CHAPTER 417: CHAPTER 413 VOLCANO PARK

October 5th, early morning. The weather was clear.

「Volcano Park.」

Brother Nan yawned heavily, looking half-asleep as she followed Zhou Li. She clutched the corner of Zhou Li’s T-shirt tightly, trailing wherever he went.

As they walked, she muttered under her breath, "That bowl of noodles was tiny; I’m still hungry..."

"And it tasted awful..."

"That’s the kind of stuff they can only get away with selling in a tourist trap..."

"And what kind of path did you pick anyway..."

Zhou Li ignored all her complaints, pretending not to hear. He continued walking silently towards the ticket inspection point with Tuanzi in his arms, occasionally adjusting his T-shirt where she had pulled it askew.

They had their tickets checked and entered the park.

Ahead, the ground was dotted with several giant, cone-shaped hills, their curves smoother than a typical cone, resembling miniature versions of Mount Fuji. The hills were covered with lush, green trees. Because the surrounding land was very flat, the volcanoes seemed to jut out abruptly. Combined with the cloudless sky and two hot air balloons floating overhead, it made for a truly striking visual.

Although it was still early morning, there were already many people.

Huai Xu walked beside Zhou Li and commented, "This volcano’s already got trees growing on it. It’s gone dormant."

Zhou Li frowned slightly as he listened. It felt as if Huai Xu was saying this steamed bun had grown moldy—it was spoiled. His choice of words was so unprofessional.

"It’s an extinct volcano."

Tuanzi wriggled in his arms, stretched out a fluffy little paw, and pointed to the sky, exclaiming, "Look, a big balloon is flying in the sky!"

"That’s a hot air balloon."

"Hot air balloon!"

"It can carry people."

"Buy one for Lord Dumpling!"

"...I’ll see if I can take Lord Dumpling for a ride later." Zhou Li wasn’t too sure.

"Most likely not, right?" Huai Xu remarked from the side, sounding as if he knew all about it. "Usually, they don’t allow pets up there. When you guys go up to have fun, just leave this dumb cat with me."

"Lord Dumpling is not a pet! Lord Dumpling is Lord Dumpling!" Tuanzi declared.

"She’s a pet!"

"Not!"

"Is too..."

Zhou Li, feeling a headache coming on from their bickering, wanted to silently quicken his pace but was held back by Brother Nan tugging at his T-shirt.

This is exasperating.

The short stretch of path just inside the park entrance was lined with many small stalls. They mainly sold volcanic rocks and potted plants, along with the kind of mass-produced trinkets from Yiwu that you could find anywhere in the country, and some oddly shaped stones. These stalls attracted many people, who stopped to look.

Sometimes, if Brother Nan saw stones with peculiar patterns or shapes, she would also stop to join the onlookers, forcefully bringing Zhou Li to a halt with her.

Still not fully awake, she wasn’t in the mood to talk. She would just stand there looking, blinking silently, and barely responding when vendors greeted her. Once she had seen enough, she would give Zhou Li a little push, signaling that he could move on.

Zhou Li remained expressionless.

The potted plants here were quite lovely. Zhou Li wasn’t interested in much else, but whenever he saw flowers or plants he liked, he would stop to ask about them seriously.

To his relief, when he stopped, Brother Nan would also pause and look with him instead of just pushing him to hurry along. This made him feel like he was still a person, not just an unfeeling guide.

"This hydrangea’s color is really pretty," Zhou Li remarked to the person and demon by his side.

"Not as good as my Little Lotus."

"MEOW~"

"Buy one! If it’s inconvenient to carry, we can ship it for you. All items can be shipped," the cheerful vendor said. "This flower is easy to care for too."

"How much is it?"

"This pot is 180."

"That’s expensive!"

"This pot is made of volcanic rock; you can only get them here. The soil is special too. If you buy just the flower elsewhere, it’ll be cheaper, but hydrangeas won’t grow this color without the right soil," the vendor said, gauging his expression. "If you genuinely want it, I can give you a better price."

"How much better?"

"150 for you."

Zhou Li felt Brother Nan’s grip on his T-shirt corner tighten slightly from behind, a silent warning not to get ripped off. He politely thanked the vendor and then departed, showing much more courtesy than Brother Nan did.

Brother Nan’s muttering started up again from behind him: "You look like such an easy target; no wonder everyone wants to scam you."

Zhou Li kept quiet and continued walking, stopping again in front of a stall run by an older woman.

"This succulent looks very nice."

"That’s an Ice Lamp Dew Drops. If you like it, buy a pot," she suggested.

"How much is it?"

"Seeing as you’re such a handsome young man, if you want it, I’ll give you an opening day price: 120 will do."

"..."

Zhou Li had no desire to haggle.

He touched his face, thanked her once more, and left.

In the end, he didn’t buy any flowers but did purchase two volcanic rock flowerpots. He paid for them, arranging to pick them up on his way out. He planned to visit a florist when he got back and buy a couple of easy-to-care-for plants. Nurturing plants well could also bring a certain sense of accomplishment.

「Hot Air Balloon Boarding Point.」

Brother Nan had woken up a bit more by now and had let go of Zhou Li’s T-shirt. She was now taking out her phone to take pictures.

Zhou Li was behind her, talking with the staff.

According to park regulations, pets were not allowed on hot air balloon rides. However, Tuanzi looked like a harmless little kitten and seemed very attached to Zhou Li, which would make it inconvenient to leave her with someone else. So, after Zhou Li repeatedly assured the staff he would keep a close eye on her, and with Tuanzi adding a pitiful gaze and a charming head-tilt to the appeal, they finally relented.

"Lord Dumpling, quickly say thank you."

"Thank you~"

"You’re welcome."

The staff member couldn’t help but smile and reminded Zhou Li again, "It’s dangerous up high. Make sure to hold onto your pet tightly; otherwise, it’s very dangerous."

Zhou Li nodded vigorously, promising to do so.

Tuanzi then turned her head to look at him and asked in confusion, "Why didn’t you tell her Lord Dumpling isn’t a pet?"

Zhou Li patted Tuanzi’s head.

Brother Nan, bored, was pacing back and forth with long strides; her posture alone revealed her to be a goofy young woman, though it did not detract from the allure of her good looks and long legs.

So much so that it caused trouble for others—

A young couple stood nearby, holding hands, presumably also waiting for the hot air balloon. They were initially all lovey-dovey, much to the envy of onlookers. However, the moment Brother Nan strolled past them, the young man’s eyes seemed to lock onto her as if drawn by a magnet. Even as he talked to his girlfriend about a movie, his gaze kept surreptitiously drifting her way.

"A drama this realistic is rare," the young woman said.

"Yeah..." the young man nodded.

"If, like in those TV dramas, I weren’t around anymore one day, would you quickly find someone new?" the young woman asked.

"Never."

"Look at me when you say that."

"I am looking."

"Hmph... Where the hell are you looking?!"

The young woman finally caught on and abruptly shook off his hand.

The young man hurriedly tried to soothe her in a low voice, but she ignored him completely, her expression frosty.

Zhou Li found it amusing.

Until...

Huai Xu walked over from the other side.

Girl’s reaction: (*^▽^*)

Boy’s reaction: ??

Their conflict gleefully escalated.

Zhou Li quickly went over to retrieve the two troublemakers. But after he brought them back, he noticed a hint of a smirk on both their faces, which left him utterly speechless.

He then heard Brother Nan lean close and whisper, "Did you hear what they were saying?"

Zhou Li, expressionless, turned to look at Huai Xu.

The Old Monster’s amusement was also becoming hard to conceal, especially when he realized Zhou Li had noticed. He quickly covered his mouth, and soft chuckles escaped. Clearly, he too had witnessed the young couple’s quarrel. But unlike Zhou Li, whose first instinct was to try and calm things down, the Old Monster had deliberately gone over to stir the pot.

Before Zhou Li could scold him, Brother Nan elbowed him twice.

"I’m talking to you!"

"Oh," Zhou Li withdrew his gaze. "I heard."

"So perfunctory..."

"?"

How is such a direct answer considered perfunctory?

Zhou Li pondered for a moment, then countered Brother Nan, "If I were gone one day, what would you do?"

"You’re asking me this?"

"What’s wrong?"

"That’s my question to ask you."

"Erm..." Zhou Li thought for a moment. She’s evading the question!

"Smooth..."

Brother Nan gave him a sidelong glance, then mused, "I’d probably turn myself in. After all, I’m someone who takes responsibility for my actions."

Zhou Li: ?

Zhou Li: !!

He silently withdrew his gaze.

The hot air balloon was ready.

They bought two tickets. There wasn’t one for Huai Xu, as this sort of thing held no novelty for him. He would rather spend the few hundred yuan on video games.