ShuîYuê was walking back to her room but she realised halfway through that she had no idea where it was, she had gotten to Yìfēi's room with a maid's help but now there was no one in the corridor, she walked outside, looking around for someone to ask for directions when she heard a child's cry, she walked in the direction running to them as she saw a child crying on the ground.

ShuîYuê crouched down as she gently took the hand which was scratched badly, she washed the scratch with her special enchanted water which healed wounds but it only worked for small injuries, she tied her handkerchief around the hand, as she looked at the child who was staring at ShuîYuê, her big eyes were watery as her lips wobbled before she burst into cries.

ShuîYuê had no idea how to deal with kids; she didn't like them one bit as all they did was cry and trouble others; she looked around for someone while whispering, "Don't cry, don't cry," to the little girl.

But the girl didn't stop, ShuîYuê had never faced such a grave crisis, she could deal with the most difficult people but didn't know what to do when it came to kids as they usually were scared of her when she had never done anything to scare them, she patted the girl's back slowly trying to comfort her but to no vain until someone picked her up.

ShuîYuê looked up as she saw Ghost King rocking the little girl in his arms as he whispered comforting words to her, the child quietened down slowly, and she buried her head in his neck sniffing, ShuîYuê got up from the floor as she took a deep breath relieved, 'Phew that was hard,' she thought.

Ghost King looked at her as she was busy fumbling with her clothes. She held up her hand, which had a few blueberries in it, Huá cocked his eyebrow in question,
"They are sweet," she informed.

"So?"

"Don't kids love sweet things?" She asked simply; Ghost King sighed before nudging the child, who looked up, her eyes still watery.

She looked at ShuîYuê then at the berries in her hand as ShuîYuê brought her hand closer to the girl; she stared at her hand for a few seconds before looking at Ghost King, who nodded his head; she gingerly took a blueberry from her hand before putting it in her mouth.

ShuîYuê looked at her in anticipation before the girl reached her hand out, taking more berries this time; ShuîYuê smiled at her as she ate the berries; she gave her all the berries she had. As she looked away, she saw Ghost King staring at her.

"This is my daughter," he informed softly; ShuîYuê didn't say anything back, only looking at the girl.

"Hello, my name is Chéng XiǎoÀi," she greeted shyly.

'Cute,' ShuîYuê thought smiling, but she changed that when she saw Ghost King looking at her.

"Who is she?" The girl whispered in Huá's ear shyly. He chuckled at his daughter's subtle way of asking.

"This is Water Master," he answered softly.

The girl stared at ShuîYuê confused, "Water Master? But she doesn't look like water," she whispered to Chéng Huá innocently.

ShuîYuê chuckled, "My name is Bài ShuîYuê, but I am also known as Water Master," she introduced smiling.

"Why Water Master?" The girl asked curiously.

"Because I control the water element," ShuîYuê replied as a small waterspout rotated on her palm. The girl's eyes were wide open as she looked at ShuîYuê in astonishment.

She poked her finger in the waterspout and pulled it back to see her finger wet, "Waoo so cool," ShuîYuê chuckled, kids very rather easy to satisfy, "Can you make a big one?" She asked hopefully.

"XiǎoÀi don't make such requests to anyone you meet," Chéng Huá scolded his daughter, who shrunk back, pouting, "Sorry she gets too excited at times," he apologised to ShuîYuê.

"It isn't anything much," ShuîYuê muttered, looking upset as well.

'Did she want to show it to her as well?' He thought, "Then I request you to fulfil her wish," he said calmly, ShuîYuê looked up instantly.

"Sure," she remarked, looking around.

She went to a nearby pond and created a big waterspout; his daughter's eyes would come out of their sockets if she kept looking this way. Huá worried about XiǎoÀi's eyes; ShuîYuê then sent that waterspout up in the rain as XiǎoÀi's smile dropped. He noticed her being sad, 'She's upset because the water disappeared.'

Just then, little drops of water fell from the sky. They dropped on XiǎoÀi's nose as she laughed, ShuîYuê smiled, happy to make someone laugh, "Waaoooo Miss, you are so cool!" The girl gushed brightly.

"Really?" ShuîYuê asked, surprised.

"You are even cooler than Uncle Zìxìn," she nodded making big gestures with her hands.

'Cool? That Brawl head doesn't even know the definition of being cool; he doesn't even fight gracefully, just relying on brute strength; he was with Yìfēi; I should go check on her,' ShuîYuê thought before smiling at the girl, "Thank you," she said softly.

The girl hid her face in Huá's neck, giggling, 'What's got in her little head?' He wondered ShuîYuê wondered what she did to have that girl giggling like that.

XiǎoÀi kept giggling as she blew raspberries in Huá's neck, who blinked his eyes dumbstruck; ShuîYuê chuckled, seeing his expression; the most feared Ghost was being blown raspberries by his daughter; she stifled a giggle herself as Huá looked at her, "What are you laughing at?" He asked, narrowing his eye.

ShuîYuê failed to keep a serious face, "Nothing," she replied, her lips twitching in a smile, Water Master and his daughter kept giggling for whatever reasons the Ghost King didn't understand, but he was happy seeing them smile.

"I want to be your friend," XiǎoÀi said to ShuîYuê, who nodded her head, agreeing. XiǎoÀi smiled brightly, "Look, Daddy, I made a friend!" She added excitedly.

"Yeah," Huá smiled at her.

"Miss, my dad doesn't have any friends. I am his only friend. Will you be his friend?" XiǎoÀi asked hopefully.

ShuîYuê's smile dropped the second she asked her to be his friend, "We are friends already," Huá said.

"We can't be friends," ShuîYuê said, at the same time, XiǎoÀi looked at her father and this super cool miss confused.

"Why not?" Ghost King asked ShuîYuê.

"I don't make friends with those who don't trust me," she replied sharply.

"I never di-"

"Why are you fighting?" XiǎoÀi asked, interrupting Huà.

"We aren't," he assured to his daughter softly.

"I'll see you later," ShuîYuê said to XiǎoÀi before leaving.

"Daddy?"

"Hmm,"

"Why did Miss Water leave?" She asked.

Ghost King had no answer to this except for one, "Daddy isn't a nice person," he sighed.

"No, don't say that, my Daddy is the best in this world," she said, hugging him. He squeezed her shoulder softly, 'Wish she thought so too,' he said to himself.

Paradise Manor

ShuîYuê strolled in the garden where she had met XiǎoÀi in the morning, she smiled thinking about the little girl who was adorable to ShuîYuê, she sighed to herself her head was hurting a lot and she didn't want to drink medicine, deciding to walk around to clear her mind she found herself in this beautiful yet barren garden, she was already feeling far better than before as she strolled in the cool crisp air of January, she, however found someone or rather a group of men staring at her.

ShuîYuê stared back wondering why they were looking at her so intently, had they never seen a Heavenly official before she wondered, if the cold breeze from earlier wasn't making her cover herself with her arms their raking gaze over her body sure was, she glanced back as they took a few steps towards her from across the garden, her eyes counted them in case they thought of doing anything stupid.

There were around ten of them built to the brim; it wasn't that she couldn't fight them, but ShuîYuê knew her condition wasn't the best; she had been feeling incredibly low in her spiritual powers since Ghost King had left Heaven, and she couldn't figure why.

They started to take longer strides towards her, which had her backing away; they were quite close with smirks on their faces and were giving each other weird looks; she was starting to get worried as she looked around; no guards were posted near this garden or this place.

Paradise Manor was weird and ShuîYuê wondered who was responsible for the security pattern of this place, she took a shaky breath as they haulted in their track, the smug looks on their faces were replaced with nervous glances as they bowed their head to the murderous glare they were receiving.

ShuîYuê furrowed her eyebrows confused as she felt something heavy drop over her shoulders, she looked down at herself to find a black feathery cloak covering her and as she turned her head to her right she saw Ghost King standing next to her, the steely look in his eye had those men run away, she had never seen such silent fury in his eye.

She looked back at them as they tripped over their own feet, trying to get away from Ghost King. She looked back at him to see him turn his gaze over to her, and the stern, narrowed look in his eye was replaced by warmth; she could feel her body warm up with how loving the gaze was.

His hands lingered over her shoulders as she looked down at the cloak which was too big on her, it was dragging down on the floor and she could probably hide behind it with Yìfēi and Jīnyú given how humongous it was not to mention he was still holding it up but she could feel it's heavyweight already, she instantly stepped back glaring at him.

"Your clothes are not warm enough, you catch cold easily," he spoke softly as she blocked his wrists with her forearm.

"I don't need your help!" She spat narrowing her eyes at him.

"It's too cold outside; you should wear more layers if you want to stroll," he advised, ignoring her protests and pushing away his hands.

"I said I don't need your help!" She roared pushing at his chest to move him back.

He grabbed her wrists with one hand as he stared down at her calmly, "Those men are Zìxìn's drinking buddies; if you find them making you uncomfortable again, just kill them."

"I can fight my own battles," she told sternly.

"I know you can," he dropped her hands as his fingers caressed her neck, "You always have," he added beginning to tie the strings of his cloak around her neck.

She stared into his eye, which was focused on tying the strings of his cloak; she wanted to ask him a thousand questions which were swirling in her mind: why did he have to pretend to care for her when he already had a wife and a daughter? Why did he do this to her?

She wanted to beg him to tell her why but she didn't, her self-respect wouldn't let her stoop so low, his warm fingers brushed against her collarbones as he stared at them, she was weaker than before he could tell by her weak attempts at pushing him away, the faint bruises around her neck didn't escape his eye either not to mention the mistake he committed of looking in her eyes.

She was staring at his face for answers, screaming at him to tell her why he did all that. However, he never heard her voice; her eyes were glassy as he stared into her eyes, which were asking him questions, hoping he'd say it was all a huge lie.

She could make do with just that, he didn't have to tell her anything other than how all this was not real, he wasn't what she had seen, and she could be satisfied and happy if he just told her once why he did that, she wouldn't even question him on why he did all that, just one word she wanted from him.

He could scream in her face and say it was all a prank and she wouldn't ever bother him again, he could tell her that she deserves to be treated that way and she wouldn't question him, just a word from his lips, she just wanted to know why he did that, for once she could assure herself that she was just pathetic and that's how she should be treated.

He saw tears sliding down her cheeks as she stared at him, she wasn't even realising she was crying as soft cries escaped her lips, it broke his heart to see her like this, he wiped her cheeks with his thumb when she gripped his wrist, holding it with her hands as she begged him to tell her the truth, she never, of course, asked it out loud but he could hear her just fine.

His palm was drenched in her tears as she stared at him, her tears falling down her face and soaking the cloak he had just put on her, he shook his head, bringing his other hand to her face and wiping off her never-ending tears, he caressed her half parted lips with his thumb, he wanted to bury his face on her shoulders and apologise for all the pain he had caused her.

She could feel herself pressing her face into his palm; his warm touch after months on this incredibly cold night was keeping her sane; her head was tilted to the side, leaning on his left hand, which was holding her face while the other hand was wiping her tears which wouldn't stop.

She closed her eyes trying to compose herself as he cupped her face in his palms,
"Water Master," he called softly, she didn't want to open her eyes and stare into his eye, she wasn't sure she could stop herself from burying her face in his chest and crying, "Stop crying, please I can't see you like this, it hur-"

"My lord," Ghost King leaned back as he turned around, Yin Yu was standing some twenty feet away, his head bowed down, "I have something to report."

Huá took a step in front of her as he schooled his expression, "Come forward."

Yin Yu bowed his head before walking closer to the Ghost King his eyes peered over Ghost King's shoulder to see someone standing there, but he couldn't see much as Ghost King's head blocked his view, "The boy who was causing trouble at Southwestern mainlands was seen around the port, our men are searching."

"Tell them to find him as soon as possible," Ghost King ordered as ShuîYuê turned away from him she didn't realise someone was staring at her through wide eyes.

It was a woman who was wearing Ghost King's cloak, but it wasn't any cloak, Yin Yu's eyes wouldn't have bulged out of their sockets if it was some random cloak, that fur cloak of the black wolf was only and could only be worn by a Supreme Ghost King, it is gifted to them when they are crowned, no matter how important anyone was that cloak was only for a Supreme Ghost King.

General Yông was always complaining about not being able to wear that cloak, he was quite passionate about his liking of his best friend's cloak and had wanted it several times, but some rules couldn't be broken for anything, no amount of requests or threats would work on Ghost King to let Zìxìn wear that cloak.

The fur which comes from the wolf is extremely rare; in years, such a black wolf is born and sacrificed when a Supreme Ghost King rises, and no maids, assistants, or helper would ever touch that cloak. The only person whom that cloak would let itself touch was a shaman who had released the soul of the wolf, and once that shaman adorned a Supreme Ghost King in that cloak on his crowning day it can never be touched by anyone else, that fur burns the person who touched it even with Ghost King's permission. General Yông has a nasty burn on his palm from attempting to touch that cloak once, his skin took months to heal.

This woman was wearing that cloak like it was just some random piece of clothing, Ghost King must have realised what was going through Yin Yu's head, "Zìxìn's friends," he spoke as Yin Yu averted his gaze from the female to his lord, "I don't want any of them seen in Paradise Manor again, they made our guest uncomfortable," Yin Yu nodded his head as his eyes glanced at the female again.

She was standing to the left of his lordship, he had been a Heavenly official some ten years ago so he hadn't ever seen her, he was banished to Hell and found work in Paradise Manor some seven years ago, she was from Heaven that much was very clear to him, those born originally in Hell had peculiar features on their bodies, like elongated fingers, ears, more than two eyes, longer bodies, just usual things someone would find in Hell, his lordship and his friends were all born in Heaven since they looked normal like those who were of Heaven, Yin Yu himself had worked at Jun Wu's Court for years and then he was banished here.

Officials usually had yellow or orange auras around them, which indicated fame or greed, Yin Yu had the rare power to be able to see auras, and General Yông had a deep red aura around him, he had an inner warrior spirit and could survive any circumstances he's thrown into, Miss Xià had orange around her, she's very energetic and quick to make friends.

Miss Baō had a green aura around her; she had a love for someone who balances her out; Ghost Queen had a dark green aura around her, jealousy, resentment, and someone who believes she's never in the wrong; Princess XiǎoÀi had a bright yellow aura around her, she's playful in spirit.

Yin Yu had also seen a beautiful lady around Miss Xià a lot; she was always smiling and had a pink aura around her; she was kind, caring and loving; she was one of their guests in Paradise Manor, as he could figure.

This woman in front of him had her eyes lowered, but her cheeks and nose were pink from the extreme cold Paradise Manor had, the weight of Ghost King's cloak had her slouching, and she covered herself with his cloak as another cool gust of wind blew, he had to squint his eyes to be able to see indigo and purple aura around her body, she's highly sensitive to the feelings of other around her, he could see Ghost King's black aura gravitating towards her.

His lordship held resentment from his past along with built-up anger and grief, he hadn't forgiven what had happened in the past and still clings to those heavy emotions, her purple aura was intuitive and could sense his pain, she was absorbing his trauma without even realising it, Yin Yu could also see sometimes faint dots of blue over Ghost King's body, he was intelligent and communicated quite well, and as the wind grew stronger he saw Ghost King stepping towards her.

A faint white aura was surrounding her head, too; Yin Yu had to squint his eyes to see that; Ghost King was aware of what was going through Yin Yu's head since he noticed him staring at ShuîYuê for a long time, squinting his eyes in between.

Yin Yu, however, was more curious about how Ghost King's very dark cloak which contained a lot of heavy energy and also a lot of responsibility wasn't wearing down her energy at all, she had to have some deep experience with heavy emotions herself to not be affected by the fur of that black wolf, just touching it causes burns and her she was pulling it closer to her body, he was also wondering why her body wasn't already on fire since that cloak burned anyone but Ghost King.

Her facial features were rather soft and adorable, not to mention her small stature made her appear even more cute, but the second she locked eyes with Yin Yu he flinched back from the intensity of her gaze, her eyes were red and slightly glassy as she stared at Yin Yu who wasn't much tall himself.

"Yin Yu," Ghost King called as the man lowered his eyes turning to Ghost King,
"How is Lady Jingsi?" He asked as Yin Yu stole another glance at ShuîYuê who was struggling to undo the knots of this cloak.

"She's fine, resting in her house currently," Yin Yu answered, Huá noticed his gaze on ShuîYuê once again.

"You should retire for the night," Huá said turning around to face her, she shoved his cloak in his arms with a stern glare as Yin Yu stared at her neck and collarbones, which were unscathed as always, he frowned wondering how she wasn't injured from wearing that notorious cloak for so long.

She turned around walking away as both the men stared at her, one hurt with her behaviour and the other one trying to figure out how she survived wearing that cloak, she took a few steps only to feel her sleeves being pulled back, she took a deep breath, "Let it go," she told sternly.

Yin Yu stared between the corner of her sleeve which was stuck to the cloak in Ghost King's arms, "Let it go!" She snapped, turning around to find both his hands holding his cloak; her eyes glanced down to her sleeve, which was tangled to the end of his cloak; she clicked her tongue in annoyance and tried to pull away her sleeves, losing her calm as they refused to separate.

Huá watched her pulling her sleeve away furiously; he shifted his heavy cloak in his other arm before he gently untangled the end of their clothes, which were stuck together; her fingers brushed against his palm before she walked away.

Yin Yu poked a finger in the cloak his lord was holding only to his back and muffled a cry of pain; Ghost King turned to him when he heard Yin Yu hissing in pain, "My lord, how did it not burn her?" He asked curiously as Ghost King stared at her retreating figure.

"The fury in her heart could turn this cloak into ashes, Yin Yu; this cloak can't hurt her," Huá stated as Yin Yu rubbed his burnt finger.

"That miss has quite some anger in her veins," Yin Yu commented as Ghost King chuckled, "She has to be a fire elemental for this cloak not to have burnt her; they are the only ones who are immune to things that can cause burns," he put forth frantically.

"To your utter disbelief she's a water elemental with moon powers," Ghost King told softly.

"Water elemental?" Yin Yu questioned in disbelief, Ghost King nodded his head in response, "Aren't water elementals supposed to be calm-minded and soft in nature?"

"She's calm most of the time, at least until she's not," Huá replied, kissing his palm as Yin Yu blew on his fingers.

____________
A/N: XiǎoÀi means little love, I chose this name because it was so cute!! Also, about the fur cloak, I made all that up when Yin Yu showed up on the screen.

Thanks for reading. Have a great day/night.

Bye-bye

Word count:4k