Chapter 17

Fu Li felt very troubled.

On his left was Apollo, on his right was Artemis.

At this moment, their gazes were both fixed on him.

Fu Li: Didn't dare make a sound.

Apollo, watching him try so hard to minimize his presence, unconsciously curved the corners of his lips.

Fu Li condemned him with a resentful look.

You're still smiling!

Apollo cleared his throat lightly and said with a serious expression:

"Artemis, Fu Li's archery is still at the beginner stage. He can't accompany you in a satisfying hunt. I should take him back first. If you need hunting companions, the Nymph handmaidens might be more suitable."

Artemis took in every bit of their almost wordless exchange of glances.

Even knowing how close the two were, she couldn't help but be startled every time she saw it.

She felt there was no need for her to be tactful anymore. Previously, she had thought that if she separated the two, Apollo would lose interest and forget Fu Li.

She never expected Apollo would eagerly seek Fu Li out to live together. He had never been like this before.

Moreover, Artemis was not unaware of the commotion Apollo had caused in Athens.

She picked up her bow, nocked an arrow, and easily shot a wild hare.

Artemis turned her head to look at Fu Li and Apollo, and said:

"Death is the end of the hunt, and the end for mortals."

She looked at Apollo. "A mortal's life is too brief and fragile. When the sun rises, it will dissipate without a trace."

"His life, to us, is but the snap of a finger. Apollo, you find it novel now, but when his body ages and his soul returns to the Underworld, what will you do then?"

Artemis's words were like icy arrows, shooting toward Apollo and also clearly reaching Fu Li.

Fu Li listened quietly, feeling no particular ripple in his heart.

In a primitive society where even the food wasn't good, living too long meant being tossed around by the gods. It was hard to say which was better, death or life.

And Apollo's reaction was even calmer.

The telepathic link between him and Fu Li had firmly bound the two of them together.

Since they could even share divine power, sharing eternal life wasn't impossible either.

Apollo looked at Fu Li. They exchanged a glance and found that the other's emotions were very composed.

Apollo: Not bad, he was able to think of our telepathic link.

He believed Fu Li had thought of the same thing as him, which was why he was so calm.

It seemed their tacit understanding wasn't lacking even without the telepathic link.

Apollo's golden eyes held joy.

Fu Li: Apollo, as the patron god of humanity, would have long been aware of the human lifespan.

All in all, not a big deal.

Now it was Artemis who found it very strange.

She had brought up the biggest crisis of god-mortal love, the lifespan argument, so how were the two involved each calmer than the other?

Artemis furrowed her brows. "What are your views?"

Fu Li blinked. "I have no objections."

In an era without internet, what was there to cling to?

Apollo nodded in agreement.

"I have no objections either."

An ordinary mortal would naturally return to the Underworld.

But Fu Li was no ordinary mortal; he was a mortal bound to him.

Artemis: ?

This script was completely different from what she had imagined.

Artemis was baffled. She emphasized again, "This is not a joke."

Fu Li nodded firmly, showing his seriousness.

Apollo, on the other hand, looked at Artemis with an even more surprised gaze.

"Artemis, since when do you emphasize something that even a three-year-old child knows?"

Artemis: .

Apollo stepped forward, his molten gold eyes looking at her. "I know what you're worried about, but Fu Li is different. We don't care about these things."

He spoke very earnestly, his expression a rarely seen seriousness.

Artemis was taken aback. Apollo was serious.

She turned to look at Fu Li and found his expression natural, conveying the same answer as Apollo.

Artemis sighed deeply.

Since it was a choice made after careful consideration, why should she obstruct it?

So even a divine realm like this could give birth to sincere love.

Artemis curved a smile. Such a feeling wasn't bad.

Having seen too many absurd tragedies, she blessed them from the bottom of her heart, hoping they would find fulfillment.

"Apollo, my brother, when the heart has a love, you must protect it well."

Soon she thought of something and her brows furrowed. "Be more careful of our Father God. You know his reputation."

Especially since your beloved is as fair as jade and fine trees, a beauty not inferior to the gods.

Zeus would not fail to come.

Perhaps he was already on his way now.

Recalling their shared father's conduct, Artemis couldn't help but worry.

Having a philandering father, and an omnivorous one at that, was trouble for everyone.

The corner of Apollo's mouth twitched. He said decisively, "Of course."

Fu Li was too fragile; he needed to protect him well.

As for Father God, he would think of ways to give him more things to do.

When he got busy, he wouldn't go seeking amusement all over the world.

Far away on the divine mountain, Zeus, who was enjoying song and dance, suddenly felt a chill down his back.

Artemis nodded. "If you go along the right side, you will have no small harvest."

It could be considered her gift to Fu Li.

Many medicinal herbs and cold-resistant plants grew there, and animals would also visit because of the nearby pool.

Having said this, she waved her hand and disappeared into the mountain wilderness.

A mortal's time was too short. She hoped Apollo could be with his beloved every minute and every second.

Apollo looked at Fu Li, his smile still lingering.

"Artemis's understanding of these mountain forests is unmatched. Since she says there's a harvest to the right, then there is a great harvest. Come, let's see what can be of use to you."

Fu Li looked around and his face showed difficulty.

The right side of the mountain forest grew with dense trees. Who knew how much deadwood was hidden in the tall underbrush.

Most importantly, there was no path.

The path they were currently on was carved by predecessors. Though hard to walk, generally there were no obstacles.

If he'd known, he would have brought a machete when they left home.

Fu Li was helpless. Just as he was about to explain the difficulty to Apollo, Apollo scooped him up horizontally in his arms!

Fu Li struggled instinctively. "Put me down!"

Apollo said, puzzled, "Why should I put you down? Can you walk this path?"

Fu Li's face reddened. Being carried princess-style by a god was just too strange!

"I can walk by myself!"

He argued.

Apollo rose into the air. "Denied. Once we're done, we go home. Strike quickly and decisively. How much longer do you want to stay outside? Your ears are already red from the cold."

Fu Li paused and touched his own ears. They really were cold.

Apollo, seeing his dumbfounded look, covered his ears with his hand in amusement.

"Only I can heal your wounds."

Fu Li felt the heat rising on his face again.

Those in the know, like him, understood that Apollo meant he was the God of Medicine.

Those who didn't know would probably think their relationship was unusual.

He averted his gaze and dutifully played the quail.

Apollo's speed was very fast. With a wide view from mid-air, Fu Li's sharp eyes spotted a pool of water.

He tugged Apollo's sleeve. Apollo saw it too and flew in that direction.

After landing, Fu Li's eyes lit up. He saw many herbs used for healing wounds and carefully gathered them into his cloth bag.

Not long after, he also found some wild vegetables that could be used for seasoning.

It was truly a great harvest!

Fu Li collected them with great enthusiasm, while Apollo fixed his gaze on the animals by the pool.

A few arrows later, several wild hares fell.

He walked over and called out to Fu Li several times.

Fu Li trotted to Apollo's side, took out a new bag, and carefully processed the hares.

"Look over there."

Out of the corner of his eye, Apollo saw a patch of low shrubs. The shrubs had a peculiar growth pattern.

They were covered with small, deep blue berries.

Fu Li looked over curiously, and his eyes lit up.

"Are these wild blueberries?"

He picked one, washed it with the pool water, and bit into a little of the flesh.

Mm, so sweet.

"Apollo, try some too. They're delicious!"

Fu Li brought the remaining few blueberries to Apollo's lips.

Apollo subconsciously ate them.

They were indeed quite good.

"Good eye."

Apollo licked his lips, his golden eyes reflecting the overly close distance between them.

Fu Li grinned. "Right? The taste is really good. I can make some jam or something."

Before he could finish, Apollo pointed a finger in the air, and soon a blueberry appeared in his hand.

"Since the taste is good, eat a little more."

The blueberry pressed against Fu Li's lips.

Fu Li froze for a moment.

Meeting Apollo's golden eyes that held a hint of expectation, the roots of his ears grew warm. He opened his mouth and accepted it from the other's hand.

The clear, sweet, and slightly tart juice burst in his mouth, carrying the unique fragrance of the mountain forest.

How strange.

Clearly, eating blueberries earlier hadn't made him feel this heated...

Two flying clouds of red drifted onto his fair face. After eating it, Fu Li subconsciously averted his gaze.

Apollo curved a smile. He saw that Fu Li's ears, hidden beneath his hair, had turned completely red.

So you can be shy too.

Fu Li was usually too casual. His shy appearance now unexpectedly softened his heart.

Apollo's gaze was too direct. Fu Li, being watched, could only pretend to busy himself.

Heading east one moment, going west the next.

Apollo knew he was feeling awkward, but why should he look away?

This ordinary mountain wilderness was not worth his gaze. Only Fu Li barely deserved it.

The amusement in his eyes deepened.

The invisible field of divine power, however, kept the annoying little flying insects from getting anywhere near Fu Li. A gentle breeze pushed aside obstructing branches, making it easier for Fu Li to move.

Before long, the small cloth bag they had brought was half-filled with blueberries.

Fu Li tied the bag's opening with satisfaction.

He turned his head and found Apollo right next to him.

Fu Li: !

Apollo asked, "Done?"

Fu Li patted the harvest. "About enough."

He looked up to check the sky. It was getting late.

The setting sun dyed the clouds golden-red. In just a few hours, night would officially descend.

Apollo scooped him up horizontally again. "Then let's go home."

Light converged around the two of them. In the blink of an eye, Fu Li saw familiar scenery.

And then he saw the utterly stupefied citizens of Athens.

Fu Li: ...?!

How did they teleport to the Athens square?!

Shouldn't they have gone directly home!

He looked at Apollo in disbelief. Apollo's expression held some awkwardness. He had originally intended to go directly to Fu Li's hut, but Athens was a city with a patron deity. Once entering, the positioning could have deviations.

He would never say these words to Fu Li.

Apollo could not accept losing face in front of Fu Li.

To prevent Fu Li from sensing his embarrassment through the telepathic link, Apollo kept reciting in his heart to be free of desires and passions, calm like water.

He steeled himself and said, "Isn't this good too? Let the Athenians know you are someone under my patronage."

Fu Li was about to melt from the heat.

But I'm still in your arms.

The fiery gazes of the Athenian citizens were about to make him want to disappear into the ground!

Was there any way to escape this planet?!

Athens truly lived up to its name as a notable city of Ancient Greece.

Not only was it open in cultural matters, but it was also full of enthusiasm when it came to gossip.

"Is the one in Lord Apollo's arms that foreigner who came to Athens some time ago?"

"Ah, it really is. The one who was appreciated by His Majesty the King of Athens?"

"Yes, yes, yes. That golden-red hair of his is very eye-catching. It's only natural that Lord Apollo would notice him!"

"Ah, so are we going to get to witness a tragic and beautiful love story between a mortal and a god again?"

"Can't you think of a happy reunion for once?"

"Wow, from acquaintance to love to enjoyment..."

"How many stories do you think there are in between that can be passed down in song..."

"I've already prepared to write a poem based on the foreigner and Lord Apollo!"

Fu Li listened until his toes were about to curl and dig a castle for himself out of the ground.

Listen to yourselves! Is this even human speech!

He and Apollo were innocent and pure!

Fu Li inexplicably glanced at Apollo with a guilty conscience and decided to ignore his overly fast heartbeat.

Mm, it was all the fault of extreme awkwardness!

Apollo grew prouder the more he listened.

Every sentence the Athenian citizens spoke said that he and Fu Li were a match made in heaven.

Although they were merely pure believers and deity, ahem, it was still praising the unbreakable bond of love between them.

Apollo straightened his posture and, under the crowd's gazes, walked toward Fu Li's hut.

Leaving behind the onlookers exchanging glances.

In each other's eyes, they all found the raging fire of gossip.

Carrying someone into the house—they didn't even dare to imagine what would happen next!

No way, they absolutely must announce such important news to the whole world!

With knowing smiles, tonight's taverns were bound to be buzzing with excitement.

Fu Li covered his face. The speculation about his relationship with Apollo had probably already spawned countless versions.

After Apollo carried him into the hut, Fu Li immediately struggled down.

He quickly put the things away, then drew a bucket of cold water and splashed it onto his burning cheeks.

Cool down quickly!

Apollo, who had entered a step later, saw him like this and said with amusement, "Why react so strongly?"

Fu Li glared at him. You still have the nerve to say that!

Apollo's smile deepened. The angry Fu Li looked like a pufferfish.

"Your face is so red. Do you like me?"

He deliberately lowered his voice, as if speaking right into Fu Li's ear.

Fu Li's mind went completely blank, leaving only his heart beating wildly.

Apollo smiled mischievously. The telepathic link faithfully transmitted Fu Li's true emotions, and also made him ignore his own equally abnormal heartbeat.

And his thoroughly reddened ears.