Chapter 72: The Entanglements of Elementary School Children

Sitting in the BMW X6 that Jiang Yaowen had arranged for their return, Feng Chenchen clung to Pony’s arm with a hint of coquettishness. “That script was my creation, but it failed—it really hit me hard. Luckily, with you by my side, I feel inspired. Give me a week at most, and I’ll come up with a new script and fresh ideas.”

Pony replied decisively, “There’s no need for a week—the original script is already excellent.”

Feng Chenchen sighed, “But the industry bigwig, Mike Travis, called it worthless…”

Pony interrupted, “Why listen to the opinions of people who have no understanding of power? He knows nothing about it. If I say it’s a good script, then it’s a good script.”

Feng Chenchen’s expression grew vibrant, torn between joy at his support and amusement at his seeming bravado. “Then why didn’t you smack him in the face and show him up? It really got me down.”

“Uh…” Pony was at a loss for words.

Not wanting to embarrass him, Feng Chenchen laughed, “I was joking. In any case, having your support makes me happy. After their ridicule, I started doubting my own script and ideas, but with you backing me, I feel a bit more confident again.”

Her words always delighted Pony. Remarkable—he’d managed to subdue this enchantress. It was time to hunt the next monster. As a responsible demon lord, he couldn’t let a horde of monsters wreak havoc in the world. Pony considered building a Demon Lock Tower, displaying every type of enchantress within.

Feng Chenchen checked again, “Are you sure we don’t need to reconsider the script?”

“No need. Anyone who criticizes you is ignorant of power,” Pony replied.

Feng Chenchen couldn’t help but clutch her stomach, laughing. She adored him and promptly hugged him, nibbling at his ear.

His ear grew moist from her antics, and his body grew restless, but just as the Demon Lord was about to show off, the phone rang.

Seeing it was the little girl calling, his body calmed instantly. This body seemed especially fond of her, and had the peculiar trait of falling asleep when encountering gentle things.

Pony felt smug—he’d vaguely discovered a way to deal with the Demon Lord. As long as he brought the little girl along, the Demon Lord would likely refrain from showing off, and his welfare plan might succeed.

The problem was…Sweat. He couldn’t let the little girl watch everything from the sidelines. If she picked up bad habits, whose fault would it be?

“Answer the phone, why are you spacing out?” Feng Chenchen nudged him.

On the line, the little girl said, “Da Min, have you changed? Why haven’t you come to see me in so long?”

“Heh, should I come over now?” Pony asked.

“Sure, I’ll be waiting,” Wang Xiaoai replied crisply.

“You sound like you’re alone. Is your dad not there?” Pony asked.

“He’s drunk. I spent ages dragging him home, and I haven’t eaten yet,” the little girl answered.

“Shouldn’t you be with your mom today?” Pony questioned.

“I was, but just before eating, I got a call saying my dad was drunk and lying in the alley. So I left. The money my mom gave me for food was used to pay someone to carry him upstairs,” she explained. “Phone calls are expensive. Come and we’ll talk.”

“Take me there,” Pony said, tapping the driver’s seat and giving the address. The driver adjusted the route.

After arriving, Pony went to see Wang Xiaoai alone. Feng Chenchen took the car and left.

Impatient, Pony wanted to squeeze her cheeks. This primeval little girl—hadn’t her kind gone extinct on Earth long ago? Yet, in these dangerous times, she’d reappeared.

Though she was the one who seemed most like an idiot among the travelers, she was still a treasure.

After his daydream, he saw the little girl sitting on the familiar steps.

She wasn’t chewing on a lollipop this time, her face gaunt from hunger, mouth askew.

But she wore a bracelet today. Pony leaned in to look—it was quite pretty, made of titanium silver. Though worth only a hundred or so, for a young girl it was a precious item.

“Did your mom give you that?” Pony pointed at the bracelet.

She shook her head. “No, it was given by a boy in my class last week to his ex-girlfriend.”

The information in her words was staggering. Last week, a boy gave his ex-girlfriend a bracelet, this week it was on her wrist. Was this the tangled triangle of elementary school? One dumps another, another breaks up with someone else. Elementary schoolers were often accompanied by cries of “Give me my stuff back.”

Pony found his mind was becoming more peculiar, his thoughts deeper, his reactions sharper.

He asked, “So do you have a boyfriend now?”

Wang Xiaoai said, “I haven’t decided yet. I brush him off by saying I’m afraid it’ll affect my studies. He knows nothing about power. Actually, I’m a prodigy—I daydream and nap through classes, sometimes skip to deal with my parents’ affairs, but I’m still a top student. Only one person in the entire grade scores higher than me, but he lives in a happy family, has everything he needs, studies diligently, and gets tutored—only then does he surpass me.”

“So, are you dating or not?” Pony was exasperated.

“I’m still young, only nine. I plan to wait until I’ve matured at ten next year before I get a boyfriend,” she replied.

Pony patted her head. “Will you like your boyfriend?”

“No. I’ll pick whoever I dislike as a boyfriend. I can slack off and still be a top student, but he’ll definitely be distracted and fall behind. My dad says people who don’t do well in school grow up to be just like him,” Wang Xiaoai’s logic was certainly unconventional.

Her father, aside from his vices of lust, drink, and gambling, did have some redeeming qualities. Pony had seen him drunk and lying in a nearby alley. The neighborhood kids were mischievous, poking his ears or nose while he slept. Even if awakened, he’d just smile, say “Cut it out,” roll over, and keep sleeping.

Drunkenness reveals character—this was her father’s essence, completely different from others who get rowdy when drunk. The primeval little girl, by contrast, was fierce and protective. When the neighborhood brats teased her drunken father, she’d chase them with a broom.

No longer idly accompanying the little girl, Pony walked to Fan Lulu’s small shop, as usual buying the girl a drink.

This encounter was special for the attractive shop owner, Fan Lulu. She found Pony handsome, safe, and righteous, her mind growing restless, sneaking glances at him whenever he wasn’t looking.

Just before paying, Pony felt the little girl poke his waist from behind.

He turned—she wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering in his ear, “If you ask her, she’ll definitely close early and join you for dinner.”

Pony was speechless. Where did this primeval little girl get such odd ideas?

Xiaoai giggled quietly, “I know from experience—she’s like my mom, always looking to hook up. One look and I can tell she’s the same type, and I’ve watched her for years.”

“…”

The little girl’s mother was indeed like that. After being caught, she divorced. It was said her father wanted to give her mother a rental property, but Xiaoai secretly threatened her mother, just as she chased the neighborhood kids with a broom to protect her father. In the end, her mother didn’t dare take it, saying, “I don’t need the house, you keep it to raise the child.” Besides, her mother gave her father a few hundred a month in child support.

But according to Xiaoai, as soon as the money arrived, her father spent it on liquor. Raising a child? Hardly.

Before Pony could finish his daydream, the little girl grabbed a lollipop from the counter and popped it in her mouth. She then said, “Aunt Lulu, Pony’s too shy to ask, but he’s asked me to see if you have time to close early and eat together?”

Pony nearly wanted to cover his face. But deep down, he felt a bit of anticipation. Fan Lulu wasn’t an enchantress and didn’t need to be locked in the Demon Tower, but she had been the ‘goddess shopkeeper’ in the hearts of countless homebodies for years.

Fan Lulu blushed, smiling with her eyes. “I haven’t eaten yet, so…let’s go together.”

With her agreeing, Pony had no reason to refuse. He pulled out money to pay for the drink and the lollipop.

Fan Lulu quickly said, “Don’t, let me treat Xiaoai. I’ll treat dinner, too—I haven’t thanked you for saving me last time.”

“I really didn’t save you. What I did had little to do with you being robbed,” Pony blushed as well.

Fan Lulu laughed, “It did. I’m poor—my family’s monthly income barely hits ten thousand. You at least recovered my phone, ID, keychain, bank card, and cash. If I’d lost those, I’d have been frantic. My heart was racing with fear, but when you showed up, I felt safe. You took care of that thug, and it made the neighborhood safer.”

With that, the matter was settled.