[Heaven Official's Blessing Listening, Watching, and Reading] A Soul

During the Shangyuan Festival, on a fine and festive night.

Xie Lian diligently finished collecting a pile of assorted junk, then sat alone at a roadside stall in the bitter cold to eat tangyuan, only to find he didn't have enough money.

Fortunately, the owner took pity on him and kindly gave him a bowl. But before he could finish eating, he blinked and found himself in a strange place.

Beside him stood a strikingly handsome young man dressed in red. Before them was an oddly shaped square stone platform, and around it sat seven empty meditation cushions, numbered one through seven.

The so-called “listening-to-a-story” format is probably something with a set, sound, and occasionally even illustrated images, but not quite a conventional viewing experience. At its core, though, it is much like the traditional “reading the future” format: an old story in a new bottle.

Aside from the ever-present Hua Lian, the seven others, Feng Xin, Mu Qing, Ling Wen, Pei Ming, Shi Wudu, Shi Qingxuan, and He Xuan, appear and disappear as the story unfolds.

The main story features only Hua Lian. There are no romantic pairings between any of the other characters.

The story begins at the point described in the blurb: several hundred years ago, during the Shangyuan Festival, Xie Lian wandered to Bogu Town and ate tangyuan at a snack stall belonging to He Xuan's family.

At this point, the Water Master has already ascended, while the idea of switching fates is still only a vague possibility. Ling Wen is still doing odd jobs in the Lower Heavenly Court; she has already met Bai Jin in the mortal realm and become embroiled in a plagiarism scandal involving Jing Wen.

Hua Hua has only recently made his debut by burning down the Martial and Civil Gods' Temples. In fact, several decades have passed, but he has yet to earn the title “Crimson Rain Sought Flower.”

The story follows the revised edition of the print books. The audio drama is almost a one-to-one adaptation of the print edition, and the two will be drawn on together in the telling.

Theme: Innocence never fades, and romance endures unto death.