Due to her physical exhaustion, Ning Chu had a very restful sleep this time.
The dreamless deep sleep left her feeling refreshed upon waking up, but a glance at the clock revealed she had slept for a full four hours.
"Guess I'll have to stay up late again tonight."
Luckily, it was the weekend, and late nights were already her norm.
Stretching and sitting up, she glanced down between her legs and noted with relief that, for once, she didn't need to change her pants after waking up.
It felt so refreshing.
Clearly, Wen Yang's part-time job outside hadn't triggered any plot development this time. Otherwise, given his current sense of restraint, he would instinctively avoid girls or even bluntly turn them away if they clung to him. Any triggered plotlines would likely end as soon as they began.
"Does this mean I can handle two penalties?"
After disrupting the plot twice, she'd need to find an opportunity to vent the suppressed urges. Otherwise, she might lose control again, seducing men and shaking her hips to beg for attention—a truly horrifying scenario.
That would be blackmail-worthy history!
Sitting at the edge of her bed, Ning Chu leaned against the wall and contemplated whether she should move out of the boys' dormitory.
Leaving would grant her more freedom. Whether renting a place or moving to the girls' dormitory, she could handle penalties more freely without worrying about causing chaos in the boys' dorm.
Although Wen Yang was upright and unresponsive to her occasional lapses in control, his attitude toward her had grown colder. She worried that stringing him along might backfire one day.
But leaving meant she could no longer keep Wen Yang in check.
Without supervision, combined with the lurking vixens, if Wen Yang ever gave in to temptation, he might gradually fall into the role of a Hentai protagonist.
By then, it would be hard for her to avoid getting drawn into the storyline herself.
"It's a dilemma~"
"What's this 'dilemma' you're talking about?"
Startled, Ning Chu shuddered. She peeked down nervously and saw Wen Yang quietly seated at his computer.
"It's only five o'clock! You're back already?"
"The student had a family issue, so I only taught for two hours," Wen Yang explained, curiously eyeing her. "What were you mumbling about just now?"
"...Nothing important."
Thankfully, he hadn't overheard anything embarrassing.
Thinking quickly, she casually made up an excuse. "It's just a game I've been playing recently—a strategy one. You probably wouldn't be interested."
"No, I wouldn't." Wen Yang pointed to her desk. "I brought dinner for you."
"Thanks."
Ning Chu stretched lazily before getting out of bed. Wearing slippers, she dashed to the bathroom.
She was getting used to this life…
At first, she often forgot to grab tissues, but now she habitually wiped from front to back.
Being a woman for the first time, her browser history was filled with bizarre queries like "How to choose sanitary pads," "Daily tips for girls," and "What to do about arousal in the dorms."
If not for the internet, she'd still be clueless, unable even to differentiate types of pads.
When she returned to the dorm, she found Wen Yang staring intently at her.
Looking down, she realized she was still wearing his jacket.
Feigning nonchalance, she shrugged off the jacket and tossed it to him. "I didn't feel like finding another coat, so I wore yours. You don't mind, do you?"
"I don't."
Wen Yang caught the jacket, and for a brief moment, he noticed a faint yet intriguing scent on it.
Without overthinking it, he draped the jacket over the back of his chair, turned on his computer's sound, and asked, "Want to watch something together?"
"What is it?"
"A new Japanese drama—lighthearted and funny," Wen Yang invited. "Care to join?"
With nothing better to do, Ning Chu dragged her chair over to sit next to him. She crossed her legs and ate the dinner he brought while watching the show.
She deliberately kept some distance to avoid any misunderstandings from sitting too close.
Wen Yang restarted the first episode for her, and the two began watching together.
The drama turned out to be a warm and comedic story, perfectly suiting Ning Chu's tastes. She laughed out loud multiple times and even envied the relationship between the male and female leads...
She envied the male lead for having a thoughtful and understanding girlfriend, though her controlling tendencies caused him some trouble.
"How nice~" she sighed sincerely.
Wen Yang glanced at her, then at the male lead on screen, making a serious comparison.
Hmm, the male lead had a sunny and handsome vibe, similar to him.
But personality-wise, he admitted he was a bit more reserved, while the male lead was lively and playful, always making the female lead laugh.
Got it—Ning Chu liked this type.
Unknowingly, they watched several episodes, and the sky outside darkened.
A heavy downpour began outside. The rain clattered on the windows, blending with the howling wind to create a noisy, chaotic symphony for the night.
The rain brought a chill, and in just moments, goosebumps appeared on Ning Chu's arms.
"Looks like a cold front is coming. It'll be just over ten degrees tomorrow," she noted.
Wen Yang got up to retrieve a few drying clothes from the balcony with Ning Chu's help.
"Time for long sleeves."
Ning Chu enjoyed this kind of weather, especially rainy nights.
The cooler temperatures made her bed feel cozier, and the sound of rain lulled her into a peaceful sleep.
Donning an extra coat, she glanced at the clock and realized it was already eight o'clock.
She had been so engrossed in the drama that she felt wide awake.
As Wen Yang started the next episode, Ning Chu adjusted her posture to get comfortable, but just as she focused on the screen, the dormitory suddenly plunged into darkness.
"—!"
In the faint glow of the laptop screen, they exchanged confused glances.
"When did we last pay the electricity bill?"
"I forgot..."
Ning Chu sighed. "Can't we pay extra to avoid this?"
"If I had more money, sure."
She glanced out the window at the pitch-black, rain-soaked night. Standing up, she said, "Let's just sleep. We'll handle it tomorrow."
"It's only eight. The service center might still be open," Wen Yang said, grabbing an umbrella and heading out.
"Hey!" Ning Chu barely had time to stop him. Turning around, she saw only his retreating back and quickly followed. "It's already late!"
Wen Yang looked back in confusion. "You wouldn't fall asleep now anyway."
Was eight o'clock late? Wasn't this when the nightlife started?
"I..."
True enough, Ning Chu had slept too much in the afternoon and wouldn't be tired until well past midnight.
From the hallway, she peeked outside at the rain-drenched campus. Despite the darkness, some food delivery riders were still braving the storm.
It was only eight. The library should still have plenty of diligent students, and the chances of encountering a ghost seemed low.
After a moment's hesitation, she quickly caught up with Wen Yang. "I'll come too."
"If you see a ghost, just run, okay?"
Wen Yang: "???"