Chapter 302: Chapter 279: Wrong Label?

In the Snow Tea Milk Tea Shop, Ye Ling bought two milk teas without asking Ning Ruoxi’s opinion, then found a place to sit.

It was mainly because he knew Ning Ruoxi’s tastes so well now that he even remembered exactly how sweet she liked her tea and which toppings she preferred.

’This is what being a good boyfriend is all about, right?’

"Darling, you’re the best!" Ning Ruoxi had noticed everything. She gave Ye Ling a kiss on the cheek and said with a beaming smile.

"Heh heh!"

Ye Ling let out a satisfied hum and boldly pulled Ning Ruoxi into his embrace, his hands starting to wander.

The shop wasn’t too crowded, and since they were sitting in a corner, no one was paying them any mind. So, Ning Ruoxi let him have his way, resting her head against Ye Ling’s chest with a delicate, loving look.

Just as they were waiting for their milk teas, Ye Ling’s phone rang. It was a call from Zhu Yun in Modu.

"President Ye, the lab is all set. Expert Hua and his team have already entered and begun their work," Zhu Yun said from the other end.

"Excellent work," Ye Ling praised.

He had given Zhu Yun this assignment just a day or so before leaving Yazhou, which meant she had managed to get the entire lab set up in only about four days!

’That’s some serious efficiency.’

"President Ye, it was actually quite simple. We were just setting up a lab environment, not building a house. Once all the components were ready, it was just a matter of putting them together like building blocks."

Zhu Yun wasn’t trying to take all the credit.

’Honestly, that was something Ye Ling truly admired about her.’

Even if what she said was true—that the task wasn’t particularly difficult—Ye Ling wouldn’t have known the difference. Yet, she still didn’t ask for a reward.

"Alright, no need to be so modest. You worked hard on this. Go to finance and collect a twenty-thousand-yuan bonus," Ye Ling said.

’He was never a stingy person, and he certainly wouldn’t be cheap with someone who did their job diligently.’

"Thank you, President Ye."

This time, Zhu Yun didn’t refuse. To do so would have seemed forced, as if she were trying too hard to curry favor with Ye Ling.

Reaching a position like Zhu Yun’s required more than just a dual-degree diploma; what was more important was emotional intelligence.

In the professional world, nothing related to emotional intelligence is a small matter. No matter how capable you are, if you can’t think on your feet, you’re utterly useless.

Ye Ling had just hung up the phone when he received a message from Hua Deyun.

’Hua Deyun: Brother Ye, the lab is ready. We’re starting the research and experiments immediately. We expect to finalize the structural model for the 7nm chip in about a week.’

’Ye Ling: Perfect. I should be back in Modu in about a week myself.’

’Hua Deyun: Thank you again, Brother Ye!’

’Ye Ling: Don’t mention it. I’ve got to get back to my girlfriend, so I’m signing off.’

Ye Ling had made it clear he wanted to end the conversation, and the other man didn’t press on with any more formalities, ending the chat promptly.

"Busy with work?"

Seeing Ye Ling put his phone down, Ning Ruoxi handed him his milk tea.

She had only glanced at his phone for a moment before quietly sitting to the side, knowing that Ye Ling was handling important business.

"Yep, it’s pretty much handled."

Ye Ling took the milk tea and had a sip. Then, a sly grin appeared on his face. "Hey, my milk tea doesn’t seem very sweet. Did we mix them up? Did you take mine and I took yours?"

"Huh? I don’t think so..."

Ning Ruoxi paused, glanced at the milk tea in her own hand, and said in confusion, "Mine is 30% sugar. Yours should be 70% sugar. See?"

"Let me try yours," Ye Ling suggested. "Maybe they mixed up the labels!"

"Oh..."

Not yet realizing the big perv’s scheme, Ning Ruoxi obediently held her milk tea up to Ye Ling’s lips.

SLURP~

Ye Ling took a big sip.

"So, is mine sweet?" Ning Ruoxi asked.

"Yep, very sweet. Incredibly sweet!"

Ye Ling nodded, satisfied.

"Really? Let me try yours."

Ning Ruoxi was even more confused. ’The employees at Snow Tea wouldn’t normally make such a simple mistake, would they...?’

She took a sip from the cup in Ye Ling’s hand, and in the next instant, she realized his little ploy.

"Yours is obviously the sweet one!"

Ning Ruoxi shot Ye Ling a playful glare.

"Is it? But I still think yours is sweeter..." Ye Ling feigned surprise, then added with a grin, "Maybe it’s because you already drank from it."

"You’re so shameless."

Ning Ruoxi pouted and huffed.

’He played such a trick just to get a sip from my cup?’

’What a scoundrel!’

Ye Ling went back to drinking his milk tea, and in no time, his cup was empty.

Brother Ling had another question!

’Do all girls drink milk tea this slowly?’

Ye Ling glanced at Ning Ruoxi’s milk tea, a look of exasperation on his face.

’He’d finished his entire drink, and she’d barely had a tenth of hers?’

They sat in the milk tea shop for about fifteen minutes.

"Ugh... I can’t drink any more."

Ning Ruoxi took two more sips before handing the cup to Ye Ling. "You can have it."

Ye Ling glanced at the cup and was left speechless. It wasn’t even half-finished.

’So... do girls just buy milk tea as a prop?’

’The most important part is the photo they post on social media!’

Ye Ling rubbed the young woman’s head with a resigned sigh and stood up. "Alright. It’s still early, and I’m a little stuffed from breakfast anyway. Let’s take a walk around the area to digest, then we’ll head back."

"Okay!"

Ning Ruoxi giggled and affectionately linked her arm with Ye Ling’s.

Ye Ling took Ning Ruoxi for a stroll, finishing off the rest of the milk tea along the way, before finally driving home.

"Ruoruo, does your dad have anything he particularly likes?" Ye Ling asked after parking the car. He didn’t get out immediately, instead turning to look at Ning Ruoxi.

"My dad..."

Ning Ruoxi tilted her head and said with a grin, "He likes a lot of things, sure. But the problem right now is that he doesn’t really like *you*."

"What a headache."

Ye Ling pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Oh, come on, it’s fine. My dad’s just sulking because you stole his precious daughter. He hasn’t gotten over the shock yet. Once he does, he’ll be fine."

Ning Ruoxi said with a light, comforting laugh, "I think it’ll be soon. He probably won’t be able to resist cornering you for a chat before long."

"Alright, I guess."

Ye Ling sighed. In his heart, he silently prayed that he would never have a daughter.

The reason, of course, wasn’t that he favored sons over daughters. In fact, he thought girls were better-behaved and cuter—why else would they be called a father’s "little treasure"?

It’s just that his experience with Ning Tianliang had given him a new perspective. If he had a daughter, he’d one day have to experience what Ning Tianliang was feeling right now...

After all, a man’s precious daughter is destined to marry someone else someday!

...

Around ten in the morning, Ye Ling returned to the Ning residence, holding Ning Ruoxi’s hand. Ning Tianliang and Tang Jing were sitting on the sofa, watching television.

"Ah, Xiaoling, you’re back."

Seeing the couple return, Tang Jing greeted them warmly. Ning Tianliang, however, remained silent, quietly sizing Ye Ling up.

"Yes, Auntie. Xiaoxi is making lunch today, so I’m going to the kitchen to help her..." Ye Ling nodded, then quickly ducked into the kitchen right behind Ning Ruoxi.

’It was mainly Ning Tianliang’s stare that was giving him the creeps!’

"I get the feeling it’s going to be a while before your dad comes around."

Ye Ling muttered while helping Ning Ruoxi prep the vegetables.

’A moment ago, Ning Tianliang’s glare felt like an X-ray trying to bore a hole right through him!’

"Well, who was it that snuck into my room last night?"

Ning Ruoxi said, clearly enjoying his predicament.

’Serves this guy right. Maybe now he regrets it.’

"Hmph!"

Ye Ling’s gaze swept over the young woman.

’The little vixen actually dared to laugh at him?’

"Don’t mess around, my parents are right outside," Ning Ruoxi said, quickly ducking her head and focusing on washing the vegetables.

’This big lecher was getting bolder and bolder lately; she really didn’t dare provoke him any further!’

「In the living room.」

Ning Tianliang and Tang Jing were both on the sofa. From their vantage point, they had a clear view of the busy couple in the kitchen, able to see even their most subtle expressions.

"See? They get along so well," Tang Jing said, her gaze softening at the sight.

’For her, as long as Ning Ruoxi truly loved Ye Ling, and Ye Ling genuinely treated her well, that was more than enough.’

’And judging by the way they interacted, their relationship was very good—excellent, even.’

Tang Jing tried to recall her own dating days with Ning Tianliang... ’Were we ever this lovey-dovey?’

"Hmph! They seem fine for now, but that little punk actually snuck into Xiaoxi’s room last night," Ning Tianliang conceded with a nod, but then added unhappily.

’He didn’t know why, but ever since finding out that Ning Ruoxi and Ye Ling might have already taken *that step*, he found Ye Ling’s face to be incredibly punchable.’

"You’re just completely wrapped around our daughter’s finger," Tang Jing said, mercilessly exposing his true feelings.

Hearing this, Ning Tianliang, surprisingly, didn’t argue. He glanced one more time at the pair in the kitchen, then turned his attention back to the television.

As for how much of the show he was actually watching... only he knew for sure.

Ning Ruoxi cooked lunch that day, with Ye Ling merely acting as her assistant.

Ning Ruoxi’s culinary skills were genuinely impressive now; it was a night-and-day difference from when she and Ye Ling had first met.

"You made all this?" Ning Tianliang asked, eyeing Ning Ruoxi suspiciously after taking a bite.

"Are you looking down on me?" Ning Ruoxi huffed, clearly displeased.

"I was just making a casual comment," Ning Tianliang grumbled, saying no more as he buried his head in his bowl and began to eat earnestly.

’For his little girl’s cooking to be this good, it definitely had something to do with that punk, Ye Ling.’

’He knew his precious daughter well. In the past, she’d never had to lift a finger in the kitchen, had she?’

At this thought, he felt another pang of resentment and could only eat more to console himself.

After all...

He got to taste the results, too, didn’t he?

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