Yang Xue had entered a phase of Buddhist - style self - cultivation, for she was quite content with her life in the Kingdom of Women.
It had been more than ten days since she last saw the Great Sage Sun. Could it be that he was scared off by that kiss?
It was just a kiss, yet it had cost Yang Xue half a bag of gold to compensate the innkeeper!
So, no matter what, one had to make a living. Yang Xue found a job as a cook in an unassuming restaurant in the Kingdom of Women.
The boss was a fifty - year - old woman. Well - off and rather laid - back, she wasn't even worried when there were few customers. Yang Xue chose to work for her just because she wanted a more leisurely job.
The boss was named Hua'er. She often sat by the window on the second floor, holding an old tobacco pipe, crossing her legs, and wearing a gorgeous red peony - embroidered dress. She was extremely charming.
Yang Xue envied her. It seemed as if nothing in this world could bother her. She was just a beautiful passer - by in this world, living a leisurely and carefree life.
In the afternoon, there were no customers. Yang Xue changed into a new outfit, the light - blue gauze dress that had scared the Great Sage Sun away.
In fact, this dress was just a bit thin and a bit see - through, showing her round shoulders, and the slit on the left was a bit high...
"Drinking tea? It's rare for you to sit down and accompany me. How about drinking some wine instead?" Hua'er picked up her pipe, tapped it skillfully on the table, and then put it aside.
"It's so hot. I don't feel like drinking wine." Yang Xue's voice was listless. She lay on the table dejectedly, looking like a girl mourning the passing of spring and autumn.
"You must be thinking about a man. You look so absent - minded. Tea is not suitable. Come on, have a drink with me. I'll give you a precious item that will surely tie down the man you like.
Even if he goes to the ends of the earth, he won't be able to forget you. He'll pine for you day and night. How about that?" As she said this, Hua'er confidently raised her eyebrows and waved her hand gently behind her. Her personal maid nodded and left.
Not long after, the maid brought a box and placed it in front of Yang Xue.
Yang Xue thought she was just joking. "Sister Hua'er, are you serious? Do I really look like a girl thinking about a man?"
She only missed him a little. Mostly, she was just feeling frustrated.
She was really dejected. That one kiss had scared Sun Wukong, who had taken good care of her before, and he hadn't given her any news for so many days...
"If this isn't thinking about a man, then you must be crazy." Boss Hua'er took a sip of wine and sized her up in a mysterious way. "You're so beautiful. I wonder how handsome the man you're pining for is. Next time, remember to bring him here for me to have a look."
"Okay." Although she really wanted to, it was likely that Sun Wukong wouldn't give her this chance.
"I heard that you once demolished the entire second floor of the inn. What happened?" She picked up a handful of melon seeds and started to crack them.
Although there were fine lines at the corners of her eyes, her eyes were gentle and experienced, with a unique charm that only a mature woman could have, making people feel very amiable.
Yang Xue sighed slightly. "Don't even mention it. I just kissed him once. Maybe he didn't expect me to be such an active and unreserved girl. He's been scared away and hasn't shown up until now."
Hua'er smiled knowingly and shook her head slightly. "No, no. Miss Xue, you're wrong. The man you're talking about was clearly flustered by you. You're the one in his heart."
"Really?" She suddenly perked up. "But what if he doesn't come?"
"Wasn't there a gentle and elegant man here yesterday? The way he looked at you was full of tenderness, with a touch of sorrow for unrequited love... Tsk, tsk. If I were twenty years younger, I wouldn't let him be so sad." As she said this, Boss Hua'er picked up her wine cup and drank it all in one gulp, looking extremely sad.
Yang Xue nodded. She was referring to the God of Wealth. He was indeed a gentle and elegant man, impeccable.
Most women in this world would probably fall in love with a man like him. Marrying him would surely lead to a happy family life. A woman surrounded and nourished by love would always stay young.
However, sometimes people just want a little more passion. They want the spark of love to be more intense and the wine of love to be stronger.
"What's this? How can it tie him down?" Yang Xue couldn't wait to open the box and see what the trump card was.
"Hey~" Hua'er pressed one hand on the wooden box. "Drink all this wine with me, and then I'll tell you."
"Sure thing." Although Yang Xue wasn't a heavy drinker, she could still keep up with Boss Hua'er.
Actually, this beautiful middle - aged woman in her fifties wasn't originally from the Kingdom of Women. She was like Yang Xue, coming from a foreign land.
Hua'er was very beautiful when she was young. She had many suitors, and the threshold of her house was almost worn out by those who came to propose marriage. But she had already fallen in love with someone and was waiting for her beloved to return after learning.
Unfortunately, the man she was waiting for wasn't a good man. On his way back, he caught the embroidered ball thrown by a rich girl and became the son - in - law of a noble family.
A letter came, and Hua'er was heartbroken. In order to get out of the heartache, she wanted to die. It was a general who saved her.
The general fell in love with her at first sight, but Hua'er had no intention of falling in love or getting married at that time.
The young general promised that if he could return triumphantly, he would marry her in a grand way, silencing the gossips of Hua'er's relatives and giving her the honorable position of a general's wife.
Unfortunately, after five years, the general only came back once to see her. Just as she was starting to fall in love with him and was ready to live a peaceful life, forgetting all the past events, the general never came back...
Hua'er wasted her time like this. Time waits for no one, and the heartache was hard to heal. So she left her hometown and came alone to the Kingdom of Women with her savings.
Although there were mostly women in the Kingdom of Women, there were also men.
Many men who passed by and were favored by the local women chose to stay.
But Hua'er despised these men.
Because these ordinary men, just because they were rare in this country and were liked by inexperienced women, would abandon their wives back home and stay in this land of luxury and comfort!
After two pots of wine, dusk came. There were quite a few customers in the restaurant, all of them coming here especially and asking for the dishes cooked by Yang Xue.
But Hua'er was in high spirits and had the customers driven away. She didn't want anyone to interrupt her mood.
"Yang Xue, you're so beautiful. No man would reject you, right?" Hua'er was drunk, or rather, she was drunk with her own emotions.
The wine reminded her of her sad past. "I really envy you. You've met such a pure - hearted man. If I were you, I'd try my best to marry him, so as not to leave any regrets."
Yang Xue took out a handkerchief and wiped the tears from her face. "Yes, I think so too. The Great Sage must be just too shy. It's rare to meet such a lovely boy. I must marry him."
"What's in this box is called 'Bone - Softening Powder'. Sprinkle it on yourself. The next time you meet him, he won't be able to move. You can't be too polite to such a pure - hearted man. You have to take him quickly, or he might be snatched away by some other vixen if you hesitate for a while."
As she said this, she started to cry. "Otherwise, you'll be like me, trapped by love, confined in your own prison. You'll lie awake at night for the rest of your life, regretting your past reserve. You have to act early. Do you understand?"