While the two lovers peacefully slept in each other's embrace, both their faces adorned with satisfied smiles, another person could only smile wistfully.
Not far from the Yun Zou Sect, Qiu Ling stared at the lonely person walking down the path through the forest. His beloved was so close yet he couldn't go over and pull him into his arms because of that stupid misunderstanding! Ah, his beloved had to feel so alone, so lost, so … unloved.
He definitely couldn't let him suffer much longer! He had to make him understand that there was no Tian at all and that it was all him. Mn, his one true love. Ah, their final reunion would definitely be such a romantic scene!
He could already imagine it! Maybe they would kiss, both their hearts melting in the sweetness of their touch. Most definitely they would hug tightly and he would take his beloved's hands and —
Qiu Ling forcefully shook his head. No! He couldn't indulge in his thoughts of the future now. He first had to find a way to make his beloved realize the truth. After all, he could hardly go up to him and just tell him, could he? No, that wouldn't work. Jing Yi would think that it was just a plot to get him back. He would think that he had somehow gotten the story about Tian out of that senior martial brother Yu and now wanted to pretend that it was him. No explanation would be able to shake this misunderstanding then.
So if he wanted to get him back … he'd have to make him realize on his own that they were one and the same person. Jing Yi had to see the similarities and connect the dots. That was the only way. In other words, he had to act like he had in the Nine Heavens.
Qiu Ling frowned and silently followed Jing Yi through the forest, hiding in the treetops so his beloved wouldn't notice him while he hadn't finalized his plan.
Mn, the way he had been in the Nine Heavens … Wasn't that him before shedding any pretenses? Ah, no, uh, naturally, that wasn't a pretense. No, he was really such a mature and reliable person as he had preten—
Qiu Ling coughed lightly. Mn, Jing He would certainly recognize him if he took a little care. That couldn't be so difficult. He had probably already wavered in the Yun Zou Sect or he wouldn't have acted like that. Looking at him so sadly and kissing his cheek … Those clearly were signs of his deep love for him!
Ah, telling him that he had fallen in love with his father had probably only been because he was afraid of the truth. Inwardly, he hoped that his guess was right and that his fiance here in the mortal realm was also his fiance back in the Nine Heavens. But he was terribly afraid that he might find out that it wasn't like that so he hadn't dared to talk about it. Mn, that had to be it.
Qiu Ling called up a water mirror and took a look at his face. Mn, handsome as always. His hair … Well, it seemed to be perfect too but he hurriedly brushed it with his fingers to make sure he hadn't missed anything. Then —
"Your Majesty."
Qiu Ling frowned and kept the water mirror before turning around. His brows twitched when he saw the two people behind him. "Fu Heng … Fu Min …" He spat the two names out through gritted teeth while his hands clenched into fists and his expression darkened further and further.
Fu Min looked away with his cheeks flushed red while Fu Heng just calmly looked back at his king.
"Argh, you still dare to look at me! For Heaven's sake, even I haven't married yet! How can you two … Ugh! What utter shamelessness! Heavens, at least pull those leaves out of your hair!"
Fu Min turned even further away but thanks to that the leaves that had gotten stuck in his hair were even more obvious. Qiu Ling gnashed his teeth. These bastards! He still had to woo his beloved in the mortal realm before they could marry and had to wait for him to pass his trial in the Nine Heavens! How could they just casually have a go at each other while he was still in this kind of situation?!
"Hmph! I'm not speaking to you. Traitors!" Qiu Ling turned around with a huff. Ah, he wanted to go and complain to someone about this.
Qiu Ling tilted his head. Eh? Wait. Didn't he have a father again? Maybe he could go and … He glanced at the leaves still stuck in Fu Min's hair and his expression darkened. Yeah, sure. He could go and tell his father. That was such a brilliant idea. Unfortunately, he could already imagine what he would see when he did so. After all, his old man was certainly rolling around in bed with the old geezer right now.
He once again peeked at the leaves sticking out of Fu Min's blond hair. Well, maybe they were rolling around somewhere else but they definitely were rolling around. That much was for sure. So … He couldn't go and complain to him.
Uh, maybe he could go and see his mother-in-law? He thought of Bai Fen but something told him that she would just throw him out if he went to complain about this. Ah, there was nobody in this whole world he could rely on! It really was time for his beloved to remember him already!
Mn, speaking of that … Qiu Ling ignored the two lovebirds behind him and watched Jing Yi. What use was there in thinking about it for such a long time? He had played that role perfectly for almost ten years. It couldn't be that hard to show his beloved his mature and reliable side once again. It probably wouldn't take long for him to remember the good things they had shared and then …
Then he'd make sure his beloved would also wear leaves in his hair! Hmph! Just watch him!