Love from the Male Protagonist's Harem

LFTMPH Chapter 86- Willing to Descend to Earth Part 2

Translated by Snowfall77

Ye Ze didn’t know, although the system did, what a young Xia Ge had gone through to get ahold of Guilongyu.  She didn’t have Ye Ze’s destiny, she wasn’t the protagonist of the book.  Grabbing onto one of the male protagonist’s items had naturally not been an easy thing.

But at the time she’d had no other choice.

Taking a deep breath, Ye Ze decided to change subjects, asking: “Why were you with Senior Sister when Jianfeng people came to talk to her?”

Xia Ge came back to her senses and chuckled: “Ai, it’s my own fault for being too good-looking.”

The system couldn’t endure: [Speak Human Words.]

Ye Ze: “Speak human words.”

Xia Ge: “……I was there to help Senior Sister with some documents.”

Ye Ze stared fixedly at Xia Ge for a long while: “I see.”

Going around Xia Ge and pushing the door open, Ye Ze said: “Xia Wuyin……”

“I’ll believe what you’ve told me, for now.”

“I’ll believe it all.”

Done speaking, Ye Ze walked away.

And did not look back.

Xia Ge watched him leave.  Standing alone for a long time, she eventually took out a cherry candy, slowly peeled the paper off, and then popped into her mouth.

System: [……You Hid A Piece For Yourself?!]

Xia Ge chewed her candy: “Fucking shut up.”

The minutes ticked on by.

The taste of the candy fading away like a sugar cube melts, until there was no trace of sweetness left.

And inevitably, once the sweetness was gone, the taste of bitterness crept back.

“Little puppet, I’m still a little sad.”

System: [What Are You Sad About?]

Xia Ge: “Ai.”

If Ye Ze had really believed her……

He wouldn’t have asked why she’d been with Senior Sister.

“Well, I guess it’s like that……” Xia Ge opened the half-decayed door, felt the heat of the bright sun outside, and narrowed her eyes: “I’ve clearly lied many, many times, but I’ve always thought how nice it would be if someone still believed me no matter what I said.”

[Give The Fantasy Up,] the system told her, [A Fool Like That Doesn’t Exist.]

Xia Ge: “……I was just imagining if there were.”

The system pondered: [I’m Afraid You’ll Fall Victim To Your Own Cleverness, And You Might Suffer A Double Loss.]

Xia Ge: “That’s my business.

System: [What If There’s Regret In The Future?]

“In the future?” Xia Ge laughed, “Who knows what’ll happen in the future.”

Moreover, in the future……

She was a puppeteer.

Such an identity could not be concealed indefinitely.

If no one ever found out and Xia Ge never found a way back home, a lifetime spent in Danfeng wouldn’t be so bad.  However, she’d already decided to search for the Zhen Hun and become a great puppet master.  That meant she had to be prepared to be discovered.

The moment it came to light, it painfully obvious what would happen.

“It’s very good to be alone and unfettered for life,” Xia Ge told herself, “At least for right now, it’s very good.”

No one would be involved.

She was alone.

She would always be alone.

Therefore, no matter what……

She couldn’t regret.  Right?

“Ah, time to go back to class.”

= =

It was raining.

It’d began as a light drizzle that no one had paid attention to.

Then it slowly started falling heavier and heavier.

The liandan pratice class was in full swing, the furnaces sending up faint spirals of smoke.  The master had given the disciples the fairly simple task of refining three Huichun dan, and once they finished, they could leave.

When it came to liandan, Xia Ge worked quickly.  While other disciples were still stressing over proper measurements, Xia Ge had already thrown her materials into her furnace.  Opening her lingqiao, she fastidiously gathered huomai lingqi and rapidly refined the dan.

Then all she had to do was give the dan to the master, and she was done with class.

Although the master held no great affection for Xia Ge, after checking her three dan, he was still able to give credit where credit was due: “Not bad, not bad.”

Only outside the rain continued to incessantly pour down, giant rain drops falling from a dark, foggy sky, pattering on the red tiles and the paper windows.  Great puddles formed, as drops created crown-like splashes.

Since she didn’t have an umbrella, Xia Ge calmly squatted under the pavilion’s eaves.

System: [……Why Are You Crouching Here?]

Xia Ge: “I didn’t bring an umbrella.”

System: [I Fail To See The Connection Between Your Crouching Down And Your Lack Of An Umbrella.]

“When I used to watch TV series, the heroine would squat until eventually someone would hit her over the head with an umbrella,” Xia Ge explained, “I’m just waiting for my umbrella.”

Stymied by such logic, it took the system a minute to respond: [You Need To Wake Up.]

Xia Ge: “I am quite awake, thank you.

System: [ Stand Up.]

Xia Ge: “Will not.”

System: [Still As Addlepated As Ever.]

Xia Ge: “……”

System: [Think About It.  In Your TV Shows The Characters Were Lovelorn, Broken-Hearted, And Sad.  Only Then, When They Were Crouching Down In The Rain, Would Someone Give Them An Umbrella.  Firstly, You Are Not Lovelorn.  Secondly, You Are Not Broken-Hearted.  And Lastly, You Are Not Sad.  You’re Just Squatting Under The Eaves……]

The system’s tone grew heavy with baleful resentment: [You’ve Got To Put On The Full Show, Don’t You Know?]

Xia Ge nodded: “I suppose you’re right.”

As soon as the words fell from her mouth, Xia Ge quickly stepped out from under the eaves.  Taking a couple steps, she then crouched down next to a puddle in the heavy downpour.

A nearby frog: “Croak.”

Xia Ge shifted her feet to make room for it.

System: [……]

The torrential rain quickly soaked Xia Ge’s clothes and hair, {acacia} quietly trying to weave itself into a shield against it.

“{acacia}.”

Pausing its actions, {acacia} wilted back down into a hair ribbon.

After all,  Xia Ge’s whole body was already completely wet.

Clothes now clinging to her flesh, she was cold and uncomfortable.

The system was at its wit’s end: [Have You Been Filling Your Head With Water Too?]

Xia Ge: “……”

System: [You Want To Hear The Sound Of Water?  Just Shake Your Own Head And Listen.  Never Mind, You Don’t Need To Shake It.  I’ll Tell You, It’s Nothing But Splashing Sounds In There.]

The system was about to say more, but Xia Ge interrupted with: “I feel miserable.”

System: [……]

The noise of the rain drowned out the faint sound of Xia Ge talking to herself.  It seemed no one else would be able to hear her.

The system finally asked: [……What Are You Miserable About?]

Xia Ge: “No one has given me an umbrella, that’s what I’m miserable about.”

System: [……I Think You Not Only Have A Brain Full Of Water, You’ve Also Got A Pit Up There.]

Xia Ge opened her mouth to retort, however……

The feeling of cold rain hitting her body suddenly disappeared.

The light, gentle fragrance of sandalwood mingled with the subtle smell of rain and wet vegetation, slowly spreading to Xia Ge’s nostrils.

Xia Ge slowly lifted her head.

Dressed in Danfeng’s red and white, the picturesque young lady’s brow was furrowed.  A snow-white oiled-paper umbrella, painted with a landscape, was in her hand, and only partially covered her own head.  The other part of the umbrella was tilted over Xia Ge, sheltering Xia Ge from the knifing cold rain.

Leaving the young lady’s shoulders to get completely soaked by the pouring rain.

She was like a heavenly fairy who, because of one person, willingly descended to suffer the trials and hardships of the mortal world.

Xia Ge stared up at her, utterly distracted.

Only after a few minutes was Xia Ge able to smile and say: “Senior Sister, you’re truly kind.”

Gu Peijiu looked down the girl squatting on the ground like a bedraggled mushroom.  Drenched to the bone, the girl’s black hair stuck to her pale cheeks, her dark eyes wide and wet.  And perhaps the rain had dripped into her eyes, for they were slightly red.

Despite the smile on the girl’s lips, she looked like she’d been crying.

Or so Gu Peijiu thought.

The rain drumming down on the umbrella, Gu Peijiu stretched out a hand and said: “Get up.”

Gu Peijiu’s white sleeves were spotless, her extended hand was as pale like snow, and her voice carried crystal-clear and soft through the din of the rain.

Lowering her head, Xia Ge tucked her hands in her sleeves: “……I don’t want to move.”

What a pale hand.

System: [……]

Gu Peijiu held out her hand a second longer, then withdrew it.  She didn’t leave though, but instead stood there silently holding the umbrella over Xia Ge.

Grey clouds hung overhead, and the rain was nonstop.  Half of Gu Peijiu’s elegant outfit was already soaked, yet no more raindrops fell on Xia Ge.  The frog next to Xia Ge gave a couple more croaks, before jumping directly into the puddle with a great ‘plop,’ splashing mud onto Xia Ge as if mocking her for not knowing how to appreciate kindness.

Head still bent, Xia Ge asked: “Did you come to see the master?”

Gu Peijiu: “Mmm.”

“Please go on ahead then,” Xia Ge urged, “I’m just going to stay here for a little longer.”

A long moment passed before Gu Peijiu asked: “Why are you squatting here?”

“I’m feeling miserable and so I want to squat here,” Xia Ge said, “Maybe if I get thoroughly soaked, my head will clear and I won’t feel sad anymore.”

Gu Peijiu: “Why are you sad?”

Xia Ge: “Do you really want to know?”

Ge Peijiu: “Yes.”

“I’ll tell you then.”

Xia Ge raised her head again: “First I was sad because no one held out an umbrella for me.”

Gu Peijiu looked steadily at Xia Ge.

Xia Ge: “Now I’m sad because when I was offered an umbrella, you got rained on.”

“You’re so good,” Xia Ge explained, “I’m loath to leave.”

聪明反被聪明误   [cōng ming fǎn bèi cōng ming wù]

Cleverness may overreach itself; A wise man can be ruined by his own wisdom; Clever people may be victims of their own cleverness; Every man has a fool in his sleeve

回春huíchūn

return of spring     bring back to life; rejuvenate; rejuvenation

不识抬举   [bù shí tái jǔ]

not to know how to appreciate favors; be not worth bringing forward; fail to appreciate sb.’s kindness; have no sense to appreciate favors