At the school sports field, Ning Chu sat on a bench near the edge of the court, lazily watching Wen Yang run back and forth on the basketball court.
Her attention, however, was split between the court and the other girls hanging around the field. Springtime was in full swing, and the beast-eared girls were clearly in their "season." Ning Chu suspected that some of the supporting female characters might start circling Wen Yang soon.
Her horns, she mused, might fully develop in just a few more days.
After scanning the perimeter of the court and finding no immediate threats, she allowed her gaze to return to Wen Yang.
On the court, Wen Yang was wearing just a white tank top and sports pants, his muscular frame flexing and stretching with each move. His sweat-drenched body seemed to give off a faint mist in the cool air. His vitality and strength made him look like the ultimate prey for a succubus.
Ning Chu unconsciously wiped the corner of her mouth and, feeling guilty, glanced at Lily sitting beside her.
Unlike Ning Chu, who had experienced the "fall" of a succubus, Lily sat gracefully with her head down, playing on her phone, seemingly indifferent to the surroundings.
How far I’ve fallen, Ning Chu thought to herself. Even a pure succubus has more self-control than me.
She couldn’t pinpoint exactly when she had started finding men’s physiques so irresistibly captivating. It wasn’t just Wen Yang—she’d even catch herself lingering over pictures of handsome men online for a few seconds longer than she should.
I used to be a man, damn it! she cursed inwardly, outwardly maintaining her composure. "Where’s Xi Xi?" she asked Lily.
"She went to track down the evil spirit."
"Oh..."
Lily had originally planned to return to the dorm to study her little octopus but had been forcibly dragged along by Yan Xinya.
Not far away, Wolf-girl was playing on another basketball court, dressed in nothing but tight shorts and a sports bra despite the cold weather. Her ponytail swished as she bounded across the court with boundless energy.
With her toned abs and beautiful face, Yan Xinya was undoubtedly the star of the court, drawing the eyes of most of the men nearby.
Ning Chu glanced over lightly and snarked, "I wonder which unlucky guy will catch Xinya’s eye in the future."
This morning, she’d been so subdued, yet now she was brimming with excitement.
"Probably a jock," Lily replied succinctly.
"That would suit her," Ning Chu conceded.
Lily fell silent again, her naturally reserved personality keeping her from chatting much unless the topic veered into more... risqué territory.
Curious, Ning Chu leaned over to peek at Lily’s phone and saw that she was reading a steamy romance novel that just barely skirted the line of propriety.
"What’s so interesting about that..."
"Hmm," Lily replied without looking up.
Yep, no conversation unless it’s steamy, Ning Chu thought with a sigh.
Just as she was about to relax, she suddenly felt a sense of danger. Snapping her head up, she noticed several girls with delicate, attractive features had gathered unnoticed near the edge of the court.
Foxes, cats, dogs, rabbits... all of them beast-eared girls.
From their looks, they weren’t significant supporting characters, but their presence was unmistakable. Likely, they’d been drawn by Wen Yang’s intense masculine pheromones during their mating season.
Even so, Ning Chu’s wariness spiked, and an invisible wave of jealousy emanated from her, pungent enough that Lily wrinkled her nose and waved her hand in front of her face.
"They’re just looking," Lily said.
"You wouldn’t say that if it was your man being ogled," Ning Chu snapped back.
"Jealousy incarnate," Lily remarked.
Ning Chu had long since accepted this part of her "character." What had begun as an attempt to sabotage the plot and avoid being "broken" had now become second nature.
She stood up and moved closer to the court’s edge, positioning herself to intercept any bold girls who might rush Wen Yang when he came off the court.
Looking at him, she noted how much better he’d become at basketball. His movements were more fluid, his shots more accurate, and his handling more confident. With his towering height of nearly 190 cm, he plowed through the court like a freight train.
The fangirls on the sidelines cheered enthusiastically for Wen Yang, while Ning Chu stood with her arms crossed, silently scoffing at them.
What’s wrong with these people?
Wen Yang, as a normal man, clearly enjoyed the attention, his face lit up with a bright smile. But when his gaze fell on Ning Chu, his smile softened into something gentler and more intimate, like a loyal dog greeting its owner.
He jogged over to her, his warm breath puffing in the cool air. Instinctively, Ning Chu took a step back. "You’re all sweaty," she muttered, frowning.
"I’ll shower when we get back," Wen Yang replied casually.
She handed him a towel. "Are you done?"
"Yeah."
Watching him wipe his sweat with the towel, Ning Chu realized just how much Wen Yang had changed over time.
It wasn’t just his healthier physique. The once-timid and self-conscious boy, like the stereotypical male protagonist from a novel, had grown into someone sunny, steady, and ambitious—a far cry from the playboy persona most protagonists developed.
"Bring home first place for our class and represent the school!" she said teasingly.
"The school team’s full of athletes," Wen Yang replied with a laugh. "But I’ll try."
"If you do, I’ll wear a cheerleader outfit as a reward," she teased, though her intentions weren’t entirely innocent.
He immediately saw through her. "You just want an excuse to try something new."
"What? No~"
Despite her wild confidence in bed, Ning Chu’s face flushed red, and she looked every bit the {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} bashful, innocent girl.
Scanning her surroundings to ensure no one overheard, she quickly passed him her coat. "Put this on before you catch a cold."
Although the spring rains had paused for the day, the chill lingered. It was far too easy to fall ill in such weather.
As Wen Yang slipped on the coat, Ning Chu’s protective instincts kicked in, and her eyes roved around like a possessive kitten guarding its food.
Her gaze quickly settled on a girl in the distance walking unsteadily. She was dressed entirely in white, her skirt so short it barely covered her thighs. A garter wrapped around one leg, and she held her stomach with one hand, her face flushed, her nose glistening with sweat. Her trembling calves suggested she could collapse at any moment.
While others might not notice anything unusual, Ning Chu, as both a succubus and a romance novel author, immediately saw through the situation.
She’s probably a supporting character.
"What are you looking at?" Wen Yang asked.
"Nothing," Ning Chu replied quickly, linking her arm with his. She called out to Lily, "Lily! We’re heading back!"
Lily waved without looking up, but Yan Xinya came bounding over, crashing into her and knocking her clean off the bench.
Lily hit the ground hard. Glaring at the wolf-girl sprawled on top of her, she got up, limping as she walked off.
"Lily! I didn’t mean to! I’m sorry!" Yan Xinya whined, tail wagging furiously as she tried to apologize.
Watching the scene, Ning Chu muttered, "That must’ve hurt."
Wen Yang suddenly grabbed her hand, pulling her back just in time to stop her from bumping into someone.
"Sorry—" she began, only to freeze when she realized it was the trembling girl she’d noticed earlier.
"It’s fine..." the girl murmured, her face bright red. She stumbled backward awkwardly.
From this distance, Wen Yang noticed her strange condition too. "You don’t look well. Should we take you to the infirmary?"
As soon as he spoke, the girl nervously sank to the ground, unable to stand.
Ning Chu sighed deeply.
There’s no escaping the plot, is there...?
