An Hei was a little surprised to see Ling Ling lost in thought but he finally figured that it wasn’t that strange after all. In any case, he had told her quite a bit. Why wouldn’t she need a moment to think it through?
He used the opportunity to pick some of the food and fill her bowl before he glanced at her again. By now, her expression already looked much less tangled. He heaved a faint sigh of relief and then spoke up again, hoping that it would reassure her to know more. "I’ve said it before but I do intend to stay in Sandin for several years at least, probably up until the time when it’s time for you to decide whether you want to be immortal or not."
Ling Ling looked up in surprise. "I decide?" She had thought that this was a foregone conclusion. In any case, as her husband, shouldn’t An Hei be the one to have the final say?
An Hei nodded though. "Yes, you decide. Naturally, I hope that you will say yes but I can’t deny that you are mortal and have a mortal family here. I can turn you immortal but not them and I could imagine that that will be hard for you to bear. So I won’t force you if it doesn’t also follow your will. But that is not something to think about for the moment." He smiled and motioned at her bowl. "Come, let’s eat. I can tell you some more things at the side."
Ling Ling nodded and picked up her chopsticks with one hand. "Then, can I ask something?"
"Of course, you can." An Hei didn’t mind sharing anything. In his eyes, between husband and wife, there was nothing that needed to be kept secret.
Ling Ling was a little hesitant though. After all, they hadn’t been together for long and she didn’t know if there wasn’t some line not to be crossed. Finally, she made up her mind though. If there was something that An Hei did not want to share, he would certainly tell her as much. Thus, she might as well just go ahead and ask. "If … if you are king …" She glanced at him to see if he got angry but An Hei just looked at her patiently, waiting for the rest of her question. Feeling emboldened, she started anew. "If you are king, then isn’t it important for you to … do things? Can you really just stay here with me for several more years?" She didn’t know what exactly a king would do but surely, he would have to be a busy man. She couldn’t imagine anything else.
An Hei smiled faintly. "If I was a mortal man, your worry would indeed be due. But things are a little different in my case. The mortal and immortal realms are separated and differ in more ways than just their inhabitants. Maybe you have heard stories about it but venturing into the immortal realms for just a day will mean that a whole year will have passed when you return. Thus, if I was to stay with you here for a dozen years, it would not even be a fortnight in my tribe’s territory."
Ling Ling’s eyes went wide and they became even rounder when she silently counted. "Doesn’t that mean … our first meeting has only been …"
"Ten days before we saw each other again, yes." An Hei smiled and picked up his teacup, clearly amused. "I feel like I was quite lucky with how things were. If he had needed to wait an actual ten years, who knew if he would have been able to take it? Then again, his real feelings had only developed after meeting her again so it might not have been unbearable.
Ling Ling couldn’t help but nod slowly, feeling astonished. "I guess a couple of days won’t make that much of a difference then …"
An Hei nodded. "Yes, indeed. Also, I intend to send one of my people back to inquire if there is something important going on. They can just bring it back here and I will deal with it then. So, in fact, your husband will be very idle these years." He smiled brightly, his eyes shimmering like stars.
Ling Ling couldn’t help but stare. Back then when she saw him for the first time, she had only been a small girl. Even if he had not been injured with blood everywhere, she likely wouldn’t have been able to appreciate how good-looking her husband actually was.
Now though, several years had gone by and she was able to tell the good from the bad. An Hei … he couldn’t even be simply called good. His looks went far beyond that. Maybe that was what made it easy to believe that he wasn’t a mere mortal.
Seeing his wife stare at him spellbound, An Hei felt like his body was heating up. He inconspicuously glanced at the bowl in front of her. The food clearly hadn’t diminished much but he wasn’t sure how much longer he could wait.
He felt torn but glancing at her expression, he felt that she didn’t seem as careful anymore. No, most likely, she had already calmed down which was what he had been waiting for. He took a shallow breath and then slowly leaned closer, the difference hardly notable at first. "Is your husband good-looking?"
Ling Ling’s face flushed red at being discovered but she still nodded her head. "Very much so."
An Hei almost laughed out loud. "Well, my wife is very beautiful as well. I guess that makes us a fitting couple." He bridged the last gap and gently kissed her.
Ling Ling’s eyelids fluttered and she leaned toward him but wasn’t sure where to put her hands.
An Hei seemed to be able to read her mind. He cupped her cheek with one but held her hands with the other, making Ling Ling calm down immediately. The two of them sat next to each other, their bodies touching, savoring that first kiss.
Finally, An Hei pulled back, a smile on his lips and in his eyes. "Let’s go." He got up and pulled her to her feet as well, leading her toward the bridal chamber.
Seeing the room that was brightly decorated in red, Ling Ling’s heart started thumping wildly. Once again, she felt at a loss but An Hei had already taken the lead. He gently pulled her inside and then closed the door behind them before he wrapped Ling Ling into his arms.
"It’s been a long day but I have never been happier."
Ling Ling lowered her head with a smile and looked at An Hei’s arms around her middle. "Me neither."
Yes, this day was the one where all her wishes of the past years were fulfilled. How could she be any happier? He leaned against her husband’s broad chest and closed her eyes. There really was nothing else she could wish for. At this moment, Ling Ling really felt as if she had found ultimate happiness. Even though there was still a long life ahead of them, she thought that she could not possibly ever be happier.
An Hei looked at her small form in his arms and hugged her tighter, feeling content as well.
They stood like that for a few moments, until An Hei let go and walked around her, leaning in for another kiss. Ling Ling stood on tiptoes, her eyes curving like crescents. She didn’t quite know how to continue and just waited for An Hei to take over again.
The snake king took his sweet time though. He didn’t quite know if there were any customs to observe for a human’s wedding night and even if not, he did not want to scare her. Thus, he felt it would be better to take it slow. She might be calmer now than she had been a while ago but there was no need to rush. Thus, he did not go further, just looking at her and staying close, waiting for the right time to arrive.
Ling Ling wasn’t in a hurry either. In any case, this was the man she would stay with for the rest of her life. What was the rush? They might as well enjoy every single minute to the fullest, savoring the time until the next day. To just quietly stand there in each other’s arms already made her happy.
Time trickled by and finally, An Hei felt that he couldn’t wait any longer or they would have to stand the rest of the night. He pondered for a moment, looking down at their hands that were still tied together. Picking her up really didn’t seem possible like this …
He thought and then just tugged at her hand, leading her over to the bed. No matter what, the distance wasn’t big. The two of them sat down at the edge and An Hei leaned in again, cupping her face with one hand before he kissed her again and brushed back her hair.
Slowly but surely, he leaned in, finally pushing her down. There was a faint smile on his lips when he raised his head and looked at her. Without worrying any longer, he slowly started to undo her belt, taking off his own robe afterward. With the light outside waning, the two of them embraced each other.
