Chapter 7
The dark figures with green eyes were all low-level Yokai from the Yokai Market. They occasionally tagged along with the Sword Spirit or Su Qiushui, like a group of idle street loafers.
Sometimes, they’d get carried away playing and knock over a display stand, and the pothos by the window would whip them with its vines a couple of times, then rub against Ning Zhixia’s stunned head before retreating back to its peaceful existence.
Ning Zhixia blinked: “?”
Wait, so in this house, was he the only weakling who lived by breathing?
Ning Zhixia remembered pulling the leaves of these pothos when he was a child, and his bottom suddenly felt a phantom pain. The next day, he bought some compound fertilizer and carefully applied a layer to them.
Now, there were customers coming during the day, but since he was the only one in the shop, he lost quite a few new customers.
Considering the special circumstances of the shop, Ning Zhixia thought it over and messaged his childhood friend, asking if he was interested in coming over.
His friend’s name was Qu Banqing, a somewhat famous handmade crafts artist. He had been in the same class as Ning Zhixia since elementary school, but after graduating high school, he insisted on choosing another art academy thousands of miles away.
Ning Zhixia had been puffed up like a pufferfish for the entire summer break. When he accompanied Qu Banqing to register, he couldn’t hold back and cried his heart out at the school gate. Thus, the title of “heartbreaker who breaks up after the college entrance exam” followed Qu Banqing for four whole years.
However, he had been busy taking orders for his handmade figurines lately, so Ning Zhixia wasn’t sure if he had time to come.
Ning Zhixia sent him a message after applying the fertilizer.
It wasn’t until the afternoon that his phone buzzed with a reply.
[Little Qu Figurines (In Progress)]: Oh, just woke up (scratching head.jpg)
[Little Ning Nail Salon Renovation]: Are all your orders finished?
[Little Qu Figurines (In Progress)]: Done! I worked all night yesterday and fell asleep at my desk until now. But after working hard, the sleep quality is surprisingly good!
[Little Ning Nail Salon Renovation]: …Did you ventilate while making the figurines?
[Little Qu Figurines (In Progress)]: Nope.
[Little Ning Nail Salon Renovation]: Gah!
Dude! You were poisoned!
Qu Banqing said he was fine, he would go for a checkup after shipping the orders and then return to Yucheng to continue their “father-son” bond. Knowing that Qu Banqing was carefree, Ning Zhixia repeatedly urged him to go to the hospital before he could finally relax.
Ning Zhixia was very happy that his good friend was willing to come. To celebrate, he decided to officially adopt the kittens that had settled outside his house and schedule their neutering appointments.
He set aside some time, opened the new pet carrier, and coaxed the “piglets” into the “pen.” Carrying a carrier in each hand, one kitten on his head, and another stuffed in his backpack, he took them to the pet hospital for their vaccinations.
When he returned, he was exhausted, placing the Mahjong Kitten Squad with their wagging tails in the front yard to roam freely, then drifted into the kitchen to cook.
“Meow! Hiss—”
Just as Ning Zhixia was engrossed in his culinary show, he heard hissing from outside.
“Hey, go away, shoo, shoo…”
Hmm, that voice sounded familiar!
Ning Zhixia quickly peeked out, his eyes lighting up.
The young man who had just pushed open the courtyard gate was pulling a large suitcase. He was delicate-featured and not very tall, with a small mole on the tip of his nose. He was being cornered by a group of bully kittens with their tails raised, his slightly curly brown hair bobbing along with his flustered movements.
“Friend!”
“My son!”
Ning Zhixia dashed out excitedly. The two young men, of similar height, held hands and spun around joyfully under the curious gazes of the kittens.
“You came at the perfect time!”
Ning Zhixia excitedly welcomed him in, leading him to the kitchen.
Qu Banqing put down his luggage, expressing his gratitude for a warm, home-cooked meal.
He took the rice ladle and prepared to serve himself—
“Scrape, scrape…”
“Scrape, scrape…”
The ladle scraped against the surface of the rice, and the smile on Qu Banqing’s face instantly froze.
He was dumbfounded: “Did this rice watch a movie? It’s so hard.”
Ning Zhixia mumbled, “You know my cooking skills, that’s why I said you came at the perfect time…”
“…” Qu Banqing took a deep breath and asked, “Son, what do you usually eat?”
“Takeout, instant noodles, and…”
Ning Zhixia bounced over to the refrigerator and pulled open the door, revealing four rows of neatly stacked paninis.
He pointed with his lips, “There.”
Qu Banqing was shocked. What an arsenal!
The weekend eight-piece meal deal, without sauce or vegetables, cost only 3.5 yuan each. It wasn’t that Ning Zhixia was trying to save money, it was simply because his meal times were irregular, and this was convenient.
Qu Banqing didn’t even consider whether this guy would get tired of eating them. He asked in a trembling voice, “Aren’t you afraid they’ll go bad?”
Ning Zhixia spread his arms and swung them in a circle, clasping his hands together reverently: “The freezer, freezing is eternity!”
“…” Qu Banqing applauded his beautiful mental state, then resignedly picked up the spatula and sighed, “I, your humble servant, have arrived too late.”
Ning Zhixia’s eyes glistened with tears: “Mommy!”
Qu Banqing raised his foot angrily: “Get lost.”
Ning Zhixia was kicked out of the kitchen and went to the living room to set the table.
Qu Banqing cleared out the unfinished hazardous materials in the kitchen and found two tomatoes and a box of fatty beef in the sparsely stocked refrigerator.
Both of them were hungry, so Qu Banqing cooked tomato and beef noodles, placing the pot directly on the table.
The tomatoes were peeled, diced, and stir-fried in hot oil until softened. Even with a short simmering time, the noodle soup was still rich with a sweet and sour tomato flavor. The fatty beef was blanched to remove any impurities, half-submerged in the bright red soup.
After quickly mixing it, Qu Banqing picked up a large portion with his chopsticks. The smooth noodles were coated in the flavorful soup and placed into the small bowl Ning Zhixia pushed over.
“Wuu, I’m alive again!”
Ning Zhixia held the bowl, the long-lost taste of home-cooked food making him slurp the noodles excitedly.
Qu Banqing looked at him, then at the fat orange cat burying its head in the food bowl, silently averting his gaze, and added some beef to Ning Zhixia’s bowl, whispering, “Meow, meow, meow…”
“Hmm?” Ning Zhixia looked up, chewing his noodles, and opened the transparent plastic container, pushing it towards him, “Eat, you eat too.”
Since there were no other side dishes to prepare, Ning Zhixia ordered some roasted meats takeout while Qu Banqing was busy.
Yucheng’s roasted meats were a local specialty. The chilled braised pig’s head meat was sliced thinly and served like cold noodles with various toppings and spicy chili oil. It was fatty but not greasy, and the slightly leaner parts with cartilage were crisp and refreshing.
When Qu Banqing visited Ning Zhixia’s house as a child, if he got hungry between meals while the adults were busy in the kitchen, he would sneak some of the roasted meats and braised dishes from the table, his little mouth oily as he sucked on his fingers.
“It’s been a while since I’ve had this.” Qu Banqing said with some emotion, taking a bite.
Ning Zhixia knew that after high school, his family had moved to Qingzhou in another province, and it had been a long time since he had returned.
He asked, “Do your parents know you’re back?”
“Hmm? Gulp, gulp, gulp…”
Qu Banqing finished his soup, put down his bowl, and said, “Yes, I told them.”
Ning Zhixia was stunned: “You just told them, aren’t you going back to see them?”
“I’d like to.” Qu Banqing said with a deadpan expression, “They’re on a road trip this month, and next month they’re going to the Southern Hemisphere. They’re full of energy, checking in at airports around the world.”
Ning Zhixia: “Ah…”
What a vibrant middle-aged couple!
The two dejected young men exchanged a look and sighed in unison, getting up to clear the table.
There weren’t many dishes to wash. Qu Banqing wiped the table, noticed a large unopened box of braised beef slices in the takeout bag, and took it out, asking, “What’s this? For a late-night snack?”
Ning Zhixia shook his head, glanced at the clock on the wall, and explained, “It’s for the customer coming later.”
Qu Banqing was bewildered: “Huh?”
Ning Zhixia paused, dried his hands, came out of the kitchen, and told him everything about his recent fantastical experiences with the shop, from beginning to end.
The smile on Qu Banqing’s face gradually faded, his expression becoming serious as he lowered his head, stroking his chin in thought.
Ning Zhixia nervously clutched his shirt.
After a while, Qu Banqing suddenly looked up: “Isn’t that the headquarters of system novels?!”
Ning Zhixia was thrilled: “Right?! That’s what I thought too!”
Both of their faces lit up with joy: “Hehehehehe…”
Seeing that Qu Banqing took it well, Ning Zhixia was relieved. When the time came, he pulled him to the window to watch the flickering green lights.
Ning Zhixia: “From this angle, it’s quite atmospheric.”
Qu Banqing said faintly, “The perspective of fresh meat?”
Ning Zhixia: “…”
“Sigh, you’ve really taken networking to the extreme.” Qu Banqing was sighing when the familiar knock came as expected.
“Boss Ning, I’m here… oh!” Su Qiushui looked at the dazed young man beside Ning Zhixia, then raised an eyebrow and smiled, “Who’s this young man?”
“My childhood friend, Qu Banqing.”
Ning Zhixia introduced him generously, saying frankly, “Business has been too good during the day, so I specifically asked Banqing to come and help. Don’t worry, his skills are no worse than mine.”
Su Qiushui’s smile deepened, her eyes narrowing as she sniffed the air: “Is that so?”
Qu Banqing’s voice was dry: “Sister, what are you sniffing…”
Su Qiushui: “Smelling to see if you’re fragrant.”
Qu Banqing: “And how do I smell?”
“Not bad.” Su Qiushui said meaningfully, “Seems quite… chewy.”
“…” Qu Banqing’s face was expressionless. He turned and nudged Ning Zhixia, “My son, look at her—”
Ning Zhixia didn’t dare to laugh, afraid that the promised braised pork ribs for tomorrow would turn into instant noodles. He quickly interrupted and asked Su Qiushui, “Are you here for a manicure today?”
“Yes, but not for me.” Su Qiushui called out towards the door, “Come in.”
A chorus of childish chirping sounds answered her call. Ning Zhixia looked over curiously and saw the four fox cubs he had seen before!
The fluffy little creatures all had three tails, and because of their thick fur, they looked quite round. They wiggled their butts, licked their black noses, circled the room, and sat in a row in front of Su Qiushui.
Su Qiushui clapped her hands, and a hazy white mist instantly filled the room.
When Ning Zhixia and Qu Banqing waved away the mist and looked up again, the chirping fox cubs had transformed into four adorable children.
Each cub, except for the extra pair of ears and three tails, looked no different from a six or seven-year-old child.
It was their first time transforming in front of strangers. They pursed their lips shyly, fiddling with their fingers, and huddled next to Su Qiushui, peeking at Ning Zhixia with their big, round eyes.
Seeing Ning Zhixia and Qu Banqing looking at them, they quickly exchanged glances, then buried their faces in Su Qiushui’s large tail.
It was said that humans were timid, and they didn’t know if they would scare this fragrant human.
Ning Zhixia slowly clutched his heart.
So cute, so cute! Only cuddles from the four cubs could make him feel better!
Su Qiushui lifted her skirt, avoiding the cubs’ wagging tails, and said to them, “These are my children from the mountains who just learned to transform. I specifically brought them here to get their nails done.”
“No problem.”
Qu Banqing squatted down and patted a child’s head. Ning Zhixia had already picked up the little fox that had boldly nuzzled against his leg, happily lifting it up.
He asked with a smile, “What color nails do you want?”
The little fox tilted its head and thought for a moment, then said, “Pretty ones, like the ones you did for big sister.”
Ning Zhixia praised, “You have good taste. Tell big brother, how old are you?”
The little fox revealed its sharp teeth and replied sweetly, “Three hundred years old!”
“Oh, so you’re only…” Ning Zhixia’s expression suddenly changed, his voice cracking, “Three hun-dred?”
Qu Banqing murmured beside him, “Your great-great-great-grandfather?”
😭😭