Chapter 367 : That Scared Me Into Drinking Some Orange Juice!
“So, Mom, where are we going to play today?” Ling Ye asked sweetly, sitting on her mother’s lap with a curious look.
Since the three of them had finished freshening up that morning, they had just been sitting there, staring into space. While Ling Ye found her mother’s lap to be very comfortable, just sitting like that felt a bit too dull.
Hearing her daughter’s question, Ling Ning paused, then let out an awkward laugh. “Uh… well, Sister Ye Xuan said she wanted to treat us to a big meal today. I have no idea why she hasn’t made a move yet, though.”
As she spoke, Ling Ning glanced at Ye Xuan, who was sitting nearby. There was no way she would let Ye Xuan get away with eating so much of her “tofu” for free. At the very least, she had to make her pay for a nice lunch!
“A big meal? Really?”
Ling Ye’s eyes sparkled with anticipation as she looked at Ye Xuan. Perhaps from living with her thrifty mother for so long, the mention of a free meal made her react almost identically to Ling Ning.
Raising an eyebrow, Ye Xuan gave Ling Ning a calm look before nodding lightly. She had never backed down from hosting a meal, and treating Ling Ning was something she always found rewarding.
Seeing Ye Xuan agree, Ling Ning’s face lit up with a sly smile.
“Well then, what are we waiting for? It’s almost noon! If we don’t head out soon, it’ll be too late—and I haven’t even had breakfast yet~”
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The three of them soon found themselves at a nearby shopping street. Looking at the rows of restaurants, Ye Xuan asked softly, “Where would you like to eat, Ling Ning?”
“Lunch, huh? Since you’re the one treating us, you should decide.”
Ling Ning smiled brightly, effortlessly tossing the decision back to Ye Xuan. Picking a place to eat was always her least favorite part of going out—it cost her countless brain cells every time.
Raising an eyebrow, Ye Xuan shifted her gaze to Ling Ye. “How about you, Ye Ye? Where do you want to eat?”
“Lanlan Road!”
Without hesitation, Ling Ye pointed to a fast-food restaurant labeled “Lanlan Road.”
Since Ling Ning usually restricted her from eating too much junk food, she wasn’t about to miss such a golden opportunity!
After speaking, she looked up at her mother with a pitiful expression, making it hard for Ling Ning to suppress a laugh.
“Well, since Ye Ye doesn’t get to go out often, we can let her have a treat this time,” Ye Xuan chimed in.
With a chuckle, Ling Ning gently ruffled her daughter’s hair. “Since your Sister Ye Xuan is advocating for you, I’ll make an exception and let you go once more~”
Ling Ning had imposed a limit of three visits to Lanlan Road per month for Ling Ye, knowing her daughter’s spending habits. If not for this rule, Ling Ye would undoubtedly give in to temptation—especially since there was a Lanlan Road near their home.
“Yay! Mom, you’re the best!” Ling Ye cheered, rushing into the restaurant.
“Hey, Ling Ning.”
“Hm?”
“Don’t we look like a family of three? I’d be the dad, you’d be the mom, and Ye Ye would be our daughter,” Ye Xuan said lightly.
“Why would you be the dad? I’d be the dad—wait a minute!” Ling Ning suddenly froze. Her focus had gone entirely to the wrong part of Ye Xuan’s comment.
While she fumbled to formulate a response, Ye Xuan smiled faintly and followed Ling Ye into the restaurant, leaving Ling Ning standing there in a daze.
“Three-no beauties really do have the best smiles!”
That was the only thought running through Ling Ning’s mind. As for whatever she had been planning to say, it was long forgotten.
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“Mom, you seem a bit out of it,” Ling Ye said between bites of her chicken drumstick. She’d noticed her mom acting strange ever since they entered Lanlan Road.
“N-Nothing.”
Ling Ning coughed awkwardly and, in an attempt to cover her embarrassment, grabbed a burger and stuffed it into her mouth.
“Mom, you didn’t even unwrap it.”
Feeling the strange texture in her mouth, Ling Ning realized her daughter was right. Her attempt to cover her slip-up had only made her look more ridiculous. How mortifying!
“Ah… Mom just got a little distracted,” she explained, trying to sound composed.
If not for the telltale blush on her face, her excuse might have sounded more convincing.
After properly unwrapping her burger, Ling Ning thought she was in the clear. But as she ate, she suddenly started choking.
Noticing something was wrong, Ye Xuan slid her soda across the table.
Without a second thought, Ling Ning grabbed the soda and gulped it down. Finally catching her breath, she sighed in relief. She’d eaten too quickly in her flustered state, and it had come back to bite her.
“No need to rush. No one’s going to steal your food,” Ye Xuan said with concern.
“Got it.”
Just then, Ling Ning realized something. She had ordered orange juice, but what she just drank was soda.
Looking at the table, her half-finished orange juice was still there, and her daughter was sipping a soda of her own. Which meant the soda she drank... belonged to Ye Xuan.
“Um… I-I’ll give you my orange juice as an apology.”
“Alright.”
Just as she pushed her orange juice toward Ye Xuan, she realized her mistake. She had already drunk half of it! Before she could take it back, Ye Xuan had grabbed the glass and was already drinking from it, biting the straw gently.
“...”
Ling Ning stared at Ye Xuan, completely speechless.
Sitting nearby, Ling Ye witnessed the entire scene. She felt a surge of indignation. Sister Ye Xuan was flirting with her mom right in front of her! This was absolutely unforgivable!
“Mom, you can have my soda.”
A cup suddenly appeared in front of Ling Ning, complete with tiny teeth marks on the straw from Ling Ye.
“N-No need. Ye Ye, you drink it.”
“Drink!”
Ling Ye puffed up her cheeks indignantly.
Ling Ning blinked in confusion, completely clueless about what was going on.