At 8:30 that evening, Chu He stood in front of the full-length mirror in his hotel room, his slender fingers elegantly tying a knot in his black Hermes tie with the subtle pattern. “Zhang Shun,” he said without turning his head, “lend me your car.”
“…” Zhang Shun roared, “You’re seriously going?!”
Because the master bedroom in the Zhang family home was burnt and uninhabitable, Chu He had to stay in a hotel. His younger brother, claiming to be scared of being alone at home, also followed along. Actually, Zhang Shun’s original intention was to share a room with Chu He again, but he was a beat too slow. By the time they reached the hotel, the attendant respectfully escorted him to another suite on the same floor. “Mr. Chu specifically instructed us to open this for you,” the attendant said. “He said he knew you’d come.”
Zhang Shun threw down his luggage and, like a thief, sneaked into his brother’s room. As soon as he entered, he was practically blinded by Mr. Chu’s understatedly luxurious and stylish attire. “You’re not actually going to sleep with that woman, are you?!”
“Do you think I’m that kind of person?”
Zhang Shun breathed a sigh of relief, but then his breath caught again. “Wait, do you mean you’re going to seriously date that woman?!”
“…” Chu He looked at his brother in the mirror. “Do you have an opinion?”
“Of course I have an opinion!” Zhang Shun suddenly jumped up from the bed. “That woman clearly isn’t decent! She’s so seductive! And she actively tried to hook up with you! Don’t you like cultured ladies from scholarly families, like Fu Ya? How did you get your soul taken by such an indecent woman? This kind of woman will make you suffer sooner or later, and you’ll have nowhere to cry. Quickly, stop bothering with her!”
Chu He asked curiously, “I remember you said Fu Ya had something wrong with her brain, utterly boring and uninteresting…”
“Did I say that? Was it me who said that? Which idiot said that about a girl?” Zhang Shun immediately pulled out his phone, ready to call Fu Ya. “Hey, are you free tonight? Come out quickly, my brother’s treating you to dinner…”
Just as he was speaking, his hand felt empty. Zhang Shun looked up to see his brother standing in front of him, silently taking his phone and gently hanging up. “Car keys.”
Zhang Shun’s brow twitched slightly. After a moment, he jumped up, covered his pocket, and rushed towards the door. But before he could take two steps, Chu He easily grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back, reaching into his pants pocket for the car keys.
Zhang Shun: “…”
At that moment, they stood one in front of the other, their bodies almost pressed together. Zhang Shun was taller than his brother, and he felt his brother’s warm breath on the side of his firm neck, his nostrils filled with the light, sexy scent of cologne, like a forest after rain. When his brother’s hand reached into his pants pocket, because the pocket was tight, he even felt every ridge on his brother’s slender fingers clearly transfer its touch to the skin on his outer thigh.
Zhang Shun’s nose felt hot, and his already firm back instantly tensed up like a rock.
Chu He hooked out the Ferrari keys, walked directly to the entryway to change his shoes. Once changed, he casually looked up and immediately couldn’t help but laugh. “Is your nose okay? Do you want to go to the hospital?”
“…” Zhang Shun stared blankly at his brother.
Chu He immediately walked over. “Are you alright?”
Zhang Shun frantically wiped a nosebleed, pushed his brother away, and stumbled out the door. Seeing his hurried demeanor, let alone the car keys, even if Chu He had casually taken his wallet, it wouldn’t have been noticed.
“…Is he really okay?”
Chu He frowned, thinking that perhaps the fall earlier in the day had indeed ruptured a blood vessel in his nasal cavity. But at this point, looking for the culprit would certainly be useless. He could only shake his head, and almost imperceptibly cursed, “That idiot Zhou Hui…”
That idiot surnamed Zhou stood by the hotel window, looking through the one-way, floor-to-ceiling glass at the fiery red Ferrari downstairs, and the man in the black suit and white shirt, leaning against the car door, smoking.
Although Zhou Yi was often secretly called an idiot by people who didn’t know the truth, the expression on his face at this moment truly had no connection to idiocy. Even Li Hu, seeing half of his face reflected in the glass, was so startled by the expression that she involuntarily paused.
“I don’t know… he actually came,” Li Hu said hesitantly. “Maybe just give him a call and say we suddenly have something to do tonight…”
“You shouldn’t have provoked him,” Zhou Yi said faintly. “This person is already close to falling into depravity. The last shred of his sanity remains because of the Buddha relic protecting him. I don’t know why he wants to maintain this tightrope-walking balance, but dusk is naturally the hour of demons. You could easily provoke his ferocity.”
Li Hu couldn’t help but ask, “Are you sure he’s Feng Si? For years, you’ve thought anyone who remotely resembles him is Feng Si. Don’t let him not fall into depravity, and you go mad first…”
“I don’t know, but Feng Si is with the Demon Lord. If he truly is, then the Demon Lord Fan Luo must be close by.” Zhou Yi gazed at the glass and slowly smiled. “The greatest hatred in the world: killing one’s father, killing one’s mother—taking one’s wife…”
Li Hu couldn’t help but shiver at such an expression.
“You… you still shouldn’t mess around, remember? We’re here on a mission this time. When you left the capital, you made a military pledge to Director Yu that you absolutely wouldn’t let the Japanese take the ‘Earth-Born Fetus’ from H City out of the country—”
Zhou Yi was silent for a moment, then gradually returned to normal. “I know,” he said, “you don’t need to remind me of this.”
Li Hu changed into a red dress, which accentuated her fiery, sexy figure. Chu He even complimented her, saying, “Miss Li truly captivates all beings.” For some reason, Li Hu felt this remark was more out of politeness, as he himself showed no signs of being captivated.
On the contrary, when she saw Mr. Chu, dressed in a black slim-fit Dior suit, with pale skin and a cold expression, standing elegantly like a night vampire by the fiery red Ferrari door, she felt that this man might be even more captivating. Not to mention the boss Zhou upstairs, who was already a bit disoriented, even the few young girls passing by looked like they were about to faint. It’s so strange, she thought, even with such an ordinary face, he can be like this…
Chu He personally opened the car door for her and said, “I presume you’ve already had dinner by now. The viewing deck cafe at Xihaijiao offers excellent coffee. Shall we go sit there?”
Li Hu’s heart subtly stirred, and she immediately chuckled, “I heard that Group Leader Feng Si was quite a romantic back then. I never thought I’d have a day to experience it. I must go see it for myself.” As she spoke, she turned to look at Chu He, as if she could see the slightest change in every expression on his face.
—However, Chu He showed no particular expression: “Ex-boyfriend?”
“…” Li Hu said, “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.”
It turns out that when it comes to romance, when you don’t have money, you have to rely on skill. When you have money, you can have as much as you want. The cafe was built on a forty-story sky garden. In the distance, the port could be seen. At night, the sound of waves was faint, and the melodious strains of the cello drifted with the night breeze. There were no lights by the hanging floral chairs near the window, only fragrant candles burned, their light reflecting in the silky red wine, sparkling like the myriad stars overhead.
If Li Hu had initially felt a bit awkward facing Chu He, that apprehension completely vanished within a few minutes of sitting down. Fine wine, delicious food, and what’s more, Mr. Chu was knowledgeable, witty, and exceptionally skilled at initiating conversation and listening attentively. By the time Li Hu realized, it was already past midnight, and she had unknowingly chatted with him for over three hours.
“I never thought you were such an interesting person,” Li Hu gently swirled her red wine and chuckled. “Someone like you, without a family or a girlfriend, is it because your standards are too high?”
Chu He smiled, “You can see with Zhang Shun. The first ten years of my life were spent raising children.”
Li Hu burst out laughing, laughing so hard that red wine almost spilled from her glass. As she placed the crystal goblet back on the table, her gaze inadvertently caught Chu He’s eyes, who seemed to casually glance at his watch.
“The first ten years of my life were spent raising children.”
Zhang Shun: “…”
Zhang Shun’s expression twitched. He put down his knife and fork and silently held his forehead.
Across from him, Zhou Yi suddenly burst into loud laughter, so loud that the passing waiter almost dropped his tray. However, he immediately covered his mouth with a napkin, his shoulders shaking. “Brother-in-law, your brother really described himself perfectly, hahaha…”
Zhang Shun angrily retorted, “Who’s your brother-in-law?!”
The two of them were sitting in a cleverly positioned corner nearby. This spot was not far from Chu He and Li Hu’s table, allowing them to occasionally overhear conversations, yet it was also secluded and obscured by potted plants, making it difficult to spot at first glance.
“Quack, why are you here?” Zhang Shun was exasperated. “If you’re so afraid my brother will take advantage of your colleague, then go back now. Look at that woman, it’s hard to say who’s taking advantage of whom. Or are you secretly in love with your colleague? Afraid of being cuckolded by my brother, so you secretly came to monitor?”
Zhou Yi finished laughing, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and said gracefully, “My reason for being here is the same as yours.”
“…I just happened to come here to eat, okay?!”
“Oh, me too.”
The two handsome men looked at each other for a moment. Zhou Yi proactively slapped his card holder on the table. “Brother-in-law, don’t worry, I’m treating today.”
“…So who’s your brother-in-law?!” Zhang Shun bristled.
At the same moment, ten meters away, Li Hu pointed to the expensive-looking watch on Chu He’s wrist and asked, “Are you in a hurry to leave?”
“My time is always tight, but tonight is an exception…” Chu He smiled leisurely. “I’m waiting for the fireworks at 12:30. Look.” He turned to the window, only to see a bright line suddenly streak across the night sky, blooming into a giant rose! Countless luminous flowers bloomed in the starry sky, illuminating the entire hall in a brilliant glow, prompting guests in the restaurant to stand up and walk to the window.
“This… this is truly beautiful,” Li Hu exclaimed in admiration. “I never thought H City had such fireworks at night; I’ve never heard of them before…” She suddenly realized something. “Mr. Chu, could it be you—?”
She turned her head to see Chu He, arms crossed, leaning against the table, politely making a “shush” gesture. “No need to say it.” At that moment, the light of the fireworks outlined his slender, elegant figure, graceful and refined, even a simple gesture of his long, slender index finger placed on his lips exuded immense charm.
Li Hu: “…”
Li Hu now felt truly impressed. Handsome men like Zhou Yi and Zhang Shun only attracted fans with their looks, but this Mr. Chu was a genuine master of technique!
“I’m truly flattered by your kindness…” Li Hu felt she should say something, but then she suddenly stopped. Through the glass, she saw that as Chu He lowered his hand from his lips, he also very discreetly glanced at his watch again. Was he in a hurry? Waiting for someone?
Li Hu’s usually alert nerve endings tensed up. All the details of the evening flashed through her mind like lightning, finally returning to the unexpected invitation that evening: “Beautiful lady, would I be so lucky as to treat you to a late-night snack tonight?”
—He was avoiding a certain moment, Li Hu realized almost instantly. He had chosen her from a group of people—not his naive brother, not the unfathomable Zhou Yi, nor did he just grab a random passerby from the street to make up the numbers; instead, he used her, a seemingly harmless but actually somewhat significant figure, to avoid being alone tonight at midnight.
So—Li Hu wondered—what was he avoiding? Or rather, who was he avoiding?
Li Hu instantly made a bold decision. The fireworks died down, and everyone praised them as they returned to their seats. The restaurant resumed its elegant and peaceful atmosphere, with violin music slowly drifting through the fragrant air. Li Hu put down her napkin, her smiling red lips looking particularly alluring. “Mr. Chu, I have an impolite request, I wonder if you would agree?”
“Oh?”
“The night view of the harbor over there is beautiful. I’d like to go for a walk on the observation deck. Would you be willing to accompany me?”
Chu He looked up at her, initially silent. After a few seconds, he suddenly chuckled, “You—Miss Li, your smile is so much like an old friend of mine, from this angle…”
Li Hu immediately narrowed her eyes, her tone containing a sexy challenge. “An ex-girlfriend?”
“No, no, just a regular friend.”
“I see.” Li Hu then actively extended her tender white hand. “Since it’s just a regular friend, then let’s not let her spoil such a beautiful evening, shall we?”
Chu He gazed steadily at the soft, boneless hand extended before him. After a moment, he shook his head with a smile, his expression unreadable, whether it was mockery or self-deprecation. Then, readily, he took Li Hu’s hand and, under the alarmed gaze of his brother ten meters behind them, walked towards the restaurant’s panoramic elevator.
The observation deck was accessed by a glass elevator from within the building, suspended above the revolving restaurant as a small sky garden. Compared to the restaurant, it offered more privacy and a beautiful, secluded environment, planted with large clusters of roses and tulips, their delightful fragrance drifting in the night breeze. This seemed like a more suitable place to cultivate feelings and engage in romance. Li Hu, like a young girl, walked hand-in-hand with Chu He for a while, then charmingly tilted her head and asked, “Mr. Chu, you seem distracted. Are you still thinking of that old friend while you’re with me?”
Chu He said, “I truly am not.”
“Mmm-hmm?”
“If he held my hand,” Chu He pointed to his hand being held by her, “I’d really throw up.”
Li Hu: “…”
Li Hu’s mouth twitched slightly. After a moment, she finally asked, “Why do you dislike this person so much?”
This question seemed to amuse Chu He greatly; he even let out an interested “tsk.”
“To be precise, that’s not a person, it’s a fox—of course, at his level, he’s not an ordinary fox, but the fox tribe’s characteristics of temptation, cunning, and fondness for tripping people up haven’t changed. But if it were just that, it would be fine. The main thing is that person—how should I put it.”
Chu He paused meaningfully and said, “Extremely, extremely foul-mouthed…”
Li Hu was slightly stiff. “To be hated by you to such an extent, he must be more than just generally foul-mouthed?”
“Oh, not really,” Chu He immediately said. “I don’t hate him. It’s just quite amusing that someone can be so annoying for ten years straight.” As he spoke, he turned his head and squinted at Li Hu with a smile.
“…” At this moment, Li Hu’s feelings were somewhat indescribable. She slowly stopped and said, “Excuse me, Mr. Chu, I need to use the restroom. Could you please wait for me for two minutes?”
Chu He nodded politely. Li Hu gave him a complex smile and walked away in her high heels, her red, tight-fitting dress fluttering like a butterfly amidst the flowers.
The night was like water, the sound of waves like whispers. From the restaurant below came the clinking of glasses and melodious music, making this small garden seem like a fairyland. However, the butterfly that flew from the fairyland did not return two minutes later. Not only that, but almost ten minutes passed, and she still hadn’t returned, looking very much like she was gone for good. Chu He checked his watch—this was the twelfth time he had checked it that night, and his mood was not as relaxed as the previous eleven times. Midnight hadn’t passed yet, so he decided to return to the restaurant first.
However, as he took a step, the air behind him suddenly tore open, and a rush of wind accompanied by a huge suction force rose from the ground!
“Your little beauty…”
A tall figure wrapped in a black robe appeared from a void rift, like a demon lord descending upon the human world in the dark night. Chu He paused, and sure enough, the next second, a deep voice resonated right behind his ear: “—She probably stood you up on purpose.”
“…” Chu He sighed and said, “I should have known.”
The Demon Lord Fan Luo raised a hand and pressed it on Chu He’s back shoulder, while his other hand wrapped around Chu He’s body, easily lifting his chin. The shadow he cast was so immense that it completely covered Chu He’s shadow, appearing as one unified mass in the moonlight.
“So, were you dating this little beauty to avoid me?”
Meanwhile, in the restaurant downstairs. Zhou Yi seemed to sense something, and the blade of his steak knife lightly scraped against the plate. “Brother-in-law,” he then put down his knife and fork and sincerely said, “I have an urgent matter, so I’m leaving first. Are you really not going to let me treat you to this meal?”
Zhang Shun answered him with action: “Waiter! Come here and make a separate bill!”
Zhou Yi reluctantly pulled out his credit card. “We’re almost family, yet you’re still so formal, brother-in-law, you really are…”
Each time he called him “brother-in-law,” Zhang Shun felt a chill down his spine. If it were a rogue, it would simply be him being disrespectful and taking advantage of Young Master Zhang’s brother. But combined with Zhou Yi’s handsome face, comparable to a Hollywood star, and his expensive attire, it could only mean he was mentally ill. “Where did my brother find a friend like you?” Zhang Shun couldn’t help but ask sincerely, “How much money would it take for you to leave him?”
The waiter happened to come over to open the bill, and the expression on his entire face was simply indescribable when he heard this.
“I say, brother-in-law,” Zhou Yi simply sat down again and asked very sincerely, “Do you particularly look down on me, thinking that even though I’m relatively rich, I’m completely unworthy of Mr. Chu?”
Zhang Shun said helplessly, “Big brother, let’s go outside before you have another episode, okay…”
“No, no, no, I’m very serious. Do you know your brother has a boyfriend now?”
“Of course I know… What did you say?!” Young Master Zhang asked in astonishment, “Who has a boyfriend?!”
Zhou Yi’s expression at this moment was exceptionally ethereal and otherworldly, much like an enlightened sage who had specially come to guide the lost souls of the world. If one were to describe it, he bore a strong resemblance to the masters on Xinglong Street who would tell fortunes for ten yuan. However, with the exact same expression, they usually wouldn’t say, “Your brother has a boyfriend now,” but rather, “Sir, your brow is dark, indicating a bloody disaster. Would you like me to sacrifice ten years of my cultivation to perform a ritual for you to break it? It’s cheap!”
“Brother-in-law,” Zhou Yi said, “you might think I’m unworthy of your brother now, but once you meet your brother’s current boyfriend, you’ll know how good I am. Putting everything else aside, is your home haunted lately? Do you often feel sluggish and unenergetic, have frequent nightmares at night, and can only get a good night’s sleep when you’re by your brother’s side?”
Zhang Shun: “…”
“This is all your brother’s current boyfriend’s doing. Otherwise, who else could get into your house and scare people by your bed?” Zhou Yi supported his forehead, and under Zhang Shun’s shocked gaze, he said mournfully, “He has a grievance with you from your past life, which is why he’s pursuing you relentlessly in this life, lurking around Mr. Chu while waiting for an opportunity to harm you. If we were a moment later, Mr. Chu and both of you could have fallen into his demonic clutches!”
“…” Zhang Shun asked, “So you mean my brother’s boyfriend is a ghost?”
“That question, you should directly ask your brother,” Zhou Yi said with a narrow-eyed smile, slowly rising. “Brother-in-law, if you have problems, don’t go to Xinglong Street looking for those half-baked practitioners. You have a ready-made relative right here. Brother, I’m pretty decent at everything else, but ghost-catching is my nationally certified professional skill. For family, I can give you a five percent discount…”
Zhou Yi seemingly casually looked up and chuckled, “Brother has something urgent to do, so I’m leaving first. You eat slowly.” As he spoke, he grabbed his keys and swayed out, and whether it was Zhang Shun’s psychological effect or not, this lunatic’s back actually seemed to gain a hint of mysterious, otherworldly demeanor.
…How did this charlatan know our house was haunted? Is he really a master? Zhang Shun was utterly puzzled when Zhou Yi suddenly seemed to remember something and turned his head. “Card payments will incur a two percent handling fee!”
“…” Zhang Shun said, “Goodbye!”
Just as Young Master Zhang gritted his teeth, recalling his brother’s various suspicious behaviors recently, and the abusive-looking hickey on his neck, upstairs in the sky garden, Chu He looked at the Demon Lord expressionlessly. “So what?”
He turned and took a half step back, facing Fan Luo. Despite the man’s usual pale complexion and cold demeanor, a subtle hint of illness in his brows, and a slender physique that couldn’t compare to the Demon Lord’s, when he so clearly adopted a confrontational stance, his unwavering, imposing aura was no weaker than the Demon Lord’s in the slightest.
“It’s nothing,” the Demon Lord said, staring down at him for a moment. “I just feel that while you rely on my protection to avoid heavenly tribulation, you also constantly stay by the Buddha relic’s side, using its influence to avoid completely succumbing to demonic possession… You’ve imagined me to be a bit too easygoing.”
“You’re overthinking it. Zhou Hui suddenly appeared in H City; I didn’t want him to discover you, that’s why I did that.”
“Oh, really?”
Chu He didn’t answer but instead asked, “When Zhou Hui was besieging the Underworld, if I hadn’t turned on him during the battle, you would have been sealed away. Now, you and I have only been hiding in H City for a few years. How much chance do you think we have if we confront him directly?”
The Demon Lord raised Chu He’s chin with interest and asked, “What if you’re included?”
“…”
“If you and I join forces, killing Zhou Hui shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
This time, Chu He was silent for a long time, so long that the Demon Lord thought he had nothing to say. Then, he suddenly gave a strange smile. “As the saying goes… ‘A couple for a night, a hundred days of grace.’ Since we’ve slept together, why would I kill Zhou Hui?”
Such an intimate remark coming from someone of Chu He’s character was truly fascinating. If he hadn’t heard it with his own ears, the Demon Lord would scarcely believe he could utter such a thing. Once he processed it, the Demon Lord immediately burst into laughter. “A couple for a night, a hundred days of grace, what a hundred days of grace… Then again, how much grace have you and I accumulated? If Zhou Hui ever wants to kill me, would you say the same thing to him?”
Chu He coldly curled his lips. “If he wants to kill you, he’ll definitely do it himself. It’s more likely he’d ask me to watch. But if he really asked for my help, I’d definitely use those words on him too. I’d be fine with whoever survives.”
The Demon Lord roared with laughter.
Although in the battle of the Underworld, the demonic path indeed suffered heavy losses at Zhou Hui’s hands, and if Chu He hadn’t defected during the battle, even the Demon Lord himself would have been personally sealed by Zhou Hui; it was undeniable that for a considerable period, Zhou Hui, representing the Heavenly Dao, and Fan Luo, representing the Demonic Dao, had been at the very pinnacle of the six realms of existence. The opposition between these two was equivalent to the opposition between the Heavenly Dao and the Demonic Dao, warring ceaselessly as the “good path” and “evil path” among the six realms since the mythical era of creation—yet, absurdly, now there was such a person, living anonymously among ordinary beings, while simultaneously maintaining such an intimate and subtle relationship, somewhat forced, with both sides.
The Demon Lord gripped Chu He’s icy jaw, forcing him to look up. At that moment, there was almost a hint of something akin to tenderness in Fan Luo’s dark eyes, but it vanished quickly, almost like an illusion.
“I heard you were once very close to becoming a Buddha, but you failed because of Zhou Hui,” Fan Luo whispered into his ear. “But falling into depravity is much simpler than cultivating Buddhism; sometimes, it only takes a single thought.”
Chu He remained motionless, only closing his eyes. He felt his collar being pulled down, and the warm skin of his neck touched the air, giving him a biting chill. Immediately, the Demon Lord bit down on the most vital spot, sharp fangs savagely piercing into the soft flesh. Heart blood surged out, and the icy demonic aura, carrying a powerful and irresistible force, cut into his body! Chu He trembled all over, his fingers convulsing as he tried to grasp something; Fan Luo reached out and held him, but then he struggled free.
—He grabbed a rose branch clinging to the wall behind him, gripping it so tightly that blood quickly seeped from his cold, bruised knuckles.
“You…”
Fan Luo’s narrow eyes narrowed. He seemed about to say something, but suddenly, a casual voice came from not far away: “Mr. Chu?”
—It was Zhou Yi!
Chu He’s pupils instantly constricted and then dilated. He pushed the Demon Lord away, but Fan Luo grabbed him back.
“Mr. Chu?” Zhou Yi strolled up from the restaurant downstairs, symbolically knocking on the glass door of the hanging flower garden. “Excuse me, are you in there?”
