"Brother, sister, this is for you."
The little girl took out two exquisitely crafted bells from her hands and handed one to Lin Xingwan and the other to Zhou Jinbai.
"What is this?" Lin Xingwan looked down at the butterfly in her hand, finding it extremely beautiful.
"These are called affinity bells. If two people in love hang them on the affinity tree, they will never be separated in this lifetime. And these affinity bells can bind three lives and three worlds. In the next life, and the life after that, brother and sister will always be together."
The little girl had a pure and innocent smile on her face, and her eyes, like crescent moons, were filled with joy.
Lin Xingwan didn't dislike the little girl, but it felt incredibly ironic that fate had arranged for such a child to give them affinity bells at this moment.
She and Zhou Jinbai could never be together in this lifetime.
"You don't need to..."
"Okay, thank you."
Before Lin Xingwan could refuse, Zhou Jinbai had already accepted.
Then, the man turned to Lin Xingwan and said, "Whether it's true or not, I like the meaning behind it. One lifetime is too short. I want to be destined with you for three lives and three worlds. When it comes to the life after next, I will continue to hang the affinity bell. Wife, you will only be mine, forever and ever."
After speaking, Zhou Jinbai asked for the location of the affinity tree and then led Lin Xingwan forward.
Xuan Yin, who was following behind them, also wanted to leave, but the little girl blocked his path and said, "Big sister, I'll give you an affinity bell too."
Xuan Yin looked at the girl with a cold face and said indifferently, "I'm a man, and I don't have anyone I like. I don't need it."
Of course, Xuan Yin frowned as he spoke, "Why do you call me big sister?"
He had always disguised himself so well all these years.
"Because you're too beautiful! You'll meet someone you like in the future, big brother. I'll give you an affinity bell in advance."
After speaking, the little girl, regardless of Xuan Yin's agreement, directly took a pair of affinity bells and stuffed them into Xuan Yin's hands. "Big brother, the one with the phoenix carved on it is for girls, and the one with the golden dragon is for boys. Don't get them wrong!"
Xuan Yin: "..."
He had never played with such effeminate things since he was a child.
Xuan Yin originally wanted to throw them away, but a kind uncle nearby said, "Young man, you can't just throw this thing away. Otherwise, you'll be childless and your family will be ruined. If you really don't want it, then go to the affinity temple next to the affinity tree and return the affinity bells to the affinity god."
"What a hassle."
Xuan Yin finished speaking and quickly followed behind Lin Xingwan and the others.
The affinity tree was located at the end of the night market.
And the people around the affinity tree were packed three layers deep.
More than ninety percent were couples, devoutly hanging their affinity bells on the affinity tree.
The affinity tree was a century-old tree with a very thick trunk, covered with countless bells. As the breeze blew, the sound of bells filled the air.
After Zhou Jinbai and Lin Xingwan hung their bells, Xuan Yin said, "Young master, young madam, I'll return these affinity bells to the affinity temple. Please wait for me here for a moment."
Zhou Jinbai nodded. As Xuan Yin was about to leave, a cry of surprise came from the crowd.
"Look quickly, there's someone lying here!"
"Could they be dead? They can sleep in such a noisy environment, and the weather is so cold."
"Why don't we call the police?"
"I think they're just drunk. Smell them, the man is emitting a constant smell of alcohol. I wonder how much he's had to drink."
The surrounding discussion was not far from Lin Xingwan and the others.
The three of them followed the sound and their faces instantly froze.
Because the person lying on the ground, asleep, was Jia Yanzhen!
At first, they all thought they were mistaken, but after a few seconds, it was still him!
Moreover, Jia Yanzhen's looks were undeniable. Even if he went into entertainment, he could easily outshine many male stars, possessing a protagonist's aura even in a crowd.
"How did Jia Yanzhen get here?" Lin Xingwan's impression of Jia Yanzhen was from head to toe, a man who exuded sophistication and flirtatiousness from every strand of his hair.
But in front of them, his stubble had grown quite long, his clothes were disheveled, and his hair was like a bird's nest. It was as if the once sophisticated and handsome young master was from another world.
"Let's go take a look."
Zhou Jinbai said and strode towards Jia Yanzhen.
Jia Yanzhen, still muttering on the ground, said, "Go away... don't touch me... I'm so handsome, don't take advantage of me when I'm drunk! I'm telling you fangirls, I'm sick. If you dare to touch me, I'll infect you..."
"Alcohol, give me alcohol, I want to drink until I'm dead!"
"It's better to die, then everything will be over. I'll never come to this world again."
...
"Xuan Yin, help him up." Zhou Jinbai said, then walked to Jia Yanzhen's side and bent down to pull him up from the ground. Xuan Yin naturally went to help Zhou Jinbai.
Jia Yanzhen then opened his hazy eyes, "Who is it... Don't touch me... Ah... So it's Big Brother..."
After saying that, Jia Yanzhen gave a self-deprecating laugh, "No, not Big Brother. I don't have a Big Brother. I'm just an ordinary abandoned infant. How could I be your brother? Hahaha..."
"Let go of me, don't touch me."
Jia Yanzhen began to struggle, but being drunk, he could barely stand, let alone escape from Zhou Jinbai and Xuan Yin.
Finally, Zhou Jinbai and the others took Jia Yanzhen to the nearest hotel.
Along the way, Jia Yanzhen chattered incessantly like a sparrow.
He cried and laughed, then hugged Zhou Jinbai's shoulder, talking about past events, even trivial matters that had bothered him for many years.
"That old woman was too heartless. Although I'm not her biological grandson, how have I ever treated her badly all these years? Haha, indeed, blood relations are important. She always looked down on me because I have the blood of the poor flowing in my veins. The Dongfang family is so noble, how could someone like me aspire to it?"
"Grandma doesn't dislike you, she just shows her concern in a less obvious way. Do you think you could have managed all the companies under your name so successfully all these years just by your own ability? It was Grandma who asked me to help you smooth things over."
Zhou Jinbai knew that no matter what he said at this moment would be useless. Arguing with a drunkard was a foolish act.
He just wanted to tell Jia Yanzhen something, as sometimes speaking out could make one feel better.
"And you are so detestable, Zhou Jinbai, do you know that! You wouldn't let me see that old woman. What do you think I would do to her? I want what I want through my own hard work, I would never harm the old woman, but you all guarding against me like this makes me feel so bad."
"But it's okay, anyway, someone like me, abandoned by my birth parents, has nothing likable about me. In the past, I was used like a chess piece, and now it's the same, just a piece of trash that no one wants to use."
"Leave me alone, I want to jump off the car. Anyway, there's no hope for me to live."
Jia Yanzhen started acting crazy again, and just then, Jia Yanzhen's phone rang.
Zhou Jinbai glanced at it. It was 'Hong Wenyao'!
Lin Xingwan also saw it and immediately remembered what those thugs had said tonight.
"This man, could he be that unscrupulous boss who wants to buy the land around the entire beach?" Lin Xingwan asked.
Zhou Jinbai handed the phone to Lin Xingwan, "You answer it. If the other party asks, tell them you are Yanzhen's woman. He's drunk now. Let's see if we can get any useful information from this Hong Wenyao."
Lin Xingwan nodded and answered the call.
"Boss Jia, have you considered what I told you last time? This investment has the backing of higher-ups, and we just need to wait to make money. If we miss this opportunity, it will be hard to find such a piece of land again."
On the other end of the phone, Hong Wenyao's tone was filled with cautious inquiry and flattery. It was clear that he really wanted to win over Jia Yanzhen.
"Boss Hong, I'm sorry, Yanzhen is drunk and asleep. It's not convenient to talk to you right now, but if you have anything to say, you can tell me, and I'll tell Yanzhen when he wakes up."
"I'm not drunk, I'm not drunk..." Jia Yanzhen immediately denied it, but his words made Hong Wenyao on the other end of the line realize that he was indeed drunk.
Men, what are they living for if not money, power, and women!
"In that case, I'll call again tomorrow."
Hong Wenyao hung up the phone.
"He didn't say anything useful. It seems the other party is still very vigilant," Lin Xingwan said with a helpless shake of her head, while Zhou Jinbai curled his lips.
Although there was no useful information in the phone call, the phrase 'has the backing of higher-ups' contained too much information.
Zhou Jinbai didn't say anything. After taking Jia Yanzhen to the hotel, he said to Xuan Yin, "You stay here and take care of him. Leave after he wakes up."
Xuan Yin could only nod and watch Lin Xingwan and Zhou Jinbai leave.
However, as soon as Zhou Jinbai and Lin Xingwan disappeared from Xuan Yin's sight, Jia Yanzhen suddenly hugged Xuan Yin.
A murderous intent flashed in Xuan Yin's eyes, but remembering that Young Master had personally ordered him to take care of Jia Yanzhen, he had to lower his raised hand.
"Young Master Jia, you're drunk. Men and women should not be too intimate. Please let go of me."
Xuan Yin's tone was cold, and his whole body exuded a chilling aura.
Jia Yanzhen, however, ignored Xuan Yin and even rubbed his chest. "Xuan Yin, why is your chest so hard? What are you hiding? Let this young master see? Why..."
Jia Yanzhen didn't even have time to finish his sentence before Xuan Yin knocked him unconscious.
What kind of 'auspicious day' was this? He was truly having the worst luck.
Little did Xuan Yin know that even though Jia Yanzhen had fainted, before losing consciousness, Jia Yanzhen had managed to pull an affinity bell from Xuan Yin's pocket.
—
The next day.
Lin Xingwan woke up early.
To be precise, she hadn't slept much since she got home last night.
Even before Zhou Jinbai woke up, Lin Xingwan was already busy in the kitchen.
Although she was a culinary genius, this time she chose simple steamed dumplings from the internet.
She planned to make breakfast for Zhou Jinbai.
When Zhou Jinbai opened his eyes and found Lin Xingwan not beside him, he panicked again.
But when he heard the sound of chopping vegetables from the kitchen, Zhou Jinbai walked to the kitchen and saw Lin Xingwan in her pajamas, busily chopping cabbage.
Zhou Jinbai hugged Lin Xingwan from behind, resting his chin affectionately on her shoulder.
"What are you doing, hmm?"
As the man asked, one hand had already slipped under Lin Xingwan's pajamas.
"Cabbage and pork steamed dumplings. I've made them a few times before, and they tasted alright. This time, I've also incorporated the essence from the internet. I think I can make them very delicious."
Lin Xingwan let Zhou Jinbai do as he pleased, and soon finished chopping the cabbage, then mixed it with the pork.
Once all the ingredients were prepared, she began to wrap the dumplings.
During this time, the man who had only intended to hug Lin Xingwan had already ignited his own passion.
Men were very sensitive in the morning, and his beloved woman was as docile as a cat, letting him do whatever he wanted.
Zhou Jinbai turned Lin Xingwan around and then kissed her lips.
"Don't mess around, I'm still wrapping dumplings. If these dumplings aren't finished, we'll both go hungry this morning."
Lin Xingwan glared at the man behind her.
"Then let's not eat dumplings. Can I eat my wife?"
Zhou Jinbai didn't care about eating dumplings. His mind was filled with the sight of this woman.
Besides, it had been a long time since Zhou Jinbai and Lin Xingwan had been intimate. As a carnivorous animal, Zhou Jinbai could not endure it forever.
"No, go wash up obediently, and I'll continue wrapping dumplings!" Lin Xingwan's tone allowed for no negotiation.
"Why can't I have both fish and bear's paw? What if I insist, hmm?"
Zhou Jinbai ignored Lin Xingwan's continued refusal, pushed aside all the items on the cabinet, and then lifted Lin Xingwan onto the cabinet.
"Wife, I'm hungry!"