I Am Immortal in Great Yu

Beneath a sky as blue as if it had been washed clean, a few cotton candy-like clouds drifted lazily. Down below, vast groves of peach trees filled a garden, through which a clear stream meandered like a silk ribbon.

Among the peach trees and along the stream's banks, small flowers of red, white, and yellow shimmered in the brilliant golden sunlight, like scattered starlight on the ground.

"Wow, look at all these huge peaches! Look at this one! It's so red and big!"

"This one I found is even bigger!"

The two little girls, Fang Ling and Nannan, were the picture of exquisite cuteness with vermilion dots on their foreheads, plump, rosy cheeks, and light pink dresses.

But this fairy-like image was utterly shattered the moment they began to run wild, shouting and hollering with glee.

"Miss Ling'Er, Miss Nannan, slow down! Wait for us!"

The maids, senior and junior alike, chased after them, terrified the two little girls might trip and hurt themselves.

"That's enough. Qing Yun, Bai Shao, you and the other maids can go. You don't need to watch them. Feel free to eat the peaches in the outer groves. Go and have some fun."

Fang Rui caught the two pouncing girls, one in each arm. "We're going deeper into the garden. Don't follow unless it's important."

"Thank you, Master!"

The maids all curtsied in unison. Then, their cheerful chatter fading like the songs of birds, they dispersed, drifting away as gracefully as a troupe of fairies.

Faintly, their gleeful laughter and excited chatter could still be heard.

"So many big peaches! We're in for a real treat!"

"See? I told you. If we come out with the Master, we're sure to get some time off to have fun."

"It's so beautiful here! I've heard about the 'Peach Blossom Garden' for ages. It's finally my turn to visit!"

...

"Auntie, you're so generous with them, and Brother Rui spoils them too. Following Ling'Er and Nannan's example, all the maids are becoming a bit mischievous," the Third Lady said, shaking her head with a smile.

"They're just a group of young girls. It's good for them to be lively," said Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family, who had a kind heart.

"That's right. If our maids were like those from other households—all stiff, formal, and constantly walking on eggshells—I'd feel uncomfortable. Come on, Mother, Third Sister, Ling'Er, Nannan. Let's go deeper in."

Fang Rui shook his head and led Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family, the Third Lady, Fang Ling, and Nannan deeper into the garden.

「A short while later.」

"Whoa, I'm so tired! Let's rest in this pavilion for a bit!"

"Yeah, yeah, let's rest!"

"This is what you get for running wild everywhere..."

Fang Rui gently tapped the two girls on the head. Despite his words, he led them into the pavilion.

This was a white jade pavilion with four upturned eaves, situated next to a small, arched bridge of white stone. Strings of wind chimes hung within, making a crisp TING-A-LING-LING sound in the gentle breeze and the sunlight that was like liquid gold.

Beside the pavilion, the meandering stream pooled into a small pond. The water's surface gleamed with a white light, and every so often, a fish would leap from it.

"I'll go pick some peaches," the Third Lady said.

"I'm going too!"

"Me too! Let's see who can pick the biggest peach."

...

"In that case, I'm guaranteed to win," Fang Rui said, heading out mysteriously with a large bamboo basket.

He returned a moment later.

By then, a platter of peaches already sat on the stone table in the pavilion. They had been washed in the stream and wiped dry with a silk cloth.

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and the Third Lady both had joyful looks in their eyes, clearly relishing the fun of having picked the fruit themselves.

Nannan's little face was a bit crestfallen.

Fang Ling, on the other hand, was as proud as a victorious rooster. "Brother, you're the only one left. My peach is the biggest so far!"

"Look at what I've got."

Fang Rui chuckled and lifted the silk cloth covering his basket. Instantly, five enormous peaches were revealed.

They were the size of small watermelons and crimson all over without a hint of green. They looked like red jade and even emitted a faint, shimmering glow.

"Whoa, they're huge!"

"Brother Ah Rui's peaches are the biggest!"

"These don't seem to be ordinary peaches," Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family remarked.

"Brother Rui, are these Exotic Fruits, too?" the Third Lady asked, her thoughts turning to the Jade Plums she had eaten before.

"They are. These are a type of Exotic Fruit called the Red Jade Peach." Fang Rui smiled and nodded, handing one to each of them.

"Brother, you cheated!"

Fang Ling huffed. Cradling the Red Jade Peach, she walked to the edge of the pavilion, about to take a bite.

Just then, as the Red Jade Peach in her hand was exposed to the sunlight, the shimmering glow around it suddenly flared into a brilliant corona of light. It looked as if the peach itself had burst into a blazing fire.

"Ah!"

Fang Ling stared blankly, clutching the Red Jade Peach, completely dumbfounded. The effect was especially striking as she held it close: the peach was even bigger than her own delicate little face.

The visual contrast was absolutely adorable, like something out of a cartoon.

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family, the Third Lady, and Nannan were startled at first, but when they saw that Fang Ling was unharmed—just looking adorably dazed—they joined Fang Rui in laughing out loud.

"That's normal," Fang Rui explained. "All Exotic Fruits have their own magical properties. The Red Jade Peach isn't like the Jade Plum or the leaves of the Jade Lotus, which can be dissolved in water. Instead, it creates this kind of spectacle when exposed to sunlight."

As he explained, Fang Rui took a big bite of the Red Jade Peach in his hand. CRUNCH.

The Red Jade Peach tasted, unsurprisingly, like a peach. But it was far more delicious than any ordinary one; even the most top-grade common peach couldn't compare.

After eating it, waves of warmth surged through the body, making one sweat lightly. It wasn't a dry or uncomfortable heat, but rather felt pleasant, almost like being in a sauna.

"It's so delicious!"

"Yeah! I feel full of energy again!"

"It makes your whole body feel so warm. If it were that time of the month, eating one of these... Hmm. Third Sister, you tend to feel the cold; you should eat more of these."

"That's right. The Red Jade Peach is an Exotic Fruit with a strong Yang Attribute. It can strengthen one's constitution and treat a natural coldness in the body. I have plenty more, Third Sister. From now on, you won't have to worry about your monthly pains."

And Fang Rui did indeed have plenty more.

However, he didn't give any of these Red Jade Peaches to the maids. It wasn't because he was being stingy or unwilling to share.