Chapter 33 - Maybe He Doesn’t Like Women?

While fate's scribe Shun Tao feared for his head, Hong Bao sat on a stone bench in the corner of the courtyard, where she was supposed to observe the gods, and furiously chomped into a cookie.

Leng Jin Yu extended his hand, but the cookie casket was moved out of his reach. Hong Bao swallowed and took another one.

"What is the problem? Am I not pretty enough? Or not intelligent enough? Is it, because I am only a lowly servant? Or does he not like conversing with me? Aren't my remarks witty enough for him? Really, have a look at my face! Is it bad?"

Leng Jin Yu shook his head and leaned forward, his breath tickling her skin. Hong Bao blinked, her cheeks still bulging like a squirrels because of the cookies. She returned Leng Jin Yu's gaze, unsure what he was trying to do.

Oh no. He couldn't have fallen in love with me, could he? This can't be! I'll only ever accept Shun Tao. I have to reject him decisively, so that he won't harbor hopes any longer! But I also can't —

Leng Jin Yu reached over the table between them, interrupting Hong Bao's thoughts. The hopes, that he harbored … were fulfilled, when he finally took the casket out of her hands. As fast as lightning, he scooted further from her and pressed the casket to his chest.

"Didn't you make them for me? Why are you eating them yourself?"

Hong Bao blinked and stared at the casket he had just stolen. "Leng —" She coughed, patted her chest and swallowed the last cookie crumbs. "Leng Jin Yu, how can you be so greedy? I brought some over every day and I made them! At least let me have some!"

"You already had some. Look at this!" He showed her the cookies still in the casket and scrunched up his brows. "What is this? You nearly ate half of them!"

Hong Bao puffed up her cheeks. "Is that all you've been paying attention to?"

"Of course not." Leng Jin Yu set the casket down next to him, where Hong Bao couldn't reach, and finally treated himself to a cookie. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Ah, I feel like I'm in heaven."

"You are." Hong Bao leaned back and crossed her arms.

Leng Jin Yu took a peek and sighed again. "You're probably thinking too much. He's the fate's scribe and he approached you because he needed help. Isn't it already great, that you can work for him?"

"It is! But what about next week? It's only this one assignment. As soon as he finds the one he'll take in he doesn't need me anymore."

"And?" Leng Jin Yu took the next cookie. Really, it was so worth it, to have made that deal with her.

"What and? And then I can't see him anymore!"

"Why not? Just go there and have a chat with him. He wouldn't have asked you for help, if he'd really mind your status."

"That's not the same." Hong Bao crossed her arms on the table and propped her head up.

"How is that not the same?"

"It's for work! If it's not for work, how could I just go and inconvenience him?"

"Why do you care so much? Don't you love him? Just try it. In the worst case, he'll kick you out. If not, you're good to go there again."

Hong Bao pursed her lips and watched, how he took another cookie. She should have eaten one more … "He probably doesn't like me. He listens, when it's about work, but he never asks about me. He doesn't even look at me!"

"He's probably preoccupied with his work."

"No, it's certainly not as simple as that! There must be some problem with me."

Leng Jin Yu took another cookie and examined Hong Bao. Yes, she didn't have much status, but he didn't think the fate's scribe would mind that. Appearance wise … she could be counted as a beauty, though she was a little girlish. Maybe the god liked lady-like women better? But he appeared quite easy going … Leng Jin Yu couldn't really imagine him being with one of those ice-cold, haughty goddesses. Nah, he'd probably be alright with Hong Bao's type. Unless …

"Maybe he doesn't like women?"

Hong Bao coughed and stared at him incredulously. "Say that again!"

"Maybe he's … more into men?"

"That … That's ridiculous! How could it be?!" Hong Bao cradled her head and whimpered. "I was so sure he's my true love!"

"Heh! It's just one possibility I thought of. Who knows, if it's actually true?"

"Then how do I find out? I can't just wait and hope for nothing …"

"Observe him. Finish that mission he gave you, swing by a few times after that and chat with him. And you should definitely have a look at how he treats other women. You'll see eventually."

"What if I still can't tell by then?"

"Then you'll come back here and ask me. I have an eye for such things."

"Oh." Hong Bao nodded. "What if he really …"

Leng Jin Yu shrugged. "Then you'd better give up. If he doesn't like women, you won't stand a chance, regardless of what you do."

"Pass me a cookie." She extended her hand, but Leng Jin Yu didn't comply. Instead, he took another one and bit into it. His face clearly showed his rejection. "You're an asshole, Leng Jin Yu! Can't you see, that I'm heartbroken?"

"Then you'd better not eat these cookies or you'll be not only heartbroken but also fat. But who knows, maybe the fate's scribe is into that?" He frowned. Maybe that was the case …

Hong Bao slapped his arm. "Don't talk about him like that! He's such an elegant man."

Leng Jin Yu shrugged again. It wasn't his problem anyway. But speaking of Hong Bao's crush on the fate's scribe, Leng Jin Yu couldn't help wondering about his own love life. Was there no one in the nine heavens, he could take a fancy to?

Where were all those gods with jade-like skin, starry phoenix eyes and rose-like lips, whose every step seemed to be accompanied with the blooming of lotus flowers and the singing of mythical birds? Sure, there were beauties, but most of them didn't have that kind of charisma. In fact, they weren't that different from the immortals, he had seen down in the mortal realm. His expectations … Maybe they had been to high. Or maybe … he just hadn't found the right person yet.