The Eastern Goddess Statue and Penguin Offering a Peach!

Although Hu Ting's family lived in Lin Family Village, right beside the scenic area.

Before she started working at the Fortunate Inn, she actually knew very little about Mount Sanqing's attractions.

Tourists from out of town came for the novelty, but what local villager would willingly waste money on that?

Rather than spend over a hundred yuan on a ticket, they would sooner buy a few pounds of meat and treat the whole family to a better meal.

Only after joining the Fortunate Inn did Hu Ting start cramming information about the scenic area.

After all, as the inn's receptionist, her job did not end with checking guests into their rooms.

Although Lin Zhe had not made any demands of her, Hu Ting held herself to high standards and wanted to do her very best!

If guests asked about the scenic area and she could not answer a single question, that would be terribly unprofessional and incompetent.

Answering guests' basic inquiries was also one of the skills an inn receptionist ought to have!

Every day after work, Hu Ting stopped watching those little videos about family squabbles and mindless shorts about battles between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law.

She watched only videos, documentaries, and other material related to Mount Sanqing.

Just last night, she had come across the legend behind the "Penguin Offering a Peach" attraction.

Now she was putting her newfound knowledge straight to use.

"Boss, do you know who the two penguins at Penguin Offering a Peach are offering their peach to?"

"To... the Queen Mother of the West?"

The mention of a peach made Lin Zhe think of the Queen Mother of the West's Peach Garden.

"Hehe, the story does have something to do with her Peach Garden, but they weren't offering the peach to her."

"In fact, the peach those two little penguins were holding had been stolen from her."

Hu Ting spoke as casually as if she were chatting about everyday life, not telling a story at all.

That only made the story feel more real.

Even though Lin Zhe knew perfectly well that some writer must have invented it, he still wanted to hear what happened next.

It was like reading a novel: you knew full well that some author sitting at a computer had made up everything that happened in it.

But as long as the story was interesting, it could still keep readers coming back for more.

"Oh? Why did they steal a peach? And who did they steal it for?"

Lin Zhe crunched away at his peach while listening to a legend about peaches, finding the combination rather amusing.

Hu Ting offered a hint. "Boss, think about it. Which attraction is closest to Penguin Offering a Peach?"

"Let me think. The Eastern Goddess? Right, it should be the Eastern Goddess!"

The Eastern Goddess was another iconic granite formation in Mount Sanqing's scenic area.

The granite stood eighty-five meters tall and resembled a beautiful woman in ancient dress, her long hair falling over her shoulders.

The goddess statue had a rounded, well-shaped chin, a high nose, and a full forehead. It looked remarkably lifelike.

Hu Ting continued, "That's right, the Eastern Goddess Statue.

"Legend has it that she was originally the twenty-third daughter of the Queen Mother of the West, and her name was Yao Ji.

"Yao Ji was the embodiment of spring and governed that season in the mortal world.

"That's why the Eastern Goddess has another name: the 'Goddess in Charge of Spring.'"

"Wait... a goddess pining for romance? Pining for romance? Are you sure that's what she's called?"

Lin Zhe stared at Hu Ting in surprise, thinking he must have misheard.

"Hahaha, boss, your mind went straight into the gutter!"

"It's 'in charge of,' not 'pining for.' She's the Goddess in Charge of Spring-the goddess who governs the season."

Hu Ting giggled at his words, her generous breasts bouncing so much that Lin Zhe felt a little dizzy.

Two young guests who happened to be coming downstairs both cast envious looks at Lin Zhe.

This lucky bastard had it way too good as the boss!

He could sit around the inn every day, brew a pot of tea, and laugh and chat with his busty employee while taking their money.

"There's even a poem about this Goddess in Charge of Spring. Boss, let me recite it for you."

Hu Ting ignored the looks from the others. Right then, Lin Zhe was the only audience member she had eyes for.

"Sure, let's hear it."

Lin Zhe played his part as an attentive listener, chiming in now and then like the straight man in a comedy routine.

Hu Ting recited, "An immortal of the Jade Pool, she danced through the mortal sphere; to keep spring forever dwelling, she gave herself to remain here."

"Good poem, good poem. Not bad. That's quite interesting."

After finishing his peach, Lin Zhe tossed the pit into the trash and clapped several times for Hu Ting, playing along to the hilt.

Clap, clap, clap!

Clap, clap, clap!

"You tell it so well, miss. Could we listen too?"

"We only arrived today, and we're planning to explore the scenic area properly tomorrow."

Several tourists who had just put their luggage upstairs and were heading out heard Hu Ting's story. They applauded too and said they wanted to hear the rest.

"Of course. I'm just telling it casually, so please take it in the same spirit. If I get anything wrong, I hope you'll bear with me."

"Please, everyone, have a seat. Anyone who comes to the Fortunate Inn is our guest. There's no need to stand on ceremony-make yourselves at home."

Hu Ting was outgoing enough, smiling as she invited the guests to sit in the remaining wicker chairs in the reception area.

Watching from the side, Lin Zhe nodded inwardly. Assigning Hu Ting to the front desk really had been an excellent move.

She had been on the job for only a few days, yet she could already operate the computer system smoothly to check guests in, and she handled people with considerable tact.

"Hu Ting, go wash a few peaches for our guests to try."

Lin Zhe also took the opportunity to win some goodwill with a small gesture.

"Yes, boss. I'll go right now. Please wait a moment, everyone. It won't take long."

With that, Hu Ting stood up and went behind the front desk to get some peaches and wash them.

"Oh, we couldn't possibly impose."

"You're too kind, boss."

"A friend gave them to me, so I'm just passing along the kindness. Have a taste and see what you think."

"You're so young, boss, but when it comes to dealing with people, you've got me beat!"

"The inn's cleanliness and service are both first-rate. With such a generous boss too, it's bound to grow and prosper."

"I'm definitely going on the travel website later to give this inn a five-star review."

"If any of my friends come to Mount Sanqing, I'll strongly recommend the Fortunate Inn."

A few peaches instantly won the guests over completely.

Promises of glowing reviews and recommendations to friends-it was all gain and no loss.

Soon, Hu Ting returned with a fruit platter and handed each guest a freshly washed peach.

Everyone ate their peaches as they listened to her continue the story.

"Legend has it that during the primordial era, a monster that could control ice and snow came to the Mount Sanqing area."

"Mount Sanqing was frozen all year round. Every crop froze to death, harvests failed year after year, and the people could barely survive."

"So tens of thousands of people came to Mount Sanqing to pray, hoping the gods would help them drive away the monster and restore the natural seasons."

"Yao Ji happened to be passing Mount Sanqing and heard their pleas."

"The kindhearted Yao Ji was deeply moved by the people's suffering."

"So she revealed her true form and descended into the mortal world to battle the monster that controlled ice and snow."

"They fought from the sky to the ground and then into the sea. It took seven full days and nights before the battle was decided."

"Although Yao Ji defeated the monster, it had badly injured her shoulder blades during their battle, leaving her unable to use her magic."

One tourist asked, "Wasn't Yao Ji an immortal? Why would injuring her shoulder blades stop her from using magic?"

Hu Ting explained with a smile, "These shoulder blades are what people commonly call immortal bones. Anyone who becomes an immortal will cultivate a bone like that."

"Think back to Journey to the West. When Monkey Sun, with all his incredible powers, was captured during his havoc in Heaven, didn't they pierce his shoulder blades first?"

"Once his shoulder blades were pierced, Monkey Sun couldn't use any magic either. No matter how powerful he was, he was completely at their mercy."

"Piercing the shoulder blades was probably the Heavenly Court's most effective method of capturing and punishing immortals who broke heavenly law."

"There was also a dragon in Journey to the West whose shoulder blades were pierced: the wife of the Ten-Thousand Saints Dragon King of Green Wave Pool."

"Because of the crimes committed by her husband, the Ten-Thousand Saints Dragon King, and her son-in-law, Nine-Headed Bug, Monkey Sun pierced her shoulder blades and chained her to the central pillar of the pagoda at the Golden Light Temple."

"She became the dragon guarding the pagoda, and the Golden Light Temple was later renamed the Subduing Dragon Temple."

Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap...

After hearing Hu Ting's explanation, everyone spontaneously applauded.

Through her vivid, detailed descriptions, they had all gained an appreciation for the unique charm of Chinese mythology.

"That was wonderful! Miss, you could work as a tour guide in the scenic area!"

"I think she makes it more interesting than a tour guide would."

"Hahaha, more useless knowledge acquired! Next time I run into a monster, I'll go for its shoulder blades first!"

The tourists were eager to join in too. Even after applauding, they kept chatting with Hu Ting, making the atmosphere livelier still.

Once everyone quieted down, Hu Ting continued the legend of Penguin Offering a Peach.

"Unable to use her magic, Yao Ji couldn't return to the immortal realm. She sat here all day, miserable and downhearted."

"During her battle with the Ice and Snow Monster, she had also rescued two penguins it had captured as slaves, restoring their freedom."

"These two penguins had spent years enslaved by the Ice and Snow Monster, serving at its side, and had cultivated magical powers of their own."

"They had heard the Ice and Snow Monster say that the immortal peaches in the Queen Mother of the West's Peach Garden had powerful healing properties and could heal even the gravest injuries."

"After enduring countless hardships, the two penguins reached the Heavenly Court. As it happened, the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses was wreaking havoc in Heaven, so they took advantage of the chaos to steal an immortal peach and brought it down to Yao Ji."

"Yao Ji was overjoyed to see the immortal peach. After eating it, she really did regain her magic and could return to the immortal realm!"

"To thank the two little penguins, she took them with her to the immortal realm and kept them by her side."

"When the Queen Mother of the West learned the whole story, rather than punish the penguins for stealing the peach, she helped them take human form so the two girls could attend Yao Ji."

"After Yao Ji ascended to the immortal realm, all that remained here on Mount Sanqing was an image she had left behind: the Eastern Goddess Statue."

"From then on, the locals came here every spring to pray for favorable weather throughout the year and a plentiful harvest in autumn."

"And that is the legend behind Penguin Offering a Peach and the Eastern Goddess Statue."

Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap...

As the listeners emerged from the spell of the story, they once again applauded Hu Ting.

Only now did Lin Zhe realize that Hu Ting had quite a talent for storytelling.

It was hardly a thrilling tale full of dramatic twists and turns, yet she still managed to tell it vividly and keep everyone engrossed.

Through this legend, Lin Zhe and the other listeners had gained a much stronger impression of the Eastern Goddess Statue and Penguin Offering a Peach attractions.

[Penguin Offering a Peach]