Ling Ye was in high spirits today. She had thought her Mom would be busy with work, leaving her to figure out dinner alone. But then, her Mom called and asked if she wanted to go out for dinner.

Without hesitation, Ling Ye agreed, not even bothering to ask what they’d eat. She didn’t care what it was as long as she could be with her Mom.

From what her Mom said, though, Sister Xia You would be joining them. That part made Ling Ye a little unhappy, but it wasn’t a big deal. As long as she was by her Mom’s side, no one else could get too close.

With that thought, Ling Ye’s lips curled into a cute smile.

After changing into her going-out clothes, Ling Ye stepped out of the house and spotted Sister Xia You waiting for her. Although she didn’t particularly like Xia You, she didn’t dislike her either. At least Xia You wasn’t openly flirting with her Mom—though it was possible she was just being subtle. In any case, Xia You was still better than Sister Bai Yiyue.

The two of them arrived at the restaurant her Mom had mentioned. As they entered, Ling Ye immediately spotted her Mom. But at the same time, several other women also came into view.

She had suspected that tonight wouldn’t be simple, but she hadn’t expected so many people to show up.

When Ling Ning noticed her daughter, she waved with a smile. “Ye Ye, over here!”

“Okay.”

Ling Ye walked over to her Mom and greeted everyone politely, though she was visibly displeased. She then unceremoniously sat down right next to her Mom.

Ling Ning naturally reached out to gently ruffle her daughter’s hair. “We were just talking about how you hadn’t arrived yet. If you’d taken any longer, I might’ve eaten all your favorite dishes.”

“Mom wouldn’t do that.”

Dinner was lavish, but Ling Ning couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The atmosphere around the table was tense. The beautiful women seated across from her exchanged looks that felt more like duels.

Chu Mengyao and Luo Xiaoning seemed to sense the strange atmosphere as well. Luo Xiaoning simply buried her face in her food, while Chu Mengyao watched the scene unfold with great interest. A multi-faceted battlefield like this was far too entertaining for her to miss.

She wondered who would emerge victorious in the end.

Ling Ning, however, wasn’t amused. She shot Chu Mengyao a warning look, nudging her under the table with her foot. Her message was clear.

“Ahem.”

Chu Mengyao cleared her throat, drawing everyone’s attention.

“I just wanted to say, dinner’s on me tonight. Order whatever you like, even alcohol if you want. And let’s lighten the mood, shall we? It’s a rare occasion for all of us to get together, so let’s have some fun.” Chu Mengyao smiled warmly.

Her words seemed to resonate with the group. Conversation resumed, albeit in hushed tones, though it was clear the topics revolved around one central figure. The identity of that figure was, of course, no mystery.

Although the atmosphere became livelier, Ling Ning felt increasingly uneasy. It was a hotpot restaurant, but the air was thick with tension—like the prelude to a battle.

Noticing Ling Ning’s discomfort, Chu Mengyao shrugged, giving her a look that said, Good luck. She then followed Luo Xiaoning’s example and focused on her food.

At last, Ling Ning broke her silence—not to address the group, but to speak to a passing waitress.

“Excuse me, could we get a round of beers?”

“Of course. Just a moment.”

Ling Ye blinked in surprise. “Mom, are you going to drink?”

“Just a little.” Ling Ning sighed, visibly frustrated.

Hearing this, Ling Ye hesitated but ultimately didn’t object. After all, with so many people around, someone would surely take care of her Mom if she got drunk. And when the time came, Ling Ye could snuggle up to her Mom. Perfect.

As Ling Ning began sipping her beer, Zhao Rui sidled up to her with a mischievous grin. “I didn’t know you drank, Ling Ning~”

“Only occasionally. My tolerance is low, so I get drunk easily.”

“Oh? Then maybe you shouldn’t drink too much,” Zhao Rui said thoughtfully.

“Sometimes, it’s better to get a little drunk.”

Ling Ning sighed again, lost in thought as she continued to drink. She knew her limits and was confident she wouldn’t overdo it. And even if she did, Xia You was there, so everything should be fine.

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“Ling Ning drank quite a bit tonight. Are you sure you can handle getting her home alone?” Zhao Rui asked Xia You, who was supporting Ling Ning.

“It’s no problem. I can manage.”

“Yeah, don’t worry! I’m here too,” Ling Ye chimed in confidently, patting her chest.

“Well then, be careful on your way.”

Zhao Rui looked slightly disappointed. She had been hoping for an excuse to visit Ling Ning’s home, but it seemed that wouldn’t be happening. Still, she couldn’t help but lament: despite the perfect setup, no one had started a fight tonight. What a waste!

If Ling Ning knew what Zhao Rui was thinking, she’d probably explode on the spot.

The group took a taxi back home. Once inside, Ling Ning collapsed onto her bed, her head swimming from the alcohol.

Xia You considered staying to take care of Ling Ning, but Ling Ye quickly ushered her out, insisting she could handle it alone. Left with no choice, Xia You returned to her own home.

Breathing a sigh of relief after Xia You left, Ling Ye felt confident she could look after her Mom by herself.

Ling Ning lay on the bed, her face flushed and her lips slightly parted, looking both alluring and uncomfortable. Ling Ye hesitated for a moment before leaning in close.

In her hazy state, Ling Ning felt the faint sensation of someone kissing her. But who could it be? The feeling was so familiar, yet she couldn’t quite place it.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com