The River Gods Bridegroom

After a moment of silence, Xie Yu added, “So you do know my name.”

I kept quiet, feeling a bit guilty.

Not only do I know your name, I know the names of your ancestors going back eighteen generations.

This wasn’t an insult; it was the literal truth.

After all, I’m a god. This kind of thing is a piece of cake for me.

As Xie Yu was about to reach the shore, I couldn’t help but say, “What on earth do you want? Mortals and gods walk different paths. There can be no future for us.”

I didn’t know if my words had touched a nerve.

Xie Yu paused and set me down.

“You probably heard earlier. My grandfather is gravely ill and hopes to see me happy before he passes.

“So, pretend to be my fiancée to give him peace of mind in his final days.”

I let out a sigh of relief.

Yet, deep down, I felt a faint, hollow sensation in my chest.

And here I thought it was some big deal. This was a piece of cake.

I actually thought he wanted me because I hadn’t needed to take a bath in thousands of years.

I asked, “Why does it have to be me?”

Xie Yu looked at the scattered lights of the old family estate in the distance. “My grandfather has a portrait. He once pointed to the person in it and told me to find someone who looked like her.”

I asked, “Do I look like the person in the portrait?”

Xie Yu glanced at me, his gaze deep and lingering. “Yes. Very much alike.”