Oh. My. Fate?! (BL, Volume #1)

33 It's Hard to Make Him Fall in Love

Never before in his life had the Fate's Scribe Shun Tao felt frustrated because the passage of time was different in the mortal and immortal realms. But on this day he dearly wished that Heaven would just send lightning, aligning both realms and giving him a little more time to finish his task.

But however much he wished for it something like that wouldn't happen. His lips tightened into a straight line Shun Tao took a cookie and bit into it.

Mn. Hong Bao's cookies were the only good thing about this whole mess.

What it was that had dampened Shun Tao's mood so much? Of course, it was because he still didn't know who had messed with the crown prince's fate! It was already the fourth day since he had asked for her help. Unfortunately, that also meant that Zhong Jing Yi in the mortal realm had aged by four years. He was eight by now and Shun Tao really didn't want to know what would happen if he couldn't find out who was sabotaging his work soon.

Hong Bao had tried really hard and each day she came over to share a piece of information she had found with him. Unfortunately, it only were pieces and he didn't even have an inkling of who could be the culprit at the moment.

He couldn't blame Hong Bao for that. It was indeed not an easy task. Especially since the person he wanted to catch would certainly be extremely secretive. It would be strange if she managed to get him so soon. So he could only wait, listen to Hong Bao's reports and munch on the cookies she brought over.

Today, she had come over again with a casket full of cookies. Her report was more extensive than the three days before but most of this wasn't anything he could use. Well, this wasn't her fault either. He had needed to lie to her about his real objective. Naturally, she wouldn't concentrate as much on the most likely culprits if she didn't know what this really was about. Mn, maybe he should prompt her again.

Shun Tao picked up another cookie and leaned forward, interrupting Hong Bao in her narration about some ascended deity and what he had done back in the mortal realm. "So, him aside. What about the three people I told you to pay special attention to?"

"It's a little difficult."

Shun Tao sighed. Why had he expected something like that? "Don't worry. Everything you can tell me about their activities will help."

Hong Bao nodded. "About the first one, Yi Jun, I'm afraid he isn't interested in the scribe's palace. He was writing most of the time but all of that was just about love. That doesn't seem like what the scribes do." Hong Bao looked down and pursed her lips. Thankfully, she had asked around what the scribes did!

"Oh." Shun Tao nodded and had to suppress a relieved smile. That was one less person to worry about. "Then there's no need to pay any more attention to him. The God of Love will surely notice him if he's hardworking."

Hong Bao nodded again. "The second one, Zhi Hao, was monitoring the mortal realm through a cup of water."

Shun Tao tensed. "What exactly was he monitoring?"

"Mn, I'm not too sure about it but it seemed like he was monitoring different people. He might be following their everyday lives."

That must be him! Shun Tao sat up straighter, clearly interested in what Hong Bao had to say.

The servant girl grew cautious. I can't give too much away about Zhi Hao. If he decides on him today, we won't be able to see each other anymore! Shun Tao certainly wouldn't want that!

"Do you know which people he monitored?"

Hong Bao shook her head and tried to look sad. "Unfortunately, not yet. There were different people. It might take a while to find out more."

Shun Tao sighed and slumped in his seat. That would have been too easy. "What about the last one? I believe he was called Wen Xia?"

"That's true. Like Zhi Hao, he's monitoring people in the mortal realm. I also don't know which people he is watching yet but it seems like he changes the person of interest really fast. It's one person in one hour and another one in the next."

Shun Tao nodded. That was something one would really do to become a good scribe. He himself had done so too back when he was a young god, waiting to be chosen for his profession. It was not impossible for him to be the one messing with the crown prince's fate. Maybe he was just too eager to get his desired status so he monitored Zhong Jing Yi and brought his fate off track when he could while learning everything else when there was no opportunity.

To find out which of these two the culprit was he could only hope for Hong Bao to find out who the people were Wen Xia and Zhi Hao were monitoring. If one of them was Zhong Jing Yi or someone close to him like his parents, then he'd know and could plan his counterattack.

"Then watch those two a little while longer. You don't have to find out who exactly the people they monitor are. That could be a little difficult. But you have to find out what kind of people they are. Men, women, children, adults ... Whatever you notice about them report it back."

"Sure!" Hong Bao smiled sweetly, hoping for Shun Tao to notice but the Fate's Scribe was already somewhere else with his thoughts.

The culprit couldn't only monitor Zhong Jing Yi and his family. He had to do other things too or it would be too easy to notice. Shun Tao narrowed his eyes. He had to alter the crown prince's fate again. The more challenges he faced today, the better. He would turn up more often in the observations then and Hong Bao couldn't miss it.

Hong Bao's face fell when she noticed that Shun Tao wasn't really paying attention. Could it be she had gotten it wrong? Whenever she came over it seemed like Shun Tao wasn't really paying attention to her. Could it be ... he hadn't realized his feelings yet?!

In a troubled mood, she stood up and bid farewell. "Then ... I'll be going."

"Mn. Thank you!" Shun Tao didn't even look at her.

Hong Bao turned around and left his palace, sighing to herself. "It's really not easy to make a god like him fall in love with you."

Meanwhile, Shun Tao had taken out Jing He's scroll of fate and his brush and wrote: After Zhong Jing Yi turns eight years old, a letter reaches the Zhongs' village that requests them to go to the main family's house in the capital city. On their way there, they are attacked by bandits and both Mister and Madam Zhong are killed, leaving only Zhong Jing Yi who is then sold into slavery.