Chapter 540 : Big Sister Will Treat You To
“Li Si, I’ve spotted your fangirl—find an excuse and leave this street immediately!”
Just as Chu Mengyao was beginning to relax, seeing Li Si and Ling Ning getting along well, she noticed a familiar figure: none other than Zheng Yun, Li Si’s persistent admirer. Zheng Yun often frequented the maid café, so Chu Mengyao recognized her instantly. She hadn’t expected to run into her here.
Without hesitation, Chu Mengyao instructed Li Si to take Ling Ning and make a swift exit. If Zheng Yun and Li Si crossed paths, the entire date would be ruined.
Meanwhile, Zheng Yun, strolling through the street, spotted Chu Mengyao bundled up like a walking dumpling. Her expression turned quizzical as she tried to recall where she had seen this peculiar girl before. Unable to place her, Zheng Yun focused instead on a more pressing concern—Li Si had disappeared.
Last night, Li Si had been in their dorm, but by morning, she was gone, leaving only a note saying she had errands to run and would be back in the evening. Zheng Yun had tried calling but received no response. If not for the note, she might have alerted her father.
She had wanted to spend the day shopping with Li Si. Why had things turned out this way?
Still, Zheng Yun felt certain that Li Si was nearby. Her intuition had never failed her before.
Chu Mengyao noticed Zheng Yun approaching and glanced toward Li Si and Ling Ning, relieved to see they had already left. Sighing softly, she pulled out her phone to track their location and hurried after them.
After some time, she spotted them sitting on a bench, enjoying a snack. Looking back to ensure Zheng Yun wasn’t following, Chu Mengyao finally spoke up. “Your fangirl is gone for now. You can relax a bit.”
Silently thanking Chu Mengyao in her heart, Li Si resumed eating her fish tofu.
“Are both of your snacks the same flavor?”
Chu Mengyao asked over the earpiece. Li Si hesitated at the question but eventually shook her head. Her portion was mild, while Ling Ning’s was spicy.
“Good. Ask Ling Ning how her spicy tofu tastes and if she’ll share a piece with you.”
Following the suggestion, Li Si turned to Ling Ning and asked hesitantly, “Um, Ling Ning, how’s your spicy fish tofu?”
“It’s delicious! Eating something spicy in this weather feels great. Want to try some, Xiao Si Si?” Ling Ning replied with a cheerful smile, spearing a piece with her fork and holding it up to Li Si’s lips.
“T-Then, I won’t hold back~”
As Li Si bit into the tofu, she found the spice level manageable, even for someone who wasn’t fond of spicy food. Whether it was the added chili or the fact that Ling Ning was feeding her, it tasted far better than her own portion.
“Your turn. Let me try some of your plain tofu,” Ling Ning said playfully, plucking a piece from Li Si’s bowl with her bamboo skewer and popping it into her mouth.
Li Si froze for a moment. The piece Ling Ning had taken was one she had already bitten into, but she decided not to mention it.
Watching from a nearby corner, Chu Mengyao salivated at the sight of the two enjoying their snacks. She prayed they would finish quickly so she could get some for herself.
Her prayers seemed to be answered when she noticed a familiar figure approaching Ling Ning and Li Si—Xia You.
“Li Si, take Ling Ning and leave immediately. Xia You is heading your way.”
Hearing this, Li Si froze mid-bite, then quickly turned to Ling Ning. “Um, Ling Ning, let’s walk while we eat?”
“Huh? Why?”
“Well, the place we’re heading to might run out of seats if we’re late. You wouldn’t want to wait outside in the cold, right?”
“Fair enough.”
As they walked away, Xia You paused, sensing someone’s gaze on her. She glanced toward Chu Mengyao, who quickly averted her eyes. Though Xia You didn’t sense any malice, she decided not to linger and continued on her way.
Chu Mengyao sighed in relief. Why did she keep bumping into familiar faces today? It was a good thing she’d decided to come along, or Li Si and Ling Ning’s date would have ended before it began.
Following the two to a restaurant, Chu Mengyao realized it was one of Ling Ning’s regular spots—the one where she and Xu Qing shared a couples’ membership. She hadn’t expected Li Si to bring Ling Ning here, but it worked out perfectly.
Once the two entered the restaurant, Chu Mengyao finally relaxed and bought herself some fish balls. Having already scouted the restaurant, she knew no acquaintances were inside, so there should be no further issues.
However, as she watched Li Si and Ling Ning settle into a window seat, a thought struck her—she had forgotten to tell Li Si to choose a secluded spot. It was too late now, though, and she doubted it would be a problem. How likely was it to run into more familiar faces?
Just as Chu Mengyao comforted herself, she spotted another familiar figure: Ling Ning’s sister, Ling Ye, accompanied by her close friends. Why were they here?
Without a second thought, Chu Mengyao abandoned her fish balls and rushed over.
“Hey there, Ye Ye!”
Ling Ye, startled by the stranger calling her name, stopped in her tracks.
Seeing Ling Ye’s confused expression, Chu Mengyao pulled down her scarf to reveal her face. “It’s me, your Big Sister Mengyao~”
“Oh, Sister Mengyao. Hello.” Ling Ye blinked, clearly puzzled as to why Chu Mengyao was here.
“Ah, well, I was running errands in the area and about to grab lunch. Want to join me? My treat at Blue Lane~”
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Author’s Note:
Is it finals season already?