When the Tea Is Gone, the Guests Depart

[Complete. Upcoming works in my collection: Against the Grain Is Jade, The Hole-Dwelling Demon, and All Is Fleeting Without You, from Lantern Guide. Please stop by and add them to your collection~]

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This is not a love-triangle or multiple-choice romance. There is only one relationship.

They save and heal each other. Both are each other's first and only love, and they choose each other wholeheartedly.

Female lead: A sidelined nobody in the celestial world's workplace, who watches the spiritual idols of her fellow immortals and sect members fall from grace again and again.

Male lead: The Demon Realm's third prince, whose existence is kept secret from the Celestial Realm. At first, he is focused on his career and wants to wage a major psychological campaign to turn the female lead to his side. Later, the female lead puts a spell on him...

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[Blurb]

Should you be a salty fish who lies flat and lets others mock you, or a carp who works hard to leap through the Dragon Gate?

Xie Junshan, the Celestial World's most laid-back Immortal Venerable, chooses neither. She pours herself a cup of tea, blows on the floating leaves, and carves out a third path.

Should you be a cat who holds her head high and looks down on the world, or one with a soft body that warms her owner's bed?

Ye Qing, the Demon Realm's third prince, chooses neither. He stands at the crossroads and grumbles to himself for ages.

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[Notes]

1. An imaginary xianxia world with lots of original worldbuilding. Please go easy on me.

2. Romance is just the framework; the relationship between the leads is understated.

3. The male lead goes through a catification process.

4. The first three chapters move slowly. If you're here for the plot, you can jump straight to chapters four or five.

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[Why I wrote this]

Note: If you don't want to read my rambling, feel free to skip the [Why I wrote this] section. XOXO.

This is the best of times. In my worldview, I hope there will be less and less of a hierarchy of disdain, and more gentleness.

People are born with an evil nature, but they can be taught, and they can heal and save one another.

As in the imaginary world I've built in this story, gods aren't perfect. They make mistakes, lose their judgment, and are full of flaws.

Mortals aren't always weak, either. To some extent, they hold the gods hostage and misunderstand them. They think the gods are omnipotent and expect them to rush in at once, sacrificing themselves to save others.

But the Celestial Realm, Demon Realm, and mortal world aren't at odds. Everyone hopes the world they live in will be better tomorrow.

This story will include some idealistic moments, woven together through Xie Junshan.

She isn't some lone hero, either. She has blood and flesh, gets tired, and has her weaknesses. She's gentle, but resilient.

The gods will gradually understand people, and people will gradually understand the gods.

They will each work to improve themselves and influence one another.

Beyond self-interest, they will form gentle bonds.

We are all devout believers, walking through a vast gray primordial expanse toward a distant temple that may not even exist. We never stop moving, journeying for all our lives without looking back.

Theme: The tea road is long, but we won't fear hardship. Born with feelings, we walk against the light.