214. Mom’s Little Boyfriend
“Ning Chu, come here!”
“This outfit looks great on you!”
“What about this dress? Does it look good?”
Suddenly having a shopping mannequin to dress up, Mom’s shopping cravings were off the charts these past couple of days.
Ning Chu’s face scrunched up in agony; her calves were starting to ache. She didn’t want to lug around a heavy suitcase stuffed with clothes when going back to school, nor did she wish to waste time just to buy more outfits.
She’d much rather grab some street food and then hit up an internet café for a couple of hours.
But the real tragedy belonged to Ning Yuan.
She glanced back at her older brother, who was trudging behind, entirely draped in shopping bags. The expression on his face screamed, “Help me!” and she nearly burst out laughing.
Ever since she turned into a girl, she could feel a faint rift growing between them. Even if he didn’t show it outwardly, they had grown up together from childhood, after all.
But the real issue was, breaking down that rift required prolonged periods of heart-to-heart bonding, and if they weren’t careful, they could unwittingly end up in a romcom plotline—disaster!
“Ning Chu!”
“I’m coming, I’m coming~”
Hearing her mother call her again, Ning Chu hurried forward, only to find her Mom had stopped in front of a snack shop.
This little eatery had been around for who knows how long. Every time they visited Grandpa and Grandma in the countryside, Mom would always swing by here for a meal.
That way, Grandma wouldn’t smother them with her hospitality and force them to stay for dinner… Grandma’s favorite dishes were enough to send even Mom running for the hills.
“Ning Yuan, put your stuff down first.”
Having not visited in a while, Ning Chu curiously scanned her surroundings and noted just how different everything was compared to her memories.
Yup, prices have shot up—like more than double the old rate.
That peanut butter mixed noodles used to be only three yuan, now it’s seven!
“So expensive…”
“Everything is pricey now.” Mom, sitting beside Ning Chu, propped her chin on her hand and complained, “Just going to the supermarket nowadays costs a hundred.”
As she spoke, she suddenly turned to Ning Yuan sitting across from them, “When are you going to find a girlfriend? If you don’t get on it, I’ll be setting up blind dates for you before New Year’s.”
Ning Yuan quickly shook his head in protest. “No way, I just started my job over a year ago. How am I supposed to afford a girlfriend?”
“Don’t you have any girls you like at work?”
“Nope, there are no girls in my company.”
He paused, feigning anxiety, “We don’t have a house, a car, or money for dowries—everything is a rush!”
“How does it not have a house? The location is quite good.”
Their place may be old and falling apart, but it’s in the old district, convenient for everything. Supposedly, it was left behind by that jerkwad father of his.
“This house is too shabby. No one’s going to want it.”
Ning Chu loved watching the matchmaking moments unfold, grinning as she observed her brother’s desperate excuses to appease Mom.
But before she knew it, the heat was on her.
“You’re still laughing? You better find a boyfriend soon or else…”
“…”
Ning Chu and Ning Yuan exchanged a glance, and the siblings quickly reached an understanding with their eyes.
Ning Yuan took the lead, “Mom, speaking of us, how about you? You’re still without a boyfriend while both of us are single.”
“Exactly!” Ning Chu chimed in, bobbing her little head up and down.
Mom blinked in surprise, shooting them a scornful look. “Mom’s at this age, what’s the point of finding someone?”
“But Mom, you’re still super pretty! You look like you’re eighteen; there must be loads of guys lined up to chase after you, right?”
“Eighteen, my foot~”
She smiled and ruffled Ning Chu’s hair, retorting, “Ning Yuan, take notes from your brother; if your mouth is this sweet, you won’t have trouble finding a girlfriend!”
In just two days, Mom had yet to adjust to this name change.
The snacks they ordered arrived at the table. She took a few bites, her eyes flickering with thought, and then finally looked up, “Don’t worry about me; I’ll introduce him to you during the New Year…”
Both siblings froze, looking incredulously at their mother’s face, which was flushed like a girl’s.
Whoa! Mom really has a boyfriend on the side!
Ning Chu had suspected all along but was still caught off guard, mouth agape, staring at her mother, “Mom! How old is he?”
“Just over forty.”
Over that…wait, a forty-something uncle?
Immediately, images of a buff, sporty uncle surged into Ning Chu’s mind—someone who could take on a succubus and not break a sweat, mind you.
Mom’s taste in men had to be decent. After all, most people in this world tended to be above average-looking; it couldn’t be just some greasy, chubby fellow.
More likely, he’s some handsome uncle!
Ning Yuan pressed further, “Mom, when did this begin?”
“Probably when Ning Chu was in middle school?”
“How did you even meet?”
“At first, it was online dating…”
“Wow~”
The two siblings were practically bouncing in excitement, bombarding Mom with questions. But after a couple of responses, she flared up, “Eat! What’s with all the questions? You two sound like gossipy aunties!”
“Okay…”
Ning Chu lowered her head again, sneaking a glance at her mother’s now crimson neck.
She’s shy!
Though she was indeed over forty, Mom was a succubus after all! With makeup and a killer figure, she looked like a thirty-something beauty—her bashful demeanor was just too adorable to resist.
Makes you wanna pinch her cheeks~
But alas, she dared not entertain such thoughts—didn’t want to be sent flying.
After lunch, Mom had fully reverted to her usual gentle self. “Really, are you not going to your Grandpa’s house?”
“Let’s skip it; I’m scared Grandpa might have a heart attack from the excitement…”
“It’s not that serious.” Mom picked up her small handbag and waved to the server, continuing, “So, should we head home? You can still get two hours of rest when we get back.”
“Yup! Home!”
Then, turning to Ning Yuan, she asked, “When are you heading out?”
“I’ll leave later, around seven or eight—back to the rental.”
“I think you shouldn’t rent a place outside…”
Ning Yuan sighed in resignation, “Mom, commuting from home takes over an hour. I’d have to leave by seven in the morning just to make it! Plus, with my unpredictable work hours, it’s really pushing it to stay at home.”
“Then find a job closer to home!”
“In this economy? Just having a job is a blessing! You want me to be picky?”
After living under Mom’s thumb for the past twenty years, now that he finally had the means to live independently, he certainly relished the newfound freedom.
On the bus back to the provincial capital, with some free time, Ning Chu immediately pulled out her phone to chat with Wen Yang.
“By the way, I’ll transfer you two thousand yuan in a bit. Remember to secure a rental once I’m back.”
“That’s too much!”
“Not too much. Once your ID arrives in a month, we’ll see if you’re headed for the girls’ dorm or sticking with the rental.”
As Mom leaned in to peek at Ning Chu’s phone screen, Ning Chu hastily swiped to close the chat app.
“Who’s that little handsome guy you’re chatting with?”
Ning Chu shook her head, denying it. “Oh, just asking someone to look at houses for me this afternoon.”
She had already enlisted Wen Yang to help scout and inquire about rental prices. If all went smoothly, she would be able to move into her new rental immediately upon arrival at school.
