Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT) novel Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Doing laundry together

When Xiang Yu was done stripping off his mud-caked clothes, he found that his body was marked with fresh scratches and bruises from his fall down the mountain. Some of the scratches had stopped bleeding and were starting to scab.

He missed the days when scratches would heal in a matter of seconds. It was a little strange for him to see his skin without the familiar tattoos and scars that usually covered his body. Even the ugly scars on his back were gone. He poured water over himself, watching as the mud and grime washed away, leaving his skin clean but tender.

As he washed his long black hair, he felt the weight of the water pulling it down. He squeezed the water out, feeling the strands slip through his fingers. He put on the clothes meant for military recruits. The fabric was rough and coarse bringing about a nostalgic feeling. It reminded him of the clothes he used to wear in the brothel.

When he came out of the tent, he found Lian and Mei hard at work, scrubbing their clothes in the bucket. He squatted down beside them, a rare smile playing on his lips. Before he became the demon king, he had taught the twins to be independent, preparing them for a future where he might not be there to protect them. Each time he went out hunting for dangerous demons that were killing mortals, he wasn’t sure if he would be able to return thus he made sure they wouldn’t be a burden to anyone or be taken advantage of.

"I am done," said Lian while wringing her clothes before spreading it out to take a look.

"You missed a spot," he teased, pointing to a nonexistent stain on her sleeve. Lian checked the sleeve but there was nothing.

"Master, it’s clean," said Mei, realising that their Master was messing with her.

"Yours too. Look, there is a stain at the hem of your dress," he added, his tone light and playful. "You need to clean it spotless."

The twins ganged up on him their sweet laughter a refreshing sound in the military camp. "Master, your robe isn’t exactly spotless either," Lian remarked, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Yes, it seems Master isn’t used to washing clothes anymore," Mei chimed in, giggling.

Just then, Yi Nuo returned with a pile of warm quilts. Her steps faltered as she took in the scene right in front of her. Her mind seemed to short-circuit at the sight of Princess Xiu washing clothes and chatting with his maidservants as if they were old friends. This sight was so bizarre that the other soldiers who were coming from morning training were glancing in that direction curiously.