After they married, Ning Xiang dredged up old grievances every time she argued with Zhu Yu. "Tell me, did you only fall for me at first because I looked like Yinghuo?"
The young woman's anger came quickly and faded just as fast. Before long, Zhu Yu had coaxed her out of it.
Late that night, Ning Xiang was already sound asleep, but Zhu Yu could not sleep.
With his head resting on his arm, his thoughts returned to the year he was fourteen.
He lay in a freezing stone cavern, venomous snakes winding over his body as his blood drained away little by little. Yet he was already covered in wounds, unable to lift even a finger. Perhaps all that awaited him was to be torn apart and devoured by the other demon beasts.
In his daze, a sharp pain pierced Zhu Yu's eyes. He weakly opened them and saw the Goddess gazing down at him with compassion.
Strangely enough, though Zhu Yu's eyes were so swollen he could barely open them, he could see the Goddess's face clearly.
The Goddess was draped in radiant light, more blazing and breathtaking than the brilliant sun.
The Goddess reached out to him. Zhu Yu mustered every last scrap of strength to offer her his hand, only to fear that the blood and filth on it would sully her.
Zhu Yu drew Ning Xiang into his arms. She muttered impatiently in her sleep, "We've been married forever, Big Cat Zhu. Could you stop being so clingy?"
"No." Zhu Yu pressed a kiss to Ning Xiang's wrist. "Ming Old Dog brought that little girl over to provoke me again. If you don't give me a daughter soon, how am I supposed to outdo them?"
Tickled and annoyed at having her sweet dreams interrupted, Ning