After their conversation, Ruo Yin expected things to change, especially since Zhan Luo seemed upset with her answer. However, life continued as usual.
Weeks passed, and Ruo Yin began to feel that Kunlun Mountain was becoming her home. Zhan Luo had arranged a room for her, so she no longer had to share one with the War Deity. This change brought her relief, as she knew her feelings for him were growing deeper.
She observed Zhan Luo's simple routine. He would wake up early and practice his sword skills by the waterfall—a place she had begun to think was his favorite. While he trained, Ruo Yin would prepare breakfast. After they ate together, Zhan Luo would retreat to his study, where he spent the afternoon reading scripts. Meanwhile, Ruo Yin had the freedom to roam the mountain.
Some afternoons, she would train herself; other times, she wandered, enjoying the stunning views. On occasion, she ventured into the kitchen to learn how to cook. Zhan Luo never commented on her culinary skills, but she was aware that what she made was barely edible. It was the least she could do to show her gratitude to him.
One day, Zhan Luo told her the Sky Emperor had summoned him, and he would be gone for a few days.
"Are you sure you'll be okay here on your own?" he asked before leaving.
"Do you think I can't take care of myself?" Ruo Yin retorted, hands on her hips, pouting. "Who do you think has been cooking all your meals, you fool?"
"Well... your meals... let's just say they've taken a few years off my cultivation," Zhan Luo joked.
"Well, you have cultivation to spare," Ruo Yin shot back with a grin.
"Seriously..." Zhan Luo sighed, running a hand over his forehead. He then produced a jade bracelet from thin air. "Here. Wear this. If something happens or you're in trouble, just touch it and call my name. I'll come as fast as I can."
"Thanks." Ruo Yin lowered her gaze, her cheeks tinged with a blush. "Hey, take care, and if you see the Sky Empress, tell her I said hi."
"Sure." Just as Ruo Yin thought Zhan Luo was leaving, he came closer. Startled, she looked up, and before she could react, he kissed her gently on the forehead. "Please, take care," he whispered in her ear.
"Okay..." Ruo Yin managed to say as he departed for the Sky Clan.
Ruo Yin was in the kitchen one day, trying to make red bean pastries when a voice called out from outside.
"Hey! Zhan Luo! Where are you? How's the little wife of yours?" The voice was loud and boisterous.
"What the hell? An intruder?" Ruo Yin thought, momentarily startled. "But Zhan Luo put up a protective barrier around Kunlun Mountain."
Deciding to investigate, she drew her sword and cautiously stepped outside. She saw a man with his back to her. "Perfect time to strike." She moved quickly, silently closing the distance, and placed her sword at the stranger's throat.
"Who are you, and how did you breach the barrier?" she demanded.
"Whoa, whoa, calm down! I'm Zhan Luo's friend. Si Ming! Didn't he mention me?" The man turned around, smiling innocently.
Ruo Yin lowered her sword with a sigh. "Oh... you're the annoying deity he is not able to get rid off he told me about."
"Annoying? Getting rid off, huh?" Si Ming replied, clutching his chest dramatically. "That's really hurtful, you know."
"Well, should I address you by your name, or just call you 'annoying deity'?" Ruo Yin asked with a smirk.
"Well, since you insist, my dear princess, I am the great Si Ming. I oversee the fates of mortals. Aren't I cooler than your husband?" Si Ming said playfully.
"Hm..." Ruo Yin began pacing. "Not really. My dear husband is definitely cooler!" she said with a genuine smile. She wasn't sure if Si Ming knew that her marriage to Zhan Luo was a farce, but there was truth in her words. This was the first time she had said out loud that Zhan Luo was her husband.
"So, has the fake marriage become real?" Si Ming asked, raising an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" Ruo Yin asked, trying to keep her façade as if the marriage was real.
"I don't know the details, but I heard that Zhan Luo agreed to marry you as part of a fake deal. But on the wedding day, he looked like he really wanted to marry you. He even threatened to kill me for belittling you. Said I was a dead man if I did it again," Si Ming said, pretending to wipe away a tear.
"Well, good thing I didn't hear you, or you wouldn't be standing here today," Ruo Yin replied with a forced smile. "So, Zhan Luo doesn't act like that normally?"
"He's made of ice! Do you know how many years it took me to befriend him? Thousands! And you've got him falling for you in a matter of weeks! I have to respect that," Si Ming said with a mock bow.
Ruo Yin let out a laugh. "Ha! He is not in love with me!" she said, though her voice held a hint of doubt.
"Well, let's find him and let him clear things up," Si Ming suggested.
"I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but he's not here. He went to the Sky Clan," Ruo Yin told him.
"That guy!" Si Ming exclaimed. "I've been working my tail off writing the fates of mortals and came here to annoy him, only to find out he's gone to the Sky Clan! Unbelievable!"
"Here, have some red bean pastries." Ruo Yin, trying to lighten the mood, handed him one of the pastries she had made.
Si Ming took a bite and forced a smile. "Is it good?" Ruo Yin asked, her voice filled with innocence.
"Yes..." Si Ming managed, though he suspected the pastries could be used as a torture device. "Is she trying to kill me slowly?" he thought as he swallowed.
"Great!" Ruo Yin said, her face lighting up. "I'll give these to Zhan Luo to prove that my cooking doesn't suck!"
Si Ming's eyes widened in horror. "How has Zhan Luo survived this long? How is he still alive? Love must truly blind you—and maybe make you lose your taste," he thought as he made a hasty retreat.
"Next time, when you and Zhan Luo are together, come find me. I still owe you both a wedding gift," Si Ming said with a wink before disappearing, leaving Ruo Yin alone with her pastries and a sense of amusement at the odd turn of events.