Voyage With The Pirate King

"I am older than you so you have to listen to me," he said as they made another circle around Ji Yao.

While Ji Yao was helplessly watching on a pair of strong arms suddenly slid from behind and wrapped themselves around his waist. A fluffy head of hair rubbed against the back of Ji Yao's neck like a cat rubbing against its owner's feet in greeting. It was undeniably a comfortable feeling that Ji Yao couldn't resist placing his hand on top of Rui Fei's.

Rui Fei was sincerely enjoying some cuddle time but these two were ruining it so he raised his head and yelled at them, "You two stop disturbing my wang fei... Go finish your fight elsewhere," he said but was suddenly pinched in his abdomen. "Ai..... Yao-ge, it hurts," he said with a pained expression as he took a step back. His acting had most definitely improved but he couldn't fool Ji Yao. He was now a veteran when it came to Rui Fei's fake whining. He shook his head and walked forward. The two siblings surprisingly listened to him and continued their showdown elsewhere.

For some reason, Old Du who had witnessed Rui Fei directly call their Pirate King wang fei out loud in front of the entire concord couldn't help but take out the petition choosing to deliver the stack of papers with messy signatures to Ji Yao. Like a haughty process server serving court papers on Friday just to ruin people's mood, he handed over the stack of papers.

Ji Yao's brow twitched as he looked at the chicken scratches that were meant to be signatures. His heart sank when he realised that his crew was mostly illiterate that is to say he wasn't mad about the petition but the fact that only Old Du and the chef could write well.

Ji Yao flipped through the other pages as he asked, "Did everyone sign this?"

Old Du who mistakenly thought Ji Yao was upset about the petition tried to pacify him, "Yes, I think no, sorry I meant we all think that um, maybe you two should keep the touchy feely things behind closed doors." He was a little nervous with beads of cold sweat on his forehead. That's because these signatures weren't acquired honestly.

Most of them were attained through coercion or under false pretences. For instance, Xunshi Zhe signed it because he thought it was about getting more liquor on board. The crew drank too much that their reserves that were meant to last half a year would run dry in a month so when Old Du said it was for the alcohol he signed readily.

On the other hand, Big Hei signed because he thought it had something to do with voting to fire the chef. The man was a great cook but his dishes were served in small portions that were like a starter to this big man.

And the one time he confronted the chef his serving was reduced further. Even until now, the chef would snort coldly at him before serving him a portion slightly lower than the others. So how couldn't he sign?

Speaking of Big Hei, Ji Yao finished scanning the last page and said, "You said everyone signed but Big Hei's signature isn't here."

Old Du took the papers from him and said, "Oh, it's here." He turned over a page and there it was Big Hei's signature. It was a bright red palm print with pigment made from cinnabar as ink. "He couldn't sign his name so we used ink," he explained but the expected scenario didn't happen.

Ji Yao stared at Old Du with a solemn expression before saying, "Not good."

Jumping the gun Old Du said, "It's not that bad. Its, it's just you two need to reduce the um.... public display of affection and reserve it for the cabin.

Rui Fei who had been reading the pages with Ji Yao leaned over the man's shoulder and suddenly said, "What? Are you jealous?"

"You!!!!....," replied Old Du but before he could blow his top and scold his boss's wife Ji Yao said,

"This entire fuckin crew can't read shit to save their lives. Argh... how can they not when they were being led by a king who claimed he had a learning disorder each time he had to deal with paperwork," said Ji Yao almost pulling his hair out and yes pirates also have paperwork. That's because you can't trust a robber with robbed goods. Keeping a record was always the best way to stop quarrels and because his father faked a learning disability he had to do it. 

Old Du, "....."

"When we get back to the ship everyone should go for compulsory classes, do you understand," he said.

"The fuck...," muttered Old Du having dug a pit for the entire crew. That is to say, his days won't be peaceful from now on.

Rui Fei leaned on Ji Yao's shoulder and said, "I feel sorry for whoever has to teach all of you. Hahaha, sucker."

But soon he wasn't laughing anymore because Ji Yao was looking at him with a taunting gaze. The smile on his face froze before his cries of plea began. "Yao-ge, why me?" he said vowing to look for someone to teach him the secrets of coaxing a hot-tempered wife.

"From now on you can call him teacher Fei," he said before walking away. Rui Fei gave Old Du a look that seemed to say, 'you are dead,' before he ran after Ji Yao. Just as he caught up with him a shadow leapt in the air aiming at Ji Yao. Within the shadow, there were red lights that closely resembled a pair of demon eyes.

Because the creature had deliberately concealed its presence Ji Yao didn't immediately react. It was Rui Fei who came from behind him who slashed the shadow with his seraphic energy cleanly like a sharp blade.

Ji Yao finally reacted jumping a great distance away and as he spun around an explosive stream of fire shot out from his palms setting the shadow that had been sliced in half ablaze. The incinerated shadow was completely vaporized except a single claw that somehow survived this fiery inferno.

Rui Fei walked up to the severed claw that was still twitching on the ground looking for its target and crouched down. "What an ugly bastard," mumbled Rui Fei as he watched the claw's veins throbbed beneath its ugly leather-like skin.

"We are getting close," said Ji Yao before turning on his heel to leave.

Rui Fei didn't respond and for once he didn't follow behind Ji Yao's heel like always.. The light in his eyes dimmed as his expression slowly turned grim.