The Nightmare Experience of a Useless Person

"My lord, why don't you go down to Rongcheng again?"

Ah Wu spoke casually, yet he accurately struck at Qing Jun's heart.

"Yes, although the master has returned, his mind is still elsewhere; he seems distracted all day long."

As Ah Liu spoke, he stuffed some food into Qing Jun's small cloth bag.

"We share the same feelings and experiences as you, and although we do not know what you have encountered in the mortal world, we know that this period of time is of great significance to you."

"It seems like this place has become more fulfilling," Ah Liu said, rubbing his heart with a serious expression. "Sometimes it's as bright and clear as a sunny day, and sometimes it's as desolate as withered autumn leaves. It can be melancholic, bittersweet, or warm, rising and falling like ocean waves."

"What? Writing a poem?" Qingjun flicked A-Liu's nose, making her blush again.

Ah Liu stopped talking, and Ah Wu took over, "Before, I only knew that life was hard, that birth, aging, sickness and death happened in the blink of an eye, so I felt more pity for this world. But now I feel that they may not need gods. They live like strong grass, growing on their own, loving the world, and even if they are born in the morning and die at night, they are not afraid."

Qingjun bent down and hugged Awu and Aliu tightly. They had grown up, and so had she.

"If I leave, can you guys hold on?"

"My lord, there are currently less than five hundred divine messengers in the divine realm, which shows that your spiritual power is damaged. Please take good care of yourself and come back soon." A-Wu turned her head away and buried her head in Qingjun's shoulder and neck in a coquettish manner.

"My lord, you've found a home in the mortal realm, but don't forget, the Divine Realm of Life and Wish is also your home. We're all here waiting for your return." Ah Liu's eyes curved into a smile, just as Qing Jun had done to her, as she reached out and gently stroked the deity's cheek. "And don't forget my gift!"

"Don't worry, I definitely will! I definitely will! I definitely will remember!"

Under the earnest gazes of A-Wu and A-Liu, Qingjun left the Divine Realm once again, but with a heart full of trepidation, he didn't even look back once.

Why was he so uneasy? Qingjun didn't know; he only felt that he couldn't push open the dilapidated door in front of him no matter what he did.

"Who? Who's outside the door?"

"Is that Sister Qingjun? Aunt Dong! Please open the door!"

The rotten wood creaked and groaned as it was pushed around. Before Qingjun could recover, she was pulled into a burning embrace, and soon, warm tears soaked her clothes.

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have given Zhiyang such a bad idea. I'm sorry..." Her words were lost in Xiulian's sobs. She tightened her arms around Qingjun, making it hard for him to breathe.

The ground was uneven, and Qingjun stumbled and almost fell, but soon, three familiar little creatures wrapped around her legs. They hugged Qingjun's legs and kept rubbing their cheeks against the ticklish spots on Qingjun's waist.

"It's alright, it's alright, it's not your fault. I had an urgent matter to attend to and left for a while. See, I'm back now, aren't I?" Qingjun reassured him, then turned his head with difficulty to Jiang Shuo beside him and said, "Brother Shuo, I've made a batch of new clothes for everyone, as well as some books and New Year's goods. They're on the carriage outside. Could you please ask a few boys to bring them in?"

"Okay." He only answered with one word, but he couldn't hide the excitement in his voice.

"Oh, Xiulian, I've also prepared a set of the finest writing materials for you. I wish you success in writing the most popular novel."

"Waaaaah, I love you the most..."

"We want some too! We want some too!" The three babies chirped and fussed in their nest like hungry swallows.

"We have everything."

"Thank you, Sister Qingjun!"

Xiulian cried until she was exhausted, then rested her head limply on Qingjun's neck. "Sister Qingjun, go and see Brother Zhiyang. He's been sick ever since you left."

Sick? If she's sick, she deserves it. To be honest, that person is the source of Qingjun's anxiety; she doesn't know how to face him.

He is the abyss of desire, cloaked in beautiful illusions, tempting the just gods to make room for him, and then falling into the trap of disqualification.

Her heart pounded out of control once again. No matter how hard she squeezed her pulse, it was no use. But the moment the door opened, everything fell silent.

Jiang Zhiyang lay quietly under the heavy bedding, his head peeking out, his messy black hair cascading over the edge of the bed.

His lips were pale, but his cheeks were flushed with an unusual blush. His eyes were closed beneath his thick eyebrows, and his long eyelashes fluttered like butterflies. He seemed to be having a nightmare, and his eyes were rolling around erratically.

Qingjun's hand, chilled by the winter night, instinctively touched his burning cheek, and the man immediately calmed down as if soothed.

This quiet demeanor is not annoying.

The lanterns outside the window had been replaced with new candles, their dim, flickering light casting a clear shadow on Jiang Zhiyang's face. Whose shadow was it? She blinked, trying to get a better look, but noticed that the shadow's eyelashes were fluttering slightly.

It turned out to be her shadow. They were too close, so close that they could almost feel the fine down on Jiang Zhiyang's cheek. Qingjun suddenly stood up, wanting to pull back the hand that had become warm, but in an instant, she was imprisoned by another hand that was even hotter.

Jiang Zhiyang held her hand, tilted his head slightly, and pressed the soft flesh of his cheeks into Qingjun's palm.

Instantly, a scorching heat surged from her palm into her icy body, rendering her unable to move. But the man did not stop. His dry lips parted slightly, and he took Qingjun's little finger into his mouth, murmuring softly.

It was damp, soft, and warm...

"Mother, mother..."

Before Qingjun could fall into the numbness brought on by the stimulation, Jiang Zhiyang spoke again, but his words were muffled and sickly, enticing Qingjun to come closer.

He woke up.

"My mother was the finest woman in the world. I often climbed over the back wall to peek at her from afar. She was skilled in music; she could play the guzheng, pipa, and flute. She could also dance. When she danced, her skirts fluttered and her clothes flowed like a fairy from heaven. Every day at dawn, she loved to practice calligraphy by the window. Her calligraphy was as graceful as a dragon and as elegant as drifting clouds..."

He paused slightly, his eyes still closed as if he were fast asleep.

"Most importantly, she was very kind-hearted. The birds and stray cats that fell into her yard were all taken care of and kept healthy. The women in the neighborhood also liked her. They would always secretly knock on the back door to ask her for needlework lessons or ask her to write calligraphy. During festivals, those women would always bring food to my mother."

His lips curved into a smile, and a hint of joy appeared in his eyes, yet clear tears still slid down his cheeks.

"But when she sees me, her eyes always tremble uncontrollably. She's afraid of me. No matter how hard I try, no matter how much I try to make amends, that barrier remains..."

Jiang Zhiyang opened his eyes, and light fell on his pupils, crystal clear and pure, like two pieces of fine amber. Qingjun stood there in a daze, unable to react for a moment.

"Qingjun, you are also a fine young lady, with a bright and graceful appearance, beautiful as brocade, a slender and elegant woman, but not a weak willow."

He raised his hand, revealing his bare arm, his warm fingertips lingering lightly on Qingjun's lips.

"Every time I see your smiling face, I think of my mother. However, you are different from her... As the saying goes, the highest good is like water. You are like that spring water, resilient, generous, and tolerant of our poverty, strangeness, and vulgarity. For you, Lok Sin Tong seems to be truly only for doing good, rather than a madhouse that everyone despises."