Apartment Building 3/3
Lu Congxing tilted his head. “Why would something from the Southern Abyss be here…?”
First, there was the strange lake, and now, the Gan Chao grass—things that should never have appeared in human society.
He Zhouyan simply ruffled his hair without answering. Explaining it all here would be too troublesome, and besides, he believed that the cub didn’t need to concern themselves with such matters.
That was the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs’s problem to deal with.
Seeing that their “whispered conversation” had finally ended, Huang Xin took the opportunity to speak up again. “Master, what should we do now?”
A seemingly ordinary case had become far more complicated due to an unpredictable factor.
There were, of course, straightforward ways to solve it—such as reporting the presence of a Southern Abyss evil creatures to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. That way, they would send a powerful demon to retrieve it.
But Lu Congxing made an unexpectedly bold decision—he wanted to stay here until the matter was resolved.
Encounters with creatures from the Southern Abyss were supposed to be incredibly rare, yet he had stumbled upon them twice in a row. It was hard not to suspect that some unknown mastermind was behind all this.
Even after questioning Huang Xin, she had no knowledge of any fortune-teller, nor did she recognize anyone who wrote the character “Tian” on clothing.
When he voiced his thoughts, Huang Xin immediately nodded in agreement without hesitation.
For her, this was an entirely beneficial arrangement. After all, she hadn’t been able to rent out that apartment anyway. Having an exorcist living there would at least provide some peace of mind.
He Zhouyan, on the other hand, remained silent throughout the discussion. Yet, as if it were the most natural thing, he followed right behind Lu Congxing.
Together, they stepped into the vacant Apartment 403.
With a click, Huang Xin switched on the lights. The room was bleak and empty—there wasn’t even a single piece of furniture.
Feeling a bit guilty, she instinctively put on her best bargaining face, honed by years of street experience. “The conditions are a little rough, but I won’t charge you rent.”
Silently, she added in her heart, Of course, utilities are still your responsibility.
Lu Congxing peeked into the bedroom. At least there was a bed.
Compared to the extreme conditions he had endured for the sake of clearing puzzle games without eating or drinking for an entire day, this was nothing. The same went for taking on missions—he had seen far worse.
After Huang Xin left, only he and He Zhouyan remained, staring at each other.
Eventually, Lu Congxing broke the silence. “Thanks for bringing me here today.”
He had expected He Zhouyan to take this as his cue to leave, but instead, the man merely nodded calmly.
“…You’re not going back?” Lu Congxing asked cautiously.
Like a little hamster.
He Zhouyan thought to himself with amusement but outwardly put on a slightly disappointed expression. “I thought I could stay.”
He played the role of a pitiful cub perfectly.
As expected, Lu Congxing immediately looked guilty.
He suddenly felt like a heartless player who used someone and then discarded them.
The innocent cub immediately panicked. “That’s not what I meant! Of course, you can stay too…”
His reaction was so obedient that it made people want to ruffle his black hair.
However, He Zhouyan didn’t act on that impulse. Instead, he quickly and deliberately replied, “Alright.”
Lu Congxing blinked in confusion for two seconds before realizing He Zhouyan was responding to the part about staying.
And just like that, the decision was made without much thought—starting today, he and his newly assigned guardian demon would be living together.
Lu Congxing suspected he had been tricked, but He Zhouyan didn’t give him any time to dwell on it. A purification spell was cast, and in an instant, the entire room was spotless.
Young cubs were naturally curious, and Lu Congxing was no exception. His attention was easily diverted. “That’s so convenient,” he said, a little envious.
Then, He Zhouyan pulled out several pieces of furniture from his—Qiankun space— bell. The previously worn-out-looking living room instantly became much more refined, thanks to the high-end furnishings.
As expected of an ancient divine beast—he really had everything stored away.
Enjoying the cub’s admiring gaze, He Zhouyan fished out freshly made dishes from his bell as well.
“Eat.”
Lu Congxing scooped up a spoonful of steamed egg with minced meat. It was smooth, perfectly seasoned, and he could tell that He Zhouyan had made it himself.
He smiled, his eyes curving into crescents, and completely forgot about his earlier suspicions.
However, later that night, he ran into a dilemma.
To his surprise, out of the two rooms, only the master bedroom had a bed. And He Zhouyan showed no intention of pulling another one out of his bell, so Lu Congxing assumed that there simply wasn’t one inside.
Thinking back to the previous night—when he, drunk on mushroom, had hogged He Zhouyan’s bed, forcing the other to make do on the couch—Lu Congxing felt a little guilty.
Fortunately, the sofa now was one that He Zhouyan had just taken out of his bell. It looked clean and comfortable, more than big enough for an adult to sleep on.
So he took the initiative. “I’ll sleep on the couch tonight!”
He Zhouyan had just stepped out of the bathroom, his hair still dripping wet, when he abruptly froze.
…Was he really that unwilling to share a bed with him?
Recalling the slight displeasure the cub had shown upon their first meeting, He Zhouyan fell silent.
He decided to move up his investigation into why the cub had disliked him at first.
But for now, taking care of the cub was the priority.
Without hesitation, He Zhouyan lifted the cub off the couch and gently placed him onto the bed.
“No, you sleep on the bed. I’ll take the couch.”
After saying that, he turned and walked away, lying down on the sofa without leaving any room for negotiation.
Lu Congxing tossed and turned in bed but still felt uneasy. Quietly, he got up to check outside.
To his surprise, the sofa that had seemed just fine for him looked cramped under He Zhouyan’s tall frame. The man’s long legs and arms left him no choice but to curl up slightly.
He looked oddly aggrieved, and it didn’t seem very comfortable either.
Lu Congxing glanced at the bed, then back at him, hesitating before asking, “How about we squeeze in and share the bed?”
Who could refuse a sleepy, soft little cub?
He Zhouyan only lowered his head and thought for two seconds—or maybe he just spaced out—before standing up.
The bed was a double bed, spacious enough for two grown men without feeling crowded. It was certainly better than the sofa.
This wasn’t technically the first time he had shared a bed with someone. Back in the village, He Zhouyan had taken the form of a small Bai Ze and slept beside him.
But back then, he had no idea that the small, fluffy creature was actually the tall man in front of him now.
In human form, He Zhouyan seemed much more imposing.
Sensing his unease, He Zhouyan released a bit of his spiritual energy, gently patting the cub’s back as he murmured, “Sleep.”
Unexpectedly, drowsiness overtook him. Enveloped in the familiar spiritual energy, his breathing gradually steadied.
. . . . .
Lu Congxing had intended to wake up in the middle of the night to keep watch, but he ended up sleeping soundly until the next day.
With the Bai Ze warding off evil, even in this apartment building with its heavy yin energy, no ghosts disturbed his rest.
The warmth beside him had already disappeared, indicating that Bai Ze had gotten up long ago.
Not having to face someone first thing in the morning lowered Lu Congxing’s guard significantly.
After washing up, he stepped out and was immediately greeted by the aroma of food. Seeing He Zhouyan making breakfast again didn’t feel as surreal this time. Sunlight streamed through the small balcony, casting a soft glow on him, adding to his gentle presence.
He turned his head slightly. “Come eat.”
Brief and to the point.
Lu Congxing was used to the man’s quiet yet thoughtful nature. He eagerly trotted over and sat down to eat.
He Zhouyan said, “I’ll have someone send over a bed. Do you need anything else?”
Lu Congxing shook his head. “No, that’s all.”
So obedient it could melt hearts.
He Zhouyan instinctively smiled. “Alright.”
A warmth flickered in his eyes—something he had never shown before.
This building was old, and the soundproofing wasn’t great. Just as Lu Congxing swallowed his last dumpling, he heard a heated argument outside.
He wasn’t the type to be nosy, but one of the voices belonged to his employer.
Huang Xin believed someone was trying to harm her, so anyone she had previously argued with was worth keeping an eye on.
He Zhouyan had no interest in human affairs, but when he saw the cub put down his bowl and run outside, he followed at a leisurely pace.
Lu Congxing didn’t rush to intervene. He simply opened the door and stood at the entrance, watching quietly.
Huang Xin was standing at the door of Unit 402, arguing with someone. Despite her obviously pregnant belly, she wasn’t backing down at all—her voice was even louder than her opponent’s.
The person she was arguing with was Zhou Zijie’s boyfriend, whom Lu Congxing hadn’t had the chance to meet yesterday.
The man had a string of English words tattooed on his arm and a cigarette dangling from his lips, exuding a delinquent vibe. “You promised to get the air conditioner installed, but I haven’t seen a single trace of it. Are you trying to scam me?”
Huang Xin frowned. “Can you not smoke in front of a pregnant woman?”
Not only did Chen Fei ignore her, but he even blew out a puff of smoke deliberately, making Huang Xin furious.
Zhou Zijie stepped in to mediate—after all, she didn’t want to offend the landlord. Leaning lightly against her boyfriend, she spoke to him in a soft, gentle voice.
Chen Fei glanced down and immediately noticed his girlfriend wearing a sexy camisole. His mood instantly improved, and he no longer bothered arguing with Huang Xin.
Huang Xin, however, wore a sour expression. She still didn’t have a good impression of Zhou Zijie. Muttering something under her breath, she turned and left.
That left Chen Fei and Zhou Zijie cuddling openly, completely unconcerned that the door was still wide open or that someone might see them being affectionate.
Lu Congxing, who had been watching, was startled. He had no intention of spying on them, and his face flushed red as he quickly stepped back.
Although he didn’t understand why Zhou Zijie had seemed so indifferent toward her boyfriend the day before, it was clear now that their relationship was going strong.
As he stepped back, he accidentally bumped into He Zhounyan’s chest. Before he could even react, a hand reached out and pinched his cheek.
He Zhouyan raised an eyebrow and rubbed the soft flesh between his fingers. “Why are you so easily scared?”
The couple turned toward the sound. Zhou Zijie’s expression was curious, while Chen Fei’s face showed clear annoyance at being interrupted. However, that displeasure quickly disappeared the moment he saw the imposing He Zhouyan.
Suddenly, all eyes were on Lu Congxing.
Half-encircled in an intimate posture by the man behind him, his face burned even hotter.
Author’s note: Cohabitation!