Chainsaw Man, starting contract to cut down the Demon Line

Although she was tired from driving all day yesterday, as a professional worker who had been trained by Yan Liang, Xiao Hong still had high standards for her professional conduct.

In this world teeming with demons, being able to live peacefully in the captain's house was a blessing she never dared to dream of. And as agreed beforehand, the price for her staying was to take care of all the housework.

If she can't even demonstrate this much value, what if the captain thinks she's useless and kicks her out one day?

"Alright! I'll make the captain a perfect, energizing breakfast today too!"

Xiao Hong patted her cheeks, giving herself a pep talk. She quickly changed into her floral-print loungewear, tied on her apron, and opened the bedroom door.

However, the moment she stepped into the living room, Xiao Hong was completely stunned.

In the spacious living room, sunlight streams in through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, making the already expensive solid wood flooring shine.

This isn't an adjective; the floor was literally reflecting light. And not only the floor, but the coffee table, sofa, and even the shoe cabinet in the entryway were all spotless.

"This, this is..." Seeing the scene before her, Xiao Hong simply couldn't believe her eyes.

Who did this?

"Good morning, Xiaohong."

As if to answer Xiaohong's question, a soft and pleasant voice came from the kitchen.

Xiao Hong stiffly turned her head and saw that the person standing behind the central island was none other than Lei Sai.

She had gotten up sometime earlier, wearing a plain white apron that she'd found somewhere, her short, purplish-black hair casually pulled back. The morning sunlight shone on her profile, making her look like the perfect wife straight out of a Japanese drama.

"Miss Lei... Miss Leise?!" Little Red was so surprised her jaw almost dropped. She looked at the wall clock. "It's only 6:30 in the morning. Why are you up so early?"

"I'm used to it."

As Leisai expertly wiped the cleaned dishes with kitchen paper, she gave Xiaohong a bright smile: "When I used to work at a coffee shop, I had to get up early every day to prepare the materials for opening the shop and roast coffee beans, so my biological clock is already set."

“And…” Leise lowered her eyes, looking a little shy, “Mr. Yan Liang has been so kind to take me in, and I feel really bad about eating and staying here for free. So I thought I’d get up early to help you with some of the housework.”

Upon hearing these words, Xiao Hong's heart skipped a beat.

Can you share some of the housework?

Xiao Hong looked around in alarm. This was hardly a matter of sharing the burden! The entire house seemed to have been completely renovated! The floor was so shiny and bright; she herself had never cleaned it so meticulously before!

"Uh, how can we let our guests do such rough work as cleaning!"

But while saying that, what Dongshan Xiaohong was really thinking was: No, you've done everything, so what am I supposed to do?!

A strong sense of crisis welled up inside her, and Xiao Hong quickly headed towards the kitchen, trying to find something to do:

“Miss Leisei, you should go and rest! Leave the rest to me! I'll go make breakfast for the captain! He usually drinks hot drinks in the morning, so I'll go make some coffee now…”

"No need to trouble yourself, Xiao Hong."

Leisai smiled and stepped aside, making room for Xiaohong to show her the kitchen counter behind her.

Upon seeing this, Xiao Hong was immediately at a loss.

On the island counter, tableware and a sumptuous breakfast combining Chinese and Western dishes have already been set out.

The freshly baked, thick-cut buttered toast exudes an enticing aroma, while the fried egg in the pan has a perfectly runny yolk on one side, accompanied by perfectly fried bacon and a fresh vegetable salad. In a small casserole on the other side, steam is rising gently; it's a broth carefully simmered with kelp and bonito flakes.

The worst part is that the coffee machine next to me has already brewed a pot of fragrant black coffee, and the temperature is just right.

"I saw some ingredients in the refrigerator, so I took the liberty of making breakfast for two people."

Leisai dried her hands and took off her apron: "I've already ironed Mr. Yanliang's suit with a garment iron, and polished his shoes and put them in the second shelf of the entryway. By the time he finishes washing up, the coffee will be at the perfect temperature to drink."

"..."

Xiao Hong stood there dumbfounded, watching the service that was comparable to that of a butler, and felt a chill run from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head.

She had initially thought that Leisei was just a weak and pitiful homeless girl who needed someone to take care of her.

But reality slapped her hard in the face!

This level of skill in doing housework... how could a coffee shop employee possibly achieve this?! More importantly, I feel like I simply can't compare to her.

Just as Xiao Hong had guessed, Leise was skilled in more than just fighting and infiltration. As a Soviet spy meticulously trained, she excelled at everything she did. Household chores were as easy for her as drinking water.

After pondering Yan Liang's words, "Do whatever you want," Leise, though not fully understanding Yan Liang's meaning, still acted according to her own interpretation.

That is, to demonstrate your irreplaceable value and gain a foothold in this family.

But Xiao Hong interpreted this painstaking effort in a completely different way.

It’s over.

Xiao Hong felt her soul slowly floating out of her mouth.

She cooks better than me, cleans better than me, and is a million times prettier than me... Plus, she's so understanding and doesn't need to be paid.

If the captain gets used to her service, then what use is there for a clumsy and timid good-for-nothing like me?

Dongshan Xiaohong gripped the hem of her apron tightly, her heart pounding with alarm:

Oh no... Why do I seem to have become a stand-in?

Chapter 196 Little Red, You've Gone Mad!

"Click".

Since Yan Liang's master bedroom has its own bathroom and dressing room, when the door was opened, Yan Liang, who had just woken up, was already dressed in a proper suit and came to the living room as usual.

However, today, Yan Liang felt something was different. Not only was the coffee aroma in the air stronger, but the atmosphere in the living room was also different.

Looking up, I saw that breakfast had already been laid out on the table, and Dongshan Xiaohong sat on one side of the table like a wooden doll that had made a mistake. She exuded an inexplicable resentment.

On the other side of the dining table, Leise, dressed in loungewear, rested her chin on her hands. Seeing Yan Liang come out, a bright smile appeared on her face.

"Good morning, Mr. Yan Liang," Leise greeted softly.

"Good morning, Captain..." Xiao Hong echoed softly like a broken record, her voice filled with barely concealed grievance.

Despite the obviously awkward atmosphere, Yan Liang seemed oblivious to everything and naturally walked to the head seat, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

He glanced at the lavish and exquisite breakfast on the table, raised an eyebrow, and casually picked up the perfectly warm cup of black coffee on his right, taking a sip.

The rich, bitter aroma spreads across the tongue, without the slightest hint of sourness or astringency.

"Oh?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Yan Liang's eyes. He put down his coffee cup, picked up his knife and fork, cut a piece of thick, golden-brown toast, and put it in his mouth with a soft-boiled egg on one side.

"Not bad." Yan Liang chewed his food and praised it quite frankly, then turned his gaze to Xiao Hong, who was sitting opposite him, pretending to be an ostrich with her head down:

"Xiao Hong, did you make breakfast today?"

"What makes you think you can do this so well? With this level of skill, you could easily become the head chef at a high-end restaurant."

Normally, upon hearing Yan Liang's praise, Xiao Hong would be so happy that her tail would stick up. But this time, Xiao Hong didn't seem happy at all when Yan Liang praised her. Instead, she looked like her tail had been stepped on, and her little face fell.

After a long while, Dongshan Xiaohong's face turned bright red, and she stammered in a low voice:

"Captain... Captain... This... This wasn't me. It was... It was Miss Reise who did it..."

"Made by Leise?"

Yan Liang stopped eating and turned to look at Lei Sai, who was sitting next to him, smiling without saying a word.

"so it is."

Yan Liang nodded thoughtfully, his tone becoming matter-of-fact: "I knew it, it's not surprising, it's not surprising..."

Is that not surprising?!

Upon hearing these words, Dongshan Xiaohong felt as if she had been stabbed in the heart.

She looked up with a pitiful expression, her eyes brimming with tears, and accused, "Captain! What do you mean by that...? Was the food I used to cook really that bad?"

"It's not that it tastes bad, it's just..."

Yan Liang offered a very objective assessment. However, his words naturally failed to consider Xiao Hong's fragile feelings. Pointing to the plate of bacon on the table, he abruptly changed the subject, continuing to rub salt into Xiao Hong's wounds:

"I used to find your cooking acceptable. But after tasting Reese's breakfast today, the difference in quality is immediately apparent. It's like the difference between a fast food bento and a Michelin-starred restaurant—the gap is too obvious."

"..."

Little Red turned to stone.

Fast food bento boxes?!

The breakfasts she painstakingly prepared every day, getting up early and working late, were only considered fast food bento boxes by the team leader?!

A mix of resentment and a sense of crisis welled up within her. Upon hearing this, Xiao Hong glanced at the near-perfect Lei Sai beside her, and the flames of jealousy within her ignited uncontrollably.

She secretly raised her eyes and glanced at Lei Sai sitting next to Yan Liang.

In the sunlight, Leisai's profile was impeccable, but Xiao Hong was not satisfied with the gentle smile on her face.

Xiao Hong suddenly thought to herself.

She clearly arrived before Leise! She was the one who served the captain from dawn till dusk every day! Although she was timid and prone to crying, and her cooking was only at the level of ordinary home-cooked dishes, Xiao Hong herself felt that her cooking needed improvement.

But she had grown accustomed to it, accustomed to being by Yan Liang's side, accustomed to living with him. Even when Yan Liang was sometimes harsh with her, Dongshan Xiaohong didn't reject him; her feelings for Yan Liang couldn't be explained in a few words…

It was a peculiar emotion, mixed with dependence and fear, that she herself was unaware of.

The resulting inexplicable jealousy caused Xiaohong to lose all her rationality.

I'm not convinced! I want to see just how good this woman's cooking really is!

Xiao Hong grabbed the fork in front of her in a huff, poked a piece of sizzling bacon, and stuffed it into her mouth.

She was prepared to nitpick. Even if it was just something slightly off to her taste, she would point it out without hesitation, just to salvage her standing in the captain's eyes!

however.

The moment the bacon touched her taste buds, Xiao Hong's desire to nitpick vanished.

The caramelized fat and savory lean meat blend perfectly in the mouth, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, cooked to perfection. Paired with the refreshing dressing from the salad, it's so delicious you'd want to bite your tongue off, but even so, Xiao Hong still refuses to admit defeat.

"This, this bacon..."

Suddenly putting down her fork, Xiao Hong glared at the plate of bacon and, like a nagging, unreasonable woman, began to shout:

"Why make something so delicious?!"

"..."

Upon hearing this, Yan Liang, who was sitting opposite her, paused in his coffee cup.

He looked at the bewildered Dongshan Xiaohong with a speechless expression, as if she were a fool.

"..."

After a two-second silence, Yan Liang put down his coffee cup and asked with some confusion:

"Dongshan Xiaohong, are you out of your mind?"

"Eek—!" Xiao Hong was completely taken aback by Yan Liang's words. She covered her face with her hands, feeling extremely ashamed and angry, before she realized what she had just said.

At that moment, Xiaohong wished she could immediately dig a three-bedroom apartment out of the floor with her toes and crawl inside. How embarrassing! What on earth was she thinking?!

Seeing Xiao Hong's aggrieved expression, on the verge of tears, Lei Sai, like a perfect and supportive wife, reached out and pushed a neatly folded napkin towards Yan Liang, stepping in at just the right moment to smooth things over.

"If Mr. Yanliang thinks it suits his taste, that's fine. Xiao Hong might just be still asleep."

She paused for a moment, then smoothly steered the conversation toward what she truly cared about:

"By the way, Mr. Yan Liang, are you going out to work today as well?" Leise's tone carried a seemingly casual curiosity:

"I wonder... what the schedule is like today?"

Chapter 197 Learning is good for your health

Faced with Leise's question, Yan Liang went through today's arrangements in his mind.

Recently, the Public Security Bureau has been overwhelmed with a series of problems caused by the attack by the Sword Demon. Machima is also likely in trouble. Yan Liang has never been too lazy to deal with these complicated matters. In addition, Hayakawa Aki and Himeno are currently in the hospital recuperating from their injuries, so there are no tasks for the Department of Special Magic that require his personal attention for the time being.

These are rare days of leisure.