Raising a Girlfriend Starting from a Dream Game - Chapter 17 - Yang Linlin's Concerns
Jokes aside, Yang Linlin firmly believed in Ling Xiao’s character.
After all, they had been together for two months, and he had always maintained gentlemanly manners, taking careful care of her.
With someone else, things might’ve turned ugly very quickly.
Because now there were only two people in the world, with no constraints of law or morality.
Only the strong and the weak.
Yang Linlin suddenly thought of something.
She walked to the window, looked at the rain still falling outside, then turned and asked Ling Xiao: “Brother Ling Xiao, are those vegetables beyond saving?”
Ling Xiao nodded: “Too much rainwater, and the wind is so strong. We’ll probably have to replant them after the rain stops.”
Yang Linlin looked out the window, clearly somewhat disappointed: “Alright then.”
“It’s okay, growing vegetables is fast. Didn’t you already harvest some before? We have plenty of time.” Ling Xiao could only comfort her with these words.
But he knew there was only one month left until the dreamscape ended.
Yang Linlin regained her confidence and looked at Ling Xiao.
“Okay”
Just as she was about to express her thanks, she couldn’t help but sneeze.
Seeing this, Ling Xiao brought out a bowl of ginger soup from the kitchen and said: “Here, drink this. It’ll help with your cold.”
Yang Linlin took the ginger soup and thanked him: “Thank you, Brother Ling Xiao.”
Then she took a small sip.
“Cough cough cough!~”
The ginger flavor made her choke twice.
Ling Xiao asked with concern: “What’s wrong? Is it too spicy?”
Yang Linlin shook her head: “No, no, I’ll just drink it slowly.”
But looking at the full bowl of ginger soup, she still felt somewhat troubled.
Ling Xiao thought for a moment and suggested: “How about we play a game? If you lose, you take a sip of ginger soup. If I lose, I take a sip of cola. How does that sound?”
“What should we play?” Yang Linlin became curious.
“Hmm… how about Truth or Dare?” Ling Xiao replied.
Yang Linlin became interested.
She wanted to understand Ling Xiao more.
Ling Xiao also had many curiosities about the girl before him.
So the two sat facing each other.
On the table sat a bowl of ginger soup and a bottle of cola.
Ling Xiao looked at Yang Linlin and said: “Okay, the game rules are like this: one person asks a truth question. If the other person doesn’t dare to answer, they have to take a drink. If they answer, then the person who asked the question has to drink.”
“Okay.” Yang Linlin became quite interested in this game.
“You go first.”
Yang Linlin rested her chin on her hand and thought for a moment, then asked: “Brother Ling Xiao, how old are you? When’s your birthday?”
Hearing this truth question, Ling Xiao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
He then explained: “November 17th, 24 years old.”
After hearing this, Yang Linlin nodded and took a sip of ginger soup.
“Hisss~ So spicy.”
She fanned herself with her hand, occasionally sticking out her tongue.
Yang Linlin looked at Ling Xiao and said: “Alright, now it’s your turn to ask.”
“Then how old are you, and when were you born?” Ling Xiao didn’t take advantage, asking the same question in return.
“21 years old, born on May 24th.” Yang Linlin quickly answered.
Ling Xiao nodded satisfactorily, then took a sip of cola.
Watching him drink cola, Yang Linlin quietly complained: “I want to drink cola too.”
“That won’t do. You’re sick, you need to drink ginger soup.”
“Alright.”
Ling Xiao smiled and said, “Okay, the game continues.”
Yang Linlin thought for a moment before asking, “So, Brother Ling Xiao, have you ever been in a relationship?”
As expected, the first question was usually just a formality.
The second question was what she truly wanted to know.
Ling Xiao replied, “Yes, I dated someone during my freshman year, but we broke up after one semester.”
Yang Linlin immediately followed up, “Why did you break up?”
“Hey, hey? You have to follow the rules—drink the ginger soup first, then it’s my turn to ask a question.” Ling Xiao gestured with a smile toward the bowl of ginger soup on the table.
Yang Linlin eagerly took a sip and quickly said, “Alright, I’ve finished. Now ask me.”
“Then I’ll ask the same question,” Ling Xiao replied.
Yang Linlin shook her head shyly and said, “I… I haven’t been in a relationship yet.”
“That can’t be right. Someone as pretty as you must have had people pursuing you, right?” Ling Xiao was somewhat surprised.
At this point, Yang Linlin widened her eyes and said, “It’s my turn to ask now.”
“Okay, okay.” Ling Xiao chuckled.
Yang Linlin, like a curious and gossipy girl, asked, “Then why did you and your ex-girlfriend break up?”
“We just didn’t feel very compatible, so we ended it,” Ling Xiao answered.
“Who initiated the breakup? You or her?” Yang Linlin continued.
Ahem, ahem.
Ling Xiao tapped on the table.
Yang Linlin immediately understood and took a sip of the ginger soup.
She said excitedly, “Hurry, hurry, ask me now.”
She had thought Ling Xiao would ask some trivial questions, allowing her to continue her gossipy inquiries.
But to her surprise, Ling Xiao asked, “Ever since we started living together, you’ve been saying ‘sorry’ or ‘I’m sorry’ almost every day. Why is that? Am I usually that intimidating?”
This question stumped Yang Linlin.
She hesitated, thinking it over.
Seeing this, Ling Xiao said, “It’s okay. If you don’t want to talk about it, we don’t have to. Here, I’ll ask a different question.”
At that moment, Yang Linlin spoke up.
“I don’t know either. Ever since I was very young, I started saying ‘I’m sorry.’”
She then explained, “When I was little, if I broke my younger brother’s toys, my dad would start scolding and yelling at me. That’s how I learned to say ‘I’m sorry.’”
“Later on, when my dad and mom got divorced, they both fought for custody of my brother. No one cared about me. Grandma couldn’t stand it, so she took me in and raised me.”
After hearing this, Ling Xiao continued, “So that day you weren’t at school—you were actually at your grandma’s house?”
Yang Linlin nodded. “Whenever I don’t have classes, I go back to Grandma’s house. The reason I chose to study at Beijiang University is because Grandma lives in Beijiang, so it’s easier for me to take care of her.”
Listening to her words, Ling Xiao finally understood.
He had intended to take a sip of his cola, but little did he know that he had opened the floodgates to Yang Linlin’s memories.
She began to share bits and pieces of her past: “I’ve been liked by many boys since I was young, but I never played with boys. When I think about my parents’ terrible marriage, I feel like I’ll never date a guy in my life.”
“My world only consists of Grandma and Chen Ting. I met Chen Ting when I was in middle school. She’s outgoing and can get along with anyone. I really admire her. She treats me as a close friend and always looks out for me. It’s just that now… neither of them is around anymore.”
“Back then, when I realized I was all alone, I did think about ending my life. But I couldn’t let Grandma down—she was the one who raised me. I had to stay strong and keep living, until I eventually met you.”
“Now, in my world, both Grandma and Chen Ting are gone. You’re all I have left.”