NOVEL FROG Chapter 45
Chapter 45: Class Gathering
“I’m sorry~ I’m sorry!”
On the balcony, Zhang Shaoqing had a dark expression. He had just returned to the dormitory when Ning Chu dragged him out here, and now the little one in front of him kept apologizing.
“It’s all my fault! I misunderstood what you said about the massage yesterday morning…”
He was actually a bit confused, his sullen expression frozen on his face as he looked at the pitiful Ning Chu. Then leaning against the balcony railing, he questioned in a dissatisfied, fierce tone, “You’re wrong? What’s the point of just saying it?”
“This…” Ning Chu’s pretended pity instantly faded as she took two steps back. “What do you want?”
Oh no! Don’t tell me he’s really going to turn villain over this!
Looks like the villain’s heart is quite fragile!
Seeing her wary expression like a little cat facing an angry dog, Zhang Shaoqing suddenly laughed. “Just call me Dad and we’ll be good.”
“……”
“Not that! Show a little sincerity!”
Ning Chu felt an overwhelming sense of humiliation, her lips moving as she reluctantly huffed, “Dad.”
“Hey~ Say it again!”
“Are you asking for a beating?!”
“Hit me then~” Zhang Shaoqing turned and ran back into the dorm, taunting as he went, “You’re acting all delicate like a girl! You don’t really think I can get mad over this, right?”
Ning Chu angrily picked up a broom and chased him inside.
Inside the dorm, it was as noisy as ever. Wen Yang turned around and saw the two chasing and fighting in the cramped space, rubbing his temples in a headache. He interrupted them loudly, “Stop it, stop it!”
“The counselor said last night that we’re having a class gathering tonight. Are you guys going or not? Give me a clear answer.”
“Not going! What’s there to gather about? I only know you few.”
Zhang Shaoqing responded while catching his breath but got hit by the broom on the butt, screaming as he ran even faster.
“That’s not good… The counselor said we should all try to go to promote class unity…”
“Are you stupid? You really believe the nonsense he says?”
Wen Yang had no way to deal with this guy. He turned to Ning Chu, who was angrily stomping around with her cheeks puffed like a pufferfish, still chasing Zhang Shaoqing.
“Ning Chu, are you going?”
“Don’t want to go!”
Right now, all Ning Chu wanted was to knock Zhang Shaoqing out.
“Wang Jie?”
“Gotta rank up, no time.”
Wen Yang shook his head helplessly. “Come on, at least one of you go with me? I don’t know anyone else in the class.”
“Don’t worry, the girls in class won’t ignore you.”
Hearing this from Zhang Shaoqing, Ning Chu suddenly perked up, stopping in her tracks, her voice trembling with tension. “Isn’t it better that you’re not going?”
“I’m the class leader. How can I not go? The counselor would break my legs.”
Ning Chu furrowed her brows, putting down the broom and taking out her phone to open the notes app.
The notes contained a list of all the girls who had fought against Wen Yang in the novel. Among them was the cat girl Ling Ling, whom Zhang Shaoqing liked, and the abstinent succubus they had previously discussed in the dorm, along with the yandere fox girl…
There were quite a few girls in the class who were the supporting characters in the plot. If she let Wen Yang go to the gathering alone, the chances of him not coming back tonight were high.
“Still worried about Wen Yang going out alone?” Zhang Shaoqing teased, sensing her worried expression. “Why don’t you just go to Thailand and marry Wen Yang?”
Ning Chu stubbornly retorted, “I just don’t have money for food!”
“Hasn’t your family sent you living expenses?” Wen Yang asked curiously. “Mine was deposited already.”
“No…”
Opening the banking app, Ning Chu stared at the single digit with despair.
Thanks to raising a cat and not controlling her spending on food and milk tea, she had basically run out of living expenses this month, leaving just enough for two packs of instant noodles, enough to last her one day.
She bit her lip, scrolling through her contacts to find her mom’s number, yet her thumb hesitated to tap.
In her past life, her mother had passed away early, and she had only her grandfather for company, but here, she suddenly had an added mother.
This made her extremely resistant, frowning, not wanting to communicate with this new mother figure.
Moreover, this was about asking for money… It felt somewhat pathetic, like begging a stranger.
“What’s wrong? Is your relationship with your mom bad?” Wen Yang noticed her hesitation.
“It should be fine, I guess?”
Zhang Shaoqing, legs crossed and lounging, muttered, “You can’t even ask for living expenses from home without it being a big deal? I wouldn’t even need to ask; my mom stuffs money in my pockets every day.”
After all, you’re a rich kid!
Ning Chu gave him a blank stare and promptly covered her phone screen with her hand, shaking her head at Wen Yang, “Forget it, I won’t go to the gathering tonight.”
Since it involved Ning Chu’s family matters, Wen Yang didn’t press further, shrugging in understanding.
He returned to his computer, but inside he felt a flicker of excitement.
So tonight, Ning Chu wouldn’t continue being his tail, wouldn’t mess with his romantic prospects. If any girls pursued him, Ning Chu wouldn’t come to stir up trouble…
If it weren’t for Ning Chu, would girls really be lining up to chase him while he was still a virgin till today?!
That little thought made him feel guilty, and he secretly glanced at Ning Chu, only to find her still looking gloomy, staring down at her phone, searching for something.
“What’s wrong?”
“Looking for a part-time job…”
Ning Chu lifted one foot onto the chair, resting her chin on her knee, mumbling, “It’d be best if it’s on-campus, like a supermarket attendant or a takeout delivery person in the cafeteria…”
“That way, I can earn some money working part-time in between classes.”
Wen Yang looked at her somber expression, his own excitement fading. “It’s the last day of the month. Isn’t it normal to ask your family for living expenses? Why go for a part-time job?”
“Didn’t you say that college students’ primary task is to study?”
That’s just the big talk I fed you so you wouldn’t chase girls while doing a part-time job! Did you really believe it? Silly!
Ning Chu silently cursed Wen Yang’s cluelessness.
“Why don’t you join me in doing game coaching? Just a few hours in the evening, it won’t affect your studies too much, plus it’d be fun.”
“Just him? You forgot the last time when he went 0-18?” Zhang Shaoqing scoffed. “Even if the three of us took him along, we’d still lose, let alone coaching him?”
Coaching, huh…
Ning Chu’s eyes suddenly lit up.
Coaching won’t work, but being a companion gamer is totally fine, right?!
Although being bad at games and still being a guy likely means no one would pick him, unless some rich lady liked the cute little boy type, like a cafe owner.
What if, though?
Quickly, he downloaded a companion gaming app, registered an account just to give it a try. If luck favored him, someone might want to pay him, and if not, he’d only used a little phone storage.
“Don’t fret! If you really run out of money, it’s just missing a meal; you won’t starve.”
“……”
That sounds eerily familiar~
Ning Chu had once said this to Wen Yang, yet now he found himself in the predicament of not being able to afford food.
“I’m about to leave.”
“So early?” Ning Chu perked up.
“I have to check how many people are going to the gathering and then go find a good, affordable restaurant with the counselor…”
Zhang Shaoqing chimed in, “Just don’t choose that Sichuan restaurant; it’ll upset Ning Chu’s stomach.”
“Alright.”
Seeing Wen Yang about to leave, Ning Chu quickly stood up and jogged over. “Wait, wait!”
“What’s wrong?”
He turned back and glanced at Zhang Shaoqing, who was watching the spectacle with an amused expression, suddenly feeling a flush of heat and embarrassment rush to his head. His face turned slightly red as he lowered his voice and subtly reminded, “Don’t drink during the gathering, come back early tonight, um… don’t stay out overnight…”
She had to learn to let go. Surely, Wen Yang wouldn’t run into trouble just going out for a meal, right?
But Zhang Shaoqing was listening intently: “Oh~ Little wife reminding her husband about things to pay attention to when going out!”
Hearing this, the embarrassment surged several times, her delicate face turning crimson, as if it could bleed, the blush quickly spreading to the tips of her ears. Ning Chu lowered her head, feeling the flush on her face, gritting her teeth wanting to punch Zhang Shaoqing.
What a jerk!
Wen Yang looked at the blush blooming on her cute face, her shy demeanor made his heart skip a beat.
Ning Chu, does she really like me?
His mind couldn’t help but wander, but he still nodded gently.
“I’m not that kind of person.”