Chapter 46

In the days that followed, Li Jia and Lina would go to the Polo Wheat Field every few days.

The mission is two-thirds complete. Once Persephone is born safely, everything will be settled.

Demeter adored Rika; the child possessed a magical charm that made people genuinely like her.

She gradually developed the same insights as the goddess of textiles.

This child deserves Hera's favor.

Lina would regularly provide Demeter with psychological counseling to prevent her from having emotional problems during her pregnancy, while Li Jia would always bring a lot of delicious food.

Demeter had no appetite during her pregnancy, so Li Jia asked Winslow to pickle a lot of sweet plums that were good for the appetite and spleen. It was the first time Demeter had ever known that plums could be so sweet.

When Li Jia was suffering from severe acid reflux, she prepared bottles of sparkling water and stored them in the cold storage of the hot spring valley, ready to be delivered to the Boluomai Field whenever needed.

Li Jia also drew many patterns for the textile goddess, making some thick pillows so that she could sleep as comfortably as possible.

They painted many lovely tutu skirts for Persephone before she was born, with small wheat ear patterns painted on the hem.

Demeter was delighted to receive the little clothes and wanted to give Lina a generous reward, but Li Jia stopped her, saying, "You're being too polite."

Li Jia wagged her finger, her eyes full of cunning, and said with a smile, "I consider myself this little guy's godmother. Unless you don't want this child to be close to me, then you can give me the money."

As soon as she finished speaking, Lina immediately peeked out from behind Li Jia, looking a little aggrieved: "Don't leave me out! I'm a godmother too, I'll take care of all the storytelling and preschool education from now on!"

Demeter lowered her head and touched her bulging belly, when her palm was suddenly kicked lightly, as if the little one was echoing her.

She looked up at the two vibrant girls in front of her, her eyelashes fluttering slightly, and nodded earnestly: "It seems the little one has agreed too. Then she'll be causing you trouble from now on."

The wind blew across the wheat field, and the golden waves of wheat surged, enveloping the three people's laughter in the warm sunshine.

Li Jia left early and returned late every day. Every day when Hera returned to the deep palace, there was no sign of her. She could only turn on the night lamp in advance, take a bath, and lie in bed waiting for her to come back.

She seemed to have gotten used to this feeling of waiting.

Every day, hearing the footsteps approaching from outside the palace, and the soft sound of Li Jia pushing open the door, a sense of calm and security would rise in her heart.

Actually, she is not a patient person; to be precise, she is someone who particularly hates trouble.

But she had encountered her biggest problem yet, and what was worse, she had willingly accepted it.

And if she doesn't bother someone for a day, she feels anxious and uneasy, afraid that the trouble will go to someone else.

The light from the nightlight reflected in Hera's eyes. She heard familiar footsteps coming from outside the palace, and immediately straightened her back and leaned closer to the headboard, a slight smile curving her lips.

What will she say to herself today?

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I have something to tell you..."

As soon as the door was pushed open, a chattering sound entered the hall. Li Jia had run back, her forehead beaded with sweat and her hair sticking to her bangs, her whole body steaming.

Before she could finish speaking, she sneezed loudly, two bubbles hanging from the tip of her nose. Li Jia reached out and wiped them away, wanting to continue.

Hera sighed, uttered a metaphor, and the underworld appeared before her. She said with a hint of disdain, "Come here, wash up first."

Li Jia reluctantly replied with an "Oh".

Since Huang Quan can move, why did I have to share a bathtub with her when we went to Dongbo that time?

Women's minds are truly hard to fathom (°°)

Unable to express her anger, Li Jia had no choice but to obediently go over and let her undress him.

With practiced ease, as if she had done it a thousand times, Hera untied her clothes until they all slipped to the ground. Li Jia stepped into the pool, and Hera picked up her clothes one by one and put them into a wooden basket.

At first, Li Jia wasn't used to being waited on, but later she discovered that this might be one of Hera's unique hobbies.

Hobbies are something you may not understand, but you should respect them.

Later, they registered their marriage, she became his wife, and everything fell into place naturally.

Li Jia enjoyed her care.

All along, what she's been perceiving is that you need to do something, and only by doing those things can you get what you want.

With Hera, she doesn't have to do anything to get what she wants.

She was gradually forgetting why she had come, and she didn't want to leave.

She couldn't bear to let go.

I can't bear to part with it.

Hera brought over a small stool, the one Li Jia often sat on. She was tall, and sitting on the small stool looked a bit comical. She said casually, "Come over here."

Li Jia leaned back a little, her back against Hera's thigh. Hera took a shampoo cap that Li Jia had made and put it on her head. She picked up a wooden ladle next to her, scooped up a spoonful and poured it onto her head, asking as she poured, "How's it feeling?"

Li Jia said with satisfaction, "Not too hot, not too cold, just right."

He wet her hair, squeezed out a few drops of her shampoo from the sealed glass bottle, rubbed it in his palm to create lather, and then applied it to Li Jia's hair.

Her slender fingertips gently ran through her hair, softening every inch, and then she moved her temples, making her groan with pleasure.

The inner palace was quiet, with only the soft sound of water.

"What did you do today?" Hera asked.

Li Jia got excited when she talked about this, saying, "I became the godmother of Demeter's child."

"The little girl is so cute, so soft and tender when she's just born. When she's a bit older, we can take her fishing at the hot spring stream and pick fruit. I told you I would compensate His Majesty for the rose grove, and I haven't forgotten..."

The little one chattered away, her words full of excitement. Hera didn't like to talk, but she loved listening to Li Jia talk.

"You like children?"

As soon as the question was asked, Li Jia frowned and thought for a moment: "Your Majesty, I like children, but I only like other people's children. I don't want to have children myself; I'm still a child myself."

“If I have a child, I will be anxious. For example, will I be able to raise her well and help her become a normal person? Will she become a person who harms society? Will I be able to protect her?”

"Many people have children just for the sake of having children. They give birth, and then what? They grow up barely alive, and then they start thinking about what they can get out of their children. I think that's too selfish."

"If given a choice, I think many children would choose to never have been born into this world, including myself."

Li Jia's last words came from the bottom of her heart. The woman behind her visibly stiffened, leaned down, and hugged her, whispering, "Yes, I won't have children."

“Li Jia”.

"Um?"

Hera suddenly pressed her cheek against hers and offered the most tender and devout prayer she had ever heard: "Thank you for being born, so that I can love you."

Upon hearing this, Li Jia paused, turned her face to her chest, and said in a muffled voice, "It's good that I'm still alive, and that I can wait for you to love me."

...

Before the warm mist from the hot spring had dissipated, Hera had already paced around the palace three times.

She even considered bringing Demeter back to the hot springs to rest during her pregnancy, but Hera was getting anxious as she couldn't see her for days at a time.

If this continues in the long run, problems will definitely arise in the relationship between husband and wife.

This won't work.

Inside the Temple of Marriage.

Hera asked Doreen to bring over the marriage proposals that had been submitted recently so she could look through them, and Doreen came over with the proposals in her hands.

Doreen handed the marriage token to Hera, who asked in confusion, "Why is there only one?"

Doreen: "Your Majesty, the rules of the Temple of Marriage are that matters must be completed on the same day, and are generally handled within three days. This is a rule you set."

"This was just delivered this morning, and I haven't had time to process it yet."

It seems that being too efficient in handling affairs is not necessarily a good thing.

Hera opened the marriage proposal, glanced at it briefly, and upon seeing the signature, readily accepted: "I will go in person tomorrow."

In the Temple of Marion, apart from the most difficult matters that Hera had to handle personally, Doreen handled most of the rest.

Finally, after a moment, Helamer asked, "Do you and Winslow need to avoid each other? Actually, you don't have to go back to the North."

The aloof figure in the shadows paused, remained silent for a moment, and then said with a hint of complexity in his voice, "No need. She doesn't remember anyway. She's playful, and if we make her not go, she'll probably be depressed for a long time."

...

As night deepened, Li Jia had just stepped into the hot spring valley when Winslow tackled her, causing her to stumble. He then relayed the message: "Li Jia, quickly pack your things. His Majesty is taking us to the Northern Territory tomorrow."

"That's your hometown! You must really want to go back!"

Li Jia was completely stunned. In fact, she didn't have any feelings about the Northern Territory. She wasn't the original owner of the body; she inherited some of the original owner's memories, in which the original owner and her parents spent a happy time in the Northern Territory.

It was almost a bodily instinct, but she inexplicably became happy along with Winslow.

They treated it as a trip, but Hera must have had her reasons for taking them out.

Li Jia and Winslow parted ways at the entrance of the deep palace. Winslow was in a hurry to go back and pack his things, and Li Jia also had to pack her things.

The North is very cold.

Just thinking about it sent a chill down my spine.

She pushed open the door to the deep hall, where someone was already sitting by the nightlight, waiting.

The woman rested her head on her hand, her eyes closed as if she were taking a break. Li Jiazhi suddenly felt a mischievous urge and tiptoed over, wanting to give her a good scare.

Just as she finished making a funny face, her eyelids twitched, her red eyes narrowed, and she gave an expression that said, "I knew it." Li Jia instantly felt bored and stopped making faces.

She plopped down in the chair opposite her, looking annoyed, and said, "Sister, can't you let me tease you just this once?"

Seeing that the little guy was not very interested, Hera felt that she had indeed spoiled the fun, and smiled and said, "Next time I will definitely let my sister have her way."

Li Jia, having gotten the better deal, acted innocent, resting her chin on her hands on the table: "It's a great virtue to admit your mistakes and correct them. I won't be angry with you this time."

Hera was both amused and exasperated; she had always been helpless against her.

Hera thought for a moment and said, "Come with me to the North tomorrow."

She is now his wife, and he cannot hold her to the same standards he used for his servants, nor has he ever done so.

In the past, Li Jia, being a servant, would grant her every request.

Her tone softened further: "Let's go see the snowy landscape of the North, accompanied by the aurora borealis, a sight that appears only once every thousand years."

Suddenly, Li Jia stared intently into the woman's eyes and said with a smile, "So, you're begging me."

Hera immediately shook her head, even though Li Jia's gaze made her ears turn bright red, she still said calmly, "No."

Seeing that she was stubborn and clearly wanted to go with him, Li Jia deliberately said, "Since there's no one, then I won't go. I think it's not like His Majesty is going out for the first time, so why would he be afraid to go alone..."

Before Li Jia could finish speaking, Hera immediately grabbed her wrist and said, "I'm scared."

Li Jia was taken aback, but quickly recovered and grabbed her wrist, laughing, "Your Majesty, what are you afraid of?"

Hera blinked and sighed, "I'm afraid you won't come with me. I'm too scared to see the snow and aurora in the North by myself."

Li Jia pressed her advantage, getting up and sitting on Hera's lap, the two very close. She kissed Hera's long golden hair that fell beside her collarbone, muttering, "There's nothing to do on Demeter's side. The baby is growing well, and all the food and drink are prepared. We just need to wait for the baby to be born safely."

"I have the time and the opportunity to go with you."

“However, Your Majesty, you must beg me,” Li Jia murmured.

Hera looked up and kissed the forehead of the person in her arms: "How do you want me to beg you?"

Li Jia looked at her and said what she had been planning for a long time: "Could you call me 'sister'?"

Hera asked curiously, "Why do you want me to call you 'sister'?"

Because we won't be able to hear it anymore.

Li Jia believes she comes from three thousand years in the future, which is greater than three thousand years ago. She is older than Hera, which is reasonable. However, in this world, she is only seventeen years old, younger than Hera.

Li Jia said pitifully, "Just consider it a small wish of mine, I won't tell anyone."

Hera's heart softened upon hearing this, and she smiled and said, "Sister, please, come with me."

Li Jia was satisfied, hearing her call her "sister," her eyes crinkling into crescent moons as she smiled: "Then I will mercifully agree to your request."

He's so happy just calling her "older sister".

If she likes to hear it, I don't mind calling her a few more times, provided it's just the two of them.

"But Your Majesty, why do you suddenly want to go to the Northern Border?"

Li Jia jumped off her and began rummaging through drawers and cabinets to pack things up.

Hera calmly said, "The matter of the fateful encounter needs to be resolved."

Li Jia, with an expression of "I knew it," gave a soft "Oh," and then began rummaging through drawers and cabinets again.

He couldn't very well tell her that he went to the North because he missed her terribly and wanted to spend more time with her.

Hera couldn't bring herself to do it, but being confused might not be a bad thing.

Early in the morning, two little yellow chicks gathered at the entrance of the hot spring stream.

Last time I went to Winslow, the polar night fortress, I also wanted a little yellow chick cotton coat. As soon as Li Jia got home, she asked the textile goddess for a coat in a different size.

Hera: "..."

Doreen: "...Do you get cold too?"

After saying that, he tugged at the tail of Winslow's little yellow chick hat.

Winslow rolled his eyes at her: "Who said you can only wear this when it's cold? This is called styling, this is called styling, don't you understand? You have no taste, hmph!"

Li Jia immediately chimed in, "Tasteless, humph!"

Doreen: "Fine, fine, I have no taste. Get in the car, you have taste."

For some reason, Li Jia and Winslow felt that the words were sarcastic, but they couldn't find fault with them. They helped the two little yellow chicks onto the peacock chariot.

The wheels rolled on, heading towards the northern border. Through the gaps in the curtains, faint white silhouettes of the distant snowfields could already be seen.