The joyous cacophony of the party screeched to a halt, replaced by a hush thick with curiosity. Laughter lingered in the air, frozen mid-chuckle, like butterflies pinned to silk. Heads swiveled in unison, drawn to the figure emerging from Juhua Palace's ornate gates.
The Monkey King, radiating an aura of untamed power, strutted through, his presence demanding attention. In stark contrast, behind him, his small niece crept along, her head bowed, a fragile flower dwarfed by a mountain.
She was holding a beautiful cage with a small singing bird inside.
"Mother, stop this matchmaking party at once," Zhang Fengxi muttered under his breath before he strode off to greet the Monkey King.
"What matchmaking party?" Lady Song exclaimed in denial at her son's back. "I am just letting the boys play with their peers!"
Wu Shenxia emerged from the inner chambers just in time to welcome the Monkey King to her humble abode.
