“Oh! You guys just finished eating?”
As they stepped out of the cafeteria, a familiar figure greeted them with a wide grin plastered on his face.
Ning Chu quickly looked away, uninterested. She was more eager to get back to her place and order some proper takeout for a second dinner. Those dumplings had been terrible! She barely ate a few, just enough to keep her hunger at bay.
Yan Xinya and Lily gave a polite nod to the newcomer before linking arms and heading off ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) toward the girls’ dormitory. “Ning Chu! We’ll go ahead!”
“Bye-bye~”
Wen Yang watched his friends disappear down the path, then turned to Zhang Shaoqing with a curious look. “Where are you off to this late?”
Knowing Zhang Shaoqing’s habits, Wen Yang figured he’d either be stuck in the dorm playing games or, if he did go out, he’d usually drag Wang Jie along, either to a karaoke bar or a club. Poor Wang Jie was probably being led astray by him.
“Going to have dinner with my Qian Qian!”
“Didn’t you say you weren’t interested in her? Now you’re suddenly seeing her every day?”
“Well...” Zhang Shaoqing scratched his head, hesitating before he finally admitted, “She kind of stopped paying attention to me for a few days.”
“???”
Wen Yang blinked, momentarily baffled.
“And then... I started to feel that thrill of chasing her again. Suddenly, I’m into her again.”
Ning Chu scoffed. “You’re such a sucker, aren’t you?”
Zhang Shaoqing shot her a look but then grinned, hooking his arm around Wen Yang’s shoulder, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Man, Qian Qian somehow figured out exactly what pushes my buttons!”
“She’s been ignoring me on purpose, and every time we go out, she acts all reluctant, like she doesn’t want to be there...”
Wen Yang cut in, “You sure she doesn’t actually not want to be there?”
“That’d just make it even better!”
“Isn’t that kind of creepy, though?”
Zhang Shaoqing paused, then shook his head. “Not creepy at all! She acts all cold, but she’s actually really happy when we’re together.”
“Plus, just think about it—she’s reluctant but has a little bit of anticipation deep down when I ask her to do weird stuff. Just imagine her expression—embarrassed and shy but going along with it...”
In Wen Yang’s mind, he immediately recalled Ning Chu sitting on his lap the other day, face flushed with embarrassment yet responding so genuinely.
Definitely exciting!
“What are you guys talking about? Not letting me listen?” Ning Chu leaned in, curious.
“Men’s talk! Shoo!” Zhang Shaoqing waved her off, looking annoyed. “Go away, go away. I’m off to dinner with Qian Qian anyway. Too bad you guys just ate; otherwise, you could join.”
“I’m still hungry! You’re buying!”
“Are you a pig?”
“I barely ate! I gave most of it to Wen Yang.”
As usual, Ning Chu and Zhang Shaoqing bantered back and forth, while Wen Yang watched, occasionally stepping in to diffuse the argument.
The three of them strolled toward the campus exit, their chatter filling the night air.
Midway, Zhang Shaoqing seemed to remember Ning Chu’s horns and curiously glanced at the bump under her hat. “You sick or something? Purposely wearing horns and covering them up with a hat?”
Ning Chu calmly took off her hat, revealing her two small, backward-curving horns. “Too lazy to take them off.”
“Those horns aren’t real, right?”
"..."
Though she’d hinted to Zhang Shaoqing before, Ning Chu wasn’t eager to outright reveal her succubus identity.
Who knew how this guy would react? He might announce it to the whole school or even sneak an attack on her horns. Better to keep it under wraps if she could.
“None of your business.” Ning Chu sidestepped, avoiding his reaching hand. “Wen Yang gave them to me. I want to wear them however I like.”
“Oh~ you two are sweet~”
“So, where’s this date with Qian Qian? We’ve been walking forever.”
“Just here.” They had barely stepped outside the school gates when Zhang Shaoqing pointed across the street at a café, wearing a sly grin. “I borrowed an outfit from the owner. She’s wearing a maid costume for our date.”
“You’re a pervert, aren’t you?”
“Act like you’ve never done it before. Calling both me and Wen Yang ‘Master,’ remember?”
“...”
Ning Chu glared, raising her foot to kick him, but Wen Yang quickly calmed the fiery little succubus down, genuinely curious. “Qian Qian’s okay with that?”
“Took a bit of persuading.”
As they crossed the street and approached the café, Ning Chu peered through the glass and immediately spotted Qian Qian in a maid costume, sitting in a corner, a coat draped over her shoulders.
Gotta admit, catgirl maids are amazing.
And that low-cut dress—it perfectly showcased Qian Qian’s assets.
Noticing their approach, Qian Qian hurriedly took off her coat, stood up, and opened the door, blushing as she looked at Zhang Shaoqing, her face turning bright red. Lowering her head, she nervously clutched her skirt, her voice barely a whisper, “Welcome back... Master...”
“Louder, I can’t hear you.”
Hearing her call him “Master,” Zhang Shaoqing felt a surge of satisfaction, but he quickly glanced around, worried about others overhearing.
Ning Chu had no interest in Zhang Shaoqing’s antics, though, and leaned in to whisper to Qian Qian, “Are you really okay with this? Blink twice if you’re being coerced.”
“No, it’s fine... It’s actually kind of thrilling, Ning Chu~”
So it was an M and S pairing... a perfect match~
If it weren’t so cold, Ning Chu could easily imagine this couple hanging around the campus garden, playing out this act regularly.
Rolling her eyes, she couldn’t help but worry if Qian Qian’s antics might awaken some darker side of Zhang Shaoqing, but now it seemed they were just a couple who enjoyed their own brand of fun.
Even a succubus would feel outmatched by this level of dedication!
Suddenly feeling a bit uneasy, Ning Chu glanced over at Wen Yang, who looked as if he’d just had an idea.
Uh-oh... this might end badly.
Following the lead of the cat-eared maid, they took seats in the café’s corner, and Zhang Shaoqing quickly threw Qian Qian’s coat back over her shoulders.
“Put this on; it’s cold out. Don’t want you catching a cold.”
The couple opposite them continued their roleplay, talking in hushed voices and exchanging affectionate glances.
Meanwhile, Ning Chu subtly shifted her seat a bit further from Wen Yang.
“What’s wrong?”
“The owner knows me...”
And who knows if Wen Yang’s thinking about trying some maid-and-master roleplay himself! Although... it does sound kind of exciting...
“Well, well! Long time no see!” The café owner, a mature woman with a charming smile, approached with a menu in hand, giving Ning Chu a knowing look. “Anything to eat?”
Her gaze quickly shifted to Wen Yang, and her smile grew a bit more amused.
She’d seen him last semester—a shy boy she’d dressed in a maid outfit herself. Now, he looked like he might’ve even found a boyfriend.
“I’ll have the A set. He’s paying.” Ning Chu squirmed under the owner’s scrutinizing gaze. She almost wanted to explain she was actually a girl but wasn’t sure how to go about it.
After all, she’d shown her ID when she worked here before.
Telling her she was a girl now was like saying she’d taken a trip to Thailand over the summer.
Quick dinner, then out of here! Never coming back!
“Labor Day’s around the corner~ Why don’t you both come work here again?” The owner leaned down, the tight sweater accentuating her curves as she winked. “I still have your maid and butler outfits.”
“No, thanks.”
Wen Yang quickly shook his head, declining.
“Aaaah!!”
Just then, they heard Zhang Shaoqing cry out, wincing as he clutched his thigh while Qian Qian, the catgirl maid, looked completely innocent.
