29 Have we met before?

Mingmei was at the sofa of the living room thinking about Xuan Hao's words. "Why can't he kill me? Wait, he wants to kill me? Is this because I'm the reason for his death in the future?"

Xuan snapped his fingers before her and she came out of her thoughts. "What are you thinking?," asked Xuan and sat beside her with crossed arms.

"Nothing," mumbled Mingmei and started eating chips from the bowl.

Xuan looked into her eyes. He then turned his face away. "Thinking about that, why do I want to kill you? Because you are the reason for my death?" Mingmei startled as Xuan read her entire thoughts.

"He can read my mind. Then he knows that...no he can't read my mind. I won't let him know. Stop thinking, stop talking," murmured Mingmei and got up when Xuan grabbed her arm. Mingmei turned to look at him and looked at him with a raised brow. She then tried to release her arm but he didn't let her go. She looked at him with an utter shock.

Xuan then pulled her with a light force and she fell over him. She tried getting up but Xuan didn't let her go. She tried to understand what he's doing. "Xuan, what are you doing?," murmured Mingmei. Xuan pulled her chin up and said, "I'm getting forced to be with you." Mingmei looked at him with a confused look.

After a few minutes she said, "No one is forcing you. You can go. I was living here on my own before you came here." Xuan smiled and said, "I want to know this thing only." He released her and then got up from the sofa.

Turning to her he said, "let's go to that place. Feng Lui told me that there's a festival and it's a very special festival called dragon's festival." Mingmei got startled by him because of his sudden change in mood. She got up from the sofa and hit him hard on the shoulder. Xuan looked at her. "Why are you hitting me?"

Mingmei didn't say anything. Glaring at him she went towards her room. "Human girl, please change your dress. I can't be late because my friends are coming too," shouted Xuan. Mingmei heard him from inside of her room. "He will leave me after sometime. So, I shouldn't get too much attached to him," murmured Mingmei and opened the cupboard. She took out a plain dress of white colour which has red flowers imprinted on it.

Xuan was waiting outside with his friends for Mingmei. They were talking with each other and laughing when Mingmei came there.

"You're looking pretty," complemented Feng Lui. Yang Dao too complemented her. Mingmei smiled and thanked him.

"There are more beautiful women in our demonic world," said Xuan looking at Yang Dao and Feng Lui. Mingmei glared at Xuan and walked away. "Where is she going?," mumbled Xuan. Feng Lui face slapped himself and murmured, " you can't say these things to women."

"What?," mumbled Xuan in confusion. "Nothing. Let's go," said Yang Dao. "Hey, human you should walk slowly," shouted Xuan. But she didn't listen to him and kept on going with quick steps. "Xian, we've to go. I'm sensing some demons here," said Feng Lui and looked at Yang Dao. Xuan nodded and they disappeared from there.

"Human, stop," shouted Xuan again but Mingmei didn't listen to him. He immediately appeared before her and her head crashed on his firm chest and stepped back when her foot slipped but Xuan caught her. His hand was on her waist and she was his both arms. The people there walking smiled looking at them. Xuan immediately released her and said, "I told you to walk slowly."

"But it's almost evening. We can be late if we won't walk fast," said Mingmei. Xuan leaned closer to her ear. He then whispered, "I'm a Demon. I can take you there in an instant so don't worry." Mingmei looked at him. Xuan then stepped back. He held her hand and they walked in an isolated alley.

"Now you'll see my magic," mumbled Xuan and they disappeared from there. With a blink of an eye they reached the festival ground. Xuan looked around and said, "it's beautiful here. So humans do celebrate such kinds of festivals. But what is a Dragon festival?"

Mingmei looked at him and then said, " Look at these red lanterns. It all symbolizes a meaning."

"What meaning?," asked Xuan.

Mingmei then explained to Xian, "It is said that a long time ago in the lake which is over there a Dragon used to reside and the Dragon used to eat people at night. One day an old man sat near the river with lanterns in his hand. The next morning people found him safe. It's like a miracle. So this festival with red lanterns signifies the meaning that the light of these lanterns does not let the Dragon come out."

"Oh okay," murmured Xuan and again looked around.

"In my world festivals are also celebrated. I remember that 7 years ago I went with my mother and friends to a festival. We did a lot of fun there. After that I had to go for a war and then I had to come here straight. When I'll go back then I will go with my mother to the markets and different festivals," muttered Xuan and smiled.

"There are food stalls here. Let's first eat something nice," said Xuan and they walked towards the food stalls.

Xuan ordered traditional snacks for them and told Mingmei to sit. He took the snacks there and told Mingmei to eat. "Where are the others?," asked Mingmei.

"Ahh...they're on a mission. Don't worry they'll come once the mission will be over," said Xuan in a low voice.

"Then what about you? Don't you want to find the immortal drink?," asked Mingmei. Xuan looked at her and then clasped his fingers.

"I can't be able to find him. His men aren't telling a single thing. But don't worry I will find him soon and the drink too," muttered Xuan with an affirmation.

"Xuan, you can use me. I mean they want me and you can then catch him," murmured Mingmei.

"Hey, I'm not that weak that I can't find him. I will find him. Don't worry," mumbled Xuan and started eating.

Mingmei looked at Xuan and then said, "Xuan, I have no one in this world. My parents are already dead. You don't have to suffer because of me. You would've found that immortal drink if I wouldn't exist."

"Killing you won't end the things. If I want to kill you then I would've done it a long time ago," muttered Xuan.

"Then why aren't you killing me?," asked Mingmei.

"Because I don't kill people with no reason," reasoned Xuan and then told her not to ask any more things. After they finished eating they walked there and went towards the lake where a huge Dragon boat was placed. "Do you want to go there?," asked Xuan looking at Mingmei.

"No no. I'm afraid of water," murmured Mingmei and smiled.

"We should overcome our fears. So let's go," whispered Xuan and in a blink of an eye they were on the boat with so many people on it. Mingmei was still closing her eyes and tightly grabbing Xuan's long dark blue coat.

Xuan smiled seeing her and then released her grip from him. Holding her shoulders he turned Mingmei so that she could look into the water. "Open your eyes," whispered Xuan.

"No. What if I fall into the water?," mumbled Mingmei, still closing her eyes.

"I'm holding you. Open your eyes, human," mumbled Xuan. Mingmei gradually opened her eyes and looked around. They were on the edge of the boat and she slowly looked in the water. The lanterns hanging on the boat were making visible the water so she could see her face. A smile appeared on her face seeing this. The boat ahead of them was also beautifully decorated. People were enjoying the site.

Suddenly the boat took a turn and a turbulence was felt. Mingmei couldn't hold it and fell in the water holding Xuan. But before they could fall Xuan stopped the time. Mingmei looked at him and was startled by the view of Xuan's glowing purple eyes and she again got a glimpse of war. He grabbed her waist and the next second they were on the ground.

"What was that?," asked Mingmei.

Xuan released her. Confusingly he asked,"what? You slipped from that boat and I saved us from falling."

"No," murmured Mingmei. "It's like we have met somewhere," muttered Mingmei. Xuan looked at her confusingly. Suddenly a huge blast was heard in the mid festive ground. Their attention immediately turned to that direction.

"Demons," mumbled Mingmei. Xuan acquired his true demonic form. He summoned Fei Ming Si there and within seconds he appeared there. "Take care of Mingmei," mumbled Xuan looking at Fei Ming with his purple eyes. Before Mingmei could say something Xuan disappeared from there.