On Monday afternoon, during PE class, Ning Chu unusually refrained from clinging to Wen Yang.
During free activity time, she sat on a bench at the edge of the soccer field with Lily and Yan Xinya, each holding a cup of milk tea.
"Ning Chu~ I caught the scent again~" The wolf-girl rested her chin on Ning Chu's shoulder, teasing her playfully. "Next time, you better take a good shower. What if someone else notices?"
"..."
"How did you manage at lunchtime?"
"I just endured it..."
Lily, sitting nearby, interjected, "Wasn't that dangerous?"
"Exactly! Why don't you hurry up and move out? If you stay in the boys' dorm, it's only a matter of time before chaos erupts."
"..." Ning Chu hung her head, unable to respond.
They were making snide remarks now, but wasn't Lily the root cause of all this mess?
She'd gone out of her way to prevent Wen Yang and Lily from interacting, only for Yan Xinya to drag Lily along to class and insist on mingling with Wen Yang!
And now, thanks to trying to disrupt the plot, Wen Yang was starting to suspect she might be a succubus.
There was even a chance Lily's storyline could shift toward her.
Or maybe she was just overthinking it?
Leaning back in her seat, Ning Chu gazed at the vibrant blue sky, her face filled with despair.
"You succubus really have it rough, huh~" Yan Xinya said, brushing her tail with a comb designed for pets. "But at least you don't shed. Lucky you~"
After just a few strokes, the comb was already full of fur.
Even among friends, Lily maintained her cool and elegant demeanor. Sitting upright with her book, she responded softly, "Mm."
"Ning Chu, can I see the markings on your stomach? Lily wouldn't let me see hers."
"Don't talk to me..."
"Wen Yang's gone."
Ning Chu jolted upright and immediately stood on tiptoe to scan the soccer field. Her eyes searched the field, but there was no sign of Wen Yang anywhere.
Just a few minutes ago, Wen Yang had been sitting on the grass with Wang Jie and Zhang Shaoqing, playing a mobile game.
Where could he have gone?
Her heart raced with panic as her gaze swept over the field again and again, hoping she had just overlooked him.
But with Wen Yang's towering height of nearly 1.9 meters and striking looks, it was nearly impossible to miss him!
"Maybe he went to the restroom?" Yan Xinya tugged at her hand. "Don't panic, he's probably not sneaking off to flirt with some girl."
It wasn't that she was worried about Wen Yang flirting with anyone—she was more concerned about herself.
As long as Wen Yang was out of sight, her heart couldn't stop racing, and she was overcome with unease.
"I'll go look for him."
"Don't rush, don't rush."
Lily finally lifted her gaze from her book and looked at Ning Chu. "Call him."
Ning Chu fumbled for her phone, but her eyes were already fixed on the entrance to the field.
Finally, she let out a breath of relief.
Wen Yang had returned, holding a package in his hands.
He had gone to pick up a delivery.
This guy, despite being perpetually broke, couldn't control himself after earning a little money from his part-time job and had splurged again.
Ning Chu muttered to herself about how she needed to talk to him about his spending habits.
He should stop wasting money the moment he had some!
She plopped back down on the bench and grumbled, "Scared me half to death."
"And you still say you have nothing going on with Wen Yang~" Yan Xinya teased, leaning in with a mischievous grin. "Look at how nervous you were just now."
"I don't!" Ning Chu shot back.
"Oh, so stubborn~" The wolf-girl turned to Lily and added, "She's so into Wen Yang that even when she's alone in the dorm on weekends, she has to wear his clothes to feel safe~ and yet she claims she doesn't like him."
Blushing, Ning Chu protested, "Stop making things up! I was cold, that's all!"
At that moment, Wen Yang approached with the package in hand, looking at the trio who were laughing and chatting. "What are you talking about? Seems fun."
"We were just saying how Ning Chu just—"
Before Yan Xinya could finish, Ning Chu grabbed one of her wolf ears, and the girl immediately crumpled. "Ow! Let go! That hurts!"
"Hmph!" Ning Chu let go, then looked up at Wen Yang. "What do you want?"
"I got you something."
"???"
Standing about a meter away, Wen Yang tossed the package onto Ning Chu's lap, turned his head, and, slightly blushing, said, "Open it and see if you like it."
"A token of love!" Yan Xinya shouted with glee.
Ning Chu pounced on her, trying to shut her up. "Be quiet!"
On the other side, Lily, looking uncomfortable, tried to scoot away but ended up falling off the bench with a thud.
"Lily! Are you okay?" Yan Xinya quickly helped her up before turning back to Ning Chu. "Stop fussing and just open it already."
Ning Chu shot her an annoyed look before hesitantly glancing at the package on her lap and then at Wen Yang.
Could it really be some sort of love token? Why else would Wen Yang randomly give her something?
Maybe she shouldn't open it. She could just have him return it instead.
Wen Yang, sensing her hesitation, crossed his arms and urged her, "Hurry up and open it. If you don't like it, I'll return it."
"What kind of clueless guy are you!" Yan Xinya exclaimed, glaring at him with disappointment. Even Lily nodded subtly in agreement, her expression blank but her intent clear.
Wen Yang quickly corrected himself. "Fine! Just keep it, whether you like it or not."
"..."
Ning Chu sighed heavily and tore open the package.
It turned out to be a set of clothes.
She unfolded it on the bench: a short blue-and-white sailor-style blouse, a deep-blue pleated skirt, and matching accessories, including thigh-high stockings and leg rings.
For a moment, Ning Chu stared at the outfit, completely silent.
Does Wen Yang have a screw loose?
She gave him a sidelong glance. Wen Yang, noticing her displeasure, rushed to explain, "I realized you didn't have any women's clothing, so I thought I'd get you a set... Even if you can't wear it in the dorm, you might want something to wear when you go out on weekends..."
Seeing her expression darken further, he added weakly, "I thought it looked nice... Other people look great in it."
In truth, he'd recently tutored a high school senior wearing a sailor uniform, which had hit just the right spot for him. He couldn't stop imagining how Ning Chu would look in such an outfit. And since her wardrobe seemed devoid of any feminine clothing, it felt like the perfect excuse.
"I don't have that kind of hobby," Ning Chu groaned, rubbing her temples.
"You don't like skirts?"
Wen Yang seemed genuinely surprised.
I don't wear women's clothes at all! Let alone short skirts or sailor uniforms!
"Don't buy me things anymore. This set looks expensive. You should spend your part-time earnings on food instead." Ning Chu folded the clothes and handed them back to him. "Return it."
She had to reject it firmly—this was the only way to stop Wen Yang from fostering any feelings toward her.
Wen Yang froze, visibly disappointed, and was about to take the clothes back when Yan Xinya frantically started signaling at him with exaggerated winks and gestures.
"..."
Instead of accepting the clothes, Wen Yang turned and walked away.
"Hey! Take it back and return it!" Ning Chu shouted after him, standing up to chase him. "Come back here!"
"He was being nice~ Just accept it, even if you don't like it," Yan Xinya said, suddenly wrapping her arms around Ning Chu's shoulders from behind and pinning her back onto the bench, her face full of an auntie-like smile. "Keep it!"
"I live in a boys' dorm!"
"I'll keep it for you! If you ever need it, just let me know, and I'll bring it over in no time!"