Chapter 500 : No, I’m Not, I Didn’t
“Ah~ Finally back.”
The moment Ling Ning stepped into the café and felt the refreshing coolness of the air conditioning, her entire expression brightened. It was like stepping into a completely different world compared to the sweltering heat outside.
As soon as she sat down, the little loli Dong Xue ran straight to her and leaped into her arms. Even though they had only been apart for a short while, to Dong Xue, it felt like an eternity.
Gently stroking Dong Xue’s soft hair, Ling Ning smiled warmly. “Were you a good girl while Sister was out handing out flyers? Did you listen to what Sister Ye Ye told you?”
Dong Xue nodded quietly but seemed to remember something, tilting her head. “Sister Ye Ye was saying strange things with that weird Sister. I couldn’t understand what they were talking about.”
Hearing this, Ling Ye froze, staring at Dong Xue in disbelief. They had just agreed to keep things secret, and yet Dong Xue spilled everything the moment she saw her mom. Could they still play together happily after this?!
“Oh ho~”
Ling Ning squinted at her daughter before shifting her gaze to the guilty-looking Luo Xiaoning, who was edging toward the exit. A mysterious smile played at the corners of Ling Ning’s mouth. “Dearest Sister Xiaoning, I hear you’ve been teaching Ye Ye some more chuunibyou nonsense?”
“No, I’m not, I didn’t!”
Luo Xiaoning clasped her hands over her mouth, shrinking into a corner and trembling as she looked at Ling Ning. Why had she never realized before how terrifying Ling Ning could be when angry?
With a resigned sigh, Ling Ning muttered, “Forget it. I’m too tired to deal with this.”
Carefully setting Dong Xue down, she got up and walked over to Chu Mengyao with a cheerful smile. “Ahem, Boss, I’ve completed the task perfectly~”
“Oh, welcome back~”
Without needing further explanation, Chu Mengyao reached under the counter and pulled out an envelope, handing it to Ling Ning. It contained everything Ling Ning needed.
Ling Ning weighed the envelope in her hand, nodded in satisfaction, and walked away.
To an outsider, this scene might look like a shady, clandestine transaction. Then again, considering the nature of the deal, it wasn’t entirely far off.
After safely tucking away the contents of the envelope, Ling Ning was about to grab a drink and rest when she spotted a familiar figure. The changes in the person’s appearance almost made her fail to recognize them.
Walking over, Ling Ning greeted her. “Yo, Xiao Si Si, long time no see~”
“Ling… Ling Ning, long time no see.”
Li Si replied with a look of surprise. Ever since starting university, she hadn’t seen much of Ling Ning. The initial weeks of school had been hectic, but now that things were settling down, she was hoping to meet up with Ling Ning more often.
Her campus wasn’t far from Ling Ning’s place, and it was just a short subway ride away. Maybe she could visit Ling Ning frequently in the future.
As Ling Ning looked at Li Si, she couldn’t help but marvel at how much she had changed recently. Gone was the gloominess she used to carry. Instead, she exuded a brighter, sunnier aura. With her stunning face and enviable figure, she was bound to attract attention anywhere she went.
“By the way, I didn’t see you this morning,” Ling Ning said.
“Oh, I had something to take care of and got permission from the manager to come in late. I just finished and came over,” Li Si explained.
“Ah, I see. How have you been lately?”
“Not bad~”
Li Si blinked, thinking that life might be even better if it weren’t for the persistent guys constantly trying to woo her. Oh, and Zheng Yun—like a red dot among a sea of green.
To her dismay, Zheng Yun had not only applied to her school but also pulled some strings to get into her class and even her dorm room. It was a significant headache for Li Si, to say the least.
She was seriously considering moving out. If she had to deal with Zheng Yun daily, she might end up with a nervous breakdown.
Sensing what Li Si was thinking, Ling Ning said, “Oh, by the way, I ran into Zheng Yun today~”
“Stop it! Don’t even bring her up, Ling Ning. You have no idea…”
Li Si proceeded to recount her recent struggles with Zheng Yun. Hearing this, Ling Ning was at a loss for words. She couldn’t believe how determined Zheng Yun was. If it had been her, she might have given up long ago after so many rejections.
“Hey! Are you two here to work or chat?!” Chu Mengyao’s voice suddenly rang out.
Li Si flinched instinctively, then sheepishly turned to Ling Ning. “Let’s get back to work.”
“Sure.” Ling Ning nodded, then added with a teasing smile, “By the way, Xiao Si Si, have your boobs gotten bigger recently?”
“W-what?!”
Before Li Si could react, Ling Ning had already walked off to serve a regular customer—a cute girl who often tipped generously. Life was sweet.
For some reason, most of Ling Ning’s regulars seemed to be girls. Not that she was complaining—it wasn’t a bad thing.
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“Ling Ning, want to grab dinner together tonight?”
Li Si hesitated for a moment as she saw Ling Ning changing out of her uniform and preparing to head home. Finally, she mustered the courage to ask. It had been a while since they last met, and she wanted to chat with Ling Ning a bit more.
Ling Ning chuckled softly. “Dinner? Sure, no problem. But you’ll have to treat two extra mouths. Are you okay with that?”
She gestured toward Ling Ye and the little loli Dong Xue. There was no way she’d leave them behind to go eat with Li Si.
“Of course, that’s fine.”
Li Si said, nodding quickly. She had already factored in the two kids when she made her invitation.
“In that case, I’m happy to join. By the way, Xiao Si Si, is this the first time you’ve invited me out for dinner? I’m flattered~”
“Where would you like to eat?”
Li Si asked. Although she had made the invitation, she hadn’t decided on a place yet and left the choice to Ling Ning.
“Are you sure you want me to choose? I might pick somewhere super fancy~”
Li Si gritted her teeth. “That’s fine. Wherever you want to go.”
“Alright then, don’t mind if I do~”
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Author’s Note:
Five hundred chapters! No group photo? (Nope, get lost!)