Chapter 654 : Sleeping on the Couch Not Happening
“Looking at how hard it’s raining, I think it’s better if you stay the night here, Ling Ning~,” Zhao Rui suggested with a soft smile as she listened to the downpour outside.
“T-this… seems a bit inappropriate.”
Ling Ning let out an awkward laugh. After hearing about Zhao Rui’s preferences earlier, she wasn’t sure staying here overnight was a good idea. Who knew what might happen, like… losing something important?
Noticing Ling Ning’s hesitation, Zhao Rui chuckled lightly. “Don’t worry, Ling Ning. I won’t do anything to you. Besides, I’m not in the mood for that today~.”
“Even if you say so…”
Ling Ning lowered her eyes, deep in thought. Returning home at this hour wasn’t an option—not with the heavy rain and the late hour. She didn’t trust her own safety, especially given her less-than-stellar physical abilities.
After some deliberation, she sighed and said, “Alright, I’ll have to trouble you tonight, Senior.”
“Not at all. You were the one who went out of your way to bring me home. If anything, I should be apologizing for the inconvenience,” Zhao Rui replied with a soft laugh.
As if remembering something, Zhao Rui added, “Oh, I forgot to mention—aside from my bedroom, the other rooms are filled with miscellaneous stuff. I hope you don’t mind sharing my bed~.”
“Eh!?”
Ling Ning blinked, sensing a whiff of mischief in the air.
“If you’re uncomfortable, I can take the couch instead.”
“N-no need.”
Ling Ning bit her lip. If someone was going to take the couch, it should be her. Besides, sharing a bed wasn’t a big deal… probably. Zhao Rui had said she wouldn’t do anything, so Ling Ning decided to trust her.
Seeing Ling Ning agree, Zhao Rui’s smile deepened. “Then it’s settled. It’s already quite late—shall we head to bed~?”
“Can you at least add the word ‘sleep’ to that sentence?”
“Does it matter? It’s just the two of us here.”
With a resigned sigh, Ling Ning called her daughter to inform her of the situation, then followed Zhao Rui into her bedroom.
Upon entering, her first impression was how minimalist the room was. Besides the essential furniture, there was nothing extra. If not for the makeup on the vanity, Ling Ning might have thought it was a man’s room.
“I’m not a fan of flashy things. I prefer to keep my room simple,” Zhao Rui explained with a faint smile.
“I can respect that.”
Climbing into bed, Ling Ning noticed the faint fragrance on the sheets, similar to Zhao Rui’s scent. She found it hard to relax in an unfamiliar setting, especially with someone else in such close proximity.
Once the lights were off, the room fell into darkness, the only sound the rain tapping against the window.
Sensing that Ling Ning couldn’t sleep, Zhao Rui turned slightly and whispered, “Ling Ning, having trouble sleeping?”
“A little, but don’t worry about me. I’ll probably fall asleep soon.”
“Is that so?”
After this brief exchange, silence enveloped the room again. Just as Ling Ning was starting to feel drowsy, Zhao Rui spoke up.
“Ling Ning, are you still awake?”
“I am. What’s wrong?”
“I was wondering… do you think family decisions are more important, or are personal choices more important?”
Hearing Zhao Rui’s question, Ling Ning raised an eyebrow. Though she didn’t understand the reason behind it, she replied, “I don’t know, but doesn’t it depend on what you want, Senior?”
“What I want… if only I could choose for myself.”
Something in Zhao Rui’s voice felt melancholic, and though Ling Ning didn’t know why, she suspected it had to do with what had transpired earlier that evening.
After some hesitation, she said, “Senior, other people may provide the options, but the choice is yours. And sometimes… why choose at all?”
“…Is that so?”
“Well, that’s just my rambling. Don’t take it too seriously. Goodnight, Senior.”
With that, Ling Ning closed her eyes, a wave of drowsiness overtaking her.
“Goodnight.”
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“Huh!?”
Ling Ning opened her eyes, momentarily disoriented by her unfamiliar surroundings. She quickly remembered she was at Zhao Rui’s place.
Realizing they had shared the same bed, she instinctively turned to find Zhao Rui still fast asleep.
This was the first time Ling Ning had seen Zhao Rui so up close while sleeping. Without her usual demeanor, she looked softer, almost innocent, as if she had cast off a heavy mask.
Shaking her head lightly, Ling Ning carefully slipped out of bed and tiptoed out of the room.
Sometime later, Zhao Rui stirred awake. She instinctively looked to the spot beside her, only to find it empty. A tinge of disappointment flickered across her face—had Ling Ning left?
Lying there, staring at the ceiling, Zhao Rui’s mind drifted to the questions she had asked the night before. The chaotic thoughts swirling in her head made her frown.
Giving up on thinking, she got out of bed and headed to the living room, only to hear noises coming from the kitchen.
Peeking inside, she found Ling Ning, wearing an apron, making breakfast.
Seeing Zhao Rui at the door, Ling Ning blinked and said, “Senior, I found some noodles and eggs in your kitchen. I hope it’s okay to use them~.”
“Y-yeah, of course.”
Surprised, Zhao Rui watched as Ling Ning continued cooking. She hadn’t expected her to stay, let alone make breakfast.
Still dazed, Zhao Rui went to the bathroom to freshen up. When she returned to the living room, breakfast was ready: simple noodles with a poached egg. Yet, from the aroma, it seemed delicious.
Taking a bite, Zhao Rui confirmed her suspicion—it was excellent.
Looking over, she noticed Ling Ning sitting quietly, watching her without touching her own bowl.
“Ling Ning, aren’t you eating?”
“I’d like to, but I haven’t brushed my teeth yet. Do you have a spare toothbrush and towel?”
“Uh, I’ll grab them for you.”