Chapter 374. Family 15/29
The night was gradually deepening.
The family of four had finished dinner and taken a bath, all dressed in matching fuzzy pajamas covered in cat heads, sitting side by side on the sofa with a blanket draped over their legs. The TV directly across from them was playing a popular drama series.
Ning Chu lifted her calves, curled up closer into the blanket, and wrapped her arms around it, snuggling deeper.
“Is it that cold?” Mom glanced down at her daughter leaning against her and asked with a smile, “Are we going out tonight?”
“No, we’re not.”
戒涩 (nope)!
Ning Chu shook her head firmly.
Besides, there was the hotel fee of over 200! Even though she had tricked her brother out of 300, she still didn’t want to spend it.
She yawned, snuggling closer to her mom, mumbling, “It feels colder this year than in previous years.”
“In the past, it dropped to four or five degrees; this year it’s only one or two,” Mom teased as she looked at the TV show. “With such cold weather, you’ll definitely get frostbite if you run outside at midnight, right?”
“I already have frostbite at school, okay… What does that have to do with this?”
Mom always liked to bring up two completely unrelated things together.
“Sister~ order some late-night snacks~”
“Take your phone and watch it.”
“Okay!”
She had promised Hei Dou before that if she finished two extra pages of exercises, she would get a meal in return, and now she owed dozens of meals.
Such carelessness; she thought this cat was deeply averse to homework.
But considering Hei Dou’s occasional late-night snack habits, it probably wouldn’t even be finished by the end of winter vacation.
Ning Chu leaned against her mother’s shoulder, wrapping her arms around Mom’s, comfortably watching TV, occasionally yawning.
It was warm, cozy, and wonderfully relaxing.
Her mood was like water rippling in a gentle breeze, calm yet tinged with a light feeling of happiness, bringing her immense peace.
She was utterly captivated by this family atmosphere, something she hadn’t experienced in a long time…
Remembering this time last year, she had declined Grandpa’s invitation, sitting all alone on a lonely sofa, listening to the noise downstairs and surrounded by furniture, yet feeling empty inside and cold.
At that time, she had been utterly alone, with her mother having passed away for years, her brother off galivanting who-knows-where, facing the panic of the second half of her senior year, preparing to enter society while feeling lost about her future.
She loathed the New Year, despised the sounds of laughter coming from the neighboring window, hated the kids playing with sparklers under their parents’ supervision in the complex, and detested the festive and noisy programs during the Spring Festival Gala…
She had cried many times, but whenever the New Year rolled around, her eyes would still turn red.
That mother, who had passed away young, was back by her side now, her brother, who dropped out of high school and became a social drifter, was now stable in his job, and their home had a lively little cat running around… If only this life could last a little longer, even if it became tiresome.
Coming to this parallel world, though she had turned into a girl, transformed into a succubus, and was now akin to a creamy bun every day, it was still worth it.
“Mom! Sister is crying!”
Hei Dou jumped up, pointing at Ning Chu’s eyes dramatically.
“No, I’m not! Stop making things up!”
She hurriedly lowered her head, hiding her red eyes from her family’s view.
Ning Yuan turned to look at her and asked, “Who made you angry? Why cry during the New Year?”
“I’m not crying!”
Ning Chu took a deep breath to wash away the sour feeling in her nose.
She had always been an emotional person, and after becoming a girl, her emotional fluctuations had intensified even more.
“It must be Mom~ Mom loves to tease Sister the most!”
Mom stretched out her hand, reaching over Ning Chu, and tapped Hei Dou on the head. “I was just joking with your sister; you really can’t pick up on good or bad humor.”
“Ow~”
She then looked down at her daughter, curled up like a ball with only her head sticking out from the blanket: “What’s up?”
Ning Chu swallowed the acidity at the tip of her nose and teased back, “Aged another year, so uncomfortable~”
“Impudent!”
“Mom is so beautiful, forever eighteen!” She quickly flattered her mother, “Right, Hei Dou?”
“Right!”
“Mom, brother hasn’t said anything. He must think you’re getting old.”
Ning Yuan, with a strong survival instinct, immediately retorted, “I never said that!”
Mom keenly noticed the lingering redness in Ning Chu’s eyes.
She reached out and gently wrapped her arm around her daughter’s shoulders, pulling her closer.
The drama finished an episode, and the boring commercials had Hei Dou yawning, leaning over and curling up in Ning Chu’s lap, her tail gently swaying.
Ning Chu had already composed herself and leaned down to ask, “Didn’t you just order takeout?”
“Call me when it arrives~”
Even though she had turned into a cat girl, Hei Dou’s sleeping habits hadn’t changed much; she could sleep anywhere at any time and wake up just as easily.
Ning Chu rubbed the little head resting on her thigh, petting the fluffy, sleek cat ears, then curiously leaned down to peek inside.
Thanks to daily cleaning with ear cleaning solution, they were surprisingly clean.
As the hour grew late, Ning Chu’s anxiety visibly peaked.
Her calves were shaking gently as she checked her phone for the time from time to time.
Just past nine, if she left now, she could just catch Wen Yang on his way home from work.
That thought popped into her mind involuntarily, but she quickly suppressed it.
No! 戒涩!
Absolutely no going out tonight!
Ning Chu’s gaze kept drifting to her wallet on the shoe rack, which contained her mother’s membership card that offered discounts on all expenses at the hotel and free breakfast.
She shook her head vigorously.
戒涩!
“The takeout’s here!”
As soon as the elevator doors opened, Hei Dou, who had been sleeping soundly and not moving at all, suddenly jolted up, quickly jumping off the sofa and running to the door.
Ning Chu swallowed, feeling a bit tempted for a late-night snack.
Mom noticed her anxiety, her eyes sparkling with teasing amusement as she watched her daughter’s restless demeanor, curious to see how long Ning Chu could hold out.
“Do you want some!”
Hei Dou dashed back to the sofa with takeout, violently tearing open the packaging to reveal a box of chicken fries and a cup of milk tea.
“Sister?”
“Not eating.”
Ning Chu inhaled deeply, suddenly standing up and heading straight for the bathroom: “Mom, I’m going to wash my face and sleep.”
“Not going out?”
“Where would I go in such cold weather?”
If she fell asleep quickly, she wouldn’t have to think about all those messy things!
Besides, if Wen Yang didn’t return to his rental tonight, then Zhang Shaoqing would find another reason to attack her tomorrow.
That annoying guy~
After a quick wash-up, Ning Chu dashed into her bedroom, burrowed into her blankets, turned off the light, and closed her eyes to gather sleepiness.
She tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
Opening her eyes again, she looked at the time, feeling her anxiety spike even more.
“Oh no, tonight I’m definitely not going to sleep…”
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