Romancing the Son of Heaven

Stratagem 37: Get an Outside Perspective (3)

Bai Fen wasn't as crazy as her husband when it came to protecting Jing He. She knew that they couldn't always keep him in the palm of their hands or protect him from all schemes and inconveniences in the world. He needed to make his own experiences and he needed to be allowed to grow from them.

But then, he was their only child and she knew that it would always stay this way. Naturally, she also felt protective of him, maybe more than others did of their children. The room for allowing mistakes ... it was smaller than it should be.

This matter with Qiu Ling and the hot spring, just thinking about it for a moment, it was clear that she had to stop it. But this was also something that needed to be done with tact.

Thinking for a bit, she finally waved for Jing He to come over. "Come, sit with your mother for a moment."

Jing He froze, not sure what to make of this but since his mother had asked him to, he still went over and sat down next to her, his gaze a little apprehensive.

Bai Fen really wasn't sure if she deserved to be looked at like this, but in the end, it was normal that he was anxious under the current circumstances. She pondered her next words and then reached out, covering the back of his hand with hers. "This matter, I can understand your thoughts on it. You don't want to push him away since you like him but at the same time, you're uncomfortable with the idea of visiting a hot spring with him, aren't you?"

This kind of direct question, Jing He wasn't able to answer it easily. If he said that he was apprehensive, would that be alright? Or could that be constituted a critique on Qiu Ling?

Either way, Bai Fen didn't need him to say it out loud. Others might not be able to tell but as his mother, she could still read this much from his eyes. "You know, you're young. I don't think it's wrong to feel like this. Instead, this might be a normal reaction. You haven't had any previous experience so being nervous is alright. And seeing as he's from the dragon race, there might be more reason to think like that. After all, the differences between how we perceive matters are big."

At that, Jing He couldn't help but shake his head. "But Longjun knows!" Yes, his behavior had changed so much, to the point where when he thought back now, he felt that it was inconceivable that the man who had asked him to marry him on first sight and then tried to kidnap him the next day, was the one who was now showering him with gentleness and giving in no matter what he himself wanted.

Clearly, he didn't need to worry that Qiu Ling would do anything to him. Even though ... even though, he wouldn't mind if he did. Not that this thought could ever be said out loud.

Bai Fen had her doubts about whether Qiu Ling wouldn't try anything but that naturally couldn't be said to her son. Just look at him! Clearly, he had been blinded to the fact that Qiu Ling's behavior was still just as outrageous as in the beginning and merely hidden better. Love really could make you look past anything.

She smiled when she thought of it, feeling that in the end, this might also be good. Anyway, they were already like this. No matter what happened, these two gravitated toward each other. Maybe that was what fate had intended for them. But still, this matter couldn't be allowed to proceed.

She nodded, pretending that she agreed with what he just said before giving voice to her doubts. "I wouldn't worry too much about Longjun. But you would be in the dragon realm and there will be moments when Longjun wouldn't be at your side, even if that was for merely a moment.

"I think you would be a little anxious at that time, having to deal with the other people there. Even though Longjun would try to make it clear who you are in general and also to him, we can't be sure that there wouldn't be any mishaps."

At that, Jing He's face fell. Originally, he had been uncomfortable when Qiu Ling approached him back then. An unfamiliar man getting so close ... of course, he wouldn't like it.

But now, it would be even worse if something like that happened. Because now, not only would that be an unfamiliar person getting close, he would also feel that he was wronging Qiu Ling if he let that happen. Clearly, he should be with him in the future. Nobody else should be able to get close before that. Hearing his mother say this, he naturally felt some apprehension. Yes, he really couldn't do this.

Seeing that her son seemed to reconsider, Bai Fen felt relieved. She also knew that she couldn't just leave it at that though. She didn't want to make her son anxious in general. "This matter, it isn't impossible but I think it might be too early. I would wait until there is an official relationship between the two of you. After you are ... at least officially engaged, then that would be a good time. In fact, maybe it would be best to wait until after you have gotten married. By then, whether it's in the Nine Heavens or in the dragon realm, people would perceive it differently."

Jing He nodded, his cheeks flushing faintly when he thought of such a time.

He had no doubt that one day, he would be Qiu Ling's. If it was just up to him ... it would've happened already. But then, there were still so many things to consider and his father still hadn't come around. So he also couldn't bring himself to make anything official.

Either way, usually, these things were arranged by one's elders. So he'd have to leave it up to his father and mother. As for Qiu Ling ... he didn't know much about his family but he didn't think that there were any elders left. After all, he did know that Qiu Ling was a lot older than him.

Jing He was completely lost in his thoughts at this point, so Bai Fen took back her hand and just poured herself another cup of tea. She didn't remind him that he would have to tell Qiu Ling about this decision. She didn't want to set up her own child but she was quite interested to see how he would get the words 'let's do that after getting engaged or married' over his lips. It should be quite funny to watch.

She hid her smile behind the teacup once again and then felt that she should go and pay her brother a visit after this. Not that she wanted to gossip about her own child, but these two were indeed a bit entertaining. The image of Jing He having to make his intentions clear to Qiu Ling was especially amusing. Looking at it seriously though, she had the faint hope that maybe if Jing He managed to say something like that, it would advance the relationship between them.

By now, more than half a decade had gone by. For people of the immortal races like them, that was merely a blink of an eye. Even for Jing He who had only recently come of age, it was a short duration. Not to mention Qiu Ling who had already reigned for longer than her husband.

But when it came to relationships, you couldn't wait forever. Maybe it was time for Jing He to take a small step forward at least. If she could give him the slightest push in that direction, it would be good. She didn't want all of this to fall through just because her son had been too timid.

It would be a pity and she also wasn't sure if Jing He would be able to take it. So, it was much better to help them along while nothing bad had happened yet. If it made them grow closer — even if it wasn't to the point of getting engaged and stopped where both of them confessed and agreed to still wait to fulfill their wishes — then that was also good.

Just thinking of that, Bai Fen felt happy that her son had brought this matter up. It was good to give him some outside perspective on this. With their relationship, he would probably listen to it and maybe it would indeed have an effect. She sure hoped that this would be the case.