Oh. My. Fate?! (Bl, Volume 10, Part 1)

31 First Things First

Jinde sighed when he came to that conclusion. He had hoped there would be a better way but there was nothing he could do. Well, in any case, after things were done, this shouldn't be a problem anymore. It was just uncomfortable right now because it was still something that was in the future and required them to first put in the work.

After they had started, it would get easier with every passing moment because they would see that they could actually make progress. And he didn't doubt that they would. After all, they loved each other. No matter what had happened, that wouldn't change. So, they should better start as soon as possible.

With that thought, Jinde got to his feet and stretched, his eyes narrowing faintly. "Alright, who among your advisers would deal with the rooming issue?"

"Xiang Yong."

"And where is that Xiang Yong?"

Qiu Ling glanced at him, his expression still stiff. "Bringing some people over to the Nine Heavens."

Jinde sighed. "So he's only going to return later today. I got it. Well, don't worry about it. In any case, there'll probably be so much to do today that we won't even spend much time in the room.

"Now, how about having that tour through the palace first? Jin Yu and I are not supposed to know anything about this place so we need one to cover up our identities and Jing Yi also mentioned that he had trouble getting around. So I guess it can't hurt if all of us go."

Qiu Ling froze at that, the idea of walking through the palace with Jing Yi for what might be an hour or so not looking all that inviting. He just wouldn't know how to behave. But he also didn't have a good reason to say no so he could only accept it.

He got up but he still looked incredibly uncomfortable.

Jinde nodded though and motioned for Lei Jiang to take the lead. "Well, if we are at it, I'd first like to see the place where I'm going to live afterward. So let's go there first. That way, we'll also know better how to get around." He grabbed his husband's arm and sidled up to him, looking up with a smile.

Leng Jin Yu requited his gaze, not quite sure what his lover wanted to do. From the looks of it, Jinde really wanted to get that tour through the palace even though he himself didn't need it, while on the other hand, it seemed that he somehow wanted to make Qiu Ling and Jing Yi talk things out.

He wasn't quite sure how both of that would go together but he trusted that his husband had a plan. He just wrapped his arm around Jinde's waist and then followed him out when Lei Jiang took the lead.

Ai Hua grabbed her son and followed right after them, leaving Qiu Ling and Jing Yi the last two in the throne room.

The two of them glanced at each other before immediately looking away, clearly not yet ready to interact with each other.

Jing Yi didn't dare to leave when Qiu Ling wasn't moving but he also felt awkward standing on the spot. Looking for anything he could do or say, he finally felt that he should at least apologize for the small things first if he didn't dare to even think about the big ones.

"I'm sorry for running around. I know I probably should've stayed in your room but ... I just ..." He lowered his head and furrowed his brows, not quite sure what to actually say. He had wanted to see him, he had wanted to make up, but he also knew that Qiu Ling didn't want to. Otherwise, he wouldn't be like this right now.

Qiu Ling was still busy looking away but he also realized that things wouldn't go forward at all if he just ignored that Jing Yi was there and what he was saying. He at least had to indicate that he had heard him. Should he just nod? But then that didn't seem right after an apology. "It's ... it's alright. I shouldn't have left without a word."

"It's understandable though. You ... you're angry. And you have every reason to be."

Outside the room, Jinde looked over his shoulder and realized that things were already moving in the right direction. Originally, his plan had been to go to the corridor where Qiu Ling and his advisers lived and then just push them into Qiu Ling's room so they could have a talk there. But now, it seemed that these two had actually started to have a conversation of their own just by being left alone.

He smiled faintly and then motioned for everyone else to be quiet before he pushed the door shut as quietly as he could, and then grabbed his husband to run away. In any case, if they were left alone, then things might work out without their help. And this was a conversation where outsiders also wouldn't be able to do much so that would be for the best.

When Ai Hua saw the two of them running, she hurriedly tugged at her son's hand, and then sprinted after them, not wanting to be left behind. She definitely had no intention to stay around while their king bared his heart to his lover. Even though she enjoyed very much being involved in the big things that concerned the king, there was a line that she didn't want to cross. And this was definitely a stretch on that line.

Thus, the other five people quietly vanished while Qiu Ling and Jing Yi were still in the throne room, not even noticing. It seemed that the talk they hadn't wanted to have was already about to ensue.