CHAPTER 47: CHAPTER 46 HONG RAN

"You really do know me!" Huai Xu exclaimed.

"What’s wrong?" Hong Ran tilted her head.

"I’ve been waiting here for you!" Huai Xu said. "Waiting for someone who knows me!"

"You’ve just woken up, haven’t you?"

"I woke up a year ago."

"Quite slow then."

"I have so many questions to ask you."

"You’re going to be disappointed. I only know you; I can’t really say we’re close. However, I do have some of your things with me," Hong Ran said. "Once I get Zhisha back, I’ll have someone send them to you. Perhaps they can help."

"How come my stuff is with you?"

"Someone gave it to me."

"Who?"

"Master Ming."

"Master Ming? Who’s that?"

"You two were close. He’s older, about this tall, and quite thin... But it’s useless for me to describe him since you can’t remember. I also don’t know where he is, nor can I take you to him. So, you’d better take your time."

"Is there a photo?"

"No."

"Why did he give them to you?"

"Maybe because I..." Hong Ran picked up her scepter, twirling it skillfully in her hand, "am temporarily assuming His Highness’s duties?"

"What?"

Huai Xu was stunned.

A moment later, he gulped.

Beside him, Zhou Li was also flabbergasted.

Hong Ran smiled and put down her scepter. "Temporarily, just temporarily. Don’t panic. When His Highness wakes up, it will have to be returned. It’s not exactly a pleasant responsibility anyway."

At that moment, the Blood Demon slowly walked back. His body was oozing with hot black blood, and his crimson eyes flickered uncertainly as he stared intently at the meter-long scepter in Hong Ran’s hands.

"URGH!" He opened his mouth, revealing sharp teeth like saw blades.

Hong Ran gripped the top of the scepter tightly. "You’re awake just in time. There are some tasks that need your attention; I will help restore your power."

"Your Highness..." came the hoarse voice.

"His Highness hasn’t woken up yet. You listen to me."

"Okay!"

"To the south, that direction, down the mountain," Hong Ran directed with her scepter. "Your kind are waiting for you there. They will treat your wounds, and then you should go with them. Try not to cause trouble on the way."

The Blood Demon turned and left without a word.

Zhou Li silently watched Hong Ran.

This Hong Ran, compared to the one he knew as a child, was a completely different person.

But as soon as Hong Ran turned around, she changed back—

Gentle, exceptionally gentle.

She smiled slightly. "It’s funny. When I came here, I wondered if I’d run into you again. But then I thought you were in the city, and it seemed impossible with millions of people in Yan City. Yet, here we are. It’s really quite miraculous."

Zhou Li responded with a hum, then glanced in the direction the Blood Demon had left. "Did you restore his memories?"

"It’s the power of this scepter."

"Then can it..."

"No."

"I see."

"We don’t even catch up first, and you start asking all these questions for your friend. You’re making your big sister feel neglected," Hong Ran said with a laugh.

"You’re still so beautiful."

"Such a good boy."

"..."

Zhou Li didn’t lack for things to say to Hong Ran, but he felt a sense of guilt and couldn’t find the right words.

It was because of embarrassment.

Hong Ran chuckled softly again. "Let’s go. The three of us, looking like this in the wilds in the middle of the night—we’d scare anyone we met."

Huai Xu looked at her attire. "It’s only you who’d scare someone."

"You’re scary too."

"How are we scary?"

"Being too good-looking can also be scary."

"Um..."

Huai Xu, rebutted and at a loss for words, was delighted.

Zhou Li then said, "Those clothes look very nice."

"They’re the new design from Minghua Hall!"

As she said this, Hong Ran turned to look at him, walked backward a few steps, then turned around again, completing a full circle, her clothing billowing beautifully. "It’s a pity that in summer, others might think you’re burning up in them. That’s the way it is with this style of Hanfu; they’re also not easy to wash."

Zhou Li didn’t understand but remarked, "It does look quite hot."

"I’m not hot."

Hong Ran quickly walked in another direction. "There’s a town over there," she said. "I passed by earlier, and there was a tofu pudding shop doing really good business. I think they’re still open."

She paused. "But your big sister didn’t bring any money; these clothes aren’t good for carrying things."

"Bring a maid?"

"I’m considering that," Hong Ran admitted. "But previously, His Highness was so unrestrained, always going places without attendants. It wouldn’t be right for me to bring a maid along. I’m torn."

"I have money with me."

"Good." Hong Ran quickened her pace. "Consider it compensation for when you stood your big sister up in the past."

"Mhm."

Zhou Li also quietly quickened his pace to keep up with her.

Suddenly, Huai Xu tugged at the hem of his clothes from behind and asked in a low voice, "How did you come to know such an impressive figure?"

Zhou Li pursed his lips. "I’ll tell you when we get back."

The town was huge, larger than any Zhou Li had ever seen, almost like a small county.

Even though the lighting was bright, Hong Ran, with her exquisite Hanfu and otherworldly beauty, still attracted a lot of attention. If she were standing by some dark roadside, she would definitely scare people.

She mentioned a Fushun Tofu Pudding shop. It had two storefronts and, incredibly, maintained a high occupancy rate in this town.

Their arrival turned heads among the diners.

The shop had long wooden tables and wide benches, all gleaming with oil and not looking particularly clean. Hong Ran, however, didn’t seem to mind and sat down smoothly, with poise.

She took the menu and perused it carefully, her attire making it seem as if she were appreciating the work of a scholar.

One order of tofu pudding, with three dipping sauces.

A plate of tiger-skin peppers, another of minced meat with long beans, and a serving of deep-fried yellow croakers.

Smiling at the owner, Hong Ran then turned to Zhou Li. Seeing that he and Huai Xu were sitting opposite her, she couldn’t help saying, "You really have grown up."

"Yeah."

"I recall..." Hong Ran thought for a bit. "You must be about ready for college, right?"

"Just finished my college entrance exams."

"Did you fill out your preferences?"

"I did."

"Which ones?"

"Caiyun. Caiyun University."

"Oh..."

Hong Ran immediately said with a smile, "Then I’ll wait for you in Caiyun!"

Zhou Li nodded. "Mhm."

He originally thought that Chunming was such a large city, and demons generally avoided living among humans there. So, the chance of encountering Hong Ran was extremely low, almost nonexistent. But who would’ve thought... he hadn’t even gone to Chunming yet.

Huai Xu sat beside him, his eyes darting around wildly; he was keenly aware of many things.

The tofu pudding arrived, and Hong Ran was the first to grab a spoon, serving half a bowl to both Zhou Li and Huai Xu before serving herself.

Zhou Li had never tried it before, so he first took a sip of tea. Then, mimicking Hong Ran, he mixed the plain tofu pudding with the dipping sauce, stirred it, and took a spoonful.

It was very tender.

Of course, it was savory.

Fushun belongs to Zhigong City, a thousand-year-old salt capital, and Fushun Tofu Pudding is available throughout Yi Province.

The dipping sauce had a moderate spiciness, a hint of braised flavor, and tasted great.

After finishing their meal and reaching the entrance, Hong Ran patted Zhou Li’s hair and asked, "Have you been doing okay since then?"

"Good. My dad remarried. My stepmother is very kind to me, and my stepbrother is too."

"That’s right," Huai Xu confirmed.

"Well, that’s good," said Hong Ran as she walked down the steps. "It’s been over ten years since we last saw each other. I really wanted to talk more, but your big sister has been so busy with a lot of messy things recently. Everyone else refuses to deal with them and just dumps them on me; it’s so annoying. I have to go back tonight, but when you get to Chunming, I’ll take you out."

"Okay."

"Here’s my number, write it down."

"Oh."

Zhou Li pulled out his phone, noted Hong Ran’s number, and then, under her guidance, added her on WeChat. She said he could ask her directly on WeChat if he had any questions.

"I’m off."

"Okay."

Hong Ran then vanished into thin air on the busy street. Strangely enough, among the many people nearby, including three groups performing square dances, it seemed as if nobody noticed anything out of the ordinary.

Some had been staring at her just moments before.

The human and the demon stood on the sidewalk in the breeze. Zhou Li hugged his backpack to his chest, looking around.

Huai Xu’s eyes widened. "So what do we do now?"

"Sleep."

"Sounds good! Let’s find a ’dry’ inn!"

"Dry inn?"

"To save money."

"A hotel?" Zhou Li roughly grasped Huai Xu’s meaning. "This town is so big; there’s no lack of accommodations. Let’s find a good one."

"Okay, then we’ll use my money."

"Fine."

Zhou Li walked towards the brighter lights.

Huai Xu quickly followed behind, asking all sorts of questions. "Why does she have a phone? How come she has both a telephone number and WeChat? I don’t have any of those!"

"She must’ve bought them."

"I didn’t buy one, even though I have money."

"Probably because she has a household registration, and you have to carefully calculate your monthly Manifesting Form time."

"...I don’t like it either."

It was a truly disheartening topic.

They quickly found a standard room. Suddenly, Zhou Li’s phone rang. He picked it up, and Huai Xu leaned in.

Hong Ran had accepted his friend request.

Huai Xu urged him, "Quick, ask her for me! I forgot to ask earlier: was I the Great Devil King before? Why do I have more stars on me than that Evil God from the Yin Yang Temple?"

Zhou Li was rather helpless.

Huai Xu nudged him. "Ask quickly! Come on!"

Zhou Li did ask.

After a while, Hong Ran replied, and Zhou Li turned to Huai Xu to relay, "She said you think too highly of yourself and that you shouldn’t overthink it."

Huai Xu exhaled with relief.