Chapter 72: Too Slippery

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Hearing the system announcement and looking at Ning Xue's unsteady breathing and flushed cheeks, Bai Ning's mouth twitched slightly.

Why did she get the feeling that the other person didn't feel the least bit insulted?

But regardless, as long as the quest was complete, she didn't have to suffer anymore.

Watching her hands finally leave the basin and hearing the task completion chime ring out, Bai Ning let out a breath of relief. But when she saw Ning Xue grab a towel and move to wipe her feet, she quickly stopped her.

"I, I can do it myself, I've already troubled Xiao Xue enough."

She reached out to take the towel from Ning Xue's hand, but her hand grabbed nothing but air. Seeing Bai Ning's confused expression, Ning Xue smiled.

"If you're going to do something, you should do it properly. Let me."

As she said this, she made to cradle Bai Ning's little foot.

Seeing Ning Xue's movement, Bai Ning quickly tried to stop her.

"No, no need, I'll do it myself, I'll do it myself, go wash your hands first, they're dirty."

Having too high a sensitivity wasn't a good thing. Bai Ning felt that if this went on any longer, she probably wouldn't be able to hold herself together.

System: [Isn't the female lead of a doujin still a female lead?]

Bai Ning: "......"

A female lead without a male lead she could accept, but a female lead within the R18 doujin she absolutely could not.

Actually, if not for the system providing the plot and the character details matching up, she might have really thought she had transmigrated into some R18 doujin.

She thought things would end there, but she had forgotten about Ning Xue's personality. She yanked at the towel but couldn't pull it free.

Bai Ning's feet were still in the water, and her tug not only failed to pull the towel away, but because her feet were slippery, her face filled with panic, she let out a small "ah" and toppled straight into Ning Xue's arms.

Feeling the soft and warm sensation against her face, Bai Ning froze completely.

System: [Feet really are too slippery. Last time she got a face full of you, and now you just had to return the favor, huh.]

There was no time to argue with the system. Bai Ning's face instantly flushed bright red as she struggled to get up.

Thank goodness no one was around. If someone saw her like this, Bai Ning felt she would never be able to explain herself.

She still remembered last time when Su Youmeng accidentally walked in on her, and she spent ages trying to explain.

Speak of the devil.

Click.

Just as Bai Ning was feeling relieved, the very next second, accompanied by a sound, the door suddenly swung open.

"I'm here, you two are..." Su Youmeng opened the door and was greeted by a sight that left her utterly speechless.

The scene was familiar, yet somewhat different. Unlike last time, this time it was Bai Ning's face buried in front of Ning Xue.

To celebrate Bai Ning's recovery, she had been furiously writing these past few days, all so she could have time to hang out with Bai Ning later.

And this is what she got. She opened her heart to be a true friend, and all along she was just one piece in someone else's little game.

True heartbreak isn't screaming and making a scene. It's going cold and indifferent.

Unlike last time where she had made a big fuss, Su Youmeng just stared blankly for a moment, let out a short quiet laugh, as if she had made up her mind about something, and turned to leave.

"Hey, don't, don't go, it's not what you think, we were just washing feet, my foot slipped."

Watching Su Youmeng turn to leave, Bai Ning scrambled to explain.

But the all-too-familiar explanation wasn't convincing enough for Su Youmeng. Once you could call it coincidence. Twice and you're still telling me it was an accident.

I treat you like a sister, and you take me for a fool, huh?

"Xiao Ning is right, she just slipped while wiping her feet, that's why it ended up like this."

It wasn't until Ning Xue explained and Su Youmeng spotted the foot basin that she chose to believe Bai Ning's words.

Still, she couldn't quite wrap her head around it.

"Okay but, it's the middle of the day, you two are at home with nothing to do, and you're just... washing feet?"

Before Bai Ning could explain, Ning Xue spoke up first. As much as she wanted to be close to Bai Ning, she didn't want Bai Ning to feel troubled.

"I accidentally spilled juice on Xiao Ning's feet, that's why."

Hearing this, Su Youmeng didn't immediately believe it. Instead, she studied both Bai Ning and Ning Xue with a suspicious look on her face, eyes darting back and forth between the 2 of them like she was interrogating them.

Bai Ning's face was still flushed, and with Su Youmeng staring at her like that, she felt even more uncomfortable, the color on her face deepening further.

"Heh."

Su Youmeng already knew what was going on. Bai Ning and Ning Xue had force-fed her second-hand embarrassment twice now, and she wasn't about to let it slide. She was going to get them back.

Her eyes darted around. She glanced at Ning Xue and Bai Ning, let out a sigh, sat down to the side, put on a grave expression, and patted Ning Xue on the shoulder. Under Ning Xue's confused gaze she said:

"Ning Xue, you need to think this through carefully. The Bai family is a prestigious household. Your background isn't exactly wealthy, and while we're not in feudal times, so it's not like anyone's talking about matching social status..."

As she said this she shook her head, then gave Bai Ning a couple of exaggerated "tsk tsk", and continued under Bai Ning's absolutely stunned expression:

"But Bai Ning has always lived lavishly. You might have to work multiple jobs a day, split a single bun into 2 meals, only ever walk everywhere because even a bus fare needs a lot of consideration, never spend a single cent on yourself, and put every last penny you earn into maintaining her extravagant lifestyle. Can you really accept that?"

"Oh, and Bai Ning will probably still complain about you on top of all that."

She added that last bit as a parting shot.

Bai Ning: "???"

How did she not know she was such a terrible person?

Also, this little brat Su Youmeng, was she taking advantage of her? They were clearly the same generation, Su Youmeng was even a few months younger than her, so where was all this "wise elder" energy coming from?

Ning Xue paused for a moment after hearing this, but then her expression settled into something firm and unwavering.

"I can. As long as Bai Ning is happy, nothing else matters to me."

If anything, she thought this sounded even better. Bai Ning depending on her to live, that was something she had always dreamed of.

None of those things were a problem to her. After a long day of hard work, if Bai Ning could be at the door to welcome her home, all that exhaustion would just melt away.

"Alright then, since you've made up your mind, I'll offer you my sincere blessings."

Just like that, the marriage was settled in 2 lines, and the other person involved didn't get a say in any of it?

Bai Ning slapped Su Youmeng on the back of the head and said through gritted teeth:

"Cut it out."

Su Youmeng yelped in pain, grabbed the back of her head, and shot Bai Ning a look that screamed "I'm mad but I'm too scared to say it," muttering under her breath:

"You two just go live your little couple life then, I won't bother you anymore, I'm going to rest."

Hearing Su Youmeng's muttering, Bai Ning knocked her on the head again. "Stop fooling around. Didn't you say you had a school meeting this morning? How come you're here so early, did the meeting wrap up that fast?"

At that, Su Youmeng was suddenly wide awake, and her face instantly turned into a mask of pure grievance.

"Don't even bring it up. The meeting was supposed to be this morning, but then the student advisor had something come up, so it got pushed to tomorrow."

Su Youmeng said this through practically gritted teeth, clearly very unhappy about the whole thing.