Capturing My Demon King Costar

MY COSTAR IS RIGHT BESIDE ME

Xie Huan looks just like Yao Shen imagined.

He's tall and imposing, with a haughty slash of a smirk. The dark spill of his hair falls over his shoulders like a waterfall. He shoulders forward, hiding Yan Shuyi's more slender form behind him.

Yan Shuyi pushes him to the side with the back of his hand.

"Xie Huan! Stop being disrespectful."

"This disciple apologises," Xie Huan says, not at all apologetic.

Yao Shen watches the scene play out in wonder, but when he looks to his side, he finds Xin Hulei's handsome features twisted in a pained grimace.

It must hurt him immensely, to see these ghosts of his past, talking and breathing as if it's their deaths, and not this figment of life, that is the illusion.

Unable to say anything that can soothe the pain he must be feeling, Yao Shen simply laces their fingers together. Squeezing softly.

The Crown Prince looks equally pained by what he's seeing in front of him -- albeit, for different reasons.

"You're his Shizun," he says, mostly to himself.

Yan Shuyi is quick to catch on to the implications. "You've found Xin Hulei."

The Crown Prince lowers his eyes and nods. Yao Shen can see his lips moving silently, he's whispering Xin Hulei's name to himself, keeping it like a precious gift.

"He's in the cabin, just a few paces to the west," the Crown Prince says, his voice small. "He's still recovering from his injuries, and has lost his vision."

Both Xie Huan and Yan Shuyi immediately exchange alarmed looks. "How is he?"

"He's well, he doesn't seem dispirited by his blindness," the Crown Prince says, a small smile curling his upper lip. "His eyes don't look injured so perhaps it's temporary."

Yan Shuyi lets out a sigh of relief. "Thank you for helping him."

The Crown Prince nods, but doesn't move from his current position. Unwilling to part with Xin Hulei for good.

"He thinks I'm you," he says, in a rush, lifting his eyes to meet Yan Shuyi. "Don't tell him the truth."

Yan Shuyi frowns. "Why?"

"Please," it's all the Crown Prince says.

Finally, Yan Shuyi nods.

Relief steals across the Crown Prince's face, but it only lasts a moment before being replaced by a deep sadness. His illusion is shattering, and he'll have to return to his bitter reality.

He rummages through the sleeve pockets of his outer robes and fishes out a pure white jade token, with creamy white silk tassels.

Yao Shen recognises it at once as the one Xin Hulei kept in the lacquered box in his Beijing apartment. Xin Hulei recognises it too, his fingers squeezing Yao Shen's.

"Give this to him," the Crown Prince says, passing the jade token along to Yan Shuyi. "Tell him it's a gift from you."

Yan Shuyi looks down at the jade token in his hand in confusion. "What's your name?"

The Crown Prince smiles sadly and shakes his head. "It doesn't matter." He lowers his neck to both Yan Shuyi and Xie Huan in a short bow, and drops the bamboo basket from his back, letting it drop to the snowy ground.

"Farewell."

Xie Huan stops him with a hand on his shoulder when he tries to walk past him. "He'll be in Frozen Peak sect, if you ever want to introduce yourself and be properly thanked for your help."