Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT)-Chapter 507: Did you sniff him?

He took a step closer, his smile unwavering, perhaps even challenging Han Xin to match his ease. "Do you like my smile? Is it beautiful?"

The remark lodged itself like a thorn in Han Xin’s mind. He forced himself to breathe deeply, trying to suppress the uncharacteristic fluster that surged alongside his annoyance.

Instead of responding to the provocation, he simply handed Xiang Yu a set of clothes and a pair of boots, his expression closing off. "Wear that from now on," he said curtly as if that would dismiss the tension between them.

Han Xin also placed a bag of toiletries at Xiang Yu’s feet. "You can use this."

Xiang Yu’s brow knitted in confusion, genuine bewilderment creeping into his expression. He wanted to ask why, but the words didn’t come. Instead, he reached down, taking the clothes and the bag from Han Xin.

"Let’s go," Han Xin said, turning to walk away, leaving Xiang Yu standing there momentarily stunned.

With a fleeting glance at the clothes in his hands, Xiang Yu hurried to catch up, a blend of confusion and curiosity swirling in his mind.

The path led them back to Han Xin’s place, where Han Xin stopped and casually said, "You can borrow my shower. The water pressure is low."

As Han Xin turned to leave, he added, "Don’t touch anything that you shouldn’t or go in my bedroom and study."

Without thinking, Xiang Yu grabbed Han Xin’s wrist. The moment he did, Han Xin felt an electric shock race through him. His entire body tensed, as if he had been hit with a bolt of lightning.

His eyes darkened with surprise, confusion swirling in their depths. Realizing he had crossed a line, Xiang Yu let go quickly, his face flushing.

"Sorry... why are you being weirdly nice? What do you want from me?" Xiang Yu asked, his voice unsure.

"I hate the smell on you," Han Xin replied bluntly.

Xiang Yu looked down, pinching his clothes and sniffing the faint scent lingering on the fabric. He had scrubbed hard and washed his clothes with whatever little water he could find, but apparently, the faint odour of manure still clung to him.

"If you are going to spill the secrets of the alliance," Han Xin continued, his voice low, "I wouldn’t want to smell that."

Xiang Yu wasn’t offended at all. In fact, he smirked. "Now whose fault was it? You shouldn’t have put me on manure shovelling duty if you knew you hated it."

Han Xin opened his mouth to refute, aware that he hadn’t issued the order himself, yet he knew it was happening.

With a shrug, Xiang Yu stepped into the large bathroom, a stark contrast to the dilapidation outside. The space could be described as the peak of luxury in this post-apocalyptic world

It was an oasis of untarnished tiles and polished surfaces.

He quickly slipped out of his clothes and entered the shower. The water pressure was indeed low, but he adjusted, making it work. Considering Han Xin’s sensitivity to cleanliness, he scrubbed vigorously, determined to rid himself of every trace of the repugnant smell that had become such a source of irritation.

What Xiang Yu didn’t know was that Han Xin had left heading towards Lian and Mei’s place.

Outside, in the dappled shade, Lian and Mei lounged on chairs, appearing utterly relaxed, as if oblivious to the harsh realities of their world. They looked more like they were on a summer holiday than grappling with survival in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Mei sat in the shade, fanning herself with a delicate paper fan she had made herself. Her fingers moved gracefully as she flicked it back and forth, emitting a gentle sigh of relief from the heat.

Nearby, Lian was reading aloud, her voice carrying the melodrama of a brain-rotting romance novel. It was a peculiar blend of laughter and sighs, and despite the absurdity of the story, they both seemed to genuinely enjoy it.

Han Xin approached, standing tall in front of them. "Still protesting?" he said, catching their attention.

Mei looked up and smiled. "What do you think, Lord Han?"

Han Xin felt a slight jolt at the address change. He had always been called Big Brother by them. "What may we help you with, Lord Han?" Lian chimed in, her tone light.

Exasperation bubbled beneath his calm facade, but Han Xin forced it down. "Show me where Xiang Yu has been sleeping," he said, keeping his expression neutral.

Lian frowned, curiosity flaring. "Why do you want to know?"

Mei crossed her arms, chiming in with a challenging tone, "Yeah, why?"

"He is using my shower, and he asked me to bring him something," Han Xin replied, fighting to maintain his patience.

Sceptical yet intrigued, Lian and Mei exchanged glances but eventually led Han Xin inside. They pointed to a modest bed in the corner of the neat room.

As Han Xin began to search the room, his gaze darted across various belongings. "What are you looking for?" Lian asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Anything that looks like a spray bottle. Like a perfume bottle or something that resembles that," Han Xin responded, his tone becoming more urgent.

Mei shook her head dismissively. "He doesn’t own such a thing. If he did, we would know."

Han Xin paused, tapping his foot lightly on the ground. "Do you smell a scent on him? Like a floral and woody fragrance?"

Both Lian and Mei arched their brows, glancing at each other. Mei answered, "No, we never smelled that on him before."

Lian chimed in, "You are hallucinating, Lord Han."

"Stop calling me that! It’s unsettling," Han Xin snapped, unable to hide his irritation.

"Sure sure, Lord Han," Mei teased, her smile widening.

Thinking to himself, Han Xin reminded himself never to cross this pair again. They were ruthless.

"Wait, did you sniff him? Oh, you did, didn’t you?" Lian asked, a grin spreading across her face.

With a wave of embarrassment creeping up his neck, Han Xin realized he couldn’t stay here any longer. Otherwise, he would expose himself in ways he preferred to keep hidden. As he turned to walk out, Mei called after him. "Did he even send you here?"

Han Xin picked up his pace, feeling as though his butt was on fire. In his mind, he swore his next move would be much more discreet.

Meanwhile, Xiang Yu didn’t heed Han Xin’s warning. After enjoying the luxury of the shower, he stepped out of the bathroom with a plush robe wrapped around his body. The fabric clung to him, clearly tailored for Han Xin, and it smelled faintly of the man’s soap and clean linen. Content, he pushed the bedroom door open and slipped inside.

The room had been tidied up after the chaos of their fight last time, with all the furniture neatly arranged. Xiang Yu set his new clothes down on the bed and took a moment to explore the space. His fingertips brushed against the polished surfaces, each touch sending a slight thrill through him.