Chapter 82 - Mother
Standing in the elevator, Ning Chu lowered her head, feeling her heart race uncontrollably.
Over the years, her memories of her mother had grown fuzzy.
She vaguely remembered a frail and thin figure, always out working to support the family, raising both her and her brother alone...
She had longed to return home, to reunite with her mother, and to learn about her mother's experiences over the years.
What would her mother be like, now that she hadn’t passed away?
But when she thought about her current form, now a girl, Ning Chu felt a wave of guilt and apprehension.
Would she be scolded and kicked out of the house?
Would her mother refuse to acknowledge her, telling her to leave and fend for herself?
Raising a son for twenty years only to end up with a daughter—if Ning Chu were in her mother’s shoes, even she might feel overwhelmed.
The elevator doors opened.
Ning Chu walked out cautiously, immediately noticing the graffiti and ad cards plastered on the hallway walls.
Some of the graffiti looked familiar.
She’d done it...
Ning Yuan stood by the door and glanced at his younger sibling. “Are you sure you don’t want to get a haircut?”
“No.”
“Well, don’t blame me when you get scolded.” He grumbled as he opened the door with his fingerprint, calling out as soon as it opened, “Mom! Ning Chu’s back!”
“I know,” came the familiar voice from the direction of the kitchen.
Ning Chu felt her emotions rising, her nose tingling with the urge to cry. She took a deep breath, her nostrils flaring slightly as she tried to keep her composure. She lowered her head, taking off her shoes and stepping into the house.
“Slippers.”
She didn’t hear her brother’s reminder and walked inside in a daze, looking around at the 70-square-meter, two-bedroom apartment. The furniture arrangement seemed somewhat unfamiliar, but the wall of certificates and awards caught her eye.
Her gaze drifted toward the small round table in the corner, where a family portrait taken when she was five still sat.
The small living room, with its striped wooden floor, solid wood sofa, and slightly yellowed walls bathed in the warm glow of the lights... It was all so familiar, so cozy.
Ning Chu’s eyes reddened, and no matter how hard she tried to hold back, tears welled up and blurred her vision.
After glancing around the living room, she quickly walked toward the kitchen.
At the sight of the figure standing there, Ning Chu’s heart sank...
How did my frail mother turn into a voluptuous, beautiful woman?
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“I made you a late-night snack. You must be hungry, right?”
Her mother had heard her footsteps and turned around. But as soon as she saw her child, the smile froze on her face, her expression turning to shock.
Oh my god! In just a few months, your hair has grown this long, and you’re dressed so... girly!
No one’s been keeping an eye on you at college, huh?
Ning Chu froze as well.
She stared at the beautiful woman in the kitchen. That familiar yet unfamiliar face, looking barely older than thirty, suddenly overlapped with the vague image in her memory.
It was her mother...
Once that realization sank in, the tears in her eyes flowed freely.
Thinking back to the past few months—the transformation into a girl, becoming a succubus, constantly trying to disrupt the plot, living in constant fear and alertness—it had all been worth it.
Grief, joy, frustration... all those emotions flooded her at once, leaving her mind blank.
Without thinking, she ran forward and threw herself into her mother’s arms.
Burying her head in her mother’s chest, she choked out a sob, whispering, “Mom...”
Her mother swallowed the scolding words she had been about to say, instead gently patting Ning Chu’s back in a comforting gesture. In a soft, soothing voice, she asked, “What’s wrong? Did something happen at college?”
“You’re eighteen now, a grown man. Crying like a child—aren’t you afraid your brother will laugh at you?”
Not understanding the situation, she looked up at Ning Yuan, who just shook his head in confusion.
“What’s going on? Tell me.” She stroked Ning Chu’s hair, trying to comfort her. “It’s alright, Mom and your brother are here. Whatever it is, just tell me.”
Ning Chu couldn’t speak through her sobs, her throat dry and her face streaked with tears and snot.
She savored her mother’s embrace, the warmth of her presence, and the sound of her voice...
She was home.
At this moment, she felt she had roots in this world, and those roots were wherever her mother was.
She lifted her tear-filled eyes, studying her mother’s face closely.
Her delicate features were not gaunt but glowing with health, her cheeks plump with collagen, and her skin soft and radiant. The only sign of age were the faint wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, which matched Ning Chu’s own peach blossom-shaped eyes, now full of concern.
Her mother was doing well here.
Even though Ning Chu knew deep down that the mother in front of her wasn’t exactly the same as the one who had passed away, she liked to believe that her mother had come to this world to live a better life.
Even if it was in this small emperor’s world...
Her mother cupped Ning Chu’s face and wiped the tears from her eyes with her thumb. Helplessly, she asked, “You’ve just come home, and you’re already crying this much. What happened?”
Feeling a bit calmer, Ning Chu released her grip around her mother’s waist. As she wiped her tears with a tissue, she began to wonder how to explain why she’d cried so hard.
“You’ve changed so much in just a few months, looking more and more like a girl.”
Her mother, noticing the tension, tried to lighten the mood with a teasing tone. “Don’t tell me you found a boyfriend while you were away?”
Ning Chu froze, suddenly feeling nervous.
How did she guess that so accurately?!
“Mom, let’s go talk in the bedroom...”
“Why can’t you say it here?”
“...”
Ning Chu grabbed her mother’s wrist and led her to the bedroom. Ning Yuan curiously followed behind but was promptly shut out with a loud bang as they closed the door.
“Now can you tell me?” Her mother sat at the edge of the bed, looking at Ning Chu’s red, puffy eyes. “If you were this upset, why didn’t you call me?”
Although she was confused about why her son now looked like a delicate girl, her mother held back her questions, wanting to respect Ning Chu’s emotions.
Ning Chu lowered her head, her face turning red. She remained silent as she took off her coat, revealing the small curves that had been hidden beneath it.
Her mother’s eyes immediately focused on the changes in her body, her hand flying to her mouth in shock.
Ning Chu hesitated before lifting the hem of her shirt slightly, revealing part of the silver markings on her skin.
Finally, in a shaky voice, she muttered, “Mom... I... I’ve turned into a girl.”
“And I’m a succubus now...”
Her mother finally understood why her child had been so upset.
No wonder Ning Chu had cried so hard and for so long.
Her son had become her daughter...
For a moment, her mother was speechless, sitting there in shock, her gaze moving up and down as she took in the sight of her daughter.
Her small, apple-sized chest, her slender waist, her round hips... In just a few months, Ning Chu had developed to the point where she looked like a typical fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl.
And then there were the silver markings...
The lack of response from her mother made Ning Chu even more anxious. She stood there, unsure whether to explain further or just wait for her mother’s judgment.
Her mother let out a heavy sigh, which sent Ning Chu’s heart plummeting.
She hurriedly tried to explain, “I don’t even know how it happened! One day I just...”
Her words were cut off as her mother gently pulled her into an embrace.
“It’s okay, it’s not your fault.”
The tension immediately drained from her body, and she relaxed into her mother’s comforting hold. “Mm...” she murmured in response.