The Devil's Contract Lover - Chapter 16

The crowd quickly gathered, with children forming layers around the location of the fall.
Yao Yuan ran to the outermost ring, panting, but couldn’t squeeze her way in.

“No one, there’s no one inside!” people from the inner circle shouted outwards. Upon hearing that no one was hurt, everyone relaxed, and the uninterested crowd dispersed in a clamor.

There was not a trace of blood inside or outside the partially smashed gondola, only circles of rust and old wear.

“That’s good…” Yao Yuan let out a long sigh of relief. It was great that her intuition was wrong. She had truly seen someone dying in a pool of blood just moments ago.

“Want to rest first?” Xingkong appeared behind her, patting her shoulder with concern.

“Mm…”

As she turned around, a flicker of realization crossed her mind: Wait, some people in the crowd weren’t right.

Why hadn’t she noticed just now! She turned back to look at the almost-dispersed area: there were a few people with unusual behavior or attire approaching the gondola.

A man in sunglasses holding a phone in the front left, two seemingly very strong youths in the back right, and… hey, wasn’t that the blonde guy she saw earlier asking people for someone with a photo on the street?

Their eyes met in the void, and the blonde guy’s expression was full of confusion… Yao Yuan’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly averted her gaze. She unconsciously gripped Xingkong’s hand, the nervous emotion slowly subsiding.

“Let’s go back.”

“Okay.” The demon coldly looked away, only the corner of his lips smiling.

With no money, Yao Yuan naturally couldn’t stay in a hotel every day. She returned to her rented room and turned on the light, feeling a long-lost sense of familiarity.

“I’ll make you fried rice tonight~” “Okay.” Xingkong dutifully picked up the broom. “Xiao Yuan, did you throw away the trash in the bin?”

“Did the neighbor help us take out the trash?”

Yao Yuan’s mind hadn’t caught up. She looked at the trash can: Holy smokes, it was stuffed full! Looking closer, there seemed to be bloody tissues and some mysterious paper balls…

The trash can burst into flames and burned to ashes with a whoosh, and a brand new trash can appeared in its place.

Yao Yuan silently gave a thumbs-up and slipped into the kitchen to make fried rice.

First, she took the cold rice out of the fridge, cracked two eggs into a bowl, stirred them well, and added a pinch of salt. Next, she tore two pieces of Napa cabbage, shredded them, and set them aside, and she wouldn’t be stingy, two sausages too~ “Ah!” Her waist was suddenly encircled. She looked down and saw an apron with a little rabbit drawn on it?

“Come, lift your hands.” Xingkong carefully helped tie it. “Be careful not to splash oil when frying the rice.”

“Thanks…” No need to refuse the apron, Yao Yuan picked up the spatula. “But can you let go? The apron is tied, right?”

“I want to watch you cook.” The demon’s head suddenly drooped onto her shoulder, a little heavy.

“Y-You go ahead.” No need to reject him over a small matter.

Yao Yuan wielded the spatula, first stir-frying the eggs and shredded cabbage, then quickly adding the cold rice and tossing it. While tossing, she stomped hard on the demon’s foot: Xingkong’s hand, which was creeping up her waist, quickly froze.

“Eat your fried rice.” Yao Yuan slammed a large bowl onto the table with a clank.

Xingkong innocently took out the serving spoon and served her a bowl first. “What’s wrong?”

“Your hand is too salty. If you dare to touch me again, I’ll… I’ll scold you.” Her voice trailed off.

“You should just tell me if you don’t like it.” Xingkong nonchalantly handed her the chopsticks and a small bowl. “I was doing it to make you happy.”

“Happy?” Yao Yuan was stunned for a few seconds, and many pink-tinted images suddenly flashed through her mind. Looking at the demon’s long, pale fingers, her face slowly flushed.

Xingkong’s hand slowly rested on her shoulder, and his thumb slid across her collarbone before she could react. “Yes, pure pleasure.”

The first button of her shirt was already undone.

“Knock, knock, knock.” Someone knocked on the door.

“Xiao Yuan, do you mind if I use a little magic on the door?”

“I mind.” Yao Yuan glared at Xingkong, buttoned her shirt, and ran to open the door.

When the door opened, there was an awkward smiling face. For some reason, the female neighbor was holding a cardboard box of fried chicken, which didn’t look like she had come to use the restroom.

One shouldn’t hit a person who’s smiling, so Yao Yuan had to step aside and let her in.

“Oh dear, I’ve been living here for so long and haven’t gotten to know you two.” The neighbor placed the fried chicken on the table, and under Xingkong’s gaze, she didn’t dare push the fried rice aside.

“Didn’t the landlord post in the group chat? I’m Yao Yuan, and you are Zou Wenli.”

“Right, that’s me. What… do you two do?” Zou Wenli cautiously glanced sideways at Xingkong, then lowered her gaze as if stung.

It seemed she was here for gossip, and Yao Yuan wasn’t in the mood to satisfy anyone’s curiosity. She casually made up an excuse: “I haven’t graduated yet, and Xingkong is in rock music.”

“Rock music?!” Zou Wenli’s eyes widened. “Oh, oh… a bar singer, that’s good.”

Pfft, a bar singer… Yao Yuan secretly glanced at Xingkong. Hmmph, change his clothes to leather and dye his hair, and he’d probably look the part.

The scene fell silent for a moment. The opening of the fried chicken box was a little torn, and there were only about four pieces of chicken inside.

“You two eat, I brought this for you!”

“Thank you.”

Time passed slowly, and no one touched the fried chicken pieces.

Zou Wenli had to clear her throat, asking seemingly casually, “Where are you from? Will you move out and go back to live with your parents after graduation?”

Yao Yuan shook her head expressionlessly and didn’t speak.

“Oh, come on~ What’s so hard to say.” Zou Wenli’s eyes lit up, and she immediately leaned her stool closer.

The demon reached out and blocked her. “We are not familiar with you.”

“Familiar or not, we’ll become familiar if we interact more.” Zou Wenli wanted to say more, but was suddenly grabbed by the shoulder with great force.

Hiss—Why is this person so strong?! Terrified, she was twisted to the doorway by the demon, practically thrown out.

The door closed behind her, and a rune sank into it.

“Xiao Yuan?” Xingkong patted Yao Yuan’s shoulder.

“I’m fine, eat, let’s eat first.” Yao Yuan forced a smile, and her chopsticks fell to the ground with a pa.

Dinner was spent in silence. She quickly washed up and burrowed into the quilt, avoiding eye contact with Xingkong.

“Good night.” Xingkong pressed the light switch.

“Thank you.” Her voice was muffled from under the quilt.

“Thank me for what?” Xingkong lifted the quilt and lay down.

“Thank you… I’m sure you’re not afraid of bad luck.”

This was said without context. The demon turned over and played with Yao Yuan’s wrist. “The language of the Inferno has no word for fate.”

“That’s wonderful, truly wonderful.” Yao Yuan voluntarily leaned towards Xingkong, curling up in his arms. “Just for a hug, don’t get handsy.”

“I think you’re anticipating it.”

“Don’t just think whatever you want!”

The sun of Wednesday morning rose as usual. This time, Yao Yuan woke up first.

The demon seemed to still be asleep, his eyelashes so dense they made her feel itchy.

Yao Yuan couldn’t resist blowing a puff of air. Xingkong dramatically closed his eyes, rolled over, and pinned her underneath.

“Get up, get off me~ Oh, wait, don’t get up yet.” She just reached her phone and saw it was only 7:30. She didn’t have any pressing matters today, so why get up so early.

This time lying in bed—she might as well play on her phone!

Her fingers habitually swiped through the news one by one. Plop, the phone suddenly dropped to the side.

[Local News] Another bloody case occurred on April 7th at an xx district xx hotel…

A wave of blood surged to her throat: The purple-dressed girl wielding an axe on April 5th—was still alive! The scenes sealed deep in her memory rushed back: the axe and the blood… so much blood…

A cool hand gently stroked her cheek. The blood-red illusion shattered with a shhh, leaving not a single drop of foam.

“Xingkong…” Yao Yuan blinked, letting him wipe away the dry tears.

“Don’t be afraid, I will protect you.” Xingkong’s eyes were filled with an unreadable emotion. A warm towel covered her tear-streaked face, wiping away the last bit of anxiety.

“Where are you going to look for a job today?” The lights turned on, sweeping away the darkness of the night.

“I want to go out and wander first.” Yao Yuan hesitated. “Could you accompany me to that previous budget hotel?” She wouldn’t be at ease until she saw some things with her own eyes.

The towel turned into dust in the demon’s hand. “Of course.”