DIFFERENT WORLD

Chapter 25: SOULMATE

Chapter
XXV
Soulmate

***

Zhang Qi Ling looked at Wu Xie for a moment longer, watching the rhythmic movement of his pulse point at the collar of his shirt and the way his Adam's apple moved with each impatient swallow.

It was Zhang Rishan's sigh, a sigh that matched Wu Xie's in heaviness that drew Zhang Qi Ling's attention away.

With his left hand, Zhang Rishan carded his fingers through his hair black dark strands jutting out in every direction. "You want to know who to thank?"

His voice hadn't changed, but somehow the words were sharp and had an edge to them. Like an unspoken choice that had an 'and you can never go back' clause attached.

Finally, Wu Xie's fingers grabbed onto Zhang Qi Ling's, holding tight, nearly painful.
"Yes."

Zhang Rishan watched Wu Xie for an eternity before his black eyes shifted to Zhang Qi Ling. The question was never aired, but asked nonetheless.

Zhang Qi Ling gave a curt nod and Zhang Rishan leaned back into his chair, longer fingers threaded together over his stomach.

"Well, Wu Xie, you can write that note to Zhang Qi Ling."

"What?" Wu Xie and Zhang Qi Ling spoke at once. Zhang Qi Ling stared heatedly even as possibilities circled in his mind.

Nothing made sense... nothing had made sense in such a long time and the more sense Zhang Rishan spoke, the more Zhang Qi Ling wished he was back in Wu Xie's apartment, back in Wu Xie's bed, back in Wu Xie's arms... frustrated, oblivious, and naively dread-free.

Zhang Rishan tapped the forgotten folder on his desk with his fingers before answering. "You realize, of course, that most people never get to hear any of this. They just go through life feeling blessed, or cursed, as the case may be." Wu Xie didn't even blink. "Of course, you do," Zhang Rishan continued. He smiled, but the action didn't hold any of the amused tolerance Zhang Qi Ling was familiar with from the head god. Instead, it was soft, understanding, with an underlying feeling of genuine concern. "We don't say 'because of Ultimate' for two reasons. One." He said holding up a finger. "It can and has been argued that the Ultimate is the reason for,"—Arms spread wide—"Everything. But the fact of the matter is, nine times out of ten, the Ultimate isn't actively involved."

Wu Xie's tilted his head to the side, one eyebrow raised suspiciously at the emphasis in Zhang Rishan's words.

"Okay..."

"Freewill. Such a huge responsibility with far-reaching consequences for decisions and actions made in the blink of an eye." He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "The things that can honestly be contributed to the Ultimate are the things that don't happen. I know you enjoyed the ant analogy, so I'll continue it."

Zhang Qi Ling felt rather than saw the flash of amusement the words brought Wu Xie.

"The Ultimate stop the cat from knocking over the farm, or closes the curtains to stop the sun from burning them alive. Hundreds of ants scurrying around, digging and thinking how miserable their lives are, and they never realize how close they came to utter annihilation. Divine Being are like the cat, only instead of being stopped before you started, you were allowed to continue. I suppose in a way, you could blame the Ultimate. You chose to defy the typical plan set forth for Ultimate's children and He decided that watching that choice, your choice, play out was worth the risk."

Wu Xie's hand in his was hot and Zhang Qi Ling could feel the gentle tremors run through their connection.

"I still don't understand what this has to do with Xiao ge."