Xiang Yu nodded, a polite smile rising to his lips, and returned to his work. However, Da Hei continued to stand there, fidgeting slightly, looking almost nervous.
"Is there anything else?" Xiang Yu asked, glancing over his shoulder.
At that, Da Hei’s cheeks flushed a deep shade of red, and he stumbled over his words. "Uh, no, nothing," he stammered. "I just wanted to check on you—"
He quickly turned away, heading off but glancing back as he went. Xiang Yu shook his head and resumed his chores.
However, when he went to fetch more manure, he found the pile completely gone. Confused, he turned back toward the greenhouse when he spotted Da Hei standing behind him again.
"I did it for you," Da Hei said, his voice low and earnest. "You must still be unwell."
Xiang Yu studied him, brow furrowed in perplexity. The way Da Hei spoke felt almost foreign to him. It was rare for someone to help him when most others in the city wanted nothing more than to harm him.
"What do you want?" Xiang Yu asked bluntly, not one to dance around his questions.
Da Hei looked taken aback, his surprise evident in his wide eyes. He stammered, trying to find the right words. "No, nothing! I just wanted to... to help you. It’s no big deal."
Xiang Yu softened slightly. "Thank you, Da—"
"Da Hei," the man interjected, grinning. "Or you can call me Xiao Hei. Everyone does."
Xiang Yu nodded, attempting to recall the name. "Thank you, Da Hei." With that, he turned to leave again but Da Hei was still standing there, looking as lost as a puppy who had misplaced its owner.
***
Xiang Yu never imagined he would grow a tail. In the beginning, it seemed absurd, but ever since that day, Da Hei had woven himself into the fabric of their lives, becoming an unexpected fourth wheel in their trio. It started off simply enough, with Da Hei helping him carry out tasks in the greenhouse, yet it evolved into something more. Now, he seemed to follow them everywhere.
Da Hei often showed up at the small house where Xiang Yu stayed with Lian and Mei, bringing ripe fruits he had gathered from the greenhouse. He presented them quietly, glancing around to ensure no one else was watching. At first, Xiang Yu wanted to refuse the offerings.
The fruits were so sweet, yet it felt odd to accept them when they were grown for the entire city. However, when he saw Lian and Mei’s hungry faces, he found himself accepting Da Hei’s kind gestures.
After a while, Xiang Yu began to shrug off his annoyance. Da Hei didn’t bother anyone, and from what the Divine Emperor had told him, Da Hei was merely an insignificant character in this story.
So, he decided to let him stick around. Perhaps it was because Lian and Mei missed Little Bai so much that they had taken a liking to Da Hei, and that made Xiang Yu less inclined to chase him away.
Da Hei nodded, his smile broadening. "The pulp is metallic-red and tartly sweet."
Mei bounced in her seat. "Can we try it?"
"I can bring it to you later," Da Hei promised, looking from one girl to the other, excitement bubbling over. His gaze shifted to Xiang Yu, who was sitting quietly, lost in thought.
However, Xiang Yu spotted Han Xin walking into the canteen with Han Zhan and Su Jing, and surprise washed over him. Han Xin never came to the canteen, at least not when it was busy.
Xiang Yu couldn’t help but stare longer than he intended. It wasn’t until Han Xin turned his gaze in Xiang Yu’s direction that he snapped out of his thoughts, hastily looking away.
Da Hei, who had been observing, leaned closer and whispered, "Yu-ge, are you going to annul the marriage with Lord Han?"
Xiang Yu’s head whipped around sharply, his surprise evident. Lian coughed, choking on her food at the audacity of Da Hei’s comment. Mei blinked at him, her eyes wide in disbelief, as if Da Hei had just suggested the most ridiculous thing.
Meanwhile, Han Zhan was speaking to Han Xin, his voice steady. "I could have sent someone with your food. There really was no need for you to come."
Han Xin remained silent, his demeanour calm despite the chaos around him. He stood in line, and despite the crowd urging him to go ahead of them, he politely declined, his gaze subtly flicking toward Xiang Yu.
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