Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT)-Chapter 190: Old Song and Father Xiang’s secret relationship

AN: One Chapter today, I will make up for it tomorrow. Happy reading.

Han Xin drove back to his seaside villa, the car’s engine purring softly against the backdrop of crashing waves. The journey was silent, the tension in the air palpable. Han Xin’s mood was so dark that Han Zhan, sitting beside him, didn’t dare utter a word, fearing he might ignite the simmering anger.

When they arrived, Han Xin stepped out of the car without a word, his expression a stormy mask. Han Zhan watched him warily, his own nerves on edge. Han Xin headed upstairs, his footsteps heavy, to take a shower. Meanwhile, Han Zhan lit a cigarette and stepped out onto the patio. The rain, which had been pouring down in torrents, had now reduced to a gentle drizzle. Han Zhan looked up, extending his hand. The rain had almost stopped, with only a few stray drops landing on his palm. He sighed, extinguishing his cigarette, and walked back inside.

He had just turned on the TV when Han Xin descended the stairs, looking slightly more composed. Han Zhan seized the moment, "Are you in a better mood now?"

Han Xin grabbed a bottle of water from the mini bar, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Which eye of yours saw that I was upset?" he retorted, though the edge in his voice had softened.

Han Zhan chuckled, knowing his cousin too well. They had been through thick and thin together for over a decade, and he could read Han Xin like an open book. He flipped through channels aimlessly until Han Xin tapped his shoulder with a small box. Han Zhan looked up, curiosity piqued, and took the box from him.

"What’s this?" he asked, setting the remote down.

Han Xin gave him a look that clearly said, "Open it," as he settled down next to him. Han Zhan smiled, "Cousin, what did you get for me?" he asked playfully as he opened the box. Inside was an expensive watch he had been eyeing at an auction but couldn’t afford at the moment. His eyes widened in surprise and delight.

"Who would have thought you’d buy it for me?" Han Zhan exclaimed, his excitement bubbling over. He turned to his cousin, "Cousin, you are the best!" he said, almost giddy with joy.

Han Xin smirked, "Consider it an early birthday gift."

Overwhelmed with gratitude, Han Zhan moved to hug Han Xin, but Han Xin raised his hands, pushing him away with a laugh. "Get your filthy paws away from me," he teased, a rare smile breaking through his usually stoic demeanour.

Han Zhan, still brimming with excitement, turned to Han Xin with a mischievous grin. "Cousin, here, give me a kiss muah muah muah," he said, puckering his lips and aiming for Han Xin’s cheek. "Let me give you a kiss!"

Han Xin’s eyes narrowed dangerously. "You better not if you still want to live," he warned, his voice low and menacing.

Han Zhan laughed, moving away as he fastened the watch around his wrist. "I take it back. Your wife will be the most spoiled woman in the world," he teased, admiring the watch’s gleaming face.

Han Xin pulled out his phone, glancing at Han Zhan before tapping on the app store. He had memorized the name of the app when he had seen it on Xiang Yu’s phone earlier. As Han Zhan fiddled with his new watch, Han Xin scrolled through the apps, his mind wandering. Why was he doing this? He wasn’t sure. Searching for "StarMatch" on the app store, he found multiple apps with the same name. Frustration bubbled up as he realized the futility of his search.

With a sigh, Han Xin gave up, locking his phone. "I’m going to sleep," he announced, standing up.

Han Zhan, engrossed in his watch, barely looked up. "Okay," he replied absently, his fingers tracing the intricate details of his new gift.

Han Xin shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips as he headed upstairs.

***

Xiang Yu stood in the kitchen, the soft hum of the kettle filling the room as he prepared wolfberry tea. The fragrant aroma of the berries mingled with the steam, creating a soothing atmosphere. In the living room, Old Song sat on the couch, his eyes closed as he rested.

Xiang Yu carefully poured the tea into a mug and carried it to Old Song. "Old Song, you really are a Bodhisattva," he said, his voice filled with gratitude. "I am very grateful for all you did for us."

Old Song accepted the mug with a gentle smile. "You really don’t have to thank me," he replied, taking a sip. "I was just doing what I should." The warmth of the wolfberry tea spread through him, bringing a sense of comfort and peace.

Xiang Yu didn’t know the full extent of Old Song’s connection to his family. He and Xiang Yu’s father, Xiang Shu, had been childhood friends. They grew up together, with Old Song becoming a doctor and Xiang Shu an exceptional accountant. Old Song had watched Xiang Shu get married, have a son, and then tragically lose his wife. Despite his professional success, Xiang Shu couldn’t escape the pull of the neighbourhood they grew up in and eventually found himself entangled with the triads.

Years after Xiang Shu’s wife passed away, Old Song visited him. Under the moonlight, with drinks in hand, Xiang Shu had kissed him. Old Song was shocked, unable to comprehend the gesture at first. But a few days later, Xiang Shu confessed his feelings and began to pursue Old Song with a fervour that was impossible to ignore. Old Song soon fell in love with him, and they spent many years together, though they had to keep their relationship discreet while Xiang Yu was around. He had even moved to their neighbourhood and opened a small clinic just to be close to his beloved.

Three times a week, Xiang Shu would stay at Old Song’s house. It was only after Xiang Yu went to the military that they could live together openly. Old Song took Xiang Yu under his wing, treating him as his own son. When Xiang Shu died, Old Song stepped into the role of guardian. Although Xiang Yu referred to him as Old Song like everyone else, due to his prematurely grey hair, he should have been calling him uncle.

This deep bond was why Old Song would do anything for Xiang Yu. He had watched over him for years, noticing the loneliness that often clouded his eyes. When Xiang Yu brought Little Bai into their home, Old Song thought that perhaps Xiang Yu had finally found love. But when he asked, Xiang Yu denied it, insisting he was into women. Old Song didn’t mind, as long as Xiang Yu wasn’t lonely.

Now, with the little girls Xiang Yu had adopted, the house was filled with laughter and joy. Seeing them happy brought Old Song immense satisfaction. He could rest easy knowing Xiang Yu had found a semblance of peace.

So, when Xiang Yu asked him to help with the girls’ papers and school, Old Song agreed without hesitation. He just wanted Xiang Yu to be happy and to stay far away from the dangerous world of the triads.

Old Song pointed at the box on the table. "That’s the girls’ uniforms," he said, his voice gentle but firm.

Xiang Yu turned towards the staircase and called out, "Lian, Mei!" The twins, who had been upstairs tormenting Little Bai, peeked their heads over the bannister. "Yes, master?" they chorused.

"Come and try on your uniforms and thank Grandpa Song," Xiang Yu instructed.

The twins exchanged reluctant glances at the mention of uniforms but obediently made their way downstairs. They bowed to Old Song in unison, saying, "Thank you."

Old Song’s face lit up with a bright smile. "No need to thank me," he said warmly.

Xiang Yu handed them the boxes. "Take these and go try them on."

Lian and Mei took the boxes and hurried back upstairs. They were gone for a while, and Old Song chuckled softly. "You are like a father now," he remarked.

Xiang Yu smiled a hint of pride in his eyes. "What are you talking about? I am a father."

Old Song laughed heartily. "I can see that."

After some time, Lian and Mei returned, dressed in crisp white shirts and knee-length skirts, looking every bit like schoolchildren. Mei held up a bow, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Master, we didn’t know where to put these."

Lian chimed in, "I thought they were for my wrist, like this," she demonstrated, wrapping the bow around her wrist.

Mei added, "I thought it was for my hair," turning around to show the bow tied in her hair.

Old Song laughed, finding their confusion endearing. "Let me help you," he said, taking the bows from them. He carefully placed the bows around the collars of their uniform shirts, folding them neatly. "There you go."

Lian and Mei looked at each other, then back at Old Song. "Thank you, Grandpa Song," they said in unison.

Old Song was a little taken aback but deeply touched. He waved his hand dismissively. "Really, it’s nothing."

As he watched the twins, a pang of nostalgia hit him. He wished Xiang Shu were here to see his grandchildren. The thought brought a bittersweet smile to his face, knowing that he was fulfilling a promise to his boyfriend by looking after Xiang Yu and his new family.