Chapter 2: The Gu Village (2)

Chapter 2: The Miao Village (2)

He had only come as a tourist, yet he unexpectedly encountered his soulmate.

He’d likely have to leave in a few days with the tour group. Even if he chose to stay behind temporarily, once university started, they would inevitably be separated by distance.

Rather than waiting for love to grow slowly, Tan Yue decisively chose to make his move.

A long-distance relationship wouldn’t be easy, but at least love could serve as a bridge to keep them connected.

Instinct and reason told him: If he liked someone this much, he should take the initiative! Be honest about his feelings instead of brooding over some unrequited crush.

After all, the second he saw him, Tan Yue was certain—this was the love of his life. There was no need to hesitate or overthink external factors. All he had to do was bravely express his heart.

Of course, he might be rejected. But the passion of youth was like an inextinguishable flame. Even if he failed, Tan Yue would never give up so easily!

This bold confession was somewhat presumptuous. The ethereal boy who had grown up in the mountain village was clearly startled by his fervent emotions. He asked Tan Yue, "Are you asking me for a wish?"

His voice was eerily ethereal, flat yet hypnotic with a supernatural magnetism.

Tan Yue felt spellbound by that voice—his galloping heartbeat raced wildly, and his ears burned hot.

The "youth" clearly noticed Tan Yue's erratic pulse and flushed cheeks. From the moment the tour bus stopped in front of the village, he had been aware of every outsider's presence.

But he hadn’t expected this particular outsider to react with neither fear nor madness upon seeing him. No—perhaps the boy was already insane. Otherwise, how could he dare to defile a deity?

He repeated, "Your wish... is to have a boyfriend?"

Tan Yue instinctively nodded, then shook his head. "No, no! I’m not making a wish! I’m confessing to you!"

If he were to make a wish, it should be to the heavens—praying that the other would also fall in love at first sight and not reject his confession—not making demands of the person he was confessing to.

Though his brain was scrambled from adrenaline and his heartbeat too erratic to think clearly, he could still distinguish this much.

Tan Yue spoke each word loudly and clearly: "I’m not confessing just for the sake of dating—I like you, that’s why I’m telling you this!"

The boy’s body tensed like a drawn bowstring. He straightened his back like a young birch, his amber eyes fixed unblinkingly on the other.

He tried to convey his sincerity and joy through his gaze. The amber eyes thawed, affection flowing like honey.

Most people’s eyes were dark brown, or light like Tan Yue’s amber irises. But this boy’s pupils were pure black, just like his hair.

In aesthetics, pure black/white were beyond human pigments—they were mystical colors beyond the reach of primary pigments.

Yet Tan Yue had a feeling—this person possessed eyes that were truly, perfectly black.

Those eyes were like abyssal vortexes, effortlessly ensnaring Tan Yue, stripping away his usual composure and turning him into a head-over-heels teenager.

An art major was powerless before his muse. The mere sight of the other was enough to drive him mad.

Tan Yue took several deep breaths, trying to calm the frantic pounding in his chest. He reached into his coat pocket, pulled out a cardholder, and offered up his ID like a pledge.

In the most solemn tone, he declared, "My name is Tan Yue—'Tan' as in 'talk,' 'Yue' as in 'the mountains are hard to cross.' I’m eighteen years old, already admitted to the Broadcasting and Art program at the Beijing Film Academy!"

The first part was to prove he was a good student with excellent grades—the heart of it was what followed.

"Before today, I’ve never liked anyone. But the moment I saw you, I was a goner! This is my ID. If even a single word I’ve said is false, report me."

The black-haired, black-eyed "youth" perched effortlessly on the eight-inch threshold of the temple. Though they seemed about the same height, the elevated position allowed him to meet Tan Yue’s gaze from above.

Holding his ID card, Tan Yue blurted out his feelings, then gradually stiffened under the scrutinizing gaze of the other: *Ahhh, Tan Yue, are you an idiot?! What on earth did you just say to him?! Using your ID card in a love confession is so stupid! And even spouting nonsense like "call the police if I lie"!*

Tan Yue had never been in love before and didn’t know what it felt like, but everyone said that a racing heart and a jolt of electricity were unmistakable signs of love at first sight.

The moment he saw the other, his heart felt like it might leap out of his chest. Just a light touch left him tingling all over, his thoughts scrambled, his words and actions driven purely by instinct.

Earlier, he hadn’t known how else to prove his sincerity. His mind had been flooded with emotions he’d never felt before, surging so intensely they were bursting at the seams.

Seeing the other still unmoved, Tan Yue couldn’t help but feel dejected. As his body adjusted to the sensations, his rationality returned to normal levels, and he began mentally berating himself for his recklessness and foolishness!

There was no scent of lies. The "youth" could detect fluctuating emotions on Tan Yue—nervousness, regret, embarrassment, anticipation.

The human who called himself Tan Yue had an elevated heart rate and irregular breathing, but it wasn’t due to fear. Among all those emotions, there was no trace of terror.

He wasn’t lacking in the devotion of believers, but this mortal’s confession clearly wasn’t the fervent worship of a Deity. It was that strange thing humans called *love*.

He accepted the thin card representing identity, his gaze briefly sweeping over the photo that seemed to connect to another world.

This ID card had been issued before Tan Yue’s college entrance exams. Even with the photographer’s mediocre skills, the picture still captured a handsome, youthful face—though, compared to the real person, the photo paled in comparison.

The black-haired youth finally responded to Tan Yue’s introduction: *"My name is Guan Shan. Guan Shan of 'Guan Shan Nan Yue'* (Chinese idiom meaning "the mountains are hard to cross").

*"Really? Guan Shan Nan Yue, Guan Shan Nan Yue…"* Tan Yue immediately grew excited, repeating it three times before eagerly concluding, *"This means we’re truly fated—a heaven-made match!"*

In truth, *Guan Shan Nan Yue* originally symbolized the countless hardships and obstacles in life, but Tan Yue didn’t care about that.

The phrase also carried the meaning of encouraging people to charge ahead and overcome difficulties. To him, the name was a sign—telling him to be brave, to pursue true love fearlessly! To disregard gender, background, or any other external factors!

If mountains of obstacles stood in the way of love, then Tan Yue would become a bulldozer and flatten them all!

*"It’s true."* The name *Guan Shan* had been chosen just a second ago. His true name was something this mortal could never perceive.

But deities walking the mortal world could use aliases. As long as he acknowledged this name, it became his divine title.

Tan Yue’s eyes seemed to turn into pink hearts, oozing lovesick vibes, making Guan Shan wonder if he had unknowingly cast some love charm on this human.

Suddenly, Guan Shan asked Tan Yue, *"What do you like about me?"*

The latter immediately replied, *"Everything!"*

He paused, perhaps feeling that wasn’t sincere enough, then closed his mouth to think before saying, *"Love knows no origin—it deepens with time."* Love doesn’t need logic. To put it shallowly, maybe it’s just biological attraction. The moment I saw you, a voice in my head said 'like.' I choose to respect my eyes, my heart, and my brain."

So-called love at first sight was really just attraction, but who in this world wasn’t drawn to beauty? Tan Yue had always been an honest, unpretentious child. As an adult, he was what people called *true to his nature*—liking what he liked, disliking what he disliked. He never forced himself to stay with people he didn’t care for.

The youth suddenly took a step forward, closing the distance until his flawless face was almost pressed against Tan Yue’s, their noses touching.

Tan Yue instantly froze like a statue, sweating profusely, his face burned crimson, practically steaming.

The deity had seen many mortals and supernaturals tremble in fear, losing their sanity. Supernaturals didn’t sweat, but mortals broke into cold sweats when terrified.

This mortal before him was sweating like those who feared supernaturals, but the difference was stark—his sweat was hot.

That wasn’t what intrigued the youth, though. What fascinated him was that, despite appearing crazed, Tan Yue still retained his rationality. His psyche remained intact.

Even this close, the mortal hadn’t gone mad—instead, he was gaping at him.

Well… Tan Yue wasn’t *gaping*. He'd instinctively squeezed his eyes shut.

Though no labels existed yet, if the other wanted to kiss him, he'd just shut his eyes and take it.

"Open your eyes."

Tan Yue heard that bewitching voice whisper in his ear. He opened them instinctively, though a faint disappointment flickered in his eyes—no kiss came. Had he misunderstood?

Cool fingers gripped his chin, and this position... this stance... Tan Yue tensed up, his face burning so hot it felt like steam was rising.

"So this is how I look in your eyes," he heard the other muse, before Guan Shan released his head.

In Tan Yue's eyes, Guan Shan didn’t see a mass of dark energy but a breathtakingly handsome youth.

This appearance—Guan Shan hadn’t seen it in thousands of years. He’d nearly forgotten he ever looked like this.

That this human saw him in such a form... No wonder he had dared to cross the line and offend him.

Back when he was alive, his beauty had indeed been extraordinary, and countless vile fools had leered at his face.

Of course, those who dared to covet him had all become meals for his pets.

Had Tan Yue dared to offend him back then, he would have already been fed to the venomous creatures.

Perhaps life had become too boring lately—so dull that Guan Shan found himself forgiving this bold human. Or maybe it was because Tan Yue’s face was pleasing to the eye.

Venomous creatures thrived in miasma and dense forests, and Tan Yue, with his ethereal forest-like beauty, was undoubtedly the type both small animals and venomous beings adored.

Far from holding a grudge, Guan Shan suddenly grabbed his hand.

Behind the temple flowed a gentle river, and in the blink of an eye, Tan Yue was dragged behind the Dragon God’s shrine.

This was a river fed by the mountain’s waterfall—wider than a brook but not as vast as a great river, just a modest waterway.

The water was crystal clear, mirroring their figures perfectly.

Guan Shan gazed at the river’s surface. In the watery mirror, his true form loomed as a swirling mass of dark energy, coiled around the fragile human beside him.

"Look at the river," he said, not in a commanding tone, but every word from a deity was an immutable law—words made reality.

Tan Yue lowered his head. The riverbed’s pebbles were clearly visible beneath the water, along with tiny fish and tadpoles darting about.

"The water’s crystal clear! There are fish and tadpoles," he marveled.

Guan Shan’s expression stiffened. This wasn’t what he’d expected. He pressed on, "Look at our reflections."

Tan Yue dutifully studied their reflections—their clasped hands, his own flushed face. He patted his cheek with his free hand, confirming it was burning hot.

Such was the way of a lovestruck, innocent boy—easily flustered.

"You’re gorgeous," Tan Yue murmured shyly. If only they could hold hands a little longer...

His hand was suddenly squeezed tight, the grip so forceful it ached down to the bone. Yet Tan Yue endured the sweet pain without protest or resistance.

Guan Shan stared into Tan Yue’s amber eyes, where only the reflection of that beautiful youth remained. Abruptly, he said, "I’ll allow it."