Chapter 198: Gifts
Birthday…
Ever since her mother left, Ning Chu hasn’t celebrated a birthday.
She blankly stared at the five people in the private room before finally drooping her head, looking at the girl she had become.
Last birthday, she was just a little boy, and now she was a girl.
A soon-to-be-developed succubus girl…
Her heart felt a jumble of emotions.
Let’s hope next birthday she’s not a mother of several kids…
“Ning Chu! Don’t you dare kill me today!”
Ning Chu turned around to see Zhang Shaoqing, who was looking at her warily as if he were afraid of getting slaughtered.
This rich second-generation kid is always nitpicking about small expenses.
She teased, “Today’s treat is on you, Young Master Zhang!”
“Everyone, feel free to order whatever you want~”
The others joined in, cheering, “Young Master Zhang is generous!”
“I can’t believe it! You must be rich, huh!”
It was already Thursday night.
Originally, the birthday dinner was supposed to be split evenly, but Zhang Shaoqing volunteered to treat. The birthday cake was a small seven-inch cake made by Lily, delicate and charming.
Honestly, Ning Chu just wanted to celebrate her birthday quietly with Wen Yang.
Just ordering a couple of dishes at a small restaurant off-campus, lowering their guard like good buddies, sharing a few drinks, and spilling some heartfelt words… Even if Wen Yang was a bit too eager for a brotherly embrace, she still wanted to trust his character; after all, even if she got drunk, he wouldn’t do anything to her.
Unfortunately, it unexpectedly turned into a gathering.
For now, the cake was put aside as the waitress began to bring out the dishes.
Five people, seven dishes—that’s certainly not slaughtering Zhang Shaoqing.
“Ning Chu, how about a drink?” Zhang Shaoqing turned to her and said, “It’s your birthday today, you’ve got to drink a little, right?”
“I’m allergic to alcohol…”
Ning Chu looked troubled.
“Quit lying! It’s not like I haven’t seen you drink!”
She turned to Wen Yang for advice, and he nodded slightly, “Just a little; even if you get drunk, I’ll be here.”
Hearing Wen Yang’s reassuring words, Ning Chu felt relieved.
After the weekend at home, if all goes well, her mother would help her change her social gender; perhaps by next week, she wouldn’t be living in the dorm anymore.
“Alright,” she accepted the bottle Zhang Shaoqing handed her and poured herself a full cup.
Consider it the last drink before leaving.
Although they’d still see each other, once she leaves the dorm, her relationship with Zhang Shaoqing and Wang Jie would surely get a bit distant.
Ning Chu wasn’t too good with alcohol, maybe four large bottles of beer at most.
But drinking less, she could at least last until the party ended.
“Ning Chu, here’s your present!” Yan Xinya suddenly moved over and stuffed a package into her arms while whispering, “Open it when no one’s around.”
“What is it?”
That over-the-top mysterious behavior, it couldn’t be a toy, could it?
The wolf girl quietly replied, “Lingerie~”
“……”
Ning Chu knew that she would eventually have to wear women’s lingerie, but she didn’t expect the first pair to be from the wolf girl.
It better not be some cheeky lingerie!
“I’ve already topped up your game balance, so you can just buy what you want later!” Wang Jie spoke up hurriedly after Yan Xinya gave her a gift.
“No one gives game currency as a gift to girls~” the wolf girl mumbled.
Ning Chu worried about others overhearing and quickly nudged the wolf girl lightly as a reminder, and then looked at Wen Yang.
What gift would Wen Yang prepare?
That was what she was most looking forward to, even if she didn’t know what she wanted herself.
“Uh, I’ll give you your gift later?” Wen Yang seemed a bit awkward.
It didn’t look like anything valuable.
Though Ning Chu didn’t care, Wen Yang still wanted to save face.
So she quickly changed the subject, “Where’s the cake? Let’s eat the cake first! I want to try Lily’s cooking.”
“Here it is!”
Yan Xinya brought over the cake that had been on a chair beside them.
It was a common seven-inch round cake, smeared with white frosting on top and loaded with fruit. On the front, the words “Happy Birthday” were awkwardly written in icing.
“It doesn’t look great,” Lily said a bit sheepishly, her face slightly flushed, mumbling, “I can’t decorate cakes…”
“It looks really nice!”
While it may not be as good as store-bought cakes, it definitely looked presentable.
There was no embarrassing birthday song sung, not even a candle-blowing ceremony. Yan Xinya took a small knife and neatly cut the cake into parts.
Ning Chu sighed in relief internally.
She really couldn’t handle those ceremonial moments; they only made her feel unbearably awkward.
After a few rounds of drinks and tastings of the dishes, the box of beer was already finished.
Lily never drinks, while Yan Xinya, who couldn’t hold her alcohol, was already slumped over the table, out cold.
Wen Yang turned to Ning Chu beside him, only to find her eyes glazed over, face flushed, and she was slumping against the table with her chin resting on her hands, staring blankly at everyone with a silly grin.
Not sure what she was laughing about.
But she looked adorably silly~
“Wen Yang…” Ning Chu noticed his gaze and tilted her head up, her voice dazed, “I want to go to the bathroom.”
“Where’s the bathroom?” She looked confused, swaying slightly as she spoke.
“I’ll take you there.”
Wen Yang stood up, carefully supporting her, “Watch your step, don’t fall.”
“Mm~”
Glancing at her table, there were only three bottles of beer on it.
Her alcohol tolerance was definitely not as good as Yan Xinya’s.
Wen Yang helped Ning Chu and pushed open the room door, glancing left and right until he spotted the bathroom at the end of the corridor.
He took her slowly to the entrance of the ladies’ room.
“Be careful when you go in.”
“Mm……”
Ning Chu walked into the bathroom by herself but swayed uncertainly a few steps before turning back to Wen Yang and asking, “What about my birthday gift? You haven’t given it to me yet, right?”
Wen Yang sighed softly, looking conflicted as he pulled out a small box from his pocket.
He nervously glanced towards the corridor, suddenly kneeled down on one knee, “Ning Chu, will you be my girlfriend?”
“Ah?”
Ning Chu never thought his present would be a confession.
Her slow brain tried to recall that last time he confessed, it was also in the bathroom, right?
Wen Yang swallowed hard, still unsure if she’d accept his confession even after having kissed and shared close moments, due to last time’s experience.
Luckily, Ning Chu was drunk; if she rejected him, he hoped she’d wake up and forget all about it.
He stuttered, “I-I want to give you my next life…”
Ning Chu tilted her head, staring at Wen Yang who was kneeling on one knee, and after a long moment, finally accepted the little box.
She slouched against the door, looking down at the ring in the jewelry box, murmuring, “Doesn’t look very valuable…”
“It’s pure silver!”
“Oh~ A hundred or less.”
“……”
Ning Chu shifted her gaze away from the ring and looked at Wen Yang’s overly nervous expression, frowning tightly.
Maybe it was due to the alcohol; her brain asked bluntly, “Would you mind that I used to be a boy?”
“???”
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