Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 105815 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105815 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Maybe he worried about the kid, too. This was Leo’s third visit in a week, though he never dared to venture any closer to the house than this tree, which was closest to one of the walls. It allowed him to beat a hasty retreat over the wall and out of reach if a resident spotted him.
The sun had set a few minutes earlier, and he was hoping to glimpse Junjie when he took the boy out for a walk through the garden. The little guy loved to help feed the koi that swam through the man-made pond and under the curved bridge.
“You’re an asshole.”
Leo hissed and jumped up from where he lounged at the sudden voice below him. He looked down to find that weird fox shifter sitting beneath the tree, his many tails spread behind him. He’d heard some of the fairy tales about fox spirits and jiuweihu, but he’d never believed they existed. But then, there were a lot of things that were possible after meeting the Zhang clan.
“What are you talking about? It’s not like the kid was my flesh and blood. I was trying to find him a good home.” Ire and guilt sharpened Leo’s voice and left his hair standing on end. His spine arched, and he bared his fangs at the fox.
Huli leaped up and braced his front two paws on the tree trunk, stretching toward the cat. His triangular ears flattered against his head and his sharp teeth seemed to grow as his lips pulled back. “That’s not what I mean. All of Xiao Dan’s attention is on the baby now. Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited for him? How hard I’ve worked to win his affection just to have you throw a baby between us because you can’t take care of it? I’m supposed to be his baby. No one else. Just me.”
“Huli.”
Both of them jerked their heads in the direction of the firm, deep voice that drifted across the yard from the house. Xiao Dan was standing on the bridge wearing a pair of dark slacks and a soft, thin sweater despite the lingering heat of the day.
The fox spirit needed no additional coaxing. He shoved off the tree and bounded over to where the vampire was waiting for him, as if he were an overgrown Tigger with too many tails. On the final bounce, the huli jing shifted into a human with chestnut-brown hair and large green eyes. The top of his head barely reached Xiao Dan’s shoulder. Huli’s bright smile beamed at the vampire as if he were the one and only thing that mattered in all of his world.
Xiao Dan threaded their fingers together, but before they walked off, he stared at the tree where Leo remained hidden behind a wall of thick, green leaves. There was no way Xiao Dan should be able to see him, but Leo swore he could feel those piercing, nearly black eyes slicing through him. Leo hunkered low, trying to make himself smaller.
Yet, as Leo prepared to run, Xiao Dan lowered his gaze to Huli and looked at him so warmly, not saying a single word to Leo. They walked off together, hand in hand, moving to one of the other gardens. As they disappeared from sight, the back door slid open and Junjie appeared with the little boy cradled in one arm and the canister of fish food in the other hand. Today, the child was wearing a pair of blue shorts and a red T-shirt with a cartoon character on it. The shirt rode up on his rounded belly and Leo relaxed on the tree limb as he watched them approach the pond. Every time he saw them, there were such happy expressions on their faces. He understood all too well Huli’s jealousy of the boy.
The only difference was that the child’s open joy warmed all the places deep inside of Leo that had grown cold and numb with time. This was his favorite time of the entire day.
As they got close to the water, Junjie kneeled and set the boy on his feet. The child held up his left hand for Junjie to take so they could walk hand in hand to the water’s edge. The koi spotted the approach of Junjie and the boy and rushed to where they were standing, their mouths poking out of the water, opening and closing as they begged for food. A high-pitched squeal and giggle rang out.
“Gege! Fish!”
“Yes, they’re happy to see you.”
“Food! Food!”
Junjie nodded and opened the fish pellet container with his thumb, keeping a tight hold on the boy to make sure he didn’t tumble headfirst into the water. “Yes, they want you to give them their dinner.”
“Mn. Dinner.”
Leo struggled not to chuckle as Junjie poured some food into the boy’s tiny hand. The kid flung it out into the water and squealed as the fish splashed and jumped to snap up the pellets. This went on for several rounds until all the fish were fed.