The advantage of living in the same neighborhood is that it makes it very convenient to chase after someone.
When Xie Ling chased after Ren Xuan downstairs, she was walking toward the entrance under the moonlight. Xie Ling jogged a few steps to catch up.
Hearing the footsteps, Ren Xuan turned around curiously. After confirming that the footsteps behind her were indeed Xie Ling’s, a flicker of surprise crossed her delicate little face under the dim night light.
“Why did you come down?” Ren Xuan asked, her hands tucked into the pockets of her coat. Because of the night breeze, the hair hanging beside her ears swayed.
Xie Ling had only focused on catching up and had not thought about what to say to show weakness or ask for forgiveness. According to the original character’s persona, the words “I am sorry” were not something that could be casually tossed around. Even if she intended to break the character, she had to do it slowly.
She thought for a moment and said, “If you have time tomorrow, come to my place to pick out some dolls together. My mom snatched a few more for me a couple of days ago, and I have not opened them yet.”
Ren Xuan: “No response.”
After saying this, Xie Ling lowered her head and pursed her lips. This was truly the most sincere way to apologize she could think of that fit Xie Ling’s character, short of saying “I am sorry” directly.
“Does this have the same effect as saying ‘let us eat’?”
Ren Xuan could not help but chuckle. In the moonlight, she looked at Xie Ling’s bashful appearance. Many times, she had to admit that Xie Ling could easily dispel the unhappiness in her heart. She did not even need to explain; she had already found all sorts of reasons for her and made a full explanation on her behalf.
Xie Ling looked at Ren Xuan’s smile, feeling a bit flushed and embarrassed. The cool breeze made her feel slightly better.
She murmured, then added, “Then come over tomorrow and call the other two as well.”
Ren Xuan tilted her head slightly, her curved eyes filled with tenderness. “No need to go to work tomorrow?”
“Mm, my mom said she asked for leave for me.” Xie Ling blinked unnaturally, avoiding Ren Xuan’s gaze.
Ren Xuan did not mind Xie Ling’s avoidance at all. She looked down at Xie Ling’s long legs, which were still clad in thin fleece pajamas, and said helplessly, “Alright, I will tell them. You are dressed so lightly, go back up quickly. I am going home, too.”
“Okay.” Xie Ling gritted her teeth, holding back a shiver, and nodded in agreement.
Ren Xuan stopped smiling.
The pagoda-shaped street lamp cast a ghostly white light. The lighting was low, but the two figures, one tall and one short, were clearly visible. They turned under the light and walked in opposite directions.
After returning home, Xie Ling placed her new favorites in the most conspicuous position, waiting for them to be opened and taken away the next day.
The original owner had been very passionate about these figures and dolls, but for her, it was only a liking, nowhere near the point of obsession, so she did not feel much reluctance in her heart. Even if she did, compared to their precious friendship, it was not worth mentioning.
Upon reflection, apologizing in this way was indeed more appropriate for them than saying “I am sorry.” Xie Ling felt that among friends, just like among family members, there was not always a need to communicate using the most straightforward language.
With her mind at ease, it was nearly 1:00 AM. Lying in bed, Xie Ling stared at the ceiling and fell into deep thought. She could not fall asleep.
The two phones were placed flat on her pillow. Xie Ling lay on a cushion, swiping one with each hand, watching funny videos while browsing a shopping website. It was not until 4:30 AM that Xie Ling finally felt sleepy.
Madam He arrived around 10:00 AM. As soon as she entered, she heard the housekeeper say that Xie Ling had not woken up yet, and her brows jumped; she almost lost her temper.
She had not woken up by 10:00 AM? While this happened often for Xie Ling, it was different now that she was injured.
He Rong walked quickly toward Xie Ling’s room. Over the distance of ten meters, she mentally concocted all sorts of terrible possibilities. She was afraid that the reckless Lin Man might have seriously hurt her only daughter.
Fortunately, after opening the door, she saw for herself that Xie Ling was just sleeping with an eye mask on. He Rong breathed a sigh of relief. She stood at the door for a while, walked to the bed on tiptoes, and sat on the edge.
Xie Ling was already waking up. Hearing the sound, she thought it was Ren Xuan and Qian Lu, so she prepared to reach out and remove her eye mask, only to feel a warm palm covering the corner of her mouth.
Madam He carefully stroked the bruised area, her eyes full of heartache. For so many years, although she was carefree and raised her three children loosely, she had never seen them injured. While feeling pained, she could not help but feel a surge of anger. This was simply too much.
Noticing something was wrong, Xie Ling shrank back, reached out to pull off her eye mask, and squinted cautiously at the person beside the bed.
He Rong was startled by Xie Ling’s sudden movement and subconsciously pulled her hand back. When Xie Ling saw it was her mother, she fell back into the duvet, her voice sounding sleepy: “Mom, you scared me to death. If you are coming in, at least knock or say something.”
He Rong stiffened her neck: “Who said I did not knock? It is just that you did not hear it. Besides, I was so worried seeing you like this that I forgot to call you.”
Well, that was not important. Xie Ling huddled in the duvet, showing only her head, and stretched lazily.
He Rong carefully examined Xie Ling’s face. Only after confirming that only the corner of her mouth was injured did the sourness in her heart ease slightly.
“Ling, I say, do you really not want Mom to find you two bodyguards? I really cannot rest easy like this. What if that little beast goes crazy and comes looking for you again?”
Xie Ling sat up from the bed, looked at her mother, who sounded worried but had cold eyes, and yawned: “It is not that serious, is it?”
He Rong: “Why not? She even dared to block your way on the road.”
Xie Ling murmured, got out of bed, and walked toward the bathroom, thinking to herself that it was no big deal—she had already been blocked twice. Of course, it was impossible for her to say this out loud.
He Rong followed her to the bathroom door, blocked the closing door with her hand, and leaned against the frame: “I think it is very necessary. When I go back, I will have Chen Xia arrange it.”
Xie Ling was too lazy to speak. She pulled up her pants, opened the frosted glass partition, and stood at the vanity to squeeze toothpaste.
Getting no response, He Rong continued to talk to herself: “No, I have to make an appointment with her mother this afternoon and have a good talk. It cannot go on like this.”
“Do not,” Xie Ling pressed the switch and mumbled an indistinct piece of advice at the mirror.
Lin Man’s mother was a formidable character. Although she was an Omega just like Madam He, they were not the same type. With Madam He’s fiery temper, she would not get the better of someone like that.
Of course, although Xie Ling was an Alpha, she had no say when facing her Omega mother, let alone getting her determined mother to adopt her opinions. It was impossible.
Having made up her mind, Madam He did not even stay for lunch. She was like the wind, coming and going in a hurry.
After Xie Ling finished washing up and came out, she could not find Madam He in the house.
At 10:15 AM, Xie Ling was sitting on the sofa in front of the coffee table, eating a sandwich just made by the housekeeper. Before she could pick up the remote control, she heard a ding by her ear.
Little Anti: “Task progress loading. Current progress 99 percent.”
Xie Ling, caught completely off guard, stiffened and was almost choked by the electronic prompt. She slapped her chest hard, barely swallowing the food in her throat, and hurriedly drank half a cup of warm milk to catch her breath.
Since she started working, this system assistant had become less talkative, never appearing unless necessary. Conversations like last night’s had become occasional events. Gradually, Xie Ling had subconsciously downplayed its existence, only for it to appear again at the most relaxed moment.
“What is going on with you lately?” Xie Ling had been puzzled for a long time, but because she was too busy with work, she had forgotten to ask.
Little Anti: “Understand, everyone has a low period for a few days every month.”
“You have a low period?” Xie Ling was shocked.
Little Anti roared: “So what! Why can not I have one! Are you looking down on me? I am warning you, if you verbally insult the system assistant, I also have the authority to release an electric shock!”
“What kind of authority is that?” Xie Ling was also angry.
Little Anti: “A newly patched update. Deal with it if you are not satisfied.”
Xie Ling: “No response.”
This broken system was truly incredible. It would be hard to find one more unscrupulous in the entire universe.
After eating a little, Xie Ling glanced at the wall clock. The minute hand was pointing at the 6. She reached for her phone on the coffee table, intending to ask in the group if everyone had arrived.
As her left hand rested on the edge of the table and her right fingertip just touched the phone, before she could even pick it up, the doorbell rang.
Xie Ling rushed to open the door.
Ren Xuan and Tang Wenwen were each propping up one of Qian Lu’s arms. The three stood at the door, side by side, with different expressions on their faces.
“You are here, please come in.” Xie Ling said, picking up the phone that had tumbled with her from the living room to the doormat. Without looking, she pressed the screen off and tucked it into the pocket of her loungewear.
Qian Lu was clearly still emotional, her tone cold: “Did you hear that? She said please come in, she used ‘please’.”
Tang Wenwen cleared her throat but did not respond.
Ren Xuan smiled and smoothed things over: “Look at you, you get angry when she is not polite, and you nitpick when she is.”
Xie Ling: “No response.”
“Hmph.” Qian Lu pursed her lips and turned her head away from Xie Ling.
Tang Wenwen signaled to Xie Ling: “Do not mind her, she is always like this.”
Xie Ling knew Qian Lu’s temper well enough to know she was not actually angry, just a bit unhappy. She hurriedly put on a smiling face.
“I have collected several more dolls recently. I was so dazed last night that I did not think of it. You guys go inside and see if there is anything you like.”
Ren Xuan and Tang Wenwen looked at each other and replied: “Okay, but this stingy Alpha does not seem very interested, so Wenwen and I will go pick some out.”
“Okay, pick whatever you want, do not be polite.” Xie Ling smiled, her enthusiasm looking just like a professional salesperson behind a counter.
Qian Lu paused and looked at Xie Ling, wanting to say something but stopping herself.
Xie Ling met her gaze and probed: “You are really not going to look?”
Qian Lu turned her head, looking very haughty: “Who said I was not going?”
Xie Ling could not laugh or cry. Looking at Qian Lu’s back, her hanging heart finally settled. She leaned against the wall, took the phone out of her pocket, and lit up the screen, almost dropping it again.
The phone had somehow opened to the Moments page, and what is more, she had liked Ji Xue’s latest post without even knowing it!
Xie Ling held her forehead.
What is up with this heroine who only posts once a month? Why is she posting on Moments so frequently all of a sudden?!