“Tea.”
In the living room, Luo Pianxian brought two freshly brewed cups of hot tea and set them down in front of Luo Qiu and Nero—at the entrance stood Gui Ying, leaning silently against the wall.
Unlike the carefree Luo Pianxian, Gui Ying was fully on guard.
“Were you cooking sothing?” Luo Qiu took a sip of tea and then smiled at Luo Pianxian as he asked.
The reason was simple—when she opened the door, the little one was wearing an apron, and there was flour-like powder on her face.
Boss pointed to his cheek, and Luo Pianxian finally realized, quickly wiping her face. “I was making cake!”
“Cake?”
The little butterfly demon nodded. “Last ti at Boss's house, Sister You Ye taught how to make one. She said sweets can cheer people up. I also feel really happy whenever I eat sweet things!”
“That’s probably your instinct,” Luo Qiu chuckled.
The little butterfly demon blushed with a sweet smile… Miss Nero quietly sipped her tea, eyes darting between the apron-clad girl and Boss, gradually curving into crescents.
Weird… it’s rare to see Boss smile at soone like this—and in such a relaxed way, no less.
“Is soone feeling down?” Luo Qiu suddenly asked.
“Mhm! Sister Dragon…” Completely unguarded around Boss, Luo Pianxian nodded and was about to speak further.
But Gui Ying, still leaning against the wall, coughed twice.
Luo Pianxian imdiately shut her mouth tight… but Boss was who he was—half a sentence never went unheard.
“What’s going on with Miss Long?”
“Sister Dragon… she… she’s asleep! Not unhappy!”
“Are you hot?”
“No…”
“Then why are you sweating so much… You can relax, your body’s too tense.”
Luo Pianxian slowly turned her head toward Gui Ying, eyes misty.
Gui Ying’s face was expressionless. “Lord Long isn’t here. If you’re here for her, you can leave. If you have sothing to tell her, leave it. I’ll pass it along. We don’t host strangers here.”
Nero stood up at that, eyes narrowing as a chilling killing intent filled the room. Gui Ying frowned—this level of killing intent wasn’t sothing he could ignore.
It made the little butterfly demon panic. She looked around helplessly, eyes finally turning to Boss with worry.
“It’s alright.” Luo Qiu said gently. “Is the cake ready? If it is, may I and my companion have so?”
“Y-Yes! I’ll go get it now!” She nodded vigorously like a pecking chick.
The intense pressure in the room vanished instantly. Nero sat down lazily and grinned, “Refill, please~”
As Luo Pianxian walked off with her head down, Gui Ying quietly sighed, then took a deep breath. Two unusual daggers appeared in his hands.
“I didn’t an to send Pianxian away just now. I really did want to try the cake. I’m quite fond of that child. Watching her grow little by little… it’s interesting. But I digress,” Luo Qiu said calmly. “I also have no intention of fighting. Mr. Gui Ying, have you never wondered why Miss Zijun had Miss Long brought to that room downstairs?”
“What do you an?” Gui Ying frowned, alard—he knows?
“So much has happened outside. Publicly and privately, don’t you think her doing this is rather… unreasonable?” Luo Qiu smiled faintly.
“D-Did Big Sis send you?” Gui Ying asked suspiciously.
“I won’t take much of your ti.” Luo Qiu stood up and walked out of the room. As he passed Gui Ying, he said nothing more.
“Eh? Boss, where are you going?” Luo Pianxian had just returned, holding a tray. “Aren’t you going to eat?”
Luo Qiu picked up a slice of cake from the tray. “I’ll be back shortly. Could you look after my companion for a bit?”
“O-Okay.” She nodded.
Luo Qiu walked down the hallway.
It was odd, but she still went into the living room out of habit—only to find Gui Ying standing at the entrance, no longer leaning.
“Mr. Gui Ying, what’s wrong?”
“C-Can’t move.” Gui Ying’s face was filled with shock.
Luo Pianxian blinked, only to suddenly feel sothing press on her shoulder—then a squeeze on her chest.
“Wah!!” she squeaked.
“So squishy…” Nero grinned, blowing warm breath near her ear as she slapped Pianxian’s shoulder. “Boss said I’m your guest, right~?”
...
Knock knock.
“Miss Long, may I co in?”
In the basent room, Long Xiruo frowned deeply when she heard the voice… she thought she was hallucinating—but she rarely had hallucinations.
How did this guy get here?!
Before she could react, the door opened. Luo Qiu’s familiar face stepped into her view.
In a flash, Long Xiruo kicked off the floor—the mont the door opened, her first instinct was to bolt.
But as she rushed past Luo Qiu, she crashed into sothing soft. Her body stopped abruptly. The little True Dragon of the Divine Land spun around and glared, “What’s the aning of this!”
Luo Qiu looked at the room—it was a ss, almost nothing intact, clearly trashed in a fit of rage.
Without answering, he walked in, flicked his fingers, and the toppled chair and table returned to normal. He placed the plate with the cake fork on the table. “Pianxian said you were upset and wanted to cheer you up with so sweets. Miss Long, won’t you have so?”
“Hah.” Long Xiruo sneered, “What an honor. What did I do to deserve the great Boss Luo delivering sweets in person?”
“That child… she’s really worried about you.” Luo Qiu said softly. “Probably a bit clumsy—made herself look like a painted clown. Her hair was a ss, too.”
“I’m warning you. Don’t lay a finger on Pianxian!”
“Miss Long, let’s be honest.” Luo Qiu turned toward her. “Right now… do you really have any strength to resist? From what I see, the only thing you’re capable of is trashing this room.”
Her fists trembled at her sides—not out of fear, but internal turmoil.
But she quickly let go, crossed her arms, and sneered, “Didn’t expect that, huh? So Boss Luo can talk trash too? I thought you were the type to wear the sa mask forever… What, no one around so you’re dropping the act?”
“Don’t want the cake?” Luo Qiu smiled again and asked.
“You ca to see like this, for what? To laugh at ?”
“You really won’t eat it?” Luo Qiu asked again.
“Ugh, you’re so annoying!”
Luo Qiu sighed. “Then… I’ll begin now. Forgive , Miss Long, for the offense that’s about to co.”
“What?”
Long Xiruo was stunned. Before she could react, she felt sothing pulling at her body, making her walk uncontrollably toward Luo Qiu… With each step closer, the True Dragon of the Divine Land felt an unprecedented sense of fear.
“You… what are you trying to do?” As she got closer—his face, his words—it all ca closer. “You… what exactly are you planning… I’m warning you, don’t even think about doing anything crazy!!”
But Luo Qiu’s face remained emotionless. He sat on the chair, and by now, Long Xiruo was already beside him—then slowly leaned over his lap. Yes, leaned over.
This position brought not only fear, but also humiliation. Shocked, furious, and ashad, she roared, “Bastard!! What are you doing!!”
Smack—!
The sharp sensation on her rear widened Long Xiruo’s pupils in an instant… the world before her eyes seed to turn black and white.
Her mind echoed with the sound of that strike like thunder, blasting through her nerves… Even after several seconds, she still couldn’t process it.
But clearly, whatever offense he ant—was now obvious.
“You… what did you do to …” Her neck stiffly turned to glance at Luo Qiu’s face, her shock now overtaken by disbelief and dazed confusion.
What she saw was Boss Luo’s utterly indifferent gaze—along with his hand, raised once again… and striking the sa place.
“No… Stop!!!”
Smack—!!
Another crisp slap.
“You bastard, you monster! I’ll kill you!! I’ll kill you, you hear !!! AHHHH!!”
A third strike!
“Bastard!!”
And a fourth…
...
Luo Pianxian tilted her head slightly, feeling like she had just heard so strange sound.
“Don’t stop now! These days, that kind of service attitude just won’t cut it, little sis~~”
“S-Sorry!”
Hearing Nero’s voice, the little butterfly demon imdiately resud vigorously kneading her shoulders… She thought she was going to be asked to do sothing difficult, but this wasn’t so bad.
Back at the pet hospital, she often helped waiting grannies and grandpas with shoulder and back rubs. “Miss Nero, is this pressure okay?”
Nero leaned into the butterfly girl’s chest, eyes closed in bliss, giving a thumbs-up. “The best!!”
“I’m glad you like it.”
She shoved another piece of cake in her mouth and swallowed it quickly. “Are you worried about that Sister Dragon of yours?”
“Did Boss go to see Sister Dragon?” Luo Pianxian paused.
“What, you wanna end up like her too, standing in the corner as punishnt?” Nero glanced toward the door where Gui Ying stood. “I’m worried that standing too long would be bad for your back, little sis.”
But Luo Pianxian shook her head gently and said quietly, “I know… If Boss wants to do sothing, no one can stop him… not even Sister Dragon.”
“Oh, I get it. You’re worried my Boss will do sothing bad to your Sister Dragon, huh?” Nero chuckled. “Well, let tell you—my Boss loves doing all sorts of things to girls~”
“Boss isn’t that kind of person!!”
The usually soft and creamy butterfly girl suddenly grew uncharacteristically firm, and her heavy tone made Nero blink in surprise. She looked up at the girl’s face.
“Really! Boss is very kind—he’s never done anything bad to anyone!!”
Nero sneered. “You that sure? Have you seen everything he’s done? Maybe he’s just showing you the version you want to see—but deep down, he’s a demon in human skin.”
“Don’t say that about Boss!! If you say that again, I… I’ll…”
“Oh?” Nero didn’t blink. “You’ll what?”
“I… I…” Luo Pianxian closed her eyes, clenched her fists, face turning red. “I’ll get really mad!!”
“Pff—hahaha!!” Nero clutched her stomach and kicked her legs on the couch, laughing until tears nearly ca out.
“Wh-Why are you laughing? I’m being serious!!”
“Okay, okay, I’ll stop.” Nero stifled her laughter. “Besides, I’m afraid once I go ho, I’ll never make it out again. There’s a real demon back ho.”
Luo Pianxian blinked, confused.
Nero just shook her head, picked up the last slice of cake, and was about to bite it. “Boss might actually be a good guy after all…”
“Hey!! That’s the last piece! It’s for Boss!!”
Nero stopped right as it touched her lips. Seeing the anxious little butterfly’s flushed face, she mumbled, “Now I get why Boss likes you so much.”
“Eh?”
Nero smirked and—right in front of Luo Pianxian—ate the last piece of cake in two bites, wearing the wicked grin of a mischievous child.
...
Smack—!
She’d already lost count of how many tis.
In the hidden basent, the only sound was that repeated strike—equal in both timing and strength.
The True Dragon of the Divine Land had gone from cursing to silence… She couldn’t move, couldn’t fight back—and now her eyes were empty.
Finally, Boss Luo’s hand stopped—for the first ti, breaking the regular rhythm.
Long Xiruo slowly and stiffly lifted her head. In front of her… was a mirror. And reflected in it—was the exact humiliating posture she was in.
Her appearance. Her pose as she was being struck. The man in the mirror stared right back at the reflection of her.
“What can you do?” Luo Qiu asked calmly.
His hand rose once again. In the mirror, the movent seed slowed down—she could see it clearly.
This ti, he said, “You can’t do anything.”
His words… overlapped with the sound of the next strike.
(End of Chapter)
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