“Ah, sneakers really are more comfortable.”
Ning Chu walked ahead, her eyes excitedly scanning the shops lining both sides of the street.
Today, she was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt, tucked into a high-waisted skirt that accentuated her slim waist and made her already prominent chest stand out even more.
She could feel the frequent glances from passersby. At first, it had made her uncomfortable and nervous—but now, she had long since gotten used to it.
When you’re pretty and have a good figure, people will look no matter what you wear.
Ning Chu turned around and looked at Wen Yang, who was strolling behind her. “I rember there’s an arcade nearby. I want to grab a few plushies.”
Wen Yang smiled gently and nodded. “Just don’t get too obsessed.”
“Of course not! I’m unbeatable at claw machines, okay?!”
With their plan set, Ning Chu imdiately pulled Wen Yang toward the arcade.
These days, arcades often called themselves “ani centers,” making it sound like they were full of ani content, but in reality, they were just filled with all kinds of arcade machines.
“Let’s go to the snack street later… and then maybe hit an internet café?”
They had agreed to go shopping, but after walking just a bit, Ning Chu already felt like going to an internet café would be more fun.
With such an easygoing girlfriend, Wen Yang was naturally more than happy to agree.
On the way to the arcade, Ning Chu bought several local snacks. Soon, Wen Yang’s hands were completely full—every bit of it food.
Even though it was a holiday, the arcade wasn’t very crowded. The claw machine section, in particular, was almost empty.
Holding her snack box, Ning Chu scanned the prizes inside the machines before stopping in front of a shark plush pillow. “This one! Scan to pay! Wen Yang, get ten tokens first!”
“Will ten be enough?”
“Definitely! If I don’t get it, I’ll just switch machines.”
She set down her food, stretched her wrists and arms, and put on a serious expression—as if she were preparing for battle. She looked more focused than she ever did during final exams.
After Wen Yang loaded the tokens, Ning Chu stood in front of the machine, staring intently at the claw inside the glass, carefully calculating the best angle.
The claw descended shakily, grabbed the plush securely, then weakly lifted it—only for the toy to drop back down with a thud.
After the sa thing happened several tis, she finally couldn’t hold back and cursed, “Damn it!”
“It’s all programd like that,” Wen Yang said, trying to comfort her.
“I don’t believe it! I was so close! Get another five tokens!”
Wen Yang figured that similar plushies probably only cost around twenty online—and would be bigger and better quality too…
But seeing Ning Chu already rolling up her sleeves with full determination, he didn’t have the heart to stop her and obediently went to top up more tokens.
Ning Chu’s eyes were locked onto the swinging claw, feeling like it was deliberately ssing with her, which only made her more frustrated.
anwhile, Wen Yang’s attention was entirely on her tense, focused expression.
After several more failed attempts, she finally let out a quiet sigh and gave up.
“Just bad luck…”
She looked up at Wen Yang, narrowed her eyes slightly, and suddenly asked:
“Wen Yang, what do you like about ?”
“Didn’t you ask that before?” Wen Yang was extrely cautious with such a “life-or-death” question. If he could avoid answering, he would—so he turned it back on her instead. “What about you? Why do you like ?”
With a teasing smile, he added, “Don’t tell it’s because I’m handso?”
“Oh, please~ getting a bit full of yourself, aren’t you?”
Ning Chu snorted, even though Wen Yang really was handso enough that even her friends couldn’t deny it…
But after looking at that face for so long, it didn’t seem that special anymore. His well-built body, on the other hand, was far more appealing.
She turned and walked to another claw machine. Wen Yang didn’t expect her to answer anyway, and felt relieved that he had narrowly escaped that tricky question.
For a guy, questions like that were dangerous—unless you answered perfectly, you’d just end up making your girlfriend angry.
“Maybe it’s because I was always alone before?”
Ning Chu fiddled with the claw machine and suddenly spoke.
“I didn’t have friends or family… I was always by myself.”
“Then that thing happened, and I beca like this… and you were the one who stepped forward.”
She lowered her head. By chance, she grabbed a plush toy, but there was no joy on her face. Instead, she continued:
“At first, I was pretty resistant. I thought maybe I didn’t actually like you, that I was just depending on you. But then I figured… things were already such a ss. If I didn’t hold onto you, I might never et the right person again.”
They had only been together for a few months. Honestly, she still didn’t know if Wen Yang was truly the right person.
“But having soone to support each other and move forward together… it really is much easier than before.”
She lifted her head and looked up at Wen Yang. A hint of shyness showed on her face, her cheeks slightly flushed.
“Things are pretty good like this now, right?”
At the very least, her life was far more comfortable than it had been in her previous life.
At least she had completely moved on from the fear and shadow of suddenly becoming a girl.
Wen Yang gently patted her head, his smile softer than usual. “Then you picked the right person. You’ve got good taste.”
“Tch~ My mom thinks I must’ve been blind to pick a poor guy like you!”
But when Ning Chu looked back, she realized that whether it was being transported to this parallel world, becoming a girl, falling for a man, or ending up the way she was now… her life had actually been getting better all along.
“It’s just money, right? Don’t you believe in your protagonist?”
Wen Yang chuckled as he took the plush toy she had just won, naturally acting as her bag carrier.
“Aren’t you the one lacking confidence? I’ve always thought you’re capable of anything, okay?”
Ning Chu flicked her head, her hair brushing against his face with a faint sting and carrying a light shampoo fragrance.
“I got the plush! Let’s go to the internet café!”
“Who goes out shopping and ends up at an internet café?”
“You’re carrying today! We’re ranking up hard! I’m only bad because my laptop sucks!”
Wen Yang followed her pace. “Should we finish the snacks at the café then?”
“You eat them. I’m full.”
“……”
Holding the plush in one hand and several bags of snacks in the other, Wen Yang sighed helplessly.
Sure, he had a big appetite—but it really felt like Ning Chu was raising him like a pig.
…
anwhile, back at Lily’s house, the sound of mahjong tiles filled the room.
“Nine of characters!”
“One bamboo!”
“Win.”
“Damn! Why is it Lily again?! She’s too good!” Yan Xinya jumped up, staring in disbelief at the tiles Lily had laid down. “No wonder you dared to suggest strip mahjong! Good thing we’re playing for money…”
Xi Xi nodded vigorously in agreent.
If they had really been playing strip mahjong, everyone present would probably be down to nothing but their underwear by now.
As expected of Sister Lily!
< >
Link for character illustration:
sdrive.google/drive/folders/1IxOucqi87ss3bmqfO9zI2gYiM1Gy8Hz2
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