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

121 Reserved For the Crown Prince

Hong Bao hadn't even heard the first half of what he said but she snapped back to attention at the last part. Her eyes widened and she stared at him incredulously. "What did you just say?"
"Hmph!" Qiu Ling harrumphed. "I told you to get lost! I'm not interested."
"No, no. After that!" Hong Bao dropped her hands but still stared at him.
Qiu Ling shifted in his seat. Being stared at like that didn't feel good. What did this woman want? "Isn't that enough?"
"No, no! What did you say about the crown prince?"
Qiu Ling tilted his head. "The crown prince? Of course, you can't compare to him!" He appraised the woman in front of him and snorted. "Have a look at yourself! In the mortal world you might be a beauty but how could you compare with Jing He's godly looks?"
"Oh, so you aren't the crown prince ..." Hong Bao's shoulders drooped. She had been so sure that she had found the right person already! But now it turned out it wasn't him at all.
Qiu Ling nodded but then jerked up. "What did you just say?"
The woman blinked in surprise. "I said what you said."
"No! You didn't!"
"I did!"
The two of them stared at each other, both unwilling to back down.
Qiu Ling, who was still drunk, finally tilted his head. Maybe he had really said what she said? Wait ... What was it she said? "You ... What was it you said?"
"The same as —"
"Then what did I say?"
"You said you're not the crown prince!"
"Of course! Why would I be him? I wouldn't fall in love with myself, would I?" His head tilted to the other side and he considered the possibility for a bit. "Well, I am really handsome."
"Pft!" Hong Bao burst out laughing. "How are you handsome?"
Qiu Ling looked up at her, completely flabbergasted. "What's wrong with your eyes, woman? I'm the most handsome man in the immortal realms! Even that demon king who is rumored to be able to ruin a mortal kingdom with one glance isn't better looking than me!"
Hong Bao lifted her brows, clearly not believing him.
Qiu Ling leaped to his feet. "What is not handsome about me?"
She looked him up and down and her lips formed a straight line. "Everything?"
It sounded like a question but the look she gave him ... Qiu Ling staggered backward. He was ... not handsome? My love, did you kiss that man because I'm not handsome enough? Qiu Ling hid his face behind his hands and sat back down.
"Wuwu ... No wonder he kissed someone else! So I'm just not handsome enough!" His shoulders shook but then Qiu Ling jerked up once again. "I need to do something! How to become more handsome?" He turned around to Hong Bao.
"Uh ... Well, you could stop frowning!"
Qiu Ling tilted his head and still frowned. After he had ascertained that this mortal face was the most handsome while frowning, he had never forgotten to frown even once. Oh, no, when he kissed his beloved, he had stopped frowning and smiled. But that was to be expected so one couldn't really count it as a slip-up, right?
Thinking about frowning, Qiu Ling finally realized his mistake. "No wonder you said I wasn't handsome! Of course, this appearance can't compare to my true one. Have a look at this!" He raised a hand and changed back to his true face.
"Whoa!" Hong Bao was instantly dumbfounded. How had that average-looking man transformed into such a beauty?! She hurried over to the table and sat opposite him. "You really look more handsome like this! What kind of trick is that?"
Qiu Ling smiled smugly. "Little goddess, what are you talking about? This isn't a trick. It's a measure of defense! If I went out in the mortal realm looking like this, wouldn't men and women alike be all over me? I have to make sure nobody can try to take advantage of me, so of course, I have to wear a disguise. My beloved certainly wouldn't stand for it if I didn't."
Mn, this solved his problem. It certainly wasn't because he lacked in handsomeness. He had just worn the wrong appearance! His beloved had missed him so much so he probably mistook someone else for him. Hadn't he himself also gotten confused when talking to his mother-in-law? It was perfectly normal. Qiu Ling nodded to himself. Yes, yes, perfectly normal. He had no reason to fret.
"He must be very much in love with you!" Hong Bao looked at him with shining eyes.
Qiu Ling narrowed his own. "What are you looking at me like this for? I already told you nobody but the crown prince can have me."
Hong Bao frowned. "So the crown prince is your lover?"
"Mn, he is!" Qiu Ling smiled with satisfaction. Finally, he had met someone knowledgeable.
"How can a handsome man like you have such bad taste?"
Qiu Ling froze. What was that about knowledge? This woman definitely had none of it!