An Hei led Ling Ling into the backyard while the group of women waited in a room next to it. From the window, they were able to see exactly what was going on between the young couple but they weren't able to hear what they said as long as An Hei and Ling Ling kept their voices down. It truly was the best of both worlds in this kind of situation.

Ling Ling had never come to this place so she couldn't help but look around. The sun shone down, almost glaring now that midday had arrived. Ling Ling had to avert her face for a moment and noticed a tree in the middle of the courtyard.

An Hei followed her gaze and then led her over. The branches of the tree protected them from the sun and they could even feel a faint breeze. The snake king looked up and couldn't help but smile when he remembered their first meeting that had been quite similar. "Do you remember? Ten years ago we met under the branches of a magnolia tree. Now, we have reunited and once again, we are standing under the branches of a tree even though it is a different kind. In the future, maybe we will be in this kind of situation once more, just that it would be the courtyard of our own house where we would see each other."

Ling Ling nodded, a smile blossoming on her lips. "You've honored your pledge and returned. For a while, I was wondering if you really would."

An Hei retracted his gaze and turned to face her, his expression serious. "If I give my word, then I will not take it back. I said you would be my wife so unless you refuse, nothing will change about that."

Ling Ling lowered her head, her fingers twisting the fabric of her sleeve. "Why would I ever refuse?"

An Hei didn't answer. When he told her, he would see if she would refuse or not. In any case, it was nothing he could change. It was all up to her.

Ling Ling kept quiet for a moment as well but then glanced up at him, her expression careful. "I'm just wondering … weren't you going to test me? I remembered you said something like that back then."

The corners of An Hei's lips quirked up when she reminded him of that. Right. This girl that hadn't even been of age yet had worried so much not only about getting married but also about what kind of position she would have in his house. It was a bit adorable. "Mn. Maybe I'll still do that." He laughed lightly and looked up at the sky, breathing in the fresh air. He had never actually thought of giving her a test. Back then, he had only said so to put her mind at ease since she had seemed to care so much. In any case, he had never intended to marry more than one wife.

Although ... it might be enough of a trial for her to find out that the husband for whom she waited ten years wasn't even human. Furthermore, if she realized that she couldn't stay in Sandin forever if she became his wife … An Hei held back a sigh. Even if he didn't want to test her, it might inevitably still happen.

In any case, she had been a child. She hadn't really known what she talked about. Even if she had already been a young woman as she was now, how could she have known that he wasn't human and didn't live in the realm of the mortals? From the very beginning, she hadn't known everything there was to know. Only now, when he finally told her the whole truth, would she be able to make an actual decision.

An Hei looked at this woman who would hopefully become his wife soon. She was looking back at him, her eyes bright and full of affection. He really hoped that nothing about this gaze would change when she found out.

He took a deep breath and slowly tried to find the strength to tell her. He wanted to reach out and take her hands but he knew it wasn't possible before they weren't married. It wouldn't look good in the eyes of those watching them. Thus, he just continued to look at her, the serious air about him making it obvious that he was finally about to say what he had asked her out here for.

"Ten years ago I promised you something," he initiated, "I will promise you something else today: As long as you stay at my side faithfully, I'll be at your side just as well. As long as you love me, I will love you. As long as you live … I will live too."

Ling Ling smiled, touched by his words, without comprehending how much they really meant. A human life was short but a demon's life was long. What An Hei had promised her was an eternity. An eternity with him, at his side. It was something most mortals could not even begin to imagine but it could become the truth for her. In Ling Ling's eyes though, these were just sweet words, the kind a husband would say to his wife. It made her feel that this future of theirs wasn't far away anymore.

She lowered her head and then nodded. "Mn. Eternity." Of course, she would not want to part from her husband until her time was up. How else could she say that if not by agreeing with this?

An Hei opened his lips but hesitated to speak further. Once again, he could not help but waver: Should I tell her or shouldn't I? What if she doesn't react as I hope for? But if I don't try, I'll never know … He gulped and clenched his hands in his sleeves, betting everything on this one conversation. "Ling Ling. If we could really have an eternity … would you want it?" He knew she likely hadn't understood what he said before so he could only try and continue from there, making it clear to her bit by bit that this was more than she imagined it to be.

Ling Ling gazed up at An Hei's face which looked exactly as it had back then when they met for the first time. When they saw each other again yesterday, she had thought nothing of it. This was the face she had seen in her dreams. But when An Hei asked her like this she suddenly realized that therein lay a problem: Her husband-to-be hadn't changed in ten years. If she hadn't known better, she could have believed that not a day had passed since they first met as they stood under the branches of a tree once again. What other explanation could there have been, if not that her husband differed from the people she knew? Maybe this eternity he spoke of was something else than what she had imagined.

Ling Ling silently continued to look at his face. She felt that she understood now. Not only that maybe her husband might indeed be able to live a long life but also that it would be much longer than hers. They hadn't seen each other in ten years and now that they met again, now that their future together was right in front of them, she had to find out that it would not be quite as imagined. To say that she wasn't a little hurt at least would be a lie. But also, it didn't change her feelings.

Ling Ling knew that she was doing the wrong thing but she extended her hand and placed it on An Hei's cheek. She smiled but it appeared a little sad. "If you can have an eternity, then I'll accompany you as long as I can. If you want, then I'll still be at your side when my hair turns white and my skin resembles the bark of a tree." That was all she could give him. She knew well enough that she was a normal human, after all. She couldn't be like him. Even though she would love to share that eternity with him, she could only accompany him for a part of the way. Well, she would also be satisfied with that. As long as he did not spurn her later on for getting old, she would be satisfied.

An Hei examined her face. Did she understand? Her eyes seemed to say that they'd have to separate one day. But maybe that was just the anxiety of a woman who feared to not hold the affection of her husband anymore when she got old.

Since Ling Ling had gone ahead, An Hei reached up and placed his hand over hers with a smile. "You don't have to worry that we'll separate. I'll stay at your side forever. It's just that …" He gazed at the window where the women were still watching. They should have seen that she touched his face but neither of them had reacted. Maybe he had thought too much? He turned back to her, his expression solemn. "It is just that I fear we might not be able to stay here forever." Out there lay the capital, in which she had grown up, over there were her mother and older sister whom she loved deeply. To ask her to give up on that might be too much but it was one of the things that would inevitably happen if she wanted to be with him.

Ling Ling nodded as if she didn't mind though. "Wherever my husband goes, there I'll go too. If he stays, then I'll stay too."

An Hei wanted to smile. This was exactly what he had desired: A wife who stood at his side no matter the circumstances. Now, she had promised just that. But he knew that this was only part of the truth. He still needed to tell her the rest.

An Hei readied himself to make his final confession. Just the thought of how she might react let his heart beat faster but h knew that there was no way to push it off any longer. It had to happen now if he wanted her to know. The longer he waited, the more difficult it would become. Now, was the perfect moment. Now, was the moment of truth.

"Ling Ling … your husband … If I told you, that your future husband isn't human, would you hate me?"

Ling Ling continued to look at him with a smile. After his previous words, she had already understood somewhat. She might not realize that e was a demon but she was prepared for things to be different from her expectations in the future. What exactly he was, was not something she cared about. If he wanted to tell her, he would one day. If he didn't want to, she would not pry. In any case, she was sure that he would treat her well. Thus, there was not even a hint of fear when she responded. "My husband will be my husband and he will stay as such until the end of my life. What more do I need to know?"

An Hei lowered his gaze, pressing down on the corners of his mouth that wanted to rise up. This really was too beautiful to believe. But it was the truth. This was indeed happening. There was just one more detail to make sure of. "So, if I asked you to leave the human world with me after our wedding and follow me to my kingdom, would you do so?"

She nodded without hesitation. "I would. I would only ask you to give me time to bid my mother and sister farewell. I know, if I follow you, then I'd never see them again."

An Hei smiled. Ah, he had worried in vain. He had not needed to worry at all. He pulled down her hand and squeezed it lightly, motioning for her to go back inside. "You have passed the test. You'll be my first and only wife. That is another promise I make." With that, he pulled her back into the building, a faint smile still visible on his lips.

He was prepared to spend eternity with this woman.