Remaining Unanswered

Qiu Ling nodded with some hesitation. He didn't know when Jing He would return. Until then … nothing would happen to his soul, would it? "When can Jing He return from the High Heavens? Does he … need to stay there for a long time?"

Xiang Yu tightened his lips and shook his head. "I don't know. Time moves differently here and there. Not much time will have passed in the High Heavens since I left. It shouldn't be enough."

Qiu Ling took a shaky breath. Right. Even if many days passed in the mortal realm, it didn't mean that Jing He would have spent a lot of time in the Nine Heavens. His soul hadn't been cracked too badly but repairing that … How long would it take? He couldn't just wait here for him to return, could he? "Then … can I go there and wait with him until his soul is healed?"

Seeing Qiu Ling's pleading look, Xiang Yu wanted to nod. He really wanted to. This man desired to meet his lover just how his lover longed to see him. Keeping them apart … how could that be done? But he also knew that Jing He's soul had cracked because of this deep love. Seeing him right now before his soul had had time to heal, it might just deepen the injury to his soul.

Then again, he wasn't Jing He right now. He was Jing Yi, a mortal reincarnation. What had held him back before didn't influence him right now. He couldn't even remember all of it. So maybe … it would be alright.

Before Xiang Yu could decide on what to do, Xin Lan stepped in front of him, covering Qiu Ling from his view.

"Qiu Ling, have you forgotten about everything else? His Majesty's soul? Your so-called cousin-in-law's plight with that mortal woman? Shouldn't you take care of that before you worry about seeing your beloved?"

"I haven't."

"Then why are you here? Didn't you want to go and search for those ingredients with your father? Why are you still here wasting time? He should be finished saying his farewell by now."

Qiu Ling nodded. "Then I'll …" He stopped talking and passed by Xin Lan, halting next to Xiang Yu. "When I come back … Will you tell me then? What I can do? How long I'll have to wait? Whether I can go and see him?" He furrowed his brows. "You know, Jing He is the most important person in my life. I wouldn't be able to go on without him. I … I don't want to be separated from him for so long but … it's still better to be separated for a while now than to be separated forever. So … I just hope that you can tell me what to expect. I don't want to do anything that's wrong for him."

Xiang Yu nodded. "I'll go and watch over him in the High Heavens for the time being."

"Mn. Thank you." Qiu Ling didn't bother to take another look. He went back to the room and walked over to the folding screen, peeking behind it.

Seeing the two people on the other side … He didn't ask why they were lying on the ground even though Jinde was already dressed. He didn't comment either on why their positions seemed to be reversed. He just looked at them. "Are you finished yet?" Then he turned away and left the house.

Jinde slowly sat up and watched him leave, his golden eyes narrowing. "It seems I'll have to let you go, my dear husband. At least for now. When you return … let's talk a while longer." He bent down, gave him a fleeting kiss and finally stood up from his body with a teasing smile.

Leng Jin Yu wanted to say some more but finally sighed and nodded. It seemed Longjun had been in a bad mood. It was better to follow him and see just what had happened. "Then we'll see each other again soon."

"Mn. Take your time. But not too much." Jinde pushed him out of the door and watched as his husband left the house. He couldn't help but sigh. It really was a pity that they had to separate again. If his soul was healed, then he could follow them.

Jinde shook his head and went to the door to the courtyard. Never mind. If he followed along, those two might not be able to talk openly. At the very least, Leng Jin Yu wouldn't be able to do so. He would always waste part of his thoughts on whether it would hurt him. But that wouldn't help Qiu Ling. If they ever wanted him to get over this, then they had to let him be open about this. Otherwise, he would just keep all those feelings and all that pain bottled up. Maybe he would be able to go on living like that, especially if there was the Son of Heaven around that gave him a sense of security and belonging. But it wouldn't solve the original problem. No, that could only be solved by Leng Jin Yu.

Ah, it was a pity his husband didn't remember his past life. If he did, then Qiu Ling would likely feel even better. Telling Chun Yin's reincarnation how he felt would be a relief to him but that couldn't compare to letting all that out in the face of a reincarnation that had Chun Yin's intact memories because in that case … he might be able to find some of the answers he was seeking.

Jinde sighed and looked at the plum tree in the courtyard. This longing for the truth … he could understand it only too well. Because he, too, had questions he would have liked to ask Chun Yin but that needed to be left buried in his heart now, unable to be answered forever.