Though the school was nestled in a remote mountain area, it only took Zhang Shaoqing about half an hour to drive them to a bustling night market district nearby.
The car stopped amidst a vibrant area filled with neon signs for bars and KTVs, their colorful lights nearly blinding, while faint music thumped in the background. The smoky aroma of barbecue wafted from street vendors, adding to the lively atmosphere.
However, since it was still afternoon, the streets were relatively quiet. Many shops hadn’t even opened yet, and the place felt a little desolate.
“It’ll get lively later tonight,” Zhang Shaoqing commented as he parked by the curb, shoving his hands into his pockets and eyeing Wen Yang with a teasing grin. “By then, there’ll be plenty of club-style girls around. With you standing here looking like that, I guarantee they’d fight to buy you drinks.”
Wen Yang nodded knowingly. ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) “Then I shouldn’t come here at night.”
“Damn! You’re seriously thinking like that?” Zhang Shaoqing exclaimed.
“What else?” Wen Yang replied.
“You’re so boring.”
Zhang Shaoqing shrugged. He had grown up surrounded by luxury and craved excitement, while Wen Yang preferred a quieter life with Ning Chu, even if it was plain and uneventful.
Ning Chu walked over, hugging Wen Yang’s arm possessively. Tilting her chin, she huffed at Zhang Shaoqing, “Not everyone’s like you, okay? It’s bad enough you’re corrupting Wang Jie; don’t try it with my Wen Yang!”
“When did I ever corrupt Wang Jie?”
Muttering to himself, Zhang Shaoqing locked the car and led them toward an unassuming shopfront. “Come on, my friend owns this maid café. Let’s give him some business today.”
“So it’s your friend’s place, huh~” Ning Chu teased.
“We’re still paying, you know. Why are you acting like you got a freebie?” Zhang Shaoqing shot back, walking ahead. “And don’t get any funny ideas. The maids here are proper employees—no touching.”
“Sounds like you’re reminding yourself,” Ning Chu retorted.
“Hey, they also have handsome butlers. Want me to get you a couple, Ning Chu?” Zhang Shaoqing smirked.
She lifted Wen Yang’s arm proudly. “I’ve got Wen Yang. Why would I need anyone else?”
“I’ve never heard of a succubus being satisfied with just one guy.”
Their banter continued as the group entered the maid café.
The main hall featured a large circular bar that gave it a slightly nightclub-esque vibe. However, the lighting wasn’t flashy, and there was no pounding music. The décor leaned heavily into anime aesthetics, with character standees at the entrance, posters on the walls, and collectible figurines on the tables.
Wang Jie, the otaku of the group, was ecstatic. The moment they stepped inside, he couldn’t stop gawking, eagerly pointing things out to Wen Yang. “That figurine is a limited edition! It costs several thousand, maybe even tens of thousands now!”
“Oh wow! It’s my favorite character!”
Wen Yang, unfamiliar with anime, nodded vaguely. “Uh... which anime is that from?”
“It’s a virtual idol.”
“Ah...”
Meanwhile, Zhang Shaoqing greeted the café’s owner and chatted briefly before calling the group over. “Come on, let’s get a private room!”
“They have private rooms too?” Ning Chu muttered under her breath as she followed. Her attention, however, was drawn to the maids near the bar, some of whom were livestreaming.
The café seemed genuinely respectable. The maids wore conservative outfits, revealing only a bit of their thighs and collarbones. Even their cleavage was covered. Signs on the walls explicitly prohibited customers from touching or taking maids out privately.
Once inside the private room, Ning Chu leaned against Wen Yang on the sofa and whispered, “What do you think?”
“It’s alright. Kind of like a KTV,” Wen Yang replied.
“Yeah, the main hall looks like a bar, but this room feels like KTV,” Ning Chu agreed, nodding. Just then, the door opened, and a line of maids in uniform entered, standing neatly in front of the sofa.
“Greetings, masters~”
The synchronized chorus startled Ning Chu, making her twitch. Her eye twitched as well, as the scene reminded her of the kind of dramas where the customer dramatically waves a hand and demands the “madam” to bring out another batch.
“Which one do you like?” Zhang Shaoqing asked Wen Yang with a playful grin. “I’m paying, don’t hold back!”
“Wait, is this place really legit?!” Ning Chu exclaimed, stopping him before things escalated.
“Oh, come on,” Zhang Shaoqing rolled his eyes. “Middle schoolers come here to hire maids for homework help. How much more legit can it get?”
“...”
“It’s mostly a place for board games. They don’t even let the maids drink alcohol to avoid sleazy behavior like forcing them to drink.”
“Oh~” Ning Chu muttered sheepishly, shrinking into herself. “Maybe I shouldn’t have come with Shaoqing after all.”
If not for her curiosity about maid cafés...
“Shaoqing isn’t as reckless as you think,” Wen Yang reassured her. He barely glanced at the maids before losing interest, focusing back on Ning Chu. “Why don’t you wear a maid outfit for me tonight?”
Compared to these ordinary girls, his little succubus in a maid costume would undoubtedly be far more alluring.
“No way!” Ning Chu scooted away, glaring at him in mock indignation before turning her attention to the maids. One in particular caught her eye—a girl who seemed less enthusiastic and was timidly hiding toward the back.
She looked familiar...
“Nana?”
“Huh? Who’s that? Did you spot someone you like?” Zhang Shaoqing asked, now fiddling with a bottle of liquor he had ordered.
Ning Chu shook her head. “No...”
But she was certain—the shy maid at the back was none other than the vampire Nana.
Wasn’t she supposed to be frail and prone to fainting? Even if her fear of men had been cured by hypnotic spray, she was now bold enough to work part-time as a maid?
A vampire maid... kind of fitting, actually.
“Alright, you guys hurry up and pick someone. If you don’t, I’ll just choose for you,” Zhang Shaoqing grumbled, growing impatient. “You’re all acting like shy little boys.”
He randomly pointed at two maids. “You two, come here.”
Then he turned back to Ning Chu. “Your boyfriend’s birthday—aren’t you going to have a drink?”
“Why are you always trying to get me to drink?” Ning Chu quipped. “What, are you plotting something against me?”
Zhang Shaoqing looked deeply offended, retorting dramatically, “You don’t even have cat ears! My standards aren’t that low!”
“The horns are nice,” Wen Yang interjected casually.
True, they could probably cause some serious damage in a fight, but as a steering wheel? Perfectly functional—especially with Ning Chu’s well-shaped horns.
“Those horns must be cold and hard! Nowhere near as good as soft, fluffy cat ears!” Zhang Shaoqing said, turning to Wang Jie. “Right?”
Wang Jie shrugged. “I don’t argue with furries.”
“Fine, I won’t argue on your birthday,” Zhang Shaoqing chuckled, signaling the maids to pour drinks for everyone. “Come on, let’s drink! No one leaves sober tonight!”
“Drinking again...” Ning Chu muttered, but her face turned red when he called Wen Yang her “husband.”
At home, she and Wen Yang called each other all sorts of things, but this was the first time someone had teased her about it openly.
“I’ll drink for you,” Wen Yang offered.
Ning Chu blocked his hand. “Forget it. If you get drunk, I’ll just have to take care of you again.”
