Chapter 238: What’s on Her Mind |
The next morning, Yu Ling woke up groggily.
“Mmm…”
She blinked her long eyelashes, a soft moan escaping her lips.
“How long did I sleep… huh?”
She looked up and saw Chen Yin smiling at her gently.
“Awake?”
Yu Ling’s mind short-circuited, and she quickly sat up, blushing, wiping her mouth discreetly.
“D-did I… fall asleep in the main hall?” she asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
“Big Sister had quite a bit to drink last night. You passed out.”
Yu Ling stole a glance at him, wondering how much of her drunken antics he had witnessed.
The thought made her want to find a hole and hide in it.
He saw everything.
How much did I drink last night… to actually fall asleep in his arms?
I’ve never been so embarrassing!
“What’s wrong, Big Sister?” Chen Yin asked, his smile unwavering.
“N-nothing.”
Yu Ling looked away, trying to sound casual. “What time is it? Why is everyone gone—”
She suddenly froze.
“It’s almost noon.” Chen Yin grinned.
“What?!”
Noon already?!
Yu Ling’s eyes widened in horror.
“You… you’re saying…”
She stammered, “that those brats saw me sleeping in your arms?!”
This time, she truly wanted to die.
Chen Yin nodded seriously.
“Of course not.”
“It’s just past dawn. I was just kidding.”
Yu Ling: “?”
She smacked him on the head.
“You little bastard!”
Yu Ling glared at him, her hands on her hips. “Have I been too nice to you? You dare play pranks on me now?”
Chen Yin rubbed his head, a pitiful expression on his face.
“…That hurt.”
“Serves you right.”
She sat down beside him, her cheeks puffed out in annoyance, not even realizing she had sat next to him unconsciously.
“Where are the others?”
“Sister Hua woke up early and took them back to their rooms.”
Sister Hua saw me? Yu Ling hesitated. But having only Hua Yulian see her was the best-case scenario.
“Whatever, it doesn’t matter… what about you?”
She suddenly leaned closer, her eyes fixed on him.
“Why didn’t you go back to sleep?”
Chen Yin thought for a moment, then said seriously,
“Because I didn’t want to wake you, Big Sister.”
She smacked him on the head again.
“Tell the truth.”
“…Because you’re soft and warm and cuddly, and I didn’t want to let go.”
Yu Ling blushed, then slapped him playfully. “You little pervert! Taking advantage of me?!”
“But you were the one who leaned on me…” Chen Yin said, his head lowered.
“Still talking back?”
“I’m sorry…”
Yu Ling raised her chin proudly. “Hmph. Don’t even think about it.”
But before she could finish her sentence,
Her stomach rumbled loudly.
Yu Ling: “…”
Chen Yin: “…How about I make you breakfast first, Big Sister? You can scold me later.”
“You can cook?”
“Try it and see.”
Yu Ling rubbed her stomach, then glared at him. “And don’t tell anyone about last night, understand?”
Chen Yin nodded obediently.
Breakfast was a simple congee and wontons.
Yu Ling looked at the strange yellow and green congee with suspicion, but after taking a sip, her eyes lit up.
“Eh? This is good! What is this?”
“Jade Bamboo and Polygonatum Congee,” Chen Yin said casually. “It’s good for hangovers.”
Yu Ling nodded silently, her head lowered.
The warm congee soothed her stomach, and her headache subsided.
“Eat the wontons while they’re hot.”
Yu Ling took a bite, her eyes widening slightly.
“Not bad,” she mumbled, suppressing her urge to praise him. “Your cooking is… decent.”
“Glad you like it.”
Chen Yin smiled gently as he cleaned up the dishes.
“If you like it, I’ll make it for you every day.”
Yu Ling realized she had been staring at him, her gaze lingering on his youthful face, a strange sense of peace and comfort settling over her.
She quickly looked away, trying to sound casual. “Good, good. Usually, it’s Qingqing and Sister Hua who do the cooking. This will make things easier for them.”
“Speaking of which,”
“Qingqing and Sister Hua seemed to be quite interested in you last night.”
Chen Yin paused as he washed the dishes.
“So you noticed other girls talking to me, Big Sister?”
“What are you talking about?!”
Yu Ling kicked him playfully. “I was just worried… that you might have told them my secrets.”
“Oh, that,”
Chen Yin sighed dramatically, “it’s nothing serious, really. They were just asking me if I had a girlfriend.”
“That’s it?”
Yu Ling seemed disinterested, her head resting on the table.
“Just some harmless gossip. Want to share?”
Chen Yin glanced at her sideways and saw that although she seemed uninterested, her ears were perked up.
“I… shouldn’t talk about other people’s private matters.”
He put on a troubled expression.
“What’s there to hide?”
Yu Ling sat up straight, her eyes narrowed. “I told you all my secrets! You’re not allowed to keep anything from me!”
Chen Yin blinked.
Yu Ling, realizing her outburst, quickly sat back down.
“Ahem. Well, it’s not like I have to know.”
He leaned closer and whispered in her ear, “Actually, I like…”
The door suddenly opened, and Xiao Luo and Hu Li entered, yawning.
“Morning, Big Sister! Yo, Chen Yin, you’re up early too… huh?”
They looked at Yu Ling’s murderous glare and Chen Yin’s amused smile, then instinctively took a step back.
“D-did we do something wrong last night, Big Sister?” they asked nervously.
“No,”
Yu Ling said with a sweet smile,
“but you both stepped out of your rooms with your left foot first today.”
“Go run fifty laps around the mountain. No lunch until you’re done!”