Chapter 17: The Most Alluring Sight Is the Lights of a Myriad Homes

On the surface, it seemed like Ning Ruoxi was just moving in with Ye Ling, but in reality, there was a lot more to it.

First, Ye Ling might now be a target of the Yu Group, and Ning Ruoxi had moved in specifically to deter them.

She was even pretending to be Ye Ling’s girlfriend so he wouldn’t be targeted by her father... although, it also conveniently solved her own housing problem.

In short, aside from solving her own living situation, everything she was doing was for Ye Ling’s sake!

Ning Ruoxi immediately gave Luo Yue’s waist a light pinch, pouting. "Yueyue, you brat, what nonsense are you spouting!?"

However, Ning Ruoxi’s heart was now in turmoil.

’What are my feelings for Ye Ling, really?’

She had never experienced anything like this, so she couldn’t say for sure. Generally speaking, she wasn’t opposed to Ye Ling; she might even have a certain fondness for him.

But she could also clearly feel that she and Ye Ling hadn’t reached the stage of being lovers yet.

Maybe there was still a long way to go, or maybe there was only a thin barrier left between them... Unless the moment came when she truly had to make a choice, Ning Ruoxi herself didn’t know what would happen.

Besides, with her personality, she was bound to be the passive one. So, the future of their relationship would largely depend on what Ye Ling did.

"Ouch! Okay, okay, I was wrong. I’ll stop~"

Luo Yue pouted and stopped teasing Ning Ruoxi. If she played with fire and went too far, Ning Ruoxi might just send her back abroad, and then she’d be finished...

She had finally managed to escape the supervision of those old folks back home; she didn’t want her good days to end so soon!

"Hey, our wonderful college life is about to begin!"

Luo Yue stood by the window, gazing outside with a look of yearning in her eyes.

The sky was beginning to darken, and scattered lights had started to appear among the skyscrapers.

Come to think of it, even though she had once lived a life of luxury, above everyone else, she had never felt as relaxed as she did now.

Every day, she was watched by that group of people at home, forced to study all sorts of knowledge, etiquette, and skills. She had even met Ning Ruoxi at an international art training summer camp.

That was why she had secretly applied to a university in the country, even dodging her bodyguards to sneak into Xia Country’s Modu all by herself!

With her grades and status from abroad, she could have gotten into a school like Harvard University in the United States with no effort at all!

Ning Ruoxi also stood beside Luo Yue, gazing at the hazy nightscape. She couldn’t help but sigh. "You know, I think the most enchanting part of the city is at dusk, seeing all the residential buildings with lights shining from their windows."

"Hee hee, I know! That’s what you painted back at the international art training summer camp, Ruoruo."

Luo Yue smiled, looking at the high-rises in the distance. Even though they were far away, she could feel the warmth of life coming from them.

It was the feeling of the mortal world, the mundane... the opposite of a legendary paradise.

"Yeah. That was the first time I was ever far from my family. I was in a car and happened to look up and see all those apartment buildings, every window lit up. Back then, I thought to myself, ’How wonderful it would be if one of those lights was left on for me.’"

Ning Ruoxi said with a faint smile.

Some people always say that cities, compared to the countryside, lack warmth—that they’re just metropolises of steel.

But if you’re an outsider and you see all those neatly arranged windows, all lit up, you feel something very complex.

And among those feelings is one called envy.

Maybe cities really do pull people further apart, but those windows, shining with light, are still a place for the soul to return to, still filled with the warmth of life.

"GROWL~"

Just then, an inopportune sound came from Luo Yue’s stomach.

Luo Yue immediately gave an embarrassed, silly smile and rubbed her stomach. "Ruoruo, I’m hungry~"

"I’m hungry, too."

Ning Ruoxi pouted, then grabbed her bag. "Come on, let’s go get Ye Ling and eat out."

However, the moment the two of them pushed the door open, a tantalizing aroma wafted over.

Luo Yue was already hungry, and now her stomach let out another soft growl.

"It smells so good!"

As soon as Luo Yue caught the scent, her eyes lit up. Her gaze darted around, and then it suddenly locked onto Ye Ling, who was arranging dishes on the table.

Or more accurately, the table in front of him!

The table was covered with all sorts of dishes, mostly simple, home-style fare: sweet and sour pork ribs, mapo tofu, Dongpo fish, fish-fragrant shredded pork, pickled vegetable fish... and a large bowl of chicken soup giving off a rich, fragrant steam!

Although they were common, ordinary dishes, they were the kind that most whetted one’s appetite.

"I was just about to call you. Since you’re out, let’s eat together."

Ye Ling turned to see the two girls, shrugged, and said.

"Ye Ling? D-Did you make all this?"

Ning Ruoxi walked over, a trace of surprise appearing in her beautiful eyes.

’There are so many dishes! And from the looks of them, they’re just as good as what you’d find in a restaurant!’

"Yeah. You just moved in today, so think of it as a welcome meal."

Ye Ling said with a small smile.

"Whoa, this looks so delicious!"

Luo Yue’s big eyes were sparkling. She couldn’t resist sitting down, grabbing her chopsticks, and stuffing a piece of braised pork into her mouth!

That’s right. Besides being a sports car fanatic, she was an even bigger foodie!

And when it came to good food, she was utterly defenseless, to the point where she was rooted to the spot at the mere sight of it!

"Mmmph! Delicious!"

Luo Yue swallowed it in one go, her big eyes sparkling as she looked at Ye Ling. "Mister, you’re an amazing cook!"

At that moment, she completely forgot how Ye Ling had teased her earlier, and her fondness for him skyrocketed.

"You little rascal, can’t you pay a little more attention to your image?"

Seeing this, Ning Ruoxi couldn’t help but facepalm internally.

’How can my best friend be so scatterbrained all the time?’

’Seriously, weren’t you just badmouthing Ye Ling a minute ago...? And now you’re won over by a single meal?’

"Sit down and eat. It’s been a while since I last cooked, so I might be a little rusty."

Ye Ling said with a small smile.

"Not at all! It’s absolutely delicious!"

After taking a bite, Ning Ruoxi’s eyes instantly lit up as well.

’To be honest, Ye Ling’s cooking is really good!’

Perhaps because Ye Ling’s food was just that good, both girls, who usually ate very little to maintain their figures, ended up eating a lot.

The three of them actually managed to polish off every single dish on the table.

Not even a single drop of chicken soup was left.

"*Hic*... I’m so full. Ruoruo, you’re going to be so spoiled in the future."

Luo Yue smacked her lips in satisfaction, the corners of her mouth still glistening with oil from the chicken soup. She looked just like a little angel who had fallen to earth.

"If you say one more ridiculous thing, I’m throwing you out!"

Ning Ruoxi had also drunk a large bowl of chicken soup. Her whole body felt warm and cozy, and she thought it felt incredibly comfortable!

"I can’t believe the food in this country is so delicious! Waaah, I’ve been missing out all these years! What have I even been eating...?" Luo Yue pouted as the thought struck her.

As a foodie, she felt that missing out on so much delicious food was a form of sacrilege!

At that moment, Luo Yue made up her mind: she was going to try every famous dish in the country!

Ning Ruoxi watched Ye Ling, taking in the scene. For some reason, she was suddenly overcome by a feeling...

A feeling that seemed like...

A place to belong...

The same sense of belonging she had longed for when she used to gaze at the city’s countless lights...

At that moment, without Ning Ruoxi even realizing it, the door to her heart seemed to have been pried open just a little bit more.