My Demon Friends-Chapter 577 - 551: Missing Big Brother

At the dinner table, Aunt Jiang and Old Zhou asked Zhou Li about his recent trip.

Zhou Li wasn't sure if the car Old Zhou had loaned him had some kind of vehicle owner app that could track its location, but such a high-end car would likely have one. So, he didn't hide anything and only mentioned that Huai Xu's hometown was in Hamigua City because they had stayed there the longest. After getting tired of Hamigua City after several days, Huai Xu then took him to the Kashgar Region for fun. On the way back, they conveniently stopped in Urumqi for maintenance. It was all perfectly reasonable.

Zhou Li talked much more than before. He randomly picked a few interesting things from their outings to share and showed them some photos. The experience of encountering the Little White Fox at Mingsha Mountain enthralled Zhu Shuang, who complained with a sense of melancholy about not being included at the time.

After finishing the meal, Zhu Shuang looked eagerly at his brother. "Shall we go out for a walk tonight?"

"Where to?"

"I don't know, just stroll around."

"If you don't know…" Zhou Li thought for a moment. "It just so happens Brother Nan invited me out, so let's go together."

"That would be great!" Zhu Shuang exclaimed.

"Okay."

At that moment, a cough sounded from the side.

"COUGH. COUGH."

Aunt Jiang pursed her lips and looked at Zhu Shuang. "I want to buy a dress tonight and need someone to help me decide. Old Zhou's taste isn't great. Come with us; you have good taste."

"Ah?" Zhu Shuang stared blankly at Aunt Jiang.

Aunt Jiang muttered as if talking to herself, "I haven't bought any new clothes this winter. I don't even know what to wear for the New Year…"

Zhu Shuang looked very conflicted. He obviously wanted to go out and have fun with his brother, as it's more fun with someone his age. He had saved up a lot to talk about with his brother recently. But seeing the earnest look in his mother's eyes, he finally agreed.

「After washing the dishes, everyone left the house.」

Zhou Li and Brother Nan agreed to meet at Changhong Square.

Changhong Square was exceptionally lively at the end of the year. In addition to the several groups of people dancing in the square, there were many more selling snacks and setting up street stalls. The roads outside were also jammed, with traffic police directing vehicles; it was a sea of taillights stretching into the distance.

When Zhou Li arrived, Brother Nan was already there. Despite the crowd, someone as tall and beautiful as her always stood out. Even a casual passerby could easily pick her out from the throng, let alone Zhou Li.

"Brother Nan," Zhou Li called out, but received no response.

Brother Nan stood under a streetlamp, repeatedly kicking a roadside railing. She seemed to find it amusing and was so absorbed that she hadn't heard him. Yan City had warmed up significantly recently, much more than before Zhou Li left. She wasn't wearing much, just a thin down jacket that sculpted her figure flatteringly. The streetlamp cast a white glow on her profile, and a small tuft of hair curled on top of her head.

Zhou Li locked his electric bike, crossed the street, and walked up to her, tapping her shoulder. When she turned around, her eyes were wide and her mouth agape, her expression slightly dazed. Half a second later, the dazed look transformed into a radiant smile.

So Zhou Li smiled back at her.

Brother Nan stopped kicking, reached out to pat his shoulder, and looked him up and down before asking, "Missed your big brother, have you?"

"I have."

"Really?"

"Really."

"How much?"

"A lot." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

"Sensible, sensible!" Brother Nan nodded, very pleased. "What took you so long?"

"Traffic was bad," Zhou Li said. But he glanced at his watch; he should have arrived right on time since he had left early. "How long have you been here?"

"For a while now."

"Is it… fun here?" Zhou Li asked, walking to the railing and mimicking her by kicking it a few times, then tilting his head to look at her.

"It's okay. Quite lively."

"You must have gotten bored waiting."

"Exactly."

"Why did you come so early?"

"Big brother missed you!"

"I see."

"Come on, Big Brother will take you out to have some fun."

"Where are we going?"

"To an internet cafe!"

"..."

Zhou Li had somewhat expected this before he arrived; after all, his girlfriend was pretty much an internet addict.

But he had still harbored a sliver of hope. He thought that after not seeing each other for so long, maybe Brother Nan would take him for a walk by the river or a stroll through the streets. Perhaps they'd sit somewhere quiet or find a secluded corner in a less crowded park to engage in some intimate activities unsuitable for Tuanzi's eyes.

That's why he hadn't brought Tuanzi along, having spent half a day appeasing him.

「Internet Cafe.」

Zhou Li and Brother Nan got two adjacent computers, though they left an empty seat between them. Internet cafes weren't doing great business these days, but they were more crowded during the New Year, with an occupancy rate of about 30%. To avoid smokers, Brother Nan chose a spot in the far corner, a location also favored by many couples.

As Zhou Li entered his ID number and password, he glanced peripherally at a couple across from them. They looked like middle or high school students, younger than Zhou Li and Brother Nan. The two shared one computer and one seat, the girl sitting intimately on the boy's lap.

He glanced aside again. His girlfriend, one seat away, had already logged into WeGame and was turning her head to rush him, "Why are you so slow? Hurry up, hurry up."

Zhou Li had no choice but to speed up.

A few days ago, Ultra Rapid Fire mode had started, and Brother Nan had been playing it all night for several days straight. Surprisingly, these all-nighters didn't affect her day job in the slightest. Meanwhile, Zhou Li had been on his way home during those days. Huai Xu, on the other hand, had already played it, pulling all-nighters with Brother Nan, which similarly didn't affect his driving during the day.

There had been significant changes to the game this year, mainly to the equipment. For Zhou Li, who had just barely familiarized himself with the game, it suddenly felt foreign all over again. To make matters worse, Brother Nan was beside him, constantly giving him a running commentary of often unhelpful advice.

They lost several matches in a row.

Then, Zhou Li got Alchemist.

This champion was really fun.

He had played this hero in the last Ultra Rapid Fire mode as well, but Alchemist had seemed much weaker back then, neither dealing much damage nor being very durable. For some reason, it was different this time. Even though he initially went 0-4 against his lane opponent, after he built the Ice Staff and a mask, he suddenly became much stronger and started having a blast.

Zhou Li was ecstatic watching his opponents want to kill him but hesitate to chase, or try to escape only to find themselves unable to.

Seeing him happy made Brother Nan happy too.

Thus, Zhou Li picked Alchemist for several matches in a row.

Unknowingly, the night deepened.

As Brother Nan ate the snacks delivered by takeaway, she said to Zhou Li, "Why don't we just skip going home tonight? Let's pull an all-nighter and call Huai Xu over too!"

Zhou Li was tempted, but after a moment's thought, he shook his head. "I just got back tonight, and I'm tired from the journey. I need to go home and rest. Besides, if I don't go home for a whole night, Aunt Jiang and Xiao Shuang's imaginations will run wild."

"That's true." Brother Nan nodded and checked the time, then said decisively, "Then let's go. It's getting late."

"Okay."

"Log off."

"How?"

"Click this."

"Oh, oh..."

The liveliness they had seen on the streets earlier seemed like an illusion. Nearing midnight, the streets were eerily quiet, with only an occasional car passing by and very few pedestrians.

A few drunk men walked towards them, talking and laughing loudly. When they saw the young couple, they instinctively lowered their voices, not wanting to scare them. The crude jokes they had been discussing were also subconsciously reined in. However, because of Brother Nan's good looks, they still took a few extra glances as they passed. They were just ordinary people, after all; old friends finally reuniting after a year to have some fun together. Perhaps they were usually shy and reserved.

Zhou Li finally took Brother Nan's hand. It was soft, warm, delicate, and smooth.

"You shouldn't always pull all-nighters," Zhou Li said. "Playing non-stop like that can get tiring fast."

"I thought you were going to tell me to watch my health..."

"You should watch your health; it's bad for your body." Zhou Li glanced up at the top of Brother Nan's head. "And it can cause hair loss too."

"EEK!"

"Just go to sleep when you get home tonight. Don't play anymore. I'll check your game history tomorrow." Zhou Li stopped walking; they had reached Brother Nan's home. "I'll head off this way."

"Give Big Brother a hug," Brother Nan said, opening her arms.

"Okay."

Zhou Li hugged Brother Nan, then leaned down to give her a brief kiss on the lips before they separated. He had become quite natural at these actions now. At most, he might feel a little shy making eye contact with Brother Nan right after a kiss, but he wouldn't blush.

His proficiency was probably almost maxed out.