As noon approached, Wen Yang emerged from the subway station, walking up the stairs into the neighborhood.
This part of town was an old district, where the buildings rarely rose above ten stories and the streets were only four lanes wide. The trees lining the road were so lush that their branches almost completely shaded the entire street.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the streets were still adorned with banners and festive lights. However, the usually bustling district was noticeably quieter today.
The nearest subway stop was a 15-minute walk from Ning Chu’s house. After picking up some New Year’s gifts from a nearby shop, Wen Yang straightened up, checking his reflection on his phone, and headed toward the apartment complex.
As he arrived at the complex, something caught his eye: an elderly couple standing next to an electric car parked in one of the spaces.
It wasn’t the car itself that caught his attention but the couple standing beside it.
The elderly man had white hair at his temples, his thin frame showing prominent bones at his wrists, but he stood tall and straight, exuding a vitality that surpassed many younger people.
The elderly woman, slightly plump with a rosy complexion, looked remarkably well-preserved, appearing as if she was in her fifties. It was clear that in her younger days, she must have been a true beauty. What stood out most, however, were the curved horns on her head, similar to those of a ram.
It wasn’t every day you saw someone with horns. Wen Yang couldn’t help but stare for a moment longer, wondering just how heavy they might be...
His gaze lingered a bit too long, and the elderly woman noticed, giving him a friendly nod.
Embarrassed, Wen Yang offered a polite smile and nodded back before making his way into the building and waiting for the elevator.
Moments later, the elderly couple joined him by the elevator, and they all stepped inside together.
"Ning Chu is so reluctant to come see us, like it’s the hardest thing in the world."
"She’s just shy, worried people will gossip."
"And Xiaojuan, too—such a big thing and she didn’t tell us until after the fact. Spoiled since she was a child because of you."
Wen Yang overheard their conversation, but it was spoken in the local dialect, so he couldn’t understand a single word. From the tone, though, it sounded like they were bickering.
He glanced back briefly, only to see the old man scowling while the elderly woman smiled warmly. It didn’t look like they were actually arguing—maybe it was just the way their dialect sounded.
Come to think of it, Ning Chu never spoke in a dialect. She probably didn’t know how.
The elevator reached the floor, and Wen Yang stepped out, holding the door open for the elderly couple. Together, they all walked to Ning Chu’s apartment door.
The three of them exchanged confused looks for a moment, unsure of the situation.
Just then, the door flew open, and Ning Chu burst out excitedly, "Wen Yang!"
She skidded to a sudden halt upon seeing the scene outside, her hands gripping the door frame to stop herself from slipping on the tiles. Her feet slid a few inches, almost sending her tumbling to the ground.
Frozen under the curious stares of her grandparents, Ning Chu’s face flushed hot with embarrassment. She managed a small, awkward greeting, "Grandpa, Grandma... what are you doing here?"
Her mother hadn’t mentioned anything about them visiting!
"You’ve been on break for ten days. If we didn’t come now, you’d hide out until school starts again."
"I wouldn’t! We were going to visit you tomorrow for New Year’s..."
Her gaze kept drifting toward her grandmother’s horns.
Wow! Those horns are kind of cute, like a ram’s horns!
Her grandparents looked much the same as they had before she crossed into this world, though her grandmother appeared even younger, and now sported a pair of curly horns.
"My, Ning Chu has grown so beautiful!" Her grandmother beamed as she entered the apartment without even taking off her shoes. She cupped Ning Chu’s soft cheeks in both hands, her eyes crinkling with joy.
Ning Chu’s cheeks were squished like dough, and her grandmother planted a big kiss on her, causing Ning Chu’s eyes to water slightly from the pinch. She glanced past her grandmother’s shoulder at Wen Yang, her expression a mixture of despair and forced smiles.
"Grandpa!" Hei Dou, who had been watching TV in the living room, spotted them and dashed over, flinging herself into her grandfather’s arms.
Though the old man wanted to examine his granddaughter’s transformation more closely, he first fished a cheese stick out of his pocket to appease Hei Dou.
"Ning Chu, who’s here?" her mother called out, hearing the commotion. She stepped out of the kitchen, still wearing an apron, and froze when she saw the scene at the door.
"What? You’re not happy to see us?"
"Of course, I’m happy~"
Her mother’s tone was strained, as if she were hosting her parents, but with the same level of authority as if she were receiving royalty. Her father swaggered into the living room like he owned the place, plopping down on the couch and grabbing a handful of sunflower seeds from the table.
Basically like a king...
Ning Chu’s mother was visibly flustered, her eyes darting toward the kitchen.
Ten days ago, Ning Chu had introduced Wen Yang to her parents. Now it was time for the uncle to meet her father, and nobody had prepared for this.
The scene was chaotic. Wen Yang stood awkwardly at the door, unsure what to do. Ning Chu was still being affectionately smothered by her grandmother, while her grandfather had taken command of the living room, and her mother stood there, not knowing how to handle the situation.
What a mess on New Year’s Day!
With a resigned sigh, her mother smiled at Wen Yang and beckoned him inside. "Don’t just stand there. Come on in."
"Uh, okay, Auntie. I brought some gifts..."
"Just leave them there."
Her smile sent a chill down Wen Yang’s spine. The moment he stepped inside, she introduced him. "This is Ning Chu’s boyfriend, Wen Yang."
Wen Yang immediately straightened up, unsure how to greet the elderly couple. Should he call them Grandpa and Grandma? Or just Mr. and Mrs.? Maybe something else?
Technically, it should be Grandpa, but they weren’t married yet...
"Oh?" Ning Chu’s grandfather looked Wen Yang up and down with interest. "Seems like a good kid."
"Right?" Her mother grinned, pushing Wen Yang down onto the couch. "You two have a nice chat. I’m going to finish lunch."
She turned and hurried back to the kitchen, grateful for the brief respite after having passed off her daughter’s boyfriend to her father.
Meanwhile, Wen Yang sat there, completely at a loss, feeling the weight of the grandfather’s scrutinizing gaze.
Ning Chu, on the other hand, was still preoccupied with her grandmother, who was holding her hand and chattering away as if she had endless things to say.
"You’ve grown so much prettier than your mother was at your age."
"No horns on you, huh? You take after your mom~"
"Half a year ago, you were just a boy, and now look at you! Such a beauty, and you’ve developed so well, too. Look at your figure~"
Please, don’t bring up half a year ago...
That humiliating transformation into a succubus was still something Ning Chu struggled to accept. She managed a stiff smile. "Yeah."
Standing in front of her grandmother, she felt like a doll being examined and prodded, as her grandmother lovingly poked her cheeks and ruffled her hair.
But after ten minutes of this, Ning Chu couldn’t take it anymore. She glanced toward the kitchen, recalling how her mother had dumped Wen Yang into this situation.
You reap what you sow, Mom!
"Grandma..." she began innocently.
"What is it?"
"My mom found a boyfriend. He’s in the kitchen."
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Her grandmother froze, then hurried toward the kitchen. "I’m going to take a look."