Memories

Braid of Faith

The last part was uttered with certainty, but Ye Hua felt the need to confirm it. With gratitude in his eyes and unbreakable vow in his voice, he uttered, "until the day of my calamity, my loyalty, my life, my love, for Bai Chen and Qing Qiu's Bai Qian. This, I vow..."

We continue.

Historically, in an effort to capturing the attention of Qing Qiu's Bai Qian, immortals from high and low have uttered an array of far more impressive, utterly outrageous vows for her hand in marriage.

Being an elusive and picky goddess who socialised with only a handful of selected and chosen individuals, most of those vows were declared sans her presence. Some were said in parties or gatherings where at least one of the attendants was part of the Fox tribe. Some were said in the presence of a friend or an acquaintance. Only a little portion were said in her presence. Nevertheless, she was well informed of it all.

No one, mortals or immortals alike, was indifferent to adoration at first. They became desensitised to it over time. As with Bai Qian, with her long-span of lifetime, they became old news to her fast.

But why was it that her heart skipped a beat hearing those words from Ye Hua? Her husband, who was staring intently at her with that onyx eyes of his. She was aware that those orbs have been following her every moves. She felt her temperature rising with every lingering of his eyes.

"Why–?" escaped from her mouth before she could refrained. Hurriedly she clamped her hand on her mouth. Mortified of what she was going to ask him.

Without missing a beat, Ye Hua answered. "Because the vow needed to be said. Because I want you to hear it. I want every one to hear it, to bear witness to my devotion, to know that all that I am are no longer mine but yours."

Words have power. Ye Hua's words swirled around them, cocooning them in a long-forgotten magic that was invoked when Ye Hua first recited his vow. The kind of magic that brought people together, knitting them in an unbreakable braid of faith. They felt something unidentifiable in the air and knew that old magic was amongst them.

But it was a touch of pink on Bai Qian's cheeks that surprised all that were present. Her parents exchanged bewildered but knowing looks. The thunderous yelps coming from Bai Zhen from the hits on the arm he suddenly received from an overexcited Zhe Yan were quite loud. The phoenix's attempt to cover it up with fake coughs were not fooling anyone. But none were more astonished than Ye Hua himself.

He had seen that blush plenty of times before. But the woman standing before him right now was Bai Qian. The pinkish stain on the High Goddess face was similar to Su Su's, but also wildly different. The effect it has was– indescribable. Ye Hua found that he had lost his train of thoughts. What was it that he was thinking before?

He remembered thinking that Bai Qian's pupils had became significantly larger, which usually meant that she was shocked. But of what?

His reply to her question? It couldn't be, because it happened before he answered.

To her own question? Could it be that she hadn't meant to utter it?

After he answered, before the unexpected blush made an appearance, there was relief on Bai Qian's face. Why relief?

She forcibly closed her own mouth before she could finish. Was it possible that he mistook her question?

If yes, what was the question then?

A slight tilt on Ye Hua's head was unnoticeable by others, but not to Bai Qian. When Ye Hua was thinking hard, he would get that look on his face. He was figuring her out. But based on their track records, more often than not, he rarely succeeded. Bai Qian was safe. Ye Hua would never know what her real question was.

Why do your eyes follow me so?

Even Bai Qian didn't know what compelled her to ask him that in the first place. With all of Su Su's memories, shouldn't Bai Qian have some immunity against Ye Hua's gaze? As a married couple, they have done a lot of more than just exchanging looks. It shouldn't have mattered how heated his eyes were. She should have more resistance than this!

Bai Qian sighed. History dictated otherwise. Su Su's memories were proof enough. Even as Ye Hua's wife, she was never immune. What odds did Bai Qian have then? She was experiencing Ye Hua for the first time all over again as Bai Qian. Su Su's memories and Bai Qian's reality were merged together and bombarded her with all of these new yet familiar emotions.

Before she sighed again, Ye Hua made a beeline for her. Bai Qian held her breath. Those eyes of his were burning even more ferociously than before.

Holding Bai Chen securely in his left hand, Ye Hua raised his right hand and gently caressed Bai Qian's cheek. He was more confident in showing his affection now, no longer worried she would backtrack from it. Their newly-found connection secured it.

"I couldn't stop staring at you," said Ye Hua in a hushed tone, intending this conversation only for the two of them, "because you are mesmerising to behold..."

There went what little was left of Bai Qian's composure.