Chapter 457 : Of Course It’s
“Sister Zi, do you think my mom and Ling Ning will be surprised when they see me show up out of the blue~?”
Sitting in the car, Bai Yiyue looked at the increasingly familiar surroundings with a playful smile. The thought of seeing Ling Ning again made her heart brim with excitement.
Wu Zi, who was driving, glanced at her young lady and said softly, “They’ll definitely be happy to see you. But, young lady, are you sure you don’t want to let them know in advance?”
“There’s no need. I want to surprise them! Oh, and you should take a proper rest today, too. You’ve been so busy lately,” Bai Yiyue said with a sweet smile.
Wu Zi nodded lightly. “Alright, I’ll do that.”
The car moved swiftly through the streets. It was still early, so there weren’t many vehicles on the road. Before long, they arrived at Bai Yiyue’s apartment building.
After pulling her suitcase out of the car, Bai Yiyue took a deep breath and said to Wu Zi, “Sister Zi, I can handle it from here. You can go rest now.”
“Mm.”
Wu Zi watched as Bai Yiyue disappeared into the building before starting the car and driving away.
“I’ve held on for so long... maybe it’s time to let go.”
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Bai Yiyue stood at her front door, key in hand, and unlocked it. The quiet living room confirmed her guess—her mom was probably still asleep.
Well, it made sense. She had taken a red-eye flight and arrived at just past seven in the morning. Plus, it was during the National Day holiday. Sleeping in was perfectly reasonable.
After casually putting her luggage away in her room, Bai Yiyue considered taking a bath. However, as soon as she entered the bathroom, she noticed something unusual in the laundry basket—a set of clothes.
Her brows furrowed slightly. Something about this seemed odd.
Reaching into the basket, she pulled out a dress. The style wasn’t her mother’s, and her mother wouldn’t normally bathe in her room anyway. Looking at the dress, Bai Yiyue felt a strange sense of familiarity.
It wasn’t until she spotted a pair of black-and-white bear-patterned panties in the basket that it clicked. She had seen this dress in a fashion magazine recently, worn by none other than Ling Ning. And those panties? Weren’t they practically Ling Ning’s trademark?
“Could it be that Ling Ning is still here!?”
The thought of Ling Ning sleeping in her home sent Bai Yiyue into a tizzy. A sleeping Ling Ning was the perfect opportunity for some sneaky affection!
Without thinking further, Bai Yiyue practically skipped out of her room, heading straight for the guest room.
However, when she opened the door, the room was empty. The bed was neatly made, with no signs of anyone having stayed there.
So, where could Ling Ning be?
“Maybe she just came here to shower after getting caught in the rain and then left?” Bai Yiyue thought, though disappointment filled her.
As she left the guest room, planning to go back to her own room to bathe, she noticed her mom’s bedroom door slightly ajar.
Curious, Bai Yiyue gently pushed the door open. Inside, she saw her mom sleeping peacefully—and next to her was Ling Ning.
She blinked, then quietly closed the door again.
“I must’ve opened the door wrong,” she muttered, shaking her head. After a moment to compose herself, she opened the door again. The scene inside hadn’t changed. In fact, Ling Ning even snuggled closer to Bai Jie in her sleep, as if seeking warmth.
Feeling the movement, Bai Jie opened her eyes, looking around before noticing Bai Yiyue at the door.
“Yiyue, when did you get back? You didn’t even let me know~”
“I... I just got back. Wait, that’s not the point! Why are you and Ling Ning sleeping in the same bed!?” Bai Yiyue blurted out, voicing her confusion.
Hearing her daughter’s words, Bai Jie glanced down at the still-sleeping Ling Ning beside her. Memories of the previous night came rushing back.
“Well, this is because...”
Before Bai Jie could finish explaining, Ling Ning, deprived of her “pillow,” instinctively reached out and pulled Bai Jie back into a hug, mumbling, “My pillow is getting away!”
The sight left Bai Yiyue utterly speechless.
Bai Jie chuckled softly and reached out to pinch Ling Ning’s cheek. The gesture eventually stirred Ling Ning awake.
Upon realizing what she was doing, Ling Ning’s face turned red as she quickly released Bai Jie. That’s when she noticed Bai Yiyue standing at the door.
“Eh!? Yiyue, when did you get back?” Ling Ning asked, surprised.
“I... I...”
Bai Yiyue opened her mouth but couldn’t find the words. How had things turned out like this? She had planned to surprise them, but they ended up surprising her instead.
“Why... why are you two... sleeping in the same bed!?”
“Well, that’s because last night... umph!”
Ling Ning started to explain but was quickly silenced by Bai Jie, who covered her mouth. After all, admitting she was too scared to sleep alone after watching a horror movie would be mortifying—especially in front of her daughter. If Ling Ning spilled the beans, Bai Jie’s dignity as a mother would be in tatters.
"Ahem!"
Clearing her throat, Bai Jie calmly said, “It’s because we watched a horror movie last night. Ling Ning was so scared afterward that she refused to sleep alone, so I let her sleep with me.”
As she spoke, Bai Jie discreetly placed her other hand under the blanket, pressing it against Ling Ning’s waist. The silent message was clear: Go along with it.
Feeling the pressure on her waist, Ling Ning nodded vigorously. “Yes! That’s exactly what happened! I was too scared to sleep alone after the movie, so I came to your mom’s bed!”
“R-really?”
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Author’s Note:
I, the salted fish, want to flip over and rise!