Late at night, the village was so quiet that only the croaking of frogs and chirping of insects remained.
Chu Yang lay in bed, about to fall asleep, when he suddenly heard restless tossing from beside him.
He opened his eyes and looked over by moonlight, only to see Zhu Bajie tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep no matter what.
"Ba Jie, what are you fidgeting for?" Chu Yang asked softly.
Zhu Bajie turned over to face Chu Yang, his small eyes gleaming in the moonlight.
"Brother Chu Yang, I want to tell you something, but don't laugh at me."
"Go on."
Zhu Bajie rubbed his hands together and hesitated for quite a while before saying, "What do you think... of Miss Cui'er?"
"What do you mean, what do I think?" Chu Yang deliberately asked.
Zhu Bajie chuckled twice. "I mean... is she pretty?"
Chu Yang fell silent for a moment. "Ba Jie, you've only met her once. Why are you already asking that?"
Zhu Bajie rolled over and sat up, scratching his head. "I don't know what's going on either. I just think Miss Cui'er looks especially pretty when she smiles. Not the kind of beauty that makes people afraid to look, like some fairy maiden. It's the kind... that makes your heart feel warm."
"When she works, her hands and feet are so nimble. I watched her sorting mulberry leaves by the door, and her movements were quick and steady. Just watching her felt good."
"And her voice is so crisp and sweet, as pleasant as a mountain stream."
Chu Yang sat up and leaned against the wall, watching Zhu Bajie's absent-minded expression.
"Ba Jie, don't forget. You're heading to Western Heaven to obtain the scriptures."
Zhu Bajie was silent for a while before muttering, "I