The Dragon Princess's Divine Marriage

"Want to see me undress, do you? Fine, I'll untie it myself right now and show you!"

"What did you say?!"

The "Regent Prince" before me pulled at the jade-inlaid golden belt at his waist with a darkened face.

"?"

How many years has it been, and you're still putting on this act? Addicted, are you?

The "Regent Prince" lifted my chin, his voice dripping with mockery. "Little princess consort, cat got your tongue?"

When patience reaches its limit, there's no need to endure further. I grabbed his wrist in one swift motion.

"Wake up. You're the Celestial Emperor. Drop this role-playing game already!"

---

1

Today was my wedding day.

Nine celestial cranes guided the path, sacred sunbirds carried lanterns in their beaks, and eighteen golden-maned heavenly steeds pulled my wedding chariot straight into the clouds.

Dressed in my bridal finery, I sat upright in the carriage, unable to stop thinking about the night before.

My father had spoken to me with great earnestness:

"...Child, once you leave, who knows when you'll return to our home in the South Sea. You must remember this—don't let the Crown Prince grow weary of you..."

Ha. This old man.

I raised a hand to cut off his rambling.

"Father, your daughter is, after all, one of the most renowned beauties across the four seas and eight realms. There's no need to worry about such trifles. Tomorrow I ascend to the heavens. What matters most right now is—did you or did you not pack Gavin into my dowry?"

Father stroked his dragon whiskers and hemmed and hawed for a long while before finally saying:

"My dear daughter, marriage isn't a pleasure trip. You're not going up to the heavens for fun. Once you've settled in well with the Crown Prince, I'll send Gavin along. No need to damage the harmony between husband and wife."

The moment I heard that, I panicked. I grabbed Father's sleeve and wailed:

"Father, please let me take him! You know I can't live without Gavin! Keeping him from me is worse than killing me, boohoo!"

Father was clearly at a loss for words. He stiffened his face and said sternly:

"Celine, calm yourself. Go up to the heavens tomorrow and marry properly. Otherwise, I'll lock Gavin in the sea prison, and you won't see him again!"

My recollection ended. My hands trembled weakly. Father was truly heartless. I'd never even met the Celestial Crown Prince, and yet he was marrying me off like this—and wouldn't even let me bring Gavin!

My days in the heavenly palace were bound to be worse than death.

---

2

On the night of the grand wedding, red candles cast a joyful glow, and the lamplight wove shadows in pairs.

No, no—not yet a pair.

For now, I sat alone on the bridal bed, waiting.

The wedding banquet was held in the Crown Prince's Jade Blossom Palace. In the front hall, guests clinked glasses and exchanged toasts. There was none of the raucous bed-chamber teasing I'd feared, but why hadn't anyone come to see me?!

Ugh. I was the South Sea's only princess! The one and only gold-and-silver dual-colored pearl under heaven and earth!

No, wait—the one and only gold-and-silver dual-colored little dragon beauty under heaven and earth!

Father said that on the day I hatched, the skies above the South Sea blazed with extraordinary colors, the waters churned without cease, and every creature in the sea was bathed in that radiant light. It was an auspicious omen.

The old man had been so excited his dragon whiskers floated and his horns glowed as he recounted the spectacle of my birth.

Hold on! That's not the point!

The wedding chariot had departed from the South Sea at noon, passed through several immortal mountain caves along the way, and only reached the heavenly court at dusk.

So yes, I was starving right now!

Though I was a famed beauty across the four seas and eight realms, I had another, even more renowned title—the Three Realms' Top Gourmand.

Ask me which celestial lord was the most handsome, which celestial maiden the most beautiful? Sorry, I couldn't tell you.

But ask me which immortal brewed the most fragrant nectar, which mountain peak bore the sweetest immortal fruit, which cave housed the finest chef—well, you'd come to the right dragon.

Seriously, if you wanted to talk about that, I'd be wide awake.

My reputation as the Top Gourmand began at a heavenly banquet. Back then, I was young and ignorant. When I arrived at the celestial court, I didn't know how to socialize, so I just buried my head in eating.

No matter how alluring the beauties and handsome men, nothing was as fragrant as the food in my mouth!

Some celestial lord or lady must have seen my gluttonous display and spread the word.

"The South Sea Princess Celine greatly enjoys celestial cuisine. She eats extremely fast and has an enormous appetite."

From then on, everyone knew I loved food and could pack it away.

And why had I wept to my father that I couldn't live without Gavin? Because Gavin was a disciple of the God of Cuisine!

That same banquet was to blame. Ever since I tasted the God of Cuisine's cooking, I'd been utterly obsessed—dreaming of it day and night. That night was the happiest moment of my life!

I'd love to be happy every day, but I couldn't exactly kidnap the God of Cuisine to the South Sea to be my personal chef. So I'd worked my way around until I found his most outstanding disciple, Gavin.

Though honestly, my "hunger" wasn't real hunger. Born with an immortal body, I naturally never felt the pangs of starvation. It was simply an endless craving for exquisite delicacies.

Tsk. Thinking about it made me so annoyed with this Crown Prince!

Tell me—if you want to marry someone, shouldn't you at least ask for the dragon's consent first? Instead, he'd just sent the Celestial Emperor straight to propose.

My father was just a minor old man, ruling over a palm-sized patch of water in the South Sea, working diligently day after day. How could he refuse the Celestial Emperor, his ultimate boss?

I'd lived three thousand years and read countless storybooks. Every tale about parents arranging marriages ended badly. Blind betrothals and forced unions only led to meeting the wrong person and ending up old and faded. If you wanted lifelong happiness, you had to seek love yourself!

But then I reconsidered. Given my status, I probably wasn't worthy of the Crown Prince anyway.

My seven or eight older brothers were all born of my mother the Queen, and they were all over a hundred thousand years old. Meanwhile, I was just a bastard daughter my father had brought back from outside three thousand years ago.

Thinking about it made me a little sad.

Father once told me, "You're no different from your brothers. No matter who gave birth to you, you're all my precious children. Having the chance to call you my daughter in this lifetime is a blessing I've cultivated for hundreds of thousands of years. Little Celine is the South Sea's most treasured jewel."

I wept with emotion, boohoo.

But even though Father loved me so much, he still couldn't withstand the Celestial Emperor's pressure and had to marry me off.

This poor dragon was so miserable, boohoo.

---

3

The more I thought about it, the angrier and more wronged I felt!

I was about to shed a single, perfectly晶莹剔透 dragon tear.

"Creak—"

Just then, someone pushed the door open.

Tsk. It seemed the doors of this heavenly palace bedchamber weren't very well-made either.

Beneath my red veil, I couldn't see clearly, and I didn't dare use my spiritual sense to probe.

Joking aside—this was the heavenly court. I was just a little illegitimate dragon. How could I run wild on someone else's turf?

The person entering must be the Crown Prince. I composed myself, adjusted my expression for a long moment, and plastered on a smile.

But why wasn't he moving from the doorway?

Just move already! (Scratch that—I mean, get in here!)

Was he standing guard at the door?

Finally, I couldn't help it. I lifted a corner of my veil.

"Put it down."

The voice was cold as jade, like water striking stone with a crisp, clear ring. It carried an innate pride and solitude, yet held a strangely compelling power.

I silently lowered the veil. The next moment, he used magic to lift it again.

?

So you told me to put it down just so you could lift it yourself?

Fine, fine. You had to lift the veil yourself. Quite the show of formality.

"Celine? The South Sea's Peach Blossom Princess?"

(Thanks, Dad, for giving me such a ridiculous title. Even I can't understand it.)

I followed the voice and looked up at his face.

A pair of amorous peach-blossom eyes, two sharp, sword-like brows. His handsome features, paired with a cold, aloof gaze, made him the spitting image of the cold-faced gentlemen in storybooks.

Wow. Jackpot. This Crown Prince was definitely the most handsome man across the four seas and eight realms. All the curses I'd been mentally hurling at him were forced to retreat.

Not bad. His appearance matched mine well enough.

But then the Crown Prince stared at me for a brief, dazed moment.

I nodded and was about to rise and bow to him.

"No need. Rest. I only came to take a look."

With that, he turned to leave.

What the hell?!

Leaving me here all alone?

Was I not beautiful enough?

Couldn't spark his interest?

Or was he just not capable?

As if sensing my questioning gaze, he looked back at me.

"I have matters to attend to, which is why I cannot stay. Surely the princess doesn't feel slighted?"

I hurriedly waved my hands in denial. "Not at all, not at all. If you have things to do, please go ahead. Don't worry about me."

He nodded and closed the door behind him.

I sat back on the bed, dazed for a moment, remembering Father's advice to "get along well with the Crown Prince."

Hilarious. There was no chance to get along at all.

Oh well. I didn't have any feelings for him anyway.

From now on, I'd just treat this as a change of scenery for eating.

Maybe I could even get the God of Cuisine's cooking again up here in the heavenly palace.

Hehehe...

---

4

This Crown Prince, who was cold and heartless toward me, was known by the title True Lord Lingzhen. Legend had it his true form was a golden dragon.

Actually, he wasn't much older than me—just over four thousand years old.

But what could you do? He was the heavenly court's most esteemed and unparalleled Crown Prince!

Even at such a young age, he'd developed an arrogant personality that looked down on everyone except himself.

This dragon was truly speechless.

Logically speaking, since I'd attended several banquets at the heavenly court, I should have seen him there, as the Celestial Emperor's only son.

But I'd never met him before. Strange.

So on my wedding night, I spent the entire night alone in an empty room.

The next morning when I woke up, a celestial maiden was already waiting outside to attend to me.

"You may call me Henna, Your Highness."

The little maiden wore a peach-pink robe that was quite lovely.

"Pretty little celestial, why are you called that?"

Henna quickly waved her hands. "Henna is just Henna. My master gave me the name. It definitely doesn't mean I'm a spy or anything!"

"...Got it."

I know you're a spy now.

On the second day of marriage, I was to pay respects to the Celestial Emperor and Empress.

So Henna led me out of the Jade Blossom Palace and toward the Celestial Couple's Palace of Harmony.

A celestial attendant led me inside. The moment I entered the hall, I saw the Celestial Emperor and Empress seated on high thrones.

In the past, when I'd come to the heavenly court for banquets, I'd always found a secluded spot to eat and never interacted closely with the Emperor and Empress.

From a distance, I could tell my in-laws were both exceptionally handsome.

After I performed my bows, they came down to speak with me.

Now I could see them more clearly.

The Celestial Emperor, Lord Warden, resembled his son by about forty or fifty percent. But Lingzhen was much younger, so naturally more handsome.

He stroked his small mustache and said, "Now that Peach Blossom has entered our heavenly palace, we are one family. No need for such formalities."

Hilarious. I've already finished my bows, and now you tell me that.

I hummed a vague reply and secretly studied the Celestial Empress, Lady Seraphina.

Oh, heavens. What an incomparable beauty!

What was Lingzhen compared to his mother?

"Celine, you've just married into the heavenly palace. You must find many things unfamiliar. Today, I'll take you around. Tell me if there's anything you need, and you can speak to your mother-in-law."

The Empress was both beautiful and gentle. She held my hand and chatted for a long time, then led me to the back hall, where she had a table full of delicacies prepared.

"Thank you, Mother. You're so beautiful."

This dragon was very smooth when it came to adapting to new roles. I tugged at the Empress's sleeve and replied with a hint of shyness.

The Empress smiled. "I've heard you're quite knowledgeable about food. I specially asked the God of Cuisine to prepare these new dishes. Try them, Celine."

What? The God of Cuisine?!

Sorry, beautiful Mother-in-law. Your sleeve is no match for the allure of food.

After I'd eaten my fill and left the Palace of Harmony, accompanying the Empress on a stroll, it suddenly hit me.

As a newlywed paying respects to her in-laws, shouldn't my husband be here with me?

The Celestial Emperor and Empress seemed to have coordinated their silence. Neither of them mentioned Lingzhen's whereabouts.

Didn't they know he'd left on the wedding night? Or were they covering for their son?

The Empress seemed to sense my thoughts. "Celine, do you resent Lingzhen for not returning on your wedding night?"

I obediently replied, "I have no resentment, Mother."

She sighed and led me to sit under a peach tree. "You may not know this, but Lingzhen has been training under the Primordial God since childhood. The days he spends in the heavenly palace can be counted on one hand. Sometimes, by the time I learn he's returned and rush to the Jade Blossom Palace to see him, he's already gone. Even for your wedding, he only arrived just before the banquet began."

I was stunned.

The Primordial God—the son of Pangu, the creator of heaven and earth. A god so powerful he could even intercept the Heavenly Dao. So Lingzhen had been training under such a great deity.

No wonder I'd never seen him during my visits to the heavenly court. He was so busy he'd had to squeeze in time for his own wedding. This...

Then I thought about my own lazy days in the dragon palace, pestering Father for food, drink, and entertainment.

We were both handsome dragons. He was handsome and diligent. I was handsome and lazy.

What did that prove?

It proved I knew how to enjoy life!

The Empress patted my hand again. "Lingzhen hasn't been with us since childhood, so he's grown cold and detached. Your father and I feel deeply guilty about it. Fortunately, we'd long heard that the South Sea's Peach Blossom Princess was lively and interesting—a true delight. That's why we chose you as our daughter-in-law. We hope you can soften his temperament a little and make him stay in the heavenly palace a few more days."

Mother, as beautiful as you are, I really don't want to keep your son around!

But seeing the hope in the Empress's eyes, I thought of my own father far away in the South Sea. Ah, I kind of missed that troublesome old man.

If she could see her child more often, the Empress would surely be happier.

In the end, I agreed.

"With a daughter-in-law like you, Lingzhen will surely come home more often."

Some people smiled on the surface and replied, "As you say, Mother."

But on the inside, they were already crying their eyes out.

---

5

Since that one meeting with Lingzhen on our wedding night, I'd lived alone in the Jade Blossom Palace for a full month.

I'd had no chance to fulfill the Empress's wish of keeping Lingzhen around.

Everyone in the heavenly court was gossiping that the Crown Prince deeply despised his wife, and that I must be living in utter misery in the Jade Blossom Palace.

When the rumors reached her, the Empress immediately came to comfort me. She specially held a banquet and warmly sat me beside her to save face.

After that banquet, the gossip died down considerably. But it only made me feel more guilty toward the Empress.

How ridiculous. We were immortals now. Why did we still act like the gossips in storybooks, spreading falsehoods and slandering others without knowing the truth?

Hurting others without benefiting ourselves. This dragon was truly speechless.

They had no idea how un-miserable my life was!

Henna might be a bit simple, but her cooking skills were top-notch (only slightly less than Gavin's). She prepared three meals a day for me, plus snacks and treats in between. I was drowning in a honey pot of delicious food.

When I asked, I learned she was also a disciple of the God of Cuisine, specially sent by the Empress from his kitchen.

She might be a little spy, but Mother-in-law was so kind, boohoo.

"Then you must know Gavin?" I asked, holding a plate of dried fruits as I chatted with Henna by the pond behind the palace.

This spot had originally been an ordinary spring. But after I (with my extensive experience in eating, drinking, and having fun) discovered the excellent water quality, I had it expanded into a jade pool where I bathed every day.

"Your Highness means the senior disciple? I know him, but I was very young when I joined Master's tutelage. Senior Disciple was already close to finishing his studies, so we rarely saw him. Later, I heard he went to the South Sea."

I used magic to warm the water. Steam rose around Henna's face, making her cheeks flush pink.

"So which disciple of the God of Cuisine are you?"

"I'm the youngest—the junior disciple."

At that, I got excited.

"Oh my, junior disciple and senior disciple."

Henna backed away, her eyes wide with alarm. "Your Highness, what kind of look is that? There's nothing between me and Senior Disciple!"

Such a young girl. She blushed and stammered after just one teasing remark. So easy to fluster.

"Alright, alright. I'll stop teasing you. But can you tell me why you keep calling me 'Your Highness'?"

Logically speaking, the Crown Prince's legal wife should be addressed as Crown Princess or by her title, Peach Blossom Immortal.

Henna sat back down, blinking and pursing her lips. "I just think 'Your Highness' sounds nice."

I nodded. It did sound nice.

But I wondered whose spy this little celestial maiden really was, given that she'd been specifically told not to call me Crown Princess.

Hmph. A mere title. This dragon couldn't care less.

After soaking for a while, Henna went to prepare dinner (midnight snack), and I got up to dry off and return to my bedchamber.

But the moment I pushed open the door, I saw someone sitting before the screen.

"Crown Prince? You're back?"

Lingzhen looked up at my words, his expression cold.

"This is my bedchamber. Why shouldn't I be back?"

Ah, wrong choice of words. Time for damage control!

"Of course, of course you should be back. This is the Jade Blossom Palace, your residence. Welcome to your palace, esteemed Crown Prince."

"..."

I could clearly see the coldness in his eyes turn to anger.

What? The classic lines from the storybooks didn't work?

As I looked down, wondering, Lingzhen asked, "Didn't you sense anyone inside when you were outside the hall?"

"I... don't usually use my spiritual sense when I'm in the Jade Blossom Palace."

Ridiculous. Besides you and me, who would secretly hide in the bedchamber? Why would I need to use my spiritual sense to check?

He stood up and slowly walked past me.

By the time I reacted, he was already out the door.

What was this all about?

Remembering my promise to the Empress, I steeled myself and chased after him.

---

6

"Crown Prince, where are you going? Do you have business to attend to tonight as well?"

Tsk. I looked at myself with distaste. Trotting along behind him like this made me look like a little maid.

Lingzhen glanced sideways at the "little maid." "Something on your mind?"

"I... of course not. But the moonlight is like water, the stars fill the sky, and the Jade Blossom Palace is so beautiful tonight. Why don't you set aside your busy affairs and stay for the night?"

As soon as I finished speaking, Lingzhen stared at me for a few seconds with a look that said, "Are you out of your mind?"

I blinked my big eyes and said with tender affection:

"Actually, it's because... because I, your new bride, miss you so much. I want to spend more time with you and build our relationship."

Lingzhen turned and walked away.

Awkward beyond belief.

I hurriedly lunged forward to catch him, but my hand slipped.

"Rip—"

A corner of the Crown Prince's splendid robe.

Torn.

This palace now had two awkward people in it.

I saw Lingzhen's back stiffen, his hands clench into fists beneath his sleeves.

I guessed he was mentally picturing opening a hole in my forehead.

Letting go of the exquisite piece of fabric in my hand, I weakly suggested, "The... the heavenly palace's tailoring bureau could use an upgrade."

"..."

He took a deep breath. "Since my 'bride' is so eager for me to stay, then I shall..."

I looked at him expectantly.

"...do the exact opposite."

Great. I didn't keep him here, and I made an enemy instead.

Half a month passed since Lingzhen stormed off.

I'd failed the Empress's trust, so I didn't dare visit her to pay respects or chat.

The heavenly palace had strict restrictions. Even as the Crown Princess, I couldn't wander freely into other palaces.

Sigh. Such a boring life in the heavenly palace.

I missed the waters of the South Sea. I missed the free-spirited forms of life in the deep ocean.

The plants swaying with the currents, the fish and shrimp playing among the coral, the large and small tide pools in the shallows, the sunlight casting shimmering reflections on the waves, and the faint, salty scent carried by the sea breeze.

And I missed my wonderfully unreliable father!

The ocean—my homeland!

"The South Sea sounds so wonderful..."

After listening to my vivid description of its beauty, Henna's face showed longing.

"That's my happy home. I want to go back."

"...But Your Highness, you're the Crown Princess of the heavenly palace now."

Yes. I was the Crown Princess of the heavenly palace now.

"Henna, what do you think about me sneaking back to the South Sea?"

Henna started waving her hands frantically again. "You mustn't, you mustn't! With the Crown Prince away, you're the master of the Jade Blossom Palace. You represent its image!"

That damned Lingzhen. How utterly damned!

"Lingzhen runs around outside all day, leaving me alone at home—lonely, miserable, a widow with a child!"

"What? You're... you're pregnant? But the Crown Prince didn't stay last time..."

Henna's jaw dropped, her eyes widening to twice their normal size.

"You—you—you went out and had an affair with an immortal!"

"..."

Never mind. She wouldn't understand. I'd read too many storybooks.

Unexpectedly, the next morning, a small token appeared at my doorstep.

Was this... a heavenly palace pass?

Ahhhhh! With this token, I could come and go freely through the heavenly palace! I could visit the God of Cuisine to discuss culinary arts, or go admire the Moon Palace with Chang'e!

Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.

But where did it come from?

Henna knew nothing when I asked, so I stopped worrying.

After all, a wonderful life in the heavenly palace was beckoning me!

---

7

When life is good, enjoy it to the fullest. Don't let the wine cup face the moon empty.

I found that line in a poetry collection from the Jade Blossom Palace's study.

Perfect. It perfectly described my blissful life these past days.

Every morning, I'd wake up, enjoy Henna's cooking in the Jade Blossom Palace, then read a couple of storybooks with some pastries and snacks by my side.

At noon, I'd take the pass Lingzhen had given me and go mooch a meal off the God of Cuisine.

I had to say, the God of Cuisine was a great guy.

On our first meeting, Henna introduced me to her master, but we quickly grew familiar.

The God of Cuisine's real name was Theron. He'd apparently ascended to the position about seven or eight thousand years ago. Before that, he'd been a chef in the mortal world, and somehow ended up in heaven.

His title sounded like it belonged to a round, pudgy uncle, but that wasn't the case at all.

Theron, judging by appearances alone, could be described as elegant and distinguished. He had a kind face and spoke very gently.

The only time he fell silent was when cooking, treating his ingredients with the utmost seriousness.

Thanks to my status as Crown Princess and South Sea Princess, as well as my connections to Gavin and Henna, Theron was very friendly toward me.

Plus, this dragon was genuinely knowledgeable about food. My palate, which had tasted delicacies from across the world, could discern his precise handling of ingredients. After a few discussions, the way he looked at me clearly held more depth.

Over time, we became quite close (which made mooching meals much easier, hehe).

But strangely enough, I always felt a vague sense of familiarity with Theron. That was one reason we'd bonded so quickly.

Maybe it was because we both shared a pure love for food.

Curious about how Theron had ascended, I couldn't help asking one day at lunch.

"Brother Theron, where were you in the mortal world? This mandarin duck roll is really good, *burp*."

Theron poured me a cup of tea. "In Qiantang. A prosperous, bustling place."

"I heard you were a famous chef in the mortal world, renowned far and wide at a young age. Amazing. This hundred-flavor soup is so fragrant, *burp*."

Theron picked up a piece of fish and placed it in my bowl. "I wasn't all that young. I just loved studying cuisine since childhood and put more effort into it than others."

"Come on, you ascended to immortality with your skills. That's incredible. Don't be modest. This stone-head fish is so fresh, *burp*."

Theron stopped what he was doing and looked at me seriously. "You're mistaken, Princess. I didn't ascend because of my culinary skills."

I was stunned for a moment. The God of Cuisine—wasn't he supposed to be in charge of all food and drink in the world? If not for his skills, then why?

"It's a long story. About ten thousand years ago, during the war of the three realms, tens of thousands of heavenly soldiers were deployed. The battle was chaotic. Later, the Primordial God brought the four great beasts of calamity into the fray and stabilized the situation. But the Taotie clan suffered heavy losses in the chaos, leaving only a single young beast and a few lingering spirits."

As I listened, I set down my chopsticks. I'd heard of this great war, but never the details.

"As luck would have it," Theron took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, "I was that young Taotie beast. The only one left under heaven and earth now. In the chaos, I got lost, lost my memory, and ended up in the mortal world. I took human form and grew slowly. Eight thousand years ago, the Primordial God found me and brought me back to the heavenly court. You should know that Taotie have always loved fine food. So the Primordial God made me the God of Cuisine."

What?! Theron's true form was a Taotie?

Seeing my disbelief, Theron smiled. "You don't believe me? I can show you my true form."

Yes, yes, yes! I'd never seen a legendary ancient beast of calamity before!

A few moments later.

"Brother Theron, maybe I should go now. Let's catch up another time. See you around!"

Someone grabbed me by the back of the neck.

Among the four great beasts of calamity, the Taotie wasn't the most fearsome in reputation, but it was certainly the ugliest.

Really. No lie.

Who would've thought that someone as handsome as Theron could have such an... such an ugly true form?

Glaring eyes, a wide black nose, a ring of scarlet fleshy growths around its mouth belching hot steam. Its body, as tall as the palace, was covered in大大小小的 fleshy spikes, and its tail was like a hammer the size of my entire body.

Seeing my reaction, Theron set me down on the ground and shifted back to human form in an instant.

"Did I scare you, Princess? That's just how the Taotie clan looks."

His voice was soft now, his gaze gentle, which calmed me down a bit.

I patted my chest. "But your true form and human form... they're a bit different..."

Theron paused, then burst into laughter. "It seems you know little about the Taotie clan. Taotie consider ferocity and might as beauty. The uglier the true form, the more handsome the human form. It's different from other immortal beasts' transformations."

I see.

But from that day on, Theron never brought up the Taotie again.

I felt a bit guilty for accidentally hurting a handsome man's heart.

---

8

Sweet (not really) and another month passed. I'd gotten quite familiar with all corners of the heavenly palace.

The comfortable life up here was making me forget about the South Sea.

Well, I still had to think about my old man sometimes.

One day, I was returning from the God of Cuisine's place after some drinks. Passing by the Palace of Harmony, I saw someone walking out with a wooden expression from afar.

Strange. Didn't that look like my never-at-home husband?

When I got back to the Jade Blossom Palace and opened the doors, I found Henna standing at the entrance like a wooden post.

"Henna, what's wrong?"

Puzzled, I walked up to her.

Henna snapped out of her daze. When she looked up and saw me, her expression turned even more strange.

"Your Highness, why are you only back now..."

She stammered.

Oh, Henna, what are you being so shy about?

"Senior Disciple is here..."

Aha. No wonder. The little girl was blushing because she'd seen her crush.

Wonderful! Now I could enjoy the cooking of three great chefs—the God of Cuisine, Gavin, and Henna!

"Gavin is here? Where?"

"Senior Disciple is in the bedchamber, but..."

Overjoyed, I rushed into the bedchamber in three quick strides.

"But... the Crown Prince is also there."

I was wrong. I apologize for my rashness.

"Crown Prince," I said, recovering my composure quickly (as befits an immortal), and bowed to him. "I didn't know you'd be returning today. I failed to welcome you. Please forgive me, Peach Blossom."

Damn. So the person I saw really was Lingzhen!

At that moment, Lingzhen was lounging on the couch, holding a volume of immortal scriptures.

He glanced at me, his eyes carrying three parts mockery, three parts indifference, and four parts nonchalance (a common description in the storybooks I'd been reading lately). His thin lips parted slightly as he leisurely uttered a few words: "No matter. I only returned because I had business."

I forced a smile, my eyes darting around. I didn't spot Gavin.

"Is Your Highness looking for something?"

Damn. Busted.

"No, no. I was just checking if the bedchamber was properly arranged. I want the Crown Prince to have a good night's sleep."

Sleep yourself to death, you stinky dragon (since I'm a fragrant dragon, he's the stinky one).

I heard a faint, derisive laugh.

"Your Highness is most thoughtful."

This dragon is certainly thoughtful.

"Oh, by the way," he said, returning his gaze to the book. "Today, as I was passing the South Sea, someone stopped me and asked me to bring him to the heavenly court to find you."

I almost cried. Gavin had dared to stop the Crown Prince of the heavenly court just to come cook for me. Such self-sacrifice was rare in all the realms!

"That person's name was..."

"Gavin. His name is Gavin."

The creator of delicious food must not lose his name!

Lingzhen gave a slight nod. "I've placed him in the side hall. Does Your Highness find that acceptable?"

I was so overcome with joy at the prospect of good food that I almost forgot to explain Gavin's identity. If Lingzhen misunderstood, that would be bad.

But judging by his expression, he seemed completely uninterested in my relationships with other men. While I didn't consider him my true husband, wasn't being ignored like this a bit wrong?

My mouth got ahead of me, and I blurted out, "Aren't you curious about my relationship with him?"

Lingzhen paused in turning a page.

"What's there to be curious about? Everyone in the three realms knows Your Highness loves good food. It's only natural for you to keep a skilled chef."

Not bad. He'd guessed correctly before I even explained.

I gave a modest smile. But before I could feel pleased, he added, "I'll be staying in the heavenly palace for a few more days this time. Your Highness doesn't mind, does she?"

My smile froze in place.

---

9

The true master of the Jade Blossom Palace had returned.

I, the fake one, had to step back.

Remembering the awkward incident with Lingzhen's torn robe, I couldn't help feeling anxious about the next few days.

Oh well. I'd cross that bridge when I came to it. Let's eat first.

I hadn't had Gavin's cooking in so long. Just thinking about it made my mouth water.

So the moment I sat down at the table, I started devouring food.

Mmm, so good!!

But Lingzhen was sitting across from me with that wooden face, occasionally glancing my way. It made me hesitate even while eating.

He wasn't eating. Why was he just sitting there watching me?

My eating speed dropped drastically. After hesitantly finishing three bowls of rice, I still felt unsatisfied.

Gavin and Henna, who knew me well, immediately moved in unison—one holding a bowl, the other a ladle, ready to serve me a fourth.

"Does Your Highness always eat this much?"

Lingzhen's single question made all three of us freeze.

"I'm full. I'm done eating."

That damned stinky dragon!

The afternoon sun was warm and gentle. I quickly set up a swing frame with Henna, something we'd been preparing for days.

"So comfortable."

Swinging in the sunlight made my whole dragon mood improve. I couldn't help humming a dragon folk song.

After a while, Henna stopped pushing me and whispered, "Your Highness, stop! The Crown Prince is angry!"

I turned around and saw Lingzhen standing in the study next to the swing, his hands behind his back, facing me.

Even from a distance, I could see his dark expression, as if he was suppressing a storm.

Ah, crap. I forgot he was reading.

"Your Highness is in fine spirits. Do you always enjoy howling like this?"

???

Howling? I was singing!!!

Whatever. A dragon in the heavenly court has to bow her head.

I apologized to Lingzhen and dejectedly put the swing away.

Ever since Lingzhen came back, I had to eat slowly, be quiet during leisure time, go to bed earlier, and forget about leaving the palace. I didn't dare go out at all.

I'd been living like this for several days—boring and压抑.

This dragon was wilting. Truly wilting.

"Boo hoo, I just want to eat freely..."

Seeing my haggard face, Henna reminded me, "We still have the jade pool."

Right. Since it was already evening, I might as well go relax and get ready for bed.

I grabbed my little robe, a fruit platter, and a massage mallet, humming as I made my way to the main hall.

"Who's there?!"

I'd just taken off my