"Su Jinxiu" called Liu Nanfeng around noon.
"We're going out for a meal, do you want to join us?"
There were only four people in the coffee shop, including "Su Jinxiu."
So they often gathered for meals together, sometimes splitting the bill, but most of the time "Su Jinxiu" paid, as she was the boss.
Liu Nanfeng used to spend his days at the coffee shop, so he naturally joined them for lunch and got acquainted with them over time.
"No, I have two more deliveries to make, so I won't go."
Lunchtime was the peak period for orders, and even if he didn't accept orders, as long as he didn't log out of the system, there would be mandatory dispatches.
"Alright then, but remember to eat on time yourself. You're a delivery driver to stay fit, don't lose sight of your original intention by focusing on the wrong things. It wouldn't be worth it."
"Got it, got it, stop nagging."
"What, you dare to call me nagging? Just wait till I get home."
"I'm waiting, who's afraid of whom?"
The two ended the call bickering.
After putting away his phone, Liu Nanfeng's expression turned pensive.
The seemingly casual conversation just now was actually another test for "Su Jinxiu."
He didn't know when Su Huamei had started impersonating Su Jinxiu by his side.
He even suspected that Su Huamei had been with him all along.
But it didn't seem so now. For instance, when he deliberately provoked "Su Jinxiu" just now, her reaction was subtly different from the Su Jinxiu he remembered.
The "Su Jinxiu" in his memory would never say "just wait till I get home."
Instead, she would say in the gentlest voice, with a smile, "Who said they wanted to stay together forever and grow old together? Are you already annoyed with me now?"
Her gentle words and spring-like laughter were like a soft knife piercing your heart, making you feel at fault, unlike now, where she used a coquettish tone to say things like "wait till I get home."
These were the personalities and ways of handling things of two different people. In his memory, Su Huamei was exactly like that.
Her personality was the complete opposite of Su Jinxiu's; lively, carefree, a bit careless, and full of vitality.
Liu Nanfeng used to wonder if such a personality was really suitable for being a lawyer.
But it was Su Huamei's own choice, so he didn't say anything.
Now it seemed that being a lawyer might have just been an excuse they casually came up with.
Moreover, Liu Nanfeng confirmed that Su Huamei hadn't been impersonating Su Jinxiu for long, because it hadn't been long since their last bickering session, so he remembered it quite clearly.
Of course, the end result was him apologizing, and he could still vividly recall Su Jinxiu's gentle gasps afterward.
It was also Liu Nanfeng's own carelessness; there were actually many such small details in life, but who would have paid attention to them before?
However, the question of where his wife had gone and why she let "Su Huamei" impersonate her had always lingered in his mind.
Thinking about meeting the little one Feng Hongjin in the afternoon, Liu Nanfeng bought some snacks at a nearby supermarket, especially cola, getting two bottles, one Pepsi and one Coke.
He also placed an order for fried chicken for pickup.
He was lucky today and didn't encounter any order cancellations. He ate a bowl of beef noodles at a nearby noodle restaurant at noon.
The noodles were quite good, but the beef was another story. One could only say that the chef's knife skills were excellent, as the beef was sliced as thin as cicada wings, so thin that a breath could blow it away.
Liu Nanfeng even worried if those thin slices of beef would melt into the noodle soup.
After eating, he found a spot under the shade of a willow tree to rest. Seeing that it was almost time for his appointment with Feng Hongjin, he went to the fried chicken shop to pick up his order.
This time, Liu Nanfeng still ordered a combo, but it was the spicy version. In addition, there was a whole fried chicken and a sweet and spicy stir-fried rice cake.
When he arrived at the place they had agreed to meet yesterday, he didn't see anyone from a distance.
Liu Nanfeng walked to the riverbank and faintly saw a red figure moving in the water.
"Feng Hongjin?" Liu Nanfeng called out to the water surface.
Just then, a water arrow shot out from under the water, heading straight for Liu Nanfeng's face.
This time, Liu Nanfeng was prepared, and since the speed wasn't fast, he dodged it by turning his head.
At that moment, a small red carp leaped out of the water, its tail playfully swaying in the air before it plunged back into the water, transforming into a cute little girl playing in the water.
"Hurry up and come up, I bought a lot of food today," Liu Nanfeng said, lifting the shopping bag he was carrying.
"Wait a moment."
Feng Hongjin said that and quickly dove back into the water, but soon reappeared on the surface, this time holding a small fish strung through its gills with water grass.
Liu Nanfeng reached out and pulled her ashore. The little one twisted her little butt and shook her little body, shaking off all the water.
Then, with an excited expression, she handed the small fish in her hand to Liu Nanfeng and said, "This is for you."
"For me?" Liu Nanfeng looked at the palm-sized fish with surprise.
Feng Hongjin nodded happily.
"We're good friends, you treat me to delicious food, and I'll treat you to a small fish," Feng Hongjin said cheerfully.
Liu Nanfeng: ...
Seeing the little one's hand still outstretched, Liu Nanfeng reluctantly took it.
But even after Liu Nanfeng took it, the little one still looked up at him, her big, watery eyes gazing at him without blinking.
"What's wrong?" Liu Nanfeng asked curiously.
"You didn't say thank you. You have to say thank you to me."
"Uh—alright, thank you," Liu Nanfeng said helplessly.
"You're welcome."
Feng Hongjin happily hopped on the spot.
"Let's go, let's find a shady spot."
The sun was scorching overhead, and in just this short while, his skin already felt a slight sting.
Feng Hongjin immediately followed with her short little legs, her eyes never leaving the shopping bag in Liu Nanfeng's hand.
Liu Nanfeng casually glanced at the river surface and saw a flash of light under the water.
The two sat down in the shade of the embankment, and Liu Nanfeng opened the bag amidst the little one's expectant gaze.
"This is fried chicken, these are potato chips, this is chocolate, and there are two kinds of cola. Yesterday you drank Pepsi, today try Coke..."
Liu Nanfeng took out the items from the bag one by one, and the little one's mouth watered with greed.
Sitting on the ground, her two little feet wriggled, showing her excitement.
She took the cola handed to her by Liu Nanfeng, which was still slightly cool, and eagerly took a gulp.
Then she frowned, let out a big sigh, probably because she drank too quickly, and the air rushed back from her throat into her nose, causing a sourness to surge into her nasal cavity. Her originally watery big eyes became even more moist.
"Drink slower," Liu Nanfeng said with a bit of amusement.
Then he handed her the box containing the fried chicken.
"Wow, is this a whole chicken? A whole chicken?" Feng Hongjin asked excitedly, looking at the whole fried chicken in the box.
"Yes, it belongs to you now."
Liu Nanfeng directly placed the box into her arms, and she quickly hugged it tightly.
"Then—what about that?"
She looked towards the fried chicken wings next to it.
"It's all yours, eat it while it's hot, it won't taste good when it gets cold," Liu Nanfeng said, reaching out to pat her little head.
"You're so kind. Tomorrow—tomorrow I'll give you a big fish," the little one said excitedly.
Liu Nanfeng glanced at the dead fish lying on the side, almost dried by the sun, and said, "Then I really thank you."
"You're welcome, we're good friends."
Liu Nanfeng: ...
"Since we're good friends, I have a question I'd like to ask you." Liu Nanfeng hesitated for a moment and then spoke directly.
"Ask? What is asking?" Feng Hongjin asked curiously, lifting her oily little face.
"Uh... I mean, I have some questions I want to ask you."
It seemed she was too young, and many things needed to be explained clearly for her to understand.
"Oh... oh..." The little one nodded repeatedly, not knowing if she really understood what Liu Nanfeng meant.
"Can you help me ask your grown-ups if it's particularly difficult or troublesome for humans and demons to have babies?"
The little one immediately looked at him with the eyes of a strange uncle, a look of vigilance on her face.
"I'm still a child, I can't have babies."
Liu Nanfeng: -_-||
"What kind of look is that? I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about my wife and me. Alas, forget it, I'll ask someone else."
Liu Nanfeng walked to the riverbank and said to the water surface, "Hello, may I ask if you are Feng Hongjin's guardian?"
Feng Hongjin, holding the whole chicken that was gnawed full of holes, also stared blankly at the river surface.
Just then, a woman who looked eighteen or nineteen years old emerged from the river.
She wore a water-green dress, her hair tied in a bun that reached her waist, her slender waist could be held in one hand, her face was round, and her skin was fair and translucent, as if it emitted a glow in the sunlight.
She walked like a willow swaying in the wind, light and elegant.
"Sister Yuchan."
Feng Hongjin, behind Liu Nanfeng, scrambled up and greeted her.
"Oh dear, you've got food all over your face."
The woman named Yuchan took out a green handkerchief and wiped the little girl's face.
"Sister Yuchan, why are you here?" Feng Hongjin asked with surprise.
"Madam was worried about you, so she sent me to check on you," Yuchan said.
This sentence seemed to be said to Feng Hongjin, but in reality, it was directed at Liu Nanfeng.
However, Liu Nanfeng understood. Although Feng Hongjin had over three hundred years of cultivation, she was naive and simple, no different from a three-year-old child.
Afterward, she said to Liu Nanfeng, "This humble one, Zhu Yuchan, greets Young Master Liu."
"You know me—uh, you heard it from Feng Hongjin, right?" Liu Nanfeng reacted after speaking.
Feng Hongjin must have told her guardian about their meeting.
But unexpectedly, Zhu Yuchan shook her head and said, "I had heard of Young Master Liu's reputation before, but we never had the chance to meet."
"Huh?"
Liu Nanfeng was greatly surprised upon hearing this and quickly asked, "You've heard of me."
Zhu Yuchan nodded and said, "Young Master Liu is the husband of the Su sisters, so naturally, I've heard of you."
"Wait, wait, Su sisters? I only have Su Jinxiu as my wife," Liu Nanfeng quickly explained, not without a hint of probing.
But unexpectedly, Zhu Yuchan just pursed her lips and chuckled, then said, "Young Master Liu's fated entanglement with the Su sisters, while not known by everyone, is not a secret."
"Fated entanglement? What fated entanglement?"
"I'm not sure about that. If Young Master Liu wants to know, he can go home and ask his wife."
"Alright, thank you, young lady. I happen to have something I'd like to ask you. You see..."
"Of course, let's go to a shady spot to talk. The sun is really too strong," Zhu Yuchan said with a smile.
"Yes, yes... let's go quickly."
Feng Hongjin grabbed Zhu Yuchan and headed towards the pile of snacks, already impatient.
"Sister Yuchan, drink this, it's delicious! And fried chicken, and other tasty things..."
In a child's mind, any good thing must be shown off to their guardian.
"Alright, you eat by yourself first, I'll talk to Young Master Liu," Zhu Yuchan said, patting Feng Hongjin's little head with affection.
"Oh, okay."
As long as there was food, Feng Hongjin didn't care about anything else and immediately lowered her head to continue eating and drinking.
"Thank you for buying so much food for Hongjin," Zhu Yuchan said first, before Liu Nanfeng could speak.
"You're too kind, it's not worth much money," Liu Nanfeng quickly said.
Zhu Yuchan smiled and did not continue this topic. Instead, she asked, "May I ask what questions you have for me?"
"I want to ask if humans and demons have difficulty having children, if it's not easy, or if there are other problems?"
"Haven't you asked your wife about this?"
"They don't know yet. I've only recently learned of their identities," Liu Nanfeng hesitated for a moment, then chose to tell the truth.
Zhu Yuchan showed a look of surprise upon hearing this. She was a little confused as to how Liu Nanfeng had discovered their identities. Then she suddenly recalled that Liu Nanfeng had directly revealed her identity just now. It seemed that Young Master Liu before her was not as simple as he appeared.
Of course, these were just fleeting thoughts in Zhu Yuchan's mind.
She said directly, "It is indeed very difficult for humans and monsters to have children. Even if they do, the offspring are mostly demons. It takes at least a hundred years for them to transform into human form. During this time, with a human lifespan, they generally cannot wait for that day."
"Is that so?" Liu Nanfeng was surprised to hear this.
"This is mainly because demons are much stronger than humans. After all, any demon that can transform into human form must have gone through countless tribulations and tempered themselves before finally transforming into human form."
"Of course, if humans are stronger than demons, then the children born will naturally be human."
Liu Nanfeng understood somewhat. Her explanation made a lot of sense.
It was like how a baby's appearance depends on the strength of genes. If the mother's genes are strong, the baby will look like the mother, and vice versa.
"Are there no other ways?" Liu Nanfeng asked.
"Yes, there is a magical herb in this world called Yunmu grass. After taking it, one completely seals their own power and completely transforms into a human. After becoming pregnant, not only can they give birth to humans, but they can also pass on the sealed power to their descendants, giving birth to powerful humans."
"Then is this Yunmu grass very precious and difficult to obtain?"
"It is indeed very precious and difficult to obtain, but for demons, it is essentially a poison, and the process of taking Yunmu grass is extremely painful, like being cut by a thousand knives."
"In that case, the price is indeed too high."
"More than that. If it were just about enduring this ordeal and completely becoming human, that would still be considered good."
"But in reality, it's only before childbirth. The moment the child is born, the mother's years of cultivation will be wasted, and she will be completely reverted to her original form. If there's a chance, she might transform into a demon again, but since it's about chance, it's unpredictable, and in the end, it's just a delusion..."
Zhu Yuchan said to the flowing river ahead with a wistful tone.
In her long life, she had seen a few such cases, but none had a good ending.
Except for humans, any demon before transforming into a human form is extremely weak and at risk of dying at any moment.
So the few infatuated individuals in the end had their cultivation wasted and eventually disappeared into the heavens and earth.
Liu Nanfeng's expression also turned grim after hearing this, a sense of unease growing in his heart.
What Zhu Yuchan had said perfectly explained some of the actions of Su Jinxiu and Su Huamei sisters.
"Then as long as humans are stronger than demons, these problems won't occur, right?" Liu Nanfeng asked.
"Of course," Zhu Yuchan nodded.
After thinking for a moment, he bowed deeply to Zhu Yuchan and said, "I know about my wife's identity. I would ask Miss Zhu to keep it confidential for now."
Zhu Yuchan was stunned for a moment but still nodded.
At this moment, Liu Nanfeng desperately desired more power.