Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT)
Chapter 285: Father-in-law

Chapter 285: Father-in-law

The laughter echoed through the spacious lounge, a cacophony of teasing and playful laughter. Lian and Mei stood like queens surveying their court, their arms crossed and expressions mischievous as they watched the four grown men stumble awkwardly through their dance steps. Their feet shuffled, and the rhythm eluded them.

Suddenly, a figure ran in from outside, startling everyone. Little Bai came running in, his face as red as a cooked lobster, eyes wide with excitement. He dashed past the group with a smile plastered on his face and raced into his room, slamming the door behind him.

Xiang Yu creased his brows in concern. Butler Qing glanced over and asked, "Is he okay?"

Without a word, Xiang Yu followed after Little Bai, knocking gently on the door. "Little Bai, what’s wrong?" he called, his voice filled with worry.

Inside, Little Bai had burrowed under his covers, a huge grin plastered across his face, like a Cheshire cat. He peeked out, his eyes sparkling. "I am fine, brother! It’s nothing!"

Xiang Yu still felt a little worried, so he replied, "Okay, but let me know if something is bothering you."

"Okay," Little Bai said, burying his face back into the warm fabric.

With a sigh, Xiang Yu walked back to the lounge, where Han Xin looked up expectantly. "Is he okay?" he asked.

Just as Xiang Yu was about to answer, Han Zhan burst into the room, panting heavily, hands resting on his thighs as he caught his breath. "Little Bai, you little thief," he exclaimed, his tone playful rather than angry.

Everyone paused, glancing at each other in confusion. "What did he rob you, your breath?" Lian questioned, arching an eyebrow.

"Kind of," Han Zhan admitted, straightening his back with a wince, clearly feeling the strain of his hurried entrance. He looked around for Little Bai, but the man was nowhere in sight. Stretching like an old man, he shuffled toward the man’s room.

"Did you pull a muscle?" Han Xin called after him.

"It’s nothing serious. Carry on," Han Zhan waved dismissively, moving to the passageway towards Little Bai’s door. He knocked, then turned the handle, only to find it locked. "Little Bai, open the door," he said, resting his forehead against the wood.

He turned his head slightly and noticed three heads peeking at him from the end of the corridor. Han Zhan chuckled nervously, "It’s really nothing."

"Okay," Mei said slowly, but she, along with Lian and Butler Qing, made no move to leave.

"Little Bai, open the door! They are staring at me!" Han Zhan whispered urgently.

After a few tense seconds, the door creaked open, and Little Bai yanked Han Zhan inside before shutting it quickly.

The remaining trio stared in silence, exchanging looks of amusement and curiosity. Xiang Yu, sensing the light-hearted atmosphere, shrugged it off. He knew that whatever was happening wasn’t serious. Laughter erupted again, filling the air as they returned to their playful banter.

An hour later Xiang Yu climbed the stairs heading to the bedroom. Just now he had been playing games with Han Xin and the twins when the Divine Emperor began to cause a ruckus in his mind. It seemed he had finally found out what he had been upto with Han Xin in his absence. He was screaming like a scaredy cat trapped in a haunted house.

"Why, why, why? You vixen! Were your ancestors incubi?" the Divine Emperor shouted, his voice a mix of disbelief and frustration.

Xiang Yu sighed, rolling his eyes at the absurdity. He had expected this. "How am I supposed to know? I should be asking you that. Don’t you know everything?" he replied in his mind, a hint of sarcasm lacing his thoughts.

The Divine Emperor felt like pulling his hair out. There was no room to argue. No matter how hard he tried to justify it, it was Han Xin who walked into this trap all by himself.

Xiang Yu couldn’t help but chuckle. Han Xin had clearly provoked him while he was minding his own business. Yet, the Divine Emperor was like a parent who could never see their child’s faults. Even with evidence laid bare, he would still defend them.

"You must have lured him somehow," the Divine Emperor insisted, his tone accusatory.

Xiang Yu laughed lightly, "He kissed me first! I left him alone, but he came after me." The satisfaction in his voice was palpable, a mix of mischief and confidence.

The Divine Emperor paused the weight of the argument sinking in. He knew when he had lost a fight. "Fine. Do whatever you want. If he likes you, he likes you. Nothing I can say can change anything," he conceded, his voice finally softening.

A sense of relief washed over Xiang Yu. This meant he was free to pursue Han Xin in the next world without the constant judgment of the Divine Emperor.

He leaned against the door a smirk playing on his lips as he addressed the Divine Emperor in his mind. "Old man... no I mean, father-in-law, you should now realize that you can’t interfere in matters of the heart."

The Divine Emperor erupted, his voice booming with indignation. "Who are you calling father-in-law?" He knew Xiang Yu was rubbing it in, and it only added fuel to his irritation.

"By the way," Xiang Yu continued, his tone light, "did you get the answers you wanted from my father’s soul?"

The Divine Emperor momentarily forgot about his indignation. "His soul is too fragmented," he admitted, frustration creeping into his voice. "I will have to repair it to get what I need from him."

Xiang Yu turned the ring on his finger, the one Han Xin had given him. "Han Xin gave this to me, but I’m not sure what the characters inside represent. Do you know what it means?"

The Divine Emperor had only witnessed Han Xin getting down on one knee to propose, so he had no idea that the gold ring had something engraved on it. Intrigued, he looked back in time, his mind racing. When he saw the characters "Timeless Devotion," he nearly fainted, disbelief washing over him. This couldn’t be his darling son’s doing, but the evidence was undeniable.

The Divine Emperor felt as if he were spiralling into a mental breakdown. He attempted to regain composure, lying through clenched thoughts, "Isn’t it just words? You think too much." He was determined to act stupid all the way.

With that, his presence faded from Xiang Yu’s mind. Xiang Yu couldn’t help but chuckle softly, finding the situation amusing. The Divine Emperor was not nearly as skilled at lying as his son was. It was clear that whatever "Timeless Devotion" meant was significant enough to rattle an immortal being.