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

8 Being Beautiful Is a Sin

Mister Zhong couldn't wait to show his son to the other villagers. His wife was still asleep when he took the boy out of her arms and carried him outside. What greeted him was the agitated voice of his neighbor Miss Lian.

"He was as beautiful as these legendary immortal cultivators and when he headed off, he vanished as soon as he took one step into the night."

"That doesn't sound like a Daoist but like a demon," remarked Mister Pi who lived two houses down the road. He liked to put on the air of a well-traveled and cultured man but the only thing about him that traveled well were the rumors he picked up with fondness and spread even further. A demon that helped with the birth of the Zhongs' child was very much to his liking.

Qiu Ling who leaned against the Zhongs' door with the spell hiding him from mortal eyes watched Mister Zhong furrow his brow. He sighed. If he had known that the villagers could come up with something like this, he wouldn't have vanished so fast the previous night. After all, he knew just how long rumors could persist.

"What demon?" Mister Zhong slammed the door shut and hurried to the crowd of people that had gathered in the village's square. "Didn't he wear the robes of a Daoist? And aren't Daoists cultured men? You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Lian Mei, to spread a rumor like that instead of being happy for your neighbor that mother and child have survived!"

The neighbor of the Zhongs' grimaced. "What rumors? I only said he was as beautiful as a cultivator. Mister Pi said he had to be a demon!"

Mister Pi coughed. "A cultured man like me would never spread rumors! You're probably exaggerating, Lian Mei. Certainly, the Daoist was —"

"Ask Madam Zhong! She also saw him."

"My wife had other things to care about than a stranger's face!"

"You —" Lian Mei clenched her fists. She couldn't believe that Mister Zhong had said that but she didn't know how to retort either. So what if she had taken a few glances at him? There wasn't a beautiful cultivator coming by every day!

"Hmph!" Seeing that she had nothing more to say Mister Zhong turned away and looked at the child in his arms instead. His fury dissipated and he stepped into the middle of the crowd. "That's our son, Jing Yi! Jing like the friendly spirit that helped him," he explained with another glance at Miss Lian. "And Yi as in righteousness."

"A good name, a really good name." Mister Pi ran his hand over his chin and examined the child that slept placidly. A smug expression occupied his face as if he had a brilliant idea. And indeed: "Maybe you should make that Jing as in quiet. Really, what an obedient child."

Qiu Ling snorted. Was that the environment his Jing He had to grow up in? Those humans left a bad impression on him. He couldn't help but wonder if maybe he should take him away after all. Perhaps that would be better for his beloved?

The village women surrounded Mister Zhong, gripped Jing Yi's small hands and laughed delightedly. In his human life, Jing He was as favored as he had been as the crown prince of the Nine Heavens. There were just more people around him this time.

Qiu Ling sighed. It seemed he should leave him in the village after all. Those women would let his Jing He have a good life. He sneaked closer to the humans and peered over Mister Zhong's shoulder to look at his beloved. Jing He, Jing He, just how long will this trial take? He already longed to return to the Nine Heavens and continue their life there.

The newborn opened his dozy eyes and smiled brightly. Qiu Ling's heart leaped. Had Jing He recognized him? But that couldn't be. His beloved had drunk the water of the River of Forgetfulness before descending to the mortal realm. All memories of his previous life were lost. He would only remember when he ascended again at the end of his mortal life.

Furthermore, Qiu Ling had hidden from the gazes of the mortals and Jing He was one of them for the time being. One of the women had probably woken him up and he enjoyed the attention.

Qiu Ling's gaze darkened, thinking of what that meant for the future. Wouldn't a lot of pesky humans try to steal his beloved from him? And this time Jing He wouldn't even have the status of the Son of Heaven to deter them from making advances on him. Ah, he should prepare to chase those people away!

Qiu Ling returned to the door to plan some precautionary measures while still keeping an eye on Jing He. His mood turned darker with every moment though. Looking at him was fine but why were these humans even touching his beloved?! They should better get their hands off him!

The time of an incense stick later, the villagers finally went to work on the paddies, leaving an angry Qiu Ling and an exhausted Jing Yi. Mister Zhong, on the contrary, was in high spirits when he returned to the house. He gave his son back to his wife and left as well, even humming a tune on the way.

Only Madam Zhong and her son remained in the village. Well, they and a certain dragon king who took a seat on the other side of the room and closed his eyes with a smile. For now, he couldn't do anything but wait. He didn't mind though. After all, his beloved was just on the other side of the hut.

Well, he might have been more alarmed had he had even an inkling of what was happening on the paddies right now.