Chapter 10

The moment Ning Lingzhou looked up, she saw Xu Fangqing pushing the door open and walking in with a bright, gentle smile on her face.

She had two faint dimples, and when she smiled, she looked sweeter than honey, like a cup of sweet fermented wine that would leave anyone intoxicated after just one sip, unable to pull themselves away.

After transmigrating here two days ago, this was the first time Ning Lingzhou had ever seen Xu Fangqing smile. For a moment, she actually stared at her in a daze.

Following Ning Lingzhou’s gaze, Liu Junru looked over. Seeing the meal boxes in Xu Fangqing’s hands, her expression remained displeased. “Why did you come back so late? Don’t you know Lingzhou has stomach problems and can’t go hungry?”

Since Xu Fangqing had already decided to put on an act in front of Liu Junru, she didn’t argue with her.

Ignoring Liu Junru’s hostility, she walked to Ning Lingzhou’s bedside and took out the food, explaining along the way, “Lingzhou was asleep just now. I was afraid the food would get cold, so it took me a little longer to come back.”

“Lingzhou, I’m sorry for making you wait so long.”

Her voice carried apology and self-reproach.

“No.” Ning Lingzhou looked at her as though everything Xu Fangqing said were true, smiling gently as she replied, “I only just woke up too. You came back at exactly the right time.”

That left Liu Junru with nothing to say, so she started criticizing the food Xu Fangqing had brought instead. “This is what you’re giving Lingzhou to eat?”

“The doctor said Lingzhou should eat light food. She suggested I get something from the hospital cafeteria, so I figured the doctor’s advice couldn’t be wrong.”

Xu Fangqing’s voice was soft and pleasant, her tone perfectly calm.

But Liu Junru still heard the subtle jab in her words and gritted her teeth in irritation. “Of course the doctor’s advice isn’t wrong.”

Xu Fangqing didn’t reply again or acknowledge the dissatisfaction in her tone. She picked up the lean pork congee and held it out to Ning Lingzhou. “Careful, it’s a little hot.”

“Since the doctor said she can drink congee,” Liu Junru said, pushing the congee she had made toward Ning Lingzhou, “Lingzhou, have mine. I made it with fish broth and added shrimp and broccoli. It’s more nutritious.”

Ning Lingzhou looked at the two bowls of congee being held in front of her. Xu Fangqing said nothing, only smiled gently at her.

Then she looked at Liu Junru, who was staring at Xu Fangqing as though she were sulking and determined to compete with her like a child until one of them won.

Ning Lingzhou suddenly felt as though her head had doubled in size. Whichever bowl she chose, she would offend someone.

Then she suddenly came up with a way to solve the problem. “I only have one usable hand. How am I supposed to drink congee?”

With only one free hand, she couldn’t exactly take the bowl and eat by herself!

Hahaha.

Before Ning Lingzhou even had time to feel pleased with herself, she heard Xu Fangqing and Liu Junru say at the exact same time, “I’ll feed you.”

Ning Lingzhou: “???!!!”

Miscalculation.

Then two spoons filled with congee were held up in front of her, as though whoever she chose would be the winner.

Naturally, Ning Lingzhou would unconditionally choose Xu Fangqing.

But Liu Junru was only doing this because she cared about her. Parents’ concern for their children was pitifully earnest, and Ning Lingzhou didn’t want to hurt her feelings either.

“How about this?” Ning Lingzhou suggested. “Qingqing, pour your lean pork congee into Mom’s big bowl, and then you can feed me. Mom, Grandpa needs someone there too, so why don’t you head back first?”

Ning Lingzhou’s gaze shifted back and forth between the two of them as she waited for their answer.

Xu Fangqing considerately replied, “Sure.”

She turned toward Liu Junru. “Mom, give me the bowl.”

Although Liu Junru was reluctant, she still handed it over, then reminded Ning Lingzhou, “Then get some [Read on BaiLianTales]proper rest. I’ll go first.”

“Okay.” Ning Lingzhou let out a breath of relief and praised herself inwardly for being so clever.

Before leaving, Liu Junru glanced at Xu Fangqing again and warned coldly, “Take good care of Lingzhou. Don’t make me say it a third time.”

“Mom, don’t worry.”

Once she was gone, Xu Fangqing turned around with the bowl in her hands and looked at Ning Lingzhou. She walked over, sat beside the bed, scooped up a spoonful of congee, and held it to Ning Lingzhou’s lips.

The face that had been smiling so gently just moments ago was now expressionless. It wasn’t exactly cold, but it was no different from how she might treat a stranger.

Ning Lingzhou knew Xu Fangqing had only been acting just now. Now that Liu Junru was gone, she didn’t want to make things difficult for her, so she reached out for the spoon. “I can do it myself.”

Irene was practically dying from frustration.

[Do what yourself? Just let her feed you! This is the perfect time for you to take a bite, look at her, let her look back at you, exchange a few meaningful glances—isn’t that good?]

Just imagining that scene made Ning Lingzhou feel unbearably awkward. She couldn’t help laughing while eating the congee.

Xu Fangqing didn’t know what she was thinking about. All she saw was the white spoon resting against Ning Lingzhou’s lips, her moist, lightly reddened lips parting slightly as her eyes curved with a sweet yet embarrassed smile. For some reason, it was strangely seductive.

Ning Lingzhou was a beauty whose features and bone structure were both exquisite. When she wasn’t smiling, she had an elegant, aloof air, and with a mere flicker of her eyes, she could practically steal someone’s soul away.

When she smiled, her eyes curved and the corners carried traces of laughter, her lips lifting slightly. The usual coldness she wore while working faded, replaced by a womanly softness that made it nearly impossible for anyone looking at her to keep their heart under control.

Xu Fangqing stared at her for a while. When she realized she had become lost in the sight, her heartbeat suddenly quickened for a moment. She awkwardly reminded her, “Eat faster. It’ll get cold.”

“Huh?”

Ning Lingzhou snapped out of her thoughts and looked at her with a smile, like a spring breeze brushing through willow branches, stirring the heart.

Xu Fangqing’s heartbeat sped up under her gaze. Seeing a little congee at the corner of Ning Lingzhou’s mouth, she pulled out a tissue and handed it to her. “Wipe the corner of your mouth.”

Noticing that Xu Fangqing seemed a little shy, Ning Lingzhou leaned her head slightly closer and boldly said, “You wipe it for me.”

Then she shook the spoon in her hand as explanation. “My hand’s occupied.”

She could obviously just put down the spoon and take the tissue herself, yet she insisted on asking Xu Fangqing to do it.

Xu Fangqing suddenly felt a little nervous, but outwardly she still pretended to be calm as she raised her hand and gently wiped the corner of Ning Lingzhou’s mouth.

She leaned a little closer.

Ning Lingzhou hadn’t expected her to actually agree. She immediately sat perfectly upright as well, her gaze darting left and right before she ultimately couldn’t resist looking at Xu Fangqing.

Her skin was beautiful, delicate and smooth as silk. Even from this close, there wasn’t a single flaw to be seen.

Beneath her slender willow-leaf brows were a pair of large eyes, her long eyelashes curling slightly upward and trembling gently whenever she blinked.

Below her high nose bridge, her pink lips gleamed softly, like a dewy rose in full bloom that made people want to kiss it.

Ning Lingzhou awkwardly held her breath and felt the urge to swallow.

Xu Fangqing’s gaze suddenly shifted toward her. Afraid she had been caught staring, Ning Lingzhou quickly turned her head away.

In doing so, the corner of her lips happened to brush across Xu Fangqing’s finger, making it seem like an intentional light kiss.

Ning Lingzhou immediately panicked, her face flushing bright red as though she had been caught doing something wrong. She didn’t know whether she should explain.

Afraid Xu Fangqing would get angry, she kept sneaking glances at her.

Seeing that Xu Fangqing didn’t seem to care, Ning Lingzhou finally relaxed a little and lowered her head to keep eating.

Better to pretend nothing had happened. That way, neither of them would feel awkward.

When Ning Lingzhou’s warm lips brushed over Xu Fangqing’s cool finger, it felt like a feather lightly tickling her skin, making goosebumps rise instantly.

She knew Ning Lingzhou probably hadn’t done it on purpose. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have looked even more nervous than Xu Fangqing herself, so there was probably no reason to care.

But after pulling her hand back, Xu Fangqing still couldn’t help hiding it behind her and gently rubbing the spot Ning Lingzhou’s lips had brushed over, as though she had been burned, the sensation hot and searing.

After finishing the congee, Ning Lingzhou looked at Xu Fangqing tidying things up nearby and hesitated before saying, “About what happened that night… I still want to apologize to you again. I’m sorry.”

Xu Fangqing’s hand paused while putting down the bowl. Then she quickly finished tidying up, turned to look at Ning Lingzhou, gathered her courage, and asked, “If you really want to apologize, could you help me with something?”

“What is it?”

Ning Lingzhou said, “Anything except divorce. I can agree to anything else.”y