A Guide to Raising Nonhuman Boyfriends: Stories

Snake Demon ✔ | Ghost ✔ | Rabbit CEO | Peacock | Kitty | Octopus | Begonia Demon | Puppet Each story is 1v1, with a devoted couple and an absolute happy ending. Blurb: In certain movies, there are always nonhuman supporting characters doomed to tragic fates. But when a series of little “butterflies” intervene with overwhelming force, they set those characters’ threads of fate on a different course. And so, tragic movies become sweet love stories. 【Story One】Resilient but insecure college student vs. snake demon mama’s boy ✔ Li Yuetong is studying abroad when a malicious classmate pushes her into a lake. She is rescued by a monster with a human torso and a snake’s tail. It has red hair, emerald eyes, and an eerily beautiful appearance, while its powerful tail is strong enough to crush anything. Li Yuetong thinks timidly: It’s beautiful, but it probably eats people, right? She thinks she’s doomed, but the monster only awkwardly pats her back and gently, clumsily soothes her to sleep. Oh, she gets it. It wants to fatten her up before eating her, like emergency rations. Trapped underwater, Li Yuetong is terrified and uneasy. But little by little, its patient care and unique way of communicating put her fears to rest. Li Yuetong hesitates: It’s unbelievably gentle. Maybe if I ask to go back to land, it’ll agree? The monster naturally agrees. Or rather, it would agree to anything she asked, no matter the cost, even if that meant leaving its home for a place it knew nothing about. But as long as it can be with her, nothing else matters. Whatever she says, it will do. 【Story Two】Black-market doctor in an interstellar slum vs. frail, teary-eyed man from ancient times ✔ Xia Wanhe, a renowned physician, travels from a feudal dynasty into the interstellar age and becomes a black-market doctor and mechanic in the slums. To save the house her grandmother left her, she strikes a deal with the Interstellar Law Enforcement Bureau. But on her way to meet them, a sudden downpour sweeps her into a haunted realm. There, she meets a ghost in white who has lived alone for hundreds of years. With snow-white skin, almond-shaped eyes, and a vivid red beauty mark beneath one eye, he leaps lightly from beneath a pear tree and holds out an oil-paper umbrella, softly asking where she has come from. He is like a beautiful dream scented with pear blossoms. But Xia Wanhe soon discovers that he’s a crybaby. He cries when he thinks she dislikes him, but still pleads pitifully for her affection. He cries when he thinks he’s about to vanish forever, yet still steps in front of her to protect her. And when they’re finally together, he cries then, too. He looks beautiful when he cries. “When you were a ghost, you were mine. After I die, you’ll still be mine. We’re going to be tangled up together, in life and in death.” Xia Wanhe tugs on his sleeve, utterly possessive. The crybaby meekly agrees, smiling from ear to ear. How wonderful. I could never ask for anything more than what you say, my lady. 【Story Three】Warm on the outside, cool on the inside flower-shop owner vs. arrogant, hot-tempered rabbit CEO Sun Lingyang is a flower-shop owner who only wants to protect her little corner of the world. She wants nothing to do with strangers, but she feels the exact opposite about animals. Especially fluffy ones. After a disastrous blind date, she accidentally bumps into a certain rabbit and touches his ears. She thinks it’s just a chance encounter. But his species’ instincts trigger a false pregnancy, and he decides she’s the one. The hot-tempered rabbit CEO relentlessly pursues her, throws money around to get a job at her flower shop, works for free in human form by day, and turns into a rabbit for her to play with at night. He’s forced to stay by the side of this annoying human around the clock. Sun Lingyang: Why is this pest here again? Is there something wrong with his brain? I’ve never seen anyone pay to work before. Oh well, I’ll let him stay for now. This is a rare chance to observe a walking human oddity. At least I still have the rabbit to keep me company. Otherwise, I’d go crazy. Oh my, how can anything be so cute! She cups her face in her hands, admiring the rabbit’s beauty. She figures that once the false pregnancy ends, she’ll go right back to her normal life. But when her hand brushes his waist, why does his body go limp and his back arch on instinct, as he trembles and lifts his tail, begging for her affection? “Is… is this really just because of the false pregnancy?” The rabbit CEO can’t figure it out. Then one day, his secret identity is exposed. “How… how do you have rabbit ears?” 【Story Four】Stoic, powerful body cultivator vs. arrogant, vain peacock Zhao Jing is a petite, stoic body cultivator from the Batian Sect, a Golden Core powerhouse who wields a massive hammer and loves fighting and food. Ling Zhao is the Peacock Clan’s holy son, vain and proud, with a feather fan in hand. In his whole life, he has admired no one but himself. At the Myriad Races Tournament, Ling Zhao suffers a crushing defeat at Zhao Jing’s hands. Unwilling to give up, he keeps chasing after her, losing again and again. One day, after a fight sends them tumbling off a cliff, they accidentally enter a secret realm together. Its rules force them to pretend to be married, and they are punished if they resist. But as they spend their days pretending, a human and a demon begin to fall for each other. The peacock who once had eyes for no one but himself gradually gives his heart to Zhao Jing. “Because of you, I think I’m not so vain anymore.” 【Story Five】Overbearing, old-fashioned secretary with a parent-like streak vs. timid, pretty, clueless kitty Shen Yan is a top secretary, forceful and old-fashioned in everything she does, and has suffered from insomnia for years. Xue Liu is a white-haired Persian cat demon with mismatched eyes, who follows the signs of a divination to enter the city in search of an opportunity. After being caught up in a workplace conspiracy, Xue Liu, who is cleaning hotel rooms to make ends meet, accidentally saves Shen Yan and becomes her live-in housekeeper. One day, Shen Yan realizes she can sleep soundly when Xue Liu is beside her. Before she knows it, she’s ordering him around. “From now on, you’re moonlighting as my sleeping pill. I’ll double your pay.” She looks down at the beautiful young man as he puts her shoes on and declares this unilaterally. Xue Liu lowers his fluffy white head and obediently lets her make all the arrangements. For some reason, he doesn’t mind her controlling him and giving him orders. In fact… he might even like it. The sweet, obedient cat-demon boy gradually becomes an indispensable part of Shen Yan’s life. But when Shen Yan suddenly falls gravely ill, she steels herself and coldly drives him away. “Go. Don’t come looking for me again.” Xue Liu leaves in a daze, only to learn from a spirit guide about their past lives: in her previous life, Shen Yan traded half her lifespan so that her little cat could take human form. And he was her cat. She was his mistress, and also the one he loved. After learning the truth, the cat demon gives up half his lifespan without hesitation to save Shen Yan. When she wakes, all her memories of their past life return. She gently strokes his cat ears. “Xue Liu. Don’t cry. Come here and let me hold you.” In every life, my cat will always come back to me. Cats are so cute, they deserve to become their owner’s partner. 【Story Six】Smooth-talking snack-stall owner vs. naturally clueless giant octopus Cen Qiao is a cheerful, sturdy snack-stall owner who makes exceptional takoyaki. A Yuan is a giant octopus hidden in the depths of the ocean. Its true form exudes a terrifying presence, but it loves eating and sleeping, and is a total airhead. A sea storm washes the shrunken, sleeping A Yuan ashore, where he eventually ends up in Cen Qiao’s hands. Just as Cen Qiao is sharpening her knives to make her signature takoyaki, he suddenly opens his eyes and reverts to his true form. Cen Qiao is so terrified that she bolts out the door. But after realizing how innocent he is, she comes up with a brilliant idea. “I’ll give you a place to stay on land, and you give me a few tentacles. We both benefit, and they grow back fast anyway.” That’ll cut her costs by quite a bit! She sweet-talks the naïve A Yuan into agreeing. To him, losing a tentacle is just an ordinary part of his life cycle. As long as he has food and a place to sleep, he obediently lets her take as much as she wants. As they spend every day together, Cen Qiao loves teasing him for being so slow-witted. But little by little, she softens and can’t bear to hurt him anymore, so she decides to let him return to the deep sea. Meanwhile, the slow-witted A Yuan has already grown attached to her. His soft tentacles keep winding around her waist as he sticks close to her side. “Don’t go. Stay with you.” But then disaster strikes. A biological research lab notices something strange about the snack stall and abducts A Yuan. At that moment, Cen Qiao finally understands how she feels and decides to infiltrate the lab to rescue her adorable octopus. At the same time, the gentle, lovable deep-sea beast in her eyes flies into a rage, breaks free, and destroys the lab himself. Like a dog who has found his owner, he seeks her out. The two embrace in the face of danger and confess their feelings. The octopus has successfully climbed the ladder from “ingredient” to “pet” to lover. From then on, Cen Qiao gives up her takoyaki stall, and the woman and octopus live by the sea, happily selling seafood. The fish and shrimp in the sea: Speak up for us! “If you want octopus balls, you don’t need to tell the octopus. I’ll bring them to you myself.” 【Story Seven】Master of the Heartless Path vs. lowly begonia demon Ling Qinghan is the senior sister of the Heartless Path, a peerless swordswoman born with little capacity for emotion. She has been stuck at the threshold of her tribulation and unable to break through. The day she goes down the mountain to slay a tiger demon, the begonia demon Tang Wu is offered up by his clan as a sacrifice to curry favor with her. Her master sends word, telling her to take Tang Wu in and use him to temper her Dao heart. The two make a deal. Tang Wu respectfully kneels before the aloof, transcendent sword immortal, his seductive yet clear eyes raised to meet hers. “I’ll do everything I can to win your heart. If I succeed, please let me go.” Ling Qinghan holds her long sword and nods calmly. “Agreed.” After a hundred years together, Tang Wu tries every way he can to charm her, only to be the first to fall in love. But Ling Qinghan never develops romantic feelings for him. She only sees him as a servant bound by their agreement, and remains as cold as ever. Heartbroken, Tang Wu takes the initiative to recommend another demon to replace him. “My lady, Tang Wu has been useless. He can take over my duties. In exchange, please allow me to leave.” “Fine.” The still aloof and unfeeling sword immortal nods in agreement, seemingly unconcerned by this trivial matter. But only after Tang Wu has gone and his replacement has arrived does Ling Qinghan suddenly realize that he has long since become someone she can’t live without. Her sealed emotions awaken all at once, and her sword heart becomes perfectly clear. She immediately sends the other demon away, then flies after Tang Wu, who is still on the road. Ling Qinghan lowers her sword and gently catches hold of his sleeve. Her usually cool voice trembles. “Don’t go. You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted.” Tang Wu freezes in place, and the next moment, she pulls him into her arms. In the end, the blade of the Heartless Path bends for this begonia blossom. “I’m a lowly servant, yet I fell in love with a flake of snow atop an icy mountain.” 【Story Eight】Money-loving, lustful merchant with an abacus vs. gloomy, obsessive puppet Su Liu, a shrewd, money-hungry merchant, travels to southern Yunnan for business and accidentally disrupts A Si’s plan to raise poisonous insects for revenge. A Si curses her in revenge, but her many magical artifacts block the curse completely. Neither can get the upper hand, so they have no choice but to call a temporary truce. Su Liu says coldly, “We’re even. From now on, we each go our own way.” But A Si is petty and follows her in secret, disguising himself as a gentle scholar and waiting for a chance to kill her. Su Liu sees through his disguise at a glance, injures him, and sends him fleeing in humiliation. Out for revenge, A Si keeps tripping her up and sabotaging her business. Su Liu can’t take it anymore and lays a deadly trap, but when she sees his stunning, gloomy face, she changes her mind at the last minute. With a laugh, she casts a binding spell. “You’re too beautiful to die. You belong to me now.” A Si is forced to become her possession. His resentment builds day by day, but slowly twists into obsessive love. He longs for her, thinking miserably: Even if I’m just a plaything, it’s enough as long as she looks at me. But as time passes and the novelty wears off, Su Liu eventually grows tired of him and brings home a gentle butterfly demon to flirt with and amuse herself. Consumed by jealousy, A Si shatters the spell’s restraints and turns completely evil. He turns her into a puppet, too, and places an eternal curse on them, binding their fates together. Puppet Su Liu acts agreeable and obedient on the surface, but secretly bides her time and gathers strength, finally killing A Si with her own hands. But the curse is carved into their souls. Death cannot end it. From then on, they will be entangled for all eternity, in every life, with no escape. “I curse us to be together forever, even if only our souls remain.” To be continued… Theme: Strive to live your own life well. Being born human means you have value.