Chapter 401 : It’s All the Choice of Steins;Gate!
“Mom? What are you doing here?”
Fresh out of school, Ling Ye spotted her mom standing near the school gate, smiling warmly at her. But wasn’t her mom supposed to be busy registering for her own classes today? Why was she here to pick her up from school?
Noticing her daughter’s puzzled expression, Ling Ning smiled gently. “I finished registration quickly since a friend helped me with the process. And since I forgot to pick you up last time, I thought I’d make it up to you today. How does it feel—are you surprised?”
“I keep telling you, I’m not a little kid anymore.”
Despite her words, Ling Ye’s face lit up with joy as she walked up to her mom and grabbed her hand. After a long day at school, her mom’s hand was the one warm and familiar thing that could comfort her.
“Yes, yes, I know. My Ye Ye isn’t a little kid anymore~” Ling Ning chuckled as she reached out to gently pat her daughter’s head.
Looking up at her mom’s cheerful face, Ling Ye asked curiously, “Mom, you seem to be in a really good mood today. Did something nice happen?”
“Hmm… well, your mom had the incredible luck to meet her past-life lover amidst the vast sea of people. It must be the choice of Steins;Gate~” Ling Ning said with a straight face.
“Ugh.” Ling Ye shot her mom a look of disdain. Her mom was always forbidding her from saying random, incomprehensible things, and now here she was doing the exact same thing. Wasn’t this a textbook case of do as I say, not as I do?
“Alright, enough joking. Let’s go buy some groceries together. Tell me what you want to eat—your Sister Xia You is coming over for dinner tonight, too.”
“Oh~”
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Xia You glanced curiously at Ling Ning, who was sitting across from her, texting on her phone while humming the song “Dala Beng Ba.” She’d been in this good mood since cooking dinner, and Xia You couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to make her so happy.
The scene she’d witnessed at noon… must have been a hallucination from staying up all night. No matter what, as long as Ling Ning was happy, that was enough.
“I’ll head home now and get ready for my own registration tomorrow,” Xia You said after dinner.
“Do you want me to go with you?”
She hadn’t finalized her shopping plans with Su Ya yet, so if Xia You wanted her company, she could dedicate the morning to her and meet Su Ya in the afternoon instead.
Xia You shook her head lightly. “No need—I can handle it on my own.”
She didn’t want to trouble Ling Ning, especially since her mom clearly had other plans tomorrow.
“Alright then. If you run into any issues, don’t hesitate to call me.”
“Mm.”
Once Xia You left, Ling Ye couldn’t contain her curiosity any longer. It was unusual for her mom to be glued to her phone, especially during dinner. Today, however, she hadn’t let it go for a moment, constantly typing and occasionally smiling to herself.
The big question was: who could she be texting that would make her so happy?
Ling Ye tiptoed up behind the couch, trying to sneak a peek, but her mom’s sharp senses caught her instantly. “Ye Ye, what are you up to?”
Ling Ye grinned sheepishly. “I just wanted to see who Mom’s texting.”
“Oh, just a classmate I met today. Nothing interesting,” Ling Ning replied, handing her phone over for her daughter to see.
The texts on the screen were perfectly normal, leaving Ling Ye confused. Why was her mom so engrossed in regular conversation, to the point of texting even during meals? Although the person on the other end was a girl, that didn’t necessarily rule out the possibility of romantic interest. Wait—no, not even that could be ruled out entirely!
After all, most of the people orbiting her mom were women anyway.
“Are you two going shopping tomorrow?” Ling Ye asked.
“Yep! Since I’ve already gotten familiar with the campus, I have some free time. I thought it’d be nice to go shopping with a new classmate,” Ling Ning said, smiling.
Ling Ye raised an eyebrow. Something felt off about this whole situation, but since she had school tomorrow and couldn’t tag along, she could only hope her mom’s new friend was just that—a friend. She didn’t need any more competition.
“Alright, you’ve seen enough. Go take a shower—you’ve got school tomorrow.”
“Got it~”
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Lying in bed later that night, Ling Ning reflected on the day’s events. She suddenly thought of something important: earlier, when she’d learned that Su Ya had a potential boyfriend, her emotions had nearly spiraled out of control. If she were to find out that her close friend Xia You had a boyfriend, how would she react?
Even though it was a hypothetical question, she realized she might feel the same—a strong sense of unease. Xia You, who had been living with her all this time… Perhaps their relationship wasn’t as simple as just being good friends.
She had always sensed Xia You’s feelings for her. It wasn’t just Xia You—Ye Xuan and Xu Qing were the same. Ling Ning wasn’t oblivious or naïve; she understood all of this to some extent.
Although same-sex marriage was legal in this world’s version of China, societal judgment, family pressure, and public scrutiny were still significant obstacles. Perhaps their feelings for her were just impulsive and hadn’t been fully thought through.
Ling Ning didn’t want to jeopardize someone’s future—or several people’s futures—over a fleeting emotion. That’s why she had held off for so long.
But even if she did choose someone, the others would inevitably be hurt. Unless she opted for a harem… But going down that route would be insanely complicated. Even managing one same-sex relationship was difficult enough. Adding “everyone deserves happiness” into the mix? She had no idea how to handle it.
And yet, the idea of giving up entirely was equally impossible.
Ling Ning let out a bitter laugh. The more she thought about it, the more she realized how selfish and awful she truly was.
“Oh well. Selfish or not, scumbag or not, I’ll take it one step at a time,” she murmured to herself.
As the old saying goes: The cart will find its way around the hill; the boat will naturally straighten at the dock. She decided to leave tomorrow’s worries for tomorrow. Dwelling on it any longer tonight would only keep her awake.
Not that she was going to sleep much anyway. Tonight was destined to be a sleepless one.
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Author’s Note:
Next is a wholesome friend recommendation segment. This time, I’m introducing "Yuanxi" and their work, Transformed Into the Strongest Cannon Fodder/变身最强炮灰. Here’s the synopsis:
Zhao Lei never imagined he’d one day turn into a woman—and a Nascent Soul-stage powerhouse at that. Being female? No problem—he’s already lived over a hundred years, so it’s not a bad deal. But why does this body feel so familiar?
As Zhao Lei, now Ling Xuezhi, realizes she’s a side character doomed to die in this novel world, she sets out to change her fate. What happens when her interference alters the storyline?
Check it out if you’re interested!