Mute Beauty

Chapter 10: A Request

Today, Ran Ling was different from before.

The atmosphere between them felt enveloped in layers of subtlety that were hard to describe.

This was undoubtedly due to someone's mischief last night, who had ruthlessly punctured the thin paper of Ran Ling's window, leaving her feeling like she had nothing to hide in front of Yu Ting.

What was even more excessive was that, after exposing someone's embarrassing secret with a smile, she actively sent a message early this morning asking if Ran Ling liked the restaurant, and now she was using such ambiguous tones to compliment her cuteness. It left Ran Ling feeling at a loss, shy, and full of imagination, caught in a situation where she didn't know whether to lean into the ambiguity.

It was evident that Ran Ling felt uneasy. Unlike their previous meetings where she had no sense of boundaries and was always close to Yu Ting, now, when Yu Ting sat closer, she would actively shift away, displaying a sense of modesty.

Yu Ting, on the other hand, was in a great mood, enjoying her nervousness.

The dishes began to arrive, each a unique Thai delicacy. Yu Ting still hadn't returned to her original position opposite Ran Ling; instead, she sat beside her, preparing a special noodle dish for her.

Having a meal with Yu Ting always came with her thoughtful service. She wasn't stingy with her tenderness, skillfully pushing the mixed noodles towards Ran Ling. Ran Ling was evidently pleased, expressing her gratitude with her eyes, and when she took a bite, her face lit up with surprise.

"Is it good?" Yu Ting asked.

Ran Ling nodded gently.

In the spirit of reciprocity, she helped Yu Ting crack open a whole crab, placing the crab meat on a plate and pushing it in front of her.

At the same time, a couple at the table across from them were feeding each other as well.

"Thank you, dear," the woman said happily.

Yu Ting chuckled lightly. "Thank you."

However, she didn't start eating.

Instead, she kept staring at the side of Ran Ling's face. Ran Ling felt quite awkward under her gaze and glanced at her a few times, noticing that Yu Ting's brow was slightly furrowed, a look of distress on her face.

In response, Ran Ling decided to put down her chopsticks, picked up her phone resting on the table, and typed a message in the notes app, holding it up for Yu Ting to see. Yu Ting lowered her gaze to read—what's wrong?

Yu Ting's eyes curved with a smile. "Sister Ling, did I do something inappropriate last night?"

Why did you say that?

Did she not remember what happened last night?

Yu Ting seemed troubled. "I feel like today you're different from before."

Different?

"You seem less close to me."

Close?

Was it because she hadn't personally fed her crab? Ran Ling immediately realized this point, having just seen the couple across feeding each other affectionately.

But should they be close? Why did Yu Ting want her to be close? They weren't a couple.

But they...

Last night...

Last night, it was Ran Ling who had personally fed her the candied tangerine peel. Why was today so awkward? Ran Ling had been quite proactive; what was going on today?