Li XiWang...in fact, all of the children were staring at him as if he was crazy.
"What? You don't think I can do it?" He was a little miffed at that.
Sure, he wasn't actually sure he could do it...but they didn't need to know that...
"How?" Li XiWang demanded.
"Oh...well, I don't know how...but look!" Hui Gai stared intently at the little Demon boy, memorising his black and white scales, the expression on his small face and his purple eyes, and then he transformed into another Rumi.
They all gasped.
Including the adults.
Hui Gai as Rumi wore a smug smile.
"Now do you believe me?" He held his palms out for a high five to his Little Rabbit.
"You don't sound like him." Li XiWang high-fived him, but pursed her lips adorably.
"Lucky for us, he doesn't talk much." Hui Gai retorted.
"So you're gonna pass yourself off as Rumi..." Li XiWang was saying.
"Yes....why? What's wrong with that plan?" Hui Gai asked her, suspiciously.
She was a bright child and often came out with things that the other adults hadn't even thought of.
"Well...it's just that they obviously want Rumi for something...how will you manage that?"
"It'll be fine!" Hui Gai said, nonchalantly although that same worry had been on a loop at the back of his mind. "I'll play it by ear. Besides, what are the chances that they've actually heard him speak before? They might not know what he sounds like." He shrugged.
"I can't believe you're going in so unprepared!" She scolded, and Hui Gai was taken aback at her tone.
There were times when he doubted she was just a ten year old, barring Bai Hua.
Li XiWang turned to Rumi, who stepped back nervously.
"Say something, Rumi, so he can copy your voice." She demanded.
Rumi looked back at Hui Gai as himself, astonished and tongue-tied.
It wasn't that he did not want to help...but he couldn’t just speak because she wanted him to...it was impossible.
Hui Gai saw the desperation in his eyes and moved past Li XiWang to hug him.
"Okay...I'm officially weirded out..." She exclaimed, watching two Rumis hugging.
Rumi felt better and better though, because he had never, ever thought he would be doing that. It felt...kind of good.
"It is weird." Zago agreed, coming to stand next to Li XiWang.
Both of them had the same confused look on their faces and both of them had crossed their arms over their chests.
It would have been comical were it not for the severity of the situation.
But Hui Gai did as he always did best: he laughed it off.
"Don't worry. I can take care of myself. This is really the only way we can find out what they want, and then I'll take it from there." He looked sad now.
This was his family and he was going to have to leave them now.
His mood was contagious and they all became more serious.
"You know what I'm going to say...right?" His reluctance was clear.
"Be brave, be good...blah blah blah..." Li XiWang came and hugged him, trying for a lighter mood.
But Hui Gai heard the tears in her voice and transformed back to hold her tighter.
"It's going to be alright, Little Rabbit." He said, bending down so he could whisper that in her ear. Aloud, he said, "Zago is coming with me."
The children gasped and turned to look at her.
"What?" She masked her embarrassment with indignation.
Li XiWang went over to her and with no hesitating whatsoever, threw her thin arms around her waist, holding on tightly.
Zago melted. What was it about these kids that made her want to keep them safe forever and ever? She was starting to understand why Hui Gai was so attached now.
Hui Gai was busy saying goodbye to everyone else, and that was why Zago didn't notice Li XiWang slipping her tiny hand into hers and squeezing it.
"Be careful." Li XiWang told her, only glancing up once before blinking back her tears and straightening her spine.
Zago had the feeling that this one would be a formidable force in her own right when she grew up.
"Okay...ready to go?" Hui Gai said, looking in her direction.
Zago only had to nod, before he grabbed her shoulder and they teleported into the Great Hall.
She was startled to discover that Hui Gai had transformed into Rumi again while they had just teleported, and her gaze showed her amazement.
Rumi number two grinned and shrugged at her.
"Well, you'll have to stop being so cocky...he's definitely not like that." She remarked, to cover her surprise.
"I'm not in character yet. We better prepare those other two idiots." Hui Gai told her, turning around to look at Jiang Cheng and XiChen.
"Oh...I thought you meant the Sleeping Sickness guy and his Boss. Which reminds me, when can we kill them?" Zago examined her nails while she spoke about that, making Hui Gai laugh.
Zago was a good partner to have anyway, but especially on a mission like this.
He jerked a shocked thumb in their direction and said, "them? Probably never."
Zago laughed at the disappointment in his voice.
"No, the other two idiots. The ones causing this mess."
"Oh...well to be frank, I'm not sure. Wait until we find out what they want first, then we'll see. But if they start killing randomly, or either one of us is at risk, then do what you have to." Hui Gai advised. "Remember, the Sleeping Sickness Demon was aware of your presence in the brothel. You'll have to mask yourself so he doesn't."
"True...let me see what I can do." She replied, thinking hard.
"While you do that..." Hui Gai marched up to XiChen who hadn't noticed them yet, and tugged on his sleeve.
XiChen looked delighted to see him, and then he looked confused because only Zago was there.
"Where's Hui Gai?" He asked.
"Right here." Rumi number two replied with a wicked grin.
YOU ARE READING
WangXian Forever Book 8
Roman d'amourOne final challenge remains for Lan WangJi and Wei WuXian. They have been given the titles of Light Bearer of the North and his Dark Angel...but as yet they have no idea what this could mean. And Wei Ying is still suffering from a mysterious ailment...