Chapter 142: An Unfortunate Encounter
Let’s be clear, she wasn’t a cross-dresser; she simply wanted to experience wearing men’s clothing. She had no desire to become a boy again.
So, using a male persona to pick up girls… that had never crossed her mind.
That being said…
“Little boy, are you hurt? Let me buy you some candy as an apology.”
This woman was a dangerous creature, using such a tempting tactic.
“Well…”
“Or do you not like candy? I can buy you some fries.”
Impossible to refuse…
Yu Linna, you weak-willed fool!
Biting into the fries, the savory aroma filled her senses, a wave of deliciousness washing over her. How could fries be so good? Was this the magic of free food?
“Haha, seeing how much you like them means I have good taste. The fries here are quite good. What grade are you in, little brother? Why are you out alone?”
Having bought him food, Huo Ningning naturally struck up a conversation. She seemed more relaxed than usual, perhaps because she felt less constrained talking to a child.
With the hoodie and her head lowered, her voice deliberately deepened, Yu Linna was unrecognizable to anyone who wasn’t intimately familiar with her. That’s why Huo Ningning hadn’t recognized her.
If she were discovered, it would be troublesome.
“Um… I have to go…”
“If you don’t mind, little brother, why don’t you keep me company? I’ll buy you something delicious. I’m alone today anyway.”
For some reason, she felt a strange familiarity with this adorable little boy, a sense of kinship she couldn’t quite place.
What was this feeling…?
Yu Linna, unable to escape, followed her. How had things escalated so quickly? She had only done this for fun.
Finishing the last fry, she trailed behind Huo Ningning, continuing to freeload. Huo Ningning, true to her word, bought her more food, perhaps out of boredom, spending her day with a child she didn’t even know. Though the boy was undeniably cute, if his parents found out, they might accuse her of kidnapping.
But she couldn’t resist the urge to get closer to this child.
Because he looked so much like Yu Linna.
The facial features, the contours, especially those beautiful eyes, were almost identical. She wondered if they were related.
But that was impossible. Yu Linna was an orphan; she had no siblings. But she couldn’t bring herself to dislike this boy.
“Little brother, would you mind listening to me complain for a bit? Just a little while. I’ll buy you a large kids’ meal afterward.”
Who wants a kids’ meal?!
Though she wanted to shout, she suppressed the urge, worried about her voice betraying her. She noticed a change in Huo Ningning’s demeanor, a sadness in her eyes, her smile strained. Despite her cheerful tone, Yu Linna felt a sense of unease.
What was wrong with this introverted girl…?
“I… I had a fight with a very good friend a long time ago. A very, very good friend.”
“If you had a fight, just make up with her.”
“It’s not that simple.”
Huo Ningning shook her head, a bitter smile on her face.
“It was many years ago. I was young, even younger than you. We had a fight, and I hurt her. Then she moved away, and I couldn’t find her anymore. I never had a chance to apologize. Until recently, I met her again, but she had completely forgotten me. She didn’t remember me at all.”
Listening to Huo Ningning’s story, Yu Linna was stunned. She had never seen her like this before, never known about her past, her struggles.
“I really want to tell her I’m sorry, that I was wrong. But I don’t have the courage. I’m too weak to face her. And she… she probably doesn’t remember anything. Perhaps she’s forgotten everything.”
Huo Ningning harbored a deep regret, a past that haunted her, a mistake she had made years ago, the consequences of which she still carried. She longed to make amends, but it was too late.
Perhaps this was her punishment.
Years ago, her mother had brought a little blonde girl home, and that was how they met. They had been happy together, and it could have continued, but she… she had ruined everything.
It wasn’t until the little girl packed her bags and left for another city that she realized her mistake.
Listening to Huo Ningning’s confession, Yu Linna felt a strange pang in her chest, an unfamiliar emotion. She had always known Huo Ningning as an introverted, unpredictable girl, never witnessing such vulnerability, such sadness, such regret.
What kind of past did she carry?
“Alright, enough complaining. Let’s go. I’ll buy you that large kids’ meal, and then we’ll forget about this. Pretend I never said anything.”
Huo Ningning’s mood shifted, a smile replacing the earlier gloom, as if it had been an act.
She instinctively reached out to pat the boy’s head, but seeing the hoodie, she stopped.
“Little brother, why are you wearing that hoodie? Why don’t you take it off? I haven’t seen your face yet. Can I see?”
“No.”
If she showed her face, she would be instantly recognized. That was out of the question.
“Are you shy? Come on, let me see~”
“No.”
“Then tell me your name. I’m Huo Ningning. You can call me Sister Ningning. What’s your name, little brother?”
“…My surname is Ye.”
Sorry, Miss Ye, she hadn’t intended to borrow her name.
She had come out for fun, but somehow, she had ended up in this situation, disguised as someone else.
“Ye? And your given name?”
“…Lin.”
“Ye Lin? Sounds like a girl’s name.”
Not just sounds like one; it was one.
Yu Linna suppressed the urge to retort.
Fortunately, despite her poor eyesight, Huo Ningning hadn’t recognized her. Yu Linna considered herself lucky.
“Little Brother Yelin, let’s go eat. I’m hungry.”
Having unburdened herself, Huo Ningning felt much better, ready for some food. She had promised the boy a large kids’ meal; he would love it.
If only I could spend a day alone with a certain blonde girl…
Yu Linna trailed behind her, still keeping her head down. She hadn’t expected to be having a meal with Huo Ningning. Whatever, she would eat and then leave, claiming she didn’t have a phone if Huo Ningning asked for her contact information.
“Ouch!”
Yu Linna tripped over the threshold as they entered Wallace, stumbling forward.
“Yelin!”
She closed her eyes, bracing for impact.
Suddenly, a hand reached out, catching her. But she felt her chest press against that hand, a strange tingling sensation spreading through her body, her face flushing. Had she just been… groped?
“Hmm? A girl?”
A pleasant female voice sounded from above. Yu Linna relaxed; it was a woman.
“Thank… uh…”
She looked up to thank her rescuer, and her heart sank.
The woman, about twenty years old, had delicate features, a mature aura, and a figure that made Yu Linna envious. She was a goddess, a dream girl.
“Senior… Senior Yumeng…”
“Hmm? You know me… could you be…?”
Tang Yumeng studied the “little boy,” a sense of familiarity nagging at her. He was adorable. And then, a familiar face overlapped with the boy’s in her memory.
“Uh…”
Tang Yumeng’s mind went blank, speechless.
“Thank you, miss. Come on, Yelin, are you hurt? Let’s go inside.”
Huo Ningning pulled Yu Linna away, almost protectively, as if afraid Tang Yumeng would steal her away.
Tang Yumeng watched them, and Yu Linna glanced back, their eyes meeting. Tang Yumeng’s emotions were complex. The girl she had met at the villa was now disguised as a boy.
What expression should she make?
Facepalm?
Rage?
Amusement?
None of them seemed appropriate.
“Why is that girl staring at you? Is she interested in you? But she’s much older than you.”
“Ahaha…”
“Little Brother Yelin is popular with all ages. You’re quite charming. You’ll have lots of girls chasing you when you grow up.”
“…”
Yu Linna wanted to say that was impossible because she was a girl.
But running into Senior Yumeng here… it was incredibly awkward. Huo Ningning’s eyesight was poor, but Tang Yumeng wasn’t blind. Surely, she could see through her disguise.
And indeed, Tang Yumeng, having turned to leave, stopped and returned, tapping Yu Linna on the shoulder, her expression unreadable.
“You again? What do you want with him? He’s just a kid. How could you…?”
“Who said I’m interested in him like that? I just have something to discuss with him. Right?”
Ignoring Huo Ningning, Tang Yumeng’s gaze locked onto Yu Linna, her words laced with meaning.
“…Senior Yumeng, please don’t…”
Yu Linna wanted to beg for mercy.
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