Chapter Thirty: The Bond of Fate

Jiang Hu walked, step by step, carrying his entire world on his back as he ascended Yu Jun Mountain. The morning light enveloped them both, outlining their figures with a golden edge.

Their silhouettes were so beautiful, they seemed otherworldly.

“Sister, we’re here,” Jiang Hu called softly, reluctant to wake Mo Nian Nian.

If he could, he would carry Mo Nian Nian forever.

Mo Nian Nian opened her eyes drowsily, greeted by a breathtaking view. Instantly awake, she jumped down from Jiang Hu’s back, gazing in delight at the scenery before her. “This is just too beautiful.”

Blanketing snow covered everything, the contours of mountain peaks barely visible. An ancient temple stood atop it all, overlooking all living things.

Sunlight traced hazy outlines, lending the landscape a dreamlike quality.

While she admired the scenery, Jiang Hu admired her.

To him, his sister was the most beautiful thing in the world. With her standing here, everything else lost its color.

“Sister, I heard Yu Jun Temple is very spiritual. Should we try it?” Jiang Hu asked, anticipation shining in his eyes.

Mo Nian Nian knew well that there were no gods in this world, but seeing how much Jiang Hu wanted to go, she didn’t argue.

“Sister, if your hands are cold, hold mine,” Jiang Hu said, offering his hands, red from the cold, to Mo Nian Nian.

Mo Nian Nian was about to ask why he hadn’t put them in his pockets, but then remembered he’d become like this because he was carrying her. Feeling a little guilty, she rubbed her nose.

“It’ll be warmer in your pockets.”

Jiang Hu replied, “Then can I put them in your pockets, sister?”

A strange feeling grew inside Mo Nian Nian, but she couldn’t quite pinpoint what was wrong.

Jiang Hu, sensing no objection from her, stepped over and slipped his hands into the pockets of her down jacket.

Soon after, he claimed her hands were cold and, with that excuse, achieved his original goal.

Mo Nian Nian thought for a long time—so what was the point of her refusing?

Yu Jun Temple was crowded, many people traveling from afar to pray for love.

The mountain’s scenery was beautiful, and the temple’s matchmaking reputation was legendary. The combination made Yu Jun Mountain especially lively; not even the biting cold could dampen the fervor of the crowd.

Mo Nian Nian had no interest in praying to gods or Buddha. People wished for too much; even if gods existed, they would be too weary to care, let alone in this little world where there were none.

“Sister, make a wish. I’ll hang it up for you, at the highest spot—it’ll definitely come true.” Jiang Hu held up two strips of red silk, grinning happily.

Mo Nian Nian looked unwilling; the little rascal was coaxing her again. “Sister, just write something. Maybe it really will come true?” he pleaded.

All her wishes—he would make them come true for her.

He believed not in gods, but in himself.

Unable to resist him, Mo Nian Nian picked up the red silk and casually wrote: May Jiang Hu’s dreams come true, and may all go smoothly for him.

Jiang Hu turned his back to Mo Nian Nian, carefully concealing his own wish.

“Sister, are you done? Give it to me, I’ll hang it up for you.”

“Here, be careful,” Mo Nian Nian handed it over without a hint of reservation.

Jiang Hu saw it, and his heart skipped a beat, then began to pound wildly; for a moment, he thought it might leap out of his chest.

“Sister… Is that your only wish?”

Mo Nian Nian replied carelessly, “Isn’t having you enough for me to worry about?”

Ah, hopefully this malice score can drop quickly and the matter be settled soon.

Perhaps Jiang Hu heard her inner thoughts, for the system prompt suddenly chimed: [Male lead malice score -5, current malice score 0.]

The surprise was so sudden, Mo Nian Nian was stunned. The little rascal, who had been so stingy with his malice score, refusing to let it drop from ten, now had it plummet straight to zero?

What earth-shattering good news!

Mo Nian Nian was so excited, she couldn’t help rubbing Jiang Hu’s head. “It’s really not easy.”

“Sister?” Jiang Hu looked at her messy hair, bewildered.

Mo Nian Nian laughed heartily. “Nothing, I’m just really happy.”

Jiang Hu’s brows arched, his mouth lifted in a smile, and he laughed along with her. If his sister was happy, so was he.

[So the task is officially complete—I can leave now?]

The system nodded, melancholy, quietly shedding a tear of sympathy for Jiang Hu.

Meeting the host—who could say if it was a blessing or a curse? He had just begun to feel a fondness for this world, only for it to be destroyed by the host herself.

Earlier, Jiang Hu’s malice score had dropped by two points during his climb up the mountain with Mo Nian Nian. It was the first time he felt any goodwill toward the world.

The system’s data was in chaos, but, as agreed, it had no right to demand Mo Nian Nian stay.

Jiang Hu, unaware of any of this, took both his and Mo Nian Nian’s red silk strips, tied a knot, and hung them at the highest place he could find, fastening them so tightly they would never come undone.

It was said that after receiving blessings from the temple, one must offer incense for their bond to last. For Mo Nian Nian, Jiang Hu was willing to believe in superstition.

“Sister, wait for me. I’ll be right back,” Jiang Hu ran toward the donation area, every cell in his body ablaze.

He was truly ecstatic, more exhilarated than ever.

Mo Nian Nian stood beneath the tree, idly pondering how to tell Jiang Hu she was leaving.

“You’re really going to untie it?”

“Of course! That scumbag promised we’d be tied together, never separated, and now look—how long did that last? He immediately cheated. I was too merciful not to kill him.”

“Then take a good look.”

“I remember it was right here—why is it gone?”

“They say the Yu Jun Mountain matchmaking tree is very spiritual, that once tied together, you’ll never part. After seeing you two, I don’t believe it anymore.”

“Stop talking, help me find it. The sooner I untie it, the better—so it doesn’t annoy me.”

Mo Nian Nian listened, feeling more and more uneasy, an inkling of suspicion forming in her heart.

She walked up to the two girls. “Excuse me, are you saying this is the matchmaking tree?”

The two girls, flustered at the sight of such a beautiful woman, blushed and eagerly poured out everything they knew to Mo Nian Nian.

“Yes, this is definitely the matchmaking tree. They say that if two people in love write their wishes and tie a matchmaking knot, they’ll never be separated.”

“Miss, don’t mind my bad luck—the matchmaking tree really is spiritual, especially for someone as beautiful as you. You and your boyfriend will surely grow old together!”

Mo Nian Nian’s gaze grew darker, frustration gathering in her chest. “Is there ever an exception? Like family members writing blessings and wishes?”

“Miss, you must be joking. Even if there were, they wouldn’t tie a matchmaking knot. Look—every knot on this tree is for couples.”