363. Worrying Grandma
12/21
It’s rare for the house to be this lively.
Grandma was chatting with Mom about small talk and Uncle, while Grandpa held Black Bean in his arms, both of them engrossed in a cartoon. Ning Chu and Wen Yang were huddled together on the sofa, whispering like conspirators.
Only Ning Yuan, the ultimate couch potato, typical of his usual big-brother-like nagging toward Ning Chu, had now retreated to his room—playing on his mobile phone or gaming, who knows.
God knows when this guy will manage to bring home a sister-in-law. Ning Chu didn’t even require her to be Lily or one of her other friends; she just hoped for a warm body.
Even if it turned out to be a guy…
Ever since her transformation, she had become much more open-minded about such matters.
“Your grandpa doesn’t seem too hard to get along with,” Wen Yang leaned closer to Ning Chu and whispered in her ear.
Her delicate ears turned red at a visible rate; after becoming a succubus, she had developed sensitive areas all over her body, but her ears were especially responsive.
Ning Chu, not daring to embarrass herself in front of the elders, smartly scooted a bit away from Wen Yang and replied, “Yeah, he’s pretty easygoing. Grandpa even uses A Station!”
“Grandma is fine except for her obsession with pinching faces. I’ve seen pictures of her when she was younger, and she was beautiful~”
Though Ning Chu couldn’t be sure if this parallel world’s grandma was any prettier back then. With that succubus enhancement, she probably could have been a stunner.
Ning Chu leaned against the armrest of the sofa, gazing at Black Bean curled up in Grandpa’s embrace, unsurely adding, “Um, I suppose?”
“Then why don’t you visit them?”
“I’m not refusing to see them… I just don’t want to run into those relatives.” She frowned, the thought making her slightly nauseous.
Maybe it was because Grandpa’s family was so well-off, but there was no warmth among her relatives—only greed glaring back at her.
When her mother had passed away, if it weren’t for Grandpa and Grandma protecting them, she and her brother would probably have been left homeless.
Fortunately, Mom was still alive here, and those relatives at least kept up a facade of kindness. Even so, she had no desire to plaster a polite smile on her face for them.
Seeing the disgust on her face, Wen Yang wisely dropped the topic.
“Ning Chu, how about we go out to eat tonight?” Grandpa turned his head to inquire.
“Okay!” Black Bean was the first to raise her hand high.
Grandpa pinched Black Bean’s chubby cheeks and chuckled, “I won’t let you starve; all you do is eat every day.”
Despite not being bl**d-related, Black Bean had still charmed this old man with her cuteness.
“When does school start?”
“January 16th, still half a month away.”
Grandpa nodded and reached into his oversized jacket pocket, pulling out a hundred yuan bill.
“Here, your New Year’s money.”
Ning Chu froze for a moment and instinctively reached to grab it but then held back, “I’m already eighteen! Am I still getting New Year’s money?”
“It’s from me and your grandma; fifty each. Once you get married, that’s it.” Grandpa looked up with a grin, “What? You think it’s too little?”
“Not really.”
New Year’s money had always been that amount since she was little. This year, she even got two hundred yuan combining Mom’s and Uncle’s contributions.
Black Bean, on the other hand, was clearly not going to miss out: “What about mine?”
“Yours won’t be missing.”
She grabbed the money, suddenly jumping up, gleefully waving her cash like a trophy while running to show Mom: “Mom! Grandpa gave me money! A hundred yuan!”
“Come here, Mama will keep it safe for you, and when you grow up, I’ll give it back…”
“Okay!”
Wen Yang also received his share of New Year’s money or perhaps a greet gift, even though it was his first time meeting Grandpa.
“Be nicer to Ning Chu; don’t end up like her father.”
His head was nodding vigorously: “I definitely won’t.”
Grandpa gave him a slightly skeptical glance but didn’t say much else, getting up to head outside for a smoke.
“After what happened with my mom, I kind of have PTSD~” Ning Chu murmured, watching Grandpa’s back.
“That’s understandable…”
Uncle’s situation was also moving along smoothly. Grandpa and Grandma knew Mom’s nature; even if they didn’t like Uncle, they couldn’t stop her from wanting to do what she wished, just like back in the day.
Unlike Grandpa, who seemed indifferent, Grandma had thoroughly checked Uncle’s household registration and seemed quite satisfied based on her expression.
“When are you getting married?”
Ning Chu eagerly popped over to watch the drama unfold, noticing Grandma’s inquiry, instantly turning to look at Mom.
“It’s been six or seven years, right? It’s about time to get married.”
Uncle looked at Mom with the same hopeful expression.
However, Mom frowned, seemingly averse, and looked away as she said, “I haven’t even divorced yet. What’s there to marry?”
“Don’t wait until Ning Chu gets married, and your situation is still unresolved.”
Ning Chu nodded eagerly: “Exactly.”
Mom shot Ning Chu an annoyed glance before putting on a stern face and shrugging indifferently, “It’s too much hassle; one lawsuit takes six months…”
“How can that be too much trouble?”
“Two people together is fine; marriage is just a piece of paper; it’s all the same.”
“Are you silly?”
Grandma immediately got anxious, lowered her voice, and leaned in to persuade Mom, but she remained unmoved, firmly insisting on her viewpoint.
“No need, too troublesome.”
Ning Chu sat with her chin resting on her hands, glancing at Uncle from time to time.
She didn’t quite get Mom’s thoughts; getting married at least ensured that if things went south, she’d still get half of any shared assets, not ending up like a free nanny.
But as long as one had enough shamelessness, marriage really didn’t make much of a difference.
Like that deadbeat who vanished without a trace…
Feeling a bit annoyed by Grandma’s urging, Mom turned her gaze toward Black Bean: “Ning Xin, want to go shopping?”
“Now? Let’s go!”
“Yeah, I remember I bought a new outfit. It should be worn on the first day of the New Year.”
Mom got up and pulled Black Bean toward the bedroom, “Just don’t burn any holes in it with fireworks, or you won’t get any meat.”
“I’m just curious…”
“Curious? Then ask! What’s the point of having a mouth?”
“To eat!”
Seeing her attitude, Grandma sighed, accustomed to it, and turned to Ning Chu: “If you have the time, try to persuade her.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Ah Juan has always been like this since she was little…” Grandma complained, then turned to face Uncle, who was sitting aside, “You’ve known her for six or seven years now; you should know her temperament, be patient with her.”
“I’m used to it by now.”
Grandma nodded. After a lesson learned, this time the man her daughter picked wasn’t too bad.
He wasn’t overly handsome, was obedient to her daughter, and appeared relatively honest, had a small business, and at nearly middle age, was solid as a bear, with visible muscle definition.
Six or seven years, and he hadn’t been drained dry…
That was quite an achievement with a succubus in her forties, fiery and ready.
Grandma’s attention shifted to Wen Yang, who was nearing six feet tall, lean but muscular, full of youthful energy. Then she glanced back at Ning Chu, who only reached five feet tall, with a waist that could be encircled by one hand, looking fragile.
Standing together, she could barely reach Wen Yang’s shoulder.
She couldn’t help but worry about her granddaughter…
