#some are still attracted to binghe when they run into him

[arospecsyourblockdudes]

Anyone else think about what it means that the world in svsss is still largely controlled by an overarching narrative and narrative logic even after the og plot got so off the rails we aren’t sure there’s even a train anymore. Like, Binghe is still recognized as the protagonist of that world so

[allpiesforourown]

Sweet idea for the Harem Member Shen Yuan (with the potential for jealous LBH)

What if when omega's went into heat, they don't necessarily need an alpha to have sex with them to get them through it. Omega's who aren't married will usually cuddle in their nests with those they trust, usually other omega's. At the palace, Luo Binghe can't be with all the omega's during their heats and there are those like Shen Yuan who have all but been discarded or Luo Binghe has forgotten them. I know you mentioned the concubines having some assist them through this possibly but I doubt Luo Binghe would let anyone touch what belonged to him in that way.

Now imagine Shen Yuan noticing this problem and, having come from a household where he used to cuddling with his family members during his own heats, helps take care of his fellow omega's needs (not sexually). He learns what their favorite food to eat during this time is, provides them with tea and a warmed cloth bag of rice to help sooth their cramps, figures out what nesting material they prefer, and helps slip them scented items from family members. His fellow omega's are of course wary but warm up to him once he also helps out with seeing their family members and handling the the problems in their towns. At some point, some trust him enough to enter their nest where he just helps braid their hair, cuddles with them and reads them some of their favorite novels. It leads some them to view him as family and Shen Yuan's robes or sheets will sometimes vanish only to end up in another omega's nest. Of course some use the excuse that their child finds his scent soothing so that's why they have it but Shen Yuan is just happy to help.

So naturally some of them start to return the favor when Shen Yuan's heat hits. They quickly discover that while Shen Yuan is great at taking care of others he is terrible at taking care of himself and will push through the pain. The man will stay up well into the night, burning up with heat just to try and solve the problems he's been presented. They've got it narrowed to a science where they have a whole routine to get Shen Yuan into his nest to rest for his heat and rotate who helps take care of them (they are not above using their children because they realize how quickly Shen Yuan caves to their children's sweet requests to cuddle while in he's in heat.)

Now imagine Luo Binghe, who is unaware any of this has been happening for months, has grown to tolerate Shen Yuan but still isn't sure if he's attracted to him. He runs into Shen Yuan one day clearly in the early stages of heat, looking exhausted and thinks "ahh he must be trying to seduce me." But before he can reject this offer, one of his wives runs up to Shen Yuan and thrusts a child in his arms.

Child: Yuan Gege, Fei Fei wants cuddles!

Wife #474: Forgive me my lord, this humble one will assist Shen Yuan back to his room. (Turns to Shen Yuan) How many times have we told you to take it easy! You can worry about the grain problem later. Let's get you back to your nest now. We've already prepared your favorite blankets and Níng Xīn found a novel by that author you like.

Shen Yuan just nods distractedly as he scents the child in his arms, inner omega purring at the fact they are caring for one of their pack members.

Luo Binghe is going to have a hard time courting Shen Yuan, especially he thinks he can just share a heat with him.

This is so cute omg 😭❤️ shen yuan dealing with baby fever by cuddling a bunch of binghes kids.... ahhhhh

Personally if it was me I'd wear a comically long trench coat and shen yuan would think I'm three kids pretending to be an adult and let me into his room and then I'd go aha I actually am an adult! And kiss him so much

[endlessburningdarkness]

If you wanted to write a AU of SVSSS Ending, with your ideas, what would you write?

is this about my bingqiu fix it idea?

i made a post about it once, here's the link: https://www.tumblr.com/endlessburningdarkness/759446410753097728/fic-im-working-on-bingqiu-au-after-maigu-ridge?source=share

basically the idea is post maigu ridge, shen yuan is absolutely traumatized and everyone else like liu quingge and yue qingyuan is horrified hen they find him near dead and with blood running down his thighs. they don't just let him go to luo binghe and he's not just magically okay after essentially being raped for the sake of plot. he could not give any proper consent because the alternative was the world ending. this is called coerced consent, and thus is sexual assault.

shen yuan saying he "chose" it doesn't change the fact that he felt he had no otehr choice, other than dying or letting the world get destroyed, which is not a choice obviously.

luo binghe also reacts more realistically and more emotionally intelligent and like he actually cares about shen yuan and not just about getting in his pants. he's horrified by what he unintentionally did. he gives shen yuan space and time to recover. making sure to wear different clothes than he did that day and not touching him or getting too close etc.

he self reflects and realizes he too was at fault for the events that happened.

shen yuan slowly heals and begins to experience his attraction to men as luo binghe is still there, making amends by fixing up the mess he created when trying to end the world. he's sometimes practising without a shirt for example and shen yuan admires him. shen yuan realizes and accepts he's into men but is still nervous about sex with binghe because he's fucking traumatized and doesn't want that dick anywhere near him. he has nightmares and they don't sleep together.

as i said things slowly get better, with binghe's patience and reassurance that they never have to do anything helping shen yuan gan confidence in his own desires. luo binghe goes to a brothel to learn how to pleasure a man, and then goes home and practices with a dildo he got from the brothel ladies.

then he eventually seduces shen yuan slowly and gently, and they have amazing loving, non-coerced, non-guilty tripped, not "i'll endure because i must" but actually genuinely mutually desirable and enjoyable sex. shen yuan gets the sex god husband he deserves and luo binghe is reassured that he won't hurt his beloved ever again. shen yuan also has some character growth, realizing luo binghe is not just the "protagonist" who MUST TOP, because luo binghe bottoms for him and loves it.

fixed.

[wifiwuxians]

I've been seeing more SVSSS on your blog lately and it's made me curious, which SVSSS ships do you like?

I know you like MingLing and TianXi, is there anything else? And if so, which ones and why! I love reading your opinions on ships.

OMFG i'm flattered you wanna know my humble opinion on this stuff, I am very far from a main on SV (only read it once! been planning to reread but life just keeps happening constantly) but I do of course love playing with dolls like this and I have been considering drawing some guys

So YES absolutely MingLing and TianXi, the first seems so crazy obvious with the way SHL lost her whole shit when she saw LMY's face (like WHAT how DARE you be this hot- from what I gather this is at times how demons handle attraction), the second makes me painfully sad and I just want the best for them, I'm so weak for demon/human romances I really wanted them to work out lol even though you go in knowing it DIDN'T

AS FOR MORE... This will surprise absolutely no one but MoShang lol MOSHANGGG oh my god. Wifiwuxians liking the icy one? Impossible. The fact SQH wrote his ideal man and that ideal man ended up being my type? This is a sign of some kind I feel... I love how SQH went for it too like I dunno how I'd act if my OCs came to life but I have to commend that he stuck to his husbandino like glue. And there are few things I like more in fiction than the stoic one just carrying his emotional support tiny person around like it's nothing and showing their care through actions rather than words and STILL fumbling it. These two are the kings of the fumble mambo but they made it WORK because they care about each other... And their sex was terrible and they still stayed together... They're so messy but their turning point (with the noodles) was enough for me tbh. I wish for them a very long and happy life

Then... I really like GongZhi ofc, I'm obsessed with that missed connection, like what could that have been had ZZL not, you know, killed his ass. I think they could have been rather sweet! I feel like most ships with ZZL would really stress the idea that he isn't a hideous monster and that he is deserving of love and affection and basic human life, but I feel it to be worth double when it comes from GYX who was literally like "fuck that thing is ugly let's kill it" KJSFKJSg imagine instead that they fight and ZZL is about to strike a fatal blow now sitting atop GYX and he's in his two-legged form about to say something profound or who knows and they both have a 😳 moment and ZZL runs off to go figure out wtf that was. Super silly but it's Scum Villain give me a break

And the one that's growing on me that I'd most likely have the itch to create for is..................... BingLiu. I just love the idea of LBH effortlessly kicking LQG's ass at practically everything and LQG HATING it but LBH loves it because it's the way they spend time together... And he would just goad LQG into "sparring" with him and always praise him if he gets any closer to beating him and it drives LQG up the WALL. That's the mental idea that got me into it in the first place, of course I'd have different approaches to it like what if little Binghe focused on Qingge instead of Shizun etc... Potential for drama when it comes to light LBH is half demon but that then opens the door a similar flavor to the aforementioned dynamic where LBH is just like "come on, don't you want to bring down this big, bad, scary demon" and LQG being all "ohh I HATE him I cannot STAND him", and then of course if any REAL threat occurs while they're doing their song and dance, LBH rescues LQG and NOW what is he going to do!!! Sure all he did was pull him out of the way but now they're all ✨close✨...

I'm realizing I really like cocky playful Binghe and he lends himself well to this ship hm uh ah

I'm not versed enough in SV to do it so if anyone out there is willing to write me like a 50k BingLiu fic based on this idea...

And then I also like QiJiu but they make me super sad jjssdg

It's all rather predictable isn't it when you see the silly dynamics I draw LOL

[delicioussshame]

And now, for something a bit different. Set in the Sugar Baby AU.

Shang Qinghua cannot believe Shen Yuan’s gall. How can he, a very unproductive member of society, dares to criticize Shang Qinghua’s output? At least he contributes something, unlike some people who are paid to look pretty.

And, apparently, do more than that now.

Good for him, really. Shang Qinghua has heard his fair share of horror stories about Luo Binghe, but since Shen Yuan cannot stop singing his praises in that oblivious way of his, he cannot be that bad.

Plus, you know, Luo Binghe is very, very hot. Hot enough that even Shen Yuan, famous for his ability to ignore even the most blatant double entendre, cannot deny it. Shang Qinghua can imagine much worst fates than having to fuck him.

Now, if Shang Qinghua could get him to share all the juicy details, he’s sure it would make for great inspiration.

Not that there is much chance of that happening, not with the way Shen Yuan clams up as soon as Shang Qinghua so much as hints about his sex life.

Shen Yuan is a hypocrite, that’s what he is. He sure isn’t shy about complaining about Shang Qinghua’s sex scenes, or every aspect of Shang Qinghua’s writing.

Well, Shang Qinghua isn’t going to let him get away with it. He’s going to hear about it too! He just has to-

“What are you doing.”

Shang Qingua drops his phone in his haste to shove it down his pockets, so he gets to scramble under his desk like an idiot right in front of his boss. Fucking great. “Nothing! I wasn’t doing anything!”

Mobei-Jun’s angry growl has no right to be this sexy. “You’re supposed to be working. Get to it.”

Shang Qinghua sits back at his desk as fast as possible, randomly pulling a file off his desk while opening one excel spreadsheet or another. “I will! I’ll do it! I’m doing it now! I’m sorry!” That’s what Shang Qinghua gets for maintaining an acquaintance with an old friend who doesn’t have to worry about office hours.

Then again, this is kind of his job? Mobei-Jun wanted him to keep an eye out for anything useful on Luo Binghe, so he’s technically not slacking! “Actually, I was just messaging Shen Yuan, trying to get the info you asked for! He’s not very open, but I’m working on it!” He doesn’t think Shen Yuan will ever give him something Mobei-Jun would benefit from, but not for the reasons he’d think. From the way Shen Yuan complains about Luo Binghe’s general disinterest in the business he’s somehow managing like he was born into it, which he very much wasn’t, it wouldn’t even cross Luo Binghe’s mind to keep Shen Yuan informed on the ins and outs.

So Shang Qinghua is trying to find a way to get Shen Yuan to ask for said intel, cause he has a feeling Luo Binghe would tell him everything without a second thought. For someone who decided to pay their sex partner instead of wooing them, which someone like Luo Binghe could certainly have managed, he seems utterly besotted.

“Can’t we just pay him for it? He’s fine with being a whore; why wouldn’t he accept cash for info?”

Shang Qinghua winces and ducks instinctively to evade the slap Shen Yuan would have given him if he’d called him a whore in his presence. “It’s not quite like that. Shen Yuan’s relationship with Luo Binghe is complicated. Yes, Luo Binghe is paying for him, but from what I’ve gathered, it was more to skip the wooing and get to the good parts faster.” At least that’s what Shang Qinghua thinks happened. Shen Yuan, again, isn’t the most open about the details.

Plus, Shang Qinghua can’t say it didn’t work. Luo Binghe managed to get Shen Yuan living with him and doing nothing but being available to him 24/7. That has to count as a success.

Mobei-Jun seems baffled. “You can do that?”

Shang Qinghua shrugs. “Most people wouldn’t be into it, but I can get behind it. If someone with Luo Binghe’s wealth and looks told me they wanted to finance my lifestyle in exchange of sex, I’d do it in a heartbeat. Good life, here I come!”

Shang Qinghua then remembers he’s talking to his boss and not one of his former college buddies. “Ha ha, not that I really would! I am devoted to my job! I wouldn’t leave it, so please don’t fire me!” He needs the money to live!

“I’d pay you.”

Shang Qinghua startles for a second, before his brain catches up to reality. “Ha ha, that’s a funny joke, Boss.” He doesn’t know why Mobei-Jun chose now to try to develop a sense of humor, but he’s not surprised that when he decides to do so, it’s at Shang Qinghua’s expense.

“Not a joke.” Mobei-Jun takes out his wallets and pulls out what has to be at least a couple thousands yuan, which he waves in the air almost threateningly. “Take it.”

Shang Qinghua is utterly flummoxed. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Shang Qinghua leans over the desk and tentatively takes the money.

In exchange, strong arms grab his waist, lifts him off the chair he was just sitting him like he could do it in his sleep, settles him on the desk and kisses him until Shang Qinghua has to push him back to breathe, because he cannot use his nose and his mouth at the same time right now. Not enough brain cells left.

“The hell?” says Shang Qinghua with all the eloquence he has left.

Then, his brain catches up with his mouth. If, for some unfathomable reason, Mobei-Jun has decided Shang Qinghua was worthy of him spending his money, Shang Qinghua will do the smartest thing he’s ever done and let him.

Why Mobei-Jun just didn’t use his words and tell Shang Qinghua he wanted him, Shang Qinghua will probably never know. It’s not like Shang Qinghua would have told him no. No matter what Shen Yuan says, he’s not stupid. The embodiment of all his fantasies wants to fuck him? Shang Qinghua is into that.

Oh god, Shen Yuan. He’s going to have to explain to him that latest development, will he?

…Naaah. He doesn’t need to know for now.

Anyway, what is there to explain?

…Is there something to explain? Mobei-Jun hasn’t spoken since Shang Qinghua freed himself, so maybe he’s reconsidering? Shit, maybe Shang Qinghua is a terrible kisser? Is he a terrible kisser? Is Mobei-Jun reconsidering? Of course he’s reconsidering. He’s not stupid either.

This train of thoughts is stopped by Mobei-Jun’s growling, grabbing his shoulders, pushing him down on the desk and devouring his mouth.

Shang Qinghua probably isn’t a terrible kisser then! Yes! Also Mobei-Jun isn’t reconsidering, so double yes!

That’s a good thing, because he’s pretty certain he’s going to need the money to replace the shirt Mobei-Jun is apparently very offended by, if the way he ripped it off Shang Qinghua, sending buttons flying everywhere, can be believed. Not that he cares about the shirt. Mobei-Jun can destroy all of them if he wants to. Especially if it’s always following by Mobei-Jun’s teeth getting very familiar with his chest.

Or the rest of him. Mobei-Jun is so lucky Shang Qinghua is both incredibly thirsty for him and suffering from long-term celibacy. He’s definitely willing to go despite the aggressive lack of foreplay.

Not that he can imagine a moment where Mobei-Jun almost tearing his pants open to get his mouth on his cock wouldn’t be welcomed. Shang Qinghua is always down for that. Very, very down for that.

Shang Qinghua balls his hands into fists, nails digging into the flesh of his palms, to stop himself from holding Mobei-Jun’s head. Mobei-Jun might bite them off.

Shang Qinghua also bites his tongue hard enough to bleed. The building is nice enough, but Shang Qinghua can be very loud.  The last thing he wants is for some underling to come running and find them like this. He would feel guilty to have caused a death.

Soon enough, another pressing concern makes itself known. “Boss, ah, please, you should let me go.” Shang Qingqiu has never even dreamed of Mobei-Jun blowing him, but he sure doesn’t seem like the type to swallow, and he wants to keep his cock in working order. He might get to use it more later.

Mobei-Jun glares at him over his cock, which has no business being this hot. Shang Qinghua is sure he felt him twitch and leak on his tongue.

Hey, if Shang Qinghua is wrong and Mobei-Jun is the type to swallow, more power to him. Shang Qinghua isn’t exactly going to complain.

Shang Qinghua whites out when he finally comes, and then probably does so again when he opens his eyes and is faced with Mobei-Jun staring at him, a little whitish drop on the corner of his mouth.

Fuck, he just got blown by Mobei-Jun. When did his life become so great?

Mobei-Jun kisses him again with no less urgency, which Shang Qinghua can sympathize with. He hasn’t done anything for his poor boss, has he? Time to remediate that.

___________

Shang Qinghua blinks repeatedly, trying to keep himself awake after the many, many rounds he’s just gone through.

His back is going to hurt like hell, isn’t it? And not just his back. He’ll probably be out of commission for days.

Doesn’t matter. So worth it. Even if it was a one-time thing, it’d still be worth it.

Is it a one-time thing? Does Shang Qinghua still have a job? Two jobs?

He should ask, right? It’s probably the right time to do so. Even Mobei-Jun probably is in a good mood after getting laid. “Boss?”

Mobei-Jun makes a noise Shang Qinghua decides to interpret as encouragement for him to continue. “Am I your sugar baby now? Do I have to come to work tomorrow?”

Mobei-Jun frowns.

Well, the whole thing was pretty spontaneous. There is probably no plan.

“You’re working tomorrow.”

Ahh, too bad. Well, it was nice while it lasted.

“I have to get you a replacement before you go.”

Shang Qinghua straightens up. “Just to be clear, that’s because you’re going to bankroll me personally, right? Not because I just lost my job for being unprofessional, right?”

Mobei-Jun nods.

Success! Shang Qinghua just won at life! He'll finally get to write whatever he wants instead of what sells! And he’s got a scorching not-boyfriend on top of it! Take that, Shen Yuan! You’re not the only one who can attract crazy rich guys! “Am I moving in with you? Or are we just not-dating? I’ll do whatever you want, no problem! Or wear whatever you want, cause this shirt is so dead I’m not sure how I’m going to leave this room, but I don’t care! You can do it again if you want to!”

Mobei-Jun throws his blazer in Shang Qinghua’s face like he’s an especially rude shoujo manga love interest. “Put this on. I’ll get back to you for the details, but you’ll be moving in with me.”

“Okay! I’ll be waiting!” He’ll wait forever if he has to. So worth it.

He’ll have to remember to buy Shen Yuan something to thank him for making this possible.

He’ll probably order him a bunch of the weirdest sex toys he can find and have them delivered anonymously to Luo Binghe. Shen Yuan will thank him someday.

Okay, he never will, but Shang Qinghua will know in his heart he did right by his friend.

[eldritch-elrics]

svsss: journey through the mausoleum (plus, zhuzhi-lang is a himbo)

got to chapter 65 last night!

as usually i have a lot to say i guess jkdhgsds i think putting stuff under cuts makes people scroll past these posts more? but also i don’t really want to be too annoying with my Many Reactions so cuts are a good way to go

tldr: loved the mausoleum arc, big fan of tlj, communication is good, and i have a new favorite scene in the book

binghe is extra as FUCK for bringing in all those rhino pythons

so i maintain that tianlang-jun should have been foreshadowed more/is introduced too late in the story, but other than that i think he’s a really fun villain and i’m a fan

for one - he’s the only one who’s able to hurt binghe :0 harm the protagonist...

which creates some Very Good Tension

count number one of zhuzhi-lang being a himbo: trying to sacrifice himself for tlj while being threatened

“is zzl really a himbo” you ask. well, yes. is he dumb? very much so. is he nice? absolutely. is he hot? well, i have no idea. i forget if he’s described as attractive or not. but, i think he can be if he wants. does being a little bit evil negate his himbo-ness? idk! i’m sticking with my assessment

i think i have a bit of a soft spot for evil henchmen

zzl also protects sqq from the corpses <3 good for him

it’s always fun to me when the system is like “wooo yay you fixed the storyline! cut the filler!” because 1. love seeing sqq lay waste to pidw and 2. the implications?? once more i am wondering WHY is the system so interested in making pidw a better story. (and the fact that it’s still calling his adventures in this world a story.) are sqq’s adventures being written down and serialized in the real world? are we as readers supposed to believe that scum villain, as a text, is a direct result of sqq’s “editing” of pidw?

uh, back to the plot

binghe wasted spiritual energy trying to preserve the mushroom/plant body :( come on man...

i really like the whole stretch of plot when binghe’s unconscious. it’s just so tense!! really well-done in my opinion - this is the first time in a while we’ve got a sense that lbh is in danger, and sqq is also running low on energy and stuff, so they’re both in bad places and the stakes are high

PLUS the hurt-comfort of it all. sqq trying not to hurt lbh’s body :(

the whole part in the coffin!! excellent. and the convo with meng mo... sqq calling himself lbh’s shizun finally...

cuddles <3

dying at lbh’s fuckin. boner. and the system’s REACTION it’s so EXCITED i am just. holds my head in my hands. i can’t deal with this novel

the confrontation with qiu haitang and the old palace master was very cool and intense. though i have to say i’m not really a fan of either “angry unreasonable woman” or “bitter disabled person” as tropes/archtypes (especially how sqq was reacting to the palace master’s condition). and poor qiu haitang! i have no idea if there’s any way to set her mind at ease other than revealing the whole transmigration thing. i do hope she’ll turn up again and get a better ending?

so the plague city sqq callout party is once again not directly lbh’s fault! the old palace master is the one to blame!

SO ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS IN THE BIT I READ LAST NIGHT. is. sqq realizing that he could utilize lbh’s plot armor to his advantage. but then deciding that he doesn’t want to take that risk. doesn’t want to use lbh’s body as a prop!!!

character development :D

he’s really starting to see lbh as a person as opposed to a character! and being less selfish/survival-oriented...

man. sqq, almost beaten, lying on the ground holding binghe in his arms........ :(((

so is the implication that lbh injured/took revenge on the old palace master because the palace master was being creepy to him about his mom? it’s a bit vague but that’s my theory. weirdo old man...

speaking of people lbh killed. maybe it will be revealed that gongyi xiao is actually alive too :( i’m still salty about that

SO MUCH DEMON BLOOD. poor sqq

so i don’t think i got how sqq was able to free himself from zzl’s blood manipulation? was it because binghe woke up and subdued it?

binghe waking up was a lil deus-ex-machina-y lol i would have liked to see some sort of trigger for it (even a cheesy one). like i get why he’s ok and no longer hurt (protagonist powers!) but like, gimme a reason for the shift to happen at that precise moment...

but AAAAAA FINALLY THEY ARE TALKING

lbh realizes how much sqq went through to save him :( and he’s so happy he didn’t get abandoned!!!! aaaaaa my poor boy

i like crybaby lbh much more than i like cold/cruel lbh lol

i do agree with sqq’s assessment though - lbh keeps doing the thing where he cries and apologizes but doesn’t actually change. he’s slowly getting better about it but that’s some development i’d like to see

so tlj.... DOESN’T want lbh’s body? i stg his motivations change every 5 minutes. that’s one other thing i don’t really like about him. is the “trying to steal lbh’s body” thing just gonna go nowhere? f...

ALSO SQQ GETTING OUTRAGED ABOUT TLJ CALLING HIMSELF MORE HANDSOME THAN BINGHE

binghe dumbass moments <3 gave him the sword...

..........zhuzhi-lang vore.......

zzl, while healing sqq’s plant arm: don’t worry i don’t want to fuck you unlike LUO BINGHE.

sqq: OKAY??? THANKS

i really hope there exists shipfic of sqq and zzl. like i don’t ship them at all but they just get into so many Situations that i cannot help but think about it. like it would make a funny crack premise

you know what? sqq deserves his own harem. it could consist of lbh, lqg, sqh, zzl.....

SQQ CANNOT CATCH A BREAK. TLJ IS A FAN OF RESENTMENT OF CHUNSHAN

modern au tlj is the dad who is way way way too supportive and thinks sqq would just be a wonderful husband for his son~~

interested in tlj’s intention to unite the human and demon worlds. like on the surface it sounds like a good idea right? peace and harmony and reconciling differences and stuff. but tlj’s plan is certainly not well-thought-out, and i’m sure his intentions also skew towards a sort of “merge them so they’re both easier to rule over” thing - which i don’t think is confirmed or anything, it’s just my suspicion

both tlj and lbh have a sort of entitlement thing going on - “i’m powerful so i can do whatever i like / take for myself something i love (whether that be humans or sqq).” which is then backed up by the power the system allows them as final boss and protagonist respectfully

speaking of lbh taking whatever he wants: stop kissing sqq without asking him aaaaa!!!! we know you love him and it’s sweet but please bro

him going all that way to reunite with sqq though <3

and then zzl comes in and i just.

this scene is simply the best

the slapstick of it!!!! i wanna see it animated so bad holy shit

the scene was good when it was just “sqq hides lbh under the bedcovers and he’s having none of it” but then it just kept escalating...

sqq and zzl’s convo is so suggestive too...

zzl himbo moments again?

AND THEN TLJ WALKS IN

“no need to explain, i understand everything” OK BRO.

LIU QINGGE IS HERE <3

tlj fanboying over him a little lmao

tlj, upon realizing that lbh had been in the bed with zzl and sqq: oh, you guys were having a threesome?

i cannot deal with this. i’m gonna do some sketches from this scene it’s so funny

[natsunoomoi]

Diving Further In

So just going deeper into this SVSSS rabbit hole. Still in earlier chapters because I work, but just poking around online again because again I really just like looking at Shen Qingqiu’s face and also Liu Qingge’s look isn’t so bad either.

But like I came across some stuff that’s spoilers for me and it said that they are a popular ship together? But like also a lot of people question if Qingge is straight which the author said and I found curious that a lot of people seem to dispute that? So then I looked more and it seems people are citing an extra story where the two of them go to fight some succubi in a cave. I read the story, and I don’t really see it myself? Like I can see how some people could read that it implies that he is actually interested in Shen Qingqiu and maybe a little jealous, but also I can also see how it doesn’t necessarily and also aligns with the author saying that he is straight. This isn’t to say that I want to kill anyone’s ship or anything, but just want to point out how what MXTX is saying isn’t exactly crazy either.

I’m not really sure, but I think it might be because I’m asexual myself so even my own experience going through life there’s a lot of things that maybe other people who aren’t ace interpret as more romantic that I don’t think so at all and it’s gotten me in trouble sometimes where I feel like I’m just having pleasant conversation with people but people think I’m flirting? I’m just being nice and talking? I don’t understand?

But just the same like even for me if someone says something that could possibly suggest that I’m involved in something or that I like someone even if I don’t, I still get flustered and blush because people are talking about my private life even if I don’t actually like the person. And then they become convinced that that’s the person I like because I’m blushing as we are having a conversation about if I like someone.

Like truthfully, in the 4th grade I had an interaction with a classmate that I had that I thought I had an amicable friendship with. During the first week or so of school a bee came into the classroom and landed on my desk and my classmate killed it for me and I was scared and eternally grateful, so at a later date later I gave him like a small gift or something as a thank you. My classmates thought it meant I liked him or something and I was VERY CONFUSED. I was literally just grateful for the help with the bee and he’s always been kind and helpful to me in class so I didn’t really think anything of it, and just simply you do nice things for people who are nice to you right? It’s a very simple and pure thought, but I learned from that experience and misunderstanding that normally people don’t do that for people who are just your friends. I think they also thought I did because apparently I was staring at him a lot when we were on a field trip, but like during the field trip he was also goofing around and jumping on the bus and stuff. How do you not look at someone making a ruckus?

So basically, in reading the succubus story, I kind of thought about something like that for Qingge. Like if I were him, I would be a little surprised also that the description sounded a bit like me and like I’m sure just as Shen Qingqiu is going through all the women he knows, Qingge is also running through all the people who knows that Qingqiu hangs out with and realizes that he is with him an awful lot. I’m somewhat serious as well, and even though I’m focused on getting the job done, it’s not like I’m not trying to look out for my friends and their interests so I’d want to still listen too to learn more about them as a friend and even to find out how I can be a better friend to them or like encourage them in the future. Plus like nothing else was happening in the cave, so you just get bored and listen to what's happening. Same as me on the field trip. Space out staring out the window or turn in the direction of the commotion on the bus.

I also think that part of Qingge’s alarm is that the succubus mentions that the person is his junior, and I think most people would normally exclude anyone who was a student or disciple of theirs. He probably didn’t even consider someone who was from a younger generation as he was running through the list of people in his mind, and the description does sound like him and to me it reads like because he is straight and doesn’t think of his friend in that way exactly, he’s having a kind of panic attack and questioning himself internally trying to discern if it is him and his own feelings. But at the same time, he doesn’t want to say any more or explain himself because its not like he wants to be mean to his friend either. 

Like I’ve had times like that too where people apparently maybe liked me, but I just didn’t like them that way or I was emotionally unavailable because I liked someone else. And then when you’re in grade school you do those fortune telling games where you write the names of different boys in your class and stuff and it’s not serious, but sometimes you don’t want to be mean if like the fortune tells you it matched you to one person or another. Like even if you’re friends and it’s just that you don’t feel them that way, if you played that game and got matched with them and then shouted, “Eww! Gross!” Isn’t that awful? So like, I think he thought that the succubus was talking about him, so he said it was inaccurate, but also just like got really flustered because it’s a private topic like I would, but at the same time tried to keep his eye on the ball and complete the mission while also balancing trying to not to be a dick to his friend. Like even asking the other questions to me sounds like panicking and trying to find out more info to check if it is him, because he isn’t aware of Binghe’s future either. It’s kind of a mess of emotions and trying to balance everything he’s taking in his actual personal feelings and trying not to offend his friend. All that together I think would make me embarrassed and give me a stormy look too.

So I dunno, I kind of feel like if I was in his place I would react much the same even if I didn’t have feelings for Qingqiu. The idea of Qingge being straight sounds totally reasonable to me, and Qingge is like the traditionally virtuous macho guy of Chinese lit. Incredible martial skill and stoic and very work-oriented. Like I like looking at Qingqiu’s face a lot, but when I was young a stoic and work-oriented guy like Qingge was my ideal man because I thought they would never cheat on me because they would have the self-control to keep it in their pants. As I got older I started to realize that such a person was not actually realistic and I became disappointed as I came into middle school and realized my ideal was most likely a Buddhist monk who could not get married to my utter disappointment. A lot of other characters I like in my fandom often have the same trait where they canonically don’t seem to show any kind of attraction to almost anyone really because of my fear. Guys who chase skirts all the time are the least appealing to me.

But like also, Qingge being the stereotypical manly man kind of character leads me to remember other stuff about Chinese culture as well that maybe blur the lines that perhaps other readers don’t pick up on because it’s not part of their culture? Like Chinese culture is very heavily influenced by Confucianism and even more classic lit that has a history that actually pre-dates Confucianism is written to have a Confucianism bent because it was a popular thing by the time it was actually written down to paper. It was already so pervasive in society by that time so there’s a lot of stories where we don’t know their “original form” but the Confucian ideas in it are highly influential and if that story is particularly notable or influential in itself, it trickles and affects the thoughts and ideas of the entire culture and all of our stories. Like Journey to the West is probably one of the most influential of the classics in all of East Asia, and while it’s mostly a Buddhist allegory, it does have bits and pieces of Confucianism in it and upholds the cardinal relationships. All this is to say, that this philosophy is pervasive and needs to be taken into consideration if we’re looking at how people behave in a Chinese story. Sometimes character actions can be affected by it, and sometimes they’re not. Binghe being a stallion novel protagonist with a traumatic past that involves demons is probably way beyond the scope of Confucius’ ideas, but Qingge being the traditional man’s man so to speak, absolutely falls within it. He is that kind of character because he follows those ideals and mannerisms.

That is important because Confucianism highlights very strongly loyalty. It comes in the form of filial piety and so on and so forth, but being loyal to your community, your ruler/boss, your family, and so on was really important. Spousal loyalty you can throw a side eye at and question because it’s mostly only one way if we wanna be real, but even though it was one way there was a prescribed way to behave still. So then some people kind of criticized Qingge’s sexuality because he dedicated himself for so long to doing something for Qingqiu. But that like doesn’t necessarily mean anything either because of loyalty to help your friends or someone who specifically helped you or even to your clan/sect/family especially which Qingqiu falls into. You do that for people you have obligations to. Bear in mind, I also gave an actual gift to a boy who just saved me from a bee landing on my desk and had all of my classmates completely misunderstand that, so Qingge’s meta situation is a mood for me.

The other thing is, what is considered to be acceptable male behavior is probably a lot wider traditionally in Chinese society also because of Confucianism. Specifically because Confucius was very, VERY, misogynistic. There’s a lot of merit to think about into the things he thought about for some bases of the cardinal relationships, but any time he delved into anything regarding gender relations he was pretty much full of shit. Like in principle, a ruler is the head and the ministers under the ruler are like the body making the ideas from the head happen. That sounds like a pretty sound metaphor to how to run a country or a company even. Like maybe if you’re the CEO as the head of the company you don’t do something that benefits your head only and spites your workers equivalent to like cutting off your own feet (like making them work if they have coronavirus). That sounds like a horrible way to keep your company going, right? How would a "body" last and succeed without feet? (It should be noted that this metaphor also works for why Binghe's punishment of the original Qingqiu via human stick was super appropriate for his mistreatment because disciple Binghe was a subordinate and should have been treated better according to the rights). So Confucius’ ideas in things like that seemed pretty reasonable. His ideas on women, however, were not.

As a base, we should probably start with Taoism which is the source of all the cultivation lore in this book anyway. But the very simplest and most well-known symbol from Taoism is the yin-yang symbol. Yang is a positive male energy and yin is a negative female energy. Positive and negative are not actually good vs evil in terms of contrast, but are more like photons and electrons. Just two kinds of energies that coexist in the world and create a balance and cannot fully stand on their own without the other, and there’s a little bit of each in each one. Black is not pure black, but has a little white. White is not pure white, but has a bit of white, so basically nothing is perfect. This alone could be misogynistic too, but not necessarily. Depends on how much a person runs with that.

Confucius really ran with it though. He really thought and it was popularized that women were “inherently evil” because of their genitalia. Absolutely full of shit, but I think he was trying to point out how a lot of men act the fool over trying to chase skirts and get laid. It’s really shitty that he blames women for just inherently being temptresses just because they have that genitalia and it spreads to their overall oppression and lack of rights, but at the same time he does to an extent tell men to be accountable for falling into the temptation. Dalliance with women was only necessary to continue the family line and otherwise was thought should be avoided because our ladies are just too tempting and distracting. He warns men to stay away and control themselves, but unhappily for the wrong reasons. With that backdrop, he even went as far as to say that sex between men was better than with a woman because well, you’re not messing with that “evil”. In that respect, he heavily, HEAVILY encouraged relationships with other men and boys clubs including ones where people get drunk and make paintings and poetry with each other. So some level of intimate closeness between even straight men was normal too, so you have to kind of alter your perspective to look at this and find "signals".

These kinds of teachings were thought of to an extent in China, but didn’t really affect the LGBT scene of ancient China because the filial piety part of ensuring the next generation was top priority. Homosexuality as a word even didn’t exist in the Chinese language until more modern times as an import from Japan because the above teachings we just discussed *really* took off in Japan where I guess filial piety was less important. A huge amount of pre-modern same-sex lit came out of Japan including lover suicide themes because damn, I love you so much but we can’t be together because one of us isn’t a woman and we have obligations. Let’s drown ourselves in the river and hope in the next life we can be reincarnated together as a couple that can actually consummate our love. This was a thing in Japan. Onnagata in Kabuki were also to an extent another level and extension of this. In China, it wasn’t like same-sex relationships didn’t happen, but it wasn’t openly discussed because of filial piety. Generally everyone just got married and basically had a cover family and after you had a child to pass on the family legacy, people could not care less what you did privately. If you can imagine it, there were likely some shady dealings here and there with how to deal with this problem too because I can’t imagine that everyone was really down with forcing themselves to be intimate with someone no matter how much they wanted to get their parents off their back, but that kind of family secret was probably deeply buried. It’s also not like people didn’t talk at all about relations with the same sex because people looked at temples with a bunch of men together all practicing Buddhism and thought surely something must be happening, but obviously none of that would be officially recorded or openly discussed. The whole scene was just under the surface and not talked about because it was important to keep appearances and the appearance was that you had an actual family and fulfilled your filial duty. It’s only been recently where the idea of homosexuality as an orientation and  being talked about openly as something beyond a secret you do after fulfilling your family obligations, and that’s why the word had to be imported in in modern times.

So with all that in mind, actual bromances that aren’t even actually romantic at all between straight men totally seems normal in the context of this culture. Relationships with other men were very highly valued, and if Qingge is a basically traditionally perfect Chinese man he would basically follow this ideal and would likely have some behavioral traits that seem questionable to a modern audience.

I would also think Confucius would have a problem with romantic relationships between a master and disciple. It's thought to usually be similar to a surrogate parent-child situation, so awkward. But original Qingqiu had some designs on Yingying and while that's kind of a violation-ish too, Yingying is also female and you're expected to obey your father, husband, and son so eh.... not that weird because they aren't actually family. The specifics of two men though is a different matter not commonly discussed obviously. Generally you sought a master to better yourself and grow virtue, but if you start a romantic relationship with them it equalizes your dynamic and they become more of a peer than someone you learn from, so in Qingge's mind because he is traditionally virtuous Binghe was likely not on the radar at all because why would anyone mess with that mentor-student relationship? It has to be from among the other leaders in their sect that the succubus is talking about to his mind.

This is probably circular, but I’ve been writing this up for over an hour late at night. XD

Sources: life, heritage, reading classic lit books, and at least 3 courses discussing gender representation in East Asia at UCI (arguably almost all my coursework covered these ideas to a degree)

[burstingchrysanthemums]

The Daily Task of Safeguarding My Beautiful Master's Chrysanthemum From Perverts

Part One - In which Luo Binghe sees danger to his master's chrysanthemum everywhere

Luo Binghe has had a hard life. A poor orphan who was luckily taken in by the Lord of Quiet Peak, Binghe deeply appreciated the chance that he had been given to better himself. And it was all thanks to Shizun.

Binghe sighed, thinking of Shen Qingqiu, that beautiful but clueless airhead.

Recently, Shizun had been stripped naked and tied up by a serial killer. When "The Skinner" had lasciviously run her hands all over Qingqiu's bare body, Binghe had understood for the very first time that there were people out there, bad people who would stop at nothing, who lusted after Shizun.

This realization was like a bolt out of the blue. Binghe was horrified.

Since then he had noticed something extremely alarming. There were *a lot* of people who looked at Shizun in an unchaste way. The worst part of it was that Qingqiu was blithely unaware of the danger he was in.

For example, last night! Binghe had been shocked when they had gone to a brothel. He couldn't remember much about that time since he had gotten drunk early on but he distinctly recalled that the place had been full of degenerates. And wasn't there a group of soldiers who had followed them into the brothel? The others seemed unaware of that group but Binghe saw some of them eyeing his master as they walked through the streets of the red-light district.

Shizun is just too good-looking. Even masked and hooded, he still attracted attention.

Binghe had stood guard at his master's door to make sure that no unwanted presences intruded.

To give another example, right now Shizun was in the bamboo house, happily chatting away with Shang Qinghua. Binghe knew (as did everyone) that Shang was gay. Yet Shizun thought nothing of it when Shang constantly touched him as they were talking - patting his back, putting his arm around his shoulder, touching his knee, even embracing him!

It was infuriating.

After Shang left, Qingqiu went to the library to read.

Binghe cleaned up the tea things. Shang had left a suspicious package behind. Though it was a bit sneaky and an action unworthy of Shizun's trust, Binghe nevertheless decided to open it.

%$#@ it! Binghe's instincts were right on the mark! That Shang was definitely up to no good.

Gaaah! To think that one of his master's supposed friends would give him a book of gay porn. Wait... this big jar...

Binghe ground his teeth. It was lube! What exactly did that man plan to do to Shizun?!

Shang, I will get rid of you as soon as possible, vowed Binghe. Carefully wrapping up the package again so that it looked untouched, Binghe left it in its original place.

Dreams were a powerful mental manipulation tool. That very night Binghe planted a gentle suggestion in the mind of Shang's master and that dangerous person was sent on an errand to buy wool in a far-off town.

One pervert gone, a few dozen more to get rid of. Binghe's task was never-ending.

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[neoblogcrying]

“Tea talk”

I wanted to practice trying to write Shang Qinghua, shame™ and all, so here is this. It’s a lil fic about SQQ and SQH talking over cups of tea, discussing their bent husbands. If someone reads this, I hope you enjoy! I did my best to write for our lovely transmigrators. OTL Sorry if it’s no good. |||||||

“You’re telling me the reason why he cries all the time is because you advised him to act weak in front of me?” Shen Qingqiu asked with half his face hidden behind his fan as always.

Shang Qinghua could only nod his head in response. There wasn’t much that he could do about it at the time, you know? He had the protagonist staring at him, looking for answers! He was scared for his life! “Cucumber bro, I wanted to live another day and I told him whatever I could to keep my life. In the end, isn’t it easier to tame him this way?”

Let’s conveniently ignore the fact that it may have awakened the M in him.

No, he was probably already like that due to his upbringing. Shang Qinghua had his ‘lovely Cucumber bro’ to thank for that. It was weird seeing the character that he lovingly created turn bent for the ‘villainous scum’ for that matter!

If he had to explain it, it was like sending off your daughter to marry some punk, who surprisingly ended up being an okay kind of guy. All things considered, Shang Qinghua liked the other male. They were both from Earth and so they could relate to each other about how 'sad' they were.

Certainly, Luo Binghe was easier to deal with this way, but it was still too weird! The gap was immense! Illogical!

It seemed that Shen Qingqiu was willing to let the matter go for now as he brought the tea cup to his lip to sip the tea quietly. There was a contemplative look on his face as he was thinking something over to himself. The imagery of Luo Binghe coming to him alone for advice was too ridiculous. There had to be others there at the time, right?

“Was he the only one you told this to?” Shen Qingqiu raised another good question.

Thinking it over, there were other people there at the time, including Mobei Jun and even Sha Hualing.

“As I’m sure you've guessed, we weren’t alone. I may be shameless, but I wouldn’t try to steal him from you, Cucumber bro. Relax.”

The sound of a tea cup slamming onto the table almost surprised Shang Qinghua out the door. If there were any suspicious movements on his part, he was sure that his ‘son’ would come running out to flay him.

‘I lovingly create you from my own mind and this is how you repay me!?’ He’d cry as he’d get hacked down while clinging onto Luo Binghe’s thighs, begging for life. That’s the scenario the 'Shameless theatre' played in his head.

On the other hand, Shen Qingqiu had his own thoughts running through his mind: ‘Who is worried you’ll steal Luo Binghe away! If anyone could steal him away, they’d be wearing the Protagonist’s halo! How shameless! You may be the author, but there is a limit to how much you want to play at God! If anyone is getting stolen away, it would sooner be me, and Luo Binghe would destroy the world in the end!’

Just thinking about it… how scary! The protagonist was too scary!

Stop thinking about it. Don’t bother with it. Shen Qingqiu had to fan himself to calm himself down.

Ahem.

“Was Mobei Jun there?” He asked calmly.

“Huh? Yeah… he was there, why?”

Why are you bringing him up? Could it be…?

Shock was painted across his face. That can’t be right! There’s no way! How could you thrust such an idea onto him? Show some mercy, will you?

“Cucumber bro, you’re even more shameless than me. Is Luo Binghe not enough for you? He’s got the highest Stallion potential, you know? Now you want Mobei Jun to answer to your beck and call? I won’t have it, even if I have to fight against you.”

“Cut the crap!” A fan came crashing down onto the crown of Shang Qinghua’s head. The latter whimpered in response. He was always being beaten by everyone. Mobei Jun, and now his good Cucumber bro.

Is there anyone in this world who was more pitiful than him?

“I have my hands full with that sticky Luo Binghe. I have no need for another.” He huffed, not caring to hide his annoyance with the other.

Just hearing his name, Luo Binghe peeked his head out from the kitchen. “Did Shizun call for this disciple?” It was like you could see a tail wagging from behind him, he was that happy. Did calling you by name make you that happy? Were you not busy cooking food?

With a displeased snort, he waved a hand to wordlessly tell Luo Binghe to go back to what he was doing, which was cooking food for him to eat. “This Master still hungers.” That was all he needed to say to remind his disciple on what he was doing.

“This disciple will quickly procure a feast for Shizun!” His voice was full of adoration and adulation for his Shizun.

Ha… you really don’t have to go that far…

That being said, Shen Qingqiu was already salivating at the thought, but you couldn’t tell because of his Mater-level poker face!

To think the cool and suave protagonist could turn into such… such… A WHIPPED PUPPY!

Shang Qinghua wanted to cry for his son’s honor, but even he had to admit that Luo Binghe seemed happier this way. For the sake of his son’s happiness… please continue to stick with him. May your ass rest in piece, Cucumber bro. The shameless author offered a prayer for Shen Qingqiu’s ass.

As if he could sense a disturbance in forces, a small shiver ran up Shen Qingqiu’s spine. “As I was trying to say… don’t you think the reason Mobei Jun harbors feelings for you… is because of your words?”

How could that be?

Shang Qinghua had spent many nights laboring over how Mobei Jun turned out this way. He thought that maybe it was his authority as the author that caused this. Who told him to design Mobei Jun to fit all his aesthetics, anyways? It was impossible for him NOT to feel strongly for his own creation.

He had such an attractive face. He was tall and had a nice, firm body. His voice? It sends shivers down his spine (good and bad). He was powerful and had a good lineage as well. What more could you want in a man?

Even now Shang Qinghua looks at Mobei Jun and wonders how it was possible for such a perfect demon could exist. If he had any complaint, it would be that his skin was too cool to the touch and it would make the winter time a struggle.

Mobei Jun was the best (let’s ignore Binghe for now), and he should have legions of women begging for his favor! He was weaker than Luo Binghe, but he was just as strong of a bachelor—BUT! HE! WENT! BENT!!!

Just because your superior goes bent, you do the same thing!? Where is the logic in that!? Shang Qinghua wanted to cry.

Not only that… he… HE REALLY SUCKED IN BED!

Shouldn’t you have some Godly skills or something? He is your maker! He designed you to be skilled in various fields! The author lamented to the skies, conveniently forgetting that he never designed a bent Mobei Jun, so it made sense that he was lacking skills in that area.

Still, he was a quick learner, so he was sure the pain he feels will only last for a short while! Soon enough, he’ll be able to put Luo Binghe to shame! These are the words coming from the author himself, so he can’t be wrong! Shang Qinghua seemed to puff out his chest at the thought.

Though… what did Cucumber bro mean by his words? “What do you mean?”

“In order to appeal to a man, you have to act obedient… cute… weak… lovable… and must evoke a feeling of protection…” Shen Qingqiu kept glancing at Shang Qinghua in between sips of his tea, trying to make a point.

He could only see a poker face to start, but as he spoke, it seemed like the other was finally starting to get it.

HE’D INADVERTENDLY SEDUCED MOBEI JUN WITH HIS OWN WORDS! HE ONLY HAD HIMSELF TO BLAME FOR BENDING MOBEI JUN!!!

“Ughh… no way… I… I bent him myself?” The author lamented. How could he be so blind to not have realized this when he gave advice to Luo Binghe that day? It’s true that Mobei Jun could be characterized as being his ‘ideal man,’ but wasn’t it a shame to have him be bent? He could have all the women he wanted in the world!

Ah… but… who would suit him? Nothing but the best for his Mobei Jun!

Gripping the teacup hard in his hand, he downed the entire cup, almost scalding the top of his mouth in the process. Yep.

Perfection is the only thing that suits perfection. As the author of this world, he is like a God, is he not? Who is more perfect than God? That’s right, no one. In other words, he’s perfection.

Nailed it!

He’d shamelessly tacked on the ‘perfect’ tag onto himself that made him worthy enough to be with Mobei Jun.

Only someone as shameless as this author could do such a thing or write such shameless characters. Face it, the real reason you were transmigrated into Shang Qinghua’s body had to be because you were kindred spirits.

With all seriousness, who understood Mobei Jun the best? Who would know his likes and dislikes better than the author who created him? If anyone knew how to make him happy, it should be him. 

“You blamed me for bending him, but I can throw this back at you. You bent Mobei Jun.” Eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth. If you blame him for bending Luo Binghe, he’ll blame you for bending Mobei Jun! “Have another cup of tea.”

“Thanks… but I’d rather a cup of wine. How about we toast for our bent husbands?”

[binghe-malewife-goals]

Adding onto this:

Similarly to our bingmei, bingge in this AU was upset and angry Sqq threw him into the abyss. But Bingge was still willing to forgive Sj if he gave him a reason. Only... When he finally did capture Sj and interrogate him, Sj only laughed and sneered at him.

Sj tells Binghe the hard truth, how he never loved him or cared for him--how pathetic it is that he truly believed Sj could love such a mongrel as him--and Binghe sees red.

In a mimic of the PIDW timeline, Binghe traps Sj in the Water Prison. What starts out as a hit there or a choking there to gain some catharsis devolves into full-blown torture.

Bingge tries to recapture his own little world again--builds a fake bamboo hut to be Sj's prison and forces Sj to comb his hair--but Sj never complies with what he wants, so Binghe must punish him constantly.

It's infuriating, and soon Bingge seeks the comfort of women to sink into the fantasy he'll never achieve. Bingge, before this, was not wholly interested in women or men--too obsessed with Sj to care--but he knows he's attractive, and he takes advantage of that.

He enjoys the company of women more than men, as their (usually) motherly nature appeals to him. That being said, this doesn't mean he exclusively sleeps with women, only that he's found it much easier to project his fantasy onto them.

Soon, the satisfaction these affairs bring him begin to dull, because they will never compare to the real thing.

Bingge still keeps Sj imprisoned and has removed nearly every crucial body part he has. This isn't merely out of anger, though Bingge is hoping to break Sj so much that he is forced to comply with his demands, but also obsession.

Bingge loves when Sj can only rely on him, can only choose him. It reminds him so much of his disciple days, when he'd trail after his beautiful shizun like a little duckling.

Sj is missing an eye and most his limbs. Only one arm is left to run his fingers through Bingge's hair. He cannot speak anymore because his tongue was cut out. Binghe did not want to remove his tongue initially, but the constant taunts became too much for him to stomach. After all, Bingge can always grow Sj's tongue back and Sj can still hum him lullabies without it.

As angry and hurt as Bingge is, he refuses to believe Sj's words. He is positive Shizun loved him... and still does. If his shizun refuses to acknowledge that, then Bingge will just have to force him to see it.

When Sj dies, Bingge does not take it well.

Eventually, Bingge tries to "move on" from his Shizun. He begins to marry the women he sleeps with, he courts those who tenderly care for him.

He never realizes how each spouse is just another canvas for him to project his idealistic view of Sj onto.

Just like before, he is nothing but a lonely boy trailing after those teal-colored robes. Futilely grasping at the hems, only to capture ghosts.

[Bingjiu]

not sure what it is with my brain and coming up with emotionally abusive/manipulative oedipus-ish complex bingjiu but it sure is a thing

What I mean by "oedipus-ish" is that Sj is still Binghe's teacher, but Binghe nearly idolizes him as a nurturing mother figure. Obvs Sj has no actual parental affection towards Binghe unless it benefits him (that's where the emotional manipulation and abuse comes from bby)

And "benefits" don't necessarily mean things like better reputation or smth, but more like Sj's own emotions. Whether it's to vent (and we know what sj's "venting" is like) or the rare days he feels lonely, Binghe is the unfortunate lightning rod for all those repressed emotions

In this AU, Sj wouldn't be as adverse to being around Binghe. In fact, Binghe is more or less isolated, since he's always around Sj. He can roam n stuff but he is unhealthy attached to Sj and Sj doesn't like his personal venting tool being far away from him for too long

As binghe grows older I can't decide if he does torture Sj like in PIDW but,, probably?? maybe?? but Binghe, even after Sj's death, is still affected by his whole abusive relationship Sj and often than not cannot stop some thought related to Sj from crossing his mind daily

heavly inspired by the tale of genji, but spefically this amv and this song

[delicioussshame]

[cries in fandom] I was supposed to work tonight and instead I wrote more of yesterday’s fic because I had the idea and couldn’t stop thinking about it. 

Shen Qingqiu isn’t an empty nester. He has plenty of disciples still running around the peak, eager to learn and keeping him very busy.

It’s just that the generation that was already there when he arrived, Ning Yingying, Ming Fan and the others, are now fully grown cultivators, spending most of their time roaming the world on their own quests.

They bring him pride each time they visit, usually gifting him with obscure artefacts and rare volumes he spends days pouring over. It doesn’t quite make up for their absence, but it helps.

Still, he would have preferred Ning Yingying gift him something else the last time she visited.

He, of course, knew she would eventually cross paths with Luo Binghe. She was bound to. After much pondering, he had decided not to interfere. Her occasional visits to Luo Binghe weren’t enough to hurt her cultivation, and anyway Luo Binghe was usually careful not to let Xin Mo gorge enough to leave traces, especially on trained cultivators. She’d be fine.

Plus, when Luo Binghe would tire of hiding in plain sight and reveal his status as leader of the Demon Realm, his fondness for her would protect her from the consequences Shen Qingqiu himself might face.

He would probably be fine though. He’d just have to take a less adversarial take than his predecessor, who had fought to the death to “protect his disciple from the beast”.

Or he’d thought he would, until Ning Yingying, with a blinding smile that radiated unblemished innocence, had told her she’d booked him a session with her A-Luo, because, to hear her say it, he needed it.

He had been tempted to expel her on sight. Don’t thrown Shen Qingqiu into the maws of the beast! He doesn’t have your youthful beauty or girlish charms!

He hadn’t. Ning Yingying is just too caring. She hadn’t realised that just because she very much enjoyed Luo Binghe, Shen Qingqiu might not feel the same. Wrong tree. Because if he were attracted to men, which he was not, what a ridiculous notion, he would have made a move himself. Luo Binghe is soft on his favorite clients. He’d have nothing to lose by endearing himself to him.

Too bad he’s not interested. He had to refuse him.

He’d thought he knew what to expect when he’d gone to reject the offer as politely as he could. It wouldn’t do to offend him.

Sadly, all the foreknowledge of the world hadn’t been quite enough to shield himself from his unnatural charisma. He’d made a fool of himself, practically running out to escape the protagonist’s aura. Luo Binghe, how terrifying! His poor disciple had stood no chance!

Anyway, he can admit he is occasionally lonely. He misses his dear Yingying and his first disciple, whom, for all his flaws, Shen Qingqiu had grown fond of. It wasn’t impossible for Ning Yingying to have noticed, and to have tried to offer him company. Totally misguided, but understandable.

When he hears a commotion outside, he instantly goes to check it out. Maybe it will break his monotony.

He immediately regrets it. Why, why on earth are Luo Binghe and Liu Qingge fighting with enough strength that they could easily kill his terrorised disciples here on his peak! It’s way too early for Luo Binghe to have come out of the demonic closet! And why is he even here!

Shen Qingqiu turns towards his closest disciple. “What is happening here.”

The poor girl jumps at his tone. “Shizun! I’m sorry, I’m not sure, we heard rumours that Luo Binghe was at the sect, so we were curious, but Liu-shishu showed up and it devolved into a fight. I don’t know why.”

Huh. So Liu Qingge made the first move? Quite possible. He might have wanted to protect his sister’s honor.

That should be manageable. He raises his voice. “Fighting on my peak isn’t allowed. Stop at this instant.”

To his surprise, both swords freeze.

Shen Qingqiu despairs for this world’s mob characters. How come no one wonders why a courtesan can keep up with Liu Qingge? Why can’t they notice how Xin Mo oozes with malevolence? Can they only see Luo Binghe’s fabulously handsome face and physique?

He wouldn’t be surprised.

“Shen Qingqiu! How dare you!”

Shen Qingqiu blinks. “How dare I what, Liu-shidi? I’m not the one who picked a fight on someone else’s peak.”

He points to Luo Binghe. “Him!”

Beside his general existence, there’s nothing especially offensive about Luo Binghe? “What about him?”

“I thought you’d outgrown such nonsense, but he shows up here!”

Shen Qingqiu has no idea what is happening. “I’m sorry if his presence offends you, but I assure you I have nothing to do with it.”

“I’m afraid that’s a lie,” says Luo Binghe as Liu Qingge seems close to death via outrage.

Shen Qingqiu turns toward Luo Binghe. “How could it be?”

In answer, Luo Binghe brandishes… the fan he’d completely forgotten when he’d visited, shit! Did he come here, on his peak, holding this incriminating evidence as a badge of honor!?

Shen Qingqiu feels himself blanch. How can he clear himself of these allegations? Liu Qingge thinks he’s trying to steal his sister’s man! Once the War God of Bai Zhen is done with Luo Binghe, Shen Qingqiu’s head is next!

Luo Binghe continues like he didn’t notice Shen Qingqiu’s obvious discomfort, which he must have. “You left this behind the other day, and so I have come to return it. Let it not be said I am not a perfect gentleman.”

Oh no. He can hear consternation from some of his pupils, and definitely less consternated exclamations from others.

Liu Qingge has now plunged on Luo Binghe again, who dodges with too much ease. How can no one notice something is wrong!

Maybe the renewed fight will distract everyone while Shen Qingqiu discretely dig himself a hole deep enough to never have to come out.

Oh well, there’s nothing he can tell but the truth. No one will believe it, but since no one ever believed Shen Qingqiu, how will it be any different? “Please stop this fight at once. Luo Binghe, I thank you for bringing my fan back to me despite my rude refusal of your services. It wasn’t your fault my student misconstrued my interests. Again, I am sorry for your wasted time. Liu-shidi, I understand your sister’s paramour might not be your favorite individual, but please don’t assault the sect’s guests. Think of our reputation. What will people say?”

Liu Qingge stares at him with… stupefaction? “You’re not his?”

Yeah, he’s nipping that train of thought in the bud. The last thing he needs is his disciples thinking he’s some pretty thing’s toy. They would never respect him again. “No. He’s not my type. No offense intended.”

Liu Qingge remains still for a moment, before he plucks the fan from Luo Binghe’s hand and shoves it toward Shen Qingqiu. “Keep track of your fans! There are two in my home!”

Ladies and gentlemen, Shen Qingqiu, a man being berated in public about his chronic tendency to forget things like an unruly child. “Why should I care when Shidi is always so eager to bring them back to me?”

Liu Qingge flushes in anger.

Shen Qingqiu gives himself a point.

_______________

Things were light-hearted before.

Now, Luo Binghe is serious.

Not only did Shen Qingqiu refuse his advance, but he implied Luo Binghe himself wasn’t good enough for him, in front of his whole peak, before ignoring him in favor of flirting with another man, right in his face?

Never has he suffered such humiliation.

He had intended to be kind. To soothe and seduce the man gently until following Luo Binghe to bed would seem like the only logical option.

He bets Shen Qingqiu would have paid him for the privilege, and paid him well, regardless of his disciple’s previous arrangements.

Now, those options are off the table. When Luo Binghe is done with him, pleasure will have robbed Shen Qingqiu of the last of his voice, and yet he’ll still be trying to beg him for more.

He’ll be ruined to anyone that’s not Luo Binghe; unable to live without his touch.

Anything less would be an unsurmountable affront.

Shen Qingqiu better prepares himself. The fight might have been lost, but Luo Binghe will be the one to win the war.

[delicioussshame]

Socialite AU, last part! I finished a thing! Also posted on AO3 now that it’s done.

Shen Yuan had expected that the beginning of the school year would have kept Luo Binghe too busy for them to see each other more than, oh, about once a month, but it doesn’t seem to be the case. Luo Binghe is obviously very smart, so maybe that’s why he can keep up so easily. His studies sure don’t seem to stop him from having Shen Yuan over at least once a week.

Luo Binghe says it’s because he cannot trust Shen Yuan to feed himself properly, something Shen Yuan himself has profusely denied. First, he’s a fully grown adult, he can cook! Second, if he doesn’t feel like it, he can order in, or pay someone to cook for him. There are no issues there! He doesn’t need to be minded.

Not that he minds being minded. Shen Yuan has eaten more than his share of delicious food, and Luo Binghe’s stands above the rest. There are worst things than travelling to Luo Binghe’s apartment and eating a freshly cooked meal.

They don’t talk about novels as much though. This is an area where Luo Binghe had to step back in favor of reading assigned manuals. Shen Yuan has spent more than one evening reading trash by himself while Luo Binghe sat nearby, throwing the occasional question his way as he studied. Not that it seemed like he needed the help.

When does he see his college friends, Shen Yuan has no idea. Luo Binghe always waves away any concern of his on this matter. Seriously, Shen Yuan is a bit worried. Does he not fit in? It seems impossible that someone as charming, not to mention as affluent, as him would be ostracised. Even Shen Yuan had managed to gather a small group of friends during his college years. Luo Binghe must have done the same, no?

If he hasn’t, his fellow students are missing out.

In that case, Shen Yuan will take him out it their place. It wouldn’t do for Binghe to be lonely.

Not that that’s likely, considering how popular he is in their circle. As far as his female compatriots are concerned, Luo Binghe is now Beijing’s most eligible bachelor.

It’s a role that suits Luo Binghe’s public persona to a tee. He flutters between ladies as if he were born into in, flirting with one and laughing with another one with an ease Shen Yuan cannot help but envy, considering his own limited contacts with the other sex.

If those interactions often ended with a pretend fight between them, neither of them would complain about it. It was fun. Much better than insulting real people and wondering later if he’d gone too far, if he’d seriously hurt someone whose crime had only been to be born in a shitty family and raised in a similarly shitty fashion. He and Binghe sometimes rehearsed lines late into the night before a party, sentences that were meant to be biting insults turning into uncontrollable laughter.

Everything was going well. Shen Yuan’s reputation was becoming so toxic it had been weeks since the last time one of his fellow socialites had dared to speak to him, which is how Shen Yuan liked it. As for Luo Binghe, he was both admired for standing up to mean Shen Yuan, and pitied for always being the receptor of his ire. Binghe was more than talented enough to use all of it to his advantage.

All in all, everything was going perfectly.

Until now. “Excuse me?” says Shen Yuan with the coldest, most disparaging tone he has managed yet.

Sha Hualing, sadly, doesn’t seem impressed. “You can deny it all you want. It’s obvious. It must drive you crazy, seeing him with us and knowing you’ll never have a chance. He’s so good, too. Made me scream so loud I’m sure the neighbors heard. Not that you’ll ever find out yourself. Keep pulling his pigtails. He knows, he’s just too nice to tell how pathetic you are.”

Shen Yuan cannot convey to Sha Hualing how utterly from left field her theory is, and how completely baffled he is, without breaking his carefully maintained aura of disgusted condescension, but he really wishes he could. “You’re insane. How could I be attracted to… that.” He winces in his head. Too much? There are probably zero people that don’t feel at least a little attracted to Luo Binghe in this room.

But if there was one, it would be him. Luo Binghe is his cute disciple and friend, not his meal ticket. Leave that to Sha Hualing and her posse.

Her answering laugh is haughty. “Not even you believe that. Anyway, I just wanted to rub it in, but now that that’s done, I got better things to do than talking to you, like him. Fuck off.”

He flips her off as she leaves. Not his most elegant moment, but not the most elegant situation.

How the fuck did she get into her sick mind that he was into Luo Binghe. She should have thought they hated each other! That they wanted to tear each other’s throats open, not tear each other’s clothes off!

… Holy fuck their characters have ust, haven’t they? Danmei isn’t his playing field, but some things are universal across gender. There is an undeniable pull to seeing two hot people seeming like they’re two seconds away from punching each other when it also seems like they might be two seconds away from… something else.

It’s the only possible interpretation. They haven’t been careful enough, and now their roles are tainted by bad tropes!

Shen Yuan is going to have to adapt his persona a bit. Let himself run even colder. Less hate, more indifference, maybe? Or maybe he could just leave Luo Binghe alone for a few parties.

It wouldn’t work! It would seem like he chickened out after Sha Hualing confronted him! It would make it appear weak!

Could he make up a girlfriend?

Nah, no one would believe it.

Fuck, he’s going to need Luo Binghe’s help on this one.

_________________

“She what!?”

“Thinks I keep picking fights with you because I’m trying to get your attention and that I’d really like for you to bend me over something, probably.”

Luo Binghe blushes bright red.

Shen Yuan restrains his mirth. Nice to see he’s not the only one terribly embarrassed by the situation!

Yes, pinching those red cheeks would only make things worse, but he’s still very tempted.

Shen Yuan soldiers on. “Binghe shouldn’t worry about things too much. His reputation is safe. Considering how well he gets on with the fairer sex,” and yes, now Shen Yuan knows way more than he ever wanted to know about Sha Hualing’s sex life, but that’s life,” no one will doubt him. If he has no idea, I’ll think of something. It’s not his problem.”

“Shizun’s problems are my problems! He wouldn’t be in this situation if it wasn’t for me!”

Aww, Binghe, why is your indignation so cute!” Don’t blame yourself. We both agreed to the plan. It’s no one’s fault.”

Luo Binghe looks down, obviously still embarrassed. “I really have no idea where she got that. Shizun never appears to be attracted to me.”

“Who knows how Sha Hualing thinks. She probably watches too much porn.” He wouldn’t be surprised, considering how low-class she acted.

A second later, he catches his mistake. If Luo Binghe is… seeing her, he shouldn’t be that mean to her in his presence. “Sorry for insulting your… friend.” He doesn’t think they’re officially dating? Sha Hualing would never shut up about it, and anyway Luo Binghe wouldn’t have as much time for Shen Yuan if he was serious about someone. It’s probably just hormones raging.

Luo Binghe shakes his head. “Shizun shouldn’t apologise! She’s the one who was this rude! Implying Shizun doesn’t know how to court someone, or that he’d need such a ridiculous approach when a few words would be enough for him to have anyone! What a stupid woman.”

It’s Shen Yuan’s turn to be embarrassed. Luo Binghe is pushing the hero worship a little too far here. He’s got way more experience in that department than Shen Yuan will ever get, probably. “Well, if you don’t like her, maybe choose someone better as a partner? You could have anyone. I know it’s none of my business, and I guess she’s attractive, but really, so are many others who don’t share her… fiery temperament.”

If he were honest, he’d just tell Binghe he deserves better.

Much, much better. Didn’t he see her chatting with Liu Mingyan the other day? Now that’s a woman worthy of his Binghe, almost his equal in all fields.

Not that he needs to find someone just yet. He should take his time, and find someone he likes.

Luo Binghe snorts. “I would never choose her.”

Shen Yuan blinks. “Didn’t you?”

Luo Binghe looks wounded. “Why would you think that? I would never be with someone this cruel to Shizun!”

“But she said… oh.” Shen Yuan is an idiot. Why, why did he, even for a second, believe what that snake said? “Binghe must let me apologise. I’ve been stupid and have believed her when she said you and her were… involved.”

“Shizun mustn’t believe her! She lies!”

Shen Yuan pats Luo Binghe’s back gently. “I don’t! I don’t. She lied. I don’t believe her anymore. Of course Binghe has better tastes than this. I should have known.”

Luo Binghe raises his chin. “I do. I have the best tastes.”

Shen Yuan lets a smile appears on his face. “You do. After all, you have chosen me to guide you.”

Luo Binghe nods with almost comical vigour. “Yes!”

So! Cute! Shen Yuan wants to give him a hug!

He won’t, because he’s the dignified older friend.

Who reads bad online novels, but let’s not linger on that. “So, what do we do about her imagination? Because she cannot keep a secret to save her life, so I expect people will talk about it the next time we attend the same event.”

“…Does Shizun want… a girlfriend?”

What does that have to do with anything. “If I meet the right person, sure. Why?”

“Does it matter what they think? They never cared about Shizun to begin with. Who cares if they think he’s attracted to me. It doesn’t change a thing.”

Well, yes, but. “It makes me look pretty pathetic. It’s not exactly a fun reputation to have.”

“What does?”

“That I want someone and the best thing I can do about it is insulting them? It does make me look like a kindergartener.”

An unholy light appears in Luo Binghe’s eyes. “So what if that wasn’t the best thing you had done?”

“I’m sorry?”

“Shizun feels pathetic because he doesn’t like the idea that people think he wants someone and he doesn’t know how to get them, right? But what if he did?”

Shen Yuan is very confused right now. “Binghe?”

“We knew each other before that first party, right? So I let them know that. We could be bitter exes!”

Shen Yuan looks at him, completely frozen. “Binghe, no.” That is 100% a terrible idea.

“Why not? It would explain everything! Why we’re so mean to each other while I’m nice to everyone else, why you’re worst to me, and why there’s tension between us!”

There is no tension between them! They’re playing characters! “People would think you’re gay!”

“I’ve been flirting with women all the time. People would think I’m bi.”

“You’ve just told me you haven’t been dating! What if they think you’re hung up on me, who, by the way, is a man!”

“Is it that bad? I wouldn’t mind. Shizun is someone I would certainly be hung on if he had left me.”

“So I’m the one who left you now? That makes even less sense! Why would someone like me leave someone like you! Of course Binghe is the one who left!”

“If I were dating Shizun, I would never leave him! He has to be the one who left me!”

Shen Yuan rubs his temples. He knew the conversation wouldn’t be simple, but it has reached unprecedented levels of nonsense. “Let’s forget who left who. We’re not doing that. Binghe would ruin his reputation to only slightly better mine. That makes no sense.”

Luo Binghe pouts. “It would have worked. I would have made a very good ex-boyfriend.”

Shen Yuan pats his back again. “I’m sure you would have. I, on the other hand, would probably have been terrible at it.”

“Why?”

“How could I have pretended to not only have dated Binghe, but to have separated from him? No one would believe it. My talents aren’t up to the task. I can’t make myself look like a plausible boyfriend to Binghe.”

Luo Binghe sighs. “That’s stupid. Shizun might as well have been my boyfriend lately.”

Shen Yuan feels a headache coming. He can barely follow the logic of this conversation. “Binghe, I don’t understand.”

“Shen Yuan spends most of his evenings with me. I cook for him. He takes me out. We’ve been writing to each other for months. He’s been carefully curating my reading lists for most of those months. He has plenty of reasons why I would be dating him.”

Okay, let’s just ignore most of that. “Nothing you listed has anything to do with the character we play for those society functions? High society Shen Yuan probably only reads classic literature, when he’s not working his high-power job and, I don’t know, checking stocks or playing the guqin. Nothing appealing there. How would we have even met?”

“Via work? Maybe you had a meeting with some executive of my father. Considering my reputation, we probably just had sex and ended up dating later on.”

Shen Yuan tries to imagine being the kind of person who would see Luo Binghe and think he could just hit that.

Impossible. Does not compute. “Look, I’m just going to ignore it. It’s always worked before. We probably shouldn’t change it.”

“But things always staying the same is bad! They must evolve!”

Shen Yuan shrugs. “Not necessarily. My life has mostly remained the same since I’ve graduated, and it’s perfectly fine.”

Luo Binghe flinches like a kicked puppy. “Is my arrival so unimportant to Shizun?”

Fuck. “No! That’s not what I meant! I mostly meant my romantic life!” Not really, he meant his life his general, but it is quite insulting to Binghe to imply he had no impact on his life, not to mention just an outright lie.

“That, too, should change.”

“It sure won’t if everyone thinks I’m gay.”

Under Luo Binghe’s breath, barely audible to Shen Yuan, “It’s not exactly an impediment.” Then, louder. “Let’s tell them the truth, then.”

Shen Yuan instantly panics. “Binghe, they can’t know the truth, it’ll fuck everythin-“

And that’s when Luo Binghe’s tongue finds its way into Shen Yuan’s mouth.

Shen Yuan’s mind freezes completely.

Luo Binghe keeps on kissing him.

Shen Yuan’s mind keeps trying to reboot.

Luo Binghe pushes back and sighs. “Does Shizun understand now?”

Nope. “…We can’t be exes if we’re kissing?”

“Forget the exes. Let’s just tell them we’re having sex. That’ll be the true part. We’ll just tell them it’s hate sex. I’ll tell them you’re just that good and I can’t resist you. That way, you won’t be pathetic, right?”

Shen Yuan’s slowly rebooting mind cannot decide if the “reputation for being gay” part would outweigh the “reputation for having seduced Luo Binghe” part.

Wait. “We’re having sex?”

Luo Binghe falters. “If you want to? Because I want to. A lot. But we’re pretty much dating and Shen Yuan didn’t seem to realise, so I thought maybe he’s not attracted to me, but you keep acting like I’m the best thing that ever happened to you when really, the reverse is true, and can we date already? Please?”

Shen Yuan opens his mouth.

Shen Yuan closes his mouth.

Shen Yuan tries to understand that, apparently, Luo Binghe has been trying to date him? Him? Luo Binghe? And him? As a couple? That is a thing that is apparently on the table?

Wait, Shen Yuan actually is a person who could have looked and Luo Binghe and have hit that!?

Woah.

“I…”

Luo Binghe’s eyes grow even wider as he waits for Shen Yuan’s response.

As if Shen Yuan ever had the capacity to tell Binghe no.

As if he ever wanted to. “Okay. Let’s try it.”

A second later, he gets an armful of overenthusiastic Binghe trying to choke him with too much tongue.

“But we’re not playing bitter exes.” Shen Yuan really has no belief in his ability to pretend he left Luo Binghe.

That he had him and is devastated he doesn’t anymore, sure. But that he’d manage to be cruel to Luo Binghe about it? There’s no way.

“That’s fine. I like the one with the hate sex much better anyway.”

To be honest, so does Shen Yuan.

_________________

Shen Yuan positions himself in such a way that he can track Luo Binghe’s movements across the room without looking like he’s doing more than reading on his phone.

He can tell from Sha Hualing’s particularly vicious grin that she’s about to deliver what she considers to be a crippling blow to his reputation.

He thrills when the expression melts, replaced by horror as Luo Binghe’s face turn sheepish. He can almost hear his embarrassed tone as he admits to the moral failing that is sleeping with Shen Yuan, universal pariah.

He can distinctly hear the cries of dismay and what he knows are roars of utter jealousy.

None of it shows on his face, but Shen Yuan grins.

[delicioussshame]

Here is the Luo Binghe route for the prostitution AU.

I don’t know how obvious that was, but Shen Jiu stumbling on Yue Qingyuan and Shen Yuan was an accident. Let’s say he was visiting his own favourite brothel. The thing is, that’s not what he told his disciples, and Luo Binghe and a few others came to the city with him. Luo Binghe might have been curious about his Shizun’s whereabouts, so he was following him from afar, and while he didn’t get the details, he got enough to guess that the man both Shizun and Yue Qingyuan followed into that brothel had to be a prostitute.

For everyone’s peace of mind, let’s agree Binghe is at least in his late teens. Also for the sake of my peace of mind, Shen Jiu is a bit nicer in this, because I’m not getting him killed after I got him laid. So Luo Binghe is supposed to be a stallion protagonist, so hormones are raging, and even if Shen Jiu isn’t Shen Yuan I guess Luo Binghe would still think he’s Fine. So when he sees a Shizun lookalike good enough for Yue Qingyuan, one that he could just… pay and get over with his attraction to Shizun, he’s very, very tempted. So he puts some money aside, gathers his courage and visits Shen Yuan’s brothel.

The moment he sets foot in the place everything that can fuck is after him, because hello, Luo Binghe here. But Binghe knows what he wants and asks for Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan doesn’t get why a man as overwhelmingly attractive as Luo Binghe has to pay a prostitute to have sex when he could ask out any married woman and no one would blame them for cheating, but Luo Binghe knows what he wants, and any attempt at sending him off toward someone more age-appropriate, because Shen Yuan feels like a cradle robber (despite not being that old) are firmly rejected, so he figures he might as well enjoy it. Cue giving Luo Binghe the time of his life. That doesn’t stop him from being Shen Yuan, so weak to Binghe and giving him advice and worrying about everything being fine. Luo Binghe is kind of charmed and has had a very good night, and figures he’ll come again when he can. Which he does. Often.

Shen Yuan gets a bit worried that Luo Binghe is wasting his money and not eating right and not serious enough about his cultivation since he’s so young and pure. Anyone could take advantage of him! He sees Binghe as his cute horny puppy.

Obviously Luo Binghe falls for Shen Yuan, because duh, he’s Luo Binghe.

And that continues until Luo Binghe falls into the Abyss.

Shen Yuan gets worried enough after not having seen Binghe around that he gets around to writing a Very Formal Letter to Yue Qingyuan, whom he hasn’t seen since the man had very gently let him known he wouldn’t return to his brothel because Xiao Jiu disapproved (while looking overjoyed), asking about the wellbeing of one of his disciples. He gets a Very Formal Letter back telling him that Binghe died.

Shen Yuan mourns for real. He also gets very, very sick of being a prostitute, but hey, he has a contract so he’s stuck there.

The first thing Binghe does when he returns to the human realm is show up at the brothel with an obscene amount of gold, looking to buy off Shen Yuan’s contract. The Madam tries to argue. Luo Binghe puts even more gold on the front desk and tells him he’ll pay as much as necessary, but he’s not leaving without Shen Yuan. This point is accompanied by demonic qi so strong everyone in the brothel can feel it and Xin Mo oozing malevolence, so the Madam shuts the fuck up, takes the gold and has someone fetch Shen Yuan. Who is very into slightly older and much richer/stronger Binghe spiriting him away, thanks. He has no issues at all with Luo Binghe setting him up in his palace and keeping him buried under luxury and love, none at all.

At some point in the future, Luo Binghe has to visit the sect for some reason or another and decides to bring Shen Yuan just because. Yue Qingyuan chokes when he sees who Luo Binghe’s spouse is. Shen Jiu isn’t a fan either.

Shen Yuan might possibly still be a little bitter about how the whole thing turned out, so he waits for the right moment and calls Yue Qingyuan Qi-ge right in front of Shen Jiu. Who breaks his fan in rage while Yue Qingyuan sweats all the water off his body, because Shen Jiu knew Shen Yuan looked like him, but he didn’t know how much Yue Qingyuan shared about him or that he basically had him roleplay him.

Shen Yuan is having the time of his life creating chaos.

Shen Jiu is pissed as hell and turns his hostility toward Shen Yuan for half a second before Binghe, who has no idea what happened, radiates demonic qi strongly enough that disciples run away in fright, and tell Shen Jiu that even if he is his Shizun, if he touches one hair of Shen Yuan’s head he’s dead. And he means it. Shen Jiu sneers but he retreats because he knows he has no chance of beating him, and Yue Qingyuan is way too mortified to do anything.

Shen Yuan is very happy because out of all of them, he’s the one who got the better deal.

The End.

And now, a fic about Luo Binghe’s return.

“Shen Yuan! Shen Yuan! Go downstairs now! The madam needs you.”

Shen Yuan blinks at the shaken serving girl. “I would rather not.” Whatever is causing the waves of unease that are disturbing everyone, he wants nothing to do with.

The girl seems close to tears. “You have to! He looks nice, but I bet he’ll kill her if you don’t.”

Shen Yuan definitely doesn’t want to go down now. Why would he go meet a murderer. He will regret the madam dying a lot less than losing his own life. “Who is “he”?”

She starts crying. “I don’t know! But he wants to buy your contract! Why did you get involved with someone so dangerous!”

Someone who wants to buy his contract? A few names come to mind, but none stick. The only person with both the means and the will to do so hasn’t stopped by in years. Not to mention Yue Qingyuan isn’t the kind of man that would kill for him. “I have no idea who it could be. Are you sure he asked for me? It must be some mistake.” He isn’t dumb. While some of the courtesans here court disaster by entertaining thieves and killers, Shen Yuan always favored scholars and public servants, much less prone to turning against him.

“There’s no mistake! He asked for you by name!” The serving girl pulls at his sleeve with force.  

This tiny slip of a girl could never hope to bring him anywhere he doesn’t want to go, but he has to admit to himself that if the man is that insistent, he will come to get him himself if Shen Yuan doesn’t come down, and that would make deescalating this situation that much harder. “Fine. Stop pulling, you’ll rip the fabric. I’ll come along.” Shen Yuan puts on his most placid mask and follows the girl to the front desk.

Where a very, very attractive man is waiting. For a moment, Shen Yuan is too blinded by the man’s sheer physical perfection to realise who he is. The next moment, he’s convinced he has gone insane. Dead men do not return from the grave.

And yet, there’s no mistaking that flawless visage. “…Binghe?”

His voice wavers against his will.  

Luo Binghe turns toward him, polite smile fading into true happiness. “Shen Yuan!”

For a moment, Shen Yuan thinks Luo Binghe will jump on him and take him here and now, for anyone to see, considering how hungry for him he looks.  

But Luo Binghe controls himself. “I came here to buy off your contract. Is that something you’re amenable to?”

…What? Why? What is happening? A mere disciple could never hope to buy off his contract. Then again, from the luxury of the robes he’s wearing, he probably isn’t just a disciple anymore. “Your sect master told me you were dead.” Important matters must be addressed first. Shen Yuan won’t be bought by a ghost, thank you.

“He was wrong. I had… family obligations to deal with, but now that they are dealt with, I returned to free you. Afterward, Shen Yuan can do whatever he wants.” His voice lowers and trembles a little. “He doesn’t have to come with me, if he would prefer not to. All I ask is that he doesn’t remain here. Shen Yuan is so talented, there are many things he could do if he chose to. Whatever path he wants to walk, this Luo Binghe will happily support, if Shen Yuan would let him.”

Shen Yuan stands frozen where he is. Not only Luo Binghe is back, he’s offering to free him? Why? Shen Yuan doesn’t understand anything.

This is unbecoming. “If you would follow me to my room? There are many things I would like to ask.”

“Yes!” Luo Binghe follows him almost too eagerly.  

The moment the door closes behind them, Luo Binghe traps him into an embrace too strong to be escaped from. “Shen Yuan! Shen Yuan! It really is you! I missed you so much.”

All anxiety he might have held melts into nothing. Ah, this is still his cute Binghe, too innocent for this place and yet refusing to let it corrupt him.  

He goes to return the embrace, but before he can, Luo Binghe pushes him away gently, leaving him destabilised.  

“I pray Shen Yuan forgive my presumptuousness. It had been years. He might not even remember me.”

Shen Yuan rolls his eyes. “Did I not call your name as soon as I saw you? Of course I remember you. I would like to know what happened to you, though.” From up close, Luo Binghe looks like the son of a rich nobleman, or maybe even a prince. Everything he wears screams wealth. He is startlingly out of place in Shen Yuan’s small and proper room. “Is Luo Binghe the scion of some rich family? Or did he marry a princess?”  

“I would never! The only want I would share my life with is you!”

Shen Yuan blinks at this declaration as Luo Binghe blushes. “Shen Yuan must forgive me again. I didn’t intend to be so blunt, but since it has been said, Shen Yuan must know only his memory keep me sane during those years. I would love nothing more than repay him for what he has done for me. All the wealth and power I control are his to command, if he wants to. But, as I said before, if he would rather try his fortune by himself, I will wish him well and let him go. I just don’t want Shen Yuan to have to share his bed with people he doesn’t desire. Even if it is how we met, he deserves better.”  

Shen Yuan notices Luo Binghe’s eyes are full of tears. He mindlessly uses his sleeve to wipe them off, a gesture familiar to them both. Luo Binghe has always been easily overwhelmed.  

The proposition is very appealing. Shen Yuan wants nothing more than be freed of this place. And since it is obvious that buying him wouldn’t even set him back… “Luo Binghe really wants to use his money to free this old man? Doesn’t he have better things to use it for?”

But Luo Binghe isn’t looking at him anymore. Through the open door to his bedroom, his eyes have caught the little altar with incense still smoking. “Shen Yuan, is this, can I dare ask if…”

Shen Yuan blushes. How ridiculous this seems now. Luo Binghe isn’t dead. He needs no offering. “Yes. I thought you were dead, and you told me you had no family, so I got into the habit of preparing offerings for you in case no one else would and just… never stopped. You can laugh at this sentimental fool, if you want.”

Luo Binghe kisses him, wet and hot and messy, hands tangling into his hair and keeping him there. “Let me take you to my home. Let me treat you the way you deserve to be treated. You will never lack for anything, I promise. If you don’t want to share my bed, that’s fine, but please, let me keep you by my side.”

His little Binghe is no liar. Shen Yuan could always read the truth of him on his face, on his body, in his every gesture. He knows too much of Luo Binghe to be scared of him, or to doubt him.  

Also, Shen Yuan has eyes. Who but the blinds would not want to share this man’s bed? It’s a good thing Luo Binghe put an end to the kiss, because if he hadn’t, they might not have left today. “If, for some reason, Binghe has taken a fancy to this old whore, I would love nothing more than accompany him away from here and into his bed, if he wants me to.”

“Shen Yuan!” Luo Binghe kisses him so more, and this time, Shen Yuan kisses back, allowing himself for the first time to accept just how much he missed this dear little client of his.  

“Is there anything Shen Yuan wants to bring along?”  

Shen Yuan looks at the garish robes, the maquillage and the fans he held on to for whatever reasons. “No. But I should bring some clothes. I have little money to buy new robes.”

“Shen Yuan doesn’t have to worry. From now on, only the finest silk will adorn his body. If he doesn’t like his current robes, he can leave them here.” His own eyes travel over the room, before they falter. “I just, if Shen Yuan agrees, I would like to take the altar back? He won’t have to look at it if it brings back bad memories. I will keep it in my room, as proof of his affection.”

The blush returns to Shen Yuan’s face. He will never stop feeling stupid for tending to an altar for a living man.  

Still. If it made Luo Binghe happy, it was less useless than it seems. “Luo Binghe can have it, of course.”

Luo Binghe seems ecstatic. “Thank you!” He extends his hand to Shen Yuan. “Well then, if Shen Yuan would come with me?”

Resolved, Shen Yuan takes his hand.

It’s so big now, strong and firm. Luo Binghe can easily hold all of Shen Yuan’s hand in his.  

It only brings him reassurance.  

His fingers curl around Luo Binghe’s, and his heart warms when they curl back.

He knows they won’t let go.

[delicioussshame]

I promised myself that when I had finished the FFVII remake, I would write this. Total crack. Based on the original to limit spoilers.

Ning Yingying stands strong against Shen Qingqiu’s disapproval. “Liu-shimei is risking her future for this mission. How could this Ning Yingying do anything less?”

“I won’t let my disciple put herself in such a dangerous position. Do you know what will happen to you if he chooses you? I can’t allow it.”

“It will happen to Liu-shimei if we don’t support her.”

Shen Qingqiu is going to cry. Liu Mingyan, why are you this headstrong? Why inherit this of all things from your brother? We had other leads! There was no need for you to try and infiltrate Luo Binghe’s mansion that way! Now Shen Qingqiu has to come fetch you, and one cultivator and his disciple cannot face the might of the ruler of the underworld by themselves! “We can return to the sect and get reinforcement.”

“Shizun must forgive me, but he knows that by the time we return, it will be too late! Luo Binghe will have chosen Shimei as his newest bride! How could he not?”

How could he not indeed. Who could when faced with Liu Mingyan, veil removed and face painted with floral gold? Of course he will pick her, and she will be swiped away wherever Luo Binghe’s latest wives are, surely after having been deflowered.

Liu Qingge will kill him if Luo Binghe becomes his brother-in-law while his sister is under his watch.

Still, he can’t allow Ning Yingying to enter by herself. “Ning Yingying is usually aware of her limitations. What are you going to do when you’re with Luo Binghe? How are you going to save her from him? Even after having passed most of his underlings, he is more than you can handle.”

She falters, but only for a moment. “Shimei will support me.”

“Liu Mingyan is indeed an accomplished cultivator for her age, but she hasn’t reached the level of mastery necessary to defeat Luo Binghe. The two of you stand no chance.”

…From the way Ning Yingying lights up, Shen Qingqiu already knows he will hate whatever she just came up with. “Does Shizun trust me?”

Shen Qingqiu looks at his favorite disciple’s determined look and sighs. “What have you thought of?” He doesn’t let himself be fooled by her innocent appearance anymore. He has learnt his lessons. Ning Yingying grew up, and left behind her playful affectation for a surprising amount of cunning, when it suits her.

“It’s a secret, but I’m certain it will work! Shizun, have faith in this Ning Yingying!”

…He’s going to regret this, but as he doesn’t know how to save Liu Mingyan from her terrible fate at the hands of Luo Binghe, he has no choice but to submit. “Fine. This master will place his trust in you.”

Her smile is blinding.

Shen Qingqiu’s stomach drops.

____________________

After some very doubtful medicine deliveries, a visit to the kind of institution he wishes Ning Yingying didn’t know existed and a physical challenge that a cultivator of his rank shouldn’t have abased himself to, Shen Qingqiu finds himself in the company of a surprisingly eager tailor and with no dignity left. “Ning Yingying, no.”

The effects of Ning Yingying’s pleading eyes are only stronger when paired with the provocatively red dress she has decided to put on. “Shizun, you must! For Liu-shimei’s sake!”

That almost motivates him to reach for the clothing. Almost. “I can’t.”

“Liu-shimei will never tell! I won’t either! I will make sure Shizun is so beautiful no one will recognise him! Please!”

Shen Qingqiu has never, not even once, wanted to be “so beautiful no one will recognise him”. “Ning Yingying, haven’t I have been a decent teacher to you and your fellow disciples? What have I done to deserve this?”

 Ning Yingying withers like a fading lily. “Nothing. Shizun has always been good to this disciple. If he’s so against this, I will go by myself.”

Fuck, he can’t let Ning Yingying try to sell herself to Luo Binghe either, and now it’s too late to back down. “…Ning Yingying promises she won’t tell a soul?”

She perks up immediately. “I swear it on my life!”

“Fine. Do what you must.”

And that’s how Shen Qingqiu found himself struggling to stay calm as the strange tailor and Ning Yingying cajole him into putting on a ridiculous purple dress with pink bows, a wig, what seems like endless amount of makeup and perfume on top of it all.

He is going to burst in flame from the humiliation. Will they even manage to pass the gate to Luo Binghe’s mansion? Surely the guards aren’t stupid enough to believe their master would be interested in the mockery of femininity he’s masquerading at? “Ning Yingying, this will never work.”

“Nonsense! Shizun is stunning! Hasn’t he noticed the approving glances he’s been getting?”

“From drunks who wouldn’t recognise their own mother, surely.”

Her pretty makeup is distorted by a frown. Shen Qingqiu now feels guilt pool at the bottom of his stomach. All their effort can’t be wasted because he upset his disciple. “Of course not. Even Luo Binghe will be moved by Shizun’s elegance! Maybe you will be chosen to become his newest bride.”

Shen Qingqiu snorts. The fact that there’s no chance of that happening is the only upside to this whole affair.

____________________

Luo Binghe must have holes for eyes. Liu Mingyan was right there! Who would choose an old crossdresser over the world’s most famous beauty! They would have suited each other! Shen Qingqiu will only look more ridiculous by his side. And what right had someone as sleazy as Luo Binghe to be this attractive! Of course he holds auditions for the role of his wife! How else is he supposed to proceed?

He really needs to get better guards though. If they let Shen Qingqiu pass through when all the nearby women must throw themselves at him, they are fundamentally lacking.

…Wait, is that a bedroom!? Are they going into Luo Binghe’s bedroom!?! What is he supposed to do! He never even entertained the idea he would find himself in this position! Luo Binghe was supposed to choose Liu Mingyan and leave, after which he and Ning Yingying would have defeated the few guards keeping them captive without alerting the rest and swooped in to rescue Liu Mingyan before her purity was endangered. But if he’s here, with Luo Binghe, will his sect’s disciples manage to overwhelm their opponents without his help?

“You don’t have to be this tense. I know how to take care of my partner.”

That is not why Shen Qingqiu is tense, thank you!

…Well, it also kind of is. Should he fake wanting this? Should he just push his sword from his infinite spatial storage sleeve and try to run him through with it? Luo Binghe has been a thorn on all righteous cultivators’ sides since forever. If Shen Qingqiu took care of him here, it might make this whole mess worth it.

But it wouldn’t give them the information they came here for in the first place.

…Maybe if he went along with him just a little bit, he could get it out of Luo Binghe with minimal damage.

He still slaps his hand away when Luo Binghe touches him.

Not that it deters him. “Playing hard to get, I see. Well, that’s also fine.”

Before he knows it, his arms are trapped over his head by Luo Binghe’s powerful grip, Luo Binghe himself kneeling over him.

Shen Qingqiu’s pulse is racing and his blood is beating in his ears as Luo Binghe’s now unimpeded hand slides down his side and up his back to try and undo the dress’s buttons.

His face is getting closer. Is he going to kiss Shen Qingqiu? Is he really going to let this happen? He can’t, he mustn’t, he…

The door to the bedroom slams open. “SHIZUN! SHIMEI IS SAFE! ARE YOU… Shizun?”

Shen Qingqiu looks at Ning Yingying’s astonished expression and Liu Mingyan’s… incomprehensible stare.

Ning Yingying stares at her shizun being straddled by a known enemy, apparently without opposition.

Liu Mingyan is planning her new book. It’s going to feature a famously austere master of cultivation selling himself into sexual slavery to a gangster to save his disciple. It’s going to be her masterpiece, she just knows it.

Luo Binghe is wondering if he’s being offered a foursome. He could roll with it.

Sadly, the swords his rejected brides are welding are probably not a sexy roleplay prop.

The way his latest acquisition pushes him off to rejoin the interlopers only gives more credence to this conclusion.

“Shizun? Are you all right?”

“Don’t worry about me. Liu Mingyan is fine? Nothing has happened to her?” Please be fine or your brother really will kill me dead.

She nods.

“Good. Let’s go.” And he starts for the door.

“Shizun, the information! Let’s ask him? You, you better answer our question or, or we’ll rip it off!”

Luo Binghe stares at them, unimpressed. “I don’t think so.” What a waste. He didn’t even get to enjoy his new “bride”.

Too bad.

Before they have time to regroup, he presses a button, and the ground opens below them.

As he’s falling, Shen Qingqiu can’t help but hope this will be the last time he will have to meet Luo Binghe.

(The feeling isn’t exactly reciprocated.)

[delicioussshame]

I’ve spent so much time in the last month opening the second part of the MoShen thing and staring I decided fuck it, I’m writing part three, maybe it will help. Try getting Shen Qingqiu and Mobei-Jun to talk about sex without intermediaries and see how you like it.

Anyway, all you need to know for part three is that they’ve been fucking long enough to be comfortable around each other.

Now, Shang Qinghua’s pov.

That noise wasn’t Mobei-Jun. The voice was too loud and too high to come from his king.  

Shang Qinghua should have expected this would happen sooner or later. He wrote Mobei-Jun after all. He was also a demon king, like Bing-ge. Men like them have needs and many admirers more than willing to fulfill them. Of course his king isn’t celibate. Just because Shang Qinghua had never bothered to include love interests for him doesn’t mean he has none.  

And if that voice was male, well, Shang Qinghua should have expected that too, considering what happened to his stallion protagonist. Obviously Cucumber-bro fucked everyone up by messing with the story.  

The part of him with no sense of self-preservation, that part Shang Qinghua tried so hard to kill, that part really wonders what’s Mobei-Jun’s type. His king always looks so blank, it’s impossible to know what he likes. What kind of man managed to get through Mobei-Jun’s reserve? Shang Qinghua doesn’t have much presence, especially compared to all the demons roaming around. He can probably open the door to his king’s quarters silently enough not to be heard considering they’re not exactly paying attention.  

The first thing he notices is Mobei-Jun's back, because hello, that is a nice back. Shang Qinghua wants to run his tongue all over those muscles, now would be good.  

The second thing he notices are the white, delicate fingers digging into the meat of Mobei-Jun's shoulders and the slim, just as fair legs framing his hips. Huh. Shang Qinghua would have figured that if Mobei-Jun took a man to bed, he would still be a fighter, someone able to stand his own against him. Those hands belong to a musician or a scholar, maybe. Closer to his than Mobei-Jun's underlings’, without talons or claws or anything but normal, well-trimmed nails.  

The rest of the person is hidden behind Mobei-Jun's obviously bigger body. That’s too bad. It’s not helping Shang Qinghua finding out what his king is into.  

He should really go, shouldn’t he? What he’s doing is wrong, and Mobei-Jun will kill him if he catches him staring like a creeper.  

It’s just really, really hard to stop looking at Mobei-Jun as he keeps thrusting into the person half sitting on his desk, fuck. Shang Qinghua gave reports while Mobei-Jun was sitting at that desk! Hell, he’d sat there once! Now all he’s going to be able to think about when he sees it is how hot it would be to get fucked on it, shit! And that ass! That ass is fiiiine. He likes to think they’re past the stage of their relationship where Mobei-Jun would kill him if he got too close, but he still believes he would get brutally murdered if he tried to slap that ass, no matter how no one sane could resist that kind of temptation. And he still hasn’t seen who he’s giving it too! Just a glimpse at his face would be enough! He could find out who it is from that. He’s good at gathering info, and maybe it’s a named character.  

Before he can convince himself to stop being a worse pervert than Cucumber-bro thinks he is just because he had to write porn to survive, Mobei-Jun crunches slightly to… he’s picking him up! Obviously Mobei-Jun can just pick him some guy and carry him around. He could probably fuck like that without even straining himself.  

Shank Qinghua rues the day he decided to write all his fantasies into one character.  

The move is going to change the angle, so maybe he sees the guy’s face… after he makes sure they can’t see him. There’ll be no point if Mobei-Jun assassinates him.  

Long black hair… Also pretty standard, not much to help identify hi…

His heart sinks into his chest. That can’t… It totally is Cucumber-bro being fucked mindless by Mobei-Jun. Fuck.  

Fuck.

He needs to get out of here now.

______________

He’s been on his peak for two weeks and he still feels like shit. His mind just can’t accept what he saw. If he hadn’t seen him himself, he would have never believed it.

How did they even fall in love? It’s not like Shen Qingqiu has an unfulfilled demon kink. He had Luo Binghe for fuck’s sake! The protagonist! Arguably the hottest man in this whole universe, who is completely crazy for him! He didn’t have to take Mobei-Jun too!

But that must be what happened. Mobei-Jun is loyal to Luo Binghe. He wouldn’t sleep with his beloved husband out of lust, and honestly neither would Shen Qingqiu. If they’re having an affair while Bing-ge is away, they must really care for each other.

Shen Qingqiu and Mobei-Jun.  

Yeah, that happened. Shang Qinghua can’t live in denial forever. He’s just gonna have to deal with the fact that Shen Qingqiu is the demonic ideal and he barely exists for them. He’s not anywhere near as attractive as them all anyway. He should have known he had no chance from the beginning.  

And if that hurts, that’s just Shang Qinghua’s life. He’s the writer. He’s supposed to be outside of the story anyway. And nothing nice ever happened to the original Shang Qinghua, so why would it change for him?  

So he’s just going to have to swallow down the hurt and deal with it.  

Just not yet.  

______________

It takes all he has not to freak out when Mobei-Jun wakes him up one morning. “My king! What are you doing here?” He hasn’t stopped by An Ding Peak to get him in years.

He hadn’t needed to. Shang Qinghua spent most of his time at his or Bing-ge’s castles now.  

He had just needed a break. Everyone needs a break from time to time, okay? Nothing wrong with that.  

As long as you’re not Mobei-Jun, apparently. “You haven’t given me reports in weeks.”

Shang Qinghua can’t meet his king’s eyes. “Apologies, my king. Urgent business kept me on my peak.”  

Mobei-Jun doesn’t have to say a word for Shang Qinghua to understand that he couldn’t care less about his “urgent business.” Great, now he’s feeling guilty for skipping on his duties on top of it all. Great.  

“What’s wrong?”

Shang Qinghua flinches and blinks in astonishment. Did his king just ask him… He raises his head instinctively to look at him, meets his eyes for a second, has a very vivid flash of the last time he saw him and looks down again. “There’s nothing wrong, my king,” he says, trying to control the shaking of his hands.  

“…You’re coming back.” Not a question. Shit.

“Tomorrow, so that I can wrap things up before leaving.”

Mobei-Jun frowns, but allows it.

Shang Qinghua falls face first in his bed the moment he leaves.  

His life is terrible.

______________

“You look terrible.”

Shang Qinghua is going to slap Shen Qingqiu. Watch him. “I’ve been busy.” Why is he even here? Doesn’t he have better things to do, like Mobei-Jun?

“With what.”

“Things on An Ding. There’s always something to take care of.”

Shen Qingqiu shrugs. “There’s nothing especially important going on at the sect right now. Your disciples are used to you being away.”

The last thing he needs right now is being interrogated by Shen Qingqiu. “Why do you care?”

Shen Qingqiu blinks in surprise. “Can’t I visit? I haven’t heard from you in weeks.”

Because that’s how Shang Qinghua had liked it, thanks. I know what you sound like when you’re getting fucked now! Right now I’m half embarrassed, half jealous as hell and half terrified for all our lives when Luo Binghe finds out you’re cheating on him!

He has to calm down. And, shit, he’s going to have to talk about this, because he’s not kidding about lives being endangered here. If this is what he wants, Shen Qingqiu is going to have to do this properly and tell Bing-ge before he decides only Mobei-Jun’s blood will suffice to soothe his anger. “That’s because I didn’t want to talk to you. You fucked up, Bro.”

Shen Qingqiu obviously wasn’t expecting it. Does he think he covered his tracks too well? When Shang Qinghua just walked on them? “What are you even talking about?”

“Before I left, I went to see Mobei-Jun, and he wasn’t alone.”

Damn it, Shen Qingqiu isn’t catching on. “Who was he with?”

Why is he so blind? And does he manage to catch everyone while being this obvious? “Do you really need me to spell it out?”

“Yes.”

“You.”  

“...And?”

Seriously? “You two were busy, if you know what I mean, and Bro, if you have issues with Luo Binghe don’t drag my king into it! Do you realise your husband is going to kill your lover when he finds out! Are you really so stupid you thought he would never? I just walked in on you both! It could have been anyone!” He slaps the table for good measure, making the tea cups rattle. Better than Shen Qingqiu’s face. If he had done that, he’d have two demon kings after his blood. Hurrah.

Shen Qingqiu stares at him, his face completely blanched for a few minutes, before it becomes so red Shang Qinghua fears he’s cooking from the inside. “That... wasn’t what you’re thinking.”

“Bro, please, I saw plenty. Do you need me to give you details? Because I can. You two were fucking, no mistaking it.”

Shen Qingqiu is hiding behind his fan, but he can’t hide his embarrassment like that. “Well, yes, but...” and the rest of the sentence is inaudible.

“What?”

“It was Binghe’s idea! Which makes it yours, since you’re the one that gave him all those weird kinks! What's wrong with you! What’s the childhood trauma you were projecting there! Couldn’t you have remained a lurker instead of getting delusions of grandeur and writing the world’s shittiest online novel! I hate you so much.”

Okay, so, what? It was Luo Binghe’s idea?

Luo Binghe’s idea!? “Bro, what the fuck? Luo Binghe doesn’t strike me as the sharing type.”  

“Yes, well, that’s the problem, isn’t it.”  

They’re talking about this, are they? Never mind, Shang Qinghua wants to know what happened to his characters, and what kind of plotline is that? “Tell me.”

Even his ears are red. “That’s really not your business.”

Cucumber-bro might have tried to deflect by getting angry at him, but they’ve known each other long enough that he can tell he’s still really, really embarrassed. Too bad. He made his life shit for weeks, causing him to worry he’d have a funeral to attend, he can get over himself for a couple minutes. “Ìt kind of is. As of this moment, it would be the responsible thing for me to go tell Luo Binghe what happened, since he’s everyone’s lord and everything. Who knows how he would react?”

“Don’t do it! He might murder you if he knows you saw me... like that.” Shang Qinghua can almost see the steam coming out of his ears.  

“Then explain.”

“It’s not logical. It’s... weird.”

“That’s nothing new. Bing-ge is never logical when it comes to you. And you’re the one fucking Mobei-Jun, not him.”

Cucumber-bro takes a deep breath. “Luo Binghe is scared I’m going to cheat on him when he’s away, so he... arranged someone to make sure it doesn’t happen.”  

Shang Qinghua’s jaw falls. That really makes no sense. “Bro, he must know you wouldn’t do that.”

“It’s not really that, it’s more like... He doesn’t want me to be lonely and tempted. I told you it wasn’t logical.”

Okay. He can kind of see Bing-ge worrying his husband was alone and sad while he wasn’t with him, but to the point of whoring out his king? “You were right, that’s some kink he’s got.” No one as obsessed as Luo Binghe lets his lover sleep with other people if they don’t get off on it.  

Wait. “Does he watch? Does he participate!? Are you having threesomes with my king!!?”

Cucumber-bro is now crimson, and the lack of denial leaves Shang Qinghua even more jealous than he was a week ago. Shen Qingqiu really overtook all of the wives’ sex lives, did he? When does he sleep? How does he walk!? Does he exude pheromones irresistible to demons? Is all of Luo Binghe’s entourage just waiting for their chance to hit that?  

Talking about his entourage. “Is this common knowledge? Because you’re very bad at hiding it considering I just walked on you.”

“Of course not! Think of Luo Binghe’s reputation!”

“Then hide better!”

Shen Qingqiu snorts, regaining some composure. “You’re an idiot.”

Excuse me? “I’m an idiot? Me? You’re the one who gets fucked on a desk and doesn’t even lock the door!”

Composure: exploded. Shang Qinghua gives himself a point. “Not anyone could have walked in!”

“Yes they could have! I did!”

Shen Qingqiu looks exasperated. “Mobei-Jun’s quarters are shielded and guarded against intruders. You’re just one of the very few people that’s allowed to waltz in.”

That’s right. He always just showed up whenever he felt like it and no one ever said a thing. He just thought he was too insignificant to stop. If Mobei-Jun didn’t want him there, he’d let it known. “Oh.”

“Yes, oh.”

“...Bro, can you tell him I know?”

Something passes over Shen Qingqiu’s face. “No. Tell him yourself.”

“Bro! He’s gonna kill me! Forget it, he doesn’t need to know. I’ll just pretend it never happened and walk really loudly when I stop by.”

Shen Qingqiu grabs his shoulders to make him stand still. “Airplane-bro, tell him.”

He whines. “Why?”

Shen Qingqiu is getting impatient. “Do it.” Or else being very much implied.  

Since Shen Qingqiu’s “or else” carries a lot of weight even before he starts throwing his husband’s and his lover’s weight around, Shang Qinghua knows he’s been left no choice. “Fine. Whatever.” He can tell Mobei-Jun he saw him fucking Shen Qingqiu. That’s nothing. Mobei-Jun doesn’t have an embarrassed bone in his body. He’ll probably just be a little bit disgusted, that’s all.  

No problem.