Demons Beside You

After listening to Li Qing, Chen Zhao glanced at Ethan.

“What are you two talking about? Can you not speak in Chinese?” Ethan complained.

Chen Zhao turned toward him. “Are you sure you want to know what we’re talking about?”

“Bullsh*t. If you speak Chinese before me again, we’re over.”

“You’re sick,” Chen Zhao said.

“Huh? I’m sick? With what? Why don’t I feel anything?”

“Did you not use protection?”

Ethan’s expression grew uncomfortable. “Most of the time…” he stammered.

“That means you sometimes don’t use condoms, right?”

“Uh… What did I get?”

“I’ll prescribe some medicine and you’ll be fine in a few days,” Chen Zhao said. “But if you run out to play before I say you’re better, you can be limp for the rest of your life.”

“Okay, okay. Give me the medicine.”

Ethan might not listen to Li Qing, but he would definitely listen to Chen Zhao.

“Auntie Li, if this *sshole runs around before he’s better, remember to tell me. I’ll make sure he can’t get hard ever again.”

“Chen, why are you so evil? Can’t I go out to buy something?”

“Who knows if you’re really going out to buy something or mess around? Do you want to infect other people after getting sick?”

“Fine. I’ll stay in the motel obediently.”

Chen Zhao still wasn’t reassured. “Auntie Li, call me no matter where he goes.”

“I got it.” Li Qing was very grateful towards Chen Zhao and Ethan. After all, they were the ones who gave her hope when she was most hopeless.

“I’m busy these two days,” Chen Zhao said. “If there are clients, don’t come looking for me.”

Then he prescribed some Chinese medicine for Ethan.

…

In the afternoon, L.A’s temperature rose. It was only February, but it still reached more than 70 degrees.

When Chen Zhao got to UCLA, the entire campus was heated up. Many students from the other schools came to cheer on their schoolmates.

Eveleigh already found Chen Zhao in the crowd. It wasn’t because he was eye-catching, but he stood out. After all, he had so many pets with him. Princess was even more attention-grabbing.

“You got beaten up?” Eveleigh looked at Chen Zhao’s face in surprise. He had a bandage on the corner of his eyes and there were bruises on his cheeks too.

Normans was curious who could beat Chen Zhao up like this. And where were the people who’d done it?

“I fell,” Chen Zhao said carelessly.

Eveleigh remembered their first meeting on the train. He’d also looked like this and had the same answer.

“How come you’re still here?”

“There’s still an hour before the meet.” Eveleigh wasn’t nervous at all. She seemed very calm.

Some people were skilled but would get nervous in public events and perform poorly.

“You should go prepare,” Chen Zhao said.

Just then, some students walked over. “Sir, can I take a picture with Princess?”

“Of course.” Chen Zhao nodded, making a welcoming gesture.

The students were a bit scared when they approached Princess. But after a girl hugged Princess, the other students grew braver. They made all sorts of weird poses.

This caused some consequences—more and more people went to take pictures of Princess. Black Ma and White Ma grew dispirited. They hung their heads low listlessly.

Woof.

“That b*tch. It’s all because of her that no one cares about us anymore.” Black Ma looked at Princess, baring his teeth.

“I can’t stand this.” White Ma was jealous too.

“Can I take pictures with these two big dogs?”

Woof, woof!

White Ma and Black Ma were instantly alive again. They enthusiastically responded to the student’s request.

“Seems like the humans still have good taste.”

“They must’ve sensed the noble Mammon blood in us.”

Meow.

“You two are an embarrassment to all demons. If Mammon knew that you two act so desperate to get humans’ love, he’d definitely cough out blood in anger.” Samuel looked at them with disdain.

A woman suddenly saw Samuel standing on Chen Zhao’s shoulder and yelped. “Wow! Such a cute kitty. He’s too cute. Can I hug him?”

Meow.

“Do you see that? I took over another human. Yet another human has been conquered, haha… My noble plan will soon be realized.”

“Your Majesty, where’s your restraint?”

They finally reached the notarium, but there was a bigger audience than imagined. This was a standard notarium that could seat 5,000 people.

Swimming was a pretty popular sport in America, so there were many observers.

Chen Zhao could barely find empty seats for his family.

“Mr. Chen, here, here…come sit here.”

The boxing club members waved at Chen Zhao enthusiastically in the distance. They didn’t seem to have any seats near them, but they knew to use their strength and kick out three guys next to them.

Chen Zhao sat in the seat the boxing club made for him. Princess and the others followed suit.

…

Grint also came to the pool. He knew that Eveleigh had hired Chen Zhao as her coach. He wanted to see if Chen Zhao was actually an effective coach.

UCLA’s swim team was average. They weren’t in last place, but they couldn’t reach the top either.

Earlier, they’d already done the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle. Their best result was third place, managing to score a bronze medal.

Next was Gina Lisby. She was the closest to a professional athlete in the team, but she didn’t even get a medal in the 1500-meter swim. She’d faced even stronger opponents, including a true Olympic candidate.

Gina performed poorly. Of course, she was also affected by the other swimmers’ water currents.

Up until now, UCLA only had a bronze medal for swimming. Most of the UCLA students had already lost. No one wanted to see their athletes lose tragically.

Round after round of failure made them lose interest.

Finally, it was time for the women’s 800-meter freestyle. The swimmers from every school entered the notarium. Eveleigh scanned the audience for Chen Zhao.

She finally found Chen Zhao in the center of the crowd. She waved at him; Chen Zhao nodded too.