Chapter 29

Mu He “snap” turned on the light, holding the box to examine it. Lying quietly inside was indeed a ring, but it was designed rather unusually: it was set with a bird with two heads. Her first thought—this is the emblem of the Russian Federation.

However, unlike the golden double-headed eagle on the emblem, the double-headed eagle on the ring shared a black body: the left head was black, the right head white, and both eye sockets were set with small red rubies.

Xi Heng gave her a double-headed eagle ring—what did it mean?

Mu He, completely confused, opened her browser and typed the keywords. The page redirected; Baidu Baike explained: the double-headed golden eagle faces both east and west, representing that Russia is both a European and an Asian country, and it also symbolizes the unity and cohesion of the nation.

So, was Xi Heng trying to express that he is half Chinese, half Russian, she is Chinese, and their friendship would last forever?

The shared body was also understandable—like brothers who grew up wearing the same pair of pants… Her joy popped like a pricked balloon. Mu He covered her face, sighing in frustration: who wanted to be just friends with him?

She clearly wanted to be his girlfriend.

No, wait.

Mu He thought, could she have misunderstood the meaning?

After all, black in Russian culture symbolizes darkness and misfortune, and the ring had mostly black elements. She immediately dismissed this theory; looking at Xi Heng’s usual black-on-black attire, she knew he didn’t care about superstition.

She finally understood the feeling of soaring one second and plunging the next—the ups and downs of love, especially unrequited or one-sided love, were truly tormenting.

Mu He thought the ring size was arbitrary, but it fit her middle finger smoothly, as if custom-made. She turned it over again and again, and had to admit—it was quite beautiful.

Normally, a man giving a woman a ring is already suggestive, but this ring fitting her middle finger perfectly? That implied a proposal.

She felt both annoyed and amused—he gave her a ring, but it symbolized friendship.

Forget it, take it slowly.

Mu He, stirred completely awake by this uniquely creative Christmas gift, put the ring back in the box, grabbed her phone, and unlocked the screen. It was almost 12:30 a.m. A Weibo notification popped up; she logged in and immediately saw the official “Xianxia Romance” account mention her.

TV Series “Xianxia Romance” V: Congratulations Xi Yin @Mu He on wrapping filming! [image]

All was silent. Mu He recalled the journey from audition to wrap, her heart filled with countless emotions. She reposted the official Weibo: “Thank you, Director Xie, for your guidance. Thanks to all the teachers and crew for taking care of me. And finally, Xi Yin, goodbye, it’s been a pleasure meeting you [heart].”

The post summoned many night owls.

“Goddess, congratulations on wrapping! Merry Christmas! Can’t wait to see your Xi Yin [heart hand gesture].”

“Still awake so late… what’s going on?”

“Aww~ want to eat Mu Yangyang’s golden dog food!”

[likes] 10,928

“Don’t even think about it. On such a romantic night, posting on Weibo obviously means no sexual life, right [shrug]?”

Mu He: Ouch, friend.

Many comments teasing her appeared. Then the topic got strange, discussing indescribable matters. Mu He lacked knowledge in this area; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so shocked seeing couples kiss on the street. She read every comment without missing one.

Less than two minutes later, a “thump thump” came from behind the wall. Feeling guilty, Mu He turned off her phone. She recognized his voice: “Sleep.”

She replied, “Oh.”

Strange, how did Xi Heng know she wasn’t asleep? Could he have realized she was pretending all along?

It was indeed very late. Mu He turned off the light and lay back down, obediently closing her eyes.

As her popularity rose, various advertisements, endorsements, and show invitations kept coming. This month’s work intensity was unusually high, almost nonstop. Fortunately, filming had wrapped smoothly, easing a huge weight off her mind. She soon sank into a deep, sweet sleep.

The next day was Christmas. Ye Xi only arranged a single interview for her—an exclusive for the largest investor of “Xianxia Romance,” a video website. The script had been sent a few days prior; Mu He knew how to answer the host’s questions.

Before the interview, the diligent host Xiao Ju came to review the process. When Mu He opened the makeup room door, she saw someone sitting in front of the mirror doing her makeup. Her attention was immediately captured.

In this industry, beauty was never lacking, but the era of varied, dazzling beauties had passed. Now, most looked similar, easily causing aesthetic fatigue.

As a host, Xiao Ju must have reviewed Mu He’s info. From experience, no matter how stunning a photo looked, it relied on retouching, sometimes so heavily that the real person seemed entirely different.

So, when Xiao Ju saw Mu He’s face reflected in the mirror—without filters yet still radiant—she was genuinely stunned.

She was exceptionally beautiful.

Her appearance and temperament were highly distinctive, not fabricated by post-processing.

Mu He glanced at the person at the door, nodding slightly. Xiao Ju recovered, calmed herself, and waved: “Hello, Teacher Mu, I’m Xiao Ju.”

Mu He’s voice was soft and pleasant: “Hello.”

Xiao Ju entered. The makeup artist was drawing Mu He’s eyebrows and gave her a subtle look: all natural, no enhancements.

Fans might be fooled, but makeup artists weren’t—they could tell immediately. It was their tacit understanding, a little amusement.

Xiao Ju, while talking to Mu He, got a chance to admire up close: skin flawless, eyelashes long and thick, especially her apricot-colored eyes, clear and expressive as if they could speak.

This wasn’t just the master providing a meal—it was like the master personally feeding her.

No wonder she broke the “Star Universe Media’s curse” of failing their promoted artists. As a signed female artist, she was a standout, fully supported by the company, with limitless prospects.

After Mu He finished makeup and rested briefly, the exclusive interview began. Xiao Ju skillfully interacted to warm up the atmosphere, then asked questions about “Xianxia Romance,” such as her views on the character and memorable filming experiences. Finally, she mentioned the “Zhong Yang CP” with her nickname Xiao Ju.

“You must know the widely discussed Zhong Yang CP, right?”

Mu He smiled, then said seriously: “I think there’s some misunderstanding about the term Zhong Yang CP.”

The live audience, who had recently enjoyed their “sugar” (romantic content), thought Mu He would publicly break the CP pairing and cried in the livestream, bullet comments streaming: No, no, no misunderstanding! Raising the zy banner, unshakable for life!

Xiao Ju caught her point: “What misunderstanding?”

Mu He tilted her slender, fair neck slightly, puzzled: “Teacher Zhong Li doesn’t even have the surname Zhong.”

Bullet comments: “Gasp! Almost scared me to death!”

“I’m dying laughing. Does she misunderstand the CP name? So, because the double surname is Zhong Li, it should be called Zhong Li Yang CP?”

Xiao Ju also laughed at her serious expression. The livestream’s popularity skyrocketed, even hitting trending topics.

Amidst the joyful comments, Mu He looked seriously at the camera: “Thank you very much to the fans for your love and support. Teacher Zhong Li and I are good friends in private…”

Hahaha, who wants to hear your explanation? We just want to ship the CP and enjoy the sugar!

!

The interview ended around noon. Mu He brought back takeaway from Ruyi Tower. Once the light dishes were set on the table, she called Xi Heng to eat.

They sat in the spacious, bright dining room, a long table between them. While eating and chatting, Mu He did most of the talking. He occasionally replied, his gaze quietly fixed on her, subtly placing her favorite dishes onto her plate.

After the meal, it was time for Russian study. Over the past half-month, with Teacher Xi’s patient guidance and her own effort, Mu He had learned to pronounce the trills: “Der!”

With her strong memory, she memorized the lyrics perfectly and, gathering courage, sang in front of him: “My beloved sits beside me…”

If not for being bold yet shy, she would have noticed Huo Si Heng by her side slightly curling his lips, smiling meaningfully.

Unfortunately, Mu He didn’t see it. After several attempts, she concluded: seduction failed.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling window, the weather was sunny. With no work in the afternoon, staying home would be a waste. But going out in daylight, crowded places weren’t ideal—they’d recognize her easily.

Mu He thought: “Xi Heng, why don’t we go to Banruo Temple?”

Just in time, she could fulfill her vow to the God of Matchmaking.

For her requests, Huo Si Heng rarely refused.

Before leaving, Mu He saw him change into another set of black clothes. She pushed him back into the room and chose a winter outfit trio: white shirt, gray sweater, and dark coat: “Change, change.”

When he

Seeing her staring at him without blinking, Huo Si Heng leisurely admired her for a few seconds. A faint smile appeared on his handsome face, and his low, deep voice was extremely alluring: “Enough to make the world dizzy?”

“Still… okay, I guess.”

Mu He’s ears flushed red, her heart pounding wildly. “Just… moderately handsome.”

His gaze seemed penetrating; Mu He felt her blood heat and boil. She turned and walked a few steps before remembering to say: “Let’s go quickly.”

Huo Si Heng looked at her back, placing a finger to his forehead, letting out a light chuckle.

By the time they arrived at Banruo Temple, it was nearly four in the afternoon. Hidden deep in the mountains, the ancient temple was isolated from the bustling city, serene and independent. In winter, it had a unique mountain charm. The air carried a faint scent of grass and trees, refreshing to the senses.

There were almost no visitors. Birds were silent. The environment was tranquil. Pine and bamboo retained their green, and sunlight filtered through as delicate golden strands. The brightest spot was a tall archway, weathered by time but standing firm, with the four characters “Banruo Shengjing” (Supreme Realm of Prajna) carved on it, evoking deep meaning and a Zen atmosphere.

After enjoying the scenery, Mu He headed straight to the Yue Lao (God of Matchmaking) Hall, kneeling on the mat, hands clasped sincerely, silently praying: “Yue Lao, devotee Mu He, childhood name Mu Yangyang, prayed to you two months ago for a three-year advance of romantic luck… Now, I like a man named Xi Heng, he is a very, very good person.

I hope you can tie my red thread of destiny to him. I would be deeply grateful…”

Meanwhile, the godless Huo Si Heng took a detour to the backyard meditation room to catch up with Huo Si Nan.

Master Jue Ming was tapping the wooden fish, chanting scriptures. The door opened, and a flood of sunlight poured in, illuminating the eight characters carved on the wall: “Pure Breeze Talks of Prajna, Bright Moon Shines on Zen Heart.” Without looking, it was clear: Huo Si Heng had arrived. He lowered his gaze, undisturbed.

Fine dust floated around. Huo Si Heng casually seated himself by the window bench. Dappled sunlight filtered through the lattice, sprinkling his sharp profile with points of light. His long legs stretched out, calm and composed.

After finishing the chant, Huo Si Nan finally opened his eyes. Though he had severed the three thousand strands of worldly troubles and renounced the mundane, upon seeing the crisp white-shirted figure across from him, he couldn’t hide his surprise. He had never seen Huo Si Heng wear anything other than black.

Even more shocking, last time Huo Si Heng visited, Huo Si Nan had said: “Your fate, this face, belongs to a lone star; you are destined to have no wife or children, to grow old alone.”

It was not exaggeration, nor untrue.

But now…

What on earth happened?

His visage had changed?

!

Upon closer inspection, Huo Si Nan noticed that the coldness and ferocity in his brows had dissipated, and the weariness from chronic insomnia was gone. This new appearance was no lone star—it radiated continuous blessings, career success, and marital happiness.

The Buddha said: “The world has no fixed form; form arises from the mind.”

What had changed his heart?

“Fourth brother, what is this…”

Huo Si Heng lifted his eyes, gaze calm and unfazed, smiling absentmindedly: “Master Jue Ming, please remember your status as a monk.”

Huo Si Nan: “…” So now he remembers he’s a monk and doesn’t care about worldly affairs?

Huo Si Heng didn’t linger. Judging the time, he rose and left.

He came and went like the wind, leaving Master Jue Ming in a cloud of doubts, forgetting even his chanting.

Huo Si Heng headed straight to the courtyard where they had last met. Indeed, under the red thread tree, he found Mu He holding a red ribbon, looking up, selecting a proper branch.

He approached: “Didn’t you already pray before?”

Mu He pressed her red lips: “That one doesn’t count.”

This time, her prayer was truly for love.

She handed the red ribbon to him: “You’re taller; the chance of success will be greater.”

In truth, half of the destined connection relied on her, but if he hung it himself, the meaning would be entirely different.

Mu He felt a sweet warmth in her heart at this thought.

The leaves of the red thread tree had all fallen; only a few hundred ribbons fluttered in the wind. Among them, how many had fulfilled their destiny, and how many had ended?

Mu He didn’t know.

She stared at the elegant man under the tree, his black short hair lifted slightly by the wind, eyes shimmering faintly. All her luck had begun from this second encounter with him.

She wanted a happy ending with him.

After Huo Si Heng tied the ribbon, they went to He Ge to have a vegetarian meal. When they came out, the sun had already set behind the mountains; in the blink of an eye, darkness fell. The temple lit with orange lamps, the only warm color in the chilly winter night.

While descending, Mu He was engrossed in talking to him and accidentally misstepped on a stair. Luckily, he reacted quickly to grab her. Her chest heaved, a sharp pain ran through her ankle; she couldn’t help but hiss, breathing in the cold air, turning away to cough lightly before recovering.

Huo Si Heng turned on his phone flashlight, squatted to check her injury, and initially judged she had likely twisted it. His voice scattered in the cold wind, somewhat muffled: “Get on.”

Mu He: Ah, get… on what?

The next second, seeing him bend down, she realized—he wanted to carry her down.

Isn’t this… too much?

Such intimate contact…

Doesn’t he know she has feelings for him?

Well, he really didn’t know.

Huo Si Heng waited a while as she didn’t move, then turned his head, his deep gaze scrutinizing her face, as if reading her thoughts: “Or do you want me to carry you down?”

Carry?

A princess carry?

Mu He’s cheeks flamed: “…No need.”

She shyly climbed onto his back. Her heart swelled with joy, fireworks exploding inside.

Don’t say I’m taking advantage—this was entirely him offering.