It wasn’t often the house was this lively.
Grandma was chatting away with Ning Chu’s mother about family matters and Uncle, while Grandpa held Hei Dou in his arms, the two watching cartoons together. Meanwhile, Ning Chu and Wen Yang sat on the sofa, quietly whispering to each other.
Only Ning Yuan, the shut-in, had retreated to his bedroom as usual. Normally, he acted like the elder brother who nagged Ning Chu like a father, but now he was hiding, either on his phone or playing games.
Who knew when that guy would ever bring home a sister-in-law? Ning Chu didn’t even mind if it wasn’t Lili or one of her other girlfriends—anyone would do.
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Even if it was a guy...
Ever since her transformation, she had become a lot more open-minded about such things.
“Your grandpa seems pretty easygoing,” Wen Yang whispered, leaning close to Ning Chu, his words brushing against her earlobe.
Her tender ear immediately turned red. As a succubus, her entire body was sensitive, but her ears were especially so.
Not wanting to make a scene in front of her elders, Ning Chu pulled away a bit before answering, “He is pretty easygoing. My grandpa is pretty trendy too; he even watches stuff on A Station.”
“Your grandma’s fine too, except for her habit of pinching cheeks. I’ve seen photos of her when she was younger; she was gorgeous!”
In this parallel world, she wondered if her grandma would have been even more beautiful when younger.
With the succubus trait, she probably would’ve been stunning beyond words.
Ning Chu leaned against the armrest of the sofa, watching Hei Dou curled up in her grandpa’s arms, and added uncertainly, “Well, probably?”
“Then why don’t you visit them more often?”
“I don’t not want to see them... I just don’t want to deal with the other relatives,” she said, frowning with a hint of disgust.
Perhaps due to her grandpa’s extensive business connections, her relatives only seemed interested in benefits, with no warmth between them.
When her mother had passed away in the past, if it hadn’t been for her grandparents’ support, Ning Chu and her brother might not have even had a place to stay.
Though, in this world, her mother was still alive, so those relatives at least maintained a semblance of friendliness. Still, Ning Chu didn’t want to put on a fake smile for them.
Seeing the disgust on her face, Wen Yang didn’t press further.
“Ning Chu, how about we go out for dinner tonight?” Grandpa called over.
“Yes!” Hei Dou immediately raised her hand in excitement.
Grandpa looked down, pinching Hei Dou’s chubby cheeks as he chuckled warmly. “Don’t worry; you’ll be well-fed. Always thinking about food.”
Despite no blood relation, Hei Dou’s cuteness had thoroughly charmed him.
“When does school start?” he asked.
“The sixteenth day of the new year, so about two weeks from now.”
He nodded and reached into the large pocket of his jacket, pulling out a hundred-yuan bill.
“Here, New Year’s money.”
Ning Chu was momentarily surprised, instinctively reaching out, but hesitated. “But I’m already eighteen. Isn’t it a bit late to be getting New Year’s money?”
“It’s from both your grandma and me, fifty each. Once you’re married, no more,” Grandpa said with a smile. “What’s wrong? Not enough?”
“No, it’s fine.”
From a young age, her New Year’s money had always been this amount. This year, she had also received money from her mother and Uncle, totaling two hundred yuan.
Hei Dou, though unclear on what New Year’s money meant, perked up her cat ears and asked, “What about mine?”
“You won’t miss out.”
Clutching the money tightly, Hei Dou sprang up and happily ran over to show her mother. “Mom! Grandpa gave me money! A hundred yuan!”
“Come here, let me hold onto that for you. I’ll give it back when you’re older...”
“Okay!”
Grandpa also gave Wen Yang some New Year’s money as a welcome gift, even though it was his first time meeting him.
“Treat Ning Chu well, don’t be like her father.”
Wen Yang nodded eagerly. “Of course, I won’t.”
Grandpa cast a skeptical glance at him but didn’t say more, getting up to step outside for a smoke.
“Because of what happened with my mom, he’s got a bit of PTSD,” Ning Chu murmured, watching her grandpa’s retreating back.
“Understandable...”
Things were going fairly well on Uncle’s side too. Grandma and Grandpa knew her mother’s temperament—no matter their feelings toward Uncle, they couldn’t stop her from doing what she wanted, just like in the past.
Unlike Grandpa, who took a more hands-off approach, Grandma had already checked Uncle’s background in detail and seemed satisfied with her findings.
“So, when’s the wedding?”
Ning Chu eagerly scooted closer to watch, seeing her grandma ask. She immediately turned to look at her mother.
“It’s been six or seven years, hasn’t it? About time for a wedding.”
Uncle looked expectantly at her mother as well.
But her mother frowned, turning her head away, “I’m still not divorced. How can I get married?”
“Don’t wait until Ning Chu’s married before you’ve even settled your own situation,” Grandma said.
Ning Chu nodded emphatically, agreeing, “Exactly!”
Her mother, irritated, shot her a glare before tightening her expression in indifference. “It’s too much trouble; one lawsuit takes six months...”
“Since when is something like this ‘too much trouble’?”
“Being together is enough. Marriage is just a piece of paper; it’s all the same.”
“You’re being foolish!” Grandma whispered, leaning down to speak urgently in her ear, but her mother remained unmoved, insisting on her point of view.
“Unnecessary. It’s a hassle.”
Ning Chu rested her chin on her hands, watching with interest and occasionally glancing at Uncle.
She couldn’t fully understand her mother’s perspective. Getting married, at the very least, meant she’d be legally entitled to half of any shared assets, preventing her from ending up like an unpaid housekeeper.
But if one was shameless enough, marriage really wouldn’t make much difference.
Like that deadbeat who had vanished without a trace...
Her mother, clearly annoyed with Grandma’s words, turned to Hei Dou. “Ning Xin, want to go shopping?”
“Now? Let’s go!”
“Yeah, I have a new outfit I bought. I should wear it on New Year’s Day.”
Her mother got up, taking Hei Dou’s hand and heading for the bedroom. “Just don’t burn a hole in it with firecrackers, or you’re out of meat.”
“I’m just curious...”
“Then ask! What else is that mouth for?”
“For eating!”
Seeing her reaction, Grandma just sighed, accustomed to it, and turned back to Ning Chu. “Try to talk to her when you get the chance.”
“Mhm.”
“A Juan’s been like this since she was a kid...” Grandma muttered, then turned to Uncle. “You’ve known her for six or seven years, so you’re familiar with her temper. Just be patient with her.”
“I’m already used to it.”
Grandma nodded. After the lessons learned, her daughter’s current choice of partner seemed decent.
Not too handsome, obedient to her daughter, reasonably honest, with a small business, and despite being middle-aged, he was still fit, with a broad back and visible muscle.
Six or seven years, and he hadn’t been drained yet...
That was no small feat at forty-something, with her daughter’s succubus-like appetite.
Grandma then turned to Wen Yang, scanning his nearly 190 cm height, lean but muscular build, and the vitality of his youth. Then, looking at Ning Chu, who stood only around 160 cm, with a delicate, slender waist and fragile appearance.
Standing together, she barely reached his shoulder.
Suddenly, Grandma found herself a little worried about her granddaughter...