Chapter 610 : I Think It Looks a Bit Like You
“Ling Ning, it’s about time. Shall we... head out?”
Ling Ning, who had been sitting on the sofa in a daze, nodded softly when she heard Bai Jie’s words. Rising silently, she followed Bai Jie out of the house.
Bai Jie usually took a taxi or the subway to school, and today was no exception. She hailed a taxi at the entrance of the complex, and the two of them got in, heading straight for the school.
During the ride, Bai Jie glanced at Ling Ning, her mouth opening as if to speak, but after a long moment of hesitation, she said nothing.
Since that morning, an inexplicable tension had hung between them.
The seasoned taxi driver, upon seeing two beautiful women as his passengers, was initially delighted. He had considered striking up a conversation, but his years of experience told him that the atmosphere between them was... unusual. So, after some thought, he decided to keep quiet.
And just like that, the two reached the school without exchanging a single word.
“Ling Ning, I’ll head this way.”
“Mm.”
As Bai Jie walked away, Ling Ning’s expression turned complicated. How had things come to this?
Shaking her head slightly, she began making her way toward her classroom. Upon entering, she noticed Xia You already at her seat, seemingly waiting for her.
Sensing something, Xia You turned her head slightly and noticed Ling Ning standing beside her. Smiling faintly, she said, “Ling Ning, you’re here~”
“Yeah, I drank too much last night, so I couldn’t get up this morning,” Ling Ning replied, forcing a weak smile.
Having spent so much time with Ling Ning, Xia You naturally picked up on the subtle tension in her demeanor. However, she didn’t dwell on it, assuming it was just lingering effects of a hangover.
Ling Ning returned to her seat and slumped over her desk, her gaze empty as she stared at the blackboard.
Before long, Bai Jie entered the classroom. Her eyes immediately fell on Ling Ning, who lay motionless at her desk, her vacant expression stirring an ache in Bai Jie’s chest.
Ling Ning, however, gave no reaction to Bai Jie’s arrival, behaving as if nothing was amiss. Yet the emptiness in her eyes betrayed her complete lack of focus on the lecture.
Before long, the other students noticed that Bai Jie seemed distracted today—something highly unusual for their normally strict and meticulous teacher. She made several mistakes during the lecture, which left many students whispering among themselves.
And so, under this strange atmosphere, the class came to an end.
Bai Jie cast another glance at Ling Ning, sighed softly, and left the room.
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As Ling Ning prepared to rest her head and shut her eyes for a moment, a classmate approached her. “Ling Ning, someone’s looking for you outside.”
“Oh?”
Curious, Ling Ning turned toward the classroom door and spotted a familiar figure. It was Su Ya’s roommate, Lu Muyuan.
Though puzzled as to why Lu Muyuan sought her out, Ling Ning got up and approached her at the door. “Is there something you need from me?”
“This isn’t the right place to talk. Let’s go over there,” Lu Muyuan said, pointing to a quieter spot.
Ling Ning nodded and followed her to the secluded corner. “Alright, what is it?”
“Tell me—what happened between you and Xiao Ya? Ever since she returned to the dorm yesterday, she’s been acting like she’s lost her soul. No matter how much I ask, she won’t say a word. I even heard her crying in the middle of the night. Why?” Lu Muyuan asked, her expression serious.
Ling Ning hesitated, her lips parting slightly before she finally asked, “Where is Xiao Ya now?”
“Don’t change the subject. What happened between you two?”
Lu Muyuan’s tone carried frustration. Su Ya might always insist that she and Ling Ning were just “ordinary friends,” but was that really the case? Would someone light up with joy every time their “ordinary friend” called? Would they talk about that “ordinary friend” endlessly, as if their name was always on the tip of their tongue?
Anyone with half an eye could see Su Ya’s feelings for Ling Ning—let alone someone like Lu Muyuan, who knew her well.
But before Ling Ning could respond, an unexpected voice interrupted them.
“Junior Ling Ning! There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you~”
The familiar voice made Ling Ning instinctively turn her head. Standing behind her was Zhao Rui. Ling Ning couldn’t decide whether to thank Zhao Rui for the interruption or to blame her.
With someone else now present, Lu Muyuan sighed in exasperation and walked away. It was clear she wouldn’t get any answers today.
After Lu Muyuan left, Ling Ning turned to Zhao Rui. “Senior, is there something you need from me?”
“Not really. I just saw you earlier and thought you seemed off, so I wanted to check in. Did something happen?” Zhao Rui asked with a cheerful smile.
“N-No, but thank you for your concern, Senior.”
“Is that so? Then I’ll assume it was just me overthinking. But if you ever feel troubled, you can always come to me. I may not be great at giving advice, but I can certainly listen,” Zhao Rui said warmly.
“Thank you, Senior.”
As Ling Ning turned to leave, Zhao Rui called out again. “Oh, by the way, Ling Ning, have you seen the news about Bai Yiyue? I didn’t expect her to like girls! By the way, do you know who she’s interested in? That silhouette from the photos looks a bit like you.”
Ling Ning froze momentarily but quickly regained her composure. Without a change in expression, she replied, “I think it looks a bit like me too.” With that, she walked away.
Watching Ling Ning’s retreating figure, Zhao Rui’s lips curved into an amused smile.
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Author’s Note:
A purely wholesome friendship. Also, I recommend the novel “The Industry Nanny Life of Heroic Spirit Emiya”—a rare gem in the genre!