Oh. My. Fate?! (BL, Volume 12, Part 1)

127 Not a Question Worth Asking

Qiu Ling stared at the water mirror without blinking. His beloved paid no attention to him so, obviously, he wasn't the one who had opened it. This should be a gift from Tian. It was unexpected and he had no idea how long it would last so he had to cherish every single moment.

Looking at Jing He carefully, the first thing that was different from usual was naturally the Mark of Wisdom between his brows. He had seen it before when he went to the High Heavens but it couldn't be said that he was used to it. No, of course, this was still a major difference. He didn't pay much attention to it though. Anyway, fallen god or not, he loved him just the same.

What truly caught his eye was the slightly reddened tail-end of his beloved's eyes. He hadn't seen him like that before but it didn't take much imagination to figure out what it meant: Jing He had been crying. Most likely, he hadn't stopped too long ago.

Qiu Ling's heart squeezed painfully. He wanted Jing He to be happy more than anything. At this moment, he felt the need to rush up there, pull him into his arms, and gently comfort him. That was how it should be but ... he couldn't do it.

Gazing at the water mirror with heartache, he tried not to focus on this telltale sign of Jing He's feelings about his current situation. Since he couldn't do anything about it, it was best not to think too much. Anyway, his beloved had already stopped crying. He shouldn't be in urgent need of comfort. Well, at least he tried to tell himself that.

Apart from his red-rimmed eyes, Jing He looked just as put-together as usual. His robes didn't show the slightest crease that shouldn't be there, his hair fell down his shoulders in the same elegant way as usual, and the way he held the teacup while lost in thought wasn't any different from usual either. It was as if nothing had changed at all.

Seeing him like this, Qiu Ling didn't know how to feel. Almost nothing looked any different from what he was used to and yet, everything had changed. Jing He wasn't the person he used to be any longer. He had gone through unimaginable pain and was now in a precarious state that didn't even allow him to see anyone but Tian. As much as things might look simple on the surface, they weren't, and seeing it this clearly made his heart ache even more. Surely, Jing He felt even worse than he did.

Qiu Ling quietly watched his lover for a while, not thinking about contacting Jinde or doing something else any longer. This was an opportunity and he would use every second he could get. After all, it might be the only time. He didn't think that he had impressed Tian to the point where the supreme sovereign would waste his time showing him what Jing He was doing every day from now on. Although ... this water mirror had appeared right after he returned to his own room and nobody was around. Could he take that as a coincidence or should he believe that Tian had made sure of that first?

Qiu Ling's brows furrowed. Tian's attitude toward him and Jing He was a little puzzling. From everything he had seen of him so far and the help he had received before, he couldn't say that he didn't trust him. It was just ... what Xin Lan had said about Tian not doing people favors for nothing in return and what the Heavenly Emperor had mentioned about Tian's grudge against the Heavenly Family ... these were all true as well. So what exactly did he mean by this?

The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt. He hadn't sensed any malice from Tian so maybe he didn't need to worry about this. Anyway, Xin Lan hated Tian and so did the Heavenly Emperor. Of course, these two people would look at his actions from the most uncharitable perspective. So maybe none of this was actually an issue.

It was just ... this was about Jing He. Did he really dare to gamble with Tian's attitude? But then, what other choice did he have? He was well aware that he couldn't win a fight against Tian. Heck, he couldn't even win against Xin Lan. So even if Tian had some bad intentions, what could he do? He could only nod his head and hope for the best.

Qiu Ling leaned back and rubbed his forehead. He felt ... powerless if not to say weak. But in the face of the supreme sovereign, who wasn't? It was just that most people never had to think about that because they wouldn't meet him or receive any kind of help. The question of whether or not they were weak compared to him was unimportant.

Over in the palace in the High Heavens, Jing He had finished drinking his cup of tea. He slowly put it down, his expression still thoughtful. He sat in silence for a while before getting up. After putting away the tea set, he picked up An Xin, brushing the smooth fur.

The little Flame Heart happily encircled his hand with its front paws, clearly intending to play. As a result, Jing He's lips curved up. Obviously, he liked this little pet quite a lot.

Qiu Ling felt gratified seeing this exchange. Thankfully, he had picked An Xin up from the Nine Heavens before he left for real. Otherwise, if Jing He was all alone right now ... well, that wouldn't be good. This way, he indeed had some company at least.

Jing He quietly carried An Xin behind the folding screen at the side of his bedroom, put the Flame Heart down, and then waved his hand, filling the tub over there with water. Then, he reached up and took off his robe.

Qiu Ling's eyes widened and the next moment, he whirled around and covered his eyes with his hands. It certainly wasn't that he would mind seeing his beloved's naked skin but ... Jing He would be mortified if he knew. As his lover, how could he do that to him?

At the same time, a thought suddenly occurred to him and his mouth worked faster than his mind. "Tian! You wouldn't be creeping on my beloved, would you?!"