Chapter 530 : Reassurance
“Ring ring ring~”
As the lively chime of an alarm filled the room, Xia You slowly opened her eyes. A few days had passed in the blink of an eye, and tomorrow was Christmas. That meant today was her date with Ling Ning.
Glancing at the clock on her bedside table, she saw it wasn’t even seven yet. For a Sunday, this was undeniably early. She figured Ling Ning was likely still asleep.
No matter—she’d just wake Ling Ning herself when the time came.
Xia You swiftly got out of bed, disregarding the lingering chill in the air, and slipped out of her pajamas. She changed into the outfit she had prepared the night before, then headed to the bathroom to freshen up.
After completing her morning routine and ensuring everything was in order, Xia You pulled a small notebook from her bag. As she scanned the meticulous schedule written inside, she nodded with satisfaction.
Stepping out of her apartment, Xia You used her key to unlock Ling Ning’s front door.
As expected, the place was silent—neither Ling Ning nor Ling Ye was awake yet.
Entering Ling Ning’s room, Xia You saw a cozy bundle under the covers. Judging by Ling Ning’s peaceful expression, she was in the middle of a pleasant dream. To Xia You’s delight, Ling Ye wasn’t sleeping with Ling Ning today, saving her a lot of trouble.
In Ling Ning’s dream, she was about to deliver righteous judgment to the wicked Xia You in a fantastical role reversal. Just as she was about to succeed, a gentle shake shattered her dream world.
She was so close—so close to bringing Xia You to justice! Why did it have to end like this?
Ling Ning opened her bleary eyes, only to be greeted by Xia You’s beautiful face. She blinked, momentarily confused as to why Xia You was in her room.
After a moment, she remembered—she had a date with Xia You today.
“What time is it, Xia You?”
“It’s almost eight~”
Ling Ning, who had been about to get up, immediately retreated back under her blanket. “We’re not leaving until nine-thirty, right?” she murmured softly.
“But it’s already almost eight, and you still need to wash up and get ready, don’t you?” Xia You replied matter-of-factly.
Ling Ning couldn’t argue with that. After a moment’s hesitation, she got out of bed, shivering slightly as the cold air hit her.
She had already picked out her outfit the night before. It matched Xia You’s in style, almost like a couple’s set. Paying no mind to Xia You’s presence in the room, Ling Ning changed out of her pajamas.
After all, they were both girls, and Xia You had seen everything before—it didn’t matter.
Leaving her room, Ling Ning first checked on her daughter to make sure she hadn’t kicked off her blanket during the night. Only then did she head to the bathroom to wash up.
Meanwhile, Xia You sat quietly in the living room, studying her notebook. The schedule she had painstakingly prepared over the past few days accounted for every possible scenario. She was determined to give Ling Ning the perfect date today.
After a reasonable amount of time, Ling Ning finally appeared, looking flawless as ever. Xia You greeted her with a bright, pure smile.
“Xia You, just give me a moment—I’ll leave a note for Ye Ye.”
Even though Ling Ning had already informed her daughter the night before, she felt it was necessary to leave a reminder.
That said, she doubted Ye Ye would even see it until well past noon, given how reluctant she was to get out of bed in this weather.
Stepping outside together, Ling Ning felt the crisp morning breeze brush against her cheeks. She exhaled a small puff of white mist before turning to Xia You. “So, where are we heading first?”
“We’ll start with breakfast,” Xia You said confidently. “Then we can visit the shopping mall. They’re holding Christmas events there, and you can look for a gift for Ye Ye. You’ll probably find something suitable.”
Ling Ning looked at Xia You in surprise. “You seem to know a lot about this. Did you investigate beforehand?”
“I... I just did a little research in advance,” Xia You admitted, a hint of embarrassment coloring her cheeks.
“I see. Well then, I’ll leave everything to you today~” Ling Ning said as she looped her arm through Xia You’s.
“Leave it to me! For breakfast, let’s go to our usual spot.”
“Mm.”
After breakfast, they headed straight to the shopping mall. The festive Christmas atmosphere was evident in every shop, from decorations to special events like raffles based on purchase amounts.
Seeing the excitement on Ling Ning’s face, Xia You couldn’t help but smile.
“Let’s keep strolling and see what we find.”
“Mm.”
Ling Ning was tempted by the big discount tags everywhere, feeling her “royal authority” stirring. But she reminded herself that most of these items would likely go unused and restrained her impulse to splurge.
As they passed a toy store, Ling Ning paused. She remembered buying her daughter’s last stuffed toy from here—the owner, with their salted-fish-themed headgear, had left quite an impression on her.
Noticing Ling Ning stop, Xia You asked curiously, “Do you want to take a look inside?”
Ling Ning shook her head. “Not this time. I’m planning to get Ye Ye something different this year. If I can’t find anything else, I’ll come back.”
Despite her words, Ling Ning had no intention of returning. The toys in that store were too eerie for her taste. With so many options in the mall, she was confident she’d find a better gift for her daughter elsewhere.
“Alright, let’s keep going. According to my research, there are some great stores ahead where you might find the perfect gift,” Xia You said, consulting her notebook.
“Having you with me makes everything feel so reassuring~”
“Oh, not at all... If anything, being with Ling Ning is what makes me feel at ease,” Xia You murmured shyly, her voice barely audible.
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Author’s Note:
Do you see this smile?