Monster Manicure Shop Operation Guide 67

Chapter 67

“Splash… splash…”

The shower ran for a long time before stopping. Several kittens sat patiently by the bathroom door, their round eyes filled with admiration as Ning Zhixia emerged, carrying a towel-wrapped fox ball.

Bai Zhu, smelling fresh and clean, his fur fluffy and dry, looked like a cotton ball. As Ning Zhixia went to get a comb, he followed, his little paws padding softly on the carpet.

His fur was so thick that even the hairdryer couldn’t dry it completely. Ning Zhixia placed him, still wrapped in the towel, on a cushion in front of the heater.

Bai Zhu, used to the wild, usually just huddled with his siblings in their den during the cold winter months or rainy seasons, had never experienced such a luxurious device.

“Ooh… little sun… so warm, so comfortable…”

The warm air enveloped him, like the gentle breeze of spring, and the little fox closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep.

The living room still needed to be cleaned, and the bad fish and the bad sea monster needed to be lectured. By the time Ning Zhixia remembered Bai Zhu, it was too late.

He rushed to the bedroom and saw a large yellow scorch mark on the fluffy white butt, like a burnt marshmallow.

Qu Banqing peeked in from behind him: “Pfft.”

“Waaah, my fur… I’ve become a patchy fox!” Bai Zhu cried, large tears rolling down his face.

“Don’t cry, your fur will grow back, and it’s not ugly, just like the calico cat!” Ning Zhixia frantically tried to comfort the crying fox cub.

“Hmm? Calico kitty…”

Bai Zhu looked at the calico cat, comparing their fur, and gradually stopped crying, only sniffling occasionally.

The slightly appeased fox cub, carrying a large bag of snacks, dejectedly returned to his own plane and didn’t visit for several days, much to Ning Zhixia’s regret, as he missed his hand warmer.

After the successful conclusion of the Cultural and Creative Street event, Ning Zhixia returned with a “Best Vendor” banner and was about to hang it on the wall when he heard the storage room door open.

The temperature had dropped significantly since the beginning of winter. Although Audrow wasn’t afraid of the cold, he had switched to a light camel-colored cardigan, his aloof aura softening considerably.

His light-colored eyes scanned the room, and he went to his usual spot on the sofa.

As the kittens approached, tails raised, he turned on the TV and watched the latest episode of the drama, the rivalry between the male lead and the second male lead intensifying.

On screen, childhood friends and a new rival clashed, their faces red with anger, and as Ning Zhixia hung up the banner and walked over, he saw Audrow frowning.

Audrow, noticing him, moved over and patted the empty space beside him.

A screen door blocked the cold wind, and Ning Zhixia took a blanket and sat down, glancing at Audrow.

He was covered in fawning kittens, his collar slightly pulled open by their nuzzling.

Throwing caution to the wind, and following the “I’m just looking” principle, Ning Zhixia leaned closer, his eyes practically glued to Audrow’s chest.

A hand, adorned with the jade ring, reached up and pinched his cheek, startling him.

“What’s wrong?” Audrow lowered his head slightly, waiting for the little pervert’s answer.

“Y-your collar is so open, so indecent.”

Ning Zhixia averted his gaze, quickly buttoned Audrow’s cardigan, and stammered, “Aren’t you cold…”

As soon as he finished speaking, Ning Zhixia cringed inwardly. A merman who lived in water and turned people into ice sculptures, how could he possibly feel cold?

However, to his surprise, Audrow leaned closer, the flickering light from the screen revealing Ning Zhixia’s changing expressions.

He said in a low voice, “I am cold.”

Ning Zhixia quickly stood up: “Then I’ll turn on the heater.”

Audrow said lazily, “No.”

“Oh…” Ning Zhixia sat back down, confused, and Audrow pulled most of the thick blanket over him, wrapping him in his arms as they continued watching TV.

A cool scent enveloped him, and Ning Zhixia’s mind went blank, his back suddenly burning as he stiffened, not daring to lean against Audrow.

“I, I’m going to bed!”

He couldn’t take it anymore, yelled, and ran upstairs, burrowing under the covers.

So natural!

Was Audrow really interested in him? Although he was good-looking, made good money, wasn’t a picky eater, and easy to take care of, but… but…

Ning Zhixia stared at the ceiling, blinking in confusion, then a thought suddenly struck him—

But there were species differences!

He imagined Audrow’s strong, toned waist, his powerful tail propelling him through the water…

His well-read mind started conjuring up images, his scientific thoughts about the possibility of interspecies intimacy quickly derailing into a slideshow of censored fantasies.

What was he thinking about just now? Oh, it didn’t matter.

Ning Zhixia fidgeted with the blanket, his face burning, then suddenly realized, that guy hadn’t even properly confessed!

He had been flirting, but what if mermen had a different understanding of love… what if he had misunderstood!

“Bad fish, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you… waaaah…”

Ning Zhixia yelled in frustration, thrashing around under the covers, until Qu Banqing kicked his door open and warned him, then he curled up like a worm, lying motionless on the bed.

That night, Audrow lost his privilege of sleeping in the second-floor bedroom. He tried the locked door, then, after a moment of silence, chose to go downstairs instead of breaking in or using mind control.

The Bureau had been busy lately, with some planes experiencing ascension tribulations, others undergoing rebirths, major events always causing a lot of commotion.

Audrow worked overtime and didn’t return until the next evening, looking unusually tired as he leaned back on the sofa, his eyes closed.

“Dad? Ha ha, you saw our stall’s video?”

Audrow opened his eyes and glanced towards the voice.

Ning Zhixia was filing a nail tip, his head tilted as he talked on the phone with his father.

Old Ning, having thought his son was just playing around, was pleasantly surprised by his success and transferred two million yuan for him and Qu Banqing to relax and not overwork themselves.

Just as Ning Zhixia was happily checking his account balance, his father said, “You’re not young anymore, shouldn’t you be dating someone?”

As expected, the sly old fox wouldn’t just give him money for no reason.

Ning Zhixia casually replied, “Not in a hurry, not in a hurry…”

“You should be in a hurry, you should be in a hurry…”

Old Ning sighed deeply, his voice filled with concern, “You can’t cook, you can’t shop, you’ve already lost at the starting line of dating in Yucheng. And all you do at social events is eat with Miss He, if you don’t take the initiative, do you expect someone to come knocking on your door?”

His father’s soul-searching questions stunned Ning Zhixia, then, hearing the last sentence, he felt a surge of confidence and glanced towards the sofa.

Audrow turned his head, his features looking especially sharp in the shadows.

Ning Zhixia’s throat tightened, and he quickly looked away, mumbling, “I know, I know…”

His evasiveness was obvious, and Audrow narrowed his eyes, his gaze like a flickering flame, tracing the young man’s expression.

“Just knowing isn’t enough.” Old Ning, tired of his inaction, said, prepared, “I have a few suitable young ladies in mind, you should meet them and see.”

“B-but…” Ning Zhixia picked at the cushion, closed his eyes, mustered his courage, and interrupted his father, “I like men.”

“…” A long silence followed, as expected.

“R-really?” His father’s cautious voice came again.

Ning Zhixia gulped: “Yes, really.”

“It’s okay, there’s no rush, don’t feel pressured…” His father chattered, the sound of rustling paper coming from the other end.

Ning Zhixia frowned slightly, a bad feeling rising.

“Well, men it is, but we have to raise the standards.”

His father cleared his throat and said calmly, “Then let’s look at List B!”

Ning Zhixia’s eyes widened in shock.

He saw Audrow approaching from the corner of his eye, his father’s loving voice still reciting the height, weight, and measurements of the first candidate.

Ning Zhixia panicked and dashed upstairs like a rabbit, leaving Audrow standing there, stunned, as the young man disappeared from his sight.

“188cm, 108kg, 77cm waist, 96cm hips…” Audrow repeated the numbers he had just heard, a hint of disdain in his voice as he reached the last one, “19cm…?”

The next day, Ning Zhixia, coming downstairs for breakfast, carefully observed the merman, surrounded by his cat followers.

Audrow acted normal, not even asking why he had run off last night, simply staying home and watching TV instead of going to work.

However, his gaze kept returning to Ning Zhixia, as if he had OCD, keeping the young man within his line of sight.

The strange atmosphere lasted until the afternoon, when Lu Huai called, saying that the heartless cultivator who had ascended after killing his wife had changed his mind and was now planning to destroy the world to avenge her.

“…”

Audrow cursed, turned off the TV amidst Lu Huai’s wails, glanced at the precious jewel quietly making press-on nails, and left.

He didn’t return until late at night, and only Qu Banqing was home, sewing toys for the kittens.

“Where’s Ning Zhixia?” Audrow asked calmly as he closed the door.

“Oh, him…”

Qu Banqing tossed a finished floral ball to the kittens and said, clapping his hands, “He went out after a phone call.”

Audrow’s indifferent expression turned cold.

Qu Banqing paused, wondering what was wrong, and nervously rolled away, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire.

Ning Zhixia always took Qu Banqing with him when he went out. Going out alone, his purpose was self-evident.

Audrow sat down, his stomach churning with jealousy.

If he wanted to, he could see anything happening on this plane.

But as soon as the thought appeared, he knew the young man would be angry, his face flushed as he scolded him for invading his privacy.

His fingers tapped the table lightly, the conversation from last night replaying in his mind. After studying numerous dramas, he had finally grasped the meaning of “blind date.”

Dinner, then conversation, then if they clicked, shopping and a movie. His precious jewel was so beautiful and easily swayed, who knew what that person was planning… After a few dates, they would be discussing marriage and children.

No, Ning Zhixia was a male human, he couldn’t have children.

Audrow clicked his tongue in annoyance, then, at the thought of making children, his expression darkened, and he muttered—

“Just 19cm? He’s satisfied with that?”