Chapter 285 The Aroma of Strength

Ahead, the bookstore's car appeared.

Now, the bookstore only had one car left, so its visibility was very high.

Zhou Ze yawned, just preparing to wait for Lao Xu and the others to park and say hello.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!"

The little monkey's urgent cries suddenly came from inside the car, followed by the screech of tires.

"Whoosh!"

The little monkey couldn't wait to jump out of the car window.

Of course, Boss Zhou wouldn't be so narcissistic as to think that the little monkey, like those loyal dogs, was rushing over to fawn on him.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!"

The little monkey darted to the storefront, looked up at Zhou Ze, then faced the door, baring its teeth and making threatening and demonstrative noises in its throat.

"Monkey brat!"

Lao Dao also got out of the car, worried about the little monkey's condition, and ran towards it.

Lao Dao had been taking care of the little monkey, and he knew its temperament. Usually, it was a very docile fellow, never getting upset unless someone it cared about was in danger.

Now that it was suddenly like this, Lao Dao was really worried.

At the storefront, Hou Liangliang walked out, still wearing his white apron and holding a soup ladle. His gaze also fell on the little monkey.

They didn't know each other at all.

This was their first meeting in their monkey lives, but the adversarial relationship inherited from their ancestors seemed to be innate.

Hatred, disgust, sometimes didn't need too direct a reason.

Hou Liangliang also opened his mouth, as if to roar back, but seeing Zhou Ze standing next to the little monkey, he forcibly suppressed the anger that was boiling up inside him for some reason.

A man must lower his head under the eaves; the monkey was relying on its master's power, and there was nothing he could do.

"What's wrong with you? What's wrong with you!"

Lao Dao finally ran over, hugged the little monkey tightly, and knocked it on the head.

The baleful aura on the little monkey faltered, finally deflating like a punctured ball, allowing Lao Dao to hold it, but its little head turned to the side, not looking at the guy standing at the door.

"Are they all your friends?"

Hou Liangliang asked Zhou Ze respectfully.

Zhou Ze nodded.

"Then I'll have to add a couple more dishes."

After Hou Liangliang finished speaking, he glared at the little monkey again before turning around and going back to cooking.

To be honest, to be able to be a monkey to this extent, knowing when to advance and retreat, understanding gentleness and strength, was indeed a cunning monkey.

Xu Qinglang slowly walked over and said with a smile, "Does he know how to make monkey brains?"

"He is a monkey."

"Oh, haha, then it seems we won't be able to eat monkey brains."

"We can't eat wild game, but can the food cooked by a wild animal barely be called wild game?"

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!"

The little monkey, seeing them actually discussing this dish in front of it, immediately cried out in dissatisfaction.

"Smack!"

Lao Dao slapped the little monkey on the head again.

"Don't eat it, don't eat it. Look how angry you're getting, is it worth it!"

Lao Dao had misunderstood; he thought the little monkey was angry because of the monkey brains.

"Let's go inside. While the higher-ups haven't had time to deal with it, you can go take a look."

Zhou Ze led Lao Xu and Lao Dao into the store.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!"

The little monkey cried out again, its little claws pointing at the female demon monkey still lying unconscious on the carpet.

After being defeated by Zhou Ze, Dandan had turned back into her human form, but precisely because of this, she looked particularly terrifying, especially her head, which had two holes drilled into it, and there were still traces of blood seeping out.

It had to be said that being a demon with a strong physique was helpful. If it were anyone else who had undergone such a craniotomy and then been thrown directly onto the ground, they would have died several times over. But this female demon monkey was still toughing it out.

The little monkey cried out at the female demon monkey, then covered its eyes with its paws.

Hateful as she was, seeing her so miserable now, the little monkey really couldn't bear it.

That's right, this monkey was a classic example of how hard it is to change one's nature. It had done good deeds for several lifetimes while cultivating in the mountains, and then, after being repaid with ingratitude, it finally wanted to let itself go and take revenge, only to run into Boss Zhou.

But after that, when Zhou Ze and Qing Yi Niangniang finished fighting to the death and fell from the high-rise building, it was the monkey who saved him.

"Yo, this girl is in a terrible state, her head is all broken…"

Lao Dao squinted his eyes and understood; well, this definitely wasn't an ordinary person.

"You can go upstairs and take a look; it's quite interesting."

Zhou Ze pointed to the stairs and said to Xu Qinglang.

"Okay."

Xu Qinglang walked up the stairs alone.

Lao Dao wasn't very curious, so he sat down on the sofa with the monkey in his arms.

The little monkey jumped out of Lao Dao's arms, came to the female demon monkey's side, reached out its paw and touched her, then scratched its head.

"Don't worry, don't meddle."

Lao Dao was a sensible man. He saw this guy lying here with a broken head as soon as he came in. Needless to say, it must have been done by the boss. The boss had allowed her to lie here without cleaning her up, so why should he be a good person?

No matter what, his own position was definitely on the boss's side.

The little monkey frowned, but didn't make any more noise, and returned to Lao Dao's side.

"Boss, what exactly is this thing?"

"Monkey."

"Oh, a demon monkey?"

"Yeah."

"Tsk, tsk."

Lao Dao smacked his lips, reached out and picked up the half-finished black tea on the coffee table. As he was about to take a sip to moisten his throat, Zhou Ze reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"The tea is cold."

"It's okay, I'm feeling a little hot."

"If you drink it, you'll be cool forever."

Hearing this, Lao Dao's hand holding the teacup trembled slightly, and he quickly put it down.

Zhou Ze took the teacup and took two sips.

Lao Dao swallowed next to him.

"Lao Dao, don't touch my tea in the future. I might put some poison in it."

"…" Lao Dao.

Boss, do you have to be so ruthless just to stop your employees from secretly drinking your tea?

After a quarter of an hour, Xu Qinglang came down from upstairs.

"How was it?" Zhou Ze asked.

He knew that Lao Xu liked formations and things like that.

"Amazing."

Xu Qinglang seemed to be still savoring it. "That big opium pipe is the most admirable design."

"If you like it, take it back and study it slowly later."

"Is that appropriate?"

"Appropriate."

"Is it convenient?"

"Convenient."

"Okay."

"The food is ready; I'll bring it out."

Hou Liangliang brought out the food and placed it on the small dining table.

After Zhou Ze and the others sat down, Hou Liangliang silently walked over and carried Dandan and the other unconscious female clerk, placing them on two chairs behind the counter. Before, it wasn't that he didn't care, but he had to wait until he had confirmed and appeased Boss Zhou's attitude before he dared to do these things.

Boss Zhou picked up his chopsticks, pointed to the dishes in front of him, and said to Lao Xu:

"Come, try it and see if there's anything lacking. Give me some advice."

Xu Qinglang smiled and said, "I even brought some special sauce, thinking I could try something new."

"There was a bit of an unexpected situation."

As he said this, Zhou Ze deliberately glanced at Lao Dao, who was wolfing down his food.

Hou Liangliang walked behind Zhou Ze, standing there respectfully, like a butler.

However, the peaceful mealtime didn't last long.

Hou Liangliang suddenly frowned, reached into his pocket, and took out a copper coin, which was emitting a faint yellow light.

Zhou Ze sensed something, put down his chopsticks, and looked over.

Hou Liangliang pointed somewhat awkwardly at the copper coin and said, "My grandfather's call. He must have sensed that his most valued tobacco leaves were gone, so he contacted us immediately."

Zhou Ze carefully examined the copper coin. Recently, to say nothing else, he had gained too much knowledge about these strange and varied metaphysical communication methods.

"Then answer it."

"This…" Hou Liangliang smiled somewhat embarrassedly, "This, actually, is for possession. It's for my grandfather to possess me. Before, when we contacted my grandfather, Dandan would do this. My grandfather would possess Dandan, and then I would communicate with my grandfather."

Zhou Ze pointed to the female demon monkey lying behind the counter, "She probably can't do it now, right?"

"Yeah."

Being in this state and still retaining her breath and life force was already very difficult. If she were to be possessed again, her body probably wouldn't be able to take it.

"Then possess your body. I'll chat with your grandfather."

Hou Liangliang looked a little aggrieved and said, "My grandfather's temper isn't very good."

Grandfather was a grumpy old monkey…

What Hou Liangliang was worried about was that if his grandfather's bad temper caused him to say something that angered this terrifying man, his grandfather was calling from thousands of miles away, but he was right in front of this man.

Grandfather cursed and vented to his heart's content, then patted his butt and left.

What about him?

Was he waiting to be crushed to death?

If he died, for his grandfather, it would just be a matter of raising another monkey. Perhaps next time, grandfather would raise pigs.

"Just do what I tell you to do. I'm not discussing this with you."

Zhou Ze's tone was very calm, but it already carried an unquestionable air.

Hou Liangliang nodded vigorously and added, "Grandfather's temper isn't good; please bear with it."

After speaking, Hou Liangliang opened his mouth and put the copper coin in his mouth, then closed his eyes.

"Buzz!"

In an instant, it seemed as if a terrifying pressure descended from the void!

Xu Qinglang, who was still savoring the dishes, silently put down his chopsticks, suppressing the restlessness of the sea god's aura in his body. He could clearly sense that the sea god was fearing this aura!

The little monkey next to Lao Dao was clearly trembling, but still stubbornly held its neck up, looking at Hou Liangliang in front of it. But after all, there was a generational difference, and the little monkey had to lower its head after holding on for a while.

Lao Dao himself was so frightened that he sat up straight, not daring to move, his legs trembling.

Usually, working in the bookstore, he had seen many terrifying people with the boss, but this aura, so direct, so vast, was simply overwhelming him.

Slowly, Hou Liangliang's eyes began to open, as if a dazzling light was being torn open in the darkness, so sharp that people dared not look directly at it.

Just as his eyes opened a little, Hou Liangliang let out a deep, resonant voice, as if in doubt, as if in surprise, as if in bewilderment.

Even, it seemed, there was a hint of… joy.

"Why do I smell… the stink of a mountain-moving coolie…"

Boss Zhou smiled and nodded, reminding him:

"Why don't you smell it again?"