Chapter 620 : It’s Truly Not Worth It
“W-Wait a minute! Actually, I already have someone I like!”
Ling Ning stared at her discipline in disbelief. She had felt a foreboding sense of unease all day, and now she understood why. That Jiang Xue had always liked girls was unexpected enough, but to hear that Jiang Xue liked her—Ling Ning had no idea how to respond.
Most troubling was the fact that she didn’t know how to handle this situation tactfully.
Watching Ling Ning’s expression, Jiang Xue pressed her lips together and said resolutely, “It doesn’t matter if you already like someone else, Master. I won’t give up!”
“Eh?!” Ling Ning blinked in surprise. Suddenly, a thought struck her, and she hesitated before asking, “Can I ask... why do you like me?”
If she remembered correctly, she had never flirted with her discipline. At most, she’d been a mentor—someone to guide her, offering advice and support.
“Because it’s you, Master. You’re the one who guided me when I was at my lowest point in life,” Jiang Xue answered with heartfelt sincerity.
“Even if you put it that way, I...” Ling Ning trailed off, her expression turning melancholic as she added softly, “I’m not someone worth your affection.”
With that, she gently pushed Jiang Xue away and got up.
Jiang Xue bit her lip as she watched Ling Ning’s retreating figure. Her eyes filled with stubborn determination. “No! I won’t give up! Master, you once told me never to give up on anything!”
“That advice doesn’t apply to everything, especially not to situations like this!” Ling Ning sighed heavily. “Anyway, I’ll be heading home now. Liking me... it’s truly not worth it.”
Without waiting for a response, Ling Ning walked to the door, put on her shoes, and left.
As the door clicked shut, Jiang Xue clenched her fists tightly. No matter what her Master said, she wouldn’t give up.
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Ling Ning walked home slowly, her usual calm smile replaced with a cloud of melancholy. What was happening? Her life seemed to be spiraling into chaos.
Perhaps the idea of managing a harem was a complete fantasy after all.
She chuckled wryly to herself, feeling a deep fatigue settle in. It was exhausting to maintain the delicate balance of her relationships, only for unexpected incidents to keep throwing everything off course. She knew she couldn’t continue like this forever, but for now, she had no solutions.
Maybe taking a trip would help clear her mind.
Before she knew it, Ling Ning was standing at her doorstep. She retrieved her keys and opened the door to find her daughter, Ling Ye, curled up in the kotatsu, likely working on her novel.
Hearing the door, Ling Ye peeked out halfway, as if to greet her Mom, but immediately retreated back under the kotatsu at the touch of cold air. “Welcome back, Mom~” she mumbled from within.
“Mm. I was planning to make you a big dinner today, but I forgot. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow~”
“Okay!”
Ling Ye, focused on her computer, didn’t notice the slight weariness on her Mom’s face.
After a while, Ling Ning reappeared in the living room, freshly bathed. Her mood had improved somewhat, though the faint crease in her brow remained. She slid under the kotatsu and glanced at her daughter.
“Ye Ye, since we’re both on break, is there anywhere you’d like to go?”
“Nope. It’s so cold outside. I’d rather stay home in the kotatsu,” Ling Ye replied, then added thoughtfully, “Of course, if Mom wants to go somewhere far away, I wouldn’t mind tagging along~”
“Hmm, I was thinking about taking a trip to B City.”
“B City?”
Ling Ye gave her Mom a puzzled look. “Why the sudden interest in B City?”
“Maybe because of the snow. There’s so much to do there.”
“As long as you’re happy, Mom, it’s fine with me.”
For Ling Ye, it didn’t matter where they went. As long as she was with her Mom, even staying home for the entire winter break would be perfectly fine.
“Alright, it’s decided then. But there’s no rush—we’ll go after I’ve handled a few things.”
Thinking of the mountain of work awaiting her at the company, along with other trivial matters, Ling Ning felt another wave of fatigue.
Just then, she noticed movement under the kotatsu. Ling Ye peeked her flushed face out from underneath, prompting Ling Ning to reach over and rub her cheeks affectionately.
“Mmph! Don’t squish my face!” Ling Ye protested, her words muffled.
“Sorry, couldn’t resist,” Ling Ning said, stifling a laugh.
Ling Ye pouted at her Mom. She had only come out to enjoy a simple moment with her, but somehow things had escalated into cheek squishing. Why did it always turn out like this?!
At that moment, Ling Ye noticed the bandage wrapped around her Mom’s hand. Concerned, she asked, “Mom, what happened to your hand?”
“Oh, this? It’s nothing—just a minor injury,” Ling Ning replied casually, waving her hand slightly to demonstrate. The movement clearly hurt, though.
“Hmm...”
“Alright, don’t give me that look. I’m fine. By the way, have you thought about staying in the school dorms?”
Ling Ye froze for a moment before her face fell. “Mom, are you trying to get rid of me?”
“No, no! It’s just that dorm life could help you gain new experiences, make friends, and learn independence.”
“Absolutely not! I only want to stay with Mom!”
Ling Ning sighed, defeated by her daughter’s stubbornness. “Alright, fine. I was just suggesting it~”
She realized, once again, that her daughter’s tears were a weakness she couldn’t overcome.