Upon hearing Yakumo Yukari's explanation,
the money in Lu Ren's hand suddenly felt a bit hot.
"Is this money... clean?"
Lu Ren asked in a strange tone.
He knew very well.
These one hundred thousand bills were very likely Reimu's.
"Heh..."
Yakumo Yukari smiled without speaking; there was no need to be so clear about Yokai matters.
"You're really something..."
Lu Ren exclaimed, sweating, and after accepting the money, he suddenly thought of something.
"Yukari, let me ask you something."
"Can you cut a Yokai into pieces without harming its life?"
Lu Ren asked the powerful Sage of Youkai with a sincere expression.
"Of course I can..."
"But... what do you want to do?"
Yakumo Yukari's purple eyes narrowed slightly, as she playfully scrutinized the young man before her.
"My landlord, who came to pick me up, was cursed by a Yokai."
"I want to give it a little Sage shock."
Lu Ren stated the truth.
He wanted to use sincerity to move this Sage of Youkai.
"Alright..."
"When it appears, I will help you."
After learning the truth, Yakumo Yukari's brows relaxed.
The smile on her face became even more charming.
"After you finish shopping, go back and rest as soon as possible."
"Reimu is holding another banquet."
"I still have an appointment to keep, so I'll be going now."
After leaving a few instructions, Yakumo Yukari once again disappeared into a gap.
As the gap healed, the Sage of Youkai departed once more.
"You're surprisingly nice..."
Lu Ren grumbled about Yakumo Yukari, then got up from his seat and walked towards the convenience store... An hour later... Lu Ren, carrying large and small bags, entered the elevator lobby.
He bought a lot of things, even a bag of flour.
The concern from Yamada Ryo made him rekindle his passion for life.
Unfortunately... this newfound passion was immediately doused with cold water... [Master, that Yokai has followed you.]
Tamamo-no-Mae's gloating voice echoed in Lu Ren's mind.
"What?"
Lu Ren asked, puzzled.
[It's in the elevator...]
[To be precise, she's right behind you!]
Tamamo-no-Mae said playfully, with a hint of mischief.
"If she's there, she's there. I can't see her anyway..."
Lu Ren didn't care about Tamamo-no-Mae's prank!
As an ordinary person, Lu Ren had no spiritual vision.
It was as if an invisible barrier separated him from those Yokai.
He couldn't see the Yokai.
And the Yokai couldn't harm him.
Perhaps.
For ordinary people, this could be considered a kind of happiness... Hiratsuka Shizuka's apartment... This was a high-end apartment, nearly two hundred square meters.
It had everything: kitchen, balcony, bathroom, living room.
All the home appliances were from famous international brands.
At this moment... Hiratsuka Shizuka, having finished cleaning the room, was lying on the sofa, resting with her eyes closed.
Her complexion was poor, and her reddened eyes looked as if she had just cried.
Considering what Tamamo-no-Mae had just said,
Lu Ren was deep in thought.
During the time he was away,
Hiratsuka Shizuka, alone, must have encountered that Yokai again!
Hiratsuka Shizuka hadn't shaken her off; that monster had followed her!
..."Something on your mind?"
Lu Ren looked at the dejected Hiratsuka Shizuka and asked with concern.
"No..."
"I'm a bit tired. You can cook dinner yourself tonight."
"There are bentos in the fridge; just heat them in the microwave."
Hiratsuka Shizuka said weakly.
Her mood was extremely low right now.
"There's a saying in my hometown that dumplings can ward off evil."
"Want some?"
"I'm quite confident in my cooking."
Lu Ren glanced at the shopping bag and asked Hiratsuka Shizuka.
He knew what was happening to Hiratsuka Shizuka but didn't say it directly.
Because he understood adults very well, and their stubborn pride.
The true form of that Yokai would appear in five days.
During this time, Hiratsuka Shizuka was safe.
So... giving her what little care he could when she was helpless.
That was Lu Ren's duty at the moment... "Nothing could be better..."
Hiratsuka Shizuka murmured weakly.
She was like a lazy cat, shifting her body into a more comfortable sleeping position.
Lu Ren didn't mind, walking straight to the kitchen and opening the double-door refrigerator.
Then... the boxes of bentos and the fridge full of beer made Lu Ren's eyelids twitch.
Seeing these foods, he could already imagine Hiratsuka Shizuka's daily life.
A woman living alone, how terrifying... An hour later... The aroma wafting from the kitchen made Hiratsuka Shizuka, in her sleep, suddenly open her eyes.
So fragrant!
This aroma seemed to trigger something!
Hiratsuka Shizuka rubbed her eyes, sat up from the sofa, and looked curiously towards the kitchen.
Soon.
Lu Ren brought a plate of crispy fried dumplings and placed it on the coffee table in front of Hiratsuka Shizuka.
"Let's eat!"
Hiratsuka Shizuka eagerly picked up her chopsticks.
The chopsticks glided over the fried dumplings, and the golden crispy edges shattered at a touch, making a crisp sound.
Just hearing that sound, she could already imagine how delicious these fried dumplings would be.
A dumpling entered her mouth.
The rising steam was filled with a rich meaty aroma.
The thin, crispy dumpling skin wrapped around a delicious shepherd's purse and pork filling.
The satisfaction spreading from her lips and teeth filled the emptiness in her heart!
"Beer!"
"This! It absolutely must be paired with beer!"
Hiratsuka Shizuka, revived, exclaimed excitedly.
This was a drunkard's highest praise for food.
"Alright, alright, I'll get it for you..."
Lu Ren watched Jing Ke'ai (Cute Shizu)'s excitement, sighing helplessly.
There was still a plate of pan-fried dumplings in the kitchen, his dinner.
However... when Lu Ren returned to the kitchen... the dumplings on the table, along with the plate, had vanished.
Lu Ren rolled his eyes, watching the space rift closing.
However... at this moment, he still didn't know... what a sensation the plate of pan-fried dumplings Yakumo Yukari had taken would cause at the banquet.
A certain gluttonous specter, after tasting this delicacy, even had ill intentions!
She wanted to abduct Lu Ren and take him home!
She wanted Lu Ren to cook for her for the rest of his life!