Demoness Tan Lingling said expressionlessly, "I kindly brought him delicious food, and if he won't eat it, then forget it!"
Seeing that Demoness Tan Lingling had misunderstood him, Chuyi hastily said, "I'll eat it, I'll eat it! I figure you had good intentions and were just worried I'd go hungry—how could I let you down?"
Rou Xiaoguang immediately shouted, "Chuyi, you're such a crafty fox! You wouldn't eat the rabbit feast I made—is it because I'm ugly and lack charm? Yet you're willing to eat the food she made—is it because she's pretty? You down-and-out God of Cuisine, you're just a good-for-nothing man who lusts after beauty!"
Chuyi usually loathed having people nag in his ear. He roared at Rou Xiaoguang, "I like eating the food she makes, and that has nothing to do with being lustful! I've never even been in a relationship in my life; I'm completely pure."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a silver-bell-like, melodious young girl's voice drifted down from the sky: "Brother Chuyi, you've been so hard to find!"
The moment Chuyi heard that voice, his face instantly turned pale. As it turned out, he recognized the voice as that of Fairy Xiuyun from the Heavenly Court.
Fairy Xiuyun had liked clinging to Chuyi ever since they were children, always acting as his little sidekick and shadow. Ever since Chuyi realized he was a grown man, he had deliberately avoided her. Meanwhile, Fairy Xiuyun seemed to have also just awakened to romantic feelings, occasionally confessing her affection to him.
This had driven Chuyi to distraction. He was already sick of her endless confessions. Besides, adhering to a sense of responsibility toward both himself and Fairy Xiuyun, he felt he wasn't ready for a relationship right now, not to mention how exhausting romance could be. Sneaking down to the mortal realm was precisely his way of trying to hide from Fairy Xiuyun, among other reasons.
What was most infuriating was that Fairy Xiuyun had once crafted a pair of exquisitely detailed dragon-and-phoenix robes for the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother of the West. The robes had pleased the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother immensely, so they granted Fairy Xiuyun a wish to do whatever she pleased. Daring beyond belief, Fairy Xiuyun had directly asked the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother to bestow her in marriage to Chuyi.
Chuyi had been hopping mad at the time and flatly refused on the spot. Fortunately, Taibai Jinxing wasn't too fond of the idea of Chuyi marrying a mortal-born like Fairy Xiuyun. After Taibai Jinxing stepped in to smooth things over with the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother on Chuyi's behalf, the farce finally quieted down.
After Chuyi returned home, Taibai Jinxing had given him a thorough scolding. Taibai Jinxing pointed out that if he hadn't wholeheartedly nurtured Chuyi, Chuyi would never have attained his current glory. Even if Chuyi were to marry an immortal in the future, he ought to marry one on the same level as Chang'e.
Caught in a squeeze where he couldn't please anyone on either side, Chuyi now just wanted to live as a hermit in the mortal realm and be a pure, desireless mortal.
Seeing that Chuyi truly was a fickle playboy, Rou Xiaoguang thought that not only was Demoness Tan Lingling bringing him delicious food, but now an even more beautiful fairy had drifted down from the heavens to track him down. Furthermore, out of all three women, she was the heaviest and the plainest-looking.
She shouted at Chuyi, "Chuyi, you certainly have marvelous romantic luck! It's bad enough that you're tangled up with a demoness, but you're also mixed up with a fairy! You fickle Casanova, don't go ruining the lives of these two beautiful sisters! Hmph! And who on earth is this fairy?!"
As a pure man, Chuyi couldn't stand this kind of awkward scene surrounded by a bevy of women, nor could he bear the subtle jealousy in the air.
"Rou Xiaoguang, please do not insult my character; I am an upright man. Her name is Fairy Xiuyun. We grew up together since we were children—we're childhood sweethearts, but we're not first loves, nor are we lovers. We are friends!" Chuyi hastily defended himself.