The one silver lining was that the twin sisters from the student council weren’t in the same class, so after this meeting, Ning Chu wouldn’t have to see them for quite a while.
She was still pondering the idea of preemptively enacting the plotline. If it worked, she wouldn’t have to worry about Wen Yang being lured away by shameless tricks from supporting characters in the future.
But it also meant she’d have to resort to such shameless tricks herself, effectively becoming a royal romance heroine...
“Maybe I should wait until after my period?”
Ning Chu washed her face and applied a layer of moisturizer. She glanced at herself in the mirror, murmuring to her reflection, “Once I deal with the twin sisters’ plotline, my horns might finally grow in.”
The penalties for disrupting the plot had only sped up her physical transformation: from initial stomach pains to silver streaks, a tail, and an increasingly exaggerated figure.
Now her body was fully matured, leaving only the succubus horns yet to appear.
After her bath and skincare routine, Ning Chu changed into a thin set of pajamas, then stepped out of the bathroom, casting a quick look at Wen Yang, who was on the sofa, memorizing vocabulary words. She took her seat at her computer, ready to work on her writing.
As always, though, as soon as she sat down to write, her mind went blank.
Thoughts of derailing the twin sisters’ plotline, gaming, watching videos, or lying in {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} bed with her phone flooded her mind—everything but ideas for her novel.
Slumping onto the desk, she rested her head on her arm, her gaze drifting over to Wen Yang on the sofa.
Whenever he got serious about studying, he usually ignored everyone else.
A mischievous idea flashed through her mind.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she padded over to Wen Yang’s side. “Move over. I’m going to study vocab too!”
“Hm?”
Wen Yang raised his head, looking a bit surprised that Ning Chu would suddenly want to study.
He shifted to the edge of the sofa, and the little succubus quickly filled the space beside him. The small sofa felt cramped with both of them, their shoulders and hips practically touching, and he could clearly smell the faint scents of her body wash, shampoo, and that unique succubus fragrance.
Studying vocabulary instantly became a lot harder.
Ning Chu leaned closer, peeking at the English textbook in his hands and murmuring the words as if she were earnestly studying.
“How do you pronounce this word?”
“And this one?”
“Wow, this is hard... I don’t really understand phonetics.”
She sighed in frustration, her body gradually leaning in, pressing her soft curves against his arm, sinking in slightly.
With only her thin pajamas on and the heater running, Wen Yang could distinctly feel her warmth through the fabric.
His mind drifted further from vocabulary.
Noticing his unease, Ning Chu swatted away the hand that had slipped around her waist. “Focus on your vocabulary. Don’t touch me.”
“And remember, I’m still on my period, so don’t get any ideas~” she reminded him pointedly.
“I have a feeling you’re doing this on purpose.”
“As if! Study hard! I’ll need your help reviewing for finals.”
She patted the book, a devious smile spreading across her face.
Whenever a friend suddenly decides to quit smoking, lose weight, or study hard, people like her are the worst enablers—she’d pull anyone down to her level!
Wen Yang quickly realized her intent.
Not that he minded...
If it got too much, he could always toss the little succubus onto the bed and treat her to a midnight snack.
“Then go sit on the bed. Stop getting so close.”
“Studying together sets the atmosphere~”
With that, Ning Chu casually draped her leg over Wen Yang’s, nearly sitting on him.
Wen Yang steadied himself, trying to suppress his frustration and concentrate on his vocabulary despite her interference.
Ning Chu looked at Wen Yang’s focused face with a smirk.
She glanced down, noting his visible reaction. Even though he’d been ready to go as soon as she leaned over, he was still attempting to study.
As a succubus, this was intolerable!
After a moment’s thought, her slender fingers stealthily reached downward.
Wen Yang’s expression froze, his gaze snapping to Ning Chu with the intensity of a hungry wolf, startling her. She immediately protested, “Aren’t you supposed to be studying? Stay focused, or what will you do if the teacher calls on you?”
“How am I supposed to study like this?”
“This is to train your willpower,” she replied with mock seriousness. “How can you let outside distractions affect you while studying?”
“...”
Just then, her phone rang. Ning Chu scoffed, abandoning her teasing as she picked up her phone to check the caller ID.
An unfamiliar number?
She answered it anyway, and a familiar voice came through.
“Hello? Ning Chu?”
“Grandma?! How come you’re calling me?”
“Well, I heard from your mother that you’re about to grow horns?”
Ning Chu’s eyes lit up, excitement coloring her voice. “Yes! I’ve got so many questions for you.”
“Grandma, will my horns look just like yours? Will they be heavy and strain my neck?”
Her grandmother’s voice was calm and gentle, as always, answering slowly, “They should be similar. Don’t worry, they’re not heavy.”
“Oh, okay—ah!”
“What happened?”
Her sudden yelp startled her grandmother.
“Nothing, a cockroach just crawled up my leg... scared me to death,” she replied, turning to glare at Wen Yang with an embarrassed scowl.
She should have moved farther away before taking the call.
He’d poked her sensitive waist, and for a moment, she’d thought he was about to pull something while she was on the phone.
Though it was thrilling, if she got caught, she’d never be able to look her grandmother in the eye again!
Shooting Wen Yang a warning look, Ning Chu tried to get up, only to find her right leg—still draped over Wen Yang’s—was firmly pinned down.
“Buy some cockroach traps, and don’t forget to take out the trash...” her grandmother continued on the other end, but Ning Chu was now struggling against Wen Yang.
“By the way, will it be hard to sleep once my horns grow in?”
She was now half-lying on the sofa, kicking at Wen Yang, who managed to dodge her flailing legs.
But he soon caught her foot, holding it up high so she couldn’t get up, leaving her entirely at his mercy.
“No, no, it shouldn’t be hard. Side-sleeping might be a bit tricky... What are you doing over there? Why are you panting so much?”
“Nothing much.”
“Oh~ you young folks...”
Her grandmother let out a knowing sigh.
“It’s really not what you’re thinking! Nothing like that!” Ning Chu protested, exasperated.
She was just roughhousing with Wen Yang!
Frustrated, she grabbed a pillow from the sofa and flung it at Wen Yang’s face.
“Then I’ll leave you two to it.”
“Wait, no—!”
