As the night crept in, darkness enveloped everything, leaving no trace of daylight behind.
The folding table was a disaster zone, and most of the ingredients from the hot pot had vanished courtesy of Wen Yang and Yan Xinya, devoured with reckless abandon.
Ning Chu, with a modest appetite, hadn’t eaten much. She took a sip of cola and suddenly asked, “What time is it?”
Originally, she had planned to keep two girls around until late, at least past ten. By then, both she and Wen Yang would be sleepy, collapsing into bed without having to worry about any awkward male-female situations arising.
But the situation had changed!
God knows what kind of trouble Lily, the succubus, might stir up! Especially since she had just gone through her “renewal,” her body would be super sensitive, and her mind was probably filled with all sorts of… adult thoughts.
“It’s seven o’clock.” Yan Xinya lazily glanced at the clock and replied.
“So late~”
Wolf Girl rested her arms on her thighs, thoroughly entertained by the movie: “No way, it’s only seven!”
“……”
Ning Chu was at a loss for words. She had been good at setting up scenarios between her and Wen Yang, how come now she seemed so clueless?
After a moment of silence, she stood up and said, “I’m going to wash the pot; you can take it with you later.”
“Take it where?!”
What?! Are you planning to stay overnight in the boys’ dorm with Lily?!
As she picked up the pot, she shot a skeptical glance at Yan Xinya.
“Why don’t we just crash here? You sleep with Wen Yang, and I’ll sleep with Lily in your bed~”
What a rotten idea!
Ning Chu’s fair cheeks turned slightly pink as she glared fiercely at Wolf Girl, finally reaching her breaking point: “Get out of here!”
The whole reason she called Yan Xinya and Lily over was to avoid any awkward moments between a lone man and woman — not to be coaxed into bed with Wen Yang!
That’s way too risky!
“No way! The movie isn’t over yet!”
“Scram, scram, scram!”
She glanced at Wen Yang, only to find him with a look of utter anticipation. With a mix of embarrassment and annoyance, she shot him another glare.
Ning Chu carried the pot to the balcony. As soon as she set it in the washbasin and glanced around the pitch black balcony, flashes from creepy scenes in horror movies invaded her mind, causing her heart to race. In a panic, she hurried back into the dorm and flipped on the balcony lights.
The outside was bright as day, the fluorescent lights illuminating most corners, allowing her to breathe easy and return to the balcony for pot-washing.
There was no dish soap in the dorm, so she simply rinsed it with water, just enough to make it look decent.
Not long after, Ning Chu returned to the dorm: “It’s washed! You guys should head back now.”
“No! At least wait for me to finish watching the horror movie!”
“Watch a ghost! Move over, I still need to clean the table.”
“Exactly! Aren’t we watching ghosts in a horror movie?!”
She busily gathered the leftover garbage from the table with a cloth and glanced at the movie’s progress bar, realizing it was almost done.
Perfect timing to take a shower.
If it were just a boy and a girl situation, she might have some hesitations about showering, but with others around, Wen Yang, the shy little virgin, wouldn’t dare pull anything on her!
The only concern was that Yan Xinya might actually egg him on…
“Wen Yang, could you sweep the floor?”
Ning Chu instructed before hastily grabbing her change of clothes and disappearing into the bathroom.
Moments later, the sound of running water echoed from inside. Yan Xinya’s wolf ears perked up as she cast a teasing glance at the sweeping Wen Yang.
“Ning Chu is taking a shower~”
“I know.”
“She’s completely n*ked~”
“……”
With a sigh of resignation, Wen Yang replied, “I’m not that kind of person.”
Peeping? He wouldn’t dream of it. Given the way things were going, Ning Chu would practically serve herself up on a platter soon enough.
“So lame,” Yan Xinya pouted, her disappointment evident. Then, her eyes sparkled with excitement as she gazed at Wen Yang, “So tell me! How far have you and Ning Chu progressed?!”
“Uh…”
Wen Yang looked up, only to find Lily, who was usually quiet, gazing at him with wide, nosy eyes.
Is this something you can talk about?!
He scratched his head, delicately responding, “We just got started.”
“Did you confess to her again?!”
“Ah?”
He froze for a moment: “Is that really necessary?”
Haven’t they already started dating? Do they need to confess again?
“Why are you so straightforward? Even if you have started dating, you should follow the process! Make it a bit romantic!”
Romantic…
To be honest, the moment he heard that word, Wen Yang’s mind went blank. He couldn’t even picture what a romantic scene would look like.
This was a big gap in his knowledge.
Yan Xinya facepalmed in frustration, about to launch into an extensive lecture on how to date, when suddenly, the bathroom door swung open.
Ning Chu emerged, sporting loose short sleeves and shorts, drying her hair as she walked in.
“Only five minutes in? I’ve never seen a girl shower this quickly.”
“You’ve finished the movie too, right?”
Yan Xinya turned to the screen, just in time to see the credits rolling, which left her no excuse to stick around. With teary eyes, she started to act pitiful.
“Get out!”
Ning Chu packed the electric stove and pot into a bag, nudging Yan Xinya’s shoulder insistently, shoving her towards the door: “Time to go! Lily, you come out too! You girls shouldn’t linger in the boys’ dorm for so long!”
“You’ve been here for over two months too!”
Ning Chu quickly covered Yan Xinya’s mouth, casting a wary glance down the hallway, and whispered, “Don’t say that! What if someone hears?!”
“Woof~”
“Shoo!”
With the door shut, at last, the noisy Wolf Girl was gone.
Ning Chu glanced at the window, where Yan Xinya was still peering in like a dog locked out of playtime.
“Is it really okay? Forcibly sending them away like this…”
“Absolutely, Yan Xinya’s too carefree.”
Having spent enough time together, Ning Chu had long figured out Yan Xinya’s carefree and silly personality.
She stretched, switched off the lights, yawned, and climbed into bed: “I’m going to sleep now, don’t bother me.”
“So early?”
“Yep!”
The sooner she got into bed, the less likely Wen Yang would try anything funny with her!
Even if she had made her intentions clear, she wasn’t about to just give herself away.
The very thought sent her into a panicked frenzy; it felt distressingly overwhelming.
Maybe she’d find a chance to explain things to Wen Yang someday, with an excuse like: her family has conservative views that won’t allow her to engage in premarital… activities?
Currently, Wen Yang respected her wishes. If there came a day he didn’t… well, that would just mean he really was just after her body.
At the very least, she could stall things until graduation, right? After graduation, he could start demanding a house and car, which could buy her a few more years!
Having skipped her afternoon nap, Ning Chu initially thought she wouldn’t feel sleepy that early. But as soon as she lay down, drowsiness swept over her like a wave.
Yawning, she closed her eyes, only for unsettling images from the horror movie to invade her mind. She couldn’t help but call out, “Wen Yang?”
“Here, what’s up?”
“It’s all Yan Xinya’s fault, making me watch a horror movie… it’s messing with my sleep.”
Wen Yang climbed onto her bed, sitting at the foot and looking down at her—seemingly small and trembling in the enveloping darkness.
He gently grasped her little hand in his palm.
“Just sleep.”
“Mm…”
