Chapter 626 : Isn’t Ling Ning Here
“It’s done!”
Upon hearing this voice, Ling Ning and Bai Yiyue, who had been striking various poses, finally relaxed. One had to admit, Bai Yiyue, as someone who had been thriving in the entertainment industry for a long time, was nearly on par with Ling Ning when it came to taking promotional photos.
Or perhaps, her impressive performance was because she was standing in front of Ling Ning.
Ling Ning let out a long sigh, then turned her head to Bai Yiyue. “Xiao Bai, let’s go and change clothes.”
“Alright.”
Bai Yiyue responded and followed Ling Ning into the dressing room. Just as Ling Ning stepped into a cubicle and was about to close the door, Bai Yiyue suddenly squeezed in.
Looking at the Bai Yiyue standing so close to her, Ling Ning sighed helplessly. “What are you up to now?”
“Of course, I want to change clothes with Ling Ning~”
“If you’re changing clothes, go to another cubicle! This place is way too small for two people to change, don’t you think!?”
“I’ll leave if you kiss me~”
Leaning against the door, Bai Yiyue looked every bit the rogue, leaving Ling Ning no choice but to sigh again. Ling Ning moved forward and planted a light kiss on her lips.
Before Ling Ning could react, she suddenly felt Bai Yiyue’s arms wrapping around her. What started as a light peck quickly turned into a deep kiss.
After a while, Bai Yiyue finally let go, wearing a mischievous smile. “If a kiss isn’t passionate enough, it just doesn’t feel satisfying~”
“Get out!”
Ling Ning’s exasperated shout echoed, causing Bai Yiyue to chuckle softly. She swiftly opened the door and walked out. Although she hadn’t managed to catch a glimpse of Ling Ning while changing, she figured the kiss was worth it.
After changing clothes, Ling Ning walked out of the cubicle. Glancing at the tightly shut door beside her, she called out, “Xiao Bai, I’ll head out first. Once you’re done, meet me at the office.”
“Got it.”
As Bai Yiyue’s voice faded, the cubicle door opened, and she emerged. Ling Ning walked over, noticing her disheveled appearance. With a sigh, she started tidying up Bai Yiyue’s outfit while muttering, “Why are you in such a rush? Look at your messy hair, and you even buttoned your clothes wrong. If someone sees you like this, what’ll happen to your image?”
Feeling Ling Ning’s gentle hands fixing her attire, Bai Yiyue smiled sweetly. “Isn’t that why I have Ling Ning here?”
That single sentence left Ling Ning momentarily stunned. However, she quickly regained her composure. “What if I’m not around sometimes?”
“Then I’ll sort myself out~” Bai Yiyue replied confidently.
Noticing something, Bai Yiyue curiously asked, “Why are you wearing high-collared clothes today, Ling Ning? Even during the shoot, it was either high-collars or scarves.”
“It’s trendy these days~” Ling Ning replied with a straight face.
She couldn’t possibly let Bai Yiyue notice the love marks on her neck. If her obsessive childhood friend saw them, she might explode on the spot. Still, her behavior did make her feel like one of those scummy characters in movies or dramas.
Unaware of anything amiss, Bai Yiyue simply smiled, waiting as Ling Ning finished adjusting her outfit.
After confirming everything was in order, Ling Ning nodded. “Alright, all set. Let’s head out~”
“Okay.”
The two returned to the office, where Qin Qing shot a glance at Ling Ning and casually remarked, “You took your time changing clothes~”
For some reason, Ling Ning felt a hint of jealousy in Qin Qing’s tone. Was it just her imagination?
“Is everything taken care of? Are we heading back, Miss?” Wu Zi, Bai Yiyue’s manager, approached and asked.
“Sister Zi, you can go back first. I want to stay a bit longer. Don’t worry, as long as Ling Ning is here, I won’t cause any trouble~” Bai Yiyue earnestly reassured her manager.
Hearing this, Wu Zi glanced at Ling Ning, nodded lightly, and said, “Alright. But make sure to disguise yourself properly before heading out. If the incident from last time happens again, you won’t be able to go out until the New Year.”
“Eh!?” Bai Yiyue groaned in protest.
Wu Zi nodded at Qin Qing before leaving the office.
Meanwhile, Bai Yiyue clung to Ling Ning, chattering about how miserable her life had been being stuck at home.
Glancing at Qin Qing, who was busy with documents, Ling Ning quietly stood up. “Sister Qin Qing, I’m taking this chatterbox out for a walk.”
“Alright, consider this afternoon your time off.”
“Thanks, Sister Qin Qing.”
With that, Ling Ning dragged Bai Yiyue out of the office, handing her a disguise kit. In winter, a simple pair of glasses and a scarf usually did the trick.
“Ling Ning, where are we going now?”
“I don’t know. Anywhere. Where do you want to go?”
“I’d like to visit that old place…”
Without further comment, Ling Ning hailed a cab, and the two headed toward the old district.
It wasn’t rush hour, so traffic was smooth, and they soon arrived. Seeing the renovation posters plastered everywhere, Ling Ning remembered that the redevelopment project for the old district had already begun.
Walking through the familiar yet unfamiliar surroundings, they arrived at the orphanage. The place remained desolate as ever. Perhaps because of the impending renovations, not even passersby could be seen.
After removing her disguise, Bai Yiyue led Ling Ning into the narrow alleyway. They came to the rusty swing set surrounded by an overwhelming sense of nostalgia.
“This place will probably be gone soon,” Bai Yiyue murmured, gently touching the rusty chains of the swing.
“Probably.”
Ling Ning took out a tissue from her bag, wiped the dust off the swing, and sat down, gently swaying back and forth. The rusty chains screeched sharply, but neither of them paid it any mind. They simply enjoyed the fleeting serenity, as if they were children once again.