Chapter 69
Human legs were truly fascinating. Carrying him on his shoulder, cradling him in his arms, or bending them into an M-shape for the whimpering young man to hold onto.
At first, Ning Zhixia still tried to resist, but he couldn’t withstand the merman’s soft gasps, his resolve crumbling, his defenses completely shattered.
Audrow’s favorite position was facing him, his tongue tracing Ning Zhixia’s throat, inching downwards, and the overwhelmed young man’s eyes teared up, his teeth chattering, afraid of dying in bed, his nose sniffling as he pleaded softly for mercy.
“So wet.”
Audrow wiped away his tears and bent down for a satisfied kiss.
Ning Zhixia, thinking he would be completely broken, his first instinct upon waking was to escape, but he was pulled back into Audrow’s arms before he could even get out of bed.
“No more, no more… I can’t move…” The ache in his lower back made him wave his hands frantically.
Audrow, realizing he had been too rough, apologized between kisses, his hand gently stroking Ning Zhixia’s back, offering ample aftercare.
Ning Zhixia sipped water, his throat dry, and let Audrow dress him in warm pajamas, then carried him out for some fresh air.
The young man smelled wonderful, and the kittens gathered around, nuzzling him affectionately. Ning Zhixia absently petted one, feeling like he had just returned from another world.
“Sigh… sigh…” Qu Banqing, seeing his dazed expression, sighed and made a table full of delicious food to comfort his precious jewel.
“It’s so bland…” Ning Zhixia pouted.
“Do you want hot pot?” Qu Banqing glared at him. “I’ll make it if you want to end up in the hospital.”
Ning Zhixia grumbled and ate his porridge, his dejected look making Qu Banqing feel sorry for him, so he made a plate of blanched blood clams with spicy vinegar dipping sauce.
It looked intimidating, but the taste was sweet and juicy, and people like Qu Banqing could easily eat a pound of them.
It was Ning Zhixia’s first time trying them. After a couple of bites, he discovered the delicious flavor and ate happily, then noticed that Audrow hadn’t touched his food.
“Aren’t you eating?” Ning Zhixia asked.
Audrow, massaging his back, looked up and glanced at the clams: “No.”
Ning Zhixia: “Why not, it’s not hot.”
“It’s not about the temperature.”
Audrow poked a clam with his finger, then, after a moment of silence, asked, “Have you seen what they look like when they’re alive?”
Ning Zhixia shook his head, curious, and looked it up on his phone, then slowly put down the clam.
Audrow asked, “Still want to eat?”
Having seen the surprisingly obscene image of the shellfish, Ning Zhixia said with a deadpan expression, “No.”
After dinner, Qu Banqing mentioned Gliti’s proposal, which coincided with Maureen’s earlier idea.
The profits in other planes were much higher than here, and Ning Zhixia’s eyes lit up, “Speaking of which, Maureen should have finalized the list of magic apprentices. Why don’t we start a training program, so the service quality won’t decline when we open branches?”
Qu Banqing paused: “So… you agree?”
Ning Zhixia nodded: “Of course!”
After the branches opened, he could visit other planes, and more importantly, even after Qu Banqing’s twenty-year residency permit expired, he could continue his work on Shadow Isle.
They divided the tasks, contacting Shadow Isle and the Sigrid Continent. They didn’t have to worry about finding locations, just selecting the apprentices.
Relying on the short window of time when the plane passage was open wasn’t enough for systematic training, so Ning Zhixia turned to the Bureau director beside him.
That night, as Audrow nuzzled his neck, his breathing heavy, his body tensing, Ning Zhixia, being a man himself, knew the perfect time to make his request. He boldly wrapped his legs around Audrow’s waist and asked timidly if he could give the apprentices temporary passes for longer periods.
Audrow, his hand on Ning Zhixia’s neck, stared at him silently, his eyes filled with desire that made the young man’s heart flutter, then he smiled slightly: “Okay.”
Ning Zhixia was overjoyed: “Yay, Xiao Ao is the best!”
“Yes, eat up.” Audrow stroked the back of his head.
Ning Zhixia blushed, still slightly dazed: “Wh-why?”
Audrow blinked, his expression calm: “Consider it a bribe.”
“Mmm…”
A soft moan escaped Ning Zhixia’s lips, and he drifted off to sleep in Audrow’s arms, the pleasure making him forget everything.
Only as his eyelids closed did he remember that he understood men, but not the cunning of a merman.
Each plane sent three apprentices. The Shadow Isle elves were Gliti’s close subordinates, highly capable, having already gone through several rounds of selection for these three spots.
Maureen had chosen three half-beasts from remote areas of the Sigrid Continent. These familiars were only apprentices at the Magic Association, but for them, this was a rare opportunity.
Thanks to the popularity of enchanted manicures, the nobles were obsessed with these beautiful magic circles on their fingertips, willing to pay a high price for them.
Ordinary girls also wanted them, not necessarily enchanted, even regular manicures were enough, but magicians preferred serving the wealthy.
These seemingly insignificant demands, however, added up to a considerable business opportunity, and Maureen wasn’t going to miss it.
Audrow quickly issued temporary passes for them, his efficiency making Ning Zhixia suspect he had already planned this.
The learning opportunity was precious. During the day, the six apprentices listened attentively and practiced, then returned to their respective planes at night.
Ning Zhixia was busy again. He had just started dating Audrow, and it was the honeymoon phase, so he was worried about neglecting him.
“Don’t worry about him, worry about yourself.” Qu Banqing rolled his eyes and pointed upstairs.
A light orange beanbag chair held a figure, colorful books resting on his crossed legs, a finger slowly tracing the most read pages.
Audrow was no longer interested in cartoons or dramas, having moved his operations from the living room to the second floor, leisurely reading Ning Zhixia’s imported comics.
His preferences required precise targeting, and during their now nightly grilled pork belly sessions, the suited merman was full of tricks, teasing the almost cooked young man.
The apprentices were quick learners, and it was soon time to test their skills. Ning Zhixia started accepting appointments again, letting them serve customers under his supervision, of course, at a lower price.
The nail salon’s fans were overjoyed, then, after reading the announcement, they were slightly confused.
“Um… what does this mean? Did they hire new people?”
“Manicures are hard work, of course they’d hire employees after making enough money, just being the face of the shop is enough.”
“The new staff are offering apprentice prices, the two teachers are also taking commissions, get your facts straight before complaining.”
“Just saying, some people are eager to be chives.”
“Yes, yes, you’re so smart, you know everything.”
Ning Zhixia ignored the online discussions. After the day’s lessons, he encouraged and reassured the apprentices, telling them not to be nervous.
The apprentices were grateful. The fragrant human was gentle and kind, but the humans here were regulars at nail salons, and if they weren’t satisfied, it would damage the shop’s reputation.
They were anxious, but fortunately, except for one last-minute cancellation, all the customers arrived the next day.
As soon as they entered, they were greeted by the handsome and beautiful new staff, a feast for the eyes.
The apprentices naturally couldn’t show their true forms. The half-beast familiars used spells to hide their ears and tails, and the elves used the Bureau’s system to create new human appearances.
“This shop is resorting to cheap tricks, hiring influencers, can they even do manicures?”
Some clothing stores had used similar marketing tactics, and some customers, having had bad experiences, were skeptical, whispering among themselves.
However, since they were already there, and out of respect for Ning Zhixia, they didn’t leave.
The apprentices meticulously disinfected their tools, their every action, from nail prep to color selection, professional, not making excuses about filters or inability to replicate the reference pictures.
The customers, exchanging glances, gradually relaxed.
A lop-eared rabbit half-beast, finding herself with nothing to do, started helping with the chores.
She served drinks, from sparkling water and freshly squeezed juice to coffee and flower tea, even freshly brewed sweet soup, all neatly arranged for the customers to choose from.
After serving the drinks, she cleaned the tools, kept an eye on Fatty Orange to prevent it from stealing handbags, and worked diligently.
The customers, enjoying their snacks, a purring cat in their laps, felt like they were in heaven.
The apprentices were sweet-talking, the atmosphere harmonious as they chatted with the customers, and as the manicures neared completion, the customers thought that even if there were flaws, it was understandable, they were apprentices, after all.
However, under the light, their nails were perfectly polished, the top coat smooth, the intricate designs as exquisite as if they were printed, exactly like the reference pictures.
“Oh my god, are you really just apprentices?” The customers, looking at each other’s hands, exclaimed in amazement.
The apprentices nodded: “Yes, we’re still learning from our teachers!”
The customers clicked their tongues in admiration. These people could easily become top manicurists anywhere, yet they were still humbly claiming to be learning, truly a competitive shop.
Just as they were taking photos and preparing to leave, Fatty Orange pounced on the lop-eared rabbit apprentice, and with a yelp, everyone saw a pair of large, floppy ears on her head, looking incredibly soft and fluffy.
The mortified apprentice froze, babbling incoherently.
What to do, a customer saw her beast form! She didn’t know, the teachers hadn’t taught her this!
The customer asked, “Is this…?”
“A-animal ears…” Ning Zhixia quickly improvised, chuckling nervously.
Fortunately, handmade crafts were popular these days, and with Qu Banqing’s reputation, no one suspected anything, thinking that this nail salon offered amazing value for money!
After taking photos with the flustered apprentice, the satisfied customers left, and positive reviews quickly appeared online.
“Haven’t been there for a while, the service is top-notch, the staff are eye-catching, and their work ethic is incredible!”
“A master’s apprentices are also masters, truly amazing!”
“Good news for those who like animal ears, there’s a lop-eared rabbit girl in the shop, she’s so cute!”
“She kept offering me snacks, and I casually mentioned that the cookies were delicious, and she gave me a bag when I left!”
The customer who had canceled her appointment because she couldn’t book Ning Zhixia, seeing these reviews, instantly regretted her decision. When she tried to book again, the entire month was fully booked.
Damn it, so fast! Do you have eight hands?!
In the evening, after closing, Ning Zhixia reading out the positive reviews became the apprentices’ favorite part of the day.
The Shadow Elves, feeling appreciated, asked, “Can we take a human girl home?”
Ning Zhixia paused. Wait, did they think humans were souvenirs?
The director beside him smiled slightly: “You can try.”
Trying would be suicide. No one wanted to be an ice sculpture, so they abandoned the dangerous idea.
“But humans are so cute…” someone sighed regretfully.
“Obviously.”
Audrow glanced at them, pulled the young man onto the sofa and into his arms, his fingers toying with his reddening earlobe, and scoffed, “Did that even need to be said?”
Apprentices: “…” He was so annoying!
With the constant stream of appointments and feedback, the apprentices gradually noticed that the lop-eared rabbit girl was the most popular.
Why? Was it because of her accidentally exposed ears?
As if realizing the answer, the next day, the elves found the other two half-beast familiars scheming, one showing off its serval tail, the other its fennec fox ears, making the human girls squeal with delight.
When questioned by Ning Zhixia, they mumbled evasively that their disguise spells had failed.
The elves, gritting their teeth, jealous that they didn’t have fluffy ears or tails, huddled together and whispered, then the next day, they revealed their metal wings and tails, embracing a cyberpunk aesthetic with their perfectly sculpted faces.
The customers were in for a treat, not only getting their nails done but also witnessing a magical fashion show, their diverse preferences satisfied. Combined with the dazzling array of pearl jewelry and balms on display, what was the difference between this and a merchandise store?!
With the customers’ increasing satisfaction, the competitive apprentices lost their initial anxiety. The customers were fickle, loving everyone equally, and seeing that they couldn’t pick a favorite, they turned their attention to Ning Zhixia.
In the evenings, they no longer needed him to read the reviews, instead reporting their progress and asking for guidance.
“Teacher, you’re so amazing!”
“Your work is just different!”
“Oh, it’s nothing, just a casual doodle.”
Ning Zhixia, showered with praise, couldn’t stop grinning.
Audrow, having transformed his pool into a hot spring, called Ning Zhixia several times, but he didn’t come.
He went out, his arms crossed, and watched the heartwarming scene of master and apprentices bonding, his expression darkening.
Kill them! Kill them all!
