NOVPUBChapter 34: No Wonder She’s Afraid to Like Him
“I’m the champion! I’m way too strong!” Yan Xinya’s ears perked up, and her tail spun around like a fan, her energy so vibrant that she looked as if she’d just won an Olympic gold medal.
“Today’s my treat! We’re having a feast!” she announced. 𝔫𝖔𝔳𝔭𝔲𝔟.𝖈𝔬𝔪
Ning Chu leaned on her hand at the cafeteria table, glancing at the so-called "feast" laid out in front of them. Four trays were filled to the brim with various veggies and meat dishes, but since they were all fast food, the total cost didn’t even exceed 60 yuan.
“Pretty stingy,” Lily muttered quietly, holding a small bowl in her hands.
“Stingy?! Do you know how little the prize money was?” Yan Xinya looked conflicted, as if she were making a decision that went against her ancestors. “Alright, how about I get us each a drumstick?”
Wen Yang, of course, didn’t care if it was a feast or not—he was the most eager one to dig in. Within moments, Yan Xinya returned with four crispy drumsticks, handing one to each person. She showed no ladylike restraint and grabbed hers without even using a napkin, biting into it with oil dripping down her chin.
While chewing away, she still managed to speak, “Ning Chu, are you free this weekend?”
“Hmm, I think so.”
Wen Yang had a tutoring job on the weekend, and Ning Chu didn’t plan on tagging along. Although she was a bit worried that some bad woman might try to seduce him, the tutoring plot had already been disrupted, so the chances were low.
Besides, Wen Yang seemed to be much less interested in other women now, though all his focus was still on her...
Which, when she thought about it, was kind of depressing.
“Then come hang out in our dorm?” Yan Xinya invited.
Not a bad idea, especially with Wen Yang busy elsewhere. Seeking refuge with Yan Xinya, who could knock out perverts with one punch, seemed like a safe bet.
“Sure,” Ning Chu agreed, then asked curiously, “Who are your roommates? I don’t think I’ve ever met them.”
“Lin Li, but she usually only comes back to the dorm at night. Not sure what she’s busy with during the day. And then there’s Lingling—she moved out with her boyfriend after the National Day break, so she’s rarely around.”
Lingling, the cat-girl... already living with her boyfriend.
Ning Chu felt a brief twinge of sympathy for Zhang Shaoqing.
But then again, that thick-skinned guy was already making jokes about the situation himself, so whatever lingering feelings he might have had for Lingling were probably long gone by now.
“Oh, no wonder I’ve never seen your roommates when I visit,” Ning Chu mumbled, but her expression suddenly turned tense as she noticed a woman walking directly toward their table.
The approaching woman was tall, nearly 1.8 meters, dressed in a professional OL-style skirt and heels. Her long legs were wrapped in sheer black stockings, with a faint hint of pale skin visible beneath. A pair of sunglasses covered half of her face, revealing only her high-bridged nose and red lips.
The strong, overwhelming aura she exuded made it hard to breathe.
Uh-oh, she looks like bad news!
Ning Chu’s eyes narrowed, and her sense of caution skyrocketed.
Although she couldn’t confirm it yet, this was definitely one of the female supporting characters from the novel!
After Wen Yang’s embarrassing fall on the track, most of the school had taken notice of him, and it seemed that the side characters had finally started showing up!
Yan Xinya and Lily both sensed the woman’s presence and turned their heads as well.
Lily immediately lowered hers, pulling up her hood in fear. Even the usually bold wolf-girl felt a little intimidated by the woman’s aura, frantically giving Ning Chu a look.
The woman stopped by their table, briefly scanning the group before her gaze settled on Wen Yang. She removed her sunglasses, her red lips curling into a smile. “Mind if I sit here?”
Despite her strong exterior, her voice was soft and sweet, with an alluring charm.
Wen Yang, who had been focused on his meal, finally noticed the woman and looked up at her in confusion.
Ning Chu took a deep breath, feeling an immense amount of pressure from this woman. Despite having chased off bad women before, this one had her feeling nervous.
She clenched her fists, ready to jump up and intervene at any moment.
As Wen Yang snapped out of his confusion, he barely hesitated before going right back to his meal. “No.”
“Huh?”
“I already like someone, and I don’t want her to get the wrong idea.”
Ning Chu blinked in surprise, and both Yan Xinya and Lily turned their heads to look at her.
Her face immediately flushed, growing red-hot as she awkwardly looked down, avoiding their gazes.
The woman’s direct rejection didn’t seem to faze her. Instead, she sat down next to Wen Yang, still smiling sweetly. “I—”
“Don’t push your luck,” Wen Yang said coldly, his face expressionless.
“...”
Whoa! Wen Yang’s standing up for himself!
Ning Chu’s eyes widened in shock. This was the same guy who, just a day ago, would respond to persistent girls with nothing more than weak, hesitant phrases like "Don’t come any closer" or "I’m not interested." That timid attitude had always seemed less like a real rejection and more like he was playing hard to get.
Is this really my male protagonist?!
“Whatever,” the woman muttered, annoyed as she stood up and walked away.
Wen Yang glanced at her retreating figure, exhaling in relief. But when he looked up again, he saw three girls staring at him, their faces filled with shock.
His cold, distant demeanor crumbled, and his face turned bright red, transforming him back into the familiar, shy, pure-hearted boy.
He stole a glance at Ning Chu, nervously mumbling, “You told me to handle these situations by being more direct, but I don’t like using rude language.”
“Keep doing that from now on!” Ning Chu said enthusiastically, nodding in approval. “Did you learn that from Lily?!”
“Yeah.”
“Lily deserves credit, then! Teach him more!” Ning Chu grinned at Lily.
Lily, looking utterly baffled, muttered, “Huh?”
Just as Ning Chu was about to say more, her excitement began to fade. Her face, which had been rosy from excitement, quickly deepened to a darker shade of pink.
Her skin tingled as a strange heat spread through her body, originating from her stomach and surging outward like an uncontrollable wave.
Oh no! She had been so caught up in the moment that she had completely forgotten about the punishment!
Ning Chu’s eyes darted around the room in a panic. It was the busiest time at the cafeteria, with dozens of people milling about and hundreds more seated, eating.
Oh God! If anyone notices...
Yan Xinya’s ears twitched, her nose sniffing the air as she drew out her words, “Oh~”
Lily, though lacking a sharp sense of smell, recognized Ning Chu’s condition immediately. She buried her face in her hands, pretending not to notice.
“What’s wrong?” Wen Yang asked, looking up and noticing Ning Chu’s flushed face. “What’s happening to you now?”
Yan Xinya smirked teasingly. “Maybe Ning Chu’s just hungry~”
Under the table, Ning Chu kicked the wolf-girl in the shin.
“Ow! What was that for?” Yan Xinya yelped, rubbing her leg, then threw Wen Yang a glance. “You should probably take her to a bathroom—looks like she really needs to go.”
Wen Yang paused, clearly confused, but then caught a stronger whiff of Ning Chu’s familiar scent, much more intense than usual.
“There’s a public restroom nearby.”
Seeing Ning Chu frozen in place, Wen Yang awkwardly stood up and asked, “Want me to take you there?”
Lily’s eyes sparkled for a moment, but she quickly lowered her head, concern etched on her face.
Yan Xinya leaned over, whispering into Ning Chu’s ear, “No wonder you’re afraid to like him.”
