To Ruo Yin's mixed relief and annoyance, Zhan Luo returned for her, giving her a brief tour of his manor before leading her to his sleeping chambers.
True to his word, he slept on the floor, while she rested comfortably in his bed. The following morning, Zhan Luo gently woke her up.
"Hey, wake up, the deities will be here any moment."
Ruo Yin groaned, still half asleep, as she rubbed her eyes and sat up. That's when she noticed that Zhan Luo was already dressed and ready to go.
"How does he manage to look so perfect this early in the morning?" she wondered.
"Did you even sleep last night?" Ruo Yin raised an eyebrow.
Zhan Luo's face remained serious as he answered, "Couldn't. Your snoring could be heard from thousands of miles away. Maybe you didn't just keep me up—you kept the whole Sky Clan awake! They won't be showing up because of you."
"I don't snore, imbecile!" Ruo Yin shot back, hurling the blanket toward him.
"Easy there, no need to get so aggressive first thing in the morning," Zhan Luo said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I was just kidding. I woke up a bit earlier than you, that's all."
"Seriously, you're so annoying," Ruo Yin muttered, attempting to comb her hair and pin it back into place.
Zhan Luo noticed her struggle. "Let me help you," he offered. "Otherwise, you'll never finish."
"Do you even know how to comb a girl's hair?" she asked, a skeptical look on her face.
Before she could protest further, Zhan Luo took the comb and pins from her hands. In an instant, he had styled her hair to perfection.
Ruo Yin sat still, unable to hide her growing embarrassment. Why is he so perfect? she thought. She was starting to wonder if she'd die from embarrassment before she had the chance to fall in love—as the Sky Empress had hoped.
"Your clothes and the water to wash up are behind the changing curtain," Zhan Luo said, stepping back. "I'll head out first and greet the deities. Join me when you're ready."
"Okay, thanks," Ruo Yin said quickly, retreating behind the changing curtain.
What's with his mood swings? she thought as she changed. He teases me relentlessly, then turns cold in an instant.
Meanwhile, Zhan Luo had made his way to the mountain entrance to greet the deities.
"Greetings, Sky Emperor, Demon Lord, and esteemed deities," Zhan Luo said with a respectful bow.
"Greetings, High God Zhan Luo. I trust you, the newlyweds, enjoyed your evening?" the Demon Lord inquired with a wry smile, and the other deities nodded in agreement.
"Rest assured, Demon Lord, Ruo Yin is in excellent hands," the Sky Emperor reassured You Xie.
"Haha... That's right," You Xie replied, a small chuckle escaping him.
"Shall we continue this conversation in a more comfortable setting?" Zhan Luo asked, gesturing toward the pavilions that dotted Kunlun Mountain.
As they walked toward one of the pavilions, Ruo Yin emerged, dressed in a silky sky-blue tunic that matched Zhan Luo's navy attire.
She greeted the deities with a polite nod. Time to put on a show, she thought.
Taking Zhan Luo's arm, she spoke loud enough for everyone to hear, "Dear husband, why did you let me sleep in?"
Zhan Luo, who had already understood her intentions, flashed her a soft smile. "I thought you were tired, so I let you sleep in."
"Oh, thanks," Ruo Yin said, her tone sweet. "But as your wife, I shouldn't let you attend to our guests alone. That would be improper."
"There won't be a next time," Zhan Luo said, placing a hand gently on her back as he led her and their guests toward one of the pavilions.
Since Zhan Luo hated socializing, he had no servants to assist him in Kunlun Mountain. Occasionally, the Sky Emperor would send some maids to help with the cleaning, but other than that, Zhan Luo preferred to handle everything himself. Thankfully, with his powers, it was no difficult task to prepare everything.
While the old deities chatted endlessly about how beautiful Kunlun Mountain was, Ruo Yin couldn't help but grow bored.
Seriously, how can they talk about the same thing for hours? she thought to herself as she slipped away for a walk.
"Where do you think you're going?" a voice called from behind her.
Ruo Yin jumped, startled. She turned to see Zhan Luo standing just a few feet away.
"Don't you make any noise when you walk?" she asked him, irritated.
"I didn't know my wife was such a scaredy-cat," Zhan Luo teased, his lips curving into a smirk.
"Anyone would be scared if they thought they were alone and someone sneaked up behind them," Ruo Yin retorted. "But I suppose you wouldn't understand. You're such a weirdo."
"Hmm..." Zhan Luo mused, stepping closer. "In all the thousands of years I've been alive, I've been called many things. Genius, handsome, cold... once, even a recluse. But no one has ever called me a weirdo. You're the first."
Ruo Yin wasn't sure whether she was the one trying to make Zhan Luo fall for her or if it was the other way around. In truth, she didn't even know what her intentions were. She didn't have a plan—she simply wanted to understand why she couldn't recall certain memories. At the same time, she feared what You Xie had said: if those memories returned, Zhan Luo might become her enemy.
But as the Sky Empress had said, Maybe love can grow over time…
Maybe... just maybe... Ruo Yin thought, but then reality hit her, and she quickly shook the thought away.
"Sorry," Zhan Luo said, stepping back. "I shouldn't have teased you like that. I lost track of things for a moment. I forgot what our deal in this arranged marriage was. It was inconsiderate of me to ask where you were going."
He paused, then softened his tone. "There's a beautiful waterfall at the top of the mountain. If you want, you can follow this path, and you'll find it. I'm heading back to the pavilion now."
With that, Zhan Luo walked away, leaving Ruo Yin standing there with a small, unexpected piece of her heart behind.