Naturally, Qiu Ling noticed his beloved as soon as he stepped into his field of vision. He leaped to his feet and seemed to fly over to him, hugging him to his chest at once.
"My love!", he cooed once again while his fingers slipped into Jing Yi's hair, entangling with the inky-black strands. Qiu Ling gave a satisfied sigh. Ah, finally! He had his beloved back!
He hugged him closer, grabbed his chin and bent down for a kiss. Their lips met and they both closed their eyes, sinking into the feeling of finally being with each other again. Jing Yi circled Qiu Ling's neck with his arms, his hands trembling a bit.
He's alright. He's actually alright.
Don't mention being alright. Qiu Ling was walking on clouds right now! Even though Jing Yi had started to accept being with him even before they left the Yun Zou Sect, he had never before shown such an enthusiastic response. Mn, he had to make use of this opportunity! Qiu Ling snaked an arm around Jing Yi's waist and pulled him closer, deepening their kiss.
After the initial joy of seeing him again, Jing Yi had actually wanted to pull back but feeling Qiu Ling's eagerness he didn't have the heart to do so. He stayed in his arms and gently cupped Qiu Ling's cheeks. "I've missed you", he breathlessly got out as soon as they separated for a moment.
"I've missed you, too." Qiu Ling wanted to continue but Jing Yi put his fingers against his lips.
"Wait."
Qiu Ling tilted his head and smiled. "What for? You wouldn't have decided to give yourself to me right now, would you?" He looked at Jing Yi expectantly but only got a wry smile in response.
Jing Yi didn't know what to say. Was this really the time for such jokes? "Qiu Ling …"
"Mn?"
"You do know where we are, don't you?" Jing Yi looked at him with a worried gaze. It couldn't be that Qiu Ling had been imprisoned here without knowing what had happened, could it? He took his hand and wanted to say some comforting words but Qiu Ling had already seized his hand and was beaming at him once again.
"My love, as long as you're with me, it doesn't matter where I am. I'm already content having you at my side."
"I know already. But didn't you want to marry me? You can't do so in here."
Qiu Ling opened his mouth and closed it again without saying anything. There was too much information in that short statement of his beloved. He needed a moment to digest everything.
"You … want to marry me?" He couldn't really believe it. His beloved had been so against it at the beginning and now he told him he wanted to marry him? Just like that? He had thought he'd have to repeat using the 69 stratagems he had tried on Jing He back in the nine heavens. Could it really be this simple?
Jing Yi couldn't help laughing out loud. Why was Qiu Ling this surprised?
He gently caressed his cheek. "It couldn't be that you suddenly don't want to marry me anymore?"
"Of course not! Of course, I want!" Qiu Ling hastily pressed Jing Yi's hand against his chest. "Jing He, my love, you're the most important person to me, my other half, the light illuminating my darkness. Naturally, I want to marry you! Ah, I'd marry you right this instant if I could. In fact, why don't we swear our oaths now?"
"Huh?"
"Yes, yes. Don't you go—" Qiu Ling suddenly started coughing. Damn, he had wanted to ask if the gods didn't have to swear some oaths for their marriage. But how would Jing He's mortal reincarnation know? "I mean, don't people normally do that?"
"Uh … Yes." Jing Yi nodded. "But, Qiu Ling, have a look at where we are. How could we marry here? This isn't even real. It's your inner self. When we marry then my mother should be there and sister Nie Huang and your master and our friends. And —"
"Alright, alright." Qiu Ling waved. "I understand. You don't want to marry me now."
Jing Yi sighed. "Isn't it just a matter of marrying now or a bit later? What's the rush? Do you feel like I'd run away?"
Qiu Ling pursed his lips. Actually, he was a little afraid of that. After all, he hadn't been able to marry Jing He before he descended to the mortal world. Wasn't that kind of like running away? What if this time he went somewhere else again?
Jing Yi didn't need to get an answer. The look in Qiu Ling's eyes was more than enough to understand. "You … Seriously, what are you afraid of? Even when I said no I still followed you here in the end, didn't I?"
Qiu Ling hesitantly nodded. That was true indeed.
"So, you don't have to be afraid. I won't leave you." He caressed his cheek again and hugged him again, his heart throbbing painfully.
Maybe it's no wonder that Qiu Ling is afraid. After losing his family like that he probably can't trust that he won't be left alone. Don't worry. I'll show you that you don't need to be afraid. I'll stay with you forever.
Jing Yi closed his eyes and nestled up against Qiu Ling's chest for a while. Somehow, Qiu Ling actually didn't seem nervous. His heart wasn't beating any faster than usual and he was unhurriedly stroking his back. In fact, when Jing Yi cracked his eyes open and peered into his face he seemed quite content.
Is that the kind of attitude you should show when you are trapped in your own inner self? Well, it didn't matter. It was better he felt well instead of being depressed.
"Let's go back together, alright?"
"Mn." Qiu Ling nodded eagerly, not minding the earlier talk about Jing Yi leaving him in the least. He had him at his side now and that was all that he cared about. Even if Jing He ran away … Didn't he just have to run after him? Wherever his beloved went he would just follow him. Even if it was to the end of the world.
Jing Yi looked back at the woman on the tree trunk. "So … Who is she?"
Qiu Ling tensed. "Who are you talking about, my love? It's just us. We're alone here."
Jing Yi raised his brows. "No, we're not. There's clearly a woman —"
"Ah! That reminds me! My love, I composed a poem for you! How about I recite it for you now?" Qiu Ling's face was radiating with so much eagerness that there was no doubt that he was trying to evade the topic.
Jing Yi raised his brows a little higher. Was talking about this woman this hard? Who was she? With Qiu Ling not wanting to talk about it Jing Yi was taking an even greater interest in the matter. Seeing that, Qiu Ling barely repressed a curse. It couldn't be that he really had to talk about it with Jing Yi, could it? But then Jing He would remember when he woke up. He couldn't risk that.
Qiu Ling looked at his beloved and smiled but as amicable as he seemed there was only one thought in his mind: Over my dead body!