Chapter 26
Against Fate
Donghua woke up to feeling the space beside him cold. His lips drew up to a mocking smile. It was a dream. I knew it. He raised his arm to cover his eyes as it started to sting. He was wondering why Jiu'er kept trying to keep him in this world when she wasn't here. He desperately wanted to see her, why does she keep stopping him? Donghua was so lost in his grief that he didn't notice the smell of sweet and sour fish cooking from the kitchen.
He wiped his face before instinctively reaching out to the side table for the box that held the bell charm. His eyes snapped open as his hand clutched at air. He quickly sat up and looked at the empty table. His heart raced as he tried to calm the panic rising in his gut. He tried to remember where he put it last. Last night... It was on Jiu'er's- no! The illusion's ankle. Where did it go?
He was about to start searching when he froze at the familiar smell of peach blossoms. Fengjiu entered the room with a sugar fox in her hand. She looked at him surprised, "Donghua! How come you're awake so early?" Donghua stared at her for a second before his gaze went to the bell charm on her ankle. Fengjiu furrowed her eyebrows at his weird actions. "Donghua?" The moment she called his name, he pulled her to his arms embracing her tightly.
Donghua's hands kept moving around her body as if to check if she was real. He pulled back a little to look down at her face with an astonished expression. "It wasn't a dream? You're really back?" His voice was desperate, begging her to tell him he wasn't crazy.
Fengjiu smiled at him softly as she raised a hand to caress his cheek. "You weren't dreaming Donghua... I'm really back."
Donghua's eyes quivered before he pulled her tightly against him as he buried his head on her neck. "I missed you. I missed you so much Jiu'er. I'm sorry for all I've done. I was wrong. I was wrong." His voice was trembling as he held her. Fengjiu felt her heart ache when she felt his body shake. She wrapped her arms around him and gently patted his back. "Donghua, it's alright. I missed you too my love."
Fengjiu felt her neck get soaked in tears. Donghua was crying. She raised her hand to softly brush through his silver hair as she let him cry. Fengjiu pulled back and looked up to his teary face. She giggled lightly before wiping his tears gently. "Donghua... Why do I feel like we've changed places? I'm supposed to be the cry baby!"
Donghua finally laughed, the sound bright and exuberant. "Oh, how I've missed you Jiu'er." He murmured helplessly as he pulled her back into his embrace. Fengjiu let him hold her for a long time. Finally, she looked up at him and raised the sugar fox to his face. "Why are there still a few? I only made 1,000 sugar foxes, it's been 3,000 years..." Donghua smiled at her softly and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Jiu'er, I didn't have much of your things left behind. I didn't want to finish them because it would mean I'd lose another thing you left me."
Fengjiu felt her heart ache once more. Poor Donghua, how have you been living all these years? She pressed a kiss to his heart and embraced him tightly. "Aren't you hungry?" Donghua shook his head. "I don't have an appetite."
Fengjiu looked at him and smiled softly. "Donghua I'm here now. I'm never leaving you again. Won't you eat? I'm worried about you..."
Donghua finally agreed as he allowed Fengjiu to lead him to their dining table. He held her hand the whole time. So, when she got up to go to the kitchen, he pulled her back before she could leave. "Where are you going Jiu'er?" He murmured against her hair. She caressed his cheek softly and made him sit down. "I'm going to the kitchen silly. I made sweet and sour fish for you."
Donghua looked at her and finally nodded. Fengjiu bent down to press a kiss to his head. "I'll be right back. Donghua, don't worry." Donghua watched her go to the kitchen and come back with a tray in her hands. She set the food on the table as she prepared to sit beside him, but he pulled her to sit on his lap.
Fengjiu stared at the side of his face before pressing a sweet kiss to his cheek. She let him hold her as she fed him small bits of fish. Donghua also fed her with his chopsticks making her smile in glee. When they were finished, Donghua abruptly stood up, pulling Fengjiu into a princess carry. "Donghua where are we going?" Fengjiu asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Donghua pressed a kiss to her hair, "You'll see. Close your eyes."
Fengjiu did as she was told as Donghua carried her to wherever he was taking her. Fengjiu felt a soft cloth underneath her as Donghua set her down. "Open your eyes," He whispered to her ear before Fengjiu opened her eyes. They were sitting on a blanket in front of the bamboo house she had asked him to build surrounded by countless peach blossom trees.
Donghua pulled her to his arms as they laid on the blanket. "Jiu'er do you know? It was my illusion of you who asked me to build this bamboo house. Whenever I wanted to die, you would appear before me and make me do some complicated task. I thought I was going crazy, but I'm thankful I hallucinated. If I didn't see you back then, I wouldn't be alive to see you come back to me," He said softly.
Fengjiu looked at him and grinned, "Who said you were hallucinating?" Donghua's hand froze on her waist when her words sunk in. "It was really you?" He asked, shocked. Fengjiu giggled, "Donghua, I couldn't come to you because I wasn't fully healed yet, but Lady Nuwa allowed me to appear to you as a spirit... Whenever you thought of doing something... crazy!" Donghua closed his eyes to bask in the beautiful sound of her bright giggles. "Jiu'er, I missed your laugh a lot."
Fengjiu suddenly felt like she was the one dreaming. Donghua is saying sweet words to me. Donghua loves me. I love him. We're married. Suddenly she leaned on her side with her head resting on Donghua's chest. "Donghua... We need to talk." Donghua's arms tightened at her words. He met her eyes and sighed.
"There's nothing to talk about. I don't care about that rock. I don't care about fate. I'll stay by your side forever."
Fengjiu's eyes twinkled at his words. Donghua means he would stay with me even if we weren't fated? How I have longed to hear those words. Fengjiu was about to speak but Donghua was already opening his mouth again. "Jiu'er I already lost you once. I'm not going to lose you again because of some rock. The world can go in chaos, I don't care anymore. Fate can go and handle it. We can just stay here forever. If you're worried about your family, I can offer them refuge here when the chaos begins."
Fengjiu buried her head on his chest and hid her smile. Donghua was worried about her reaction, why wasn't she looking at him? Did she regret it? Does she not want to be with me anymore? Donghua tried not to show the panic he felt on his face. Fengjiu looked up at him with a blank expression. "You would go against fate for me?" Donghua didn't understand her expression, so he tightened his arms around her, preventing her from escaping. "I would go against the world if it meant staying by your side. I'm sorry it took so long for me to realize." Donghua murmured. Fengjiu's heart started beating wildly in her chest.
Fengjiu looked at him curiously and asked, "Why?" Donghua looked at her taken aback. "Why? What do you mean?" He asked slowly as if not comprehending her question. "Why would you go against the world for my sake? Why do you want to stay by my side?" Fengjiu asked patiently. Donghua stared at her with furrowed brows.
"Jiu'er," His voice was gentle.
"Yes?" She hid her smile as she buried her head on his chest.
"..." Donghua didn't speak.
"Mm?" Fengjiu urged. She felt like he had something to say to her.
"Jiu'er..." His voice was soft enough to make her heart melt.
"Yes?" She asked again, filled with anticipation.
"..." He remained silent again. Fengjiu looked up at him. "What?"
"I... love you. I love you very much." He suddenly said as he looked at her bright eyes.
"What?" Donghua chuckled a bit before turning his head away, not answering her. He was embarrassed.
Fengjiu narrowed her eyes. "Donghua I didn't hear you! What did you say?"
Donghua avoided her gaze but he held her tightly when she started to struggle in his arms.
"Donghua are you saying it, or not?" He smiled at her wordlessly and brushed her hair back.
Fengjiu had enough and beckoned him to come closer with her finger. Donghua obeyed and brought his face closer to hers. She suddenly pressed a soft kiss to his lips and looked at him in the eye. "Donghua, I really love you! I love you! I love you very much!"
Donghua was shocked by her outburst, but then his face broke out into a large grin as he brought his face to her ear. "Jiu'er, I love you."
"Again!" Fengjiu whined as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Donghua drew closer once more, "I love you very much." Fengjiu giggled happily as Donghua repeatedly confessed his love to her ear.
If the whole world found out that the cold and indifferent deity, Donghua Dijun, could confess his love in such a way, how would they react?
Author's Note: Hehe that's it for my second release today! I'm sorry to say I'll be releasing once a day or every other day starting from today... I was able to spoil you guys with releases because I had quite a few stockpiled, but now that I have school, I have to save the chapters I have to be able to release them as I write new chapters. Thank you so much for your support <3 I love you all! Stay safe <3
-Yunxi