Seeing the pity on the other's face, Jin Yu quickly added, "Apart from the cold in winter, it's not that bad usually. There's no bus nearby, so this is considered a rather quick method."
"This is not a life for a human..." Chu Zhishui corrected herself, "No, this is not a life for a demon, you've just adapted so well that you don't see it as a problem."
If there's such a thing as a frog being slowly boiled in warm water, then a fish being slowly cooked in the same manner is quite normal.
The lack of public transportation near the Huaijiang Observation Bureau was something Chu Zhishui knew about. She was forced to drive to work because of this, and even considered getting a car when she first joined. When Chen Zhuhui came for an internship, she rode a bicycle. There was a main road connecting the building and the bureau, and riding all the way was a form of exercise.
The house Jin Yu rented was not on the side of Chen Zhuhui's home, and she didn't know how to ride a bicycle, so in the end, she could only swim back.
Chu Zhishui touched her forehead, "Wait, how do the other employees commute? I always thought you guys had teleportation abilities."
Xin Yunmao's teleportation had given her a misunderstanding about demons. She always felt that all demons in the world should be like this.
"The teleportation you're talking about is the Demon Suppression Robe, right?" Jin Yu explained, "The Demon Suppression Robe only works within the jurisdiction of the Observation Department, and only the demons in the Observation Department have it. Those in charge of personnel and finance don't. If you go outside the jurisdiction, like when Director Hu goes on a business trip to Yinhai, you still need to buy a plane ticket, as it's beyond the Huaijiang Bureau's jurisdiction."
The four major Observation Bureaus all have their jurisdictions, and of course, there are issues of distance. Because of this, the underworld forces in cities on the edge of the jurisdiction, like Danshan, are strong. Demons like Yu Jingzi like to stay there, mainly because the Observation Bureau rarely intervenes.
"I don't know how they all get home. Brother Niu seems to live closer, and he joined the Bureau much earlier than I did. He even made some money from a side business." Jin Yu pondered, "Some seem to have very convenient talents. My talent is memory loss bubbles, which doesn't help me get home."
A demon's talent is related to its original body, and varies according to its nature. Only by continuously absorbing demon energy can their abilities become stronger. Old Bai has the ability to dig holes and burrow underground. He left Hei and Huang in the tea garden and successfully escaped from under Xin Yunmao's nose.
Xin Yunmao was initially very arrogant because he had many talents and could beat other demons. Jin Yu hasn't been human for long, and she's new to the Bureau, so she's a demon who just started working and naturally lives a harder life.
"So, it's possible that other demons are in the same situation." Chu Zhishui nodded in understanding, "Alright, I'll mention it to Director Hu. This isn't something that can be decided immediately."
Chu Zhishui has a priority in speaking about the Bureau's construction, but she can only propose suggestions, not make immediate decisions. She needs to seek the opinions of the employees. As long as she proposes an idea, she doesn't need to be explicitly or implicitly told what to do, the ball is naturally passed to Director Hu.
She has been struggling with this issue for a long time, and she hasn't thought of a suitable proposal. Employee dormitories are at least practical, unlike the outrageous idea of a beach and sea. She might as well propose this.
When Hu Chenrui learned about this, he didn't immediately agree either. He said he would find time to hold a bureau-wide meeting to discuss it.
In the office, Chu Zhishui returned from lunch in the cafeteria, only to find her seat taken.
Xin Yunmao was alone in the room, sitting in her spot. His hands were folded, his arms resting on the armrests of the chair, idly spinning the swivel chair. He cast her a nonchalant glance as she entered. Sunlight streamed in from the window, split by the window bars, casting light and shadow on him.
"Are you planning to take a nap?" Chu Zhishui asked casually. She was accustomed to his seat-stealing antics and stood by the desk to pick up the new product files, planning to temporarily occupy his desk instead.
Xin Yunmao didn't respond. Seeing that she was about to go around him, he suddenly stretched out his long leg, blocking her path.
Chu Zhishui: "?"
She didn't lift her leg to step over, instead, she sidestepped, trying to bypass the obstructive man.
However, Xin Yunmao was relentless. With a slight push of his arm, the chair slid along, continuing to block her path like a fallen tree trunk.
This time, Chu Zhishui was certain that he was doing it on purpose. She raised an eyebrow and said, "Why are you acting like a primary school kid?"
He was actually blocking her path and wouldn't let her pass, even if she tried to avoid him.
"One moment you're touring, the next you're building, you're quite busy." Xin Yunmao finally spoke. He propped his head with one hand, looking at her sideways, his face cold but his words strange and pointed, "Why are you so nice to everyone?"
She had just taken him to Danshan, and upon returning, she was planning to build a house for that fish. She really didn't miss a beat, everything was well organized.
Chu Zhishui: "..." It seems another battle is brewing.
Seeing his sour mood, she calmly replied, "Thank you, but I'm not as good as you make me out to be."
Xin Yunmao: "?"
Xin Yunmao incredulously asked, "Is that what I meant?"
She actually took his words as a compliment!
Chu Zhishui cleared her throat and subtly said, "Isn't this the way you talk?"
Talking past each other, making far-fetched connections, diverging wildly, she was clearly a diligent student of his, just a bit more confident in her speech.
Xin Yunmao sensed that she wanted to muddy the waters and change the topic, and he wasn't having it. He bluntly asked, "Why do you want to build a house for her?"
Facing his resentful gaze, Chu Zhishui patiently explained, "I'm not building a house for her, I'm just suggesting to the department that considering the difficulty of commuting for employees, we could consider building dormitories."
She had casually mentioned this to Jin Yu. He wasn't in the room at the time, she didn't know how he found out.
Besides, the general meeting hadn't even started, and the matter was far from settled. It sounded as if she was building a grand project for Jin Yu, like a foolish monarch in history who played with fire.
"What's there to feel sorry about a fish swimming back?" Xin Yunmao frowned, his face showing disdain, his tone sour, "Isn't it normal for fish to swim in water?"
He just didn't understand what was so strange about a fish swimming. Before they transformed into humans, all fish had to swim, there was no consideration for the seasons or water temperature.
"What are you implying?" Chu Zhishui glared at him, seemingly unhappy with his tone, and retorted, "If you don't care about the courtyard, then it's no big deal if the bamboo gets wet from the rain. The dorm isn't just for her, you still have a place to rest."
Xin Yunmao didn't expect her to include him in her statement. He paused for a few seconds, stunned, "Am I also living there?"
"You should live in the courtyard, not in the dorm," Chu Zhishui said irritably, "If there really was a dorm, I would have given you my room."
Chu Zhishui had never considered Xin Yunmao's living situation before. It was only after going on a few business trips with him that she realized he could stay indoors to sleep, instead of having to sleep outside.
His sleep was light, or rather, he didn't need to sleep at all. Rest was merely a way for him to pass the time. Photosynthesis was his hobby, and sunbathing made him feel comfortable, so he always sat under the trees in the courtyard. Day and night made no difference to him as a god, and his current lifestyle was merely a habit left over from his time as a bamboo.
Jin Yu couldn't improve his living conditions because he didn't care about it. He was indifferent to his external environment, just like a plant, always staying in one place, even too lazy to move.
To get a dorm, one must first be an employee of the department, and rooms are generally allocated based on job level. Xin Yunmao didn't have a position in the department, and Chu Zhishui wasn't sure about his situation. If it was difficult to arrange, she thought of giving up her dorm to him. After all, she was definitely going to live at home, so he wouldn't have to worry about the courtyard.
The Economic Development Department had two employees with housing difficulties, so wasn't it normal for her to apply for a dorm? But he suddenly became upset.
When Xin Yunmao heard that she was going to give up her dorm for him, he couldn't get angry. He was silent for a long time before he asked in a low voice, "...When will you give me the keys to the dorm?"
"There are no dorm keys. The dorm won't be built. It's going to be a beach instead," Chu Zhishui said with a smirk. She snorted and threatened loudly, "You've drunk stream water, but you've never tasted seawater. Let the inland bamboo get a bit of a foreign touch."
Anyway, he didn't care about his environment, so she might as well plant him in the sea. There were mangroves by the sea, and there were bamboo forests in the department.
When Xin Yunmao heard her joking, he was intimidated by her tone. He sneaked glances at her while pursing his lips, his voice gradually weakening: "You're so fierce."
Chu Zhishui bluntly replied, "You're so coquettish."
Xin Yunmao: "???"
After becoming a human, God had heard countless monsters comment on him, but this was the first time someone openly called him coquettish!
Xin Yunmao widened his eyes. He was always handsome, but now he looked surprised, as if he didn't understand her comment at all.
Seeing his shocked face, she became even more ruthless, deliberately mocking him, "Coquettish, really coquettish."
He looked so pitiful, saying she was fierce. If this wasn't being coquettish, then what was? She couldn't even describe his tone.
He almost couldn't sit still and said angrily, "Where am I coquettish——"
"Building a dormitory is a pain, yet you complain that I'm too harsh. You're so delicate all the time, even more than I was as a child." She grumbled in a strange tone, "Hmph."
The more Chu Zhishui looked at him, the more she found each strand of his hair adorable. He was acidic like Lin Daiyu one moment, then whining the next. His faults were the most numerous, and recently, his speech seemed like coquetry. He was proud and coquettish before, but now the pride was gone, leaving only the coquettishness.
Xin Yunmao crossed his arms, his pupils trembling slightly. He looked quite embarrassed and stifled, "You can insult me, but you can't slander me."
He, a majestic bamboo, was completely unrelated to the adjectives she used. No literati or ink scholar had ever described bamboo like this. It must be a problem with her choice of words, forcing these unfitting words onto him.
"Delicate, even blushing when you speak." Chu Zhishui saw his ears turn red with anger. She rolled her eyes and continued, "Delicate, shy!"
"..."
The god was getting agitated.
Xin Yunmao had never been so defensive, even when compared unfavorably to Jin Yu. But when he heard her mocking his shyness, he could no longer sit still. He abruptly stood up from the chair and started swaying in front of her, grumbling discontentedly, "Look closely, where am I shy?"
When he was sitting, his height wasn't noticeable. But standing in front of her, he seemed tall and straight. Unconvinced, he turned in front of her, allowing her to glimpse his slightly protruding Adam's apple.
They were suddenly so close, their breaths brushing against each other, a familiar scent of grass and wood spreading from the tip of her nose, inexplicably making her scalp tingle, as if a small current had passed through.
"Why not shy?" Chu Zhishui subconsciously took a step back, avoiding his gaze while still teasing him, "You're just a bamboo, barely a handful. Isn't that shy enough?"
Anyway, she picked words he didn't like, forcing him towards the image of a delicate beauty, knowing that the upright bamboo couldn't accept it.
"Not, a, handful?" Xin Yunmao bit out each word. He grabbed her hand and placed it on his waist to prove himself, "Have you held it and then said it's not a handful!"
The cool fingertips touched warmth through the fabric, even feeling the smooth and firm muscle lines hidden under the light blue material. It was as if a small spark had exploded there, instantly scorching her cool fingertips.
He usually looked thin from the back, but his human form was not lacking in strength. He always wrapped himself up tightly, but his waist was actually tight and tough, both firm and soft, inexplicably starting to heat up.
Chu Zhishui didn't expect him to be so provoked that he even grabbed her hand to let her touch him. Usually, he would complain even if she took a longer look. It seemed that he was really upset this time.
Xin Yunmao's fingertips were cooled by her touch, and he suddenly sobered up from his anger. Only then did he realize what he had done. His Adam's apple slid up and down uneasily, and for a moment, he looked dazed. Then, he wished he could steam up with heat!
She was right, he was heating up, as if scalded by boiling water.
His face visibly reddened, what had started as a playful joke now held a hint of genuine shyness.
Chu Zhishui, however, dared not provoke him any further. She quickly retracted her hand with a guilty conscience, soothing him, "Alright, alright, I've held your hand. You're not shy."
Xin Yunmao looked at her with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance, feeling that she was insinuating something about him, "..."
Inside the Huaijiang Observation Bureau, Hu Chenrui quickly disseminated the news to all departments, notifying all employees to attend a bureau-wide meeting to discuss matters concerning the bureau's development and construction.
Since joining the bureau, this was Chu Zhishui's first time attending a bureau-wide meeting. She initially thought they would be heading to the conference room, but instead, she followed Jin Yu to the cafeteria.
Xin Yunmao, who rarely ventured out with them, was also seldom seen in the bureau's cafeteria. Previously, Chu Zhishui would bring him his meals, he now looked around the cafeteria thoughtfully.
"Why are we going to the cafeteria?" Chu Zhishui asked curiously, "Aren't we supposed to have a meeting?"
"All bureau-wide meetings are held in the cafeteria." Jin Yu replied helplessly, "There's no other place that can accommodate so many people."
It seemed rather challenging, not even having a large conference room.
It was rare for all bureau employees to meet at the same time, typically only during year-end performance reviews, which were hastily held in the cafeteria.
The Economic Development Department found a vacant spot to sit. After Chu Zhishui took her seat, she noticed that no other creatures dared to sit near them. All the other employees kept a considerable distance from them, which led her to glance at Xin Yunmao sitting beside her.
It seemed his situation hadn't changed much, only that the creatures of the Huaijiang Bureau didn't show hostility towards him, but maintained a clear distance. Creatures who knew his background ignored him due to his status, and those who didn't, feared his aura, in any case, none approached him.
Previously, the little bug and the underling would come to the office at noon, exactly when Xin Yunmao wasn't in the room. Recently, he had gotten used to napping in the room at noon, during which Jin Yu would sneak out for a rest, going to the next room to chat with Brother Niu.
Chu Zhishui couldn't break this stalemate for now, so she suggested that he come along today, considering that the construction might disrupt the yard, possibly affecting his sunbathing area. If he sat here and listened to the plans, he could voice any opinions he might have.
Before long, the bureau employees gathered together, among them were many unfamiliar faces that Chu Zhishui had never seen before. Hu Chenrui stood at the front of the cafeteria, finally appearing amidst the crowd.
"Today, we have gathered here primarily to discuss the future construction of the bureau," Hu Chenrui said warmly, "This year, our bureau has performed well, and I believe everyone has a very tangible understanding of this when receiving their salaries. After collecting some public opinions, we are considering whether to construct employee dormitories to facilitate those who are on duty or have difficulty finding accommodation. We also have a few other plans that we have compiled for everyone's reference."
Hu Chenrui gestured to one side, and Niu Shi pushed out a whiteboard. It was usually used to write the weekly menu, but now it displayed various options such as employee dormitories, cafeteria improvements, activity centers, etc., all suggested by the bureau employees to Director Hu.
Hu Chenrui spoke at a leisurely pace, "Of course, if anyone has better suggestions, you can bring them up later in the meeting. We'll vote on it in the end, and the minority will abide by the majority's decision."
Miao Li, sitting close to Hu Chenrui, glanced at Xin Yunmao not far away and pointed, "Does he also get a vote?"
After Hu Chenrui took the stage, he didn't pay attention to Xin Yunmao. Unexpectedly, as soon as Miao Li spoke, he dropped a bombshell, bluntly acknowledging the other's presence.
The air instantly became tense.
The crowd was filled with fear and confusion, seemingly unsure of what to do, and their eyes were all on Xin Yunmao.
Xin Yunmao was expressionless. He was never one to care about others, and it didn't bother him to be the center of attention at his first general meeting.
Chu Zhishui's heart skipped a beat, fearing that it would turn into a tense situation like it did at the Yinhai meeting.
Miao Li blinked, stretching out two fingers, he said lazily, "Contract workers count as one vote, and I'm a regular employee, so I should count as two votes."
Chu Zhishui was stunned by his words, not expecting Miao Li to bring up contract workers and even give Xin Yunmao a vote.
"..." Hu Chenrui let out a small sigh of relief. He had been thinking about how to defuse the situation, but Miao Li threw a curveball, creating a roller coaster of emotions. He sighed, "Miao Li, if you keep talking like this, it's going to be hard for me to protect you."
Calling him a contract worker, what if he gets beaten up?
Didn't he see the crowd gasping in shock, seemingly stunned by Miao Li's alarming statement, fearing that the mischievous cat might anger Xin Yunmao and the office would be destroyed?
Upon hearing this, Xin Yunmao, like when he was arguing with Miao Li in the office, sneered, "Based on our abilities, shouldn't I be the one with two votes?"
"On what grounds?" Miao Li glanced at Chu Zhishui and said casually, "Just because you're close to the leadership?"
"???"
As soon as he said this, the crowd's faces were no longer filled with fear, but replaced with surprised curiosity. They all turned their eyes to Chu Zhishui, making her feel like a thorn in her back, like sitting on pins and needles. She instinctively lowered her head.
Xin Yunmao was boiling with anger. He almost slammed the table and stood up, looking like he wanted to grab an umbrella and hit the cat, retorting, "Barefaced and shameless under broad daylight!"
Miao Li raised an eyebrow in disdain: "Got you there, meow."
"Miao Li, if you keep talking like this, it's going to be hard for me to protect you." Chu Zhishui's heart was filled with shockwaves, but she kept a gentle and gracious demeanor on her face, smiling, "Zhu Hui recently mentioned the live streaming thing to me."
"…" Upon hearing this, Miao Li, who didn't want to live stream, immediately shut up.
Hu Chenrui quickly stepped in, laughing and smoothing things over, "Alright, everyone gets one vote, there are no two votes. Now everyone can write their votes!"
This subtly implied that Xin Yunmao was also part of the office and had the right to discuss office affairs, thus making his stance clear in front of everyone.
A moment later, a ballot was handed to Xin Yunmao. He quietly glanced at Chu Zhishui's ballot, then filled in the same content.
Chu Zhishui said in a low voice, "Don't look at me, write your own."
He asked doubtfully, "Why?"
She gritted her teeth: "...because they are all watching us."
Now, with a slight lift of her eyes, she could see Hong Ximing across from her, observing them with interest. The other monsters were also sneaking peeks, their attitude towards Xin Yunmao had shifted from fear and rejection to a novelty of gossip and curiosity, as if waiting for some excitement.
She was truly thankful to Miao Li, who had shattered the aloof and terrifying image of the bamboo monster with his strength, and directly diverted the attention of the monsters with a more explosive scandal!
Before, in the Observation Bureau, all the monsters feared and dreaded Xin Yunmao, perhaps even with a hint of caution. With his record of deifying and slaying dragons, his paper umbrella that burnt evil spirits, and his indifferent attitude, no one would want to approach him.
But freshly baked bureau gossip broke all that!
Now, their faces were filled with curiosity about whether the two of them were really together!
Not long after, the general meeting counted the votes, and the staff dormitory was finally selected by a high vote.
"Alright, since we have decided to build a staff dormitory, let's discuss the scale next." Hu Chenrui asked, "Old Niu, have the material costs increased? What can we build with the current budget?"
Niu Shi replied: "The cost of materials has increased in the past two years, but this amount of money is definitely enough, provided that Miao Li still has that batch of monsters."
"Huh?" Miao Li was stunned, tilting his head and said, "That was all from the last time we built a building, I can't find that batch anymore, I don't know which furnace it was burnt in."
"Then you find another batch, find more plant-based monsters, plants are more meticulous than animals." Hu Chenrui said slowly, "The monkeys were restless last time, I always felt that they didn't plaster the walls well."
Hong Ximing nodded in agreement: "Indeed, some places are leaking now, and the wall paint is falling off."
"I feel that the heating in winter is not enough, can it be slightly improved this time."
The monsters in the bureau began to discuss in a flurry, clearly harboring new expectations for the staff dormitory.
"What are they talking about?" Chu Zhishui sat in the meeting place, she gradually became confused, "What furnace? What monkey?"
Jin Yu, who joined the bureau later, was also somewhat confused, listening to all this in bewilderment.
"Don't you think this building was built by humans?" Xin Yunmao said lightly, "Of course it was the cat that pulled the monsters out of the furnace to build it."
The Huaijiang Observation Bureau is not suitable for too many ordinary people, and now that labor costs are not cheap, the bureau naturally saves where it can.
Chu Zhishui: "???"
How could the Observation Department also play the role of a contractor? So labor reform was not first invented by the Economic Development Department.
No wonder Xin Yunmao suggested that she keep the trio of yellow, white, and black monsters. It seems that the bureau had done similar things before, and he must have witnessed it to suggest this.
Xin Yunmao seemed to recall something, his gaze drifting away, he said softly: "I just remember that I slept for a long time once, and when I woke up, they had built the office building, I don't know when they managed to do it."
In the long years, he was so bored that one day he slept a little longer, and who knew everything would change when he woke up.
The Qing Dynasty has fallen, the land has been nationalized, the Huaijiang Bureau's office building has sprung up from the ground, and the monsters that were once feared have all entered the system.
