Chapter 595 : Interaction
“Yiyue, why are you standing there spacing out?”
Bai Jie glanced at her daughter, who stood frozen in front of the washing machine. However, it didn’t take long for Bai Jie to figure out what had caused her daughter’s daze.
With a soft chuckle, Bai Jie said, “Yiyue, are you concerned about that set of clothes? Those were the ones Ling Ning changed out of earlier. She came by at lunchtime, and we… had instant noodles. I accidentally spilled soup on her. You can guess the rest, right?”
Hearing her mother’s explanation, Bai Yiyue nodded thoughtfully. Considering Ling Ning’s mild obsession with cleanliness, it made sense that she would have showered in such a situation.
“These clothes are yours, aren’t they?”
“Well… yes, they are,” Bai Yiyue stammered, instinctively avoiding her mother’s sharp gaze. Her tone even began to falter.
Sighing softly, Bai Jie said, “Ling Ning already told me that she stayed at our house last night. You two…”
She trailed off, her expression suddenly becoming conflicted as though she had just thought of something.
“We… what?”
Bai Yiyue glanced at her mother nervously. Although Ling Ning had mentioned that her mom might know about her feelings for Ling Ning, the two had never openly discussed it.
Was her mom finally about to address the topic?
Just as Bai Yiyue began to consider how to handle the situation, Bai Jie sighed deeply and said, “It’s nothing. Let’s just finish packing.”
“Right, let’s do that.”
Bai Yiyue blinked and quickly stuffed her freshly washed clothes into a bag, planning to hang them up at home.
As the mother and daughter finished packing and prepared to leave, a knock came at the door. Bai Yiyue instinctively moved to answer it, but Bai Jie stopped her.
Considering Bai Yiyue’s identity, very few people at the school knew she was Bai Jie’s daughter. Unless absolutely necessary, Bai Jie had no intention of revealing their relationship.
To her surprise, the visitor wasn’t a colleague but Ling Ning.
Seeing Ling Ning wearing her clothes, Bai Jie asked curiously, “Ling Ning, what brings you here?”
“Sister, you’re moving back home today, right? I just came by to see if there’s anything I can help with,” Ling Ning replied with a gentle smile.
Bai Jie’s lips curved into a pleased smile. She was growing increasingly fond of Ling Ning. Just as she was about to say something, Bai Yiyue suddenly leapt out from the corner, rushing over to Ling Ning and hugging her tightly. “Ling Ning, what are you doing here?!”
To say Ling Ning was startled would be an understatement. However, she quickly regained her composure and pried Bai Yiyue off, shooting her a meaningful look that said, Be mindful of the situation.
After all, Bai Jie was right there. Who knew what could happen if she saw such a bold display of affection?
Watching the interaction between the two girls, Bai Jie couldn’t help but chuckle. Did they think they could hide their feelings from her, an experienced adult? Still, she decided to let it slide for now.
“Ahem, there’s not much left to do, but thank you for rushing over right after class, Ling Ning.”
“It’s no problem. I just thought of it suddenly. Are you sure there’s nothing I can help carry? Don’t let my size fool you—I’m stronger than I look!”
Though Ling Ning said this confidently, she lacked conviction. She knew full well her physical strength was nothing to boast about.
“No need—it’s just one suitcase, and Yiyue is here to help.”
“Even if you don’t need help, Ling Ning could still come over to our house! My mom is there too, and if you need a ride home later, she can take you!” Bai Yiyue chimed in eagerly.
“Well…”
Ling Ning hesitated, glancing at Bai Jie’s calm expression and Bai Yiyue’s hopeful one. Bai Jie finally sighed and said, “Ling Ning, why don’t you come over? I’ll make a grand dinner tonight to make up for spilling soup on you earlier.”
“That’s really not necessary…”
“Come on, Ling Ning! You love my mom’s cooking, don’t you?”
Faced with the mother and daughter’s expectant looks, Ling Ning knew there was no escaping this. She nodded reluctantly. “Alright, I’ll come over. Sorry for the trouble.”
“Great! Let’s go then. Sister Zi is waiting downstairs.”
As Bai Yiyue started to stride out of the room boldly, Ling Ning pulled her back in. Though they were in a faculty dorm, if Bai Yiyue’s identity were exposed, it would undoubtedly cause a stir.
Ling Ning couldn’t help but admire Bai Yiyue’s carefree nature.
Seeing the serious expressions on Ling Ning and her mom’s faces, Bai Yiyue finally realized her mistake. She stuck out her tongue playfully before putting on her disguise.
Once confident that Bai Yiyue’s identity wouldn’t be discovered, the three of them left the dormitory.
However, as they descended the stairs, they ran into someone they least wanted to see—Teacher Gao.
Bai Jie sighed in exasperation. Why was this colleague of hers so persistent? He was like a ghost that wouldn’t rest.
“Teacher Bai, are you heading home?”
“Yes, I’ve taken care of most things, so I thought it was time to leave. Is there something you need, Teacher Gao?” Bai Jie replied evenly.
“Not at all. I just wanted to see if you needed any help.”
As he spoke, Teacher Gao’s gaze shifted to Ling Ning and the heavily disguised Bai Yiyue. This was his first time seeing this young girl around Bai Jie, and he couldn’t help but wonder about their relationship.
“Thank you for your concern, but everything is already packed,” Bai Jie said politely.
“In that case, would you like me to give you a ride? My car is just over there.”
“That won’t be necessary. The car picking me up has already arrived—it’s that one.” Bai Jie gestured to a luxurious sedan parked not far away.
“Ah, I see…”