Realm of the Night God

Yang Haoran left his seat, preparing to return to his room to fetch something. Just as he reached the door, he encountered a serpent demon, smiling ingratiatingly.

Encountering the serpent demon didn't surprise Yang Haoran; he had sensed someone at the door long before. He simply couldn't be bothered to pay attention to such matters.

Though not exactly a proud matter, he had grown indifferent to it, so he didn't feel particularly embarrassed even if others overheard.

"What do you need? Shall I fetch it for you?" the serpent demon asked with a smile.

After a brief hesitation, Yang Haoran nodded and replied, "There's a box on my bedside table. I'd appreciate it if you could get it for me."

"No problem at all, I'll get it for you right away," the serpent demon said cheerfully as she headed towards Yang Haoran's bedroom, while he returned to his seat.

"Who were you talking to just now?" a woman asked, eyeing Yang Haoran.

"A friend who lives here," Yang Haoran replied with a sip of tea and a faint smile.

"A friend? Haha, a girlfriend, right? Judging by that voice, quite seductive! Must be in the same line of work?" the woman said with a cold smile.

Firstly, the serpent demon wasn't his girlfriend. Secondly, he found the woman's remark quite rude, considering there was no connection between him and the serpent demon.

Before Yang Haoran could respond, the voice of the serpent demon came from the doorway.

"Is spewing filth your idea of manners? Look at yourself with all that heavy makeup, then look at me without any, who really resembles a whore here?" the serpent demon retorted, holding a box as she swayed her hips, wearing a smile, and walking into the study.

Her appearance momentarily stunned the woman.

So beautiful, so enchanting, yet not a facade but a genuine allure emanating from within.

The woman considered herself a beauty, a rare one at that. She was confident and proud of her appearance, but compared to the serpent demon, her pride seemed laughable.

Though reluctant to admit it, it was an undeniable fact, apparent to anyone.

In just a moment of daze, the woman's jealousy flared up, and her gaze towards the serpent demon turned extremely disdainful.

Although the serpent demon didn't say anything further, her gaze towards the woman and the challenging smile on her face spoke volumes.

Placing the box in front of Yang Haoran, the serpent demon stood by his side, showing no intention of leaving but rather seemed prepared to cheer him on.

Provoked by the serpent demon, the woman was furious. Just as she was about to mock the serpent demon, Yang Haoran pushed the box in front of her.

"Open it and see," Yang Haoran said with a smile.

Perplexed, the woman didn't know what was inside the box. However, driven by curiosity, she opened it.

Inside was a piece of cloth, folded neatly. Yet this cloth was remarkably green, enough to make one's heart race.

Frowning, the woman turned to Yang Haoran and asked, "What's this rubbish? Seems quite old. I didn't expect you to have a habit of collecting such junk."

"Open it up," Yang Haoran chuckled.

Though unsure of Yang Haoran's intentions, the woman followed his instruction, taking out the cloth from the box and unfolding it.

It was a piece of green cloth, the same one Yang Haoran had once used to separate his bedroom from the grocery store. After the store's renovation, Yang Haoran had kept this piece of green cloth.

Looking at the green cloth, the woman's frown deepened. She couldn't recall what significance this green cloth held, having no memory of it whatsoever.

"This piece of green cloth has been with me for quite some time. I've never been able to bring myself to throw it away. Judging by your reaction now, it seems you've completely forgotten about this green cloth. However, it doesn't matter. Today, I'm giving this green cloth to you, or rather, returning it to you," Yang Haoran said as he took out a box of tea leaves from a drawer and pushed it towards the woman.

"The packaging of these tea leaves looks nice, but the tea itself is very dark and has a particularly strong taste, with a very poor flavor. I think these tea leaves rely on their packaging; in reality, they're just mediocre and don't hold much value. Of course, it's also possible that I lack taste and can't appreciate good tea, but just because I can't appreciate these tea leaves doesn't mean others won't. Perhaps you might like them," Yang Haoran continued.

The woman furrowed her brow. At first, she didn't quite understand what Yang Haoran meant, but then she realized, her face turning unpleasant.

"You better keep this piece of rag for yourself, and as for your lousy tea leaves, I have no interest," the woman retorted.

With that said, she stood up from her seat, headed towards the door. It seemed like she was about to leave, but just as she took a couple of steps, she stopped in her tracks.

"This study of yours is as cold as a crematorium. You have a guest, yet you haven't even turned on the air conditioning. Do you have any idea how much electricity the air conditioning consumes? Money is earned, not saved. You still have a small mindset. You'll never achieve anything significant in your life," she exclaimed angrily.

Yang Haoran maintained his smile, seemingly unaffected by the woman's words. On the other hand, the serpent demon couldn't help but smirk, looking at the woman as if she were a fool.

However, at that moment, the woman's mobile phone suddenly rang. Initially hesitant to answer the call, she quickly picked it up upon seeing the caller ID, fearing any delay might upset the caller.

"Hello, honey, I...," the woman began, but before she could finish, a man's voice erupted from the other end.

"Where the hell have you been?" the man shouted.

Glancing at Yang Haoran briefly, the woman averted her gaze and forced a smile, responding, "I went back to my hometown to visit my parents. Didn't I tell you about this?"

"Yes, you did! But did I agree to it? Get your ass back here right now! If I don't see you tonight, you'll spend a few more days in the hospital!" the man's voice was filled with rage, audible not only to the woman but also to Yang Haoran and the serpent demon.

The woman's expression turned grim, a hint of panic visible. Clearly frightened, she hastily left the study, seemingly preparing to return immediately. As for visiting her elderly parents at home, it seemed unlikely now.

The woman left without looking back. For Yang Haoran, this scene wasn't unfamiliar; it had played out between him and the woman before.

"Aren't you going to see her off?" the serpent demon asked Yang Haoran, smiling.

Shaking his head, Yang Haoran replied, "She's just a stranger to me. Would you see off a stranger?"

"Of course not, I don't have that kind of time," the serpent demon replied with a chuckle.

"If you don't have that kind of time, do you think I do?" Yang Haoran asked with a smile.

The serpent demon didn't answer Yang Haoran's question because it was unnecessary; the answer was already clear.

"Hehe, seeing how hurriedly she left, her days don't seem too pleasant," the serpent demon remarked with a smile.

Yang Haoran lit a cigarette, took a puff, and said, "She chose her path. Whether it's good or bad, she'll have to bear it. But I have a different view from you; I feel she might actually be enjoying it."

"Who knows? Perhaps she has some unique quirks. I'm not fond of this woman. I tolerated her outside the door earlier, solely because of you. Otherwise, I would've dealt with her by now. Or... should I go after her now and give her a lesson?" the serpent demon asked with a smile.

Yang Haoran shook his head. "She's just passing through; no need to waste time on her."

"Are you... still not over her?" the serpent demon inquired.

Yang Haoran chuckled. "Perhaps I was a bit before, but now, there's really nothing I can't let go of. After all, we're not from the same world. Besides, like you, I also dislike her as she is now."