Chapter 13: The War Deity Returns

After Si Ming's approval of her pastries, Ruo Yin made a large batch of her red bean pastries for Zhan Luo. She also tried to check his study, but found it locked with a barrier spell.

"See? I told you, Si Ming. Zhan Luo isn't in love with me. He still suspects I'm a spy," Ruo Yin muttered to herself, trying to convince herself of the truth. "I knew he wasn't in love with me."

Just as she turned to leave, she heard the familiar sound of Zhan Luo's arrival. He was dressed in a white robe with blue embroidery, looking even more stunning than the first time she'd met him.

"My dear wife, what were you trying to do?" Zhan Luo's voice broke through her thoughts. "I sealed my study with magic. Only I can open it."

"Think fast, Ruo Yin," she scolded herself. "Um… nothing," she quickly said, trying to mask her intentions. "I just missed your company, so being near your study kept me from feeling lonely," she added, trying to make her eyes water for effect.

Zhan Luo, sensing something was off, knew Ruo Yin wasn't the type of person to sneak around. Still, he played along.

"There's no need to miss me. I'm back, aren't I?" He said, gently patting her head.

Ruo Yin nodded, grateful that he hadn't pressed her further.

"Did anything interesting happen while I was gone?" Zhan Luo asked, shifting the topic.

"Your annoying friend came to visit," Ruo Yin replied, eager to change the subject. "He tried one of my pastries and said they were good. Do you want to try one?"

"Si Ming? I'll kill that guy if he said anything inappropriate. Did he say anything inappropriate?" Zhan Luo's eyes darkened, his concern more about Si Ming's behavior than the pastries themselves.

"No..." Ruo Yin flushed, remembering Si Ming's comment about Zhan Luo loving her.

"My dear wife," Zhan Luo smirked. "You really don't know how to lie."

"I'm not blushing!" Ruo Yin retorted, flustered. "I'm angry! I spent all these days improving my cooking, and all you care about is your annoying friend! I even skipped my sword practice to cook more!"

"What did you do with all the food?" Zhan Luo asked, suddenly worried that she might have given it to the birds. If she had, he suspected she might have killed every living creature on Kunlun Mountain.

"I… ate it all, since you weren't here to share," Ruo Yin admitted with a playful pout. "I must have gained at least 10 pounds from all that eating and lack of exercise! You should take responsibility."

Zhan Luo raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "So, what do you suggest I do about it?"

"Well," she said, "I want to spar with you in the mornings. And you're going to eat all the pastries I made for you."

"Okay, then. So, where are those famous pastries Si Ming got to try before me?" Zhan Luo asked, a hint of jealousy creeping into his voice.

Ruo Yin didn't notice the jealousy in his tone as she casually replied, "I left them in the kitchen. Do you want me to bring them to you?"

"No need," Zhan Luo said, his hand subtly glowing as a plate of pastries appeared out of thin air.

"Seriously?" Ruo Yin frowned. "You use your powers in the dumbest ways. I could have gone and grabbed them myself."

"Then we would have wasted more time. Now I can unseal my study, and we can go eat inside," Zhan Luo replied, unfazed by her annoyance.

"Wasn't your study off-limits for me?" Ruo Yin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not if I'm with you," Zhan Luo said, opening the sliding door to his study and gesturing for her to enter.

Ruo Yin hesitated, then stepped inside, scanning the room. It was exactly as she expected, filled with scrolls and books.

"So, what do you think?" Zhan Luo asked as he seated himself at his study table, inviting her to sit beside him.

"I thought you'd have fewer books," Ruo Yin said, examining the vast collection. "You even have some from the Mortal Realm!"

Ruo Yin smiled triumphantly as she noticed him trying one of her pastries. "See! I made something edible!"

Zhan Luo, however, wasn't sure if Si Ming had lost his mind or simply lacked taste buds, but he could tell Ruo Yin's pastries were even worse than her cooking. Still, he didn't voice his thoughts. He suspected Si Ming might have been playing a joke on him.

"I see," Zhan Luo said with a small, forced smile. "You really do have an interesting way of showing affection, my dear wife."

"I knew you'd like them! I made a huge batch just for you!" Ruo Yin beamed, unaware of Zhan Luo's internal struggle to avoid saying anything too negative.

Zhan Luo briefly considered whether Ruo Yin's true mission was to spy on him or to slowly kill him with her cooking. Given that Si Ming had actually praised the pastries, he figured he'd have to suffer too.

"You know what?" Zhan Luo said, a playful glint in his eye. "Your pastries are... way too good. Sharing food is a nice gesture. Why don't we send some to Si Ming when we visit the Sky Clan in a few days? It would be a good way to thank him for his visit."

"Si Ming said we should visit him next time we go to the Sky Clan," Ruo Yin said, suddenly realizing. "Wait… we're going to the Sky Clan? But you just came back!"

"Yes," Zhan Luo confirmed. "The Sky Emperor is hosting a celebration for the birth of his second son. As the War Deity, I must make an appearance, and now that I have a wife, she should accompany me."

Ruo Yin looked at him curiously. "But the Sky Empress was already pregnant when we wed? She didn't look it!"

Zhan Luo smirked. "She knows how to hide things well, not like someone I know."

"I hide things well!" Ruo Yin shot back, trying to defend herself.

"No, you don't, my dear wife," Zhan Luo teased her.

Ruo Yin blinked, her brow furrowing. "Why do you always call me 'my dear wife'? Our marriage is just a formality, and no one's around. I don't understand why you keep acting like it's real."

Zhan Luo paused, his tone softer. "You are my wife, even if it's only by name," he said quietly. "And you are someone dear to me."

Ruo Yin's heart skipped a beat, though she didn't show it. "What did you say after 'only by name'?" she asked, her confusion apparent.

Zhan Luo quickly recovered, unwilling to admit anything further. "I said that, in time, you'll understand," he replied. "Now, go and prepare your clothes. We leave tomorrow. Or are you planning to wear the same thing for the next few days?"

Ruo Yin quickly stood up, her mind racing with his words as she went to her room to pack. Meanwhile, Zhan Luo remained in his study, his own thoughts tangled in confusion over the feelings he had yet to fully acknowledge.