Work Text:
“You two look like a married couple, do you know that?”
The moment those words left Shang Qinghua’s mouth, Shen Qingqiu knew the An Ding Peak head disciple was regretting it. He immediately went back to complaining about how the hot weather was making him dizzy and avoided looking at Shen Qingqiu. Good, the death glare was working.
Perhaps the heat really had done some damage to Shang Qinghua’s brain. Why else would he say something so stupid about Shen Qingqiu and Liu Qingge, of all people? Did he not learn his lesson the last time they had that mission together?
Liu Qingge scowled. “Stop uttering nonsense. Just because we happened to agree on one thing, once.”
Qi Qingqi sneered. “That alone is a miracle. Still, the day you two get married is the day I will jump into a pit of fertilizer myself.”
“Shidi and shimei, please concentrate on our mission,” Yue Qingyuan, who had looked uneasy since Shang Qinghua started uttering his nonsense, reminded them.
It was supposed to be a short and simple meeting with delegates from Huan Hua Palace. The Sect Master however was currently in seclusion and the Qing Jing Peak Lord decided to send five of their head disciples instead. An unnecessary move, in Shen Qingqiu’s opinion. Cang Qiong Mountain Sect shouldn’t really be concerned about offending Huan Hua Palace by sending head disciples instead of a peak lord. They weren’t any less superior than the three other great sects.
The one who did most of the talking during the meeting ended up being Su Xiyan, the current head disciple of Huan Hua Palace. Shortly after leaving the meeting, Shen Qingqiu made a comment about how they shouldn’t have attended the meeting, if all they were going to see was just the Old Palace Master disgustingly ogling his head disciple.
Qi Qingqi made a snide remark about how Shen Qingqiu of all people shouldn't be commenting about how other men looked at women, but Liu Qingge surprisingly agreed that the way Huan Hua Palace Master treated Su Xiyan with obvious favoritism wasn't quite appropriate. For a second Shen Qingqiu's heart warmed a bit - someone listened, made the observation, and came to the same understanding.
For a second. Liu Qingge just had to follow that up with "Su Xiyan is an honourable cultivator who honed her talents earnestly, it doesn't matter even if she is favoured."
He didn't say it directly, but Shen Qingqiu knew it had to be yet another jab at him - an unknown boy who started late, favoured by the Qing Jing Peak Lord and climbed up the ranks to become the head disciple, surpassing his peers and seniors at Qing Jing Peak.
Unfortunately they still had a long way before returning back to Tian Gong Mountains, so Shen Qingqiu decided to spare Yue Qingyuan the trouble from having to mediate their fights again and decided to keep silent.
Shang Qinghua just had to open his mouth and commented that Liu Qingge was being mean. Which part of Shen Qingqiu looked like a pouty, sulking wife?! Then Liu Qingge just had to do something even stupider - by awkwardly asking if Shen Qingqiu was hungry and would like to stop by the teahouse. He even ordered snacks that Shen Qingqiu just happened to like - which prompted Shang Qinghua's dumbest opinion of the day.
In short, everything was Shang Qinghua's fault.
Shen Qingqiu begrudgingly finished all the sweet dumplings and tanghulu on the plate. His martial siblings can go to hell and call him a glutton, whatsoever. Qi Qingqi could laugh at him, like he cared. He would eat her share of dumplings too just to be spiteful.
"Is that you, Master Shen?"
A young lady approached them, just as they were about to leave the teahouse. Qi Qingqi and Liu Qingge made a distasteful face as they realized from the way she dressed, that she was likely a brothel worker.
They weren't wrong. The young lady was indeed one of the sisters who often accompanied and sang lullabies for Shen Qingqiu at nights when he was too anxious to sleep.
"Master Shen, I beg for your help. My sister has been missing for two days," she pleaded.
Shen Qingqiu frowned. "What happened?"
Qi Qingqi crossed her arms. "Shen Qingqiu, you're not going to ditch our duties to visit a brothel, right? We still have to report to the sect."
"Qi Shimei, helping the common people is part of our duties," Yue Qingyuan shook his head. "Qingqiu Shidi, the rest of us can submit the report, go ahead."
"Shixiong-" Liu Qingge protested.
Qi Qingqi raised an eyebrow. "Very well. Then I suggest Liu Shidi should join him as well."
"What?"
"Wouldn't an extra hand be appreciated? Knowing Liu Shidi, I doubt he will be doing much for the written report anyway," Qi Qingqi shrugged. It was clear that she didn't trust Shen Qingqiu and wanted Liu Qingge there to stop Shen Qingqiu from visiting the brothel to do whatever she thought he might do.
He didn't particularly bear any grudge towards Qi Qingqi, but Shen Qingqiu decided to also ban her from his peak from that day onwards.
Everything was Shang Qinghua's fault. Qi Qingqi too. He might as well curse Yue Qingyuan for agreeing to let Liu Qingge join him. Yue Qingyuan was more than aware of the animosity between them.
Then again, none of them were prepared to face such a high-ranking demon. Shen Qingqiu thought it was a case of a man who couldn't take rejection (whom he would ensure to meet a worse end) or a low-level demon preying on vulnerable humans (in which he could just leave it to Liu Qingge to hunt). It turned out that the brothel sister had accidentally gained the attention of a demon general and was kidnapped.
They managed to track the demon and kill it, but it wasn’t an easy task. In some ways, perhaps Shen Qingqiu was secretly thankful that Liu Qingge was with him - otherwise, he wasn’t sure if he would survive. Didn’t mean he couldn’t resent Liu Qingge for failing to properly follow his plan and getting terribly injured, of course. They survived, but now Liu Qingge was unconscious and Shen Qingqiu was not exactly in the optimal condition to carry him all the way back to their sect.
With no other choice, he brought his martial brother to the closest inn he could find and began treating their injuries as best as he could. Shen Qingqiu huffed and slumped down, tired after wiping away all the blood and dirt. He tossed the dirty washcloth into the wooden tub. The warm water already turned cold. Once Liu Qingge wakes up, he might accuse Shen Qingqiu of backstabbing him again, just like that last missionー
“Who are you?”
Shen Qingqiu rolled his eyes. Ungrateful brute. He crouched down to clean the washcloth. “Your wife. Who else would stay with you like this, idiot?”
He waited for Liu Qingge’s angry retort at the joke.
There was no response. Shen Qingqiu frowned and put down the washcloth to immediately check on Liu Qingge again, who appeared to be in a daze. “Are you feeling any pain?”
Liu Qingge slowly shook his head. “My mind is blurry but my body feels fine.”
His face looked red. Shen Qingqiu’s brows furrowed with concern. There shouldn’t be any venom from that particular demon, but if Liu Qingge was getting feverish they really should rush back to Cang Qiong Mountain as soon as possible.
“I’m just… a little overwhelmed.”
Shen Qingqiu started calculating the time they would need to reach Qian Cao Peak if he were to fly on Xiu Ya while carrying Liu Qingge. He didn’t really have the energy, but if they were desperate enough…
“You’re so beautiful. How did I manage to marry someone like you?”
Shen Qingqiu's mental calculation abruptly stopped. He looked at Liu Qingge incredulously, wide green eyes looking up and down at the Bai Zhan War God. “What?”
Liu Qingge blushed. “Sorry, my memory is a mess right now. It’s a little shocking to wake up seeing someone so pretty.”
He dropped the washcloth.
Shen Qingqiu was dealing with an internal crisis.
On one hand, Liu Qingge genuinely losing his memories and believing Shen Qingqiu was his wife would undoubtedly spark only disaster in the future.
On the other hand, Liu Qingge obediently listening to him because he was his 'wife', was quite nice and convenient, especially considering their current situation. He let Shen Qingqiu dress his wounds, didn’t move around, and was resting properly. If Shen Qingqiu were to reveal that it was just a joke, Liu Qingge likely wouldn’t trust him enough to stay in the same room anymore and might leave to roam somewhere else - which was far from ideal with his current condition.
“Are you feeling tired? Should I help with your injuries too?” Liu Qingge asked.
Shen Qingqiu rubbed his temples. “No need. Yours is worse than mine.”
Liu Qingge nodded. He then sheepishly asked, “What do I usually call you? Wife?”
Your worst enemy. Shen Qingqiu shook his head. “You just call me Qingqiu.”
He looked a little disappointed. What was he expecting, for Shen Qingqiu to call him ‘husband’ in return? Gross.
“How did we meet and… get together?” Liu Qingge asked.
Why are you asking so much? Shen Qingqiu wanted to yell. However, it made sense for Liu Qingge wanting to know. He just woke up to a stranger claiming to be his spouse. The idiot just happened to not be as paranoid as Shen Qingqiu, who would have been more alarmed and wary, perhaps.
Anyway, now thanks to his initial joke he now had to craft yet another lie. “We met as disciples in Cang Qiong Mountain Sect. You hated my attitude and I hated yours. We didn't get along well at all.”
Liu Qingge frowned. “How did we end up together?”
“You found out from our other martial brother, Shang Shidi - that it was a misunderstanding, and tried making it up for me. I-” Shen Qingqiu paused. “I liked your sincerity. You wouldn't leave even when I pushed you away. We got together after that.”
A lie was always more convincing when woven together with the truth. Judging from Liu Qingge's expression, it seemed like he was believing Shen Qingqiu's every word.
“Did I hurt you a lot in the past?” Liu Qingge suddenly asked.
“Why do you ask that?”
“You don't look comfortable around me.”
Shen Qingqiu fell silent. He almost forgot how despite his not-so-quick wits, Liu Qingge still had fairly good senses. He slowly sat on the daybed, joining his shidi.
“I've been hurt by other people before. I despise any close contact,” he said, then leaned closer to Liu Qingge. “But my husband would never hurt me, right?”
Liu Qingge stared at him intently. “Never.”
He smiled, then gently took Liu Qingges hand into his own. “The truth is… the two of us are still newlyweds and have yet to consummate, but you were willing to wait until we're both comfortable. Unless…”
“Of course I would wait,” Liu Qingge hurriedly replied.
Good, Shen Qingqiu thought. Now that was settled –
“I'm not going to touch you unless you want to, even if you're my wife. We can just lay down together tonight,” Liu Qingge exclaimed.
… Shit .
Whether it was mental fatigue or physical lethargy, Shen Qingqiu wasn't sure, but he surprisingly was able to sleep fairly well at night, even with his not-actually-husband laying right next to him. In fact, Liu Qingge made a quite nice body pillow. His broad chest was nice to lean on and he was warm.
Maybe Shen Qingqiu was the one whose mind was delirious from some unknown toxin. How could he ever find Liu Qingge a tolerable bedmate?
"Are we returning to the sect today?" Liu Qingge asked.
The injuries sustained by the Bai Zhan head disciple were healing, but not quite fully. Shen Qingqiu decided to pay for a carriage ride back to Cang Qiong Mountain. He didn't want to risk either of them getting new injuries when their bodies still were not in top conditions.
"… I'm sorry. I must have lost my money bag somewhere," Liu Qingge said sheepishly while watching Shen Qingqiu count the amount of money he had left.
Shen Qingqiu snorted. "You never really carry money around in the first place."
His words had Liu Qingge standing still with a scowl. "Was I really such a horrible husband?"
Shen Qingqiu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Yes, you are. You're horrible as a shidi, terrible as a friend, and would make the worst husband ever.
"I didn't carry my moneybag, didn't indulge my wife even a bit?"
He cleared his throat and placed a reassuring hand against Liu Qingge's arm. "You are inadequate in that part, but you do indulge me in other ways."
"How?" Liu Qingge frowned.
Shen Qingqiu began pondering. "You listen to my complaints without interrupting me. You help me practice. You don't let other people badmouth me," he paused, then added, "You also massage my feet when I'm tired and bring my good food when I'm hungry."
Since Liu Qingge was inevitably going to hold a lifelong grudge on him as soon as he regained his memories, Shen Qingqiu might as well just take the chance for as long as he could. Liu Qingge owed it to him anyway, after the sleepless night he spent tending to his wounds.
The money they (read: Shen Qingqiu) had wasn't enough for a carriage ride back to Cang Qiong Mountain, so Shen Qingqiu decided to hitch a ride on an ox-cart to his favourite brothel instead. The owner, Madam Chen was fond of him and owed him some favors. He could borrow a horse or money from her.
It was also hilarious to see the looks on Liu Qingge's face when they entered the establishment.
"I thought we were returning to the sect?
Shen Qingqiu snorted and gestured at Liu Qingge to follow him to the madam's room. “We do not have enough money to return and you are still injured. We will get some funds here.”
His not-husband looked as if he had just been force-fed the most bitter poisonous concoction in three realms. “No. You don't have to do this. Whatever job we need to take, I can do it.”
“What?” Shen Qingqiu blinked. He gawked as Liu Qingge suddenly knelt before him, right in the middle of the hallway, where all the passing-by brothel ladies were still watching.
“Qingqiu, I wronged you so much. I neglected your needs and troubled you by getting injured. I'll make it up to you - I will take any job needed, but please do not… please let me protect you from now on,” he vowed.
“Stop this, you're embarrassing!” Shen Qingqiu hissed. “It's only right that I, your wife, must help you.”
Liu Qingge gripped his hands and angrily growled. "Not like this! I will not allow anyone else to touch my wife!”
There was a moment of silence. Shen Qingqiu took a deep breath.
“The madam owes me favors for helping her get rid of demons. I plan to borrow some money from her,” he calmly explained.
“… Oh.”
Heavens, his husband was an idiot and an embarrassment.
Madam Chen was probably more amused by Liu Qingges antics and how he acted so awkwardly in front of her, holding tight to Shen Qingqiu like a small child and grunting at any male patrons who dared to even sneak a glance at him. She offered a small room in the back courtyard for them to stay and even provided medications.
“Do not make any noise,” Shen Qingqiu warned Liu Qingge as he plopped into the bed, tired. “Do not cause trouble, too.”
Liu Qingge nodded. He looked around the room, then brought over a small wooden tub filled with warm water. Shen Qingqiu raised an eyebrow when Liu Qingge set the tub right next to the bed. “What are you doing?”
“Washing and massaging your feet. You're tired,” Liu Qingge replied.
Shen Qingqiu was about to protest, until he remembered that was exactly what he told Liu Qingge before. He hid the awkwardness behind a mask of indifference and let his not-husband take off his boots and socks.
“Not too hard, you brute,” he winced when Liu Qingge’s fingers pressed a tad too hard.
“Sorry.”
Shen Qingqiu pondered for a moment. Was that a bit harsh for a husband whom he supposedly gets along well with? “Be more gentle, husband. My body is still aching because of your recklessness before.”
He stopped and nearly slapped his own mouth when he noticed his own slip. Wasn’t he the one who said the two of them never addressed each other in that kind of manner?
Liu Qingge silently looked down and continued to gently massage his feet. “Even without memories I am already aware that I’m a terrible husband. But you can call me whatever you want.”
I never wanted to call you that, Shen Qingqiu wanted to scream. However, he kept his inner thoughts to himself. Whatever he called Liu Qingge today didn’t matter. Once his shidi restored his memory, whether it was his own name or the silliest pet name, Liu Qingge would resent it all. “Hm. Husband.”
Liu Qingge looked up. “Yes?”
“Nothing. I just want to try calling you that.”
The look on Liu Qingge’s face was absolutely amusing.
“Husband. Dearest husband. My dumb egg husband, my stinky heart and liver,” Shen Qingqiu recited in a sing-song tune. “The most handsome war god, who knows what’s in his brain?”
“... Who knows what’s in your brain, really?” Liu Qingge murmured.
Shen Qingqiu raised an eyebrow and paddled his foot to splash some water in Liu Qingge’s direction. “Did you say something?
Liu Qingge shook his head. There was a small, shy smile on his face. “Nothing.”
Liu Qingge was dealing with an internal crisis.
When he first woke up several days prior, his mind was fuzzy and he could barely remember anything other than his own name.
Few days had passed since then and his memories gradually returned as his body was healing. Which should be good, except that he was now suddenly married to Shen Qingqiu. Needless to say, Liu Qingge was not happy.
What in the world was Shen Qingqiu thinking? He might initially mean it as a joke following Shang Qinghua's careless remark, but why would he keep going along with the lie even when he realized Liu Qingge had lost his memories?
Liu Qingge blushed and glanced at the person sleeping peacefully next to him in the small bed. The morning sun that came through the window lit up part of Shen Qingqiu's face and somehow made him appear even more ethereal. With strands of black hair let loose and falling gently against pale skin, Shen Qingqiu reminded him of a bamboo fairy he once imagined in his childhood.
Beautiful.
His heart skipped a beat. Shen Qingqiu could just be making fun of him, but…what if he was actually in love with Liu Qingge all along? Why else would he call him 'husband' with that sultry voice? Why else would he act so cute and playful? Why else would he stay up to nurse Liu Qingge to health, caring so much for him?
His fingers gently brushed against Shen Qingqiu's face.
Shen Qingqiu made up a story about how they got together but Liu Qingge couldn't help thinking about the misunderstanding they supposedly had. What if everything was a misunderstanding after all? Didn't Shang Qinghua try to tell him something that day but was interrupted? Shen Qingqiu mentioned he despised physical touch - that he was hurt by someone before. His heart burned with rage as he thought of it.
What kind of past did Shen Qingqiu have, to be related to the brothel ladies? A couple days of stay here was enough for Liu Qingge to finally understand that Shen Qingqiu's visits to the brothel wasn't for carnal pleasures. The ladies seemed to welcome him for a different reason - their reaction was almost similar to people welcoming their family member home.
He always thought that Shen Qingqiu was a spoiled young master, but what if that wasn't the case? What if he was born from a nobleman's fling with a courtesan, but was too ashamed to admit it? Was his mother among the people working here? Shouldn't Liu Qingge pay respect to his mother-in-law then?
Shen Qingqiu sneezed and woke up. Liu Qingge hastily retracted his hand. He must be out of his mind, he even thought the little sneeze was cute.
“You should have woken me up,” Shen Qingqiu yawned. He proceeded to place his hand against Liu Qingge’s forehead, then took his wrist to feel his circulation. “Does it hurt anywhere?”
Why do you still care? Liu Qingge wanted to ask.
“Is there something wrong?” Shen Qingqiu asked, concerned by Liu Qingge’s lack of response.
Liu Qingge shook his head. His hand gently held back Shen Qingqiu’s own. “I was just trying to remember. How did we get married? What was our wedding like?”
He wondered what tales Shen Qingqiu would weave this time.
Shen Qingqiu looked deep in thought. “It was a very simple, private one. Your family didn’t agree to us getting married, so we eloped.”
“... Why didn’t my family agree?”
“You are from a big, noble family. I am an orphan, my parents were deceased. No decent family would accept someone like me - a nobody with a poor reputation, but you didn’t care.”
His grip grew firmer as Liu Qingge bit his lip. “I’m sorry.”
Shen Qingqiu snorted. “Don’t be.”
He should be. Because he was the one who opened his damn mouth and caused Shen Qingqiu’s reputation to be ruined. What Shen Qingqiu didn’t know was that contrary to his assumptions, his mother would have gladly accepted someone like Shen Qingqiu into her family - someone with wits, talent, and beauty. She would have beaten up her no-good son for causing those damaging rumors to spread.
“Tell me more about our wedding,” Liu Qingge insisted.
Shen Qingqiu hummed and began playing with his hair. “There is an old, small shrine by the Blue Lake near the mountains. We performed our bows there.”
A small shrine by the Blue Lake. Ah, Liu Qingge knew where the Blue Lake was. It was a very beautiful place, surrounded by Blue Moon Peonies that bloom only once a year. On summer nights, there would be Golden Winged Fireflies visiting the lake and creating the most magical view. There were Sun-Moon Lotus flowers growing at the lake as well, flowing nectarines into the lake water, said to be able to breathe life into anyone drinking it.
“We promised to be loyal to each other in this life, and the next one as well. I asked where we would live, and you said we could build a bamboo house, with a small vegetable garden and plenty of little animals to keep us company,” Shen Qingqiu continued.
“Mm,” Liu Qingge nodded. “What else did we do?”
He understood now. That everything Shen Qingqiu said wasn’t just lies he made up to fool him.
Shen Qingqiu's eyes were almost glassy. "We vowed to never leave each other."
They were things he wanted. To have the misunderstanding cleared, to be treated well by his peers. To have someone who would be loyal to him and be with him in times of need. To be accepted as he was, despite his faults. To care for him.
He knew now that he wanted to be that person to Shen Qingqiu.
Liu Qingge was not happy.
He wanted everything to be real.
By now, both Qing Jing and Bai Zhan Peak Lords should already be worried about the whereabouts of their head disciples. Liu Qingge’s injuries were almost, if not completely healed. Seeing how he had yet to try to maim Shen Qingqiu for fooling him, the memory loss surprisingly was lasting longer than Shen Qingqiu expected. He really should get him checked by Qian Cao Peak Lord as soon as he could.
He thanked the brothel owner, who smiled sweetly at both of them. Shen Qingqiu couldn’t help secretly wondering if Liu Qingge and Madam Chen had somehow started bonding without him knowing. She seemed to have developed a soft spot for him, even pulling him to the side and giving him some gifts before they left.
“Let’s stop by somewhere first before we return,” Liu Qingge suddenly said.
Shen Qingqiu blinked. “Where?”
“The Blue Lake.”
The money Madam Chen gave them was more than enough for a carriage trip to the lake and back to Tian Gong Mountain. However Shen Qingqiu failed to understand why Liu Qingge would suddenly want to go there. “We need to get your body checked first.”
“I want to see the place of our wedding.”
He wanted to protest. What use was it, when nothing was real?
When Shen Qingqiu was still a young child, with dreams of a future that one day he could be free and happy, he wanted to share his life with a special someone. He found his way to the Blue Lake once and was mesmerized by the sight of the fireflies lighting up the lake. Qi Ge told him it was the lotus fairies trying to cheer them up, and nearly fell into the water after trying to get the lotus seeds.
There were very few moments in his life when Shen Qingqiu was genuinely happy. He didn’t want a place he held dear to be tarnished with the pain that was about to come.
Shen Qingqiu train of thoughts swayed as the puzzle pieces in his head reassembled. Regardless of whether or not Liu Qingge would be mad at him later, why should he be upset when everything ends? He was already well aware of how much Liu Qingge detested him. Getting hated by his shidi wasn’t anything new, why shouldn’t he just enjoy the moment when Liu Qingge realized that he had been fooled?
Why should he feel upset that this ruse was ending?
“Beautiful.”
He was brought out of his trance when Liu Qingge’s hand firmly held his wrist. Shen Qingqiu looked up and his eyes widened.
He thought things would change, that the world could only get uglier the more he grew up.
Yet, it felt as if he was once again watching lotus fairies dancing on the lake water. Lotus flowers still decorated the surface of the calm lake and fireflies hovered above, lighting the otherwise dim and dark place. The smell of flowers wafting in by the cool night breeze was relaxing and Shen Qingqiu found himself at ease.
“Looks like we’re blessed tonight, the fireflies are here,” Liu Qingge said, then pointed at an old wooden structure. “Is that the shrine?”
Shen Qingqiu nodded. He was still mesmerized by the view.
“It’s late, let’s stay there for the night.”
There wasn’t anyone living in the shrine. Occasionally some locals would come over to clean up, but for the most part the shrine was unoccupied and barren. Liu Qingge found an old wooden mat and laid out his own outer robes to make a bed for the two of them. Shen Qingqiu had gathered some of the lotus seeds for the two of them to snack on. They were all surprisingly sweeter than he thought.
Right as he was just about to blow the candle, Liu Qingge suddenly called, “Shen Qingqiu.”
Shen Qingqiu, who was just done untying his ponytail, paused.
“Let’s bow. To the heaven and earth. To our elderly. To each other.”
His jaw dropped.
Yet, there was no hesitation in Liu Qingge’s eyes.
Shen Qingqiu quickly shook his head. “We… we’ve already done that,” he said, trying very hard to hide the quiver in his voice.
“I don’t remember that.”
“You don’t, but we already did. There’s no need for a repeat.”
Liu Qingge frowned. “I remember meeting you for the first time. I remember calling you spoiled and lazy. I remember berating you for visiting brothels. I remember fighting you and accusing you of dirty tricks. But I don’t remember us getting married.”
Shen Qingqiu froze. “You - since when…?”
“I remember wronging you so much. I also remember you taking care of me. Your face when your belly is full with your favorite food. Your voice when you sing and tease me. The warmth of waking up next to you,” Liu Qingge continued and moved closer, kneeling in front of him. “I sincerely apologize for everything.”
He couldn’t speak. His throat felt dry. “Shidi. You got fooled. Aren’t you angry?”
Despite the dim candle light, Shen Qingqiu could see Liu Qingge’s face growing red. “I’m more upset that it wasn’t real.”
“... You must have knocked your head too hard.”
“I could say the same to you. Why did you do that in the first place?”
Maybe he had knocked his head too hard, as well. Because right now all Shen Qingqiu could think of was the fact that Liu Qingge, with his memories intact, was asking for Shen Qingqiu’s hand. It was absurd, yet no more absurd than the fact that all Shen Qingqiu wanted now was to kiss Liu Qingge.
So he did just that.
Maybe he should have lied and told Liu Qingge that they were very intimate. His shidi’s lips were surprisingly soft and felt very good against his own. It could be the lotus seeds they ate, for the kiss tasted sweet.
When they finally parted, Liu Qingge’s hands were on his waist and Shen Qingqiu was left wanting more. Liu Qingge leaned closer.
“What kind of vegetables do you want in the garden?” He asked.
Shen Qingqiu wrapped his arms around the broad shoulders. “I don’t like vegetables that much. I just want a little garden.”
He wanted to be buried in a flurry of rabbits. Now that he thought about it, maybe he preferred kittens. Or they could have both.
“You are such a child.”
“Haven’t my husband promised to spoil me and do me no wrongs in the future?”
“I did,” Liu Qingge hummed. “My heart and my loyalty, everything you desire - I’ll give it to you.”
Shen Qingqiu held his breath. A small smile bloomed on his face.
“This life, and the next.”
The Qing Jing Peak Lord wasn’t happy, to say the least. He looked as if someone had just poured a bucket full of ice water onto his head, when Liu Qingge presented the letter from his family and betrothal gifts. Shen Qingqiu spotted him sharpening his sword the day after he accidentally revealed that the two of them had already done the deed.
To his surprise, the Liu family however was overjoyed. The Liu matriarch personally came to visit Shen Qingqiu and deliver more gifts to him. She was not satisfied hearing the simple ceremony and demanded a proper, lavish wedding.
As much as Shen Qingqiu hated crowds and large ceremonies, seeing the looks on his martial siblings would be worth it. Didn’t one of them say they would jump into a pit the day he and Liu Qingge got married?
(Ah, he wondered if he should thank Shang Qinghua. For some reason the man looked the most surprised, but happiest when he heard the news.)