Epilogue:
Several years later……
Even after years of living in Celestial Heaven, Qian Qian still lost her way quite often. Ye Hua, finally after spending countless hours looking for her, decided to have Qian Qian secretly followed at all times. Ye Hua informed all the maids and guards to covertly trail Qian Qian from a respectable distance in case she got lost, which was something that happened quite often.
To Qian Qian’s convenience, there was always a helpful maid or guard who happily escorted her back to Xiwu Palace when she lost her way. She never once considered that Ye Hua had planned everything.
Ye Hua went out of his way to make sure Qian Qian’s life up in Celestial Heaven was filled with nothing but ease, happiness, and joy.
As Ye Hua once promised the Fox King, his love for Qian Qian grew stronger and deeper with every passing day. Ye Hua’s expression changed from stiff, emotionless, and indifferent to one who smiled and softly laughed instead. Ye Hua’s change was so noticeable that his Uncle Lian Song glared and hit Ye Hua often with his fan out of jealousy.
It was apparent to everyone around them, how deeply Bai Qian and Ye Hua loved one another.
Ye Hua and Qian Qian also returned to Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms and made love against the tree where they once met. Ye Hua didn’t need an enchantment spell and Qian Qian was completely sober. Their bodies so entwined to one another, that from a distance they appeared as one beautiful curved peach tree. Similar to the one Ye Hua had drawn for Si Yin years ago. It was only fitting that Qian Qian bit Ye Hua during their lovemaking and of course, Ye Hua bit her back.
Qian Qian still disliked Su Jin, Ye Hua’s once side consort with a passion. Su Jin once made the mistake of coming to see Ye Hua at Xiwu Palace, only to be greeted by a very jealous and possessive Princess Consort instead. Qian Qian openly glared at her until Su Jin dropped her eyes whenever they came into contact with each other. Qian Qian didn’t like Su Jin even looking at Ye Hua or in his direction. Su Jin kept to herself out of fear of High Goddess Bai Qian’s temper, which many were now very familiar with. Qian Qian was especially vigilant when it had anything to do with Ye Hua.
How did Ye Hua feel about his fiercely jealous wife? He absolutely loved it. He took her possessive and jealous ways as a sign of her strong love for him. Ye Hua’s heart felt full from Qian Qian’s protective and passionate nature. He basked fully in the warmth of her love.
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Just a few days short of their ninth year of marriage. Ye Hua went to search for his lost wife Qian Qian, to find her standing by the lotus pond. She held the railing with one hand and stared off into the distance. Ye Hua decided to be sneaky and stealthily cloud jumped behind her.
Qian Qian said without turning her back, “Lotus Prince, you know nine-tailed foxes have the best hearing. I don’t know why you try to sneak up on me all the time? You dragons make a lot of noise when you move.” Qian Qian slowly turned around and filled the space between their bodies with her big, round, pregnant stomach.
Ye Hua smiled and kissed her forehead, as he placed one graceful hand lightly on her stomach and asked, “Have you thought of a name for our little golden lotus?”
Qian Qian put her small hand on top of his and replied, “Yes, I’ve decided on the name A-Li,” as she lightly caressed her stomach.
Ye Hua repeated the name couple times to himself before asking, “What is the meaning behind Li ?”
Qian Qian brought Ye Hua’s hand to her lips, kissed it tenderly and replied, “Li is for the li in separation. Our child is a reminder that you and I must never part. We must never separate for eternity.”
Ye Hua wrapped his arms around his wife’s pregnant belly and kissed her like he did the day Qian Qian first confessed her love for him.
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High God Mo Yuan, who had just recently come out of seclusion, was told Seventeen and Ye Hua had indeed gotten married. Since the disciples weren’t in contact or had any need to go to Celestial Heaven, that was all they knew of Seventeen. The disciples also recalled seeing Seventeen’s cries at the entrance of Shifu’s seclusion cave for over a month, so they didn’t know what to say. They decided not to say anything more. Some knew she was currently carrying Ye Hua’s child, but nobody wanted to be the one to tell Shifu that fact.
When Mo Yuan went to Celestial Heaven, he saw Ye Hua and a very pregnant Seventeen kissing passionately beside the lotus pond. The aura around Seventeen glowed brightly indicating that she’d ascended to High Goddess. Mo Yuan wondered if she had been correct when she once said that he and Ye Hua were a part of her heavenly trial.
What he felt was bittersweet.
The sweet part was seeing Seventeen so happy and that Ye Hua’s love was no longer one-sided. The bitterness came when Mo Yuan wondered what it would have been like if he had stayed with his little Seventeen. If he hadn’t let her go as he did. It was then Mo Yuan realized that the last nine years in seclusion had been in vain. Mo Yuan still felt the very same as the day he walked into seclusion nine years ago. Mo Yuan sighed deeply and turned to walk away when he heard a familiar soft voice from behind call to him,
“Shifu?”
Thank you for those who have traveled this journey with me. 壽 Shou is my second fan fiction with the characters we Peaches love with all our hearts.
Thank you to my special friend and editor I dedicate 壽 Shou to you. To my wonderful friend E.
YeGenMo Unni