On Monday, about ten minutes before class, a couple was leisurely making their way up the stairs to the fourth floor of the academic building.
As they reached the corridor, a loud and cheerful voice startled Ning Chu, making her jump.
“Ning Chu~!”
The wolf-eared girl, Yan Xinya, bounded toward her, tail wagging furiously as she tried to pounce into Ning Chu’s arms. But before she could succeed, a hand firmly pressed against her face, stopping her in her tracks.
“You’re the only one with this much energy every single day.”
“Not really~” Yan Xinya managed to peel the delicate hand off her face, but her gaze froze in place.
Ning Chu immediately straightened her posture, proudly showing off her freshly manicured nails, a satisfied grin spreading across her face. “Aren’t they pretty? Wen Yang treated me to a manicure!”
“His money is basically your money, isn’t it?”
“Well, you’re not wrong~”
Yan Xinya was taken aback. It was rare to see such feminine touches on Ning Chu, who used to refuse even carrying a purse, instead opting to hang things off Wen Yang’s neck.
“So? Do they look good?”
The wolf girl twitched her large ears and tilted her head. “Hmm, not bad?”
“Right? I think so too!”
“Morning.”
Lily approached the group with her usual blank expression, giving a casual greeting before attempting to walk past them.
“Lily, how did you know I got my nails done?”
“???”
“Wen Yang took me! Look!”
Lily stared at her blankly, tilting her head slightly in confusion. Was this something worth bragging about? Ning Chu was acting like a child showing off a new toy.
“Pretty, right?” Ning Chu insisted, pushing her hand in front of Lily, her face full of smug pride.
Lily grabbed her hand, scrutinizing it carefully. After a moment, she coldly stated, “It’s okay.”
Ning Chu’s smile faltered as she pulled her hand back, muttering to herself, “I think it’s nice...”
“There’s still dead skin,” Lily added bluntly.
Hearing Lily’s unfiltered critique, Yan Xinya leaned in for a closer look and chimed in. “She’s right. The dead skin wasn’t cleaned properly, and you’ve got hangnails on your index finger. The cuticle work is sloppy too. How much did you pay for this? It’s not professional at all. Lily’s work is way better.”
“...”
Ning Chu slumped forward, burying her face in her arms as she leaned against the corridor railing, radiating an aura of defeat. Wen Yang, amused, patted her head gently.
“It’s normal to get scammed the first time. As long as you like it, that’s what matters.”
“Mm...”
Wen Yang couldn’t help but feel that Lily was a bit too blunt. His little succubus had been in such a great mood earlier, but now her spirits were thoroughly dampened.
He even suspected that Lily and Ning Chu were secretly competing, though their daily interactions seemed perfectly amicable.
Seeing Ning Chu sulking silently, Lily finally spoke up, her face still expressionless. “Come to my dorm after class.”
“What for?”
“I’ll redo them for you.”
Ning Chu perked up, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Will you charge me?”
“Let’s just get through class first.”
Ning Chu immediately latched onto Lily’s arm, thrusting her hand forward eagerly. “What color do you think would suit me? What style would look best?”
“Something sparkly would be nice! But it might be too flashy for everyday wear,” Ning Chu mused.
“Something with extensions?” Yan Xinya joined the discussion. “I like those too!”
As the girls chatted animatedly in the hallway, Wen Yang quietly slipped into the classroom.
To his surprise, the first thing he noticed was Zhang Shaoqing, already seated. This shameless guy usually skipped class or showed up just in time, but he had somehow beaten Wen Yang to the classroom today.
“You’re early?” Wen Yang asked as he sat beside him, placing his books on the desk and flipping them open.
“You’re here? Where’s Ning Chu?”
“She’s chatting outside.”
Wen Yang noticed an unusual expression on Zhang Shaoqing’s face. Curious, he asked, “What’s wrong? Something happen at home again?”
“Nothing at home...” Zhang Shaoqing hesitated before continuing. “On Saturday, I drove Wang Jie to see his girlfriend.”
Zhang Shaoqing had a habit of calling girlfriends “wives,” which Wen Yang found a bit childish.
“And you didn’t snap a photo to share in the group chat like you said you would.”
Scratching his head, Zhang Shaoqing confessed, “Well, Wang Jie’s girlfriend is pregnant...”
“!!!”
Wen Yang’s jaw dropped, utterly dumbfounded. “Pregnant? Isn’t his girlfriend only eighteen or nineteen?”
He struggled to reconcile the image of their honest and straightforward friend Wang Jie with someone who had gotten his girlfriend pregnant before marriage.
“Yeah, I even stayed with them at the hospital for half the day.”
Propping his chin on one hand, Zhang Shaoqing’s expression turned gleeful. “You wouldn’t believe ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ it—Wang Jie’s girlfriend is a bunny! Her ears are so long! She’s only about 150 cm tall, but with the ears, she’s probably 170 cm! No wonder Wang Jie’s always so exhausted—he can barely walk straight! Apparently, she was the one who made the first move. Typical bunny.”
Wen Yang blinked in confusion. “Didn’t Wang Jie show us a photo of her before?”
“She was wearing a hat then. And yeah, she did look a bit plain and shy.”
“What are you talking about?”
Ning Chu had finally wandered into the classroom with her friends, plopping into the seat beside Wen Yang and perking up her ears. “What’s plain?”
“Oh, you’re here? Perfect. Give us your opinion.”
“Huh?”
“Wang Jie’s girlfriend is pregnant. Should they keep the baby or not?”
“???”
Ning Chu stared at Zhang Shaoqing in utter confusion. “What?”
“Wang Jie’s still at his girlfriend’s place, agonizing over whether to keep the baby,” Zhang Shaoqing explained, lounging in his chair with his legs crossed. “If it were me, I’d suggest terminating it. If money’s an issue, I’d even lend him some. Better than having a kid while still in school.”
“...”
Ning Chu’s brain struggled to process the news.
She’d always assumed that, as a succubus, her own chances of an accidental pregnancy would be much higher. Who’d have thought Wang Jie’s girlfriend would beat her to it?
Did Wang Jie never use protection?!
“It’s really up to him,” Wen Yang muttered, rubbing his temples. If he put himself in Wang Jie’s shoes, he couldn’t imagine what he’d do either. Thankfully, both he and Ning Chu were careful about contraception.
“He’s scared to tell his parents,” Zhang Shaoqing added gleefully. “Can you imagine? Getting someone’s daughter pregnant without even meeting her parents first—if I were her dad, I’d break his legs.”
Wen Yang shuddered, his legs aching in phantom sympathy. “Fair point.”
“Even if they met her parents, he’d probably still get his legs broken.”
“Secretly terminate it, then?”
“Wang Jie’s girlfriend doesn’t want to.”
“Have the baby, then...”
“They’re not married and can’t afford it.”
Rolling his eyes, Wen Yang asked, “So what does he want to do?”
“No idea. That’s why he’s asking us for advice,” Zhang Shaoqing replied with a grin.
