Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT)-Chapter 69: Doing laundry together

When Xiang Yu was done stripping off his mud-caked clothes, he found that his body was marked with fresh scratches and bruises from his fall down the mountain. Some of the scratches had stopped bleeding and were starting to scab.

He missed the days when scratches would heal in a matter of seconds. It was a little strange for him to see his skin without the familiar tattoos and scars that usually covered his body. Even the ugly scars on his back were gone. He poured water over himself, watching as the mud and grime washed away, leaving his skin clean but tender.

As he washed his long black hair, he felt the weight of the water pulling it down. He squeezed the water out, feeling the strands slip through his fingers. He put on the clothes meant for military recruits. The fabric was rough and coarse bringing about a nostalgic feeling. It reminded him of the clothes he used to wear in the brothel.

When he came out of the tent, he found Lian and Mei hard at work, scrubbing their clothes in the bucket. He squatted down beside them, a rare smile playing on his lips. Before he became the demon king, he had taught the twins to be independent, preparing them for a future where he might not be there to protect them. Each time he went out hunting for dangerous demons that were killing mortals, he wasn’t sure if he would be able to return thus he made sure they wouldn’t be a burden to anyone or be taken advantage of.

"I am done," said Lian while wringing her clothes before spreading it out to take a look.

"You missed a spot," he teased, pointing to a nonexistent stain on her sleeve. Lian checked the sleeve but there was nothing.

"Master, it’s clean," said Mei, realising that their Master was messing with her.

"Yours too. Look, there is a stain at the hem of your dress," he added, his tone light and playful. "You need to clean it spotless."

The twins ganged up on him their sweet laughter a refreshing sound in the military camp. "Master, your robe isn’t exactly spotless either," Lian remarked, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Yes, it seems Master isn’t used to washing clothes anymore," Mei chimed in, giggling.

Just then, Yi Nuo returned with a pile of warm quilts. Her steps faltered as she took in the scene right in front of her. Her mind seemed to short-circuit at the sight of Princess Xiu washing clothes and chatting with his maidservants as if they were old friends. This sight was so bizarre that the other soldiers who were coming from morning training were glancing in that direction curiously.

Xiang Yu sensed that they were being watched. He raised his head and found that they had become a spectacle. He met Yi Nuo’s gaze and smiled. "Sister Nuo," he greeted her, his voice calm and composed. "We got carried away just now. Do you need something?"

Yi Nuo blinked, her confusion evident but she nodded slowly. She couldn’t help but stare at Princess Xiu. She had grown up on the streets of the capital before joining the military training at seven years old as a way for her to survive so she had never seen someone as beautiful and graceful as this princess.

Peng Xiu’s skin was smooth and tinged with a little pink from the bath. Her smiling lips were a delicate shade of red. Her damp, jet-black hair cascaded down her back, a striking contrast to her fair skin. She looked so stunning, like a mermaid who had emerged from the water and grown a pair of legs.

Feeling a blush rise to her cheeks, Yi Nuo shyly looked away. She walked over quickly hoping that she didn’t notice her impoliteness. "I brought quilts for you, Your Highness," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She had done this out of her own accord, worried that the clothes wouldn’t be warm enough for the princess. If the general found out that she did this she might be punished for it.

Xiang Yu’s eyes softened as she nudged Mei to take the quilts. Mei dried her hands on her skirt and took the quilts. "Thank you, Sister Nuo. You are so kind," he replied, his voice gentle. The twins found it very difficult to accept that their master was this coy. They forgot that the people he was raised around were in the business of being coy. He had picked up this skill in the brothel. How else was he able to fleece food from the maidservants of rich households whenever his mother kicked him out? "You are always so thoughtful."

Yi Nuo’s heart fluttered at the princess’s words. She nodded, trying to hide her flustered state. "I just want to make sure you are comfortable," she said, her eyes still averted.

After she left, Lian turned to him with a curious look. "Master, why were you flirting so much?" she asked her tone a mix of confusion and amusement.

Mei hugged the quilts as she nodded in agreement. His behaviour was completely out of character. "Yes, Master. You barely say two sentences to women the entire year, yet here you were charming Yi Nuo."

Xiang Yu smiled, a glint of mischief in his eyes. How was he supposed to make sure their lives would be less difficult if he didn’t find allies? "That’s not flirting. I am just being nice to her."

"Yah, nicer than usual," said Mei and Xiang Yu chuckled.

"The general wants to make things difficult for us," he explained. "So, I have to finesse someone to get what we need. See, now we have extra quilts. You are welcome."

The twins exchanged glances and then looked back at their master, admiration in their eyes. "Master you are so smart," said Lian while Mei nodded in agreement.

They hung their clothes to dry where others hung theirs. After that, they headed to the tent with the twins yawning in exhaustion. They barely had time to rest ever since they came into this world. In fact, neither of them had rested properly ever since that night. Xiang Yu let them take the beds and in no time they were snoring.