Chapter 29: Life Is So Difficult

“But you… your demon power level is only one. So I thought, it must be your weapon that’s amazing enough to defeat the Ginseng Corpse.”

…

Li Changluo regretted it. Why did he even ask that question? He thought for a moment and then protested, “My demon power is two. Two, not one.”

“Is there really a difference between one and two?” Xiao Qing asked sincerely.

…

“Let’s talk about Fatty Wang, then.” Li Changluo tried to control his emotions. It was exhausting to talk with someone so simple-minded, his heart ached with fatigue.

Only now did Li Changluo realize that Fatty Wang, whom he’d met in the ancient tomb, was a monster just like himself. He had gone there to help Xiao Qing look for the Ginseng Corpse, but had ended up being accidentally knocked out by Hei Wa and himself. He still hadn’t come out…

And he’d been stripped of all his clothes…

Was he cold?

“How do you know his name is Fatty Wang?” Xiao Qing asked curiously.

“I know where he is, of course I know his name.”

At this point, Li Changluo felt there was no need to hide anything. He took out the glass orb and held it in his hand, then told Xiao Qing everything that had happened in the ancient tomb.

Of course, he automatically skipped over the part about stripping clothes and snatching gear.

When he finished, the green liquid in the glass orb rose, though not by much.

“Can you go with me to find Brother Fatty?” Xiao Qing brushed her hair back and looked earnestly at Li Changluo.

“Well, I could, but I never help for free. What can you offer me in return?”

Li Changluo didn’t believe in selfless love; at least a deal would put both their minds at ease.

“What do you want in return?” Xiao Qing blinked her large, bright eyes.

“For example, something exciting, something that makes people scream…” Li Changluo’s eyes sparkled as he grinned at Xiao Qing, playing absently with the glass orb in his hands.

Treasure, he wanted treasure…

Left hand to right, right hand to left.

Was this hint too obvious? Should he be more direct?

“Oh, alright. I know what you mean.”

To Li Changluo’s relief, Xiao Qing understood. She smiled, a smile as bright as spring.

She slowly leaned closer to him, her cheeks flushed like peach blossoms. Li Changluo could even hear her rapid heartbeat and quickened breathing.

Her gentle hands wrapped around him. Their faces were now almost touching.

“Close your eyes,” Xiao Qing said, her tone leaving no room for refusal.

Wait, had she misunderstood what he meant?

This wasn’t the direction he’d expected at all.

He wasn’t some lecher…

But this silly girl… was actually playing along.

Would she beat him up if he refused?

Still, something felt off. Was he really about to be pinned against the wall by a girl?

Oh well, he’d help her fulfill this little wish.

Li Changluo slowly closed his eyes, licked his lips, and puckered up.

He waited…

His neck felt itchy; Xiao Qing was already leaning on his shoulder.

Wow, this was surprisingly intense.

In a tavern, no less…

But suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his neck.

He opened his eyes to see Xiao Qing gleefully biting him, her little canine teeth bared.

“What are you doing?” Li Changluo was stunned.

What happened to the promised kiss?

“I’m very excited, but why aren’t you screaming? Is it not strong enough?” Xiao Qing mumbled, still biting his neck.

She bit down even harder…

“You’re insane!” Li Changluo yelled in pain.

He was the one who was crazy.

He’d misunderstood after all.

This was the normal outcome.

Xiao Qing was genuinely excited. Even after Li Changluo pried her off, she still stared longingly at his neck.

He rubbed the deep indentations on his neck, fanning it as the pain lingered.

“Now can you go with me to find Brother Fatty?” Xiao Qing looked at him with hope, waiting for his answer.

“Alright, but…”

“Don’t say it. Let me have a moment…”

“Don’t look at me. I need to be alone for a bit…”

“Don’t touch me. I’m scared…”

Li Changluo curled up, feeling as wronged as a bride on her wedding night.

The green liquid in his glass orb surged like a flooding river, filling the orb and glowing brightly.

Ha, the truth.

“Then let’s set off.”

“Set off? Are you kidding me? What time do you think it is? The… friends in the tomb—aren’t they tired? Don’t they sleep?”

Li Changluo slapped his forehead, venting his frustration.

“Oh, alright.”

Even if you had to sleep on the floor, the tavern was still a good place for a dream.

After a restful sleep, the likes of which he hadn’t had in ages, Li Changluo woke feeling refreshed. His body felt as invigorated as if he’d just bathed in herbal tonic.

As he opened his eyes,

A pair of bloodshot eyes stared at him, locking gazes.

Hei Wa was back.

“Last night…”

“How’s your foreign language coming along?” Li Changluo teased. Although Hei Wa was dark-skinned, Li Changluo could see the exhaustion on his face. This foreign black monster—what a night…

“So, what kind of foreign language teacher did you find, Li?”

“Why? Not satisfied?”

“She said she wasn’t straightforward.”

“But isn’t she? Bold and forthright…”

“She said she didn’t know idioms,” Hei Wa said, aggrieved. “And she wasn’t straightforward at all. She made me beat around the bush for ages.”

…

“Listen, Hei Wa, some things are better left unsaid. It’s against the law to say them out loud.” Li Changluo lit a cigarette, passing one to Hei Wa.

“No, I have to say it. I suffered all night.” Hei Wa took the cigarette and drew deeply, aggrieved. “Good thing I tied her up.”

“Of course… foreigners like you are into some wild things.” Li Changluo hadn’t expected this usually honest guy to have such impure thoughts.

“But under my pure instruction, she finally learned some basic polite phrases,” Hei Wa said proudly.

“Wait, did I miss something? Learned some basic polite phrases?”

Li Changluo was confused. It felt like they were talking about entirely different things.

“She said she didn’t know idioms and wanted to leave, and asked me for a hundred yuan. Where would I get a hundred yuan? So I righteously told her, how about I teach you English and we’ll call it even.”

“She very kindly said I was giving her a bargain and let me teach her.”

“So why did you tie her up?”

“I was foaming at the mouth, teaching her, and she kept trying to touch me. I had to tie her up to keep things proper.”

“That’s ‘spitting as you teach,’ not ‘foaming at the mouth.’ Please, stop misusing idioms. I beg you. Listening to your stories means I have to learn idioms alongside you. It’s exhausting.”

“Sorry.”

“So you tied her up and taught her English all night?” Li Changluo was dumbfounded. Was this a foreign version of the virtuous Liu Xia Hui?

Your thirst for knowledge is truly impressive.

“Yes, I’m exhausted…”

…