Chapter 387 : Hold On Tight!
“So full...”
Ling Ning patted her stomach contentedly. Eating beef hot pot on a hot day might not have been the most sensible idea, but when it was free and featured premium beef, what was there to complain about?
“As long as you liked it, Ling Ning.”
Cang Kongjing said, her voice tinged with regret. She had invited Ye Xuan to try this hot pot place after hearing good things about its beef, but she hadn’t expected the food to be this spicy.
She wasn’t great with spicy food to begin with, and even the mild broth here had her sweating buckets. She couldn’t imagine what the mala (spicy and numbing) broth would be like—it was too terrifying to even think about.
Sitting beside Ling Ning, Ye Xuan glanced at her. Thanks to the combination of hot pot and spice, a thin layer of sweat glistened on Ling Ning’s forehead. Beads of sweat slid down from her neck, disappearing into the depths of her chest.
*I wonder if Ling Ning’s legs are sweating too,* Ye Xuan thought to herself.
Once the thought entered her mind, she couldn’t shake it. And as the saying goes, “Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth.” Slowly, Ye Xuan reached her hand toward Ling Ning’s leg under the table.
Ling Ning, sipping her drink to quench her thirst, nearly spat it out when she felt something touch her leg. She didn’t need to look to know who the “culprit” was.
Glancing at their oblivious tablemate, Cang Kongjing, who was busy scrolling through her phone, Ling Ning leaned closer to Ye Xuan and whispered, “Are you insane? Here of all places?”
As she spoke, her hand worked furiously under the table to pry Ye Xuan’s hand off her leg. But Ye Xuan’s grip was like glue—stubbornly stuck in place. It wasn’t that Ye Xuan was particularly strong; it was more that Ling Ning didn’t dare exert too much force, fearing they’d draw Cang’s attention.
Not to mention the other patrons in the restaurant. Their table of three women—each attractive in their own way—was already attracting plenty of glances. Fortunately, Ling Ning was seated near the wall, somewhat shielding her from view. But if someone crouched down, who knew what they might see?
“Ling Ning’s thighs... they’re a bit damp,” Ye Xuan murmured teasingly.
“They’re sweaty!” Ling Ning snapped in a hushed voice, glaring at her.
“I know it’s sweat. Did you think I meant something else?” Ye Xuan replied with a faint smile.
While the two whispered back and forth, Cang Kongjing finished her texting and looked up. She had initially doubted her suspicions about Ye Xuan and Ling Ning’s relationship, but now she felt more certain than ever.
They were openly flirting in public, and to top it off, Ye Xuan—usually so stoic—was smiling. In all the time Cang had worked with her, she had never once seen Ye Xuan smile. Yet here she was, smiling at Ling Ning. If this didn’t mean something, what did?
*Ye Xuan’s smile is surprisingly beautiful,* Cang thought to herself.
Noticing Cang’s gaze, the two quickly stopped their banter, and Ye Xuan reluctantly withdrew her hand. She knew that if she pushed her luck further, Ling Ning would likely get angry.
Breaking the silence, Cang Kongjing awkwardly said, “Ms. Ye Xuan, you and Ling Ning seem very close~”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Cang regretted them. She had only wanted to break the tension, but why did she have to say something so bold?
Ling Ning blinked, caught off guard and unsure how to respond.
“We’re quite close,” Ye Xuan said calmly, her usual impassive expression giving nothing away.
“Ahaha~” Cang forced a laugh before quickly changing the subject. “Ms. Ye Xuan, after your transfer, will you still be teaching English?”
Ye Xuan shook her head lightly. “I’ll just be working as a teaching assistant.”
Having used her connections to secure the transfer, Ye Xuan was content with the position. Her primary goal was to be at the same university as Ling Ning. What she taught was secondary.
“Oh? But I think you’d make a great lecturer, Ms. Ye Xuan,” Cang said earnestly, looking genuinely regretful.
“Perhaps someday,” Ye Xuan replied with quiet confidence.
After checking the time on her phone, Cang stood up and said, “I should get going. Thank you so much for all your guidance this past year.”
“It was nothing.”
Ye Xuan genuinely appreciated Cang as a colleague. Though inexperienced and occasionally timid, Cang was a responsible and dedicated teacher.
Watching Cang leave, Ye Xuan turned back to Ling Ning. “I have something to take care of this afternoon, so I can’t show you around campus.”
“That’s okay. I’ll be back in a few days for orientation, so I need to prepare some things at home anyway.”
“You’re not staying in the dorms, are you?”
“Nope. I have Ye Ye to take care of~”
Ling Ning was slightly disappointed. She had hoped to explore the legendary women’s dorms, but it seemed she’d missed her chance.
“Let me drive you home, then.”
The offer sent a chill down Ling Ning’s spine. She quickly waved her hands in refusal. “N-No need! I’ll just walk back—it’s good exercise after a meal.”
“Oh, okay.”
Ye Xuan’s face briefly showed a hint of disappointment. She had just started getting a feel for driving and was looking forward to it. Without Ling Ning as a passenger, the drive felt less meaningful.
"Wait! I'll ride in your car after all."
Ling Ning sighed helplessly. Just thinking about Ye Xuan's driving skills made her feel uneasy. It would be better to have an experienced driver like herself giving guidance from the side. Ling Ning wondered if she should find time to get her driver's license someday—riding in Ye Xuan's car always gave her a heart-stopping feeling.
"Should I take you home or..."
"Take me to the coffee shop... actually, better take me home first, I want to get something from there." At this point, Ling Ning had completely forgotten about preparing the things she needed.
"Weren't you... never mind, hold on tight."