Fantasy Farm

“What promise?” 

Tai Feng replied, “I asked her to promise me that if she wanted to believe in any gods, she should believe in the God of luck, Tai Feng.”

Lu Qingjiu was frozen.

Tai Feng was chewing on a piece of cod fish as he slowly said, “You also know people don’t believe in these things nowadays.” What spirits and gods? They weren’t trustworthy. One could only trust themselves. This way of thinking wasn’t wrong because for ordinary humans, gods were a myth. Rather than putting all their faith in these mythical creatures, it was better to just work harder. But as gods who needed the power of faith, this was simply fatal to them, especially Tai Feng, who didn’t have many believers in the first place.

Gods who no one remembered weren’t needed. The day Tai Feng’s name was forgotten would be the day he disappeared. 

“She was a very good lady. She kept her promise.” When he said this, the corners of his eyes curved, evidently happy. “After becoming Tai Feng’s believer, she lit candles as tribute for me.”

He propped up his chin, with a face of happiness. “I hadn’t tasted a joss stick inso long… but it’s a pity…”

A pity that good things don’t last long and the lady succumbed to her illness.

“I had always been by her side. I thought I could accompany her until the end but it seems I don’t have that fortune.” He clapped his hands and made an empty-handed gesture. “All my fortune is spent.”

It was purely luck that allowed the lady to remain alive until now. Perhaps, with him around, she only had a one in million chance of dying due to misfortune, but this didn’t mean she wouldn’t die. In fact, what had happened was the best proof that luck couldn’t prevent everything bad.

He was only a God of Luck, not the King of Hell who controlled people’s lives.

That lady was gone, bringing with her tufts of his tail fur his friends had helped obtain, and he was once again all alone in this world.

They were just passerbys in the game of life. 

Lu Qingjiu’s heart felt sad when he heard this but a thousand words couldn’t convey his thoughts so he only gave two, “My condolences.”

“Mhm, apart from condolences, what else can we do?”

“She must have loved you a lot.”

Tai Feng laughed, “I also loved her a lot. Hey, Bai Yuehu, do you believe in reincarnation?” 

Bai Yuehu looked up, “So what if I do? So what if I don’t?”

Tai Feng laughed foolishly, “If reincarnation is real, do you think I can find old friends? Let them remember their past lives?”

Bai Yuehu: “Even if its real, they would have forgotten everything after drinking Granny Meng’s soup. You will still be you, but she will be another person.”

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Although he wasn’t interested in the story, the buffet appealed greatly to Bai Yuehu’s interest. Under the waiter’s stunned gaze, he was already ordering his third round of food. 

Tai Feng laughed and said that if it wasn’t today that he left the hospital, he wouldn’t have brought Bai Yuehu to a buffet. Because this matter was rather cruel, he felt like doing so was a little immoral.

Bai Yuehu glared at Tai Feng, “Even food can’t shut your mouth.”

Tai Feng completely disregarded Bai Yuehu, chatting with Lu Qingjiu who’d already had his fill with a smile, “Hm? Do you know how I got to know Bai Yuehu?”

“Don’t know. What, you guys don’t know each other before?” He thought that Bai Yuehu and Tai Feng had already gotten to know each other in another world. 

“Of course. He’s a member of an aloof and noble race while I’m only a small deity. How could I have the chance to meet him?”

“Then, how did you get to know him?”

Although Bai Yuehu was giving Tai Feng an ugly expression, Tai Feng seemed to be fearless. He knew that with Lu Qingjiu around, Bai Yuehu wouldn’t do anything to him so he dared to raise his brows and sell Bai Yuehu out.

“When he first came to Shuifu, he didn’t have human currency and couldn’t buy any food. One day, I’d just bought a cake and was eating it when I felt a strong and cold energy… damn, I swear that was the time I thought I was closest to death’s door.” 

With a crunch, Bai Yuehu bit through the small steel spoon he had been using.

Tai Feng didn’t react and continued to share Bai Yuehu’s dark history, “Afterwards, I naturally recognised Bai Yuehu’s identity. Foxes are all cruel animals. When he stood in front of me and glared, I thought he was going to eat me but who knew…”

In the end, as Bai Yuehu’s good friend, he didn’t forget to help Bai Yuehu cover up.

Nonetheless, Lu Qingjiu could already imagine the situation at that time and couldn’t help but laugh. “Who knew he was actually eyeing the cake in your hand?” 

“Exactly!” Tai Feng slapped his thigh.

Lu Qingjiu laughed out loud.

Tai Feng spoke enthusiastically with his hands dancing about. He knew so much about Bai Yuehu’s dark past yet he hadn’t been able to share it with anyone. Now that he finally had someone to share with, he was like a sprout that finally got fresh air. “He walked towards me and asked, is it delicious? I took at least a minute before realising he was talking about the cake so I stuttered when I told him it was. Then I asked him if he wanted to eat some, only to see him nodding.”

He laughed until tears nearly fell, “In the end, I dragged him to a nearby cake store and watched him gobble up all the cakes in the store before reluctantly leaving.” 

Lu Qingjiu glanced at Bai Yuehu’s gloomy expression and couldn’t help but want to kiss the cute fox.

“That’s how we became friends. I have good luck so I don’t lack money. I can treat him to a meal occasionally but since the child fell sick, I haven’t taken him out to eat so today is to compensate…”

Bai Yuehu glared at Tai Feng’s excited expression and asked through gritted teeth, “Are you tired of living?”

Tai Feng scratched his head and pretended not to have heard the threat. 

Lu Qingjiu: “Alright, it’s just a joke, Yuehu. I’ll make you a cake when we get back. Let’s make a huge one.”

Bai Yuehu snorted.

Tai Feng watched them and sighed sincerely, “After so many years, you’ve finally met someone who dares to coax you.”

Bai Yuehu ignored him and hooked up his chin. If there weren’t for those numerous empty plates in front of him, this haughty expression would have carried more persuasive power. 

After a meal that left the restaurant’s manager and waiters in cold sweat, the three people parted ways.

Bai Yuehu and Lu Qingjiu returned to Shuifu while Tai Feng got on a taxi headed towards a separate destination.

Lu Qingjiu was walking behind him and heard where Tai Feng wanted to go. That place seemed to be a public cemetery where most of the city’s dead were buried.

Tai Feng was probably going to visit the lady. Looks like he wasn’t as heartless as he made himself out to be. 

Frankly speaking, Lu Qingjiu didn’t know if this was a good or bad thing. It is said that the universe is unconscious; it regards everyone as insignificant. On the other hand, if gods were to have feelings for all life that would end, how would they be able to save them all from suffering? The matter was very contradictory.

Lu Qingjiu couldn’t understand so he no longer thought about it. It wasn’t as if an answer existed for every problem. Turning around, he saw that Bai Yuehu, his family’s fox, was falling asleep in the passenger seat after his hearty meal. His long lashes trembled, casting a shadow against his cheeks. Instead of a cold and aloof Dragon King, he was more like a dainty flower graced with the morning dew. It made people unable to resist reaching out to gently touch his soft lashes, smooth skin, and straight lips.

The pick-up truck was a self-driving vehicle so Lu Qingjiu didn’t notice he’d become lost in thoughts. By the time he came back to his senses, he realised he’d been smiling at Bai Yuehu’s side profile for such a long time, until even he felt that it was weird.

Lu Qingjiu coughed dryly in an attempt to shake off the strange feelings brewing. 

Instead, Bai Yuehu was awoken by his coughs. His dark eyes turned to Lu Qingjiu and asked, “What’s wrong? Feeling uncomfortable?”

“Oh… nothing.”

“Why did you start coughing?”

Lu Qingjiu felt uncomfortable under Bai Yuehu’s stare. Normally, they would look at each other like this but he didn’t know why this time, his gaze seemed particularly scorching. 

“My… throat just felt a little uncomfortable.”

Bai Yuehu: “Really?”

Lu Qingjiu: “Yes.”

Bai Yuehu didn’t speak but suddenly touched his forehead, “Your face is also red.” He remembered that Lu Qingjiu once fell sick during winter and his whole person had turned as red as a roasted prawn. Humans were weak unlike the crude dragon race. A single illness can reap their life. Bai Yuehu remembered that before he came to this world, his mentor had repeated this many times: once he realises a human is sick, he must make sure they get treatment as soon as possible. 

“I’m just a little warm.” Lu Qingjiu felt that they couldn’t continue this. Once Bai Yuehu touched him, he felt like exploding but managed to calm himself.

“Let’s not talk about this. What type of cake do you want to eat tonight? How about orange flavoured? But we don’t have much honey left, I’ll need Yin Xun to go get some more from the yard. Ah, we can use honey from those bees the Jiaochong brought over, so we can leave the Qinyuan honey for Zhu Miaomiao…” He rambled about trifling matters, not noticing Bai Yuehu’s expression turning gentle.

“Why aren’t you replying?” Lu Qingjiu asked.

Bai Yuehu: “Nothing, you continue.” His voice was gentle. “I like hearing you talk.” 

“Really? You don’t think I’m being long-winded?” Lu Qingjiu laughed.

“I don’t,” Bai Yuehu said. Afraid that Lu Qingjiu would misunderstand, he added, “I like listening to anything you say.”

“Ah… fine.” Lu Qingjiu continued, “So what cake do you want?”

“Orange, ba.” 

Lu Qingjiu nodded but Bai Yuehu continued, “It smells like you.”

“Me?”

Bai Yuehu: “A little sweet, but also not too sweet.”

Lu Qingjiu tilted his head. “But my name is Jiu.” 

Bai Yuehu: “Just because your name has the word ‘Jiu’ in it, you must be alcoholic?”

Lu Qingjiu heard this and laughed, “Your name is Hu, aren’t you a fox?”

“…”

Lu Qingjiu: “Am I right?” 

Bai Yuehu held back for half a day before gritting his teeth. “Right.”

Lu Qingjiu couldn’t help laughing out loud. Earlier, he had been rendered speechless by Bai Yuehu, so now it was his turn to do the same. Even better, he had used Bai Yuehu’s weak excuse against him.