Returning to heaven felt both familiar and unfamiliar. The fairy friends who saw me came to greet me kindly. It seemed no different from the time before I went down.
Without one celestial star Chu Kong, heaven was still heaven. The immortals were cold and didnât have so many feelings as humans.
Perhaps before going down I was also like that. NowâŠâŠ.
If I burry my head, I could smell the earth on my whole body.
Back to Yue Lao temple. The red strings in Yue Lao temple were still the same as always; a mess created by Yue Lao. They were so mixed together that you wouldnât know where the end and beginning was.
I went to the backyard and saw Yue Lao asleep with stolen wine. I deeply felt that all my bad habits were learned from this tricky Yue Lao.
I walked to him, grabbed his two white beards and mercilessly pulled them down.
âAiyo,â Yue Lao screamed in pain. He grabbed his chin and woke up. It took a moment before he saw me.
âAh, Xiao Xiang Zi, youâre back!â
I looked at him with squinted eyes. He sensibly changed the way he called me: âAlright, Xiao Xiang. The moment you come back, you tossed me, this old bone! By the wayâŠâŠâ
Yue Lao looked left and right. Close to my ears, he asked: âWhen you were down, you werenât together with celestial star Chu Kong, right? Heaven made a bet. I bet you two wonât be together. I put five golden teals!â
âInside information.â
I plucked his two long white beards out.
âIf you donât want to lose money, quickly go change your bet.â
Yue Lao looked at me with his round eyes. I laughed: âI bet all the wages from my whole life. I and Chu Kong could absolutely be together.â
Yue Lao looked at me blankly for a while. He turned, took out an abacus and calculated: âEven with all the wages from your whole life, they arenât worth five golden teals, ah. Your information is also notorious for being untrustworthy.â
I my mouth twitched: âWhatever!â
After saying that I went back to my own room while holding the mirror of the past. I locked the door and put the mirror of the past above the desk. I felt emotionally complex. In fact, Yue Lao was right. Like the wages of my whole life werenât worth five golden teals, I also didnât know if my information was correct or not. I was just relying on my intuition or better said I was gambling with the confidence I had in Chu Kong.
I definitely believed that Chu Kong wouldnât want to go in the evil ways.
Even if he didnât have the memory of his past lives; even if he really wanted to prove himself; even if he was jealous and angry. But he would definitely not follow Jin Lianâs wish to go in the evil ways. After all heâd always been a good person.
No matter if it was arrogant celestial star Chu Kong, Lu Hai Kong or meatball Kong, Iâve always believed that deep in his heart there was tenderness and kindness.
Moreover, the thing about meatball Kong going into the evil ways was really strange. He said Jin Lian was in his body for three years. Since he was willing to let Jin Lian into his body, three years ago, why didnât he follow Jin Lian and chose to wait until now?
I dared to guess that meatball Kong was careless and Jin Lian entered his body. He had been affected by Jin Lian, but he was afraid that Iâll be worried. So, he never told me about this matter.
He cared about me. Besides it was an excessive care.
I looked in the mirror of the past. Waves formed in the mirror. I saw Chu Kong still holding the body that had been abandoned by me. His body was stiff. It looked like he also had become a corpse and would not move again.
âIâm not celestial star Chu Kong,â he said quietly. His voice was hoarse. âIn my heart there isnât immortal life of the heaven and earth and there also isnât doing good things for the people. I just wanted to protect you. I just really wanted to protect you. What freedom? What living alone? Those arenât what I want. To become the person you like. To let my figure enter your eyes, even if it was just for a moment, itâll be alright. Knowing that you like me will be enough.â
âI really didnât want to make you angry. I was just afraidâŠâŠafraid that one day I canât control myself and hurt you. So, I tried everything to leave you. I just thoughtâŠâŠâ
His voice choked. He buried his head in my neck like how I comforted him in the past.
âI just thought that I canât let that person in my body harm you. I just wanted to use all my effort to protect you. I just thought that if you say some disappointing words to me, after I died, will you be less sad?â
My heart felt pain. I listened to him continue saying: âIâm sorry. Iâm so stupidâŠâŠIâm still as stupid as when I was a child. I couldnât think of a better idea!â
He broke down in tears.
âGet up and beat me. Get up and teach me a lesson. You can do as you like, justâŠâŠdonât leave me.â