Chapter 171

Zhong Ning didn’t know how early she had gotten up, but it was clear that the girl definitely hadn’t just arrived.

“You haven’t had breakfast yet, have you? Perfect, I was just about to go buy something.”

She casually placed her arm around the girl’s shoulder and gave her a gentle push to walk a few steps—but then quickly realized something felt off, and hurriedly let go.

Zhong Ning’s current body was eighteen, about to turn nineteen soon, but she never really registered that. She still thought of herself as her past life’s age—twenty-five.

Ye Selina looked far too young. Though she was fifteen, she looked more like twelve or thirteen—completely like a little sister. If she had any cousins born early in the same generation, with this age gap, she could’ve been the “auntie.”

But that wouldn't do now. They were only a few years apart, and it was best to avoid misunderstandings.

Zhong Ning clapped her hands very naturally, as if she had just remembered something. “Oh right, I haven’t introduced us yet, have I? Look at my memory.”

“I’m Zhong Ning, and this is Michelle.” She then bent down and patted Songrong. “And this one here is Songrong.”

“We’re both alphas. What about you?”

Each time she said a name, Ye Selina repeated it a few times. It was just that “Zhong Ning” was a tough one—the “zhong” sound kept tripping her up no matter how many times she tried.

Zhong Ning just laughed and said, “It’s okay, really. You can just call me Ning.”

Ye Selina, slightly embarrassed, replied, “Miss Ning, I’m a beta. Is this your dog? It’s so beautiful!”

Then she quietly repeated “Zhong” to herself several more times.

How nice—beta. Zhong Ning showed an envious expression. Just the thought of taking suppressants made her feel phantom pain.

Because of Ye Selina’s strong accent, the bilingual pup didn’t catch that it was being complimented, but its nose twitched anyway, tugging Zhong Ning toward the grilled meat stall.

Zhong Ning was someone with firm principles in serious matters—but far too indulgent in small ones.

When Songrong stopped in front of the stall and refused to move, she didn’t even think twice and ordered a few meat skewers. She had Ye Selina help translate and told the vendor to leave the seasoning off one of them.

The grilled beef still shimmered with oil, the edges lightly charred. One bite revealed the inside was still tender, not tough at all. The hint of crisped edges became part of the flavor, blending with the cumin and black pepper aromas like the perfect finishing touch.

Everyone had two skewers each. The pup got one.

A few steps further was another shop. The food there resembled a crispy flatbread but was made a bit like a stuffed egg pancake. Diced meat and shredded vegetables were packed between two layers of flatbread, topped with mayonnaise and ketchup—and some thick, dark sauce Zhong Ning couldn’t identify. She secretly dubbed it a “pancake sandwich.”

Ye Selina could only give the local name for it, unable to translate it into English.

Each finished flatbread was about the size of a palm, surprisingly heavy in the hand, and packed full of diced meat—all for just eight yuemi. It was basically free!

The three of us stood side by side, eating with gusto. After finishing at that shop, we bought a skewer of grapes to snack on as we walked, and just a few steps later, our hands were already full with something else. It was practically a feast from one end of the street to the other—by the time we were done, our bellies were round and full.

While wiping her hands with a wet tissue, I heard Zhong Ning sigh with satisfaction. “If you can’t eat well in life, then what’s the point?”

Michelle gave a smile of agreement.

“Let’s go for a walk. Time to digest.”

Ye Selina, who had followed along and eaten just as much, was starting to feel deeply uneasy inside. The money she had eaten through that morning alone had already exceeded a hundred yuemi. She could already guess that Miss Ning would treat her again at lunch and dinner.

She hadn’t done anything and had already received so much—it weighed on her conscience. She had to find a way to repay this somehow.

So she said, “I know a small stream nearby. It’s very pretty and has lots of flowers.”

Zhong Ning followed her, down a path overgrown with weeds, into a forest thick with tall shrubs. Birdsong filled the air, and as they brushed past a patch of low-hanging leaves, the scenery opened up before them.

It was a small valley.

The stream ran through the mountain, smoothing the sharp edges of the stones. Indigo and reddish-brown pebbles lay quietly beneath the water, while the rippling surface reflected sunlight like flowing mercury or a silk ribbon spun from moonlight.

A little bird, playing in the water by the bank, flapped its wings when it saw them. Droplets rolled off its blue-green feathers like pearls, falling back into the stream one by one as it flew away.

Clusters of wildflowers in pale blue, moon white, and warm yellow bloomed freely by the water’s edge—messy, scattered, without a care for order. A patch here, a bunch there, growing however they pleased.

The valley wasn’t vast or majestic, but it had a vibrant, quiet energy all its own.

“There are fish here too!”

Zhong Ning let go of Songrong’s leash, kicked off her shoes, and flailed her arms like a laughing butterfly. With a splash, she stomped straight into the water. “Come help me catch them!”

Ye Selina really was an exceptional guide. Everywhere she brought Zhong Ning was untouched, beautiful—hidden gems. They even found a swing tied up deep in the forest. Who had strung it there, no one knew, but Zhong Ning had the time of her life playing on it.

By the time night fell and it was time to part ways, Zhong Ning made the decision on her own to double the wages.

Ye Selina hesitated, not taking the money right away. “You gave me an extra one.”

“Because it’s worth it,” Zhong Ning said. “You think you didn’t do much, but for me, the happiness I felt was priceless. The love for beauty and life—that’s priceless too.”

“Take it. I should be thanking you, really, for bringing me to such beautiful and fun places.”

She winked at her, grinning a little slyly. “You didn’t just show me all the fun stuff today, did you? What if there’s nothing left for tomorrow?”

“No, no!” Ye Selina quickly shook her head. “There’s still lots to see! There’s this one place…”

“No spoilers!” Zhong Ning cut her off and shoved the money into her pocket. “Go home now, it’s getting dark. You don’t have to come so early tomorrow—come at seven, okay? Seven’s good, alright?”