307. Return Home
“I had a nightmare last night where the Ferris wheel suddenly broke down, and I got stuck in the sky…”
“And then the wind blew, and the cabin fell!”
“What happened next?”
“It scared me awake…”
At noon, sitting in the waiting area of the train station, Ning Chu mumbled, still feeling the shivers, “I’m never going to an amusement park again. A carousel is much more my speed.”
After getting off the Ferris wheel yesterday, her legs were like jelly, and she completely slumped into Wen Yang’s arms, making him carry her away like a sack of potatoes.
She thought it would be a fun trip to the amusement park; instead, she was left terrified.
“It was just a dream,” Wen Yang noticed she was still lost in that scary thought, and quickly switched topics. “I haven’t seen Black Bean in ages. I wonder if she’s put on weight.”
Thinking of the Little Catgirl, a smile appeared in Ning Chu’s eyes. “With how much she loves to eat, she must be as fat as a pig by now.”
Even though they occasionally video chatted with Black Bean, ever since she learned how to use beauty filters, that cat looked weirder than ever in videos.
“She also loves to nap; if you don’t wake her, she could sleep all day. If she were more like Xinya, always making a racket and running around, I bet she wouldn’t be that fat.”
She mumbled, glancing down at her phone. “By the way, didn’t Shao Qing say he was running away from home to work with you during winter break? Where is he?”
Wen Yang pretended to be heartbroken, sighing dramatically. “That j*rk! As soon as he has a crush, he forgets about me.”
“Totally a j*rk! Can’t even walk straight when he sees a pretty girl!” Ning Chu tapped her head curiously. “He’s not planning to tag along with Teacher Qian this winter break, is he? Wherever Qian Qian goes, he follows? What’s the difference between that and being a pervert?”
With Zhang Shaoqing’s personality, he really could pull off something like that.
“Nope, while you were crying on the Ferris wheel yesterday, he texted me saying his mom caught him and demanded to be rescued.”
“I did not cry!”
Ning Chu shot a glare at Wen Yang. “So he’s stuck at home now?”
“Probably?”
“With a mom that controlling… he’ll go crazy sooner or later,” she complained. “My mom used to be pretty controlling too, but she had to work to support the family. No time to keep tabs on me.”
Zhang Shaoqing’s mother, on the other hand, was wealthy and idle, meaning her control could be exerted on him without any limits. How terrifying~
Wen Yang’s expression darkened a bit as he forced a smile, replying, “From what I’ve seen, your mom doesn’t seem that hard to deal with.”
“Well, she has a little boyfriend now~ My brother can also earn a living, so with less pressure, her temper has improved.”
Ning Chu looked up at Wen Yang and noticed his smile had faded; his eyes, usually warm and gentle towards her, now held an unexplainable emotion.
She paused, suddenly realizing that Wen Yang didn’t have parents—his entire existence depended on the help of poor relatives.
Usually, Wen Yang acted so normal, his gentle and kind demeanor made it hard to feel the weight of his family’s misfortune.
“Time to check tickets.” Ning Chu stood up, not wanting to continue that conversation. “Let’s swing by my house first after we arrive. We can look for a place for you this afternoon.”
“My place is too small; otherwise, I could save on rent.”
Stretching, she grabbed her little suitcase and looked toward the electronic screen in the distance.
She didn’t even know how Wen Yang’s parents had passed away… the novel didn’t go into that much detail, just casually mentioning he was orphaned.
If she had known the Male Protagonist from “Little Emperor Wen” would end up as her boyfriend, she would have made Wen Yang even more perfect—like a rich heir from a happy family…
“How much is rent around your place?”
“Oh, near mine? That’s downtown; a one-bedroom is probably over a thousand bucks…”
“Then I’ll just rent a garage.”
“Not a chance, it’s very strict.”
Wen Yang worriedly followed Ning Chu with his suitcase. “I don’t want to live too far away, otherwise finding work or visiting you will be a hassle.”
If he weren’t planning to hang out with Ning Chu during his downtime, his best bet would be to work at a factory in the suburbs, where they usually provided meals and accommodation. It could be exhausting, but the pay was decent.
He’d been there during high school and could handle the boring factory life.
“Um… you should check some rental apps first.”
Ning Chu hoped the place Wen Yang rented would be close to her, so this guy wouldn’t wander off and attract the attention of female supporting characters.
She mentally flipped through the plot concerning part-time work in “Little Emperor Wen.”
There was a situation where someone couldn’t pay rent, and the desperate landlord tricked them into working off the rent. There was a scene where a rich girl was caught by security while indulging in some risqué games during her night shift at the KTV…
It was a minefield everywhere!
Part-time jobs were manageable. Even if the scenarios in the plot happened, working for a day or two wouldn’t necessarily trigger a storyline, but winter break work was full-time.
Feeling heavy-hearted, she got on the train, resting her head on Wen Yang’s shoulder, desperately thinking of a job unrelated to the plot.
Hopefully, something that didn’t require working.
Although Wen Yang had excellent self-management skills, being a succubus and needing to release his urges from time to time was already quite the challenge. Add in the plot punishment, and he might end up in trouble two or three times a day.
That would be at home, with a mother, sister, and brother around—not in a rental apartment where it was just the two of them!
“The rent near your place is quite expensive…” Wen Yang browsed through the rental app, rubbing his nose in frustration. “It’s like thousands everywhere.”
“It’s fine; if we can’t find a place today, we’ll just use my living room as a mattress.”
“But your mom…”
“That makes it even better! Let Black Bean have a little cry and throw a fit~”
Ning Chu leaned her head on Wen Yang’s shoulder, complaining, “It’s all your fault! I usually fall asleep the moment I ride the train, but now I feel so alert.”
Wen Yang looked bewildered. “Weren’t you the one who… initiated things last night? How is this my fault?”
With passengers behind him, he lowered his voice, swapping out his unrefined word choice.
“Or else what?!” Ning Chu’s voice was weak as a mosquito, turning her blushing face to look out the window. “There are still so many…”
Realistically, a normal person would only manage to do half a bottle’s worth.
But Wen Yang was anything but normal! He was the Male Protagonist!
Wen Yang awkwardly scratched his head. “Before going to your house, I should grab some fruit and milk. What does your mom like?”
“Uh… jewelry?”
“Too expensive.”
“Then just fruit and milk will do, and get some pork snacks for Black Bean.”
Ning Chu gazed out at the scenery, mumbling, “For now, we’ll make do without money. Later, when I’m rich, I’ll throw a stack of cash in my mom’s face! Show her who’s boss!”
“A filial daughter and her loving mother.”
“I’m just saying that casually.” She worried a bit, “If my mom doesn’t warm up to you, just tolerate it a bit…”
“Don’t worry, that’s my future mother-in-law.”
