Chapter 503 : Stone-Cold Logic
“Phew~ Finally some alone time.”
Leaning against the tightly shut bathroom door, Li Si let out a deep breath. Sharing a dorm room with Zheng Yun was utterly exhausting. She had to stay on guard even while taking a shower, wary of Zheng Yun barging in. Sleeping at night was no less stressful, given Zheng Yun’s penchant for late-night antics.
When their other roommates were around, Zheng Yun at least restrained herself. But it was the weekend, and the others wouldn’t return until Monday. That left just Li Si and Zheng Yun alone in the dorm, which made Li Si more than a little anxious.
At least Zheng Yun was in the shower now. If all went well, she’d be occupied for the next hour or so, giving Li Si some precious time to call Ling Ning for a chat.
Quietly, Li Si took out her phone and dialed Ling Ning’s number. After a moment, a sweet, playful voice came through the receiver.
“Meow meow meow?”
Li Si blinked. She recognized the voice—it was undoubtedly the little loli Dong Xue. But did she have to answer the phone with such blatant cuteness?
“Um… Xiao Xue, right? Could I speak to Ling Ning?”
Dong Xue blinked at the phone, then turned her gaze to the closed bathroom door. Hopping off the couch, she bounced over and knocked on the door.
The knock startled Ling Ning mid-shower. “Who is it?”
“Ling Ning, phone call.”
Opening the door just a crack, Ling Ning peeked out to see who it was. Spotting the caller ID, she realized it was Li Si.
“Hello, Xiao Si Si?”
“Ling… Ling Ning.”
Hearing Ling Ning’s voice, Li Si immediately felt flustered. Whatever she had planned to say vanished from her mind, leaving her frozen in place like a statue.
“Hmm? Hold on a sec, Xiao Si Si. I just need to grab my clothes… Wait, where are my clothes?!”
“What’s wrong, Ling Ning?”
“N-nothing. I forgot to bring in my change of clothes. Guess I’ll just have to make do with a towel for now.”
Ling Ning casually wrapped herself in a towel, grabbed the phone, and walked out of the bathroom.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Ling Ye was playing a game. Hearing the bathroom door open, she turned around—and immediately covered her eyes.
“Mom! Why are you walking around in just a towel?!”
“It’s no big deal. I just forgot my clothes. Let me finish this call, and then I’ll take care of it~” Ling Ning replied nonchalantly. She brought the phone to her ear and said, “Alright, Xiao Si Si, I’m ready. What’s up?”
“L-little Si Si? Are you there?”
“I’m here, I’m here!”
Li Si stammered. Her imagination had spiraled into overdrive at the thought of Ling Ning casually emerging from the shower wrapped in a towel. Why did it feel like every time she called Ling Ning, the latter was always in the middle of a shower? Was this her fate?
Taking a deep breath, Li Si finally spoke. “I called because I have something I’d like your advice on.”
“Oh?” Ling Ning raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips. “Don’t tell me Xiao Si Si wants love advice?”
“Well… it’s about that, yes. You did say I could ask you, so…”
“Of course! I’m curious about who you like, but I won’t ask—figured you wouldn’t tell me anyway. So, what’s her personality like?”
“Her personality?”
Li Si thought for a moment before replying, “She’s kind and considerate, always putting others first. She can be a little mischievous at times, though. She’s very optimistic and always has a smile on her face.”
“What?!”
Ling Ning froze for a moment. The description wasn’t unusual, but the fact that Li Si’s crush was a girl caught her off guard. Then again, on second thought, it didn’t seem that surprising.
“Yes, she’s a girl. The problem is, I’m not sure about her orientation. How can I find out if she’s into girls or guys?”
Ling Ning rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “That’s not really important, is it? If she likes girls, great. If she likes guys, would you give up?”
“No! I wouldn’t give up!”
“Well, there you go. Whether she likes guys or girls, you should focus on winning her over. If she’s straight, then you’ll just have to bend her. Though you should also consider her family situation and such.”
Li Si nodded. Ling Ning made a lot of sense.
“You could always casually bring it up in conversation,” Ling Ning continued. “Ask her if she likes anyone, or invite her to watch a yuri-themed movie or anime. Gauge her reaction.”
“Hold on, I need to take notes.”
After a few moments of scribbling, Li Si asked, “By the way, what are her hobbies?”
“Hobbies? Well, she does have a habit of loving free stuff. Like free meals.”
“Oh, that’s easy. You could treat her to meals often to earn some goodwill. As a same-gender friend, she probably won’t suspect anything.”
“Really?”
“Trust me. I’ve been in the game for years as an experienced ‘Love Master’ and haven’t failed yet,” Ling Ning declared shamelessly.
“Wow, that’s impressive. So, do you have someone you like, Ling Ning? A guy or a girl?” Li Si asked, feigning an innocent curiosity while slyly applying her newfound tactics.
“That’s…” Before Ling Ning could answer, the little loli Dong Xue, resting on her lap, shifted uncomfortably.
Her movements caused Ling Ning’s loosely wrapped towel to slip off.
“Ah! Xiao Xue, don’t move! My towel!”
Hearing this over the phone, Li Si’s mind wandered again, her imagination spiraling out of control.