Greed Has Blonde Hair

The new girl was around his height, with beautiful blonde hair cascading around her shoulders like a waterfall. She looked expensive. Fancy clothes. Sparkling bracelets and earrings that could have been real diamonds.

She froze in the entrance.

Then she spotted Sayang.

Sayang waved her over cheerfully.

“Dears, this is my granddaughter, Jinxia.”

Jinxia lifted a hand to wave - and then froze again.

She had seen Quinn.

Quinn had seen her.

They stared at each other.

Shock. Recognition. Annoyance.

Jinxia spoke first.

“You.”

Quinn grit her teeth.

“You.”

Jarel blinked.

Sayang looked between them, delighted and confused.

“Do you know each other?”

Jinxia nodded slowly.

“We have history.”

Quinn nodded too.

Sayang frowned.

“But dearie’s only been here for under a day…”

Jinxia stiffened.

Ah.

So the demon reveal had already happened.

Her eyes flicked to Quinn, then to Jarel, then back to Sayang. The calculations were visible. But she knew something everyone in the family knew.

Lying to Sayang was impossible.

She sighed.

“Yes. I’m a demon.”

Sayang clasped her hands together like she’d just won a lottery.

“I’m so lucky! I know two demons!”

Jarel rubbed his temple.

He was struggling to adapt to the direction his life had taken.

He turned to Quinn.

“Is she a demon too?”

Quinn didn’t look away from Jinxia.

“She’s the Demon of Greed.”

Sayang squealed properly this time.

“Oooo! You have a sin assigned to you?”

Quinn nodded.

“I’m the Demon of Sloth.”

Sayang clapped enthusiastically.

“So that’s why you want to make him lazy! Well, I can help you with that!”

Jinxia frowned.

“Grandmother, what exactly is going on?”

Sayang beamed proudly.

“I’m going to teach dearie here how to cook in preparation for their eventual marriage.”

Jarel felt his heart leap.

Jinxia scoffed.

“Marriage? Seriously?”

She looked Quinn up and down.

“You’re a demon, Quanlin. Are you really going to marry a human?”

Quinn bristled.

“Firstly, my name isn’t Quanlin. It’s Quinn.”

Jarel’s heart leapt again.

When had she decided that?

“And secondly,” Quinn continued stubbornly, “I’m going to make him lazy.”

Jinxia smiled.

There was nothing warm in it.

“Oh? Then I’ll marry him instead.”

Quinn blinked.

“What?”

Jinxia gestured lazily toward Sayang.

“I’ve been trying to get Grandmother to teach me her recipes for years. If this is the requirement, then it’s an easy decision.”

Sayang frowned.

“Dearest, you can’t steal someone’s fiancé.”

Jinxia shook her head lightly.

“I won’t steal him. Don’t worry.”

Her eyes flicked to Jarel.

“I’ll simply make him choose me.”

Quinn’s teeth clenched.

“No. He’s mine.”

Jarel, once again, found himself at the center of a moral crisis he had not applied for.

Was this how Quinn would develop emotional awareness? Through competition?

He wasn’t sure whether to be hopeful or terrified.

Quinn turned desperately to Sayang.

“You won’t let her do this, right?”

Sayang shrugged.

“If she succeeds, perhaps your bond wasn’t meant to be.”

Useless. Completely useless.

Quinn’s composure cracked.

“But you’ll still teach me the cookie recipe, right?”

Another shrug.

“If you can keep hold of your fiancé.”

Quinn hugged herself.

She was panicking.

Sayang seemed to notice. She stood and walked toward Jinxia.

“Come along, dearest. You have quite a lot to explain.”

For the first time, Jinxia looked uneasy.

But she nodded and followed.

Before stepping out, she turned back toward Jarel.

A small wave.

A deliberate wink.

The door clicked shut behind them.

Quinn looked ready to commit a sin.

For a moment, there was nothing.

Then Jarel glanced at her.

“Are you okay?”

She looked back at him, uncertainty written plainly across her face.

“What just happened?”

He exhaled slowly.

“I believe you’re now in a war for my hand in marriage with Jinxia.”

She shivered.

“M-m-marriage?”

He nodded.

She stared at him in alarm for a long second before looking away.

“I’m sorry. I’m just trying to ruin your life. This isn’t how it’s supposed to happen.”

He smiled softly.

“I think my life would be ruined far better by you than by her.”

Something shifted in her expression.

Fear faded.

Determination replaced it.

“Yeah. You’re right.”

She squared her shoulders.

“I’m the only one who gets to ruin your life.”

She turned fully to face him.

“I’m going to win. And then I’ll ruin your life.”

He chose not to think too deeply about what “winning” implied and held up his hand.

“That’s the spirit. High five.”

A howl of pain echoed from Jarel’s apartment.

In Sayang’s apartment next door, both women jumped.

Sayang sighed.

“So. You’re a demon, dearest.”

Jinxia nodded, looking almost embarrassed.

“And the Demon of Greed, no less. Does that mean there are five other demons on Earth right now?”

Jinxia shrugged.

“I didn’t even know Quanlin was here until today.”

Sayang nodded thoughtfully.

“I see. And as the Demon of Greed, what exactly have you accomplished so far?”

Jinxia gestured to the jewelry, the designer clothes, the subtle shimmer of wealth that surrounded her.

“I’ve made people crave more. More money. More status. More attention. You’re the only one I haven’t been able to tempt.”

Sayang laughed warmly.

“I always wondered why you kept flaunting those things in front of me.”

She leaned forward slightly.

“But surely you’ve wasted too much time on me?”

Jinxia gave a small, unapologetic shrug.

“I got greedy.”

Sayang’s smile widened.

“Oh, yes. Of course you did.”

She tapped her chin.

“So what’s your mission now? Make me greedy? Or steal my recipes because you’re greedy?”

Jinxia answered without hesitation.

“Both.”

Sayang chuckled.

“Both? You are confident, dearest.”

Jinxia exhaled.

“I’m well aware.”

Sayang waited a beat.

“Well? Not going to elaborate?”

Jinxia shook her head.

Sayang sighed theatrically.

“Well, even if you are a demon, you are still my granddaughter-”

“I’m not even related to you,” Jinxia cut in. “You can drop the act.”

Sayang’s eyes sharpened instantly.

“You are my granddaughter whether you like it or not.”

Jinxia straightened in her seat like a soldier snapping to attention.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Sayang nodded, satisfied.

“Good.”

She folded her hands neatly.

“Now. If you want that recipe, you’re going to need to find yourself a husband.”

Jinxia blinked.

“What?”

“You heard me.”

Sayang didn’t waver.

“A husband.”

She narrowed her eyes slightly.

“A real one. Remember, I can tell.”

Jinxia nodded immediately.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Sayang smiled serenely.

“Good. I look forward to seeing what man you bring me.”

Jinxia grit her teeth.

She would obtain that recipe.

Even if she had absolutely no use for it.

And so began the next great space race.

For Sayang’s cookie recipe.