[[~Hua Yáo POV's~]]: Paradise Manor.
Ever since last night, the Ghost King, whom others fear and insult, has saved me, and I cannot help but feel this unknown feeling that I'm somehow connected to him, as if I want to be closer to Hua-gege, but the problem is, I don't know how to express it.
Some reasons are confusing, and some are relatable to my life with the bandits. Now, I wanted to get to know him. Besides, I have already seen his real form already and well, he somehow knew that I didn't mind or care about him being a monster.
As I could tell that he's so lonely.
So, Hua Cheng decided to stay in his true form whenever he comes to see me, because, for some reason, he trusts me. It does sound amazing but also weird, but it's comfortable for me. However, he did say that I should keep his identity low profile.
I promised him that I will.
Anyways, I have to be on my best behavior, just like Missy Xiao told me, if I had a guest, I would be kind. 'However, I miss her & Lan Yin, I wonder how they are without me?'
Shaking off my confusion, I wandered around Paradise Manor, my thoughts drifting to him, on the day he brought me here, that I couldn't stop feeling the joy I had in this Manor instead of the one I'm used to with how the bandits treated me.
Hearing someone crying, I was drawn from my thoughts. Glancing at the room across from mine, I went to investigate. As quiet as a mouse, before peeking from afar, and I saw that it was Hua-gege.
Quietly sniffling, sobbing on his pillow, as a wave of guilt washed over me for him, 'Is he having a bad dream? I bet I can cheer him up!' Giggling at the thought, I already made my way to the kitchen.
A cloud of smoke came into my small nose, which by the way, smells delicious, and I managed my way inside without being seen. And with a big cheery smile of mine, I was interrupted by Yin Yu, "Morning, little Yaó. I was just about to serve you breakfast in bed?"
"How did you know I was here?" I whined and pouted.
He chuckles at my pouty face, shows me a tray full of buns, soup of noodles, including my favorite, "WOW~! MY RICE WITH SPICY SAUCE!" We both laughed, and I began enjoying my breakfast with Yin Yu.
Once I finished eating, I suddenly got curious out of the blue and asked: "What's his backstory, Mr. Yu? How did Hua-gege become the Crimson Rain Flower? Please tell me?~" While giving him the puppy eyes at Yin Yu, who almost stopped mixing the food.
Before he began looking back, forth from outside and inside to make sure that no one was around the Manor. Sighing in relief, he took my hands with his cold ones as we snuck inside the kitchen where no one could disturb the peace.
As he began to move me to sit down next to him on the deck near the view of the Ghost Realm by saying:
"Alright, I trust you, A-Yaó." He sighs and continues telling me the story of Hua-gege, "My master is known as the richest and most dangerous of the three-class Demons in the entire realm of the century."
"People learned to fear the silver butterflies and blood rains, for they are the heralds of his presence. He's also known as the Scourge of Heaven, Ghost King, and Crimson Rain Sought Flower."
I nod and eagerly ask, "What else? What else is known for? Please, please tell me."
"His most famous moniker, Crimson Rain Sought Flower, was Qi Rong (he'll explain about it ) attained during his early days as a supreme. After he annihilated the lair and caused blood rain to fall, he found a lone white flower struggling under the heavy rainfall. Until the downpour ceased, Hua Cheng stood by this flower and shielded it from the rain with his red umbrella."
Yin Yu smiled sadly and frowned as I considered my next question: "Why doesn't anyone treat me as well as Hua-gege did?" I wondered what else to ask about Hua Cheng, who seemed to care for me like a daughter or sibling. Mr. Yu, observing me, chuckled and began to speak.
"Feared and hated for his handsome looks and charismatic nonchalance, he is secretly intelligent and hides his true self. Though seemingly self-serving, as demonstrated when he saved your life from the wolves, he is not entirely uncaring. Do you want to know why?"
I nod eagerly, "Yes, tell me why?"
"Well, to be honest, He cares for you, even if he doesn't show it much, only to his X-! NO! I cannot say it out loud. My master will punish me!" He exaggerated his tone of voice, started hitting his forehead with a frying pan.
Gasping at his reaction, I jumped on top of his back to prevent him from continuing to hurt himself, "Don't do that! You're going to get hurt!" Mr. Yin Yu paused, slowly his eyes and mine became locked as if time froze itself.
Nevertheless, we both stopped and coughed awkwardly with our cheeks turning a light pink. When I tried to remember what the 'X' word represented? I then it hit me, 'Red handwriting on Hua-gege's arm said...' "Xie Lian..."
I muttered, which Mr. Yu turned to me in shock with a gasp, and he looked as if he was going to panic in a matter of seconds. "How did—"
" 'How did I know the name?' Uh...*scratches the back of her head* I saw some kind of weird red handwriting on Hua-gege's right arm saying 'Xie Lian', and it suddenly popped into my mind about it." I go on telling him, "Somehow, I can understand his handwriting clearly."
The silence entered the kitchen windows as the red velvet with small sparks of silver around them, it was feeling awkward and bad for both of us, then I had an Idea!
"Can you tell me about who this 'Qi Rong' is & the other famous calamities, please? I want to change the subject so you don't self-harm."
He stared at my suggestion like I had just grown another head of brilliance.
"In the meantime, can we cook something special for Hua-gege tonight?"
This got his attention, and he thought about it, but what he didn't expect was that I was already fast on my feet to start cooking something while he began panicking about opening my injuries from the wolf's bite on my neck if I ran.
Unexpectedly, my shoulder had bumped into where the knife was, and in an instant, I was scooped up magically by Mr. Yu's arms away from the kitchen by standing near the deck we were sitting on earlier.
Making the knife fall almost on my wrist with only for it to leave a small scar on my left finger.
"D-d-don't do that! You could've gotten yourself hurt if it wasn't for me!"
He exclaimed in worry in his voice that I giggle at him by patting his head and reminding him, "It's okay, Mr. Yu!" I continue with a cheery smile, "Nothing will get you into trouble, alright?"
I beamed off his grip and started cooking as he explained to me more about the other Four Calamities.
Time skip~
As soon as we finished making dinner for Lord Hua-gege's return from the outside world or the Ghost Realm, sort of speak, he came walking in when Mr. Yin Yu bowed at the entrance by saying, "Welcome home, master Hua Cheng." he gulped with a smile, "Dinner is ready for you."
"No need for dinner---!"
As he was about to speak, Hua Cheng saw me cleaning the table in the kitchen. His gaze landed on my neck, where the knife had left a scratch on my left finger, and he rushed to my side, alarmed. His servant trailed behind, fearing punishment.
I widened my emerald eyes as Hua Cheng checked my pulse, then produced a jar of pink pills and told me to swallow one. Before I could tell him, his loyal servant exclaimed in fear, "Forgive me, Master, she kept insisting that she could repay you by giving a delicious meal for you!"
Yin Yu kowtowed, striking his forehead against the floor hard enough to draw blood. Mortified, I flailed my hands, then awkwardly crossed them in the air as I spoke to Hua Cheng. "Look, I d-didn't mean to upset you, Hua-gege! See?" I then show the left finger of mine to him to see.
"I only got my left finger scratched by the knife a bit & I'm alright!"
I beamed at him, only making the situation worse when he shook his head, and lifted my small body, carrying me bridal style. I squealed at this and laughed while he took me to the dining hall to join him before putting me upside down.
During dinner, Yin Yu offered to handle the cleaning to avoid upsetting Hua Cheng. Seeing Hua-gege's reaction, which seemed more concerned than angry, I felt guilty for making him worry about me. I studied his face so closely that Hua-gege was amused by my scrutiny.
He ruffled my hair and whispered in my ear, "Next time, try not to do that or I will put you upside in the ceiling so that you learn your lesson~."
"Okay...Put me down!~" I teased back, turning the Ghost King's face to calm to a surprise face but, his gentle smile was still there that he playfully turned into a smirk, suddenly he lifts my ankles and continues to swing me upside down.
Hua-gege hums as a way to think but then replies with, "No." "Hmph, you're a meany! No fair." I pouted, making him laugh even more.
In the bedroom [[~Hua Cheng's Pov~]]:
After dinner with A-Yáo, I escorted her to my room since she wasn't sleeping well. Instead of the guest room, Hua Yáo gazed at me with a soft giggle, then suddenly cried silently. I raised an eyebrow, confused as to why she was crying in front of me, and asked her what was wrong.
"What's wrong, little A-Yáo? Having bad dreams?"
I whispered softly, gently smoothing her black hair by trying to soothe her to sleep through the night for my worries to go away and to make her feel better, and yet, she suddenly started crying quietly in tears, ruining her young face by telling me.
"N-No...I just um..." She sniffed and wiped her nose on her sleeve, but my pointed look made her give in, finally crying in my arms. I held her as she told me why, "The bad dreams...t-they say the wolves w-would e-eat me."
My heart clenched at her words: 'Those damn wolves! I should have killed them thrice over, or perhaps punish them until they are no more than dead meat!' I tightened my hold, letting her tears soak my robes.
"They won't get you, A-Yáo. I promise. I won't let them." I murmured, my voice unusually gentle, even for her.
She hiccuped, her small body trembling against mine. "R-really? You promise?"
"Really," I affirmed, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
A gesture that surprised even me.
'Where did this... tenderness come from? I've never done this before.' "I'm scared," she suddenly whispers to me, clutching onto my robes as if I might disappear before her, that I couldn't help but fix the blanket that's over her and properly tuck her.
"I know," I sighed, rocking her gently, "but you're safe now. They can't touch you here." I hummed a wordless tune, a childhood memory.
Her sobs calmed down a bit while I slowly got in bed with the little one by pulling her into my chest by embracing her fully in my arms. "Hush, my little flower. You're safe with me for eternity." I spoke in a soft voice.
With those words, I can feel her breathing slowly calm down in my chest, while I summon a female voice to sing a lullaby for A-Yaó to drift off to sleep for such a long time that it also affected me to join her in the endless abyss of dreams.
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CONTINUE GIRLS/BOYS!