Volume 2 Chapter 55 / Chapter 336: Dinner at Ning Chu's House
Just as dinner time came around, Black Bean suddenly opened her eyes wide. She twitched her nose but didn't smell the meaty aroma she was expecting.
Only then did she realize—she was still lying in bed.
She turned her head and saw her sister lying beside her, glued to her phone. Like a little worm, she wriggled her way over.
"Sis~ hasn't Mom cooked yet?"
"She went out to buy groceries. We're having big crabs tonight."
"Really?!" Black Bean's eyes lit up. She shot out of bed, feet pressing into the blanket before she leapt down.
"Where are you going?"
Ning Chu looked up, wary of what nonsense this little cat might be planning.
"Homework!"
Black Bean darted to the desk, pulled out the practice book Wen Yang had bought for her, and wrote her name on it. Then she turned back, a little unsure, and asked, "Sis… is it true that if I finish two pages, you'll treat me to a meal?"
Ning Chu nodded instinctively.
"Yay!"
She suddenly had a bad feeling. Her right eyelid twitched a few times. Quickly, she added, "You have to write it neatly—no scribbling. I'll check it."
"I know!"
…Are Wen Yang and I going to go broke because of Black Bean?
Sure, Black Bean had plenty of flaws, but counting her cat age, she was only about eight months old. If you only counted her time in human form, she was barely one or two months.
Due to her young age, it's hard to be harsh to her when she makes mistakes. Thankfully, her days as a hungry stray had made her cling to food. With snacks as an incentive, most of her bad habits could be fixed.
The only downside was—she might turn into a chubby little cat.
Ning Chu opened her nightstand drawer and glanced at the stash of snacks inside.
This was Black Bean's "treasure trove"—all the treats she couldn't finish in one go were hidden there. She wasn't dumb; she never hid unpackaged, half-eaten, or easily spoiled food.
Maybe her mother had already taught her that lesson once before.
"Sis! Close it! Close it!"
The sound of the drawer made Black Bean's ears perk up instantly. She rushed over nervously and slammed it shut.
"I'm not going to steal your stuff." Ning Chu gave her a sideways look.
"But what if you get hungry?"
"…You really have no faith in your sister."
Black Bean made a silly face at her, then scampered back to her homework.
Ning Chu stretched and was about to flop back onto the bed with her phone when she heard movement at the front door.
She jumped up, bare feet hitting the floor, and hurried out.
Sure enough, Wen Yang had returned with her mother.
Wen Yang was carrying several big shopping bags, while her mother had empty hands—just a handbag—looking more like she'd been strolling around than grocery shopping.
"Again with no shoes." Her mother shot her a glare. "I just mopped the floor, and now you're covering it in footprints."
"It's fine, Wen Yang can mop it again."
She was talking tough, but Ning Chu still ran to the door, grabbed a pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet, and put them on.
She'd only been home for half a day, yet there were already three pairs of slippers by her bed.
"Wen Yang, come help me out."
Her mother set her bag down and headed for the kitchen at a leisurely pace. Wen Yang followed with a cheerful look, shooting Ning Chu a quick wink as he passed.
"Good luck!" Ning Chu mouthed back.
Maybe because he had been up close and personal with her daughter, or maybe because the gifts he brought suited her tastes, Ning Chu's mother's attitude toward Wen Yang had become friendlier.
The downside of that friendliness?
Wen Yang was now getting bossed around.
"What time's your shift tomorrow?" Ning Chu's mother asked while working in the kitchen.
"Morning shift—seven to three-thirty." Wen Yang smiled bitterly. "And I was late on my second day."
His job had rotating shifts. Since he was new, he had to alternate between mornings and evenings to get familiar with hotel work. Once he got the hang of it, he'd probably get a fixed schedule.
"Pay more attention at work." Ning Chu's mother had clearly guessed why he'd been late. She glanced at Ning Chu, who was poking her head into the kitchen doorway.
Ning Chu hadn't caught the conversation from earlier, so she simply exchanged a puzzled glance with her mother—only for her attention to immediately be drawn to the two big, claw-waving crabs in the sink.
"The oysters—just steam them directly," her mother said. "It's easier that way. Otherwise Ning Xin will start fussing if she has to wait too long."
"Alright." Wen Yang was already scrubbing the oyster shells clean.
"Ning Chu, what's Ning Xin doing? Playing on the tablet?"
"She's doing her homework."
Ning Chu's mother paused mid-movement, looking a little surprised. Ning Chu instantly raised her chin in pride.
"She's working on the practice book Wen Yang bought her! With me around, she's super obedient~"
"She'll get bored in three minutes," her mother muttered before going back to cooking.
They'd bought quite a lot from the supermarket. Besides the crabs, ribs, and oysters Ning Chu had mentioned earlier, her mother had also picked up shrimp and chives.
The rice in the cooker was already done, so in just over ten minutes, several dishes were ready and set on the table.
"Start eating first."
Her mother looked up to call Black Bean, but at some point, the little catgirl had already taken her seat at the table, tail swaying as she eagerly waited for dinner.
Chive scrambled eggs, boiled shrimp, and steamed oysters—simple enough dishes.
"The crabs and ribs will take a bit longer."
"Wen Yang, go eat. Don't get in the way in the kitchen."
When Wen Yang sat down beside her, Ning Chu immediately straightened up and whispered in his ear, "I think my mom's being a lot nicer to you~"
"Yeah, I noticed."
Wen Yang could feel it too—his future mother-in-law's change in attitude had made him much less tense.
In front of him sat a giant bowl of rice; she'd already memorized his appetite.
"Are you still coming to sleep at my rental place tonight?" Wen Yang asked quietly, eyes glancing toward the kitchen.
Ning Chu's face flushed bright red. She shook her head so fast it left an afterimage.
"No!"
Did he think she was some insatiable woman? She was still sore from last night! And now he wanted to go at it again?
"Alright, then. I'll have to head back after dinner anyway—got an early shift tomorrow at seven."
"Mhm. Don't be late again." Ning Chu hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Do you have any suspects yet? About the person who drugged you?"
"No."
"Well, just stay away from those awful women," she grumbled with a frown. "You were lucky I stepped in for you. And that cup was useless, yet it cost me over a hundred!"
What a rip-off.
Black Bean was mixing the chive eggs into her rice when she glanced up curiously.
"Sis, what are you guys talking about? What cup?"
"Nothing."
Ning Chu shook her head quickly. Having a beast-eared girl in the house was such a hassle—sharp nose, sharp ears, nothing escaped her.
"Red crab with vermicelli, coming through~"
Her mother carried out a huge plate of crab, instantly drawing Black Bean's full attention.
"I want the big claw!"
"Here, your big claw."
"Ning Chu, this one's full of roe—take it."
Every time Wen Yang ate at Ning Chu's house, he could feel the warmth of family.
It's loud and lively, but deeply comforting.
"Wen Yang, you take half a crab too. And more vermicelli—this dish, the vermicelli's better than the crab. Try my cooking."
He paused for a moment, looking down at the half crab being placed into his bowl. His smile softened.
"Thanks."
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Link for character illustration:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IxOucqi87ss3bmqfO9zI2gYiM1Gy8Hz2
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