GRMFBS CH119

The second and third pots of kumquat paste that Zhan Yunkai boiled simultaneously.

His Majesty, the Chongming Demon King, possessed extraordinary culinary talent. He had only tasted the less-than-perfect first pot, and instantly grasped what the perfect ratio and heat control should be. He even deduced two different proportions.

One involved chopping the kumquats finely, resulting in a paste that could be used as a jam in addition to steeping in water. The other involved only cutting the kumquats in half and picking out the seeds; once boiled down, the large chunks of kumquat flesh could be eaten like candied fruit.

Before these two pots were finished, Ji Yueming returned.

Zhan Yunkai was watching the heat and stirring the pot, unable to free up his hands for the moment. Before he could call out, Zhan Yan had already jumped up and ran to open the door for his mom.

“Mom! I’m back, did you miss me~”

He had roped in so many demons for the Abnormal Affairs Management Bureau at the cultivator conference! Zhan Yan felt he had done a very good deed. It was a pity he had no one to share it with, and he definitely couldn’t tell his mother, but he couldn’t suppress his skipping heart and just wanted to bounce around in front of her.

Ji Yueming smiled and gave her first welcome-home hug to her youngest son.

The sweet fragrance of cooked kumquats and melted rock sugar filled the room.

Zhan Yunkai finally finished boiling the two pots. He took a small bowl, scooped up a spoonful of the large-chunk kumquat paste, let it cool slightly, and fed it to Ji Yueming: “Try it, how’s the sweetness?”

The warm kumquat flesh burst open in her mouth, presenting a marvelous texture that was both soft and chewy at the same time. Zhan Yunkai had purposely not boiled the fruit flesh all the way through; as her teeth bit down, slightly tart juice flowed out, mixing with the gelatinous sweet paste clinging to the fruit’s surface, enriching both the texture and flavor by more than just one level.

Ji Yueming gave him a thumbs up: “Incredible!”

While the couple was acting all sweet and lovey-dovey, they suddenly heard the sound of scratching at the door. Both of them looked over together.

Earlier, Zhan Jinli had used a piece of jerky to lure Xingxing into the room and locked it inside. The little foodie only realized it couldn’t get out after finishing the jerky and began relentlessly scratching at the door. Its tender little voice couldn’t muster an imposing sound, but it was still trying hard, “Meow! Meow!”, showing that it was very angry.

The kumquat paste had all been jarred, so Zhan Yan went to let Xingxing out.

Xingxing was very angry and yowled at him.

Why are you only coming now?! I was trapped in there for so long!

But it was also very easy to coax. Zhan Yan picked Xingxing up and rubbed it, and it was fine.

Xingxing meowed softly in his arms.

Zhan Yan couldn’t help but laugh as he listened. Xingxing was quite smart; it had already learned how to express itself. It was just telling him that Zhan Jinli was bad!

Tattling! Snitching with all its might!

“Brother.” Zhan Yan acted spoiled towards his older brother. “Let’s not hold it against the little kitten. Coax it a bit, okay?”

Smart little kittens hold grudges. He couldn’t let Xingxing hold a grudge against his brother forever.

The moment Zhan Yan opened his mouth, Zhan Jinli began retreating. He took three full steps backward, looking very much like he wanted to escape.

Zhan Yan had been like this since he was little. Whenever he wanted his brother to do something, he would just speak directly with an incredibly sweet smile. Outsiders who didn’t know better would think he was so innocent and cute, completely unaware that this little smart aleck was doing it on purpose. He clearly knew about Zhan Jinli’s problem with hearing people speak and usually communicated obediently via typing, but he just had to open his mouth to speak at times like this.

Zhan Jinli really wanted to run.

He was extremely unwilling to establish diplomatic relations with the kitten.

But his sister raised a leg and blocked him. Being just a beat too slow, Zhan Jinli found his arm linked by his sister.

“Oh, Brother~” Zhan Suiru smiled just as sweetly. “What are you hiding for, come and sit down.”

Zhan Jinli’s hairs stood on end.

His sister almost never called him “Brother” normally, especially not in such a cloying tone.

Zhan Jinli wanted to run. He tugged forcefully at his arm but actually failed to pull it out of his sister’s grasp.

…Was his sister’s strength always this great?!

The siblings coordinated perfectly. Unable to escape, Zhan Jinli was forced to reconcile with the kitten.

Zhan Yunkai joined in the fun by making a quick version of cat food. Ji Yueming tasted the other texture of kumquat paste while watching the show.

Zhan Jinli held the bowl of cat food forcefully shoved into his hand by Zhan Yan. His shoulders were firmly pressed onto the sofa by Zhan Suiru, and an equally reluctant little kitten was stuffed into his arms—Xingxing had been placed on Zhan Jinli’s lap by Zhan Yan. It pulled its ears back in great displeasure, but since the human it liked very much wanted it to sit here, it would reluctantly sit for a while.

Just a short while; it wouldn’t stay a second longer!

Xingxing wanted to run away after sitting for less than ten seconds. But Zhan Jinli had already been forced to offer the cat food.

Xingxing: Swallows saliva.

No cat could refuse Zhan Yunkai’s cat food!

Pressing down on his brother’s hand, Zhan Yan gently stroked Xingxing’s back twice.

Xingxing was currently eating the cat food. It flattened its little ears back briefly, decided the delicious food was more important, ignored it, and continued eating.

After finishing, it wanted to run again, but was held down by Zhan Yan.

Zhan Yan said to Xingxing seriously: “You’ve eaten the good food big brother gave you, how can you keep throwing a temper?”

Xingxing looked at him blankly.

Zhan Yan pinched its little paw: “Come on, high-five, you can’t be angry anymore after this.”

Zhan Suiru forcefully pried open her brother’s large hand, allowing Zhan Yan to pinch Xingxing’s paw and press it against his palm.

One human and one cat were forced to reconcile.

Zhan Jinli’s face was completely devoid of the will to live.

So childish.

So boring.

Why did he, a dignified Ghost King, have to play this kind of trick with a cat?

But these were his sister and brother.

The flash from opposite them went off.

Zhan Jinli looked over.

Ji Yueming forgot to turn off the flash while taking a photo. After being caught, she even told him to smile. Zhan Yunkai just openly took a video with his phone.

These were his mom and dad.

Ghost King Lin Yuan silently held the cat.

Whatever, whatever.

No one knew who he was anyway.

As long as his secret identity was tightly secured, what did Zhan Jinli holding a cat have to do with Ghost King Lin Yuan, who would rather die than raise a cat?

Having successfully helped his reticent, socially anxious eldest brother reconcile with the childish, grudge-holding foodie kitten, Zhan Yan returned to his room, fully satisfied.

While waiting for his boyfriend’s phone call, Zhan Yan first resumed eating the gossip melon he hadn’t finished earlier.

When Ghost King Tie Lao returned to Mount Chaofu this time, he discovered that the previously settled-down Wan Yan Ghost King had started making a fuss again due to Ghost King Lin Yuan’s reply. He suffered a minor mental breakdown for three minutes, then habitually began cleaning up the mess.

Ghost King Tie Lao confronted the fussing Wan Yan.

To boost his imposing manner, the shorty Wan Yan cat squatted on a rock, holding his head high and puffing out his chest.

To achieve eye level with Senior Wan Yan who was squatting on the rock, Ghost King Tie Lao crouched in front of the rock.

“Who are you?” The Wan Yan cat asked him, ears pulled back.

Ghost King Tie Lao blanked: “Did you lose your memory again?”

Wan Yan Ghost King was shocked: “What? Have I lost my memory again?”

Ghost King Tie Lao: …

After a period of talking past each other, Ghost King Tie Lao finally managed to clarify what was going on with Wan Yan.

Wan Yan Ghost King hadn’t lost his memory again; the damn cat simply didn’t remember him.

Because Ghost King Tie Lao was just too busy, the number of times he met Wan Yan Ghost King over twenty-some years didn’t exceed double digits, and most of those were concentrated around the time Wan Yan first woke up. The last time they met was over ten years ago.

Ghost King Tie Lao glared at Wan Yan until the latter felt guilty. The little cat head turned left and right, pretending not to look at Tie Lao.

Fine, it wasn’t the first day he knew what kind of character Wan Yan was.

Ghost King Tie Lao got back to business and said seriously to Wan Yan: “If you keep making a fuss, I’m going on strike.”

The Wan Yan cat couldn’t understand what was so scary about a strike: “What does you going on strike have to do with me?”

Ghost King Tie Lao: “If I go on strike, no one will work at Mount Chaofu. There will be lots and lots of things, and Lin Yuan will have to take over these tasks. If Lin Yuan takes over these tasks, he’ll be very busy. Even if you find Lin Yuan, he won’t have time to pay attention to you.”

“Impossible!” The Wan Yan cat was very unwilling to believe it. “Will he really be that busy?”

Ghost King Tie Lao: “Do I look like I have time? How many times have you seen me in over twenty years?”

The Wan Yan cat thought for a moment and felt very sympathetic: “You really are so busy, so busy I even forgot you.”

Ghost King Tie Lao felt a sour pang in his nose.

To prevent Ghost King Tie Lao from going on strike, the Wan Yan cat agreed not to make a fuss.

Anyway, no matter how much he fussed, Minghe wouldn’t let him out. Hmph! Bad people! They were all bad people stopping him from finding Lin Yuan!

But Ghost King Tie Lao’s defenses had been broken down by Wan Yan’s chat.

Thinking about his past twenty-six years—working hard, running himself ragged, and still having to clean up messes—and in the end, the freaking Wan Yan Ghost King forgot him! Ghost King Lin Yuan probably had no impression of him either; Ghost King Lin Yuan ran away before they even formally met. Ghost King Minghe had a personality that didn’t care about anything, so he probably left no impression on her heart either.

What was he so busy for?

Ghost King Tie Lao felt utterly bitter and found Ghost King Minghe to express his firm desire to resign.

Ghost King Minghe looked at him quietly with her clear eyes. Her eyes were like the leisurely flowing Ming He River, calm and tolerant, carrying every single soul without discrimination.

“I know, it has been hard on you these past few years,” she said softly.

All of Ghost King Tie Lao’s pent-up grievances instantly spilled out.

Wuwuwu, his sacrifices were seen by someone after all!

Watching his expression instantly crumble, Ghost King Minghe continued, “It’s alright, you need to rest well now. Leave these jobs for someone else to do.”

Ghost King Tie Lao was comforted by Ghost King Minghe’s peaceful voice. The long, leisurely river was quiet and tranquil, washing away every bit of his anxiety and exhaustion. His soul felt as if it were floating on the river water—he didn’t need to think about anything, just slowly drift along with the current.

Ghost King Tie Lao left, feeling relaxed and carrying the task of handing over his work, deeply moved as he thought: Ah! Senior Minghe is truly too considerate and gentle.

While he was caught up in his emotions, a large ghost holding a ledger hurried over: “Lord Tie Lao! I finally found you! Please see how to handle these documents; they all need your seal.”

Ghost King Tie Lao was abruptly yanked back into work mode. Out of habit, he approved more than half of the documents before suddenly remembering. Wait, that wasn’t right! He had already resigned!

“There’s no need to seek me out in the future. I have already resigned, these tasks are no longer under my charge.” Ghost King Tie Lao put down the ledger.

The large ghost asked blankly: “Ah? Not under your charge… then whose charge are they under?”

Ghost King Tie Lao: “Hand them over to my successor.”

The large ghost: “My Lord, who is the successor?”

Ghost King Tie Lao: “The successor is… I haven’t found one yet.”

If he had found one, would he have worked non-stop for twenty-six years?!

The large ghost asked carefully: “Then… before finding a successor, will you still be handling these things?”

Ghost King Tie Lao: …

Fuck! Why is it still him?!

Through the Gossip System, Zhan Yan watched helplessly as Ghost King Tie Lao was crippled by a few words of trickery from Ghost King Minghe.

Too miserable, it was simply too miserable!