Chapter 497 : Does the Luck of the European Emperor Count as a Curse
“Ling Ning, I have an important mission for you today…”
Just as Ling Ning was about to doze off out of boredom, Chu Mengyao suddenly appeared, speaking in a solemn tone.
“No. Get lost.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Ling Ning refused. No matter how enticing Chu Mengyao’s proposal sounded, Ling Ning knew better. Every time Chu Mengyao assigned her a task, it ended in disaster. She wasn’t falling for it this time.
“Eh!? Don’t be so quick to refuse! If you agree to hand out flyers for me, I’ll triple your pay. Doesn’t that sound great?”
Chu Mengyao tried to sweeten the deal, her tone brimming with temptation.
“Flyers again? I’m not interested. Besides, I haven’t even asked you for pay during my recent visits, have I?”
Rolling her eyes, Ling Ning laid her head on the table, feigning death. The air conditioning inside was far more comfortable than braving the heat outside.
Plus, taking Dong Xue along was out of the question. Ling Ning couldn’t bear the thought of making the little loli suffer in the scorching weather.
“Come on, don’t be like that! How about this—I’ll owe you a favor if you help me. Look at the café—it’s a big holiday, and yet it’s completely empty. If this keeps up, your sister will go bankrupt!”
Ling Ning glanced around. It was true—business was slow today. But that could easily be because most regulars were busy or working overtime. Why should she bother?
“I still don’t want to go.”
“What if I send Jiang Xue to assist you? She’s totally different now and will definitely be helpful!”
“Nope.”
Chu Mengyao blinked. It seemed getting Ling Ning to cooperate would require more effort than expected. After a moment of hesitation, she returned to the counter and grabbed a stack of photos, placing them in front of Ling Ning.
“What about this? Would this change your mind?”
The instant Ling Ning saw the photos, her casual demeanor vanished, replaced by intense focus. These were pictures of Su Ya in a maid outfit—ones clearly taken without Ling Ning’s knowledge.
Chu Mengyao’s photography skills were impeccable. Each shot was so stunning that Ling Ning felt an overwhelming urge to collect them.
Clearing her throat, Ling Ning forced herself to look away. “What’s the meaning of this? Do you think waving these photos in front of me will make me hand out flyers for you? You underestimate me!”
“Oh really?”
Noticing Ling Ning’s faltering resolve, Chu Mengyao smirked and added a few more photos to the pile. “Consider these a down payment. There are even better ones waiting for you once you complete the task. Interested now?”
“You think I’d surrender that easily?”
“Oh, that’s too bad,” Chu Mengyao said, feigning indifference as she reached to take the photos back.
Panicked, Ling Ning quickly shielded the pictures. In a small voice, she muttered, “You promised. I want all of them afterward—not a single one missing.”
“Of course. Don’t worry~”
Ling Ning sighed in defeat, then turned to Dong Xue. “Xiao Xue, be good and stay in the café while I go hand out some flyers. I’ll be back soon.”
“Ling Ning, stay together.”
“It’s too hot outside. Just stay here and play. Remember, don’t go near Sister Chu Mengyao, okay? The other big sisters are fine, but also steer clear of Sister Luo Xiaoning. She’s got a serious condition. Stick with Sister Ye Ye instead.”
“Hey! What do you mean by that!?”
Ling Ning shot her a cold look. “Do you think I’d let Xiao Xue near a loli-obsessed maniac like you? Remember, three years minimum!”
For once, Chu Mengyao was speechless. After a moment of awkward stammering, she finally managed to say, “What’s wrong with being a loli enthusiast? Lolis are justice! Long live lolis!”
Startled by Chu Mengyao’s declaration, Dong Xue shrank into Ling Ning’s embrace, her bright eyes peering out cautiously.
“Pfft!”
Chu Mengyao clutched her chest in mock anguish. Did she really look that scary? Why didn’t lolis ever come to her willingly?
Shaking her head, Ling Ning called her daughter over and gave her instructions for while she was gone. Then, she set out to find Jiang Xue.
Jiang Xue, fresh from chatting with a regular, was preparing to sneak off for a quick rest when she noticed her mentor approaching.
Since the incident last time, Jiang Xue hadn’t contacted Ling Ning, unsure of how to face her. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk—it was just that she didn’t know what to say.
As Ling Ning walked over, Jiang Xue instinctively glanced around for an escape route, only to find none. Was Ling Ning here to confront her?
Was their relationship about to end?
“Why are you closing your eyes?”
Jiang Xue opened her eyes, stammering, “N-nothing. Long time no see, Master.”
“Yeah, it has been a while. You haven’t contacted me lately. Been busy? How’s your manga coming along? Did you make it past the qualifiers?”
“Yes, I made it.”
“That’s great! Once the finals are over, let’s celebrate. I’m sure you’ll achieve something amazing.”
“Master, is it really okay to jinx your disciple like this?”
"Don't worry, as your Master, I’ve never jinxed anyone to death. You can trust me on this," Ling Ning said with full confidence.
To be fair, does the luck of an European Emperor count as a curse when it comes to healing?
“Now I’m even more nervous…”
“Alright, enough chit-chat. Chu Mengyao wants you to help me hand out flyers. Let’s go!”
“Wait, what!?”
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Author’s Note:
You tell me—how can a salty fish lose when it’s riding high?