Chapter 127: We Were the Ones Who Got Scared

Lin Zhiwei hummed a light tune as she skipped happily out of Emerald Pavilion. She grumbled to herself about how vast the place was; it had taken her a full ten minutes just to walk out, and she was impatient to see her dear one.

Reaching the entrance, she saw Pei Xi pacing under a tree and hurried forward to greet him. "Manager Pei."

Seeing the joy on her face, Pei Xi considered offering a word of caution, but he swallowed it back. "Director Lin, the Young Master is in the car."

"I know. Take me to him quickly. Oh, and is he in a good mood?" Lin Zhiwei stepped back slightly, tilting her head to probe.

"Er, it’s... it’s alright, I suppose," Pei Xi replied with hesitation, giving a neutral answer to avoid offending either party.

"That means he’s in a very bad mood. Fine, fine. I suppose I can only blame my own acting skills for being so good that even your boss feels outdone," Lin Zhiwei said to herself.

*Director Lin, you are far too composed,* Pei Xi thought, leading the way through several winding turns to a small street.

Lin Zhiwei immediately opened the car door and slid inside. The atmosphere within was icy. Ling Ziheng sat waiting with a face as cold as frost, but the moment that warmth rushed to his side and his lips felt a sudden heat, he heard the girl’s bright, cheerful voice. "Oh, darling, you have no idea how exhausting it was to put on that performance!"

Clearly caught off guard by the surprise kiss, Ling Ziheng reached out to wrap an arm around her waist, cupping her face to study her expression.

"I’m fine, I’m perfectly fine," Lin Zhiwei murmured, burying herself in his embrace. "Oh, I missed you so much! I was thinking about you the entire time I was acting!"

In the front seat, Pei Xi and the driver were left speechless. *Director Lin, that is not what you said just a moment ago. Besides, you were acting with such vigor and intensity—there was absolutely no sign that you were missing the Young Master. Isn't that explanation a bit of a stretch?*

Ling Ziheng sighed and stroked her back. If being "wrapped around someone’s finger" was a real thing, this was it. He had intended to give her a stern lecture when she arrived, but after one kiss and a declaration of longing, he found himself completely pacified.

"I just..."

He leaned down, gently catching the lips that were preparing to offer more excuses. His tenderness was poured into that kiss, and Pei Xi in the front seat immediately pulled up the privacy partition, deciding it was best not to watch.

Lin Zhiwei hugged him, responding with a touch of awkwardness until she was breathless and had to push him away. "Darling, take it easy, I can’t breathe."

"I wanted you to taste how I felt just now—this kind of suffocating wait," Ling Ziheng whispered against her ear, complaining with a hint of dissatisfaction.

"But if I didn't make it look convincing, I was afraid the effect wouldn't be good enough for next time," Lin Zhiwei pouted in self-defense. "I was furious too, you know! Every time I think about how she used to drag you into publicity stunts and take advantage of you, I want to tear her apart!"

Watching his little girl’s puffed-up cheeks, Ling Ziheng smiled tenderly, his expression filled with helpless indulgence.

*Oh, my dear looks even more handsome when he smiles.* Lin Zhiwei felt her heart flutter, struck by that smile; she truly wanted to kidnap him and make him her trophy husband.

"Are you hungry? I’ve prepared some food for you at home."

"Yes, please!" Lin Zhiwei was famished. Despite the high energy she had displayed while acting, the moment she left the Emerald Pavilion, she felt aches all over her body. Acting really wasn't easy; it required every cell in her body.

"Oh, right, I remember our bet," Lin Zhiwei’s eyes darted slyly. "Chu Zhuo didn't come to save me. I didn't even see a shadow of him."

"He was on the other side," Ling Ziheng replied, having already anticipated what she would say.

"What? Damn, then he was definitely just there to watch the show," Lin Zhiwei scoffed.

"He hacked into the surveillance cameras to watch in real-time. He likely only refrained from showing himself because he realized Zhou Munian had arrived," Ling Ziheng analyzed.

"I don't believe it. Why would he bother trying to save me? He’s probably plotting something behind my back."

Ling Ziheng patted her head but didn't continue the conversation. *Because the way he looks at you is different. Because he has designs on you.* But he decided it was better not to let the girl know these things.

"Fine, fine, I’m a good sport. I’ll admit defeat. I’ll go on a date with you wherever you want," Lin Zhiwei’s eyes brightened, only to dim again. "But I can't just walk down the street with this face, or the streets will be gridlocked."

Looking at the man’s incomparably exquisite profile in the night, Lin Zhiwei sighed. It was hard enough to have a date, and it seemed it would have to remain a secret romance.

"Then you can give me a disguise," Ling Ziheng said, looking down at her.

"That’s a great idea! As expected of my dear," Lin Zhiwei said, suddenly excited. Giving her dear one an incredibly ordinary face sounded like fun. Just thinking about it was thrilling. "It's settled then. So, where do you want to go?"

"Whatever you want."

"If it's whatever I want, then I’ve won, haven't I?"

"Whatever the Madam says is correct."

Hearing this, Lin Zhiwei chuckled. "Ling Ziheng, where did you learn all these flirting tricks?"

"Self-taught."

*Er...* Lin Zhiwei couldn't argue with that; it was technically true.

"Oh, right," Lin Zhiwei knocked on the partition. Pei Xi immediately lowered it. "Is there something you need, Director Lin?"

"You’ve both worked hard. My dear was frightened earlier, and it hasn't been easy serving us. You all get a bonus."

Pei Xi and the driver struggled to keep from laughing. *We’re not answering that trap of a question. We were the ones who were frightened!*

Ling Ziheng kept his arms around his wife, his expression clearly saying that whatever his wife did was cute and whatever she said was right.

Just then, Lin Zhiwei's phone rang. It was Nan Yu. Ling Ziheng handed the phone to her.

"What is it?"

"Hey, Xiao Linzi, I thought Ye Linyun confiscated your phone," Nan Yu said, sounding incredulous.

"Damn, you believed that? That was a fake. Why would I ever bring my real phone? It was with my dear the whole time."

"Enough, I’m going to throw up."

"Do you have something to say or not? If not, I’m going home to eat with my dear," Lin Zhiwei rolled her eyes.

"Tell me when you get home. I’m coming over to find you."

"Can’t you just say it over the phone?" Lin Zhiwei felt that something was off with Nan Yu’s tone, though she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Aiya, don't worry about it. We’ll talk later."

"Fine."

Lin Zhiwei was puzzled, but she was used to Nan Yu’s impulsive nature. She decided to see what he wanted to say later that night.