Water Master was invited to a banquet at the Yú Yìfēi palace. She was late and wasn't planning on showing up as usual, but when she saw Earth Master going there, whom she had been following secretly all day, it was time for a change of plans. ShuîYuê still needed to confirm a few things, and it seemed this banquet would gladly help her, so here she was, late, albeit there.

The palace was more lively than usual, many friends of Yìfēi were invited and it was crowded, a small group of female officials noticed Water Master entering the main hall discreetly, "You know I heard a rumour," official Lee Chang began, her friends turned to her with their interests piqued, "I heard Water Master returned all of the gifts official Wen Jie sent."

"I did too!" Jiang Shen chimed in lowering her voice, "She doesn't accept gifts from any officials."

"Who's Water Master?" Ann Meizong, an official who had been deployed to the borders, questioned curiously.

Lee Chang smiled, sharing an amused, mischievous look with Jiang Shen, "Well, you have seen the elementals?" Ann Meizong nodded her head, "This banquet is being hosted by Wind Master."

"Official Lee, I am aware of that," Ann Meizong said with an annoyed look; Lee Chang chuckled, taking a wine glass.

"So out of the four elementals, Water Master is the least popular one, or should I rephrase the most hated one," Lee Chang informed, smiling at the other officials.

"Why?" Ann Meizong questioned, confused.

"Ahh, little Meizong is new; she isn't aware of Water Master's popularity among the other officials," Official Jiang Shen teased the younger official.

"You see, Water Master is the only official who has taken on the highest number of solo missions," Lee Chang added, handing a cup of wine to Ann Meizong.

"I haven't received any solo missions yet," Ann Meizong informed with a sad pout.

"You shouldn't have; solo missions are dangerous and assigned personally by the Emperor," Jiang Shen remarked, munching on some fruits.

"So why isn't Water Master popular? Has she messed up those missions?" Ann Meizong inquired taking a sip of the bitter wine.

"Not one solo or group mission has been messed up by Water Master; she's one of the most respected officials while still hated," Lee Chang answered, watching more officials entering through the main hall's door.

"Is she rude?" Ann Meizong asked, eyeing Water Master, who stood in a corner.

"Surprisingly, she's very respectful with her words; it's just she doesn't go by the usual norms of Heavenly Court, attending banquets hosted by other officials, speaking to them outside of work, and doesn't socialise at all," Jiang Shen responded running a hand through her hair.

"I read it's mandatory to attend banquets of Martial Hall," Ann Meizong said looking up at the older officials.

"Yes, it is, but His Majesty only hosts two banquets a year, one before New Year and one on his birthday. Water Master attends them both since they are mandatory, but doesn't attend other banquets, not even of senior officials."

"If her work is excellent, why does she have to be social if she doesn't like it?" Ann Meizong asked.

Lee Chang clicked her tongue, "Little Meizong, you don't understand, Emperor's Heavenly Court is overly glorified, all Lords and ladies want to know the latest gossip, and Central Palace maids and guards do a fine job of mediators."

"Attending banquets of senior officials shows you respect them; it's important for small officials like us to be in their good graces; they have the highest power after royalty," Jiang Shen explained.

"And Water Master messed with the worst one," Lee Chang stated with a grim expression on her face, "Senior official Wu Yu, if he were here, we would have had to run behind him while battling our eyelashes. Old pervert is especially fond of female officials."

"That's disgusting," Ann Meizong spat with a horrified look on her face.

"No matter how much we hate it, he's high on the rank and has a lot of power, even the Emperor ignores his bullying, only the Water Master never followed his lead, she didn't disobey him directly, but all of Heaven knows their mutual dislike," Jiang Shen commented biting into pineapple cake.

"I still can't believe she punched him in front of the whole Court," Lee Chang smiled as she spoke, "I am so glad someone did it, he was incredibly sick to suggest Prince Jīnyú's punished."

"I believed Water Master spread rumours about caring for the Prince; now we know for a fact that she does care for him," Jiang Shen added, looking around.

"So she's hated for this?" Ann Meizong asked with a look of disbelief.

"Yes, Meizong, not maintaining a healthy relationship with your coworkers is rude; our society is all about status and connections, Water Master dismisses all the important aspects of it, and no one likes her," Lee Chang claimed certainly.

"She's the coolest official out there and everyone hates her?" Ann Meizong shook her head in disapproval.

"It doesn't matter how good you are unless you have a good reputation among the other officials. No one will help or like you," Jiang Shen put forth.

"Why doesn't anyone like her? What's the reason?"

Lee Chang opened her mouth, blinking her eyes, unable to find a reason, "There is no absolute reason to dislike her."

"Yes, Water Master's intelligence rivals Miss Ling Wen's, she and Earth Master are quite literally the most intelligent officials after Miss Ling Wen, she manages South territory ports as well, Wind Master only deals with the trade, all the dirty work is done by Water Master, and she's best friends with Wind Master," Jiang Shen disclaimed with a sigh.

"Best friends with Wind Master?" Ann Meizong asked disbelief adorning her features.

"Yes,"

"This same Wind Master who's banquet we are attending?"

"Yes, the same one,"

"How?"

"Well, that's a mystery; no one knows how they are best friends, opposites; Wind Master is the loveliest official; everyone, even Senior official Wu Yu, would agree; she's been so welcoming even with the ghosts," Lee Chang answered, surprised, with the information.

"It's weird how they are best friends, one is loved by the whole Court while the other is hated by it," Jiang Shen agreed.

"Wind Master welcomed the ghosts?" Ann Meizong questioned a shiver running down her spine.

"Yes, they are residing in her palace," Lee Chang nodded her head.

"Ghosts of Hell are here?" Ann Meizong asked once again frozen in her spot.

"Yes, I saw their General a while ago; he's got quite the looks for it despite being a ruthless General," Lee Chang responded, patting her clothes.

"General? Why did I come here? What if those ghosts kill us all? Crown Prince isn't here either!" Meizong began to worry.

"There's a peace treaty, they won't kill us, relax, besides all of them are good looking, their Ghost King is damn handsome, you should have seen him in Martial Hall's banquet, he was looking so handsome and charming, I swear if there was no war between Heaven and Hell I would propose to him," Lee Chang claimed to place a hand over the younger official's shoulder to comfort her.

"A ghost?" Ann Meizong asked filled with disgust.

"Doesn't matter to me, he's good-looking, rich, powerful, what do they don't own that Heaven has? Nothing, they are even more wealthy than the Emperor," Lee Chang shrugged her shoulders indifferently.

"I still like Crown Prince, he's a gentleman," Jiang Shen chimed in with a smile.

"Your favourite Crown Prince has rejected over fifty marriage proposals over the years, so many Lords offered all their riches, their beautiful daughters, sisters, yet he didn't marry anyone, he's allowed to marry and have multiple concubines after being crowned Crown Prince and that was ten years ago, never has a rumour about his love life been heard," Lee Chang told crossing her arms.

"I dream of marrying him," Jiang Shen swooned.

"Your dreams will remain dreams, he's not marrying officials like us," Lee Chang said as a matter of fact.

"Who's he going to marry then?" Jiang Shen asked, annoyance lacing her voice.

"Probably some princess of a small kingdom, if any kingdom has royalty other than Jūn royalty left," Lee Chang replied airily.

"All royalties have been dissolved by the Emperor, they only own titles with no power," Jiang Shen stated with a frown.

"Like the late Empress's maiden clan, the Ming Clan no longer has any power, only titles. They do have their army, but it's under the Emperor's rule," Lee Chang informed before she was swept away by her other friends.

Water Master kept a low profile and followed behind the Earth Master. She had a cup of wine in her hands, Earth Master turned around to see the Water Master right behind her who backed away but lost her balance and fell into the Earth Master, ShuîYuê's head was on Shù Zìrán's shoulder, as Earth Master held Water Master by the arm, who quickly pushed her away.

"Sorry, Earth Master, I ruined your clothes," ShuîYuê apologised as the wine cup she held had poured on Shù Zìrán's robes.

"It's okay," she said, unbothered.

"Please come with me. I'll get this cleaned," ShuîYuê insisted as she dragged Earth Master by the sleeve.

"It's alright, Water Master."

"No, please, I feel really bad to have ruined your robes, Anxi, Take this for cleaning right now," ShuîYuê spoke to Anxi, who took the robe away to be clean.

Earth Master waited with Water Master for two minutes as Anxi brought the clean robes and helped Earth Master put them on. "Thank you," Shù Zìrán thanked, ShuîYuê gave her an apologetic smile.

"Anxi, did the robes turn green?" ShuîYuê whispered.

"Yes," Anxi whispered back

"Okay, thanks,"

"Water Master, what are you planning?" she asked, worried.

"Nothing much just wanted to know something," she said simply.

"Do you know it?" Anxi asked curiously.

"I do," ShuîYuê answered, patting the maid's shoulder.

'So I was right after all, it's Shù Zìrán who is the nature spirit, she's also the one who sent that fourth-rank ghost to my palace to spy,' ShuîYuê thought, 'She could be involved with the ghosts as well, these ghosts are also acting too friendly for being our enemies for so many years, we have never had a direct dispute with the current Ghost King but they have troubled us over the years, whether it was the ghost festival or when any god entered any area near their territory they have never backed down from fighting, Why did they attack the ghost festival day if they wanted a peace treaty?' ShuîYuê's head was going to explode.

She sat by the stairs; no one was around here; it was the back of the palace, which was usually empty most of the time, so there were no worries about someone seeing Water Master, who was rubbing her forehead as it hurt badly.

'Damn that hurts,' she said to herself rubbing her temples, 'I think I have exerted myself a little too much these days, from going over the issues relocating people from South Gates to the defects of the West Gates and then following Shù Zìrán for the past few days, training Jīnyú constantly while keeping appearances at the Martial Hall, it's been so tiring, What was the last time I laid on my precious bed reading stories and eating cream puffs?' ShuîYuê's stomach growled.

"Damn! Now I am hungry too, but I am lazy, so tummy, you'll have to wait a little longer before a nice angelic maid gives me something to eat so I don't look like I haven't eaten in ages," ShuîYuê said to her tummy as she rested her head in her arms.

She could smell cream puffs, "Damn I can even imagine smelling cream puffs," she groaned.

"You aren't imagining," someone spoke.

ShuîYuê raised her head turning her neck to look up. Someone stood in the shadows holding a cream puff in their hand. ShuîYuê was about to take that cream puff when she shook her head, 'I am probably so hungry that I am imagining this too,' she thought.

"Water Master you aren't imagining it," said the same silky voice.

ShuîYuê sat up straight, 'Who the hell is that and why is their voice so hot?' ShuîYuê thought, 'ShuîYuê what the fuck?' Water Master thought scolding her.

"It's me, Huá," the person added.

"Who Huá?" she asked, liking the name as she mentally said it again and again.

"You forgot me rather quickly," Ghost King uttered, revealing his handsome face as he stepped from the shadows.

'What the hell is he doing here?' ShuîYuê asked Water Master, 'He's here for exploring remember? You lighthead,' Water Master responded in her brain.

"And now you aren't even acknowledging me," Ghost King shook his head, sitting on the stairs.

"Don't sit there, it's dirty!" ShuîYuê cautioned, waving her hands around hurriedly.

"It's fine," he replied, relaxing his right leg.

'Why are his legs so long? My legs are only half his legs,' ShuîYuê thought unconsciously, relaxing her leg and comparing.

"I was a good kid and slept early," Ghost King remarked, amused.

"Huh?" ShuîYuê asked, confused.

"I was a good kid and slept early, I also ate all the vegetables," he explained.

"So?" she asked, looking up at him.

"So I am tall, unlike someone," he responded mischievously.

ShuîYuê punched his shoulder playfully before remembering he was Ghost King, so she patted his shoulders instead awkwardly, "There was something on your shoulder," she added, trying to forget what she had done just a second ago.

"It's alright. You can punch my shoulder without being so stiff," he assured, amused at her antics.

"I- I didn't mean to," she mumbled, embarrassed.

"Here," he said, holding out the cream puff, ShuîYuê stared at it and then looked back at Ghost King, "It isn't poisoned," he added, shaking his head.

She snatched it from his hands quickly, "I never said it was," she mumbled, taking a bite.

She closed her eyes, enjoying the taste; Ghost King looked at her. She looked happy and satisfied. He had never seen her this happy. 'Could a mere cream puff be enough to make someone happy?' he thought to himself, surprised.

"Do you have more?" she asked suddenly

Ghost King handed her a small wooden box. She took off the lid to see many dishes inside. ShuîYuê looked up at him brightly before eating the dishes one by one. "This rice cracker is so crispy, and this mochi is so sweet!" she praised as she ate quickly.

"Slow down," he advised, worried.

"Don't worry, I can talk and eat," she assured proudly.

"Another bad habit," he scolded, shaking his head.

"Did you eat?" she questioned

Ghost King had eaten many dishes, but why not pretend to be hungry? "I haven't actually," he answered innocently.

"Here," she said holding up a piece of sweet mochi for him to take but Ghost King didn't take the piece in his hand instead he ate from the chopsticks directly, it would have been no problem for ShuîYuê if the chopsticks were fresh, she had eaten with the same chopsticks and he ate from it as well, 'An indirect kiss?' she thought feeling warm suddenly.

"It's good," he replied nonchalantly.

They finished the dishes only one last cream puff was left. ShuîYuê looked at him, but he was fast; Ghost King snatched the cream puff, raising it above his head.

"Pleaseeeeeee, cream puffs are my favourite," she whined.

"First come, first serve," he stated casually

"It's not fair!" she shouted.

"What's not fair?" He asked calmly.

"Your hands are longer than mine, so of course you can snatch it first," she muttered, pouting.

"Even if they were the same as yours, I would still win," he said, bending down to look into her eyes.

"Let's try once again," she challenged.

"Fine, on the count of three," he placed the cream puff on the centre of the box. "Ready? One two-" and Water Master snatched the cream puff, stuffing half of it in her mouth; cream puffs are bigger.

She showed him a downward thumb; Ghost King looked at her, annoyed, before leaning in suddenly and biting the other half of the cream puff swiftly before leaning back.

ShuîYuê's heart was racing, she felt warm too warm, and her eyes stared, unable to blink, 'Oh god! Did he just lean in and bite the other half of the cream puff like in those romance stories I read !!!' she thought, 'Stop reading those stupid books!' her Water Master brain scolded her.

Ghost King ate the cream puff, but Water Master stayed frozen, "You aren't eating?" he asked noticing she was sitting with a bitten cream puff in her mouth.

She quickly chewed the rest of the cream puff in her mouth, sitting quietly, overthinking her life decisions, her forehead hurt, and she hissed in pain, annoyed, 'Why, just as I feed my tummy, my brain is asking for food,' she massaged her temples.

"Head hurts?" Ghost King asked noticing her furrowed eyebrows.

"A little," she responded as she continued to massage her temples.

Ghost King got up and sat behind Water Master on the stairs. He touched her forehead without telling her she flinched in response, "Relax," he consoled as he massaged her temples.

"No, it's okay," she said, trying to remove his hands.

"Just a few minutes," he insisted, pushing her hands away.

She fiddled with her hands as Ghost King massaged her temples, 'Oh god! He's massaging my temples, and he's touching my forehead, and I should be alert, but why do I feel so nice and relaxed?' ShuîYuê thought, 'He knows pressure points so he could very easily knock me unconscious and then kill me,' her Water Master brain warned her, 'let's just enjoy it while it lasts,' she told herself.

A few minutes later her head stopped hurting, she had closed her eyes too and she opened them feeling relaxed, she looked up to see Ghost King's face upside down, she straightened her neck looking at the stairs in front of her, "You are still wearing it?" he asked, caressing the hair chain.

"Yes," she answered softly.

"Why?" He asked calmly.

"You didn't have to sneak it in the gifts you sent, If you had given it to me, I would have taken it," she replied simply.

"Yeah, like you would," he scoffed.

"True, I wouldn't have accepted it because we aren't on good terms to gift each other things," she declared, turning back to look at him.

"I don't know about you, but I surely think we are on good terms," he remarked wounded.

"Why did you add that tracking spell on it?" she inquired carefully.

"I wanted to gift you something that could help you if you were in danger," he explained simply.

"It makes you even more suspicious if you say that."

"I know, but you wouldn't have accepted it if I had told you I had put a tracking spell on it,"

"Why did you put it?" She asked,

"Water Master there aren't many you can trust in Hell and even less here in Heaven."

"What do you mean?" She furrowed her eyebrows as he folded his leg to his chest, resting his propped-up face on his hand which was resting on his knee.

"That thunder gods junior official was keeping an eye on you."

"What?" She asked, confused

"Yes, he had come to talk to you, right? And then he ran away suddenly, I sent Bāo YànQīng after him, and she reported that his master had asked him to keep an eye on you."

"Why would he do that? Thunder god helped me once when I was stuck in the rain."

"Well, did you think he wanted to help you and nothing more?"

"I- I didn't think he would, but why would he keep an eye on me?"

"It's clear, he is a thunder god. He prayed for the thunder. His usual devotees are farmers who have all stopped praying to him since you killed that ghost in the northeast forest; those villagers instead started praying to you."

"I... I wasn't aware," ShuîYuê was at a loss for words; how could she not see this?

"You weren't. He held grudges against you since then and even interfered with you, Southeastern Mountain case."

"What how?" ShuîYuê was getting horrible surprises.

"There was a ghost scaring the villagers, right? He asked, "He ordered that ghost to scare villagers so he could kill you there secretly," he answered.

"But nothing happened,"

"Of course, nothing would happen; my trusted Bāo YànQīng was following you throughout the journey; I sent her after you because I felt the hair chain was in the Wudu Palace the entire time while you were away."

"Wait, Yu Han did say he felt a female ghost nearby, but everyone brushed him off. How could I not sense it? She asked herself astonished.

"Because she isn't a ghost." He replied

"Huh?"

"None of them are ghosts except for me," ShuîYuê remembered when she had penetrated her Trident into Yông Zìxìn's chest, she did feel a heartbeat but thought that it must be her own; she turned around and placed her hand on Chéng Huá's chest. There was no heartbeat. It was silent she retracted her hand, going quiet.

"So she was there to protect me?" she asked after a few minutes.

"Yes,"

"Why do you want to protect me? Do you need something from me?" She questioned, looking him in the eyes; ShuîYuê wasn't stupid in the slightest; Yìfēi would like to disagree, though. She could see how he was trying to be close to her, finding excuses to be around her; his lingering gazes and accidental touches weren't escaping her eyes. She was no fool to the way this wretched world worked, and if this Ghost King thought that he could fool her by trying to be friends, or impress her, he was wrong.

Sure, she found him attractive, and she wanted to be around him, but ShuîYuê was cautious, she's always been; she wasn't one to fall in love like a fool; how hard he and his friends were trying to gain Yìfēi's trust hadn't escaped her eyes either. Yìfēi was just kind and didn't think much of other people's actions if they were nice to her she was nice to them if they were rude to her she was rude to them, she was simple to understand, and Ghost King was taking advantage of that fact deeply, ShuîYuê was the hard one to crack, as much as he affected her she was equally aware of what he was trying to do.

From trying to help her to the infirmary the day she was punished to kneeling in the cold palace to a hair chain, even if he said he was trying to protect her ShuîYuê knew he must have had some motive, she wasn't exceptionally powerful or useful, nor was she one with a brilliant social network so she could help him, she was just a simple water elemental whom he was trying to befriend for reasons unknown to ShuîYuê.

"You remind me of someone very precious, and yes, I do need something from you." He responded, staring into her dark brown eyes.

"Can I give it to you?" She asked nervously.

"I don't know," he mumbled, averting his gaze.

"Who do I remind you of?" She questioned suddenly, not knowing what to say. He didn't reply, instantly regretting what she asked, 'I should not have asked that. Why would he want to tell me something personal?'

"My Gege," he shared softly, and for once, he was lying like usual; she did remind him of his older brother. Water Master was quiet for a long time. She seemed to be thinking about something when she said.

"I am sorry, I didn't trust you," she lowered her head, guilty; she knew he had his motives for trying to help her, but ShuîYuê still was guilty in her heart somewhere. She shouldn't have been, but she was.

"I didn't expect you to either," he replied simply.

"But I can trust you now?" She asked nervously.

"You can always trust me," Ghost King assured earnestly, "Water Master, you should go back and rest. You don't look too well; I will stay at your palace for a few days later," he added, getting up.

"You are welcome anytime," she spoke, dusting her robes off as Ghost King left.

'The thing I have to do to keep you alive is annoying, Water Master; why do you have so many who hate you? It has increased my work trying to keep you safe until I get what I want,' Ghost King thought to himself as he walked up the stairs, an innocent Water Master who had no idea what he was planning was staring at his retreating figure.

ShuîYuê was back at her palace. She was indeed tired and irritated, but she felt incredibly guilty for judging Ghost King, he had never behaved or done anything wrong to her, and yet she had thought of him so wrongly.

'He helped you so many times directly and indirectly as well, and yet you can't trust him completely; you know he can't be trusted, but why do you keep walking towards him, ShuîYuê? Why don't you keep your distance,' she thought to herself as she wandered around her palace distracted; many maids and guards bowed to her as she passed by the corridors, but she didn't seem to realise what she was doing.

"Master, What are you doing?" someone asked, pulling ShuîYuê out of her thoughts.

"Huh?" She asked, confused.

"You have plucked all the leaves of the poor Osmanthus plant," Jade answered, pointing to the half-naked Osmanthus plant.

Water Master blinked and looked at the floor, which was covered in leaves, which were torn. She looked back at Jade sheepishly, who picked up a broom and began cleaning the floor. "Sorry," ShuîYuê apologised, guilty.

"What's on your mind?" Jade asked instead.

"Not sure," Water Master replied, sounding unsure.

"Want to tell me?" She asked, brimming the floor.

"Hmm, fine, since you helped me last time, I'll give it a shot, so here is the thing there's someone who has never done anything bad to my friend they have always been what's the word... let's say caring but my friend can't seem to trust them completely," ShuîYuê responded as she plucked a few Osmanthus flowers to keep herself distracted.

"So, does this person have a bad reputation?"Jade questioned carefully.

"Yes, a very bad reputation."

"Okay, so the person has a bad reputation and is still nice to your friend?"

"I mean, she doesn't have a direct enmity with him at all, it's more like on the community level," ShuîYuê answered, trying to explain the situation.

"Okay I got it, so let's see, how much does your friend trust this person on a scale of one to ten, ten being the most?" Jade questioned as she watched Water Master hand her Osmanthus flowers, As she continued to pick more.

Water Master was quiet, thinking about it for a few minutes. "A seven?"

"Seven, that's an okay level of trust,"

"Yeah, it's like I trust you, but I won't be surprised if you break it," ShuîYuê said airily.

"Master be honest. You won't be surprised even if Miss Yú broke your trust," Jade concluded.

"True, I would be a little hurt, though," ShuîYuê agreed.

"You don't trust anyone going by the rule that anyone who needs something they are willing to do anything for, can break anyone's trust," Jade quoted wisely.

"Jade, how long have you been psycho analysing me?" ShuîYuê asked amused.

"Not very long," she replied, chuckling.

"Still, you are right on the spot for that; maybe you should try your hand at analysing people rather than being a nice maid," ShuîYuê suggested, impressed.

"I can't do that right now," she mumbled, sounding upset.

"What's the matter?" ShuîYuê inquired curiously.

"I don't have a very good financial situation right now, so I need this job," she confessed, looking down.

Water Master was quiet, 'Should I lend her some money? But that isn't very reliable, and she might not take it, and it would seem I am helping her out of pity when I just want to help her,' she thought.

"Let's do this, I have plenty of books on the analysing nature of humans, and I can lend them to you for reading?" She offered.

Jade's face lit up, ShuîYuê had never seen her so happy, "Can I borrow them?" She asked nervously yet sounding excited.

Water Master nodded her head assuringly. Jade opened her arms to hug Water Master excitedly, who raised her brow in question so the girl settled for a bow instead, "Thank you so much," she thanked earnestly.

"No need, there aren't many smart people as it is, to find someone willing to learn is good enough," ShuîYuê remarked, smiling.

"Right! One more thing, If this person broke your friend's trust, will they be hurt?" Jade asked suddenly.

"Probably," Water Master said without thinking.

'So the person is special enough that she would be hurt if they broke her trust, isn't it a dead giveaway since she asked something so personal to a mere maid like me?' Jade thought to herself.

"In that case, continue to trust them, If they break it, you are expecting that already, and if they don't, it's wonderful," Jade added, summarizing.

'That is a good idea. If he does break my trust, I won't be surprised since I expected that anyway, and if he doesn't break my trust, I won't feel guilty for doubting him,' ShuîYuê thought to herself, relieved.

"Thanks, Jade," she said, smiling at the maid who looked red for some reason, 'Is it too hot in the sun?' ShuîYuê thought looking up at the bright sun.

"You are welcome, Master," she replied, looking away, happy that she could help Water Master in some way, "And thank you so much for lending me books," she added.

Water Master handed her some more Osmanthus flowers, "Make me Osmanthus cakes, and I'll take it as a thank you for lending the books," she proposed softly.

Jade smiled brightly before leaving with a big basket of sweet Osmanthus flowers; ShuîYuê plucked another Osmanthus flower, bringing it up to her nose and smelling it, closing her eyes, "It smells sweet and comforting," she said to herself. As she thought of Ghost King, a gentle smile found its way onto her face without her realisation.

_______________________________
Author's note duty on Wind Master:

" If that didn't give you butterflies, our author has failed to convey the emotions properly because that was so damn cute!! I hope you aren't overwhelmed by the word count. The author is trying to squeeze two chapters into one. Apologies for that,

My personal question is, how do you feel Ghost King comes off? Is he rude? Is he smart? Your guesses, till then bye-bye !"

Word count:5300
Thank you for reading. Have a great day, and take a break while reading this. This should have been mentioned earlier, but ( laughs nervously) don't forget to take proper sunlight 🌞 ☀️ 🌤 🌅 in the morning. Bye-bye