What If...I Remember?

Chapter 4

"Eh? Xiao Wu? You do return quite quickly, don't you?"

Bai Qian understood Zhe Yan was teasing her, and she glared at him, "Old Phoenix, you knew?" "Knew what?" Zhe Yan blinked at her innocently, chewing a mouthful of freshly bitten peach, and Bai Qian fumed, kicking a particularly thick peach blossom tree to vent her anger, "You knew the Crown Prince would be there as well? And the Ghost Lord? And my senior brothers?" 

"Oh yes, dear me, I did forget about your previous lover. It seems he is quite popular as a guest these days...but how do you find the Crown Prince? He's quite an unusual fellow." Zhe Yan smirked, his cup of tea nearing his lips, and Bai Qian kicked the tree again, before catching a falling peach with her hands and rolling her eyes, "He's quite the unusual man, I'll give it to him. Won't let his concubine near his son, and his son keeps calling me his mother! Who's his mother, anyway? Should it not be that concubine?" 

Zhe Yan's face darkened at her words, much to Bai Qian's surprise, and even as she gave a loud crunch when sinking her teeth into the particularly firm fruit, Zhe Yan spoke in serious tones, "Xiao Wu, the Crown Prince being your future husband is one thing, but never, ever, mention little A-Li's mother before him. All the more don't compare Su Jin with the Little Prince's mother. You might incur his wrath and his fury." 

"What are you saying, Zhe Yan? It makes no sense." Bai Qian frowned, the sticky peach juice disappearing from her cherry lips as she licked them once, and Zhe Yan smiled grimly, "There's something about the Crown Prince you ought to know. Little A-Li's mother is not Su Jin. It's a mortal, who Crown Prince Ye Hua gave the name Su Su. And this Su Su, although the Crown Prince might not know as of now, looks exactly like you."

"Exactly like me?" Bai Qian paused, examining Zhe Yan's expression to see if he was pulling a prank on her, and she only glanced away from him when she realised that the peach juice was dripping down on her arm, and she lifted her wrist to her lips, licking it clean. "Except for a red dot on her forehead. Which made her look rather plain." Zhe Yan added on, downing the tea with one go, and Bai Qian frowned. Why would a mortal look like her?

"Why-?" Bai Qian spoke up again, but Zhe Yan suddenly sat up, traces of laziness disappearing from his posture, "Xiao Wu, to speak of the devil! Quickly hide somewhere! Make sure you can't be seen or felt!"

Scurrying up a tree, Bai Qian only had enough time to shift into a fox and hide among the flowers before a dark figure emerged into view, and Bai Qian recognised it as the Crown Prince. Incredible, Bai Qian mused. Zhe Yan's peach grove had been infused with so much magic that it could even inform him of newcomers...which was quite handy indeed. Making a mental note to ask him for the spell, Bai Qian narrowed her blue eyes, and she watched as the Crown Prince approached Zhe Yan, his consort and his son both by his side.

"哟¹, Crown Prince, to what do I owe this late night visit?" Zhe Yan smiled, his jolly gaze not lacking any courteousness and yet keeping wariness of Su Jin, and Ye Hua smiled back in return, "High God Zhe Yan, I have just returned from the East Sea, but the journey back to the Nine Heavens is long and tiring, and I fear A-Li cannot last that long, hence the stop at Qing Qiu. Furthermore, I do have quite a few things to ask you as well, so I hope you do not mind...?"

"Of course not! Here, let the Little Prince rest in my hut. You and I can talk out here...and Princess Su Jin?" Zhe Yan's smile was different, Bai Qian observed, seeing as how his eyes were directly fixed on Su Jin's eyes and the slightest frown creased his forehead, and Su Jin puffed her chest even as Ye Hua carried little A-Li off to the hut, "Ye Hua is my husband, I believe I may stay as well."

How atrocious! Bai Qian almost turned back into her normal form at the arrogant tone of the Princess. Did she not realise she was speaking to one of the most revered High Gods in all the lands? Where did her manners go? "Of course, of course." Zhe Yan raised his eyebrows, obviously taking displeasure from Su Jin's actions as well, and Ye Hua, who had returned, shot her a glare, yet said nothing further.

"High God Zhe Yan...is Goddess Bai Qian here in your residence? I would also like to apologize to her for A-Li's rude and impolite behaviour at the banquet earlier." Ye Hua bowed, and Bai Qian's whiskers twitched. Oh? Oh, right. The little Riceball had hugged her and mistaken her for his mother. Come to think of it, at least now she understood the reason behind his behaviour.

But when her whiskers twitched again, Bai Qian realised that the atmosphere had changed significantly, and she re-evaluated the scene with her vision. Zhe Yan was tense, but still poised as calm and relaxed. The Crown Prince wore an incomprehensible expression, and the Crown Princess was uncomfortable. So, obviously the topic was bringing them tension. 

"Actually, I think Xiao Wu was okay. She's currently enjoying a nap somewhere in Qing Qiu, and if you disturb her, it would be even more disrespectful. And Princess Su Jin, would you mind not crushing the blossom petals beneath your exquisite shoes? They are quite precious to me, although weak and insignificant." 

Zhe Yan's words eased the Crown Prince, but tensed the Princess further, and forcing a fake smile and laugh over her nervous demeanor, Su Jin spoke tightly, "High God, do you mean something else behind your words, perhaps? Su Jin does not understand-"

"Oh, you do understand, Princess. You just insist you do not." Zhe Yan smiled broadly, and before they could say anything, he pointed toward the hut, "Crown Prince, you should rest with the Little Prince as well, and then you'd best be on your way back to the Heavens; I hear you have quite the busy job, don't you?"

"Yes...yes, indeed. I bid you a good night then, High God." Ye Hua bowed politely, before striding off without Su Jin, and as soon as they were far enough, Bai Qian leapt down from the tree, standing on her four paws beside Zhe Yan, who seemed quite determined to leave the hut all of a sudden.

"Let's go. It will only be safer for you deeper in the woods." Zhe Yan's strides were so big Bai Qian had to leap to follow, and she gave a yip of agreement, before running toward the heart of the woods, where she chose a well bloomed tree and changed back into her normal form, then stretching out against the branch, yawning so widely that she bared her teeth, before falling into a deep, dreamless sleep right away.

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¹ for those of you who didn't understand, this is just an exclamation in chinese and is read as yò