Chapter 1181: The River God’s Bride 16

After leaving the room, Bingtong led Tang Wan through the vast expanse of the He Bo Palace. As they walked, Tang Wan gradually realized just how enormous the place truly was. It stretched endlessly in all directions, its scale far surpassing anything she had seen before—even the imperial palaces of the human world seemed small in comparison. Along the way, shrimp soldiers and crab generals stood guard in orderly rows, their presence lending the palace an air of solemn authority. Among them, she also noticed quite a few catfish-like demons similar in form to Bingtong, each carrying themselves with a certain quiet strength.

As they continued, they arrived at a wide, open area. There, Tang Wan’s attention was suddenly drawn to a catfish demon sprawled across a piece of coral, sobbing pitifully. The sound of his crying echoed softly through the water, filled with obvious sorrow.

Bingtong immediately straightened, his expression turning serious as he spoke with authority, “Yu’er, why are you crying like this?”

Hearing his voice, the catfish demon quickly stopped, wiping away his tears in a flustered manner as he turned toward them. “Master He!” he said hurriedly, his tone respectful.

“Why are you crying here?” Bingtong asked again, his brows slightly furrowed.

Yu’er hesitated, clearly embarrassed, unable to speak. Just then, a crab demon emerged from behind a nearby coral formation and stepped forward to explain on his behalf. “Reporting to Master He, Yu’er is upset because his courtship was rejected by Miss Lihua from the Demon City.”

At these words, Bingtong’s expression changed instantly, anger flashing across his face. “What? How unreasonable!” he exclaimed. “Yu’er is my disciple—how could she reject him? She’s just a chipmunk demon, and she dares to look down on him?”

To him, Yu’er was an excellent subordinate, both capable and loyal. The idea that he had been dismissed so easily only made Bingtong feel indignant on his behalf.

Standing beside him, Tang Wan could not help but twitch her lips slightly, her thoughts shifting as she listened. Demon City… could it be the place where demons gathered, the legendary market open to all spirits? If her memory served her correctly, such places were often governed by powerful beings like River Gods. Yet from Bingtong’s reaction, it did not seem like he held any authority there.

Seeing that his anger was rising, Tang Wan reached out and gently tugged at his sleeve, her voice soft as she said, “Tongtong, don’t be upset just yet.”

The moment he heard her, Bingtong’s expression softened immediately, the anger fading as he turned to her. “My lady…”

Tang Wan smiled faintly before continuing, her tone calm and thoughtful. “Matters of the heart depend on mutual feelings. Just like us—no matter how powerful you are, not every human woman would be willing to marry you. But I happened to like you. It’s the same for Yu’er and that Miss Lihua. In your eyes, Yu’er is excellent and shouldn’t be rejected, but she refused him anyway. That can only mean that the two of them are either not suited for each other… or that their fate hasn’t come yet.”

Bingtong listened carefully, and as her words sank in, his expression gradually shifted. A faint blush crept across his face as he nodded in agreement. “What my lady says is right.”

At the same time, a quiet joy stirred within him. She had said it herself—she liked him.

Meanwhile, Tang Wan turned her attention back to Yu’er, whose expression still carried lingering disappointment. Her tone softened as she addressed him, “Even if you’ve been rejected, there’s no need to be too discouraged. Perhaps the issue isn’t you, but the way you approached her. If you try a different method, you might still win her over. And if not… then it simply means you’re not destined to be together.”

Hearing this, Yu’er’s eyes brightened slightly, hope flickering within them. “Really?” he asked eagerly.

“Tell me,” Tang Wan continued, “what kind of demon is this Miss Lihua? And how have you been courting her? Let me see if I can think of a better approach.”

Yu’er nodded quickly, his voice gaining a hint of excitement as he spoke. “Miss Lihua is very beautiful—many demons in the Demon City admire her. Every time I go there, I bring her the best dried fish I can find, or even fish that I wouldn’t normally eat myself. But… every time, she throws them away and gets angry…”

Tang Wan fell silent for a moment, her expression turning slightly complicated.

A chipmunk demon… being courted with fish?

No wonder he kept failing.