Chapter 520 : A Salty Fish's Suffering
“Hello, is this the Anime Research Club?”
Ling Ning opened the door to find a beautiful and refined girl standing outside. Something about her seemed familiar, but Ling Ning couldn’t quite place it.
After a brief pause, she nodded. “Yes, this is the Anime Research Club. How can I help you?”
“I was wondering if your club is accepting new members. Oh, my name is Zhao Rui,” the girl said with a bright smile.
Before Ling Ning could reply, Lin Xi appeared out of nowhere, her expression cold as she addressed Zhao Rui. “Well, if it isn’t the famous Zhao Rui. What brings you to our little club?”
Blinking, Ling Ning pieced together the implication. From Lin Xi’s tone, it was clear they knew each other—and not on friendly terms.
“Why else? I want to join your club.”
“You’ve never joined any club before,” Lin Xi said, narrowing her eyes. She couldn’t tell what Zhao Rui’s true intentions were, but she was sure there was an ulterior motive.
Zhao Rui remained unfazed, her calm smile never wavering. “That was then. This is now. Lately, life’s been dull, so I thought I’d try something new.”
“If you want to join a club, plenty of others would welcome you with open arms. Why us?” Lin Xi pressed.
“Because I prefer smaller clubs.”
Lin Xi’s gaze sharpened. Despite Zhao Rui’s seemingly innocuous words, Lin Xi couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. How could she allow the girl who stole her boyfriend to join their club?
Just as Lin Xi was about to refuse, Zhao Rui added, “No need to get so worked up, Lin Xi. I only took your boyfriend. It’s not that big of a deal. Besides, with someone that spineless, would you have been happy together anyway?”
Lin Xi opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words.
Meanwhile, Ling Ning was stunned. No wonder Zhao Rui seemed familiar—she was the infamous girl who had stolen Lin Xi’s boyfriend. Without makeup, she looked entirely different. Ling Ning couldn’t help but admire Lin Xi’s composure in speaking with her at all.
“And by the way, with so many new clubs popping up, there’s a shortage of activity rooms. Small clubs like yours are at risk of losing their space. But if I join, that risk disappears. You know that, don’t you?” Zhao Rui said with a pointed look.
“I’ll give you three days to think it over. Rest assured, I just want a quiet place to escape from bothersome people. I won’t cause any trouble. That’s all.”
With a parting glance at Ling Ning, Zhao Rui turned and left.
“You okay?”
Ling Ning asked gently, noticing Lin Xi’s gloomy expression.
“I’m fine... just annoyed.”
“Is what she said true?”
Lin Xi sighed. “Yeah. The old building is big, but our school has way too many clubs. If we lose this room, getting a new one will be almost impossible.”
After a moment’s thought, Ling Ning asked, “So, is Zhao Rui someone famous?”
“She comes from a wealthy family and even made a huge donation to the school. If she joins, we’d definitely avoid losing the room, but...” Lin Xi trailed off, conflicted.
“Well, take your time to think it over. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Thanks.”
⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱
“Ling Ning, can you keep me company for a bit?”
After classes ended, Ling Ning received a message from Lin Xi asking her to hang out. After some thought, she turned to Xia You. “Hey, I might be out tonight. Can you help Ye Ye with dinner? You’ve got the key, right?”
Without hesitation, Xia You nodded. During Ling Ning’s hectic work schedule, she had been the one caring for Ling Ye. Ling Ning had given her a key to the house, and even after her work ended, she hadn’t taken it back—a sign of her trust.
“I’m just meeting Lin Xi. You heard about what happened earlier. She’s probably feeling down and wants to eat her feelings,” Ling Ning explained with a small smile.
“Got it. You don’t need to explain everything, though.”
“But if I don’t, you’ll worry, right?”
Xia You opened her mouth to respond but couldn’t find the words.
Ling Ning stood up, gently patting Xia You’s head. “Well, I’m off. Be careful going home.”
“You too,” Xia You replied softly.
Behind them, Tian Tian chewed his betel nut, silently observing. For some reason, it tasted oddly like a dose of sweet, floral dog food.
After leaving the classroom, Ling Ning called Lin Xi, who told her she was waiting in the clubroom. Ling Ning headed there immediately.
Inside, she found Lin Xi sitting in a chair, her face clouded with emotion. Seeing Ling Ning, she forced a smile. “You’re here.”
“What’s with the long face? That’s not like you.”
Lin Xi sighed. “Life is hard.”
“Isn’t it always? Cheer up! You called me out to keep you company. Surely you don’t mean to sit here sulking?”
“Of course not. I just wanted to ask if you know any places with cheap, filling, and tasty food?” Lin Xi asked, embarrassed.
Thinking for a moment, Ling Ning’s face lit up with a mischievous smile. “I know a place! It’s a bit pricey, but I’ll treat you. How’s that?”
“Oh?”
Lin Xi’s expression turned sharp with curiosity.
⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱
Author’s Note:
Salty fish here, pouring my heart out. By the way, chapter 520—love you all!