Chapter 336 : A Mysterious Smile
Two days passed in the blink of an eye, and the day for their beach vacation had finally arrived. Since Zhou Xiaoxiao’s father, Zhou Jingshan, would be driving them and was on his way to pick them up, Ling Ning hadn’t left the house yet.
"Ye Ye, are you ready? Your Sister Xiaoxiao just called; they’ll be here soon~"
"Almost done~"
Ling Ye responded while double-checking her bag to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. Satisfied that everything was packed, she slung the bag over her shoulder and walked out of her room.
Meanwhile, Ling Ning lounged on the sofa, casually watching TV. She had finished packing both her and her daughter’s luggage the night before, triple-checking everything. All that remained was to wait.
When Ling Ye emerged from her room, Ling Ning stood up leisurely and went to make one last round of checks—locking windows, turning off appliances, and ensuring everything was secured. They’d be gone for a while, so she wanted to leave the house in order.
Once everything was confirmed, Ling Ning grabbed the luggage and headed out with her daughter. Before leaving, she made a point to stop by Xia You’s place to say goodbye. Originally, she’d invited Xia You to join them, but Xia You had declined.
Ling Ning found this surprising; Xia You rarely turned down her invitations. The mysterious smile Xia You had given her at the time left Ling Ning with the nagging feeling that there was more to it.
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Not long after they went downstairs, Zhou Xiaoxiao arrived.
When Zhou Jingshan stepped out of the car, Ling Ning greeted him nervously. "Hello, Uncle Zhou," she said softly, nudging her daughter.
Ling Ye mimicked her mother, bowing slightly. "Hello!"
Zhou Jingshan gave Ling Ning a brief glance and nodded, a flicker of amazement flashing in his eyes. He hadn’t expected his daughter’s friend to be so stunning. Strangely, though, there was something oddly familiar about her—like he’d seen her somewhere before.
"Dad, let me introduce you! This is my good friend, Ling Ning~"
"Ling Ling!?"
Hearing Zhou Jingshan’s exclamation, both Zhou Xiaoxiao and Ling Ning froze, panicking slightly. Zhou Xiaoxiao hurriedly explained, "It’s ‘Ning’ as in ‘melody,’ not ‘Ling’ as in ‘feather.’ It just happens to sound the same. I was shocked by the coincidence myself when I first heard it!"
"Oh~ I thought you made Ling Ling dress up as a girl," Zhou Jingshan said with a relieved chuckle.
"Dad! Give me some credit—I’m not that crazy!"
"Alright, but it has been a while since I’ve seen Ling Ling. You should invite him over sometime; I miss playing chess with him."
"Got it, got it. Now let’s get going~"
As Zhou Jingshan dropped the topic, Ling Ning exhaled in relief. If he’d pressed further, things might have taken a turn.
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The destination was quite far, requiring several hours by car under ideal traffic conditions. If there were delays, it could take even longer.
As soon as they got in the car, Ling Ning feigned carsickness and closed her eyes to rest. She knew that the more she talked, the more likely she was to slip up.
"Xiaoxiao, is your friend okay?" Zhou Jingshan asked, noticing through the rearview mirror that Ling Ning looked pale and had her eyes closed.
Zhou Xiaoxiao glanced at Ling Ning and waved it off. "She’s fine, just a little carsick."
"Oh~"
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"Mom, Mom, we’re almost there~"
Ling Ning was roused by someone gently shaking her. She slowly opened her eyes to see her daughter’s excited face. Confused, she turned to look out the window.
The sight that greeted her was breathtaking—a vast expanse of blue sea under a sunny sky, with golden sand stretching along the shore. Ling Ning was stunned. How had they arrived so quickly? She had only meant to rest for a moment, but she had clearly dozed off.
"Are you awake, Ling Ning? Still feeling carsick?" Zhou Jingshan asked with a smile.
"I’m fine now~"
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Shortly after, they arrived at their destination.
Looking up at the magnificent villa before her, Ling Ning couldn’t help but marvel inwardly, “It must be nice to have money. One day, I’ll buy a seaside villa of my own and come here every year.” Then she thought about how long it would take her to achieve that dream and sighed. By then, she’d probably be old and gray.
Once their luggage was unloaded, Zhou Jingshan left, as he had business to attend to nearby. After saying goodbye, the group headed inside.
The interior of the villa was pristine, with neatly arranged furnishings. It was clear that it was regularly maintained.
"There are plenty of rooms, so feel free to pick whichever one you like," Zhou Xiaoxiao said. "Just remember to air it out and put the bedding out in the sun. Although the place is cleaned often, I can’t remember the last time someone stayed here."
At this, Ling Ye cheered and ran upstairs to pick a room. Halfway up, she seemed to remember something and came back down.
"Mom, let me help you~"
Ling Ning chuckled, patting her daughter’s head affectionately. "It’s fine; Mom can handle it. Go pick your room first~"
But her daughter’s determined expression left her no choice. Ling Ning smiled helplessly and moved aside, letting Ling Ye help with the luggage. With her daughter’s assistance, everything became much easier.
Ling Ning chose the room next to Ling Ye’s. It was far larger than her own bedroom, with all the amenities she could think of—wardrobe, TV, bathroom, and even a brand-new computer. She realized she had brought her laptop for nothing.
After placing her luggage in a corner, she opened the windows to let in the sea breeze. The salty, fishy scent of the ocean filled the air. From the balcony, she could see the sandy shore below, dotted with people enjoying themselves.
"A seaside villa... this is amazing~" she murmured to herself.
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Author’s Note:
China won! Praise the Immortal!