Jing Yi and Qiu Ling watched the boiling cauldron together. Half an hour later the lid started to shake and vapor leaked out. Jing Yi sat up and grabbed a rag to open it but before he had even turned around Qiu Ling waved and the fire stopped, then the lid was lazily thrown onto the table.
Qiu Ling turned to look at him and blinked rapidly, clearly waiting for praise.
Jing Yi only sighed and handed him a vial. Honestly, what else was there to say?
Qiu Ling scooped the content up, plugged the vial and put it to the other ones already on the table. "Alright. All done. So can we go to bed now?"
Jing Yi narrowed his eyes. Why was his fiance this eager to go to bed? This sounded fishy somehow. "Is there any specific reason why you'd like to do that now?"
Qiu Ling smiled, came over and hugged him. "Of course! You've worked the whole day. I'm just really afraid that you might overwork yourself. I wouldn't want you to be tired."
Jing Yi waited just in case Qiu Ling would give himself away a moment later but surprisingly, nothing happened. Could it really be that Qiu Ling was saying the truth? He eyed him suspiciously but couldn't detect anything. It really seemed like he just wanted to care for him.
Jing Yi finally relented. "Alright. Let me put this away." He took the vials and put them aside. It would be a disaster if something happened to them and he'd have to do everything again. Especially since he didn't have the right ingredients anymore.
Qiu Ling beamed. "So are you finished yet?"
Jing Yi frowned but turned around and nodded. He still felt like Qiu Ling was planning something. He silently followed him to the bed and took off his outer robe before lying down. Qiu Ling stripped, too, and lay down beside him, his lips tugged into a smile.
"So what now?"
Qiu Ling looked back at him uncomprehendingly. "What do you mean?"
"Are we really just going to lie down and sleep? That doesn't really seem like you."
Qiu Ling slid closer and pulled him into his arms. "Is this better?"
"A bit." Jing Yi was still puzzled though. On a normal day, he wouldn't be able to get Qiu Ling into bed and fall asleep before hugging him around a dozen times and sharing a couple of kisses for whatever reason Qiu Ling managed to make up on the spot. Why was he suddenly so well-behaved?
As if Qiu Ling knew what he was thinking, he bent forward and kissed his temple. He didn't take advantage of the situation though and instantly moved back again. He just smiled before hugging Jing Yi tighter and closing his eyes. He seemed oddly satisfied.
Jing Yi peered at his face and pondered. Had something happened? There had been the report they gave Senior Martial Brother Qiguan but because they had been too slow to get Hong Bao's letter it actually signified that they'd have to wait another month before they could return to the Yun Zou Sect and marry. It shouldn't result in such a mood. Him refining those liquids couldn't be the reason either. Qiu Ling had seen him do that a lot of times and actually got rather grumpy whenever he did since he felt ignored. There hadn't been anything different …
Jing Yi paused. No, there had been something different. He had written his love confession.
He shook his head, snuggled into Qiu Ling's arms and closed his eyes, too. He probably should have known that it was something like this. Qiu Ling was just that type of person. He seemed really happy right now. Well, it wasn't bad. He probably didn't have to worry that Qiu Ling would go crazy tonight and do anything strange.
Qiu Ling wasn't asleep though. His eyes opened as soon as the breathing next to him became regular and his eyes curved. He couldn't help himself from reaching out and gently stroking Jing Yi's hair back.
For a moment, he could actually believe that this was his Jing He from the Nine Heavens. He had that familiar scent of flowers on him thanks to the assignment he had worked on, and now that he had become older his body was of a similar physique as his immortal body's. His hair had also started to have a light shimmer to it even though it still wasn't as silky as that of the original Jing He.
What actually made Qiu Ling's heart beat faster was the similarity in their personalities. Jing He had been shy. Even after knowing each other for a long time and finally becoming a couple he hadn't dared to confess directly.
The first time he spoke those words it had actually just been an answer. 'I love you, too.' He was able to say that but to take the initiative … He probably didn't dare to.
And before that, he had left him the message in whatever way he could think of. Writing a love poem onto one of his paintings and placing it where he'd definitely see it, giving a flower to him that symbolized love or sewing him a scented satchel after mentioning how some goddess had used that to confess her feelings … How many things like that had he done?
Qiu Ling smiled but tears were actually running down his cheeks. He really thought he could see him in front of him.
You still haven't changed at all, he thought, looking at that imaginary figure. You grew up completely different and even started to learn new things but you still … You're still like this. Going in such a roundabout way … I can't even be angry at you.
He pulled him into his arms and took a deep breath, smelling once again those flowers and imagining that this was indeed his Jing He. Ah. He just … missed him so much.
Qiu Ling burrowed his head into Jing Yi's hair and gently stroked his back. He wanted to tell him. He really wanted to tell him. "I love you. I love you more than you can even imagine. My Jing He." His hands on Jing Yi's back trembled and his voice sounded choked but he didn't mind. Everything was alright as long as he got him back soon. He was counting toward that day.
In the end, Qiu Ling fell asleep just like that. He had no idea that Jing Yi's eyes opened soon after, a pensive look in them. Yes, he had heard every word and his mind couldn't help but churn at them. Most likely, their personalities really were alike.