“Well, if it isn’t Junior Ling Ning. What brings you here~?”

Feeling the soft sensation against her arm, Ling Ning sighed helplessly. She had confirmed just moments ago that Zhao Rui wasn’t around. Yet, after finishing her chat with Chu Mengyao, Zhao Rui suddenly reappeared. It was truly exasperating.

Zhao Rui smiled faintly. “I was just called outside to hand out flyers. Standing in the square with all those people staring at me—ugh, I was practically drenched. Thank goodness I wasn’t wearing panties.”

Hearing this, Ling Ning rolled her eyes and gave Zhao Rui a deadpan look. What was she even supposed to say to that?

“Hey, Ling Ning, wanna see?” Zhao Rui teased, lifting her skirt slightly. Her provocative expression reminded Ling Ning of her own playful antics with Mrs. Chen Ruo.

Ling Ning smacked Zhao Rui lightly and said, “Senior Zhao Rui, that’s my skirt you’re lifting. And please, maintain some decorum in public.”

“Decorum? I only act like this when I’m around you, Ling Ning.”

Zhao Rui’s delighted smile made Ling Ning’s skin crawl. Those piercing stares from the people around them didn’t help. Zhao Rui seemed to revel in teasing Ling Ning in front of her admirers.

Over the past few days, Zhao Rui’s investigations had led her to suspect that Ling Ning might be an even bigger flirt than herself. How could she charm so many girls without ending up in some sort of catastrophic drama? Zhao Rui was genuinely curious.

Though Zhao Rui maintained her smile, Ling Ning could sense something sinister beneath it.

With a shake of her head, she left Zhao Rui behind and got back to work. She’d said she was here to slack off, but doing nothing felt wrong.

Fortunately, the café wasn’t very busy that day. A little effort would suffice before she could relax again.

After a while, Ling Ning returned to the counter, finding solace in Chu Mengyao’s presence, where she wouldn’t attract too much attention.

Chu Mengyao, having observed the earlier interaction, chuckled. “Ling Ning, it looks like you’re doomed.”

“Shut up!”

“I mean, flirting with girls is one thing, but you’re juggling so many at once. Honestly, I think you’re beyond saving.”

“Keep mocking me, and I’ll go have a heart-to-heart with Luo Xiaoning. Did you know? I have a thing for girls who are already taken. NTR is my favorite, after all.”

Chu Mengyao’s face darkened immediately. If Ling Ning really did go after Luo Xiaoning, she’d make sure Ling Ning couldn’t walk straight for days. Then again, some members of Ling Ning’s ‘harem’ might actually be into that idea.

Sensing the hostility, Ling Ning forced a laugh. “Don’t worry. We’re friends. No matter what, I wouldn’t cross that line.”

“Who knows?”

After the playful banter, Chu Mengyao took a deep breath and asked in a quieter voice, “So, what’s your plan now?”

“What plan? I’m just winging it. By the way, since your proposal went so well, when are you treating us to a big meal?”

“Sure, no problem.”

Ling Ning hadn’t expected Chu Mengyao to agree so readily. And it wasn’t some cheap hotpot place either—this time, it was a decent restaurant. That was so unlike Chu Mengyao.

Seeing Ling Ning’s expression, Chu Mengyao felt her dignity was being questioned. “What’s with that look? When have I ever been stingy?”

“When haven’t you been stingy?”

Chu Mengyao opened her mouth to retort but found herself at a loss for words.

Once news of the promised dinner spread, the café’s maids were brimming with enthusiasm. A free meal wouldn’t usually excite them this much, but Chu Mengyao was notoriously frugal. The chance to have her foot the bill was rare and precious.

Chu Mengyao glared at her staff, even her wife, who seemed unusually excited. What could she even say at this point?

During a quiet moment, Ling Ning sat by a window. Before long, someone joined her. Turning her head, she found Li Si sitting beside her.

Li Si seemed a bit different from the last time Ling Ning had seen her. Previously, she’d come across as a tomboy, but now there was an unmistakable femininity in her demeanor. Clearly, working here had had some impact.

“Xiao Si Si, how’ve you been?”

“Same as always.”

“And what about your little shadow, Zheng Yun? I haven’t seen her around lately.” Ling Ning glanced around the café.

At the mention of Zheng Yun, Li Si’s face fell, and she let out a weary sigh. “Same old, same old.”

Living in the same dorm for so long had made her somewhat accustomed to Zheng Yun’s antics. She’d even figured out most of her tricks, making them easier to counter.

Still, Zheng Yun always seemed to come up with something new, keeping her on her toes.

“You’ve changed a lot, Xiao Si Si. You’ve become so ladylike.” Ling Ning reached out and gently lifted a strand of Li Si’s loose hair.

Caught off guard, Li Si’s pale face flushed slightly, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she simply looked at Ling Ning with focused attention.

“By the way, Xiao Si Si, have your breasts gotten bigger?” Ling Ning teased with a mischievous grin.

Li Si froze for a moment, then blushed deeply. “What nonsense are you talking about? Of course not… I think?”

“Oh? Why does that sound like a question?” Ling Ning smirked.

Li Si was at a loss. Lately, her bras had felt a bit tighter, but she didn’t want to admit it. Still, it seemed they might have grown—just a little.

As the two chatted, Su Ya and Zhou Xiaoxiao observed them from a distance.

Su Ya couldn’t help but feel that wooing Ling Ning was an uphill battle. Everywhere they went, Ling Ning seemed to know someone—and more often than not, they were potential rivals.

Seriously, how had Ling Ning become so adept at this? Just how many girls had she charmed to gain such expertise?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com