“We’re heading out now~”
“When I see your girlfriend, I’ll snap a photo and share it in the group chat. I need to see what kind of woman is draining Wang Jie dry every weekend!”
Zhang Shaoqing's shameless teasing was relentless, and poor Wang Jie, the straightforward one, could only sit helplessly in the passenger seat, yawning with a face full of resignation.
Ning Chu waved them off and then muttered behind their backs, “He’s got some nerve to tease Wang Jie when he himself was nearly turned into jelly by Sister Qian Qian.”
Still, compared to Wang Jie, who looked utterly drained, Zhang Shaoqing’s complexion was at least a bit better—clearly not completely exhausted.
Turning to Wen Yang beside her, she asked curiously, “Why’s Shaoqing calling you ‘big bro’? And why did he say you’re... big?”
Wen Yang sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Last night, when I went to the bathroom, those two insisted on coming in to ‘compare notes.’”
“Seriously?”
Ning Chu couldn’t help but imagine the scene, remembering how she had once secretly checked out Wen Yang herself, curious about what a “perfect male protagonist” was supposed to look like. The sight of that “angry dragon” had left her thoroughly shaken.
Back then, she never would’ve guessed that it would one day bring her so much... “joy,” and that she’d actually be able to handle it.
Life was unpredictable, indeed.
The hotel wasn’t far from a nearby shopping street, so the two decided to walk, holding hands as they strolled leisurely through the sunlit afternoon streets.
After a string of rainy days, the weather had turned bright and pleasant. The afternoon sunlight wasn’t too harsh but warm enough to be comforting. Coupled with the gentle spring breeze, Ning Chu felt completely at ease.
Still preoccupied with last night’s events, a slight blush lingered on her face. “Was I really that loud last night?”
“I usually try to keep it down...”
Her anxious expression betrayed her worry about having completely ruined her image in front of their friends.
While Zhang Shaoqing had previously caught them in action, back then, he’d only realized they were “fighting” and hadn’t heard anything explicit. This time might’ve been different.
Especially since she’d been drunk last night, she had no idea just how wild she’d been.
Wen Yang chuckled, gently ruffling her hair. “Don’t worry. They didn’t hear anything.”
“Really?”
“Just kidding.”
“Oh, thank goodness~” Ning Chu finally breathed a sigh of relief, muttering, “Even if they know I’m a succubus, I don’t want them to think I’m like those... other succubi.”
“You mean Lily?”
“Definitely not Lily! She’s the disgrace of all succubi—worse than me!”
Clearly, Ning Chu was referring to those succubi notorious for attending every shady event and getting involved in all sorts of questionable activities.
Being mistaken for one of them would be a nightmare, filling her life with men trying to "woo" her or pick fights for her attention.
The mere thought was terrifying.
Looking down at the small succubus holding his hand, Wen Yang teased, “You and Lily aren’t that different. Pot calling the kettle black.”
“How are we the same? At least I have a boyfriend!”
At that, Ning Chu suddenly became competitive, intent on proving she was the superior succubus compared to Lily.
“Sure, sure.”
Annoyed by his nonchalant response, Ning Chu slipped her cold hand under Wen Yang’s shirt, seeking revenge. Unfortunately, the weather had already warmed up, and her hand didn’t faze him.
“Cool and refreshing—feels nice,” Wen Yang teased. “Don’t get too handsy in public, though.”
But his expression quickly changed as Ning Chu pinched him hard. He sucked in a sharp breath. “Hey, that hurts!”
“Serves you right~”
Feeling triumphant, Ning Chu withdrew her hand and waved her nails at him. “I even kept my nails longer for this—was going to borrow Lily’s nail polish too!”
“Got it, got it. You’re the best,” Wen Yang said, sighing. “But maybe don’t grow your nails out? I’ve been wondering why my shoulders have been covered in scratches lately. They hurt like hell.”
He shuddered at the thought. Women with long nails were dangerous, and while the pain was manageable, he dreaded the possibility of getting scratched across the face during an argument and becoming the laughingstock of his friends.
“Long nails look good, though~”
“Remember when you didn’t even want to wear women’s clothes?”
“Times have changed~”
Ning Chu was in high spirits, her tone light and cheerful. She walked with a spring in her step, almost like an elf flitting through the forest.
Holding Wen Yang’s hand, she swung their arms dramatically as if she didn’t care about the stares from passersby.
Although she’d been a woman for a while now, when it came to shopping, she still preferred picking a specific destination and heading straight there.
Today’s destination was the cinema. But as she strolled hand-in-hand with Wen Yang, she suddenly found that casually wandering, browsing street food and clothes, and playing with the occasional passing cat or dog wasn’t so bad.
“Oh, look, a nail salon. I’ve never been to one before.”
She stopped abruptly, staring at a small shop by the roadside.
“You just grew your nails, didn’t you?”
“...”
Hesitating, she looked up at Wen Yang, then down at her delicate fingers.
Without saying anything, Wen Yang took her hand and led her straight to the nail salon.
“What’s there to be shy about?”
“I’m not... I just think it might be too expensive...”
“You’ve already been to lingerie stores. This is nothing.”
Muttering under her breath, Ning Chu said, “If I had to go alone, I wouldn’t dare step inside.”
Despite having adapted to being a woman, she still retained some of the reservations and curiosity from her past life. Places dedicated solely to women’s interests made her feel shy, even things as simple as a hair salon labeled "women’s styling."
She even avoided using public restrooms unless absolutely necessary.
Reluctantly, she let Wen Yang drag her inside, where two enthusiastic attendants immediately greeted them.
Their cheerful chatter went in one ear and out the other as Ning Chu scanned the walls for a price list.
She had heard stories about nail salons charging “however they felt like,” but thankfully, this one had a clear menu displayed, putting her at ease.
“Do her nails,” Wen Yang said, pulling the hesitant Ning Chu from behind him.
“I don’t know what style to choose...”
One of the attendants handed her a booklet full of designs.
Flipping through it in confusion, Ning Chu occasionally held up her fingers to compare, her face a mix of bewilderment and nervousness. Her legs even pressed together instinctively in discomfort.
“This one?” she pointed at a flashy design.
“For that one, we’ll need to attach nail extensions,” the attendant explained.
“What... what’s an extension?” Ning Chu asked, more lost than ever.
She regretted not bringing Lily along ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) for advice. Lily loved this sort of thing and always painted her nails, even during class.
Left with no choice, she turned to Wen Yang, who looked equally clueless. “Which one do you think looks good?”
“They all look fine, I guess?”
“Then let’s just go with the cheapest option!”
