327. Nightfall
The darkness gradually engulfed the world as the streetlights began to flicker on.
By the time Ning Chu got back home, it was already past six in the evening.
Her mother was lounging on the sofa, watching television, and threw a sideways glance at Ning Chu, who had hopped into the room like a rabbit. “Oh, look who remembers to come home for dinner!”
“I thought you were kidnapped by some man!”
Ning Chu quickly plastered on a smile, playfully sidling up to the sofa and leaning against her mother, “Mom~ I was just busy with a little something!”
“What kind of ‘something’ could you possibly have?”
Ning Chu noticed her mother’s nose twitching in disapproval, but today she was feeling particularly justified. She wrapped her arm around her mother’s, playing the cute card. “I just went to the internet café to play some games! The computer at home is a relic!”
“You’d be better off finding your little boyfriend than hitting the internet café!” Her mother shot her a glaring look as she stood up and headed to the kitchen, “Go wake up Black Bean for dinner.”
“Okay!”
Ning Chu jogged to the secondary bedroom, pushed the door open, and peeked into the dark room, where Little Catgirl was curled up with a pillow, snoring like a pig.
All she did was eat and sleep…
If no one bothered her and there wasn’t anything interesting to do, this cat could easily sleep seventeen or eighteen hours a day.
“Black Bean, wake up!”
Ning Chu yanked the quilt off and planted her hands on her hips, standing at the bedside.
The snores stopped abruptly; Black Bean’s cat ears twitched, and her tail flicked back and forth impatiently, yet she showed no intention of getting up.
So, Ning Chu stretched out her hand and grabbed Black Bean’s tail, giving it a gentle tug. “Time to rise and shine!”
The sudden discomfort jolted Black Bean awake. “Ow!”
She instinctively covered her backside with her hands, lifted her head, and saw Ning Chu holding her tail, pouting, “Sis, I don’t even play with other people’s tails!”
“You act like you can’t hear me when I’m calling you.”
“I’m not acting!”
Ning Chu led Black Bean to the dining table. As she scanned the dinner spread, it was evident they had a rather pathetic meal.
Uncle and Brother had already bolted, and Wen Yang didn’t come for a bite either. Now, there were only three people at home, and her mother had lazily slapped together some leftovers into a pan of fried rice.
Ning Chu actually liked fried rice and fried noodles, but while eating dinner, her mind kept drifting to Wen Yang.
His party was around ten o’clock tonight.
If the plot didn’t trigger, all would be well, and that pre-purchased cup would help Ning Chu cope with her sore hands and aching mouth.
But if the plot did trigger, that cup would be her savior! She definitely didn’t want to end up like that cream bun character who couldn’t close her legs as described in the book.
And after the plot concluded, it would already be past eleven. By then, her mother and Black Bean would be fast asleep, and her forced intimacy wouldn’t be noticed by anyone.
Yet, she still felt uneasy.
What if some passerby girl intercepts Wen Yang on his way back to the rental apartment?! Usually, he could resist advances from girls, but a drugged Wen Yang would have absolutely no defense!
That was her beloved male protagonist!
“What are you thinking about?” Her mother watched Ning Chu, who was trying to feed herself a spoonful of fried rice, with a hint of suspicion. “Thinking about your little boyfriend again?”
“No, nothing!”
Ning Chu quickly lowered her head, dodging her mother’s gaze, suppressing her feelings.
She thought about sneaking out tonight to personally pick up Wen Yang after his party, without letting her mother know.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to rest easy.
“New Year’s is coming soon. Tomorrow afternoon, let’s go shopping and get you two some clothes and New Year goodies.” Her mother was watching a parrot live stream as she spoke, “We need to do a big cleanup soon; luckily, your brother already cleaned the windows, so it shouldn’t be a hassle.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Ning Chu was half-listening, distracted.
Seeing her daughter’s attitude, her mother could only shake her head in resigned disbelief.
That poor boy had taken both her body and mind away, huh?
Black Bean, holding her bowl, tilted her head back and shoved the remaining fried rice into her mouth, licking her lips. After finishing the last grain, she looked up at her mother with big, pleading eyes. “Mom~ No meat?”
“Isn’t there minced meat in the fried rice?”
“Is there? I didn’t taste any!”
Her mother rolled her eyes. “Eat less for dinner and get on with your homework.”
Black Bean rubbed her little belly with a look of pure dejection, lifelessly placing her bowl in the kitchen sink, and trudged off with her tail drooping.
It wasn’t that she wasn’t full; it was just that without any meat, she felt a bit empty inside.
“By the way, does Black Bean only have classes in the morning?” Ning Chu asked, eyeing Black Bean’s rather glum back. “No afternoon classes?”
“Afraid she wouldn’t adjust, so we’re easing in slowly.”
“That makes sense.”
After dinner, Ning Chu had some downtime, snuggling up with her phone next to Black Bean, chatting with Wen Yang while occasionally glancing over to assist Black Bean with her homework.
She heard her mother’s footsteps, turned her head, and saw her mother crouching by the front door putting on her shoes.
“Mom, where are you going?”
“Going to play mahjong,” her mother replied with a cheerful grin, “I might be back really late, so keep an eye on your sister.”
For a moment, Ning Chu’s imagination ran wild, thinking her mother was off for a date with Uncle, but one look at her mother’s casual attire quickly dispelled that thought.
When her mother went out with Uncle, she would carefully choose pretty clothes and put on exquisite makeup.
So yeah, definitely mahjong.
“Mom, how much are you planning to lose tonight?”
“Winning a few hundred!” Her mother shot a glare at Ning Chu. “If my luck is bad tonight, it’s all your fault for being a jinx!”
“And put Black Bean to bed before ten, no late-night snacks for her.”
Black Bean had already zipped over to the door, eagerly handing her mother a scarf and gloves. “Mom~ What time will you be back?”
That tone tried to sound worried and longing, but her smile couldn’t hide her excitement.
Her mother wrapped the scarf around her neck and replied, “Probably until morning?”
“!!”
Black Bean’s ears and tail perked up immediately.
“Behave at home and listen to your sister.”
“Okay~ Bye-bye!”
She looked way too eager for her mother to leave.
As soon as her mother departed and the front door clicked shut, Black Bean scurried back to Ning Chu’s side, wide-eyed, “Sis! Late-night snacks! Late-night snacks!”
“Didn’t you just eat?” Ning Chu teased, poking Black Bean’s slightly bulging little belly. “Tsk~ You’re already stuffed, aren’t you?”
“I’ll eat a little later! I still need to do my homework!”
Black Bean promptly abandoned her homework, flicked on the TV, deftly fetched her mom’s tablet from the main bedroom, and plopped herself on the sofa, enjoying the moment with her little legs swinging joyously.
Until Ning Chu grabbed her cat ears, “Get back to your homework! Do you think I’m invisible?!”
