Chapter 646 : Bullying Noobs Is Always Fun
“Ling Ning, why are you staring at me like that?”
Hearing Xu Qing’s question, Ling Ning chuckled awkwardly and replied, “Nothing much, really. I just feel like it’s been ages since I last saw Xiao Qing Qing, so I wanted to take a good look.”
“Is that so? Then take all the time you want after the meal. How am I supposed to eat with you staring at me like that?” Xu Qing said with a hint of exasperation.
“Hehe!”
Ling Ning immediately lowered her head and began to focus on the meal in front of her. She failed to notice her daughter on the side, staring at her with a peculiar expression.
Ling Ye let out a soft sigh. Why does her mom always manage to say such flirtatious things? With lines like that, how could any young lady not fall for her?
What’s more, Ling Ye couldn’t ignore the fact that her mom had never said such things to her. But then again, it made sense. After all, she was her mom’s daughter. Yet, why was this her role? She didn’t want to be seen as a daughter.
What she truly wanted was...
Just as this thought crossed her mind, Ling Ye suddenly felt a warm hand resting on her head. Turning instinctively, she found her mom gazing at her with a bright, cheerful smile.
“Ye Ye, are you not feeling hungry?” Ling Ning asked with a hint of concern.
“N-No, it’s not that.”
“Hmm, but these are all dishes Ye Ye likes. If you don’t eat soon, we’re going to finish everything,” Ling Ning teased gently.
Looking at her mom’s warm and gentle smile, Ling Ye pursed her lips slightly before breaking into her usual radiant grin. “Ye Ye was just letting you all eat first. If I start eating seriously, I’ll finish everything in no time!”
“Then go ahead and dig in.”
Watching her daughter eat, Ling Ning couldn’t shake off the feeling that something about her seemed off today. No! To be more precise, ever since they returned from Su Ya’s place, things had been different.
Even when watching her favorite anime, Ling Ning would often catch her daughter staring blankly at the screen.
Why had things turned out like this?
Ling Ning couldn’t figure it out either, so she decided to wait until after the Lunar New Year to have a proper talk with her daughter.
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After a while, lunch finally came to an end.
Looking at the spotless plates on the table, Ling Ning nodded with satisfaction. “You all take a break. I’ll clean up the dishes and the kitchen.”
“I’ll help,” Xia You offered naturally, confident that Ling Ning wouldn’t refuse her.
“I…”
Xu Qing had just opened her mouth to speak when Ling Ning cut her off. “Xiao Qing Qing doesn’t need to. Besides, two people are enough to handle the kitchen quickly. Any more, and it’ll just get crowded.”
Hearing this, Xu Qing shot Xia You a reluctant glance. She couldn’t help but feel envious of Xia You’s advantage of living next door to Ling Ning, always having the chance to be with her. Why couldn’t she have been the one living next door?
However, Xia You appeared completely oblivious to Xu Qing’s gaze. She immediately began helping Ling Ning gather the dishes and headed to the kitchen.
Left with no choice, Xu Qing returned to the living room and huddled under the kotatsu with Ling Ye.
While washing dishes, Ling Ning suddenly felt a pair of hands wrap around her waist. Xia You had embraced her from behind.
“What’s wrong?”
Even though Xu Qing and Ling Ye were just in the living room, Ling Ning wasn’t flustered. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t come in.
Inhaling the faint, fresh scent from Ling Ning’s hair, Xia You spoke softly, “Nothing… I just felt like hugging you.”
“Is that so?”
The corners of Ling Ning’s lips curled up slightly as she paid no further mind and continued washing the dishes. But soon after, as if something had occurred to her, she paused and said, “Just so you know, with people around, hugging is as far as you can go.”
“Mm.”
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“Ling Ning, you two sure took your time washing those dishes~”
As Ling Ning and Xia You walked out of the kitchen, Xu Qing commented nonchalantly.
Before Ling Ning could reply, Xia You spoke up first. “Well, there was a lot to wash, so it took a little longer.”
For some reason, Ling Ning suddenly felt a tense atmosphere lingering in the air.
Clearing her throat lightly, she asked, “By the way, Xiao Qing Qing, do you have any plans for today?”
“I had plans, but someone dragged me over for lunch, so now I don’t~”
“In that case, let’s find something fun to do!” Ling Ning said, glancing around before her gaze landed on the game console. “How about we play some games?”
“No way! I’m terrible at games~” Xu Qing muttered, sneaking a glance at Xia You. She hadn’t forgotten that Xia You was an expert gamer. If they played games, she’d surely get crushed.
“Are you scared because you have no skills?” Xia You teased quietly.
“Exactly! I’m terrible, so what? Do you think bullying a noob like me is fun?”
Xia You nodded earnestly. “Bullying noobs is absolutely fun. If it weren’t, what else would be?”
Although their voices were low, Ling Ning could still hear them. She coughed twice and suggested, “How about we watch a movie instead? I found a bunch of great ones online recently.”
“Hmm!?”
Seeing no objections from either party, Ling Ning went into her room and retrieved a small USB drive. This wasn’t her study material drive; it was the one she used to store movies.
Her daughter loved horror movies, so she often downloaded them to watch together on the living room’s larger TV screen instead of her computer.
The movie began, and the four of them huddled under the kotatsu. Ling Ning had chosen a highly-rated romance film she’d found online. She hadn’t watched it yet, so she wasn’t sure how it would turn out.
Rumor had it, though, that the relationships in the movie were excessively complicated, and the later parts were deeply tragic.
Shortly after the movie began, Ling Ning felt something soft and warm on her thigh. Turning to the side, she saw Xia You quietly watching her. Her face betrayed no signs of guilt.
Ling Ning raised an eyebrow. Today, Xia You was acting strange too.