After Provoking the Mad Beautiful Deity - Chapter 12

I’ll fetch you some clothes.

The mortal world’s celebrations were bustling and lively, with the character for ‘double happiness’ plastered all over the house. Lanterns and colorful decorations adorned the space, and red brocade could be seen everywhere. Yanlai was welcomed into the host’s home, and the first thing that caught her eye was the dowry items marked with the ‘double happiness’ symbol, vibrant and dazzling in color. She glanced at them and stepped forward to touch one.

The host explained to her, “These are made from paper-cutting.”

Yanlai picked one up to examine it closely. The intense color reminded her of the unconscious, injured person at her home. She guessed Hongchen would probably like it, so she asked the host, “Could you give this to me?”

“If you like it, young lady, please take it. It’s nothing valuable, just something to share in the joy,” the man said, approaching with a smile so wide his eyes nearly disappeared. He even brought out some wedding fruits and handed them to Yanlai as well.

Yanlai presented her gift, a fist-sized luminous pearl. This time, the man did not refuse and instead became even more enthusiastic in his hospitality.

Dressed in a red gown, her skin as fair as white jade, Yanlai had her long hair tied up with only a wooden hairpin, the rest cascading loosely over her shoulders. She sat in a corner, her aura so ethereal that she stood out starkly among the other guests. The guests, unaware of her origins, hesitated to approach her, though a few bold women did come over to chat.

Yanlai responded to whatever they said, telling them she lived next door and had an injured disciple at home.

After some casual conversation, it was time for the banquet. Yanlai was invited to the main table, which was laden with delicacies. Having abstained from grains and meat for many years, she did not touch the food. When the host poured her a drink, she felt obliged to take a sip of wine.

Her refusal to eat left the host at a loss. Not wanting to overstay, she excused herself by saying she had someone waiting at home and hurried off.

The wedding wine was sweet and left a lasting aftertaste. She asked the host for a jar of it. Relieved that he hadn’t failed as a host, the man happily obliged.

Back home, Yanlai changed out of her clothes, cleansed them with immortal magic, and dressed Hongchen in them. She placed the jar of wine on the small table by the bedside and went back outside to lie down.

Time in the mortal world passed swiftly. Meanwhile, the whereabouts of the goddess Yanlai became unknown. The Heavenly Emperor issued an order for her to be found, and Crown Prince Qingfeng descended to the mortal realm to search for his fiancée.

As for the immortal Sanmeng, who had captured the Ningzhu Fairy Grass, he was unsure how to handle the situation. He simply assigned her to sweep and clean his palace halls while he attempted to locate his friend through three thousand dreams.

Three years flew by in the blink of an eye. The girl next door returned to her parents’ home for a visit, her toddler in tow. The little child accidentally wandered into Yanlai’s dwelling and blinked up at her.

Gazing into those clear eyes, Yanlai felt a sudden daze. Before her appeared the image of a childish face, a small child of about five or six, bowing faintly in her direction. She shuddered abruptly. The vision scattered like water droplets, and she snapped back to reality just as the child was taken away by their family.

All that remained before her was a thick, solid door, nothing more.

Clutching her forehead, the pain was so intense she could barely sit still. Just then, a clattering sound came from inside the house. Startled, she rushed indoors, ignoring her discomfort.

The person on the bed had woken up at some point and was staring blankly at the shattered wine jar by her feet. Hearing footsteps, Hongchen looked up. The woman before her wore a blue gown, her face as pale as snow, her delicate brows slightly furrowed as if troubled.

“Did we dual cultivate again?” Hongchen rubbed her head, recalling that she had been on the verge of killing Qingfeng when Yanlai intervened. Everything after that was a blank. She checked her body no injuries, no pain and felt somewhat relieved.

Yanlai frowned. “You’ve been unconscious for three years and two months.”

“Having slept for so long, it’s no matter. Look how much better I am. We dual-cultivated several times, yet I have no memory of it at all.” Hongchen touched her own chest, then glanced at Yanlai’s prominently curved bosom, quickly earning a glare from Yanlai.

Only then did Hongchen lower her head to look at her feet. “You’ve been drinking?”

“I saved some for you.”

“When did you save it?”

“From the wedding wine three years ago.”

Hongchen: “…”

She raised her head to survey the room’s furnishings. It appeared simple, but in reality, it was just lazily maintained, the dust was a finger thick. The only clean spots in the entire room were two: the bed where Hongchen had slept and the recliner where Yanlai lay. Looking up at the ceiling, even the cobwebs were densely layered.

Hongchen glanced down at her own clothes, then at Yanlai, and asked, “Did you undress me?”

“I wore your red dress to the banquet, then washed it clean for you afterward.” Yanlai frowned, feeling compelled to explain: “There are only two sets of clothes in the room, the red one you’re wearing and the one I have on.”

Hongchen massaged her temples. “Even if you didn’t bring any when you went out, couldn’t you have gone to buy some? You’ve lived here for three years surely you haven’t been wearing the same clothes all this time?”

“I haven’t changed.” Yanlai shook her head seriously, her sparkling eyes shimmering with spring light, making Hongchen frown and shake her head in response.

Outside the window, leaves rustled noisily, blowing into the room. Looking beneath the window good heavens the leaves were piled thickly. Hongchen sighed helplessly, but then, remembering Yanlai’s identity, she let it go and said, “You go out. I’ll clean the house.”

“You know how to clean a house?” Yanlai sounded skeptical.

Hongchen controlled her emotions, though a dull ache throbbed in her chest. Pressing a hand to her heart, she said, “If you don’t know how, then I’ll do it. Since you can’t manage it yourself, why not use immortal magic to solve the problem?”

“Too troublesome, and it wastes spiritual energy.” Yanlai shook her head. “Even if you clean, it’ll just get dirty again. Why bother going through the trouble?”

Hongchen’s eyebrows twitched. She suddenly felt that the woman before her was truly an immortal having abstained from worldly needs for years, she had been raised to be utterly incapable. Fortunately, she didn’t need to eat or drink; if she were an ordinary person, she would have died several times over.

Hongchen casually raised her hand, and a beam of red light spread out. In an instant, the room was spotless, with clear windows and tidy floors, even the shattered wine jar had been cleaned up.

She looked at Yanlai. “I’ll take you to buy some clothes.”

Yanlai gazed at her cheerful expression. In the dim room, the girl’s eyes were lit with a smile lively and radiant, as if reflecting a pond full of moonlight, her demeanor carrying an ethereal grace.

Meanwhile, Yanlai remained cool and aloof, her chilliness tinged with an elusive immortal aura. She nodded slightly. “Alright.”

Stepping out of the house, they encountered a pile of blackened objects at the door. Hongchen crouched down to examine them, and Yanlai informed her, “That’s chicken, duck, fish, and meat.”

Hongchen: “…” The poultry and meat in the mortal world didn’t usually look this charred and black. She reached out to touch it, it was as hard as a rock. Rubbing her eyes, she said, “Actually, meat in the mortal world can be quite delicious. You should try it.”

Yanlai remained silent.

The two stood there, staring blankly at the pile of meat, when suddenly someone knocked on the door. Yanlai instinctively went to answer it.

The visitor was a young woman who had recently married. Her hair was styled in a matronly bun, elegant and gentle. Smiling, she handed two boxes of pastries to Yanlai. “Miss, it’s been a long time. I’ve returned home to visit my parents. This is a small token of my appreciation, please accept it.”

Yanlai pressed her thin lips together, her gaze cool and detached. She accepted the pastries, uttered a word of thanks, and promptly closed the door.

Turning around, she handed the pastries to Hongchen. Without any hesitation, Hongchen took them, opened the box, and was greeted by a waft of fragrant aroma. She let out a delighted sound, picked up a pastry, and took a bite.

She was overjoyed, while Yanlai watched her quietly as she ate. After finishing one piece, Hongchen offered the pastries to her. “They’re delicious. Since we’re in the mortal realm, we should follow local customs. Eating a little won’t kill you.”

The sunlight was bright and the sky clear that day. In no time, Hongchen had finished the entire box of pastries. The light fell upon her, casting a dazzling glow around her.

Stepping out of the courtyard gate, she glanced back at the small house nestled in the bustling city. Yanlai had set up a barrier, so the noise from outside couldn’t penetrate, but for three years, she had never stepped out.

Hongchen was stunned, staring at the crowded street and then at the small courtyard gate, completely unable to comprehend the mindset of this celestial being, Yanlai.

Choosing to live in a bustling area yet never venturing outside was there something wrong with her head?

What was even more baffling was that just half a kilometer away, there were clothing shops. Hongchen touched her own clothes. “Is it so hard for you to go out and buy a set of clothes? Did you really have to strip mine off me? And wear the same outfit for three years?”

“I don’t like the fabrics of the mortal realm,” Yanlai replied with confidence.

Hongchen: “Then why not go back and get your own clothes?”

Yanlai: “If I leave, what will happen to you? The immortals are hunting you down.”

Hongchen: “Take me with you, then.”

Yanlai: “You’re too heavy.”

Hongchen shot her a lingering glance, sighed helplessly, and took her by the wrist, leading her to a clothing shop.

The bustling market was filled with shops and even more people, jostling shoulder to shoulder. Yanlai, squeezed by the mortals, grew impatient, especially as various scents assailed her, forcing her to cover her nose.

Hongchen, however, happily wandered through the crowd, glancing at the sugar-figure makers and the sword sellers, looking left and right while never letting go of Yanlai’s hand.

The embroidery shop was small, and when the two entered, there weren’t many people inside. Hongchen walked in and asked the shopkeeper, “Do you have the finest fabric? Something soft.”

Yanlai surveyed the surroundings. On the counter lay fabrics of many colors, like a rainbow in the sky red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple almost every hue imaginable. Even the reds were divided into many shades: crimson, plum, primrose, and seven or eight others. She stepped forward and gently touched the fabrics.

Hongchen haggled with the shopkeeper, going back and forth. Yanlai listened carefully as Hongchen said, “Make it cheaper. I’m buying a lot.”

“Ah, young lady, we don’t bargain here. Look at the quality of the fabric, it’s soft to the touch,” the shopkeeper replied with a smile, stroking the material.

Hongchen paused when she overheard someone else say, “No matter how soft your fabric is, can it compare to what the nobles in the palace wear? Their fabrics are the finest and most exquisite in the world.”

The shopkeeper laughed. “Well, of course, the nobles in the palace are a different class. How could we compare? But my fabrics are affordable and of much better quality than elsewhere.”

Hongchen took this to heart, glanced at Yanlai’s clothes, her eyes shifting thoughtfully, and then abruptly pulled Yanlai away.

Seeing his “cooked duck fly away,” the shopkeeper hurried after them. “Ah, young lady, why are you leaving? I’ll give you a discount!”

Hongchen paid no heed, dragging Yanlai along as she left. Yanlai was puzzled. “Why aren’t you buying anymore?”

“You go back first. I’ll fetch some better fabric. Go on back,” Hongchen said, clutching Yanlai’s hand and walking briskly, as if she wished she had wings to fly back instantly.

Yanlai felt unsettled. “Are you going back to the Demon Palace?”

“Why go back to the Demon Palace? My injuries haven’t fully healed yet. Let me recover a bit longer. Wait for me here, I’ll fetch you some food, supplies, and clothes.” Hongchen scurried off in a flurry, her sleeves billowing as she ran. Once home, she nudged Yanlai into the room, her lips moving as she spoke, “I’ll go find some clothes. You can take a bath first. By the time you’re done, the clothes will be here.”

Yanlai was puzzled, “Where are you going to steal clothes from?”

Hongchen didn’t have time to answer. She turned and dashed away like a gust of wind, determined to return before Yanlai finished bathing.