Hainan Dao

Book I Chapter 06

HAINAN DAO BOOK I

CHAPTER 06

Wei began ushering me down the hallway, but I stopped and spun around. I whipped his hand off my arm. I curled my fingers into fists. I glared at him. Digging my hooves into the dirt in front of me, I bent my head and readied my horns for a charge. But he had already tossed his red cape off to the side. While I huffed and puffed and blew steam out of my nostrils, he had dropped his gaze and tucked his hands behind his back.

I clenched my jaw repeatedly.

Flicking his eyes up, Wei sneaked a peek at me. He reached up and scratched the back of his head. “Well, would you like to see your room now?” He grinned.

“You…!”

“We’ve prepared the best room…”

“You knew all along didn’t you?”

“I…”

“No, come on, now! Answer the question. You knew all along.”

He smiled at me. He sighed. Sliding his hands into his pockets, he shrugged his shoulders and turned to the side.

“Now, I did hear him right, didn’t I?”

Wei nodded. “Yes.”

“‘Dai goh’. He is my brother. Isn’t that right? You should know enough Cantonese to know at least that much. ‘Dai goh’ does mean brother?”

“Yes. Older brother.”

I tossed my head back. “Man…!”

Wei waddled up and punched me on the shoulder playfully. “Are you surprised?”

I whirled around. “Surprised?” My hair was standing on end.

“Yes!”

“Surprised?” I jabbed my finger into his chest. “You…!” I swore beneath my breath. “You could have said something.”

He took a step back. “Said something? How?”

“You could have said something when we first met. Or in the car, when you found out where we were going.”

His eyes widened. “How?” He chuckled nervously. “I am only a distant cousin. It would not have been proper…”

“Well, what about him then?” I pointed back at the door. Tangshu was still inside. “He could have said something.”

“Well…I…” Wei grinned and shrugged again.

I turned away from him. Running my hand through my hair, I began pacing back and forth along the hallway.

“You…uh…you look upset.”

I kept pacing.

Wei frowned. “But isn’t it good to know you have family? New family? A bigger one?”

“No.” I stopped short and shook my head. “It is not.” I stared off into the distance. “And how do I even know that this is true? How do I know he is my brother?”

“Oh, it is the truth, all right. He told you himself, right? The man you saw just now is a son of Ying Yixi; everyone know it. He really is your brother.” He coughed into his hand. “Well…half-brother.”

I spun around to face him.

“Your father had been married already, even before he married your mother. Fuhwa had been the first child from that earlier marriage. He is your older brother.”