CHAPTER 429: CHAPTER 425: DIGGING YOUR OWN PIT

Yin Le got out of the car in front and said to Zhou Li, "This way."

Then his gaze quietly shifted toward Zhou Li’s side.

Zhou Li clearly saw him slightly open his mouth, as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself. He probably still harbors some reservations towards demons. Even though Yin Le had matured a lot over the year and was no longer so juvenile, showing reverence to a little demon with twinkling, cute eyes was still rather difficult for him.

Zhou Li followed him.

Tuanzi was still blinking her big eyes.

There was a red carpet, flower decorations, and people taking pictures, but no reporters or staff, so the scene was somewhat less bustling compared to what Zhou Li had seen on TV. Yin Le gestured for Han Hong to come forward, smiling as if they had had a pleasant chat in the car.

The carpet led to a large reception room. After entering, the large group of people took their seats.

The main officials of both parties continued to chat idly, discussing a wide range of topics. These included historical events, the four Demon Kingdoms, and even the yet-to-awaken Demon King of Yu Country. Since the theme of this talk was the friendship and peace between both parties, they constantly fostered a friendly atmosphere.

The rest were all listening intently, not speaking. They appeared to be mere guests but were actually analyzing every word the other side said, preparing for the formal talk that was to follow.

However, also being a guest, Zhou Li had more opportunities to speak; the two main officials occasionally even initiated inquiries toward him. Of course, Tuanzi and Huai Xu were there too.

Every time Han Hong spoke with Tuanzi, he was very respectful. This made the King extremely curious to see what Tuanzi actually looked like. When speaking with Huai Xu, Han Hong’s expressions were more varied. Huai Xu wasn’t like this in his impression.

「An hour later—」

「The state banquet.」

Today’s dishes seemed even more lavish and exquisite than yesterday’s. Zhou Li had never seen many of them before, and the tableware and plating only made him feel it was all very sophisticated.

Actually, I really want to take out my phone to snap a photo, but I should reconsider. I’m not a foreign leader, after all. Foreign leaders have taken pictures at state banquets, and you would think them leisurely and unconcerned. However, if I did it, others might think I lacked manners.

Luckily, I took pictures yesterday.

Zhou Li still focused on eating, occasionally watching the two bigwigs at the table. During the meal, the two bigwigs weren’t idle, but the atmosphere remained relaxed and cheerful. Since they were dining, they mostly discussed the dishes.

The state banquet comprised the best of the eight major cuisines and also embraced the essence of dishes from around the world. It drew on ancient court banquets for inspiration and included local snacks. Sometimes, dishes were even adjusted or created based on the tastes of foreign leaders. Some dishes were even closely related to current events; for example, during the 2008 Olympics, when China hosted international leaders, there was a dish—a golden-baked beef steak with jade—whose shape and color symbolized the Olympic gold medal.

Some dishes could be traced back hundreds or even thousands of years. Han Hong had tasted them long ago, but the same dish prepared in modern times naturally differed from the ancient versions. There was much to discuss there.

There were also dishes Han Hong had not tasted before and found delicious, so he would ask about them. Then, the King or some knowledgeable diplomat would explain the period and background of the dish, telling them about the chef who created it, under what circumstances, or any related folklore. There was also much to discuss there.

Zhou Li liked listening to these stories, and Huai Xu and Tuanzi enjoyed them too. Plus, the bigwigs spoke so eloquently, narrating stories more professionally than any radio host.

Brother Nan must like this too, right? Zhou Li thought of Brother Nan again. It’s inevitable; I can’t help but think of Brother Nan when enjoying delicious food.

"Do these dishes suit Lord Dumpling’s taste?" Han Hong turned to Tuanzi and asked with concern.

"OH! Good!"

"...Then that’s good."

Although Han Hong didn’t quite understand Tuanzi’s response, his concern had been conveyed, so he nodded, withdrew his gaze, and put down his chopsticks.

The King beside him said, "I heard Mr. Han Hong enjoys calligraphy, poetry, and appreciates tea and ink painting. As it happens, two master painters are holding an exhibition in the Capital these days. How about we visit the two Masters tomorrow?"

"Very well," Han Hong replied.

"This afternoon, we’ve prepared some fine tea for Mr. Han Hong to taste," the King added.

"You’ve gone to much trouble."

"’It’s only right, it’s only right.’ The King was much more amiable than he appeared in those online short videos. ’Shall we go out for a walk? Rest a bit?’"

"Sounds good."

Everyone in the dining room stood up.

Han Hong looked at Tuanzi first. "Lord Dumpling, then I’ll be off..."

Tuanzi, rubbing her belly, nodded repeatedly. "So full!"

"I’ll visit you again later," Han Hong said.

"Okay!"

Only then did Han Hong turn to Zhou Li and Huai Xu, his expression returning to its usual composed and gracious state. He nodded at them before following the King out.

According to the schedule, they were supposed to take a short break. This also provided time for both parties to discuss and strategize. There would be an afternoon tea where they would start discussing serious matters. The final, formal talks would last much longer, until all agreements were finalized. Leisure activities were interspersed throughout. Apart from visiting the master painters and attending the art exhibition, there might be other arrangements, depending on the interactions during this period.

Zhou Li, naturally, would not participate in those.

「Back to the room.」

Huai Xu continued to wallow in despair. I don’t want to stay here anymore. Staying here means maintaining my persona, which is exhausting.

Zhou Li pulled out his phone and chatted with Brother Nan, vividly describing the state banquet’s dishes, tempting her appetite. Seeing her flurry of frustrated emoticons made him very happy.

Meanwhile, Lord Dumpling had reverted to his cat form, this time as a chinchilla. He was clearly excited. His prestigious status had been recognized and his vanity fulfilled, so he kept walking and jumping around on Zhou Li’s bed, expressing his emotions.

"Lord Dumpling," Zhou Li watched him, "do you think chinchillas have adorably goofy faces?"

"Nonsense! Lord Dumpling is beautiful!"

"Oh."

"Where are we going this afternoon?" Huai Xu flipped over. "As the Capital of a country, there must be plenty of good food, right?"

"If you want to eat something, why not just have the chefs here make it?" Zhou Li blinked. "Those are state banquet chefs, you know."

"Stop teasing me."

"I’ll ask Brother Nan."

Zhou Li quickly typed on the screen.

Zhou Li: The tastiest? It must be Peking Duck.

Zhou Li: By the way, do you know what other good food the Capital has?

Li Daimao: Mutton hot pot, Peking Duck, lamb spine hot pot, stir-fried tripe, Zhajiang noodles, Luzhu...

Quite a lot indeed, Zhou Li thought, looking at the list with a slight frown. He then said to Huai Xu, "This afternoon, I’ll ask if we can go out. If we can, let’s grab something to eat. If there’s still time later, I want to climb the Great Wall and find Zhu Shuang to hang out."

"What about tomorrow..."

"Tomorrow we have to accompany them to visit those two Masters. Yin Le just told me." Zhou Li was a bit nervous. "But I don’t know a thing about painting and calligraphy."

"So what?"

"I’m afraid of making a fool of myself."

"Don’t worry!" Huai Xu declared with bravado. "Whether you understand painting and calligraphy isn’t important at all. There are thousands who know more than you, but how many get this privilege? So you just need to confidently count on the support of the Great Devil King and your Sister Hong Ran. Then, not knowing about painting and calligraphy, or even being colorblind, is just a small problem!"

It seems like something strange has mixed in beside Sister Hong Ran, Zhou Li thought.

"I don’t understand what you’re talking about," Huai Xu said.

"Lord Dumpling will look out for you too!" Tuanzi’s crisp voice rang out as she climbed onto Zhou Li’s forehead, standing wobbly.

"Thank you, Lord Dumpling." Zhou Li felt the pressure on his head. He gently lifted Tuanzi off, held her firmly in his arms, and petted her thoroughly. Meanwhile, he asked, "Lord Dumpling, did you enjoy the state banquet at noon today?"

"Delicious!" Tuanzi replied while trying to squirm free. "Lord Dumpling wants to eat it every day!"

"..."

Zhou Li’s movements suddenly paused. I feel like I’ve dug myself into a hole. Noticing his unusual stillness, Tuanzi also stopped struggling and instead lay quietly in his arms, staring curiously at him with her bright eyes.

"What’s wrong, Zhou Li?"

"Nothing..."