#i made up Jing Xue to be the array and talisman peak hopefully it doesn't sound dumb in Chinese

[chaoticgoodlawyerwrites]

Okay coming out of a week of not having access to a functional computer and still dealing with the move from hell (turns out my main pieces of furniture got water damage in the storage unit! I'm not happy!!), I'm back with a snippet of Cucumberplane friendship for the next chapter! Hopefully I'll have the entire thing posted by the end of the weekend.

He was en route to Jing Xue Peak to learn more about array mechanics when he got a message from Shang Qinghua. He looked around the clear, open sky, and thought it was safe enough to open it.

SQH: hey bro you okay?

SQQ: ?? yeah why?

SQH: heard you weren’t feeling well?

Shen Qingqiu gaped at the screen only he could see.

SQQ: What? How?!

SQH: well I’m a spy, right? I generally know what happens in the sect but my disciples started observing you closer after LBH came to get me like a week ago and we’ve been hanging out

SQQ: your disciples are spying on the sect for you?

SQH: not *spying* spying. Just like keeping me informed on things for logistic purposes

SQQ: they’re spying

SQH: …

SQH: Anyway! What’s going on? I’m here if you want to talk!

Shen Qingqiu sighed and gave it real thought. While he didn’t quite feel comfortable divulging everything to Shang Qinghua despite their declared friendship, who else did he have to talk to about this besides Binghe? And what would happen if he kept relying on Binghe alone?

(What would happen when Binghe left?)

SQQ: okay. Thanks, I guess

SQQ: …It’s about Binghe. He kissed me last night.

SQH: !! Congratulations…?

SQQ: No! No congratulations!!

SQQ: He’s my student! My 16-year-old student!!! The only people he should be kissing are people his own age who are not his teacher!

SQH: Yeah, but would either of you be happy if he did that?

The sentence was like a punch to the gut. He was nearly at Jing Xue but he descended to nearby cliff to perch on solid ground, the open air around him suddenly feeling none too safe.

Because no, he would not be happy if Luo Binghe started kissing other people at all. But it also wasn’t his place to stop him.

SQQ: …no

SQH: Okay then just let him know that wasn’t okay because of the age difference/teacher thing and you’re good, right?

SQH: When did he even have the chance to kiss you? I mean this is the best possible way, but you’re not the most approachable person.

SQQ: …we often spend the evening together. He cooks our dinner and seems happy to spend time with me until I go to sleep. He was brushing my hair for the night as I explained what I said to MQF. I thought he didn’t react well when I mentioned I had feelings for him but he kissed me as I was telling him that I didn’t expect anything from him.

SQH: …

SQQ: what?

SQH: there is so much to unpack there I don’t even know where to begin

SQH: how much time to do you have?

SQQ: not much, I’m heading to Jing Xue to start research before our meeting with MBJ tomorrow

SQQ: we still good for that?

SQH: yes, my king will be there, don’t distract me though

SQH: let me get this straight. You, the person who single-handedly ended his hell of living with SJ as his master and continues to welcome him into your inner sanctum, told my protagonist with major abandonment issues that you’re in love with him but don’t expect him to feel the same?

SQQ: …more or less?

SQH: bro

SQH: bro you’re lucky the only thing he did was kiss you

SQQ: No! No talk of Binghe doing… anything else! Binghe is baby, the cutest bun!

SQH: …if I’m recalling correctly you were fine with him doing a lot more than kissing at 17

SQQ: I was 16 at the time! Of course I was more okay with it!

SQQ: Also it didn't *involve* me!!

SQH: Wait wait whoa back the fuck up

SQH: 16! What were you doing reading my web novel at 16?!

SQH: Wait, how old are you now??

SQQ: Age checks on websites are a joke, Airplane. And I was there for the monsters and Binghe, not that mess that came later.

SQQ: I died at 19, so I’m about 21 now. Hard to say with the shifting dates between death and rebirth.

SQH: Jesus I’m talking to a baby

SQQ: Hey! I’m an adult!!

SQH: A Child.

SQQ: NO