Bai Qian went to Celestial Heaven to see Ye Hua without prior notice. She entered through the front gates and escorted to Ye Hua’s residence at Xiwu Palace. After they announced her arrival, Bai Qian entered Ye Hua’s study to find he was not alone. An older man wearing a light colored robe sat fanning himself leisurely. He saw Bai Qian and his eyes flew open in shock. His mouth dropped, and he openly stared at her.
Ye Hua looked extremely surprised, got up and went to her.
“Is everything alright Qian Qian? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” Ye Hua asked in his soft voice, which was full of concern. The older man loudly cleared his throat. This sound made Ye Hua look back,
“This is my third uncle, Lian Song.”
Qian Qian bowed to the third prince as he looked her up and down, fully appreciating her beauty.
Ye Hua focused back to Qian Qian, reached for her hand and smiled.
Qian Qian looked over to Uncle Lian Song and said, “Excuse me,” then wordlessly grabbed Ye Hua by his face and kissed him deeply. Ye Hua dropped the brush he had been holding in his hand. He wrapped his arms around Qian Qian’s waist and pulled her closer.
Ye Hua lost in her kiss.
Qian Qian broke their kiss leaving Ye Hua lightheaded. She smiled at him and whispered so only Ye Hua could hear, “Yes, I will marry you. My feelings for you are as I’ve said all along. I felt a little something, but that’s to be expected since you are Shifu’s twin.” She then excused herself and left Ye Hua standing there dazed.
Uncle Lian Song was in shock as much as Ye Hua, but snapped out of it and stood beside Ye Hua and said, “Ye Hua, I think I’ve just fallen in love with your future Princess Consort.” Uncle Lian Song slapped Ye Hua hard on his back.
This slap woke Ye Hua from the spell of Qian Qian’s kiss. Ye Hua looked back to see his uncle glaring at him.
“You lucky brat!! You didn’t do her any justice when you described her to me. You damn lucky brat! She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life and to think you will have her for eternity. I’ve never hated you until this very moment, but I actually despise you, Ye Hua.” Uncle Lian Song closed his fan when he was done talking and hit Ye Hua again with his fan.
Uncle Lian Song sat down again still glaring at Ye Hua and said, “Well I see you seem to have cleared up her misunderstanding about you.”
Ye Hua shook his head and replied, “No. She still thinks I like men.”
Uncle Lian Song was outraged and jumped up to his feet. “You mean she kissed you like that thinking that you like men!? Uncle Lian Song opened his fan and started to fan himself fiercely. “If she kissed you like that thinking that you like men just imagine how she’ll kiss you once she knows the truth.” Uncle Lian Song gave Ye Hua a death stare.
“I hate you, Ye Hua,” Uncle Lian Song said as he walked out of Ye Hua’s study.
Ye Hua was confused by Qian Qian’s behavior. Was she doing this because she was angry at Mo Yuan? Ye Hua couldn’t take it any longer. It was time to speak to Mo Yuan directly regarding their desires and intentions with Qian Qian.
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When Ye Hua appeared at Kunlun Mountain, Mo Yuan knew the time had come. They were long overdue and in need of a talk in regards to Seventeen. Ye Hua knelt before Mo Yuan and silently waited for Mo Yuan to speak first.
Mo Yuan cleared his throat and took a sip of his tea before speaking saying, “It’s good that you’re here Ye Hua. We are long overdue for a talk.”
Ye Hua politely nodded and waited for Mo Yuan to continue.
“Even though Seventeen has been with me for thousands of years, I foolishly wasted precious time and realized my feelings for Seventeen recently. I love her. I’ve loved her for thousands of years and was blind to my feelings until now. I know you’re engaged to marry her, but I want her as my wife. I’m sorry Ye Hua. I’m sorry you’ve been dragged into this tangled situation,” Mo Yuan said softly.
Ye Hua nodded politely before he spoke, “Yes, I’m aware of your feeling for Qian Qian. I also know she has feelings for you. When I met Qian Qian when she was Si Yin, she was the first friend I’d ever had. Then, I fell in love with Si Yin regardless of the fact he was a man. I confessed my love to Si Yin knowing that it could end in doom. I knew my future as Heavenly Lord would be compromised. I knew my love wouldn’t be celebrated or be looked at favorably but I couldn’t help myself. I chose to risk it all for Si Yin. When I found out she was a woman, and I was overjoyed, but due to me confessing to Si Yin, Qian Qian thought I was homosexual.”
Ye Hua paused then continued. “I chose the most difficult road, and I would do it all again if I had to. I love her regardless of her gender, status, wealth, beauty and even with her misconception about me. I just love who she is,” Ye Hua ended and folded his hands over his lap.
Mo Yuan thought about what Ye Hua had just told him. Ye Hua had fallen in love with her when she as in her male appearance. This reason was why Seventeen had thought Ye Hua was gay. Now it made sense to Mo Yuan — Ye Hua had boldly chosen the roughest road and risked everything for his love. Mo Yuan finally understood Seventeen’s reasoning for wanting to marry Ye Hua. Not only was Ye Hua lonely, but he was also alone and she, his only source of happiness.
Mo Yuan asked himself if he would or could have fallen in love with Seventeen if she was truly a man, and the answer was no. Mo Yuan would have never fallen in love with a man. Nor would he have risked everything as Ye Hua had to obtain his love for another man.
It wasn’t about who loved her more or less, it was about who needed Seventeen more, and that person was Ye Hua, his lonely twin brother.
Mo Yuan didn’t embrace and nurtured his younger brother as he had planned to. Mo Yuan failed to shield Ye Hua from the strict ways of Heavenly Lord. Mo Yuan did nothing when Ye Hua was taken from his mother at birth. Mo Yuan who was sworn to protect all realms had protected everyone except the one who needed him the most, his twin brother Ye Hua. Seventeen had done it for him. At that moment, Mo Yuan felt incredibly grateful towards Seventeen for being there for Ye Hua.
Mo Yuan decided right then and there to withdraw from the race for Seventeen’s love. His heart ached, but he wasn’t alone as Ye Hua had been. Mo Yuan had been surrounded by loving disciples who worshipped him as their father. Seventeen had been one of those disciples. Mo Yuan had received her love and affection for thousands of years.
Mo Yuan would yield to Ye Hua because Mo Yuan loved Ye Hua too.
“Seventeen is a fortunate woman,” was all Mo Yuan could say.
Ye Hua smiled and replied, “No, I’m a fortunate man.”
Ye Hua’s love brought tears to Mo Yuan’s eyes. He knew his little Seventeen would be loved, protected, and cherished as he would have done himself.
After Ye Hua left, Mo Yuan went into seclusion until his wound healed. The pain of his broken heart.
To be continued………