Chapter 523. Like a Dream
On a stage built of flowers, Wen Yang kneeled on one knee, holding a rose, gently lifting Ning Chu’s hand.
She lowered her head, shyly wanting to turn away, but her gaze still landed on that sincere and loving face.
“I…”
Below the stage, the cheers and teasing voices of friends and family erupted, especially Zhang Shaoqing’s loud shout for “a kiss.”
She bit her lower lip, her excited emotions brewing in her chest, desperately wanting to burst out.
Just as she nodded and was about to speak, she was suddenly taken aback, reaching up to touch her rough face.
How did I become a man!
Right, I was originally a man…
She froze for a moment, and when she looked up again, she saw Wen Yang standing in a panic, and the audience erupted in boos.
…
The noisy commotion suddenly interrupted her dream, and Ning Chu opened her eyes with a start, staring blankly at the ceiling.
What a strange dream…
Unconsciously, she raised her hand, looking at her delicate, fair hand, beautiful like white jade, and the rosy nail polish at her fingertips.
The panic in her heart gradually dissipated. Ning Chu weakly rested her hand on her forehead, fatigued, and closed her eyes again, but the dream’s images flickered like slides in her mind.
I can’t sleep.
She revealed a bitter smile and turned to look at Hei Dou beside her.
This cat lay sprawled on its back, taking up two-thirds of the bed, its tail draped over Ning Chu’s waist, the furry touch making her a bit ticklish.
Hei Dou was deeply asleep, its even breaths accompanied by soft purring, its ears covered by its hair, as if blocking out the world.
Outside, her mother was busy cleaning and making breakfast, making quite a racket, no wonder Hei Dou had covered its ears.
The sweet little cat didn’t grab Ning Chu’s attention; she merely stared blankly at that youthful face, still recalling the dream she just had.
Perhaps it was the identity of having once been a man, or perhaps everything she gained now felt like it was given to her for free…
The inexplicable time travel, inexplicably returning to a middle school appearance, entering a college in the royal world, and inexplicably becoming a girl.
Ning Chu always felt uneasy about her current life, fearing that one day she would suddenly wake up to find herself back to being that man squatting in a rented room, without a mother, without friends, holding a few hundred bucks, being forced to intern at a job.
Even after years had passed, it still felt unreal, like a dream.
It was as if she had obtained an unstable high-paying job, yet she herself was quite mediocre, always worried that this job could disappear at any moment.
When Wen Yang left her side, the subtle unease intensified her anxiety.
Ning Chu lowered her eyes, picked up her phone from the pillow, opened the chat with Wen Yang, typed a line trying to describe her dream, wanting to confide in Wen Yang, but after hesitating for a moment, she deleted all the text.
“Good morning.”
She sent a good morning sticker, set her phone aside, and sighed deeply.
She quietly got out of bed, being careful not to wake the sleeping Hei Dou, but the movement of the bed still disrupted Hei Dou’s steady breathing.
“Jiejie?”
Hei Dou looked sleepily at Ning Chu sitting at the edge of the bed.
“It’s time to get up.”
“Mm~ Are you in a bad mood?”
“No.”
Hei Dou gently grabbed the end of her drooping tail: “Then why isn’t your tail wagging…”
“I’m not a dog, why would I wag my tail?”
Ning Chu frowned uncomfortably, shaking her tail free from Hei Dou’s grip.
“You usually wag it when you’re in a good mood.”
She felt as though she was being treated like a dog, silently rolling her eyes, and headed outdoors.
This tail was usually coiled around her thigh and hidden under her skirt; aside from when she felt shy, it was hardly noticeable the rest of the time.
She didn’t expect that her emotions could be seen through by Hei Dou via her tail.
Outside the bedroom, her mother was busy mopping and cleaning, the house was tidied every two days, always kept very clean; in comparison, Ning Chu’s rented room could practically be called a doghouse.
“Breakfast is on the table.”
Seeing her daughter come out of her room, her mother casually reminded her.
“Okay, what are we having today?”
“Oyster pancakes and pan-fried batter.”
Ning Chu’s eyes brightened up, her drooping tail perked up, and the heart-shaped tip swung left and right. She eagerly ran to the dining table, complaining to her mother, “The oyster pancakes near my school are super hard to get, Wen Yang brought me two once, and they were horrible.”
“Go brush your teeth and wash your hands; you’re a grown-up now.”
“Oh~”
The dream from earlier was long forgotten by Ning Chu, and the slight sour mood was replaced by anticipation.
She returned to the bathroom, brushing her teeth while asking her mother, “Mom, when are you planning to go get the marriage license with Uncle?”
“Why do you feel more anxious than I do?”
“I have things to do, can’t just wait forever, can I?”
Her mother stood in the bathroom doorway with a mop, looking at her daughter who was washing up in front of the mirror, smiling teasingly, “You didn’t get home for even a day and already want to see Wen Yang? Your elbow just keeps turning outward.”
“How could that be? I would rather stay home every day, okay?!” Ning Chu denied her mother’s guessing, hastily asking, “So when is it exactly? I need to find a job for my internship during the summer break.”
“Next month.”
She involuntarily shook her head: “That won’t do!”
“Why must I get your approval for my marriage license?”
Looking up at the mirror, Ning Chu saw her mother’s teasing expression behind her.
She knew she was being played with and could only turn back and act cute to try and gloss over it: “Mom~”
That high-pitched tone even made her feel nauseous.
But her mother was very receptive to this, her smile widening: “On my birthday next week.”
Of course…
But that’s still more than ten days away.
Ning Chu tentatively asked, “Mom, could we do it a few days earlier?”
Her mother was taken aback for a moment, then understood her intention, sighing lightly: “Still insisting you’re not eager to see Wen Yang?”
“Not really, I have an interview scheduled…” She tried hard to defend herself, but under her mother’s somewhat teasing gaze, her defenses crumbled, and she lowered her eyes: “Alright, I want to see Wen Yang.”
Her mother rolled her eyes: “If you want to go, just go. What does it have to do with my getting married?”
“Really? Then today I…”
Almost visibly, her mother’s expression darkened instantly.
Ning Chu suddenly remembered that her stubbornness came from her mother…
“Surely I should accompany you to get the license first, right?” To avoid getting in trouble, she hurriedly backtracked on what she just said, “Mom~ it doesn’t matter if you get the license a few days early, why must it be on your birthday?”
Her mother’s demeanor softened a bit, lightly huffing as she turned to leave: “You just got home and already want to leave, can’t you spend more time with your sister?”
“Just wait a few days for your Uncle’s business trip to return, it won’t be long. Then your Uncle can take you out to eat.”
“Staying at home quietly these days, and your mind’s just filled with thoughts about men!”
Ning Chu could only grin: “Not at all~”
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