The General Loves to Collect Little Red Flowers

Edited by Wiji and Noks

Le Yao fell into a strange speculation.

On one hand, he told himself that Xu Yao was now living in the ’living world’ and not in the Underworld. In addition, Xu Yao’s yang energy was so strong that it was impossible for his origin to be from the Underworld. Xu Yao should just be a very gifted human. On the other hand, he knew that Xu Yao could not be possessed by spirits and he could quickly resolve any grievances without the interjection of any external power. Xu Yao could also draw his own talismans without requiring God’s divine power. He only needed a piece of paper, a brush and some cinnabar liquid, and not just any individual could do this.

Thus unconsciously, Le Yao started to observe Xu Yao more and more. He started at him when he ate, watched TV, or when they had a meeting. Whenever he looked at Xu Yao, he would become distracted.

Was he the reincarnation of a God? Maybe not...

But if not, how could he explain how Xu Yao had so many abilities that were different from ordinary people?

Currently, the Underworld had no ruler. Lord Yan was absent, and all of his underlings were also absent. Where did they go?

Le Yao had previously asked Ji Fengyu about them. But after he didn’t get an exact answer, he had stopped thinking about them temporarily. Now, he began to wonder about it again.

For most people, who hadn’t seen anything in the Underworld, they would think that the King of Hell or Lord Yan didn’t exist at all, but Le Yao knew that these beings did exist. Otherwise, whose divine power did he borrow each time he prayed, and which God was he asking for blessings? Since the talismans he drew could be used, it meant that the Gods were still present.

But where’s Lord Yan?

Reincarnated? Disappeared? Or...

When he was a child, Le Yao remembered that he had asked his Master, was Lord Yan a God? At that time, he knew that ghosts existed in the Underworld. Then, his brother had told him that Lord Yan was the highest official in the Underworld’s government, and so he had thought that Lord Yan was the Ghost King. Later, when he was older, his Master had corrected his mistaken notions and told him that Lord Yan was a God himself. Lord Yan was the tenth youngest brother of the Jade Emperor. The Gods manage Heaven and Earth. Although Lord Yan had been in the Underworld for many years, he was originally a God.

If he is a God, how come he’s gone now?

If what Uncle Ming said was true, could Xu Yao really be the one who was born on Earth after ’he’ had disappeared?

“Le Yaoyao, tell me, do you want to go back to Xingdu?” The night before they left for Tarot, Xu Yao observed Le Yao silently stare at him for the nth time and was slightly stunned. He couldn’t help asking, “Are you afraid of seeing the Emperor and Empress?”

“No. I didn’t do anything bad. Why should I be afraid to see them?” He continued, “Husband, please be honest with me. Apart from being able to make the talisman by yourself, do you have any special skills which others don’t have?”

“Yes.” Xu Yao smirked, “I’m very good at making triplets.”

“Husband!” Le Yao elbowed Xu Yao’s abdomen. “I’m being serious!”

“Well, what on earth have you been thinking these days? Why have you been a little distracted ever since I told you we were going to Xingdu...? No, it should be from the time I could draw the Tianyan talisman that you have always been distracted. What are you worried about?”

“I... I’m worried that you’re not human,” replied Le Yao.

“What did you say?” Xu Yao almost thought that he was hearing things.

“I said I was afraid that you are not human.” Le Yao continued, “You are very powerful. I have never seen such a powerful mortal like you before.” Le Yao covered his face and felt a little embarrassed at saying this.

“Is it that bad?” Xu Yao grabbed Le Yao’s hand and slowly rubbed the back with his thumb. “I can protect you and our children better and make even more contributions to the Empire. So what’s to worry about?”

I’m worried that if it’s true, we’ll have to separate after your consciousness is awakened, just like it is shown on TV...

Le Yao didn’t say that part. He doubted whether or not he was suffering from paranoid delusions. Maybe he had become sensitive after getting pregnant? He couldn’t help thinking about strange things...

Xu Yao had read information on prenatal and postnatal care, so he understood that during pregnancy, people were likely to feel uneasy, anxious, upset and so on. At this time, understanding, tolerance and appeasement from the partner were the most important. So he didn’t say anything more. He hugged Le Yao and assured him over and over that no matter what he would become in the future, they would be alright. Le Yao brushed away that strange thought and gradually fell asleep.

However, because of such thoughts, Le Yao had a very strange dream. In the dream, he and Xu Yao were separated by a long and wide river. The water of that river was very dark. Anything that fell into it would be submerged in an instant, and even the moon in the sky would disappear. He wanted to approach Xu Yao, but he couldn’t cross the river. The terrible thing was that no matter how many times he called out to Xu Yao, he just stood on the opposite side and stared at him silently.

Le Yao called for him desperately and was about to cry, but Xu Yao still didn’t respond to him and left. Then came a man and a woman along with two young men, who were also standing on the other side of the river. Le Yao didn’t know them, but he was afraid of being alone, so he kept waving and shouting at them. But they also left.

After the four people left, a group of primary school students arrived. They were running at a high speed along the other side of the river. He didn’t know what they were rushing for, but they kept joking and laughing.

This time, Le Yao didn’t call out to them. He crouched on the bank of the river and looked at them silently. Suddenly, loud thunder sounded from the sky and heavy raindrops hit the ground...

The children whooped and dispersed. Le Yao slowly wiped the rain off his face and whispered, “Xu Yao......”

Xu Yao was originally taking a bath in the bathroom. He felt a strange anxiety and came out ahead of time. As a result, he saw Le Yao crying like a small cat with closed eyes, his hands clenched in front of his chest. He didn’t care if the water in his hair was dripping or not, instead he quickly sat on the bed, hugged his wife into his arms and patted his face gently, “Baby, wake up, what’s wrong?”

It took a long while before Le Yao woke up. After he opened his eyes, it also took some effort to get him to focus. Le Yao didn’t know if he was in a dream or in reality. After seeing his husband in front of him, he suddenly hugged Xu Yao tightly.

Xu Yao was stupefied for a moment and then stroked Le Yao’s back slowly, “What’s wrong? Was it a nightmare?”

Le Yao sniffed fiercely on Xu Yao’s chest, then turned his head sideways and looked around.

It was still dark. Only two o’clock in the morning.

It’s raining outside. No wonder...

“Why aren’t you talking?” Xu Yao hooked Le Yao’s chin towards himself. At this moment, it wasn’t bright outside. His wife hadn’t slept well, and his eyes were red and swollen with tears. He looked very pitiful.

“It’s just a nightmare,” sniffed Le Yao. “I easily have nightmares whenever I hear the rain. Don’t worry. Shall we go now?” As Xu Yao had said before, he didn’t know the specific departure time for safety purposes, but they would set off at dawn.

“Okay. You can call Ji Fengyu and we’ll get on the spaceship,” said Xu Yao, “If you are still sleepy, you can sleep on the spaceship later.”

“Un.” Le Yao went to the bathroom and simply took a shower. Then he called Ji Fengyu.

All the things for their departure had been prepared in advance, and Xu Yao had finished the things that should be arranged here. On this trip, Uncle Ming and Yan Jie, as well as Dr Zhao and the Guard squad would follow, while Tang Ye and Shen Weilin would stay to watch over the ’treasures’ that they had acquired through the Underworld business.

In order to prevent Ji Fengyu and the others from bumping into something, Le Yao didn’t put them inside a bag. He intended to hold them in his arms. But he was stopped by Xu Yao as soon as he picked up the five of them.

Xu Yao said, “No hugging.”

Le Yao was confused and asked, “Then how can I take them up?”

Xu Yao went to the kitchen and rummaged for a while. He found a tray, grabbed the five paper dolls one by one and put them on it.

Le Yao said, “... It’s just a hug. It won’t affect the children.”

Xu Yao raised his eyebrows, “Who said I was worried about children?” Le Yao always paid attention to the children’s safety. So Le Yao might have thought that he was also focused on that matter. “I just don’t want you to hold them. It’s so heavy, what if you get tired?”

Rong Gui, Ji Fengyu, and Bei Hongli’s family of three: “...”

All of us together don’t even add up to 500 grams. Thank you!

What desperate possessiveness! Just say that you can’t accept Le Yao holding someone other than you, don’t make any excuses!

Xu Yao didn’t seem to see the frowns of the small dolls. He took them onto the spaceship and put the tray on the coffee table.

Le Yao opened his mouth but said nothing in the end. He hurried to catch up and entered the spaceship. He’s so sweet~. Not long after the sweet feeling filled his heart, he began to feel sleepy again. He dozed off and Xu Yao carried him to the bedroom in the spaceship.

Le Yao quickly entered dreamland again. After thinking about it, Xu Yao wanted to stay with him because of his previous nightmare. But after pondering over Le Yao’s words that when it rained, it was easy to have nightmares, he decided to go to Ji Fengyu for a chat. After all, Ji Fengyu should know the most about Le Yao’s past. Maybe Ji Fengyu indeed knew something.

Xu Yao took the tray to the spaceship’s living room, started a cartoon for Bei Hongli’s daughter, and burned some incense sticks for them. Then he asked Ji Fengyu about Le Yao’s past.

“Le Yao doesn’t like rain very much,” Xu Yao said to open the conversation, “Brother Fengyu, do you know why?”

“Why don’t you ask him?” retorted Ji Fengyu.

“Since he doesn’t like it, I’m sure it’s not for a good reason. Does it make him sad?”

“... He was thrown away when he was a kid.” Ji Fengyu didn’t hide this fact and inhaled the incense while saying, “He was born with problems in his leg. Maybe because of this, his parents threw him away. It just happened to be raining that day. He knew when he was young that he had been thrown away on a rainy day, so he doesn’t like the rain any more.”

“What about his growth process? Did it go well? Is there anything taboo that can’t be said to him?”

“Humph. You’ve already made his stomach big, yet you only come now to ask me these questions. Isn’t it too late?” Ji Fengyu laughed and the expression of his doll became very weird to look at. “Actually, I was already dead when I met him, so I don’t know much about his past. Especially about his childhood, since I didn’t participate in it. How can I know? But his adoptive parents were very good to him. He was also educated very well. After I was stabbed to death by my own father, I was so resentful that I couldn’t enter the reincarnation circle. It was Le Yao who chanted sutras and wanted me to transcend. He is like a little angel, and is also very talented in metaphysics. In the past, his Master always said that he was a rare genius who only appeared once in a hundred years.”

“So, what was his dream when he was still alive?”

“Dream?” Ji Fengyu thought carefully, “Ah! He used to say that he hoped that there would be no more grievances in the Underworld. It’s a little naïve right? But he said it several times in his past life.”

“...”

“What?” Ji Fengyu waited for a long time but didn’t hear a response from Xu Yao.

“It’s nothing.”

I just feel like I’ve heard that somewhere before...

...