A Happy Little Family of Three

Leng Jin Yu had expected as much. Everything in Qiu Ling's life revolved around the Son of Heaven. Naturally, he wouldn't be able to live with it if something kept them apart. Jinde had already said as much and it was obvious from the way Qiu Ling behaved. His mixed blood really was troublesome in that regard. Still, it wouldn't help to cover up the truth. "What about the Son of Heaven himself? Do you believe he would leave you if he found out about your mother?"

Qiu Ling shook his head. He had feared that once upon a time but after what he experienced with Jing Yi in the mortal realm and how well he had taken the news about his mixed heritage, his fear had already reduced by half. And now that he knew that Jing He had even gone so far as to engrave his own soul so as to make sure he wouldn't fall in love with somebody else in the mortal realm, there wasn't the slightest doubt left. For as long as Jing He lived, he would only love him.

"In that case, have you told him?"

Qiu Ling shook his head again. "I didn't. At the end of the day, we only knew each other for ten years. That isn't too much. Neither compared to how long I've lived nor compared to how long Jing He has lived. And before he went for his trial we were occupied with thinking about our wedding. There never was the right opportunity even if I had wanted to tell him."

Qiu Ling fell silent but his thoughts still circled around telling Jing He the truth. Somehow, he still couldn't imagine that situation. "I've told Jing Yi. It wasn't as difficult as I would've imagined but then again he is vastly different from Jing He in some regards." He sighed and rubbed his brow, seeming uncharacteristically serious. "Jing He always cared about his appearance very much. I don't doubt that he loves me but I'm not too sure how well he would take it that he's about to marry somebody with demon blood."

Leng Jin Yu didn't answer immediately. He had never met the Son of Heaven. By the time he got involved in the whole mess regarding his fate, His Highness had long left for the mortal realm. He had only heard rumors about him and according to those Qiu Ling might not be wrong to worry. But since he couldn't change who his mother was he could only work on how to tell the crown prince. And since there were mutual feelings involved there should be a way to let him come to terms with this. "You know His Highness best. Since you think he won't leave you just because he finds out the truth, then there is nothing that will change the outcome. He will stay with you anyway. The only thing that will change is how easy or how hard it will be for him to come to terms with this news. I don't know him so I can only guess but I could imagine that it might be easier for him to accept if he heard it from you directly and without you being forced by the circumstances."

Qiu Ling glanced at him and smiled. "Is this some type of fatherly advice?"

Leng Jin Yu's lips parted but he didn't know what to say in the end. He didn't know Qiu Ling well and considering the bit he had heard before he wasn't even sure if Qiu Ling's relationship with his actual father had been good. In that case, would he even want something like fatherly advice? Not that he thought he could give it. He wasn't like Jinde. He knew nothing about children and he had never thought about having a child either. Especially not one that was already fully grown.

He still felt that Qiu Ling had some expectations of him though. He didn't need to be a father to figure that out. Unfortunately, he had no idea what it was that Qiu Ling expected and it didn't seem like the dragon king wanted to mention it on his own. It seemed he'd slowly have to figure it out.

Leng Jin Yu cleared his throat. "Do you want some fatherly advice?"

Qiu Ling's lips twitched. "Even if I wanted some, I'd go and ask the old geezer instead. You always sucked at giving advice." He didn't look apologetic at all when he said so. It seemed his relationship with his father really hadn't been the best.

Leng Jin Yu rubbed his eyes. He still felt dead tired but if he missed this opportunity, he might never get a chance to talk things through with Qiu Ling. He couldn't risk that so even though it was hard, he had to stay awake for a while longer. If this could help Qiu Ling overcome his issues and maybe make up for some regret from his past life, it was worth it.

"Your relationship with Jinde …"

"Oh, it's very bad."

Leng Jin Yu squinted at the dragon king, trying to figure out if he was saying the truth or just purposefully making trouble. After all, he always ran to Jinde when there was a problem and he had even said himself that he'd rather ask Jinde for fatherly advice just now. So what was his actual stance on the matter?

Qiu Ling smiled in response. "What? You don't believe me? Naturally, it's very bad. I despise him. He was the one who ruined our happy little family of three, after all."

This time Leng Jin Yu was sure that the dragon king was just making trouble. "You don't really believe that, do you?"

Qiu Ling's lips curved up further. "You mean that we were a happy little family of three?" He shook his head. "No, I don't believe that. And if anyone destroyed what we could have had, then that would have been you."