Chapter 688 : From One Trap to Another
"Ling Ning, you’re here~"
Bai Jie greeted her warmly, a smile lighting up her face as she opened the door.
"Didn’t you say you needed my help with something?"
Ling Ning stepped into Bai Jie’s dorm room, her eyes scanning the space. Curiosity tugged at her thoughts—when had Bai Jie moved back here? Shouldn’t she be staying at home?
Noticing Ling Ning’s questioning look, Bai Jie explained with a soft smile, "Yiyue has been busy with work and hasn’t been home much lately. I got tired of going back and forth, so I decided to stay here for a while. It’s close by, after all. If it’s not inconvenient, you’re welcome to drop by anytime."
"I see. So, what exactly did you need my help with?"
"Ah, it’s just a small favor. You see, certain tasks are dull when done alone, but they can be quite fun with two people," Bai Jie said, her gaze lingering on Ling Ning.
Ling Ning blinked, suddenly feeling uneasy. With a wary look, she replied, "Uh... we still have class later, so maybe we should skip it."
"Come now, it’s just a small favor."
"No, no, no! If we do anything like that now, I’ll definitely be skipping class this afternoon!"
Seeing Ling Ning’s alarmed expression, Bai Jie leaned in and whispered into her ear, "Ling Ning, you’re so full of desire. All I wanted was help cleaning, and yet that’s where your mind went."
Ling Ning’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. In her defense, ever since their ambiguous relationship began, Bai Jie seemed insatiable, constantly finding excuses to seek her out.
It was no wonder her first thought upon seeing Bai Jie was that.
"I-I wasn’t thinking about anything like that! You’re the one making assumptions!" Ling Ning stammered, quickly heading to the bathroom to fetch cleaning supplies.
Despite Bai Jie’s extended absence from the dorm, the place was still surprisingly clean.
With the two of them working together, tidying up didn’t take long. They even managed to unpack and organize Bai Jie’s luggage.
Looking around the now-spotless room, Ling Ning nodded in satisfaction. Just as she turned to say something, she felt a sudden push from behind and found herself sprawled on the bed.
Staring up at Bai Jie, who loomed over her, Ling Ning blinked and said, "Uh... Sister, now that we’re done cleaning, I should probably get going."
"No need to rush. There’s still plenty of time before class. Why don’t we find something else to do?"
As Bai Jie leaned closer, Ling Ning could feel her soft scent and the weight of her gaze. Bai Jie’s expression seemed conflicted, as if torn between indulgence and restraint. Ling Ning, meanwhile, was caught in a mix of nervousness and inexplicable anticipation.
Just as Bai Jie seemed ready to act, the doorbell rang, breaking the tension.
Frowning, Bai Jie reluctantly released Ling Ning and got up to answer the door. Ling Ning, on the other hand, let out a sigh of relief, though she couldn’t ignore a faint sense of disappointment.
Wait—disappointment?! Why was she feeling that way?
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Ling Ning adjusted her clothes and stepped out into the living room. There, she saw Bai Jie speaking with a familiar figure—Ye Xuan.
When Ye Xuan noticed Ling Ning, she raised an eyebrow in curiosity. She hadn’t come for Ling Ning but rather to discuss something with Bai Jie. Still, seeing Ling Ning here piqued her interest.
"That’s all I needed. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me anytime."
"Thank you, Teacher Bai. That’s all for now."
As Ye Xuan turned to leave, Ling Ning approached the door and said, "Sister, I have something to take care of, so I’ll be heading out as well."
"Alright, take care," Bai Jie said, her voice gentle as ever. But her eyes seemed to say, You can’t escape me.
Once outside, Ling Ning noticed Ye Xuan standing nearby, seemingly waiting for something.
As Ling Ning walked over, Ye Xuan turned her attention to her. "What were you doing in Bai Jie’s room?"
"Nothing much. Bai Jie is the mother of a good friend of mine, so we’re close. She just needed help with a small task," Ling Ning explained.
Satisfied with the answer, Ye Xuan nodded and said, "It’s still early. Would you like to come to my place for a while?"
"Sure, but you know the rules.”
"Of course."
Ye Xuan’s calm demeanor didn’t waver as she led Ling Ning to her dorm. The place was as immaculate as ever.
As soon as they entered, Ling Ning flopped onto the couch, grabbing the remote and turning on the TV as if she were at home.
In contrast, when she was with Bai Jie, Ling Ning could never bring herself to act so relaxed.
Ye Xuan glanced at her and, without a word, lifted Ling Ning’s legs to sit down before placing them on her lap. A faint smile appeared on her otherwise expressionless face as she gently ran her hand over Ling Ning’s long legs.