Chapter 16

At furniture market he picked a clean white auto washer—at checkout—purchase blocked.
Required Mid-tier II to unlock.
Wen Xi left disappointed.
Petty thought—dump dirty clothes on flea market—he had coins and Heart Coins—buy new.
He underestimated how the game trolled players.
System: 【Listing old clothes failed—for succubi’s health, clean items before selling.】
Ha—clean where?
No washer—hand scrub?
Problem-solver Fenrir popped: 【Dear Master—dirty laundry bothering you? Follow me to the map～】
Familiar transparent arrow—gray landmark—text: 【Spend 1000 gold to unlock dry cleaner?】
Money-grubbing.
Wen Xi sighed—unlocked.
Dry cleaner live—Wen Xi sent all dirty laundry—manager Ta Weiya charged 2000 gold—pickup in eight hours.
Wen Xi meant to landscape the garden—phone rang.
Pei Yingzi—weekend—coming home for lunch? Dad missed him.
Wen Xi usually went home every two weeks for a couple days—early wake was partly for that.
Wen Xi sipped warm water. “Yeah—coming.”
Hung up—10:30.
No more game—he dressed Fuzai and left together.
_
Steam-filled bath.
Wen Siran scrubbed hair hard—couldn’t wait to finish and look outside.
At his forehead—fingertips met two small hard points.
He pressed—no mistake—real.
Could it be—
He swallowed excitement—climbed from tub—to full mirror—parted hair.
Tips just breaking skin—joy flooded.
Horns!!
Author’s note:
Wen Siran left bath—auto-outfit—a new trench and black casual pants.
He loved them.
He lifted arms—admired stitching—hands in pockets—pose he thought looked cool.
The human had taste—everything fit—and Siran looked good in anything.
He smoothed the coat—tested, “Polin?”
No answer.
“Si ren—bai bai le.”
Still nothing.
Human had left.
Teacher Eric said human lives were busy—
Work, study, socializing—
now raising them was part of life too.
Wen Siran decided—no more trouble.
Human was tired enough—caring, forgiving—how could he be a bad succubus?
Self-reliance—lighten the load—starting with the garden!
He fist-pumped, rolled sleeves, opened the door—
Felt mana surging—could turn rocks to pearls, weeds to flowers, mud to white floors like home, line the stinky pool with diamonds—
Then the human would respect him—love him more—call him best little succubus!
He giggled at the thought.
He threw the door wide—stood on the threshold—and cast.
-
Wen Xi reached his parents’ at 11:30.
Still typing the code—the door opened inside.
Pei Yingzi arms wide— “Fuzai—come to Grandma!”
Fuzai tail wagging—launched into her arms—full hug.
Wen Xi looked at the leash yanked away—then at his mom. “Grandma? Don’t age yourself—you don’t look like anyone’s grandma.”
Pei Yingzi rolled eyes—carried Fuzai in— “No dating, no marriage—I’ve given up on real grandkids—I can’t adopt a dog-grandkid?”
Wen Xi: “Wrong generation—at my place I’m his brother.”
Pei Yingzi: “Different rules—here he’s puppy-grandson.”
“Oh.” Wen Xi followed—changed shoes.
Pei Yingzi kept going: “Last time Aunt Zhang mentioned—her niece’s your age—also single…”
“Mm.” Wen Xi waited calm.
Pei Yingzi: “Want her contact—get to know her?”
Wen Xi lifted chin toward the dog in her arms. “You’ve got a grandson already—why more hassle?”
Pei Yingzi clicked her tongue: “What’s wrong with you? You’re not ugly—not mom goggles—every time you visit, the neighbors think you’re in showbiz. As a kid your aunt wanted you child-starring—said you’d grow up to be a heartbreaker—start dating in elementary.”
“Twenty-four now—not one relationship—real or fake?”
Wen Xi: “Real none.”
“Never had a girlfriend?”
“No.”
“Then…” Pei Yingzi chose words. “A boyfriend?”
Wen Xi: …
“No.”
“What’s going on?” She was lost.
Wen Xi shrugged—beats me.
“What are we discussing?” Wen Zhongxian came from the study—smiling.
Wen Xi: “Mom asked if I ever had a boyfriend.”
Wen Zhongxian stepped behind Pei Yingzi—hands on her shoulders—soft: “Our son can’t hide anything—if he dated, guy or girl—I’d spot hints in his Moments.”
“He even flexes cooking for Fuzai.”
Pei Yingzi nodded: “Fair.”
Wen Xi deadpan: “I’ll block you both.”
Pei Yingzi smirked: “Winter break I’ll send Xiao Jin to your place for tutoring.”
Wen Xi: “Never mind then.”
Don’t mutually destroy.
Wen Zhongxian teased Fuzai—guided Pei Yingzi to the couch.
Years married—still solid—good model for Wen Xi.
So Wen Xi stayed picky in love—
Impulse no—dating for dating’s no—marrying to shut people up—no.
Only if you love—seen each other’s flaws—still plan a life together—choose each other firm—that counted.
Lunch was the housekeeper—light, easy on the stomach.
Pei Yingzi poured him two bowls of soup—watched him finish—again pushed moving home.
Open as they were—Wen Xi still preferred living alone.
That topic—he deflected vague every time.
After meal—chess with dad—Pei Yingzi in the living room teaching Fuzai communication buttons.
Most pressed: “Go out, go out.”
Wen Xi suddenly thought of the game sprite—running the garden, cheering in sun—out of the tiny room—so happy.
But the yard was still wasteland—would the sprite be disappointed in secret—run out—mud again…
Fine—as long as he didn’t get hurt.
Wen Xi’s lapse cost a piece—Wen Zhongxian laughed: “Distracted—what’s on your mind?”
Wen Xi lied: “Thinking about stream later.”
Wen Zhongxian: “Schedule change?”
Wen Xi: “Two blocks—don’t have to stay up as late.”
Wen Zhongxian: “Good—your mom worries less.”
That afternoon Wen Xi streamed from his old room—parents walked Fuzai downstairs.
He’d expected lower traffic for the new afternoon slot—
Almost matched night numbers.
2 p.m. to past 5.
Last game dragged—comeback possible—then enemy backdoored.
Fans groaned—Wen Xi quit the match.
Stream off—stretch—phone full of family chat pics.
All mom’s Fuzai photos—
Pet store clothes—mall toys—ball on the lawn.
Pei Yingzi: 【Just met a poodle owner—wouldn’t let his dog play with Fuzai—said our dog’s a mutt. Even dogs have a hierarchy now?】
Wen Zhongxian: 【Don’t be mad, honey.】
Wen Xi scrolled—two thumbs-up reacts.
Pei Yingzi @Stream: 【What are you liking?】
Stream unsent a message.