The God of Love plucked one of the silver leaves while Xin Lan stared at the sky. He covered it with his hands, lowered his head and murmured a few words. The light the leaf gave off intensified, glowing even through his closed hands, before finally dissipating. The God of Love opened his hands and raised the leaf to read the words that seemed to be engraved there. His face blanked upon seeing them though.
Xin Lan broke out of his thoughts and looked over. "What is it? Was that demon really his true love?" He really couldn't imagine. As far as he knew, nobody other than him had escaped Tian's curse in the three immortal races and lived until now. Thus there shouldn't be any demon that could feel love. And a one-sided love shouldn't be decreed by the High Heavens, should it?
The God of Love looked at the leaf with a complicated gaze before turning to Xin Lan. "No …" He cleared his throat. "No, that demon wasn't his destined partner."
"Then …"
The God of Love looked at the leaf again. "Senior Xin Lan was right about the trial. They met there and that Xiang Yu followed him to the demon realm after passing the trial. Other than that …" He shook his head and looked up at Xin Lan. "I'm afraid I can't tell Senior Xin Lan more. It is only mentioned that he was betrayed by that demon and thus stopped believing in love, never entering into another relationship again."
Xin Lan nodded. It seemed he had really been right. That trial was the beginning and then the marriage with a demon was what made him become a fallen god. Unfortunately, this wasn't news. It just confirmed what he had thought anyway.
He furrowed his brows. Was there nothing he could use to find out more? But he didn't have any details. He didn't even know the name of that demon. The only thing he knew was that they had met while he attempted his trial.
Xin Lan's expression relaxed. Right. If there had been a trial, then the Fate's Scribe should be able to help him with this.
He turned to the God of Love and nodded. "Alright, I know now. Thank you for your help."
The God of Love opened his mouth but finally just nodded.
Xin Lan turned around and opened the door but halted on the doorstep. He inclined his head. "Right … There was something else that came up in my investigation. Could you tell me about a person called Leng Jin Yu? He should have been born human and then ascended."
The God of Love blanked once again. "Leng Jin Yu?"
Xin Lan glanced over his shoulder. "The God of Love knows that person?"
"En, he was here a while ago … I do remember that name from before though."
"Oh?"
"Mn, back when he was born in the human world the god who was tasked with tying the red thread noticed that there was already a connection." The God of Love furrowed his brows and looked at the leaf in his hand again. Destined pairs … they were so rare, it was impossible not to be noticed. "I'm a little unsure about his love fate. Back when he came here he still wasn't married despite having ascended. He spent a mortal lifetime without finding his destined one. I really wonder if he ever will."
Xin Lan narrowed his eyes. He wasn't sure when Leng Jin Yu had spoken to the God of Love but it had probably been before he met Jinde? After all, the two of them hadn't met too long ago. "His destined one … Does the God of Love know anything about him?"
The God of Love shook his head. "No, I didn't look into it too closely but it seems they were a pair destined in the High Heavens and already knew each other in a previous life but were forcibly separated."
"I see." Xin Lan smiled and his gaze once again wandered to the sky. Destined in the High Heavens … It seemed he had thoroughly lost. "Then was it stated whether they would find happiness in this life?"
The God of Love laughed. "Something like that should rather be asked of the Fate's Scribe."
"Mn, that's true. Then I thank you again. I'll take my leave now." Xin Lan stepped through the door and closed it behind him, a sigh escaping his lips. Maybe he should go and ask the Fate's Scribe. If he could at least be certain that his Master would find happiness with that man in this life, maybe then he would be able to let go. Maybe then he would stop to foolishly hope.
Xin Lan sighed again and finally made his way over to the palace of the Fate's Scribe. Whether or not he would ask about Leng Jin Yu again, he still had to make sure about that Xiang Yu.
Behind him, the God of Love continued to look at the leaf in his hands with a complicated expression. Maybe he should have said something? But he also didn't want to interfere too much. Something like love had to be handled carefully. After all, too much interference could also cause negative effects and even a destined pair might be separated in the end.
He sighed and put the silver leaf down at the root of the tree. It lit up once again and finally sank into the earth as if it had never existed, taking those faintly written words with it.