Chapter 4: A Butterflies Trick

The warm scent of pork and scallion dumplings wafted through the air like a lullaby to the stomach. Sizzle, crackle, hiss! Oil popped in the iron wok behind the counter as dumplings browned to golden perfection.

Xingyu bit into his third one with a loud crunch, cheeks puffed, eyes bright. He had eaten fast—too fast—and his mother watched him carefully, the puffiness under her eyes still fresh from crying.

“You’re eating well today,” she said softly, taking a delicate sip of jasmine tea.

“Mhm,” Xingyu nodded, swallowing. “Mama, something happened before we got here... At the dumpling stall”

Her eyes flickered to him in concern. “What do you mean?”

Xingyu licked sauce from his fingers and leaned forward, lowering his voice. “I bumped into someone outside the restaurant. A man. Tall, golden blond hair—like sunlight, Mama. And his clothes...” His eyes sparkled as he recalled them. “They were so fine—white with crimson embroidery, smooth like water.”

Clink. Her teacup trembled slightly against the saucer. “What kind of fabric?”

“I think... Ji Province silk,” he whispered.

She blinked. “Ji Province?”

He nodded. “The rare kind. Only royalty or high officials wear that level of detail. Mama, I want to buy that same outfit. Exactly like it.”

“For yourself?” she asked cautiously.

He paused. “...No. For him.”

Thud. Her chopsticks dropped to the table.

“Xingyu, why?”

Xingyu looked down, cheeks flushing. “Because I ruined his outfit with food. It’s only fair. He looked kind, Mama. He called me a lady at first, then asked if I was a crossdresser...” He laughed nervously. “I was embarrassed but... he smiled.”

The queen’s face turned still, unreadable. Then, she smiled faintly. “Ji Province silk is hard to find. It’s not sold in small towns.”

"Okay then we will go and look for it then."

The sun drooped low in the sky as the two returned to the carriage. Clomp, clomp, the horses trotted steadily over the dirt path. Inside the carriage, Xingyu leaned his head on the wooden frame, exhaustion creeping into his bones. “Let’s go,” he murmured.

As the soft creak of the wheels lulled him, Xingyu’s eyes slowly fluttered shut.

The air grew warmer.

He was no longer in the carriage.

The field stretched out endlessly, a sea of golden dandelions swaying in the wind. Fffshhhh... they rustled gently, scattering seeds into the bright blue sky. Xingyu stood barefoot in the flowers, the wind kissing his face.

A laugh echoed.

Turning, he saw a boy—blond hair shining like sunlit honey, and eyes blue as polished gems. But something about him was... wrong. His ears were pointed. Tiny horns peeked through his golden locks. His shadow on the ground didn’t move the same way he did.

The boy looked up, his smile soft and tender. “Xingyu.”

Xingyu’s chest ached, though he didn’t know why.

“Don’t forget our promise,” the boy said, brushing his fingers over a dandelion puff. Pffft, it floated into the sky like tiny stars.

Thump-thump.

Xingyu blinked awake.

The carriage swayed gently. His mother sat opposite him, asleep as usual, her head resting against the side. The dim light outside told him they were still on the road.

He placed a hand over his heart. It was racing.

“Don’t forget our promise...”

screech!

The carriage jolted to a stop.

Outside, a flash of red and white fluttered past the window.

A butterfly?

It landed gently on the carriage door, glowing faintly.

Thump!

A pulse of dark energy rippled through the air. The butterfly shimmered—and in its place stood a stunning demon.

He had golden-blond hair like firelight and glacier-blue eyes that glowed faintly under his lashes. His red coat was snug across his shoulders, with black accents like shadows stitched into velvet. He didn’t speak at first, just stared at Xingyu.

Silent. Unmoving. Intense.

“Hi, my honey bear… my pookie-woogie.”

Xingyu’s soul left the carriage.

His entire face turned red.

“W-Wha—?!”

The demon leaned closer, smirking just a little.

“You’ve gotten cuter since I last saw you. Still shy?”

He flicked a single dandelion petal off Xingyu’s sleeve with a gentle touch. “Mm. You’re trembling. Adorable.”

Xingyu opened his mouth to speak—

Nothing came out.

Just a high-pitched wheeze.

Xingyu froze as the demon’s eyes raked over him, slowly… deliberately… like he was undressing him with a single glance.

The blond man tilted his head, gaze narrowing.

“Hmm…”

He reached out and, with one sharp tug — fwip! — pulled off the little pink ribbon Xingyu’s mother had tied onto his sleeve.

“I knew it,” he said with a sigh, tossing the ribbon into the wind like it offended him.

“I don’t want my bride looking like a piece of fruit.”

His eyes glowed ever so slightly.

“Let’s fix that.”

“B-Bride?!” Xingyu squeaked, clutching the edge of his robes. “W-Wait! What are you talking about?!”

The demon’s fingers went to Xingyu’s collar, adjusting the folds of his robe with startling tenderness — and a touch of possessiveness.

“I hate how my sister dresses you,” he muttered under his breath. “So soft. So pink. She has no taste.”

Xingyu’s eyes bulged. “Y-Your sister—?!”

“You’ll look better in crimson. Or black. Hmm…” His fingertips brushed Xingyu’s jaw. “Maybe silk from the Ji Province. Rare. Royal. Like you.”

The moment grew heavy, too close, too real.

To be continued

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