#street rat sj and lbh

[yoyowrites]

AU where sj studied at the cang qiong sect but doesn't become a peak lord. he instead becomes a traveling cultivator because he gets to feel talented amongst the average person and he gets to feel morally superior by solving small (comparetively) issues that most big clans would ignore. his luck is still not great so he gains a reputation for being a bit of a drunk and womanizer (he still visists brothels commonly)

he comes across a young lbh in his travels and has such mixed feelings. on one hand pity: lbh is clearly being taken advantage of by other village people (especially the family his mother worked for) and the kid was too sweet or too stupid to say no. on the other hand he's jealous. lbh is happy. he doesn't have much but he does have a mother who is always on his side.

eventually, lbh's mother dies and sj is as conflicted as ever. he plans to let the boy fend for himself when he overhears other cultivators talk about taking in lbh. sj impulsively decides that he cannot let that happen an decides to adopt (kidnap) lbh before he can be taken by the cultivators.

it wasn't hard to get lbh to follow him and the two basically go around as master and disciple for years. sj struggles between being protectve of lbh, being jealous og lbh (bc he still has the protagonist halo so lbh is still smart and strong), and feeling guilty (bc if it weren't for him lbh would probably be one of the strongest cultivators). lbh is happy to be there. while lbh isn't abused, he still sometimes has to walk on eggshells bc sj can flip flop between being sweet and cold. still, he loves being with sj

[coffeesleep-ooc]

I wish we had more than that one extra that talked about LBH’s experience with SQQ growing up. Like I understand why more of the book doesn’t reference the more casual end of white lotus era…but…I would’ve loved to see it refrenced more…actually nvm I think I would’ve gotten creeped out if done the way I’ve seen some people write it

Omg, thanks for sharing your thoughts 👀👀👀

I thirst everyday for what could have been 😔🙏

Honestly though, one of the few things that disappointed me in sv was the lack of disciple days shenanigans! It would have made the story x3 longer and it’s true that the contrast of a happy white lotus LBH and the consequent betrayal and miscommunications would have taken a hit but!!!! -insert whining dog noises-

i need it!!!

actually i thought that even that kind of content could have been played of as nostalgic and even heartbreaking in the right way, especially if it’s LBH reminiscing, but I also doubt he would avoid those kinds of thoughts a little bit bc he doesn’t want to question SQQ and his love ig? Maybe he is scared that if LBH demands answers SQQ will suddenly decide he doesn’t love him anymore and leave…LBH couldn’t take that

idk, that is my theory but i agree it would have been nice to have more of that content? Maybe crammed in before the IAC? But again, that would have made the novel longer -sighs-

Idk why you would have been creeped out? So im wondering! I mean…i’ve read a lot of fics including smol bunhe, from the horny simping LBH ones, passing through the ambiguous pining-LBH nothing is wrong here-SY and even the platonic end where LBH does have feelings but SY is snagged by someone else (imnot crying you are crying) and i believe that all takes are interesting even if a couple ones are a bit questionable…fiction wise

i do think that LBH growing up would slowly go from ‘Shizun is my god and my role model’ to ‘Shizun is my most silly man who i want to wife up and squeeze as soon as possible but he is still so good and peerless and im a bit potato but if he thinks me pleasing to look at I’ll maybe have a chance if I’m super explicit with my intentions…maybe’. And i think that process has a lot of potential??? Bc like, he puts SQQ in a literal pedestal at first but I imagine that living with the man makes LBH realize that SQQ is a human being with likes and dislikes, with a thin face and silly behavior underneath, who shows LBH more kindness and humanity than anyone else, and this is interesting bc other ppl did it before and after him, but LBH is stuck on him??? Also, we see sv from SY!SQQ’s pov, but again, LBH has suffered and known some of the darkness of the world before meeting SY, i believe his method of protecting himself is either to act cute and be super nice, even manipulative about it, while SJ’s was to be a prickly man with the ‘i hurt them first so they can’t hurt me later’ method, and this is why they are conflictive, different protection methods and different levels of blackening. When LBH realizes there’s nothing for him to cling to in a place, he will go silent like a shadow and endure until he can do something about it, if there’s something about SJ and LBH is about their parallels being breathtaking in the ‘im trying not to cry’ way and both endure and endure beyond their breaking point until something happens. SY transmigrated just in time to show LBH that the place he lived in still had some salvation, that the person that hated him and punished him still was capable of humanity!!! We don’t know what LBH thinks of SQQ changing like that, if he believes SQQ lost his memories or smth, but what he concerns himself with is basking in the light he thought was lost, and this makes him a naive character…he hasn’t lost his experience, he knows still what is to be scorned, alone in the world, treated like a street rat, but hopes that his current situation stays like this forever (except he starts getting greedier for SQQ’s love and affection in other ways)

i digress, LBH starts falling for SQQ bc the man shows him humanity underneath the kindness, later on he will be Shizun’s favorite (the dream for him, truly) but first SQQ shows him that he can make mistakes (skinner incident) and that he can be incredibly stupidly selfless (without a cure poisoning) and finally that he is a silly man, with a kind soul and with a lot of dignity and self-assurance despite his obliviousness of lots of things

On that note…idk why i’ve seen a lot of ppl saying that LBH would have fallen for the first person that showed him kindness? Like yes usually kindness is the base for love and interest, but as i see it, LBH didn’t fall for SQQ right away but gradually, not even knowing it himself until it was a tender devotion he couldn’t even try to suppress. LBH didn’t fall for NYY in sv? And she was kind to him, not helpful at all, but kind and human and flawed, but SQQ was such a bright light, such an imposing and beautiful being to him that he couldn’t feel anything for anyone else! Novel-canon LBH is just too obsessed with Shizun, and even PIDW LBG wanted to take him back with him, i mean…

And even if he did fall for someone kind and human like SY, that’s how life works, and i think that if a character deviates from his original narrative and manages to stay in character then it means it’s well built!

LBH is a very good character in my opinion and BingQiu is a very interesting dynamic full with nuances and hysterics (hehe), i do love reading about white lotus bunhe and i could only imagine what SQQ felt like when he thought that the person LBH was before the conference was dead TAT

and this is getting long hahaha sorry, hope some of my rambling is pleasing and answers your comment at least a bit! Thanks for asking(commenting? Talking to me?) <3

[demoniqt]

Carry the Moon in Your Hands

Summary:

Shen Jiu was exhausted.

He was sick and tired of being constantly used and abused by the men in his life.

So he left that life behind and Jiu-er was born.

In the meantime, Luo Binghe experiences a little bit of kindness and never forgets it.

Warning: Mention of Non-con acts, angst, violence, child abuse.

Pairing: SJ/OC, SJ/LBH, Hint of SJ/ZZL

Shen Jiu was exhausted.

He was sick and tired of being constantly used and abused by the men in his life.

Qiu Jianlou. Wu Yanzi. Even Yue Qi, who promised to save him but only took him to Cang Qiong to assuage his own sense of guilt.

And now, his own Shizun. Who claimed to be testing his resilience and inner strength by making him sleep in the woodshed, by whipping him like Qiu Jianlou used to, by making him...

Shen Jiu firmly shut that thought out, swinging the rod down hard to beat the water out of the laundry he was washing. His fingers were trembling from the cold river water but he ignored it.

It wasn't as if he was a virgin, he told himself. Or a woman.

He wasn't saving himself for marriage, wasn't even marriage material nor was he anything special...

He was just a street rat struggling to survive.

All he wanted was to live. Was that really too much to ask...?

"Hey, if you're done with that. Do this one too!"

Another basket of laundry was dumped upon his head before he could look up and Shen Jiu gritted his teeth as his seniors laughed at him. They threw the wicker basket at his head just to add salt to the injury and snickered as they left.

Those noble brats would never know how good they had it.

And all Shen Jiu wanted was just a scrap of what they had. Just a rope to pull himself up from the flooding well.

Just to live.

He wiped his face with his cold, wet hands, surreptitiously wiping his tears away and hoping that the autumn coolness would shock him out of his misery.

It didn't work.

That night, he managed to drag his exhausted feet down the mountain after... servicing his master.

He needed sleep. And he couldn't get that in the shed, so he had to get the only solace he could from the kindly brothel ladies, who usually allowed him to bunker down in their kitchen, warmed by the constant fire in the furnace and safe in the presence of the women.

But he couldn't even step in there before Liu Qingge found him talking to one of the prostitutes and dragging him back up the mountain.

He was punished by his Shizun the next day for leaving the mountain without permission.

It would be days before he could walk without the limp.

The worst thing, the absolute worst, even worse than Liu Qingge's self-righteous speech and Qi Qingqi's barbed comments, was Yue Qingyuan's disappointed looks and absolute lack of trust in him.

"Xiao Jiu should not be disobedient," the oathbreaker said, "nor should he go to...to that place anymore."

That place. He didn't even have the courtesy of calling it a brothel. As if he was ashamed to even say that word. As it it was below him to even use that word. As if prostitutes are below him now.

(If he allowed himself to think it, Shen Jiu didn't think he was any different from them. After all, he traded sexual favours for many things. Including the rights to stay in Cang Qiong.)

Things only got worse when his Shizun started dangling the position of the head disciple in front of him.

Shen Jiu couldn't deny it. He wanted it. He wanted the position. To be elevated above the position he'd tried so hard to discard. He wanted it bad enough that when his Shizun told him to get to his knees to show his devotion to his master, he did.

Then the next day, his Shizun paraded and praised another student with noble blood while staring at Shen Jiu and proclaiming the noble brat to be a possible fitting heir for the position of the future Peak Lord.

It was then that Shen Jiu knew that his life would continue to be this way for a long time.

Forever groveling for favour. Forever below someone's boots. Forever be looked down upon for something beyond his control; his lowly birth, his pretty face, his late cultivation, his- his everything.

Even though it wasn't in Shen Jiu's nature to just give up, even though it's only been a few years since he entered Cang Qiong, even though he'd worked so hard to catch up with the other disciples, surpassing even the senior disciples...

Shen Jiu was tired.

He felt as if he'd lived countless lives, all equally miserable and soul-gutting.

He was exhausted. Resigned.

He felt... ready to give up.

So it really wasn't a surprise (not to him, at least) that when he was given the chance to leave, he took it.

***

It was during a secret visit to the brothel jiejie.

He'd been beyond frazzled. He'd not been able to sleep well for weeks, months, he'd lost count. His workload had double, if not tripled, because his Shizun wanted to 'test' his mettle (again). His chores still remained the same (with the seniors piling theirs on him).

And Yue Qi- Yue Qingyuan still constantly hounded him for his forgiveness or attention or whatever it was he wanted. The coward never outright admitted what he really wanted and Shen Jiu found that talking to him was futile. That man was forever blind to his suffering, always so tied up with his own feelings.

He couldn't take it anymore. He felt as if he was at the end of his rope and if he made even the slightest mistake in his precarious balancing act, he would qi deviate once more. And this time, it wouldn't be something he could ever recover from.

So, at the dead of the night, he'd slipped out of Qing Jing, made his way down Tian Gong mountain and into the brothel's backdoor.

When he laid eyes on the chef, Gao-jie, who opened the kitchen door when he knocked desperately at it, he burst into tears. The plump lady was momentarily confused by his breakdown but her maternal instincts kicked in and she bundled him up warmly in some blankets and deposited him in front of the furnace. Then she handed him a warm bowl of soup, thick with crab meat, egg and meat. It must have been a leftover from some rich patron's visit.

"Stay here for the night, dear," she said, patting his hands. "And eat as much as you can. You need it."

Shen Jiu sipped at the hearty meal, filling his empty stomach for the first time that day. The warm soup sat heavy in his tummy but it was still better than all the greasy food that the patrons always seemed to prefer.

The chef gave him another bowl and insisted he finished the second bowl. With his belly full, he slept on the floor of the kitchen, finally at peace after months of being hounded by the various men in his sect.

"If you are so miserable, you should just leave," Cheng Qi, the Madam of the Warm Red Pavilion told him the next morning when he woke up.

Shen Jiu looked at her blearily, sipping at another bowl of soup, this time, a simple chicken broth with small pieces of meat in it.

"And go where?" he croaked, his voice thick with sleep. He'd had the best sleep the last few hours than for the past few months.

"Anywhere would be better than that place, don't you agree?" Cheng Qi groused, making a vague gesture with her smoking pipe in the general direction of Tian Gong Mountain.

"You're already a cultivator and you're so intelligent, I'm sure you can figure out the rest on your own," she continued. "If you want, I can hook you up with temporary accommodations in another town."

Shen Jiu said nothing, finishing his breakfast before leaving to return to the sect that didn't want him.

Somehow, even though he was not caught when he returned early that morning, his Shizun still found out about his little excursion.

Shen Jiu had to wash the blood off his pants without letting anyone knowing. There were already numerous malicious rumours about him, sparked by the seniors jealous of his intelligent and that brute Liu Qingge. He truly didn't need more, especially if it concerned his Shizun's unnatural interest in him.

As he watched his blood drift off with the river water, he wondered when it would all end.

***

"Qi-Ge."

Yue Qingyuan looked at him, eyes hopeful at the long-abandoned title.

"Xiao Jiu?" he called, walking towards the Qing Jing disciple. "What is it? How can Qi-Ge help you?"

"..."

"Xiao Jiu?" Yue Qingyuan asked tentatively, reaching out to Shen Jiu who flinched. "What's wrong?"

"...Why didn't you come for me?"

Yue Qingyuan fell silent, just looked at Shen Jiu as if the question hurt him. The guilt and shame in his face just made the bottom of Shen Jiu's stomach drop.

Again.

Again, he would not get his answer.

"I'm sorry, Xiao Jiu."

He would never get his answer.

"Never mind," Shen Jiu said, turning away. His eyes were dry, likely because he was already depleted of his tears.

"Xiao Jiu?"

Stop calling me that! he wanted to shout at Yue Qingyuan. HE calls me that! And I hate it! I hate it! You don't deserve to call me that! You left me there to suffer!

You left me!

But he didn't say a word.

Instead, Shen Jiu left.

He left Qiong Ding Peak. Left Cang Qiong. Left Tian Gong Mountain.

***

Jiu-er strummed the pipa as the Vermilion Lotus Teahouse opened their doors for the night. The evening was still early but there were already some patrons waiting to enter the establishment.

The teahouse wasn't a brothel, more like an entertainment hall for the rich and prominent. Or also known as the fools that were subceptible to parting with their gold for a pretty face and prettier words. They may think that they were higher class just because they cultivated a sophisticated front, but all the courtesans knew that given the chance to wet their dick in any of them, they would immediately pounce on the opportunity.

But the courtesans of the Vermilion Lotus were different. They only slept, if they so choose to, with those they cultivate a favourable relationship with. Any unruly patrons were immediately removed from the premises with a permanent ban. They were the highest paying, most desirable courtesans in the region, if not the country. So it was not a surprise that just the first meeting alone, where only words and tea were exchanged with a separating screen between them, costs potential patrons several hundreds of gold.

Jiu-er was a well-known courtesan, reknown for his elegant beauty, his tea ceremonies, his intelligence, his story telling and poetries. Even scholars and poets come from the capital to meet him, frequently claiming him as their muse for their new creations.

He'd never slept with any of them, nor did he sleep with any of his patrons. But still, they returned because of his companionship, his listening ear and commonly, his advices. One of his best patron was a General who won many battles due to Jiu-er's prudent strategies.

In return, he received many gifts, monetary means, luxurious robes, delicious food and delicacies. Not to mention the news from the outside world.

The Vermillion Lotus was situated in an area well cultivated with gorgeous gardens and scenic river landscapes decorated with delicate lanterns and swaying weeping willows. It looked like a dream of a floating world, designed to give the patrons an illusion of a surreal, ethereal world, away from the hustle and bustle of the everyday mundane life outside.

It made life easier for Jiu-er to believe that he was safe and disconnected away from the outside world.

It wasn't like this in the beginning.

Twenty years ago, Shen Jiu had originally set out to become a wandering cultivator, determined to cultivate on his own with the manual that his Shizun had given him when he first arrived at Qing Jing Peak.

But it didn't take very long before he was tracked down by an annoyingly persistent Bai Zhan Peak disciple.

After he'd been dragged back by Liu Qingge, his master had flogged him and had the senior disciples throw basins of cold water on him while he kneeled for three days and three nights. It was mid winter then and his cultivation hadn't been good enough to ward of the hypothermia.

It was months before he recovered enough to get off his bed.

It didn't help that his Master didn't let go of any opportunity to abuse him further.

It only stopped when he retaliated and injured the Qing Jing Peak Lord enough to warrant a visit to Qian Cao. For the both of them.

Shen Jiu had taken great pleasure in seeing his 'Master' writhing on the ground clutching his crotch while he spat out the blood in his mouth. He could hardly see from one eye from being beaten for days by his seniors and his Master, but he could still relish the sight of the man's suffering.

He hoped the damage was permanent.

While the Qian Cao Peak Lord saw to the injured Qing Jing Peak Lord, the Sect Leader finally intervened, and Shen Jiu, bruised and horribly battered by then, appealed for permission to leave.

Yue Qingyuan, who didn't know jack shit because none of the Peak Lords were willing to let slip any whisper of this scandalous event, had been terribly upset and disappointed by his decision.

He'd begged him to stay, not knowing how much Shen Jiu had suffered in the scholar's peak and would continue to suffer if he had stayed. All Yue Qingyuan knew was that he had to make Xiao Jiu stay so that he could make it up to him. So that he could assuage his guilt.

Shen Jiu didn't even say anything to him. Just glared at him wearily with swollen, bruised eyes before turning around to return to Qing Jing Peak to pack up his measly possessions.

He was done catering to men who kept fucking him over.

The only silver lining to this whole debacle was the hefty compensation that the Qiong Ding Peak Lord gave him before he left. Likely to keep his mouth shut about the things that had been done to him.

Shen Jiu had sneered at him but took the money anyway.

He might be trash in the eyes of the so-called righteous cultivators, but he wasn't stupid.

After all, if even a hint of this got out, Cang Qiong's reputation would be completely ruined.

The sect leader didn't need to worry though. Shen Jiu did not plan to let anything about this slip out. If Cang Qiong's reputation was affected, then Yue Qingyuan too would suffer the consequences.

And Shen Jiu was anything but a snitch.

***

Life in the Vermilion Lotus was calm and predictable.

Some might call it boring but for Jiu-er, whose early life had been filled with strife and difficulties, he preferred this immensely to the uncertainty of street life.

After leaving Cang Qiong, he'd once again embrace the life of a wandering cultivator but found little work that didn't involve coming into contact with cultivators from other sects. The more paying jobs could only be found in bigger towns or cities and those were usually snatched up by the sects.

It wasn't long before the young man ended up at a brothel. The sects tended to neglect the pleas for help from the... less desirable, so they didn't extend any assistance in slaying a skinner demon who had been plaguing the brothel workers.

Shen Jiu had gone there to help them when he heard that three girls had been found dead with their skin flayed. Almost immediately, he'd figured out who and what the culprit was and slayed the beast before the transformed creature could even serve him the poisoned tea.

The madam of the brothel had been so grateful for his help that she offered him money she clearly couldn't afford but he'd only charged her for food and board for his services. After learning of his circumstances as a wandering cultivator, she'd obliged.

She'd even sent a prostitute in to service him but he refused her advances, only asking for her to play the qin for him while he slept.

But alas, the girl was quite poor at playing the qin so he'd ended up spending the night teaching her how to play. By morning, she played so well that the madam was impressed by her improvement. Then the madam practically begged for him to stay longer to teach her other girls.

And he did.

Shen Jiu stayed for months, teaching the girls how to play the qin, calligraphy, tea ceremony and poetry.

He'd done so well that he gained notoriety as a teacher amongst the courtesans.

From there, he would visit brothels and teahouses to teach the four arts to the courtesans while also doing whatever night hunts he could. It wouldn't do for him to lose his edge completely.

It was only when he arrived at the Vermilion Lotus Teahouse, the place that was well-known for being the hub for all the important men in the country to go to, that he was asked to stay as a permanent employee.

The General had been the first patron who asked for him after watching him perform one night. The proprietress spent nearly an hour convincing Shen Jiu to attend to the man, promising him that the General would never touch him. He only came to unwind with his uncle, a ruler of some distant land, while enjoying the performances and wine. He had never touched any of the courtesans before, even with their permission.

And so, Shen Jiu warily attended to the General, who indeed, did not touch him. Instead, the General maintained a respectable distance from him, just watching him with golden eyes that clearly indicated demonic heritage.

At first, Shen Jiu was on guard against his demonic patron but as time went by, the General never did anything aside from watching him as he performed with his qin or pipa.

Shen Jiu was glad. The General might have paid a large sum for his attention but if he'd touched him, Shen Jiu would have gutted him without hesitation.

Then the visits became regular, almost weekly. Still, as months and years passed, the General never touched him, just watched him from a distance with large, almost snake-like eyes.

And Shen Jiu gradually decided that if the General wanted a little more... he was alright with that.

But the moment he decided that, the General did not return.

Two weeks. Then three. Then a month. Then a year.

Then Shen Jiu came to the realisation that once again, he'd been left behind and forgotten.

Abandoned once more.

***

Once he started seeing the General as his patron, Jiu-er did not take long to gain fame as a sought-after courtesan for the high-ranking officials. His beauty, his silver-tongue, intelligence and musical talents made him a very desirable companion.

Even if his patrons were never granted permission to touch him, it didn't seem to matter to them. In fact, the further he kept them at a distance, the more they seemed to desire his companionship.

Jiu-er was like a dream to them, the perfect companion. It didn't matter that they couldn't touch him. As long as he deemed to look at them while they spoke and drank, it was enough for his patrons.

So given his desirability, it wasn't a surprise to anyone that Jiu-er became the top ranking courtesan of the Vermilion Lotus in no time at all.

His cultivation had stalled by then but it was enough for him to retain his youth for a very long time.

He'd come to the conclusion that he was content were he was. He had food in his belly, a roof over his head, books to read (even imported ones from foreign countries with languages he couldn't understand, given by his rich merchant patrons), luxurious clothes to wear and money to spend whenever and wherever he wanted.

He was not indentured, nor was he bullied or mistreated where he was. And honestly, it didn't matter to him if he never became an immortal or ascend. As it was, he would live a very long time, retaining his youth and beauty at the same time.

He was content with that, with just never having to suffer under the hands of others ever again.

***

With his presence at the Vermilion Lotus, the establishment's reputation improved further.

Their dancers, which Jiu-er trained himself, were always hired to perform in high profile festivals and formal events. Their musicians were called the best in the country. Their poetries get published by legitimate publishing houses.

All in all, Jiu-er was not surprised to be commissioned to perform for the inauguration of the new Emperor. It was just a hassle to travel so far, but it was inadvisable to decline a royal invitation.

Furthermore, it was good for the teahouse's reputation if one of their highest ranking courtesan performed for such an influential figure.

So with that in mind, Jiu-er packed up his best robes and travelled to the newly renovated palace.

When he arrived, he was treated like the most special guest. Attended upon by a contingent of servants, served with the best food and housed in the most luxurious accommodation.

It made him wonder why.

He'd heard that the new Emperor was a half demon, a lost progeny of the Demon Lord Tianlang-jun, who was sealed many years ago. But he did not know the name of the new Emperor as everyone called him Junshang.

It was only on the third night after his arrival to the palace that he met the Emperor.

***

On nights of heavy rain, there were predictably less patrons.

On those nights, Jiu-er would lean against the window sill and enjoy the cool breeze on his face while disregarding the quiet bustle of the teahouse downstairs.

It was on one such night that he saw him.

Jiu-er did not have a patron coming that hour so he had taken his time to idle at the window, watching the people run around on the streets down below as the rain poured down on their umbrellas or unprotected heads.

Jiu-er's eyes darted to a corner of the street, where a young boy was trudging through the rain in the alleyway.

He didn't seem to be in a rush to get home where a warm blanket would be welcomed, nor did he seemed bothered by the rain, only looking defeated and resigned. His shoulders were slumped and his messy hair was all over the place.

The boy looked like a completely drenched street rat.

Jiu-er watched him for a while as the boy dug into some garbage, evidently looking for food.

Then Jiu-er turned back to his room, eyes unseeing as he recollected doing the same years ago when he was but a child.

He hesitated for a moment before turning back to the window.

"Hey, you," Jiu-er called out the window, but the rain was so heavy the boy couldn't hear him.

"You! Hey!" he tried again, louder.

This time, the boy looked up. His hair was so messy it was practically hooded his eyes.

"Come here," Jiu-er gestured. Then he pointed to the side of the building. "Take the side door."

The boy hesitated but did as he was told when Jiu-er gestured again.

By the time the side door opened, the boy was already sitting huddled beside it, looking hopeful but afraid, as if he was fearful that someone would come out to abuse him. He'd probably experienced that before. Not every teahouse or brothel was kind to street children.

"Come in," the cook said gruffly, moving to the side to make way for the filthy child. "Don't touch anything."

The boy, still hunched small, mumbled something and quickly darted into the warm kitchen. He hoped that they would be kind enough to just spare him a piece of bread but it seemed the kindly proprietress was willing to lend him some warmth from the autumn chill.

"You're lucky," the cook said, holding up a dry towel for him to take before pointing to the direction of the latrine. "Jiu-er appealed for the madam to let you stay the night. You can use the side latrine to wash up. Then you can have supper."

The boy bowed and groveled, tears of gratitude flowing down his cheeks.

"Quickly," shooed the cook. "I have no time to cater to you. Wash and dry up. There'll be a bowl of soup for you here."

The boy did as he was told. Washing away days of grime and tears. There was nothing he could do about his dirty robes but at least his face and hands were clean now.

When he returned to the kitchen, there was a bowl of chicken soup and a small bowl of rice topped with an egg waiting for him. Eyes watering from the sight, the boy picked up the chopsticks with shaky hands and dug into the warm rice. Ever since his mother died, he hadn't had a proper meal. This was the first and best meal he'd had in a while.

After he finished his food, he picked up his bowls and took them to the basin where other bowls, plates and cutlery were soaking. He took the initiative to start washing the dirty dishes without being prompted.

When the cook returned, she nodded in approval at his hard work. Then she rewarded him with a piece candy and a warm bun for his efforts after he finished.

"Unfortunately, I don't need extra workers in the kitchen right now," the cook told him, but not without kindness. It was disappointing to hear this but the boy knew he couldn't continue to take advantage of the cook's kindness.

"Thank you anyway, aunty. For letting me stay here," he said to her, looking up at her with gratitude.

"You should thank Jiu-er. If it wasn't for him, you'd still be in the streets," said the cook. "Go to sleep. Tomorrow, I'll have breakfast for you and then you'd have to leave."

"Yes, aunty," he said obediently, settling down near the furnace.

He slept so well that night that he dreamt of his mother and the blissful life that they once had.

***

The boy continued appearing around the corner of the streets, looking for food and maybe some sympathy from the teahouse occupant again.

Jiu-er tried to ignore it and he succeeded for a few days. He kept reminding himself that the Vermilion Lotus wasn't a charity, nor was it an orphanage.

But seeing the boy rummaging around in the garbage basket for food just reminded him of the suffering he'd gone through when he was a child slave.

With a sigh, he called upon his attendant to bring the boy in for another meal. But before his attendant could do that, a drunkard stumbled upon the boy.

The sight immediately raised Jiu-er's internal alarm.

The drunkard said something to the flinching boy and grabbed him but the boy kicked him, which only served to make the adult man lose his temper. He smacked the boy so hard that he fell. Then the boy was kicked repeatedly by the man and he laid there quietly and limply on his side, never retaliating no matter how much the drunkard beat and kick him.

Jiu-er had enough and turned away from the window, ignoring the calls of his attendant.

When he arrived at the alley way, the drunkard wasn't there anymore. The boy was still lying on his side, curled up with his hands on his head. He smelled like fresh piss.

Jiu-er felt a jolt of annoyance and anger at the realisation that the boy just let the man piss on him.

"Get up!" he told the boy.

The boy barely moved and Jiu-er snarled.

"Next time, get up and fight!" he scolded the boy's prone form.

"No one's going to come save you. No one will. You have to fight!" he vehemently told the boy. "If you don't fight, they will just keep taking advantage of you!"

The boy moved his hand and just stared at him, eyes dull with fatigue and sadness.

Jiu-er swallowed, his eyes tearing with frustration and anger. He couldn't help but understand the feeling of helplessness and resignation that boy was feeling. He'd once been that way too.

"Get up," he told the boy. "Follow me. I'll get you some food and a place to sleep for the night."

The boy slowly unfolded himself, obviously aching from being beaten. He picked himself up on his own as Jiu-er didn't offer any help.

"You need a bath too," muttered Jiu-er as the boy gingerly stepped towards him. "A warm bath. It'll help with the pain."

"Thank you, gege," the boy whispered.

Jiu-er just sighed, his heart heavy with empathised sadness.

"What's your name?" he asked the boy.

"Luo Binghe," said the boy as he followed the beautiful courtesan into warm, welcoming teahouse.

***

For a time, Luo Binghe was hired by the teahouse to do menial jobs in return for a place to sleep and warm meals, all at the behest of Jiu-er.

As Jiu-er was the teahouse's best earner, the Madam of the teahouse could hardly say no to him. Even when he 'convinced' her to include a small stipend as wages for the boy.

Luo Binghe adored the older man, practically worshipping the ground in which he tread.

For his part, Jiu-er kept him preoccupied with many tasks, which he completed to his best abilities with much enthusiasm. It came to the point that his goofy smile annoyed Jiu-er so much that he begin to assign him reading and writing tasks as well, just to keep him busy.

It turned out, Luo Binghe could pretty much excel anything if he put his mind to it (and if it was Jiu-ge who tasked him with such assignments, he would put his 110% into it!)

Jiu-er found it horrendously annoying.

Even more annoying was the fact that Luo Binghe had vast talent to become a cultivator.

Just a short examination was enough to let Jiu-er know that the boy would become a great cultivator if he had the correct guidance. One that Jiu-er couldn't provide him, knowing that his cultivation teaching wouldn't be complete considering the difference between them. Luo Binghe needed proper guidance from a physical cultivator, not a flawed, spiritual cultivator like him.

So, to get rid of the boy who stared too much at him, he advised the boy to go to a cultivation sect.

"Huanhua?" Luo Binghe enquired and Jiu-er wrinkled his nose at the thought of the Old Master, who he'd once caught staring at him creepily when he was still just a teenager.

"Zhao Hua?"

"Not unless you want to become a monk," replied Jiu-er. Then he sighed. "Cang Qiong, it is. I suppose since the Qing generation are now the peak lords... it should be fine."

At his words, Luo Binghe seemed to hesitate for a while, before seemingly coming to a decision as he squared himself in front of Jiu-er.

"Jiu-ge, when I become a cultivator, I'll come redeem you," Luo Binghe said naively.

"Don't be an idiot," Jiu-er snapped at the boy, "Don't make promises so easily."

Look at Yue Qi. He's a prime example of even the best people can lie and break promises.

Brushing away the boy's protest, he took out a qiankun pouch filled with coins. "And don't get scammed or have your money stolen."

"I don't have money," the boy stated stupidly and as a matter of fact.

"You do now," Jiu-er sniped, jabbing the pouch at Luo Binghe's chest. "Don't use it all at once. Use it only for food and transportation."

"Yes, Jiu-ge," Luo Binghe said wetly, once again crying as tears begin to stream down his cheek. It had finally hit him that he was really leaving. Leaving the only person, other than his mama, who had ever been kind to him.

"I don't want to see you here in the streets again, little beast," Jiu-er said with a glare. "Now go."

"Yes, Jiu-ge," Luo Binghe sniffled again, bowing.

"And if you are not chosen by any of the peaks during the test, don't give up," Jiu-er advised. "Climb up Bai Zhan and fight your way to the top."

"Mn!" Luo Binghe said with a firm nod. "I'll do it even if I'm knock down!"

"Good," Jiu-er said. "And don't let anyone bully you!"

"Yes, Jiu-ge," smiled Luo Binghe.

Then he disappeared from Jiu-er's life.

Just one more person who did so.

***

Luo Binghe did enter Bai Zhan Peak.

Made the climb up, engaged the disciples and even won.

At least, that was what Binghe wrote in his letters.

That silly boy insisted on writing as often as possible, even when he couldn't possibly have the time to write one when he was elected as the head disciple a few years down the road.

If asked, Jiu-er would vehemently deny that he grew to look forward to receiving the letters and if he wrote back constantly, no one would ever know.

Then things came to a head one day when Luo Binghe suddenly stopped writing.

Jiu-er was used to people leaving him behind.

Was used to being forgotten.

But Binghe had written to him about returning for a visit, after years of being away. He'd implied that he'd gotten a leave of absence from his Shizun and was planning to return after the All Immortal Alliance Conference.

Jiu-er had replied with a nonchalant, 'Do whatever you want. Just be sure not to embarrass your peak and me in the All Immortal Alliance Conference'.

Luo Binghe had written back with a happy confirmation to do his best.

And then, there was nothing.

Jiu-er spent days pacing his room, the teahouse and the street in which the teahouse was located in. He was so restless that the madam of the Vermilion Lotus pushed him out of the door with a weimao in hand and told him to go 'check on that boy if you are so worried!'.

He would have denied that he was worried if she didn't slam the door on his face abruptly. Apparently, she'd cancelled all his patrons for the next few days.

So, left with nothing to do, he reluctantly made his way to Cang Qiong, one of the few places he'd promise never to return.

At first, he'd thought to bypass Qiong Ding and head straight to Bai Zhan to demand an answer but that would be rude and against protocol. So he went to the sect leader's assistant and deadnamed himself.

If he didn't, he would have been made to wait for days.

He was right to do so, because he didn't have to wait long at all.

Yue Qingyuan himself came to fetch him, rushing down into the waiting hall like he was being chased by a hellhound.

"Xiao Jiu!" the man called and immediately, Jiu-er's right brow started ticking and the vein at his temple throbbed. But he shoved aside his annoyance and formally saluted the sect leader.

"Yue-zhangmen," he said monotonously and Yue Qingyuan paused, face falling in disappointment. He recovered quickly and returned the salute with a tad of reluctance.

"Shen-sanren(1)," Yue Qingyuan greeted back, before losing an internal fight with himself and saying, "I have not heard much about you for the past few years. I was worried."

Not worried enough to look for him apparently.

If he had put a little more effort in finding him, he would. It wasn't as if it was difficult to find him. He'd even seen Liu Qingge wandering around on the streets down below the Vermilion Lotus Teahouse before.

But of course, neither of them would ever fathom Shen Jiu of being one of the courtesans and not one of the perverted customers that visited such places. He'd seen Liu Qingge hovering around searching the faces of the patrons going in and out of the teahouse.

Several times he'd wondered why that brute was searching for him, but never deigned to venture out to confront the meathead.

In recent years though, Liu Qingge had stopped coming. Perhaps he'd thought that the teahouse was a lost cause and moved on to another venue.

Regardless, it wasn't Jiu-er's business what that lunkhead did, as long as he did not bother Jiu-er with his shenanigans.

"I came to enquire about the wellbeing of one of the disciples," Shen Jiu asked, still keeping a professional front. "His name is Luo Binghe. He's from Bai Zhan."

Yue Qingyuan startled, either by the enquiry or the name.

"Luo Binghe, he- why-," Yue Qingyuan paused. "Who is Luo Binghe in relations to you?"

Slightly annoyed by the questioning, Shen Jiu pressed his lips together before spitting out, "He was my ward. For a short period of time. He stopped writing, so I wanted to know if something happened to him."

"Oh, I didn't know," Yue Qingyuan said with a disappointed look on his face. If he had, he would have enquired the Bai Zhan Peak disciple about Xiao Jiu's whereabouts.

"Where is he?" Shen Jiu prompted, but Yue Qingyuan's face adopted that hatefully guilty expression again.

"Luo Binghe... He... He joined the All Immortal Alliance Conference two months back," Yue Qingyuan said.

"Yes, I know that," Shen Jiu said, with annoyance colouring his voice. "What happened to him there?"

Yue Qingyuan looked away, another sign of avoidance.

"He-," the man said, then paused momentarily before visibly forcing himself to answer, "He fell."

Shen Jiu felt his breath hitch. Luo Binghe- He-

"There was a demon attack," Yue Qingyuan continued, finally. "The rift to the Endless Abyss opened at the same time. And Luo Binghe fell in while fending off a Black Moon Python Rhinoceros to buy time for his martial siblings to escape."

Shen Jiu stared into the distance as the words registered in his brain.

Luo Binghe- Binghe was gone...

That child. The one he'd taken from the alleyway was gone.

The one who'd follow him everywhere with stars in his eyes.

Who had woken up every morning to make his Jiu-ge the best congee ever because he knew Jiu-er couldn't stomach heavy meals when he'd just woken up.

Who had helped comb his hair every evening before the patrons started arriving.

Who Jiu-er himself had sent off to learn to become a cultivator.

Who had promised to come back.

"I knew it," Shen Jiu whispered to himself.

Promises like that... were always meant to be broken.

"I'm sorry," he heard Yue Qingyuan said.

"You're always sorry," Shen Jiu said, before standing up from his chair.

"Xiao Jiu," Yue Qingyuan said desperately, stopping him from leaving.

"What? What do you want now?" Shen Jiu asked with a sneer. Was he not suffering enough? Did Yue Qingyuan want to make another promise to break his already shattered heart?

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not being able to protect you," said Yue Qingyuan. "I didn't know- I didn't know that the previous Qing Jing Peak Lord was- He was hurting you."

The bottom of Shen Jiu's stomach dropped completely as a cold wave swept over him.

"I didn't know... until Shizun- Shizun was about to ascend and he told me that... I think, to wipe clean his conscience," Yue Qingyuan continued.

Shen Jiu was so frozen by the admission that he couldn't move away from Yue Qingyuan as he approached. He only managed to shudder when Yue Qingyuan took his hand and gently squeezed it.

What use was that now? he wanted to ask. What use was it, to know the horrific atrocities that were done upon him?

What use did he have for apologies?

"I'm so sorry, Xiao Ji-"

"You're always sorry," Shen Jiu interrupted. "Your words mean nothing."

Words carry no meaning if there were no intent.

Shen Jiu knew that the best. He was very good with words. Knew how to wield them like a weapon. Knew how they could hurt.

But despite knowing that, he was once again hurt by the words of another.

He left Cang Qiong once more.

This time, he didn't promise himself never to return.

He wouldn't jinx himself like that ever again.

***

The years passed by in a blink of an eye after that. Like a blur, with Jiu-er looking on with an apathy that would have been alarming if he wasn't used to it.

Then, the war between the human world and the demon world started.

He'd known for a while that war was brewing between the borders of the two worlds, but he had never concerned himself with interfering.

After all, he was just a courtesan occasionally moonlighting as a wandering cultivator when a beast or ghoul maundered to close to his town. Furthermore, the oh-so-righteous cultivation sect always made sure to remind him to not interfere with their business whenever he was unfortunate enough to meet them on the rare occasion that he night hunted.

Unsurprisingly, (at least to Jiu-er), the demon lord that they warred against ultimately won.

Jiu-er always knew that their pride would be their downfall.

He would never admit to having an anxiety attack when the news came that Yue Qingyuan battled the demon lord and lost. It only stopped when it was revealed that Yue Qingyuan survived and Cang Qiong as a whole made the decision to surrender when all the other major sects did.

Apparently, Huanhua Palace was the first to do so secretly and had persuaded all the other smaller sects to change their alliance, tipping the scales even more so to the demons.

Cang Qiong had been the last defence and though they fought well, the battle was lost when their sect leader went down with severe injuries.

(Jiu-er sent the millenium ginseng that he'd gotten as a gift from the general all those years ago to Cang Qiong with specific instructions to be used for Yue Qingyuan.

He didn't bother leaving the name of the sender.)

***

During the war, business became slow in the Vermilion Lotus Teahouse, since most of the nobles and military personnels had to join the war efforts.

Fortunately for them, by that point, the teahouse had prospered enough that they could survive for some time feeding the many mouths in the establishments. However, they had to close many of the unnecessary parts of the building, like the largest entertainment hall.

For his part, Jiu-er could survive through inedia and he contributed to the teahouse by sewing and weaving cloths.

In wars, there was always a demand for cloths. Especially for bandages and funeral shrouds.

It didn't take long for the rest of the teahouse to pick up the skill from Jiu-er and the rest of the girls pulled their weight in ensuring the survival of their home.

After the war ended, the Vermilion Lotus Teahouse reopened to greet a myriad of customers, both humans and demons.

The first time a demonic patron became unruly, Jiu-er showed him why the Vermilion Lotus Teahouse was well-known for being a safe place, for both the courtesans and the other patrons.

The patron, despite claiming to be powerful and part of the nobility, never dared to show his (severely broken) face again.

(And the demons that had witnessed it all doubled their efforts to gain Jiu-er's attention and favour. After all, such a desirable mate would be worth the endeavour.)

***

Almost immediately after the war, the self-proclaimed Emperor announced that he had conquered the two worlds to remove the barriers between them and to encourage and sanction the unions of humans and demons.

He claimed that he wanted to give these unions what his parents could not get from their own kind.

Hearing that news, Jiu-er thought that the new Emperor was both foolish and kind.

It was an idealistic point of view and Jiu-er doubted that it would work.

Of course, that was before he knew who the new Emperor was.

Breaking common protocol, no announcement was made before the Emperor strode into his rooms rudely that night after his performance.

During the performance, the Emperor sat alone on his throne, with no empress nor consort, nor the multitude of concubines that the conquered states had reportedly offered him. Jiu-er had been too far to see the Emperor's face properly then, so this was the first time he had an upclose look at the man hailed to be the most handsome in the world.

It took an embarassingly long while for him to recognise the chiseled face and grown-up features.

"Luo... Binghe..?"

The New Emperor of the Three Worlds grinned at him unabashedly.

"Jiu-ge, I came back to fulfill my promise."

*

*

The End.

Notes:

(1) a title for wandering cultivators. YQY calls him this because he still doesn't know that SJ has become a courtesan.

What happened to Liu Qingge? He died in Lingxi Caves. He died before he found the courage to walk in thru the door of the teahouse to see Shen Jiu again.

What happened to Cang Qiong after LBH conquered the human world? Nothing. LBH wasn't focused on them so he left them be to lick their own wounds.

Huanhua Palace? That was the first place that LBH infiltrated after returning from the Endless Abyss. He found out hints about his parentage after a slip of the tongue from the OPM and went investigating. He did not like what he found out and decided to gut the entire sect from the inside. Gongyi Xiao was appointed as the new Palace Master after LBH exposed OPM's crimes and executed him. Xiao Gongzhu died during the war by a stray arrow. Oops.

LBH courted SJ a verrryyyy long time, refusing to take an empress or consort or concubine. They did dual cultivate though, because Xin Mo demanded it but SJ didn't agree to marry him until waayyyyy later.

And yes, the general in the story is Zhuzhi-Lang, who was sealed together with Tianlang-jun. 😢

[rizukinocte]

a powerful Cloud OC reincarnated as Twin!Sister!Shen Jiu after died in mafia war in WW2. Divergences that could happen:

awaken her flames at 5+ yo when they become street rats

SJ won't be a slave bc OC gonna kill the slavers first and potentially recruit the (former) slaves and create the 'mafia' (or is it Triad?). So SJ won't meet Qi-ge.

OR awaken her flames at 8-10 yo when Qi-ge escapes the slavers with SJ sacrificing himself, and kill the slavers.

OR somehow brought together with SJ to Qiu household... maybe as a female friend for Haitang?? hm... and the massacre happen sooner as OC snaps bc SJ got hurt.

OR she just kinda assassinates all the male Qius. She was in mafia so arranging some 'accidents' are quite easy.

OR she went Active the first time the, whats the name, that rogue cultivator?? he attacks them saying it's a lesson in fighting but honestly trying to kill them?

Will be a disciple in Cang Qiong too, but I'm torn which Peak she will be.

Xian Shu bc it's all females and trying to influences them is a good goal, and the connection webs!

She be Qing Jing's with SJ get a potential too, bc she's a Cloud, and her brother is her center world. But, hm... it's not good, after all. bc SJ is strong and he will carves place for himself there.

Become disciple of Battle Peak. Hohohooo... isn't that basically just handing her free 'dummies' to slay to get stronger? And the potential of rivalry with LQG. mwahahahaha.

OR An Ding Peak?... bc as good as she is to be as a frontline fighter, she's still a Cloud and this Peak just soothes her instincts to manages her Territory.

Tbh I just want an OP OC snaps when SY!SQQ 'died' and 'almost' erases the surrounding area. Driving high in Hyper Dying Will and take-over Huan Hua Palace, cowing others Sects and dressing down LBH bc goddamn man u baby demon u, not even a decade playing with ur new power and already so cocky and all gung-ho wanna be the next Big Name(tm)? Grow a beard first!