In the evening, Sun Wukong and Yang Xue returned to the Flower-Fruit Mountain. They sat on the mountaintop, gazing at the moon.
The moon on the fifteenth day of the lunar month was big and round. Its silver light spilled across thousands of miles. The beautiful rivers and mountains were enveloped in the moonlight. The mountains and the earth slumbered quietly, like babies under the gentle gaze of their mother.
During these rare idle days before their departure, Sun Wukong should have seized this brief time to enjoy a sweet time alone with Yang Xue.
However, he was in a state of anxiety and didn't know what to do.
The two sat on the top of a tall tree. On a floating blanket beside them, there were strong liquor and a variety of snacks.
Yang Xue was carefree. Even though their situation was uncertain and their future was unpredictable, what she cared about most was still what to eat and drink for the next meal.
"Is it the fifteenth day of the sixth lunar month today? The moon is so round. But it will be even rounder tomorrow night. Great Sage, you must accompany me to watch it tomorrow night too." Nowadays, the days were long and the nights were short, and there were no electronic devices to kill time. Besides dealing with some interpersonal relationships, she either practiced cultivation or, more preferably, spent time alone with the Great Sage.
"Yang Xue, I'm a bit worried now," Sun Wukong suddenly said in a plaintive tone, breaking the wonderful atmosphere.
"Why?" Yang Xue handed him a bottle of wine and leaned on his shoulder, smiling as she asked, "Great Sage, you might as well tell me."
"There are many things. For example, why have you broken through your cultivation so quickly? Not only is it unattainable for others, but I'm afraid the Tathagata won't be at peace these days. He must be wracking his brains thinking about how to deal with you," Sun Wukong pulled her into his arms. The gentle breeze blew the long hair beside his temples. Under the moonlight, his melancholy eyes were captivating, and his full red lips glistened, probably because of the wine.
Yang Xue smiled slightly, tilted her head and got close to his lips, gently licking the remaining wine on the corner of his lips. She looked rather like a charming playboy as she said, "The Great Sage's wine tastes better."
"..." Sun Wukong was stunned. Where did she learn this kind of flirting technique? But he quite liked it. Suddenly, the uneasiness in his heart was replaced by a continuous flutter.
"You once said that in your world, men and women are more equal, and it's also a woman's freedom to enjoy life. So, from whom did you learn this flirting skill?" Knowing that Yang Xue didn't want to discuss unhappy things for the time being, he pressed her into his arms. Her small face tilted up, looking at him.
"I imitated others. You don't have to learn this kind of thing from a specific 'person'. I'm so smart. I'll naturally learn it after seeing it a few times. Moreover, I wasn't like this before. It's just that after I met the Great Sage, I suddenly got enlightened in this aspect. After all, the Great Sage used to be a pure and innocent man." She smoothly skipped over his jealousy and intertwined her fingers with his.
Sun Wukong was overjoyed and didn't bother to care whether it was true or not, but the worry between his eyebrows still lingered. "Xue'er, you can't go on the journey to the Western Heaven with us."
"Why?" She pouted and murmured discontentedly, "I won't cause you any trouble."
"You really won't cause trouble. After all, your strength is not inferior to mine now." Thinking of that thunderbolt, he felt greatly frustrated. His Xue'er was truly a lucky one favored by the Heavenly Dao. Even when she was promoted, there was only one thunderbolt.
If he wasn't mistaken, his Xue'er should now be at the middle stage of the Celestial Immortal realm. After two more promotions, she would become a Saint.
At this speed, her strength would soon surpass that of the Saints. In the near future, she might even surpass the Tathagata and the Jade Emperor, which was what he was most worried about.
If it was a normal promotion speed, even if it was one level every five hundred years, Xue'er would be recognized by the Three Realms. Maybe she would be highly regarded and given an official position in the Heavenly Court...
But unfortunately, she was like a monster, surpassing the natural order. Since she appeared in everyone's sight, she had never made people feel at ease.
Surpassing the law would naturally lead to being excluded.
Coming from behind and overtaking others would shake the original stable situation.
"I know what the Great Sage is worried about, but if I leave, where else can I go? The Great Sage and I are now in the same boat. It's useless wherever we go." Yang Xue said casually, shaking the wine bottle in her hand. She tilted her head and drank it all up. Looking at the sky with blurred eyes, she said, "Don't worry. There will always be a way."
"But..."
"I'm thinking about where the Six-Eared Macaque is now. This is the only thing I'm worried about." Yang Xue covered his mouth. She couldn't bear to see the once fearless Sun Wukong become like this because of her.
"Anyway, I won't be deceived by the Tathagata now. No matter where he is, you mustn't go looking for him!" At the mention of the Six-Eared Macaque, Sun Wukong immediately became like a ruffled rooster. He hugged her tightly in his arms and said, "If you go looking for him, I'll definitely kill him first."
He absolutely didn't allow a person who looked exactly like him to appear in front of Yang Xue.
What if she found that the Six-Eared Macaque was better than him? What should he do then?
"Okay, okay... Cough, I won't go looking for him." Accidentally stepping on another sensitive topic, Yang Xue slapped his arm hard and said, "Great Sage, I'm sleepy. After I finish this dried fish, let's go back and sleep."
"Okay." Suddenly, his heart felt warm. The person in his arms was soft and fragrant. He hadn't hugged her properly for a while. Moreover, she had just said "let's", which made him inexplicably nervous.
Yang Xue secretly laughed. Noticing his reaction, she thought the Great Sage was really childish. It seemed that changing the topic was quite effective.
She was really a bit sleepy. Actually, it wouldn't be bad to sleep on the tree top.
But if they were seen by others, wouldn't it be embarrassing?
After all, they were now under special attention. There was no guarantee that there wouldn't be someone in the sky monitoring them.
Thinking of this, Yang Xue raised her hand and set up layer upon layer of barriers.
"What are you doing? Are you worried that someone will break into the Flower-Fruit Mountain? Don't worry. I've already set up barriers. That God of Wealth won't be able to enter and leave the Flower-Fruit Mountain easily anymore." Sun Wukong hugged her in his arms. He had never known before that holding a beauty in his arms could feel so wonderful.
So, the once wooden Sun Wukong now liked to get close to Yang Xue very much. He liked to hug and kiss her.
But he didn't dare to kiss her too much, for fear of having inappropriate thoughts.
"To prevent someone from peeping at our love talk," she wrapped her arms around his neck and lazily nestled in his neck, "Those people in the Heavenly Court were spreading gossips about our relationship before."
"Let them talk," as he said, Sun Wukong arrived at the door of her room. He gently put her feet on the ground and said, "It's getting late. Go to sleep."
"Huh?" She opened her eyes drowsily. "Great Sage, aren't you coming in?"
"They should have prepared bath water for you. Go and take a bath. I won't go in," his cheeks flushed slightly. He turned around and walked towards his own room. "Go to bed early."
"Great Sage," she grabbed the front of Sun Wukong's robe and said pitifully, "After I finish taking a bath, can I sleep in your room?"
"..." Sun Wukong was stunned. He felt his neck getting hotter. He swallowed hard and nodded with difficulty. "Um... okay."