Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT)-Chapter 166: Master can’t cook

Xiang Yu folded his arms across his chest, his gaze steady and inquisitive. "What did you do just now?" he asked, his voice calm but carrying an undertone of authority.

Lian and Mei shook their heads in unison, their expressions innocent. Lian, the more adept liar, spoke up first. "We were sleeping and then heard Brother Bai screaming."

Xiang Yu’s eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed bits of ketchup still clinging to their hair. The evidence was right there, but he chose not to expose them immediately. He was curious to see what tale they would spin. "What’s that in your hair?" he asked, his tone deceptively casual.

Lian and Mei instinctively touched their hair. Mei stammered, "There... there is nothing."

"Where, Master? There is nothing," Lian added, but when they saw the ketchup on their fingertips, they quickly hid their hands behind their backs.

Xiang Yu turned his attention to Mei. Unlike Lian, Mei couldn’t keep a lie for long; she was always the one to crack first under the slightest pressure. Mei bit her lower lip, her resolve crumbling. "We didn’t mean to scare Brother Bai," she confessed. "We just thought he would be startled."

Lian chimed in, "Who would have known that Brother Bai would be so scared and run out?"

Little Bai rubbed the back of his neck, feeling embarrassed. As a grown man, he was mortified to have been so terrified in the middle of the day. Xiang Yu sighed and said to Lian and Mei, "Apologise to Brother Bai."

Lian and Mei bowed their heads, their voices soft and contrite. "We are so sorry, Brother Bai."

Little Bai felt bad seeing them like this and waved his hand dismissively. "It’s nothing," he said, trying to downplay his earlier fear.

He was suddenly enveloped in a warm hug from Lian and Mei, their small arms wrapping around him tightly. He was a little startled by their familiarity as if they had known each other for a long time. Lian looked up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. "Brother, can you cook?"

Mei echoed eagerly, "Yes, yes, can you cook? Master can’t cook, and we are starving."

Little Bai glanced at Xiang Yu, confused. Xiang Yu didn’t seem offended by Lian’s blunt words. Instead, he asked, "Well, can you?"

Little Bai nodded slightly. That was the agreement they had made when he moved in. Xiang Yu couldn’t cook, so he had asked Little Bai to take care of their meals and Xiang Yu would give him money for food. The twins cheered and ran off to their bedroom.

"Brother Bai, please wake us up when the food is ready," Mei called out.

Lian echoed, "Yes, please wake us up."

After they left, Little Bai pulled Xiang Yu to the side, his lingering fear of the twins evident. He didn’t want them to hear what he was about to say. "Brother, where did those two come from?" he whispered. Little Bai knew Xiang Yu had no relatives, so the twins’ presence was a mystery.

Xiang Yu replied bluntly, "They are my daughters."

Little Bai was taken aback. He started counting on his fingers, trying to calculate how old Xiang Yu could have been when he had them, but the math wasn’t adding up. Seeing his confusion, Xiang Yu laughed. "I adopted them. The one who is a little taller is Xiang Mei and the other one is Xiang Lian."

Little Bai, who couldn’t even tell the difference between the twins, widened his eyes. To him, they looked exactly the same. They were carbon copies. freeweɓnovel.cѳm

He nodded his head in understanding. He knew that Xiang Yu was lonely and didn’t even have a wife. Xiang Yu would spend his leisurely days going out to nightclubs and come back the next day, often needing hangover soup that Little Bai would dutifully prepare. It wasn’t really Little Bai’s place to say anything, but he couldn’t help wondering why Xiang Yu would adopt children before finding a wife to help him raise them.

He was about to voice his thoughts when Xiang Yu placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Little Bai, you always wanted siblings, right?"

Little Bai stammered, "Ye-yes, but..."

Xiang Yu smiled warmly. "Then I can only rely on you to help me watch them. You can take them as your little sisters."

Little Bai felt a lump in his throat, his emotions choking him. Xiang Yu continued, "Let me know when the food is ready. I am going downstairs."

Little Bai watched Xiang Yu walk towards the elevator, a dazed look on his face. Just as Xiang Yu was about to step inside, he paused and turned back. "Oh, by the way, do you have money to buy ingredients?"

Before Little Bai could point out the fresh ingredients he had brought from his hometown, Xiang Yu walked back and pulled out his wallet. Inside was a wad of bills. He took it all out and handed it to Little Bai.

Little Bai, who had never touched this much money in his life, was shocked but accepted it. Xiang Yu patted his head gently. "Let me know if you need more money."

As Xiang Yu walked into the elevator and the doors closed, Little Bai stood there, his heart swelling with a mix of gratitude and newfound responsibility. He had never had a father figure in his life, but at that moment, he felt a deep connection to Xiang Yu. He touched his hair where Xiang Yu had patted him and smiled, his mood lifting significantly.

***

The van’s interior was dimly lit, casting long shadows that danced with the vehicle’s movements. The young woman sat sandwiched between two men in black suits, their presence imposing. Her hands trembled slightly, fingers fidgeting with the hem of her worn-out sweater. Her eyes darted around, taking in the darkened windows and the barrier separating them from the driver.

One of the men, his face softened by a kind smile, leaned closer. "Little sister," he said gently, his voice a soothing balm in the tense atmosphere. "I heard your situation was bad and you barely ate in the shipping container, so I brought you some sweet and salty snacks. Here, give it a try." He extended a small bag of mixed treats towards her.

She hesitated, her stomach twisting with both hunger and fear. But the man’s kindness seemed genuine, and she cautiously took a handful of snacks, nibbling on them. The taste of salt and sugar mingled on her tongue, a small comfort in the midst of her turmoil.