Chapter 43: How Can You Not Like Him?

RUSTLE... RUSTLE... RUSTLE...

Beneath the bright moonlight, a figure emerged from the tall grass.

’Finally, I can relax a little.’ Stepping onto the road, Lin Li considered himself to have reached a safe zone. The tension that had kept him on edge could finally ease.

His silver van was parked under a roadside tree. It had been sitting there all afternoon, and a few leaves, knocked down by the wind, had settled on its roof.

CLICK.

THUMP.

After opening the door and getting in, Lin Li changed out of his camouflage fatigues.

Once changed, he started the van, turned it around, and headed toward the city.

The stretch of road from the wilderness to Chenghua Avenue had no streetlights. It was pitch-black all around, without a soul in sight.

During the day, it didn’t feel particularly unsettling, but now, after dark, driving alone on such a silent stretch of road couldn’t help but make one’s heart race with unease.

However, this unnerving atmosphere didn’t last long. Lin Li’s van soon reached Chenghua Avenue, and the rest of the way was illuminated by streetlights.

Normally, he wouldn’t have given these streetlights a second thought, but right now, their dim, yellow glow seemed to have the magical ability to dispel his inner anxiety. ’How amazing!’

’No wonder all those Exotic Beast Hunters I used to see interviewed on TV said that their profession wasn’t for just anyone.

’You’re constantly moving between the perilous wilderness and the peaceful, stable city. The contrast is just too stark.

’Many new Cultivators who become Exotic Beast Hunters can’t get used to this contrast. They don’t last long before they give up on going back to the wilderness, content to stay in the comfortable city and find a normal job.’

...

「7:10 PM.」

CLICK.

THUMP.

Opening the door and stepping inside, Lin Li flicked on the lights, walked into the living room, and turned on the air conditioner.

’I’m dying of heat! Today’s several degrees hotter than yesterday. It’s only the beginning of July and it’s already this hot. Looks like this summer is going to be a lot hotter than last year!’

Lin Li grumbled to himself as he stood in front of the air conditioner, letting the cool air wash over him.

GROWL...

His stomach was protesting, demanding he eat dinner soon.

Although he had bought plenty of groceries at the market that morning, after a grueling afternoon in the wilderness, Lin Li really didn’t feel like making dinner.

Since he wasn’t going to cook, his only option was to order takeout.

As he continued to bask in the refreshing cold air from the AC, Lin Li pondered what to eat for dinner.

’It’s been a while since I’ve had KFC. I’ll have that tonight!’

He opened a food delivery app, found the KFC storefront, and ordered three spicy chicken sandwiches, one order of fries, two chicken wraps, one order of popcorn chicken, two fried drumsticks, and two pairs of fried wings.

After placing the order and paying, he checked the delivery time. It would be about forty-five minutes, so Lin Li went to his bedroom to grab clothes and take a shower.

It was so hot today, and he’d been running and jumping all over the wilderness. Lin Li had sweated a ton. If he didn’t shower, the delivery guy would probably laugh at him when he went to get his food, and Lin Li couldn’t afford that kind of embarrassment.

SPLASH...

A moment later, the sound of the shower running echoed from the bathroom, accompanied by a terribly off-key singing voice.

Uh... besides being a bad cook, it seemed Lin Li’s singing wasn’t up to par either!

...

「Happiness Garden District.」

Fresh from a shower, Su Yue had her hair up in a bun and was wearing a girlish, pink silk slip.

When she bought the silk slip, she had specifically chosen a loose-fitting version for comfort.

Unfortunately, her ample bosom stretched the loose-fitting slip taut, giving it a somewhat form-fitting effect.

To be honest, the mature, beautiful, and voluptuous Su Yue possessed a unique charm dressed in this girlish silk slip, but at the moment, there was no one around to appreciate it.

RING RING RING...

Sitting cross-legged on the sofa watching TV, Su Yue reached over and picked up her phone.

A glance at the caller ID showed it was her mom.

"Hello?"

"What are you up to?"

"Watching TV! Mom, did you call for something?"

"Can’t I call you just to call?"

"..." Su Yue could hear a hint of displeasure in her mom’s tone.

She fell silent for a moment, then said to her mom with a cheerful grin, "Of course you can. You’re my dear mother, you can call me whenever you want..."

"Alright, stop with the sweet talk... I’m calling to ask you, Zhang Xiaohao has called to ask you out several times. Why do you keep making excuses?"

’I knew Mom was calling about this...’ Getting called to account by her own mother, Su Yue’s pretty face showed a look of resignation. She grumbled to herself before explaining to her mom.

"Mom, I’ve just been so busy lately! I haven’t had any free time, so when Zhang Xiaohao asked me to dinner, I couldn’t go."

But a mother knows her daughter best!

Su Yue’s mother clearly knew her daughter very well and didn’t believe this explanation for a second. "You’re an elementary school music teacher. Your students are on summer vacation now. What could you possibly be so busy with?"

"Well, you see, one of Ms. Liu’s employees had to go back to her hometown for an emergency, so she asked me to come help her teach the kids for a few days.

"I’ve been preparing lesson plans these past few days... Where would I find the time for anything else!" Su Yue said, mixing truth with fiction.

"..." Su Yue’s mom went silent.

This Ms. Liu her daughter mentioned, whose full name was Liu Yanhong, was her old college classmate. She now ran an extracurricular activity center in Rongcheng, mainly teaching children painting, singing, and dancing.

And since her own daughter was talented in all three areas, it made sense that her old classmate would ask for her help.

"Mom, why aren’t you saying anything? You don’t think I’m trying to fool you, do you?

"If you don’t believe me, you can call Ms. Liu right now and confirm if what I’m saying is true," Su Yue added when her mom remained silent.

"Xiaoyue, don’t use helping Ms. Liu as a shield. I know what’s going on in that little head of yours. Do you think I, your mother, wouldn’t know?"

"Mom... what are you talking about? I don’t have any schemes!"

"Oh, Xiaoyue! Zhang Xiaohao graduated from a top university, and he’s a brilliant student who even studied abroad. Now he’s back in the country working as a senior executive at a big company. His future is limitless.

"A month ago, he came with his parents to your dad’s birthday party. It’s not like you haven’t seen what he looks like.

"Zhang Xiaohao is tall, handsome, and has a cheerful personality. The way he carries himself and treats people is impeccable in every way. How can you not be interested in him?"

...