His Beloved Ex-Wife

Chapter 681 The Goddess Aphrodite
The moment the topic turned to the child who could effortlessly lift Lysander, all of Josiah’s doubts dissipated. He figured that
even if the local children didn’t possess such extraordinary athletic prowess, they must certainly have decent physical strength.
As the two were conversing, the procession halted for a performance. First, a group of children, pretending to be cupids,
performed a series of backflips in place. Following them was an elderly man on stilts, which were at least one point two meters
high. Yet, he moved as if he were on flat ground, seemingly unaffected by the height.
Josiah had completely decided to take back his previous words. The parade participants were filled with talented individuals. If
one didn’t know better, one hey would have thought they were professional acrobats hired for a performance.
Lysander rarely saw his pupils constrict like that, and being able to read his mind, she said, “You’ve only been to places like this
when doing charity work before, haven’t you?”
“No, I’ve never been here before,” Josiah admitted candidly. “In the past, my involvement in charitable activities was limited to
signing off on plans. At most, I would pose for a photo with representatives. As for the actual circumstances, the assessment
was always done by the staff working on the ground.”
He had never imagined that the seemingly insignificant lines written in the contract could actually hold such a profound impact on
so many people’s lives.
Lysander wasn’t surprised by this. She merely remarked, “It’s rather ironic, isn’t it? Back when we were married, we barely knew
anything about each other’s work. Now, it seems we can actually hold a
conversation about it.”
Today, she was dressed simply. Her outfit consisted of dark blue jeans paired with a solid–colored sweatshirt. The shoes she
wore were nearly identical to the pair she had lost in the village, a pair of canvas shoes. At first glance, she and Josiah, who
stood beside her, looked as if they were wearing matching couple outfits.
Inwardly, Josiah felt a hint of joy although he didn’t show it. He subtly moved closer to Lysander while shielding her, appearing
just like any ordinary couple would.
After the villagers, playing various characters, had completed their parts, the focus of the procession turned to the deity statues
being carried on wooden palanquins. They were, in fact, the true protagonists of the day.

Lysander had little knowledge about the local customs there, so she had no choice but to eavesdrop on an elderly local who was
explaining the situation to a young man nearby.
Josiah also hurried to catch up, matching her pace.
“The festivities were not only for the people to enjoy, but also for the deities to witness. Today, everyone gathered to bring the
deities out to revel with the people. After the worship ceremony in two days, they would be returned. In the past, when people
relied on the divine for sustenance, this was the method used to pray for favorable weather.”
If this story had been told to him in the past, Josiah would have merely dismissed it as superstition, his face expressionless.
However, after witnessing the lives of the people here firsthand, his perspective shifted.
Every individual here was striving hard in their lives. Having a place to anchor one’s soul was indeed a good thing. After all, one
had to have aspirat Truly live.
Moreover, he had become someone with aspirations of his own.
Lysander’s gaze swept over each statue as she commented candidly, “The craftsmanship of the person who made them is truly
remarkable. They look so lifelike at first glance, especially the one that was just carried past. Its face is quite handsome.”
Upon hearing these words, Josiah immediately craned his neck forward to take a closer look. Only after clearly seeing the face
of the statue did he breathe a sigh of relief.
The portrait of the deity was depicted with great majesty, exuding an air of superiority that was untouched by the mundane world.
It bore no resemblance to Adrian or those whom he had always been wary of.
It seems that Lysander’s taste hasn’t changed much.
Upon hearing Lysander’s words, the old man turned around and responded with a warm, jovial laugh.
“Times have changed, and naturally, the deity’s statue must keep up with the times. After all, it’s intended to be repainted every
few decades. If it wasn’t for a tourist who did a documentary of the statue last year, our town wouldn’t have attracted so many
visitors this year. It hasn’t been this lively in many years.”
“Sir, do you know what these deities are known to protect?”

Lysander had already come, so she didn’t want to be a clueless tourist. Moreover, since she was there to make a wish, it was
essential to first understand the roles of the deities in the church.
“Oh, that’s Aphrodite... If you’re hoping for a child, just offer a prayer to her. You’ll conceive in no time!”
The old man spoke knowledgeably about the deities in the festival; he was practically a walking storybook. He noticed that
Lysander was listening with rapt attention, and he hadn’t spoken this much in a long time. It was only after he finished talking
about the parade that he noticed Josiah, who was standing next to her.
“This young man is as handsome as the deities. Your future children will undoubtedly be good–looking.”
In local customs, complimenting someone for their resemblance to a deity was undoubtedly a compliment.
Josiah had already fully integrated himself into the local life and promptly expressed his gratitude politely.
Lysander quickly changed the subject, “And... who is that deity behind?”
“Oh, that one? That’s Enipeus.”
“Enipeus? A water deity?”
“Kind of.” The elderly man chuckled before adding, “It’s mentioned in the county annals that in ancient times, when Enipeus still
resided there, young men and women who wished to marry and have children would draw a bowl of water before their wedding
as a way to seek his blessings and protection.”
Upon hearing this, Josiah became intrigued. “So how can one determine if they’ve ained Enipeus’s approval?”
“It all depends on whether the bowl of water is clear or murky. If it’s clear, it signifies that the couple will have a smooth journey in
life and will certainly grow o the marriage will fail her. But if the water is cloudy, it’s likely that
The elderly man spoke while observing Josiah, who was subconsciously moving closer toward Lysander He reassured them,
“You two shouldn’t worry about these things. It’s leau to see how deeply you care for each other. Even if there are any setbacks,
I’m confident you’ll be able to overcome them”
Lysander thought about their first marriage which failed completely and responded with a silent smile.

Surprisingly, Josiah was somewhat moved. He engaged the elderly man in casual conversation, asking about the location of the
river and such. Upon learning that the river had long since dried up, leaving at most well water, he couldn’t help but feel a hint of
disappointment.
The festival of the deities was set to run for three days, with the first day being the most lively of them all.
Lysander and Josiah had prepared to stay for two days, so they were in no rush at all. They simply followed the crowd all the
way to the church.
The church wasn’t particularly large, consisting of two courtyards. By this time, the rush for candles was over, and there were
noticeably fewer tourists than before.
Lysander inhaled the lingering scent in the air and said, “I didn’t expect the smoke from the candles here to be so intense. With
this much going on, even if someone managed to offer the first candle, I doubt the deities can distinguish who it was.”
The issue raised was indeed a real one.
Previously, Josiah didn’t believe in such things. However, after spending a considerable amount of time in the elite social circles
of Harborbrook, he inevitably came to know some business partners who were firm believers in this. Thus, he quietly approached
her and began to speak.
“I think that rather than viewing their actions as a race to be the first to offer candles, it’s more accurate to say they are giving
themselves emotional comfort, all in the name of good fortune. I know a few business partners who spend a significant amount
of money each year just to light the first candle. I used to see this as a form of superstition, but now, I think it’s actually a good
thing.”
He wished he could also participate in it. Unfortunately, the trip was a spontaneous decision and he hadn’t done any preparation.
All he could do was to pay his respects to the various deities there.
The courtyard was home to numerous stray cats. Due to their constant exposure to a variety of visitors over the years, they
showed no fear of humans,
A cat with long fur, a Chausic, noticed that Lysander had been standing there for quite some time without leaving. The cat took
the initiative to saunter over, brushing against her lower leg affectionately. Its fluffy tail even curled around her ankle in a playful
manner.