Dong Hua carried Feng Jiu to the Nine Heavens. A barely perceptible smile emerged on his face when he saw her cute sleeping face. She was actually waking up from the strong wind blowing out. Dong Hua didn't know where Feng Jiu's room was so he ensconced her first on a bench and decided to go and ask Chong Lin and also have him bring some sobering drink. As he was about to leave Feng Jiu woke up. She saw him leave but just looked at his figure descending silently.

Now he even walks away in my dreams.

She sat up straight but her eyes were out of focus. She was definitely still drunk. She was silent for a moment even her thoughts. Then she felt a little light-hearted. Like in a dream you would forget reality she did forgot everything and took out the remaining wine from her bag.

Since I feel a little sad in this dream. Let's just drink some alcohol...Oof I can't believe wine would taste heavenly even in a dream.

---

It was early evening now. Dong Hua didn't go back to his palace as he found Chong Lin midst the way. Chong Lin cupped his hand to greet Di Jun and asked if he was returning to his room now. He also mentioned Si Ming waiting for Dong Hua. He then told Chong Lin to convey to Si Ming that he would meet him later.

"Do you know where Bai Feng Jiu lives?" Dong Hua asked. Chong Lin seemed a little shocked. But he didn't dare ask Dong Hua about it.

"Yes. Bai Feng Jiu from Qingque is residing in the Chun Hua Palace. Do you wish to meet her highness?"

"Yes. And also bring some drinks to sober up to the Chun Hua Palace."

"Sober up?"

"Why are you so chatty today?" Dong Hua asked him sternly.

"My bad. I'll immediately get to it." Chong Lin said cupping his hands once again and left feeling utterly confused about all that happened. Dong Hua smiled a little on his way back to pick Feng Jiu up. It didn't take him long to get where he left her.

---

She saw him walking towards her. He emanated an aura of a powerful person and that of a control freak. The only difference was that he seemed to have become cuter recently. Even Feng Jiu noticed his cute but very small smile and giggled to herself. She thought how attractive he would look if he had a full smile or if he chuckled, if he laughed or giggled.

She must have thought something silly again.
Dong Hua thought as he descended towards her. Feng Jiu rose up putting away the bottle of wine and ran to him taking him by surprise. She didn't care if it was an illusion or dream, neither did she remember any Tang Yin or Ji Heng. She just ran towards him and wrapped her tiny arms around him. Her head was on his chest. Dong Hua couldn't control it and a sweet smile escaped from his usually cold and stern face. She hugged him tight and a soft giggle escaped her mouth as she felt even warmer near him. She was just too happy.

"Di Jun...You are the most handsome man in the world." She said still hugging him. Even he couldn't handle all her sweetness and cuteness. He couldn't help but feel amused. After all the ignoring him and pushing him away looking at her warming up to him seemed to lift his spirits to another level. Only he wasn't sure if she was saying her true feelings.

"Oh, took you long enough to notice," he said. He immediately carried her in his arms again without wasting more time. She gasped at first but then enjoyed it like a four-year-old when their parents carry them in their arms suddenly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes for a while as her head rested on his chest. She had a huge stupid grin on her face.

Dong Hua didn't seem to change much but later it was known that at this time there had been flower rain in many parts of the nine heavens making everyone wonder who the happy god was.

He placed her down on the bed softly and tried to make her sit so that he could feed the sobering drink to her. But she wouldn't drink it after tasting one sip and had a pouty face.

Dong Hua noticed that Feng Jiu was excessively drunk. She sat up again and smiled at him occasionally leaning backward in a daze.

"Di jun?" She asked gazing at him with shiny eyes.

"Hmm." he nodded.

Then he thought that maybe because she hadn't had much to eat. Because she wasn't taking the sobering drink either he decided to bring her some cold water and food. He was about to leave again to call Chong Lin. She caught him going away again and she barely stood up. Her expression changed into a frown. Her head spun thus she was forced to sit again. She seemed to be regaining a little consciousness. The melancholy feeling resided over her again. Dong Hua gave her some cold water which she took obediently. She stared at him for a while. He raised his eyebrows. Then she spread her arms motioning him to hug her. He didn't understand what she was trying to do.

"Come on. It's a dream. It has to be happy at least. You should love me back. Ugh," She blabbered.

"Dream?" he half-smiled. Is it so unreal? He thought. She stumbled towards him and smiled again offering him a cake from her bag. He took a bite and stuffed the rest of it into her mouth. Her mouth was so full that she couldn't speak clearly.

"Tasty..." She giggled. It was indeed tasty for Dong Hua too.

"Do you like me? Is that why you're giving it to me?" He teased with a smirk. After hearing him, she stared at her the ground for a few seconds then looked up at him and failed to stand straight again.

"I really really really hate you. And I give them to everyone." She said with a pout and slight stammer.

"So you hate that I'm an old man?"

"You're not old." She said almost immediately. He half-smiled.

"When I was the heavenly lord, your grandfather wasn't even married," he said with an amused expression. She frowned.

"A little maybe. But that's not why I hate you...I hate you because you never looked for me. Because you only regarded me as a pet. Because you liked Ji Heng better. And because I really want to protect my heart this time." She said. Dong Hua frowned and stepped near her.

"I didn't know you back then," he said softly. She huffed. It was the only thing he could say.

All her efforts went in vain and when she moved on he finally took an interest in her. But Feng Jiu didn't want to confess to him. Because she knew it would be another vain effort. She knew he had someone else in his heart or she would really be willing to defy fate. She didn't want to think it all over again. She didn't want to be pitiful in love bearing false hopes. Although she could never forget him. She could never be his. That was what she accepted her fate as.

"I don't care." she almost fell. Dong Hua extended his arms to catch her but she moved backward. He retreated his arms.

She really does hate me. She's confessing it when she's drunk.

"If you hate me that much you should repay my kindness quickly so that you can leave," he said turning away from her. His face was rather expressionless. But he felt a little sad.

"Yes, Your kindness, name your terms." She said. He turned towards her again and stared at her intensely.

---

Lian Song returned to Si Ming. They were still outside Dong Hua's Palace. Lian Song happily walked towards him but he became stern-faced once he reached him.

"Si Ming, what about the fate book?" He referred to the one in his hand.

"It's empty. Nothing at all."

"But how can this happen?" Lian Song asked. Si Ming shrugged.

"Feng Jiu highness has moved on. I never thought Di Jun would like her back. And I didn't tell her about their fate either in case she would be sad. Previously her fate was written and she was fated to be with someone else. But now it's really blank. Nothing at all."

"So strange. What about Dong Hua's fate?"

"He erased his fate himself myriad of years ago. I don't know much neither does anyone else. Please don't disclose the information to anyone." Si Ming spoke up thoughtfully.

"Has he never thought that he'll eventually fall in love? He definitely has a fancy for her. He treats her way too different."

"Well, maybe he doesn't like her. After all, he's Dong Hua Di Jun." Si Ming said.

"We are also his friends. Did he ever treat with that amount of sweetness? You haven't seen him eavesdropping on Feng Jiu's conversation with her guy friends, have you?"

"I guess you're right. But what do we do?

"We shouldn't interfere too much. Just tell Dong Hua about the past. Let's leave their fate to themselves. Plus have you thought about a possibility?" Lian Song suggested.

"Yes. What?" Si Ming agreed.

"That may be Dong Hua's original fated partner was Bai Feng Jiu? And because he changed his fate her fate changed too?"

Si Ming seemed to be contemplating. But he shook his head. This matter of fates was very complicated. Si Ming wrote fates of mortals. But he could only see the fates of Immortals. Dong Hua's reason for removing his fate back then must have been something important. He didn't want to interfere much either. So he decided to just let things be.

Then after several moments Dong Hua finally arrived at his palace. He was smiling! Si Ming and Lian song looked at each other shocked.

"He only plays tricks on us. Why is he smiling then?" Lian Song asked feeling awkward.

"Maybe something good happened."

"Oh Now, I know. It must be Feng Jiu." Lian Song said with a wink.

They both cupped their hands towards him and he motioned them to come in. Si Ming hid the fate scroll in his clothes. Dong Hua looked at him with a suspicious gaze and then he just gave him an awkward smile. Dong Hua took some tea for himself and motioned them to do the same.

"Are you here to finally spill the beans?"

"Yes. Did you already know?" Si Ming asked surprised. Even though Dong Hua was good at guessing it couldn't be that farfetched. Right?

"That Xiao Bai was the fox I lost?"

Si Ming looked at Dong Hua pale-faced.

"Did you find her with the Gunsha jade?" Lian Song asked. Dong Hua nodded folding his arms for Si Ming to say something. Si Ming looked at Lian Song pitifully.

"Did you know it was Xiao Bai?" he asked. Si Ming gulped and nodded. Deep down he was afraid of Dong Hua's sweet and sour fish.

"It goes a long way..." Si Ming hesitated,

"Let me tell him." Lian song said with a stern face. Dong Hua sipped his tea.

"According to him, Feng Jiu lent her fur to Nie Chuyin to save someone. But got tricked as he lent her back a fur of a red spiritual fox in exchange for cultivation." Dong Hua slightly clenched his jaw. He had thought of so many things. But it hadn't occurred to him that she gave up her fur for him.

"I heard she was saved by you when she was young so she bore you in her mind. And that year she begged Si Ming to take her to Tai Chen Palace as a fairy maid. But I think you never paid attention to her. Later when you were trapped in Ten Evil lotus land, she came to save you. But later you wanted to marry Ji heng. Dong Hua, you really live up to the reputation of an iceman. I mean she's the next empress of Qingque."

Dong Hua stopped sipping his tea and put it away. He then sighed.

"Then you know what happened. You told Chong Lin to lock her because she hurt Ji Heng accidentally. He thought she was poor so he set her free. But then the Snow Lion that Ji heng raised almost killed her."

Dong Hua suddenly looked up at him. He felt sad and guilty. He never knew it. He never knew why she pushed him away so badly while everyone wanted him. She was really trying to protect herself this time.

"But Si Ming saved her luckily. I heard she was very seriously injured. Neither did you care for her, neither looked for her. Naturally, she returned to QingQue. That's why you couldn't find her."

At this point, Dong Hua massaged his forehead with his fingers. 

"We thought you should know these things." Lian Song said.

"You're right. Even If I knew she was the fox. I indeed knew nothing." Dong Hua replied. In her heart, she must really bear grudges against me. 

"But Feng Jiu highness is going to the mortal realm with her friends tomorrow." Si Ming spoke up.

Dong Hua said nothing but only looked back at Si Ming. 

"You seem very close to Xiao Bai." Dong Hua said quietly as if saying something very casual. Si Ming was dazed for while as if he didn't register what was said. Did he hear right? He thought to himself.

"No, no Di Jun. His Highness just, she is just..."

Before he could complete his sentence, Lian Song couldn't control his laughter anymore. He had previously been controlling it for a while after listening to Dong Hua's words. His shoulders were shaking.

Dong Hua looked at him in a very relaxed manner however it put his laugh to an abrupt end.

_____________________________________