Chapter 247
Chapter 247: Don’t Pursue Me. It Won’t Work Out—I’m a Demon Who’s Going to Become an Immortal
Pursue her?
With marriage as the goal?
Jiang Tea Tea’s first thought was simple and vicious: So the subtext is, you’re easy to breed, you carry cubs well, and once I marry you I can keep you under control and make you give birth, give birth, give birth.
Ha.
Males.
Those abacus beads were practically flying from the M31 Star System all the way to the demon realm and smashing her in the face.
Jiang Tea Tea tried to pry his hand off her wrist. “Someone as outstanding as me doesn’t lack admirers. You liking—”
Chong Ming tightened his grip. “You’re misunderstanding. I’m not pursuing you because of the cubs in your belly.”
“I’m pursuing you because you are you.”
His tone stayed steady. “This isn’t a whim. I’ve thought it through. I decided only after I confirmed I can’t accept anyone else.”
Jiang Tea Tea clicked her tongue. “Can you stop being so serious? You’re pursuing me like you’re handling national affairs.”
Chong Ming nodded once, completely sincere. “You’re right. Pursuing you is as serious as handling national affairs.”
“You don’t have to believe me, but I still want to make it clear.” His eyes didn’t waver. “I never dared to hope I would have cubs. If they came, it was luck. If they didn’t, I had already accepted it.”
“I’m pursuing you because I like you. Not for any external condition.”
Jiang Tea Tea glared. “Then let go. You’re about to crush my wrist.”
Chong Ming loosened his strength slightly but still didn’t release her. “If I let go, are you sure you won’t run?”
Jiang Tea Tea rolled her eyes. “Whether I run is my freedom. What does it have to do with you? Let go.”
Chong Ming didn’t.
Instead, he pulled her forward and sat her down in his office chair.
He braced both hands on either side of the chair, bent at the waist, and caged her in. His gaze pinned her like a net.
“Jiang Tea Tea,” he said quietly. “What do you say?”
Jiang Tea Tea met his eyes head-on. Even if her heart beat a little faster, she didn’t look away first. “Say what?”
“My pursuit.”
Jiang Tea Tea laughed. “You pursuing me is your business. What does it have to do with me?”
She lifted her brows, amused. “Do you know how many males and females have confessed to me? From the Zhen Lin Empire to Da Xi Nation, then around the M31 Star System.”
“If I had to give every confession a response, I wouldn’t do anything else. I’d drag a stool around and spend my days answering people. I’d hit the peak of life. Do you believe it?”
Chong Ming stared at her for a long moment.
Then his shoulders eased by half a breath. “You’re right. Pursuing you is my decision. Accepting me is yours. I rushed you.”
“But I still want to say it again,” he said, voice low. “I’m pursuing you because you’re you—not because of the cubs.”
“You like to overthink. You like to invent stories in your head.” His gaze sharpened. “I want you to cut that nonsense out.”
Jiang Tea Tea’s temper snapped.
Look at him.
They weren’t even officially at the “pursuit” stage yet, and he was already telling her what to do.
If she hadn’t cultivated for thousands of years with suspicion and caution, she would’ve been eaten alive as a supplement ages ago.
Jiang Tea Tea planted a hand on his shoulder and shoved him away. She stood. “Let me give you advice. Don’t like me. Don’t chase me. It won’t work out.”
Chong Ming calmly straightened his shirt. “Whether I like you and whether I chase you isn’t decided by you. It’s decided by me.”
Jiang Tea Tea sighed long and hard, speaking like an elder tired of watching young fools dash their heads into walls. “If you don’t listen to elders, you’ll suffer. Let me warn you—if you know a mountain has a tiger and you can’t beat it, don’t climb.”
Chong Ming’s gaze was steady, confident. “If I don’t try, how do I know I can’t beat it? Maybe I won’t just beat it. Maybe I’ll capture it alive.”
Jiang Tea Tea shrugged. “Fine. If you won’t listen, you’ll be the one who suffers. When you cry, don’t come crying to me.”
Chong Ming’s mouth curved faintly. “If I can’t catch you and I cry, I’ll definitely come cry to you. Save me a shoulder.”
“As if—”
Knock, knock, knock.
The door interrupted her.
Jiang Tea Tea and Chong Ming both turned.
After a beat, Adjutant Ai stepped in. “Commander-in-Chief, Classmate Sui Xuan Chu is here.”
Chong Ming nodded. “Let him in.”
Adjutant Ai stepped out again.
Sui Xuan Chu walked in with a grin, saluted his uncle, then turned to Jiang Tea Tea. “Roommate! You said you were going to make us protective detox potions. Did you make them?”
He couldn’t find her, asked Adjutant Ai, and sprinted over the moment he learned she was here.
Jiang Tea Tea pointed at Chong Ming. “I just remembered the ingredients and came to tell your uncle. He said he can get them within five hours.”
Sui Xuan Chu gaped. “What kind of thing takes my uncle five hours to obtain?”
Chong Ming answered for her. “Top contraband. Rare protected plants. Imported medicinal stock.”
Sui Xuan Chu let out a sound halfway between awe and horror, then gave Jiang Tea Tea an exaggerated thumbs-up. “Roommate—you’re incredible. Even your ingredients are insane.”
Jiang Tea Tea gave him a flat look. “Stop flattering me like that. It’s embarrassing.”
“I mean it!” Sui Xuan Chu laughed.
“Sure.” Jiang Tea Tea sniffed. “I thought you were just trying to cover for me in front of your uncle.”
Sui Xuan Chu froze. “You noticed?”
Jiang Tea Tea snorted. “Enough. Don’t brag about me in front of your uncle. He knows exactly what kind of people we are.”
She turned and waved. “Come on. Let’s find Huang Da Zhuang and the others. We’ll take them to see how Cheng Lin Yue and Cheng Yuan’s research on Reboot is going.”
Sui Xuan Chu lifted a hand weakly. “Didn’t my uncle tell you? Reboot’s been unconscious this whole time. She still hasn’t woken up.”
Jiang Tea Tea frowned. “Unconscious? No way. I didn’t hit her that hard.”
Chong Ming walked around the desk and stopped in front of her. “He’s right. It wasn’t your strike. It was after Chong Xing Qi left the military department—she went limp, like someone pulled her battery.”
Jiang Tea Tea narrowed her eyes. “Did you find the researcher who looks exactly like Chong Xing Qi?”
Chong Ming shook his head. “No leads.”
Jiang Tea Tea’s voice went sharp. “Reboot is gene-fused, illegally bred. That means she needs to be destroyed.”
Chong Ming studied her. “Say what you’re thinking.”
Jiang Tea Tea didn’t hesitate. “Chong Xing Qi has no memory of Reboot and doesn’t know someone identical to him exists. That means whoever looks like him is hiding deep.”
“And Reboot is clearly a prized product. People like that don’t casually throw away something they love.”
“So—announce it publicly. Move Reboot to Ni Su Town or somewhere else. Then kill her.”
Chong Ming’s eyes flashed. “Lure the snake out of the hole.”
“Exactly.” Jiang Tea Tea nodded. “If he comes to save her, that proves she’s vital. A living dead zombie that evolved intelligence like this might be unique.”
“And if he doesn’t come?” Jiang Tea Tea’s tone stayed flat. “That means he has more than one Reboot.”
Chong Ming nodded once. “You’re right. I’ll pick a good place. We’ll draw out Reboot’s dad—and see if anyone else is infected along the way.”
He glanced at Sui Xuan Chu. “You can bring your classmates to assist. There’s one named Huang Da Zhuang—dog-type beastfolk. His sense of smell and speed are excellent.”
Sui Xuan Chu brightened. “Then I’ll go tell him—”
“Wait.” Jiang Tea Tea held up a hand.
Sui Xuan Chu and Chong Ming both looked at her.
Jiang Tea Tea said, “I just remembered something. The one with the best detox talent among us is Huang Da Zhuang.”
Sui Xuan Chu blinked. “Huang Da Zhuang… detox talent?”
Chong Ming lifted a brow, intrigued. “Explain.”
“Can’t explain quickly,” Jiang Tea Tea said. “I’ll go ask him first. Then I’ll tell you.”
Chong Ming nodded. “Go. Stay in contact.”
Jiang Tea Tea didn’t spare him another glance. She beckoned Sui Xuan Chu like calling a puppy and left the office.
In the corridor, they ran into Zhong Li He and Kong Que.
Zhong Li He walked in front, aura dazzling enough that anyone would picture a phoenix even in human form. Kong Que followed behind, holding his coat—low-key, restrained, like a loyal lackey and a blood-soaked guard at the same time.
Zhong Li He spotted Jiang Tea Tea and waved brightly. “Hey! I just got here and you’re leaving?”
Jiang Tea Tea stepped closer. “I didn’t know you were coming. If I had, I’d have waited in the commander-in-chief’s office.”
Zhong Li He smiled wider, sapphire eyes bending. “Your mouth is sweet today. You’re in a good mood. How about you accept my pursuit and come back to Da Xi Nation with me?”
Sui Xuan Chu’s eyes bulged.
On his uncle’s territory, trying to steal his uncle’s woman?
Shameless.
Sui Xuan Chu slid in front of Jiang Tea Tea, blocking Zhong Li He. “Chief Executive Zhong, Commander-in-Chief Chong Ming is waiting for you. Please go in.”
Zhong Li He laughed. “You little dragon hatchling, you’re not obedient. Move, move. Don’t block me from pursuing Jiang Tea Tea.”
Sui Xuan Chu didn’t move.
The man might be a phoenix, but he acted like a peacock—always showing off.
Showing off was one thing. Showing off at Sister Tea was another. If he really lured her back to Da Xi Nation, what then?
Jiang Tea Tea was carrying Gold Dragon Clan cubs. If she left, who was Sui Xuan Chu supposed to play hatchling games with?
Zhong Li He tried stepping left—Sui Xuan Chu blocked left. He tried stepping right—Sui Xuan Chu blocked right.
Zhong Li He stopped, amused. “Little cub, you’re not cute.”
Sui Xuan Chu grinned, defiant. “I never said I was cute.”
Zhong Li He tilted his head and looked past him to Jiang Tea Tea. “Jiang Tea Tea, I have tons of money. Planets. My own fief. Want to try dating me?”
Jiang Tea Tea copied the head tilt and met his gaze with a dead-serious face while lying through her teeth. “Thank you for your kindness. You’re the ten billion, eighty million, one hundredth male to confess to me. Let me finish answering the first ten billion before I answer you, okay?”
Zhong Li He burst out laughing. “Fine, fine. I’ll take a number and line up. Since we know each other, let me cut later, yeah?”
Jiang Tea Tea nodded. “Sure. Once we handle the living dead zombie crisis, I’ll help stabilize your abilities and soothe your mind sea.”
She added, matter-of-fact, “Get your money ready.”
She wasn’t joking. Building ties with Da Xi Nation’s chief executive was useful. If she ever needed to flee the Zhen Lin Empire, she’d have somewhere else to land.
Zhong Li He nodded instantly. “Deal. I’ll make sure my subordinates cooperate fully with the Zhen Lin Empire on the living dead zombie situation.”
Jiang Tea Tea smiled. “Good. We’re leaving.”
Zhong Li He stepped aside and called after her, “Go, go. Remember to contact me privately when you have time. I’ll reply in seconds!”
Jiang Tea Tea flashed him an okay sign, grabbed Sui Xuan Chu before he could argue, and dragged him into the elevator.
The doors closed.
Kong Que watched Zhong Li He keep staring even after the elevator descended. He stepped closer and spoke softly. “Chief Executive, Healer Jiang agreed again to stabilize your abilities and soothe your mind sea. You should go tell Commander-in-Chief Chong Ming.”
Zhong Li He turned, sapphire eyes blazing with mischief, and smacked Kong Que’s arm. “You’re right.”
“I’m going to go to Chong Ming—that bastard—and lie to his face.” He grinned. “I’ll tell him the mate he hasn’t caught accepted my pursuit and is willing to date me.”