My Demon Friends-Chapter 553 - 532

Zhou Li didn't eat much and was quickly full. Afterward, he rested his chin on his hands and watched Huai Xu eat, which aided his digestion.

The morning sunlight streamed through the window, reflecting off the glass tabletop and into his eyes, a bit dazzling.

"Zhou Li, could you scoop some of that for Lord Dumpling~~"

"Oh."

"Why aren't you eating anymore?"

"I'm full."

"Then check if Li Daimao has sent you any messages."

"..."

Zhou Li finished scooping the elm seeds with scrambled eggs for Tuanzi, then plucked a piece of donkey meat from Huai Xu's third bowl of donkey meat yellow noodles and placed it on her disposable plate, ignoring Huai Xu's displeasure.

"Lord Dumpling doesn't want to eat this."

"Be good. Eating more meat will make you grow tall, and cats are carnivores, how can you not eat meat?" Zhou Li found that he had gotten used to saying such things, speaking them naturally, only lowering his voice when others were present. "Other little kittens all have to eat meat."

"OHH~"

"Grow tall~~"

Zhou Li continued to ignore the Old monster's malicious mimicry and took out his phone.

Li Daimao: [Screenshot]

Li Daimao: Why aren't you replying to me/spacing out

Zhou Li replied calmly and unhurriedly, "Was in the Great Desert last night, no signal, just got out, having breakfast now, eating the local specialty donkey meat yellow noodles."

Li Daimao: Is it tasty/spacing out

Zhou Li: Not as good as your home cooking

Li Daimao: Eating breakfast so late?

Zhou Li: It only gets light here at nine o'clock.

Li Daimao: That late?

Zhou Li: Right.

Li Daimao: So those idiot authors live in Dunhuang/wipe sweat

Zhou Li: What?

Li Daimao: You wouldn't understand

Li Daimao: Wait

Li Daimao: You said no signal, how did Huai Xu send out messages?

Zhou Li: He ran out specially to frame me.

Li Daimao: Why would he frame you/spacing out

Zhou Li: You always use that expression; it makes you look not very smart.

Li Daimao: What are you doing in the Great Desert?

Zhou Li: Let me tell you...

Then Zhou Li shared with her the itinerary and experiences from their past two days with Huai Xu. He kept his descriptions simple, especially regarding matters involving Huai Xu. Even so, it still meant typing a lot, and the input method seemed to be working against him, either registering the wrong key or failing to bring up the words he wanted, making his brow furrow.

The Old monster secretly peeked at him with glee while eating his noodles with his head down.

Twenty minutes later, Zhou Li turned off QQ.

The Old monster hadn't finished eating yet.

Zhou Li scooped another spoonful of the elm seeds with scrambled eggs onto Tuanzi's plate, then took a spoonful for himself. He chewed slowly, trying to taste the flavor described in books about elm seed rice. While chewing, he opened Meituan and began to book accommodations for the next two nights in Dunhuang, "Shall we stay for two nights? We leave the day after tomorrow. I want to see the Mogao Caves."

"Sounds good."

"Okay."

Top right corner filter: Free parking; Twin beds; Pets allowed;

The off-season prices were so cheap.

Putting down his phone, Zhou Li resumed resting his chin on his hands and watched Huai Xu eat, feeling a bit bored. "How about we rest a while at the hotel later? It's quite sunny and very cold right now. Let's go to Mingsha Mountain after five or six when it's not so sunny and not so cold, okay?"

"Are you tired?"

"A little."

Zhou Li was indeed a bit tired. Though leisurely and fun, traveling could also be exhausting. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

And he had slept very little last night.

「Hotel room.」

Tuanzi started to explore around, glancing here, sniffing there, very earnestly at that.

Zhou Li lay down on the bed, turned on the air conditioner, and told Huai Xu, "I won't have lunch. You can eat if you want, and if you find anything tasty, take note. If I'm not awake before sunset, make sure to wake me up. I want to see the sunset at Mingsha Mountain."

"Then I won't eat either." Huai Xu took out the Four Seasons Textile Zhou Li gave him.

"Are you going to write a weekly journal again?"

"It's a diary!"

"Why are you writing a diary now?"

"There were quite a few things happening this week, and a weekly journal just doesn't cut it," Huai Xu said as he leaned over the desk and started writing right away. "You get your sleep; don't mind me."

"TSK TSK..."

Zhou Li felt that the thought process of a primary school student was really simple, needing no prior planning.

Then, he closed his eyes.

Almost simultaneously, Tuanzi pounced onto the bed, excitedly announcing, "Zhou Li, Lord Dumpling is here to sleep with you!"

Zhou Li, without even opening his eyes, said, "No."

"HMM?"

"Huai Xu really needs company right now, and I'm very sleepy. Could Lord Dumpling please keep Huai Xu company for me?" Zhou Li thought for a moment and said, "I would be very grateful to Lord Dumpling."

"Huai Xu doesn't like to play with Lord Dumpling," Tuanzi said, "and Lord Dumpling is also very sleepy."

"I sure don't need this little fool's company."

"See, see."

"...Then have you cleaned yourself yet?"

"MEOW?"

"Don't dirty the hotel bed. In the future, you must clean yourself before entering a hotel, so you don't leave your little paw prints all over the hotel bed and walls." Zhou Li still hadn't opened his eyes, but through touch, he felt Tuanzi climb into the crook of his left arm. He also felt—

Little Cat Girl appears!

Little Cat Girl disappears!

Tuanzi, muttering 'hurry up' while snuggling closer, nestled into the crook of his arm and settled down, unmoving.

Zhou Li's consciousness grew heavier and heavier.

Maybe because he had listened to too many of Huai Xu's stories these past few days, he actually dreamt of Huai Xu. Although he couldn't see the person's face clearly in the dream, and even after waking up, he had no impression of their appearance, he was certain the one stealing chickens was Huai Xu because it was his dream, and he just knew it was Huai Xu.

As for why he couldn't see the face, it might stem from his knowledge of the real Huai Xu.

The real Huai Xu was shameless.

When he opened his eyes, the sunlight had turned to gold.

Zhou Li propped himself up slightly and saw Huai Xu still sitting at the desk, still with his back to him, but no longer writing in his diary. From the way he was bent over, it seemed he was playing video games.

"Awake?" Huai Xu asked without turning his head.

"Yeah," Zhou Li nodded, and asked unclearly, "What time is it?"

"Half-past four. I was just about to wake you."

"Didn't you go out? Or have you already gone out and come back?"

"No, I've been playing games all day."

"I see."

"Just let me finish this round."

"I just dreamt about you."

"What did you dream about me?"

"I'm not telling you."

"What do I look like?"

"Not telling you."

"Then am I a man or a woman in your dream?"

"Not telling you that either."

"PFFT..."

Huai Xu turned and gave him a sidelong glance, snorting lightly. "You probably don't even remember it yourself, or you're just lying to me. The Great Devil King isn't fooled that easily."

Completely seen through.

Zhou Li scratched his head, got dressed, and reminded him to play his game well and not to let the team down.

Tuanzi was still sleeping soundly.

Zhou Li woke her without hesitation. Then, with a gentle expression, he said to the drowsy Tuanzi, "Lord Dumpling, wake up. We're going out to eat. Huai Xu just woke me up and then threatened me to make sure I woke up Lord Dumpling too."

"MMM MEOW..."

"Are you hungry, Lord Dumpling?"

"Lord Dumpling is hungry!"

"So am I."

Zhou Li touched his stomach; it felt empty. He walked over and drew back the curtains. Sunlight, full of the afternoon's essence, poured onto his face, making him squint.

Another beautiful day just slipped away.

This feeling... it's wonderful.