By midday, Ning Chu saw Wang Jie again.
Wang Jie looked utterly drained. His eyes were red-rimmed, his complexion dark and sullen, and his unsteady steps made it seem like he might collapse and die on the spot if he wasn’t careful.
On Mondays, he was always in a sour mood from being "squeezed dry" by his bunny girlfriend, but today was different.
“Didn’t sleep well last night,” Wang Jie said, sitting at his desk and staring blankly at the computer screen. The game on the screen didn’t seem to hold his attention.
“What’s the big deal? Just get rid of it. You’re not seriously planning to keep and raise the baby, are you?” Zhang Shaoqing said nonchalantly, hands stuffed into his pockets as he leaned back.
“She won’t agree.”
“Damn it, women are nothing but trouble!” Zhang muttered.
Wen Yang chimed in, “You should talk to her. Neither of your parents has even met yet—how would you handle having a baby? You can’t afford to raise one.”
Ning Chu stayed out of it. She hadn’t sat at her own desk for a while, and now she looked at the dusty surface. As the conversation carried on, she quietly grabbed some tissues and began wiping off the accumulated dust, her ears perked up to catch the discussion.
“Why is your girlfriend so insistent on keeping it?” someone asked.
Wang Jie ruffled his hair in frustration. “She says it’s too pitiful... When I suggested getting rid of it, she cried and threw a fit. You saw how she was before, didn’t you?”
“Women’s thoughts are beyond me,” Zhang said, turning toward Ning Chu. “Hey, what’s your take on this?”
All eyes turned to Ning Chu, who blinked, clearly taken aback. “Huh?”
“You look like someone who wouldn’t have much insight anyway,” Zhang quipped.
Rolling her eyes, Ning Chu resumed wiping the desk. “Girls tend to be more emotional, you know. Plus, being pregnant makes their emotions run even higher.”
Although Ning Chu agreed that terminating the pregnancy might be the best choice, she could understand Wang Jie’s girlfriend’s perspective to some extent. After all, having lived as a woman for some time now, she had come to notice the physiological and emotional differences between men and women.
Maybe it was the influence of estrogen, but she found herself more emotional, sensitive, and empathetic than before. Sometimes, she couldn’t even control her mood swings. Yet, with her years of experience living as a man, she couldn’t fully transform into a typical woman.
Those changes were minor annoyances at best—nothing compared to the headache of resisting her succubus instincts.
“What do you think he should do?” Wen Yang asked, pulling up a chair and sitting beside Ning Chu.
“At the very least, wait for her to calm down. You can’t convince her in the state she’s in now,” Ning Chu replied.
After some thought, Wen Yang suggested, “Why don’t you head back to be with her for a bit, Wang Jie?”
“I still have class.”
“You’re not in any state of mind to focus on class anyway.”
Ning Chu nodded in agreement. “Exactly. You already skipped two classes this morning—why bother showing up now?”
“I think you’re just avoiding the problem,” she added, pointing her chopsticks at him.
“Exactly! Not manly at all! You didn’t even bother with proper precautions, and now you’re running away from the consequences,” she scolded, her head bobbing emphatically.
Wang Jie stared silently at the game screen, not offering any rebuttal.
Suddenly, two loud knocks on the dorm door interrupted the conversation.
“Delivery!”
“Coming!” Zhang Shaoqing shouted, dashing off to get the food. He glanced at the receipt, and his excitement vanished instantly. Scowling, he plopped the delivery box onto Ning Chu’s desk.
“Yours.”
“Thanks.”
“Damn it! I ordered mine at 11:30, and it’s still not here!” Zhang complained.
Ning Chu happily opened the bag, revealing a steaming plate of stir-fried pork with green peppers over rice, topped with a perfectly fried egg. The aroma wafted through the room.
“Smells good. Where’s it from?” Zhang asked, leaning over. “Let me try a bite?”
“Nope. Get your own.”
“So stingy!”
Ignoring him, Ning Chu mixed the rice with the pork and green peppers and took a big bite. Somehow, food always tasted better in the dorm.
Especially when her roommates sat nearby, hungrily glaring at her while cursing the tardy delivery guy. The delicious food felt even more satisfying.
“Wen Yang, what did you order? How is it not here yet?”
“Same as Zhang. Sour cabbage noodles,” Wen Yang grumbled. “He dragged me into splitting an order for the discount.”
“Let me try it later.”
As Ning Chu ate, she glanced over at Wang Jie. He hadn’t moved and just kept staring at the game screen. His ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) inaction gnawed at her, and she found herself getting restless, wanting to help.
Her meal even started to lose its charm—especially when Zhang’s food finally arrived, filling the air with the rich aroma of beef. She licked her lips in envy.
“Didn’t you and Zhang order from the same place? Why does he get beef rice while you get sour cabbage noodles?” she asked Wen Yang.
“Cheaper,” Wen Yang replied flatly.
“You—go for it!” Wen Yang suddenly smirked, turning to Zhang with a mischievous look.
Zhang protectively clutched his bowl. “No way! There’s barely any beef in here! Get your own if you’re hungry!”
“So stingy!” Ning Chu said, indignant. “I just want one piece to taste!”
“Same goes for you! Wen Yang, stop listening to Ning Chu! Don’t you dare come near me!” Zhang yelled as he shielded his food.
As the chaos unfolded, Wang Jie sighed deeply and spoke up. “Zhang, can I borrow some money?”
The room fell silent.
“How much?” Zhang asked.
Wang Jie hesitated, lowering his voice as his face turned red with embarrassment. “Maybe... two thousand?”
“Two thousand? Is an abortion really that expensive?” Zhang muttered, checking his phone balance. Scratching his head, he admitted, “I don’t have that much cash. I just dropped a few grand on new shoes...”
Deflated, Wang Jie slumped over his desk, holding his phone and contemplating who else he could ask for money.
Wen Yang, seeing this, patted Wang Jie’s shoulder. “Why not borrow from me?”
“You should save your money for Ning Chu. She’s looking thinner and could use a proper meal.”
“Really? Wen Yang, have I lost weight?!” Ning Chu exclaimed, abandoning her food to check herself in the mirror. She poked at her stomach and quickly deflated. “Nope, still the same...”
“That’s just Wang Jie exaggerating. Besides, a little extra weight looks good,” Wen Yang reassured her before turning back to Wang Jie. “I’ll transfer it to you in a bit—two thousand?”
“Where’d you get the money? A sugar mommy?”
“Part-time work over winter break.”
