### 519. Night Road
During the day, it was as hot as a sauna, so much so that it could drive anyone nuts, but once night fell, a gentle breeze kissed her face, cooling and refreshing.
As the night deepened, the last bus had long since departed. From one end of the street to the other, the only sign of life was a couple of tables of students still feasting at a roadside eatery, their laughter echoing into the night.
Ning Chu actually enjoyed summer nights. Back in the day, she’d stay up late and stroll down to the 24-hour convenience store for a bottle of cola, lazily wandering the quiet streets.
But now, she had an extra burden to bear.
With her arm looped through Wen Yang’s, she could feel his weight gradually lessening.
“Awake now?”
After walking from the dorm to the school gate, Wen Yang’s drunkenness had faded somewhat, thanks to the night breeze.
“Yep, just got a headache.”
“Should I call a ride?”
Late at night, hailing a ride was tricky.
Ning Chu had tried to get a car, but no drivers were biting, and the platform kept trying to sweet-talk her into paying more.
“All that’s left is to walk back…”
“What about biking?”
“No way, you’re drunk.”
The streets were nearly deserted, and after a moment of hesitation, Wen Yang still decided to heed Ning Chu’s advice.
Though his brain was waking up, Ning Chu remained worried as she steadied him, terrified he might tumble to the ground. Given their size difference, if he fell, she’d likely come crashing down right along with him.
Wen Yang rubbed his tired eyes, forcing them wide open. He glanced down at the girl beside him, whose face was all scrunched up.
The dim streetlight shone on her translucent skin, painting her rosy cheeks with a warm glow, making it look like she was shining.
“You’re pretty.”
“What?”
Ning Chu looked up, confusion written all over her face.
“I said you’re beautiful.”
“Well, isn’t that obvious?” She put her hands on her hips proudly. “Only just noticed, huh?”
Seeing her light up with compliments, Wen Yang softened his gaze. He gently slipped out from her support and wrapped his hand around her always-cold little fingers.
“No need to hold on.”
“I’m scared you’ll fall.”
“Well, you can’t hold me up anyway.”
Ning Chu knew that all too well, but she pouted stubbornly. “At least I can try; it’ll make me feel better!”
She looked like a child, dragging Wen Yang’s arm, swinging it back and forth with her steps, her brows becoming two crescent moons of joy.
“Wen Yang, Wen Yang~ I secretly filmed Shao Qing when he was drunk!”
“Isn’t he ridiculous, still trying to drink even though he has no booze left?”
“Oh! And there’s an old photo… he and Wang Jie were cuddled up on a little cart!”
As Ning Chu shared her ‘black history’ with pride, thinking of how she could mock the main characters in the future, she couldn’t help but chuckle joyfully.
Hearing her cheerful laughter, Wen Yang put on a fake nervous expression. “You didn’t film me, did you?”
“Of course not!”
“Let me see?”
“You don’t trust me!”
As soon as he heard that, he realized she must’ve caught some embarrassing photos of him. With a cheeky smile, he fired back, “You’re the one who doesn’t trust me; you’re scared to show me your album.”
“No, I’m not!”
Ning Chu was already halfway through deleting photos.
After fiddling around for a while, she reluctantly, and a bit nervously, handed over her phone. “Look all you want, there’s nothing scandalous!”
Wen Yang took the phone and glanced at the album. It was filled with random screenshots and chat GIFs.
He then opened the “Recently Deleted” folder, which was also empty.
“Your album’s surprisingly clean.”
“Right?!” Ning Chu let out a little sigh of relief.
So, Wen Yang casually opened a locked app, trying to guess the password a few times.
All the preparations that Little Succubus had made went down the drain; the app was filled with pictures of Little Emperor Wen, some spicy content, and snaps of friends and roommates, but mostly it featured Wen Yang.
Ning Chu realized something was off and snatched back her phone, her face flushed red with indignation. “How do you know my password?!”
“It’s the same one you used years ago! You told me when you showed me Little Emperor Uncle!”
“I changed it!”
Little Succubus’s password was her birthdate, which she used across various apps, often paired with a mix of letters.
That made it easy for Wen Yang to crack most of her accounts.
“Why do you have so many spicy pics on your phone?”
Ning Chu sheepishly shoved the phone back into her pocket, her cheeks turning beet red, but she still bravely declared, “I’m a succubus! What’s wrong with having a few spicy pics?!”
“When did you take so many of me?”
“My boyfriend is fair game to photograph, right?”
Seeing Wen Yang gearing up for more teasing, she raised her hand, pretending to slap him.
Wen Yang quickly surrendered. “Alright, alright! I shouldn’t have guessed your password!”
“You shouldn’t have looked at my phone! I’ve never snooped on your phone!”
“Okay, okay.”
Seeing Wen Yang give in, Ning Chu didn’t push further, though the blush on her cheeks wasn’t going anywhere fast.
She gazed up at the sky, which was darker than a black hole without even a moon in sight, but that didn’t dampen her spirits; she continued to skip along next to Wen Yang.
“I can’t walk anymore… Are there still no cars accepting orders?”
Due to Aunt Flo visiting, just ten minutes of walking left Ning Chu feeling wiped out. Plus, her ride request on the platform was still unanswered.
The night breeze, which used to feel so pleasant, was now aggravating her belly, the cramps sharper than usual.
She shot a sly glance at Wen Yang. “How about you carry me?”
“I just woke up from a drunken haze…”
Before Wen Yang could finish, Ning Chu suddenly leapt onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and lifting her legs off the ground like a koala.
“Faster! I’m gonna fall!”
He had no choice but to support her thighs, ensuring she was secure on his back.
At 1.6 meters tall, she was hardly a burden for Wen Yang. The thin summer fabric made him acutely aware of Ning Chu’s soft curves and body heat.
“Am I still drunk or what?”
“My feet hurt, my belly hurts…”
Resting her chin on Wen Yang’s shoulder, she groaned, “I just want to go home and sleep.”
“You came out even though you’re not feeling well.”
Wen Yang tightened his grip around her thighs, pausing to steady his almost wobbly gait. He shook his head to dispel the last traces of drunkenness.
“Hold on tight; let’s get you home to sleep.”
“Okay~”
“Don’t choke me!”
“You told me to hold on tight!”
With her on his back, their shadows grew longer under the streetlight, filled with their playful banter as they bickered from one end of the street to the other.
