My Demon Friends-Chapter 593 - 567 Annoying Old Monster

"Why hasn't Brother Huai Xu accepted yet?"

"He might be out having fun."

"Could it be that he doesn't want to add me? I haven't set my profile picture or introduction yet."

"That's impossible," Brother Nan waved a finger. "Given his curiosity, even if a dog added him on QQ, he'd still accept it first to see."

"That sounds weird..."

"Don't mind it; cultural differences."

"Got it... Ah, he accepted!" Ji Xuan was so excited she nearly jumped. She quickly asked, "Brother Nan, Brother Nan, according to Chinese customs for making friends, what should I say first?"

"Are you there?"

"Okay... 'Are you there?'... He said yes. Can I tell him I'm Xuan Xuan?"

"Yes."

"He's asking if he can trade his family's pineapples for my grandfather's tea or white liquor..." Ji Xuan looked at Brother Nan in bewilderment. "What does that mean?"

"He thinks you're a scammer."

"Oh, oh, oh! That explains it."

Ji Xuan typed and chatted with Huai Xu as she walked. To avoid tripping, she stuck close to Brother Nan and simultaneously asked, "What kind of girls does Brother Huai Xu like?"

This question stumped Brother Nan. She thought about it for a while but still couldn't come up with an answer.

So she said to Ji Xuan, "You'll have to ask your brother then."

"Oh!"

Ji Xuan immediately ran forward and asked Zhou Li.

Zhou Li also thought for a while before giving an answer, though he wasn't too sure either. "I remember him saying he might like... someone prettier than him. But I'm not sure if he was just talking nonsense or if he was serious."

"Prettier than him?"

"Possibly."

"How is that possible?"

The young girl's eyes widened. "How could anyone in this world be prettier than Brother Huai Xu?"

"There are."

"Who?"

The young girl remained clueless.

Zhou Li fell silent for a moment, then concluded, "You lack an eye for beauty."

The young girl became even more bewildered.

After wandering outside for more than an hour, Zhou Li and Brother Nan left at nine-thirty and didn't return to Zhou Li's cottage until after ten.

Brother Nan had been driving all day and was somewhat tired. She plopped down on the sofa, not wanting to get up. She twisted her body to find a comfortable position and started playing with her phone.

Tuanzi, still full of energy, hit the ground running and frolicked about everywhere.

Zhou Li went to open the windows to ventilate the place.

Afterward, he started checking the plants he had grown.

In just over a month, the flowers and herbs had grown significantly and looked messy. But Zhou Li liked this natural feel, so he only removed some dead branches and yellowed leaves, letting the lush plants stay at the edge of the balcony as a nice decoration.

The coriander and green onions were particularly robust; it was definitely time to eat them.

Huai Xu's strawberry plants only sprouted runners but bore no fruit.

Lately, Chunming had seen many consecutive sunny days. The sun shone directly on the balcony, causing the water lilies to bloom beautifully, each flower unique and exquisite in its appearance.

After mopping the balcony, Zhou Li came back inside. He plucked a blue flower, only as big as his thumb yet with hundreds of layers. He walked directly over to the sofa and, under Brother Nan's intense gaze, inserted it into her hair. He dropped it once but managed to tuck it in on the second try.

Brother Nan was clearly reluctant and kept giving him a "What do you think you're doing?" look, but she didn't resist. She only muttered when he stepped back to admire his handiwork—

"Idiot!"

"Looks pretty good," Zhou Li laughed.

"You just mopped the floor when we left. Why are you mopping again?" Brother Nan asked, slouched in a corner of the sofa with the little flower in her hair, staring at him.

"There were mud stains on the floor. Huai Xu probably watered the plants too much, and the water overflowed," Zhou Li explained as he sat down beside her. He casually took her hand and began to massage her palm.

"He's an idiot too."

"No swearing."

"Let go!"

Brother Nan glared at him, pulled her hand away, and continued scrolling through her phone, too lazy to bother with him.

Zhou Li then leaned over to watch her scroll.

Douyin knew Brother Nan's taste well. It recommended a variety of videos: some discussed world affairs, others covered various news items, cars, or different crafts and technologies. Of course, the most numerous were entertaining videos and those featuring beautiful women in revealing outfits, showing off their waists and legs.

Every time she saw these beauties doing popular social media dances, she would turn and ask Zhou Li if they looked good. Her slanted gaze seemed to see right through all of Zhou Li's thoughts.

So much so that Zhou Li soon didn't want to stay there any longer.

Looking up, Zhou Li saw Tuanzi had stopped running. She was standing on the coffee table in front of them, tilting her head and watching them. Light flickered in her eyes as she glanced from the little flower on Brother Nan's head, to where their heads were close together, and then to Brother Nan's phone.

Nobody knew what she was thinking in her little head.

"I'm going to read."

Zhou Li took his carved Qinghe Statue from his bag. He examined it from various angles before placing it on the top shelf of the bookcase. Then, he picked a book and returned to his seat.

It wasn't long before Huai Xu returned.

Zhou Li rested his hand on the book and looked up, asking, "Where did you go?"

"Just out having fun."

"Where did you go to have fun?"

"You know, I got familiar with the little demons nearby recently. I treated them to some food," Huai Xu said casually as he sat down. "What's up with that sister of yours, anyway? She said Brother Nan gave her my QQ, and she's been messaging me nonstop. It's so annoying."

"Isn't it good to have someone to talk to?"

"I can't really chat with such naive young ladies," the old monster said lazily. "After all, I'm the Great Devil King."

"Maybe..."

"You're more my type."

"Oh..."

"What book are you reading?"

"'Seven Chapters on Spellcraft.' It explains the principles of Taoist magic."

"Is it any good?"

"Not really."

"'Keep studying and make progress every day,'" the old monster said, putting on the airs of a teacher. "'Try to learn well and reach half my level as soon as you can.'"

"..."

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

"I'm going to read now; you go play games."

"I don't want to."

"..."

Zhou Li lowered his head and stopped talking, focusing on his book.

The old monster, not minding, bobbed his head. He went to chat with Brother Nan for a while, then strolled back and forth in the living room with his hands behind his back, occasionally turning to throw out a remark. His words to Brother Nan usually got a response, sparking a bit of conversation. However, most of what he said to Zhou Li was met with silence, like stones dropped into the sea, because they were mostly pointless remarks.

Suddenly, Zhou Li felt as if he had returned to two years ago.

Back then, the college entrance exams were approaching. Whenever he was at his desk, grinding through practice problems and reviewing, the old monster was a stumbling block on his path to studying.

"'In the future, when you two are married, it'll still be like this: one of you scrolling on your phone, the other reading, with a silly cat squatting in front, dumbly licking its paws.'"

"'This statue is barely passable, eh?'"

"'It's just too ugly.'"

"'Brother Nan, did you come across this video too?'"

"'When your Carving Technique reaches the highest level, I, the Great Devil King, might consider posing for you. You could make a super-duper, incredibly awesome statue of the Great Devil King,' the old monster mused, his hands behind his back. 'But not right now. You're not up to snuff yet.'"

BUZZ!

The Qinghe Statue on the bookshelf suddenly opened its eyes, a faint light shining from them, staring straight at the old monster.

Zhou Li turned the page of his book expressionlessly.

The old monster, still unconcerned, continued to pace in the living room. The Qinghe Statue's head turned to follow his movements. It was a bit stiff, but it kept him locked in its sights the entire time.

CREAK... CREAK... came the sound of rubbing wood.

"'It'll twist its head off at this rate,' the old monster grinned.

The Qinghe Statue closed its eyes and stopped turning its head.

"Sigh..."

Zhou Li closed his book. The distraction was too much; he couldn't continue reading. He then asked Huai Xu, "What color do you hate the most?"

"Purple. Why do you ask?"

"I'm planning to paint Little Qinghe."

"Aren't you painting it red?"

"'I'll paint it your least favorite color. From now on, it will stare at you whenever you disturb me. It will stare at you while you write your journal, and even when you sing, dance, draw, or play with mud at home. It will even shoot lasers to mess with you!'"

"'Hmm… I suggest you stick to red. The original Qinghe is red. What's that called again... Oh, right, respect for the original work?'"

"'I'm going with purple.'"

"'Alright, alright.' The old monster shrugged, not bothered in the least.