Chapter 498 : The Walking Yuri-Inducing Master
“So embarrassing~”
Jiang Xue followed behind Ling Ning, clutching a stack of flyers in her hands. Both of them were dressed in maid outfits, making them the center of attention the moment they stepped outside. Feeling the intense gazes of passersby, Jiang Xue suddenly wished she could dig a hole and hide.
She snuck a glance at her Master, only to find Ling Ning walking as if she were just out on a regular shopping trip. There wasn’t a hint of embarrassment in her demeanor—it was as though she was completely accustomed to this. Truly, her Master was remarkable.
Sensing Jiang Xue’s unease, Ling Ning turned back and gave her a lighthearted smile. “First time handing out flyers, huh?”
Jiang Xue nodded timidly. She had thought about this kind of task before, imagining that with enough training, she’d be fine with wearing a maid outfit to distribute flyers in public.
Reality, however, was far more brutal than her daydreams. Just stepping outside in the maid costume was enough to make her crumble, let alone interacting with strangers while wearing it. Could she really manage this?
“I was just like you the first time I handed out flyers,” Ling Ning said with a soft laugh. “All you need to do is relax and stop worrying about what others think. It’s easier said than done, I know, but hey—I’m right here with you~”
Hearing her Master’s reassuring words, Jiang Xue nodded again. With Ling Ning by her side, there was nothing to be afraid of. It was just handing out flyers, right?
Their location was the usual spot where Ling Ning had distributed plenty of flyers before. She quickly got into the swing of things, her movements smooth and confident.
Jiang Xue watched her Master for a moment, then steeled herself to give it a try. Yet, whether it was nerves or something else, her speech came out stilted and awkward. After half an hour, she had barely handed out any flyers.
Meanwhile, Ling Ning had already distributed most of hers.
Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Jiang Xue glanced up at the sunless but sweltering sky. Wearing a maid costume only made the heat worse. She turned back to Ling Ning, who was now approaching her.
“Is something wrong? Having trouble?” Ling Ning asked gently.
“N-no, it’s nothing.”
“Well, think of it this way: pretend these passersby are customers at the café. It might make things a bit easier. You’ve got this! I believe in you!” Ling Ning said, cheerfully splitting Jiang Xue’s flyers and taking more than half for herself.
Jiang Xue opened her mouth to protest, but Ling Ning cut her off with a laugh. “You’re just getting started, so leave the extra load to me~”
Watching her Master’s retreating figure, Jiang Xue clenched her fists. No, she couldn’t let her Master carry the burden alone. She had to step up and do her best.
Taking a deep breath, Jiang Xue aimed for her next target.
Perhaps Ling Ning’s encouragement worked, as Jiang Xue gradually grew more efficient. After much effort, the two of them finally handed out all the flyers just before lunchtime.
Of course, the task had been manageable because there weren’t too many flyers this time.
Stretching lazily, Ling Ning ignored the admiring stares of onlookers and turned to Jiang Xue with a pleased smile. “Nicely done, apprentice! I didn’t expect you to pick it up so quickly. Looks like I won’t need to come next time.”
“Huh?!”
Jiang Xue blinked, feeling as though she’d been set up.
“Alright, let’s stop standing around and get lunch. We’ll find somewhere nice and let Chu Mengyao foot the bill.” As Ling Ning spoke, she scanned the area for a good restaurant.
Jiang Xue couldn’t help but smile as she looked at her Master’s elegant profile. “Okay.”
“You really get what you pay for~”
Ling Ning dabbed her lips with a napkin, satisfaction clear on her face. She had chosen Little Chef—not only was it nearby, but the food was exceptional, even if a bit pricey. Still, it didn’t matter since she planned to have Chu Mengyao reimburse her later.
Noticing Jiang Xue sitting quietly, Ling Ning tilted her head in curiosity. “Hey, why are you so quiet today? It feels like you’ve barely said anything.”
“H-have I?”
“Of course! Normally, you’d be chatting non-stop. Did something go wrong with your drawing? If you need me to step in, just say the word~”
“N-no, it’s nothing like that.”
Jiang Xue murmured, biting her lip. She wasn’t sure if her Master had forgotten about what happened the last time she visited her house. That memory had kept her from finding anything to say.
“When was the last time you came to my place?”
Ling Ning wondered aloud, narrowing her eyes in thought. Things had been so hectic lately that she couldn’t even remember the details of her apprentice’s visit.
At Ling Ning’s words, Jiang Xue froze. From the look on her Master’s face, it seemed she had forgotten. If she remembered what happened last time, how would Jiang Xue explain herself?
“Please don’t remember! Please don’t remember!” Jiang Xue prayed silently.
Unfortunately, her prayers seemed ineffective. Ling Ning suddenly recalled the so-called “unavoidable circumstances” of that visit.
Blinking, Ling Ning reassured herself: it must have been an accident. There was no way her apprentice could actually be interested in her. She was probably just overthinking it.
Still, just in case… Ling Ning decided not to bring it up. Mentioning it now would only create unnecessary awkwardness. Better to leave it as “unavoidable circumstances.”
But what if… what if it wasn’t? If Jiang Xue really harbored those kinds of feelings for her, what would she do?
Scratching her head in frustration, Ling Ning wondered if she had unknowingly bent someone else’s orientation again.
No, no. Even she couldn’t be that obliviously charismatic. It must be her imagination. She’d observe a bit more and figure things out later.
“Well, since we’ve finished eating, let’s head back~” Ling Ning said cheerfully.
“Alright.”
As Ling Ning paid the bill and prepared to leave, she suddenly spotted a familiar figure.
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Author’s Note:
Check out The Making of a Scumbag Female Lead/人渣女主的养成方法, a pure yuri story and the salted fish’s latest project. With two ongoing works and double daily updates, what are you waiting for?
Synopsis: Why did things turn out like this? First, I reincarnated into a second dimension and met the saintly Megumi Kato—a dream come true. But why… why did I turn into the high school version of Akane Minagawa?! And to top it off, why is Megumi a reincarnator, Eriri has a system, and Utaha-senpai feels suspiciously off?!