Chapter 156 - Drowning His Sorrows (2/2)

”Well, I don't know anything about your situation. But there could be many reasons.”

Qiu Ling took another sip of the wine. ”Tell me one I can live with.”

Jinde turned back toward him. ”You've already joined your soul with his, haven't you?”

”Of course.”

”Then you won't be able to live anyway if he actually rejects you. Why ask for the reason?”

Qiu Ling stared at the wine. ”Maybe I could at least understand. I … I always felt like … we were meant to be. When I first saw him …” He shook his head. ”You don't understand that. I suddenly …” He stopped speaking, unable to find the right words.

Jinde took the flask from him and took a sip himself. ”Actually, I do understand. It's not like I haven't fallen in love myself. It just … never worked out. And thankfully I wasn't dumb enough to join souls with him. Well, you …” He shook his head and gave the flask back. ”Since you've done something stupid already there's no way back. Either you make him fall in love with you or you'll die. Sitting here and drinking won't solve anything.”

Qiu Ling nodded but still put the flask to his lips and continued to drink. ”Mn, I was right. You don't understand.” He tipped his head back and emptied the flask before giving it back to Jinde. ”Get me more.”

Jinde's brow twitched. ”Tch. You do remember that I'm your elder and that this is my wine you're drinking here, don't you? Now you even want me to serve you?”

Qiu Ling just turned around to stare at him.

Jinde cursed under his breath and went to dig out some more flasks. ”I'm only doing this because you're Chun Yin's son!” He brought the wine back and sat down next to Qiu Ling again. ”Alright. I don't understand. So tell me: What is this actually about?”

”I'm not drunk enough to tell you.”

Jinde's face darkened. ”How bad can it be?”

Qiu Ling stared at the wine and smiled self-deprecatingly. ”I'll let you in on a secret. The person I love …” He shook his head. ”He isn't a mortal.”

Jinde frowned. ”Then what was the Amethyst Lightning pill for? It only works on mortals.”

”Well, he is now. He's on his trial in the mortal realm right now. In fact, he's a god.” He shook his head once more. ”You probably think that it's not that bad.”

”It's quite bad.” Jinde lifted his brows and opened one of the other wine flasks. It wasn't like there had never been couples of mixed heritage but it wasn't this easy in Qiu Ling's case. After all, he was the king of the dragon race at the moment. He would be expected to marry a dragon.

Jinde thoughtfully started to drink. It wasn't impossible, though, just a little tricky. Well, he still didn't know enough about their situation so he couldn't actually give any advice. Had they known each other before the start of the trial? Or had they only fallen in love now? Ah, no, the question should be: Had Qiu Ling fallen in love with this god while he was attempting his trial?

Qiu Ling gave him some time to think it through before he smiled. ”It's even worse. The god I fell in love with … he's the son of heaven.”

Jinde choked on the wine. ”What did you say?”

Qiu Ling nodded with a smile. ”Mn, he's the son of heaven. Isn't it funny? I fell in love with the heavenly emperor's son. I. I of all people.” His voice shook and his face scrunched up. He continued to drink, not bothering about talking to Jinde anymore.

His predecessor also kept quiet and drank. It seemed heaven loved toying with people. It just had to be the son of heaven he fell in love with.

”Does he know? That you … aren't a full-blooded dragon?”

Qiu Ling laughed darkly. ”Of course not. If he knew, do you think I still would have had any chance to be with him? The Heavenly emperor already despises me now. He'd probably try to off me if he found out about that, too.”

Indeed. Jinde really had no words to comfort Qiu Ling anymore. In the end, he could only sigh.

The two dragons continued to sit on that boulder at the edge of the lake and drink. Soon, one of them was dead drunk.