Chapter 171 : First This, Then That~
"Are you really sure it's fine for you to go back like this? Why not just stay over?"
Zhou Xiaoxiao looked at Ling Ning with a worried expression. Although Ling Ning was dressed in men's clothes, weren't there still plenty of creeps who liked cute boys?
"It’s fine~" Ling Ning waved her hand dismissively. She'd only had a bit of wine this time—just enough to make her a little dizzy but still capable of getting home by herself. Besides, the sun hadn't even set yet, so it was unlikely anyone would try anything in broad daylight.
"Well… okay. Just make sure you’re careful. Call me or send me a message when you get home."
"I know, I know~"
Watching Ling Ning's back as she walked away, Zhou Xiaoxiao couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. She really wanted Ling Ning to stay. Even though she knew this desire was wrong and she shouldn't be thinking this way, she just couldn't help herself.
"Maybe I really need to calm down," Zhou Xiaoxiao whispered to herself.
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Ling Ning walked slowly down the street, still feeling a bit groggy. She shook her head helplessly—her tolerance for alcohol was really nonexistent these days. Just a little red wine had her feeling tipsy. In her past life, this amount wouldn't even have counted as a warm-up.
She flagged down a taxi and gave the driver her address before leaning back to rest her eyes. Although she wasn't actually asleep, she was much more cautious about her surroundings since that incident with the traffickers. Whenever she went out alone, she stayed extra alert.
In just over half an hour, with no traffic jams, she arrived at her apartment building.
She hadn’t felt all that dizzy before, but after a bumpy car ride, her head was spinning even worse now.
Taking a deep breath, Ling Ning walked unsteadily towards a nearby public restroom. She changed out of her disguise and washed off the makeup on her face. As for her clothes, she stored them in a public storage locker nearby.
After splashing some cold water on her face, she felt slightly better. All she wanted now was to go home and get some good sleep.
"Ling Ning, what happened to you?"
Hearing the door open, Xia You instinctively turned around, only to see Ling Ning stumbling in, her face flushed. Quickly, Xia You got out from under the kotatsu and rushed over, taking the bags from Ling Ning's hands and helping her stand.
"I-I'm fine, I just had a bit of wine. Where’s Ye Ye?" Ling Ning glanced around the living room, not seeing her daughter anywhere.
"Ye Ye went to a friend's house. She should be back soon. Let me help you lie down on the bed first, alright? Lean against the wall while I get your shoes off." Xia You placed the large bag she was holding to the side, knelt down, and carefully took off Ling Ning’s shoes before helping her to the bedroom.
The moment Ling Ning saw the bed, she could barely hold herself back, wanting nothing more than to collapse onto it.
Perhaps because of her lingering dizziness, when she fell onto the bed, she instinctively pulled Xia You down with her. Caught off guard, Xia You ended up sprawled on top of Ling Ning—strictly speaking, she was lying on Ling Ning's body.
"S-sorry..."
Mumbling an apology, Ling Ning fell asleep almost instantly.
Xia You lay there, feeling the softness beneath her. She glanced at Ling Ning's lips, which looked unbelievably inviting under the soft glow of the lamp. Unable to resist, she bit her own lower lip, feeling a sudden, uncontrollable urge.
"Ling Ning..."
Without much hesitation, Xia You lowered her head, pressing her lips gently to Ling Ning’s. Since Ling Ning was already asleep, she offered no resistance, and Xia You's tongue easily slipped into her mouth.
Just as Xia You was about to take things further, the sound of the front door opening suddenly echoed from outside. There was no need to guess—it had to be Ling Ye coming home.
Frowning, Xia You looked at the defenseless Ling Ning and reluctantly got up. She carefully pulled the blanket over her, then left the room.
The moment Xia You stepped out, she saw Ling Ye coming in from outside.
"Sister Xia You, has Mom come back yet?" Ling Ye asked curiously as she took off her shoes. She'd noticed a pair of her mom's shoes on the floor, which made her wonder. Usually, the first thing her mom did when she got home was crawl under the kotatsu, but there was no one in the living room now, which puzzled her.
"Your mom had a bit to drink and is resting in the bedroom. I'm going down to buy some groceries—I'll cook tonight." After saying that, Xia You put her shoes back on and left.
Hearing that her mom was drunk, an idea popped into Ling Ye's head. A particular scene from her "study material" flashed across her mind.
It was a story about a drunk mom, with the daughter sneaking into her room to "do this and that," eventually even taking pictures, leading to a blissful life for the mother and daughter.
Ling Ye felt an urge building up, but she hesitated to act on it. Time seemed to pass slowly as she debated with herself. Finally, she made up her mind—she’d go into her mom's room, even if just to steal a little kiss.
But just as Ling Ye crawled out from under the kotatsu, the door opened again. Xia You walked in, carrying bags of groceries. She gave Ling Ye a puzzled look, as if asking why she was lying on the floor.
Ling Ye looked up at Xia You, feeling utterly dejected. She silently vowed to be more decisive in the future—after all, time waits for no one.
Ling Ning ended up sleeping until dinner time. When she finally woke, her head still felt groggy. If Xia You hadn’t called her, she might have slept through until morning.
"How are you feeling? A bit better?"
Hearing Xia You's concerned question, Ling Ning nodded. She did feel much better than she had earlier.
As soon as she stepped out of the room, the delicious aroma of food reached her nose, immediately making her stomach growl in response.
"Um, Ling Ning... do you remember what happened before you went to sleep?" Xia You asked suddenly.
"Before I went to sleep?" Ling Ning squinted, trying to remember. All she could recall was seeing the bed and instantly feeling the urge to sleep.
She shook her head, looking at Xia You in confusion. Why was she asking about this?
"N-no reason."
"Oh, alright."
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Author's Note:
In this cold-hearted world, only electromagnetism brings me a little warmth~