Although he had earned quite a bit of money, Wang Lin still had no intention of expanding his shop or taking a wife and having children. He remained taciturn every day as he carved his wooden sculptures, as though they were his life itself. Aside from occasionally going to Xuantian's tavern for a jug of fruit wine, he rarely interacted with outsiders.
Time drifted by. One morning, Xuantian pushed open the tavern doors as usual. He no longer looked young. Deep wrinkles were clearly visible on his forehead, and an air of age and hardship lingered between his brows. He looked far older than before.
The moment he opened the door, he saw several workers moving things about in the bookstore across the street. The once-familiar bookstore was now filled with piles of fabric. The shop had changed owners.
"When did the bookstore owner leave?"
"Oh, about half an hour ago, I think!" The plump man thought for a moment before answering.
He accepted the letter and opened it. There were only a few words: "If there is another life, would you marry me?"
With a sweep of his divine sense, he saw her standing atop a towering mountain peak a thousand li away.
He took a step forward and merged directly into space, vanishing abruptly before the horrified eyes of the fabric shop owner across the street. In less than the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, Xuantian appeared atop the mountain peak a thousand li away, quietly watching the woman.
"Wan'er, Xuanyuan Wan'er!"
Xuantian murmured softly, his gaze weathered as he looked through the spacetime of past and future. This girl truly was nothing more than a stubborn mortal girl, not anyone's hidden arrangement.
"Alas!"
A ray of light flashed from his fingertip