Chapter 364 : Little Penny
“It’s strange. Your sister’s been out all day and still hasn’t come back. Xiao Qian, call her and check where she is,” her mother’s voice called out.
Rolling her eyes, Li Qian muttered inwardly. Her mother was just that kind of person, always worrying about everything. Despite her and her sister being adults now, their mother would still call if they didn’t come home on time after going out.
She understood her mother’s concern but found it a bit excessive at times.
“Got it~”
Li Qian responded weakly. Her phone was charging in her room, so to call her sister, she’d have to get off the couch—and she really didn’t want to.
After squirming on the sofa for a moment, Li Qian reluctantly got up. Since having lunch earlier, she had been glued to the couch, watching TV. She felt as though the couch had a magnetic hold on her.
Entering her room, Li Qian didn’t immediately grab her phone. Instead, she opened the curtains and windows, taking a deep breath of fresh air. Gazing at the bright world outside, she gently rubbed her eyes.
Just as she turned to fetch her phone, she noticed two familiar figures walking toward the building’s entrance. One of them was undoubtedly her sister. But the other... as they drew closer, Li Qian’s eyes widened in shock.
Wasn’t that Ling Ning?
And why were they holding hands?!
Could it be that her sister had gone out early in the morning just to have a date with Ling Ning? How infuriating! She had dibs on Ling Ning first! How did it end up like this?!
Without a second thought, Li Qian bolted out the door, skipping the elevator entirely and running down the stairs. It was only a few floors anyway.
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“I had such a great time today~” Li Meng said to Ling Ning with a bright smile.
Ling Ning had spent the day eating, watching a movie, and shopping with her. It felt like a date—or rather, it was a date.
Ling Ning chuckled softly. “I’m glad to hear that. Well, I’ll leave you here. It’s getting late, and I need to head back.”
“Wait a second!!!”
A sharp voice suddenly pierced the air.
Instinctively, Ling Ning turned toward the source of the voice, only to see Li Qian charging toward them in her pajamas, slippers clacking, and hair a chaotic mess. She looked like she had just rolled out of bed.
“Oh, hey, Xiao Qian... uh, Xiao Qian Qian.”
“Ha! You were just about to call me Xiao Qian Qian, weren’t you? Admit it!”
“No... no way.” Ling Ning glanced away guiltily. She had indeed almost called her “Xiao Qian Qian,” but luckily she caught herself in time.
Li Qian shot her a deadpan look, then turned to her sister. With a huff, she said, “Fine, I’ll let it slide this time.”
“Oh my, isn’t this our sleepy elder sister? What’s with the outfit?” Li Meng teased, a mocking smirk on her face.
Li Qian knew her current attire wasn’t exactly presentable, but what could she do? She hadn’t planned to go out today. Who would’ve thought her sister would sneak off like this?
“What I’m wearing is none of your business! Besides, shouldn’t you have called Mom if you were going to be out so late?”
“I got too caught up having fun on my date with Ling Ning and forgot~”
Li Meng deliberately emphasized the word “date,” aiming to strike a nerve.
“A d-d-date?!” Li Qian looked as though she had just taken a massive emotional blow.
“Yes, a date! We ate, shopped, and watched a movie together—it was amazing~” Li Meng said, clinging to Ling Ning’s arm like a koala.
“Uh...”
Li Qian instinctively took a step back, clutching her chest as if she were a betrayed spouse.
Seeing Li Qian’s dramatic reaction, Ling Ning didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “It wasn’t really a date. We just hung out for a bit. Don’t overthink it.”
“R-really?”
“Yes, really.”
Hearing Ling Ning’s reassurance, Li Qian’s spirits lifted slightly, though she still looked a bit dazed.
“It’s late, so I’ll head home now,” Ling Ning said.
“Stay for dinner!” Li Meng pleaded, tugging on her arm with an expectant expression.
“I can’t. I’ve got a mouth to feed at home. If I don’t get back soon, Ye Ye might flip the house upside down.”
At the thought of her daughter, a soft smile graced Ling Ning’s lips.
“Alright, but let’s hang out again soon.”
“Sure~”
As Ling Ning’s figure disappeared beyond the apartment gate, Li Meng turned her attention to her sister, who now resembled a lifeless shell. This was undoubtedly a huge victory for her. She had never seen her sister look so defeated before.
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Li Qian lay on her bed in a daze, replaying the thought of Ling Ning going on a date with her sister. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed.
Logically, she knew she had dibs on Ling Ning first. So why did things turn out this way?
She didn’t even feel like watching the drama she’d been engrossed in all afternoon. Even during a critical plot twist, she couldn’t muster any interest. Her mood was completely ruined.
At that moment, her phone, lying on the bedside table, suddenly started ringing. She reached out and fumbled for it. The caller ID displayed the name “Zhang Hao.”
“Who’s this?”
Squinting, Li Qian racked her brain. Oh, right. Zhang Hao was her middle school class monitor. He’d even confessed to her back then, but she had rejected him outright.
Why was he calling so late? Could it be that he hadn’t given up and was trying to hit on her again?
“Hello, Class Monitor? It’s late—what’s the matter?”
Hearing Li Qian’s voice, Zhang Hao on the other end felt a rush of emotion. It had been so long since he’d heard her voice, and it seemed even more pleasant now. He couldn’t help but wonder if she had grown even more beautiful.
“Well, I’m organizing a middle school reunion and wanted to invite you...”
“A reunion?” Li Qian’s eyes flickered. Initially, she wanted to decline outright, but then she seemed to have a change of heart.
“I’ll... think about it.”
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Author’s Note:
It’s been a while since I recommended a “pure yuri” story. This time, I’d like to highlight Golden Retriever Loser’s Yuri Conquest/金毛败犬的百合攻略 by “Moonlit Beauty.” From the title alone, you can tell it’s a gender-bender yuri. The protagonist is the golden retriever loser Eiri, with the first female lead being Megumi. This book is truly fantastic—I’ve been following it daily, but it’s never enough!