His fingers played the strings of the zither, but his thoughts drifted far away, to the girl who occupied his thoughts. The string snapped, and his heart trembled. Was this the legendary “love”? He wanted to be by her side, to pamper her, to protect her, to watch her every moment. Suddenly, he was afraid of his own feelings. How could this be? He was drawn to a girl he’d only met twice, like an addiction to opium. He was Bai Hua Yu Xian; she was the Goddess Ling Ying, of noble status. To stay by her side, he would have to share her with others, something he was very clear about. The Goddess Ling Ying was not an ordinary deity; she had the right to impregnate her consorts, to have countless wives like a man. He was confused, conflicted, unsure if this was love. If it was love, what then? Could he bear to share her? For the first time, he was glad to be a man, despite his beauty that could topple nations. He could love her; he had the right to love her… and in the end, he was sure of his feelings. He loved her, he was certain! Unsure of how deep his love was, he only knew he loved her. The seed in his heart was sprouting rapidly, slowly capturing his entire heart. For her, he ventured into the misty forest, fought with beasts, all to gain the ability to protect her, to safeguard the love in his heart. He was also growing…
Why couldn’t they be together forever? Like ordinary folks, without the need for luxuries, not needing peerless beauty or the most exalted status, just a simple, ordinary couple, how wonderful that would be? Yet, even such a simple wish was unattainable for them. Was it reluctance? Or unwillingness? It was actually impossibility…
Memories came flooding back like a tidal wave, and suddenly, there was a roaring in his head, and darkness enveloped him, accompanied by… Here is the English of the provided Chinese text:
