Chapter 364. Leaving
Just after seven in the evening, at the seafood restaurant near home, seven people were gathered around a table in a private room.
Wen Yang had gone to work. Even on the first day of the new year, he had to stick to his service job and report for duty.
Hei Dou had a spicy shrimp in her left hand and a piece of braised pork rib in her right, munching away with her mouth full of juice, happily shaking her head, her cat ears swaying like seaweed.
Grandma sat beside her with a smile, occasionally using a napkin to wipe the corners of her mouth, but she hadn’t eaten much herself.
Grandpa was drinking with Uncle, both a bit tipsy, their loud voices even heard outside the private room.
“I’m not bragging! When Xiao Juan was young, she was famous for her beauty in the whole area! At least three suitors came a day!”
“The men who wanted to chase her could fill this restaurant, and in the end, she insisted on choosing a poor boy! No amount of persuasion worked!”
“……”
Ning Chu curiously leaned over and tugged at her mother’s sleeve, “Mom, do you have photos of yourself when you were young? Show me~”
Although she had seen photos of her mother in her past life, her mother back then didn’t have the little demoness bonus.
“Go look for yourself in the storage room after we get back,” her mother shot her a look, “Don’t listen to him, you’re prettier.”
“Really? How embarrassing~”
Ning Chu, grinning, got a light knock on the head from her mother and quickly became serious, obediently picking up a piece of pork rib.
The elders at the table hardly ate, most of the dishes had been devoured by Ning Chu, Ning Yuan, and Hei Dou.
“Hey, Ning Yuan~” Grandpa, feeling particularly chatty after drinking, suddenly switched the topic to him, “Why aren’t you dating yet? Aren’t you around twenty-six or seven? Time to think about marriage.”
Ning Yuan froze for a moment, feeling speechless, “No, I just graduated half a year ago, even counting age, I’m only twenty-four.”
“You’re almost thirty! Bring someone back next year.” Grandpa shot him a disapproving glare, “Look at your sister! She brought home a boyfriend in just a few months! What about you?”
Can you stop bringing me up…
This isn’t even something to boast about!
Turning into a girl in October, all things considered, it’s only been four months. In that time, I adapted to a girl’s body, my sexual orientation was flipped, I got a boyfriend, and I got it for free…
My descent into femininity was so fast that just a hint of it made Ning Chu hang her head in shame.
Whenever her brother cast that strange look her way, her face couldn’t help but heat up, so she stuffed her face with food, pretending not to hear.
“I’m not a girl, I have no money for dating or marriage.” Ning Yuan played the economic card.
Ning Chu was slightly annoyed. She didn’t spend much of Wen Yang’s money on dating; if anything, she had spent quite a bit on supporting Wen Yang.
“I have money! You bring a girl back, I’ll give you an extra two thousand each month, and when you get married, a house!”
Ning Yuan was silent for a moment, then played the work card: “I’m pretty busy at work, there aren’t many women in the company…”
“Then switch jobs! A friend of mine is hiring, pays well and isn’t tiring.”
“……”
He had nothing to say, so he decided to give up: “I don’t want to date so early…”
“Ning Yuan wouldn’t like men, would he?” Grandma chimed in.
“No, I don’t want to date because I don’t want to. Can we not drag my sexual orientation into this?”
Seeing her brother being attacked, Ning Chu felt grateful she’d already found a boyfriend, or she’d be the victim too.
So tragic~
Then again, I’m the one causing trouble~
She added fuel to the fire: “My brother likes those 2D characters, he’s not interested in 3D at all.”
The advanced grandpa understood what Ning Chu was saying. He had started going online in the 2000s and was quite the old internet user: “Ning Yuan, don’t get lost in the virtual world; come back to reality~”
Ning Yuan shot a fierce glare at Ning Chu, but the little demoness showed no fear: “Grandma! Brother is bullying me!”
“Why bully you?! Isn’t what your sister said the truth?”
“……”
Looks like they didn’t beat him enough when they were kids, so now only in 2D would be allowed.
After a hearty meal, the group gradually left the restaurant.
Hei Dou was overly energetic, darting around the sidewalk. Ning Chu worried she might accidentally run into the street or bump into someone, so she followed closely behind and grabbed her to keep her still.
“We’re heading back first.”
Grandpa turned around to greet, and her mom unenthusiastically urged, “You’re leaving so early? Stay the night, tomorrow…”
Before she could finish, Grandpa interrupted, “With your little house, there’s not even a bed to sleep on.”
“Off we go!”
Though Grandpa had been drinking, it was Grandma who was driving, and her skills were decent, even better than Ning Yuan’s.
Watching the electric car fade into the distance, Mom turned to the kids behind: “Ning Chu, I have some matters to discuss with Uncle. Take care of Ning Xin when we get back.”
“Oh~”
“Don’t go out causing trouble on the first day of the new year!”
I can guess what it is…
Mom got drunk last night, and with all the kids around, nothing likely happened, but today she couldn’t hold back.
Couldn’t she be better than me?
Ning Chu replied perfunctorily, “Got it, what time will you be back?”
“Should be around midnight?”
Mom linked arms with Uncle, her cheeks gleaming with a hint of affection, leading him toward the street to hail a taxi.
Seeing Mom leave, Ning Chu started plotting a bit.
She handed Hei Dou over to her brother: “Bro~ I’m going to go online, I’ll be back later, so you take care of Hei Dou.”
“？？？”
Ning Yuan looked confused: “Don’t we have a computer at home?”
“I can’t possibly steal from my brother~ Plus, the specs are too bad…”
“Then who are you going to go online with? Isn’t Wen Yang still at work?”
“Classmates, friends.”
Ning Chu didn’t linger any longer, excitedly calling for a ride-share car, and soon left, leaving Ning Yuan and Hei Dou on the street to brave the cold wind.
“Really something,” Ning Yuan grumbled, “On the first day of the new year, just the two of us left at home, everyone else is out having fun.”
“Sister is definitely looking for her boyfriend!” Hei Dou proudly lifted her head, “Every morning I can smell my brother-in-law’s scent on her!”
Wait! What scent? Can a kid even smell that?
Ning Yuan’s lips twitched, a sense of inexplicable loss and worry washing over him.
“Let’s go home,” he said, taking Hei Dou’s hand towards their home, his mouth spinning out naggings like he used to with his brother, “Be careful outside, don’t run around, what if you get hit by a car?”
“Eat less junk food, don’t just stare at meat. Cats need to eat vegetables occasionally too.”
“Once we’re back, don’t make a fuss, stay quiet; I’ll play games while you watch TV. It’s better for both of us…”
Hei Dou tilted her ears, her keen nose caught the delicious scent of grilled meat, and she stared longingly at the barbecue shop across the street, not hearing a word he said.
Damn it! If I hadn’t eaten too much earlier~ Burp!
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