The Sun was hanging still over the buildings, shining brightly as YueQin weaved under the sloping roofs, cautious enough not to walk right in the middle of the street. She didn't want to run into Lan Guan-Yin so soon, not twice in a day.
ZhiYi was trailing beside her, carrying AhXin in his arms.
The boy was looking around, his bright round eyes wide with amazement. He reached out, trying to touch the low hanging, colourful lanterns, but ZhiYi pulled his hands away, scolding him. The lanterns were not toys for babies. AhXin patted ZhiYi over his chest with his tiny arms, cooing and gurgling unhappily.
Kids, thought ZhiYi with a smile, rebellious even before they could talk or walk. The twins had been the worst, especially FenFen. Only Wu TianLan could lure her out of her shell successfully.
His smile saddened. He missed his little girls. It had been weeks, and neither of them had sent him a letter this entire time. He now understood why the elderly always complained that their children forgot about their existence the moment they found love. He was experiencing it first-hand.
Distracting his mind from sad thoughts, he tried to place a smooch on AhXin's soft cheek. But the little brat pushed at his face, keeping him at tiny arm's length. ZhiYi drove on anyway and forced a kiss on the little bugger. He wouldn't tolerate any bratty behaviour, not this early on at least.
"How are you holding up?" He asked YueQin as they stepped out from under the shades, walking in the direct sunlight.
They had reached a smaller side street. The stone slabs beneath their feet had turned uneven, raising at a weird angle along the path. It was an older street, where the ground had moved over the years, moving the slabs with it.
"I see no difference from being a normal human." YueQin shrugged, her steps were now lighter, the tension pulling at her shoulders was gone. A smile was gracing her lips as she looked around, searching for the tailoring shop they had left their fabrics in before.
"All's well then. Just make sure to never go hungry again."
They were in the middle of a busy city. It wouldn't entail any good if YueQin went on a hunger rampage in her full form.
AhXin was now squirming in ZhiYi's arms, making uncomfortable noises.
YueQin turned her attention to the boy and poked him in the cheek playfully.
"Is it safe to carry him around the city? Aren't the others after him, too?"
"He has seen little beside inn rooms and the insides of his basket. It's good to change sceneries," ZhiYi said as he rocked the baby in his arms. "Besides, he is with me. There is no safer place."
"Hm," YueQin mumbled as she pressed her face closer to AhXin. The boy pulled back, taking leverage on ZhiYi's jaw. YueQin turned her eyes up to ZhiYi.
"He is so adorable. He really looks like Jiang MeiLin."
ZhiYi agreed. Even though he only saw Jiang MeiLin at her worse, he could still imagine her big bright eyes and pouty lips, much like her mother. It was clear AhXin was a part of the Jiang family. Still, it was better if he never learned of his real heritage. ZhiYi relayed his thoughts to YueQin, and she gave him a sad smile.
"You are right. It would only make him unhappy to hear what had happened."
From what PingZe had told her, even Jiang MeiLin hadn't wanted the child. She hated Li PingShi so much she rather killed herself than gave birth to the boy.
AhXin was shuffling, his eyes watering up as he looked at YueQin. He parted his down-turned lips, ready to wail, when ZhiYi held him closer to his chest, rubbing at his back.
YueQin looked exasperated as she stepped back, putting on an exaggerated pout.
"He hates me!"
"He probably senses you are part ghoul," ZhiYi whispered as he patted the sniffling AhXin, trying to calm him down. "You really did it. He doesn't cry from MingYu anymore, and now its your turn make him cry."
YueQin grinned with evil intent, and ZhiYi felt uneasiness settling in. This girl was up to no good. The twins had the same grin on whenever they planned something he was going to pop a vein for.
"Now I have a way to make your and brother MingYu's life hell." YueQin cackled like a witch, and ZhiYi grimaced.
They walked in silence for a while, in which YueQin shot subtle glances at ZhiYi before she finally succumbed to her curious nature and asked,
"Why haven't you told brother MingYu the truth?"
"I don't know what you are talking about," ZhiYi said tightly. He was not admitting to anything with little context.
YueQin raised her brow and pursed her lips with disdain.
"Everyone knows you two were practically married back then, you even raised children together. Just because people didn't scream it out loud, the word still spread."
"That is in the past. He has no memories as Wu TianLan now." ZhiYi paused for a moment, swallowing the lump forming in his throat.
"The Emperor of Wu is dead."
"But he came back during the fever." YueQin reminded him.
She was right, Wu TianLan had briefly returned, yet it was not the Wu TianLan ZhiYi had yearned for.
AhXin's head drooped against his chest, and ZhiYi shuffled the boy in his arms, propping AhXin's chin over his shoulder.
"It was only because of the fever. He didn't remember it once he came to."
YueQin sighed as she kicked the tiny rocks littering their path.
"Mm, brother PingZe told me everything."
ZhiYi frowned as he reached up to wipe at AhXin's face. The boy was drooling everywhere in his sleep. But that wasn't what bothered ZhiYi. He was cursing PingZe silently. This brother of his was as big of a blabbermouth as brother ZhouYan!
"What everything?"
"You don't want him to know, so he won't stay here, instead of returning to Heaven," YueQin mumbled before she halted and crossed her hands over her chest, looking up at ZhiYi with defiance in her hardened eyes.
"I don't think it's fair! You can't hide such important things from him!"
ZhiYi pushed past her. He had gone through this same conversation with FenFen before. He was proud of how well she had understood the situation back in Lunan. He and TianLan had raised the girls well.
"It's not only about returning to Heaven," ZhiYi said as YueQin hurried after him. "If he fails this mission, they will shatter his soul."
"But he can become one of us! No?" YueQin huffed, out of breath from running after ZhiYi.
"Yes, but with a shattered soul, there is little chance of success. I don't want to take that risk."
"I-" YueQin started, but she was cut off as ZhiYi raised his hand and both of them halted in their tracks.
A small group of people stood by the alley behind a row of larger houses. Judging by their clothing and the way they had tied their hair, these were servants from prominent households. Each of them was holding a basket in one hand, sent out to shop, but they had stayed behind to gossip.
The four were whispering among themselves, not realising the two had stopped nearby to eavesdrop. The voices became louder when one of the four, a young girl, said with a shrill voice,
"What? Young miss Lu is already cured?"
"Yes! She was bedridden, but after master Lu brought in the doctor from the Imperial City, the young miss is walking and talking again!" Another girl whisper shouted.
"Such miracles exist? You said young miss Lu wouldn't have a week left to live."
"Shush! Don't say I ever said that, or master will beat me up!" The girl pinched her friend on the arm as a warning.
"Our childe is also being treated by the same doctor." A young male servant whispered.
"Huh? I didn't know your young master was sick."
"He is not sick. Not sick like that..."
"What are you talking about? How many kinds of sick are there?" Another young man said.
"No, you don't understand! Our childe-"
The young man halted, then raised his head suddenly, catching the two standing close by. He nudged the other three, and they dispersed without saying another word, each hurrying away to do their master's bidding.
YueQin arched her brow at ZhiYi, curious of what was going on. But the demon only shook his head in response and moved forward. He had no interest in the matter, mortals had many skilled doctors. Master Ye had once been one of them. Besides, ZhiYi had more pressing matters to attend to.
He had left PingZe to watch over MingYu. Even though PingZe had sharp instincts, ZhiYi still didn't feel good if he wasn't there himself. He was acting like a worried mother hen, and MingYu must have felt it too as he adamantly ordered ZhiYi to accompany YueQin to the shop, taking AhXin with him for a walk and some fresh air.
ZhiYi hurried his steps. The sooner they reached the sewing shop, the faster he could return to MingYu's side. His gut feeling was screaming at him to leave Wupei as soon as possible, but he knew MingYu was right. Lan Guan-Yin was up to no good, and somehow, whatever she was up to, it always had something to do with them, or more precisely, MingYu.