The Nightmare Experience of a Useless Person

As they approached the city gate, the familiar bustling atmosphere greeted them. Jiang Zhiyang slowly shut his mouth, and the deity also stopped asking questions.

But she couldn't help but think, what about you? What about your parents? Are you... are you sick too?

"Would you like some candied hawthorn?"

"eat!"

The deity responded very quickly, and Jiang Zhiyang got off the donkey cart, argued with the vendor, and finally bought the best-looking one from the stack at half price.

He extended his hand, appearing extremely generous, revealing his worn, frayed light blue sleeves, rough hands, and a plump skewer of candied hawthorns.

This was the first time someone had ever been treated to a meal by a mortal. Was this considered an offering? But even though he had accepted Jiang Zhiyang's offering, he couldn't guarantee Jiang Zhiyang a long and healthy life. The thin layer of icing sugar under the sunlight glittered and sparkled.

"What are you staring at?" Jiang Zhiyang tucked the candied hawthorn into the god's arms, and the sleeve of his clothes climbed up his fair forearm, revealing the deep and shallow scars on his wrist.

Instantly, the goddess felt a sense of relief. She recognized this kind of scar. When a person with a death wish cuts their wrist with a sharp blade, their soul leaves their body along with the gushing blood.

Does he want to die too? But he's laughing.

The crisscrossing scars, like countless threads, sewed his soul to his flesh. Then, his secret, like fresh blood, was clearly red and conspicuous, yet still hidden beneath the skin.

Jiang Zhiyang withdrew his hand, and the scars disappeared back into his sleeve, making him look completely intact again.

Rongcheng is not a large city, with five main streets running vertically and seven side streets running horizontally. However, shops and residences are lined up one after another, and there are countless alleys and secret passages.

Jiang Zhiyang pulled his donkey cart from house to house, asking around. When he came across a larger mansion, he would pester the guards without getting annoyed, and even ask how many people were in the family.

The deity did not stop her, and sat on the donkey cart eating candied hawthorns. However, the candied hawthorns that she used to love had no taste at all.

Her chest felt heavy, as if Ah Liu was stacking stones on her. Every time she saw Jiang Zhiyang smiling easily, another stone would weigh on her heart.

"What are you writing?" The deity approached and saw Jiang Zhiyang writing furiously in the booklet. By the end of the afternoon, three or four pages of the booklet had already been turned.

Was he really just helping her find her family? The divine sense always told me it didn't seem like it.

"It's nothing," Jiang Zhiyang quickly rolled up the booklet and stuffed it into his waistband, then quickly changed the subject, "I've run around all afternoon, my donkey is about to give up, Miss, why don't you just tell me which family you belong to?"

"I said, I am a god, I have no presence in the human realm..." Jiang Zhiyang impatiently reached out and covered her mouth, ruthlessly interrupting her declaration of godhood.

"Here we go again, oh dear!" He was genuinely impatient this time, and unconsciously increased the pressure on his hands.

"Ugh..." Jiang Zhiyang's rough palm rubbed against the soft flesh of the deity's face, forcing her to struggle.

Jiang Zhiyang quickly let go of her hand, and only when he saw the faint red marks on the young lady's delicate skin did he realize his rudeness.

"I'm sorry, this is for you as an apology." Jiang Zhiyang was a little flustered. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket with trembling hands. The pink silk was covered with lifelike peach blossoms. The fabric was soft and the stitches were fine, revealing its high price.

Jiang Zhiyang was very poor, so poor that his arrogance would immediately vanish at the mention of money. Yet he was very generous, buying her candied hawthorns and even buying the finest handkerchiefs as an apology.

He was very generous, generously sharing his gentleness with everyone. Despite his unreliable, roguish appearance, he always seemed to be everyone's support in a quiet way.

The deity reached out and gently placed the handkerchief in her palm. She was truly moved, her hand trembling uncontrollably. In an instant, the heavy weight on her heart collapsed, and a soft, moist feeling welled up inside her.

Jiang Zhiyang quickly turned his head away, hiding his flushed cheeks. He could almost still feel the softness and moisture of her lips in his palm.

He rubbed his palms together absently, trying to drive away the emptiness in his palms, where the stickiness of sugar stains still lingered. Did it have the same sweetness as her lips?

Knowing full well the answer, he couldn't help but slap himself. Feeling the coldness of his hand, Jiang Zhiyang realized that his cheeks were burning hot. Redness crept up from his cheeks to his ears, and a heat that blurred his vision spread through him.

He was as despicable as all men, Jiang Zhiyang cursed inwardly. He refused to use "love at first sight" to cover up his shame; he must have been lustful at first sight, because the young lady's beauty was so obvious.

That day, the sun was setting and the afterglow was like blood, but none of that could outshine her beauty. The beautiful young woman held a string of candied hawthorns in her hand, her steps light and quick as the wind, hopping and skipping like a tender wild rabbit.

She stopped and picked up two masks from the stall. She must be at the age where she loves to play and, like the children at Lok Sin Tong, she loves toys.

She fiddled with it from side to side, wearing a demon mask yet appearing like a fairy yearning for the pleasures of the mortal world. She peered around through the small hole before stopping.

Hmm? Did you make eye contact?

In an instant, his breath caught in his throat. He couldn't bear to blink, waiting for the young woman's eyes to fall into his pupils, but they didn't. She turned her head and finally fixed it on a lantern.

He was naturally not as pretty as the lantern, and Jiang Zhiyang felt disappointed. His worn-out cloth shoes pounded the ground again and again until a passing carriage blocked his view, and he realized that the sun had already set halfway down.

No, not that day, but yesterday. We've only known each other for two days, and we've only just met once, yet I feel an extraordinary familiarity with her, as if we've been reincarnated and met a predestined love from a past life.

Jiang Zhiyang felt guilty, because now, looking back, he didn't know whether his collision with her yesterday was intentional or unintentional.

Jiang Zhiyang felt guilty because her lie was so obvious, yet he wanted to play along, half-heartedly and half-heartedly keeping her around without any clear explanation.

"If... if you really have no family left, Lok Sin Tong can... can keep you here." Jiang Zhiyang's voice was a little hoarse. He unconsciously wanted to turn his head away as he spoke, but he quickly realized it and pretended to fix his hair to cover his burning cheeks.

The deity smiled but didn't speak. He found the person in front of him particularly interesting. The roots of his ears were so red that he tried to hide them but couldn't, making him look even more shy.

"You saw what life is like at Lok Sin Tong. It's tough. Not only is it bland and tasteless, but there's no one to take care of you. If you stay, you might have to take care of others." As he said this, he regretted it. Keeping her would be a waste of a beautiful and bright young woman.

"I eat little, but I'll learn to do chores."

In fact, even the deity didn't know why she stayed. She pondered for a long time. Perhaps it was because she was playful by nature, perhaps it was because Jiang Zhiyang's offerings were sincere, or perhaps it was because... she wanted to see the peach blossoms in the courtyard bloom.