Chapter 445 : Master Master!
“Ling Ning, wake up, wake up~”
“Ugh!?”
Ling Ning slowly opened her eyes, sensing a gentle shake. What greeted her was Chen Ruo’s adorable face, paired with a slightly exasperated expression.
She blinked a few times, trying to process what was happening. All she remembered was lying on Jiang Xue’s bed to rest her eyes. What had happened after that?
Could it be… she had actually fallen asleep?
Judging by the current situation, it seemed she had indeed dozed off. Falling asleep on her student’s bed while visiting—it was quite unbecoming of a Master.
“What time is it?”
“It’s already five in the afternoon,” Chen Ruo replied, pointing to the wall clock. She only realized the time herself when her daughter had called her earlier.
“It’s that late already? By the way, what were you doing while I was asleep?”
“Uh… teaching Xiao Xue how to draw, of course.”
Chen Ruo replied with a serious face, though her tone carried a hint of guilt. While she had been helping Jiang Xue, her focus had frequently drifted to Ling Ning, who had been peacefully asleep.
For instance, the fan occasionally lifted Ling Ning’s skirt, revealing the cute bear-patterned panties beneath, or the way her smooth, pale stomach caught the light. These were the things that had truly captured Chen Ruo’s attention.
If it weren’t already late, she might not have had the heart to wake Ling Ning. In fact, she wouldn’t have minded watching her sleep a little longer.
“I see. Well, thank you for that. I actually brought some board games along, but I guess there’s no time for them now~”
Ling Ning stretched as she rose from the bed, straightening her slightly wrinkled clothes. She walked over to Jiang Xue and said, “It’s getting late, so Chen Ruo and I will head out now. I have high hopes for your performance in the next round.”
“Yes, I’ll give it my all, Master!”
Jiang Xue gazed up at Ling Ning, her eyes sparkling. No matter the situation, her Master always exuded confidence and perfection. It made her want to… No, no, what was she thinking? This was her mentor—the person who had always helped her. Such unhealthy thoughts were inappropriate.
And with her Master’s close relationship with Chen Ruo, Jiang Xue knew she could never cross that forbidden line.
Seeing Jiang Xue suddenly freeze, Ling Ning leaned in curiously. “What’s wrong?”
“N-Nothing.”
Lowering her head, Jiang Xue avoided Ling Ning’s gaze. She was afraid that if she stared any longer, she might act impulsively in front of her Teacher.
“If nothing’s wrong, then good. Remember to take it easy for now. Didn’t Chu Mengyao give you a three-day vacation? Don’t just stay cooped up at home; get out and explore a little.”
“Mm, I’ll do that.”
“All right, Chen Ruo and I are off. As for dinner, I left you a portion in the fridge. Just heat it up. Don’t tell me you don’t even know how to do that.”
“Thank you, Master.”
As the door closed behind them, Jiang Xue let out a long breath. For some reason, her Master had seemed even more enchanting lately, her presence almost irresistible.
Jiang Xue no longer questioned whether she was into women. She wasn’t—it just so happened that the person she liked was a woman. Yes, that was it!
She walked to her bed, running her hand gently over the sheets, which still carried the warmth from where Ling Ning had been lying. Without hesitation, she lay down in the same spot, burying her face in the pillow. It carried a faint scent—a mix of her shampoo and Ling Ning’s fragrance.
Was her Master now carrying her scent as well?
How she longed for her Master to bear her mark completely.
“Master… Ling Ning…”
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“Chen Ruo, where are you going!?”
Ling Ning called out, exasperated, as Chen Ruo started to turn right.
“Eh!? Isn’t my house this way?”
“Your house is this way, thank you.”
“Hehe~”
Seeing Chen Ruo’s playful grin, Ling Ning sighed. Usually, she was the one leading the way, but today Chen Ruo had insisted on testing her navigation skills.
So far, Chen Ruo hadn’t gotten a single direction right. If it weren’t for Ling Ning guiding her, she would have ended up hopelessly lost.
Suddenly, an idea seemed to strike Ling Ning. She walked up to Chen Ruo and said, “By the way, I saw your latest work. When did you start drawing 18+ yuri manga?”
“Eh!? You saw it, Ling Ning?”
Chen Ruo’s eyes widened in embarrassment. She knew Ling Ning followed her work, but hearing it mentioned so directly was mortifying.
“That character was based on me, right? It was amazing—I absolutely loved it.”
“I-I’m glad you liked it.”
Chen Ruo covered her face. She didn’t dare admit that one of the main characters had actually been modeled after herself. If Ling Ning found out, she might think Chen Ruo harbored ulterior motives.
Thinking about her manga reminded Chen Ruo of Ling Ning’s earlier behavior. Her mind began to overflow with new ideas. She needed Ling Ning as her model again.
As Ling Ning, lost in thought about the manga’s plot, felt a sudden chill, an ominous premonition crept over her.
Shaking her head, she dismissed it as her imagination.
“Well, Chen Ruo, I’ll walk you to your building. You do remember which floor you live on, right?”
“How rude! Of course I know where I live!”
“Good. Then I’ll be heading back.”
Watching Ling Ning walk away, Chen Ruo hesitated before calling out, “Ling Ning, um…when you have time, could you model for me again?”
“Eh!?” Ling Ning blinked. “Not like last time, right?”
“N-No, it’s just for something normal this time!” she quickly added, silently appending, “Probably.”
“All right. If I’m free in the next few days, I’ll come by.”
“Thank you, Ling Ning.”
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Author’s Note:
Lazy salted fish doesn’t feel like typing. So slothful…