ATIMFL – Chapter 57

B… Before dinner?

Li Chu’s eyes widened! Was it time for the last hurrah of the year already? Her heart pounded.

“But it’s still daytime,” Li Chu said hesitantly, glancing at the light outside.

According to her country’s traditions, doing that in broad daylight was a bit embarrassing.

Ning Manqing paused, then laughed. Seeing her laugh, Li Chu felt a flicker of uncertainty. Did she say something wrong? Did she misunderstand?!

Ning Manqing slowly leaned closer. Li Chu instinctively leaned back until she was trapped between the sofa and Ning Manqing’s body.

“Can’t we kiss during the day?” Ning Manqing asked innocently, her chest trembling with laughter.

Li Chu’s mind went blank, her face flushing crimson. So it was just a kiss?!

Ahhh! This is so embarrassing! It made her seem so unreserved!

Li Chu swore she was just misled. It was all because she thought Teacher Ning was a pervert, not her fault at all!

“But if we can do something extra, I’d certainly welcome it.” More than welcome, it was a pleasant surprise.

Ning Manqing had only intended to steal a kiss, but she hadn’t expected Tao Tao to be so honest. Indeed, they hadn’t seen each other for over two months. Even when they were on set, with their agents around, they didn’t even have the chance to hold hands in private.

The scent of Cloud Mist Tea quickly filled the space, making Li Chu feel dizzy, as if she were walking on clouds. How can there be such a pleasant smell in the world? Li Chu couldn’t help but inhale deeply, generously releasing her own pheromones.

Peach-scented Omegas always seemed soft, pink everywhere. Even in winter, the peach blossoms bloomed brightly.

The air conditioning was on in Li Chu’s apartment, both in the living room and the bedroom. The warm air filled the entire space, blocking out the cold from outside. The only chill seemed to emanate from the alpha. It was originally a very clear and clean tea fragrance, but it carried an undeniable sharpness.

In a daze, Li Chu seemed to see lush green mountains, as if the entire space was swaying with her gaze. The gray sofa darkened where it was wet. A large patch had changed color where Li Chu had been lying. Water dripped down Ning Manqing’s fingers as she casually wiped them on the sofa.

“I’ll wash your sofa after the New Year.” Ning Manqing’s lips curved upwards, only to be pinched by Li Chu.

“How can I let such a busy person… wash it for me?” Li Chu’s voice was slightly broken. Like she had bumped into something, she let out a gasp.

“Whoever makes the mess is responsible for cleaning it up. It’s my duty.”

“Teacher Ning is really responsible.” Li Chu gritted her teeth, her grip on Ning Manqing’s hand weakening.

Ning Manqing accepted the compliment without a trace of guilt, carrying Li Chu to the bedroom. This was the first time Ning Manqing had been in Li Chu’s bedroom. The bed was a little messy, with a few clothes and two or three pillows scattered on it. The curtains were open, and there were a few pillows on the bay window. The cold glass was covered in condensation from the temperature difference, like a natural curtain. Everything outside was gray and cold, but inside it was as warm as spring.

The cold, white lines were like straight, soft knives, capable of taking one’s breath away in an instant. Li Chu’s ankle was held, her toes curling involuntarily. The damp coldness seemed to blend with the winter chill, and Li Chu unconsciously widened her eyes. Her worldview was somewhat shaken. After all, although Li Chu was a racing god at heart, she was indeed a novice driver, cautiously navigating the mountain roads, afraid of crashing.

Although she had seen this kind of thing before, she hadn’t heard that Teacher Ning had a foot fetish. But soon she couldn’t care less, only hearing the hum of the air conditioner. Atomized water droplets slowly dripped down. Li Chu whimpered inwardly, New Year’s Eve is such a good day.

“Teacher Ning…”

“I didn’t hear you.”

Li Chu pouted. “Ning Manqing!”

Ning Manqing responded with a smile, “Here.”

“Will we spend New Year’s Eve together next year?”

“I mean, I can’t put up the couplets. That chair really isn’t tall enough, and I don’t dare stand on another one by myself. I’m afraid of falling.”

“We will. I’ll help you put them up, as long as you still want me to.”

“Who else would I ask…” Li Chu murmured, wrapping her arms around Ning Manqing’s neck.

“Good girl, Tao Tao.” Ning Manqing’s expression softened. She kissed the little girl’s cheek and gently wiped the sweat from her forehead.

Li Chu fell asleep to the sound of “Tao Tao.” When she woke up, the space beside her was empty. Li Chu checked the time. Oh, it was already eight o’clock. Ning Manqing should have left, but she didn’t know how long ago.

It must have been a while, Li Chu thought hazily, the spot beside her cold, not at all like someone had been lying there. She wasn’t disappointed, though. Slowly, she put on her pajamas and climbed out of bed.

Ning Manqing hadn’t bitten her gland. She had asked, and Li Chu remembered vaguely stopping her because she still had to go to work after the New Year. With the last hurrah of the old year over, Li Chu felt that the year had ended quite satisfactorily.

When she came out of the shower, her phone rang. It was the New Year’s Eve dinner she had ordered from the hotel, and it had arrived. The timing was perfect. Li Chu happily brought the insulated box inside. It was a bit heavy.

Services were very diverse these days. Li Chu had ordered a single-person meal, so although the New Year’s Eve dinner was elaborate, the portions weren’t very large. Li Chu took a picture and sent it to Ning Manqing, then started eating.

Fish was a must, symbolizing abundance year after year. There were also two eggs, representing completeness. There was meat and vegetables. Li Chu didn’t bother with controlling her weight and ate with gusto.

She turned on the TV. The Spring Festival Gala was on. Some of the skits were quite funny, and Li Chu laughed heartily. But after laughing for a while, she felt bored again, inexplicably lonely. Li Chu had always spent New Year’s Eve alone. She should have been used to it.

Why wasn’t she used to it now? Was it because she had transmigrated to another world? But Li Chu knew that wasn’t the ridiculous reason. Her phone buzzed. Li Chu glanced at it and found the real reason had sent a message.

【Ning Manqing】: [Picture]

Following Ning Manqing’s persistent corrections, Li Chu had changed her contact name when she sent the photo earlier.

Li Chu opened the picture. It was a selfie, but only half of the person’s face was visible. Behind her was antique furniture, revealing the outline of the house.

【Ning Manqing】: Yours looks delicious.

【Xiao Chu】: Your home looks great too.

【Ning Manqing】: Just my home?

Li Chu typed slowly, a smile playing on her lips that she couldn’t suppress.

【Xiao Chu】: You’re great too.

【Xiao Chu】: Cat New Year’s Greeting.jpg

【Ning Manqing】: Cat Hands on Hips.jpg

Seeing the hands-on-hips emoji, Li Chu was suddenly tickled, laughing until her face ached as she sat cross-legged on the sofa. She thought it might also have something to do with the skit she had just watched.

【Xiao Chu】: Teacher Ning, does your family watch the Spring Festival Gala?

Li Chu thought definitely not. Which female lead’s scheming, wealthy family would sit together and watch the Spring Festival Gala?

【Ning Manqing】: No, we don’t. Is it good?

Ning Manqing hadn’t watched it. It wasn’t a required family activity for her family. She was currently at the old family residence, surrounded by people her age. Others were playing mahjong or billiards, creating a lively atmosphere.

【Tao Tao】: Let me tell you, it’s hilarious. I just watched a skit.

【Tao Tao】: Hahahaha, let me tell you about it.

Ning Manqing looked at her phone, a smile playing on her lips.

“What’s Xiao San looking at? You’re smiling so happily.” Ning Haoyuan, sitting opposite Ning Manqing, was a little surprised. As her older brother by five years, he couldn’t remember the last time he had seen his sister look so relaxed.

He was slightly wary, as her past actions had left a deep impression on him. Although he had differentiated into an alpha at eighteen, while Ning Manqing was only thirteen at the time, even at thirteen, she was a genius with learning abilities far exceeding ordinary people, the most prominent figure in the Ning family. He was the first to feel the pressure and sense of crisis.

Everyone who met him would praise him as a talented young man, and then mention his younger sister. Although Ning Manqing eventually differentiated into a beta, which relieved Ning Haoyuan, he still wasn’t completely at ease until she entered the entertainment industry.

Ning Haoyuan had always felt his younger brother was shortsighted in this matter. If Ning Manqing wanted to act, let her act. Cutting off her resources wouldn’t benefit anyone if she wanted to return to the Ning family business, so he had stepped in to stop his younger brother. But it seemed that whether it was his younger brother obstructing her or him stopping his younger brother, his always calm third sister hadn’t shown any reaction. The more he couldn’t understand her thoughts, the more wary he became.

“A rather interesting skit. Would Eldest Brother like to watch it?” Ning Manqing looked up, a smile still on her face, but with less amusement.

“Eldest Brother doesn’t like those things. He prefers financial statements.” Second Sister walked over from not far away with a wine glass in hand, inserting herself into the conversation with a smile.

Faced with these sarcastic words, Ning Haoyuan smiled. “Second Sister isn’t much different, since we have the same preferences.” Ning Haoyuan shifted his attention away from Ning Manqing. Compared to her, the greater threat now came from his second sister. Both alphas, they shared the same ambition, and neither would yield to the other. Ning Haoyuan still resented her for snatching a project from him in June.

Ning Manqing wasn’t interested in their verbal sparring. Let them fight for now. Rather than watch them squabble, she preferred to spend more time with her Tao Tao. Ning Manqing walked away from the sofa and sat in a quieter area, looking at the messages Li Chu was sending her. Although she hadn’t watched the Spring Festival Gala, she had already seen quite a bit through someone’s chattering relay.

Li Chu wasn’t interested in staying up late, but she wasn’t sleepy either. She scheduled a holiday greeting on Weibo, along with a selfie she had taken earlier. Li Chu picked the fastest replying fan and sent her best wishes.

After browsing Weibo until around 1 a.m., Li Chu went back to her room to sleep. At 2 a.m., she was startled awake by a warm body, the familiar pheromones calming her first.

“Why are you here so suddenly?”

“I wanted to give you the first kiss of the New Year.”

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