Animal-eared Girl Era: Start by Forming a Contract with an SSS-Class School Belle

The bustling streets of Hang City Base City.

The Ancestral Empress, the Fate Divine Spirit, Ziran, Jiang Xue'an, and Xiao Ye all walked together down the street.

This street was a sea of cars and people, crowded and lively.

All along the street, the red banners hung for the Empress's wedding were still up.

"The Empress is back from her honeymoon."

"Wow, is that the Empress's husband? What a handsome young man."

"What do you mean young man, have some respect, that's the Emperor!"

"Greetings, Emperor, wishing you a lifetime of happiness and everlasting love."

"Blessings to the Empress, may you have many children and grandchildren."

The residents of Hang City gave way, standing on either side of the road, dancing and waving excitedly, offering non-stop well wishes.

Hearing the blessings of Hang City's residents around him, Xiao Ye felt *a bitter sadness deep within.*

Emperor?

He had indeed once been the Emperor of Hang City Base City.

But now, the Fate Divine Spirit actually had nothing to do with Hang City Base City anymore.

And she had nothing to do with him either.

Gu Qingcheng's Soul Body had been sent to the future, and he had no idea if things had improved.

He and Gu Qingcheng were indeed husband and wife.

But he and the Fate Divine Spirit might not even be friends anymore.

*Maybe it was guilt over his obsession with the future Gu Qingcheng, but he didn't want him and the Fate Divine Spirit to become strangers, never crossing paths again.*

The obsessed future Gu Qingcheng couldn't have died for nothing.

She might be resurrected now, but it wasn't a true resurrection.

The Fate Divine Spirit was not equal to the obsessed future Gu Qingcheng.

When the Fate Divine Spirit fully restored her memories, only then would the obsessed future Gu Qingcheng be completely revived.

Jiang Xue'an used a Crystal Core to buy several boxes of stinky tofu, happily passing them out to everyone.

But the Fate Divine Spirit did not accept.

Instead, the Space Ancestor Empress took it with delight, devouring large bites.

The smell was like crap.

But the taste, surprisingly, was soft, sticky, and delicious.

The Fate Divine Spirit watched the excited faces of the residents around her and, almost by reflex, checked their fates.

Her expression went blank.

In the fate scenes of these residents, she saw someone exactly like herself.

Gu Qingcheng, the Hang City Empress.

That Gu Qingcheng was unbeatable, her aura overwhelming.

Time after time, she defended Hang City, again and again repelling the Beast Tide, always returning victorious.

Under that Gu Qingcheng's leadership, Hang City flourished and grew ever more prosperous.

A few days ago had been the day when that Gu Qingcheng and Xiao Ye got married.

Many people had seen the genuine smile on Gu Qingcheng's face, her eyes filled with happiness.

Together with a stunning beauty named Yunxi, she had married Xiao Ye, the Human Emperor.

The whole city celebrated, with wild cheers and joy.

It really was like a legendary love story.

Afterward, that Gu Qingcheng and Human Emperor Xiao Ye left for their honeymoon, and hadn't been seen in Hang City for days.

The Fate Divine Spirit looked dazed.

Gu Qingcheng—was that me?

She looked at Xiao Ye ahead, his mouth greasy and eating contentedly—the Human Emperor, her husband, the Emperor of Hang City?

In that moment, the Fate Divine Spirit understood deep inside.

*She imagined a scene: the Human Emperor in danger, her rushing to the rescue, meeting danger head on, sacrificing herself to save him.*

The invincible Gu Qingcheng of the past had finally lost, paying a terrible price.

Not only did she die, she was forever parted from the Human Emperor.

Unrequited love, loving yet never having…

The Fate Divine Spirit murmured, as the chill that shrouded her evaporated instantly.

*Maybe the Human Emperor had never hurt her; perhaps the reason she suffered so much inside was because she couldn't be with him anymore.*

As she thought of this, the Fate Divine Spirit suddenly jumped in surprise.

*Her pain inside had actually lessened a little!*

*But she was even more confused now. If love only brought pain, why would people seek it out anyway?*

"Fate, what are you thinking about, so lost in thought—here, have some stinky tofu."

The Space Ancestor Empress poked a piece of stinky tofu with a toothpick and shoved it into the Fate Divine Spirit's delicate pink mouth.

"Mmph!" The Fate Divine Spirit snapped back to reality, her Liu Mei brows knitting at the overwhelming stench of the tofu.

"This stinks. Human food is like this—how do you even eat it?"

The Space Ancestor Empress downed the rest of her tofu in one gulp, happily munching,

"Don't mind the smell. Tastes great once you eat it."

"These creatures may be low on the Realm ladder, but they're living well enough. They've invented all sorts of things to satisfy human desires. In this brutal age, at least there's some comfort."

Is that so?

The Fate Divine Spirit took a curious bite.

As she felt the pleasing texture and gooey softness in her mouth, her beautiful eyes sparkled.

"It's pretty good."

She said softly.

"Hahaha! Come buy my stinky tofu—the Empress says it's delicious!"

The old man at the roadside stand shouted excitedly.

The crowd immediately swarmed over, snatching up every last bit of stinky tofu in no time.

After a while, there was a chorus of remarks,

"Holy crap, it smells rank but tastes great."

"Just like my wife: always acting mad, nagging me all day, drives me crazy, but sometimes I kind of like it—it feels warm."

"Now that you mention it, it's true. My three-hundred-pound wife may look ugly, but she's so careful and gentle. No more talking—I'm heading home to share this good stuff with her."

"I was about to eat the last piece, thanks for reminding me, brother. This last bite, I'll save for my wife."

The tofu vendor was dumbfounded.

He was just selling stinky tofu, and somehow he'd improved the happiness of so many families?

Listening to what the residents said, the Fate Divine Spirit, still chewing her tofu, got lost in thought again, her mind drifting.

Smells rotten, tastes delicious.

*When she looked at the Human Emperor, she felt a stab of pain inside.*

*Did this mean, deep down, she still wanted to reunite with the Human Emperor, to savor love's sweetness and joy?*

She came to, her Liu Mei brows deeply furrowed.

*These were only the rational guesses and thoughts in her mind—she truly didn't know what the facts were.*

*Her heart wasn't completely under her own control.*

Suddenly, the Fate Divine Spirit spoke softly, "Human Emperor, can I have a taste of your tofu?"

Xiao Ye, eating with gusto, turned around with a strange look,

"You want a taste of my tofu?"

"I don't have any tofu. Only women have tofu." He patted his sturdy chest and said.

Ziran rolled her eyes, snatched the stinky tofu box from Xiao Ye's hands, and cheerfully placed it in the Fate Divine Spirit's jade-like hands.

"Fate Divine Spirit, eat as much as you want. If you need more, just ask Xiao Ye."

"Thank you," the Fate Divine Spirit said politely.

She picked up a piece of stinky tofu and popped it into her mouth.

*Her inner pain eased a little, again.*

The Fate Divine Spirit's eyes lit up, "It's delicious!"

*She wondered, maybe deep inside, she really did hope she and Xiao Ye could get back together.*

The group finished their stroll and returned to the Empress's palace.

"Fate Divine Spirit, this is the place where Qingcheng and Xiao Ye once lived together," Ziran explained, "The bridal chamber's up on the top floor."

The Fate Divine Spirit looked around at everything, and suddenly the corners of her lips curved up, *her pain reduced by more than half, a sliver of joy blooming for no reason.*

*Her feelings weren't something her rational mind could control.*

*She was confused—she had never set foot here before.*

*Was it because of Gu Qingcheng?*

The group climbed to the top floor of the Empress's palace.

Ziran said with a smile, "This is the bridal chamber. Still decorated for the wedding, exactly the same as before—nothing's changed."

Xiao Ye looked at everything from the past, lips tinged with bitterness.

Things remained the same, not a single change, but the people were no longer the same.

The Fate Divine Spirit gazed around with curiosity.

Suddenly, inside her, feelings of joy, warmth, and comfort welled up.

She wandered through every corner of the bridal chamber, touching things gently with her hands.

Even she didn't notice—on her breathtakingly beautiful face, two lines of silent tears were streaming down.