Tsk, Troublesome Machinery

The wind howled relentlessly.

Snow drifted and scattered in the air.

Supernaturals and ordinary people walked together on the streets, their conversations harmonious, discussing the bitter cold of the harsh winter.

Last winter.

Xu Xi had gone out with the Witch.

The trip had been smooth, with no hindrances in their shopping. They had completed all their purchases in record time.

But this year was different. Xu Xi was now accompanied by other girls, each possessing an extraordinary aura. Simply standing there, they formed a dazzling sight.

Subtly.

Xu Xi sensed strange gazes from passersby.

And caught snippets of words.

"Playboy." "Harem king." "Envy."

Xu Xi wanted to say something, but in the end, he decided against it. Instead, he used a subtle magical trick to divert the attention of the onlookers.

"Brother, where should we go next?"

"Hmm, let's head to the furniture market first."

After casting the spell, Xu Xi glanced at the bustling street and decided to start by purchasing new furniture.

The snow fell like goose feathers.

It landed on his head, in his palms, enveloping Xu Xi's figure, creating a hazy silhouette as he moved forward.

Though his steps seemed ordinary, an invisible, supreme power shielded him.

Cultivation, magic, martial arts, technology.

A colossal will clashed high in the heavens, its thoughts sweeping over Yanshan City, swiftly detecting and eliminating any potential dangers, while also issuing a warning to the Earth's consciousness.

It told the Earth to behave itself and reduce the snowfall within the boundaries of Yanshan City.

The planet's consciousness trembled in fear.

It hastily decreased the snowfall.

"Strange, is it just me, or did the snow suddenly lessen?" Xu Xi looked up suspiciously at the azure sky.

Never mind.

It was just a minor thing.

No need to dwell on it.

"Let me think. The desk and chair in the study need to be replaced. The old ones are a bit too small."

"The sofa in the living room is also getting worn out."

"Then there's the lighting in Mo Li's room, the bedside table in Krisha's room, and the display shelf in Ying Xue's room."

"Almost forgot. Ailei just moved in, so she’ll need some suitable furniture too."

Xu Xi led the girls into Yanshan City's large furniture market. His eyes scanned the various pieces of furniture as he pondered what to buy.

The Witch's abilities were as impressive as ever.

The Maid, true to her origins as a household android, was equally adept.

Whenever Xu Xi hesitated, they always offered reasonable suggestions, telling him what he could purchase.

Eyes of black, gold, and red.

Eyes of silver and blue.

Their owners stood on either side of Xu Xi, their gazes calm yet seemingly piercing through him, clashing on an intangible level, each asserting their own will.

"Master often stays up late and lacks proper rest. This set of furniture, carved from the wood of the Tree of Life, would be perfect for him," Krisha spoke up.

A few strands of silvery-gray hair fell from her forehead, swaying near the tip of her delicate nose.

"I disagree," Ailei countered.

"Master has already ascended to godhood. The so-called Tree of Life wood won't provide any meaningful rest."

"I recommend this set instead. It’s designed with ergonomics in mind and will offer him some comfort."

The Maid's tone was calm, but inexplicably, Xu Xi felt the temperature around them fluctuate—sometimes hot, sometimes cold.

"Objection..."

"Denial..."

"Opposition..."

"Correction..."

Under Xu Xi's watchful gaze, the Maid and the Witch engaged in a friendly yet rigorous debate, each pointing out the flaws in the other's chosen furniture.

The Princess seemed tempted to join in.

But after observing for a while, she ultimately decided against it.

Xu Moli, on the other hand, claimed she was tired and wrapped her arms around Xu Xi's, leaning on him for support.

Finally, Xu Xi intervened, putting an end to the pointless debate.

"Krisha, Ailei, there's no need to be so serious."

"I just want to replace some furniture for the New Year. They don’t need to be particularly functional."

Hearing Xu Xi's words, the two girls finally stopped competing.

Each selected a set of furniture to take back to the courtyard, intending them for Xu Xi's use.

Just as Xu Xi always thought about how to care for the Witch and the others, the girls were equally concerned for him.

"Sir, what do you think of this grill?"

"Brother, what would you like Mo Li to give you?"

Some were hesitant.

Others were earnest.

After half an hour of careful selection, the furniture shopping came to an end.

"Ding, Supernatural Card—"

When paying, Xu Xi used the card gifted by the Supernatural United Bureau. He rarely needed money, but he knew the card had many zeros on it.

"Now that the furniture is done, we still need to buy food, daily necessities, and New Year decorations."

"Let’s keep going, everyone."

Xu Xi left the furniture market and headed toward the large shopping mall in the city center.

The Witch followed quietly behind.

The Maid kept pace effortlessly.

Xu Moli and Wu Yingxue exchanged glances, looking at each other before shaking their heads in silent agreement.

Forget it. Today wasn’t the day to get involved.

"Strange, isn’t there supposed to be heating in the mall? Why does it suddenly feel so cold?"

"Exactly! I thought it was just me, but it seems everyone feels it."

"Ugh, this mall is really weird!"

After entering the mall,

Xu Xi led a few girls through various shopping areas, and wherever they passed, the onlookers couldn't help but show peculiar expressions.

They continuously rummaged through clothes, checking for any tears or flaws.

Unintentionally,

the crowded mall was cleared out in a certain area,

making it less congested.

"Ah Niu has already proposed and is engaged. He will officially get married next spring."

"In that case... we can't just give food as gifts like before."

The mall's lighting was a soft yet cool tone, illuminating every item on the shelves, highlighting their unique textures and design details.

Xu Xi walked slowly,

selecting items suitable for a baby.

The loyal mechanical servant spoke up again, having scanned the entire mall and compiled a list:

"Master, I recommend you purchase this."

"This, this, and this."

The witch, unusually quiet,

was rendered speechless as the mechanical servant had already said what she was about to say, thanks to its astonishing efficiency.

Fortunately, the witch, with her rich experience, still found some points to interject.

The troublesome witch, Ailei, frowned.

The troublesome machine, Krisha, frowned.

With the efficient help of the two girls, the shopping trip was completed much faster than Xu Xi had anticipated.

"I didn't expect it to be this quick this year," Xu Xi remarked with some emotion, having thought the day would be filled with twists and turns, but it turned out to be the opposite.

So,

now that the shopping was done,

should they return to the courtyard immediately?

Xu Xi hesitated, glancing at the girls beside him, and after some thought, decided to head home later.

Among the four girls, apart from Wu Yingxue, who was lively and always running around,

the other three

mostly stayed within the courtyard.

Since they rarely came out, Xu Xi wanted the girls to experience more of the outside world.