Chapter 25

Zong Linhan: "I want to hear it."

Wen Zhiling: "Actually, it's nothing. I didn't mention it because you and Li Xu don't get along."

The hand around her waist didn't let go, and she couldn't break free even when she turned around. Wen Zhiling had no choice but to ask, "Does it have to be said like this?"

Moonlight streamed in through the window as Wen Zhiling was held in Zong Linhan's arms, half of her body leaning against the windowsill.

Standing about three stories above the ground, Xiao Wen trembled with fear: "If I'm not satisfied with what I've said, are you going to throw me down again?"

Zong Linhan: "Okay, behave yourself."

As she spoke, her arm darted outwards, causing a slight loss of balance. Wen Zhiling swiftly grabbed his collar, crying, "No, no, no!"

Her slender little hand gripped him tightly. Zong Linhan lowered his eyes and said, "Remember? Hold on to me if you're in danger."

"I've got it, I've got it!!" Wen Zhiling immediately grabbed the window frame with her other hand and complained in a low voice, "You're most dangerous when there's no danger."

Zong Linhan raised an eyebrow slightly, as if to let go, "What?"

Wen Zhiling: "It's nothing!!"

The room, shielded from cameras and related equipment, was quiet. Wen Zhiling sat on a chair under the window, while Zong Linhan leaned against the window. The hazy moonlight enveloped the two of them, casting a clear glow.

Wen Zhiling slowly recalled the past, "When I first woke up, I was in the South Bank District. The Li family had a leather factory there. I was very dizzy and didn't remember much. I didn't know where to go. Just then, Uncle Wen came to pick up some goods and saw me. You know Uncle Wen, right?"

"Yes, he's the driver for the Li family. He's been with Uncle Li for over thirty years."

“Both of them work for the Li family, and Aunt Wen should still be the Li family’s housekeeper.” Wen Zhiling paused and softened her tone. “Uncle Wen is a very nice person. He took me to the police station. I heard them talking about the report, so I ran out again. Luckily, Uncle Wen hadn’t left yet, so we discussed going to another police station in a different district to ask about the situation.”

"Uncle Wen asked me about the situation in the car. I remembered the name halfway through the journey and told him it should be 'Wen Zhiling'. Uncle Wen was stunned."

"Then, halfway there, he stopped the car, went out to smoke a cigarette, and when he came back, he hung up the phone, his voice a little choked up, and asked me if I wanted to go back to his house, because his wife had always wanted a daughter."

"I later learned that his daughter's name was Wen Zhiling. She died at the age of fifteen in a car accident. The day I met him, he had just finished visiting his daughter's grave that morning, which was the anniversary of her death."

"Look, it's such a coincidence that I've settled down at the Li family's house to help Aunt Wen with some things."

A gentle evening breeze stirred the white gauze curtains, carrying the sweet fragrance of a young girl. Zong Linhan ran his index finger through a strand of her hair, his eyes lowered as he listened to her speak. Each word brought back memories of the damp, rainy season six years ago. He seemed to see the frail, petite Wen Zhiling, bewildered, following behind the adults, timidly entering the Li family home. A tragic and pitiful story began there…

"Ouch!" Wen Zhiling's hair was pulled, and she turned around to glare at Zong Linhan.

She rubbed her hair, her brow furrowing. "And you, have you found the aperture yet?"

Zong Linhan: "..."

He narrowed his eyes slightly. "That's it?"

Wen Zhiling snorted, "That's all."

Seeing him frown, looking as if he had been pranked, Wen Zhiling laughed out loud: "No, you've been reading too many scripts, what are you imagining? You don't even make those exaggerated rich family movies."

She turned and walked towards the bed, then collapsed back as if exhausted, hugging the soft pillow as if she were sleepy. "What time is it? It's already four o'clock. Why don't you go back and catch up on your sleep? You won't have any energy to play games tomorrow, so don't blame me if you lose."

As she spoke, the girl wrapped herself in the blanket like a silkworm cocoon, her long, black hair floating outside the soft blanket, creating a striking contrast between black and white.

Zong Linhan walked to the bedside and sat down, leaning over to look at her profile. "Why didn't you mention Aunt Lin's part?"

Aunt Lin is Li Xu's mother.

Zong Linhan's insightful observations were terrifying.

Wen Zhiling closed her eyes and asked calmly, "Where did Aunt Lin's part come from?"

Zong Linhan spoke slowly and confidently, like an experienced hunter, “Aunt Lin is very strict with Li Xu, especially when it comes to making friends…” He said, “We need to be a good match.”

“My relationship with Li Xu is that I adopted him as a servant. He’s a child of unknown origin, and I have to respectfully call him ‘Young Master’ at home. I feel ashamed, so I didn’t tell you.” Wen Zhiling said in a normal tone.

Zong Linhan hooked her chin, teasing her like a cat, wanting her to look at him. Wen Zhiling couldn't resist and helplessly raised her eyes, "Back then, I even had to carry his bag. I did exactly what they filmed in those 'rich family dramas,' it was so embarrassing, don't make me talk about it. Oh right, later on, when I told you I was studying, it wasn't an intentional lie. I just got used to it because my aunt's daughter was studying, and she would subconsciously remind me to read and study, to remember to bring my books and water bottle during the day, so I just went along with it. During the day, I would accompany Uncle Wen to take the young master to school, and I would only go home at night if there was nothing special. I didn't intentionally lie to you about this, it's just a habit from playing house."

When Zong Linhan wasn't smiling, his expression was somewhat indifferent. The shadow cast by his brow bone made him look terrifyingly sharp, as if no lie could fool those cold, star-like eyes.

Wen Zhiling met his gaze: "As for Aunt Lin, don't make wild guesses, she's a very nice person."

Zong Linhan: "Which part of my sentence said she was a bad person?"

His fair fingertips hooked around Wen Zhiling's collar, and with one hand he unbuttoned the first button. His cool fingertips brushed against her skin as he unbuttoned the second. As the third button came undone, Wen Zhiling snapped out of her daze, grabbed his hand, and whispered, "What are you doing?!"

"We can't do anything anyway." Zong Linhan chuckled, letting Wen Zhiling grab his hand, and then fell onto the bed as well.

Two people were squeezed into the small bed. The weight of the extra person caused the bed to bounce upwards. Zong Linhan turned to the side and hugged the person, blanket and all, into his arms.

It was very hot. Wen Zhiling couldn't push the person behind her away. She reached for the remote control to turn on the air conditioner, but when she looked back, the window was still open. She angrily rolled out of the blanket, but just as she sat up, Zong Linhan pulled her back down.

He didn't say anything, but hugged her from behind, just like he had when he came.

It felt like a hug.

For a moment, Wen Zhiling had the illusion that he might have seen through her.

Her eyes were a little itchy, her throat was a little choked, and her lips were pressed tightly together, careful not to reveal any suspicious emotions.

The icy hand reached around her waist and abdomen, up from the hem of her pajamas, and placed its palm on her lower abdomen, giving it a squeeze. Then, shamelessly, it tried to move upwards.

Wen Zhiling's face darkened. She realized this wasn't a comforting hug; it was harassment!

After being ruthlessly slapped away by Wen Zhiling, Zong Lin chuckled and sat up. "Does it still have the citrus flavor?"

Wen Zhiling glanced at him. "Trying to entrap me? Do I look stupid enough to fall for it a second time?"

Zong Linhan smiled and said, "Superpowers are easily affected by emotions. Large emotional fluctuations can easily lead to loss of control. Tell me whenever you smell a very strong odor."

Wen Zhiling was confused: "So?"

Zong Linhan's smile faded slightly. "Aunt Lin will be coming in a few days."

Wen Zhiling: "..."

She remained silent for only a second before calmly returning her gaze: "I won't be affected."

Zong Linhan got out of bed and was about to return to his room through the window when he said casually, "I didn't say you could do it, I'm just telling you this."

Wen Zhiling: "She wouldn't target me."

Zong Linhan said calmly, "I know."

Wen Zhiling called out to him, "By the way, how are you feeling today?"

Zong Linhan turned around: "Found it."

Wen Zhiling walked over. "Found it on the first day?"

“Hmm,” Zong Linhan lowered his eyes, “It’s gone a little too smoothly. It’s like someone has already found it and is just leaving it there for me to pick up.”

Wen Zhiling frowned: "You didn't take it, did you?"

Zong Linhan: "No, I'm back from taking samples. I'll send the relevant information back to the research team first. There's no rush to take action."

Wen Zhiling nodded. "In movies, things given away for free are often deadly. You—" be careful.

A gentle kiss landed on her forehead. Zong Linhan leaned down and kissed her without warning. Wen Zhiling was stunned and a little dazed.

This kiss was their first since they reunited.

It touched and then retreated, like a dragonfly skimming the water. Inexplicable, gentle, and utterly without reason.

Zong Linhan's voice was very soft, "I know, goodnight."

There was no one by the window. The gauze curtains fluttered, gently touching her cheek like a kiss.

The distant coastline was dotted with starlight, and the sound of the waves seemed to come and go. For a moment, Wen Zhiling felt that the night wasn't so scary after all.

Wen Zhiling's nap was not peaceful; she dreamt of events from six years ago.

Unable to attend school, Aunt Wen habitually encouraged her to go out, suggesting she audit classes at schools. Private schools for privileged young masters like Li Xu wouldn't let strangers in, so Wen Zhiling would go to the vicinity of universities to audit classes. When she couldn't get in, she would watch the traffic from the roadside. She had discovered the job of a coffee shop server early on; the hourly wage was low, but the money was hers, giving her a sense of security.

When Aunt Wen was busy, she would help out. She could cook, do laundry, fold blankets, organize, and fix computers. However, Aunt Wen considered asking for help to be lazy and was afraid that the lady of the house would mind. So even if she helped, she would say that it was Aunt Wen who did the work. Only when things were not cleaned properly or a vase was broken would Wen Zhiling be pushed out to take the blame and admit that she was just a beginner and not skilled enough.

Life went on for more than half a year without any major incidents. During that time, Li Xu had no idea that she was in their house, since they lived in the basement storeroom. Then one day, Li Xu met a girl, brought her home, and showed her the jade that his family had acquired at an auction.

The three met on the first floor. Li Xu didn't expect to be seen; he thought no one was home.

His mother never allowed him to associate with people outside his circle. He pushed the girl away immediately, and when he realized that the person who had panicked and run away was Wen Zhiling, Aunt Wen's daughter, he held a grudge.

Wen Zhiling was cornered by Li Xu at the doorstep, in the garden, and in the dark parking lot. She emphasized many times that she would not tell the lady of the house about this, but Li Xu just wouldn't believe her and kept trying to get her to make a promise.

Unfortunately, the news of Li Xu making new friends eventually reached Ms. Lin's ears through other people.

The girl was forced to transfer schools, and Li Xu blamed all the blame on Wen Zhiling.