The Entire Demon World is Fighting for My Favor: A Shura Field 69

Chapter 69

If a cub had said those words, Lin Ran would have hugged and comforted it. But Shao Mian didn’t seem like the type to feel insecure. He was more likely to be the one lazily ordering cubs around.

“Let go of my hand,” Lin Ran said, trying to free himself from Shao Mian’s grip. Shao Mian’s hand was much larger than his, holding his firmly.

Shao Mian, however, was reluctant to let go, his lion tail almost appearing. He now understood the cubs’ clinginess. Lin Ran’s hand was soft and smelled nice. Demons had a keen sense of smell, and Lin Ran’s scent was always fresh and clean, like soap and sunshine.

“Shao Mian? …Yuanbao!?” Lin Ran said, raising his voice, trying to regain his composure, and just as he said “Yuanbao,” there was a knock on the door.

Tao Shu, having heard about the commotion, had rushed back from his break. “Boss! What happened?! Is A-Ran…?” He opened the door, relieved to see Lin Ran unharmed, though his expression was… strange.

“Everything okay? …Then go back to work,” he said, then, sensing Shao Mian’s displeasure, quickly added, “I’ll… check on the servers.” He wanted to leave. He hated coming to the top floor.

Lin Ran, seeing Tao Shu, also tried to leave. “I’ll go too. I have some materials for you, Mr. Tao,” he said, but Shao Mian still hadn’t released his hand, hiding it under the desk like a child hiding from a teacher.

“No,” Shao Mian said, tightening his grip, his voice a low rumble, a hint of wronged in his tone, as if surprised by Lin Ran’s attempt to leave.

Tao Shu, noticing the tension and Shao Mian’s unusual behavior, felt his danger radar blaring. Something had happened. But he was just a programmer… A-Ran! How do we save you from this demon king?! He hesitated, unsure whether to leave or stay, his feet rooted to the spot. But the longer he stayed, the more intense Shao Mian’s glare became.

“You can go, Mr. Tao. I’ll be down soon,” Lin Ran said, sensing Shao Mian’s pressure on Tao Shu.

As Tao Shu closed the door, Lin Ran turned to Shao Mian. “Why are you being mean to Mr. Tao?”

“I wasn’t,” Shao Mian said. *You’re the one being mean to me. He was annoyed, but the physical contact, a rare occurrence in the real world, was also strangely thrilling. Before his identity was revealed, Lin Ran had always kept his distance, making him question his own attractiveness.

He realized Shao Mian was distracted again and sighed. “Sit down.”

“Okay,” Shao Mian obeyed, though his posture was still relaxed, only straightening slightly when he noticed Lin Ran’s frown. He looked at Lin Ran expectantly.

Lin Ran, however, found it even more unsettling now that he was looking up at him. “Why are you still holding my hand? What are you trying to hide?” he asked, avoiding his gaze. Shao Mian was good at using his charm.

“I haven’t answered your question,” Shao Mian said softly.

“…I’m not… disgusted, okay? Do you even care if someone is disgusted by you?” Lin Ran asked, skeptical. He would believe it if Snowball said it, but Shao Mian? He seemed too self-assured.

“I care if you are,” Shao Mian replied, making Lin Ran blush. He preferred the silent Yuanbao from “Demon World.”

“I said I’m not! Now let go!” He felt like he was coaxing a child.

“Then why are you trying to leave? You held that bird’s hand all morning,” Shao Mian said, changing the subject to Little Feather.

“How old is Feather? How old are you? It’s not the same!” Lin Ran exclaimed, raising his voice.

Shao Mian, scolded, reluctantly released his hand, its warmth lingering on Lin Ran’s skin.

“Your hands are always cold,” he muttered.

“Are you a thermometer?” Lin Ran retorted, then immediately regretted his sharpness, seeing Shao Mian’s hurt expression. It had been a clumsy attempt at concern, after all. He had always had cold hands and feet, his grandparents making him thick socks and gloves every winter. He hadn’t realized anyone else had noticed. He had been too harsh.

“So, are you Yuanbao?” he asked, finally.

Shao Mian, having revealed himself accidentally, wondered if he could still deny it.

“If you’re not, I’m taking this back,” Lin Ran said, picking up the plushie, and Shao Mian, unable to let him take it, grabbed his wrist.

“Knowing about these things isn’t good for ordinary humans,” he said, his tone serious now. Keeping the demon world a secret was a necessary precaution.

But Lin Ran, looking at him, knowing about Sootball, Snowball, and Little Feather’s struggles, couldn’t simply ignore it, especially now that he had met Shao Mian, who clearly knew more. He suspected Morson Group was deeply connected to “Demon World.” Were there other demons living among humans?

“You might learn their true identities eventually, but it’s better if you don’t,” Shao Mian said, avoiding his gaze.

“Aren’t you breaking the rules then?” Lin Ran asked, noticing his evasiveness, realizing the internship offer had been deliberately targeted at him.

Shao Mian was speechless. But what was wrong with bending the rules? “Demon World” wouldn’t exist without him. And he deserved a few perks, didn’t he?

“Demon World,” however, didn’t comment. Shao Mian, with his arrogant nature, had never been one to follow rules. And his willingness to handle the miasma tide was invaluable. As long as he didn’t go too far, they indulged him.

“I know you’re Yuanbao, even if you don’t admit it,” Lin Ran said, seeing his silence.

Shao Mian looked at him, wondering how he knew.

“Don’t move,” Lin Ran said, placing a hand on his shoulder, his other hand reaching for his ear, making Shao Mian tense, wondering if this was some kind of interrogation tactic. He had never considered how he would react to such a… close encounter. It was… rather effective. He should encourage this behavior.

But Lin Ran simply took a strand of his hair. “You shed even in your human form, Yuanbao. It’s quite serious. Have you seen a doctor?” he asked, his genuine concern making Shao Mian speechless, his carefully constructed composure crumbling.

Abyss, however, burst out laughing, having witnessed the entire scene, from the initial smugness of the successful hand-holding to the final blow of the hair-loss revelation.

“Crash—” Lin Ran, hearing the noise, pulled open the curtains, finding the room empty. Had he imagined it? But he had definitely heard laughter.

Abyss, hiding outside the window, didn’t dare laugh anymore. He was even more pathetic than Shao Mian, hiding from A-Ran.

“Ee…?” Little Feather, returning from its first delivery, saw the small flame clinging to the window and looked at it curiously, then, seeing A-Ran, flew towards him excitedly.

“A-Ran—!”

“Feather? You’re back?” Lin Ran smiled, reaching for him, and Little Feather landed on his hand.

“Ee?” It sniffed his hand, wrinkling its nose at the strong lion scent.

“Are you tired?” Lin Ran asked, and Little Feather shook its head, happy about earning money to buy gifts for A-Ran. It wanted to come to work with him every day.

Lin Ran chuckled and closed the window.

“Abyss…” Abyss, clinging to the window, felt a pang of jealousy. He also wanted to be held.

Lin Ran, seeing Shao Mian sulking at his desk, chuckled. Was he depressed about his hair loss?

“Are you really that sad?” he asked, approaching him, then, startled by Shao Mian’s sudden movement, took a step back.

“Ee!” Little Feather, protective, flew towards Shao Mian, glaring at him. It was still slightly afraid of him, but A-Ran was more important.

“…” Shao Mian, meeting its gaze, then looking at A-Ran, felt a strange warmth in his chest.

“Is it really that bad?” he asked, touching his hair, annoyed.

Lin Ran chuckled and gently pulled Little Feather back, then examined Shao Mian’s hair. He was worried now that he knew Shao Mian might be Yuanbao. There were no injuries or signs of inflammation, just… thinning hair. And with his light hair color, it would be noticeable if he lost too much.

“Are you stressed? Or not sleeping enough? You’re not malnourished, are you?” Lin Ran asked, concerned, and even Little Feather looked at him worriedly, touching its own long hair, which it had never cut. It knew A-Ran didn’t like creatures that shed.

“I… think I know why,” Shao Mian said, feeling Lin Ran’s fingers brushing against his scalp, a more intimate gesture than having his mane ruffled in “Demon World.” His tail almost appeared. He shifted uncomfortably, and Lin Ran’s hand fell away. He was still conscious of his image.

Lin Ran, amused, wondered if Yuanbao’s shedding problem could be solved. There were no quests for him, unlike the cubs. A bald lion wouldn’t be very majestic.

The silence stretched, the atmosphere charged, only Little Feather oblivious, happily nuzzling against Lin Ran’s cheek. “Ee…” It wanted to kiss him, but the lion scent was annoying. It flapped its wings, trying to blow it away.

Shao Mian, watching, said, “We should send him to kindergarten.”

“Kindergarten?” Lin Ran considered it seriously. He hadn’t thought about Little Feather’s education. Sootball and Snowball had parents, though Snowball’s were… questionable. But Little Feather seemed to be alone.

“Consider it. Ser can arrange it when he’s older. A good international kindergarten would be beneficial,” Shao Mian suggested, and Little Feather, though not understanding “kindergarten,” sensed it wasn’t a good thing, judging by Shao Mian’s smirk. It didn’t want to leave A-Ran!

“Ee ee!” It pleaded with Lin Ran, who seemed to be seriously considering it. Cub education was important.

“We can think about it. When he’s older,” Lin Ran said, petting its cheek, and Little Feather chirped happily. It usually hated having its scars touched, but A-Ran’s touch was gentle and comforting. And he always looked at it with such focused attention. It didn’t understand why, but it liked it.

Shao Mian, however, frowned. Too much pampering. Which demon cub was treated so gently?

“Sleepy, Little Feather?” Lin Ran asked, seeing its drooping eyelids. It had been a long day for the little cub, its shopping trip and first job having exhausted it.

“Ee…” It chirped softly, transforming back into a bird and falling asleep on Lin Ran’s neck.

Lin Ran’s heart melted. His cubs were so adorable and therapeutic. Ser, also returning to the office, smiled faintly, while Shao Mian, watching them, looked at Ser.

“Mr. Lin, should I put the cub in a sleep pod?” Ser offered, showing him a high-tech device, popular among demons, designed for cubs sleeping in the human world. It was a product from another Morson subsidiary, sold exclusively to demons.

“You even have sleep pods for cubs?” Lin Ran said, realizing Morson’s connection to “Demon World” was even deeper than he thought.

Ser, not wanting to reveal too much, simply helped him place Little Feather inside the pod, which automatically dimmed and fit perfectly in his backpack. “This way, it won’t be disturbed by noise or movement,” he explained. “Consider it an employee benefit.”

“Thank you, Secretary Ser,” Lin Ran said, looking at him intently, wondering if they had met in “Demon World.”

“Just Ser,” Ser said softly.

“Thank you, Ser,” Lin Ran said, smiling, making Ser blush and excuse himself.

It was time to leave, and Shao Mian was annoyed. Time always flew by with Lin Ran. He wanted him to stay, but he had no excuse. They could meet in “Demon World,” but he didn’t want him to leave, a strange possessiveness he couldn’t explain. Had he developed a cub complex?

Lin Ran, carrying the sleep pod and facing the curious gazes of his fellow commuters, finally turned to Shao Mian, who had been silently following him. He wouldn’t answer his questions about “Demon World,” just giving him cryptic warnings, and he wouldn’t leave him alone either. His imposing presence and intense gaze attracted attention, making Lin Ran feel self-conscious. If he didn’t know about Yuanbao, he would have thought Shao Mian was a stalker.

“You forgot something in the office,” Shao Mian finally said, after a long silence, a flimsy excuse.

“I can’t take those clothes yet. Feather hasn’t paid for them,” Lin Ran said, only taking the gloves.

“It’s fine. They look good on you,” Shao Mian said softly, making Lin Ran blush, the attention making him even more uncomfortable. It was as if he was carrying Little Feather, a large lion lurking beside him.