Monster Manicure Shop Operation Guide 17

Chapter 17

The drizzling rain showed no signs of stopping by evening. Reflections in the puddles rippled. Ning Zhixia took a hot shower, his face flushed and warm, and burrowed into bed, falling asleep to the sound of the rain.

This comfortable weather was perfect for sleeping. Ning Zhixia curled up under the covers, sleeping soundly.

A sudden, jarring sound pierced the silence of the dark room, somewhere between a cat in heat and a child screaming, unsettling in the quiet night.

“Hiss…”

Shortly after, the person under the covers shivered, jolted awake by the cold.

Ning Zhixia opened his eyes blearily. The rain had stopped at some point, and the dark room was as cold as an icebox.

“Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep—”

A series of electronic beeps sounded urgently and abruptly. He instinctively sat up and turned on the nightlight.

The air conditioner on the wall was blowing cold air, the green digits displaying only 16 degrees Celsius.

“Damn, my electricity bill!”

Ning Zhixia scrambled out of bed, rummaged through the nightstand for the remote, and turned off the air conditioner.

The biting cold air stopped abruptly. He breathed a sigh of relief, turned around, and saw his reflection in the water-streaked window.

Sleepy, tired, listless.

Anyone whose dreams were interrupted would be groggy. Ning Zhixia yawned widely, wanting to crawl back into bed and regain his sleepiness. He took a few steps, then suddenly stopped, his neck stiffening as he looked back—

He was almost at the bed, but his reflection was still by the window, its pale face gradually forming a smile, its eyes shifting eerily towards him.

The blood in Ning Zhixia’s body almost froze. He called out in a trembling voice—

“Hey, Siri! Play…”

The next second—

“Listen to the bugle call of the new journey, the goal of a strong army beckons ahead!”

The rousing military song instantly shattered the eerie atmosphere in the room.

Ning Zhixia clutched his shirt, his eyes downcast as he stood frozen for a long time. When he looked up again, only the pothos outside the window was swaying gently to the rhythm.

As if sensing his gaze, it curled two of its most flower-laden vines and made a heart shape towards the stunned young man.

After a night of rain, the new leaves on the street were washed clean, a vibrant green.

The flowers and plants outside, which should have been drenched in dew, looked sleepy and droopy, and a few yellow leaves had appeared in the pothos pot.

“What did you eat?”

Qu Banqing picked a leaf and examined it, his expression displeased. As he turned to go back inside, he noticed the listless, elongated creature sprawled on the sofa.

The cats, patrolling their territory on schedule like diligent knights, circled the sofa twice and jumped up, rubbing affectionately against the young man’s head, then lying on his back, exposing their soft bellies, shaved bare from their recent checkups.

“Ugh…”

Ning Zhixia, with dark circles under his eyes, rested his cheek on the pillow, unmoving, his eyes half-closed as he groaned.

Qu Banqing hesitated, then rested his elbow on the back of the sofa and advised, “Excessive indulgence leads to burnout. Even watching movies should be done in moderation.”

“What are you talking about?”

Ning Zhixia mumbled, “There must have been a cat in heat last night, it was so noisy I couldn’t sleep.”

“I didn’t hear anything.” Qu Banqing rubbed his head. “Besides, we’re taking them to get neutered in a couple of days, they’re not in heat now.”

“Hmm?”

So last night wasn’t a sleepy hallucination?

Ning Zhixia was startled, sat up, and recounted the night’s events to Qu Banqing, his voice trembling: “Mommy, what should I do? I feel like there’s something unclean in the house!”

“It’s okay, it’s okay, haven’t you seen enough non-humans already?” Qu Banqing comforted him, ruffling his hair, but Ning Zhixia suddenly interrupted.

Ning Zhixia said seriously, “This is different!”

It had used his own face to make such a creepy expression, like a horror version of the Want Want mascot!

Ning Zhixia shuddered at the memory, covering his face and muttering, “So ugly, so scary, how could such a horrifying thing exist in this world!”

Qu Banqing paused, seeing Ning Zhixia collapse back onto the sofa weakly, quickly stuffed a piece of preserved fruit into his mouth for emergency rescue.

“Mmm…” The sweet taste filled his mouth, and Ning Zhixia calmed down, sucking on it slowly.

Qu Banqing smiled and turned to go to the kitchen to make breakfast. As he passed the mirror on the wall, he glanced at his reflection, then quickly looked away and hurried on.

To appease the dejected Ning Meow Meow, breakfast today was beef tendon ball noodles and soft-boiled eggs.

After a warm meal, Ning Zhixia finally regained his energy and switched to business mode, waiting for the customer with an appointment.

Several customers arrived together. The mischievous kittens always managed to pick out the one who was afraid of them, wagging their tails and batting at their heels.

Kittens: Hee hee, fun! Touch them and they squeak!

Qu Banqing swatted their butts and stuffed them all into their carriers.

The customer quickly asked, “Are you putting them in solitary confinement?”

Ning Zhixia shook his head: “Just saying goodbye to their macho days.”

The kind customer looked horrified. Surely not!

The neutering appointments had been booked long ago. Fortunately, all five were male cats, so post-operative care would be less worrisome. He decided to take them to the hospital over three days.

On the third day, when the plane passage opened, the fox cubs and Popokula came to visit the four kittens who had already had their surgery and returned home.

“Here’s a flower for you, Mimi, get well soon!”

Baizhu didn’t understand what neutering was, only vaguely knowing that it was a cultivation method to extend their lifespan. He smiled and held up a freshly picked flower to them.

The white cat batted at the petals with its paw and licked the child’s palm, making him giggle.

Popokula counted with its tentacles, then poked Ning Zhixia disappointedly, raising two tentacles and making circles: “Where’s the other kitten? The especially round one.”

“Fatty Orange is getting neutered today, I’ll pick him up after the passage closes.” Ning Zhixia reassured Popokula. “It’s a minor surgery, you’ll see him tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Popokula’s tentacles waved happily.

After seeing off the friends who had come to visit the kittens, the familiar street scene appeared outside the window. It was only 7:30 pm in his own plane. Ning Zhixia had long been accustomed to the 27-hour daily routine and told Qu Banqing he was going to the hospital to pick up the cat.

Fatty Orange, after the anesthesia wore off, was sulking in the hospital’s recovery room. Only when he saw Ning Zhixia did he reluctantly turn his head and meow, as if complaining about why he was only being picked up now.

“Let’s go.”

Seeing that he seemed fine, Ning Zhixia carried the carrier and left the hospital.

Since the hospital wasn’t far, he didn’t drive. However, halfway there, carrying the carrier, he regretted his decision and took a shortcut through a small alley.

Ning Zhixia grumbled, “You need to lose weight, Fatty Orange. You’re as heavy as a gas tank.”

“Meow!” Fatty Orange retorted.

The man and cat bickered back and forth. The streetlight above flickered.

“Heave-ho.” Ning Zhixia shifted the carrier and took a few more steps.

The alley was uneven and damp. If he stepped on a loose brick, black, sticky water would seep out of the cracks. Ning Zhixia walked carefully, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the quiet, deserted alley.

Soon, the echoing footsteps seemed to merge with another set of footsteps, gradually becoming heavier.

Ning Zhixia quickly turned his head, but the alley behind him was empty, only occasional drops of water falling from rusty pipes, splashing on the old bricks.

A thick, musty smell gradually rose. Ning Zhixia hesitated for a moment, then turned and continued walking.

“Tap, tap…”
“Tap, tap…”

Ning Zhixia quickened his pace, and as if by coincidence, the sound behind him also quickened. When he slowed down, the sound also slowed down, until the crisp footsteps perfectly synchronized…

Black water seeped out from a crack in the bricks. Ning Zhixia abruptly stopped, and the footsteps behind him also stopped.

Everything was quiet. Ning Zhixia exhaled, thinking that he had been a bit on edge lately, when—

“Tap, tap…” the footsteps behind him resumed, unhurried.

Ning Zhixia: “…”

He shuddered, looked down at the carrier in his arms, and murmured, “Hold on tight, Fatty Orange.”

Fatty Orange: “Meow?”

As the footsteps drew closer, Ning Zhixia suddenly lifted the carrier above his head and sprinted away.

“Meowww!”

With the sudden movement, Fatty Orange’s chubby face slammed against the stainless steel bars of the carrier, its squished cheeks rubbing against the bars, its howls turning into indignant vibrato.

“Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!”

People’s mouths often went out of control when they were scared. Ning Zhixia yelled for his mom all the way, and with a dramatic spin at the end of the alley, he rushed towards his house at top speed.

His familiar house was just ahead. Qu Banqing, still in his bunny apron and slippers, was looking around at the intersection. Seeing him sprinting back, he was stunned. “Holy crap, what happened?”

“Waaah…” Ning Zhixia pointed behind him incoherently, “Someone was following me, I was so scared!”

“What?!” Qu Banqing frowned and walked towards the alley entrance with him, ready for a confrontation.

Ning Zhixia was touched: “A mother’s love is truly fierce!”

“…” Qu Banqing glanced back at him, snorted, grabbed the back of his collar, and pushed him forward.

“Mommy, I’m wrong, love me again!” Ning Zhixia hugged his arm and fake-cried, when suddenly the footsteps in the alley drew closer.

The flickering streetlight at the alley entrance suddenly lit up, casting a dim, warm glow in the dark night.

The footsteps slowly stopped behind them, and Qu Banqing let out a surprised “Ah.”

A piercing gaze landed on his back. As if sensing something, the disheveled young man sniffed the air, hesitated for a moment, and turned around.

The newcomer, tall and slender, stood at the corner of the alley, holding a pink and white box, a smile on his face as he tilted his head and looked at him.

“Liar, weren’t you saying you were brave?”

Audrow raised his hand and cupped the young man’s stunned face, his fingertip firmly wiping away the water stains on his cheek, leaving a pink mark on his skin.