Chapter 41
The staff member who was closest to the light was stunned and almost fell to the ground when the light panel slipped.
Everyone was stunned.
The room lights were off, but the curtains were drawn. Wen Zhiling threw herself into Zong Linhan's arms, pinning him against the wall, her hands gripping his soaked clothes tightly, her whole body pressed against him, her face buried deep in his neck.
What is this, what is this doing?
Are these two siblings?
An angle issue? Actually, what is it?
Are you crazy?
For a moment, the suite fell silent; no one knew what to do.
Just then, Zong Linhan moved.
He didn't push Wen Zhiling away; instead, he gently placed his hand on the top of her head and ruffled it through her pulled-up hat.
"I know you were reminded of past grievances by the scenery, but your emotional outburst was too sudden and could cause misunderstandings." His voice carried a hint of indulgent helplessness.
His body was very relaxed, and he even tilted his head slightly in response, as if Wen Zhiling was simply seeking comfort from him.
No one saw the tension in the muscles on the side of his neck for a moment, and the hand resting on Wen Zhiling's inner waist and back even trembled slightly.
If the vampire ability is exposed, it's not so much that it endangers him, but the most troublesome thing is that it could endanger Wen Zhiling herself or cause greater public panic.
He remained outwardly calm and unhurried. "The place she used to live was very dilapidated and small. The bathroom was always broken; it was repaired repeatedly, and she always did it all by herself. Today, I offered to help her fix it, and I noticed she hadn't said a word. Then you all came, and with so many people showing concern for her, she suddenly couldn't hold back her emotions. She's a proud young woman, and she's secretly crying."
He pulled Wen Zhiling closer, patting her shoulder and back, seemingly just a casual reassurance. Only Wen Zhiling could feel the imperceptible pinch on her waist, a stinging pain seeping through the fabric.
Wen Zhiling suddenly snapped back to reality, realizing what she had done. The sharp fangs were still embedded in his skin, and the tempting, citrusy, sweet blood, carrying Zong Linhan's life force, was flowing into her parched throat through the small puncture.
Wen Zhiling let out a sob.
In this position, concealed by her coat, she released her fangs, her bloodied lips still pressed against Zong Linhan's warm skin.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it." Her voice was nasal as she rubbed against Zong Linhan's shoulder a few times, like an ordinary, spoiled little sister wiping away tears. "I just suddenly thought about how I used to be all alone, having to rely on myself for everything. Now I have family and friends, and I feel so happy."
Wen Zhiling squeezed out two tears, feeling that she should wipe the blood from her lips, and wondered whether she should look up at the camera and show her crying scene.
Zong Linhan casually put his arm around her shoulder through his coat, pressing her slightly raised head back to block any possible view. He looked at the cameraman who had turned around not far away, "You weren't wearing any makeup to begin with, and you've been crying your eyes out. It won't look good if it's broadcast."
He paused, then gestured, "Could you all give the young lady some time to fix her makeup?"
His expression was too natural, carrying a sense of helplessness towards his sister's willfulness and a doting affection for her, fearing she would embarrass herself in front of the camera.
The tense atmosphere instantly relaxed.
Lu Siyi heard Tao Tao breathe a long sigh of relief behind her, "So that's how it is, you scared me..."
This is clearly an important shot that could be used to create an emotional impact.
The camera zooms in, and in the close-up shot, Zong Linhan tilts his head slightly, a helpless yet gentle smile on his lips, his hand resting on Wen Zhiling's back, patting her gently and rhythmically in a soothing manner.
"Alright, alright, you can tidy it up yourself."
He raised his hand, his fingertips naturally brushing against the corner of Wen Zhiling's eye, wiping away non-existent tear stains.
As he pushed Wen Zhiling into the room, he pulled her cashmere shawl over his neck, cleverly covering the two small bloody holes there. Fortunately, he had recently received an emergency injection, and thanks to his powerful self-healing ability, the wounds slowly closed, leaving only winding red streaks of blood.
His smile was helpless, with just the right amount of embarrassment, "Tears are all over me."
A burst of good-natured laughter erupted at the scene, and the crisis was averted.
The moment the door closed, Wen Zhiling ran to draw the curtains. The sunlight was blinding, and the instant her skin was exposed to it, she quickly withdrew her hand. A strange, burning sensation climbed up the back of her hand, giving her a sharp jolt.
"..."
The room was quiet, and a flood of images rushed through her mind, accompanied by unfamiliar sounds, like tinkling and knocking. In addition to the scent of citrus, there was also the unfamiliar smell of disinfectant. She endured the strange smells, pulled out the gun and dagger from under the bed, put them under the wardrobe, and then went to the bathroom to wash herself.
Her face was reflected in the mirror; her lips were bright red, and a streak of blood ran from the corner of her mouth down to her chin, disappearing into her coat zipper. Despite having just eaten a hearty meal, she looked listless and lacked energy.
Wen Zhiling steadied herself against the sink, the memories surfacing in her head like lead weights, pressing down on her every now and then, causing her a splitting headache.
Just as Wen Zhiling finished washing up and came out, there was a knock on the door. She opened the door, and Zong Linhan was standing outside. He had changed into a hoodie with a specially designed pattern on the collar, which conveniently covered his wound.
Zong Linhan asked, "Are you feeling better?"
There was no one behind him, and Wen Zhiling guessed that perhaps they had communicated with the production team to give them some private time alone.
As soon as Zong Linhan entered the room and the door closed, he collapsed onto the bed as if all his strength had been released, sighing, "I wasn't this nervous even when I filmed my first explosion scene. The explosive device was right behind me, but my heart rate didn't even rise."
However, just now, an ordinary variety show gave him a very valuable and thrilling experience.
Wen Zhiling walked to Zong Linhan's side and sat down on the edge of the bed. He grabbed her wrist, pulled her back, and made her fall onto him.
Zong Linhan's bath uses a refreshing scent, somewhat like the smell of a bamboo forest after rain, unlike the citrus scent. The two completely different scents are clashing in the air.
Zong Linhan stroked Wen Zhiling's long hair and looked down at her. "I can't stay in here for too long. If you need to confess, do it now."
What just happened was clearly closely related to Lu Qin; he seemed to be deliberately pushing her to take the medicine and to expose her vampire abilities in front of the camera.
Wen Zhiling told Zong Linhan about her suspicions about Lu Qin.
His slender fingers gently stroked her long hair. After giving his instructions, Wen Zhiling stopped and quietly looked up.
Zong Linhan listened with his eyes closed, his expression very gentle, revealing no emotion.
"That's all?" He lifted his long eyelashes slightly, and his beautiful obsidian-like eyes glanced down at her.
"Hmm." Wen Zhiling propped herself up, half-sitting up. Zong Linhan tightened his grip on her shoulder, pulling her back into his arms. Wen Zhiling knew things were going badly and hurriedly added, "I know I didn't handle it well, but the most important thing now is to figure out Lu Qin's purpose and see how to deal with him, right?"
“You owe me one, it’s on the tab,” Zong Linhan said calmly.
"The biggest problem now is..." Wen Zhiling said awkwardly, "We're out of medicine, and you smell..."
"It smells nice," Zong Linhan replied calmly.
Wen Zhiling: "..."
Wen Zhiling: "Mm."
Zong Linhan: "I changed my shower gel, can you smell it?"
Wen Zhiling nodded: "Anyone with a normal sense of smell can tell the difference."
Zong Linhan lowered his eyes: "But you always smell the same, and changing your shower gel won't change it."
Their eyes met in mid-air, and Wen Zhiling asked curiously, "What does it taste like?"
Zong Linhan: "It tastes very good."
Wen Zhiling: "..."
Seeing that someone's thoughts were about to go astray, Wen Zhiling awkwardly changed the subject: "Could Lu Qin be someone from the ecological faction? Is his goal to expose the existence of superpowers in the world?"
“Not necessarily,” Zong Linhan said. “If he wanted to expose this, he would have pushed the camera closer just now, but he didn’t. His behavior is more like…”
Wen Zhiling replied, "A threat?"
Zong Linhan: "Mm."
He sat up and pinched Wen Zhiling's cheek. "Threats usually involve negotiating terms. With his underhanded tactics this obvious, it's about time he came to negotiate with us."
"Alright, it's about time. Let's go down. If we stay any longer, people will start to get suspicious."
Just as Zong Linhan sat up, Wen Zhiling grabbed his hem.
He turned to look at her; the girl was staring at the floor. "What if I suddenly lose control again?"
The memory of that moment was terrifying; she almost completely lost her senses, as if several scenes were abruptly cut from a movie, and when she came to her senses, the scene had already shifted to an unfamiliar one, and she was pouncing on Zong Linhan.
The girl was still shaken, her eyelashes trembling, her lower lip bitten tightly, almost drawing blood from her self-reproach. Zong Linhan pressed down on her lips, his fingertips applying slight pressure, forcing her to release her grip.
His thumb gently stroked Wen Zhiling's lower lip, where fangs had been uncontrollably revealed not long ago. "Weren't you doing quite well just now?"
Wen Zhiling frowned, not understanding what those words meant.
Zong Linhan leaned forward, his features outlined by the light filtering through the curtains, making him appear deep and imposing. His jawline was taut, and his eyes, like deep pools filled with scattered stars, reflected her anxious and restless state.
He cupped her face in his hands, his forehead gently pressed against hers, their breaths mingling. His unique warmth enveloped her.
In the dimly lit room, Zong Linhan's eyes shone with an astonishing light. He curved his lips into a smile, his voice low, each word striking her heart: "Find me, hold me tight, and leave the rest to me."
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