My Demon Friends-Chapter 522 - 501

It was eleven AM.

Zhou Li had already picked up Zhu Shuang and Zhu Bing and brought them home.

Since Aunt Jiang had to work and there was no one to cook at home, they had to find a restaurant outside. Old Zhou and Aunt Jiang took some time off from their lunch break to join them, a welcome feast to cleanse away the dust of travel for the siblings.

Originally, Zhu Bing was supposed to return to Jin Palace first. According to tradition, Zhu Shuang should also have spent the Spring Festival with Zhu Bing and her family in Jin Palace this year. However, last month there was an outbreak in Jin Palace, and Zhu Bing’s family was in Douban County, which was at the highest risk. After much persuasion, Aunt Jiang finally coaxed Zhu Bing to come to Yan City, saying she would let her return only after the situation had thoroughly calmed down.

It should be soon.

The restaurant, chosen by Zhou Li, had been recommended by Brother Nan. It was said to be a fish hot pot restaurant that had opened this year. Zhou Li didn’t know how Brother Nan was aware of such newly opened places.

Sitting around the stove in the cold weather was very warm.

Old Zhou usually went out for business dinners and gatherings, mostly eating formal Chinese cuisine in hotels. He had little exposure to this type of restaurant, which was more popular with younger people.

He picked up a slice of fish as thin as a cicada’s wing and placed it into the pot; it cooked in just a few seconds. After a swirl in the dipping sauce, the unique herbal aroma was not overpowering, just right. Even Old Zhou, who loved to put on airs, couldn’t help but nod in approval and gave it a favorable review.

Then, pursing his lips with the air of an elder, he turned to the siblings and asked with concern, "How is school going for you two?"

"Not too bad," Zhu Shuang replied.

"I think it’s also quite alright." Zhu Bing wasn’t very familiar with Old Zhou, so she answered earnestly after a moment of thought, "There are many impressive students in my class, more so than I had imagined. But there are also many who aren’t so impressive, even less so than I’d thought."

"How about your exams, then?" Old Zhou asked further.

"At least I won’t fail," Zhu Shuang said.

"I should... probably not fail either," Zhu Bing said, more tactfully.

"And you, Zhou Li?" Old Zhou turned his head.

"..." Zhou Li swallowed a piece of meat in his mouth and turned to Aunt Jiang. "Aunt Jiang, Old Zhou always asks such annoying questions."

"Just eat your food!" Aunt Jiang frowned and scolded Old Zhou.

"..." Old Zhou fell silent for a moment. He then continued to look at Zhu Shuang and Zhu Bing, his expression unchanged so as not to lose face. "Well, are you two getting used to school?"

"It’s quite good," Zhu Shuang replied. "Yicai is available everywhere, it’s just that the air is very dry."

"Mmm-hmm," Zhu Bing agreed.

"That’s good to hear." Old Zhou withdrew his gaze as if nothing had happened.

"I have something to tell you all," Zhou Li said, placing a piece of meat into the pot and looking at Aunt Jiang and Old Zhou. "Tomorrow, I’m going to a friend’s place for a few days. I’ve calculated that even after I come back, there’s still more than a month until Spring Festival, so I was thinking of taking a trip."

"Traveling sounds nice," Aunt Jiang commented, then asked, "Where to? You absolutely mustn’t go to any medium or high-risk areas, though."

"Where are you going?" Zhu Shuang also asked.

"Qingjiang," Zhou Li said. "I’ve arranged with Huai Xu to go there together. It just so happens that Huai Xu’s hometown is in Qingjiang, and he’s going back. He invited me to visit, so it might take a rather long time... right, Huai Xu?"

"Yeah, yeah!" Huai Xu nodded vigorously.

"Going to Qingjiang should be fine..." Aunt Jiang said, trying to recall. "But you definitely must avoid any medium or high-risk areas."

"I know," Zhou Li said, looking down.

"Take me with you, take me with you!" Zhu Shuang hurriedly said.

"No!" Zhou Li refused.

"...Bro, you’ve changed. You weren’t like this before," Zhu Shuang said, very crestfallen.

"Is Xiao Nan going?" Aunt Jiang smiled.

"No, it’s just me and Huai Xu, oh, and Lord Dumpling," Zhou Li replied. "Brother Nan has to stay home and be the shop manager."

"Xiao Nan really is capable," Aunt Jiang praised, then asked, "Are you taking a flight?"

"We’re driving. We’ll sightsee along the way."

"Then you’ll need to get a different car," Aunt Jiang said, echoing what Brother Nan had told Zhou Li. "You’ll need at least a four-wheel drive with snow tires and anti-skid chains for safety. Many areas there have probably already gotten snow, right? The temperatures are very low, and the roads will be icy."

"I know, I’ll rent one," Zhou Li said.

"I’ll find one for you," Old Zhou finally lifted his head. "That way, you won’t have to worry about the trouble of damaging a rental company’s car."

"Okay."

"Then I’ll have to ask Huai Xu to take good care of you," Aunt Jiang said, smiling at Huai Xu.

"Don’t worry!"

"Which part of Qingjiang is your hometown?"

"Hamigua City, at the foot of Heaven Mountain," Huai Xu responded smoothly, scratching his head with an honest and simple-hearted look. "It’s a pity I rarely go back. Otherwise, I’d bring you all some melons to eat. The Hami Melons from our area are completely different from the ones in Yi Province."

"The fruit from your area is indeed good."

Aunt Jiang and Huai Xu started chatting about Qingjiang.

Poor Huai Xu. Eating this kind of food, where you cook each piece individually, was already slow for him. Coupled with the conversation, he ate even more slowly.

「Evening.」

The handyman Aunt Jiang hired had already helped Zhou Li assemble the bunk bed, and Zhou Li had also made it up. He then began to take out the various scattered items he had brought over from the old house that afternoon, moving them one by one from the boxes into his new bedroom.

This process was also met with resistance from Tuanzi.

As soon as Zhou Li took out something that piqued her interest, she would immediately reach out, trying to snatch it from his hands.

Zhou Li, meanwhile, patiently matched wits with her.

Huai Xu sat on the upper bunk watching him bustle about, swinging his legs. "You have so much stuff, even more than a girl."

"Yeah."

Actually, Zhou Li hadn’t realized he had so many possessions. He’d thought many of them could be thrown away. But as he sorted through them, he discovered that these items, long accumulated in corners, were more numerous than he had imagined. Many were imbued with memories and, despite being covered in dust for a long time, were impossible to discard.

So he had to bring them along and continue to let them gather dust in the corners.

At least they were being kept.

When he finally finished organizing, Zhou Li let out a long sigh, thoroughly exhausted. He lay down on the bed, and it took him a long while to recover.

Then he picked up his phone again and sent a message to Little Zheng.

Zhou Li: We’ll arrive tomorrow afternoon

Little Zheng: It’s snowing in the mountains, dress warmly

Zhou Li: Perfect! We can play in the snow and sit by the fire.

Little Zheng: I have a fire going every day.

Zhou Li: I’m so envious.

Little Zheng: I have to. It’s too cold otherwise. I have a fire going every day, and the firewood I prepared is almost gone.

Zhou Li pressed his lips together, truly filled with envy.

After a moment’s thought, he looked away from his phone and said to Huai Xu on the upper bunk, "If I ever buy a house, I’m definitely installing a fireplace."

Huai Xu bent over and stared at him. "Why are you telling me? You should talk to Li Daimao about this."

"Umm..."

Zhou Li looked back at his phone, his mind already picturing their arrival in the small mountain village tomorrow: snow falling outside, a fire crackling inside, the warmth of the flames making their faces feel pleasantly hot. When the wood ran out, they would go outside to chop more. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Just thinking about it was delightful.