Chapter 32: Decoding Moon Lake

Beneath her feet lay the shimmering silver surface of the lake, where trees bearing starlight—bright and crystalline, as if someone had crushed the entire Milky Way and scattered it into the water—grew in clusters.

Jiang Xiaoyu watched with awe. “So beautiful… truly stunning…”

Dongfang nodded in agreement.

Mistress Dongfang looked toward the two figures standing side by side in the pavilion at the heart of the lake. The anger she had suppressed for so long finally spilled over. Before the thousands of border guards of Moon Lake, she roared: “Lengyue, roll over here!”

The sound reverberated across the water. The soldiers and the maids of Xiyue Palace stood frozen, glancing at one another, not daring to let out a breath.

A figure in the pavilion paused, then turned around—it was Lengyue.

Her silhouette flickered as she appeared before Mistress Dongfang, her face grim. She bowed and offered a salute: “Sister, I was just about to discuss this matter with you…”

Mistress Dongfang sneered: “There is nothing to discuss! With the world’s prototype yet to be completed, such a thing has occurred. Are you trying to let the spirits of our parents watch as the world they left us falls to pieces?”

Lengyue gritted her teeth, her voice cooling: “Sister, one false step leads to another. I have a way to resolve this for both parties; let us discuss it further.”

“There is no need!” Mistress Dongfang stated firmly. “Lengyue, I do not wish to speak harsh words. Return to Xiyue Palace immediately. I will not say it a second time.”

Lengyue finally reached her breaking point. She clenched her fists, and the power of darkness surged around her, sending ripples across the surface of the lake: “You’d resort to force since soft words won’t work? Fine, Dongfang! You are unfit to be a sister, being this unreasonable!”

Just then, a burst of laughter erupted from Moon Lake.

The sisters turned in unison. The man in the pavilion turned around, his robes fluttering as he recited slowly: “Tonight two goddesses, wed into one immortal home. How joyous! How joyous!”

Lengyue ground her teeth together, looked deeply at Dongfang, and with a wave of her hand, departed with her entourage of maids.

Dongfang pressed the remote and turned to look at Jiang Xiaoyu in silence.

Jiang Xiaoyu offered a bitter smile. “Big Sis, how can a show be filmed like this? Mistress Dongfang is a goddess-like figure, and being the protagonist, she has plot armor—I get that. But what the hell is up with Mistress Lengyue and that man? Why does one have a cat’s head and the other a dog’s? In such a serious scene, sporting two ridiculous special effects, it’s distracting, and it’s completely ruined my train of thought.”

Dongfang said coldly: “Villains should look like that; they ought to be rendered ugly. Don’t worry about how they film it; just focus on your commentary.”

Jiang Xiaoyu smiled bitterly: “Who says they are the villains? Nothing is settled yet; anything is possible. If you label people as good or bad with such bias, what’s left for the audience to enjoy?”

Dongfang frowned: “Why is there nothing to enjoy? Is the plot not engaging?”

“The people you think are bad aren’t necessarily bad; the people you think are good aren’t necessarily good. You only represent your own perspective, not everyone else’s.” Jiang Xiaoyu was uncharacteristically serious. “If you spend your whole life trapped in your own world, how can you ever truly understand this grand narrative made up of so many different people?”

Dongfang didn’t refute him. She remained silent, as if slowly chewing over his words.

After a while, she pointed at the TV, pressed the rewind button, and played the scene again.

This time, as Lengyue turned around, she didn’t have a dog’s head; she revealed her true face.

“Such a virtuous and beautiful face, just like the Goddess in the painting.” Jiang Xiaoyu admired. “But… why does she feel so familiar? As if I’ve seen her somewhere before…”

As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced at Dongfang beside him. She was glaring, looking murderous.

Jiang Xiaoyu laughed sheepishly and hurriedly changed his tune: “Mistress Dongfang is beautiful too. One is cold and aloof, the other gentle and elegant—each has her own unique charm, each has her own…”

The scene shifted. The man in the moon pavilion slowly turned around. The lake light reflected on his face—sharp brows, starry eyes, and a cynical, roguish smile on his lips.

Jiang Xiaoyu sprang from the sofa, pointing at the screen and yelping: “Why is that villain me?!”

Dongfang crossed her arms and said coolly: “Couldn’t find anyone else to play the part on such short notice, so I borrowed your and Lengyue’s faces to fill the quota. Mind?”

“Not at all. Just self-entertainment, right?” Jiang Xiaoyu laughed, then suddenly reacted. “Wait, you said Lengyue? She’s Xiaoqi?”

“What’s so beautiful about her? A total green tea vibe.”

“Xiaoqi is actually that pretty? My god!”

Dongfang coldly raised her hand.

Jiang Xiaoyu went silent instantly, straightening his posture and placing his hands dutifully on his knees.

“Decode it for me!”

Jiang Xiaoyu was startled by the shout, collected his thoughts, and said: “Mistress Dongfang made a mistake. She shouldn’t have lost her temper with Mistress Lengyue like that.”

Dongfang started to argue, but Jiang Xiaoyu held up a hand to stop her.

“This confirms a point indirectly: the illusion world is in a special period, and Mistress Dongfang is terrified of interference from outsiders. But the younger sister did exactly what she feared most, so she was consumed by rage.”

Dongfang nodded vigorously.

Jiang Xiaoyu continued: “One false step leads to another. Starting from losing her temper in front of thousands, misunderstandings have been spiraling out of control. In my opinion, Mistress Dongfang has completely fallen for the trap.”

Dongfang’s eyes reddened: “What makes you say that?”

Jiang Xiaoyu sighed: “The first sentence—‘Sister, I was just about to discuss this matter with you.’ The subtext of that line is that this matter is likely not hers to deal with. If you put yourself in her shoes, you’d realize that one’s own business wouldn’t be framed that way.”

Dongfang suddenly covered her mouth, gesturing with her chin for Jiang Xiaoyu to continue.

“Then what is it? Say it.”

Jiang Xiaoyu sighed: “It’s likely a matter concerning Mistress Dongfang that she is trying to resolve. Her later words confirm it—she was trying to find a way to help her sister.”

Dongfang let a tear roll down: “Impossible, impossible. How could it have anything to do with Mistress Dongfang? Absolutely impossible!”

Jiang Xiaoyu tore off a tissue and handed it to her: “Why get so invested in a TV show? Don’t cry, don’t cry. With you like this, I don’t know how I’m supposed to continue the commentary.”

Dongfang took the tissue, wiped her eyes, and gave an awkward laugh: “Right. It’s just a show I’ve watched a thousand times… what has gotten into me? Go on.”

“Finally, the arch-villain Jiang Xiaoyu provided a clue for this matter in the show. He said, ‘Tonight two goddesses, wed into one immortal home.’ This is from a Tang poem… but the meaning here is twisted—this Jiang Xiaoyu wants to marry both Dongfang and Lengyue at the same time, so…”

Dongfang shouted in rage: “That beast, Jiang Xiaoyu! Wishful thinking! What else?”

Jiang Xiaoyu rubbed his nose awkwardly: “The matter Lengyue mentioned must be the marriage between the villain Jiang Xiaoyu and Mistress Dongfang, and he’s using it to blackmail Mistress Lengyue.”

Dongfang sobbed: “What matter? Tell me, quickly tell me.”

Jiang Xiaoyu laughed bitterly: “The story has to unlock bit by bit. How about… we keep watching?”

As soon as he finished, Dongfang let out a wail, turned, and ran into the Room of Light, slamming the door behind her.

Jiang Xiaoyu was left dumbfounded.

After a long while, he shook his head with a bitter smile: “Director, can we give the villain a different name?”