Chapter Text
The quiet was becoming unbearable. Everyone who had thought Shen Qingqiu to always have been himself seemed to be in terrible turmoil, and even Shang Qinghua, who had known for quite some time seemed to be struggling, though that was neither here nor there as Shang Qinghua was usually struggling, just, in general.
Luo Binghe in particular was concerningly quiet, more so with each passing minute, and then... he began to cry?!! No no no!
Oh god. “Binghe, I-”
“This one can’t believe Shizun was so careless with his health!” Binghe burst out, weeping like a wronged maiden. “Shizun should know better than to eat something that will make him sick- something that-” his breath hitched, “something that could kill Shizun!”
Moving on instinct, Shen Qingqiu rushed to comfort his husband. He clutched at Luo Binghe’s handsome face and dabbed away his tears with a silken sleeve. “This husband is sorry,” he said, meaning the embarrassing mistake with the yogurt, but the words came out heavy for some reason and felt like he was talking about something else.
Binghe met his gaze searchingly. Shen Qingqiu wasn’t sure what to do with his face, so he kind of just let it do its thing.
Wow, this was really all kind of overwhelming, wasn’t it?
Binghe’s Husband Senses were keen; he entangled their hands together and squeezed his master's fingers- perhaps a little too tightly, but in a way that was grounding and somewhat quieted the rushing sound in Shen Qingqiu’s ears.
He said to Shen Qingqiu thoughtfully: “Shizun looked even sweeter than he did in his Sun and Moon Dew Flower Seed body,” and then all the rushing stopped because Shen Qingqiu had to focus on bopping his unruly husband for teasing.
The others were coming out of their own shocked stupor; Liu Qingge was staring at Shen Qingqiu intently, as if playing an intense game of Spot The Difference, Ning Yingying and Ming Fan were agape, and Shang Qinghua was stupidly saying, “Uh-oh,” like a child caught out of bed.
Yue Qingyuan asked, “Is it true?” and his voice was like nothing Shen Qingqiu had heard from him before.
Shen Qingqiu turned to face him, “Shixiong-” he began, but Yue Qingyan cut him off.
“Don't,” he said, and Shen Qingqiu flinched. “Just. Tell this one clearly.”
Shen Qingqiu looked at the ground.
Yue Qingyan said, “Please.”
Liu Qingge made an exasperated sound, “Are you this ‘Shen Yuan’ or not?”
Shen Qingiu said, “This one is Shen Qingqiu,” but then he met upon his husband's gaze, and it was warm. “But in the past, this one... I was Shen Yuan.”
“Shizun,” said Luo Binghe, beseeching, and then the screen was lighting up again and the tell-tale whirring sound had returned. Shen Qingqiu the xianxia master had never known such a sound, but chronically online Shen Yuan was familiar with it, a bit like the sound his computer would make when he wrote his hate comments- er- insightful literary criticisms too quickly and his laptop overheated.
On the screen, “Shen Qingqiu” appraised his surroundings blearily.
A voice said, “You’re finally awake. How do you feel?” and it was none other than Yue Qingyan, leader of Cang Qiong Mountain, wielder of Xuan Su. He rose from his seat at Shen Qingqiu’s bedside, his grand and important-looking robes shifting around him.
Shen Qingqiu inspected a long-fingered hand, calloused from sword practice and playing the qin. In a stranger's voice, he asked, “Did I… pass out?”
“Yes,” answered Yue Qingyan, “But you suddenly had an inexplicable high fever.”
Shen Qingqiu, because he was secretly-
Not so secretly anymore…
-an entirely different person named Shen Yuan, began promptly to freak the hell out. “I’m at the hospital”, he rationalized to himself.
“Hospital?” Echoed Yue Qingyuan, “Did you get confused by your long sleep?”
Luo Binghe glanced at Shen Qingqiu.
“Hospitals are an institution in my world. A bit like Qian Cao Peak.”
Luo Binghe nodded in understanding and Shen Qingqiu smiled slightly. It was a comfort to be teaching something, anything right now. Shen Qingqiu wondered if Luo Binghe perhaps knew this and was looking to him on purpose. It was a sweet thought to linger on. On the other hand, maybe Shen Qingqiu was overthinking this. Perhaps Luo Binghe was simply looking to his Shizun for guidance because that was the way things always were between them. Perhaps somehow, inexplicably, their dynamic had not been changed or ruined for all the ways today was changing and ruining things.
Shen Qingqiu asked Yue Qinngyuan, “Shixiong… who are you?”
The Yue Qingyuan of the present shook his head and laughed. It was not a very nice laugh.
The other Yue Qingyuan’s calm expression became slightly hurt. He turned his face away from his shidi, “I know the Immortal Alliance Conference is near, and you are eager to be its champion, but with the foundation of the Cang Xiong sect…”
‘What?’ Thought Shen Qingqiu.
“... even if we don’t send you to compete, no one will have the authority to question us about it...”
Cang Qiong Sect? Qing Jing peak?! Shen Qingqiu cried internally, It can’t be that… no way…
‘Yes way,’ Current Shen Qingqiu thought resignedly. Ah, his naive younger self really had no idea what was coming.
A mechanical voice joined the fray, [System initiating…]
Shen Qingqiu’s head whipped around to face a small screen, showing a little loading dial that felt ominous for some reason.
“That’s the ‘system’ creature?” Asked Liu Qingge discerningly.
“Wow, it really didn’t waste any time getting back to you. Brutal!” said Shang Qinghua, and Shen Qingqiu glared at him, sort of habitually.
[Entered a new world successfully!] the system chirped, and Yue Qingyuan said, “...Don’t focus too much on the fame…” but went ignored.
[Proud Immortal Demon Way], said the system, [System Activated. Transmigration code: UV002].
Shen Qingqiu’s eyes narrowed and then widened, Proud Immortal Demon Way he thought, reading over what the screen was telling him. The situation, as impossible as it was, was becoming clear to him.
“To die and be reborn within a story is like something out of a fairytale.” Ning Yingying said, a little dazedly. She seemed to still be processing the facts that had made themselves known: that the man sitting among them was not the teacher she’d originally known, and yet might still in some capacity be her beloved shizun, still somehow Shen Qingqiu.
Shen Qingqiu for his part felt that… whatever conclusions that Ning Yingying came to were her right. However resentful she decided to feel towards him was probably fair. He’d raised her to be a very astute young woman after all!
[Running environmental check] said the system. [Environment is: normal.]
It rudely informed Shen Qingqiu: [Our system is a development upon the principle of, ‘YOU CAN YOU UP BB’] And then more politely said, [We aim to provide you with the best novel-journey-experience.] But then turned around and threw Shen Yuan’s words back in his face, saying, [We hope you can improve the story from a ‘long-winded piece of garbage” to a premium, grand and high-class classic] so maybe it wasn’t that polite after all.
Shen Qingqiu, for his part, was beginning to look a bit depressed. He let his head sink into his hands.
Binghe and Liu Qingge looked annoyed on his behalf, so that was nice. It was really too bad Shen Qingqiu hadn’t had this kind of moral support at the time.
Unrepentant, the system cheerily said: [Happy novel-journeying!]
And what a journey it’s been! Shen Qingqiu scowls. The sheer cheek of this system of his…
I’ve been transported into a moronic harem novel?! Exclaimed the past Shen Qingqiu, in the recesses of his mind. He had already reached the “acceptance” stage of grief.
Shang Qinghua pouted, apparently offended on account of his half-assed novel. “Isn’t this kind of reaction a bit over the top? For a spring novel it’s really not so bad…”
Luo Binghe, who of course had excellent taste, said, “The premise seemed terrible to this one.” Shen Qingqiu smiled at him but then became a bit worried. Luo Binghe’s expression had become quite dark.
“Qingqiu shidi,” said Yue Qingyan, “are you listening to me?”
Shen Qingqiu was not, in fact, listening to his new shixiong. Rather, he was deep in the pits of despair as the system said: [Character binding successful], and then even more worryingly: [Can Qiong Sect, Qing Jing Peak’s Peak Master. Scumbag Villain “Shen Qingqiu”, Weapon “Xiuya Sword”, Original B-Points: 100.]
Ning Yingying visibly mouthed the words “B-Points” as if to get a better understanding of them that way.
Shen Qingqiu looked up in abject terror Shen Qingqiu? he thought, Why the fuck did I become the villain?!
The past Shen Qingqiu’s voice was shouting so loudly in his mind that the viewers flinched back at his noisiness. Shen Qingqiu was a little embarrassed but reassured himself that it had been a completely appropriate reaction given the circumstances.
Oh god, thought Shen Qingqiu, This… He glanced up at Yue Qingyan, This man…
Helpfully filling in the blank, the system labeled the cultivator as [Yue Qingyan, Master of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect.]
This man, he’s really that Yue Qingyan from the novel?
Sensing Shen Qingqiu’s attention had focused upon him once more, Yue Qingyan said, “Shidi, are you still feeling dizzy?”
Shen Qingqiu just watched him. He looks so kind… sadly, he will be killed by the villain, Shen Qingqiu, in the end.
“Wait… what?” The gathered members of Cang Qiong were all looking a bit faint. Shen Qingqiu watched Yue Qingyuan for a moment and then realized he did not want to watch him. Now he was feeling faint. Someone get the smelling salts!
Shen Qingqiu’s eyes widened then, in a terrible realization, Hang on! I can’t be pitying others, not when the one who’s fated to have the worst ending is me!
Luo Binghe’s face did a terrible crumpling thing, so that Shen Qingqiu was forced to tenderly cup his face and guide it so that their eyes met. So that Binghe could feel that he was alive and well, and so that he could see it.
And for what?! I never wanted to be a villain! Thought the Shen Qingqiu of the past.
Luo Binghe huffed a laugh at that, “Shizun, a villain?”
Shen Qingqiu eyed him incredulously, yes, your Shizun! A villain! Have you not been paying attention you silly boy?
Seeing as Luo Binghe was alright after all, Shen Qingqiu went to pull his hand back, but then Luo Binghe hastily reapplied his “woeful maiden” look, and Shen Qingiu’s hand had to return to his husbands face.
On the screen, Shen Qingqiu thought through his options quickly. I know, he thought, I’ll hug Luo Binghe’s thighs and ride on his coattails! If I suck up to the protagonist now, it could mean a more merciful death for me later! I’ll take care of Luo Binghe and be a gentle master! A good friend!
“Shixiong was truly suited to the role of strategist.” said Mu Qingfang incredulously, and Shen Qingqiu felt something heavy in him give way. Mu-Shidi thought he was suited to his title- thought he ought to keep it? Better yet, he still referred to Shen Qingqiu as “Shixiong”?
Luo Binghe said, all sultry like a harem master, “Shizun is best at hugging this lords thighs,” and Shen Qingqiu thought he might just die a third, no, fourth time, but then Luo Binghe also said, more sincerely, “Shizun is best at being this one’s gentle master and good friend.”
The system disagreed, [OOC!! You are a beginner. The OOC function is still locked, any action that defies the character settings of “Shen Qingqiu”, will result in the deduction of B-Points.]
“Oh!” said Ning Yingying, “Out Of Character, of course! I’d been wondering what that meant.”
“I could have explained it to you,” said Ming Fan, and Shen Qingqiu began to worry that his terrible lying ways were beginning to rub off on his children.
What happens if I lose my B-Points? Shen Qingqiu wanted to know.
[Death.] explained the system sweetly, [Complete death.]
“What’s wrong?” asked the Yue Qingyan of the past.
Shen Qingqiu could only stare into space for the moment. Quite a bit was “wrong”.
“You… really had no free will.” Liu Qingge began, and then he turned to Shen Qingiu worriedly, “ have no free will?”
“The rules have changed somewhat since then,” Shen Qingiu placated, but his Shidi continued to look dubious, and his husband was watching him carefully.
“Are you still not feeling well shidi?”
Shen Qingqiu’s response to this was: “Where is Luo Binghe?”
Shang Qinghua was obviously trying to suppress a giggle, if the few escaping snorts were anything to go by.
Binghe, conversely, looked like he was resisting the urge to swoon. “Shizun immediately asked after this one?”
“Well,” said Shen Qingqiu, “Naturally.” Luo Binghe must understand now that he had context, that anyone would prioritize him above all others. They were living in a novel! Luo Binghe was the protagonist! Quite literally the most important person in the whole world!!
Luo Binghe however flushed charmingly and batted his eyelashes a bit, saying, “This one is very honored…” which left doubts in Shen Qingqiu’s mind regarding Luo Binghe’s literary comprehension. Very disappointing for a top student of the literary peak!
Yue Qingyuan asked, “...Luo Binghe?” and Shen Qingqiu came to a new conclusion. It’s not the time yet, is it? The protagonist hasn’t become a disciple here. A smile finally graced the peak lord’s features, What a relief!
But then- “Shidi, don’t be angry, please.”
What?
“I know you are strict with him,” Yue Qingyan was saying, “But that kid is trying his best.”
A sense of dread began to well within Shen Qingqiu as his Shixiong continued, “Also, the boy has done nothing wrong this time, so don’t punish him anymore”
“Tell me.” Insisted Shen Qingqiu, “Where Luo Binghe is.”
Yue Qingyan sighed and relented, “didn’t you lock him in the woodshed after giving him forty strokes?
Upon hearing those words, Shen Qingqiu collapsed back onto the bed.
“Shidi?!”
Liu Qingge sighed exasperatedly, “Drama queen.”
Shen Qingiu huffed, “It was a perfectly reasonable reaction!”
The scene skipped ahead a bit; Shen Qingqiu had regained consciousness and was appraising his reflection in a bronze mirror, “You are so evil!” He said to the image of Shen Qingqiu. “Skills, knowledge, appearance. You have them all. So why were you behaving so vulgarly?!”
Yue Qingyuan deigned to shoot Shen Qingqiu a very dark and unhappy look at this.
Very carefully, Shen Qingqiu told him, “I know now that the Shen Qingqiu of the past… that there were reasons for his character. That any vulgarity on his part was learned.”
A sharp intake of breath, “You know of Xiao Jiu’s past?”
“I saw it,” Shen Qingqiu admitted. “It was revealed to me, by the system.” Much like his own past was being revealed now. What an eye opener it was, ah, to be on the other side of things like this.
Looking down at his hands that were still so alien to him, Shen Qingqiu asked, “Just what kind of grudges do you bear? Why did you have to cross the all-powerful protagonist?” putting his face in those hands he exclaimed, “And now you’ve placed me in this mess!”
Shang Qinghua looked at Shen Qingqiu sympathetically, which Shen Qingqiu very much resented! Who was to blame for Shen Qingqiu ending up in that mess in the first place, huh? Don’t think this Shen Qingqiu was letting you off easy Airplane!
Sighing, Shen Qingqiu left for the door, “I need to see the protagonist and begin mending bridges as soon as possible.”
It seemed the system had other plans [Warning! OOC Warning! ‘Shen Qingqiu would not take the initiative to see Luo Binghe!]
Shen Qingqiu huffed audibly, “Fine. Then I’ll send someone to bring him over, that should be fine.” He considered for a moment before calling for “Ming Fan!”
A lanky teenage boy soon rushed in, “This disciple is here. What is shizun's command?”
Shen Qingqiu could feel the gaze of the present Ming Fan land on him. The young man was probably feeling funny about his subservient interaction with an utter stranger. Shen Qingqiu himself had felt funny at the time, though in a more hysterical than hilarious way.
Past Shen Qingqiu appraised him, the wretched cannon fodder destined to die. They weren’t so different in that aspect. He said to Ming Fan, “Go bring Binghe here.”
Ming Fan’s face screwed up but he didn't question it, instead going obediently to the woodshed where Binghe was kept. He pounded on the door and yelled, “Come out! Shizun is calling for you!” as though Luo Binghe were some sort of hermit who hid away of his own volition.
Shen Qingqiu scowled at it all. Scowled at the screen and then at Shang Qinghua, who was dopily watching the terrible scene as if his own hands hadn’t essentially made it. Really, that man! Like the most frustrating kind of absent father!
The past Shen Qingqiu was wearing tracks on the floor of the bamboo hut with nervous pacing, releasing little sighs and generally behaving how a self respecting Shen Qingqiu oughtn’t.
“The other Shen Qingqiu would not be so antsy,” criticized Liu Qingge.
Shen Qingqiu couldn’t believe this, “What? There was no one around to see!”
Liu Qingge frowned, “You should have been more careful.”
“Perhaps Shidi,” acquiesced Shen Qingqiu, “but in the end, no one ever found me out, did they?” Not until now, that is. To think his life was finally going so well! This petty system just hated to see a humble transmigrator winning!
Outside the hut Ming Fan’s nagging could faintly be heard, “Bastard walk faster!”
Exuding palpable nerves, Shen Qingqiu uttered to himself what was becoming increasingly undeniable: “He is coming.”
Luo Binghe’s hand squeezed Shen Qingqiu’s, his pretty face looking eager and excited like a fan anticipating their favorite scene in a movie. Shen Qingqiu felt a smile of his own coming on, feeling a bit excited himself. Not all of his past experiences were so bad after all, and without videos or photos, this might be his only chance to see little Binghe again, exactly as he had once been.
Looking like a deer in headlights, Shen Qingqiu gathered his courage. Faced Luo Binghe.
“Master,” said Ming Fan. “He is here.”