Chapter 11: The Newly Appointed Head of the Zhou Family is a Simp?

"What rumors did I spread about you?" Ruan Miaomiao struggled to pull her hand back, but Wen Ling held it tight, enunciating each word: "Spreading rumors that I committed school violence, led people to isolate you, and acted arrogant and domineering."

"I didn't! Those were all spread by them; it has nothing to do with me." Ruan Miaomiao bit her lip hard, glaring viciously at Wen Ling: "Does Xuehe-senpai know what you look like right now? I'm afraid he's still being deceived by your facade. Aren't you worried he'll find out?"

Wen Ling chuckled lightly, countering, "Why should I worry if he knows? I want to win him back, but I never planned on changing my personality for him."

After she returned to Huaguo, she had indeed played the pitiful, innocent card in front of Zhou Yinhe. But Zhou Yinhe had known her true nature for a long time. Even if he didn't, if he truly disliked it, she wouldn't change. And she dared to guarantee—she would never like Zhou Yinhe again!

Wen Ling shook off her hand, looking at her own palm with disgust, as if it had been dirtied. The gesture made Ruan Miaomiao's cheeks flush red with anger. Unable to win a fight, she turned and stormed off in big strides.

Wen Ling shook her hand and let out a cold hum.

Applause came from the side. Wen Ling turned her gaze and found it was Zhao Xingtang.

Wen Ling raised an eyebrow, the corner of her lips hooking up: "Enjoy the show?"

"Very much." Zhao Xingtang crossed her arms, looking at Wen Ling with amusement: "Qi Zhan told me you were back, but I just hadn't run into you."

Wen Ling smiled, her mind recalling the original plot of the book.

Zhao Xingtang, this eldest miss of the Zhao family, had a character portrayal in the original book similar to hers—arrogant and domineering. Because she was childhood friends with Zhou Yinhe and the others, what she couldn't stand most was the delicate, pitiful "white lotus" type. So she had mocked Ruan Miaomiao verbally several times. As for the ending later on, Wen Ling didn't know, because by then Wen Ling had already been kidnapped and torn to pieces.

But following the author's "female lead pampered by all" plot, the ending probably wouldn't be good either.

"You should know Zhou Yinhe gave Ruan Miaomiao resources, right." Zhao Xingtang walked closer to Wen Ling, speaking softly.

Wen Ling's face showed no change; she just gave a light "Mhm." How could she not know? Knowing it made her furious even now.

Zhao Xingtang smiled: "Since then, rumors started in Sijiu City that Ruan Miaomiao was going to become the Fifth Young Madam of the Zhou family. When people asked Ruan Miaomiao to her face, she played dumb and refused to explain, which only made everyone believe it more."

Wen Ling only knew the general plot. She didn't know what happened after her death, nor why Zhou Yinhe suddenly gave Ruan Miaomiao resources. That was why she was angry. But on the day she jumped into the lake, she felt Ruan Miaomiao wasn't that important in Zhou Yinhe's eyes either.

"What does Miss Zhao want to say?" Wen Ling smiled brightly, speaking directly: "Might as well be direct; I don't like beating around the bush."

Zhao Xingtang was slightly surprised, stunned for a moment before laughing: "I like your personality."

"I hate people like that the most—clearly full of schemes but pretending to be ignorant and naive. You came back to Huaguo to settle scores with Ruan Miaomiao too, right? Want to cooperate? I can even help you chase Zhou Yinhe."

Wen Ling's heart stirred. She feigned confusion: "Why does Miss Zhao hate Ruan Miaomiao so much?"

"Ah, secret." Zhao Xingtang blinked. "Cooperate or not?"

Regardless of why Zhao Xingtang disliked Ruan Miaomiao, as long as she couldn't stand her and posed no threat to Wen Ling, Wen Ling was naturally willing to get on good terms with her. Besides, the conditions Zhao Xingtang offered were excellent—perfect, since Wen Ling still didn't know where to start.

"Sure."

Wen Ling proactively added Zhao Xingtang as a friend, found an excuse, and left. Zhao Xingtang watched her retreating figure, her expression unreadable.

A man walked out from the corner nearby, standing behind Zhao Xingtang, watching Wen Ling leave together. He smiled: "This Miss Wen is truly a different person from the one in the book."

"Mhm. When she was with Zhou Yinhe before, she was similar to now, just much smarter now." Zhao Xingtang said indifferently.

"After all, she woke up from the book; there has to be some change. Otherwise, if she really followed what that stupid author wrote, how boring." The man shrugged and turned to leave alone.

Zhao Xingtang didn't even look at him. She rubbed her slightly sore shoulder and left in the opposite direction.

Zhou Yinhe came out of his room and saw Ning Qing and his eldest sister, Zhou Zhaoning, huddled together whispering.

One guess—they were discussing him. Zhou Yinhe lightened his footsteps and went downstairs. The two women had no idea he was already standing behind them.

"Who does my useless brother take after, personality-wise?"

"..." Ning Qing was embarrassed: "Like your dad."

"Did my dad used to be like this too?"

"Of course." Ning Qing instantly started making things up, describing the previous stern and serious Zhou family head as a simp who lowered his head for love.

Zhou Yinhe's head was full of black lines. He bent down to look at the mother-daughter pair, his voice drifting into their ears like a ghost.

"Does my dad know he's like this?"

Ning Qing was scared stiff. She stood up abruptly and retreated several steps. Zhou Zhaoning was quick-eyed and fast-handed, steadying her dear mother, then rolled her eyes at Zhou Yinhe.

"Is this how you scare your own mom and sister?" Zhou Zhaoning scolded angrily.

Zhou Yinhe retorted: "Is this how a mom and sister talk about their own son and brother being useless?"

Mother and daughter: "..."

Zhou Yinhe straightened up, hands in his pockets, lazy: "Stop worrying about my business. I'm going back."

Seeing him turn and leave, Ning Qing nudged Zhou Zhaoning's arm. Zhou Zhaoning chased after Zhou Yinhe, frowning: "You still like Wen Ling?"

Zhou Yinhe lowered his eyes to look at his slightly shorter sister. After withdrawing his gaze, he said indifferently: "No."

"Really?" Zhou Zhaoning didn't believe it. If he truly didn't like her, would their mom be so anxious to call her back?

Zhou Yinhe pursed his lips, thinking of himself three years ago. That kind of pain had finally stopped torturing him; he didn't want to experience it again.

"Really." Zhou Yinhe said coldly.

Zhou Zhaoning let out a light hum: "That's good then."

Zhou Yinhe left without looking back. The driver was smoking by the car. Seeing him approach, the driver looked a bit embarrassed and hurriedly stubbed out the cigarette, waving away the smoke in the air.

"Sorry, Fifth Young Master. Couldn't hold back." The driver apologized.

Zhou Yinhe shook his head and said: "It's fine." He looked down at the cigarette butt the driver had stamped out. They say when the heart is troubled, besides drinking, there's smoking. After Wen Ling left, he kept company with alcohol but had never tried smoking—only because Wen Ling once said she disliked the smell of smoke.

He reached out his hand. "Give me one."

The driver was a bit surprised but still fished out the cigarette pack from his pocket and handed it to Zhou Yinhe.

Zhou Yinhe lit one for himself. After just one drag, he couldn't stop coughing. The driver got nervous. Zhou Yinhe waved his hand, and after the coughing fit subsided, he continued.

"Fifth Young Master, how about you forget it..." The driver looked at Zhou Yinhe, whose eyes were red from coughing, and tried to stop him.

(End of Chapter)