They hurried back to the manor, Ghost King entered with Chéng Jídù in his arms. Zìxìn and Yìfēi assisted Uncle to the side chambers where doctors were called right away to treat MíngLóng and Uncle first. ShuîYuê only followed them in silence, she had no injuries similar to YànQīng, but Zìxìn and Yìfēi had some minor cuts; she had not realized she had been holding XiǎoÀi during all this chaos; ShuîYuê felt dampness in her robes, looking down to see her robes soaked in water? No, she didn't get anywhere near the water until she realised it was XiǎoÀi who had been silently crying all this time, she left the room where maids were running as MíngLóng and Uncle were being treated, going to a quiet part of the Manor which wasn't in chaos as she gently pulled the girl away who was holding onto ShuîYuê's body with all her might.

"XiǎoÀi," she called softly, patting her back, "It's okay, you can open your eyes now." But the girl shook her head.

ShuîYuê sighed. Her arm was hurting from holding her for so long, but this kid was traumatised with fear; she gently rocked her, humming a song; her voice was gentle and beautiful. She loved to sing but got shy in front of others. Yìfēi discovered this once when she walked in on her singing; it went on for some twenty minutes until XiǎoÀi finally looked up at ShuîYuê's face, who was staring at the stars singing softly; XiǎoÀi had stopped crying sometime ago and rested her head on her chest hugging her.

ShuîYuê looked down at her, XiǎoÀi's face wasn't hidden in her chest she was instead staring blankly at something, "XiǎoÀi," ShuîYuê called gently, the girl looked up at her, her obsidian doe eyes staring at ShuîYuê's dark brown ones, "It's okay there's no need to worry." she assured softly.

"Is everyone okay?" XiǎoÀi asked, her voice breaking.

ShuîYuê stared at her, surprised; this little five-year-old girl was worried for others who were more than capable of protecting themselves. Who was she kidding? YànQīng, MíngLóng, Yìfēi and her were fighters. Zìxìn's the best and most dangerous she had fought against and Ghost King was supreme, the situation went out of hand because of the sudden and overwhelming amount of assassins, this child had so much sensitivity to not point out that the bracelet uncle gave her wasn't of gold but silver she understood his sentiment and was so mature whereas her mother.

ShuîYuê had no words she didn't know Chéng Jídù's backstory maybe she was hurt and became sour or chose to be this way intentionally but she didn't deserve a child like XiǎoÀi, similarly how Jun Wu didn't deserve to be called Jīnyú's father when he had abandoned his son at the age of twelve.

ShuîYuê shook her head, pulling herself out of her thoughts and focusing on the girl in her arms, "No one was hurt; everyone is fine." she said carefully; XiǎoÀi nodded her head, but her eyes went wide as she saw the amount of blood on ShuîYuê's robes.

"Miss Water, you are hurt." she cried, worried,

"Don't worry, it's not my blood. It's of the bad guy we fought." ShuîYuê said hurriedly; the girl in her arm relaxed before hugging ShuîYuê again, who didn't understand why she was hugging her, "XiǎoÀi?"

"Yes,"

"Are you scared?"

"No," she replied softly, "I was before not now," she added, shaking her head.

"Then why are you hugging me if you're not scared?" ShuîYuê asked, confused.

"You are soft," she mumbled; ShuîYuê blinked; okay, that was too much honesty.

"Do you like soft things?" ShuîYuê questioned, not knowing what to say; XiǎoÀi nodded her head.

"My Daddy isn't soft like you. His body is hard, I bumped my head in his tummy once, and my head hurt a lot." she blurted, ShuîYuê chuckled, XiǎoÀi looked up at ShuîYuê's face who had a smile on her face, she poked at her dimple giggling, as ShuîYuê smiled back, "You are pretty," XiǎoÀi praised, touching ShuîYuê's face with her palm, ShuîYuê couldn't help but blush from the genuine compliment.

"You are very beautiful too," ShuîYuê praised back, XiǎoÀi giggled.

"I have never seen anyone more pretty than my mommy," she said looking at ShuîYuê's face, as much as ShuîYuê didn't like Chéng Jídù she was indeed a heavenly beauty, her eyes sharp and seductive, beautiful glowing skin with cherry red lips, she was tall and had beautiful curves, clearly a woman many would desire, she was of a high standard as well dressing lavishly in golden robes, a true seductive beauty, "But miss Yìfēi is beautiful like her too," XiǎoÀi added pulling ShuîYuê out of her thoughts.

"Yìfēi is the most beautiful woman in Heaven," ShuîYuê remarked proudly.

"But I like you a little less than mommy," she said, staring at her.

"Why?" ShuîYuê asked, confused

"My mommy loves me a lot, daddy says she does but she never holds me in her arms like daddy, she doesn't play with me like Aunty Lóng, she doesn't spin me around like Uncle Zìxìn," she mumbled looking sad, "And she doesn't let me hug her like this," she added hugging ShuîYuê who listened to her, it broke her heart to see a little child so starved of a mother's love, fathers didn't show their love for their children but mothers loved to smother them in kisses and hugs.

ShuîYuê had never had a nice relationship with her father, they didn't speak much or when they did it was always about her studies, his father never took her out to play or they never went out for dinners or strolls as other families did, she could only watch from her window as kids played happily while she was studying her father sat beside her supervising her, he never let her a day off from studying or school even when she had a fever.

She had accepted the fact that she would never have a happy family like other kids did, but her mother always supported her and took care of her for the longest time. ShuîYuê's immune system was really bad and so she got sick now and then, it's not any better now but she copes with it, her mother hugged her and kissed her as she cried from pain when she was sick, her mother did everything she could do to make ShuîYuê happy who wasn't a bratty child demanding this or that, she was much more sensitive and always knew when her family was going through financial crisis she never asked for anything from her parents.

Her father was sick most of the time but he worked hard to earn a living, her parents would fight every single week, and her father misunderstood her mother's kind intentions she was frustrated because her father wouldn't listen to her and do things that harmed him even more, she would cry silently all the time and run to her mother's arm if she was scared, she grew out of that relying on her self more to comfort herself, ShuîYuê never told anything about the girls who bullied her at school nor those who won't let her play with them.

She always kept quiet and endured not wanting to trouble her parents with her problems, she always felt they were her problems to deal with and she shouldn't burden her parents with more things than they were already suffering from, could anyone explain this to an eleven-year-old kid that it wasn't okay to be kicked and left out from everything because she was just weak, she should have told her parents or teachers and things would have been far easier but ShuîYuê thought she deserved to be treated this way she was already a burden to her parents why add more? She shook her head as tears slid down her face she hugged the girl in her arms tightly.

No child should have to feel this way, XiǎoÀi looked up at ShuîYuê, whose eyes were watery, she wiped her tears with her small hands, "Don't cry," she said softly, "I love you." she added, hugging her, ShuîYuê bit her lips, not wanting a single sound to escape, as she squeezed her eyes shut.

'Don't cry, not now in front of a kid,' she told herself, wiping her tears quickly as she heard footsteps; she turned around to see Ghost King walking up to her, and she blinked her eyes hurriedly.

"I am here to take XiǎoÀi," he spoke, before taking his daughter from her hands, who refused to part from ShuîYuê, "XiǎoÀi," he called firmly, "Come here," she shook her head throwing a tantrum, he sighed before uncurling her fists from ShuîYuê's robes as his other hand pulled her away by the stomach, she kicked her legs in the air as he held her firmly in his arm.

ShuîYuê was worried for the girl; XiǎoÀi reached her hand out, trying to get a hold of ShuîYuê as she pulled her earring; ShuîYuê cried in pain. XiǎoÀi had pulled too roughly, "XiǎoÀi! Stop moving," Huá scolded her. She shook her head, kicking her legs, not letting ShuîYuê's earring go. Ghost King irritated, took off ShuîYuê's earring instead as XiǎoÀi broke into cries.

"I want to be with Miss Water!" she cried as she wiggled in his firm grip, he walked away with a kid throwing a tantrum as her cries were heard loudly, ShuîYuê stared at them from far as they disappeared, she wanted to hug XiǎoÀi a little longer but her father didn't seem to like it, she sighed before going back to check on Yìfēi.

"I want to go!" XiǎoÀi cried, kicking his arm as she rotated in his grip, Ghost King quickened his pace as he carried his crying daughter in his arms, "Let me go!" She screamed in his ear, scratching his face with her sharp nails, which had been neglected; Huá halted as he felt his face sting; he put her down as she ran off.

He stood there silently with his hands crossed. She ran a while before turning back around and running back to him crying, she hugged his leg, "Daddy, there is a monster!" she cried, Huá sighed, being a parent was a thousand times more difficult than being a Supreme Ghost King who crouched down to her level as she cried he wiped her tears, steadying her by holding her shoulders.

"Don't worry, no monster will come near," he assured softly. She hugged him, her body trembling in fear. He carried her in his arms back to her room.

He put her on her bed gently as she quietened down; he covered her with a blanket and took off her shoes, "I am sorry, Daddy," she apologised guilty.

"Why are you sorry?" He asked calmly as he unknotted her clothes.

"I screamed and threw a tantrum like a bad girl," she responded, looking down.

"Why did you do that?" He questioned, picking up a comb.

"Daddy, Miss Water was sad," she said suddenly.

"How do you know that she was sad?" He asked, combing her hair gently.

"She was crying, Daddy," she replied, turning her head up to look at him, Huá blinked.

"Did you see her cry?" He questioned softly. She nodded her head, "Do you know why she was crying?" He struggled with a stubborn knot in her hair.

"I don't know why, but she was very sad,"

"Is that why you didn't want to leave her?" He asked as he finally managed to unknot that stupid knot without pulling her hair.

"Yes, I wanted to hug her so she felt better like you do," she said, nodding her head.

"That was nice of you, but you shouldn't have pulled her earring like that," he scolded, wringing out a towel. As she stared at the earring in her hand.

"I will say sorry to her and give her my favourite mung bean cake," she spoke as he wiped her face clean before moving down to her hands.

"That's good," he said, distracted.

"Daddy?"

"Hmm,"

"Will you ask her why she was sad, and maybe then we can make her happy?" She asked hopefully, Ghost King nodded his head stiffly, and she smiled brightly.

"Now be a good girl and go to bed," he said, kissing her forehead as she lay down on her bed, closing her eyes; he went back to check on Zìxìn, who had finally got medication up his arms, which were covered in bandages, "Is everyone else okay?" Ghost King asked as he reached his best friend.

"Yeah, MíngLóng and Uncle had the biggest wounds. Yìfēi and I had some small cuts, but other than that, everything is fine," he answered airily. Ghost King nodded his head, "Uncle was very upset," Zìxìn added after a while.

"We grew up there. He built that house with his own hands. Of course, he'll be sad," Ghost King sighed.

"Yeah." Zìxìn stopped when he noticed a scratch on Huá's face, "Bro, get that scratch treated; those assassins were all wearing gloves, though; how did they manage to scratch your face then?" He asked, puzzled.

"It was XiǎoÀi," Ghost King said simply, Zìxìn smiled victoriously.

"Hah, my niece is learning my ways," he smiled proudly. Ghost King rolled his eyes before Zìxìn asked suddenly, "How did that annoying wife of yours faint?"

"She got startled," he responded airily.

"That bitch got scared? She goes off scaring more than half the people without even trying, how could mere assassins scare her? Zìxìn scoffed.

"You should go to bed, is Uncle comfortable?" He asked changing the topic.

"Yes to second, No to first, I have to go investigate the site," Zìxìn replied.

"It was Jun Wu who sent them after us," Ghost King stated seriously.

"Jun Wu?"

"Yes, those assassins were produced of spiritual powers; that's why they were infinite in number," he explained, his hands behind his back.

"That bastard Jun Wu has sent spies after us could it be those elementals?" Zìxìn asked suspiciously.

"No, I have kept a sharp eye on both of them they haven't contacted anyone in Heavens at all," Ghost King responded, shaking his head.

"Right, they both fought with all they had," Zìxìn said, tone slightly appreciative.

"I heard Wind Master got hurt saving MíngLóng." Ghost King asked.

Zìxìn smiled unconsciously, "They are like sisters; MíngLóng says so, not me," he added hurriedly as Ghost King smirked.

"Zìxìn, were you just smiling right now?" Huá asked playfully.

"I wasn't!" Zìxìn denied stubbornly.

"Were you glad that Wind Master didn't think of anything before jumping to MíngLóng's defence?" He continued to tease.

"Shut up, you jerk! your favourite Water Master was the one who saved XiǎoÀi today," he said suddenly, "That Witch is sneaky as fuck, she snapped his knife in two before hitting his head with the hilt of her sword," Zìxìn spoke impressed, "If she wasn't my sworn enemy I would love to fight alongside her," he added smiling as Ghost King remained expressionless, "Huá you don't like her anymore, right?" Zìxìn asked, his tone changing to hopeful.

Ghost King nodded stiffly, "I don't,"

"Thank goodness she has stopped possessing your mind," he sighed relieved, before leaving him alone.

Ghost King strolled around his Manor it was midnight, and everyone was asleep except for the guards on patrol, they bowed to him when their group came across him, he relaxed his mind finally, until he saw ShuîYuê standing by the corridor she was simply leaning her hands on the balustrade, she had seen his wife in a panic attack he had forgotten about it.

"Water Master," he called slowly. She flinched back, her chest rising and falling with fast breaths, 'What was she thinking that she got so scared?' He wondered, she calmed herself as she looked at him, "I came here to request you not to say anything about Jídù's panic attack, it's something very private between her and me and no one knows of this, so I request you to please keep it a secret," he requested softly.

She looked away, staring at the night sky, "Don't worry, I am not so cheap to go around making fun of someone's sickness."

"Please, not even too Wind Master, I understand that she's your best friend, and you can't keep things from her, but-"

"I Bài ShuîYuê, swear to never speak or tell in any form to anyone about Chéng Jídù's panic attack, if I go back on my words may Heavens punish me with the same sickness," she interjected cutting him off, raising her hand as she pointed three of her fingers upwards with her thumb and pinky connected.

Huá stared at her in shock, "You didn't have to swear, I trust you," he said firmly.

"You would always have that doubt if you only trusted me, but since I swore you can be relieved that I won't speak of it to anyone," she replied, staring back at the night sky.

"People live off merely on bare trust," he sighed, shaking his head, "There was no need to swear," he added firmly.

"Trust is a fickle thing; it has every chance of breaking at any point; that's why the world doesn't work on useless things like trust; it works on practical terms," she remarked, drumming her fingers on the wooden balustrade.

"Water Master, you need to stop being so pessimistic and try to trust others," he advised softly.

"Oh, I did," she said, turning to him, "I did trust others, but they always broke it," she confessed, smiling bitterly, her eyes not matching her words.

"Trust is a fragile thing indeed," he stated, nodding his head.

"Wish people could swear on their thoughts too, no one would ever be doubting each other's intentions then," she commented, averting her gaze from his face.

"I also wanted to thank you for saving XiǎoÀi," he added softly.

"It's nothing," she said airily.

"She's my daughter. I froze when I heard she was kept captive," he replied, leaning against the balustrade.

"I am not a parent like you, nor do I wish to be ever, but I can understand your worry for your child; it must be terrifying to think of someone hurting her."

"It was," he shook his head, not wanting to think of it, "It wasn't nice," he admitted stiffly.

"I worry for Jīnyú too, I am not his parent, but I think I care as much as his parents would," she said, tilting her head to the side.

"Unconditional love and care isn't something which only comes from blood, they are emotions anyone can feel for others," he spoke, staring at her.

"I shouldn't intervene in your private life, but please take care of XiǎoÀi; no child should have to see or go through things which mature them beyond their years," she replied, gripping her sleeve; he noticed there was this pain in her eyes which she was trying to hide by looking down.

"Everyone here adores her a lot," he assured.

"Of course, everyone loves her a lot, but she craves for her mother the most," ShuîYuê said, walking away, as Ghost King stared at her, 'How does she know Jídù doesn't like her daughter?' He wondered astonished.

Paradise Manor

ShuîYuê stared at the food on the table, her appetite was lost, it had been for some weeks now, last night's incident playing in the back of her mind, those assassins were certainly sent by Jun Wu, ShuîYuê was sure of that, how did he even know that Huá and his friends would be there was beyond her, neither she nor Yìfēi had contacted Jun Wu he must have his spies here in Hell, a soft thud caused her to leave her spot and look outside her door, hiding behind a column were small hands, a smile crept onto ShuîYuê's face, she padded towards the column and grabbed the little hands, "Ahh!" Someone cried in surprise.

"Caught you!" ShuîYuê cooed as XiǎoÀi giggled; crouching on the floor, ShuîYuê held XiǎoÀi's tiny hands, "What are you doing here, princess?"

XiǎoÀi shifted her weight from one foot to the other, "Hide and seek; my maid is looking for me," she answered, pulling ShuîYuê away from the open corridor.

"Where are we going?" ShuîYuê asked following after XiǎoÀi.

"To hide," XiǎoÀi said peeking from behind the wall to check for her maid, "You are playing with me."

"Me? Don't you think I am too old to play?" ShuîYuê questioned with a smile as XiǎoÀi walked forward cautiously.

"No, you are only five heads taller than me, my friends are taller than you and they play with me," XiǎoÀi said taking ShuîYuê to a secluded corridor, ShuîYuê's face heated up in embarrassment, XiǎoÀi's words weren't meant to insult her but here she was flushed crimson, "Miss Water do you have friends?"

"Yes, the beautiful lady you met yesterday is my best friend," ShuîYuê responded thinking about Yìfēi.

"Is she your only friend?" XiǎoÀi inquired curiously.

"No, I have another friend in Heaven; he's really funny to be around. I am sure you'll like him, and I have another one. He's not exactly a friend, but he's my student, and he loves to play tag," ShuîYuê replied missing Jīnyú.

"Tag!! I want to meet him!" XiǎoÀi exclaimed stopping behind a wall.

"When you come to my home you two can play all day," ShuîYuê assured blowing on a staircase beside the wall and sitting on it,
XiǎoÀi copied her lips puckered out to blow the dust off the stairs and plopping beside ShuîYuê.

"Is your home far from here?" XiǎoÀi propped her face on her hands, staring up at ShuîYuê.

ShuîYuê nodded her head, "It's a long journey, but if we use distance shortening array, we can reach within a few hours."

"Will you take me there?" XiǎoÀi's obsidian orbs sparkled with joy; ShuîYuê couldn't resist that adorable face; it reminded her of Jīnyú; ShuîYuê poked XiǎoÀi's cheeks softly, loving the squishiness of the little girl's cheeks, "Daddy does that too!" She giggled, pushing ShuîYuê's hands away, who lowered her gaze.

Staring at her fingers, ShuîYuê wondered why she had been such a fool to fall in love; from his personality to his status as Supreme Ghost King, everything screamed unmatchable; why was she so stupid to believe someone of his standing would like her? ShuîYuê should have understood when the Crown Prince told her the things he'd want in a significant other.

Ghost King was of higher standing to the Crown Prince, so obviously, he wanted someone better, and Jídù was that someone better; even though she was rude and snappish, she was his wife, and that was all that mattered.

ShuîYuê had no right to even be upset about anything, she was delusional to think Huá would want her, he admitted why he spoke to ShuîYuê and made friends with her, It was ShuîYuê's fault for believing there was something more to that fake friendship, how could she ever compare to anyone Ghost King would like if it was Yìfēi ShuîYuê could have understood that Ghost King must have been after her social power of established connections.

She could understand that he could have liked Yìfēi's beauty, but she couldn't understand why he wanted to be friends with her; he was already getting along well with Yìfēi, and Xiàn Fèng, Earth Master and he seemed to be good friends too, so why ShuîYuê of all people? Smiling bitterly at her brilliant choices when it came to love ShuîYuê turned to XiǎoÀi.

"You know XiǎoÀi, I have this very bad habit of loving people who don't even like me," she confessed as XiǎoÀi stared up at her.

"Isn't it great to love when you don't even know they'd like you?" XiǎoÀi questioned back.

ShuîYuê furrowed her eyebrows, "How is this great?"

"Well, Daddy says that to love one needs kindness and courage, and you have both!" The little girl smiled brightly.

ShuîYuê isn't courageous, she's kind but a coward, Huá is not kind, ShuîYuê knew that, he wasn't nice to anyone he didn't need help from, except for his friends, but he's brave, what one lacked the other had, but it just wasn't enough, "I am not courageous XiǎoÀi."

"You were so brave yesterday; you saved me; you are my third favourite!" XiǎoÀi said taking ShuîYuê's hand in hers.

"Is that right?" ShuîYuê asked with a small smile, XiǎoÀi nodded her head profusely.

"Miss Water, I know how you feel, I feel it too," she said suddenly, confusing ShuîYuê,
"My mommy doesn't like me much; she says I caused her downfall; I don't know what I did, but I love her, and she doesn't love me."

ShuîYuê's heart twisted at the words, "Many people love you, XiǎoÀi; I love you."

"I know, but my mommy doesn't and Miss Water I feel sad when my mommy doesn't hug me like my friends' mothers, they said that their mothers told them bedtime stories, but my mommy never sleeps with me, nor does she tell me stories," XiǎoÀi expressed with an upset face.

ShuîYuê wrapped her arm over the girl's shoulder, rubbing it softly, "Your daddy reads you bedtime stories, doesn't he?" XiǎoÀi nodded her little head, "Then don't be sad; he loves you a lot, XiǎoÀi."

"I want my mommy to love me too!" She whined.

"XiǎoÀi, sometimes we don't get what we want. It's not wrong to want more love, but sometimes it just doesn't exist; we have to make do with what we have; that is how life is," ShuîYuê sighed. Tucking stray strands of the princess's hair.

XiǎoÀi hugged her quietly. ShuîYuê patted her head gently until she thought it was too late in the evening, and XiǎoÀi's maid must have been worried as to where she had disappeared off to.

___________________________
A/N: I know the story is shitty right now, but ShuîYuê and Huá with kids are just so fine.
I needed nice adults like them in my life too, and I hope I don't have to be nice to any kids ever!

Thanks for reading, take care.

Bye-bye

Word count:4380