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

34 A Letter From the Capital

Just like the Fate's Scribe hadwritten in Jing He's scroll of fate a letter reached the house ofZhong Jing Yi's family shortly after he had turned eight years old.He curiously eyed it, not understanding what his father held there.When his father didn't explain he looked up at his mother.

His habit of asking silently and notspeaking much still hadn't been cured. If he talked, then mostly tohis mother even though he had warmed up to his father a little moreover the course of the last four years. Maybe this was something hehad carried over from his life as Jing He.

Madam Zhong patted his head. "It'sa letter. Your father's family probably sent it from the capital."

Unfortunately, neither Mister norMadam Zhong could read.

"How about ... we ask Mister Pifor help?" Mister Zhong looked at his wife with his browsknitted together. They needed help to read the letter but everyoneknew how much Mister Pi loved to gossip. If he read the letter tothem, he'd certainly tell each and every person within a radius oftwenty li about it later. They didn't want that.

"Who else?" Madam Zhongsighed. Who knew what had happened for the main family to contactthem?

The ones who lived in the capitalwere Mister Zhong's cousin, Zhong Gang, and his family thatconsisted of his wife Mi Fang and their daughter Zhong Guanyu. ZhongGang's father had moved there from the small town he had been bornin to open a restaurant. The initially small business had started todo better with the years. So it could be said that Zhong Gang'sfamily was far better off when compared to the Zhong's from thevillage.

Jing Yi blinked at the letter. "Howabout asking grandfather?"

The grandfather he talked about was,of course, Qiu Ling. Mister Zhong's, as well as Madam Zhong's,parents were both dead so he had no older relatives in the village.Calling Qiu Ling his grandfather had somehow stuck from four yearsago much to Qiu Ling's misery.

Madam Zhong nodded. She felt thatthe Daoist Master would help Jing Yi with everything he asked for andreading one letter should be a small task for him. They wouldn'tinconvenience him with that.

But Mister Zhong wasn't so sure."Isn't it a little exaggerated to ask a Daoist Master herejust to read a little? Mister Pi might gossip but it's not thatbad, right?"

Madam Zhong lifted her brows. "Notthat bad? Who knows which heretic practitioner they'll find thistime." Yes, Madam Zhong was still furious about that incidentfrom eight years ago.

Jing Yi didn't care for hisfather's opinion. He had already taken the letter and ran out ofthe house with it as soon as his mother nodded. He had called QiuLing a few times over the last four years to spend time with him. Hehadn't needed his help even once. But whenever he called him he didso in the forest at the shrub where he saw him for the first time.His mother had told him that it wouldn't be good to let otherpeople see the Daoist Master.

Once again, Jing Yi stopped at theshrub, took out the bracelet and held it between his hands. By nowthey were big enough that he didn't have problems grasping itanymore.

"Grandfather!"

Qiu Ling appeared before him with awry smile. Still calling me that ... He really hoped Jing Yi would beold enough soon to understand that that wasn't really appropriate.

To help his beloved along with thisrealization he had even started to appear less aged before him. Onlyhalf the wrinkles decorated his face now. He didn't look like hewas eighty years anymore. More like ... sixty-five.

Mn, he felt like he had made a goodmove. If his age regressed while Jing Yi grew older they could meetsomewhere along the way. But, well, that was still something for thefuture.

"Grandfather, someone sent aletter! Can you read it?" The boy handed him the letter.

Qiu Ling had a casual look beforefolding the letter again. He'd love to make something up but he wasafraid the Zhongs might find out so he could only tell the truth.

"They are asking your family tocome to the capital. Your father's cousin seems to have opened up asecond business and needs someone working there. He thought it wouldbe a good opportunity for your family."

Jing Yi tilted his head. "So,we're going away?"

Qiu Ling nodded. "If yourparents want that. What? You don't like that idea?"

Jing Yi thought about it and shookhis head. "It's alright. As long as mommy comes with us Idon't mind going to the capital."

Qiu Ling felt like crying. That wasthe only thing his beloved ever thought about, right? Only his mother...

He handed the letter back to JingYi, feeling once again that time moved too slow in the mortal realm.

Jing Yi looked at the paper and thenup at Qiu Ling. "When we go to the capital will you still comewhen I call you?" He seemed a little sad which lifted Qiu Ling'sturn.

He generously patted his littlehead. "Mn. Of course. As long as you have that bracelet you canalways call for me."

Jing Yi smiled sweetly. He wouldn'tmiss anything from the village. He had always run away when he sawone of the girls like Qiu Ling had proposed. The boys from thevillage had teased him quite a few times when they saw him but JingYi didn't go out much so there weren't many opportunities and healso didn't care. Soon after, the boys gave up and Jing Yi could besaid to have lived more or less isolated for the last years.

Thinking about that ... Qiu Lingfelt a bit guilty. Jing He had grown up with an insurmountabledistance between him and the other gods his age. It couldn't behelped with him being the son of the Heavenly Emperor and the crownprince of the Nine Heavens. He was just too valuable for his people.Who would dare let him grow up like a normal child?

Now, in this mortal life of his, hecould have had such a childhood: Loving parents, friends his age, afirst love that he might be embarrassed about in a few years ... Andthe person who took that from him was he, his lover. The person whoshould only want the best for him. But because of his jealousy, hehad prevented him from getting something that Jing He surely wouldhave loved to experience.

Qiu Ling sighed inwardly and let goof Jing Yi. "You should hurry home and tell your parents. Maybe... Maybe the capital is exactly the right place for you."

"Mn!" Jing Yi smiled,waved at him and ran off again.

Qiu Ling watched him, feelingdowncast all of a sudden. Had he created unnecessary trouble for hisbeloved? Should he let him be free in the capital?

But just thinking of how Jing Hefell in love with anyone but him made his heart convulse with pain.Qiu Ling clenched his fists. Even though he knew that it wasn't theright thing to do, he would still do it. Jing He ... He would surelyunderstand. He knew him good enough already.