The Stone King's Lover (石王的愛)

Chapter 81

Xie Yi-jun

2006 years after The Long Night

The Spirit Orchard

<Jingshén>

The moment Xie Yi-jun met eyes with Wen Reian he was running, dropping everything and grinning widely. He heard the young man's shy giggle as the King caught him in his arms, lifting him entirely off the ground.

"Yi-jun!"

Reian was laughing, the sound making the King's heart swell with joy. He spun Wen Rei around a few times, sighing in relief when he finally set him down and caught sight of the warmth and longing in his gaze.

Behind them, Jin Songcai had already grabbed all of Yi-jun's discarded belongings, smiling and going to hug Reian while Yi-jun rambled breathlessly-

"Wen Rei, you look... wonderful. How are things?!"

Releasing Songcai with a soft smile, Reian looked from him to Yi-jun and then back again, the most beautiful light radiating out from his soul.

God, I missed you! Yi-jun wanted to cry, Six months is too long to be away-

"Busy, we've been so busy!" Reian shook his head. "Master Hao has put me in charge of far too much if I'm being honest..."

Xie Yi-jun smiled as Reian tucked a strand of dark hair behind his ear and blushed.

"You love it, don't you?" The King chuckled.

Wen Reian had told them that several of his memories were still missing, but he'd finally remembered enough to be placed in a caretaker-like position of responsibility. Yi-jun saw how much it meant to Reian to be back home, even if sometimes it was bitter-sweet or confusing...

Finally, Songcai spoke-

"How is Jin Yu? He might still be a little sore from the last time I checked up on him, but I can-"

"Trust me," Reian grinned. "The entire place has been buzzing for weeks about your arrival! Not a single person in Jingshén hasn't been talking about you both-"

Oh boy...

"And A'Yu is excited to see you again, Songcai. He said you were a huge help."

Before Songcai or Yi-jun could respond, Reian was suddenly turning towards the sound of several voices calling his name.

"Reian! Is it them?!"

Jin Songcai exchanged a soft smile with Yi-jun, and the King knew that for his husband, visiting Reian's family was like spending time with people he'd been hearing about, and more or less living with for years.

Reian quickly motioned for them to follow, and before long they were stepping into the field in front of Jingshén, Songcai smiling fondly and Yi-jun also feeling more than a little sentimental at all the things he'd seen and experienced here...

"Wen Reian-"

Yi-jun caught sight of Jin Yu, who'd grown taller since the last time he'd seen him and looked as if all of his visible injuries had completely healed. The boy, nearly a man, was standing in the doorway being gripped tightly around the leg by a toddler peaking shyly out from behind him.

Wen Reian suddenly laughed, "Yi-jun, Songcai... I have someone for you to meet."

As Yi-jun stared at the child, those sparkling dark brown eyes suddenly fixed on him.