Chapter 13

Two more days passed, and Li Jia had not seen Hera since that day.

That way, I can finally have some peace and quiet.

When the tiger is away, the monkeys reign supreme.

The words may be rough, but the principle is sound.

She had the entire large bed in the deep palace to herself, and could sleep wherever she wanted.

On weekdays, he would play around with Winslow, fishing, catching shrimp, and researching new recipes, living a carefree life. Doreen would also be out early and back late, rarely seen.

Winslow and Li Jia, two lazy bums, are like-minded people who wish they had met sooner.

Li Jia instantly understood why the older generation could work a job until retirement. If all jobs had those conditions, who wouldn't be able to work until retirement?

Li Jia also asked Winslow where the God usually goes when he's not at Hot Spring Valley.

Winslow said that God's main task is to solve the emotional problems of mortals. Only by solving their problems will there be more and more people offering fireworks at the Temple of Marriage. The more fireworks there are, the greater the degree to which God fulfills his divine duties.

Divine power and wealth are equivalent, and one can freely convert between the two.

After explaining the general process to Li Jia, she understood.

Just like an administrative service hall, the temple of the goddess of marriage allows people to make requests to the goddess of marriage and receive reasonable solutions in return for their offerings.

Li Jia felt embarrassed listening to this. What was the difference between this and her boss taking his underlings out to work in the sweltering summer heat while she and her best friend stayed home enjoying air conditioning and ice cream?

However, this feeling of guilt didn't last long, because the goddess of textiles delivered her custom-made clothes.

As expected, everyone has their own expertise, especially a textile goddess; every garment she makes perfectly suits her taste.

Long skirts with pockets, tulip skirts with pockets, vest dresses with pockets...

Her requirements were that it be simple, convenient, and able to hold things.

Based on her memory, Li Jia also drew several sets of school uniforms that looked very much like school uniforms, including long-sleeved and short-sleeved ones.

Although Hera said she didn't have to wear military uniform, Li Jia thought about it and realized she still needed some formal-looking clothes, which was her own preferred uniform.

Li Jia loves watching Japanese anime and especially likes the clothes worn by the girls in the comics.

The pressures of life left her with no extra money to indulge her hobbies. On her birthday, she gritted her teeth and bought herself a uniform she liked, but she only wore it once before putting it away.

That's when Li Jia realized that hobbies require money.

She has no right to luxury.

So when Hera asked the goddess of weaving to tailor clothes for her, Li Jia hesitated.

In this world, she was just an orphan living under someone else's roof. In order to obtain a healthy body, she had to use some means to become her servant.

Can she, who should be as insignificant as a blade of grass, also possess these things?

Before she could figure it out, Winslow dispelled her concerns.

"Use the best materials for everything. Her Majesty Hera has plenty of money." This was said to the goddess of weaving, full of extravagance, and the goddess of weaving nodded as if it were commonplace.

After Winslow finished speaking, he turned to Li Jia, winked, and whispered, "Don't look so petty. You are His Majesty's only attendant. If you dress well, he will be proud to take you out."

"I have so much money that I can't spend it all even if I spend it as much as I want."

The Lord has instructed me that you need to take good care of yourself.

Winslow couldn't bring himself to say something so cheesy.

Li Jia was used to being frugal, and this was the first time someone was willing to spend money on her unconditionally.

She couldn't quite describe how she felt.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't moved.

Li Jia entered the workforce at a young age, working countless part-time jobs to support herself and coming into contact with all sorts of people.

Her lessons learned.

In adult relationships, it's about being willing to spend money on you. If you think talking about money is too vulgar, it only means your love is still too shallow.

Li Jia has witnessed too many lovesick men and women who are inseparable when they are in love, but once money is mentioned, their love ends up with nothing but harsh words and mutual slander.

In the shrine, there is a relationship where you can withdraw money at will.

Seeing Winslow spend money like water without feeling any pain at all.

Li Jia suddenly felt a little envious of Winslow. Despite having no blood relation, the God and Doreen were willing to treat her unconditionally well.

In Li Jia's view, all of this was a blessing from heaven.

Now it seems that she has also received a share of this blessing.

It's possible she benefited from Winslow's influence, or it could be because she became Hera's handmaiden and didn't want to embarrass herself by going out with her.

Anyway, Li Jia considered many possibilities, but she never considered whether Hera really wanted to be good to her, since they had only known each other for a few days.

Gradually, she developed some personal motives within this strategy plan.

Li Jia was unwilling; she did not want Hera to marry Zeus.

To force Hera to marry a stallion she didn't love, merely for the sake of fulfilling her divine duty, would make her a notorious, jealous woman.

Although Li Jia was still afraid of her, she felt from the bottom of her heart that Hera was fair and selfless and should not bear such a crime.

Why should women bear all the consequences of men's mistakes?

Li Jia vaguely remembered that Zeus transformed into a bird to gain Hera's sympathy.

Determined to hone her bird-hunting skills, Hera vowed to never allow a single bird to appear near her.

Li Jia liked every piece of clothing and they fit her perfectly. Winslow generously took out a large bag of gold coins and handed it to the Goddess of Weaving, who gladly accepted them.

Before leaving, the Weaving Goddess gave Li Jia her address, saying that if she had any new ideas, she could write to her or come directly to Luoshangfang to find her, as she lived there.

She really liked this clever little girl.

Li Jia agreed, bid farewell to the goddess of weaving, and asked Winslow why even gods need money, an external thing.

Winslow gave Li Jia a look as if she were an idiot and explained, "The goddess of weaving has more than a dozen brocade shops in the human world. Did she conjure up all the manpower and resources out of thin air?"

Li Jia couldn't help but sigh that being a dutiful god is not easy.

Just like Hera and Doreen were out earning money, she was at home lying around with Winslow like a corpse.

Another day passed, and Li Jia had completely adapted to the environment of the deep hall and the hot spring valley, moving in and out as if it were her own home.

late at night.

Li Jia was fast asleep in bed when Hera emerged from the rose grove. Her soul had been repaired, and her previously pale complexion had regained its rosy hue.

Li Jia is a little afraid of the dark.

She lived alone after she turned eight.

She always carries a small nightlight with her wherever she goes.

When I first arrived here, I lived with Winslow, so I wasn't afraid because I had someone to keep me company.

Now that she has moved to the inner palace, she lights an olive oil lamp on the round table in the center of the palace when she goes to sleep at night.

Through the window, Hera saw a small cluster of firelight burning in the deep palace, as if illuminating someone's way home.

Hera paused, stood outside the door in silence for a long time, then pushed the door open, went in, and closed it again.

He still sleeps in the corner.

Hera changed into a bathrobe and lay down next to Li Jia. As expected, Li Jia fell into her arms again.

Li Jia had slept enough during the day, but not so much.

Startled awake by the noise, she opened her eyes and desperately hoped it was just her imagination.

The demon was sleeping right next to her, and she rolled into her arms again.

Li Jia wondered to herself: Could it be that Hera really has some kind of special fetish?

For example, using yourself as her body pillow?

Li Jia also likes to buy a lot of dolls and sleep with them at night.

Human flesh might feel better than a rag doll.

He dared not speak out in anger, and could only obediently lie in her arms.

Li Jia secretly looked at Hera. With her eyes closed, Hera resembled a beautiful sculpture, just like the ones she had seen in museums. She could look at her to her heart's content now, something she wouldn't dare to look at normally.

Normally, even if you gave Li Jia ten times the courage, she wouldn't dare to stare at someone so directly.

As she watched, Li Jia secretly plotted something in her mind.

How did that nose grow like that?

How can someone have such a high nose bridge?

Her eyelashes looked like they had permanent extensions—thick and curled, a style that even cosmetic surgery clinics couldn't replicate.

What are you looking at?

The questioner did not open her eyes, but spoke in a voice that only the two of them could hear. Her voice was clear and cold, and she asked the question slowly and deliberately, which made Li Jia's heart flutter and become intoxicated.

"Look at His Majesty's face, His Majesty is the most handsome person I have ever seen."

Li Jia answered truthfully that Hera was indeed the most beautiful person she had ever seen, no, she was a goddess.

"Little liar."

Hearing the reply from the person in her arms, Hera sighed softly, turned her face away, and went to sleep on the other side, her ears, half-hidden under her golden hair, turning bright red involuntarily.

"Your Majesty, what did you say?"

Li Jia broke free from the embrace and didn't hear clearly.

"Take off the skin and you're nothing but bones, vulgar."

With a slightly didactic tone, Li Jia narrowed her eyes, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, and said with a smile, "But Your Majesty is handsome, so I like Your Majesty."

"So you want to be my apprentice because you think I'm good-looking?"

Hera seemed to be pondering the truth of what she had said.

"Just consider me an ordinary person, blinded by lust."

How could Li Jia dare to say it was to win her over?

Hera ignored her question and instead asked, "Why do you need a lamp? Are you afraid of the dark?"

Li Jia didn't say anything. She wasn't a child; she was an adult. How could she say that she was afraid of the dark and that's why she turned on the light?

After a moment of silence, Li Jia took a few minutes to mentally prepare herself before deciding to confess.

What if she says no, and Hera won't let her order anymore?

She was still a little scared.

"Yes, I'm afraid of the dark."

“After my mother passed away, I slept alone. I was very young then, and I couldn’t sleep without a light on.”

Turning off the lights means endless darkness, plunging you into a deep, dark abyss.

As long as there is light, even just a little light, it is enough to dispel the fear that lingers in her heart.

"Okay, I understand."

"Go to sleep."

After she finished speaking, only soft, slow breathing remained beside her.

Li Jia was now wide awake; she finally understood what it meant to serve a ruler as if serving a tiger.

This is like having your neck hanging by a thread, afraid that the devil might just chop you up if he's unhappy.

My mind is in turmoil.

Sizzle sizzle—

Brainwaves flashed through my mind.

"Master, I'm back!"

The system, which had been frozen for days, has finally booted up.

For a moment, Li Jia was filled with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow. She was sad because she had ended up sleeping with the person she was trying to win over, but she was also happy because the system had finally woken up, and she no longer had to be so confused. Having a hint was better than taking the exam unprepared.

"Master, you are a genius! I never expected you to get close to your target so quickly while I was away. You're amazing! You've made me so proud."

It was just a barrage of praise.

So what should we do next?