Chapter 20: I Promise Not to Come Find You Again

"That doesn't mean my son should have been beaten for nothing!" Wu Feng blurted out in a fit of rage, only to realize immediately that this wasn't the place to lose his temper. He forced a strained smile and continued, "I understand, Young Master Jiang, but our two families both hold significant status here in the capital. Compared to some random bar patron, shouldn't our families be closer than that?"

"That may be true," Jiang Jibai replied, curling his lips. "But I am a businessman. In my eyes, what matters most isn't how close our relationship is." His expression cooled as he softly uttered the final word: "Money."

Wu Feng desperately wanted to flip the table and lash out, but he lacked the power to do so. Whatever had happened on Jiang Jibai's turf, even the many onlookers were too intimidated by the Jiang family to leak a single detail. He couldn't even begin to investigate.

Suppressing his emotions, he gritted his teeth and said, "I can cede the plot of land I just acquired a while ago to you. I hope you will consider it."

Jiang Jibai felt a sudden urge to laugh. He did indeed want that land, but with the man standing beside him constantly radiating a chilling aura, he wouldn't dare trade for it even if he wanted to.

Zhou Yinhe, who hadn't said a word since entering, spoke up expressionlessly, "Fine. Prepare the transfer agreement. Once it's signed, you can come for the surveillance footage."

Wu Feng felt a sharp sting of regret, but the words were out, and it was too late to take them back. He stood up and said, "I will go back and prepare it now."

Jiang Jibai personally saw him to his car and strolled back inside. Seeing Zhou Yinhe sitting motionless exactly where he had left him, Jiang Jibai chuckled, "What? You're actually going to give it to him?"

Zhou Yinhe didn't look up, his fingers still tapping on his screen. "Cut off the first part," he said offhandedly. "Send me the footage of when I made my move."

Amused by Zhou Yinhe's shamelessness, Jiang Jibai leaned against the counter, doubling over with laughter.

Wen Ling hadn't had a good night's sleep since arriving in the capital, but with Hehe by her side—whom she had pampered so well that it didn't even shed—she had simply cuddled with the pet all night.

True enough, she woke up feeling completely refreshed. After rubbing Hehe’s head and washing up in the bathroom, she decided to head to Zhou Yinhe’s office to orchestrate a "chance encounter," as she had nothing else to do.

Spring weather is temperamental; after a bright, sunny day, a light rain had fallen that morning, and the capital had turned cold once again.

After breakfast, she waited for her stylist to coordinate an outfit, then had her hair styled. By the time she stepped out, it was already nearly noon.

Wen Ling had her driver drop her off below Zhou Yinhe’s office building. She sat by the window in a nearby coffee shop, resting her chin in her hand, watching the passing pedestrians with listless eyes.

During the lunch break, white-collar workers began streaming out of the various office buildings. Wen Ling pulled her phone from her bag, bit her lip in thought, and eventually sent a message to Zhou Yinhe.

Zhou Yinhe was not at the office. After leaving the Jiang residence last night, he had been forcibly summoned home by his older brother and was currently having lunch with his parents, brother, and sister-in-law.

When his phone chimed, he was in the middle of being lectured by his father. He propped his head up, letting the words go in one ear and out the other. Hearing the notification, he took a quick glance.

Zhou Shuanglin paused in his speech, watching as Zhou Yinhe’s expression shifted from bored and irritable to conflicted and uneasy.

"Xiao Wu, if there's an emergency at the office, you should go ahead," Ning Qing said. She was equally annoyed by her husband's nagging but couldn't retort in front of her son and daughter-in-law. Seeing Zhou Yinhe’s reaction, she offered him an excuse to leave.

Zhou Shuanglin swept a cold glance at his youngest son and huffed, "Get going, then."

Zhou Yinhe pursed his lips and set his phone down. "It's nothing urgent. Let's finish lunch first."

He picked up his chopsticks to eat, but just as the other four were about to do the same, there was a loud "clack." As they all looked up in unison, Zhou Yinhe had already stood up. "Mom, Dad, brother, sister-in-law, you all go ahead. I'm heading back to the office."

With that, he strode out. Ning Qing signaled to her eldest son, and Zhou Yanchiu nodded, making no move to stop him.

Wen Ling finished her coffee, feeling bored. She was half-sprawled over the table, swinging her legs and looking outside.

When she saw the person approaching in the distance, her eyes lit up. She grabbed her handbag and ran out. Only when she reached him did she pause, breathing slightly heavily as she asked, "You weren't at the office? I thought you were, which is why I messaged you."

Zhou Yinhe looked down at her, his voice low. "Didn't you have people following me?"

"Ah." Wen Ling hadn't expected him to know. She avoided his gaze, feeling awkward. "I told them to stop following me already. It was only for a few days."

Zhou Yinhe's face remained cold. "Didn't I tell you not to come looking for me again?"

"I really don't know anyone else in the capital. There's no one to keep me company for a meal, so I had no choice but to find you." Wen Ling blinked, reaching out with her slender, fair hand to pinch the cuff of Zhou Yinhe’s shirt, acting spoiled despite herself. "I'm hungry."

She was skilled at playing the victim. Zhou Yinhe understood that every word she spoke was meant to hook him. He pulled his sleeve from her grip and stepped back. "I don't have time to eat with you. If there's no one in the capital to keep you company, you can return to the States."

Wen Ling lowered her head, looking aggrieved, her teeth pressing firmly into her lip.

Zhou Yinhe didn't want to look at her anymore. He turned his gaze away and said coldly, "Isn't that why you left in the first place? Because you felt you had your grandfather, your childhood sweetheart, and your friends in the States?"

He furrowed his brows, his knuckles turning white as he enunciated each word, "Then why did you come to the capital? To play me for a fool all over again?"

Wen Ling felt a sting in her nose, her eyes gradually turning red. Her shimmering, expressive eyes filled with tears. She took a step closer to Zhou Yinhe and gently took his hand, as if she had made a firm decision.

"Just have this one meal with me. After we eat, I'll go back to the States. I promise I won't come looking for you again."

Zhou Yinhe’s heart contracted violently at her words, a pain so sharp it made his face pale. He pulled his hand back, waited a moment, and said, "Let's go. Remember what you said."

Wen Ling was stunned for a moment, then trotted to catch up with his stride. "Are you willing to have lunch with me now?"

"Mm," Zhou Yinhe replied faintly.

Wen Ling’s eyes curved into a smile, though the unshed tears still glimmered in them, making her look both pitiful and adorable.

Zhou Yinhe took her to a nearby private Chinese restaurant. The owner came personally to greet him, but upon seeing the woman at Zhou Yinhe’s side, his gaze involuntarily drifted to Wen Ling. When he saw her face, he found it difficult to look away.

Zhou Yinhe narrowed his eyes and moved slightly, directly blocking the owner’s line of sight with a dangerous expression.

The owner coughed awkwardly and led them into a private room. "The usual, then?" he asked with a smile.

Wen Ling had been curiously surveying her surroundings since entering and hadn't even noticed their brief exchange. Hearing the owner's words, she realized that this Chinese restaurant was a place Zhou Yinhe frequented.

"Yes, and make it quick," Zhou Yinhe said, sounding impatient.

Wen Ling pursed her lips. It seemed he just wanted to finish the meal quickly so he could get her to leave.