My Demon Friends-Chapter 653 - 618 Accidental Encounter

"So... so handsome!"

"So... I really want a photo together!"

"I really want to touch it!"

"I really want to hug him!"

"I really want to kiss him..."

Huai Xu turned his head, a murderous glint in his eyes interrupting the murmurs of the two adorkable fangirls. He said in a deep voice, "Touching it will cost one meal, a photo together two meals, and a hug three meals."

"!!"

The two adorkable fangirls' eyes instantly widened.

Mianmian was the first to raise her hand. "I'll be first! I'll take hugs that cost a month's worth of meals!"

Qian Qian frowned and said earnestly, "Sis, your living allowance isn't that high; you can't just live on steamed buns and plain water every day for the sake of chasing after a handsome guy. You're not that tall to begin with. If you continue like this, it might no longer be a question of whether you can grow taller—it could have a serious impact on your health... Baozi, I'm not talking about you!"

Baozi remained silent.

Seeing this, Qian Qian felt reassured and then said to Mianmian, "So let me do it! I'm not afraid of going hungry!"

"Baozi can endure it! I can endure it too!"

"Baozi is no ordinary person..."

Fortunately, the car Brother Nan had called arrived just then. Brother Nan, who after all possessed some authority, interrupted their squabble.

Six people and one cat, two cars.

Brother Nan forcefully had Cotton Swab and Baozi take one car, ignoring their mournful glances. She continued to wait for the next car while scrutinizing Huai Xu's current appearance along with Zhou Li, even unceremoniously walking up to knock on the armor plates Huai Xu was wearing, her eyes glittering.

"It's really made of iron!" Brother Nan said.

"Where did you get it?" Zhou Li asked.

"Why do you always ask this question, no matter what I have?" Huai Xu rolled his eyes at Zhou Li. "I conjured it."

"Did you wear it before?" Brother Nan asked.

"No," Zhou Li answered. "That's not Han Armor."

"Mm-hm, mm-hm..." Huai Xu nodded sagely, affirming Zhou Li's assessment as if he were a teacher. "This is Tang Dynasty armor made of fine iron, cowhide, and fabric. It's not the heaviest, but when you add up all the pieces, big and small, it weighs about forty pounds or so."

"Impressive!"

The second car drove up.

The three of them got into the car one after another.

Grinning, Brother Nan said to Huai Xu, "You know, in that outfit, the way you were bent over getting into the car just now was hilarious."

Huai Xu remained expressionless.

「They quickly arrived at Haigeng Dam.」

The place had already been set up by the organizers and had a certain ancient charm. A section of the dam was blocked off, with security guards and police officers maintaining order.

Besides ordinary tourists, those who came could generally be divided into three categories.

The first category consisted of those invited by the organizers. This included major Hanfu merchants and their models, well-known Hanfu influencer teams, some influential figures interested in the event, and people from related government departments, as the event was essentially spearheaded by the Caiyun Tourism and Culture Departments. They were the core individuals at the venue and would have some activities exclusive to them, like catwalk shows, for instance.

The second category was composed of general Hanfu enthusiasts and freelance photographers.

The third category was the spectating crowd.

For the most part, the latter two categories could only take photos from the periphery and had to wait until the main events were over to get closer. By then, many models would be standing around, showcasing their Hanfu for advertising purposes, free for everyone to admire.

By the time they arrived, it was already a sea of people. Among the spectators, there were many Hanfu enthusiasts, both young women and young men. The clothing ranged from the Curved Hem Robes and Straight Hem Robes of the Qin-Han era to the Ru Skirts of the Jin Dynasty, to the Chest-high Tunic Skirts, Round-necked Robes, and Half-sleeves of the Tang Dynasty, and even to the attire of the Song and Ming Dynasties. In short, there were styles from every dynasty. Contrary to what Zhou Li had expected, it wasn't just the attire of noble families; there were also people dressed as common folk.

Additionally, there were a few people wearing armor, though not many, because the skill threshold for creating ancient armor was very high. Quite a few were wearing Military Officer Robes or Flying Fish Robes. There were also those dressed as ancient martial arts heroes. And unbelievably, there were even some wearing dragon robes.

Zhou Li truly had his eyes opened. But he also had to admit, many of the commoners' clothes were not quite what he had imagined. At least, they didn't match the images of ancient authors and characters that formed in his mind when he read ancient texts.

Many people spontaneously gathered in small groups, conversing in low voices. Some freelance photographers, upon finding attractive young women or men, would politely ask if they could take some photos nearby. If an agreement was reached, these individuals would then strike various poses off to the side, quickly drawing a crowd.

Due to his striking appearance and the rare, exquisitely crafted armor he wore, Huai Xu quickly attracted a group of enthusiasts and photographers. They surrounded him, taking pictures and asking all sorts of questions. Mianmian and Qian Qian also managed to bask in some of the reflected 'limelight.'

To Zhou Li's and Brother Nan's surprise, when it came to the topic of 'handcrafted armor,' Huai Xu actually knew his stuff, speaking with an expertise that deeply impressed a group of armor and handicraft enthusiasts.

The main event at the center began.

The young men and women started their fashion show, though it was primarily the young women who took center stage. These young women were either store owners themselves or professional models. Not only were they strikingly beautiful, but they were also wearing new releases from various major merchants, and they certainly knew how to pose. Every gesture, every smile, embodied the grace of ancient beauties—whether demure and dignified, delicate and lovely, or lively and whimsical, they all had one thing in common: they were a feast for the eyes.

Cameras clicked incessantly from the sidelines.

The closest shutter sounds came from right beside them. Brother Nan was on her tiptoes, camera aimed forward, lens zoomed in as far as it would go, frequently pressing the shutter button, though it was unclear what she was capturing. Her lips moved slightly, uttering faint murmurs that only Zhou Li and Huai Xu could hear.

"Oh, this one's good!"

"This one's good too..."

"Oh my, so cute..."

"Wow, this one really looks like Li Yitong..."

Zhou Li's expression remained calm; even without a camera, he could see everything with perfect clarity.

「About three hours later, the runway show finally ended.」

「Then it was time for free activities.」

Brother Nan grabbed Zhou Li and rushed forward, swiftly making her way through the crowd, shouting, "Let's go, let's go! I saw a model who looks just like Li Yitong. Let's go take pictures of her!"

"Oh."

Zhou Li let her pull him along.

Brother Nan sensed something was off, slowed her pace, and turned her head in confusion. "Why do you seem so uninterested?"

"Yeah."

Zhou Li nodded and answered honestly, "I don't think any of them are as good-looking as me."

Brother Nan: ...

Zhou Li promptly added, "And not as good-looking as Brother Nan."

Brother Nan immediately nodded, feeling that he had a point. "But we still can't be arrogant; we must remain modest. So, let's still go take some photos."

She insisted on pulling Zhou Li toward the young lady who bore a striking resemblance to Li Yitong. This young lady was wearing a light-colored, half-sleeved outer robe and a red horse-faced skirt. She was already a bit sweaty from the heat, but fortunately, a strong breeze blew in from Dian Lake. She maintained a faint smile, looking like a gentle and amiable lady from a prominent family. Many people were photographing her or asking about the style of her clothes.

Brother Nan also squeezed in.

At this moment, Zhou Li caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye.

She was wearing a Chest-high Tunic Skirt, lighter and more suited to the current Chunming weather. The skirt was light in color with printed patterns, making her appear more youthful and delicate compared to her usual dignified and imposing style. She also possessed an extraordinarily beautiful face, gentle and gracious, with a curvaceous, perfectly proportioned figure. Her full chest effortlessly supported the chest-high dress, making Qian Qian's attempt look rather strained by comparison. Her demeanor was composed and graceful. As she strolled through the crowd, she outshone everyone present, making people feel as if she had stepped out of ancient times, as if she had just emerged from a captivating, mesmerizing painting.

Compared to the other models, she was truly far too beautiful.

Yet, strangely, though many among the large crowd were drawn to her, no one approached to chat with her, ask for a photo, or inquire about the brand of her clothes. It was as if everyone recognized her beauty but also understood that she didn't belong to this world, that she was merely an ethereal illusion.

"..."

Zhou Li pursed his lips.

He saw Sister Hong Ran holding a short staff, swinging it playfully as she sauntered along, occasionally twirling it on her fingertips. Her gaze wandered left and right, appraising the attire of the models and Hanfu enthusiasts around her. When she saw something she liked, a hint of a smile would touch her lips, and her eyes would brighten, a moment so stunning it seemed to make the world itself dim in comparison.

She was heading straight towards where Zhou Li and the others were. As she approached, she turned her head and looked at him.

Zhou Li, resigned, raised his hand in greeting.

Hong Ran smiled as she walked over, stopping two meters away from him. Her gaze swept over him and then over to Brother Nan, who was still taking photos. She asked, "Why aren't you wearing Hanfu?"

"I don't have any Hanfu," Zhou Li paused. "What brings you here?"

"Of course, I came to shop around, to see if any new and beautiful clothes have been released," Hong Ran said, standing still. "Even though I'm older, I'm still a girl, and I need to buy clothes too. You don't actually think my clothes are all chosen by others or that I just pick them online, do you?"

"Ah, that makes sense."

By this time, Brother Nan had noticed him talking to someone. She put down her camera and turned her head in confusion. "Who is this? Do you know her?"

"This is my sister, her name is Hong Ran," Zhou Li said nonchalantly. "I've told you about her before."

"Holy crap! She's *that* beautiful?"

"Hmm…"

Zhou Li could almost imagine Sister Hong Ran's tail swaying beneath her skirt, though since they were outside, the arc of its movement would surely be very slight.

But Hong Ran remained composed, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Are you Zhou Li's girlfriend? You sure have a sweet mouth."

"The one and only!"

"Hmm…"

Hong Ran looked at Zhou Li with a puzzled expression.

Zhou Li nodded awkwardly, hinting to her discreetly, "I've told you about her…"

Hong Ran nodded slightly, signaling her understanding. She smiled at Brother Nan and said, "He's lucky to have a girlfriend like you... Come on, call me Sister Hong Ran, and I'll treat you to something tasty."

"Sister Hong Ran!"

Hong Ran's smile instantly brightened.

Zhou Li kept his composure, quietly observing Hong Ran and occasionally glancing at Brother Nan—

On the surface, everything seemed normal.

From not far off, Baozi's faint shouts could be heard. In less than a second, a small white figure awkwardly dodged the feet of the crowd, running swiftly towards them.

Though Lord Dumpling was small, she bravely stood in front of Zhou Li and Brother Nan, tilting her head up to stare at Hong Ran. Due to the bright light, her large blue eyes were narrowed to thin vertical slits. Her expression was serious, tinged with wariness, as she cried out in a small, thin voice, "Brother Lan, don't be afraid! Zhou Ni, don't be afraid! Lord Dumpling will protect you!"

Zhou Li bent down, picked her up, and held her in his arms. "Thank you, Lord Dumpling."

"You're welcome!"

Hong Ran's smile softened slightly, becoming more subtle yet even more captivating. She ignored Tuanzi and said softly to Zhou Li and Brother Nan, "Follow me, I'll get you both changed into new clothes…"

"Brother Lan, don't go! Zhou Ni, don't go!"

"Okay."

「Twenty minutes later.」

Zhou Li, dressed in a bright red Flying Fish Robe, and Brother Nan, in Ming Dynasty Attire, emerged. When they saw each other, they were both momentarily stunned.