The three of them drank until the jar was emptied.

Looking at it, Jinde gave a hum. “You really only brought one but I guess it’s enough to celebrate for a bit. When the time comes for the little one to be born, you should take out some more!”

Qiu Ling gave him an insipid look. “Do you really think I have an inexhaustible supply of wine? I traded in my room and courtyard for you. Whatever was buried there will naturally be dug up by Fu Heng and Fu Min now that they know it’s there. You’d have to wait a long time until the next batch is ready.”

Jinde tilted his head and looked at him with narrowed eyes. “Well, aren’t you going to the mortal realm? Just take some from the dimension over in the Yun Zou Sect. There should be more than enough. Just casually bring some back.”

Qiu Ling raised his brows. “And how am I going to get in there? The dimension is locked with Leng Jin Yu’s soul. Contrary to you, I can’t just waltz in and you shouldn’t leave here. Don’t forget that that one out there will need constant attention from you from now on.”

Jinde shook his head. While it was true that their child couldn’t be left alone that easily, a trip to the mortal realm wasn’t dangerous thanks to the difference in time. Anyway, it didn’t matter. “I don’t mean that one but the one we originally met in. I still have some buried there.”

“Oh.” Well, if it was that one, then there shouldn’t be a problem. He could just enter at will. “In that case … I’d better go and see whether Jing Yi is still there.”

Jinde nodded and watched him turn around. Before Qiu Ling could leave the room, he cleared his throat though. “Qiu Ling.”

Qiu Ling turned back and raised his brows. “Do you want me to bring something else?”

Jinde shook his head. “No, I just wanted to remind you that time flows differently there.”

Qiu Ling furrowed his brows. “Yes, I know.”

Jinde smiled faintly. “It’s good if you do. Make use of it.”

Qiu Ling didn’t understand for a moment but then, his expression changed. Right. The time with the God of Justice should have been set by now. In that case, it was only one more week until they would have to part ways forever. If they stayed in the mortal realm though …

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before slowly exhaling. Looking at Jinde, he inclined his head. “Thanks for reminding me.”

Jinde didn’t say anything and just continued to smile, watching as Qiu Ling left for real this time.

Next to him, Leng Jin Yu couldn’t help but give him an odd look. “Aren’t you afraid that the memories will be uncovered in that time?”

Jinde put down the cup that he had still been holding absentmindedly and turned to his husband. “Sooner or later, they will. But I am sure that at that time, Qiu Ling will know to return. It’s just …” He glanced at the door that Qiu Ling had just left from and shook his head. “If it had been me back then, I would have wanted to have that extra time. Every single day is precious, you know? And even though it is merely switching his lover’s mortal reincarnation for his original immortal self, it is still going to hurt.”

Leng Jin Yu gave a hum. “His situation isn’t good but there is nothing that can be done.”

“Yes, so I at least want him to be able to take some more time. It might not mean much and … maybe it’s even the wrong thing but I don’t want him to think of this later and regret that he didn’t do it.”

Leng Jin Yu requited his gaze and then stepped closer, pulling Jinde into his arms. “You couldn’t have done anything back then. I … had made up my mind. Seeing you every day but not being able to be close and instead arguing constantly seemed more torturous than being without you at the time.”

“I know. But I was still heartbroken and I still often wished that I got just one more chance.”

Leng Jin Yu nodded. He stayed solemn but then reached down and grabbed his husband’s hand with a smile, pulling it up to his chest. “I mean, you did, even though it’s not in the way you originally hoped for.”

Jinde gave a snort. “Well, that’s true. I guess in a sense, I got even more than I bargained for. Can’t say I’m unhappy.” His gaze returned to the door to the courtyard and the small pond in the middle where he could see the shell resting at the side.

Yes, he had really gained everything after losing all of it before. For the longest time, he hadn’t dared to believe that this could ever be possible. After Chun Yin left, after he was finally told that he had long died, after he realized that he had been cut by the soul-devouring dagger and might not even be reincarnated … Even after finding a way to circumvent his complete demise, going to the mortal realm, and waiting, waiting, waiting for the day to come when he was healed and his lover’s reincarnation stood in front of him … Even after all of that, he had believed that maybe he was just damned to loneliness and his wishes staying unfulfilled.

But now, here he was. Leng Jin Yu was at his side, their relationship with Qiu Ling had been repaired, and the child they would have together was already on its way. Really, the only thing left would be to somehow repair his relationship with Jin Ling as well, not that he thought that that was likely. Yes, that was probably the one thing in life he couldn’t have.

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