Chapter 033: Wen Ni Hides Between Zhou Jingyi's Legs

Wen Ni put down her book and walked over to Zhou Jingyi’s side. She tugged at his arm, shaking it gently. With a deliberately sweet, pleading voice, she said, “Just let me see it once, I promise. If you let me see it, I won’t bother you anymore. Otherwise, I’ll come find you every day to pester you.”

“No,” Zhou Jingyi replied.

Just that single word from Zhou Jingyi shattered all of Wen Ni’s hopeful fantasies.

She stared at him, saying nothing, making no move to leave. Her eyes seemed to hook into him, brimming with glistening moisture.

Zhou Jingyi chuckled softly. He opened his mouth to speak, but before any words could escape, the sound of Zhou Mingfan pushing open the door interrupted from the hall.

In an instant, Wen Ni’s expression changed dramatically.

With perfect composure, Zhou Jingyi pulled Wen Ni over and pressed her down in front of him. The small coffee table in front of the sofa was just high enough to shield her from view.

Crouching low, Wen Ni held her breath, trying to keep as quiet as possible.

Zhou Mingfan entered, saying, “Uncle, you didn’t close the door, so I pushed it open and came in.”

Zhou Jingyi nodded, still seated with unshakable dignity, his gaze cold and reserved. “What do you need?”

Zhou Mingfan replied, “I just remembered that my older brother mentioned before—the luxury collaboration, the Vice President of the Shiyi Society also helped with it. So for the Shiyi Society’s banquet this weekend, as the project lead, you’ll probably need to attend.”

He stood straight and careful, finishing his words with caution, waiting for Zhou Jingyi’s response.

Zhou Jingyi didn’t answer immediately but suddenly drew a sharp breath.

Zhou Mingfan frowned. “Uncle, is something wrong?”

Zhou Jingyi’s hand seemed to lower out of sight, and then Zhou Mingfan’s view was blocked. Only Zhou Jingyi’s casual, indifferent voice could be heard: “I understand.”

Zhou Mingfan confirmed again, “Uncle, you will attend, right?”

Zhou Jingyi’s gaze deepened inch by inch. “I’ll go.”

Delighted, Zhou Mingfan said, “Then I’ll head out first, Uncle. Get some rest. Good night.”

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and left.

The moment the door closed behind Zhou Mingfan, Zhou Jingyi grasped Wen Ni’s chin and lifted her up.

Wen Ni, going along with his movement, ended up sitting astride his lap, arms wrapped around his neck.

“Zhou Jingyi, please, I’m begging you,” she pleaded.

“Were you born in the Year of the Dog?” he teased.

“You only have yourself to blame for not agreeing with me!” Wen Ni huffed. “People say a day together as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of grace. We’ve been together two nights, that should count for a thousand days! Why are you so stingy?”

“My answer hasn’t changed—”

Before he could finish, Wen Ni narrowed her eyes and kissed him hard, her soft lips pressing firmly onto his.

Zhou Jingyi was momentarily stunned, a playful glint flashing in his eyes. He gripped her waist and pushed her back. “Wen Ni, that’s against the rules.”

Wen Ni’s finger tapped downward. She curled her lips, her red mouth seductive. “You broke the rules too.”

Zhou Jingyi leaned back against the sofa, leisurely watching her. “A normal physiological response.”

Wen Ni argued, “If your reaction is normal, so is mine.”

“You’re harassing me with yours,” Zhou Jingyi retorted.

Wen Ni fell silent.

Ever since Zhou Jingyi had laid out the terms between them, he’d become utterly impervious to her advances.

Was it because she was unattractive? Or did she have a bad figure? That couldn’t be. Clearly, it was Zhou Jingyi who was blind, wasting what was right in front of him.

He nudged her. “Get down.”

She refused to move.

Casually, Zhou Jingyi reached for the cigarette box on the coffee table, his long, elegant fingers selecting one.

Wen Ni snatched up the lighter and, playing the sycophant, lit his cigarette for him. She shielded the flame with her hand, bringing it close to his cigarette, and once it was lit, pleaded, “Just let me take a look, I’ll leave right after. I swear I won’t take it, and I won’t swap it for anything else.”

Through the faint blue smoke, Zhou Jingyi watched her.

She waved the smoke away, bargaining, “Ten seconds. No, five.”

“Get down,” he repeated.

Wen Ni pouted, climbed off him, and stomped hard on his foot before turning to leave.

Back in her room, Wen Ni took out the little bead, examining it closely in her palm.

If this bead really was identical to the ones on Zhou Jingyi’s bracelet, what did that imply? Neither her mother nor her grandmother had been in the capital when their misfortunes occurred. The only explanation was that the Zhou family—not just Zhou Jingyi—possessed these bracelets.

But Zhou Mingfan definitely didn’t have one. If he had something identical to Zhou Jingyi, he would have shown it off long ago. After all, Zhou Jingyi was his younger uncle.

If Zhou Jingyi had it but Zhou Mingfan did not… did that mean the bracelets were only given to Zhou Jingyi’s generation?

By that logic, Zhou Chengli should have one as well.

With this realization, Wen Ni decided to change her approach. Since she kept hitting a wall with Zhou Jingyi, she might as well give up on him for now—no point letting him take advantage while acting so aloof.

The next morning at breakfast, Wen Ni completely ignored Zhou Jingyi, not even greeting him.

Shen Xuening smiled and asked, “What’s wrong, Wen Ni? Who upset you? You’ve looked off since you got up.”

Wen Ni shot her a sidelong glance.

Shen Xuening immediately withdrew her smile and lowered her voice. “Did I say something wrong to upset you?”

“If you know you’re not good at talking, then talk less,” Wen Ni retorted.

Zhou Mingfan immediately leapt to Shen Xuening’s defense. “Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed?”

Wen Ni shot back, “Did you eat too much salty radish? Why are you meddling?”

Zhou Mingfan fell silent.

Only when Zhou Chengli came downstairs did Wen Ni spring up to follow him. “Dad, are you heading to the office?”

He gave a noncommittal hum, looking at the daughter trailing after him. “Just stay home and finish your tasks quietly. Don’t stir up trouble. Your grandmother’s not here to back you up—if you cause problems again, it won’t be as simple as kneeling in the ancestral hall.”

Wen Ni promised she’d behave.

Zhou Chengli paused. “Did you need something?”

She said, “Grandma once told me she embroidered a silk tapestry for your fortieth birthday. There’s a special color in it, but she never gave me the dye recipe. I want to study it and see if I can replicate it.”

The silk screen was in Zhou Chengli’s study.

He frowned, then after a pause, handed her the study key with a warning. “Look at it and leave, don’t linger.”

Wen Ni accepted the key with both hands, nodding earnestly.

After Zhou Chengli left, she smiled to herself at her success and prepared to search for what she needed.

She took a few perfunctory photos for show, but just as she tiptoed to the desk, a knock startled her into a sudden turn.

There, leaning against the doorway, was Zhou Jingyi.

She gritted her teeth, glaring at him, and gestured for him to get out.

But Zhou Jingyi simply lowered his gaze and, speaking into his phone, said, “Brother, Wen Ni is in your study right now. Want me to start a video call?”