Chapter 366 : It’s Not Just the Legs!
“Ring, ring, ring~”
Hearing her alarm clock go off, Ling Ning threw off her blanket, ready to get up. But as she sat halfway up, she suddenly remembered—it was Saturday, no work today. Why wake up so early?
She reached out to turn off the alarm and crawled back into bed. Enjoying the warmth of her blanket, she decided to sleep until noon. She had been utterly exhausted recently, and with a middle school reunion to attend tomorrow with Li Qian, even the thought made her feel drained.
Given the nature of her job, working on Saturdays wasn’t unusual. But weekends were typically quiet unless Qin Qing contacted her, and she’d already finished all her freelance projects. It was time for a well-earned lazy weekend.
“Ding dong, ding dong~”
Just as she was drifting back to sleep, the doorbell rang. Ling Ning sighed, got out of bed, and shuffled slowly to the door.
“Who is it? So early in the morning...”
“It’s me.”
That familiar voice and calm tone jolted Ling Ning awake.
She opened the door to find Ye Xuan standing there. Staring at her visitor in confusion, Ling Ning asked, “Weren’t you supposed to be back in your hometown?”
“I was. For quite a while.”
Ye Xuan smiled, a hint of mischief on her lips. She had spent over a month back home, negotiating with her father. Although it had cost her a lot, she had succeeded. Now, the thought of seeing Ling Ning every day filled her with uncontainable joy.
After returning yesterday, she couldn’t wait to visit Ling Ning today. Without the daily sight of Ling Ning’s long legs, time had dragged unbearably. A month had felt like a year—or perhaps ten.
“Eh?!”
Ling Ning blinked. When Ye Xuan had announced her trip home last time, she’d made it sound like a dramatic farewell, leaving Ling Ning thinking she wouldn’t return. She’d even let Ye Xuan eat all the tofu she wanted before leaving, but now it felt like she’d been tricked.
Batting Ye Xuan’s wandering hands away, Ling Ning led her into the living room.
“Behave yourself. My daughter’s still sleeping.”
“So, if Ye Ye wasn’t here, it would be okay?”
Ye Xuan’s calm response left Ling Ning stunned.
“Even if Ye Ye wasn’t here, it’s still a no!”
Ling Ning glared at Ye Xuan, recalling the fear of her graduation day when Ye Xuan had completely dominated her. Her legs were absolutely off-limits to this woman.
Checking the clock, she saw it was just past 8 AM. Although she still felt like sleeping, Ye Xuan’s presence meant she couldn’t go back to bed.
“Wait here in the living room. I’ll go freshen up.”
Ling Ning said as she headed to the bathroom.
While brushing her teeth, she felt a strange sensation, as though she was being watched. Turning her head, she found Ye Xuan standing at the doorway, staring straight at her.
“What’s so interesting to look at?” Ling Ning glanced down at herself, noticing she was only wearing a white T-shirt and a pair of bear-patterned panties—she’d forgotten to put on pants after getting up. No wonder Ye Xuan had been staring at her legs.
Without another word, she shut the door and resumed brushing her teeth.
Watching the door close, a flash of disappointment crossed Ye Xuan’s eyes. Moments like that, with Ling Ning looking so casual, were a rare sight. Especially those long, slender legs—they were utterly captivating.
When Ling Ning returned to the living room, freshly dressed, she found her daughter sitting on the couch, looking dazed. It seemed she hadn’t fully woken up yet.
“Ye Ye, why are you up so early?”
“I woke up, so I got up,” Ling Ye replied, her tone devoid of energy.
She had been awake since six in the morning, even though she’d been up late writing until past midnight. No matter how much she wanted to sleep, it eluded her. After tossing and turning until nearly nine, she gave up.
Her plan to crawl into her mom’s bed was thwarted when she found it empty, the covers already cold.
“I see. Go freshen up, then.”
“Mm~”
Obediently, Ling Ye got up and shuffled toward the bathroom. Ling Ning couldn’t help worrying she might walk into a wall or trip over something.
“So, why are you here so early?”
“I missed you,” Ye Xuan said earnestly, her eyes fixed on Ling Ning.
Caught off guard by Ye Xuan’s sincerity, Ling Ning averted her gaze. “It’s only been a month, you know. That’s not that long~”
As she spoke, she ran her fingers over the black stockings covering her legs. She hadn’t worn them in ages, and they felt a bit strange now, though still as comfortable as ever.
As for why she was wearing them, it was entirely because of Ye Xuan’s influence. Although they offered little real protection, they provided a tiny shred of psychological comfort.
“A month is an eternity for me. Even a single day without you feels like forever.”
“Are my legs really that irresistible?” Ling Ning asked, glancing down at her stocking-clad legs. She admitted they were stunning at first glance, but after seeing them every day, they’d become nothing special to her.
“It’s not just your legs—it’s you, Ling Ning.”
“Eh?!”
Ye Xuan’s sudden, confession-like remark left Ling Ning momentarily speechless. The air grew still between them.
“Mom, help me with my hair,” Ling Ye’s voice broke the silence.
Relieved by the distraction, Ling Ning forced a laugh. “I’ll go help Ye Ye with her hair.”
She quickly retreated into her room.
Ling Ye was already sitting at the vanity, holding a comb. When her mom arrived, she handed it over, then closed her eyes to enjoy the moment.
Although she could comb her own hair, having her mom do it made her feel safe and loved.
“Mom, you’re mine!”
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Author’s Note:
A brain-fried salted fish.