Chapter 54
Li Jia's fingertips traced the cold silver cutlery. The candlelight in the hall flickered, illuminating the empty seat opposite her.
For a whole month, it was as if all her private time had been taken away, leaving her alone with a table full of food that was gradually going cold.
Li Jia privately asked Doreen what the God Lord had been busy with lately, but Doreen's usually expressionless face remained indifferent.
It is said that marriage proposals are piled up like mountains, and gay men who are trying to marry for fraud will have their marital history checked. Lesbians who are forced into marriage have to go to the mortal world to mediate their marital disputes.
"The God is busy sorting out the new rules, don't overthink it."
The reason was flawless. Li Jia opened her mouth, but ultimately didn't ask, "Can't we even find time to have a meal together?"
After holding back for half a month, she couldn't resist inviting Winslow and Lina to meet up at the reservoir.
The shimmering water reflected the three figures. Li Jia turned the empty teacup halfway around, frowning in distress: "I always feel like she's avoiding me. Even when she was busy before, she would talk to me before bed."
She is having relationship problems with her wife and doesn't know what to do.
"Do you think the novelty has worn off? Or that you've found someone else?"
Lina, cracking sunflower seeds, pointed out the problem incisively. After all, she was a semi-master of psychology, and this kind of situation was very common.
This is the "law of diminishing returns," which states that people derive satisfaction and happiness from acquired goods, but this satisfaction decreases as the amount of goods acquired increases.
In the early stages of a relationship, we easily feel happy because of our partner's thoughtful gestures. However, as the relationship progresses, we become accustomed to these behaviors and can no longer experience similar happiness.
This applies to couples, let alone married couples who spend every day together.
"It's hard to say. Better safe than sorry." Winslow also grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and started cracking them open, his tone hesitant: "Even though I've followed the God for hundreds of years, feelings are the hardest thing to talk about. Otherwise, where would all these tragic stories come from?"
Li Jia immediately rejected their guesses.
In the years she's been by her side, she's never seen a female mosquito, let alone a male one.
So where exactly does the problem lie?
Lina suddenly leaned closer, winked, and lowered her voice: "In the end, isn't it just about that between husband and wife? How long has it been since you two did it?"
Li Jia's face instantly turned bright red. She twisted her skirt with her fingers and stammered for a long time, unable to speak.
Lina leaned close to her ear, and Li Jia bit her lip and whispered a few words that only the two of them could hear.
"Huh?" Lina's voice suddenly rose, then she quickly lowered it again: "You've had your marriage certificate for over two years, and you still haven't gotten married?"
She glanced at Winslow, then turned to Li Jia, "Aren't you making things difficult for her?"
"It's not entirely my fault..."
Li Jia's voice carried a hint of grievance: "Every time I'm halfway through, I feel pain. As soon as she sees me frown, she stops immediately and says it's okay, we'll talk about it again when I get used to it."
Lina and Winslow exchanged a glance, both seeing the answer in each other's eyes.
Hera wasn't being cold; she was clearly afraid of pushing her too hard and putting her in a difficult position, so she kept it to herself. She was also afraid of giving herself away, so she deliberately avoided him. However, she didn't expect that this unusual behavior would make Li Jia panic.
Two days later, Lina furtively pulled out a small black cloth bag and gave it to her. Winslow somehow produced a small booklet with a completely black cover and told her to return to the inner palace.
Li Jia, carrying her things, walked towards the deep hall, completely bewildered.
"If I still can't get it, then I'm out of ideas."
Winslow sighed as he watched Li Jia's departing figure. Lina patted Winslow on the shoulder and said, "Unless your god is a bit weak, I can't think of any reason for failure."
Li Jia returned to the deep hall, where the candlelight cast a long shadow of hers, which fell on the still empty silver chair opposite her.
Upon opening the small cloth bag Lina had given her, her blood instantly rushed to her head.
A cherry-pink ribbon adorned with tiny pearls runs down to a string of round white pearls, while sheer fabric drapes along the waistline, subtly revealing glimpses of the skin.
She touched the pearl with her fingertips, and the cool touch made her pull her hand back abruptly, her cheeks burning.
Knowing she shouldn't do this, after showering, she bit her lip and, as if possessed, changed out of her usual nightgown.
The fabric felt silky cool against her skin, and that spot swayed gently with her movements, making her heart tremble with an itch.
She turned to face the bronze mirror, her back revealing a large openwork design, accentuated by three thin ribbons that crossed each other, making her waistline appear even more slender. The satin tassels hanging down her sides made her involuntarily tense her back.
Just then, familiar footsteps sounded outside the palace; Hera had returned.
Li Jia's heart jumped into her throat. In a panic, she quickly hid on the bed. Just as she pulled the covers off, the palace door was pushed open.
When Hera pushed the door open, her gaze first fell on the empty dining table, but she didn't see anyone. After looking around, she saw the little guy buried in the blanket and not moving at all.
Knowing she was just throwing a tantrum, I quietly strolled over.
She called her name, but Li Jia neither paid attention nor responded. Hera then lifted the covers, wanting to have a proper talk with her.
When she saw Li Jia's appearance clearly, her hand holding the blanket paused, her Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily, and her tired and weary eyes instantly darkened, like a spark that had been ignited, burning hotly on Li Jia.
"you……"
Hera's voice was lower than usual, with a barely perceptible hoarseness. Her gaze fell on the swaying object, her fingertips rising but stopping just before touching it: "This is..."
Li Jia's face was already flushed red. She clutched the hem of her skirt with both hands, her head bowed low, and her voice was barely audible: "Lina...Lina gave it to me."
She stole a glance at Hera and saw that there was no dislike in the other's eyes, but rather a burning intensity she had never seen before, which made her heart beat even faster.
“You’ve been so busy dealing with matchmaking requests lately, I…”
Before she could finish speaking, Hera had already gently wrapped her arms around her waist. The warmth of her palms seeped through her skin, instantly making her tense up.
Hera rested her chin on the crook of her neck, her breath carrying a familiar, crisp scent, mingled with the warmth of her body, and drifted into her ear: "Afraid I'll neglect you?"
Li Jia nodded, then quickly shook her head.
As he turned, he brushed against Hera's palm, and her fingertips tightened slightly: "I was always afraid of hurting you before, so I didn't dare to force you."
She lowered her head and kissed Li Jia's forehead, then down to her blushing earlobe.
"But now..."
"You are mine now."
Her fingertips gently lifted the object, rolling it as it brushed against Li Jia's skin.
The scorching heat creates a wonderful contrast with the icy coolness.
"I think... I can't hold back anymore."
The candlelight flickered in the deep hall, casting the figures of the two in the bronze mirror, while a light rain began to fall outside the window.
The pattering rain perfectly masked the noise, along with Hera's soothing low voice.
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