Chapter 246 : Little Knight
“Oh my, Xiao Xue is getting cuter by the day~” Ling Ning said with a gentle smile, reaching out to softly pat Xiao Dong Xue’s head.
At that moment, Xiao Dong Xue was sitting on Ling Ning’s lap, her eyes squinting in a happy crescent as she enjoyed the comforting sensation of Ling Ning’s hand on her head. A slight smile curved up at the corners of her mouth.
Yang Bing sighed as she glanced at her daughter. Just a moment ago, Dong Xue had been ignoring her entirely, but as soon as Ling Ning arrived, the little one had immediately clung to her. Yang Bing was beginning to wonder if she was even Dong Xue’s real mother.
With a resigned sigh, Yang Bing said to Ling Ning, “Why are you here so early?”
“Well, since you’re heading out this morning, I thought I’d come over early,” Ling Ning replied cheerfully.
“Alright then, Ling Ning. I’m counting on you to take care of Xiao Xue for a bit. I’ve packed her clothes and essentials in that small suitcase.”
“Leave it to me,” Ling Ning said, looking down at Dong Xue. “So, Xiao Xue, would you like to stay with your big sister for a while?”
At Ling Ning’s words, Xiao Dong Xue looked up at her, nodded without hesitation, and snuggled back against Ling Ning, happily basking in her head pats.
Just then, Yang Bing’s bedroom door opened, and out walked a beautiful woman with burgundy hair, dressed in a thin nightgown and looking rather sleepy. It was obvious she hadn’t fully woken up yet.
As Ling Ning looked at this elegant woman, she had the feeling she’d seen her somewhere before. After thinking for a moment, she realized—this was Dong Xue’s father and Yang Bing’s partner, whom she’d seen in photos and heard about several times. The name was… ah, Dong Fei.
Dong Fei rubbed her eyes and finally noticed the unfamiliar young woman in her living room. Her daughter was sitting on the stranger’s lap, enjoying a head rub. This sight was…incredibly enviable!
Even last night, when Dong Fei had tried patting her daughter’s head, she’d been brushed off. But now, here she was, happily accepting this girl’s affection. How did things turn out this way? She was her father! She wanted to pat her daughter’s head, too!
“You lazy bones, finally up?” Yang Bing scolded. “I told you not to stay up so late last night, but you wouldn’t listen. And didn’t you say you’d be up early? Good thing I was smart enough not to book an early flight.”
“Ehh… hehe,” Dong Fei laughed sheepishly, then turned to Ling Ning. “You must be Xiao Bing’s treasured disciple, Ling Ning. I’m Dong Fei, her partner. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“N-Nice to meet you,” Ling Ning replied, setting Xiao Dong Xue on the nearby sofa and standing to greet Dong Fei. She hadn’t expected that in the short time since her last visit, her mentor would have changed her family dynamic so much.
“Xiao Xue, come give Daddy a hug~” Dong Fei reached out to her daughter, a hopeful smile on her face.
Dong Xue glanced at her father, then at Ling Ning beside her, and promptly climbed back into Ling Ning’s lap.
Xiao Dong Xue used her “ignore” skill on Dong Fei, delivering a critical emotional blow. Dong Fei was speechless.
Seeing her father defeated, Xiao Dong Xue hesitated for a moment, then jumped down from Ling Ning’s lap, walked over to her father, and tried to pat her on the head. However, given her small stature, she couldn’t reach.
After thinking for a moment, Xiao Dong Xue climbed onto the nearby sofa, where she finally managed to reach her father’s head. Patting Dong Fei, she gently said, “There, there~”
Watching this, the only thought in Ling Ning’s mind was, Where’s the first aid kit? Someone get me a first aid kit! I’m about to die from cuteness overload!
With the comforting head pats from her daughter, Dong Fei managed to recover, though her dignity as the head of the household felt entirely deflated. She sighed and slipped away to freshen up in the bathroom.
As Ling Ning watched Dong Fei walk away, she couldn’t help but think back to the photos, where Dong Fei had looked like a mature, refined lady. But in person? She was a total goofball and shamelessly obsessed with her daughter—beyond hope.
Yang Bing stood to the side, smiling at the scene. She was clearly used to this by now.
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Ling Ning walked down the street with Xiao Dong Xue at her side. Yang Bing and Dong Fei had left for the airport, and now Ling Ning was heading home with her new guest.
“What’s wrong?”
Feeling a slight tug on her skirt, Ling Ning turned to see Xiao Dong Xue beside her. Dong Xue only pulled on her skirt like that when she had something to say.
“Um, I want that.”
Ling Ning looked in the direction Dong Xue was pointing and saw an arcade, with a claw machine by the entrance. Dong Xue’s finger was aimed straight at the claw machine.
Ling Ning led Xiao Dong Xue into the arcade and asked, “Which one do you want?”
Dong Xue pointed to the claw machine on the far end, filled with dolls from the anime Little Knight Miruko.
Little Knight Miruko was a children’s anime about a young knight helping others, and though Ling Ning hadn’t watched it, she knew of its popularity. She hadn’t expected Dong Xue to be a fan.
Just then, a young man walking into the arcade noticed Ling Ning and Dong Xue standing by the claw machine. Out of a sense of goodwill, he walked up to Ling Ning and said, “Miss, I’d advise against using that machine—it’s a scam.”
Hearing his comment, Ling Ning turned and smiled politely. “It’s okay. My little sister just wants to try it.”
Ling Ning had played claw machines before in her past life, so she knew how tricky they could be. But seeing the hopeful look in Dong Xue’s eyes, she couldn’t bear to refuse. Besides, it was just a claw machine—it wouldn’t cost much, and making Dong Xue happy was worth every penny.
The young man shrugged and walked away, having done his good deed. If she still wanted to try, it was up to her.
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Author’s Note:
The salted fish has nothing to say~