck, murmuring, "So tired."

Hearing that muddled, sleep-laced voice, Wen Zhengyu thought of Ye Ling's ex-girlfriend for no apparent reason, and the name slipped out: "Xun?"

Ye Ling jolted as if shocked, eyes snapping wide open, all drowsiness gone. A little apprehensively, she asked, "I wasn't talking in my sleep, was I?"

Wen Zhengyu swept a glance over her and said, "We're home." She pushed the car door open and got out.

Ye Ling followed her out, carefully scrutinizing Wen Zhengyu's expression, but Wen Zhengyu's face was unreadable, betraying no emotion. When Ye Ling looked toward her, she met Wen Zhengyu's gaze coming back at her—a look that was decidedly playful. This threw Ye Ling even more off balance. She followed behind Wen Zhengyu, feeling somewhat anxious, wanting to say it was all ancient history, but fearing that by bringing it up, she would be protesting too much, making something out of nothing.

Wen Zhengyu walked ahead, not once glancing back the entire way.

Ye Ling stepped into the room behind Wen Zhengyu and saw her head straight for the Arhat Bed, roll up her sleeves, and begin stripping the sheets and duvet cover. The removed bedding was tossed into the laundry basket, while the duvet and mattress pad were stuffed back into the cabinet.

Even the bed had been stripped!

Ye Ling felt a pang in her chest.

After tidying away the bedding, Wen Zhengyu turned around. Ye Ling's face was a little pale, her expression carrying a hint of grievance. Combined with that haggard appearance, she looked exactly like someone who had been thoroughly ravaged. Wen Zhengyu's eyebrow arched slightly. She asked, "Aren't you going to wash up?"

Ye Ling was so tired her whole mind was foggy, her thinking sluggish. For a moment, she couldn't quite follow. She stood there, bewildered, her gaze shifting back and forth between the Arhat Bed and Wen Zhengyu twice before she asked, "After I wash up, where do I sleep?" In the side room next door? The side room was still empty.

Seeing Ye Ling tired to the point of stupidity, Wen Zhengyu felt both heartache and amused exasperation. She pushed Ye Ling into the bathroom, squeezed toothpaste onto the brush, and stuffed the toothbrush into Ye Ling's hand. "First, wash up."

Ye Ling stared at the toothbrush with toothpaste squeezed onto it in her hand, and only then did understanding dawn. She smiled, casting a glance at Wen Zhengyu, and then went to wash up.

When she came out from washing up, she saw that Wen Zhengyu had also changed all the sheets and bedding on the bed. Her thoughts drifted briefly toward the impure. Then, reconsidering, she realized she was letting her imagination run wild. She asked, "Why did you change the sheets and duvet cover?"

Wen Zhengyu said, "You're sleeping with me tonight, so I had to put on a clean set." Seeing Ye Ling standing there in her bathrobe, she added, "Your cold isn't completely gone yet. Don't catch a chill. Get in bed, quick."

Ye Ling obediently slipped into Wen Zhengyu's bed, thinking to herself, Am I so foggy with exhaustion that I'm dreaming this? But then she thought that was unlikely. She didn't quite understand why Wen Zhengyu had suddenly let her sleep in the bed. But right now her reactions were slow; she couldn't think it through. Besides, since Wen Zhengyu was telling her to sleep in the bed, she simply complied. Afraid of being kicked out, she even made a point of sleeping all the way on the inside edge.

The Arhat Bed had no mattress, just a thin pad. It wasn't comfortable for sleeping. The Arhat Bed was placed beneath the window—a wooden window, inevitably a bit drafty, and a little wind would seep in at night. Ye Ling was still recovering from an illness; sleeping on the Arhat Bed wouldn't be comfortable for her.

Wen Zhengyu's mind also held some other, rather hazy thoughts. She felt that taking one further step with Ye Ling wouldn't really matter much.

Night had just fallen. Wen Zhengyu had caught up on sleep during the day and wasn't tired. If she were at Second Aunt's place, stepping out of the bedroom led straight to the living room where she could chat with the old gentleman. But now that she had moved back to the main family mansion, everyone had their own separate courtyard. There were more doors between them, and since it was nighttime with nothing to do, it wasn't convenient to go visiting. In the past, she had always just been alone like this, in a single courtyard. She didn't enjoy tending to flowers and plants. After dark, besides playing the zither or the flute, her only option was to paint. Worried about disturbing Ye Ling, she considered going to the Painting Hall to paint. On second thought, realizing that Ye Ling's bodyguards had already moved in today, it seemed Ye Ling was planning to stay. So she went to see the old gentleman instead.

Originally, her household was small and simple, needing no such complications. But now, with Ye Ling moving in, suddenly there were over a dozen bodyguards. With over a dozen people living and coming and going, they couldn't just be ignored. The kitchen here had always been operational. It was unthinkable that within the same mansion, her own bodyguards would have three meals a day while Ye Ling's bodyguards had to survive on takeout and instant noodles. Both the kitchen and housekeeping staff would need more hands. There also needed to be someone to oversee the household's internal and external affairs; otherwise, with so many people, things would fall into chaos.

When she reached the old gentleman's courtyard, Zhan Cheng was also there, keeping the old gentleman company in conversation.

Seeing Wen Zhengyu enter, Zhan Cheng stood up and said, "Miss."

Wen Zhengyu said, "Uncle Zhan, sit." She settled onto the sofa.

Zhan Cheng got up and poured her a glass of water.

Old Master Wen asked Wen Zhengyu, "You've come because something's on your mind?"

Wen Zhengyu explained her reason for coming.

Old Master Wen asked, "Then it's settled?"

Wen Zhengyu looked puzzled. "What's settled?"

Old Master Wen said, "You and Ye Ling."

Wen Zhengyu was stumped by the question. Not to nod would be inappropriate, but nodding felt… too fast. She hesitated, then said, "Then… we'll just leave it like this for now?"

Old Master Wen said, "What do you mean, 'leave it like this for now'? With over a dozen more people suddenly added to the household, you need to give me a clear answer."

Zhan Cheng, hearing the conversation turn to the eldest miss's private affairs, prepared to excuse himself.

Wen Zhengyu was deeply conflicted. When she'd agreed to let Ye Ling move in this morning, she hadn't considered things so far ahead. But now that Ye Ling's bodyguards had already moved in, some kind of decision had to be made. She thought to herself, Just treat it like having extra guests? The moment the thought crossed her mind, she knew she was deceiving herself. After a brief moment of deliberation, she called out to Zhan Cheng, who was already at the door, "Uncle Zhan."

Zhan Cheng turned around.

Wen Zhengyu said, "Just treat it as the household having gained new members. Start arranging and organizing everything that needs arranging and organizing." She gestured toward the sofa, indicating for him to sit. Then she said to Old Master Wen, "If Ye Ling is going to live here, then let her live here… Let's leave it at that for now. If anything else comes up later, we'll deal with it then."

Old Master Wen said, "What needs clarifying should be clarified. If someone has moved in, how can you not have a firm position on the matter? If you agree, then we proceed on that basis. If you disagree, I'll just have them thrown out."

Wen Zhengyu flushed slightly. "This is still so early," she said. Lacking confidence, she mumbled, "Let's just leave it like this for now. It's very late, Grandpa. I'll head back first."

Past eight o'clock—late?

Old Master Wen watched Wen Zhengyu's retreating figure, sighed inwardly, and continued instructing Zhan Cheng to get the household affairs in order, inside and out.

Wen Zhengyu fled the old gentleman's courtyard as if escaping. Only then did she realize what exactly she had nodded her agreement to that morning. At the time, she hadn't meant it that way. But looking at Ye Ling and her grandfather, it seemed they had interpreted it that way. Seeing that Ye Ling had even moved her bodyguards in, it appeared Ye Ling, too, took it somewhat that way.

Back in her room, she saw Ye Ling lying sound asleep on her bed. When she then thought about how they might take a further step and develop into a romantic relationship, her entire being felt off, utterly awkward. And yet, at this very moment, Ye Ling was already sleeping in her bed. This wasn't just crashing for the night, was it? But it wasn't exactly cohabitation either! In the end, was this just crashing for the night, or was it cohabitation?

Wen Zhengyu agonized for a long while. Finally, she went back to making up the Arhat Bed, thinking she should cool her head a bit and sleep there herself. Then she felt that dragging things out like this wasn't right.

After an intense internal struggle, Wen Zhengyu ultimately gave up resisting. She went to wash up, got into bed, and stuck to the very outer edge to sleep.

Fortunately, Ye Ling was deeply asleep and didn't lean over. Some distance remained between them. This allowed Wen Zhengyu to breathe a slight sigh of relief.

Early morning. Wen Zhengyu sensed something unusual, and then she was awake. She realized her waist was being held, someone's body pressed close against hers. Turning her head, she saw Ye Ling leaning against her, sleeping soundly. The two of them were pressed close, Ye Ling's face only a few centimeters from her own.

Perhaps because they were so close, she felt inexplicably nervous, her heart suddenly thumping faster in her chest.

She thought to herself, Are Ye Ling and I… probably in a relationship now? But it also kind of seemed like… maybe not?

Ye Ling slowly opened her eyes and immediately found Wen Zhengyu right up close, staring intently at her. Her mood instantly soared, and she broke into a smile. "Morning."

Wen Zhengyu's face immediately burned as if set on fire, searing hot. She returned, "Morning," and moved to get up. But just as she stirred, the arm around her waist tightened, and then Ye Ling leaned over, pressing down on top of her. Wen Zhengyu instantly tensed, drawing a sharp breath, her eyes wide as she stared at Ye Ling. She blinked, then finally reacted. "You… let go," she managed, her voice trembling from sheer nervousness.

Ye Ling smiled, lightly pressed a kiss to Wen Zhengyu's lips, then released her, got up and out of bed, and headed to the bathroom.

Wen Zhengyu: "…"

She lay frozen for a long moment before coming back to her senses. Then it suddenly dawned on her that yesterday morning, she had done something incredibly stupid—and then last night, she had done something incredibly stupid again.

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