NOVEL NEXT
Chapter 408
On the way to breakfast,
Lin Guli asked in a low voice: "Is there anything Yin especially likes? I haven't prepared a gift to meet her yet."
Lin Cheng: "Um..."
Lin Guli: "Don't tell me you don't even know this as her fiancé, that won't work. You have to do better."
Lin Cheng: "She likes expensive stuff, I told you that."
Thinking back, Lin Guli fell silent for a moment, then laughed and said: "Your aunt also likes expensive stuff."
"Lin Cheng, Yin, let's go out for a walk, especially you Lin Cheng, don't stay indoors all the time, you need to go out more."
After breakfast, Lin Guli called Lin Cheng and Qiao Ying, wanting to take a walk with them and chat, to feel the family warmth.
Lin Cheng first looked to Qin Hanyue, then asked Qiao Ying softly: "Should we go?"
He couldn't make this decision on his own.
Qiao Ying nodded, Qin Hanyue wouldn't dare say anything.
Qiao Ying shook her head, her uncle wouldn't say anything.
Qiao Ying readily agreed: "Sure."
Lin Cheng was surprised, he actually gave them face.
Something's not right here, it must be a trap.
Seeing that Qin Hanyue didn't look too happy.
Lin Cheng extended an invitation: "Mr. Qin, why don't you join us too? You haven't really seen the scenery around my ancestral castle these days."
Lin Guli also looked to Qin Hanyue and politely said: "Mr. Qin, take a walk with us."
Qin Hanyue didn't respond at first. They were a happy family of three, what would he be going with them for? Besides, he had reason to believe that Qiao Ying had agreed so readily on purpose, just to provoke him.
He glanced subtly at Qiao Ying, who was also looking at him, as if wanting to see his discomfort at tagging along.
Looks like last night's apology didn't do anything.
Go, not suitable; don't go, can't swallow it.
Just as he was struggling with the decision, Qin Yan came rushing over with a phone, giving him a way out: "Young Master Three, there is an urgent meeting."
Qin Hanyue wanted to bash Qin Yan's head with a stick. Now he didn't need to struggle with the decision anymore. Qin Hanyue politely declined:
"I'll pass, you guys go ahead. I have some things to deal with."
Lin Guli said with a smile: "Mr. Qin, please go ahead and take care of your things first—Lin Cheng, go get a coat for Yin."
Lin Cheng wanted to ask the servants, but was afraid of showing too much fake affection in front of Qin Hanyue and angering him further. Still, he had to keep up appearances for Lin Guli's sake, so Lin Cheng could only reluctantly go himself.
As Lin Cheng went upstairs, he heard Qin Hanyue's steady footsteps behind him. Lin Cheng inexplicably felt a creeping dread.
It was his own house, yet he felt an eerie discomfort.
It was quite a walk to the room. Lin Cheng wondered if he should make some small talk to break the ice, but he really wasn't good at that.
So Lin Cheng bore the awkwardness and walked ahead of Qin Hanyue until they reached Qiao Ying's room. He grabbed the door handle.
The next moment, he turned around—Qin Hanyue had stopped in front of him.
Knowing better, Lin Cheng stepped aside and waited by the door instead.
Qin Hanyue went inside to get a coat and scarf for Qiao Ying and brought them out to Lin Cheng.
Taking them, Lin Cheng said: "Mr. Qin, don't worry. We're really just going for a walk to chat, nothing more, even if we have to pretend."
Qin Hanyue just said: "Try not to stay outdoors too long. She had a fever from catching a chill just a few days ago."
Lin Cheng: "Got it."
Lin Cheng brought the clothes down to Qiao Ying.
Seeing that she was putting on the coat and scarf herself while Lin Cheng stood by watching, Lin Guli gestured pointedly at Lin Cheng.
Understanding, Lin Cheng still pretended not to see it. Helping Qiao Ying or not aside, if he did, the glowering man upstairs facing his computer screen and holding an important meeting would definitely torment him hundreds of times over. Lin Guli assumed the young couple was shy showing affection in front of him.
"Yin had a wind chill infection a couple days ago and hasn't fully recovered yet, so let's just take a walk around the house," Lin Cheng said.
Concerned, Lin Guli asked: "Feeling better now?"
Pouring salt on the wound, this was surely Qin Hanyue's advice, right? It somehow provoked a rebellious streak in Qiao Ying.
"Very much so. Let's go outside, I want some fresh air."
Not giving Lin Guli a chance to dissuade her, Qiao Ying had already walked off.
Seeing this, Lin Cheng suddenly understood—they hadn't patched things up with her yet. Turns out her agreeableness wasn't to give him and his uncle face at all, it was to spite Qin Hanyue.
Didn't expect that! Even though Qin Hanyue is a mature business leader, his love story is as dramatic as a teenage romance. Lin Cheng had thought dating someone like Qin Hanyue would be boring and stale, but their little quarrels are pretty lively and amusing!
The weather today was quite nice, no rain or snow, just strong winds.
The uncle and nephew duo did most of the talking while Qiao Ying listened.
They hadn't walked far when her phone started dinging with incoming messages nonstop.
Qiao Ying took her phone out of her coat pocket. She didn't have her phone on her, it was left on the bed. So it couldn't have been Lin Cheng who put it in her coat for her. It must have been Qin Hanyue.
When she saw Lin Cheng hand her the scarf earlier, Qiao Ying knew he must have gone with Qin Hanyue to get her clothes.
So the messages were naturally from Qin Hanyue as well.
[Are you outdoors now?]
[Don't stay out too long, it's cold.]
[Did Fourth Master go with you guys too?]
[Is the scenery nice? This old castle has quite a lot of nice plants. Let me know if you like any, I can have them transplanted back home when we leave.]
Holding the phone Qin Hanyue had considerately equipped for her, Qiao Ying mocked: this guy really is too petty.
As messages kept coming in, Lin Guli noticed and looked over at her phone.
Seeing this, Lin Cheng asked perfunctorily: "Messages from uncle and auntie?"
Qiao Ying: "Mm-hmm."
Calling them uncle and aunt wasn't exactly wrong either.
Lin Guli: "They must be worried for Yin. If needed I can video chat with them to put their minds at ease."
Video chat?
Qiao Ying imagined Lin Guli and her "parents" seeing each other suddenly on video and almost laughed out loud.
Qiao Ying: "No need."
Lin Cheng: "Yin has been independent since she was little. Her parents don't worry much when she goes out."
Looking at the messages, Qiao Ying's finger hovered over the input box. Her eyes took on a mischievous glint and she put her phone on silent first. Then with a tap she sent a video call out...
Qin Hanyue, taking a break from his meeting, was waiting for messages when Qiao Ying's video call invite came in.
He wondered why she was calling him on video. Wasn't she with Lin Guli? Or was this her way of irking him—not planning to chat with Lin Cheng's family at all?
Was she in her room then?
Qin Hanyue took off his earpiece, put the meeting aside for the moment, and eagerly answered the call, thinking to seize the chance to score some points. But Qiao Ying didn't appear on screen.
First there was the sound of Lin Cheng and Lin Guli's conversation, then the footage shook and Qin Hanyue saw Lin Cheng's shoes and pant legs.
This absolutely wasn't an accidental video call.
Qiao Ying slipped her phone into her coat pocket with the camera poking out, pointed right at Lin Cheng. Acting perfectly casual, she walked unhurriedly.
Since Qin Hanyue wanted to tag along so badly, she would be happy to bring him along~
Holding his phone, Qin Hanyue was forced to listen to the happy familial chatter from the other end and watch Lin Cheng's fluttering coat hem.
Not knowing if Qiao Ying had muted it or not, Qin Hanyue didn't dare make a peep or hang up. He wanted to toss the phone aside but worried about missing something. So he found some earbuds to keep listening while holding his meeting.
At that moment he truly resembled Qiao Ying's secret lover. Qiao Ying was even boldly fooling around with him right under her "in-laws'" noses, kicking up the racy thrills.
As always, Qin Hanyue was quick to console himself—the fact that Qiao Ying wanted to provoke him like this meant she wasn't truly angry at him. If she were, she wouldn't have paid him any mind at all.
Having finished up, Qin Hanyue asked the servants and found the two listening to music leisurely in the music room, surrounded by cats and dogs.
Qiao Ying looked like the lady of the house, while he seemed like a guest.
As Qin Hanyue walked over he broke up the harmonious scene. He happened to overhear Lin Cheng happily telling Qiao Ying: "I haven't seen my uncle this cheerful in a long time."
Having tuned in the whole time, Qin Hanyue knew perfectly well how delighted Lin Guli was.
Seeing Qin Hanyue, Fourth Master barked at him unwelcomingly a couple times.
Qin Hanyue felt even more like an outsider.
Seeing Qin Hanyue arrive, Lin Cheng stopped the conversation: "Mr. Qin, finished with your tasks?" He invited Qin Hanyue to join them in listening to music.
Qin Hanyue sat down next to Qiao Ying and held her somewhat cold hand, gently asking: "Are you cold?"
Lin Guli got called to the palace by the Old King.
The Old King summoned Lin Guli regarding the matter of Qiao Ying shutting down the dark web system. Now all the LED screens in shopping malls, plazas, and numerous buildings were powered off.
As soon as it turned on, it showed Karina's and the maid's vicious faces.
The technical staff struggled for over ten hours to no avail.
Yet they couldn't keep cutting the power, so they had to ask Lin Guli for help.
Just then, Kala suddenly appeared.