Chapter 615 : Fate's Unwelcome Joke
“It doesn’t seem that far~”
Ling Ning stared at the navigation app on her phone. She had searched for the distance between her location and Su Ya’s hometown and found it surprisingly close. A short flight would take less than a few hours. Excited, she started planning her trip.
She also looked up tourist attractions near Su Ya’s hometown, deciding she could bring her “daughter” along for some sightseeing.
While engrossed in her phone, Ling Ning didn’t notice her surroundings and accidentally bumped into someone. Thankfully, neither was walking fast, so neither fell. However, the stack of documents in the other person’s hands scattered to the ground.
Looking up instinctively, Ling Ning froze. The person she had bumped into was Bai Jie.
Bai Jie also seemed surprised to see Ling Ning. Ever since the incident between them, the two had only interacted during class, avoiding any unnecessary encounters due to the awkward tension.
“S-Sorry, Sister. Let me help you with that,” Ling Ning said hastily, kneeling to pick up the documents.
“It’s... fine.”
As Bai Jie looked at Ling Ning, her thoughts drifted back to that unforgettable night. Shaking her head to clear her mind, she chastised herself for dwelling on something she knew was wrong. But every time she saw Ling Ning, she couldn’t help but think about it, as if she had been bewitched.
Noticing the thick bandage wrapped around Ling Ning’s hand, Bai Jie’s concern outweighed her embarrassment. “Ling Ning, what happened to your hand?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I just accidentally got it caught in a door. It might look like a lot, but it’s not serious.”
“Really? Let me take a look later to be sure.”
“Alright.”
After gathering the scattered documents, Ling Ning noticed how heavy they were and decided to carry some of the load for Bai Jie. Once they delivered the files to Bai Jie’s office, both women exhaled in relief.
“Take a seat, and let me check your hand,” Bai Jie offered.
“Mm.”
Bai Jie carefully unwrapped the bandage, revealing a dark purple bruise with a layer of broken skin.
“This looks serious. Are you sure it’s just a door injury?”
“It really is. Don’t worry about it~”
Though Ling Ning’s tone was lighthearted, Bai Jie sensed she wasn’t telling the whole truth. Without pressing further, Bai Jie retrieved a first aid kit and skillfully re-bandaged the injury. Her technique was noticeably better than Su Ya’s—secure but not restrictive, allowing Ling Ning to use her hand freely, albeit not for heavy lifting.
With the office empty except for the two of them, the atmosphere felt unusually intimate. As Bai Jie finished wrapping the bandage, Ling Ning stood to leave, but Bai Jie stopped her.
“Um... Ling Ning, are you free for lunch? I’d like to treat you.”
Ling Ning hesitated briefly but nodded. She felt it was time to clear the air between them. If they could use this lunch to address what had happened and return to normal, that would be ideal.
Seeing Ling Ning agree, Bai Jie smiled softly. “Great. Just let me organize these papers, and we can go.”
“Alright.”
Ling Ning settled into a chair, planning to rest her eyes while Bai Jie finished her work. After a night of near-sleepless “study,” she was exhausted.
A while later, Bai Jie stretched and glanced at the clock, pleasantly surprised at how quickly she had finished. Maybe having Ling Ning nearby had motivated her.
Turning toward Ling Ning, Bai Jie saw her asleep, slumped over the desk. Walking over quietly, Bai Jie found herself captivated by Ling Ning’s peaceful expression.
Instinctively, she reached out to smooth Ling Ning’s hair. Her gaze lingered on Ling Ning’s delicate neck, recalling how it had been marked with her kisses that night.
As Bai Jie lost herself in thought, Ling Ning stirred, her brows twitching slightly before her eyes fluttered open.
“You’re awake. I was just about to call you.”
“Looks like I dozed off for a while. Yawn~ Is your work done, Sister?”
“Yes, all done. Let’s go.”
“Mm.”
The two left the office together, their stunning looks drawing admiring glances from passersby, though neither seemed to notice.
As they walked, Ling Ning asked curiously, “Sister, where’s Xiao Bai these days?”
“She’s mostly at home now, trying to keep a low profile after everything that happened. If you have time, you should visit her.”
“Got it.”
Catching a taxi at the school gate was easy. Their destination was a high-end Japanese restaurant—a place Ling Ning wouldn’t typically choose due to the cost, though she could afford it.
Ling Ning left the ordering to Bai Jie, who was clearly more familiar with the place. Once the orders were placed, a subtle tension filled the air as the two sat silently, each searching for the right words to start a conversation.
Finally, Bai Jie broke the silence. “About what happened last time, Ling Ning—”
Before she could continue, a familiar yet unwelcome figure appeared. Bai Jie’s expression darkened slightly as she recognized the intruder.
“Well, if it isn’t Teacher Bai! What a coincidence to see you here~”
The speaker was none other than Teacher Gao, someone Bai Jie found utterly vexing. Even with her composed nature, she almost cursed out loud. Why did Teacher Gao have to show up now, of all times?
Any hope of addressing things with Ling Ning today had vanished.