Chapter Text
Chapter 1:
“You cannot be serious”. That was the first thing she ever heard when speaking fondly about Pei Ming. You cannot be serious. That phrase was repeated over and over in her head until she finally figured it out… she didn’t even know what "being serious” felt like in the first place.
He had come to visit Pei Xiu and Banyue, who had recently been staying in Yushi Country since his banishment. They had even come back after the whole heavens debacle and made a small home together. Yushi Huang admired them… even after falling from godhood, Pei Xiu was content to live a small life with Banyue. Even after his Highness Xie Lian offered to bring him back. But he insisted that he wished to stay with Banyue, and politely declined, declaring that he would rather die than go back up there again if she couldn’t come with. That, in her opinion, was the kind of life everyone should live. While Yushi’s life was just like theirs (And she was ever so slightly proud that she was the one who lured them into it), it had only one difference. She spent hers alone. There was her beloved ox, of course, but he wasn’t… Well, he didn’t talk much. He preferred to sleep and eat outside in his animal form and was otherwise doing farmwork. Sure, they talked, but it was never the kind of conversation she craved, although it took her a long time to realise that.
Having no friends or company growing up, just having people to talk to, who admired her, felt like ascending all over again. And in that way, she never knew what she was missing out on. She wouldn’t call herself close to anyone except the ox, and didn’t really feel the need to. Until the grand wedding of his Royal Highness Xie Lian (Who was now the co-emperor alongside Pei Ming) and Crimson Rainsought Flower.
The Rainmaster was one of the first gods to get invited to the wedding, as even though his Royal Highness was the most forgiving soul on earth, his husband refused to let any of the gods and goddesses who ridiculed him in his banishment so much as set foot near Xie Lian. Some of the gods even gawked as Crimson Rain himself appeared in the heavens to deliver the invitations. Even though most had learned their lesson about judging others, some still avoided the Rain Master for her unfortunate ascension. So she felt a tad bit embarrassed as Crimson Rain greeted her (albeit still coldly), but with a small smile and a red invitation in hand. To her knowledge, the only other gods invited were Lang Qian Qiu (Much to Hua Cheng’s dismay), Mu Qing, Feng Shin, and Shi Qingxuan, if you could still count him. Even though it was traditional when a high-ranked Heaven Official got married to have a grand wedding in the heavens with (mostly) everyone invited (Pei Ming was excluded, as most gods didn’t want their one-night stand to be there). But one, his highness wanted a small wedding, with only his close friends to witness such an intimate moment, and two, she was sure Crimson Rain would go on a murdering streak if he saw some unsavory faces. So the wedding was set in the middle realm. Along with the invitation, Hua Cheng had included a humble request from Xie Lian, to have their wedding in Yushi Country. The rain master obliged and refused the gold that was sent. Although Hua Cheng promptly replaced it with merits of which she could not return.