Jing Yi felt a little taken aback when he saw Qiu Ling hurrying away like that. He took a deep breath and tried to shove that heavy feeling in his chest out of the way. This was Qiu Ling's inner self. All the things here had to have a special meaning for him. It wasn't unexpected that he might react to something like that.
He couldn't help feeling a little despondent, though. He had never experienced this kind of treatment from Qiu Ling. Suddenly, he understood just how much Qiu Ling had spoiled him from the day they met. He had done so many things for him and had even been there when he didn't want his company. Now that he wanted Qiu Ling by his side, something like this suddenly happened. It wasn't that easy to accept.
Jing Yi sighed and hurried after him. He just barely managed to catch up before Qiu Ling could turn a corner. Or, well, it probably would have been more accurate to say that he still saw him turn the corner. Jing Yi could only hurry up and try to follow him but it didn't take long for him to completely lose sight of Qiu Ling.
Jing Yi stood there on that unfamiliar path and suddenly felt really alone. He had already accepted that he had fallen in love with Qiu Ling over the course of the few days that they knew each other. He just never would have thought that being in love could also hurt this much.
He closed his eyes and took another deep breath to calm down his heart. Never mind. It's only natural. It's not like he has forgotten me or anything. He just got momentarily excited. That's typical for him. I shouldn't be wondering about that.
Jing Yi hurried forward. Soon, he heard something from in front of him. There was music and people laughing and talking. He followed their voices and finally found himself at the edge of an elegantly decorated square.
Jing Yi was stunned by this sight. It wasn't just the decorations, though, the people, too, were dressed lavishly. He probably should have expected it since he had already seen the gates and the paths that led here but still. What had Qiu Ling to do with this place? Everything else he had seen until now hadn't indicated that he might have to do with a place like this. He had seemed like a normal person, not somebody especially rich or noble.
Jing Yi couldn't help but search for Qiu Ling's figure between the other people mingling there. It wasn't that hard to find him. His black robe stood out between the people in brightly-colored robes. Moreover, there were some other men in dark clothes not far from him. It really managed to draw gazes to them.
Jing Yi made his way over but soon noticed that he wasn't the only one. There were some women walking in the same direction. They seemed to be talking to Qiu Ling as if this wasn't just something based on Qiu Ling's memories but a real event happening.
Jing Yi bit his lower lip. He felt even worse now. Why were those women with Qiu Ling? What did they want from him? He squirmed on the spot but finally couldn't take it any longer and went over himself.
As soon as he came closer, he noticed a peculiar thing: The women were obviously standing right next to Qiu Ling and talking to him but neither could he make out the words they were saying nor could he clearly see their faces. They were rather like patches of colors that gave off a constant stream of noise.
The corners of Jing Yi's lips raised in a smile and he went the rest of the way to Qiu Ling's side and grabbed his arm. It seemed the interest of those women was completely one-sided. Qiu Ling hadn't even paid them any attention.
Jing Yi leaned against him and closed his eyes, feeling content again. Seriously, what had he been concerned about? The things in Qiu Ling's inner self were all things from the past that somehow still haunted him. It wasn't like those women were actually real. Since Qiu Ling was an immortal they might not even be alive anymore. Wasn't the only important thing that he was with Qiu Ling now? What should he care about the past?
Before Jing Yi could get completely comfortable he was pulled out of his satisfaction, though. The noise around them suddenly seemed to die down and a clear voice broke through, seemingly piercing right into his heart.
Jing Yi couldn't help but open his eyes. He glanced up at Qiu Ling first and noticed that he was facing the side with rapt attention as if he was listening in on what that person was saying. Jing Yi turned around and his face drained of color.
In the midst of this sea of colors where no person could clearly be distinguished was one figure that was presented in such detail that Qiu Ling must have had ingrained everything pertaining to that person into his heart.
The person was young, seemingly only a bit over twenty years. He had donned a blue, embroidered robe that hugged his body and highlighted his slender limbs and graceful movements. When he tilted his head the light of the lamps painted tantalizing reflections onto his silky black hair, giving him an indescribable allure. And his face was like that of an immortal fairy, too lovely to be described.
Jing Yi bit his lower lip and looked up at Qiu Ling. He regretted it at once. Qiu Ling was staring at that man with a feverish gaze as if he was unable to look away for even a second.
But that wasn't even the worst. Before Jing Yi could try to cope with how Qiu Ling looked at that person, the man he loved actually parted his lips and whispered a name that was hurtfully familiar:
"Jing He."
There was so much emotion in these two syllables that there was no room for interpretation. Not that it really needed Qiu Ling's voice for that. His gaze alone said everything: He was deeply in love with that person.
Jing Yi didn't even notice when the first tears slid down his cheeks. He was too preoccupied with his thoughts, recalling every single instance when Qiu Ling had called him by this name.
So all this time the person he was actually thinking about wasn't me but this man. Why? Why would he go and come to me then? I don't even resemble him in the slightest!
Jing Yi didn't know what to think anymore. Had Qiu Ling ever loved him? Why did he even have to question this? Everything had been going well for them. He had finally understood his own feelings and now …
Had Jing Yi known that the person he was jealous of right now was actually himself, he probably could have laughed and settled everything with a kiss. But without that knowledge, he was once again assaulted by the feeling of loneliness he had experienced moments before already.
It seemed … he couldn't be with Qiu Ling, after all. Why had he only realized that after falling in love?