Chapter 230 : This Is Truly a Good Habit
“Mm~”
Ling Ning slowly opened her eyes, reaching out to grab her phone from the bedside table. A quick glance showed that it was just past six in the morning. It seemed that, after years of school, her body clock had gotten so used to early mornings that even if she wanted to sleep in, it woke her up anyway.
She tried to go back to sleep, but found herself fully awake, especially since she’d gone to bed early the previous night. Realizing she had no drowsiness left, Ling Ning decided to get up. Lying in bed doing nothing felt pointless; going out for a morning stroll seemed much more appealing.
“Hey!? Xia You, you’re up this early too?”
As Ling Ning opened the door to go out, she was surprised to find Xia You about to leave as well. She hadn’t expected Xia You to be an early riser.
Xia You greeted her with a soft smile. “Good morning, Ling Ning.”
For Xia You, waking up early had been a habit developed over many years. Back when her father was still around, she’d leave the house before he woke up. After meeting Ling Ning, she used her early mornings to… ahem, follow Ling Ning and “protect” her.
Although her father was no longer in the picture, the habit had stayed with her. Like this morning, after washing up, she’d been quietly sitting by her door, waiting. As soon as she heard Ling Ning’s door open, she knew she’d get to see her.
“Want to join me for a walk?” Ling Ning asked cheerfully.
Xia You nodded enthusiastically—this was exactly the invitation she’d been hoping for.
The two walked along the quiet morning streets, with most of the shops still closed, save for a few breakfast places. Ling Ning wasn’t in a hurry to buy breakfast, though; her main goal was simply to enjoy the stroll.
As she walked, she took in the sights along the street, while Xia You followed just slightly behind, where she could catch the faint scent Ling Ning’s presence carried.
“By the way, Xia You, the college entrance exams are tomorrow. Are you feeling nervous?” Ling Ning asked curiously.
Xia You shook her head. “I… I’ll be in the same exam hall as you, so… I’m not nervous.”
She’d initially felt some anxiety, but upon learning she’d be taking the exam alongside Ling Ning, her nerves vanished. As long as Ling Ning was nearby, Xia You felt she could accomplish anything.
“Oh, really?” Ling Ning smiled, then added, “So, which university are you planning to apply to?”
“Wherever you go, that’s where I’ll go,” Xia You replied without a moment’s hesitation. To her, it didn’t matter if it was an elite university or somewhere unknown. As long as she could be near Ling Ning, she’d be content.
“Got it~” Ling Ning mused thoughtfully. With Xia You’s current grades, getting into S University shouldn’t be too difficult. But with exams, you could never be too certain—until the results were out, no one could be sure of anything.
The two continued their walk, and just as they were about to head back to buy breakfast, Ling Ning spotted a familiar face. She squinted, and sure enough, it was her desk mate, Xu Qing.
“Hey~ Xu Qing, you’re up early too?”
Hearing her name, Xu Qing turned and saw Ling Ning nearby.
“Huh!? Ling Ning, what are you doing up so early?”
Xu Qing looked at her in disbelief. She remembered Ling Ning saying she’d planned to sleep in today, so why was she out and about so early? And why was Xia You, the “broody girl,” by her side?
Ling Ning chuckled. “Blame it on my body clock. By the way, I thought you didn’t live near here. Why come all this way for breakfast?”
“Oh, well… I just love the buns from this place!” Xu Qing replied with a straight face. Truthfully, she’d only planned to find a nearby spot for breakfast before stopping by Ling Ning’s place. She hadn’t expected to run into her this early.
The shop owner glanced at Xu Qing, looking a bit puzzled. As far as he knew, she wasn’t one of his regulars, and a girl this pretty would definitely stand out in his memory.
Xia You shot Xu Qing a sharp look. She’d planned to enjoy a peaceful morning alone with Ling Ning, but now that plan was ruined. Plus, with Ling Ning around, she couldn’t exactly chase Xu Qing away.
“Hey, Ling Ning, do you have plans today? Mind if I come over for a visit?” Xu Qing asked carefully.
“Sure! I’m free and just planning to relax today,” Ling Ning replied with a smile.
And just like that, Ling Ning’s group heading back home had gained another member.
“Oh, you really went out of your way just for some breakfast buns. You must really like them,” Xia You commented with a dazzling smile as she lowered her voice, speaking to Xu Qing.
“Oh, no trouble at all. I could say the same for you—up so early just to be near Ling Ning,” Xu Qing replied, returning Xia You’s smile with one of her own.
“Well, what can I say? I live right next door,” Xia You added.
Xu Qing’s eyes widened in surprise. Because of exams, she hadn’t visited Ling Ning’s place recently and hadn’t realized Xia You had moved next door. No wonder she was shocked.
Seeing Xu Qing’s surprised look, Xia You flashed a triumphant smile. Xu Qing had always had Ling Ning’s attention at school, which had irritated her for ages. Now, she finally got to savor the feeling of victory.
Meanwhile, Ling Ning was walking ahead, engrossed in checking messages in her reader group, entirely unaware of the silent exchange between the two girls behind her.
Just as they reached the base of Ling Ning’s apartment building, she spotted another familiar figure. Squinting, she realized it was Li Qian—lingering around the entrance to her building. What was she doing here so early?
Li Qian spotted Ling Ning at the same moment, watching as she walked in through the front gate. Like Xu Qing, she’d heard Ling Ning mention plans to sleep in today. So why was she out so early?
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Author’s Note:
My brain’s a total blank today. Sat in front of the computer for hours and barely managed to write a few hundred words. Guess this salted fish is turning into a dead fish… wait, isn’t a salted fish basically a dead fish anyway?