Qiu Ling rowed the small boat for a while but the lake was only so big. After circling for a while, he finally had to give up and return to the edge of the lake. He didn’t immediately get out of the boat though and instead turned to look at Jing He.

“I hope today was just as you always imagined it to be. Well … with a few exceptions, of course.” He knew Jing He had to hate that his father still didn’t approve and was making things so much more difficult for them but apart from that, he truly hoped that he had managed to meet his expectations.

Jing He nodded once again, not moving to get off the boat either. “It was beautiful.” He fell silent and lowered his head, looking at his fingers, which were still holding the handle of the oil paper umbrella. “I … I am looking forward to the actual ceremony. It should be … even more beautiful than this.”

Qiu Ling hummed. “I believe so. Even if something goes wrong though … what counts is that we are together.” He smiled and reached over, gently pulling at Jing He’s hand to make him let go of the umbrella.

Jing He let go and held Qiu Ling’s hand instead, their fingers interlacing. The warmth that seeped into his skin made his own lips curl up as well. “Getting married seemed really far away for a long time. Sometimes, I still can’t believe that it is happening. It seems … much too sudden.”

Qiu Ling leaned closer until his head touched Jing He’s beneath the umbrella. “I know what you mean but it’s all real. Don’t you feel me next to you? That’s proof that we have managed to get to this day.”

Jing He hummed faintly and tilted his head, looking at his fiance who was very close at hand. Those facial features were very familiar to him and yet, he couldn’t help but trace them again. If this moment could last forever … he would also be happy.

Qiu Ling took a deep breath and sighed slowly. “I envy the gods a bit for having this kind of layered ritual. There is so much to it, it makes the wedding feel … very special. Not like the dragon realm where everything is kept as simple as possible.”

Jing He wasn’t sure what to say. “Being direct can be good too.” Admittedly, he preferred the way his people did it as well but he didn’t want to seem like he couldn’t accept the way the dragons lived. It was just … very different and he still wasn’t quite used to the idea.

Qiu Ling gave another hum. “It’s good, yes. I like being direct.” He lifted his head and turned to peer into Jing He’s face. “I especially like it when it comes to confessing my love and when I want to tell you how much you mean to me.”

Jing He blushed again and wanted to lower his head but Qiu Ling reached out, gently grasping his chin.

“For some things, I might prefer something more slow and steady though. Hearing about the meaning of every part of the rituals … it made me realize how deeply connected this wedding will truly make us. Of course, I’ve always known in a way: Getting married means spending your life together. But I didn’t realize in detail what implications that actually had.” He faintly lowered his gaze, his expression complicated.

“Maybe it’s because I didn’t have a family for so long. It always seemed that our getting married would only mean seeing each other every day and spending more time together, without anyone to interfere. Naturally, I was looking forward to that, and if it was just that, I’d already be incredibly happy. But there is so much more.” He lifted his gaze again and his smile brightened.

“I really like your mother. While she had her doubts about me in the beginning, she gave me a fair chance and after I convinced her, she was always willing to help. Your uncle has been nice as well. While I didn’t have as much to do with him, I’ve gotten to see how much he loves you as well and he’s been willing the same way your mother was after he had made sure that I was good for you.

“It’s … great to be accepted this way. Not instantly just because of who I am in the dragon realm but slowly because of how I am as a person and how I treated you. I am looking forward to spending more time with them in the future. To think of us living in the dragon realm and the two of them coming to visit … I think it’ll be beautiful.”

Jing He nodded at once. “I like that idea.” He wouldn’t be comfortable traveling alone so seeing his mother and uncle would rely on Qiu Ling accompanying him back or the two of them coming to the dragon realm to see them. If he couldn’t see them at all, he’d be sad so knowing that Qiu Ling encouraged such visits was great. Well, he hadn’t expected anything else. His husband-to-be was always this understanding.

Knowing that Qiu Ling was looking forward to spending time with his family as well was special to him though. He might not be as close to his father and he might not dare to tell his mother and uncle everything either but they were important to him nonetheless. For his husband to get along with them, that was a relief. And yes, he also hoped that they would get together more often in the future. To him, this was the idea of a perfect life: For all his family members to get along and show it not just through words but also through their actions.

Qiu Ling was the same. Hearing that Jing He agreed, he couldn’t help but dream a little. “Your mother and Jinde seem to be getting along well enough. I could see them visiting each other just between the two of them as well.”

Jing He thought of Jinde who he had only truly met today. He … was someone who seemed very open and maybe he had a slightly joking attitude. He himself couldn’t easily deal with that but his mother was indeed different in this regard. “I could see her coming over and drinking a cup of tea with him while reminiscing about the past.” After all, even though there was no shared past, they had both gone through similar experiences, hadn’t they? Even if it was just based on having raised a child and those children now getting married … yes, there would certainly be a lot of things to talk about.

Qiu Ling nodded and finally got to his feet, lowering his hand to Jing He to help him up. “I can see it as well. The future … it’ll be brilliant. You’ll see. Now, let’s go back for real though. You can draw that map for me and tell me a little more about these flowers and we can also decide what to do tomorrow. After all, there is still one day before I need to go and get the crystal lotus so we should come up with something nice.”

Jing He reached up and put his hand in Qiu Ling’s, nodding. “Yes, it would be nice to do something special.” Even if it was just to try and make the time until their wedding ceremony feel less long.