553. Elbowing Outward
“Isn’t this a bit much?”
Even though Wen Yang had pried open the cabinet, he still felt a bit guilty, stealing nervous glances at the door, afraid that his future mother-in-law would come back and unleash her fury upon him.
“What are you worried about? It’s just a cabinet!”
Ning Chu was lounging next to him, one leg crossed over the other, casually flipping through the household registration booklet in her hands.
With an arched eyebrow, she suddenly asked Wen Yang, “You don’t want to marry me, do you?”
“I just don’t want to upset my mom.”
“Just get the certificate first! We can worry about the wedding later when we have the money.” She replied nonchalantly, before adding, “What can I do if my mom doesn’t approve? She stole her own household registration booklet to get married, so why can’t I?”
Wen Yang shook his head helplessly, running his fingers through Ning Chu’s hair. “But I didn’t bring my household registration booklet with me.”
“I accidentally stuffed your booklet in my bag. I’ll get it in a bit.”
He paused, nearly bursting into laughter. “Was that an accident or on purpose?”
“On purpose!”
Ning Chu placed her hands on her hips, standing tall and proud, showcasing her impressive little hills.
As she shoved the household registration booklet into her satchel, she suddenly turned back to him, her confident demeanor replaced by a pitiful expression as she clung to Wen Yang’s chest.
“Wen Yang, you can’t mistreat me after we’re married~”
With her tiny hands gripping his collar, she tilted her chin up, her eyes sparkling with an innocent glimmer that made his heart almost melt.
“I would never! If I did, I’d expect lightning to strike me down!”
He nodded vigorously, hoping he wouldn’t choke on his words. Though he was still thinking about saving some money before tying the knot, Ning Chu was already eager and he found little reason to hesitate.
“But why do you want to get married so badly?”
Wen Yang’s curiosity got the better of him.
Ning Chu’s faux pitiful expression faltered, and she released his collar, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear to avoid his gaze, her head turned away: “Once we’re married, you’re my person.”
“Are you afraid I’ll run away?”
“There are so many bad women eyeing you! I need to tie you to me…” she mumbled shyly, “My male protagonist can’t be in someone else’s hands.”
Just a few days after her twenty-second birthday, she had been occupied with thoughts of getting a marriage certificate with Wen Yang.
Unfortunately, she had been working out of town and when she returned home for the New Year, the civil affairs bureau was closed, so here they were.
Wen Yang found it amusing and exasperating at the same time, teasing her with a gentle smile, “Then you’ll have to call me ‘hubby’ after we get married.”
And since they had known each other, the little succubus’s jealousy had never been lacking, and her possessiveness was growing stronger.
“Eh~ That feels weird.”
Ning Chu lowered her head, her voice barely above a whisper, like a tiny mosquito, “Hubby…”
“Why does it sound like you’re reluctant?” Wen Yang’s smile widened, “You weren’t so shy last night.”
“Nonsense, last night I clearly called you ‘Daddy.’”
Ning Chu’s cheeks flushed at the teasing, and in a huff, she sprang up from the sofa, dashing into the bedroom with excitement, “I’m changing! Wait for me!”
“Okay, hurry up! Your mom is going to be back soon, right?”
“Oh, not that soon! I still need to put on makeup! You should tidy up too; we still need to take our ID photos!”
After changing into a beautiful dress and grabbing the household registration booklet she “accidentally” packed into her luggage, she sprinted back from the guest room into the master bedroom, snatching her mother’s cosmetics.
Wen Yang washed his hair, changed into a clean outfit, and washed his face with cleanser, wrapping up his prep before plopping down on the sofa to wait for Ning Chu to finish her makeup.
Sudden excitement and nerves about getting the marriage license made him shake his leg to ease the pressure bubbling within.
His girlfriend was about to become his wife…
But he still hadn’t bought a house; all he had was a little savings and nothing else to show.
Before he could think further, the front door swung open suddenly.
Wen Yang was taken aback, looking up, only to see his future mother-in-law stepping inside, carrying a bag of groceries and kicking off her shoes.
Oh no!
He forced a shy smile and hurried to greet her, eager to take the bag from her. “Mom, why are you back so early?”
“Why do you seem… odd?”
His mother immediately sensed something was off, narrowing her eyes as she scrutinized Wen Yang.
“……”
Looking at Wen Yang’s nervous expression, she instantly came up with a guess, covering her mouth with a teasing grin. “Young men these days are so vigorous~ so early in the morning~”
“I’ll just take a nap! You two kept me up all night, so keep it down.”
It appeared that her daughter’s life was quite enriching, and Wen Yang seemed fine—not drained even after four years with a succubus. If anything, he looked healthier.
Her brows brightened into a crescent moon as she headed towards the bedroom, only to be halted by an excited patter of footsteps.
“Wen Yang! Come here, I’ll fix your hair!”
“How about a slicked-back look? I saw it on a drama and it looked cool!”
Ning Chu rushed out, freshly made up, with a comb and some gel in hand. The moment her eyes landed on her mother, her lively expression froze. “Mom…”
“Huh~ You even made up! Are you going out?”
Now it was obvious this wasn’t a typical “exercise at home” day.
Otherwise, their daughter would have at least been in pajamas or something with enough fabric to count.
“We’re going out for a stroll, just a date with Ning Chu,” Wen Yang quickly explained.
“Oh?” Her mother scrutinized Ning Chu, noticing how flustered she was compared to Wen Yang, causing her to pick up on the underlying troubles.
Her expression darkened. “Get out my household registration booklet.”
“Eh…” Ning Chu sulked, mumbling reluctantly, “Mom, why can’t you just let me go? I can get a household proof without hassle.”
The mother was so frustrated she had no idea what to say.
She took a deep breath, a headache forming, sighing, “Isn’t this for your own good?”
“Stop using that excuse…”
“And what about Wen Yang? What do you think?”
Knowing her daughter took after her, stubborn and tough, the mother turned to Wen Yang.
Under the scrutinizing gaze, Wen Yang’s smile stiffened.
No matter how he answered, he was stepping on landmines—either offending his future mother-in-law or his future wife…
After a moment of thought, he steeled himself and replied, “Mom, I promise I won’t let Ning Chu down; I’ll give her the best life possible.”
“If anything happens to Ning Chu, you’re answers to me.”
“Mom, look how sincere he is!”
Hearing her daughter still teasing, the mother felt a pulsing headache, fuming as she strode into the bedroom. “I can’t deal with you!”
Ning Chu cheered and, before her mother even made it inside, she darted towards Wen Yang. “Wen Yang! Let’s get that slicked-back look! Don’t move!”
“What kind of wedding do you want when we have the money? What style do you like?”
“Isn’t it a matter of money right now? I’m too lazy to even think about it. Such a hassle.”
“Then let’s take the wedding money and go on a honeymoon instead?”
“That sounds awesome! Let’s plan for it after buying a house!”
With excited discussions buzzing among the couple, the mother entered the room, her eyes landing on the disarray of the cabinet that had been pried open, her bl**d pressure skyrocketing.
She plopped down onto the bed, exhaling a frustrated sigh, “Elbowing outward… such a pain…”
