Going from "Fanservice" to Reality with My Goddess - Chapter 17

Yu Nianzhi snapped back to her senses, her face flushing a violent red. “Feng you… in broad daylight, in front of all these people! Where is your sense of propriety?”

Shen Yan laughed. “It matters not; no one is paying us any mind.”

Yu Nianzhi countered, “That’s still not right! How can I let you ruin my reputation…”

Shen Yan let out a “pfft” of laughter and whispered, “My lady’s reputation… wasn’t it already…”

Blood rushed to Yu Nianzhi’s cheeks, and even her earlobes turned a shade of red as deep as dripping blood. Before Shen Yan could finish, Yu Nianzhi clapped a hand over her mouth. “You shameless scoundrel! If you dare say another word, I’ll…”

Seeing Yu Nianzhi’s fierce-looking but ultimately harmless threat, Shen Yan blinked rapidly, indicating she would obediently shut her mouth. Only then did Yu Nianzhi let her go.

Walking further ahead, Yu Nianzhi saw a section of the street hung with lanterns of all shapes and sizes. A large crowd had gathered there, and it looked exceptionally lively. She pulled Shen Yan over to see. It turned out the shopkeeper was taking advantage of the Lantern Festival to hang lanterns inscribed with riddles for everyone to join in the fun.

A middle-aged man with a composed face called out, “Honored guests! Anyone who answers a riddle correctly may come this way; our shop has prepared small gifts for you!”

Intrigued, Yu Nianzhi stepped up to a lantern. A slip of paper hung from the tassel, reading: A lone star rises in the south as the crescent moon ascends. (Note 1)

Having received frequent guidance from Shen Yan recently, Yu Nianzhi’s literacy and reading comprehension had improved greatly. This was finally her chance to show off her skills. Shen Yan stood to the side without saying a word, simply watching with a smile as Yu Nianzhi focused intently on the riddle.

However, after staring at it for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, she still had no answer. She felt a wave of defeat.

Yu Nianzhi sighed. “I’ve been working so hard lately and thought I’d made some progress. Is it true that I’m still far from the mark?”

Shen Yan comforted her, “How could that be? This riddle is simply too difficult. Go ahead and look at the others; you’ll surely solve one.”

Yu Nianzhi looked at her skeptically and asked, “Well, have you solved it?”

Shen Yan paused for a moment, then laughed. “This one is indeed too hard; I have no clue either.”

Yu Nianzhi pouted, her heart feeling a bit lighter. “If even you can’t solve it, then it must be too difficult. Let’s go look at the others.”

Shen Yan agreed with a smile, and the two walked toward a purple lantern. Beneath it hung a matching purple slip of paper, quite exquisite. It had to be said that the shopkeeper here had put in considerable effort.

This time, the riddle was: After bidding farewell, cast away old grudges.

This one was much simpler than the previous one, and Yu Nianzhi answered it after a moment’s thought. She plucked the slip of paper and rushed off to find the shopkeeper, leaving Shen Yan behind like a child eager for candy.

The owner smiled. “Would the young lady like to browse more? The more you answer correctly, the better the prize you can exchange.”

Hearing this, Yu Nianzhi grew even more excited. “I’ll be back in a moment!” She went back to find Shen Yan and returned to the sea of lanterns to continue the game.

The riddles after that went smoothly. Occasionally, when one was slightly difficult, Shen Yan would provide a subtle hint, and Yu Nianzhi would figure it out.

They eventually reached a specific lantern that looked different from the rest. Using some unknown technique, the left and right sides of the lantern glowed with different colors, and the slips of paper hanging below were a pair.

Yu Nianzhi asked curiously, “Is this a double-word riddle?”

Shen Yan hadn’t seen one like this either. “It looks like it. Let’s each guess one.”

“Alright.”

Yu Nianzhi picked up her slip; the riddle was: The sun returns again to the top of the gentleman’s heart.

She looked at her slip, initially having no idea. Meanwhile, Shen Yan had already solved hers and looked over at Yu Nianzhi. Seeing her struggle, Shen Yan offered a small hint.

Yu Nianzhi thought for a moment, and her eyes lit up. “It’s Si (思 – to think/long for).”

Shen Yan smiled. “Correct.”

Yu Nianzhi leaned in curiously. “What was yours?”

Shen Yan showed her the slip, which read: Almond eyes half-open to hear the sound of the village.

Yu Nianzhi said, “I know this one; it’s the character Xiang (相 – mutual).”

Shen Yan said, “Our two characters together make the word Xiangsi (相思 – mutual longing/lovesickness).”

“Xiangsi…” Yu Nianzhi murmured. “That is a wonderful meaning.”

Having guessed enough, they returned to the shopkeeper. This time, Shen Yan was by Yu Nianzhi’s side. The shopkeeper looked at the slips in their hands and praised, “The two young ladies are very clever to have solved so many.”

He turned and called to someone behind him, “Lin’er, take these two ladies to choose a few gifts.”

“Very well,” a voice responded, and a man turned to walk toward them. He was a very young man, handsome and refined, with a scholarly air. He looked up at the two of them and froze for a moment. His face suddenly flushed, and he stammered, “T-two ladies, please follow me.”

As Yu Nianzhi picked through the items, she occasionally discussed them with Shen Yan. The young man did not leave, standing quietly to the side. The shopkeeper, ignoring his other customers, also walked over to the stall to strike up a conversation. “May I ask if the two ladies are residents of the capital?”

Shen Yan replied, “We are.”

“Then might I ask where you reside?”

Shen Yan almost blurted out “The Crown Prince’s Manor,” but fortunately, she caught herself in time and made up a random location. “Not far from here.”

“That is convenient then,” the shopkeeper said, stroking his beard with a smile. He then asked, “And may I ask the young ladies’ ages?”

Shen Yan frowned slightly. They had only come to solve riddles for fun; why was this shopkeeper asking such things? The man continued to chat idly, but they gave only perfunctory answers, unwilling to reveal too much.

Feeling he had paved the way sufficiently, the shopkeeper pointed to the young man beside him. “This is my son. He usually spends his time studying in the library and doesn’t interact much with people. Please do not take offense.”

The young man, startled by the sudden mention, gave a small smile and a polite bow to the two of them.

Yu Nianzhi smiled. “It’s no trouble.”

The shopkeeper still wouldn’t leave. “My son is untalented, but he fortunately placed first in the recent provincial examinations. He helps me out in his spare time. However… he has yet to marry.”

At this, the middle-aged man shook his head with feigned distress.

By this point, if they still didn’t understand, they would be fools indeed. It turned out the “drunkard’s interest was not in the wine.”

Shen Yan smiled. “Your son possesses both talent and looks; he will surely find a worthy match.”

The shopkeeper, seeing two women out alone, was convinced they were still unmarried and refused to give up. He laughed, seeing they weren’t taking the hint, and finally asked directly, “May I ask, are the ladies already betrothed?”

Shen Yan and Yu Nianzhi exchanged a glance, a flicker of amusement passing between them. Shen Yan spoke up, “We are both already married.”

“I see,” the owner said, a look of disappointment flashing in his eyes. He didn’t push further but smiled again. “I can see the grace and beauty of the two ladies are not that of ordinary families. The men you married must be extraordinary.”

He hesitated for a moment and then asked, “Might I ask for the ladies’ honorable names?”

Both had finished choosing their items, each carrying a lantern. Shen Yan didn’t intend to answer, but Yu Nianzhi suddenly felt playful. She smiled and said, “We wouldn’t dare. My husband’s surname is Feng.”

Without waiting for the owner to react, the two bid him farewell and left. The owner stood in place, pondering for a moment. “Feng… Feng? Could it be…” He looked up sharply, but the two had already vanished into the vast crowd.

The two of them, each carrying a flower lantern, merged into the multicolored sea of the bustling market. Their hands were held tightly together, their fingers interlocking in places where no one would notice.

Yu Nianzhi was having a wonderful time when something cool landed lightly on her eyelashes. She blinked and reached up to touch it, feeling only a hint of moisture. She looked up at the sky and pulled on Shen Yan’s sleeve. “Look, it’s snowing.”

Shen Yan looked up as well, seeing pure white snowflakes drifting down light as feathers. “This is the first time I’ve seen it snow in South Liao.”

South Liao was in the far south and rarely saw snow; such a sight occurred only once a decade. The festive atmosphere on the street didn’t diminish in the slightest; rather, it grew even more lively amidst the falling snow.

Shen Yan and Yu Nianzhi did not seek shelter, continuing forward. The snow grew heavier, and a layer of white soon settled on their heads.

Yu Nianzhi laughed. “Your Highness, your hair.”

Shen Yan could guess what she looked like based on Yu Nianzhi’s appearance. She replied, “My lady is truly a case of the ‘fifty steps laughing at the hundred steps.'”

Yu Nianzhi let out a clear laugh and joked, “Looking at the two of us now with our hair turned white, we truly look like an old couple.”

Shen Yan smiled. “Is this what they call… growing old together?”

Yu Nianzhi echoed her, “Yes, growing old together.”

At this moment, with the frost and snow covering their heads, it could be considered a lifetime spent together until their hair turned white. (Note 2)