“Mom, I’m back~”
Ling Ye opened the door and stepped into the house, only to see her Mom sitting on the sofa, lost in thought. Ling Ye frowned slightly, puzzled by this unusual scene. She walked over to her Mom’s side and asked softly, “Mom, what’s wrong with you?”
Ling Ye called out several tis before Ling Ning snapped out of her daze. Shaking her head lightly, Ling Ning replied, “It’s… it’s nothing. I was just thinking about sothing.”
Hearing her Mom’s words, Ling Ye furrowed her brows again. While her Mom claid it was nothing, the atmosphere didn’t seem as simple as that.
With her keen senses, Ling Ye caught a faint sll of alcohol lingering around her Mom. She asked, “Mom, have you been drinking?”
“Yes, just a little. It’s fine.”
Ling Ning replied, reaching out to gently stroke her daughter’s soft hair. Her thoughts drifted back to earlier events involving Xu Qing.
She had finally confessed her relationship with Xia You.
Xu Qing had left on the spot upon learning the truth. As expected, the idea of maintaining a harem was just her wishful thinking.
A tinge of lancholy flickered in Ling Ning’s eyes as she glanced at the teacups on the table. Besides hers and her daughter’s, there was an extra cup—a detail that didn’t escape Ling Ye’s notice. The special tea set was usually only brought out for guests. Was soone else coming over tonight?
“Mom, are we expecting soone tonight?”
“Yes, I invited your Sister Xu Qing over for dinner. Why?”
“No… no reason.”
Ling Ye hesitated for a mont, deciding not to press further. No matter how she looked at it, her Mom’s deanor seed odd tonight. Perhaps it would be better to wait for another opportunity to ask.
Ling Ning, aware of her own current state, took a deep breath and forced a smile. “Ye Ye, would you like to take a bath with Mom tonight?”
“Yes!”
Without a shred of hesitation, Ling Ye accepted her Mom’s invitation. Truth be told, bathing with her Mom was always a delightful visual experience.
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“Is that how it is?”
Xu Qing walked ho slowly, tears sliding uncontrollably down her cheeks. She had known all along it would end this way, but she had still chosen to ask. Perhaps things would have been better left unsaid.
Thinking about how her relationship with Ling Ning might never return to normal—even as friends—left Xu Qing feeling empty, as if sothing crucial had been torn away from her life.
“What’s wrong with you?”
A familiar voice startled her. Turning instinctively, she found Xia You standing nearby.
Xia You, noticing Xu Qing’s tear-streaked face, looked perplexed. If her mory served correctly, Xu Qing didn’t live in this area. It was also the first ti she had seen Xu Qing cry so heavily.
Xu Qing gave Xia You a complicated look before shaking her head. “It’s nothing. My unrequited love is over, that’s all. Don’t worry about .”
Xia You raised her brows slightly, pondering her response. Before she could speak, Xu Qing had already walked away.
Watching Xu Qing’s retreating figure, Xia You hesitated but ultimately decided not to follow.
“I’m back.”
Once ho, Xu Qing headed straight to her room. Her emotions were in complete turmoil, leaving her unsure of what to do. Even her beloved guitar, which usually brought her solace, held no appeal at this mont.
As she contemplated just going to bed early, Xu Xiaoxiao entered the room, guitar in hand.
“Sister, there’s sothing I don’t quite understand. Can you teach ?”
Xu Xiaoxiao quickly noticed that her sister looked unwell—her eyes red and swollen, as though she had been crying. Blinking in confusion, Xu Xiaoxiao asked, “Weren’t you visiting Sister Ling Ning? What happened…”
“Nothing.”
Unwilling to let her younger sister see her current state, Xu Qing pulled the blanket over her head, hiding like a turtle retreating into its shell.
Xu Xiaoxiao stared at her sister suspiciously. Sothing was definitely wrong. If her sister was fine, then the problem must have stemd from Sister Ling Ning.
If her guess was right, Ling Ning probably had soone she liked. Either Xu Qing had found out, or Ling Ning had told her directly.
Xu Xiaoxiao felt as though she had uncovered the truth.
Clearing her throat, she teased, “Big Sister, does Sister Ling Ning have soone she likes?”
“How did you kno—cough! Kids shouldn’t say such things!”
“Ah-ha! So it’s true!”
“I said, don’t jump to conclusions!” Xu Qing’s muffled voice ca from under the blanket, tinged with frustration.
Xu Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes and climbed onto the bed, sitting on her sister. “Alright, tell what happened. Your little sister is here to help you strategize.”
“There’s nothing to say!”
“Fine, fine. If you don’t want to share, it’s not a big deal. Let just ask—do you still want Sister Ling Ning?”
Xu Qing froze at the question. Did she still want Ling Ning? Of course she did. Ling Ning’s every smile, every expression, seed etched into her mind.
“If you won’t say, so be it. As your sister, I’ll offer a suggestion.” Xu Xiaoxiao’s tone turned mockingly wise.
“What’s your suggestion?”
The mont she asked, Xu Qing regretted it. Why was she listening to the advice of a minor? But then again, there weren’t many options left. Listening didn’t an she had to follow through.
“Give yourself so ti. Even though you’re at the sa school, your majors are different, right? Take a week, a month, or even a year to forget about Sister Ling Ning. If you can move on, great—you can find a new Sister. With your looks, finding soone else will be a breeze.”
“Of course, if you can’t forget, then accept it—you’re destined to belong to Sister Ling Ning forever.”
With that, Xu Xiaoxiao left the room, leaving her sister alone to think things through.
“Can I… really forget?”
Xu Qing murmured to herself.
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