Happy match Chapter 4.2

I tilted my head upward, my gaze steady, devoid of emotion, my voice calm and composed.

“Come down.”

“We need to talk.”

Shen Yuan, after all our endless struggles, took his time analyzing me.

Perhaps he didn’t trust me.

So I explained, “I cannot linger in this single moment forever. The sooner I ascend, the better.”

Shen Yuan smirked, then leaped from the tree, landed lightly, dusted off his robes, and approached.

“I’m not doubting you. Anyone else in this situation would have surrendered long ago. I simply find it heartbreaking, watching you forcibly compose yourself, pretending to accept reality.”

He picked up the red thread from the ground, lowering his head slightly.

For once—his voice was quiet and without a trace of laughter.

“I almost feel guilty.”

At that exact moment—as he stepped closer, as he uttered those words of guilt—

I grabbed his collar, tripped his foot, and shoved him backward.

His head struck the ground hard.

Before he could react, I clamped my hand over his mouth using his butterfly-like fluttering sleeves—

Then, I pounded his chest—seven, then eight times.

Only when my arms gave out did I finally stop.

Shen Yuan groaned in pain, coughing deeply.

I still held his mouth shut, refusing to loosen my grip.

“The path to ascension—I’ll lead you to it. And you’ll help me find true love. But if you dare utter another word—hmph! Then we will perish together, and remain stuck in this cycle forever. No one will get out!”

I stared into Shen Yuan’s eyes, waiting.

Until he finally blinked, as if to surrender.

Only then did I release his mouth.

I sat atop his waist, waiting for him to speak first.

Then, I heard his choice.

“Your fists are cruel, Little Fruit.”

He rubbed his aching chest, looking pitiful.

“I already said—I feel guilty. Here—I apologize.”

His words sounded sincere, but no matter what nonsense came from his shameless lips, I was already indifferent.

I rose coldly, watching him reach out, seemingly expecting me to help him up.

I crossed my arms—utterly ignoring him.

“Your best chance at making up for your guilt are to find me a true love immediately. Not tomorrow—right now. Better yet, create one for me on the spot!”

Shen Yuan looked at his neglected hand, let out a helpless chuckle, then stood up by himself.

He stepped toward me.

I watched him warily, retreating one step to avoid him.

But he simply brushed past me, walking behind me instead.

I fixed my gaze on him.

He reached into the dirt behind me, plucked a swaying yellow wildflower, and offered it to me.

“I can’t conjure your true love, so I’ll give you a flower instead.”

I stared at him coldly, hiding my rage.

“Don’t be angry.”

He smiled, saying, “I’ve been watching this flower for a while—every time, it gets crushed by the falling boulders. A shame, really. This time, I finally get to pluck it and gift it to you.”

“Enough.”

I hurried to shut him up before he said something even more outrageous.

“You’ve made your point—stop talking.”

“You’ve agreed to help me, so why would I harm you now? I just thought—your first time hating someone in this world deserves a little commemoration, don’t you think?”

He gestured toward the flower.

“Use this as a marker—so in the future, when you think back on this, maybe you won’t be angry, but laugh instead.”

Oh, he knows exactly how much this will fuel my hatred.

I shot him an irritated glance, then coldly shoved his hand aside with my shoulder.

“This flower blooms recklessly and shines too brightly—it suits a fluttering butterfly like you far better.”

I strode away, heading toward the mountain path.

After several steps, noticing no footsteps behind me, I turned back.

I found Shen Yuan, still holding the flower, watching me with an unexpected look.

I frowned.

“Move.”

Yet he didn’t follow, instead saying,

“A radiant soul—that’s how you see me?”

“No—recklessly radiant!”

I corrected him.

“Listen to the whole thing!”

How dare he only hear the flattering part?

Shameless!

He didn’t care.

“This flower—since you won’t accept it, it won’t count as an apology gift. Instead—it’ll be…”

He paused, thinking.

“A token of affection.”

“Whatever you call—”

I didn’t even finish my sentence—

RUMBLE—

The familiar sound rolled in from the mountains!

I whirled around, glaring at Shen Yuan.

He looked just as startled.

“Oops. Slip of the tongue.”

In his shock, in my rage—

I was crushed once again.

The excruciating pain tore me apart—until I returned to my body.

I shouted at Shen Yuan,

“What did you do?!”

Seeing my murderous expression, Shen Yuan, now comfortably seated back in his tree, hurried to apologize—again and again.

“My fault, my fault, my fault! It was an accident, an accident, an accident! I didn’t think it would count—!”

“Watch your mouth!” I thundered.

Shen Yuan obediently nodded, leaping down from the tree.

This time, he lunged straight for the little flower and plucked it.

Stepping forward, he held out the yellow blossom toward me.

“Little Fruit Immortal—this is still my apology gift. Will you accept it?”

Of course not!

Who did he think he was pacifying?

It wasn’t him who had been crushed hundreds of times!

I coldly shoved his hand aside once again and turned away.

This time, I chose a different path—not the one where the black-clad warrior still lay on his stone.

I’d already tested him—just like this butterfly, he was another dangerous ‘false love’.

Better to take the long way around.

Now that we’d agreed to cooperate, the Butterfly had become far more compliant.

I never once took his flower, yet he never got mad.

He simply twirled the little yellow blossom, humming as he followed behind me, genuinely ‘flirting with flowers’[mfn]Flowers = women [/mfn] in the most literal sense.

He led the way, too—whenever we reached a fork in the path, he gestured, guiding me out of the mountains.

Eventually, we arrived in a small town.

“You’re pretty familiar with the mortal world?” I asked.

“I used to enjoy wandering below,” Shen Yuan replied leisurely.

His voice mingled with the soft buzz of bees.

I turned my head—only to see his hands full of wildflowers, expertly decorated with foxtail grass.

It was—surprisingly beautiful.

Even bees and butterflies had been drawn to him, hovering near his blooms.

He didn’t mind them at all, fully enjoying their company—sharing his ‘sweetness’.

Looking at him, even here in the mortal realm, the Butterfly alone had somehow replicated the lively atmosphere of his Hall of Longing.

“You really are a love god, through and through—the ultimate butterfly magnet.”

“Back when I traveled below, even the forest animals used to follow me around.”

He twirled his wildflowers once again.

“But today, thanks to the God of Law…”

He extended the bouquet toward me, circling it playfully.

Yet—the moment the flowers neared me, the bees and butterflies scattered in fear.

Just like the immortals in the Nine Heavens.

Seeing this, Shen Yuan chuckled.

“Even the little bees and butterflies are afraid of you.”

I couldn’t be bothered to acknowledge him, nor did I care for the affection of bees and butterflies.

This world held nothing for me to like.

I was only here to complete my task—once I gathered enough merit, I would return to the Divine Realm and claim my own land.

Love? Affection? They were pointless distractions.

Shen Yuan led me through the streets of the town.

The townsfolk turned to look at us which was not surprising.

They were dressed plainly, clad in blue linen, while I wore a pristine white silk robe, my garments were meticulously tailored.

And Shen Yuan?

Swathed in flamboyant pink gauze, mud-smudged like me, but singing cheerfully, clutching wildflowers, his face was still marred with soot.

Together, we looked like two escaped fools from a noble household.

The mix of pity and curiosity in their gazes irked me.

I asked him, “Did you bring me to this town because you sensed my destined person here?”

“Ahead.”

He gestured forward, flicking his foxtail grass casually.

Did he really have that ability?

I followed his gaze, scanning ahead.

Only to find—no one.

The street was empty.

Only a small wooden shrine stood by the roadside, its signboard bearing three words—

“Temple of Fertility.”

I halted at the entrance, looking to Shen Yuan.

“Did you skip a few steps?”

“Immortals have their own calculations.”

With that, he strode into the temple.

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