Chapter 254 : The Deadly Poison Named Ling Ning
“So, tell me—what’s your budget?”
After lunch, the group headed to the largest furniture store nearby. Ling Ning looked around at the various pieces, and as she thought about the empty, minimalist state of Bai Yiyue’s apartment, she felt a spark of excitement.
“Budget? I didn’t set one. Just pick whatever you think looks good, Ling Ning. It probably won’t cost that much anyway,” Bai Yiyue replied nonchalantly. After years as an idol, she had enough savings, even after donating part of her income to charity. Supporting ten or so Ling Nings would be more than manageable.
Hearing that she didn’t need to worry about costs, Ling Ning’s eyes lit up like she’d unlocked “unlimited money” mode in a life simulation game.
Seeing the gleam in Ling Ning’s eyes, Bai Yiyue suddenly felt a pang of unease.
Ling Ning pulled out her phone and opened the photo album. Last time she’d visited Bai Yiyue’s place, she’d taken pictures of the apartment from every angle. As for precise measurements, she’d had Bai Yiyue send those over. She was fully prepared.
“Let’s see… your bed’s the right size and style to fit the room’s vibe, so no need to replace that. Same goes for the wardrobe and bedside tables. Really, the room just feels too big and empty. It just needs some finishing touches,” Ling Ning explained confidently, trusting her life-simulation-gamer’s eye for design.
“Oh~” Bai Yiyue nodded, barely understanding a word. She had no clue about room décor, but she trusted that Ling Ning, with her seasoned attitude, would handle everything.
To be honest, even if Ling Ning decorated her place like a junkyard, Bai Yiyue would still be thrilled—after all, her favorite person was doing the decorating.
Xiao Dong Xue looked up at Ling Ning with an expression of pure admiration. She didn’t understand what Ling Ning was saying, but it all sounded so impressive. Ling Ning really was the best!
“This table looks great. It’s understated but classy, perfect for your room. You don’t have a desk, right? Let’s get this one. And we’ll need a matching chair.”
“By the way, you don’t have a computer desk, do you? I think this one is nice—minimalist but elegant. What? Yes, I know we just got a table, but a computer desk and a regular desk are completely different things! Add it to the cart. And don’t forget the matching chair.”
“Oh, and I noticed that your vanity doesn’t quite match the room’s aesthetic—it’s too small. You’re a woman; you need a proper vanity. Plus, it’s on sale today! No question about it—add it to the list.”
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Bai Yiyue watched in stunned silence as Ling Ning entered full-on “shopping mode.” Could her apartment really fit all these things? Well, whatever—if it made Ling Ning happy, she didn’t mind.
“Alright, I think we’ve got everything we need. Let’s go check out,” Ling Ning said, taking the invoice from the sales clerk and nodding in satisfaction. This should be enough to transform the space.
“Wait!” As they headed toward the checkout, Ling Ning’s eyes fell on an artistic bookshelf that caught her attention immediately.
“I knew something was missing! A room isn’t complete without a bookshelf. Add this one to the list, please,” Ling Ning told the clerk.
“Certainly!” The sales clerk beamed and quickly added the bookshelf. She was sure her commission for the day was going to be higher than her base salary. If more customers spent like Ling Ning, she might just get promoted.
Bai Yiyue stared in dismay. She didn’t even read books! What was she supposed to do with a bookshelf?
“Hold on a second!”
Just as they finally made it to the checkout, Ling Ning spotted something else.
“How could a room not have a trash can? That one over there looks perfect. Miss, please add that as well…”
The short distance to the checkout felt like the longest walk of Bai Yiyue’s life. She couldn’t help but wonder if her room could actually hold all this stuff. Fortunately, it would be delivered and set up for her; otherwise, she couldn’t even imagine the hassle.
After paying, Bai Yiyue finally let out a sigh of relief.
But before she could fully relax, Ling Ning spoke up again. “It’s still early. Let’s go browse some other places.”
“Wait… what else do we need?”
“There’s plenty we need! Think about it—we got a bookshelf, so now you’ll need some books to fill it. And you can’t have a computer desk without a computer! And a good computer needs quality peripherals. Plus, little things like a desk lamp—those are useful too. And that’s just the basics…”
Ling Ning rattled off a long list of items, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Bai Yiyue, meanwhile, was utterly lost. Was inviting Ling Ning out today a mistake?
“No more talking—let’s check out the ‘IntelliTech’ store next. I read online that their latest desktop model just came out, top of the line. Let’s go take a look!”
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“Wow, the day flew by,” Ling Ning remarked, glancing at the darkening sky. It had been ages since she’d had a shopping spree like this, and she felt completely invigorated.
“Ling Ning, come have dinner at my place,” Bai Yiyue said with a hopeful smile.
But Ling Ning shook her head. “Not this time—I need to get home and make dinner for Ye Ye. I’ll come over tomorrow instead, as I’ll need to help you arrange the furniture anyway.”
“Oh…alright. Wait, Ling Ning, look! Isn’t that Ye Ye?” As she said this, Bai Yiyue prepared to pounce.
But Ling Ning was too sharp to fall for such an obvious trick.
Seeing her attempt fail, Bai Yiyue laughed awkwardly. “Haha, that little girl really looked like Ye Ye, didn’t she? I almost mistook her.”
“You’re hopeless,” Ling Ning teased.
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting a kiss from the person you love, right?”
“You’re beyond help.” Ling Ning rolled her eyes, picked up Xiao Dong Xue, and started to walk away.
Bai Yiyue watched her go, standing there silently until Ling Ning disappeared around the corner. Only then did she turn to leave.
“Yes, I’m thoroughly poisoned by Ling Ning. And I don’t think there’s a cure.”
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Author’s Note:
Second chapter of the day from your favorite lazybones.
Recently, I’ve been pulling all-nighters every day. I feel like I might ascend to another plane soon~