Chapter 35 - She’s Not the Only One

While Mister Zhong had hurried down the hill after his wife, Jing Yi stopped somewhere in the forest. He clutched the bracelet, Qiu Ling had given him, squinting his eyes.

"Grandfather! Grandfather!" He had called out quite a few times already, but nothing happened. The man, who had helped him back in the village, didn't appear.

The boy sat down on the ground, his eyes tearing up. He sniffled, but still called out, despite his diminishing hope. "Grandfather …" His voice broke.

Finally, he dropped the bracelet. His hands clenched into fists and he furiously rubbed his eyes. The tears flowed down his cheeks without end. He was cold and afraid and … alone.

"Mother, father, grandfather … Why is nobody there?"

When Qiu Ling finally managed to send Mister Zhong away and followed the mark he had placed on Jing Yi's body after his birth, that was the first thing he heard. His heart jerked. Why had he needed so long? Look at this, his beloved was really afraid this time!

Jing He, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone. Whatever happened, I should have followed you.

"Aiya, who's going to cry?" Qiu Ling stopped hiding his figure — now in the appearance of an old man again — and crouched down in front of Jing Yi. "No need to be afraid, little boy. The bad man has already been taken care of. Your parents are safe."

Jing Yi dropped his hands and stared at the old man in front of him, the tears still streaming down his cheeks. "Grandfather?"

"Mn." Qiu Ling nodded. "I'm here. I'm sorry, it took so long. I went to save your father first."

"Grandfather!" Jing Yi threw his small body at him. His arms circled Qiu Ling's neck and held fast to it. He buried his face in Qiu Ling's hair, just like his father did when meeting his wife again.

Qiu Ling sighed and patted his back. "There, there. No need to cry anymore. I'm here. I'm with you. I'll never let you be alone." He closed his eyes and gently held him.

All of this … shouldn't happen. Being slandered, being attacked, nearly losing your parents: You should experience none of that! You should be safe. I promised you, I'd always keep you safe.

So … why couldn't you remain in the nine heavens? Spending your days in leisure with me … wouldn't that have been better? Why did you have to go? I don't want to wait for you, I want to be with you. Now, right now.

The trials, that the gods had to undergo in the mortal world, the dragons weren't subjected to them. Qiu Ling couldn't understand, why his beloved wouldn't budge on this matter. He felt rejected, unimportant, unloved. Why couldn't his beloved stay for him? Why did he still want to go?

He hugged Jing Yi closer to himself, but that only made more obvious, that the person beside him wasn't the Jing He he knew and with whom he had fallen in love. That person … was only a child. A terrified child, that should be comforted.

Qiu Ling pushed all other thoughts aside and slowly stroked his back. "It's alright. Nothing happened. That man is defeated. I sent your father to look for your mother. He's probably already found her."

"Is … Is mommy … alright?" Jing Yi sobbed and grabbed Qiu Ling's neck even tighter.

"Mn. Should be. Didn't she run away? How about we go see her? I'll bring you back to your parents." He patted Jing Yi's hair, but surprisingly, the boy shook his head.

"No …"

"No? You don't want to see them?" Qiu Ling leaned back, but the boy stuck to him like a koala. He could only gently hold him. "Why that?" He lowered his voice, trying to calm him down slowly.

"Mommy wouldn't … wouldn't like me crying."

Qiu Ling closed his eyes. My love, your mother might not like it, but what about me? My heart bleeds seeing you like this. It feels like I can't breathe anymore. "Then stop crying, mn?" He stroked Jing Yi's hair, but the boy didn't calm down. "How about that: I carry you back slowly? Until we get there, you'll certainly have stopped crying, alright?"

"Mn." Jing Yi nodded.

Qiu Ling rose and lifted him up. "Then let's go." He slowly went back toward the path.

Jing Yi hugged him, his face still buried in Qiu Ling's neck. Slowly, his sobs subsided, until his breathing finally evened out.

"Thank you, grandfather."

"Mn, it's nothing. I promised, I'd be there, whenever you need my help."

"I was really afraid, when you didn't come. I thought, I'd be all alone from now on. Mommy sent me away, too."

"Your mother was just afraid, that something might happen to you, if you went with her. She did that with your best interest in mind."

"Mn. Mommy loves me."

"Mn." She's not the only one, you know?

They both went silent. Only Qiu Ling's quiet steps could be heard. But soon, angry voices reached them from up front. Qiu Ling halted and looked down at Jing Yi.

"Little boy, wait here for a moment, alright? I'm going to see, what is happening there."

"You're coming back, right?"

Qiu Ling nodded. "I'll always come back to you." He patted his head again and put him down. His figure vanished and appeared on the path up the hill again.

The scene in front of him, let him grit his teeth. Had he come too late?