The clattering sound of mahjong filled the air, mixed with Yan Xinya’s excited shrieks. Zhang Shaoqing stared lifelessly at the projection screen in front of him, chanically pressing the controller.
Who knew why—from elderly people in their seventies and eighties to these girls in their early twenties—everyone was so obsessed with mahjong?
They had been playing all afternoon, getting more and more into it. Even Xi Xi, who originally didn’t know how to play at all, now looked completely thrilled. The group of girls chattered noisily, making it impossible for him to even hear the ga’s background music.
He had no idea what was so fun about mahjong.
Zhang Shaoqing glanced over at the square table in the living room. Among the four girls, only Lily still maintained a calm expression; the rest looked like a chaotic frenzy. Even Xi Xi, who had said she couldn’t play before, was now enjoying herself—occasionally jumping up in excitent whenever she won a round.
“So noisy.”
He muttered as he slumped onto the sofa, helplessly rubbing his aching ears.
Outside, the sky was beginning to dim. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room, he could see the sunset slowly sinking toward the sea, painting the horizon in a brilliant red glow.
The sound of the elevator opening ca from outside, interrupting the girls’ mahjong ga.
Yan Xinya looked up from the table just in ti to see Ning Chu change into slippers and walk in, holding two arm-length plush cushions.
“You’re back so early?”
“Early?” Ning Chu paused and looked at the clock on the wall. “It’s already past six. Didn’t we say we’re going to the hot springs tonight?”
“Huh? It’s six already?! No wonder I’m hungry!”
Xi Xi also snapped back to reality. “Feels like we only played a few rounds…”
“Hu.”
Lily’s calm voice cut in along with the sound of her pushing her tiles forward, prompting Xi Xi to wail, “How did you win again?!”
“Let’s tally up how much everyone’s lost,” Yan Xinya said, standing up with her hands on her hips. “I only lost seven yuan!”
“I’ve lost over a hundred…”
anwhile, the newbie Xi Xi looked especially smug. “I actually won a few yuans~ My luck is amazing!”
“That’s just beginner’s luck! Let’s continue after the hot springs!”
As the girls started discussing mahjong again, Ning Chu turned to Zhang Shaoqing in confusion. “They’ve been playing all afternoon?”
“Yeah, it’s been noisy as hell.”
“What’s so fun about mahjong anyway~”
“Exactly. It’s sothing for old people.”
After being surrounded by chatter all afternoon, Zhang Shaoqing suddenly felt how different Ning Chu was.
Even though she was also a woman, Ning Chu had a slightly masculine vibe, and her way of talking matched his much better than those girls who sounded like a flock of ducks. Talking to Ning Chu felt more like talking to a brother or a buddy.
After a brief chat, Ning Chu carried her claw machine plushies into the guest room, while Zhang Shaoqing paused his ga and walked over to Wen Yang.
With a teasing grin, he nudged Wen Yang’s shoulder. “So what were you doing all afternoon? Don’t tell you really just went shopping, I didn’t see you bring back much.”
Wen Yang only carried a single bag of clothes, a dress he had picked up for Ning Chu on the way back.
One look at that sleazy grin and he knew what Zhang Shaoqing was getting at. Rolling his eyes, he said, “We really didn’t do much shopping.”
“Oh~ not bad~”
“We went to an internet café and duo-queued ranked. Lost three gas straight.” He rubbed his temples in frustration. “Ning Chu is seriously terrible… I can’t carry her.”
“…”
Zhang Shaoqing swallowed his retort.
He had never seen a couple go on a date just to duo queue and lose rank at an internet café… He kind of wanted to try that too, but Qian Qian would probably beat him.
“Was it your idea to go to an internet café?” he asked, suppressing his jealousy as he tried to mock Wen Yang. “That’s way too straight-guy behavior.”
“Ning Chu suggested it.”
“……”
Wen Yang smiled and followed Ning Chu into the guest room.
Although Lily’s ho was quite spacious, the guest room was nothing more than a bed and a nightstand. The narrow passageway was so tight that only one person could pass through at a ti.
Ning Chu placed the two plush toys on the nightstand, then turned her back to the door and bent over to rummage through her backpack for her swimsuit, preparing for the evening trip to the hot springs.
She heard Wen Yang walk in behind her. Before she could say anything, he lightly smacked her on the butt.
“Try on the dress? If it doesn’t fit, we still have ti to return it.”
“It’ll definitely fit~ My mom even says I’ve got the perfect figure for clothes, okay?”
Now that she was back at Lily’s house, the tail that had been wrapped around her upper thigh loosened and dropped down beside her calves, curling upward in a slight arc.
She found her swimsuit and turned back to ask, “Did they say when we’re heading to the hot springs?”
“Nope. Still talking about mahjong.”
Glancing at the wide-open door, she jogged over and shut it, then pulled Wen Yang down to sit. Her expression grew a little more serious.
“What’s wrong?”
Grabbing his arm, Ning Chu reminded him, “We might run into a heroine at the hot springs. It was ntioned in the story."
“I don’t really rember that.”
“Just be careful, okay? Don’t get ‘attacked’ by so girl while you’re soaking.” She paused, lowering her gaze with a hint of hesitation.
Honestly, the best approach would be to act out the plot in advance and take over the supporting character’s role.
But the problem was that hot springs were usually open-air. Even as a succubus, she didn’t have the ntal fortitude to… do anything like that outdoors.
They could be discovered at any mont—it was way too risky!
Seeing her fall into deep thought, Wen Yang’s eyes unconsciously lit up with anticipation and excitent.
But Ning Chu slapped his thigh, snapping him out of it. “Don’t get any ideas! Absolutely not happening!”
“Ning Chu! Wen Yang! Get ready, we’re heading to the hot springs!” Xi Xi’s voice ca from outside the room, but it was quickly followed by Yan Xinya stopping her.
“Hey! Xi Xi, keep your voice down—can’t you see their door’s closed?”
Ning Chu froze for a mont, then her face flushed hot. She stuffed her swimsuit into a clothing bag, stood up, and went to open the door.
The sudden movent startled Yan Xinya. “Did we disturb you guys?”
“What kind of weird things are you thinking about?”
“Nothing~ I just didn’t want Xi Xi to be a third wheel~”
Ning Chu lifted the bag in her hand helplessly. “I’m ready. We can go anyti.”
“Don’t forget to bring a towel, you need to shower before getting into the hot spring.” The wolf girl turned and ran toward the bathroom. “I’ll grab one for you! Lily has a ton of unused towels!”
Xi Xi watched Yan Xinya leave, then turned back—only to find Ning Chu staring at her with a strange look, making her feel inexplicably guilty. “Then… I’ll go get my swimsuit too… Ning Chu? Why are you staring at like that?”
Seizing the rare chance to be alone, Ning Chu hooked an arm around her neck and pulled her aside.
“What are you doing?”
“You’re not allowed to use magic to eavesdrop on and Wen Yang tonight! At your age, shouldn’t you be using magic for sothing more proper?”
“I’m not… I am doing sothing proper! Ning Chu, you’re a priority observation target!”
Ning Chu smiled sweetly—almost too sweetly—and pinched Xi Xi’s chubby cheeks. “Do you really not know whether I’m a bad person or not?”
“You definitely are now! Ouch, that hurts~”
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Link for character illustration:
sdrive.google/drive/folders/1IxOucqi87ss3bmqfO9zI2gYiM1Gy8Hz2
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