Chapter 46: Best Friends' Emotional Interrogation
On the balcony, an array of kitchen appliances—an induction cooker, air fryer, microwave, and a small rice cooker—were lined up on a folding table, along with various utensils and condiments. It was clearly a girls' dorm, but it looked more like a fully equipped kitchen.
Lily, as expressionless as always, stood with her back to the group, using a wooden spatula to fry some chicken wings.
“You guys have really outdone yourselves...”
Ning Chu peeked out at the setup on the balcony and couldn’t help but smile wryly. “Is this really allowed?”
“No problem! We just hide everything when they come to inspect,” Yan Xinya responded cheerfully.
That wasn’t exactly the issue...
Ning Chu was pulled into a chair by Yan Xinya, but she still cast a worried glance at the balcony.
“You’re always wearing Wen Yang’s clothes when he’s not around,” Yan Xinya teased, tugging playfully at Ning Chu’s jacket.
Ignoring the wolf girl’s teasing grin, Ning Chu blushed slightly and stiffly replied, “All my jackets are in the wash, so I borrowed his. What’s wrong with that?”
She sneaked a glance at Chen Xue, who looked puzzled, staring blankly at them.
Well, at least Chen Xue wasn’t some non-human creature who could sniff out the pheromones she was giving off.
“Ew~”
Ning Chu decided to change the subject, asking worriedly, “I heard a few pieces of underwear were stolen from your dorm?”
“Yeah!” Yan Xinya huffed in frustration, “It’s been just a few days, and several pieces have already been stolen! I thought I was being careful, too!”
Given that their dorm was on the first floor, even with the security bars on the windows, it wasn’t too much of a challenge for a pervert.
“I’m telling you, it has to be Lin Li! She’s definitely capable of something like this!”
“Huh? Why do you think so?”
“She once talked about selling her... used underwear... Ugh, she’s such a freak.”
Ning Chu paused, suddenly recalling the time Lin Li asked her for Wen Yang’s personal photos, suggesting they split the profits 70-30 after selling them. That girl really was money-driven, though she didn’t seem to lack money, given her status as a rich second-generation kid with a car and a villa.
“She’s a bit weird, sure...”
But Ning Chu didn’t believe Yan Xinya’s theory. If Lin Li really wanted to sell used underwear, she wouldn’t need to steal from her roommates.
Besides, from what Ning Chu had heard, unwashed ones sold for a higher price...
It was likely that Lin Li’s offhand comments were taken too seriously by Yan Xinya.
Feeling uneasy, Ning Chu glanced around nervously, her expression tense.
Could she really end up walking into a trap set by some pervert?
She had never felt the threat of a pervert this close before, and instinctively zipped up her jacket, casting anxious looks toward the corners of the dorm.
Even though Yan Xinya was strong, what if the pervert was stronger?
She regretted rushing out earlier and forgetting to bring her hypnosis spray...
“Don’t worry~” Yan Xinya laughed, noticing Ning Chu’s tension and reassuring her, “The school security is checking the cameras. They’ll catch the guy soon.”
“Alright.”
Ning Chu muttered under her breath, wondering why there were always rumors about perverts stealing underwear at every boarding school. She once read a ridiculous news story about a pervert being caught red-handed stealing men’s underwear at a sports school... If the police hadn’t arrived in time, the guy would have probably been beaten to death.
“Lunch is ready.”
Lily’s cool voice floated in from the balcony, and Yan Xinya immediately sprang to her feet.
“I’m starving! Ning Chu, Chen Xue, come try Lily’s cooking!”
Stir-fried bok choy, scrambled eggs, and fried chicken wings were brought into the room by Yan Xinya, with Lily following behind, carrying two bowls of rice.
The meal looked pretty good.
Ning Chu had already eaten lunch, but out of curiosity, she tried a few bites, her eyes lighting up in surprise. “Not bad! You’re pretty good at this!”
It might not be up to the standards of a restaurant chef, but Lily’s cooking was definitely better than most small diners outside the school.
“That’s my Lily for you!” Yan Xinya proudly wagged her tail. “Chen Xue, have a taste too.”
Chen Xue, still feeling a bit out of place, tasted the food under Yan Xinya’s enthusiastic gaze before standing up. “It’s really good... But I have something to do.”
“Alright, alright! Stop by anytime!”
With a cheerful wave, Yan Xinya sent Chen Xue off and then dug into her meal with gusto.
Lily ate daintily, using a small bowl that barely fit in her palm, while Yan Xinya... Well, she was practically shoveling food into her mouth with a spoon, as if her little mouth had no bottom.
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Ning Chu had eaten with them a few times at the cafeteria, so she was already used to this sight.
“Xin Ya, Chen Xue seems like a nice person.”
“Yeah, she’s pretty good, but I think she might have a thing for Wen Yang. Every time there’s a break between classes, she’s always looking at him,” Yan Xinya said, sitting up straight with pride, as if to say, “Don’t worry! I’ve got your back!”
But Ning Chu played with her fingers, her tone growing a bit heavy. “Do you think if I set Wen Yang up with a girlfriend... he’d stop sticking to me?”
“Chen Xue seems like a good match...”
“!!!”
Both Lily and Yan Xinya turned to look at her in shock.
“Wait, you really don’t have any interest in Wen Yang?” Yan Xinya’s ears flattened against her head, like little airplane wings. “No way! Then why are you so insistent on living in the boys’ dorm?”
“...”
That was something she couldn’t explain.
Ning Chu hung her head, unsure, and replied, “I don’t think I like him...”
“‘Think’?!” Yan Xinya scooted her chair closer, looking ready for an interrogation. “You can’t just ‘think’ about it! You either like him or you don’t!”
“I... don’t like him!”
“Then why are you hesitating?”
Yan Xinya, despite not having a boyfriend herself, was unusually invested in Ning Chu’s love life. “What’s going on? What’s holding you back? What are you afraid of?”
Lily, ever the quiet observer, chimed in softly, “Is he... too big?”
“...”
Ning Chu couldn’t deny that.
Her face turned red, and she nodded slightly. “That’s... not the main reason.”
Since the conversation had already reached this point, Ning Chu decided not to hide anything. She hoped her two friends could offer her some advice.
After all, she had never been in a relationship, let alone one as a girl...
Yan Xinya and Lily already knew plenty of her secrets and embarrassing moments. A little more wouldn’t hurt.
“How do I put this... Maybe I like him a little?”
Ning Chu looked down at her hands in confusion, mumbling, “I’m always happy when I’m with him.”
“But I’ve always thought of him as a friend, or like a brother... Maybe even a bit like... a father figure?”
As a professional shipper, Yan Xinya made a quick judgment. “Stop fooling yourself. You like Wen Yang.”
“But...”
Yan Xinya crossed her legs, ready for some serious questioning. “Okay, let me ask you this: When Wen Yang isn’t around, do you feel uneasy? Do you feel like only he can make you feel safe?”
Ning Chu glanced at the jacket she was wearing, which belonged to Wen Yang, hesitating before nodding slightly. Then she quickly shook her head. “That’s just because he’s tall and strong.”
“And when you’re with him, do you feel shy? Does your heart beat faster?”
“I’m a succubus! That reaction is normal when I’m around men!”
“Still in denial, huh~” Yan Xinya muttered. “When you’re in trouble, is he the first person you think of?”
“Maybe...”
The relentless questioning made Ning Chu feel like she couldn’t breathe. “And when other girls hit on him, do you get jealous?”
Ning Chu shook her head furiously. Was that jealousy? No, she was just worried Wen Yang would turn into a harem novel protagonist!
“Be honest with yourself~” Yan Xinya leaned in, her voice pressing. “When you imagine Wen Yang kissing another girl, doesn’t it make you mad?”
Ning Chu froze, her mind immediately conjuring up an image of Wen Yang kissing Chen Xue.
A surge of anger hit her out of nowhere, and she clenched her teeth. “That fox!”