Chapter 528 : Hugging My Daughter Feels the Best~
“Christmas is just a few days away. Do you have any plans, Ling Ning?” Xia You asked softly, gazing at Ling Ning, who was lying on her lap.
“Christmas? Don’t we still have school this year?” Ling Ning replied weakly.
She had originally planned to take a nap during lunch, but Zhao Rui’s incessant questions kept her awake. Resigned, she ended up using Xia You’s lap as a pillow. At least there weren’t any classes with Bai Jie this afternoon, so she could finally get some proper rest.
“Well, technically, yes, but Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year. Don’t you have anything planned for that?”
“Plans? I’ll figure it out when the time comes.” Ling Ning’s eyes flickered open as she glanced teasingly at Xia You. “Why? Are you thinking of asking me out on a date?”
“Yes.”
Xia You answered without a hint of hesitation, her candidness catching Ling Ning slightly off guard.
Seeing the hopeful expression on Xia You’s face, Ling Ning squinted in thought before breaking into a playful smile. “Alright, let’s go shopping together then—just the two of us.”
“Really!?”
“Of course. When have I ever lied to you?” Ling Ning chuckled, reaching out to pinch Xia You’s petite nose.
Xia You didn’t resist the affectionate gesture. If they weren’t in the classroom, she might’ve already leaned down to give Ling Ning a heartfelt kiss. Just thinking about the upcoming date made her heart flutter with joy.
As if a thought struck her, Ling Ning asked curiously, “By the way, isn’t Xia Li attending S University now? I haven’t seen much of her lately.”
“She’s staying pretty far from us, so it’s not unusual. But lately, she seems troubled about something. She’s been so preoccupied she’s lost her appetite. I was thinking of visiting her this afternoon after you head home.”
To Xia You, Xia Li was like her little sister. Naturally, she worried when her sister seemed distressed for unknown reasons.
“Sounds good. Are you coming back for dinner?”
“I’m not sure. I’ll call you later to let you know.”
“Alright~”
Ling Ning adjusted her position, shifting into a more comfortable posture, and closed her eyes again.
⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱
“I’ll be heading out now.”
“Okay, don’t come back too late. Yawn~”
Ling Ning waved lazily as Xia You left, then slumped back onto her desk. She still felt groggy, convinced it was Xia You’s lap that had been too comfortable.
It wasn’t until a while later, when she felt more awake, that she slowly stood and stretched with a contented smile.
Though the classroom wasn’t crowded, a few students had lingered after class. As they watched Ling Ning’s graceful figure move, they couldn’t help swallowing hard. Truly, her figure was flawless—what else could one expect from a model?
Unbothered by their stares, Ling Ning casually picked up her books and notes, leaving the classroom. As the cold breeze outside brushed against her, she instinctively shivered, the last remnants of her drowsiness vanishing completely.
Although the temperature had risen slightly compared to the past few days, it still felt quite cold to Ling Ning.
Just as she was about to head down the stairs and go home, a familiar figure appeared in front of her.
Seeing Zhao Rui smiling at her, Ling Ning was taken aback. “S-Senior? What are you doing here?”
“I had something to take care of in this area and happened to catch you all finishing class. So, I thought I’d try my luck and see if I could run into our beloved Junior Ling Ning~” Zhao Rui joked.
“Huh?”
“Alright, I’m kidding. Actually, I wanted to ask you for some advice. Do you have time? If you don’t mind, I know a nice place where we can sit and chat.”
Ling Ning tilted her head in thought before nodding lightly. “Alright, I won’t refuse, then~”
Following Zhao Rui, Ling Ning arrived at a café near the school. Compared to Chu Mengyao’s maid café, this one had a much better location—just a short walk from the campus gates. However, unlike the themed atmosphere of Chu Mengyao’s establishment, this was a simple, ordinary café.
It was also significantly cheaper, likely because it lacked the appeal of the adorable maids at Chu Mengyao’s place.
After ordering a hot cocoa, Ling Ning and Zhao Rui delved into a conversation about fashion. Ling Ning quickly realized that Zhao Rui was incredibly sociable—no matter the topic, she could keep the conversation going without awkward pauses.
Sipping her hot cocoa, Ling Ning felt the comforting warmth spread through her body—a perfect remedy for the chilly weather.
“Oh, there’s one thing I forgot to ask you,” Zhao Rui said suddenly. “But it might be a bit personal, so I’m not sure if it’s appropriate to bring up.”
“Huh?” Ling Ning blinked.
“Do you have a boyfriend, Ling Ning?”
“Oh, that’s all?” Ling Ning sighed in relief, then chuckled. “No, I don’t have one~”
“What!? But you’re so beautiful—surely someone at school must’ve confessed to you?” Zhao Rui exclaimed in disbelief.
“Well, people have, but I’m not interested in that sort of thing right now.”
“Could it be that you’re actually into girls?”
“Who knows? Maybe.”
Ling Ning teased with a smile before finishing her hot cocoa. She stood and said, “Senior, I have something to take care of, so I’ll head back first.”
“Oh, really? I was hoping we could have dinner together...”
“Sorry, there’s something I need to handle at home. Let me treat you to dinner next time instead.”
As Ling Ning’s figure disappeared from view, a curious smile played on Zhao Rui’s lips.
The moment Ling Ning stepped out of the café, the polite smile she’d worn vanished completely. At first, she’d thought Zhao Rui genuinely wanted to discuss fashion, but it had quickly become clear that Zhao Rui was subtly fishing for personal information.
Luckily, she had deftly redirected the conversation each time.
Still, Ling Ning couldn’t fathom why Zhao Rui was so interested in her. Whatever the reason, Zhao Rui’s motive for joining the club definitely wasn’t as simple as she claimed.
Forget it. Thinking about all this is a waste of time. Better to go home and cuddle my daughter—that’s what truly matters~
⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱
Author’s Note:
Now, it’s time for a wholesome recommendation! Check out ‘So-Called Miracles/所谓神迹’ by Old Brother Shenzhao. Here’s a summary:
The teacher stood before the blackboard, writing a single character.
Teacher: “Do you know this character?”
Class: “Ren (仁)!”
Teacher: “Do you know its meaning?”
Class: “Ren, benevolence!”
Teacher: “Wrong! ‘Ren’ is the technique of dividing a person into two!”
With that, the teacher struck the board, splitting the entire classroom in half.