Chapter 30: Smuggling Peaches.
When she woke up again, the discomfort in her body had disappeared. Jiang Huaisu tried to move her hands and feet, and they were no longer stiff and sore as before. Instead, they felt as comfortable as if she had taken a hot bath.
My limbs and body felt warm and my mind was very clear. In this state, I felt like I could do five hundred push-ups without any problem.
She sat up and noticed that her clothes had been changed. It seemed that someone had done a simple cleaning for her. Her sweaty dress had been replaced with a clean nightgown, the fabric of which was soft and dry, and still had a faint, clean soap scent.
"Oh, you're awake." Sun Wukong, while munching on a peach, examined her condition. "Looks like Laozi's elixir really worked. Are you still feeling unwell?"
Once her mind cleared, Jiang Huaisu realized she was in the Qitian Palace. Her clothes had naturally been changed by the palace's maids, and were remarkably neat and tidy.
"This feels wonderful... Wait, did you feed me an elixir?"
"Yes, I got it from Laozi. He said one pill is enough, and any more would be a waste. How stingy."
Jiang Huaisu felt a little regretful; she had fainted and hadn't tasted the elixir. She patted her stomach; the pill should have been completely digested by now.
"The effect is amazing! I'm full of energy now."
"Aren't you going to thank me?" Sun Wukong puffed out his chest.
"Of course I have to thank you." She pounced over and rubbed the monkey's head, giggling, "Long time no see, little monkey is still so reliable."
Sun Wukong dodged her hand, saying, "What are you doing? You have no manners." Though he said this, he indulged her actions, smoothing his ruffled monkey fur, and continued, "Besides, it hasn't been long at all. It hasn't even been a day here yet. Hmph, you've gotten carried away playing at Guankou?"
Jiang Huaisu felt guilty for a second: "I left so suddenly that I didn't have time to say goodbye."
"Oh well, it's good to make friends around." Not really bothered by her unauthorized descent to the mortal realm, Sun Wukong smiled playfully and approached her cheerfully, "It seems your relationship with Nezha has gotten better again."
"Ah." Upon hearing that name, her memory immediately returned to that night when the night wind blew at the mouth of the Guan River. She slapped her forehead: "That's right! Nezha, he's the one who brought me back, isn't he!"
"You remember?"
"I have a vague impression."
“It was the right thing to bring you back. Your symptoms aren’t just ordinary fever; they’re caused by demonic energy entering your body. You need immediate treatment.” Sun Wukong tossed aside the peach pit in his hand and poked her forehead. “You’re really carefree. You can still sleep even in that condition.”
She grasped the key phrase: "demonic aura?"
"It's that stinky lizard's mess. Even in death, he's causing you trouble." Having clearly learned the whole story from Nezha, Sun Wukong continued to poke at her with exasperation, "Eat up some elixirs and peaches to replenish your strength! Also, don't stop cultivating. If you encounter these small fry again, take them down with one slash."
Jiang Huaisu covered her forehead, "I'm reflecting on it, I'm reflecting on it."
Cultivation must continue, of course, but elixirs and peaches of immortality are probably not things that can be eaten casually!
However, that's not the main point right now. Jiang Huaisu's biggest concern is Nezha. During her illness, she was not fully conscious, and if she hadn't received a positive answer from Sun Wukong, she might have mistaken everything she experienced at that time for a dream.
However, the truth is that Nezha did enter her room, and those vague words and sounds that seemed to come from near and far were not her imagination.
Her eyelids felt like they were glued shut, and she couldn't open them no matter what she tried. She couldn't remember anything Nezha had said. What was worse, in that half-dreaming, half-awake state, she seemed to have tried to respond to something.
If she heard him babbling in his sleep, she hoped he wouldn't take it to heart.
She couldn't have said anything she shouldn't have. She tried hard to recall, but unfortunately, her mind was a complete mess.
Where is Nezha now?
"He just left, he must have gone back to Yunlou Palace. Do you want to see him?"
Jiang Huaisu nodded.
Since it was Nezha who brought her back, she should thank him in person and also review the events of that night.
She had little confidence in her performance. She had seen friends who got drunk and went crazy, revealing their secrets, but had no memory of them the next day. She had also heard of patients who unconsciously said dirty things after being anesthetized. She was a little afraid that she would be like that.
Shouldn't demonic energy entering the body affect brain function like alcohol and drugs?
......
With a mix of trepidation and excitement, Jiang Huaisu carried a basket of fruit and went to visit Yunlou Palace.
This was a gift that Sun Wukong had prepared for her visit. He was quite certain that she was not short of treasure, so why not try some of the local specialties brought from Flower Fruit Mountain? The fruit seedlings transplanted from the mountain were thriving in the soil of the Heavenly Palace, and the trees were laden with heavy fruit. It was a good opportunity to give some away.
After the celestial official entered and announced her arrival, he led her directly to Nezha's residence. She had thought she would have to meet Li Tianwang or Lady Yin, but seeing this, she breathed a sigh of relief.
When I was a child, it was the same when I went to a friend's house to play. I would feel extra reserved if the other person's parents were there.
"Isn't Li Tianwang in the Cloud Tower Palace?" she asked the celestial official.
"Yes. But taking you to Lianxin Residence is the Third Prince's idea. We don't need to go through Li Tianwang's side."
It's unclear what her motivation was for issuing the order, but Nezha's decision truly suited her taste. Jiang Huaisu didn't ask any more questions and silently followed behind the celestial official.
The area of Yunlou Palace seemed to be much larger than that of Qitian Mansion. If it weren't for the celestial official guiding her, she would definitely have gotten lost inside by herself.
She walked along, admiring the scenery, craning her neck and looking on in amazement.
Look at this magnificent scene of red rainbows and purple mists, vermilion gates and jade doors—it's incredibly grand.
The deep blue glazed tiles, the cloud bridge flowing like snow waves, the gleaming golden carved pillars... so many highly saturated colors piled together, yet surprisingly harmonious. Not to mention the exotic flowers and rare herbs along the way, which almost made her stumble with their fragrance.
She could faintly hear the cry of a phoenix. She looked up and saw a colorful phoenix tail feather flash by in the clouds.
Back in her hometown, nightjars and doves were the ever-present symphony orchestra, keeping her awake at night.
Upon arriving at Lianxin Residence, the environment was much more tranquil. The first thing that caught the eye was a large lotus pond, with pink and white petals serving as excellent decorations. Compared to the opulent splendor outside, the scenery here was quite unique.
Amidst the rising mist, Nezha slowly strolled from the center of the pond to the shore. As he stood up, water droplets rolled down his hair.
What a beautiful picture of a woman emerging from her bath! Jiang Huaisu was stunned by the sight.
Of course, she didn't see anything she shouldn't have, because the person was dressed very conservatively, even their belt was tied properly. Could taking a bath like that be comfortable? She was skeptical.
Nezha slowly walked ashore. With a thought, his clothes and hair were dried by magic, and he looked clean and refreshed again.
The celestial official had already left, and now it was time for the two of them to be alone. Jiang Huaisu hurriedly presented a fruit basket and briefly explained her purpose, thanking him for taking her home in time that night.
Nezha seemed to have anticipated her purpose, and calmly accepted the fruit basket. He picked out a pear, which was still covered in dew, and when he bit into it, the juice splashed everywhere.
The fruit basket arrived at just the right time, as he was thirsty. He calmly finished the three pears, wiped his mouth, and said, "I accept the gift. Is there anything else?"
“Actually… I don’t remember much about what happened that night.” Jiang Huaisu carefully observed his reaction. “Third Prince, I don’t think I was talking nonsense when I was unconscious.”
"without."
Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Nezha added slowly, "It's just that she mistook me for your mother."
"!" Jiang Huaisu's pupils dilated in shock. "How could this be!"
"Of course I feel homesick, it's normal." Although he might not be one of those who feel "normal," he can understand others' longing for their hometown and family.
"Did I...do I do anything out of line?" She wanted to hear the details, but she also wanted to cover her face.
"Don't worry, you're unconscious and can't do anything. You're just being noisy," Nezha comforted her. "You called me 'Mom' twice, but that's all."
Well, if it's this bad, it's still acceptable. Jiang Huaisu had already started to imagine the worst-case scenario in her mind, but fortunately, the situation didn't get out of control to an absurd degree.
Nezha's slightly probing gaze fell on her: "Jiang Huaisu."
"Um?"
"Since you miss home, why don't you go back and visit?"
She shook her head decisively: "I don't want to go home."
It wasn't that she was putting on a brave face; she genuinely didn't miss home. She had never experienced those moments of tossing and turning at night, tears streaming down her face, longing for her hometown.
"I don't understand why I would say such things in my sleep. My relationship with my parents is just so-so, not the kind where we care about each other," she said honestly.
Perhaps it's a primal, instinctive reaction? Calling for your mother when you're in pain is like yelling for help when you're drowning.
This "mother" is not a specific person; it represents her unconscious emotional outpouring during her coma. That's how Jiang Huaisu understood it. Perhaps Nezha gave her a sense of security at the time, making her feel she could rely on him.
Having clarified the facts, she felt relieved. She only called out "Mom" twice, which wasn't too outrageous, and at least she didn't say anything offensive.
Upon hearing this, Nezha simply responded with an "oh" and didn't inquire further. His own family atmosphere wasn't particularly harmonious or loving either. His relationship with Lady Yin was passable, but his relationship with Li Jing was nothing short of a father-son squabble, with nothing to discuss.
Facing Jiang Huaisu at this moment, he strangely felt a sense of shared misfortune.
Although he disliked dwelling on the past and wallowing in self-pity, he had seen many ordinary people deeply mired in emotional turmoil. He knew that mental anguish could sometimes be more unbearable than physical pain.
Nezha may find it difficult to empathize with those fragile mortals, but he has no intention of belittling their suffering.
It's just unclear whether the girl in front of me is pretending to be nonchalant or genuinely doesn't care about those things.
Nezha remained silent, then popped another piece of fruit into his mouth. Eating was the perfect way to pass the time when there was nothing to say.
"Take your time eating. Let me know if you like anything; there's plenty more over there." Jiang Huaisu smiled and gestured for him to help himself. "...I'll be going now. See you next time."
That wretched Jiang Huaisu! After uttering those words, she vanished again. Nezha bit into a grape and smashed it, watching her hurried figure disappear. He wondered what was so scary about him; every time he was alone with Jiang Huaisu, she seemed extremely uncomfortable.
After thinking for a while without figuring it out, he went back into the lotus pond.
Submerged underwater, he cleared his mind and began to fully enjoy his bath. A few lotus flowers rose to the surface, swaying gently in the breeze.
Such leisurely moments are rare, because he's always busy. Some tasks can't be delegated to others, so Nezha has to handle them personally. Demons keep popping up in the mortal realm, and even three heads and six arms aren't enough to keep up.
From this perspective, the mortal realm seems more advantageous than the Heavenly Court. Time flows much slower there, offering plenty of time to slack off.
He suddenly thought of Sun Wukong. That monkey seemed to have a lot of free time. Apart from managing the Peach Garden, the Jade Emperor hadn't assigned him any other work.
It's true that even gods can be more infuriating than gods themselves.
The leisurely Sun Wukong was currently inspecting the peach orchard. The branches were laden with fruit, a mix of green and red, and the trees were growing vigorously.
He has gradually become adept at tending to the fruit trees. The magical fruit, which ripens only once every few thousand years, has amazing effects when eaten, and its taste is beyond description.
After some time, Sun Wukong had become intimately familiar with every layout of the Peach Garden. He wasn't exaggerating; all the long-time peach-planting laborers, water-carrying laborers, and tree-hoeing laborers combined didn't know as much about the Peach Garden as he did.
Therefore, he can easily bypass areas where he can be seen and precisely find a corner where no one will disturb him. To date, he has picked two three-thousand-year-old peaches and one six-thousand-year-old peach, all without being discovered by anyone.
Based on the idea that sharing happiness is worse than enjoying it alone, he picked two more small peaches, carefully wrapped them up, and placed them together with elixirs, delicacies, and fine wines to make a large package.
"Please take these things back to Flower Fruit Mountain so that the monkeys can have a taste as well." Sun Wukong entrusted this task to Jiang Huaisu.
Their eyes met, and everything was understood without words. Jiang Huaisu hugged the package tightly and nodded solemnly. "Okay!"
Feeling a sense of tension as if he were transporting stolen goods, Jiang Huaisu didn't dare to greet any familiar immortals he encountered along the way, and sped towards the lower realm, heading straight for Flower Fruit Mountain.
Finally standing firm on familiar ground, she breathed a sigh of relief, slung her bundle over her shoulder, and entered the Water Curtain Cave, surrounded by the monkeys. She had a strange feeling of returning home in glory; although she hadn't attained any official position in Heaven, she had at least seen the splendor of the Heavenly Palace.
Faced with the monkeys' enthusiastic questions, she patiently answered them one by one, using words to depict the celestial palace for them. In short, it was beautiful, extremely beautiful.
"Is it even more beautiful than Flower Fruit Mountain?" the little monkey blinked its wet eyes.
"It's a different kind of beauty."
"So, which side does Sister Susu prefer?"
"Of course it's Flower Fruit Mountain! Your king must be too."
"Why doesn't the king come back to see us?"
"He has important business to attend to... but he'll be back later."
Although the job was relatively easy, it wasn't convenient to leave one's post without permission. Besides, secretly delivering peaches was a serious offense, and getting caught would be troublesome. This kind of thing couldn't be done openly; the more clandestine it was, the better. Jiang Huaisu was the most suitable person to do it.
But Sun Wukong's official position wouldn't last long. Jiang Huaisu felt that the time for him to wreak havoc at the Peach Banquet was fast approaching.
To this day, Flower Fruit Mountain remains a place of scenic beauty, comparable to a 5A-level scenic area. With the old monkey guarding the Water Curtain Cave and Sun Wukong's renowned fame spreading far and wide, the peace of the past continues. The demon kings and lords of the surrounding area all know that Sun Wukong has gone to Heaven to serve as an official; with this connection, they wouldn't dare to bother Flower Fruit Mountain.
It's just unknown whether the mountain can maintain its current state after Sun Wukong is suppressed.
Forget about the future. Jiang Huaisu pondered that Buddha shouldn't make things difficult for a little bird like her. If she could still move freely by then, she could find a way to protect Flower Fruit Mountain.
Before we go on, we must remind the little monkeys to make good connections and not to offend the demon kings and monsters in the vicinity.
“These peaches are rare treasures, so you must eat them all. Cut them into small pieces so that every monkey can have a bite.” Jiang Huaisu opened the package and laid out all the contents. “Besides these peaches, you can give some of the other items to the monsters on the nearby mountains as a favor.”
The old monkey listened attentively and realized that Jiang Huaisu hoped they would build good relations with the nearby monsters, so he nodded. Although he didn't yet understand the deeper meaning, there was no harm in doing so.
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