After weeks of intense training and focus on perfecting my newfound Devouring Domain, Grandpa declared it was time for a break. He summoned everyone to the dining hall with an unusual cheeriness that immediately set off alarms in my head.
"Today," Grandpa announced with a wide grin, "we're going to spend a family day in Heaven Dou City! We've been here for some weeks now. It's time to see what the city has to offer."
I groaned internally. The idea of spending a whole day in the bustling city didn't appeal to me in the slightest. Crowded places, noisy streets, and forced interactions were not my idea of fun. Apparently, my face betrayed my thoughts because Liu Erlong noticed immediately.
"Something wrong, Crazy Kid?" she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Don't tell me you're scared of being surrounded by people."
I raised an eyebrow, unwilling to let her win this round. "Scared?" I scoffed. "I love people. The only problem comes when they open their mouths and start producing sounds. That's when I start plotting different ways of killing them." I delivered the line with the most innocent face I could muster.
She and Grandpa burst out laughing. Uncle Xin, standing to the side with baby Dugu Yan in his arms, tried to suppress a grin but failed.
"Well, you'll have to endure it for one day," Grandpa said, patting me on the shoulder. "And besides, you can't keep hiding from the world forever. Today's about relaxing. Enjoy it!"
When Grandpa had mentioned it was a "family day," Liu Erlong's expression faltered briefly, her gaze dropping to the floor. It didn't take a genius to figure out she thought she was excluded. But before she could dwell on it, Grandpa looked at her and said firmly, "Of course, that includes you as well, young lady."
Her face lit up, and she nodded with enthusiasm. "Thank you, Senior Dugu. I'll make sure to keep the Crazy Kid in line."
I rolled my eyes. "I don't need a babysitter," I muttered, but no one seemed to care.
We left the academy mid-morning and made our way toward Heaven Dou City. Grandpa's eagerness was almost contagious as he led the way, chatting about how much the city had changed over the years. Unfortunately, his excitement only deepened my disgust. As we approached the city gates, I noticed something unusual: the streets were more crowded than usual.
"What's going on?" Uncle Xin asked, scanning the situation.
A passing merchant overheard and replied, "It's the Spring Festival! Everyone's out celebrating."
Great. A festival. Just what I needed. My frown deepened as I saw colorful banners hanging from the buildings, performers entertaining crowds, and vendors shouting to sell their goods. The atmosphere was vibrant and cheerful, everything I despised. Luckily, there would be some sort of attack and I would get to kill someone. Yes! A terrorist attack, that is exactly what I need right now, I thought.
"Looks like we picked the perfect day to visit," Grandpa said, beaming.
"Perfect for who?" I muttered under my breath, but Liu Erlong heard me.
"Oh, come on, Crazy Kid," she said, nudging me playfully. "A little fun won't kill you. Who knows? You might even enjoy yourself."
I shot her a glare. "Fun is overrated."
She laughed and kept walking, clearly enjoying my discomfort.
Five minutes into the festival, we passed a group of children around my age playing a game involving a wooden hoop and sticks. Liu Erlong's eyes lit up, and she turned to me. "Hey, Crazy Kid, why don't you go play with them?"
I ignored her and kept walking. Unfortunately, Uncle Xin heard her and decided to chime in.
"She's right, Bei. You should go make some friends. It'll be good for you," he said.
"Pass," I replied flatly.
But Uncle Xin wasn't taking no for an answer. He placed a firm hand on my shoulder and gently steered me toward the group. "Go on," he said. "We'll be right here."
I sighed dramatically, making sure everyone could hear my displeasure. "This family makes me want to murder people," I grumbled as I walked toward the children. Liu Erlong burst out laughing, and even Grandpa chuckled.
The group of kids looked up as I approached. They ranged in age, with the oldest probably around twelve and the youngest no more than six. They eyed me warily at first, but one of the older boys stepped forward.
"Hey," he said. "Wanna join us?"
"Not particularly," I replied, crossing my arms. "But my family insists."
The boy blinked, clearly unsure how to respond. After a moment, he shrugged and handed me a stick. "Suit yourself. You're on my team, then."
I took the stick and sighed again. "Let's get this over with."
The game was simple enough: players used the sticks to hit the wooden hoop into a designated goal. Despite my initial reluctance, I went along with the flow. Within minutes, I'd scored three goals and left the opposing team scrambling to keep up.
"Hey, no fair!" one of the younger kids complained. "You're too good at this!"
"Not my fault you're terrible," I said with a smirk.
The older boy who had invited me laughed. "Guess we picked the right teammate. What's your name, anyway?"
"Bei," I said. "Dugu Bei."
"I'm Jian," the boy said, offering a hand. "Nice to meet you, Bei."
I hesitated for a moment before shaking his hand. "Yeah, sure. Nice to meet you too, I guess."
By the time the game ended, I had to admit it hadn't been as terrible as I'd expected. Jian and his friends were surprisingly tolerable, and their enthusiasm was almost infectious. Almost.
"You're really good at this," Jian said as we walked back toward the festival stalls. "Do you play often?"
"First time," I said. "Guess I'm just naturally talented."
He laughed. "Yeah, I can see that. Hey, we're gonna grab some snacks. Wanna come?"
I glanced over at my family, who were watching from a distance. Grandpa gave me an encouraging nod, while Liu Erlong waved. Reluctantly, I turned back to Jian. "Fine. But you're buying."
He grinned. "Deal."
As the day went on, I found myself relaxing more than I'd anticipated. The festival, though crowded and noisy, wasn't entirely unbearable. And while I'd never admit it out loud, spending time with Jian and his friends wasn't the worst way to pass the time.