After Saving The Goddess and Living With Her - Chapter 1

A waist so slender that it could be encircled in one hand. A proud and an upright posture with hair so beautiful that seems impossible.

******

When Ming Duo reached Huasheng Avenue, she looked at the massive poster in the city square and felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

She had seen this person somewhere before…

Ming Duo’s gaze settled in the lower right corner of the poster, where two words were written: 

Lin Fang.

It was her.

The female model whose fame had recently exploded.

Ming Duo tilted her head, pondering. She felt like she was on the verge of remembering something, but she couldn’t quite grasp it.

She turned to continue walking, but fragments of images suddenly flooded her mind, disjointed and unclear.

She couldn’t remember the face of the protagonist from last night’s dream, no matter how hard she tried.

She instinctively touched the pendant around her neck. The jade warmed in her hand, its texture smooth and comforting.

She had worn this jade pendant since childhood. Her mother, Ms. Zhao, had obtained it for her from a famous temple, and she’d worn it ever since.

When she was eleven, her grandfather passed away from a stroke. From that moment on, she lost the grandfather who loved her more than anyone in the world.

At the funeral, she bit her lip hard, refusing to shed a single tear. Her mind was filled only with memories of her grandfather’s laughter and warmth.

She felt her grandfather hadn’t left, that he was still by her side, so she refused to cry, as if crying would make him leave her.

No one knew that later, Ming Duo secretly cried for an entire month.

After that, she began to dream every day and night, for over a decade, without stopping.

Seeing her constantly startled awake by nightmares, Ms. Zhao secretly visited a temple and prayed for a Peace Pendant to protect her.

Sensing her mother’s anxiety and worry, Ming Duo gradually stopped talking about her nightmares and lied, saying she rarely dreamed anymore. “It must be because my beautiful mother sincerely prayed for this Peace Pendant to protect me.”

“Really?” Ms. Zhao believed her, and a long-missing smile reappeared on her face.

“Mm-hmm!” Ming Duo nodded emphatically, feeling even more certain that her approach was right. Some things had to be borne alone.

For example, later on, whether the dreams were pleasant or nightmares, as long as the circumstances in reality allowed it, they would almost always come true within a few days after she woke up.

Ming Duo recalled last night’s dream and instinctively glanced up at the person on the poster again.

The black, form-fitting bodysuit perfectly accentuated her flawless figure. Combined with her sleek short hair, bright makeup, and especially those eyes both alluring and spirited. It was a striking image.

If you didn’t know Lin Fang, your first thought would definitely be: “Holy shit, she’s gorgeous!”

Lin Fang was rising star in the modeling world.

A strange feeling began to well up inside Ming Duo.

Modeling… it used to be her dream too…

Ming Duo shook her head and glanced at her watch. Her meeting with Gao Zhan was almost time.

After all these years, Gao Zhan was the only friend who had stuck by her side.

Thinking of him, her lips curved into a smile.

Ming Duo walked into Island Coffee around the corner, chatting with Gao Zhan on WeChat, and found a window seat.

“Little Duo, I’m almost at Huasheng Avenue. Where are you?” Gao Zhan’s voice sounded strained, like he was rushing.

Ming Duo had just finished listening to his voice message when his call came through.

“Little Duo, I’m already at Huasheng Avenue. Where are you?” Gao Zhan’s voice sounded like he was squeezing his throat.

“I’m at Island Coffee, our usual spot,” Ming Duo said slowly, glancing out the window.

From her seat, she could still clearly see Lin Fang’s giant poster.

You had to admit, Lin Fang’s face was truly pleasing to the eye.

“Alright, I’m almost there! Little Duo, wait for me,” Gao Zhan’s voice rang in her ear, shattering her beautiful daydream about the stunning woman.

Truth be told, she wished he would just say her name properly. That affected, cloying way he pronounced it made her want to punch him.

Gao Zhan was great in every way, except for his inability to speak properly.

After hanging up, Ming Duo stared at Lin Fang’s poster, her mind drifting back to last night’s dream. She felt a little dazed.

Every time she dreamed, it felt like she was living through it. The people and events in those dreams felt so real, as if she had truly participated in them. That’s why she always felt utterly exhausted the day after, a weariness that permeated every fiber of her being.

When Gao Zhan found his seat, he saw Ming Duo lost in thought. He called her name several times, but she didn’t respond.

It wasn’t until he started banging on the table with his knuckles that Ming Duo snapped back to reality.

The moment she looked up, Gao Zhan yelped as if he’d seen a ghost. “Oh my god, Duo Duo, your eyebrows look hideous!”

He even twisted his body dramatically, leaning back against the chair behind him.

The people around them all turned to stare, making Ming Duo feel instantly embarrassed and uncomfortable.

Even after all these years, she still couldn’t get used to Gao Zhan’s antics.

“Gao Zhan, sh-shut up!” Ming Duo wanted to cover his mouth.

“Ah, Duo Duo, your foundation isn’t even!”

“…”

Here we go again.

Every time they met, Gao Zhan would nitpick her makeup.

Right, right, right. Gao Zhan wasn’t just a one-of-a-kind figure in the hosting world; he was also a force of chaos in the makeup world. He certainly had the right to be picky.

But the truth was, she hadn’t even worn makeup today!

Noticing her low spirits, Gao Zhan leaned closer to Ming Duo and scrutinized her face again. Then he exclaimed, “Ah! Duo Duo, you didn’t wear makeup today!”

His shout drew the attention of several nearby tables, some whispering, others stifling giggles.

Ming Duo felt utterly mortified.

“Dear Gao Zhan,” she whispered, half-hiding her face, “let’s make a cute promise: next time we meet, please don’t open your mouth!”

“Little Duo, you don’t love me anymore?” Gao Zhan began wiping nonexistent tears, putting on a dramatic, tearful act.

Ming Duo: “……”

She was this close to flipping the table, opening the window, and throwing Gao Zhan out.

Fine, she surrendered. She gave in, okay?

Gao Zhan tried again. “Little Duo…”

“You. Stay away from me.” Ming Duo turned her face away, pretending she didn’t know him.

She needed to calm down.

“Okay, okay, lunch is on me,” Gao Zhan said, pulling out his trump card: the food attack.

Ming Duo wasn’t buying it. “Do you really think one meal can fix this?”

Gao Zhan persisted. “If one meal can’t fix it, then… ten meals and I’ll clear out your entire shopping cart! How about it? How about it? Just forgive me… Little Duo, ah, no, my dear Duo…”

Gao Zhan’s brand of acting cute was textbook-level stuff. Ming Duo couldn’t handle it, especially…

Well, maybe clearing out her shopping cart could fix this kind of thing.

Still, she felt she should hold out a little longer. So she kept her head turned, refusing to speak.

“My dear Duo…” Gao Zhan didn’t give up, continuing to shower her with sweet talk.

“Alright, alright, I forgive you!” What if this kid suddenly changed his mind? She’d lose everything!

“I was even going to suggest a seven-day vacation in the Maldives,” Gao Zhan said with a grin. “But forget it.”

Why didn’t he say so earlier?!

She felt completely taken advantage of.

Gao Zhan was a genuine rich second-generation heir with an older brother who excelled in every skill under the sun. The Gao Corporation needed him so little that Old Master Gao would probably have been furious if he saw his son running around all day hosting events and doing makeup instead of focusing on serious matters.

A trip to the Maldives was a trivial expense for Gao Zhan.

“Capitalist! Hmph!” Ming Duo finally spat out these words through gritted teeth.

But she hadn’t even added anything to her shopping cart. How could she possibly “empty” it?

“Little Duo, you had another nightmare last night, didn’t you?” Gao Zhan suddenly turned serious.

Noticing her pallid complexion, he already knew most of the story. It couldn’t have been a pleasant dream.

“Mm…” Ming Duo lowered her eyelids, her voice barely audible.

Gao Zhan was the only person who knew everything about her, including the truth about her dreams coming true. It was no surprise he could tell what had happened at a glance.

Over the years, she’d developed a habit: whenever she had a bad dream, the first thing she wanted to do was see Gao Zhan.

Gao Zhan would always appear by her side as quickly as possible, whether she needed him in the wind or the rain. This fact made her feel particularly safe.

To Ming Duo, Gao Zhan was not only a good teacher and friend, but also a “sister.” In front of him, she could say anything, dare to say anything, cry if she wanted to cry, laugh if she wanted to laugh. He had witnessed all her weaknesses and ugly moments, yet he still stood firmly by her side.

But this time was different. She had no desire to talk about her dream with Gao Zhan right away.

“Let me take a moment to process this,” Ming Duo said, her gaze returning to the poster outside the window, her expression troubled.

“Little Duo, don’t put too much pressure on yourself,” Gao Zhan said, his voice deepening as he turned serious. “It’s important to take things one step at a time.”

The soothing music of the café, combined with Gao Zhan’s presence, helped calm Ming Duo’s nerves. She smiled at him. “It’s a shame. This dream… I still can’t help.”

She tried to keep her voice light, but the bitterness in her heart grew stronger.

Yes, I’m just an ordinary person. I’m not some savior.

Gao Zhan changed the subject, focusing on her favorite topic: food. “What do you want to eat? We can talk while we eat.”

Just like before, Ming Duo would summon him whenever she had a dream, hoping to resolve it or at least lessen its impact. But as the dreams grew increasingly complex, her confidence eroded. Now, she barely held onto any hope.

This time, if Gao Zhan hadn’t persistently coaxed her, she wouldn’t have left her house at all.

Gao Zhan simply wanted to help Ming Duo escape this torment, even if it was just a little.

Seeing his earnest expression, Ming Duo reluctantly shared every detail of the dream.

After listening, Gao Zhan quickly summarized: “So, we need to get an invitation to the Senmu Group’s 50th anniversary gala, no matter what our status is.”

“Exactly,” Ming Duo nodded in agreement.

The invitation to the Senmu Group’s gala was the key.

“Don’t worry. Leave this to me,” Gao Zhan declared, pounding his chest in assurance.

If Gao Zhan said it was possible, it was definitely possible. That was the conclusion Ming Duo had reached after years of experience.

Without Gao Zhan, relying solely on her own strength, she would have been utterly powerless against the events to come.

It wasn’t the first time Ming Duo had felt so helpless. She was only human, not a god, with limited power and unable to control every detail. She loathed this feeling, knowing what was coming but being powerless to stop the people in her dreams from heading toward destruction.

While Ming Duo was lost in thought, Gao Zhan had already made a brief phone call. It was probably only when discussing her dreams that he looked so serious.

“Duo, the Senmu Group’s gala is set for the 20th of this month. We have a week to prepare,” Gao Zhan said, putting away his phone with a serious expression.

“Only a week? Wait, we still have a week?” In the past, her dreams always came true within five days. This time, the timeline had stretched to seven!

“Hmm,” Gao Zhan’s voice sounded solemn.

Ming Duo tightened her grip on her glass. When she spoke again, the confusion in her eyes had vanished.

“We can only do our best.” Her dreams remained fragmented and chaotic, still unable to piece together the general outline of what was happening.

Is it foolish to try to avert a disaster with just a time and a result?

The light in Ming Duo’s eyes dimmed again as she lowered her head and silently sipped her juice.

She couldn’t be the only person who came to a coffee shop and only ordered juice, right?

“Things might not be as bad as you think. Ugh! You don’t believe me!” Gao Zhan reverted to his usual brash manner.

… She was truly defeated by him.

“Anyway, Gao Zhan, thank you.”

Thank you for staying by my side all these years, even after all the disdain you’ve heaped on me.

“Tsk, you’re being too sentimental!” Gao Zhan waved his hand, wearing an expression that said, “I can’t stand you sometimes.”

By the time they left Island Coffee, it was already 3 PM.

Ming Duo glanced up at the person on the poster again. The blurred silhouette in her mind suddenly sharpened into focus—chaotic scenes, unbearable images, each one too painful to look at…

The person in her dreams was Lin Fang.

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