Chapter 39
The morning light, like crumpled silver foil, spilled across the vast mountains and plains, illuminating the outline of the Ketabo Valley.
Two haystacks lay motionless in the iris bushes, one on the left and one on the right.
Twenty minutes later, seemingly unable to contain himself any longer, a haystack stretched out half of its lower leg outside the grass and let out a big yawn.
"How much longer will it take for them to arrive?"
"Haystack A asked lazily."
"Hang in there a little longer, it'll be almost there."
"Why are there mosquitoes? I feel two big welts on my eyebrows."
Haystack B suddenly sat up.
Li Jia took off her "ghillie suit" and slipped to the stream by the iris bushes. She scooped up the icy water and poured it on her face, trying to cool down the red and swollen bumps.
"There's no floral water or medicated oil here, so we can only use folk remedies, which always work."
Haystack A also took off its "ghillie suit" and walked to Li Jia's side.
Lina used her fingernail to draw two horizontal lines on the top and bottom of her bag, making a "+".
This is indeed a nationwide method for eliminating bag-related issues.
Putting the ghillie suit aside, this is the clothing that Li Jia asked the goddess of weaving to make—clothing woven from leaves and vines that allows the two of them to blend perfectly into the flower bushes.
The two sat side by side on a rock by the stream, the water flowing gently past their feet, causing a few iris petals to swirl around them.
In order to advance the relationship between Zeus and Demeter, the two set off for the Valley of Cetabo before dawn, carrying their belongings.
They arrived too early and had to wait outside the valley for half an hour until the forest ranger came to open the gate and found them.
The forest ranger asked the two women why they had arrived so early. Li Jia replied that she had nothing better to do, and the early bird catches the worm.
Winslow greeted him and said that she had two friends who wanted to go into the Ktabo Valley to see the irises. The ranger, who had received some small favors from Winslow in the past, was naturally willing to help and got up to open the door for them.
Unexpectedly, upon opening the entrance to the valley, two strangely dressed young girls sat dumbfounded on the stone steps at the entrance, a sight that left people both amused and exasperated.
"But are you sure they'll come today?"
Lina suddenly looked up and asked, her gaze sweeping across the path deep in the valley, finding no one there, and then she asked a question.
"If we don't come, all the preparations we've put in today will have been for nothing."
The irises there grow more lushly and bloom more profusely, making it the perfect spot for a chance encounter.
Li Jia nodded: "I've already asked the system, and the day they meet is today. It should be coming soon."
She paused, then added, "Besides, even if we wait the wrong time, it's not a loss. These irises are really beautiful."
At this moment, the light has completely penetrated the clouds and shone on every corner of the valley. Irises unfurled their petals in the sunlight, revealing their pale yellow stamens, looking delicate and beautiful.
Looking at the beautiful scenery before her, Li Jia felt all the weariness from waking up early and the annoyance of being bitten by mosquitoes disappear.
She stood up, dusted herself off, and put her ghillie suit back on.
"Let's go, keep lying low and waiting. Maybe our 'seedling' will arrive in the next second."
"OK."
Lina followed with a smile, and the two of them lay down again in the iris bushes.
After waiting a while, the beautiful singing gradually approached. Li Jia pressed down on Lina, who was about to look up, and mouthed "coming," while keeping her eyes fixed on the end of the path.
The woman carried a bamboo basket containing half a bunch of freshly picked wild chrysanthemums. Her hair was tinged with a light gold by the sunlight, and her footsteps creaked softly on the withered branches and fallen leaves.
The song came from her mouth; it was an old tune about sowing in spring, and the last note swirled around the iris before falling into the stream.
Li Jia quietly parted the gaps in the grass, revealing a beauty even more gentle and graceful than the portrait provided in the system data. Even the curve of her head as she lowered her head to smell the flowers exuded softness.
Yes, the victim's face is correct.
The next second, Lina tugged at Li Jia's sleeve, gesturing for her to look in the other direction.
Another figure emerged from the bushes on the other side of the path.
The handsome man was wearing a dark gray linen shirt with the cuffs casually rolled up, and he was carrying a sickle in his hand.
He was clearly prepared, his steps were extremely light, and his gaze was fixed on Demeter's back. He had changed his appearance and voice, and no one would have guessed that he was the famous Zeus.
They're here! They're here!
Li Jia and Lina exchanged a glance, their hearts pounding with excitement.
Li Jia was excited because she was following the plot, while Lina was excited because it was the first time she was watching this romance from God's perspective.
Gossiping is a natural human instinct.
The two of them had to dig their fingernails into their palms to keep from laughing out loud.
Demeter seemed to sense someone approaching, her singing stopped abruptly, and as she turned around, she ran right into the man's line of sight.
Both of them were startled. Two wild chrysanthemums slipped out of the bamboo basket and fell to the ground.
The sickle in the man's hand tilted slightly and fell with a "thud" into the iris bushes, and the shimmering seeds "accidentally" scattered from his pocket.
The sickle was only 0.3 meters away from Li Jia's neck, which made her tremble with fear and secretly take a step back.
Seeing Li Jia take a step back, the haystack next to her also took a step back.
The stream flowed by, carrying flower petals that swirled around it, and the unspoken embarrassment spread through the air.
Li Jia and Lina lay prone in the flower bushes, even their breathing became soft.
This is more nerve-wracking than dating; I wouldn't even feel itchy if I got bitten by mosquitoes a few times.
The man reacted first, bending down to pick up the sickle, but his fingertips accidentally touched Demeter's hand, which was trying to help him pick it up.
The two of them recoiled as if burned, their cheeks flushing slightly.
It's time.
Li Jia glanced at Lina, who gave an OK sign and tugged at the transparent fishing line in her hand.
moment.
Rose petals rained down from all directions, fluttering down from the sky.
Some flew off diagonally with the wind, some clung to her pale yellow skirt, and others drifted into the nearby stream, swirling with the current and turning the emerald green water a faint red.
Now the place is filled with pink bubbles, and seeing the protagonist getting into the swing of things, Li Jia is very pleased.
She and Lina picked all the flowers in Hera's Rose Grove, filling four large bags, and then carried them over to arrange them neatly, showing great care and effort.
The scent of roses filled the air, and the man was the first to break the monotony.
"I...I heard singing, a melody I've never heard before. I was so captivated that I unknowingly ended up here. I want to know what kind of person the singer is."
The man's voice was clear and pure, like fine wine, drifting softly into her ears and stirring ripples in her heart.
Demeter pursed her lips, picked up a wild chrysanthemum from the ground, and smiled, "So what kind of person do you think I am?"
"A beauty, the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life."
Sure enough, no woman dislikes hearing sweet words, and Demeter's ears instantly warmed up.
Their glib and smooth-talking skills made Li Jia and Lina's teeth ache.
"Your seeds... seem quite special."
Demeter's attention was drawn to the seeds on the ground, and she bent down to pick up a green seed.
He ran his fingertips along the uneven texture of the seeds, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes: "I've planted countless seeds, but I've never seen one that glows like this."
“I found these seeds in Xining. Even in the most barren and arid places in Xining, these seeds can take root, grow, and bear fruit.”
"Could you tell me some more stories about seeds?"
"Of course, beautiful lady."
"It's my pleasure to serve you."
The two walked side by side into the depths of the valley, their pace gradually slowing down. Their conversation shifted from flowers and plants to the weather, and then from the weather to their respective lives.
The man always knew exactly what Demeter was saying, sometimes telling her an amusing story from the fields to make her laugh, and sometimes listening attentively to her sharing her planting experiences.
Lina watched the two figures walk away hand in hand until they were completely swallowed up by the dense bushes, and only then did her heart finally settle down.
She lowered her voice and chuckled, "I didn't expect Zeus to be such a good actor; he played the farmer quite convincingly."
"What's so surprising about that?"
Li Jia walked over from the side, with a somewhat indifferent air of nonchalance: "In love, men are born actors. They will stop at nothing to play any role until they get what they want."
"But once you get it, you'll soon abandon it, just like that guy said, he's just..."
"He made a mistake that every man in the world would make!"
Lina spoke before her, her tone carrying a hint of mockery, yet also a subtle, barely perceptible resentment.
Li Jia then curled her lips and said, "In my opinion, the older sisters should slap them hard a few times. They should be punished for making mistakes."
"There's no need to blame them; after all, they just did what all women want to do."
"But there has to be someone who dares to do it."
Lina sighed softly and looked back at the end of the bushes, where silence had returned, as if that romantic first encounter had never happened.
"As a god, Zeus possessed divine authority. Even if his sisters discovered his insincerity, what could they do? In the end, nothing could be done."
"Because he is God."
Li Jia walked to her side and followed her gaze into the deep, dark space. Her previously amused expression instantly turned cold, and even the air around her seemed to sink.
"Therefore, women must take power."
Li Jia spoke slowly and deliberately, her voice not loud, but with a firm and resounding tone: "Resistance without power is like an egg hitting a rock; accusations without strength will eventually be drowned out by the torrent of power and will never be heard again."
Lina turned her head and stared blankly at Li Jia.
The afterglow of the setting sun fell precisely on Li Jia's profile, outlining the lines of her jawline with exceptional clarity. Her usually languid eyes were now brimming with subtle light.
The wind blew through the valley again, rustling the leaves as if in response to her words.
When Li Jia and Lina rushed back to the hot spring, Hera and Artemis had already been waiting at the door for a long time.
During this time, Hera had countless thoughts of trying to contact the little one, but Artemis always smiled and advised her to be patient, patient, and more patient.
Too much control and close scrutiny will only breed resentment; everyone needs their own private space.
They are gods, how can they be so impatient?
"Artemis, have you ever heard this saying?"
The blonde woman leaned against the wooden door, a smile playing on her lips: "If you just keep giving in, the prey will run away on its own, Goddess of the Hunt."
"If my capture would make her feel burdened, then I would rather she be happy and not be bound by so-called relationships."
Hera raised her eyebrows and said coldly, "I'm not as magnanimous as you. She can only live well if she stays by my side."
The blue-haired deity stared into her satisfied red eyes: "Are you really that happy to be bound to her, Your Highness, the Goddess of Marriage?"
Hera paused for a few seconds, then raised her eyes to meet Artemis's gaze. The golden rays of the setting sun pierced through the thin mist rising above the hot spring, casting a warm glow on her golden hair.
Hera touched the pinky ring, but at some point, it was already on her ring finger.
His tone became somewhat hesitant: "It is my greatest honor; I cannot live without her."
Artemis was somewhat dazed; this was the first time she had ever seen such a strong and aloof person show such a soft side.
Familiar footsteps came from not far away, mixed with the sounds of girls playing and laughing.
Hera's gaze softened instantly, the sharpness from before vanishing without a trace, and she subconsciously took two steps forward to meet her.
When Artemis saw the two of them return, she shook her head helplessly, but a hint of a smile appeared in her eyes: "You're back."
Lina looked up and saw the two people at the door. Her gaze locked onto the blue-haired goddess, and she immediately shot off like an arrow.
She quickened her pace and ran over, affectionately taking Artemis's arm and sweetly saying, "Why are you here! Isn't it time to go home yet?"
Li Jia glanced at Hera, who seemed to wish she could do the same thing...
Li Jia still couldn't bring herself to do it, and slowly walked up to her.
Artemis pulled out a small wooden basket covered with gauze from behind her: "I was worried you wouldn't like the food at the hot springs, so I brought you some of your favorite snacks."
Lina's eyes lit up at the mention of snacks; the God truly understood her.
Lina's true form is a penguin. Penguins like to eat sea fish and squid, but they don't live near the sea. So Artemis would go to Dongbo every now and then to buy some seafood for her.
Some of the fresh food would be eaten on the same day, and the rest would be baked by Artemis herself into dried fish and squid to keep in a basket as snacks.
Lifting the gauze, sure enough, it was filled with dried small fish and dried squid. Lina pulled out a few pieces, handing the best and plumpest ones to Li Jia.
Not wanting to offend Lina, Li Jia put the food in her mouth and chewed it a couple of times. Whether she was hungry or the food was really good, Li Jia nodded repeatedly to indicate that it was delicious.
In fact, Li Jia's favorite food is meat. She's so-so about seafood, and doesn't particularly like it. For example, she doesn't like fish.
"Alright, save some room for dinner." Hera said, muttering to herself, "What's so good about fish?"
No one noticed the undercurrents between the two gods.
The fireplace inside was blazing, and Winslow had reheated the food on the table almost three times before finally bringing him back.
Hera and Artemis, as gods, do not need to eat.
However, after taking in the servants, Betty and Winslow, the stewards in the shrine, had to prepare three meals a day, and sometimes even a midnight snack. The shrine would also eat with them, so they had to put in extra effort.
Today, Winslow prepared roasted lamb chops with mashed potatoes, plus a glass of lime liqueur for each person to cleanse their palate.
When Winslow brought the dishes to the table, everyone couldn't help but swallow hard.
In the center of each plate lies a small, crispy lamb chop, brushed with honey and black pepper sauce, its edges slightly curled from the grilling. Beneath it sits roasted vegetables topped with bacon bits, cherry tomatoes bursting open to release their bloody juice, and asparagus tips still retaining their crisp, tender green.
Li Jia couldn't wait to cut off a small piece of mutton and put it in her mouth. The aroma of the crispy skin mixed with the tender juice inside spread on her tongue. The rosemary flavor was hidden in every muscle, without overpowering the natural sweetness of the meat.
Winslow was a born chef.
The last dish served was apple pie. The crust was baked until it was flaky and crumbly, crumbling at the touch of a fingertip. The apple slices inside were soaked in cinnamon and sugar, with the edges baked until slightly browned and oozing with clear syrup.
After the meal, Li Jia and Lina were slightly tipsy and disoriented. Seeing the little penguin who had reverted to its original form from being drunk, Artemis did not refuse Hera's invitation to stay overnight and carried the little penguin to the guest room.
Li Jia was then taken back to the inner palace.
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