My Demon Friends

"Hey, Brother Nan."

"Hey, hey, hey! Where's Baozi?"

"Who's Baozi?"

"The one who plays the piano."

"Over there, maybe? Brother Nan, did you just come back from a date?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? I just got back from my Subject Three driving test."

"Did it go smoothly?"

"Passed in one try, full marks."

"Brother Nan is awesome!"

"Of course!"

Brother Nan led Zhou Li through the crowd, greeting people along the way, and found Baozi in the innermost area.

Baozi wore blue denim wide-leg pants. Her T-shirt was a bit faded, casually covered with an overcoat. Paired with canvas shoes, her outfit had a somewhat retro feel. She didn't seem to pay much attention to her clothes, yet she still looked quite stylish.

"Why aren't you wearing makeup?" Brother Nan walked over and asked.

"It's just a rehearsal," Baozi said.

"You should still put some on." Brother Nan couldn't help but pinch her face. "Your cheeks are getting so soft."

"..."

Baozi turned her head and saw that many people around them were staring, so she leaned past Brother Nan and suggested to Zhou Li, "I think you should manage her a little sometimes."

Brother Nan: ??

Zhou Li: ??

Scattered jeering rose from around them.

Zhou Li was very helpless and said to Baozi, "Don't talk nonsense."

Then to Brother Nan, "You too, stop finding new ways to tease her about her weight. She's sensitive about it!"

Brother Nan immediately blinked twice—

So that's what this was all about?

He looked back at Baozi, only to see that her expression remained indifferent, not reacting at all to Zhou Li's words.

Brother Nan suddenly realized.

Past events came back to him, one by one, fitting into place.

He hurriedly bowed his head in apology. "That's not what I meant! Actually, you haven't gotten fat. It's just that your face is getting cuter! Every time I see it, I can't help wanting to pinch it. By the way, will you put on blush when you're on stage?"

"I won't," Baozi said calmly.

"Why not? I used to put on blush when I danced on stage in elementary school," Brother Nan said, puzzled.

"Maybe because I'm in college now."

"Isn't blush pretty?"

"It's not pretty."

"Do you know what you'd turn into if you wore blush?"

"Not interested."

"Come on, guess."

"What?"

"A white sugar Baozi! HA HA HA HA..."

"Boring." Baozi stepped back again, dodging Brother Nan's grasping hands. "Irrelevant personnel, please don't disturb our rehearsal. You're not participating in the performance, nor are you from the student council, so what are you doing here?"

"Uh..."

Brother Nan felt embarrassed. After all, he had a falling-out with the student council, and many council members were indeed present.

The president of the student council was also sitting there.

So Brother Nan pulled Zhou Li. "Let me tell you, during the performance, your cousin will wear a very ethereal dress—the kind that trails on the floor. And when she plays the piano, there will be dry ice, creating a foggy, misty atmosphere..."

Zhou Li nodded, following him out.

As they reached the door, they suddenly ran into a good-looking guy with a hip-hop style of dressing.

"Li Nan!"

The guy exclaimed in surprise. After shouting, he saw Zhou Li and managed a polite smile. "Hello, Junior Brother Zhou Li!"

"Who are you?" Zhou Li asked, puzzled.

"Cough, I'm a sophomore, in the same class as Wang Dan." The senior looked a bit embarrassed. "My name is Yao Guangzhi."

"Oh, hello, Senior."

Zhou Li was very polite; he remembered now.

Brother Yao quickly turned his gaze back to Li Nan. "Where are you coming back from?"

"Just took the Subject Three test. What's up?" Li Nan said.

"Were you two together?"

"So what?"

"Nothing, it's just amazing! I haven't even gotten my driver's license yet!" Brother Yao tried hard to sound assertive, but he couldn't manage it in front of Li Nan. "Have you had lunch yet?"

"It's two o'clock now."

"It's two already?" Brother Yao checked his watch. "I've been so busy I completely forgot the time. Ugh, rehearsals are exhausting, with all the modifications and correcting everyone's mistakes. I still haven't had lunch."

"Is that so." Li Nan nodded with an expression very familiar to Zhou Li, then walked past Brother Yao towards the exit.

Brother Yao quickly turned around. "Junior Sister, wait a second! I found a barbecue place nearby that's quite good, with a unique style. How about we go for dinner there tonight? My treat."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Where is it?"

"Over by First City."

"What's it called?"

"Forgot. Something Brazilian BBQ."

"Oh, thanks."

Brother Nan continued to walk away.

Brother Yao's expression was full of helplessness. He had to swallow his pride and shout, "I really like you, Junior Sister Li Nan..."

Brother Nan's steps halted.

A moment later, she turned and walked back to Brother Yao's side, her expression even more helpless than his. "It's a good thing I'm in college now," she said. "If this were back in my high school days, you know what? Without me even having to say a word, someone would have already thrown you into the pond."

Brother Yao was stunned.

Brother Nan turned and left, and on her way past, she also gave Zhou Li, who was watching the commotion, a solid elbow jab.

"Hurry up!"

"Oh, right."

"I'm asking you, where is First City?"

"Over by Caiyun First City, right?" Zhou Li replied, thinking. As soon as he finished speaking, he received a pointed look from Brother Nan.

"Got it," Zhou Li nodded.

"Also, don't just fool around these next few days. The CET-4 exam is coming up soon, so go back and review more," Brother Nan continued to advise. "It'd be a disgrace if my Little Brother couldn't even pass the CET-4. What would people think?"

"Okay."

"And go book your Subject Four test when you get back."

"Understood."

"I'm going back to the dorm. How about you?"

"I'm going home."

"Then you go that way."

"See you, Brother Nan."

"Mhm."

Zhou Li rode his bike home and used his key to open the door. He'd assumed Huai Xu had gone to class or was out having fun. But as soon as he opened the door, he saw a figure standing in the living room, hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the sky outside—the very silhouette of a profound, seasoned master.

"Didn't you go to class?" Zhou Li asked.

"No class today."

"Then why didn't you come open the door for me? What were you so engrossed in thinking about?" Zhou Li asked curiously.

"I was thinking..." Huai Xu said, still slightly tilting his head and gazing outside. "Your underwear has been hanging on the balcony for almost half a month. It just keeps drifting and fluttering... Are you ever going to take it in?"

"...I'll get it now."

"It's not that I'm being harsh," Huai Xu lamented, sounding quite aggrieved. "But it's just hanging there all by itself! It would be better if you at least hung out a few more pieces of clothing!"

"...Sorry."

Zhou Li's face turned red. He hurriedly took the underwear inside and put it in his bedroom. He decided to install a clothes-drying rack on his bedroom balcony as well.

Yes, he would call the handyman to install it immediately. This couldn't wait.

When he returned to the living room, Huai Xu had dropped the sage-like pose and was squatting down, peeling a tangerine.

Zhou Li sat down on the sofa and said tentatively, "I have the CET-4 exam next Saturday. You know my English has always been poor, so I might need your help then..."

Huai Xu glanced at him sideways. "This won't do," he reproached. "I tell you to study properly, but you don't. All day long..."

"What are your conditions?" Zhou Li interrupted him.

"I wasn't finished talking yet," Huai Xu grumbled, frowning.

"?"

"I want to eat Hami Melon."

"I'll buy it."

"I want Hami Melon from Hami."

"Is there a difference?"

"Yes, Hami Melon from Qingjiang tastes better. So much better, it's like they're two different kinds of melon," Huai Xu said, licking his lips.

"Is the one from Banna not tasty?"

"It's not as good as the one from Qingjiang," Huai Xu said. After a moment's thought, he added, "Besides, it's only truly delicious if you eat it locally. The taste changes once it's transported by truck. I've also seen people online saying that fruits from Qingjiang are unbelievably good..."

"How about I take you to Qingjiang to see for yourself sometime in the future?"

"Really?" Huai Xu's eyes widened. Upon receiving Zhou Li's affirmative nod, he eagerly asked, "When is 'sometime in the future'?"

"At the very least, we'd have to wait until I've had my driver's license for a year. I'll drive you there, and we can take turns driving on the way."

"When will you get your driver's license?" Huai Xu's eyes shone brightly.

"In a few days, I guess."

"Then we still have to wait a year!" Huai Xu realized.

"There's no other way," Zhou Li sighed. "Qingjiang is vast, so we'll definitely have to use the highways. The law requires you to have held your license for a year before you can drive independently on a highway."

"Deal."

"Do you still remember those places?"

"Not really. Maybe some memories will come back later," Huai Xu hesitated for a moment. "But I'm sure everything has changed completely. It's all different now."

"That's true," Zhou Li nodded. "The world is always changing."

"Sigh..."

While the human and the Demon were caught in a sentimental moment, Tuanzi came trotting over, dragging the phone again. Zhou Li had attached a lanyard to her phone, so she could easily drag it across the floor by biting the strap.

"Zhou Li, Lord Dumpling clearly speaks into the phone, so why is it just meowing when I listen back?"

"Because Lord Dumpling is a cat..."

"But Lord Dumpling can clearly speak!"

"Maybe the phone is too dumb?"

"Is that so?"

"Possibly."

As Zhou Li spoke, he picked up Tuanzi and placed her on his lap. "How come you haven't turned into Little Cat Girl these past few days while playing with your phone?"

"Lord Dumpling discovered that I don't need to turn into Little Cat Girl to play with the phone! Look!" Tuanzi demonstrated for Zhou Li. "If I put the phone on the ground, and lie down like this..." she showed him, "I can play with my little paws too!"

"What level has Lord Dumpling reached in Fruit Ninja?"

"I've reached..."