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Sunset in the delve comes early in the alleyways, sheltered as they are between the close buildings. It's a testament to the Xianzhou people's prosperity, as well as their tenacity which has seen them through so many wars, that even with all the room afforded by folded space technology they construct their cities as densely as forests. It gives them life, a feeling of interconnectedness. Anywhere one goes in the Exalting Sanctum there will be distant calls of a hawker down the street, the clatter of celestial jade tiles, or cheerful greetings from residents in the balconies above. It's a far cry from Luocha's own home where the buildings often had more presence than the people -- towering and oppressive, adorned with reminders of their faith. Seated on the porch of a small eatery with a pot of oolong tea and a pastry, he feels himself gradually unwind as the familiar hustle and bustle of the Luofu washes over him.
The steady flow of foot traffic pauses briefly as a man turns off the street and steps onto the porch. His gait is unhurried but deliberate as he makes his way towards Luocha, and without so much as a greeting he pulls up a chair to Luocha's table. His brazenness sparks equal parts irritation and interest. Upon looking up and seeing the man's face, the irritation vanishes.
Luocha recognizes that face. He's been glimpsing it out of the corner of his eye for days.
"It's far too pleasant an evening to be spending it alone," says the man who is unmistakably Jing Yuan. He is not dressed like Jing Yuan at the moment: he has on a passably fashionable ensemble of walnut brown robes embroidered with scenes of drifting clouds instead of the general's uniform, and his hair cascades loosely down his shoulders like mist enveloping a mountain. But when the man looks at Luocha and smiles, a familiar prickle of danger crawls down his nape.
The table is very small, so Jing Yuan's knee knocks against Luocha's own as he sits. His smile tinges apologetic. "I hope you don't object to my company."
Luocha glances past him. Nobody on the busy street looks at Jing Yuan twice, and the general didn't even bother to powder over the distinctive beauty mark below his eye. Luocha notes, not for the first time, that the Luofu's general is estranged from his own people. They know him by his uniform and his reputation: he is a legend first, and only nominally a man.
"I could hardly object to the Luofu's very own Divine Foresight," Luocha responds with careful politeness.
Jing Yuan's smile flickers. "I don't see anyone of that description here. Right now I am just Jing Yuan, an ordinary citizen out for a stroll."
Luocha takes a bite of his pastry. The filling made of salted egg yolk is still very hot, and he sucks in deep breaths to cool his tongue as he considers his options. As 'Luocha', would it be better to submit meekly or flee in the face of the general's interrogations? What about as himself?
It would be easier if he knew why the general is so interested in him.
Jing Yuan has been following him for the past four days. It was mere unlucky circumstance that brought him to the general's attention. A faulty ingenium had gotten loose from one of the starskiffs docked at Stargazer Navalia, and Luocha had been forced to display his swordsmanship. The whole incident then, naturally, produced a great deal of paperwork, and Luocha had been brought in to testify regarding the ingenium's malfunction and place of origin. Though Jing Yuan never made an appearance during the proceedings, it was from thereafter that Luocha began to spy the general covertly tailing him: a flash of white hair in a crowd, a distant silhouette on a rooftop.
He doesn't know what part of his current persona as 'Luocha' so interests the general, but it is apparently intriguing enough for Jing Yuan to approach him personally. Ruefully, he wonders if it's the name. He hadn't thought he would visit Xianzhou again, so he had chosen a tongue-in-cheek moniker all those years ago, naming himself after a demon. They did say that the clever often instigate their own downfall. Or perhaps it was the proud.
"You recognized me very quickly," says the Divine Foresight, flicking a stray lock of hair over his shoulder. He doesn't seem bothered by Luocha's silence, or his full mouth. "What gave it away?"
Luocha swallows. "Your appearance is very distinctive."
"I don't believe you've had the opportunity to see me up close before."
"That is true." Luocha doesn't say what he's thinking, which is that Jing Yuan deliberately never gave him a chance, always hovering at a distance. He blows on the pastry's innards in an attempt to cool it down. "I suppose it was your eyes, then. Something about the way you look at me."
Jing Yuan leans forward. Face-to-face like this Luocha is able to see details that no amount of pictures or distant glimpses could teach him: the languid confidence in the general's movements, the way his heavy-lidded eyes grow suddenly animated when he sees something that interests him, very much like a cat. "Mm, is that so? Tell me more."
Luocha hesitates. That wasn't what he was expecting, and by the pleased curve of Jing Yuan's smiling eyes, the General is aware he's gotten the upper hand. Luocha reaches -- slowly, no sudden movements -- for his tea, busying his mouth and hands to give himself a semblance of an excuse for the pause.
Has he misinterpreted? Is this not a covert interrogation, but a... flirtation?
"I'm not in the business of giving compliments for free," is what he says at length.
"How mercenary of you." If anything, Jing Yuan seems even more pleased by this response. "And here I've been hearing all these stories about how Master Luocha is a selfless man, healing the sick and saving people left and right."
"Exaggerated, I'm sure. Any decent person would help someone in need, if it's in their power."
Jing Yuan laughs. "You would be surprised. But, well, seeing as you are one such decent person, perhaps you could help me with a little problem as well?"
Luocha doesn't try to refute the accusation of being a decent person. He's not sure if Jing Yuan even meant it. "Little? A problem of the General's?"
"No, no, a personal problem -- and little, yes, I assure you. Just a simple checkup." Jing Yuan props his chin on his hand. "Of course, I will compensate you for your time. You're a businessman, after all."
Luocha admits he's curious, but-- "Don't waste your money. I have some modest knowledge of medicine, but my expertise can't compare to the healers in your employ."
"Sometimes an outside perspective is more valuable than all the medical knowledge in the world." Jing Yuan's eyes are honey-colored in the dimming sunlight. His lashes lower. "Indulge me."
The general really knows how to put the pressure on, doesn't he?
In the end, Luocha can hardly say no.
--
Jing Yuan brings him to a house in one of the smaller residential delves. If Luocha recalls correctly, this delve is a quiet one, mainly inhabitated by Xianzhou natives in their sunset years who prefer the company of their memories over that of living people. The streets there are cobbled and lined with yellowing ginkgo trees, and the leaves have piled in irregular golden drifts against the walls of the gated communities. The Luofu's general lets them in through one such gate. The courtyard within is empty but immaculately manicured, and there are no signs of movement in the neighboring houses.
Luocha wonders how many of these secluded residences the general has. Does he rotate through them, or use the same one for every tryst? Surely he wouldn't bring Luocha to his actual residence.
Jing Yuan watches him step over the threshold attentively. The narrow entryway is lit with a warm overhead light that gives the general a fuzzy halo of gold-hued hair; despite himself, Luocha finds himself inspecting Jing Yuan with interest. His face looks different with this hairstyle. More open. Maybe it's due to the fact Luocha can see both of his eyes.
Jing Yuan extends a hand. "Please allow me to take your coat."
Luocha shrugs halfway out of his coat and lets Jing Yuan slide it off his shoulders. His hands are brisk and firm. Luocha watches as he hangs it up, feeling exposed in just his black turtleneck. The cross at his wrist dangles in the open air without a coatsleeve to conceal it. "I'm afraid you won't find anything of interest in there."
"On the contrary, I have great interest in things from off-world." Jing Yuan's attention lingers on the coat's golden lily. "I myself rarely have the opportunity to leave the Luofu."
"Only things, or people as well?"
That puts Jing Yuan's eyes back on him. "You have a sharp mind, Master Luocha. I'm sure you've already found the answer."
Four days of being watched by the man from afar have somehow failed to inoculate Luocha to the force of his attention. Luocha has no doubt now that Jing Yuan is as clever as the legends suggest; there is an uncompromising edge to him that hides under the softness of his words.
He will have to be cautious. Despite himself, he feels a thrill of excitement. He's long lost the art of joy, but adrenaline is a decent alternative.
Jing Yuan leads him further into the house. It's smaller than Luocha had expected. The entryway opens up into a combined kitchen and living area, with the boundary tenuously marked out by a long couch. Equally surprising is the fact that the space looks lived-in. There are scattered pillows on the couch and a folded blanket on one arm, and the wok on the stove looks well-used, with a shining patina of seasoning.
...Had Jing Yuan really brought him to his actual residence? Luocha glances at the general sidelong, but there's nothing to be gleaned from his expression.
"Can I get you anything? A drink?" Jing Yuan gestures toward the couch.
Luocha takes a seat obediently. "Isn't this a house call?"
"Yes, but you are also my guest. You seem familiar with our customs, so you must know about Xianzhou hospitality."
"If you insist... Wine, then."
Jing Yuan returns with a glass of cloudy yellowish liquid. Luocha had been expecting red wine, but belatedly recalls that it is not popular in Xianzhou, where the people paradoxically enjoy their desserts savory and their alcohols sweet. He takes the glass and brings it to his nose, inhaling deeply. It has a sugary, slightly acidic fragrance, reminiscent of pineapple.
"Millet wine," Jing Yuan explains. "I thought you might appreciate something unusual. Most local wines are brewed with rice, but the Vidyadhara have a preference for millet... Like all things in Xianzhou, that preference comes from a long history."
"For a Xianzhou native like yourself to call a history 'long', it must be quite long indeed." Luocha takes a sip. The drink is sweet and thick, burning as it slides down his throat. The slight sour tang makes his mouth water.
"Yes, which is why I won't recount it." Jing Yuan watches him drink. Luocha has come to decide that the man takes pleasure in the simple act of looking at him. Whether or not it's true, it saves him from worrying constantly over the pressure of Jing Yuan's eyes on him and what it might mean. "Is it to your liking?"
"It is," Luocha says, with honest surprise. He wonders if it's coincidence, or if Jing Yuan's observation of him has clued him in to Luocha's tastes.
"I'm glad." Jing Yuan settles on the other end of the couch. "Are you familiar with starchess?"
"Forgive me, General, but I'm not in the mood for a game."
"Fair enough," Jing Yuan says mildly. "In that case, let's get down to business."
Luocha sets his cup down on the nearby coffee table. "You said you wanted a checkup. Any particular issues?"
"The usual… Heavy eyelids, fatigue, shortness of breath." As if to demonstrate, he yawns. "I'm afraid it's become a long-standing issue. The problem may be chronic."
"I see."
Luocha stands and goes to Jing Yuan's side. Jing Yuan tracks his movement with a lazy expression, unbothered even as Luocha leans over him and puts his hand to the general's chin. He turns Jing Yuan's head this way and that, takes his pulse with two fingers on his throat, and lifts his eyelids to check the whites of his eyes. The general lets him manipulate his body without protest.
There's no need to examine him further. The seed of Abundance within him is vibrant, and Luocha can feel his irrepressible life spilling out from his skin. Jing Yuan is the perfect picture of health. Still, he lets his touch linger for a bit, tracing the line of the general's jaw with his fingers.
"Master Luocha, what do you think?"
"It's a common affliction for clever men," Luocha tells him. "You are bored."
"Bored," Jing Yuan sighs. His breath stirs against Luocha's palm. "I suppose I am. I've been bound by duty for many years, dealing with all sorts of mundane matters."
Luocha retreats a short distance away. The warmth of Jing Yuan's breath on his hand does not dissipate. "Have you thought of retiring?"
"Of course. But as long as I am needed, how can I turn my back on my people?"
"The burden of duty," Luocha says. He keeps his expression neutral. "I'm... not unfamiliar."
"Then you understand that the simplest cure is not the best," Jing Yuan replies. "How shall I treat my affliction then? Would an alternative be to acquaint myself with interesting people?"
"If that's what you consider entertaining."
Jing Yuan regards him with a slow blink. Not for the first time, Luocha thinks of a big cat. "Master Luocha, would you say that you aren't an interesting person?"
His reaction is knee-jerk: "I am the least interesting type of person; I am religious, well-read, and self-absorbed. Suffice to say my company is very poor."
"Mm, but I am enjoying your company very much." It comes out in a low purr.
Luocha pauses.
How should 'Luocha' respond? A traveling merchant should count himself lucky to catch the eye of a man as influential as Jing Yuan. And if he is honest with himself, he is enjoying himself as well; he hasn't had a conversation partner keep him on his toes like this since... well, ever. But his purpose on the Luofu is not likely to be well-received by its General. In fact, Jingliu had specifically warned him away from Jing Yuan.
He's startled out of his deliberation when Jing Yuan leans forward and takes his hand.
"I understand your reservations, but I have my plans in place, as I presume you have yours." Jing Yuan tugs him gently forward and places Luocha's hand on his cheek. Like this, Luocha can feel it as Jing Yuan smiles. "'The die has been cast', as the saying goes. Yet before the plans play out, we are nothing more than two strangers."
"It seems the General has foreseen everything," Luocha says without reproof. He finds himself leaning in, drawn by the light that's kindled itself behind Jing Yuan's eyes.
"Not quite everything," Jing Yuan says, his breath warm against Luocha's face. "I wasn't sure how well my advances would be received."
"You must know that you're a handsome man." He's close enough now to see every minute shift in Jing Yuan's expression, and the slightest of crow's feet reveal themselves as Jing Yuan's smile reaches his eyes.
"Must I? Perhaps I need some reassurance."
Jing Yuan kisses him gently, lips pressing dryly against his with such chaste sweetness that after a few moments Luocha can no longer resist climbing onto the couch and pushing him into the cushions so that he can kiss the man properly. The general is warm and pliant beneath him. His mouth opens readily when Luocha deepens the kiss, and he lets out a low hum of pleasure. And what reason would Jing Yuan have to resist, Luocha thinks with amusement, when he's receiving everything he wants? Clever man.
Luckily, Luocha feels inclined to give. He settles himself on Jing Yuan's lap, enjoying the way the general instinctively takes him by the waist and steadies him. He presses slow, hot kisses to Jing Yuan's waiting mouth, the curve of his jaw, the pulse point where he'd measured the man's heartbeat. When he comes up for breath, Jing Yuan is flushed and his eyes are dark with pleasure. His white hair fans out behind his head like an unfurling flower.
Luocha wants to take him apart. Slowly, piece by piece, until he knows that body better than his own.
"Nowhere to be, General?"
Jing Yuan's answering smile is smug. "What could possibly be more important than this?"
"Then," Luocha murmurs, "I think I'll take my time with you."
And he bends down again.