My Demon Friends

The evening sky was like fire.

The highway was wide and deserted, with rows of streetlights casting an orange-yellow glow. Few pedestrians were around, but a bicycle moved slowly along the roadside, startling the moths fluttering under the lights.

Zhou Li had heard Tuanzi was back and really missed her. But he wasn't in a hurry. He rode along enjoying the evening breeze, pedaling leisurely, the freehub whirring.

The feeling of leisure was extremely comfortable.

Only, noise constantly came from the back seat—

"You're riding so slowly."

"Li Daimao has already planted the flowers you gave her. I just went to their dorm to see."

"Li Daimao liked them a lot."

"Can you go a bit faster?"

"How about I ride instead?"

"Aren't you usually pretty fast when you ride to class?"

"You..."

Zhou Li pretended not to hear and continued to ride slowly.

This Old monster could have zipped home in a flash, but he insisted on sitting on the back seat. And after sitting, he complained about the slow pace... Zhou Li suspected the Old monster just liked to talk. If he rode fast, perhaps the Old monster would have complained about him 'rushing home non-stop as soon as he heard that stupid cat was back' or something?

"Look, Zhou Li, I caught a moth!"

"..."

The TV at home was on, playing the *Cat and Mouse* episode about Jerry's muscular cousin. Tuanzi was nestled on the sofa, thoroughly enjoying the show, the light from the screen reflecting in her eyes.

"Lord Dumpling," Zhou Li called out.

"MEOW?" Tuanzi turned her head.

"Did Lord Dumpling miss me?" Zhou Li asked.

"Yes... No, not really!" Tuanzi changed her answer.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, really!" After answering seriously, Tuanzi thought for a moment, then tilted her head and asked, "Did Zhou Li miss Lord Dumpling?"

"I did."

"How much?"

"Incredibly much." Zhou Li sat down on the sofa, lifted Tuanzi onto his lap, and while petting her, asked, "Why didn't Lord Dumpling miss me?"

"Because you're a liar..." Tuanzi fumed at the thought.

"How did I become a liar?" Zhou Li was astonished.

"You just are!"

"When did I ever lie to Lord Dumpling?"

"You just did! You just did!" Tuanzi stubbornly repeated.

"...Well, okay, I apologize to Lord Dumpling," Zhou Li said gently, smiling.

"Hmm, so you admit you were wrong?" Tuanzi asked.

"This…" Zhou Li briefly thought it over before answering, "I might have been."

"MEOW!" Tuanzi sounded very pleased, then looked towards Zhou Li's bedroom. "Today, Lord Dumpling will sleep in that room, in the big bed. You sleep out here on the sofa."

"Where?" Zhou Li asked.

"Here." Tuanzi pressed her paw on the sofa.

"Why?"

"Because you lied to Lord Dumpling. Lord Dumpling now knows that only those who make mistakes sleep in the living room. You made a mistake." Tuanzi's logic was impeccable.

"...Who told you that?"

"Exactly!"

"...Then how did Lord Dumpling know?"

"Lord Dumpling is very clever!"

"That's true enough..."

Tuanzi's way of thinking was beyond Zhou Li's grasp, but fortunately, he didn't find it bothersome. On the contrary, he found it extremely amusing.

So Zhou Li thought for a moment, then pinched Tuanzi's tiny paw and said, "I've heard that great figures are very tolerant. A great demon like Lord Dumpling surely won't hold such a trivial matter against me, right?"

"Of course!" Tuanzi replied without a thought.

"So, will Lord Dumpling forgive me?" Zhou Li continued.

"Yes, of course."

"Since Lord Dumpling has forgiven me, I don't have to sleep on the sofa tonight, right? How about I sleep in the bed with Lord Dumpling?"

"Hmm..."

Tuanzi looked puzzled.

After thinking for a long time, she said seriously, "Then you have to tell Lord Dumpling a story."

Zhou Li smiled and agreed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Huai Xu sitting cross-legged on the floor, staring numbly at them.

「At ten o'clock at night.」

The faint sound of Huai Xu playing video games still emanated from the living room. Zhou Li lay in bed with his phone. Tuanzi snuggled quietly at his shoulder, her soft paw and fluffy tail touching the skin on his arm.

Zhou Li: Don't play games too late. Go to bed early.

Zhou Li: Good night.

Li Daimao: Got it.

Li Daimao: You're going to bed already?

Zhou Li: Yep.

Li Daimao: Good night then.

Zhou Li: Mm.

Zhou Li turned off his phone, snuggled deeper under the covers, pulling the blanket up to his neck. He turned to face Tuanzi and, under her expectant gaze, began, "Once upon a time, long, long ago..."

「Their week as a couple had officially ended.」

「A new year had arrived.」

「January 1st, morning.」

As the head of the student council's organizing committee, Wang Ling lay in bed. She was sorting through the photos she had received yesterday, selecting the two most promotional ones to send to the school newspaper. She fantasized about how the recently concluded 'One-Week CP' event would become a sensation across the entire school, and perhaps make her famous as well.

This year's 'One-Week CP' was indeed a success.

In previous years, there were always some shenanigans, with some young people acting inappropriately and impolitely. They would sign up carelessly, and after signing up, couldn't guarantee they would take it seriously. They respected neither the rules of the event nor the other participants, sometimes even ending up squabbling.

But not this year.

"Holy crap!"

Wang Ling suddenly sat up in bed, her eyes wide as saucers.

The entire dormitory was awakened by her exclamation, and cursing ensued.

Wang Ling didn't make a sound. She silently forwarded the two photos to the dormitory and department group chats and sent them to the school newspaper. The caption read: "A couple from the 'One-Week CP'. They seem to be first-year students."

The department group chat was the first to blow up.

Then the school newspaper editor chimed in.

Wang Ling watched these messages emotionlessly.

Students of all genders expressed regret for not participating in the event and were all throwing tantrums, begging for an introduction.

Wang Ling silently observed without speaking. She was inwardly cursing as well. Yet, she vaguely remembered these two seemed to be 'special cases'; she figured these idiots wouldn't be matched with them no matter what. Of course, that included herself.

「January 4th, 7 a.m.」

Zhou Li sat by his bed, reciting English translations one by one, while Chang Xiaoxiang checked his cheat sheets. Chen Yang and Liu Zhengming had also uncharacteristically gotten up early, saying they were going to secure good spots.

Today was the English exam, starting at 8:20 a.m.

Zhou Li arrived in the classroom at 7:30 a.m. The other three had started urging him to leave just after 7 a.m., so he had no choice but to go with them.

To be honest, he was a bit nervous about the first exam, especially since it was English, his weakest subject. He would most likely have to cheat. And cheating was something he was absolutely not good at. Huai Xu, on the other hand, was an expert at it...

It was a large classroom. Zhou Li sat on the side near the wall, slightly towards the back. According to Chang Xiaoxiang, students had to be seated at least one row apart during the exam. Sitting next to each other wasn't allowed.

Fortunately, he had good eyesight.

Students entered the classroom one by one. Early arrivals could sit at the sides; latecomers had to sit in the middle.

Those who arrived even later had no choice but to sit in the front row.

Zhou Li scanned the classroom. Brother Nan hadn't arrived yet.

By the time the other three from Room 106 arrived, there was still no sign of Brother Nan. However, some people were putting the books they brought in the front rows, perhaps hoping it would allow everyone to sit a bit further back?

Zhou Li thought about it and found it amusing.

It wasn't until 8:15 a.m., when the proctor had already entered the classroom, that Brother Nan casually strolled in. She then picked a random front seat and tossed her pen onto the desk with an air of utter nonchalance.

Anyone who didn't know better would think she was a top student. But English was indeed simple for her.

Zhou Li greeted her. When he heard the proctor shout to turn off cellphones and put unrelated items on the designated table, he stood up and handed in all his review materials. The proctor then wrote "Severe cheating will result in expulsion" on the blackboard. He looked around at the seating arrangement, made slight adjustments, read the exam rules aloud, and then began distributing the papers.

The exam had started.

The classroom was instantly filled with the sound of flipping paper.

「Twenty minutes later.」

Brother Nan was the first to stand up, hand in her paper, and leave, drawing quiet gasps of surprise in the exam room.

「Forty minutes later.」

The second person to hand in their paper appeared; surprisingly, it was Little Cousin. This seemed to set off a chain reaction, as more and more people started submitting their papers. The classroom quickly emptied, putting enormous psychological pressure on the struggling students.

Zhou Li had also nearly finished the questions.

The exam questions were unexpectedly easy. Four out of the five translation sentences were ones he had memorized. Perhaps only those who were completely clueless about English, or too lazy to review at all, would fail? Zhou Li had brought eight printed versions of his cheat sheets, but he ended up not needing them.

The proctoring was also surprisingly lax.

That teacher spent almost the entire time looking down at his phone. As long as there was no commotion from the students, he didn't bother. He only lifted his head when someone spoke, either to glance in that direction or to remind everyone of the exam rules. This was enough to thoroughly intimidate the freshmen.

「Another ten minutes.」

At most, only twenty percent of the students were left in the classroom. Most had nothing left to copy and were panicking badly.

Zhou Li handed in his paper and left.

Just as he stepped out of the academic building, he saw a slender figure squatting by a small tree, idly poking at the dirt with a stick. He lightened his steps and quietly walked over.

"Brother Nan."

"!!"

"Did I scare you?"

"No!"

"Were you waiting for me?"

"Obviously! What took you so long?"

"I struggled with the questions."

"Let's go, let's go! Time for breakfast!" Brother Nan threw the stick away, stood up, and started walking. She added, "Looks like we have another exam here this afternoon, and tomorrow on the fourth floor. Mianmian and Qian Qian said that after lunch, they'll come early to save seats."

"Chang Xiaoxiang was thinking the same thing."

"Hehe..."

Brother Nan grinned but didn't comment further. She scampered down a flight of stone steps, then turned and asked, "Did you check the forum?"

"Chang Xiaoxiang showed me."

"Tsk! You'll probably have a hard time finding a girlfriend at school now."

"You too."

"It's not like I was looking for a girlfriend anyway..."