Read Novel Full Chapter 92.1 – Can’t Date Yet (I)
Chapter 92.1 – Can’t Date Yet (I)
The last of the weekly mass release was on last Sunday (10 chapters!) If you missed them, you can read them here
Xia Mian hunched her shoulders and scurried out. The moment she stepped out of the decorative gate, she couldn’t hold it in any longer—covering her stomach, she broke into a fit of silent, uncontrollable laughter, not even realizing that Ning Shaobai was right behind her.
Out of worry—or perhaps more out of reluctance—Ning Shaobai had originally planned to quietly watch until she returned home. But the instant he rounded the gate, he saw this scene before him.
He froze for a moment, then suddenly understood.
Thinking back over the past two days, he facepalmed.
Of course—this girl is so quick-witted, how could she possibly be so naive?
Even though he didn’t understand her completely, there was no way she’d be so out of grasp to behave in such a blockheaded manner.
Everything had been on purpose…
Finding himself actually being led around in circles by Xia Mian, Ning Shaobai didn’t know if he ought to feel amused or annoyed.
He followed behind Xia Mian out the main gate, leaned slowly against the shadowy wall, arms folded, and looked at the girl laughing so hard she was pounding on the wall. He couldn’t help smiling too—how could there be such a mischievous little thing?
Xia Mian laughed for a good few minutes. Clutching her stomach as if she might collapse, she slowly made her way through the next-door gate.
Ning Shaobai rubbed his forehead with a helpless smile.
Forget it. If she’s this happy, I’ll just play along with her. What else can I do?
It’s not like we could date right away.
…
The next day, except for mealtimes, the three children were once again glued to Ning Shaobai’s place—the set of gear there was enough to keep them entertained for days.
Xia Mian, however, was busy packing. Xia Wenyue and Mao Zhishan, who had been busy at the factory, came back in the morning as well, bringing plenty of gifts for relatives back home. Even though they’d pared them down again and again, considering Xia Mian was bringing Xiao Feng along, it had still been two years since their last visit, and with so many relatives, before they knew it, they’d filled two big suitcases.
Xia Wenyue frowned. “It’s still too much. You won’t be able to carry it.”
Xia Mian hefted one. “I can carry it. Tomorrow, Dr. Ning will take me to the train station. He’s already arranged for someone to pick us up at the station and drive us straight back to Mingxi County. Other than getting off the train, everything else will be in a car.”
“It’s getting on and off the train you need to watch out for—there are so many pickpockets, and child-snatchers too.” Thinking of the now fair-skinned, adorable Xiao Feng, Xia Wenyue still felt uneasy. “Since Dr. Ning has people to meet you over there, why don’t you just send the luggage by freight? Then you could even bring more.”
“Keep a close eye on Xiao Feng—especially in the moment of getting on or off. If someone snatches him and slips into the crowd, you won’t even see it happen, and by the time you realize, it’ll be too late.”
That made Xia Mian nervous too. “Alright.”
So she unpacked the gifts from her suitcase, keeping only what she and Xiao Feng would absolutely need. With that, a single suitcase was packed.
Xia Wenyue and Mao Zhishan sorted and packed the rest of the gifts into three large bags, which they sent to the train station for freight.
Once she finished packing, Xia Mian sprawled on the sofa, staring out the door with an expectant look. She wondered what trick a certain Dr. Ning might come up with today.
As she was thinking, Xiao Feng came scampering over from next door with a message. “Auntie, Uncle Ning says the thing you asked him is ready, and he wants you to go take a look.”
Oh? Is this it?
Suppressing her laughter, she told Xiao Feng to deliver her reply. “Tell Uncle Ning that Auntie is busy and has no time. Anyway, it’s not urgent—we can check it when we’re back from our hometown.”
Xiao Feng scampered back next door.
Hearing the boy’s repetition, Ning Shaobai couldn’t help laughing. A money-grubber who doesn’t want to know how much she has right away—does that even make sense?
Xiao Feng noticed Ning Shaobai’s strange smile. “Uncle Ning?”
Ning Shaobai ruffled the boy’s tuft that looked exactly like Xia Mian’s and smiled. “Nothing. Alright, thanks for the reply. Now go play.”
Xiao Feng didn’t think much of it. Seems like both Auntie and Uncle Ning are acting strange today.
…
It was already afternoon, and there was still no movement from next door. Xia Mian couldn’t help feeling a bit distracted—had she overplayed her hand? Had he run out of excuses?
She put herself in Ning Shaobai’s shoes and saw that there truly seemed to be no options left—he’d even exhausted the use of the kids.
Should she take the initiative to go over? Given their relationship, with her leaving tomorrow, it would be perfectly normal to drop by today.
At noon, Ning Shaoyun and Zhou Xuewen had come by specially to bring her some things, and yet there were no signs of Ning Shaobai. Xia Mian decided to wait until Xiao Feng went for martial arts practice in the evening, giving her a perfectly natural excuse to go over.
Just as she finalized her plan, Xiao Feng came running, holding two sheets of printed paper. He handed them to her. “Auntie, Uncle Ning gave these to you. He said, take your time looking.”
Xia Mian couldn’t help laughing—so Dr. Ning hasn’t given up after all.
She took the documents, opened them, and was immediately greeted with two sheets of tables densely packed with numbers, making her eyes spin. Practically every single transaction, with the daily and weekly return rates and earnings, was listed.
It must have been a lot of work for Dr. Ning to prepare it in such detail. No wonder it had taken so long!
Xia Mian flipped straight to the end, eager to see the final numbers—but to her surprise, the tables were all itemized details, with no total sum at all.
Xia Mian: “…”
Dr. Ning, you’re good!
If she still didn’t go over after this, her act really would be blown, so Xia Mian took the two pages and went next door. The kids had gone off somewhere to play, and Ning Shaobai was alone in the training room, throwing punches. He was still wearing the same black tight-fitting shirt, now completely soaked with sweat and clinging to his body.
Xia Mian admitted she had little resistance to Ning Shaobai’s physique. As if having a mind of their own, her misbehaving eyes kept sweeping over his muscles.
Ning Shaobai soon stopped, and upon noticing her ravenous gaze, he warily grabbed the shirt beside him and pulled it on. “Still appreciating my looks, I see?”
Go ahead, keep pretending! Xia Mian scorned him inwardly, but outwardly she put on a lecherous smirk. “Of course,” she said, reaching out to tug at his shirt. “So, Dr. Ning, please don’t be so distant.”
Ning Shaobai rolled his eyes and dodged her hand, then casually asked, “So, what brings you over at this time?”
“Playing dumb, are we, Dr. Ning?” Xia Mian laughed, shaking the two sheets of paper. “You gave me a statement without a total sum. With so many details, do you expect me to sit down and add them up by hand?”
Ning Shaobai blinked, as if just realizing it. “Really? How could that be?”
He came over to glance at the tables, then said in sudden understanding, “Must be a printing issue. Are you in a hurry? If not, you can check it after you get back from your hometown. If you are, we can look it up on the computer now.”
Alright, Dr. Ning, now you’re overdoing it!
“Not in a hurry,” Xia Mian said with a roll of her eyes and a hum. “Just tell me a rough number.”
Ning Shaobai replied, “This was sent to me by the bank manager and the exchange. I haven’t looked closely—it’s your property, after all. I must respect your privacy.”
Xia Mian: “…”
You’re managing my money for me, and now claiming that the report is my privacy? What a flimsy excuse! Are you afraid I wouldn’t notice how hard you’re trying to seduce me?
Hmph, as if I couldn’t tell!
In the end, Xia Mian still followed Ning Shaobai to his study. She couldn’t act too out of character. Besides, with her leaving tomorrow, she felt a little reluctant to part so soon.
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