Ch: 27
Celestial Heaven
Bai Qian slowly overcame her initial shock. She’d been overwhelmed by all the new emotions and questions that suddenly flooded her mind instantaneously. In a flash, Bai Qian had become someone’s mother and wife. Bai Qian was married to Ye Hua whom she’d believed to be a devious madman. There was a reason for his persistence and insanity, and that reason was he’d been telling the truth. Ye Hua found his wife, who he’d believed to be dead after 10,000 years.
Ye Hua wasn’t her hated nemesis. He was Bai Qian’s husband longing for his wife.
Bai Qian was Ye Hua’s dead immortal wife that committed suicide. She was also the mortal who gave birth to A-Li during her heavenly trial.
Bai Qian considered the shock Ye Hua must have experienced. Bai Qian couldn’t even imagine what it must have felt like. The shock, joy, sadness, anger, and maddening desire to reclaim the person he loved most. What Bai Qian considered to be twisted manipulation had been Ye Hua’s desperation. Did he feel overwhelmed and suffocated as she did now?
Had the situation been reversed, Bai Qian would have behaved the same if not worse. Bai Qian much more insistent, demanding and forward than Ye Hua had been with her. Driven by love, Bai Qian would have been a lunatic, pursued more aggressively and relentlessly. Nothing could have stopped Bai Qian from getting her husband back. Ye Hua’s conduct considering the situation had been mild compared to how Bai Qian would have acted.
Bai Qian also understood Mo Yuan’s reasons for not telling her or Ye Hua. From the bit and pieces of knowledge she’d gathered, her past wasn’t completely blissful or joyous. There was a tragedy that occurred and Mo Yuan was protecting both her and Ye Hua…perhaps from each other? Bai Qian killed herself, and Mo Yuan was trying to keep it from happening again. While providing Bai Qian a safe harbor, she and Mo Yuan had unexpectedly fallen in love with each other. Bai Qian would have never predicted she’d become Mo Yuan’s lover and fiancée.
Bai Qian sensed her relationship with Ye Hua must have had a toxicity that ended ultimately with heartbreak and her death. She’d taken her own life. Bai Qian wanted to know why she’d take her own life leaving her son and husband behind. What had driven her to the point of desperation so that suicide became her only option? Bai Qian needed to know who she was and Ye Hua was the one who could tell her.
Bai Qian took her time, before allowing Ye Hua to come into her room. It had been two months since she’d discovered the truth. She wasn’t warm or welcoming, but she didn’t avoid him either. Qian Qian was slowly trying to accept reality while attempting to remember her unknown past.
She and Ye Hua walked or sat on the steps, leading into her room, during their daily routine of questions and answers. Bai Qian asked Ye Hua countless questions. Bai Qian hoped that he would say something that would be the catalyst to bring back her memories. Bai Qian saw only shards and slivers but nothing complete.
Bai Qian continued to dream glimpses of her lost past. Unexplainable flashes, broken segments, and single images flooded her mind. Similar to seeing only one single flower in the exposed center of a covered drawing, Bai Qian didn’t know if it was from a bouquet sent by an adoring lover or those growing on a forgotten cold grave. Slowly, she attempted to connect bits of a puzzle broken into a thousand pieces to create a single tangible image from her mysterious past.
The only solid thing she knew, due to A-Li’s existence was, she and Ye Hua had once been lovers. Bai Qian started from the beginning. She needed to know about her mortal self to understand how she, Mo Yuan and Ye Hua had all become intertwined.
Ye Hua said they met during her heavenly trial on Mount Junji. SuSu found him in a cave after Ye Hua’d battled the Golden Scarlet Lion. Ye Hua was recovering from a minor wound and SuSu thought he was a little black snake with horns unaware he was a dragon. Ye Hua smiled and told Bai Qian not only did SuSu make his injury worse misusing an herbal poultice but she kept him in her bed to keep his dragon form warm. SuSu also forced fed him raw meat. Ye Hua slightly grimaced when telling her about consuming uncooked meat.
She wanted to know why Ye Hua fell in love with SuSu and Ye Hua said it was something beyond his control. Ye Hua told Bai Qian that he fell in love with SuSu at first sight and he was in love with her long before she fell in love with Ye Hua.
When Bai Qian inquired if they were happy together, Ye Hua replied teary eyed, SuSu had once said she would follow him to death. Ye Hua touched Bai Qian’s cheek and told her that SuSu waited alone in the isolated hut for years when he had to return to Celestial Heaven. Bai Qian knew one day in Celestial Heaven was a year in the mortal realm. Ye Hua said SuSu’s devotion to him was boundless.
Ye Hua softly chuckled and shared that SuSu had once gotten lost in the forest by her thatched hut for eight days straight. Ye Hua said A-Li had the same terrible sense of direction, which surprised Ye Hua because he’d believed foxes never got lost. Ye Hua said A-Li was more fox than a dragon.
Ye Hua also exclaimed to Bai Qian that SuSu was the worst cook on the planet. He told Bai Qian that SuSu almost burned their home down twice while attempting to roast meat for him. Ye Hua said SuSu roasted everything but the intended meat and burned anything she cooked. Bai Qian laughed softly and agreed it was true. Bai Qian admitted she despised cooking due to her laziness, so she wasn’t surprised that SuSu was a terrible cook as well. Ye Hua told her that he already knew that about her, Bai Qian couldn’t help from smiling.
Ye Hua seemed to know her better than she knew herself.
Bai Qian didn’t flinch from Ye Hua’s touch. She’d realized he didn’t mean her harm. Bai Qian was no longer afraid of him. She didn’t avoid Ye Hua’s caresses. He was a stranger to her but she was Ye Hua’s beloved wife. It would be unnatural if Ye Hua didn’t want to touch her. Ye Hua yearned for her for 10,000 years.
Bai Qian apologized for not being able to remember him or A-Li and Ye Hua didn’t attempt intimacy with Bai Qian. Ye Hua wanted Bai Qian to remember her love for him first. Her mental state was fragile, but Bai Qian was trying. Ye Hua could see her effort to come to terms and accept her situation.
Ye Hua told her the truth when asked why he blinded her and took her mortal eyes. He admitted he was to blame for being naïve and foolish. Ye Hua explained he was the Crown Prince at the time and the former Heavenly Lord, Ye Hua’s grandfather wanted to separate him from SuSu so he could marry Bai Qian.
Ye Hua brought up the irony of his grandfather’s actions. Heavenly Grandfather wanted to join hands with Qing Qiu and sent his second son to marry Bai Qian. Unfortunately, the Second Prince, Ye Hua’s uncle, Sang Ji fell in love with Bai Qian’s servant and brought her back to Celestial Heaven. Ye Hua explained that’s why he and Bai Qian had become engaged to one another.
But what nobody was aware, was the fact, that the mortal SuSu Heavenly Grandfather fought so hard to dispose of was Bai Qian the Queen of Qing Qiu. Ye Hua laughed as he revealed his grandfather fear of Bai Qian’s father, the Fox King even to this day. Heavenly Grandfather was deeply indebted to Qing Qiu, the Fox King but most of all to Bai Qian and lived in fright of the karmic retribution he would eventually receive.
Bai Qian asked why Ye Hua waited so long for her return both times and Ye Hua just replied that he didn’t have a choice. Ye Hua said he’d given his heart to SuSu who was Bai Qian and he couldn’t stop loving her. Ye Hua admitted he’d tried to move on. Ye Hua attempted to forget all his memories of her. Ye Hua said every step he took to walk away; he felt as if he was dying because his longing and love for Bai Qian only grew stronger.
Ye Hua’s heart refused to let go.
Just as nine-tailed foxes mate a single partner for life, Ye Hua said it was the same for him. She was his chosen love and nothing; not even time could change that. Bai Qian looked deeply into Ye Hua’s eyes for the first time that night.
Ye Hua had finally said something she understood.
During their daily walks, Ye Hua answered all Bai Qian’s questions and told her some things she didn’t ask. Ye Hua blushed as he shyly repeated the story of how he’d passed out drunk once while trying to seduce her. Ye Hua said he’d never met anyone with such a high tolerance for alcohol.
He spoke of how Bai Qian she taunted him for being young and used his jealousy against him. Ye Hua playfully said that Bai Qian was incredibly unpredictable so he was unable to predict what she’d do next. Ye Hua admitted to falling into every one of her traps. Ye Hua said, he was a sucker for her and often became blinded by his wish for Bai Qian’s love.
Ye Hua apologized for threatening her father, Mo Yuan and scaring Bai Qian. He explained it was a perfect example of his weakness when it came to her. Bai Qian had the ability to trigger Ye Hua causing him to act extremely irrationally, unreasonable and immature. Ye Hua also admitted he was a bit afraid of Mo Yuan and even more frightened of the Fox King.
Bai Qian wanted to know why Ye Hua loved her and he replied,
“Qian Qian, you act arrogant and cold, but I know how caring and tender you are. You are kind, gentle, child-like, strong-willed, humble, and loyal to a fault. You would die to protect someone you cherish and when you’re in love….. You are the most passionate, hot-blooded, and fiery lover. Nothing can surpass the exquisite feeling of making love to you.”
Ye Hua paused, and his expression softened. “I could be in a crowded room with hundreds of others, but all I would see is you. You’re beautiful. Your outer beauty is what everyone notices first but Qian Qian, your heart is gold, and you were the most stunning pregnant woman I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Ye Hua paused as his eyes filled with tears that freely ran down his face as he whispered, “Even after I took your eyes, you still called my name when you gave birth to A-Li. You still had a glimmer of hope and faith in the man who stole your sight and purposely ignored you for almost three long, lonely, years. I did it to protect you, but you thought I didn’t love you yet you still wanted me by your side when our child was born. How can I not love you? You are my life.”
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Bai Qian
Bai Qian had once believed Ye Hua to be a cruel, heartless, brute, but she’d been wrong. Ye Hua was gentle, spoke with the same soft tone as Mo Yuan, polite and patient. His love for her was genuine and infinite. The first thing Bai Qian saw in Ye Hua’s gaze was worry and concern. He fretted and troubled over her more than her father. Ye Hua’s concern was unquestionable. He sincerely cared about Bai Qian’s well being.
Bai Qian asked many questions, and Ye Hua answered them honestly. He revealed his errors and took all the blame for their past grievances. Ye Hua admitted his failure to be honest with SuSu from the start was his biggest mistake. Ye Hua blinded by love hid his immortality from SuSu.
Ye Hua told Bai Qian about his insane plan to fake his death during the Mermaid War to be with her. Ye Hua didn’t want to be the Crown Prince of Celestial Heaven and desired to live solely as SuSu’s husband. Ye Hua aspired to leave everything behind to be with SuSu.
Bai Qian questioned what they did to pass the time in the solitary little hut. There wasn’t a town or other people for many miles. Ye Hua blushed, looked down shyly and answered that they’d made love constantly. It was evident to Bai Qian; there had been a time when she’d been in love with Ye Hua. She couldn’t remember it but why else would she have waited years for Ye Hua’s return?
Bai Qian explained nine-tailed foxes were born to mate with a single partner. She told Ye Hua, she’d formed that connection to Mo Yuan and Ye Hua asked how could she be sure it was Mo Yuan and not himself. They were twins and had both been intimate with her, so wasn’t there a chance Bai Qian was confused, as to which twin Bai Qian chose? Ye Hua asked if she was sure it was Mo Yuan and not himself, Bai Qian had nothing to say.
She didn’t know how she felt anymore.
Bai Qian found herself questioning everything ever since she’d discovered who she was. Bai Qian’s awareness of her lost past now clouded her present thought and judgment.
To add to her confused state, the more time she spent with Ye Hua, Bai Qian noticed striking, uncanny similarities to Mo Yuan. So much so that she’d forget she was with Ye Hua, not Mo Yuan. Their soft voices, identically mannerisms, mirrored expressions, and their eyes, not only were they the identical shade of rich, dark, brown amber but their loving gazes when they looked at her was the same.
The most crucial point being both Ye Hua and Mo Yuan loved her whole heartedly and wanted her to be theirs. Even their desires were the same.
Ye Hua once asked Bai Qian if she could tell the difference between Ye Hua and Mo Yuan if Ye Hua grew a beard. At the time, she’d thought his question was absurd, but now Bai Qian wondered if she could tell the difference. If she closed her eyes, would she feel the difference and know which twin was making love to her?
Bai Qian felt as if she was stuck in a house of mirrors and unable to distinguish real from the reflected image. She now questioned which figure had been the original one that caught her eye and captured her heart.
Had she accepted Ye Hua in Mount Junji because of his likeness to Mo Yuan or had she picked Mo Yuan due to his same appearance to Ye Hua? Who was original partner she’d wanted for life?
to be continued…………….