Chapter 343 : An Intuition You Can’t Ignore~
When Zhou Xiaoxiao woke up, she heard some noise coming from downstairs. Stepping out of her room, she saw Ling Ning, Xia You, and an unfamiliar yet stunning girl sitting in the living room, deep in conversation.
Wasn’t Xia You supposed to be busy and not coming? How did this happen?
Meanwhile, downstairs, Ling Ning sat on the sofa with a contented smile. Watching Xia You and Xia Li animatedly discuss childhood memories filled her with joy. Making a new friend and seeing Xia You engage naturally with others—two happy moments combined into something even better. It was delightful.
Hearing the upstairs door open, Ling Ning instinctively glanced up. She spotted Zhou Xiaoxiao, who stood there with a bewildered expression, clearly confused about what was going on.
"Xiaoxiao, can you wake Ye Ye for me? And be quick with washing up—breakfast is getting cold," Ling Ning said cheerfully.
"Oh..." Zhou Xiaoxiao replied in a daze. She entered Ling Ye’s room to wake her and then headed to the bathroom to freshen up. Her mind was preoccupied with why Xia You was here and who the other girl might be.
Ling Ye, woken up by Zhou Xiaoxiao, initially wanted to burrow back under the covers. However, Zhou Xiaoxiao had left her door ajar, and the voices from the living room floated in, ruining her plans for extra sleep.
With a sigh, Ling Ye threw off her blanket and walked to the door. A glance downstairs left her with the same bewildered expression Zhou Xiaoxiao had earlier.
"Ye Ye, wash up and come down for breakfast~" Ling Ning called.
Hearing Ling Ning’s voice, Xia Li looked up and saw Ling Ye. "Oh, is that Ling Ning’s little sister? She’s adorable~"
"Of course my sister is adorable~"
Compliments about Ling Ye, no matter how simple, always made her happy. After all, to her, Ling Ye was the best.
After the two had finished washing up, they descended the stairs, still looking puzzled. Ling Ning handed them their breakfast and began explaining the situation.
Upon learning that this was Xia You’s hometown, Zhou Xiaoxiao didn’t know what to feel. All she understood was that her perfect vacation with Ling Ning was now completely derailed.
Another Ling Ye? Zhou Xiaoxiao would never consider Ling Ning’s sister a romantic rival. But Xia You and Xia Li? That was a different story altogether.
Once everyone finished breakfast, Ling Ning asked, "So, what’s the plan for today?"
"No idea," Zhou Xiaoxiao replied with a lifeless expression. She had meticulously planned out the next few days, but with Xia You and Xia Li’s unexpected arrival, she felt like tossing her plans out the window.
Ling Ning gave her a curious glance, sensing that something was off with Zhou Xiaoxiao.
Checking her phone, Ling Ning saw it was almost 10 a.m. If we go out now, it’ll be lunchtime soon. She decided it would be better to prepare lunch first and then plan the day’s activities. Besides, they had promised a barbecue today, so she might as well shop for the supplies.
"Time’s flying by. I’ll go buy groceries now. You can think about where to go this afternoon~"
"Eh!? Sister Ning, you can cook too?" Xia Li looked at Ling Ling with shock. She was going to suggest eating at her restaurant for lunch, but now it seems she had underestimated this big sister Ling Ling.
"Just enough to get by."
"I’ll go with you," Xia You said softly.
"I can manage on my own; I’m not directionally challenged..." Seeing the determination in Xia You’s eyes, Ling Ning sighed. "Alright."
Watching them, Xia Li frowned. The dynamic between Xia You and Ling Ning didn’t seem as simple as mere friendship. There was something deeper going on.
Not long after the two left, Xia Li suddenly stood up, feigning realization. "I forgot something at home. Be right back!"
Before anyone could respond, she bolted out the door, hoping to follow Xia You and Ling Ning without losing sight of them.
Ling Ye glanced at Xia Li’s retreating figure but quickly refocused on the TV. A new special episode of Magical Girl Xiao Ai was on, and nothing—not even Xia Li—could compete with her favorite show.
Zhou Xiaoxiao, meanwhile, sat staring at her phone, completely oblivious to Xia Li’s departure.
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As Xia You led Ling Ning through the streets with practiced ease, Ling Ning asked curiously, "You must’ve lived here a long time?"
"Yes. I was born here and stayed until I was ten. This place holds all my happiest memories. After my mom left unexpectedly, my dad changed completely. That’s the man you’ve seen," Xia You said softly.
Her explanation was brief, but it tugged at Ling Ning’s heart. The thought of Xia You’s scars made it even harder to bear. Unsure how to comfort her, Ling Ning silently took Xia You’s hand.
Feeling the warmth of Ling Ning’s touch, Xia You smiled faintly. "It’s fine now, because you’re here."
"...Mm."
This scene was clearly witnessed by Xia Li, who was hiding not far behind the two. Although she couldn't understand what they were discussing, what she noticed was that her Sister Xia You's expression and gaze were very unusual.
And why did they start holding hands while talking? This was obviously not normal, right? Although two girls holding hands would seem perfectly normal to most people.
But for some reason, watching the two of them from a distance, she had a feeling that things weren't as simple as they appeared.
As if sensing something, Xia You suddenly turned her head toward where Xia Li was, but fortunately, Xia Li managed to hide quickly, otherwise she would have definitely been discovered.
"Xia You, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, probably just my imagination."
Xia Li let out a long sigh of relief. As expected of Sister Xia You—when they played hide and seek as children, basically no one could hide from her watchful eyes, and it seems she hasn't changed even after growing up.
Just as Xia Li was reminiscing and preparing to continue tailing them, she suddenly realized that the two people who had been standing by the road had disappeared without a trace.
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Author’s Note:
Salted fish feels like it’s in a slump. Writing just doesn’t feel exciting right now.