[Journey to the West] I Picked Up the Monkey King as My Disciple

Fu Luan had cultivated in seclusion on Mount Lingtai Fangcun for countless years, her Daoist heart unchanged since time immemorial, until she met a little monkey.

The little monkey was handsome, with especially clear, bright golden eyes that filled her with delight. So she took him as her disciple and taught him with care.

In the autumn of his tenth year, the little monkey's cultivation reached perfection. She sent him down the mountain, putting an end to this passing impulse born of the mortal world.

*

But the little monkey, Sun Wukong, apparently didn't see it that way. Later, even after he had clearly taken another master, he still loved coming to find her, clinging to her and calling her "Master." One day his eyes had been singed by Samadhi True Fire and he needed her to blow on them; the next, he'd uprooted the Ginseng Fruit Tree and wanted her to replant it...

Fu Luan was easygoing and good-natured, and generally went along with whatever he wanted. How could she refuse when he was so pitifully adorable? But this little disciple would sometimes come out with the strangest things, leaving her completely baffled.

One day it was, "The pinwheel goes whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. Master, blow on it for me, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh." The next, "Eat fruit, not melons. Practice civilized cultivation, you and me and everyone." She usually just murmured her agreement and cleaned up after him, until one day her little disciple used an injury as an excuse to climb into her bed-

Fu Luan: !

The little monkey of years past had, at some point, transformed into a proud Monkey King. His bright eyes flashed with a keen golden light as he stared intently at her.

Suddenly, he sighed. "I'm tired of pretending to be an idiot."

"So tell me..." He lifted her chin and looked down at her. "Silly Master, when are you finally going to remember me?"

*

Fu Luan always felt she had forgotten something.

Then one day, her pitiful little disciple, who had been pretending to be a delicate tea-drinking type, suddenly turned wild. He pushed her down onto the bed and kissed her thoroughly, all sharp edges and untamed passion, as if he wanted to devour her completely with his teeth.

Dazed, she met his gaze, her almond-shaped eyes widening as she blurted out, "What the hell, you're... Brother Monkey?!"

Reader's Guide:

1. Patriarch Subhuti is gender-swapped. The female lead transmigrates; Brother Monkey does not. The setup is similar to one where the laws of heaven impose restrictions: as she gradually falls for Brother Monkey, she loses her memories.

2. A prickly beauty who seems gentle but is full of odd jokes x a proud Monkey King who pretends to be sweet and innocent but is always scheming.

3. A loving master and filial disciple, respectful and devoted to one another (and taking down the Heavenly Court) combination.

4. Blurb written on 2025.02.06. Screenshot saved.

Theme: My fate is mine to decide; break free of constraints.