Chapter 4: Sweet and New Life 2
I sat on a chair and looked at the small animals in the cages against the wall, silently calculating the probability of being discovered by Zhou Mian if I rushed over to play with them now.
I glanced at the treatment room. Zhou Mian didn't seem to have any intention of coming out. The female shop assistants who had changed out of their uniforms said hello to me and left.
Good opportunity! Just go and watch for five seconds! I jumped up and tried to run to the cage.
"Fu Lingmiao! Go see if the shower room is empty!"
Zhou Mian's voice came without warning, and I was so scared that my legs went weak and I almost fell to the ground. I staggered for a while before I could stand firm.
"Ahem, shower room?" I patted my chest to comfort myself and repeated doubtfully. There was only a bathtub on the second floor. As for the shower, I looked at the empty shower room for pets in front of me and said hesitantly, "It's empty, but are you sure?"
When I turned around, Zhou Mian was standing in front of me holding Hong Ze who had changed his clothes.
Hongze's body had shrunk again, just like when I first saw him. He leaned in Zhou Mian's arms with his head lowered. Only his trembling eyelashes showed any signs of life. He looked like a frail teenager.
Zhou Mian tilted his head to signal me to move aside, explaining, "He just said the waterfall would make him feel better. I thought there was no waterfall, but there were only three shower heads, so I'll just have to make do with them."
There's a big difference between a waterfall and a shower head, but even though I thought so, there didn't seem to be a better solution. I ran a few steps and adjusted the direction of the three hanging shower heads to focus the water flow together.
Zhou Mian came over with Hongze in his arms, and I quickly stepped aside to make room for him. Hongze sat cross-legged in the middle of the shower room, and Zhou Mian squatted down to help him take off his shirt. I couldn't help but raise my eyebrows. If you were going to take it off, why bother putting it on in the first place?
When Zhou Mian stood up with his shirt in his hand, Hongze's body was exposed in front of me. I exclaimed in a low voice. His skin was completely covered with dark blue scales, which glowed with a bewitching light under the light. I couldn't help but frown. What was going on?
"Don't look."
Hongze said in a low voice, still with his head down.
"Ah..." My face immediately turned red after Hongze said that. I had been staring at him.
I quickly retreated out of the shower room, quickly drew the curtain, found a chair to sit on, and fanned my face to cool it down.
I stared at the corner of the wall, wondering why there were scales on his body. Was this the so-called "revealing one's true form" in novels? If we follow the routine in novels, this would only happen if he suffered a strong blow or his magic power was seriously exhausted.
I pouted, a little annoyed. What an idiot! He was so weak but still tried to be brave!
Zhou Mian, who appeared out of nowhere, slapped me on the head and said, "What are you thinking about? You didn't respond when I called you. I asked you if you were hungry."
"Ah? No...nothing. I'm not hungry. I'm not hungry." I shook my head habitually.
"You sit here and play with Linglong for a while, but don't get too close. I'm so tired after all this time! I'll lie down for a while and then go to cook." After saying that, Zhou Mian picked up his schoolbag, rubbed his arm and walked upstairs.
I nodded obediently, sat down at the counter with my schoolbag, and took out my textbook to read.
After finishing my homework and translating a document, I looked up at the clock on the wall. It was already nine o'clock.
I stretched my neck to look at the stairs, wondering if Zhou Mian had gotten up yet. I turned my head to look at the shower room, and Hong Ze seemed to still be sitting cross-legged inside. In the empty hall, there was only me and a group of cats and dogs locked in cages.
"Anyone else." I tilted my head and thought for a while, "Zhou Mian said that I could play with Linglong for a while!"
I ran to Linglong's cage with a silly smile, but I didn't expect Linglong to be curled up in the corner sleeping. I was a little disappointed, but looking at Linglong's heaving belly, I couldn't bear to wake it up.
From a distance across the cage, I whispered, "Xiao Linglong, I'm here to see you! Zhou Mian has taken good care of you. You must have gained weight..."
Linglong's ears suddenly moved, and I quickly covered my mouth and said to myself, Go to sleep, little Linglong, grow up well.
"What are you doing?"
It was Hongze's voice! I quickly turned around to look at him. He had put on his hoodie again and his height had returned to normal. His rosy complexion and strong voice showed that he had recovered.
I said in surprise, “You’re fine!”
"Tsk, I've always been fine." Hongze looked around and asked me with raised eyebrows, "Where are Zhou Mian and his family?"
"You called Zhou Mian's name!" I exclaimed as if I had discovered a new continent.
"Hey, what's going on!" Hongze coughed awkwardly, his face reddening again, "I asked you what you were doing?"
"I was playing with Xiao Linglong, but it fell asleep." I scratched my head embarrassedly, "Hey, I can't get too close to it, I'll be allergic."
"Allergic? Why are you playing with it? Shouldn't you be hiding from it?" Hongze looked at me with disdain, as if he was looking at a fool with low IQ.
"Hmm..." I pursed my lips, thinking about how to explain so as not to look like a fool. In the end, I couldn't come up with a good idea, so I could only change the subject. "I am allergic to animal hair, because when I come into contact with their hair, I will sneeze, have difficulty breathing, and get rashes and so on."
Hongze nodded, and suddenly raised his hand. A layer of mist emerged from his body and slowly floated in front of me.
I widened my eyes in confusion, watching the mist falling and covering me completely. I raised my hands and kicked my feet in a daze, and was surprised to find that the mist moved with my movements. Just when I was about to ask Hongze what this thing was, the mist disappeared.
I said a little disappointedly, "It's gone just like that? Can't it last a little longer? It's like a bubble, so interesting!"
Hongze clicked his tongue and raised his finger, and the mist appeared on me again. I poked my right hand with my left hand in surprise, but the mist did not disappear.
He said with even more disdain: "As long as I am by your side, the mist will not disappear this time. Don't you think the animal hair in the air has been isolated?"
"Ah?" I exclaimed with my breathing stagnant.
I took off my mask in disbelief and took a breath. The air was fresher than ever before. I felt like I was standing in an undeveloped forest, feeling free and comfortable.
So this layer of water mist is used to protect me and isolate me from the animal hair? I thought he was showing his mana recovery...
Ah, warmth rose from the bottom of my heart little by little. I opened my mouth to say thank you, but for a moment I didn’t know what to say.
"No thanks, your little Linglong seems to be awake."
Hongze waved his hand casually to stop me from thanking him, and pointed at Linglong in the cage.
I was surprised but also a little nervous, and opened the cage with trembling hands.
Linglong meowed, jumped out of the cage into my arms, and rubbed her little head against my arm.
I can't remember how long it has been since I last hugged a kitten like this. I hugged Linglong excitedly and wanted to roll on the ground. My eyes were a little wet.
I looked up at Hongze, bit my lip, and said in a voiceless voice: "It, it... I, I hold it... I can hold it... I..."
"Hmph, forget about thanking me." Hong Ze handsomely flipped his hair, turned around gracefully, and struck a pose. "Just tell me, am I better looking than Zhou Mian?"
All my emotions turned into a "puff" under Hongze's narcissistic behavior. I held back my laughter and nodded desperately: "Good-looking! There are thousands of men in the world, but Hongze is the best-looking! You are so beautiful that fishes sink to the bottom of the water and geese fall to the ground, and the moon hides in shame. Everyone loves you, and flowers bloom when you see them, and cars get flat tires when you see them. You admit that you are second, and no one dares to claim first place! Xiao Linglong will be fascinated by you, don't you think so, Xiao Linglong?"
As I said that, I pinched Linglong's little paws and waved towards Hongze. Linglong also cooperated with me and called out sweetly.
"Stop, stop, stop. I've heard it so many times that it doesn't sound like a good thing." Hongze seemed a little embarrassed. He waved his hand and turned around to ignore me.
"Fu Lingmiao! Are you tired of living? How dare you hug a cat?" Zhou Mian shouted loudly, and I was so scared that I almost dropped Linglong to the ground.
I hurriedly hugged Linglong tightly. Linglong screamed in fear and crawled into my arms, her body shaking all the time.
I stroked its fur for a long time before it finally calmed down. I was a little dissatisfied and looked up at Zhou Mian, wanting to refute him.
Zhou Mian, who was holding a tray in his hand, was even more dissatisfied than me. He glared at me and walked quickly down the stairs.
"Why are you so nervous? What can go wrong with me here? But what are you holding in your hand?" Hong Ze said leisurely, his attention drawn to the steak Zhou Mian was holding.
I shrank my neck under Zhou Mian's gaze, and said unconfidently, "Hongze just gave me a layer of protective water mist, so I won't be allergic anymore, so I brought Linglong out."
"You?" Zhou Mian glanced at Hongze suspiciously, and then said with some concern, "You just got better, is it okay to use your magic power?"
Hongze waved his hands indifferently, staring at the steak in Zhou Mian's hand, and said dissatisfiedly: "Are you going to give it to people to eat after you bring it down?"
Zhou Mian placed a steak in front of Hongze and gave him a knife and fork. Seeing that Hongze had already started eating, he turned around and gave me a reproachful look.
"Ah!" Zhou Mian said, and I realized that I had just caused trouble for Hongze. I felt guilty, lowered my head and walked to the table, and said hesitantly, "I'm sorry, I was too happy just now. I forgot that you were just fine. You should take back the water mist. I was too carried away."
"Muddy God?"
Hongze ate the last piece of steak and asked me incoherently.
I didn't understand what he said, so I tilted my head to look at him, trying to guess what he meant, but I saw his eyes suddenly light up, and his gaze moved back and forth between me and the uneaten steak in front of me.
His intention was so obvious that I could see it even though he didn't say it, so I pushed the steak in front of him with amusement.
"Yeah! This is my first time eating this, and it's so delicious!" He quickly cut off a piece and stuffed it into his mouth, smacking his lips, "Delicious! Hongze must not let you down! The mist is your thank you gift for giving me such a delicious meal. The mist is to me just like the delicious food is to you, nothing to worry about."
He cut off another piece and tasted it carefully for a long time: "Ah! There is such a delicious food in the world, it really makes people sigh!"
Seeing Hongze like this, Zhou Mian couldn't help but say, "If you like, I can fry a few more for you."
Hongze devoured the steak in no time, rubbed his stomach happily, looked at Zhou Mian and said disdainfully: "Humph! Eating less tastes better, eating more tastes worse! Stupid human, what do you know?"
Zhou Mian groaned, ignored Hongze's words, stood up, cleaned up the dishes, and went upstairs with the tray. I kept silent, knowing that Hongze wanted to eat my steak just to give me a way out so that Zhou Mian wouldn't blame me. As for how much mana this layer of mist would cost him, I couldn't estimate it. It's just that Hongze has been wearing Zhou Mian's clothes honestly, and his mana hasn't recovered to the extent I imagined.
"Meow meow--"
Linglong called softly in my arms, and my heart seemed to melt. I knew we would always be separated, but I was reluctant to let her go, so I touched Linglong's short fur again.
"If you can't bear to part with it, just take Xiao Linglong home." Hongze saw through my thoughts and said casually.
bring home?
Before, Zhou Mian didn’t allow me to get close to cats and dogs, or even stay at his house for too long. The only reason for this was my allergies.
Now that I have the mist Hongze gave me, I won't be allergic anymore, so can I raise one myself? Besides, Linglong is very close to me.
I was looking forward to it, but how should I tell Zhou Mian?
"It's getting late. You must be tired after all the trouble today. Why don't you go home early?" Sure enough, Zhou Mian urged me to go home as soon as he came downstairs.
"I just said that if she can't bear to leave, she can take Xiao Linglong home."
Hongze spoke to Zhou Mian.
I subconsciously looked at Zhou Mian's reaction. He hesitated for a moment and didn't say anything. He looked at me for a long time before nodding helplessly: "If you like it, take it back. It's you who sent it anyway."
"Is it really possible?"
I screamed excitedly and grabbed Zhou Mian's arm, fearing that he would change his mind the next moment.
"Yes, you can. Hongze has helped you get rid of your allergies, so what else can I say no to?"
Zhou Mian sighed, pried my hands apart, turned around and walked to the cage, took out Linglong's cat bed and litter box, and took a bag of kitten food, a bag of cat litter and a bunch of kitten toys from the shelf.
I watched him silently pack all the things into a big bag, feeling a little overwhelmed and unable to figure out how he felt.
"Okay, take these back with you today. If you need anything, tell me. Go back early and have a good rest." Zhou Mian handed the bag to Hongze, smiled at me, and pushed me out of the glass door.
Holding the glass door with one hand, Zhou Mian joked, "I can't chase you away today. I'm a little uncomfortable. I should chase you away again."
I chuckled and said nonchalantly, "Haha, you don't have a chance! I'm going to stay here every day from now on."
Hong Ze, who was holding the bag, looked at me with raised eyebrows, thinking: "In the future? If you help me escape from the dragon binding restriction, I can consider helping you."
Hongze's words immediately gave me motivation, and I said confidently, "Really? I will do my best to help you! Although I may not be able to think of a solution or give you any advice, I will definitely cooperate with you to the fullest extent!"
