Chapter Twenty-Three: The Red Thread

twenty three

Wen Zhaoye took the things from Wen Zhuo's hands and picked them up with one hand to take a look. They were all snacks from roadside stalls.

He smiled and casually picked one up, placing it near Wen Zhuo's lips.

Wen Zhuo looked at the staff around her, and then at the meatball that Wen Zhaoye was putting into his mouth.

She swallowed the meatballs somewhat awkwardly, her face flushed, and bowed to her with her hands clasped together. Amidst Wen Zhaoye's amused reproach, she pushed Wen Zhaoye away.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, she pushed Wen Zhaoye to the elevator door, pressed the button a few times, only to find that this should be Wen Zhaoye's private elevator, which opened with a single press. Her face flushed, she pulled Wen Zhaoye inside.

Her anger surged from the soles of her feet, lifting her entire being, and she floated up to question him:

Why did you suddenly come here?

Wen Zhaoye was about to eat the meatballs Wen Zhuo had left when he heard this and glanced at her: "Am I someone who can't be seen by others?"

Wen Zhuo: "?"

What nonsense.

"Don't you know how conspicuous you are? Everyone outside was staring at me just now!!"

Wen Zhaoye's face darkened: "Why are they staring at you?"

Dude, are you out of your mind?! Is that even the point?!

Wen Zhuo said with a long face, "Because you're next to me."

Wen Zhaoye tidied up all the snacks he had on him, and looked up at his younger sister carefully.

Her skin was very fair, and after receiving his blood, her complexion became much healthier. At least no one would guess at a glance that she wasn't human. She lowered her eyes, and her face, which looked exceptionally delicate under the light, showed a hint of dissatisfaction.

Wen Zhaoye looked somewhat dazed. He raised his hand and touched the corner of Wen Zhuo's red eyes: "Remember to tell me where you're going next time."

"Why can't I ever find you?"

Wen Zhuo dodged his hand: "Didn't you still find it?"

So, what did Wen Zhaoye leave on her this time? Otherwise, how would he know she went back to the company?

Could it be that red thread? It seems like she's had it since that incident; it appears in her hands from time to time.

Her suspicious gaze swept over Wen Zhaoye's entire body. He seemed completely oblivious to Wen Zhuo's doubts, and simply held up the still steaming food in his hand, asking her with a puzzled look, "What are you looking for? Want something to eat?"

Wen Zhuo shook his head: "Let's eat upstairs."

Wen Zhaoye lowered his head and stuffed a larger meatball into Wen Zhuo's mouth.

Wen Zhuo quickly opened her mouth, her cheeks puffed out, and stared at Wen Zhaoye, speechless for a moment. She forcefully gave him two middle fingers.

Wen Zhaoye poked her cheek, but Wen Zhuo slapped it away. He lowered his eyes and, just as Wen Zhuo was finishing her meal, picked up another one and stuffed it into her mouth.

He smiled gently at her and said, "Sweetie, I know you love to eat."

Wen Zhuo: "..."

Wen Zhuo didn't want to waste any, so she had no choice but to eat them. She chewed with difficulty, feeling her cheeks getting tired, and began to regret why she had bought so many skewers.

Wait, Wen Zhuo realized, what does this have to do with her? It's clearly Wen Zhaoye who's sick! He's just indirectly angry!

Wen Zhuo caught a glimpse of the elevator approaching out of the corner of her eye. With lightning speed, she took out a skewer of small sausages and stuffed it into Wen Zhaoye's mouth. He suddenly opened his eyes wide. Taking advantage of his inattention, Wen Zhuo quickly ran out of the elevator.

"Um, wait..." Wen Zhaoye's words were somewhat indistinct, and Wen Zhuo was too lazy to listen. As soon as the elevator doors opened a little, she hurriedly darted out.

Wen Zhaoye swallowed what was in his mouth and hurried after him. The only people on this floor were him and a few secretaries.

So the secretaries watched as a somewhat familiar stranger rushed into the president's office. Before they could stop him, the next second they saw their boss carrying a huge pile of junk food that he had despised, chasing after the man at breakneck speed into the office through the empty corridor.

Secretaries: "...."

They were incredibly curious, but couldn't share it with anyone else. They exchanged glances, then crept up to the door, pressing their ears against it.

Unfortunately, the company's walls were still too soundproof, so they had no choice but to sit back down at their workstations.

Inside the door.

Wen Zhuo hid most of his body under the desk, only revealing his eyes and the top of his round head.

Wen Zhaoye wanted to laugh again. He walked over and placed Wen Zhuo's snacks on his desk. Not caring about getting them dirty, he leaned over the desk, bent down, and touched her head with his right hand: "What are you doing hiding here?"

"Your hair is all messed up, let me tie it up for you again."

Wen Zhuo has been refusing to let him tie his hair up for the past few days, insisting that it's convenient and not troublesome to wear it down. She said it's not like she's the one taking care of it, so why should she bother?

Wen Zhuo looked at him and shook her head.

Wen Zhaoye didn't say anything, but grabbed her arm and forcibly pulled her out from under the table. He sat in the chair, and Wen Zhuo was forced to sit on his lap.

Wen Zhuo: "!!!" What's going on? Not going to compromise today? Can't take it anymore? Going to settle scores with me?

Wen Zhuo immediately became alert, his neck stiffening.

"Let's keep it casual today, my sister looks good no matter what."

He ignored Wen Zhuo's protests and continued talking and doing as he pleased. Wen Zhuo's hair had its own consciousness and could move, but most of the strands were held in Wen Zhaoye's palm, so the hair had no choice but to obediently accept its fate.

Wen Zhaoye ran his fingers through her hair, and Wen Zhuo felt a chill run down her spine. She clearly remembered that there was a comb for her in the office, and her hair was so smooth that she didn't need to comb it at all!

She complained, "I told you it's such a hassle, haven't you finished yet?"

Wen Zhaoye slowly gathered her hair, folded his hands together, and tied it into a simple ponytail.

Wen Zhu shook her head, a few strands of hair falling down. She turned to look at him: "How did I become a ghost?"

Wen Zhaoye's gaze darkened, but his expression remained unchanged: "I saw you at the scene after your accident, so I took you home."

Wen Zhuo: "Then why did I only wake up last week?"

Wen Zhaoye looked at her with pity. He bent down and hugged her. Wen Zhuo nestled into his arms. He forcefully suppressed Wen Zhuo's resistance and buried his head in her neck to breathe: "Your soul is missing too many things. There is no way for you to truly wake up."

Wen Zhuo sensed that his words were half-true and half-false, but she wasn't sure which of Wen Zhaoye's words were true and which were false. Like a restless popping candy, she bounced around in his arms, the scorching human heat pressing against her back, and Wen Zhuo felt like she was about to melt from the heat.

"Fine, fine! Let me go! I won't ask anymore!" She struggled, but Wen Zhaoye's arms wrapped around her waist again, his high nose pressing against her skin. She had never thought Wen Zhaoye was so sticky before.

Wen Zhaoye looked up, his face flushed from the heat, and rubbed his cheek against Wen Zhuo's face: "You're not going to ask? Then I'm going to ask."

His voice rang in Wen Zhuo's ear: "Who's been talking badly about me behind my back?"

"That old man on the street?" He pondered for a moment, recalling the scene he had witnessed. "Fortune telling?"

Wen Zhuo: "!!!"

Is that correct?

That damn Wen Zhaoye is spying on me again!

"Why are you suddenly angry again?" Wen Zhaoye's breath sprayed onto the side of her neck, making her neck itch.

Wen Zhuozhen couldn't take it anymore; she struggled frantically like a mad dog.

Wen Zhaoye couldn't hold her back, knowing she was really unwilling, so he could only let go and watch her instantly hide by the door, looking at him sullenly.

Wen Zhaoye: "Why are you hiding so far away? When we were kids, you would cling to me every day, and I couldn't pull you off."

Wen Zhuo: "..." You know it was when we were kids, have you forgotten who surrounded us when we were kids?

A mom on a business trip, a dad having an affair, a nanny abusing children—how can I live without blaming you?

Wen Zhuo cleared her throat: "Ahem, how did you know what I was doing?" After she became a ghost, she became very sensitive to these kinds of electronic products. Didn't she notice there was a surveillance camera around her when she was playing with it?

Wen Zhaoye raised his right hand, and a red thread appeared on his finger. Whether it was intentional or not, the red thread happened to be tied to his ring finger. She followed the thread and found that the other end was on her body.

It really was the line she had seen back then!

Wen Zhuo tugged at the wire in dissatisfaction: "What's the use of this? When did you secretly put this on for me? I really don't understand. I can't be too far away from you, why do you have to do this?"

Wen Zhaoye's ring finger twitched slightly as she pulled. Hearing her question, Wen Zhaoye smiled and said, "Although the ceremony wasn't fully completed, most of the steps were finished, and this is one of them."

Wen Zhaoye raised his hand, watching the red thread connect the two of them, and smiled with satisfaction.

"I just know where you are, why are you angry? Could it be...?" He suddenly paused.

Wen Zhuo didn't believe it was just that; she felt Wen Zhaoye was trying to fool her again: "Stop keeping me in suspense!"

"Is she planning to sneak away from me again?"

Wen Zhu shut her mouth: "How could that be? Oh, by the way, I heard your company is having a team building trip to a temple? Are you going that day?"

Wen Zhaoye continued, following her clumsy attempt to change the subject: "If I attend the staff gathering, they will feel very uncomfortable."

"But I want to go play," Wen Zhuo said softly.

Wen Zhaoye looked at her: "What if something happens after we go in? How about I take you to other places to play that day?"

Wen Zhuo thought about it and realized that she didn't really want to go out and have fun; she just wanted to hang out with her new friends.

Wen Zhuo suddenly blurted out, "Besides your blood, what else did you give?"

Wen Zhaoye wasn't startled. He slowly looked at Wen Zhuo and realized that this was what she wanted to ask. He wrapped his fingers around the red thread that had lit up again at some point, connecting the two of them like blood they never had. He twirled the thread around his fingers, which moved Wen Zhuo's wrist. She looked at Wen Zhaoye with some impatience.

Wen Zhaoye: "You really are persistent. Of course I didn't give anything in return. You know, I've been able to see ghosts since I was a child. You're not an exception."