Chapter 036: The Nap Club
Wen Yang thought there might be something wrong with him.
Or maybe there was something wrong with Ning Chu.
Could it be that since school started, always hanging around with Ning Chu had made him feel like her little sidekick? Doing anything against Ning Chu’s wishes gave him a weird pang of guilt and made him feel all squirmy inside.
“Wen Yang! Help me grab lunch! I’ll go upstairs to check on Black Bean first!”
Just moments after the military training ended, Ning Chu, who had been looking like she might pass out just seconds ago, darted past Wen Yang like a gust of wind and sprinted out of the track field.
Wen Yang stood frozen in place, taking off his cap and muttering under his breath: “She’s not going to the cafeteria with me today, huh?”
“Shao Qing, going to the cafeteria?”
“I’ve already ordered takeout with Wang Jie.”
“Alright.”
Used to eating with Ning Chu, used to having a shadow trailing behind him everywhere, Wen Yang suddenly felt a tinge of loneliness as he made his way to the cafeteria alone. Plus, without Ning Chu around, he’d have no idea how to fend off girls who might hit on him.
Wen Yang trudged toward the cafeteria with his hands in his pockets, reminiscing about Ning Chu’s usual food orders while calculating how to stretch the little money he had left for the rest of the week. He knew he had been spending more than he should—despite trying to save, having disposable income for the first time in college was hard to resist.
The cafeteria was as bustling as ever after the military training ended. A sea of students in combat uniforms lined up at the serving windows. Wen Yang grabbed a meal by himself and found a quiet corner to sit down.
A dish of green pepper and shredded meat, a bowl of rice topped with soup.
“Ning Chu usually gets some scrambled eggs with tomatoes, doesn’t she?”
“What to bring the cat… maybe some snacks…”
He was mumbling to himself when a waft of perfume caught his attention. A girl with a bright smile sat down beside him. Wen Yang didn’t even need to look up—he recognized the artificial, overwhelming scent immediately. It wasn’t Ning Chu.
“Wen Yang~ our club is amazing! Once the freshmen’s military training is over, we plan to rent a villa on weekends for club events! And a lot of pretty girls will be there!”
From the moment the university’s club fair started last week, this girl had somehow gotten hold of his contact info and wouldn’t stop pestering him online to join their club. Today, she had shown up in person.
Wen Yang actually wasn’t against joining a university club, but the “Nap Club” just sounded… well, not serious enough.
“I don’t really have much interest in clubs,” he replied politely again, “plus, I’m not fond of events or parties.”
“Social gatherings are important! College isn’t just about studying, it’s also about expanding your social circle. Those connections you make now will be useful in the future, right? Plus, it’s not like you want to stay glued to your dorm room all weekend. Joining the club gives you a chance to get out, meet new people, and gain some experience!”
Wen Yang knew the girl had a point, and his expression started wavering. But as he rubbed his temples in frustration, he sighed and said, “Why do you keep targeting me? There are so many freshmen who haven’t joined a club yet.”
“Our Nap Club just started this year, and we’re severely understaffed! We really need you!”
Did club activities involve finding serene afternoons where groups of people lie around on the grass or nap together? Were these villa parties going to be about just, well, lying around and sleeping? Wen Yang couldn’t understand what the appeal of this particular club even was.
“How many people are already in the club?” he asked.
“Five! All girls! We’ve invited more, so there should be around ten or so by the time!”
Are girls really this obsessed with sleeping these days?
“Alright, alright, leave me alone,” Wen Yang sighed in exasperation as he watched the girl beam with excitement and hope. “I’m trying to eat here.”
“Great! Don’t forget the gathering this weekend!”
“…”
As the girl skipped off triumphantly, Wen Yang’s lips twitched. He couldn’t fathom why people were so determined about this.
After finishing his meal, he grabbed a takeaway for Ning Chu, along with a box of goat milk and a boiled egg for Black Bean.
When he opened the dorm room door and turned around, he spotted Ning Chu in the corner, crouching down and cooing at their cat.
“Black Bean~ Black Bean? Can you acknowledge me already?”
Even though this guy was already small and wiry compared to the average guy, when he squatted, he looked even tinier. It made Wen Yang instinctively slow down his steps as if one wrong move would crush Ning Chu.
“Here’s your lunch.”
At the sound of Wen Yang’s voice, Ning Chu finally realized he was back. He looked up with a grin, asking, “Did you buy me a bunch of food I don’t even like?”
“No, it’s all stuff I think you like.”
Pushing himself up from his crouched position with a smile, Ning Chu approached Wen Yang eagerly, reaching for the takeaway box in his hands—only to pause mid-step, furrowing his brow and sniffing the air. Wen Yang’s expression froze. Ning Chu stared at him suspiciously, nose twitching as he leaned closer and caught a faint whiff of perfume on Wen Yang’s sleeve.
“…”
Wen Yang backed up in panic, pressing himself against the dorm door, cornered and unable to escape. But Ning Chu was relentless, practically sticking his nose against Wen Yang’s collar like a curious cat sniffing its prey.
“Whoa! While I was in the bathroom, you sure didn’t waste any time, huh?” Zhang Shaoqing walked in from the balcony, spotting Ning Chu pinning Wen Yang against the wall.
“It’s not what you think! His perfume reeks! Super strong!” Ning Chu huffed, wrinkling his nose. “It smells like sweat mixed with cheap perfume—it’s revolting!”
“Is that so?”
“Don’t believe me? Give it a try!”
“Can it really smell that bad?”
Zhang Shaoqing’s interest was piqued instantly, and he rushed over to stand beside Ning Chu. Together, the two of them cornered Wen Yang by the door—Ning Chu on the left, Zhang Shaoqing on the right—while Wen Yang’s embarrassment was reaching new heights.
“d*mn! This perfume is absolute trash! Go take a shower right now!”
“Exactly!” Ning Chu nodded rapidly. “It’s as bad as the perfume on public buses!”
Thank goodness his reflexes were quick, otherwise he’d be mistaken for… well, you know.
Wang Jie glanced back at the trio, silently thinking to himself, “What strange roommates…”
“Alright, alright, I’m going to shower.”
Wen Yang had no choice but to head over to the closet, grabbing fresh clothes as he prepared to head to the bathroom. Wang Jie watched as Ning Chu and Zhang Shaoqing continued dissecting the perfume issue and couldn’t resist butting in:
“Hey, wait a sec!”
“What now?”
“Let me sniff it too!”
“What?!”
What kind of absurd nonsense was this?!
Wen Yang ignored them entirely, walked out of the dorm with his clothes, and left.
Once Wen Yang was gone, Ning Chu yawned, glancing over at Black Bean who had been exploring a new corner of the dorm. He brought the takeout box to his desk, turning on a TV drama as he started eating lunch while watching. His expression soured as he ate.
It was just a single trip to the cafeteria alone, and already Wen Yang had been flirting around left and right! How could he not be such a restless little troublemaker?!
