Font Size:
Ming Zhao was indeed drenched in sweat. After making a few perfunctory excuses to Zhou Tingyun and ending the video call, she lay in bed for a long time, unable to recover.
The humid, heavy breathing still seemed to linger on her neck, her back pressed tightly against a burning chest.
He had been softly coaxing her, his comforting kisses trailing along her earlobe. “It’s alright, baby.”
But it hadn’t stopped.
Ming Zhao, feeling close to breaking down, raised her hands, desperately covering her flushed face. Her heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest.
After taking several deep breaths, she slowly sat up, unsure how much time had passed. Sweat clung to her skin, making her feel incredibly uncomfortable.
She grabbed some clothes and went to the bathroom to shower. The dream had been so vivid that she even subconsciously checked her inner thighs for fingerprints, and the shame of realizing what she was doing made her want to bang her head against the wall.
It was just a dream, just a dream, Ming Zhao’s mind frantically repeated, trying to convince herself.
Zhou Tingyun was absolutely not that kind of person. Fake, fake, it was all fake.
Too afraid to go back to sleep, Ming Zhao showered, changed her clothes, and immediately opened the door.
The next second, her expression froze.
Her face, which had just returned to normal, flushed visibly.
The girl didn’t know where to put her hands or feet, stammering, “B-Brother, good…morning.”
Zhou Tingyun had only come to check on her, but the faint pink blush on her cheeks seemed unusual, her eyes still slightly red, and her gaze noticeably evasive.
He frowned subtly. “What kind of nightmare made you cry like that?”
Ming Zhao nervously twisted the hem of her clothes.
Apparently, her earlier excuse hadn’t worked…
She lied through her teeth, “…It was just…a dream that you ignored me.”
An old, familiar topic.
The man paused, dismissing his suspicions.
His gaze fell from her slightly trembling, rosy fingertips. He sighed softly. “Don’t cry with your face buried in the pillow; you’re all red and puffy.”
He reached out to touch her face, but she instinctively flinched away.
His movement faltered. Zhou Tingyun’s dark eyes darkened slightly as he silently observed her.
Ming Zhao’s heart trembled.
Oh no, oh no!
She realized her predicament, her mind racing in panic.
Zhou Tingyun was most frightening when he caught her in a lie; any inconsistency would be discovered.
As a child, the slightest twitch of her eyelid would betray her stolen lollipop.
How could she possibly hide this?
But… this hand… this hand…
Her gaze uncontrollably drifted towards his hand.
The same hand that held a pen so elegantly while signing contracts —its knuckles slightly prominent, faintly glistening with a watery sheen.
Ming Zhao wanted to bury herself alive.
Just as she was racking her brain for an excuse for her strange behavior, Zhou Tingyun apologized first.
For a moment, Ming Zhao was stunned as she was pulled into his embrace.
The hand that had caused havoc in her dream now gently patted her back. The man comforted her, assuring her that dreams and reality were opposites, then sternly criticized the him in her dream for ignoring her.
“That was a dream,” his voice was low and clear. “Why are you still blaming me?”
For a moment, Ming Zhao felt like her heart was about to give out.
On one hand, a forceful, unkind villain; on the other, a calm, gentle brother.
Her racing heart needed to be concealed. Ming Zhao silently raised her arms, hugging his waist tightly and burying her face in his chest, revealing only her crimson ears.
At least she hadn’t been discovered. She quietly breathed a sigh of relief, taking advantage of the situation as she always did. “I don’t care, it’s still your fault.”
“My fault,” he chuckled, his chest vibrating slightly. “The guilty party, Zhou, invites Miss to come downstairs for breakfast.”
As he spoke, Zhou Tingyun suddenly noticed the water droplets on the girl’s neck and her damp hair.
He gently brushed aside a few strands clinging to her neck. “Why did you shower this morning?”
She almost choked, struggling to explain. “The heating was too strong, and I sweated a lot.”
Zhou Tingyun didn’t think much of it. Ming Zhao was very particular about cleanliness and would feel uncomfortable with even a little sweat, so showering was normal.
Downstairs, Zhou Lao saw them come down together and couldn’t help but frown.
The weather had cleared up, and right after breakfast, Zhou Lao announced something in a serious tone.
“Starting today, Zhou Tingyun, you’ll move out of the Ming family home and return to the Zhou residence.”
He absolutely couldn’t let the two of them be alone together.
Ming Zhao immediately looked up, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Return to the Zhou residence? Why?
She anxiously looked at Zhou Tingyun, waiting for him to refuse.
Ming Zhao had never expected him to agree, so when she saw the man calmly reply, “I understand,” her mind went blank, her pupils constricting slightly.
How could he do this?
Anger welled up inside her, and a feeling of betrayal surged through her.
Was this what he meant when he said dreams and reality were opposites?
Suppressing the urge to explode, Ming Zhao pinched her palm, but she couldn’t hold back.
She stood up abruptly. “I’m going home.”
It’s not like she hadn’t lived alone before, Ming Zhao thought calmly.
Whatever. Anyway, she absolutely wasn’t going to pay any attention to Zhou Tingyun this time.
“Zhao Zhao.”
Before Zhou Tingyun could explain, seeing her anger, he immediately grabbed her hand.
Two voices fell simultaneously.
“Whatever you want! I’ll just have Mommy adopt another one to keep me company!”
“Mom isn’t home, so will you move in with your brother for a while?”
The girl was stunned.
Oh…ah…so, that’s what he meant.
The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.
Ming Zhao chuckled awkwardly, trying to cover up her misunderstanding.
“Brother, I was just joking. A brother as brilliant, capable, handsome, and wealthy as you are hard to find even with a lantern!”
Seeing his increasingly serious expression, Ming Zhao immediately became compliant.
“…Sorry.”
But she still couldn’t help but mutter a quiet complaint.
“It’s all because you didn’t say so earlier…”
As if nothing had happened, she sat down, acting sweetly and affectionately towards him. Her smile was bright.
“My dearest brother, then remember to have Aunt Lin bring my dolls over, okay?”
Zhou Tingyun almost laughed in exasperation.
Zhou Lao’s face was ashen. “When did I agree to let this girl—”
“No, no, no,” Ming Zhao said pitifully. “Are you really going to leave such a lonely little girl all alone in an empty house?”
“Sigh,” she sighed sadly. “Forget it. Unloved by father, uncared for by mother, ignored by brother, and disregarded by grandfather. That’s just how it is.”
“It’s okay, I’m just an outsider. You are family; you don’t need to worry about my feelings.”
Zhou Lao: …
Zhou Tingyun was furious. “I ignore you? An outsider?”
Even knowing she was deliberately acting pitiful; he felt each word piercing his heart.
She really came to collect a debt.
Before leaving, he coldly instructed Ming Zhao to call if she needed anything and not run carelessly and bump into things like last time.
“Okay~” the girl drawled, her eyes sparkling. “See you tonight, brother.”
His gaze fell upon her honey-sweet dimples. He sighed silently and lightly pinched her cheek.
“See you tonight.”
Zhou Lao felt a splitting headache coming on.
But living together here, under his supervision, was definitely better than leaving them alone in the Ming family home.
He comforted himself with this thought.