Water Reflects Peach Blossoms

"looking at what?"

"Is that... Mo Yuan and his little disciple?"

The cold and mellow voice that suddenly appeared beside her made Jiang Ruan's heart tighten. She looked at the tall purple figure that suddenly appeared beside her.

The mind-reading technique revealed nothing. Seeing Jiang Ruan's startled and panicked eyes, Donghua softened his voice: "Did I scare you? It's my fault."

Jiang Ruan shook her head: "Si Yin..."

"God." When Jiang Ruan didn't know how to address Si Yin, Donghua told her, "He has the cultivation level of a God."

Jiang Ruan: "Lord Siyin is from Kunlun Mountain. My hometown is at the foot of Kunlun Mountain."

Looking at Jiang Ruan with calm eyes, Donghua asked, "Do you miss home? I'll take you back to visit."

"No need." Jiang Ruan lowered her eyes, feeling rather sad. "I'll have to come back eventually. It's better if I don't go back."

Donghua stretched out his hand, revealing an oil-paper bag, hoping to cheer Jiang Ruan up: "Peach Blossom Cake from the Mortal Realm."

Cen Sheng...

The name surfaced in her mind, and Jiang Ruan's breathing stagnated in pain. Everything related to the mortal world reminded her of Cen Sheng. She remembered his clear voice, his scholarly smile, and the image of him handing her snacks with a bamboo pole...

The hand holding the oil-paper bag froze. Donghua's mind-reading ability allowed him to see through Jiang Ruan's thoughts.

He felt bad, but he didn't express it. He just tightened his grip on the oil-paper bag and said, "Don't you like it?"

"I like it." Jiang Ruan carefully took the package of pastries and whispered to Donghua.

"As long as you like it." Looking at her red eyes, Donghua wanted to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes, but finally withdrew his hand.

Back at Taichen Palace, when Jiang Ruan was about to go back to her bedroom, Donghua called her.

"The Sunwings have been getting restless lately, and a war could break out at any moment. I won't be able to stay by your side the entire time." He then produced an exquisitely crafted bell. "This bell is imbued with my magical power. It can form a barrier to protect you in times of danger. Just ring it, and I'll appear by your side in an instant."

Jiang Ruan reached out to take it, her scallion-white fingers holding the bell as she thanked Donghua, "Thank you very much."

She was always so polite and distant.

Afraid of hearing Cen Sheng's name again, Donghua, who had mastered the ability to read minds, didn't know how to open her heart. His heart was aching: "Why should we say thank you to each other?"

No, he doesn't know.

Jiang Ruan was not thanking him for caring about her safety, but for giving her the magic weapon to protect herself, which gave her the confidence to leave the Heavenly Palace.

……

Jiang Ruan was very peaceful in the next few days.

She never said she wanted to return to the mortal world, and she no longer stayed in her room. Sometimes she would go out for a walk, and her favorite place to go was the Yulin in the first heaven.

Donghua was happy about her changes and her gradual acceptance of the Heavenly Palace's attitude, but what bothered him was that Jiang Ruan still avoided him.

She didn't like seeing him, and even more so didn't like being with him. When she was with him, not only did the smile on her face disappear, she didn't even say a word.

Seeing the Emperor tinkering with cooking in the kitchen again, Sima Ming, who was as handsome as a banished immortal in a painting, sighed heavily as he peeked in from outside the kitchen.

When he looked at Lian Song, who was invited by the emperor to taste his cooking skills, he saw the distress of "my life is over" in each other's eyes.

Lian Song had a bitter face: "Your Majesty, why is he running to the kitchen instead of trying to please Miss Jiang?"

Siming glanced at Donghua, who was still busy, and put his hand to his lips. He moved closer to Lian Song and whispered, "Miss Jiang doesn't like the Emperor."

"I know." Lian Song waved his fan: "The whole Heavenly Palace knows."

It would be strange for a mortal woman to like the Emperor given how rapacious he is.

Si Ming: "..."

Siming lowered his voice: "I dislike it even more than you know."

Lian Song paused fanning himself and asked curiously, "How much do you dislike it?"

Siming was a gossipy person to begin with. When asked this question, he started to talk non-stop: "The kind that faces the Emperor coldly and doesn't say a word..."

"Oh?" Lian Song's mouth dropped open in surprise. He glanced inside, watching the show with anticipation. Seeing Donghua still preparing the ingredients, he jokingly said, "No wonder the Emperor is so gloomy. I'm afraid Miss Jiang treats you better than she treats the Emperor."

Siming thought for a moment and said, "Third Prince, don't mention it, it's true."

"Si Ming, serve the dishes."

Donghua's cold voice came from the kitchen. Siming was startled and responded quickly. He ran in and brought out a pot of bright lotus root and pork ribs soup.

Next to the koi pond.

Siming and Lian Song sat facing each other at the table, each with a bowl of lotus root and pork ribs soup in front of them, and Emperor Donghua standing beside them.

Staring at the table, Siming's eyes rolled around and he quickly stood up: "Emperor, how can I sit while you stand? It's more appropriate for you to sit here..."

When Si Ming's flattering smile met Donghua's emotionless gaze, his smile suddenly disappeared and he sat down obediently.

Lian Song didn't dare to breathe, fearing that if he spoke, Donghua would ask him to drink soup.

Looking at the two people sitting at the low table like quails, Donghua said, "Try it and see how it tastes."

"The soup made by the Emperor is naturally delicious and fragrant, the most delicious in heaven!" Siming gave Donghua a thumbs up and praised him highly, "I know it without even having to taste it!"

Donghua was completely unmoved and said calmly, "Try it."

Si Ming: "..."

Siming and Lian Song opposite him exchanged glances secretly.

Siming: Come up with something! If you can't come up with a way to help the Emperor please Miss Jiang, we'll both have to drink a bowl of pork rib soup!

Lian Song: ...

An idea suddenly occurred to Lian Song, and he looked at Donghua: "Does the Emperor know anything about fireflies?"

Donghua looked at him: "You mean..."

Lian Song smiled and said, "It doesn't have to be in a sea of flowers. All we need is a patch of green grass, bright moonlight, and countless fireflies. That's enough to make any woman smile."

"Third Prince, your idea is truly brilliant!" Siming clapped his hands and looked at Donghua. "With fireflies flickering, with such a beautiful sight, who could resist being tempted?"

Donghua paused for a moment and asked, "How does it compare to the sky full of falling peach blossoms?"

Lian Song paused, groaning inwardly.

Who doesn’t know about the peach blossom rain that the Emperor arranged some time ago to please Miss Jiang?

The Emperor is a narrow-minded person. After he gave a solution, he insisted on comparing his idea with what he had done. No matter how he answered this question, he could not escape the fate of drinking pork rib soup!

Lian Song's mind was spinning, and he forced a smile and replied, "As long as it's the Emperor's wish, Miss Jiang will like it."

Looking at Emperor Donghua's satisfied departure, Siming, who had escaped death, breathed a sigh of relief and lay down on the cushions: "Thanks to the Third Prince, otherwise we would all be at the Medicine King's place now."

"Si Ming, you're too polite." Lian Song was also quite troubled.

I just hope that Emperor Donghua can catch up with the beauty as soon as possible, so that they can live together forever and she will no longer have time to ask him to taste the food.