A Match Made in Heaven - Chapter 11
Chapter 11
The House of Mei Shan
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After suffering through a two-day fever from her over-imbibing, Xin Mei returned to her upbeat and energetic self. Lu Qian Qiao also seemed to finish his work, and they prepared to depart from the Huang Ling.
A crowd of demons lined up to see them off on their trip. Si Lan’s face was full of devotion and unwillingness to part with Lu Qian Qiao, and he kept making promises to carefully look after the Huang Ling. Xin Mei rolled her eyes at Si Lan’s endless babbling behind Tao Guo Guo, but she also didn’t forget to sneak a big thumbs up to the Ying Lian Jie Jie who was hiding behind a tree. Xin Mei slipped to the back of the crowd to ask for an autograph from Lord Zhao.
Lord Zhao was moved to tears and signed his name multiple times on the handkerchief that Xin Mei handed him. His face was full of emotion as he sighed, “As expected of the General’s soul mate. Such a good choice! Such good taste!”
Xin Mei was taken aback, “What soul mate?”
Lord Zhao was even more taken aback than Xin Mei. “You mean you still don’t know? The Divine Bonded-Soul Looking Glass revealed your images! The Looking Glass is a mystical, legendary object that can only reveal couples who are destined to be together. It’s unable to reflect anything else. Remember how you both appeared in the mirror that day? If you don’t believe it, you can try it again later.”
Xin Mei’s jaw dropped. Doubtfully, she said, “That Looking Glass has to be a fake, right?”
“How! How could the treasures of Huang Huang Ling be fake?!” Xin Mei’s words upset Lord Zhao so much he stuttered back his response.
“It’s time to go.”
Lu Qian Qiao finally shook off the group of devoted demons and turned towards Xin Mei.
Xin Mei discreetly tugged at Lord Zhao’s sleeve. “Oh yeah, who was the person who carved the puppets? Uncle you have to help me get some of his autographs while I’m away. I’ll come back for them.”
Lord Zhao smiled sneakily. “Oh, that. Sometimes the answer may be found right under your nose if you use your heart, you will definitely find the truth.”
Isn’t this answer basically not an answer at all.
Xin Mei walked to Lu Qian Qiao’s side and watched as he arranged the harness on Lie Yun Horse.
Lie Yun Hua was Lu Qian Qiao’s spirit beast, or more specifically, his mount. The House of Xin Xie also raised many different breeds of young horse spirits. The most noble and expensive breed was a white-as-snow Dragon Horse. Its daily distance was fifty thousand kilometers, and it could give the speed of the mystical Cheng Yun Yu Wind transport a run for its money.
However, when Xin Mei compared that Dragon Horse with the Lie Yun Horse in front of her, she judged that the Dragon Horse was actually rather inferior in terms of spiritual influence and majesty.
The best spirit beasts are always the most majestic and headstrong. Looking at the Lie Yun Horse’s cold and arrogant posture, Xin Mei felt that it was a carbon copy of its owner on a spiritual level.
She heard that Lu Qian Qiao was demoted to guard the Huang Ling, which is not that far from basically imprisoned at the Huang Ling. As long as the emperor doesn’t order him to leave the Huang Ling, he won’t be able to leave for the rest of his life. Despite this fact, Lu Qian Qiao seemed to be quite free. He could go wherever he wanted to go and no one can really say anything about it. From a certain perspective, Lu Qian Qiao was rather audacious and willful.
Xin Mei swooped over and stuck her head in front of his face to ask, “Lord Zhao said the Bonded-Soul Looking Glass reflected us, so we’re destined to be together. Is that true?”
Lu Qian Qiao’s hand jerked and the bridle he was trying to fasten suddenly fell on the ground.
“Is it true?” Xin Mei asked again, sternly.
Lu Qian Qiao intentionally turned away to avoid looking her in the eyes. As he finished adjusting the bridle, his ears turned red.
“It’s fake.” A very calm and cool answer.
Xin Mei scooted to look at his eyes to gauge the veracity of his words. He turned around and began to fasten the saddle.
Relieved, Xin Mei let go of the breath she was holding. “Of course it’s fake I’m definitely not marrying you.”
Lu Qian Qiao leapt onto the back of the horse with a word. Suddenly, he reached for the back of Xin Mei’s collar and threw her behind him. Xin Mei’s knee hit the metal stirrups on the sides of the saddle. Her eyes watered from the pain.
“You You did that on purpose”
“Shut up.”
Lu Qian Qiao tugged on the reins. With a hiss, flames burst at the hooves of the Lie Yun Horse. With a leap towards the skies, they took off.
Xin Mei rubbed at her knees and lifted her head to look at his emotionless face. Today, his face paralysis seemed especially serious. His eyeballs weren’t even moving. He stared straight ahead. Was he mad?
Xin Mei thought for a moment.
“Lu Qian Qiao. Are you upset?”
No response.
“Are you upset that I said I definitely wouldn’t marry you?”
Still no response.
“Or are you worried that we can’t find Lord Mei Shan and that we won’t be able to ask about the berserker clan?”
He continued to ignore her, keeping no expression on his face and pretending to be mute.
“You know, you shouldn’t overthink some things. Like they say, scourges survive a thousand years. You imprisoned me, stole my Qiu Yue, and you can’t stop bullying me. You did so many terrible things, I’m sure you’ll survive for a thousand years.”
Lu Qian Qiao’s eyebrow twitched.
“My dad once said, there is nothing on this earth that can’t be changed. That why even though I was prophesied to be a husband-jinxer, he still has faith that I’ll still get married one day. Also, even though you’ve done so many bad things, I don’t actually wish for you to drop dead. And everyone at the Huang Ling also hopes that you can live on, wouldn’t you agree? You should really have a more positive outlook on life.”
Lu Qian Qiao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Her face was so sincere as she tried her hardest to come up with comforting things to say. The words that came out of her mouth alternated between being teeth-clenchingly irritating and gently reassuring. He didn’t know how to react.
“Oh yeah, Lord Zhao said that the person who made the dolls is nearby. Do you know who it is?”
Her line of thought changed really abruptly. In an instant she changed the topic to the dolls.
Lu Qian Qiao coughed discreetly, trying to look casual as he turned to look off at the clouds in the distance.
With a totally calm and cool voice, he said, “Mm. I made them in my spare time.”
Xin Mei nearly fell off the horse’s back. Lu Qian Qiao quickly wraped an arm around her waist and she held onto his arm for her dear life. Her gaze went from surprised, ecstatic, and then finally to complete and total admiration.
“Really?” She asked in a small voice.
Lu Qian Qiao continued to calmly and coolly stare off into the clouds. “Yeah.”
Xin Mei’s hands trembled as she opened her bag and dug all around for a new handkerchief.
With two glowing eyes, she held it up to him. “Um please please an autograph ”
Lu Qian Qiao’s ears burned. He yanked her to sit up straight. “Sit correctly. Don’t fall off.”
“Autograph”
“Shut up.”
“Can we discuss your experience and thoughts and feelings as you made the dolls? Please tell us”
“”
The roaring winds dispersed Xin Mei’s chatterings. Lu Qian Qiao readjusted his hair, which was whipping around in the winds. He avoided her gaze full of admiration. For some reason, he felt a lightness that he hadn’t felt in a long time.
He felt he was in a good mood.
On the 18th of the fourth month, a heavy rain fell on Bai Tou Mountains. Mei Shan Jun was mind-numbingly bored inside his house. A couple of days ago, Fu Jiu Yun had generously gifted him a set of huge, stained-glass wine vessels from who knows where, but Fu Jiu Yun didn’t deliver it in person. The fox Zhen Hong Sheng was a homebody, and so Mei Shan Jun lamely drank wine all by himself with the huge glass cups.
Mei Shan Jun heard that there was a carp in his pond that was about to mature into a demon. He was so bored that he hung around the pond to observe with a blue glass cup of wine in hand.
He had only taken a few sips before one of the spirit attendants guarding his door ran up to him in a serious panic.
The spirit attendant cried, “Not good! There are two people that are looking for trouble! They refusing to take a bath and change their outfits. They’re at the front gates.”
Mei Jun Shan indignantly set down his cup and headed towards the front gates.
The House of Mei Shan had the most concentrated spiritual influence in all of Bai Tou Mountain. Whenever people from the outside world paid a visit, everyone had to take a bath in the hot springs out in the front before they could enter the front gates. Even the emperor was no exception.
Who do these guys think they are? No one is above the rules!
The spirit attendant following behind Mei Jun Shan continued to stammer, “It’s a man and a woman. The woman is not that old, I think her name was Xin Mei or something”
Mei Shan Jun suddenly stopped in his tracks.
The name Xin Mei dropped into a tender and aching spot, causing a wave of ripples in his heart. Mei Shan Jun suddenly did not seem to know what to do with himself, where to look or where to place his limbs, what to say.
Mei Shan Jun suddenly yelled at the attendant, “Damn you! Why didn’t you welcome her! Who the hell cares about bathing or changing!?” It was very out of character.
The spirit attendant continued, “The man looked like he was in his twenties. He looked super cold, super scary. He called himself Lu Qian Qiao.”
He shuddered.
Nervously, uncomfortably, Mei Shan Jun approached the front gates. Stunning red and white flowers bloomed on the wooden bridge outside the front gates. Wearing a light blue dress that suited her, Xin Mei was currently leaning over the railings and watching fish blow bubbles.
What a lovely image. Mei Shan Jun’s heart instantly softened.
And then he turned his head to see Lu Qian Qiao holding the reins to a fiery red horse, looking back at him expressionlessly. Just like that, Mei Shan Jun’s fragile heart fell out of his chest.
“All of the guests who visit the House of Mei Shan have to take a bath and change clothes it’s tradition” Mei Shan Jun’s voice was not very strong. He sounded limp and soft like cotton.
Lu Qian Qiao’s brow furrowed, and just as he was about to open his mouth to agree to follow the rules, Mei Shan Jun suddenly backed away.
Mei Shan Jun’s voice grew even smaller as he said, “Of course it’s really not a big deal if you don’t follow the rules”
So sad. The spirit attendant couldn’t help but shake his head slowly.
Mei Shan Jun led everyone through the front gates with a depressed, lowered head. Suddenly, he felt a tug on his sleeve. Xin Mei’s bright and smiling face popped up next to him. “Lord Mei Shan! I haven’t seen you in a few days and you’ve grown thinner! Are you eating enough?”
Mei Shan Jun coughed, wondering if he should tell her that it’s really difficult for Xian people to gain weight from eating human food when suddenly she added, “It’s really not good for your health to drink so much wine every day. How about I cook dinner for everyone tonight?”
Mei Shan Jun’s eyes brightened. “You you know how to cook?”
Xin Mei nodded. “It’s my first time coming to play at your place and I didn’t bring a gift! I’ll cook dinner instead.”
What a gentle and lovely girl. Mei Shan Jun stared after her in an infatuated daze as he walked back into the house with weightless steps.
