Ling Xiao arrived quickly.
Ning Su thought to himself, if he lived in the game hall, considering the distance from there to here, he probably wouldn’t have walked over.
The base was centered around the game hall, and the wealthiest Yinhua Guild was next to the game hall.
The reason why Ning Su was able to buy this detached small courtyard at such a low price, besides it being a haunted house, was also because it’s in the outskirts of the base.
This was equivalent to traveling from the first ring road to the eighteenth ring road, and Ling Xiao managed it in less than five minutes.
They moved a table to the courtyard, and when Ling Xiao arrived, Ning Su was cutting a big watermelon on the table.
The watermelon, freshly taken out of the well, was clean and shiny. Before cutting it, Ning Su patted it again with a smile on his face.
Even before tasting the watermelon, the sweetness was already felt.
The ‘pu zi’ sound of the first cut, and the natural crack that opened as soon as the cut was made, indicated that this melon was ripe and sweet.
Ning Changfeng took out hundreds of skewers of barbecue, piling them up on one long plate after another.
The aroma of barbecue mixed with the sweet scent of watermelon, and the sound of cola and Sprite bubbling, along with the children’s “wow~” voices.
Ning Changfeng looked up and saw Ling Xiao standing at the door, not knowing how long he had been standing there. “Ling Xiao, why are you standing there? Come in!”
Ning Su looked up and met Ling Xiao’s gaze. They had just noticed each other when Ning Changfeng urged them to sit down.
Ning Changfeng: “Eat!”
Gui Sheng: “Eat!”
He happily picked up a cup of cola, squinted his eyes, and gulped it down, with bubbles coming up after each sip.
Ning Su’s speed of skewering barbecue was far beyond that of ordinary people.
Manman favored watermelon, her cheeks bulging as she ate.
When Ning Changfeng looked up, he was surprised to see that Ling Xiao was also eating skewers seriously.
It wasn’t like last time when he used chopsticks to slide all the meat off. This time he was eating with a skewer.
Seeing them so absorbed in eating, Ning Changfeng suppressed the words he was about to say.
“Ling Xiao, you’ve changed a lot,” Ning Changfeng said. “You’re actually eating skewers.”
Ling Xiao: “Because I’ve had grilled fish.”
Grilled fish?
Fishing together and then grilling fish together?
Ning Changfeng: “Grilling it together with Ning Su?”
Ling Xiao nodded.
Ning Changfeng finally steered the conversation around. “Do you know who Ning Su is?”
He thought Ling Xiao would ask who it was, and then he could reveal that Ning Su was his son. Unexpectedly, Ling Xiao began to seriously consider it.
Ning Su’s skewering action paused, suddenly nervous.
He recalled the conversation they had on the bridge inside the instance dungeon. Ning Su had asked him if the King of Hell could be his son, and when he mentioned that Manman was his daughter, he remembered what Ling Xiao had said in response.
Ning Su was afraid that Ling Xiao might say something like him being his child.
Then he could imagine Ning Changfeng’s reaction. Tonight would be far from peaceful.
Ling Xiao: “The one who owns my heart.”
“Pfft—”
*Cough cough cough—*
Ning Changfeng choked on half of his beer, half of it went into his trachea, and half of it sprayed out. He bent over, coughing wildly.
Ning Su: “...”
Ning Changfeng finally managed to stop coughing, and asked Ling Xiao loudly, “What did you say?!”
Ling Xiao couldn’t understand his reaction, and said plainly and seriously, “The one who owns my heart.”
Under Ning Changfeng’s unbelieving gaze, he said, “Didn’t I tell you the last time that I lost my heart? It’s with him.”
“Oh right.” Ning Changfeng realized, heaving a sigh of relief, “You should make it clear, you scared me.”
Heart and heart, one word difference makes a world of difference. (T/N: Ling Xiao was referring to the literal organ, while Ning Changfeng thought he meant it in a romantic sense. That’s why he had that reaction.)
He couldn’t imagine how someone like Ling Xiao, who stands outside the crowd, a ruthless and desireless master, would utter such cheesy romantic words.
Just now was the most embarrassing moment of Ning Changfeng’s life. He awkwardly handed a towel to Gui Sheng to wipe his face. “Sorry, Grandpa was just startled.”
Ning Changfeng asked Ning Su, “How could his heart be with you?”
Ling Xiao also turned to look at Ning Su, and Ning Su said, “I found it in the instance world.”
It’s not exactly lying; it’s more like being stitched into his body by Ning Changfeng.
Ning Changfeng: “No wonder you both went to the same instance dungeon. Ling Xiao went to get the heart, right?”
Ning Su nodded. “Yes, I gave it to him.”
Ning Changfeng felt more at ease and didn’t inquire further about this matter.
He no longer beat around the bush, afraid of asking any earth-shattering questions again. He directly said to Ling Xiao, “Do you remember the last time on the bridge? I told you I had a son?”
Ning Changfeng pointed to Ning Su and said, “Let me introduce you. This is my son. You already know his name, Ning Su.”
Ling Xiao: “...”
Ning Su buried his head and ate heartily.
Ning Changfeng pushed Ning Su, “Why are you so rude? This is Dad’s friend. Get up and respectfully offer him a glass of water and call him uncle.”
“...”
Ning Changfeng wasn’t one to enjoy socializing, and of course, he didn’t want his son to do so either.
This time, he had a selfish motive for doing so.
After becoming a father, he knew that no matter how many layers of protection he provided to his child, it would never be enough.
He did this because he hoped that in certain moments, Ling Xiao might protect Ning Su.
He knew that Ling Xiao must be very capable, no worse than himself.
The chopsticks lingered in Ling Xiao’s slender fingers for a long time, and he finally said, “No need.”
Ning Changfeng: “Yes, it’s just a glass of water, not alcohol.”
He looked at Ning Su.
Ning Su: “...”
Ning Su slowly stood up and offered the water to Ling Xiao.
Initially, he found the situation a bit awkward. However, as he picked up the water glass, a sense of duty from deep within made him willingly comply, making the action feel entirely natural.
He felt that he should offer him a glass of water.
Ling Xiao put down his chopsticks and looked at him.
The courtyard walls and fences were covered with lush green plants, providing a vibrant backdrop. The young man wore a simple white t-shirt against this green background, giving off a refreshing and pleasant vibe. His peach-blossom eyes were clear and beautiful, reflecting his clarity and charm distinctly.
Just a while ago, he exuded a lively and spirited aura, but now he appeared calm and tranquil, as if one could perceive the transparency of his heart.
Ling Xiao was reminded of the eyes of the boy who was singing praises to the statue of the Flower God.
He twitched his ring finger on the pearwood table, then reached out to take the glass of water from the young man’s hand.
Ning Su was surprised when Ling Xiao reached out to take the glass. Ning Su’s fingers were firmly grasping the glass, but Ling Xiao’s fingers found their way between his, moving the glass of water away.
The knuckles of his fingertips brushed against the inside of his fingers, light and warm.
Ning Su placed his hand behind his back.
“Huh?” Ning Changfeng didn’t expect Ling Xiao to take the water directly. Then he thought that Ling Xiao, who had lived in a dungeon for a long time, might not know what a toast was and thought that Ning Su wanted to give him the water to drink.
That’s possible.
Ning Changfeng looked at Ning Su again.
Ning Su: “...Uncle Ling.”
“...”
Thanks for the update!! 🤣🤣🤣
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