RIIDMDR chapter 109

 

Nan Xu wondered whether the heavy snow had affected Yao Lin’s journey. Meanwhile, the blonde female demon had unknowingly put down her bowl and was now sitting next to the black-haired male demon on the bench. Their figures were growing closer, yet the black-haired demon remained unmoved, continuing to eat the sweet rice wine and glutinous rice balls in his bowl.

Under Nan Xu’s widening gaze, the blonde female demon’s slender waist finally pressed against the male demon’s body. She wrapped herself around him like a soft, boneless octopus, her fair hand slowly sliding into the front of his robe.

At that moment, the black-haired male demon finished the food in his bowl. He placed the ceramic bowl on the table, the base knocking softly against the wooden surface. His voice was as cold as the snow falling outside in winter, devoid of any warmth. “Stop pretending to be drunk.”

The blonde female demon’s voice was hazy and slurred; to others, it sounded as teasing as a cat’s claws scratching. “I really am drunk.”

As if to prove her point, she became bolder. The male demon finally grabbed her mischievous hands, pulled them out from inside his robe, and held them in his palms. “Still going to keep pretending?”

“I really am drunk,” the female demon said.

The next second, the male demon lifted her up and walked toward the stairs. It wasn’t a romantic princess carry, but an embrace filled with desire and restraint. His hand supported her hips, and her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. She stretched out her tongue to lick and nibble his earlobe as if no one else existed.

The female demon seemed weak, resting her chin on his shoulder with her eyes half-closed. When they passed Nan Xu, she raised her eyebrows slightly at him, a look filled with both pity and provocation. There was no trace of drunkenness in her eyes.

The male demon seemed to sense it and bit the back of her neck. The female demon let out a soft moan and her gaze turned hazy again as if nothing had happened.

Just then, Zhixing opened the door. Upon seeing such a bold scene, the young demon froze for a few seconds before quickly shutting the door and retreating back into the room.

The male demon’s footsteps on the wooden stairs were steady but not loud, fading from Nan Xu’s sight step by step.

Nan Xu: …

He belatedly understood the meaning behind the female demon’s gaze—it was like an experienced flirt looking at an innocent flower, filled with mocking pity and a touch of pride.

Nan Xu stayed silent. Those two could flirt all they wanted, but why provoke him? Besides, he also had a boyfriend—he couldn’t really be called pure or untouched. At best, he was just a little yellow flower, not a white one.

The soundproofing worth ten thousand silver coins worked very well. Nan Xu was thankful he’d bought that luxury item; at least now, he couldn’t hear anything from upstairs, sparing him some awkwardness.

Zhixing seemed slightly traumatized and stayed holed up in his room, never coming out again. In the main hall, only the crackling sound of the fireplace remained. Feeling bored, Nan Xu set his book aside and went into the kitchen.

The small pieces of tofu he had stored in a wooden box were now covered with a thin layer of white mycelium. After checking them, he went to get dried chili peppers, ground them into powder, and mixed them with salt, minced ginger, and other seasonings. He rolled the tofu pieces in the mixture and stored them in a sealed clay jar.

—

Tingchuan left early in the morning, carrying the fruits and vegetables Nan Xu had prepared for the canine tribe. Other demons might not eat much in the winter, but Xu Ji’s wife was pregnant and needed more energy in the freezing cold. However, since they had arrived in the mountains rather late, there hadn’t been much time to grow crops. Nan Xu had been thinking about this before bed and woke up early to fill a basket with vegetables he’d grown himself. These vegetables were imbued with a trace of spiritual energy, which was very good for demons’ bodies.

When Tingchuan returned in the late afternoon, he was carrying a large fish weighing about seventeen or eighteen jin. Nan Xu learned that Xu Ji had been searching everywhere for food in order to find nutritious food for his wife. But wild animals hid deep in the mountains in winter and were much harder to catch, so Xu Ji turned his attention to fish.

They cut holes in the frozen river surface where oxygen-deprived fish gathered near the openings. The once elusive and agile fish could not escape being cooked now that they were easy to catch.

Tingchuan didn’t particularly like eating fish, but he remembered the batch of sea fish that Yao Lin had brought earlier. It had become dry after processing. Sometimes, Nan Xu still cooked some of it. Since he seemed to like fish, Tingchuan squatted by the river and helped Xu Ji catch some. They spent half the afternoon there, leaving the rest to Xu Ji and taking home the biggest fish.

Even though they already had plenty of stored food, who could resist fresh ingredients in winter? Nan Xu immediately began cleaning the fish in the courtyard. Despite the snow, the well water didn’t feel cold—it even had a faint warmth to it.

By the time the blonde female demon came downstairs again, it was nighttime. She asked Nan Xu for a pot of hot water.

Nan Xu was cooking in the kitchen, so he asked Zhixing, who had just come out of his room, to light the stove fire outside the bathhouse. His expression was calm, as if the morning’s events were nothing but trivial. The female demon gave him a few more glances, but it was Zhixing whose face flushed bright red as soon as he met her gaze. Hugging the firewood, he hurried away.

The female demon watched his retreating back, the corners of her lips curling into a faint, mischievous smile—she was clearly up to no good.

Once Zhixing disappeared behind the wooden door leading to the back of the house, the female demon withdrew her gaze and refocused on Nan Xu.

The oil in the pan was hot. Nan Xu sprinkled in minced green onion, ginger, and garlic. He stir-fried them, then added a few spoonfuls of chili paste. The spicy aroma instantly filled the kitchen, stinging the nose. Nan Xu held his breath, pushed the window open a little wider, and poured in a bowl of water. Only then did the sharp scent fade a bit. After all that, he turned and saw that the blonde female demon was still standing there.

She leaned against the counter and glanced into the pot a few times, seemingly unaffected by the spicy air. “Why haven’t I seen Tingchuan?” she asked.

Nan Xu’s ears twitched slightly. Although he and Tingchuan had strayed from their conversation last night, it wasn’t strange that she knew his name. He looked at her and replied, “He’s sleeping in his room.”

The female demon seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at his answer and felt more at ease staying in the kitchen. She crossed her arms and asked curiously, “What’s your relationship with Tingchuan? Lovers[mfn]“情人” (qíngrén) usually implies a lover in a physical or secretive sense—someone you have an affair or intimate relationship with.[/mfn]? Or… a romantic partner[mfn]“戀人” (liànrén) means a romantic partner, with emotional and possibly long-term affection.[/mfn]?”

Nan Xu added soy sauce, salt, and sugar to the pot. He stirred the broth a few times with a spatula and thought for a moment before realizing what she meant.

“romantic partner,” Nan Xu replied.

The female demon looked surprised. She tilted her head and swept her gaze over Nan Xu’s face and body, lingering on his waist and hips. She clicked her tongue and said, “Your face and figure are pretty good. No wonder he likes you. But what kind of demon are you? Why can’t I tell?”

Nan Xu placed bean sprouts and greens into the pot, covered it with a lid, and met her gaze calmly, without flinching.

Having faced many kinds of stares since childhood, Nan Xu wasn’t afraid. However, he disliked being looked at that way, as if he were being judged or measured. Especially since her words implied that his relationship with Tingchuan was based only on appearance. So Nan Xu didn’t answer; he merely looked at her in silence.

The female demon faltered under his gaze, then let out a few awkward laughs. “I was just asking casually.”

In the demon realm, it was common knowledge that if one couldn’t see another’s true form, it usually meant that person’s cultivation was far superior and deliberately hidden.

Nan Xu’s calm demeanor had given the cat demon the courage to ask the question, but when she met his steady gaze, she realized how inappropriate it was. Knowing when to yield, she wisely kept quiet.

Nan Xu didn’t mind letting her continue to misunderstand. It was better for her to stay cautious than to be so flippant and tactless.

He looked away, lifted the lid, and saw that the vegetables were cooked. Then, he poured in the marinated fish slices.

The spicy aroma of the boiled fish was irresistible. The female demon peeked into the pot again, her throat bobbing. “Are we eating this later?”

Nan Xu glanced at her and corrected her, “We’re eating this. If you want some, you’ll have to pay extra.”

The female demon suspected he was holding a grudge—but for what? She was only being honest. Given Tingchuan’s rare strength, looks, and reputation for purity, she was naturally curious to see what kind of demon could attract him.

Still, the dish smelled incredible. The cat demon in her seemed to awaken. She said confidently, “It’s just money, isn’t it? Fine! Bring us a portion, too.”

One fish was enough for a large portion. After quoting a steep price and hearing her agree, Nan Xu calmly replaced the large clay bowl with two medium ones, divided the fish evenly, and filled both bowls.

The female demon thought he would cook another portion. When she realized he had simply split one dish into two, she opened her mouth but decided not to speak.

No wonder Tingchuan liked this owner—he had quite the temper.

Nan Xu sprinkled dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, scallions, and cilantro over both bowls. He heated oil in a pot and poured it over the seasonings, creating a sharp sizzling sound.

The aroma reached the female demon’s nose, washing away her earlier irritation. She suddenly thought that perhaps Nan Xu was special to Tingchuan even without his looks.

Had she lost simply because she couldn’t cook?

Nan Xu didn’t know what she was thinking. He brought out two plates of steamed fish heads, added chopped chili sauce, soy sauce, scallions, and cilantro, and poured hot oil over them. Another burst of delicious fragrance filled the air.

When the female demon saw the plates, she said, “We’ll take those, too.”

Before Nan Xu could respond, she added with a knowing look, “I’ll pay!”

Nan Xu had made a small fortune off the fish, so he was in good spirits as he brought the dishes to the table and called everyone to dinner.

The black-haired male demon, who had just been dragged downstairs, was forced to pay a hefty fee for the meal. He glanced helplessly at the female demon.

As it turned out, everyone loved fresh meat in winter. The boneless, spicy fish slices were unanimously praised, and everyone ate with great satisfaction.

Yet, Nan Xu couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching him. When he turned his head, he saw the black-haired male demon eating calmly. One of his hands held chopsticks while the other rested behind the female demon’s head. No one else seemed to be watching them.

Nan Xu frowned slightly. Then, Zhixing, who was sitting beside him, whispered, “That female demon keeps looking at Senior Tingchuan.”

Nan Xu instinctively looked at Tingchuan. He was quietly eating and didn’t react much when he heard that—just placed a piece of fish in Nan Xu’s bowl.

“She’s not looking at me,” he said. “She’s looking at us.”

 

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Author’s Note:

Female Demon: Let me see where I lost!

Female Demon: Oh, I see. I can’t cook!