Chapter 562 : Compensation
"Did I just hear the word 'panties'?"
Lin Yue, carrying a dish out from the kitchen, asked with a puzzled expression. She hadn’t caught the full conversation but was certain she’d heard the word "panties" loud and clear.
Hearing her daughter’s voice, Chen Ruo immediately straightened up and cleared her throat. "I was just discussing with Ling Ning which brand of panties is the most comfortable lately!"
"Y-yeah, that’s exactly it~" Ling Ning quickly backed her up. If Lin Yue found out about their earlier teasing exchange, Ling Ning figured her days might be numbered.
Lin Yue squinted suspiciously at the two of them. Something felt off, but since her mom had said so, she decided not to press further. After all, she was home all day—she doubted Ling Ning could pull off any antics right under her nose.
Ling Ning coughed lightly and said, "Well, let’s sit down. The soup base is boiling now."
Ling Ning had prepared a beef hot pot—super spicy, perfect for a winter meal. Neither Lin Yue nor Chen Ruo minded spicy food, with Chen Ruo practically living off spicy sticks.
The meal had only just begun, and already beads of sweat were forming on their foreheads. Ling Ning stood up and took off her snug sweater, leaving only a light undershirt.
"Ling Ning, are you sure wearing just one layer is okay?"
"It’s fine. I’ll put it back on once we’re done," Ling Ning replied nonchalantly.
As if recalling something, Ling Ning turned to Lin Yue with curiosity. "Xiao Yue, you’re in the same grade as my daughter, right? Are you in the same class?"
Not sure why Ling Ning was asking, Lin Yue replied, "You mean Ling Ye? Yeah, we’re in the same class. Why do you ask?"
"Just curious—how’s your relationship with her? Has she been acting strangely at school? Like suddenly getting a boyfriend, for example?" Ling Ning asked with a playful blink.
"Relationship, huh…" Lin Yue pondered for a moment. The question caught her off guard, and she wasn’t sure how to answer. She supposed they were friends—initially rivals, but they bonded over shared interests, often discussing their respective moms.
As for boyfriends… Lin Yue nearly burst out laughing at the thought. The topic Ling Ye brought up most often was Ling Ning. Lin Yue couldn’t understand why Ling Ning was such a hot topic. Sure, she was beautiful, had a great figure, a soft voice, excellent cooking skills, a caring nature, and was brimming with charm, but still...
"We’re friends, I guess. She’s normal at school—no boyfriends. But plenty of people want to be her boyfriend," Lin Yue finally said.
"Is that so? That’s good to hear~" Ling Ning muttered to herself, almost inaudibly.
But then it hit her—her possessiveness toward her daughter was quite strong. Why did she feel unsettled at the thought of Ling Ye dating? Wasn’t this possessiveness?
Noticing Ling Ning zoning out, Chen Ruo asked curiously, "Ling Ning, is something wrong?"
"N-no, it’s nothing. Let’s keep eating~"
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"Ling Ning seems a bit distracted this afternoon."
Chen Ruo remarked as she paused her drawing. When Ling Ning wasn’t focused, Chen Ruo felt that something essential was missing from her artwork, even if it still looked good.
Hearing Chen Ruo, Ling Ning offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry, let’s take a break. I’ll adjust myself."
"Okay. Want a spicy stick?"
"No, thanks. You can have it."
With that, Ling Ning flopped onto Chen Ruo’s bed and let out a long sigh. Losing focus at work—if her mentor found out, she’d definitely get a scolding.
But she couldn’t help it. The thought of her possessiveness toward her daughter left her feeling melancholic. She hadn’t even figured out Ling Ye’s situation, and here she was worrying about her own issues.
After a while, Chen Ruo returned to the room with a spicy stick.
"Where’s Xiao Yue?" Ling Ning asked, curious.
"She went to take a nap. I guess she got bored watching me draw."
"Why don’t you train Xiao Yue to be your successor? I mean, in a more mainstream way." Ling Ning asked with genuine curiosity.
"A successor? It’s up to her. If she wants to learn art, I’ll teach her everything I know. If she wants to do something else, that’s fine too. I won’t force her."
Ling Ning nodded. She shared a similar perspective when it came to her daughter.
After a moment’s hesitation, Ling Ning asked, "Chen Ruo, what would you do if your daughter was overly attached to you?"
"Hmm, I wouldn’t know. I’m the one clinging to my daughter. Without Xiao Yue, I wouldn’t even dare go outside," Chen Ruo admitted with a laugh.
Ling Ning smiled wryly. Chen Ruo had a point. Thankfully, Lin Yue hadn’t inherited her mom’s terrible sense of direction; otherwise, life would’ve been even more challenging.
Seeing Ling Ning’s expression, Chen Ruo felt she might be thinking something rude.
Without a word, Chen Ruo stood and walked over to Ling Ning. Holding a spicy stick, she extended it to Ling Ning’s mouth and said, "Ling Ning, have a bite."
Ling Ning initially wanted to refuse, but seeing Chen Ruo’s serious expression, she relented and took a bite.
"In my opinion, Ling Ning looks best when smiling~" Chen Ruo said earnestly.
Ling Ning couldn’t help but laugh. She hadn’t expected to be comforted by Chen Ruo.
Exhaling deeply, Ling Ning decided to set her worries aside for now. After composing herself, she looked at Chen Ruo with a serious expression and said, "Chen Ruo, you haven’t forgotten about my compensation, have you?"
"Eh!?"