Chapter 58: Dinner Party
After lingering in the bathroom for half an hour, Ning Chu finally dragged her exhausted body back to the dorm.
She could barely lift her head, feeling utterly humiliated under the teasing gazes of Yan Xinya and Lin Li.
Even though she had tried to hide in the bathroom, everyone still knew...
I swear, if I ever have to move into the girls’ dorm, it’s going to be one with normal girls, not beast-eared ones!
Otherwise, I’ll never be able to keep anything private—how can I survive as a succubus with them around?!
“Let’s go!” Yan Xinya grabbed Ning Chu’s arm with a grin. “It’s such a hassle being a succubus~ You have to get full before going out to eat!”
You’ve got a lot of nerve saying that!
If Wen Yang actually ran into that shameless girl on the bus, I’m definitely going to get punished again tonight. I’ll probably lose my composure.
At least in the dorm, I could hide in the bathroom if something felt off, and even if I lost control, I could handle it without worrying about jumping on any guys.
But no, wolf-girl insisted on going out for dinner to celebrate her birthday!
It’s either embarrass myself in the dorm or risk losing it in public and chasing after men... Of course, Ning Chu chose the former.
Her face was still flushed, her steps unsteady as she leaned half against Yan Xinya. “Let me catch my breath...”
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“You two are a pair of oddballs,” Lin Li teased, sitting at her desk with a small handbag. “Why not just give in like the other succubi? You wouldn’t have to struggle so much.”
Ning Chu shot her a glare. “No way!”
Lily nodded in agreement. “Mm.”
“Ning Chu belongs to Wen Yang!” Yan Xinya, the CP fan leader, chimed in.
“Stop saying nonsense!”
To be fair, Ning Chu hadn’t known these girls for that long.
While Yan Xinya was technically the reason Ning Chu had become a girl, she had turned out to be clingy, like a golden retriever, and their relationship had grown unexpectedly close.
Lily, who shared a similar situation with Ning Chu, had even tried to share some of her toys a few days ago, so they were on good terms too.
So now, as they left the dorm, Yan Xinya clung to Ning Chu’s left arm, while Lily held her right hand, swinging it back and forth. This was what it meant to be surrounded by girls after becoming one herself.
Too bad their trio looked more like a "姦" (a mix of trouble) than a "嫐" (a loving embrace).
Used to being around other women, Ning Chu didn’t feel much. In fact, she found these two rather annoying.
Lin Li trailed behind them, watching the close-knit trio ahead of her, feeling oddly like the odd one out.
And to think Ning Chu was only staying with them for a few days...
The four of them took a cab to a shopping mall about half an hour away.
It was the same mall where Ning Chu and Wen Yang had watched a movie together, and where Wen Yang, egged on by Yan Xinya, had confessed to her in a rush of emotion.
Nightlife had just begun, and the commercial area was packed with people. Ning Chu grew increasingly tense, her eyes darting around nervously as she unconsciously moved closer to Yan Xinya.
I should’ve worn Wen Yang’s shirt.
She squeezed the pocket of her coat, feeling the can of pepper spray inside. Glancing at her friends on either side of her, she felt a bit more at ease.
But it wasn’t the same as having Wen Yang by her side.
Yan Xinya, on the other hand, was in high spirits. Her ears stood straight up with excitement, her tail swishing back and forth, occasionally brushing against Ning Chu’s rear.
“Let’s go! Dinner’s on me, but we’re splitting the bill, okay?”
“Sure.”
“Ning Ning~ What do you feel like eating?”
That nickname...
A shiver ran down Ning Chu’s spine, goosebumps rising on her arms.
I’m never going to get used to these cutesy nicknames.
Yan Xinya had a big appetite, but not a lot of money, so despite saying they’d eat something nice, she led the group into a budget-friendly all-you-can-eat barbecue place.
Sixty-nine yuan per person, including drinks and desserts.
“What do you two want to drink?” Yan Xinya asked as she returned to the table, balancing a towering stack of meat.
“Coke, the good kind.”
“Orange juice.”
“Alright! Hurry up and start grilling. Lin Li brought back a lot of food too.”
Ning Chu and Lily took charge of grilling the meat while Yan Xinya and Lin Li focused on grabbing more food and eating. It was a pretty efficient system.
But Ning Chu’s enthusiasm was low. She tried to keep a faint smile on her face, resting her chin in her hand as she watched the meat sizzle, her thoughts drifting to Wen Yang.
I wonder what Wen Yang’s up to right now.
Judging by the time, he’s probably still on the bus, right?
She suddenly realized she missed him...
It wasn’t the kind of anxious need to be protected from creeps; it was more simple. It had only been a few hours, but she just wanted to see him again.
There were still three more days and four nights to go.
A splash of hot oil suddenly burned the back of her hand, snapping her out of her thoughts. She pulled her hand back quickly, startled.
“Careful,” Lily said in her usual calm tone.
“Mm.”
Ning Chu glanced over at Yan Xinya, who was bouncing around the buffet, full of energy. The small table was already piled high with plates of raw meat, and Lin Li had finally settled down, eating stir-fried noodles as her first dish at an all-you-can-eat barbecue.
“We’ve got enough for now! Is the meat ready yet?”
Yan Xinya plopped down in her seat, eyeing the meat on the grill. “This should be ready to eat by now~”
“Yeah.”
With Lily’s confirmation, Yan Xinya and Lin Li immediately dove in, grabbing the freshly grilled meat with their chopsticks.
“Ning Chu, stop spacing out! It’s my birthday! You should be in a better mood!”
“How’s she supposed to be in a good mood when Wen Yang isn’t here?” Lin Li teased with a smirk. “Her body’s here celebrating with you, but her heart’s already with him~”
Ning Chu’s lips twitched. “That’s not true.”
“I...”
She wanted to argue, but a sudden burning sensation in her lower abdomen made her freeze, her body tensing up.
I knew it! Wen Yang must’ve run into that vixen on the bus!
Panic flashed in her eyes as she looked around. The barbecue restaurant wasn’t very crowded, and she was seated in a booth with high-backed chairs that shielded her from view.
I should be okay...
The heat wasn’t overwhelming, thanks to the precautions she’d taken before leaving.
For once, Ning Chu managed to keep her expression in check. Even though she sat unnaturally straight and her face was flushed, she was handling it much better than before.
Still, if a man were to approach her right now and start flirting, it would undoubtedly make things worse.
Please, no creeps right now!
Fortunately, Yan Xinya and Lin Li were completely oblivious to her situation. Their keen noses had been overwhelmed by the rich scent of barbecue, and even Lily was too focused on grilling to notice.
On the surface, Ning Chu maintained her faint smile, even joining in on the conversation from time to time. But her body was tense, her hand trembling as she held her chopsticks.
At least she’d prepared this time.
But with Wen Yang away, who knew when he’d run into another storyline character next?
All Ning Chu could think about was getting back to the dorm as soon as possible before something embarrassing happened.
I don’t care if I embarrass myself—it’s the perverts I’m worried about.
“After dinner, let’s go to karaoke!”
“!!!”