Volume 1 Chapter 274: Image, Shattered~
"Ning Chu, it's four o'clock."
When Yan Xinya and Lily returned from their shopping trip, they found Ning Chu still glued to the TV, furiously mashing buttons as she played her game.
Yan Xinya let out a helpless sigh and handed her a cup of milk tea.
"You're still at it? You've been sitting here all afternoon."
"It's fun," Ning Chu replied casually.
"We're leaving for school at four-thirty, you know~"
"Already?" Ning Chu blinked, reluctantly putting down the controller. She took a sip of the milk tea and muttered under her breath, "Guess I'll have to continue next time…"
She hadn't realized just how many fun games existed in this parallel world.
What a treasure trove!
Yan Xinya glanced at Ning Chu's outerwear, revealing the pajamas she was still wearing underneath.
"You should get changed. We'll be heading out soon."
"Alright, alright~" Ning Chu sighed.
Someday, she'd get her own console when she had the money!
Turning off the TV and game system, she stretched and got up, grabbing her clothes from the bedside table and heading toward the bathroom.
"Still hiding just to change?" Yan Xinya teased.
Even though she was a girl now, Ning Chu still couldn't bring herself to casually change in front of other girls.
Ignoring the wolf girl, she ducked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
"She's probably just too flat and doesn't want us to laugh~"
"Yeah," Lily replied coolly.
Ning Chu froze mid-change, expression twitching. She glanced down at her chest, which was… well, developing.
Sure, she wasn't exactly busty yet—but she had potential, okay?!
Lily could call her small—she had a C+ at least—but what gave the B-cup Yan Xinya the right to talk?!
Back when she'd first started having these thoughts, Ning Chu would feel guilty for thinking like such a girl.
Now, though, all she felt was a bit of indignant fire.
Once dressed, Ning Chu stepped out of the bathroom, deliberately straightening her back and pushing her chest out a little in front of the wolf girl.
"You have such a tiny breast for a succubus~" Yan Xinya teased.
"You're not that much bigger!" Ning Chu snapped back.
"Hey, you're a succubus. Compare yourself to Lily, not me!"
Reflexively, Ning Chu's eyes drifted toward Lily—whose chest, even under a loose long dress, looked like she was smuggling basketballs.
Even the tiniest movement made them sway hypnotically.
"Stop staring." Lily's eyes flicked away as she hugged her chest instinctively—only making them look even bigger.
"They're too big," she muttered, flustered. "Clothes make me look thick around the waist… and they're gonna sag eventually."
"Just wear more fitted clothes, Lily~" Yan Xinya offered helpfully.
"That's too… lewd…"
"Succubi are supposed to be lewd!" Yan Xinya laughed, reaching out to grope Lily's chest with both hands.
Lily froze like a deer in headlights, her normally calm face now tinged red.
"So soft~!"
"Stop messing around," Lily said flatly.
Ning Chu immediately covered her face, too embarrassed to even look.
How do girls play around like this so casually?!
"Hey, Ning Chu! Let me try yours too!"
"NOPE!" Ning Chu jumped straight into the air and bolted out of the room. "Get lost!!"
God! I'm still growing, okay?!
What if they end up lopsided because of you?! Will you take responsibility then?!
But Yan Xinya wasn't done yet—she gave chase, giggling maniacally.
The two of them sprinted around the 200-square-meter apartment in circles until Ning Chu, out of breath, finally stopped, panting heavily.
Yan Xinya hugged her from behind, arms around her waist, and started sniffing her face like an overenthusiastic dog.
"You're such a creep!" Ning Chu clutched her chest tightly, guarding against any sudden gropes.
"I'm just playing around~"
"You call this playing?!"
"..."
Yan Xinya rolled her eyes. "Like I even want to touch your breast. I've got my own, thank you."
Well, Wen Yang sure wants to!
He practically lights up with joy every time she gives him permission!
"It's time," Lily called out calmly.
Ning Chu nodded, taking a moment to straighten her wrinkled clothes and catch her breath. She made her way toward the elevator.
At the entrance, she slipped on her shoes and glanced toward Lily curiously.
"Isn't it kinda risky living here? Like… can't people just take the elevator straight up and walk into your apartment?"
"They would need to have a specific swipe card for that."
"Oh~ fancy."
Her own home was a relic from the last century—having an elevator at all was already a miracle.
From the side, Yan Xinya asked, "Ning Chu, are you going straight back to your rental? Or heading to school first?"
"To the rental."
"Eh? Lily, the elevator's almost here—where are you going?"
Just as the elevator was about to arrive, Lily suddenly turned around and jogged back to the bedroom. Moments later, she returned, carrying a bag that she promptly shoved into Ning Chu's arms.
"..."
"What's this?"
Yan Xinya leaned over to peek, but Ning Chu quickly clutched the bag shut.
"Lily gave me some makeup. She said she doesn't use it anymore, and it'd just expire otherwise."
"Oh~ makeup's such a pain. I'm way too lazy to bother with it."
You're always running around like a hyperactive husky and sweating buckets—why would you even wear makeup?
Ning Chu quietly roasted her in her mind, then glanced at Lily's emotionless face and sighed internally.
She had originally hoped to sneak away without the bag—maybe just claim she forgot to bring it later.
But Lily had noticed after all…
The makeup set was genuinely nice, but some of the other things in the bag? Totally unnecessary.
"Don't just stand there—elevator's here!" Yan Xinya called out, dragging Lily's suitcase into the lift.
"Ugh..."
With a heavy sigh, Ning Chu followed the two into the elevator.
Downstairs, the ride-share Lily had called just happened to arrive.
It was over an hour's drive back—enough to make anyone sleepy.
By the time they arrived, the sky was already dark. It was nearly 6 PM.
The car pulled to a stop at the edge of the village where her rental was located.
Ning Chu stepped out, while Yan Xinya rolled down the window and waved goodbye.
"See you at Monday~"
"Bye~"
Both her hands were full—dirty laundry in one, makeup (and other things) in the other—so she could only nod back at Yan Xinya.
Watching the car drive off toward the school, Ning Chu finally glanced at the bag in her hand with a troubled expression.
'How am I supposed to deal with those toys?'
'Throw them away?'
'But they were a gift… and probably expensive.'
'What if they're actually... good?'
'That hyper-realistic one looked terrifying, and even Lily had admitted she was too scared to use it—but compared to Wen Yang, its size wasn't that bad…'
'Maybe I'll just keep them. They're not hurting anyone.'
Deep in thought, she arrived at the door of her rental. She set the bags down to get her keys.
But before she could open the door, it was pulled open from the inside.
Wen Yang stood there, smiling gently.
"I heard footsteps and figured it was you. How was your day?"
"Not bad. I had a good time."
As she spoke, he casually reached down and picked up her bags.
"Let me do the laundry—these haven't been washed yet, right?"
Ning Chu instinctively reached out to grab them back—but managed to stop herself.
Her heart suddenly skipped a beat.
"What's in this one?"
She followed him into the house, her nerves on edge, terrified he might discover the toys hidden inside.
"Lily gave me some makeup," she said quickly. "You can just leave it on the table."
"Makeup?"
Wen Yang opened the bag and peeked inside.
"..."
He froze, hand reaching in and pulling out a very conspicuous rubber toy.
Expression blank, he stared at the thing in complete confusion, then slowly turned to look at Ning Chu—whose face was now bright red.
"Uhh... that's Lily's. Must've fallen in by accident."
'It's over.'
'My whole image in Wen Yang's eyes is probably ruined forever.'