Chapter 25 - I Heard There Are Ghosts

The white-haired man walked along the road with the brunette next to him. He glanced at the brunette who was chatting away happily as if the strange looks people were giving him didn't bothered the male. No matter where he went, people would stare with many different looks. Mainly they were fear and suspicion, but this man with his golden eyes only stared at him with… fascination. To say it was confusing was an understatement.

"Did you hear?" He heard a group of young females gossiping, "The west sector had offered the Ghost King a bride!"

"Oh yes! I heard she had to beg Sect Leader Fang for forgiveness," another girl spoke up.

"Ah, but Sect Leader Fang knew her beauty would contain the Ghost King," another said.

"Yeah," the previous female nodded, "the Ghost King was getting quite antsy. Did you realize that it got warmer now?"

"Thanks to that woman, we could live peacefully," another laughed, "Poor her. She must be bored being stuck in such a place."

"Right! I heard there are ghosts living in that palace," she shivered, "Ugh! How disgusting."

Shen shut them out, but the brunette decided to pull him along as he spoke up.

"Hello ladies," Han Mo greeted with a charming smile.

"Oh, hello," the girls greeted brightly.

"What is this I hear about ghosts?" He questioned.

"Are you a cultivator?" One of the females questioned noticing the sword.

"Ah, a longtime ago," the brunette waved off, "Tell me about these ghosts."

"Uh," one of the females started, "Well, I heard there were ghosts living with the Ghost King and they care for him."

"Hm, interesting," his gold eyes turned to Shen, looked him up and down, before turning back to the females, "I've been to the palace on an errand. I do not see any ghosts."

"What?" They looked at one another shocked, "An errand for… the Ghost King?"

"Well…" he scratched his cheek, "More for someone close to him."

"Eh? Who?" The females looked at him and waited for an answer.

"This guy," he held up his hand that was holding Shen's.

The white-haired man looked at the females to see their mouth dropped.

"He… he's…" the females stuttered out and the brunette laughed.

"I know, I know," he grinned, "He's pretty," he winked at Shen and turned them around to walk away, "Thanks for the info ladies!"

'This man is so strange,' the white-haired male stated as the shouts from the females' land on deaf ears.

When they arrived at Han Mo's place, he stood before the cabin door and waited with the brunette. The door opened to reveal a redheaded male. He was tall and had golden eyes like the male beside him.

"Have you finally won his heart?" The tall man stated with a frown and crossed arms.

"Oh let me ask," the brunette turned to him, "Ah Shen, have I won your heart?"

"No," he said with no hesitation and the redhead barked out a laugh.

"An idiot like our brother," the redhead poked the brunette's forehead, "Hope you don't end up dead like him."

"Hey, I am smarter than him," the brunette pushed his brother to the side and waited for Shen to enter, before stepping into the cabin, "Besides, he is actually still alive."

"He is?" Zhang Xu Ling questioned as he brought Shen to the bookshelves, "He is not dead?"

"Nope," Zhang Han Mo showed Shen where the books were and went to grab some bags, "He actually looks happy with the Ghost King."

"Happy…" the redhead frowned thinking to himself for a moment, "Probably because he gets to be pampered like a king," he said sarcastically.

"Maybe," the brunette nodded and hummed, "Remember when he talked about soulmates when we were younger?"

"What of it?" Zhang Xu Ling pursed his lips.

"Ah, it is nothing, just a memory," the brunette offered a smile and continued grabbing the copies.

"What are you doing?" The tall man walked over to them, "Why are you grabbing his stuff?"

"He wants it," the brunette shrugged, "Ghost King wants it by sundown."

Gold eyes looked at the bags being filled.

"There are too many books for just the two of you to carry," he said, "I shall accompany you two."

"I don't think you should, Ah Ling," the brunette stood up with Shen, "remember what happened last time you came with me to bring Ah Shen his request?"

The red head felt his face fell.

"Exactly," the brunette patted his brother's shoulder, "Until Ah Yun is ready for you to return, you cannot come."

"Why does it matter?" He huffed, "You need help so as a good brother, I should assist you."

"As a good brother, you should stay to not give me more trouble than I can handle," the brunette grinned and his brother rubbed his face.

He watched as Han Mo held six bags while the white-haired boy held one. He saw Shen trying to hold more, but his idiot brother shook his head and carried on down the hill.

"An idiot," he shook his red hair, "Master Pang would be disappointed knowing his two disciples are idiots."

==

Hien, Chu, and Yun were currently in the kitchen doing their best to cook a decent dinner. Chu never had any skills in cooking and relied too heavily on Shen, that she felt her face sweating over the flames. The meat sizzled as the oil popped, scaring her as she pulled her body away.

"Can't we switch Ah Hien," she cried out as a few oil pops and splattered onto her arm.

"But we've already started sister," the brunette was in her own dilemma.

Making soup looked easy, but she wasn't sure if she put enough spices, so she kept adding in the pepper and basil. Brows furrowed as she wiped the back of her hand across her forehead. Her purple eyes looked over at her older sister and saw the silver haired female was twisting the dough.

"Sister Yun," Hien spoke up, "Can you taste this? See if it needs anything else?"

"Be confident in yourself sisters," She did not turn to look at them, "Our king will not be upset."

"Just, just in case-" the brunette tried, but her twin shouted out.

"Oh no! I think it's burning!" The blue haired female cried trying to pick up all the meat in the pan.

"Ah Chu, use this," Hien reached for another kitchen tool and tried to help the blue haired female.

Yun just smiled as she finished twisting the dough. Layering them on the tray, she turned to see both her sisters frazzled by the boiling pot and the popping oil. Shaking her head, she proceeded to save whatever they could for their dinner.

==

Zhang Han Mo and Shen arrived back into the palace with a sigh. His arms were cramping up, but he was not going to let the white-haired boy hold more than a bag. Why? Because he was a gentleman! Glancing over to see the young man, purple eyes were looking to see they arrived just at sundown.

"Were you worried your king would get upset?" The brunette questioned with a grin.

"I am worried I do not have time to make dinner," Shen replied beginning to walk toward his kitchen.

"Of course," he grabbed the thin arm, "Tell me, what is his favorite dish?"

Purple eyes stared at him for a moment before those lips thinned.

"Why do you wish to know?" Shen questioned with his brows dipped.

"Just curious," his golden eyes blinked innocently into purple ones, "Unless you don't know?"

"My king enjoys a dish with strips of fatty beef with white wined rice," Shen said after a moment as his eyes looked down in remembrance, "He prefers the taste of lemon instead of pepper and enjoys ginger tea to calm his stomach. He enjoys any type of sweets."

The brunette watched as the soft smile played on the attractive man's face and he found himself reaching forward. Fingers touched soft cheek, causing purple eyes to look at him with furrowed brows.

"I wonder, Ah Shen," he leaned closer, "If you only smile when you speak of your king," mouth close to lips, "Or do I also have the honor of that smile too?"