Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT) novel Chapter 23

Chapter 23: The twins

Sitting across from him was his cousin Han Zhan. The two of them were a huge contrast to each other. Han Xin exuded ethereal grace and Han Zhan bore the rugged lines of a warrior. His eyes were sharp and his hands calloused from wielding a sword.

"More?" Han Zhan asked as he poured out the fragrant brew, steam curling upward like incense. The porcelain cups clinked, and Han Zhan's gaze lingered on the delicate patterns.

"Thanks," he replied his voice low.

"We need more osmanthus cakes," said Han Zhan having realised that he had eaten most of them. Ridden with guilt he didn't wait for a waiter. Instead, he placed his sheathed sword on the table and got up.

Han Xin watched him go, a bemused smile tugging at his lips. The porcelain plate lay empty with only a few crumbs left after his cousin unwittingly devoured the cakes.

As Han Zhan disappeared downstairs he raised the rim of his teacup to his lips. The brew was warm, fragrant and soothing to the soul. But then, a murmur suddenly reached his ears. It was a delicate skirmish of voices coming from the nearby street.

Two girls, no older than seven stood in the street below. Each of the girls held a doll in their hand. One doll wore a red robe, its painted features serene and the other, a faded blue, its stitched mouth downturned.

"It's not fair!" said the one with the doll dressed in red. She stomped her foot her cheeks puffed up. "Yours is prettier, Mei. I want it."

Mei, her sister, held her doll protectively. "But this one is mine, Lian. You chose first."

"But I want it," said Lian her ponytail bouncing as she tried to grab her sister's doll.

"Behave yourself otherwise I will tell master that you used a curse word," threatened Mei but Lian wasn't at all terrified.

Han Xin listened, amused. Their squabble was a microcosm of human existence. It was like an eternal tug-of-war between desire and possession.

"Pretty," Lian insisted, her cheeks flushed. "I want it." Han Xin was fully invested in this drama. He took a sip of his tea his head lowered slightly but his ears were sharp.

Mei's eyes softened. "Lian, master said beauty isn't everything. Our dolls have stories. This one"—she gestured to the blue-robed doll—"has seen storms and sunsets. And mine knows secrets whispered by the moon." She was spouting nonsense and Lian could see through the BS thus she didn't let it go.

"But mine is plain!" her voice trembled. "I want the moon's secrets too." _{frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓}

Before Mei could reply, a young man in his late teens or early twenties walked over interrupting their fight. He was a stern figure in ink-black robes. His voice cut through the air like a blade.

"If you keep fighting over dolls I will confiscate them and both of you won't have dolls to play with," he said, his tone unyielding.

"No," Han Xin interrupted. "The young man who was with them killed their father. They must be in danger." Han Zhan finally understood. With what they stood for they couldn't just let this go. Together, they retraced their steps and ended up back at the restaurant but there was no one.

"Perhaps," Han Zhan said, "it's a misunderstanding."

"Maybe?" Han Xin said while looking up at the window he had been sitting at earlier. "But we can't take chances. Let's go check at the docks." They soon reached the riverbank but there was no sign of them.

"They couldn't have gone that far?" said Han Zhan but Han Xin didn't respond. He was looking at the passers-by searching for that familiar stern face.

"Tomorrow," Han Zhan continued to say, "we leave for Bai Ting town."

Han Xin nodded. "We can report to the authorities in case they see them," he said as they walked back.

***

Xiang Yu had no idea that his off-handed remark was over heard and that he was now a person wanted for questioning in Chang'an City. Yes, he had killed their father but their father murdered their mother and almost killed Lian. If a wounded Mei hadn't run out for help and coincidentally bumped into him during his night hunt both girls would be dead. He killed the man and because Lian was on the verge of death he asked her if she wanted to live.

The little girl who didn't want to leave her sister used her last strength to nod her head. Xiang Yu used his demon blood to save her and she became a demon cultivator and so did Mei. From then on they followed him as his little disciples.