Chapter 321 - A Cute Little Demon (1/2)
It had been in the last days of spring when the temperatures slowly went up but a cool breeze still rustled in the herb field behind the palace. Jinde's hair had shimmered in the afternoon sun, his eyes sparkling as if they were truly made out of melted gold and all the while a gentle smile hung on his lips.
Jin Ling watched him weed the field and water the herbs. Back then how old had he been? A hundred years? Maybe a hundred and fifty years? It sounded old but for dragons or demons he could merely be regarded as a little child. In fact, some of the herbs in Jinde's field were larger than him so he had to make sure he didn't lose him.
He waddled after him. As soon as Jinde took half a step he'd follow two. He wouldn't leave his side for even a moment and every so often Jinde himself would turn to the side to make sure he was still there. Then, that gentle smile would become a little brighter and those beautiful eyes became glittering crescents. Whenever he saw them Jin Ling would inch still a bit closer regardless of how close he had stood before.
Unfortunately, good things never lasted long. It had probably been just an hour or two when a dark voice sounded behind them.
”Your Majesty.”
Jinde looked back and stood up, elegantly patted off the dirt of his hands. ”Xin Lan, you've returned.”
”Mn.” The man didn't say anything else. He just looked at Jinde, his deep gaze raising Jin Ling's hackles.
He was still too young to understand but he had the bad feeling that somebody wanted to take Jinde from him. He wouldn't allow him! That was his Jinde! Nobody else could have him!
He reached out to grab Jinde but just then this beloved person of his had actually seen something worrying. He hurried over to Xin Lan's side and grabbed his arm.
”What happened to you?”
Xin Lan didn't say anything. He just looked at those long fingers that gently held onto him and then lifted his gaze to those golden eyes that examined his wound before hurriedly looking ahead again. Just as if nothing had happened.
Jinde didn't notice but Jin Ling did. And even if he was still a child, a child of the immortal races would still have a little more awareness than a mortal child. He hurriedly reached out again and tugged at Jinde's sleeve.
”What is it, Ah Jin?”
Jin Ling stretched out his little arms, asking for a hug. Jinde blinked as if a bit surprised. In the end, he still bent down and picked the little one up. Jin Ling couldn't help but shoot a triumphant glance at Xin Lan. The man wasn't fazed though. He just returned that gaze until Jin Ling couldn't take it any longer and burrowed his face into Jinde's golden hair. To his horror, the unwelcome person still didn't leave after that. Quite the contrary.
”Xin Lan, come on in. Let me have a look at that.” Jinde just carried Jin Ling into his alchemy room, sat him down in a chair, patted his head and … turned to Xin Lan, this terrible patient.