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

30 Trick Him!

Jing Yi hurried back to the shrubwhere he had hidden when his father took him to the forest. He satdown and looked around as if waiting for the old man to appear.

Qiu Ling observed him from behind,sighed and transformed once again. His perfect plan had beenthwarted. He had to get it back on track! And ... he had to tell JingYi that waiting in the forest like this wouldn't be of help if hewas looking for a person. Who knew if a normal passer-by would stillbe there after a whole day?

"Oh!" Qiu Ling stoppedhiding his presence and like the day before, he bent down and peeredinto the shrub. "What's in there today? A little animal?"

Jing Yi turned around and his facelit up when he saw Qiu Ling. He didn't stay hidden in the shrubthis time and instead rushed out and looked up at Qiu Ling.

"What is it, little boy? Didsomething happen?"

"My mommy said she was a girltoo!" His gaze was accusing.

Qiu Ling felt a stab in his heart.Ah, why had he planned something like that? Now his beloved looked athim as if he had done something wrong! Would it be even worse whenhis Jing He woke up in the Nine Heavens and remembered everythingthat had happened in the mortal realm? He'd certainly blame him forbeing heartless!

Ah, no, his beloved wasn't likethat. He would very, very happy to see all the things he had done forhim! Just imagining how his beloved would show his happiness Qiu Lingalmost smiled. He had to try very hard to suppress it and stay in hisrole of the sagely old man.

"Uh ... and?" He pretendednot to understand what this was about. For now, he had to misleadJing He's mortal reincarnation and then adjust his tale a bit.There was no turning back now anyway.

Jing Yi pursed his lips. The old mandidn't seem to understand? "Mommy can't be a mud monster!"

"Of course not!" Qiu Lingpretended to be surprised he'd even think about that.

"But ..." Jing Yi furrowedhis brow. "You said all girls were mud monsters! Mommy was agirl too. But mommy can't be a mud monster!"

Qiu Ling blinked innocently. "DidI say that?"

Jing Yi looked thunderstruck. Theold man hadn't said that?

"Er ... I must have misspoken."Qiu Ling hung his head. "I'm really sorry! What I meant wasthat every mud monster can transform into a human girl! Of course,not every human girl is a mud monster. Your mommy certainly isn'tone!"

Jing Yi perked up. So it was likethat! Everything was just a misunderstanding! The old man didn'tlie!

Qiu Ling pressed his lips together.Why did that expression look so familiar? Had he really tricked himsuccessfully? No need to give any proof? That was really too —

"Then how do I know which oneis a mud monster?"

"Uh ... Through ... carefulobservance." Qiu Ling looked away. "Why do you ask?"

"Mommy said if father hadn'tplayed with her, I wouldn't be here. So if I don't play with thegirls, will I disappear?"

Qiu Ling looked at him, stunned. Howdid he arrive at that conclusion? He slowly shook his head. "No,you won't." The boy looked at him questioningly, clearly notunderstanding why. Qiu Ling frowned. How to explain that? "It'slike this: You are here because your father married your mother.Whatever you do won't change that."

"Then I don't have to playwith the girls?"

"You don't. In fact, I wouldadvise you not to do so. You know they could be mud monsters, afterall. And even if they aren't: If you always play with one of them,your mother might just take a liking to her! Then you wouldn't beas important to her."

Jing Yi imagined his mother likedanother child. He scrunched up his face, ready to cry the nextmoment.

Qiu Ling patted his head. "Don'tworry. Nothing will happen if you're cautious!"

"Oh."

"Mn ... Maybe you should tryfinding out which of the girls is a mud monster. Just to be sure ..."

Jing Yi looked at him expectantly.Qiu Ling coughed. He was about to lie to his beloved again.Hopefully, that wouldn't become a habit. Ah, Jing He, I promisewhen you grow up I'll never lie to you again!

"It's really easy! A mudmonster has to return to his natural environment now and then. Aplace they'd love to go to would be the river bank or the path nearthe edge of the forest."

"So if they go there, they'remud monsters?"

Qiu Ling nodded. "Yes, indeed.And you'll see: They'll transform back if they go there! Youbasically can't be wrong with this method! Just go and have alook."

Jing Yi nodded eagerly and stood up,ready to go and start with his 'careful observation'. Qiu Lingreached out and pulled him back. There was still another thing he hadto do.