Chapter 51
Just as Jiang Ling was about to go after Ning Qiu, he suddenly heard a familiar voice that absolutely should not have appeared here, and he whipped his head around.
Pei Ning was standing at the entrance of Summer Room, looking at him with eyes full of surprise and confusion.
Jiang Ling blurted out, “…A-Ning?”
Cold sweat instantly broke out all over him.
Pei Ning looked genuinely startled. “Why are you here?”
Jiang Ling also wanted to ask Pei Ning the same thing.
If he had not seen the others standing behind her, he would almost have thought Pei Ning had noticed something and secretly followed him to Nanjiang Dinning House.
Lin Zhiqiao: [Hahaha, sweating all over now, aren’t you, you dead scumbag!]
Under Pei Ning’s puzzled gaze, Jiang Ling forced himself to stay calm. “A high school classmates’ gathering. After I finished at the company, Sun Qiao dragged me here, so I didn’t get the chance to tell you.”
The door to Spring Room happened to still be open, and Jiang Ling pointed inside at Sun Qiao.
Sun Qiao was holding a wine glass and chatting happily with his old classmates, completely unaware of what was happening in the corridor.
Pei Ning knew Sun Qiao. He worked at Jiang Ling’s company and was also very close to Jiang Ling. The three of them had occasionally had meals together before.
Jiang Ling thought that with Sun Qiao there, his explanation should sound a lot more believable.
Pei Ning glanced at Sun Qiao and seemed to accept what Jiang Ling said. “Mm. Did you drive here? Remember not to drink.”
Jiang Ling let out a breath. “Don’t worry. I haven’t touched a drop.”
While they were talking, Ning Qiu, who had walked away earlier, turned back.
Jiang Ling’s body happened to block Pei Ning from view, so from Ning Qiu’s angle, she could not see Pei Ning standing there.
Ning Qiu quietly prepared to slip back into Spring Room from behind Jiang Ling. One foot had already stepped through the door when the corner of her eye caught sight of the person standing in front of him, and she immediately withdrew it.
—It was Pei Ning.
A flash of delight instantly crossed Ning Qiu’s eyes, and even her phoenix-shaped eyes widened slightly.
“Jiang Ling, aren’t you going to introduce us?”
She changed direction and walked over with a smile, stopping beside Jiang Ling. But she did not spare him a single glance. Her eyes remained fixed on Pei Ning the whole time.
Pei Ning noticed her and looked over—
In person, she was even more beautiful than in the photo.
Pei Ning was struck by the force of that flamboyant, vivid beauty, and even her breathing paused for a moment.
It had not been obvious from the photo, but now that the real person was standing in front of her, Pei Ning could clearly see that she and Ning Qiu really did share a somewhat similar look around the eyes and brows.
But only somewhat. The overall impression they gave was completely different.
Pei Ning’s beauty was cool and restrained, while Ning Qiu was the opposite—every feature of her face was bold, intense, and outwardly dazzling.
[Wow wow wow! The whole cast is here! The white moonlight and the substitute are both on the scene now—how are you feeling, Scumbag Jiang?!]
Lin Zhiqiao’s inner voice pulled Pei Ning back from her drifting thoughts.
Pei Ning asked Jiang Ling, “And this is?”
Jiang Ling was genuinely starting to panic.
He enjoyed Ning Qiu’s initiative, but he absolutely did not want Pei Ning there to witness it.
Forcing himself to remain composed, he pointed at Ning Qiu. “This is my high school classmate, Ning Qiu.” Then he pointed at Pei Ning. “Pei Ning, my… fiancée.”
Ning Qiu curved her eyes at Pei Ning. “Honey, you’re really beautiful.”
That sudden compliment and intimate form of address made Pei Ning pause. It took her a moment to find her voice. “…Thank you.”
Lin Zhiqiao silently widened his eyes. […Honey?]
Jiang Ling also shot Ning Qiu a rather strange look.
Only then did Ning Qiu seem to realize something belatedly. Covering her mouth in surprise, she said, “Ah, sorry. I just got back from abroad, so I’m used to it.”
Pei Ning said calmly, “It’s fine. I don’t mind.”
Ning Qiu smiled even more brightly at her. “Jiang Ling was just talking about you. He even invited me to your home as a guest.”
Jiang Ling’s heart jumped, and the cold sweat on his back worsened.
Visit their home?
He had never said any such thing.
In his panic, he failed to notice that after saying this, Ning Qiu blinked at Pei Ning and also glanced at Lin Zhiqiao behind her.
Lin Zhiqiao was baffled. [Why is she suddenly looking at me?]
Pei Ning paused. A thought flashed through her mind—
That look confirmed it.
This was another person who could hear Lin Zhiqiao’s thoughts.
With a tiny mental click, Pei Ning and Ning Qiu’s thinking instantly aligned.
“Sure, you’re welcome anytime,” she said with a smile. “Actually… I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before.”
Jiang Ling’s heart tightened again.
Had Pei Ning noticed that Ning Qiu looked a bit like her? Or could it be… had she seen the photos stored in the secret folder on his computer?
Ning Qiu looked surprised too. “Seen me before? When?”
“About three years ago, I think? At the xx International Robotics Competition—didn’t you compete and win the top prize?” Pei Ning asked.
Ning Qiu nodded. “You watched the live broadcast?”
“Not the live broadcast.” Pei Ning shook her head. “I was there in the audience.”
Ning Qiu’s eyes lit up. She stepped forward and, unable to help herself, grabbed one of Pei Ning’s hands. “Then we really are fated, sweetheart!”
The two of them quickly began chatting, even adding each other as contacts, completely leaving Jiang Ling at the side.
Jiang Ling: “…”
Something about this felt very wrong.
[Is it just me? Why does the way Ning Qiu looks at Pei Ning feel… kind of strange?] Lin Zhiqiao muttered to himself, unable to stop glancing at them over and over.
Perhaps because she had spent too long abroad, Ning Qiu seemed especially fond of physical contact. Just like now—one moment she had an arm around Pei Ning’s shoulders, the next she was linking arms with her. The movements were intimate, almost like sisters, yet strangely not off-putting at all.
At the very least, judging from Pei Ning’s expression, she did not seem uncomfortable or unaccustomed to it.
Lin Zhiqiao hesitated, then hesitated again. [Th-this somehow feels a little shippable? Can I ship this? Can I really—]
Something suddenly bumped his arm lightly. Lin Zhiqiao looked down and found that Gong Tiantian had somehow squeezed over to his side, claiming one of the best front-row gossip seats.
The thing that bumped him was the thick notebook in Gong Tiantian’s hands.
It was a brand-new research notebook. With the notebook in one hand and a pen in the other, Gong Tiantian had her head lowered and was scribbling furiously across the very first page.
Lin Zhiqiao could not help craning his neck to peek—
“CP Scholar Research Notes: Double Ning ?”
[Whoa! She even already came up with the ship name! Isn’t this a hundred million times happier than shipping a scumbag man?] Lin Zhiqiao’s eyes went round. [Good, good, good—then I’ll start shipping this pair first! The earlier you ship them, the earlier you’re happy!!!]
Ning Qiu, who was chatting happily with Pei Ning, flicked a glance in their direction. A trace of approval flashed through her eyes.
The two women seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely, while Jiang Ling stood off to one side—unable to get a word in and not daring to rush them—awkward as an extra piece of furniture.
Only when someone inside Spring Room called out, “President Jiang, why are you standing in the doorway? If you don’t come back soon, there won’t be any food left!” did the moment finally break.
Jiang Ling answered, “Coming right now!” Then he cleared his throat and interrupted them. “A-Ning, do you want me to drive you all back?”
He was certain that with Pei Ning’s personality, she would not ruin his fun at a time like this.
And Pei Ning, just as he expected, said, “No need. We have a car. You and Xiao Qiu go back. It’s rare for old classmates to get together, so I won’t disturb you.”
Jiang Ling froze again.
Xiao Qiu…?
Ning Qiu also finally let go of Pei Ning, clearly reluctant to part. “Then I’ll go back first, older sister.”
Lin Zhiqiao clasped his face in both hands. [Good, good, good! She’s already calling her ‘older sister’! The white moonlight is way too good at this!!!]
Jiang Ling’s face was full of visible confusion. “…Older sister?”
Ning Qiu said as if it were only natural, “Sister Ning is several months older than me. If I don’t call her older sister, what else am I supposed to call her?”
Jiang Ling fell silent, the sense of wrongness in his chest growing stronger and stronger, yet he still could not identify exactly what was so strange.
Ning Qiu lifted her chin. “Alright, alright, get back inside already. I’m still not full.”
Jiang Ling waved at Pei Ning. “I’ll be back late tonight. Don’t wait up for me.”
Pei Ning nodded. Just as she was about to turn back into Summer Room, she saw Ning Qiu suddenly turn around, press two fingers lightly to her red lips, and blow her a kiss. Then Ning Qiu mouthed silently—
Wait for me.
Pei Ning understood exactly what Ning Qiu meant.
She gave no outward response, but something like anticipation rose quietly in her heart.
Gong Tiantian rapidly filled an entire page with swish after swish, then finally closed the thick notebook with complete satisfaction.
[Hehehe, beautiful ladies being affectionate, hehehe.] Lin Zhiqiao could not stop smiling. [So is Ning Qiu holding the script where the white moonlight and the substitute end up together? I like this. I want more. Give me more!]
Pei Ning glanced at them helplessly, as if she wanted to say something, but then decided there was no need.
Her goal had already been achieved.
And thanks to Ning Qiu’s assistance, she had even exceeded it.
After dinner, the group went home first instead of waiting for Jiang Ling.
Jiang Ling did not return all night. It was only the next morning that he came back to the villa carrying breakfast.
At that moment, Pei Ning had just gotten up and was standing in front of the refrigerator in the kitchen, apparently considering what to make for breakfast.
Lin Zhiqiao and the others were still gathered around the coffee table, wracking their brains over the pile of scattered papers spread across it—
This was the assignment Pei Ning had given them.
After spending so many days looking for inspiration, it was finally time to start the actual creative work.
Lin Zhiqiao was not from a music background. Singing was barely manageable for him; composition, however, he understood not at all.
So the task Pei Ning had assigned him was lyric writing.
Write down whatever came to mind first, then everyone would discuss it together and decide on the final version.
Hearing movement at the door, Lin Zhiqiao, whose brain was already going bald from trying to write lyrics, immediately looked up.
[Oh ho. Human-trash Jiang spent the whole night out and didn’t come home—minus one hundred points! Congratulations, Human-trash Jiang is out of the game. Let all under heaven celebrate!]
“A-Ning, no need to make breakfast. I bought it.”
Jiang Ling set the breakfast on the table, then turned and walked into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around Pei Ning’s waist from behind.
“Sorry. The gathering went on too late last night, and I was worried coming back would disturb your sleep, so I just stayed at my place.”
He lowered his head, about to kiss Pei Ning near the ear, but Pei Ning turned around at that exact moment and just happened to dodge the intimacy.
Pei Ning was extremely understanding. “It’s alright. Gatherings are supposed to be fun.”
What Jiang Ling had always liked about Pei Ning was exactly that—her understanding nature. She was gentle, obedient, and even living together with her never made him feel too constrained.
But unfortunately…
She was not the person he truly loved.
A shadow crossed Jiang Ling’s eyes, though no one could tell what he was thinking.
Halfway through breakfast, the villa doorbell suddenly rang. On the screen of the video intercom appeared a dazzling face.
“Is my beautiful older sister home?!” the person outside called brightly.
Jiang Ling’s hand jerked, and the half-eaten soup dumpling he had been holding dropped right back into his bowl with a soft plop.
Ning Qiu had come? She had really come?!
Before he had recovered from the shock, Pei Ning had already risen to open the door.
The door swung open, and a bouquet of lilies came straight toward her. Pei Ning instinctively reached out to take it, only to be immediately pulled into a huge hug.
“One night apart feels like three whole years apart, older sister! I missed you to death!”
