202. Mother
Standing in the elevator, Ning Chu hung her head, feeling her heart racing like it was trying to break free from her chest.
Over the years, her mother’s image had blurred in her memory.
She vaguely recalled a frail, tired figure, always busy working hard to support the family, raising her two brothers all on her own…
Desperate to go home, she yearned to reunite with her mother and understand what her mother had gone through all these years.
What would a mother who hadn’t passed away be like?
But then she glanced at her own self, now a girl, and suddenly felt very anxious and uneasy.
Would she be kicked out of the house and yelled at?
Would her mother deny her entirely? Tell her to go fend for herself?
Having raised a son for over a decade or two, only to end up with a daughter—if Ning Chu found herself in that situation, she’d feel lightheaded, to say the least.
The elevator doors opened.
Ning Chu stepped out with trembling legs. Looking up, she saw the chaotic graffiti and advertising flyers plastered on the hallway walls.
Some of that graffiti looked oddly familiar.
She had done it…
Ning Yuan stood at the door, glancing back at his little brother. “Are you sure you don’t want to get a haircut?”
“Nope.”
“If you get yelled at, don’t pin it on me.” He grumbled, using his fingerprint to unlock the electronic door. As soon as the door opened, he shouted inside, “Mom! Ning Chu’s back!”
“Got it.”
A familiar voice came from the direction of the kitchen.
Ning Chu felt her emotions tightening, her nose tingling as she breathed in heavily, and she lowered her head, taking off her shoes and stepping inside the house.
“Slippers.”
Pretending not to hear her brother, she wandered into the house, surveying the 70-square-meter two-bedroom apartment with a sense of nostalgia. It all seemed slightly unfamiliar—the furniture arrangement, the wall full of certificates.
Her gaze instinctively landed on a round table in the corner, where a family photo taken when she was five years old was placed.
The slightly cramped living room, with its striped wooden floor, solid wood sofa, slightly yellowed walls, and warm lighting… everything felt so familiar and cozy.
Ning Chu’s eyes turned red; no matter how hard she tried to hold back, tears began to circle in her eyes.
After a quick glance at the living room, she hurried toward the kitchen.
Just a glimpse of a figure made her heart sink…
How did my frail mom turn into a voluptuous beauty?
“I’ll make you a late-night snack; you must be hungry!”
Upon hearing her footsteps, her mother turned around, her smile freezing on her face, staring in shock at her son.
Wow! A few months without seeing you and your hair has grown so long! And look at how you’re dressed!
Looks like no one’s keeping tabs on you now that you’re in university, huh?
Ning Chu was also stunned.
She stared blankly at the beautiful woman in the kitchen, that familiar yet strange face suddenly blending with the blurry image from her memory of years past.
It’s Mom…
As soon as she confirmed that, tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably.
Thinking back on the experiences of the past few months—turning into a girl, becoming a succubus, desperately trying to mess up the plot, nervously being on high alert about everything around her… it was all worth it.
Injustice, heartache, joy… too many emotions surged to her head, leaving her mind blank.
Without thinking, she rushed forward and leaped into her mother’s embrace.
Burying her head against her mother’s shoulder, she choked out softly, “Mom…”
Her mother swallowed the reprimand she was about to give, anxiously rubbing Ning Chu’s back to soothe her and gently asked, “What’s wrong? Did university treat you unfairly?”
“Can’t even celebrate a birthday without crying like a kid. Aren’t you afraid your brother will laugh at you?”
Not quite grasping the situation, her mother looked up at Ning Yuan, but he merely shook his head in confusion.
“What’s going on? Tell Mom.” She gently stroked the back of Ning Chu’s head, consoling her, “It’s okay. Mom and your brother are here. Just say what’s bothering you.”
Ning Chu sobbed wordlessly, her throat dry from crying, her face a mess of snot and tears.
She relished her mother’s embrace, feeling her warmth, listening to her soothing voice…
She was home.
In that moment, she found her roots in this world, right where her mother was.
She raised her tear-filled eyes, scrutinizing her mother’s face.
Her mother’s delicate features weren’t frail at all; instead, she looked healthy and vibrant, her cheeks plump and filled with collagen, her skin smooth and glowing, with just a hint of fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, which mirrored the same peach blossom eyes she inherited, now filled with concern.
Mom here is doing great~
Even knowing that the mother in front of her and the deceased one were not truly the same person, Ning Chu preferred to believe that after her mother’s passing, she found happiness in the world she had created.
Too bad it’s a Little Emperor Wen…
Her mother cupped Ning Chu’s face, gently wiping away her tears with her thumb, and asked helplessly, “Why are you crying so badly as soon as you get back? What’s going on?”
Ning Chu calmed down a bit, letting go of her mother’s waist, and while wiping her tears with a tissue, her head started to spin thinking about how to explain why she had cried so dramatically moments ago.
“It’s been a few months since we last met, and now I look like a girl.”
Her mother tried to lighten the mood with a teasing tone, saying, “Did you get yourself a boyfriend while you were away?”
However, Ning Chu stiffened up, suddenly feeling anxious.
How did she guess it so accurately!
“Mom, let’s talk in the bedroom…”
“What’s wrong with talking here?”
“……”
She grabbed her mother’s wrist, pulling her toward the bedroom, with Ning Yuan curiously following behind them, until he was “bang!” shut out of the bedroom.
“Now can we talk?” Her mother sat on the edge of the bed, looking at her son’s red eyes. “If you’ve been feeling so wronged, why didn’t you tell me when you called?”
Though puzzled by why her son had transformed into such an alluring girl, she set aside her questions, considering Ning Chu’s feelings.
Ning Chu kept her head down, her face gradually flushing, and silently slipped off her coat, revealing a small mound that had been hidden.
Her mother’s gaze quickly caught the change, and she gasped, covering her mouth in shock.
Her hands paused, turned away, and lifted the hem of her top to reveal a tiny tattoo.
Only then did she stammer, “Mom… I… I turned into a girl.”
“I’m a… succubus… too…”
Now her mother understood why her son had felt so wronged.
No wonder she had been crying her heart out!
So, she had become a daughter…
Her mother was momentarily speechless, staring blankly at her newly transformed daughter.
A chest about the size of a small apple, a slender waist, a shapely rear—after just a few months, she looked almost like an ordinary 14 or 15-year-old girl.
And that silver ribbon…
After what felt like an eternity of silence from her mother, Ning Chu felt even more anxious. She stood there awkwardly, unsure whether to elaborate on her situation or just await her fate.
Her mother let out a heavy sigh, sending Ning Chu’s heart plummeting.
Before she could think of a rebuttal, her mother gently pulled her into an embrace.
“It’s okay, I don’t blame you.”
The tension in her body melted away as she felt her mother’s comfort and softly replied, “Mm.”
