Chapter 96 - 94: Topics Between Women

Chapter 96: Chapter 94: Topics Between Women

[After-school reading time is over. Let’s wrap up our hard work for today. Our smart little Chen Jingle has done an amazing job. Next up is bedtime. You need plenty of sleep to ensure your body grows and develops properly.]

Receiving the system prompt, Chen Jingle turned off his computer and followed his usual routine of taking a bathroom break before bed. However, when he lay down, he found he wasn’t really sleepy. After a moment of thought, he suddenly blurted out, "System, can you praise me a little more?"

The system stayed silent for two seconds before replying:

[Baby, you did a great job to begin with, so you deserve to be praised. Plus, keeping up such high enthusiasm all day long is truly wonderful. Even I’m a bit surprised; you’re much more impressive than the other children. Here is a little red flower as a reward. I hope my baby can maintain this positive attitude toward learning every day. Of course, if you ever feel tired, you must tell me! Proper rest is also very important. I want to see my baby grow up healthy and strong more than anyone else.]

Chen Jingle was instantly satisfied. Yes, this was exactly what he wanted to hear! Although the request seemed somewhat childish, being praised was always better than being criticized.

"Oh, right. Tonight, I want to listen to... ’Ulaanbaatar Night’."

[Of course. I’ll sing whatever my baby wants to hear.]

An ethereal background track began to play, followed by the system’s gentle, soft voice.

[Oh, wind blowing across the wilderness, slow your steps,]

[I use my silence to tell you I am drunk.]

[Ulaanbaatar Night is so quiet, so very quiet,]

[Even the wind cannot be heard, cannot be heard...]

[Oh, clouds drifting toward the horizon, slow your steps,]

[...]

Listening to the system sing lullabies every day had now become an indispensable bedtime routine for Chen Jingle. If he went without it, he always felt like something was missing.

Meanwhile.

Having just finished interrogating Chen Qiyun, Li Beixing was now on the receiving end of Zhou Manlin’s relentless questioning.

Around noon, she had sped off without even stopping her car, infuriating Zhou Manlin to the point of writing a long essay on WeChat just to scold her. Although she managed to brush it off by playing dead, Zhou Manlin had laid down an ultimatum: she wasn’t going to let this go. Sooner or later, she would dig up the truth and make it public.

Faced with this, Li Beixing was actually a little intimidated.

Right then, Zhou Manlin sent another message: "Come out for a late-night snack!"

Li Beixing really didn’t want to go. "It’s so late, what is there to eat? I’m not going. I need to sleep."

"You’ve got to be kidding me. It’s only ten o’clock!" Zhou Manlin replied in disbelief. "The nightlife has just begun! Why are you sleeping?"

Li Beixing was speechless. "Look, I’m not a lady of leisure. I have to work! I have several classes tomorrow morning!"

"Just come out! It won’t keep you up too late. It’s right downstairs at ’Pigeon Too Beautiful,’ next to my milk tea shop. I’ll be waiting!"

Li Beixing sighed and had no choice but to get up and change her clothes. When she went downstairs, she saw her parents turning off the TV, getting ready for bed.

Li Qiguang looked surprised. "Why are you going out so late?"

"Manlin asked me to grab a late-night snack," Li Beixing explained. "It’s just on the street opposite our neighborhood. I don’t know what time I’ll be back, so you two should just go ahead and sleep."

"If you’re driving, don’t drink. And if you do drink, don’t drive—call a designated driver." Hearing it was Zhou Manlin, Li Qiguang didn’t object, simply offering a few words of advice.

"I know, I know," Li Beixing said, waving her hand. Her parents were always like this, treating her like a little kid even though she had been working for two years now.

Li Beixing took her little electric scooter and rode over to "Pigeon Too Beautiful." It was a late-night diner that specialized in pigeon porridge, and business was fairly decent.

Zhou Manlin was sitting alone in a corner. Li Beixing walked over and asked curiously, "Why are you by yourself? Where are your friends?"

Zhou Manlin waved her hand dismissively. "I asked you out for a late-night snack. Why would I invite them?"

Quite a bit of food had already been ordered and brought to the table, looking entirely untouched. Aside from the porridge, there were also some skewers and cold dishes.

Zhou Manlin reached over to pour Li Beixing a drink but was stopped.

"I’m not drinking. If we both get drunk, there won’t be anyone to take you home," Li Beixing said.

Zhou Manlin didn’t push the issue. "Then I’ll just have a little myself." After downing a glass of ice-cold beer, her eyes curved into a beaming smile. She winked at Li Beixing and asked, "Alright, can you tell me now?"

"Tell you what?" Li Beixing asked in bewilderment as she ladled herself a bowl of pigeon porridge.

"That guy!"

"What guy?"

"Stop playing dumb!" Zhou Manlin puffed her cheeks out in frustration, gritting her teeth. "Fine, fine! So you won’t even tell me, huh? I completely misjudged you!"

As the saying goes, a slightly tipsy woman can put on an act convincing enough to move you to tears. Zhou Manlin wasn’t even drunk yet, but she was already putting on a full performance. It had to be said—some women were simply born actors.

Li Beixing maintained a calm expression. "I really have no idea what you’re talking about."

Zhou Manlin dropped the act, swapping her expression for a smug smile. "Your acting skills still need some work. If you truly didn’t know anything, you’d be looking totally confused and trying helplessly to explain yourself, instead of being so calm and collected."

Li Beixing rolled her eyes. "I said enough already. We’re here for a late-night snack, so stop talking nonsense."

"I’m just looking out for you!" Zhou Manlin giggled. "It’s just that the guy looked... well, a bit ordinary."

Li Beixing shot her a glance but remained silent.

Superficial! Not only was she superficial, but she also had terrible taste! If someone like Chen Jingle was considered ordinary, then nobody in the world could be called outstanding.

A second later, Zhou Manlin blinked playfully. "I just never expected you to be into that type."

"..."

"Does he know about your family background?"

"..."

"If your parents found out, would they approve?"

"..."

Zhou Manlin slapped the table. "Hey, at least say something! Playing dead won’t get you anywhere!"

Li Beixing sighed. "You’re such a gossip! Can’t you just eat your food in peace? If I knew you were going to ask so many annoying questions, I never would have come out."