Ch 29
Ye Hua
Ye Hua treasured his time with Qian Qian. This time she wasn’t his lover but a trusted friend. Qian Qian was savvier than she appeared and highly helpful when Ye Hua questioned his strategic actions. She was cunning and always held the upper hand, so Ye Hua became a better ruler due to her teachings. Qian Qian often reminded Ye Hua, she had much more experience that he did, actually 90,000 years more experience than he.
Qian Qian spent most of her time with A-Li which warmed Ye Hua’s heart immensely. Ye Hua, however, didn’t gain a wife, but instead, became a father to another child. Qian Qian and A-Li caused trouble and havoc wherever they went. Nobody would dare complain about their unruly behavior, due to their status in the immortal world, but Ye Hua saw it in the facial expressions of the other immortals.
Similar in personalities and tempers, neither could sit by silently and watch injustice. They were compelled to protect those they considered to be weaker or victims. Qian Qian and A-Li became involved in arguments and fought bullies in every realm. Qian Qian and A-Li together gained the nickname “Triple T” because they were known to be “The Terrifying Twosome.”
Qian Qian and A-Li together were constant sources of headaches for Ye Hua.
Unlike Ye Hua who was silent. Qian Qian and A-Li were very vocal, highly opinionated, and had to have the last word…always. They were both stubborn to the point of madness. Qian Qian and A-Li’s unyielding and unbeatable temperaments were the same.
Ye Hua didn’t want to admit it, but Qian Qian was the instigator almost always.
One day, Ye Hua walked in to find A-Li playing rock-paper-scissors with Qian Qian instead of studying. Their form of punishment for each other was the winner painted on the loser’s face. Qian Qian drew a line that connected A-Li’s two eyebrows into one. She’d painted a handlebar mustache and a beard on A-Li’s face. A-Li in return drew circles around both Qian Qian’s eyes, a large mole on the tip of her nose and a skinny mustache under her nose.
Apparently, A-Li was winning.
They tag teamed Heavenly Lord, Ye Hua, who became powerless and a constant loser in their triangle relationship. When Ye Hua firmly scolded A-Li for bad behavior, Qian Qian stood behind Ye Hua and made faces at A-Li the entire time. She’d cross her eyes, stick out her tongue and mockingly imitated Ye Hua silently. By the time Ye Hua turned around, Qian Qian had an innocent expression on her face and asked why Ye Hua was looking at her.
Ye Hua grounded A-Li to his room for misbehaving. After some consideration, Ye Hua felt remorse and went to talk with A-Li. Ye Hua heard he was sleeping so Ye Hua lifted A-Li’s blanket to find his pillows where his body should have been. This act was a group effort, A-Li didn’t have enough pillows to form the shape of A-Li’s body, so Qian Qian’s pillows were under the blanket also.
Ye Hua found them in hiding in Qing Qiu and Qian Qian was teaching A-Li how to drink wine.
They sat under the twinkling stars with wine bottles between them. They were discussing the billowing clouds they saw earlier and talking about the shapes of things they found in within the clouds. Qian Qian took A-Li finger and pointed to a star, explaining that was her star. A-Li asked how she knew and Qian Qian said High God Zhe Yan told her so. Then A-Li wondered how High God Zhe Yan knew, Qian Qian snickered and replied, Zhe Yan, is a very, very, old Phoenix. She said Zhe Yan knew many things because he was ancient.
Qian Qian said Zhe Yan might be older than Donghua DiJin but after some thought, she changed her mind, corrected herself and said nobody was older than Donghua DiJin. Donghua DiJin was cold, hard, boring, and without charm like a rock. Qian Qian explained rocks had been around since the beginning of time and Donghua Dijin was one of those old rocks. When A-Li brought up his uncle, High God, Mo Yuan’s age, Qian Qian said Mo Yuan was completely different. She said Mo Yuan was like good wine and only got better with age. Also, Mo Yuan was incredibly handsome, so age didn’t matter when it came to Mo Yuan.
Ye Hua, who had been silently standing behind Qian Qian for most of their conversation smiled when A-Li finally saw Ye Hua. A-Li’s eyes became huge like saucers, but Ye Hua put his finger to his lips indicating A-Li not say anything. Qian Qian began her lecture while handing A-Li a bottle of wine,
“A-Li, I know your father has a low tolerance, but you must not be like him. Why? Because it was wimpy and weak. A real man must know how to hold their wine or the women will out drink you. Could you imagine how embarrassing it would be if you passed out drunk while trying to seduce a beautiful woman? It’s a real story A-Li. I won’t say any names because I’m a lady but let’s just say, I hope it’s not a genetic thing.”
Qian Qian hit herself in the chest with her fist to show how strong A-Li should be and urged him to take a sip with her hand motioning to lift the bottle. A-Li looked at silent Ye Hua who nodded ‘yes’ for A-Li to take a sip. Qian Qian continued,
“You would think Dragon Clan to be the supreme clan because dragons are big creatures, but this is not so.” Qian Qian was shaking her head ‘no’ and waving her index finger in the same motion as her head.
“Nine-Tailed Fox Clan is one of the last remaining clans since the beginning of time. The Dragon Clan also but they are not as powerful as we are. We have some of, no, we have the most skilled warriors just like your uncle, Bai Zhen. Not only are we more powerful but…we’re ridiculously and incredibly rich! We are the wealthiest of all the clans!”
Qian Qian giggled and urged A-Li to take another sip. She patted his leg to show she was pleased when he did and said,
“That’s why your great-grandfather wanted to marry into our clan. Lastly A-Li, we nine-tailed fox just like you, and I are utterly stunning. It’s rather unfair for us to have the power to use enchantment spells because we don’t need to use one. Nobody can turn us down. Can you guess why A-Li? We are beautiful creatures! We’re the most splendidly gorgeous immortals out of all the clans. Yes, A-Li, I predict you’ll be breaking many hearts one day.”
Qian Qian added as she snickered “You’ll be better looking than your father because of my fox genes.”
“I know all these things because I’m intelligent, but it’s easier to act dumb that way nobody expects much from me. I’m able to stay lazy, and sleep is one of your mother’s favorite things to do. I love to sleep, drink wine and……something else, but we’ll discuss when you’re older. I know much more than Cheng Yu.” Qian Qian poked her finger into A-Li’s chest playfully and winked with a mischievous smile.
Suddenly Bai Qian pictured Ye Hua passing out drunk while trying to seduce her and started giggling. Her giggling soon turned into laughter. Qian Qian dropped her head and hysterically laughed until she saw Ye Hua standing behind her. Qian Qian became wide-eyed, but she quickly recovered. Qian Qian cleared her throat a few times and challenged in her arrogant tone, “What? Did I say anything that was untrue?”
Qian Qian turned to A-Li and gave him a smirk and annoyed expression and whispered, “How long has he been standing there? A-Li you should have made a sign or something!”
Qian Qian sat back regally and asked in her haughty tone, “Are you going to stand there all night or join us, Ye Hua? I’ll teach you some things you may not know yet because I have 90,000 years more life experiences than you.”
Ye Hua shook his head in disbelief, sighed deeply, sat down, grabbed a bottle for himself, took a big long sip, and gazed up at the stars with Qian Qian and A-Li.
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Bai Qian
While drinking and looking at the stars, Bai Qian looked at her family. What started as an awkward relationship with A-Li had blossomed into something Bai Qian treasured. Her time with A-Li brought Bai Qian the most happiness and being his mother filled her with pride. A-Li was the son she’d always dreamt of having but with Mo Yuan. The irony of A-Li’s father being a man Bai Qian didn’t love was something she thought about daily.
Ye Hua was gentle, he looked identical to Mo Yuan and even had similar characteristics as her Shifu. Bai Qian looked at Ye Hua’s profile in the darkness. Ye Hua was a handsome man. His eyes spoke when his lips didn’t. His nose was perfect and high. Ye Hua’s full lips were tempting. Had he made her fall in love with him with his body? Did making love with Ye Hua once move her heart to the point she’d follow him to death as SuSu had once said?
Bai Qian didn’t know she had such strong maternal instincts until she’d spent more time with A-Li. She wouldn’t have predicted; she’d enjoy being A-Li’s mother as much as she did. Bai Qian cherished being with her son. A-Li filled a part of her heart that she didn’t know existed. Would it be the same with Ye Hua? Would she fall in love with him through bodily pleasure? There was only one way to test this theory. She would allow Ye Hua to take her.
If he was correct and she fell in love with him as he’d said she did in the past, then Bai Qian would accept this to be her fate. She would marry Ye Hua and remain with him and A-li for eternity. If he were wrong, she’d let both Ye Hua and Mo Yuan go and live only as A-Li’s mother. Bai Qian would remain in Celestial Heaven and live a life of celibacy. When A-Li came of age, she would return to Qing Qiu and stay alone without a man in her life. Her penance for betraying Mo Yuan.
Bai Qian took a deep breath and advised casually, “Ye Hua, you shouldn’t drink too much wine tonight.”
Ye Hua smirked slightly and said with a hint of sarcasm, “I don’t want to be a wimpy, weak man so I’ll do as I must.” Ye Hua purposely drank it faster.
Bai Qian sighed and said nonchalantly looking up at the stars. “It would be unfortunate if you passed out again tonight before accomplishing your goal.”
Stunned, Ye Hua choked and spat out his wine. He struggled to say something between his coughing fit. A-Li quickly looked up at his mother and snickered. Bai Qian lovingly caressed A-Li’s hair. Ye Hua looked at her surprised as Bai Qian fluttered her eyelashes innocently and replied,
“Tonight would be a good night to redeem yourself, Ye Hua.”
Ye Hua finally understood what Bai Qian was saying. He jumped up swiftly, pulled A-Li up just as fast, grabbed her hand and said, “Let’s hurry home!”
to be continued……………..