Oh My, How Extra!

One Winter's Tale C3: The Little Match(making) God ... and Grandfather Dragon

Xiang Yu looked at the worn-out book in confusion. "Are you sure this will work?" He raised his head and felt slightly reassured when Jinde nodded earnestly.

"Of course, it will! Just choose one story and reenact it with him. I'm sure Xin Lan will fall head over heels for you!"

"Any story?"

"Yes. Well, not the one that's marked."

"Why?"

"I ... I already tried it with my husband."

Xiang Yu blinked his eyes but didn't say anything. It couldn't have gone too well if Jinde told him not to use that one. He shouldn't pour salt into his wounds and ask any further. "Alright, I know. Then I'll go and read."

"Sure, sure! Do your best! Work hard!" He waved while Xiang Yu opened a portal and stepped through, disappearing from Jinde's home.

Leng Jin Yu sighed. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Why not? I think those two can use a bit of help."

"They certainly can but ... Are you sure Xiang Yu will be able to do this?"

"Aiya!" Jinde shook his head. "What are you even saying? That child isn't stupid!"

"No, not stupid but ... a little strange. Who knows what he'll come up with?"

Jinde blinked his eyes and then looked at the place where the portal had been a moment ago. There was a hint of concern in his eyes but then he waved as if it wasn't a big thing. "Anyway, that's also what's lovable about him. Xin Lan will be enthralled!"

"Let's hope you're right ..."

Meanwhile, Xiang Yu sat down in a corner of the palace he had occupied in the High Heavens and read through all the stories in the book. He didn't want to choose the wrong one so he couldn't do this arbitrarily.

There was one about a person with very beautiful hair that he would have liked to choose but then he remembered that Xin Lan had always liked Jinde's hair so he decided against it. No, no, he couldn't use a story that would remind the other of somebody else! He had to find something that would link just the two of them.

Xiang Yu finally reached the end of the book. He pursed his lips and thought for a while, then he put it away and hurried to prepare everything. When he finished, he wrote a message for Xin Lan so that he would know where he had gone and handed it to Tian.

The high god read the message without a shred of a guilty conscience and slightly raised his brows. "The northern ice desert? Why would you go there?"

"To sell flints."

Tian looked at the fallen god with an unreadable gaze.

"What? Is there a problem with that?"

"No, just ... why are you doing this?"

Xiang Yu took out the book and gave it to Tian as well. "Jinde said that reenacting a story from this book with your lover would make you get closer."

"... I see."

"Alright, then you tell Xin Lan about the message, yes?"

"Mn."

Xiang Yu smiled happily, turned around and opened a portal that revealed the snow flurry of the northern ice desert. He didn't look back even once and just stepped through, the portal closing behind him.

Tian continued to stare at the place where he had vanished before he returned to his palace. Reenacting a story from the book to become closer ... He glanced at the person in his palace and then looked away. They ... were probably past that point, weren't they?