Oh. My. Fate?! (BL, Volume 11, Part 1)

193 An Ambiguous Situation

Qiu Ling glanced at the window, then at the door, and finally at Jing He. Actually, he didn't have that much self-restraint. It was already a wonder he was able to say no when he finally had the chance to make their marriage official at least to the dragons. Being asked to spend the night? Uh ... yes, please excuse him, but how was he supposed to say no to that?

He pulled Jing He back into his arms and nodded. "If you don't think it's too much, then I'd love nothing more than to do so. Although I guess we might need to think of a way to not get caught."

Jing He's cheeks flushed when Qiu Ling said so. He had tried to ignore how what he was doing shouldn't be done but there really was no way to pretend otherwise when Qiu Ling brought up this matter.

Qiu Ling naturally didn't feel bothered by that. He motioned to the door of the study and faintly raised his brows. "It's getting late. I guess it wouldn't be impossible to retire for the night already?"

Jing He requited his gaze in a daze, not sure what exactly Qiu Ling was getting at. Did he ... indeed want to spend the night? If yes, then was he saying that they should go to bed now? If that was also the case, then ... had he maybe changed his mind about his previous decision?

Qiu Ling quietly looked at him and then realized that his words might have been a bit too ambiguous. He cleared his throat and licked his lips, wondering if he should just pretend that hadn't happened or take a bit of advantage. Anyway, Jing He had asked him to stay ...

He really wanted to do so but thinking of what had happened the last time, he figured it was best not to take a risk. "I meant it might be a good idea to tell the guards outside that you're going to turn in for the night. You can even ask them to inform your father should he drop by later. That way, we hopefully won't be bothered."

Jing He hurriedly nodded and then slipped out of Qiu Ling's arms, opening the door to the study with his heart racing. He couldn't help but still think of what had gone through his mind just before Qiu Ling himself explained: If they went to bed together, there was a certain chance to continue where Qiu Ling had rejected him before. Even more so if his father wouldn't disturb them or the guards might even leave later.

He tried not to think about it too much as he made his way over to the door to the garden. Either way, he sure hoped none of these thoughts would show on his face. He already felt odd just thinking about it but to have anybody else know ... He really wouldn't be able to take it.

Jing He suppressed a sigh and then smiled faintly at the two guards that had followed him over from his father's palace. The two had naturally heard as he approached the door and turned to see whether he wanted to leave.

Jing He slightly inclined his head. "It is getting late and the day has been long so I will retire for the night. Should you be heading back to my father's palace or should he come by later, please inform him of this."

"Of course, Your Highness." The guards inclined their heads and then turned back around as Jing He closed the door to the garden. They didn't leave their position though. After all, the Heavenly Emperor had been clear that they needed to stay close to His Highness the whole time. Naturally, they couldn't just leave here without somebody else taking over.

Jing He heaved a sigh of relief after that was done and then went to the front of the palace, informing his usual guards of the same before closing that door again as well. Afterward, he went back to the study, his cheeks burning faintly.

Really, what would happen later on? With how their relationship had progressed, was it possible for nothing to happen? Or should it be a matter of course that they took things a step further?

Qiu Ling was still standing there, staying vigilant in case those guards actually wanted to search the palace first. Seeing Jing He return alone, he smiled faintly and went to wrap him in his arms again. "Let's go then." He leaned closer and pecked his cheek before turning to the right side.

Jing He's palace wasn't as big as some others in the Nine Heavens and it seemed especially small if you closed all the doors inside. Only by leaving all of them open did it come to seem quite spacious throughout the day.

Usually, he would indeed leave all the doors open. Now though, that clearly wasn't a possibility. Even though he had informed the guards, there was no guarantee his father wouldn't come in to check 'just in case'. In that case, they needed at least a few additional seconds of warning so he could go and hide.

Qiu Ling's lips twitched when he thought of such a possibility but he didn't say anything in the end. Instead, he simply took Jing He's hand and pulled him to the bedroom. He was faintly aware that the situation was a bit ambiguous and he couldn't help but worry about how this might turn out in the end.

Still, he continued to walk over there and then only let go for a moment to close the doors before he turned back to Jing He and wrapped him in his arms once more. "I sure hope you're not regretting it now."

Jing He hastily shook his head. If it had been up to him, they already would have sealed the deal earlier. Yes, he was afraid of all that would entail but he wanted to be with Qiu Ling forever. He could live with some shame as long as that was the final result.