Su Su and Ye Hua: Our Own Fairytale

Part 4

Now that Bai Qian had clarified herself as an Immortal and not Su Su, Ye Hua made preparations to take her up to the Celestial Palace.

No one had ever seen Bai Qian, and Ye Hua was mentally worried how his family would react to her appearance.

But still he brought her up, and Bai Qian looked at the decorum of the Celestial Palace in disgust. Even though she'd stayed in the Celestial Palace for a period of time, she'd never really noticed the decorations because she was so confused.

"The gold and silver is blinding me," she complained many times.

Ye Hua suppressed a smile. "This place is full of it."

Bai Qian frowned, her pretty lips pouted. Ye Hua marvelled at how she didn't even have to try to make him fall in love with her all over again.

"I'll take you to see my mother, and then-"

Bai Qian's demeanour turned apprehensive. "Must we?"

Ye Hua knew of the treatment his mother had given her, and he felt bad, but it was customary for the groom to take the bride to see his mother.

"It won't be for very long," he assured her.

Bai Qian steeled herself, and nodded. "If we must."

They headed for Le Xu's chamber.

When Le Xu saw Bai Qian for the first time, she fell back against her chair, clutching it for support. How could someone look so similar to Su Su?

"Su Su..." She breathed.

Anger coursed through Bai Qian's veins. She remembered how cruelly Le Xu and Su Jin had treated her. She felt like throttling them right now, right this minute, as revenge for herself, how she'd suffered under them.

But if she was going to be Ye Hua's wife, she shouldn't do such disgraceful things to shame Qing Qiu as it's queen, could she?

So gritting her teeth, she bowed. "I am Qing Qiu's Bai Qian, Consort Le Xu." She said. When she rose, Le Xu's pupils dilated. Was this just a coincidence or was it real? Was she looking at a woman who looked just like Su Su, or was she looking at a reincarnation of Su Su?

Such things couldn't be that much of a coincidence.

She decided that it must just be a coincidence. Faking a smile, she gestured for them to sit down.

"Sit." She said. "So, Qing Qiu's Bai Qian. Why do you want to marry my son?"

"Mother, she has a political marriage arrangement with me. She will have to marry me eventually."

"But what if I do not approve? That can change things, Ye Hua. If I do not allow this lady to marry you, she will never be able to step foot in Xiwu Palace." Le Xu's voice was cold and unwelcoming.

"Do not pressure me, Mother. I want to marry her and I hope she wants to as well. She is the woman I love and I won't want to marry anyone else." Ye Hua could sense the underlying anger in his mother's words.

"At least take a few side consorts," Le Xu said. "If you do, you will at least not have to have children with only this woman. She shouldn't have you all to herself."

"No." Ye Hua knew it was time he showed his irritation. The deities in Heaven had been pressurising him to marry more women. He didn't want to. Couldn't they see that he pined only for Su Su?

"Besides," Le Xu looked at Bai Qian with distaste. "She's just a mere fox goddess. Her parents are just the Fox King and the Fox Empress. She-"

"Enough." Bai Qian banged the side table. She stood up. "I'm sorry if you think I'm not the ideal woman for Ye Hua. And maybe I'm not. But don't you dare insult my family. They are the ones who raised me, not you. So I hope you would appreciate if I deny you the chance to disgrace my family."

She walked off the platform and faced the incredulous Le Xu. "Let him marry Su Jin if you want. I couldn't care less who else he marries." She stormed off.

Ye Hua got up. Regardless of how he was angry with his mother, his future wife had disrespected her. "I will have a talk with her." He said, before walking away.

He followed her scent to the Ten Mile Peach Woods.

"Qian Qian," he said sternly. "You really shouldn't have said that."

She looked up, and Ye Hua saw a look of anger.

"And I was supposed to sit there and let her insult me and my family?"

Ye Hua wished he'd never said that. But it was too late to take that back now.

"She just felt cold about losing her only son-"

"I never said you were coming to Qing Qiu to live with me after we married." Her voice had become harsh. "I could have put up with living in the Celestial Palace because I at least had A-Li. But your mother just disgraced my family like- like it was nothing. I can't believe you're speaking up for her now."

"I know. I'm angry at her too." Ye Hua's voice was soothing. He tried to take her hand.

"No you're not! You're never angry with her! You always apologised, for yourself or for me, even when it wasn't our fault!" Bai Qian wrenched her hand away.

Ye Hua stared at her. What was she saying? A surge of anger washed through him.

"Well, maybe I should take up the idea of marrying side consorts!" He yelled at her.

"You should." She said. "After all, what would you want with a mere fox goddess like me?" She ran off, leaving him alone among the peach blossom trees.