Here it comes. Qiu Ling had a look around and sat down at the table. "This seems to be something, that'll take a little longer." He straightened his robes and looked up at the Zhongs. "Just ask, whatever it is you want to know."
"Daoist master, you … have helped our family a great deal. We are truly grateful to you, it's just that … we were wondering, why you are helping us out of all people?"
Qiu Ling's gaze fell on Jing Yi's small body. The blanket rose and fell with every breath he took. This journey had really taken a toll on him. "Isn't that because of your son?"
The Zhongs exchanged glances. They had known, of course, but assuming and directly hearing it were two different things. "May we know why? Is it that … you …" Madam Zhong broke off.
Mister Zhong couldn't take it anymore and just asked directly: "What do you intend to do with our son?"
Marrying him! Of course, Qiu Ling was intelligent enough, to not say that aloud. If I said that, it would sound creepy and they'd try everything to keep their son away from me. So, how to give a satisfactory answer, they could believe without being put off? I can't just tell them the truth, can I?
He considered it for a moment and finally sighed. "There are some things, I am not sure I should mention. Let me just say this: To this person … I am incredibly grateful."
Indeed, I am. Grateful for being able to see him that fateful night, grateful for being allowed to shower him with my affection, grateful for earning his love in return. Jing He, the person I am most grateful to in this life, is you.
The Zhongs, of course, couldn't understand. "How so? He is only seven and you were even there, when he was born …" Mister Zhong's voice trailed off. He didn't know what else to say. What was this man thinking? They weren't dumb! Who would believe something like that?
Qiu Ling sighed, stood up and went over to Jing Yi's bed. He sat down at his bedside, reached out and smoothed his black hair. "He is. Right now, he is." He could virtually feel their uncomprehending looks at his back. "Three immortal souls and seven mortal forms. Isn't this just one mortal form of his?"
And the one, he had fallen in love with, was the one carrying this immortal soul. If he had to follow him through seven mortal lifetimes, he would do so, even though he didn't like it.
"Seven … mortal forms?" The Zhongs exchanged another glance.
"So you mean to say, that you knew him in another life?", Madam Zhong couldn't help but clarify.
Qiu Ling considered and finally nodded. "For what happened in that lifetime, I will pay him back in this one." And every other lifetime he may have. Wherever you go, I'll follow along, Jing He. I will never leave you. Never.
"So it's like that." Madam Zhong sighed. She couldn't help feeling relieved.
Qiu Ling turned toward them and smiled. "I know, you must have misgivings about me."
"We wouldn't —"
"It's alright. It just shows, that he was lucky with reincarnating into your house. I am very grateful for that, too. He deserves having such a home."
"So …" Mister Zhong scratched his head. He felt like the daoist master was pretty direct. It shouldn't be a problem to ask a little more, no? "You don't want to take him away, to make him into a daoist?"
"Uh … no." How would I? I don't know the first thing about human cultivation! Dragons were born with magic and a sturdy body. Cultivation? What did they need that for? Though, he could teach him the way of the sword …
The Zhongs looked at him doubtfully, so he didn't have another choice but to explain: "Well, I did say before, that I had some relation with the dragon folk. That wasn't just something I made up on the spot. You could say … our …" He pondered what humans called those things again. "Sect?" Seemed legit. "Our sect's techniques can only be learned by those with the right heritage. You need to have some dragon blood. Your son wouldn't qualify."
"So our son was a dragon in his last life?"
Black lines ran down Qiu Ling's face. Father-in-law, seriously, how did you arrive at that conjecture? Did I say anything about that? "No. That isn't the case."
"Oh." Mister Zhong felt a little dejected. Look at that Long mountain range! Wouldn't being a dragon be great? Well, in the end, it didn't make a difference. In this life, his son certainly was a hundred percent human. Nothing could change that.
"So he can remain with us?" Madam Zhong didn't fail to come back to the issue, that had kept bugging her.
Qiu Ling nodded. "If he would ask me to take him somewhere else, I would do it. But as long as he wants to remain with his family, I will just stand aside and watch over him. I don't have any intentions to go against his wishes. It's up to him, where he wants to go in this lifetime." Whatever it is, I'll just accompany him. "There really is no need to worry. I probably … should have said this sooner. I'm sorry for that. You probably worried not just a little about this."
The Zhongs didn't dare to admit it, but also didn't dare to deny. Who would lie to a daoist master?
Qiu Ling just smiled. "It's alright. I know, I didn't think things through in the beginning. What happened after he was born, was indeed my fault. That was why I hurried back, as soon as I perceived something was wrong with him. It's just that I seem to have arrived at too late a time. It had some impact on his life."
Madam Zhong lowered her head. Yes, that was true. But she felt it was more her fault, than the daoist masters. She had been afraid and protected her son too much because of that. Nothing could be done about that anymore. She could only try to let him have a normal life in the future.
Qiu Ling patted Jing Yi's head again and stood up. "You seem to be doing well and I hope, you don't have to worry anymore now. For now, I should probably go."
"I'll show you the way." Mister Zhong hurried to the door, but was whacked over the head by Madam Zhong.
"Does the daoist master need to use the door?"
"Uh … No." Mister Zhong scratched his head again. His wife was right.
Qiu Ling just continued smiling. "It would probably be less suspicious, if I did that."
"I'll show you the way." Madam Zhong shoved her husband out of the way and opened the door.
Oh? Qiu Ling's eyebrows rose slightly. It seems, my future mother-on-law isn't completely satisfied yet with the things I said just now. He nodded at Mister Zhong, passed through the door and waited for Madam Zhong to follow him.
Indeed, they had just reached the end of the corridor, when Madam Zhong stopped and turned around to him. "Daoist master, there is another thing, I don't know, if I should ask."