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Chapter Text

“-and you’re coming with me this time,” Shen Jiu finished.

That’s what finally got Shen Yuan’s attention, and he looked up from his phone. “Wait, what? Why?”

Shen Jiu crossed his arms over his chest and glowered at his younger brother. “Because the last time I left you alone here, you nearly died.”

Shen Yuan’s face flushed from his embarrassment. “Hey, that wasn’t my fault!” How was he supposed to know that the yogurt in the back of his fridge had expired? And it was a bit of a stretch to say he’d nearly died (though admittedly the fever dream that had followed his collapse had felt so real for months after the fact that he’d been half convinced that he really did live out an entire lifetime within the pages of a dumb web novel). “I’m a grown adult and I can take care of myself,” he insisted.

But his brother was unmoved by that argument, and Shen Yuan found himself at the airport with his brother before he had time to put up a proper fuss about it. Shen Yuan sighed in defeat as they boarded the plane, with tickets that had clearly been bought far in advance. Thanks for letting your brother know about his forced vacation in a reasonable amount of time, Jiu-ge. What if he had actually had plans??

In the end, though, other than the annoyance of traveling, it wasn’t the end of the world. They’d be staying in the high end hotel where Shen Jiu had business to take care of, which meant that Shen Yuan would be able to laze around in a nicer room than usual, and would have access to better food than his usual takeout and cup noodles. At least Shen Jiu hadn’t stopped him from bringing his laptop, but that was probably because he didn’t want his brother to actually die of boredom. 

,,,

Luo Binghe knew that he would probably slip up more in the next few days, shocking the staff with the unusual displays of emotion, but he just couldn’t contain himself. He was finally going to see his shizun again, after all this time. It seemed almost too good to be true, but he’d already seen the images captured by the security cameras at the entrance to the hotel. 

He was in such a hurry to get to the meeting room that he had tunnel vision, and did not notice someone else in the corridor until they’d fully collided with each other. Luo Binghe automatically reached out to grab the other person, short enough that they hadn’t been visible at his eyeline, and steadied them. “I’m so sorry about that-” he started to apologize.

The young man looked up at him with wide, startled eyes. “Y-you-!”

Luo Binghe tilted his head and looked closer. The man in front of him was attractive enough in a delicate sort of way, but there was nothing about him that was particularly memorable, and Luo Binghe saw hundreds of guests pass through his hotel everyday. Most of them were unimportant, though, and this particular man was dressed in a way that would indicate he was not one of the hotel’s elite clientele. “I’m sorry, have we met?” he asked politely, just the slightest edge of impatience to his voice. His shizun was waiting for him in the meeting room, after all!

The man continued to stare up at him unabashedly, until he finally cleared his throat and shook his head. “No, sorry, I must’ve been mistaken. Ah, sorry for bumping into you, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” 

“No, no, the fault was all mine,” Luo Binghe assured the man, more than used to dealing with guests. “Please, allow me to offer you a complimentary dinner in our restaurant this evening, I insist.”

The man thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. “Ah, no thank you, I’m alright, really. I’ll just- uh. Yeah.” Then he hurried off, though it didn’t escape Luo Binghe’s attention when the man reached the end of the hallway and glanced back before turning the corner. Luo Binghe wasn’t sure why he found something in the man’s eyes so familiar when he knew that they’d never met before.

As he continued on to the meeting room, he berated himself for getting distracted. Today was about meeting Shizun again, and nothing else mattered. When he reached the right room, he stopped just outside and took a few deep breaths, making sure that he was perfectly calm. The last thing he wanted was to embarrass himself in front of his Shizun. 

Satisfied that he was as ready as he’d ever be, Luo Binghe pushed the door open and stepped inside. There, seated at the small conference table with his arms crossed over his chest, was the beloved and familiar face of Shen Qingqiu. It was strange to see him with short hair and a modern suit, but those were just minor details. 

“It doesn’t bode well for your business that you can’t even keep track of time,” Shen Qingqiu- known as Shen Jiu now- drawled. Luo Binghe moved closer, mouth dry, and he found it difficult to think of what to say, despite having spent so many years with nothing better to do than imagine this reunion.

It was clear that Shen Jiu did not recognize Luo Binghe, but that was about what Luo Binghe had expected, even if it did bother him a little. He would always love his shizun, of course, but even he could admit that without the memories and experiences of their life together, Shen Qingqiu could not be the exact same person whom Luo Binghe had lost. 

“Apologies, I was just taking care of some last minute business.”

Shen Jiu narrowed his eyes, and Luo Binghe had to refrain from flinching. The look of bored contempt on his shizun’s face… that wasn’t something he had seen since he was just a young boy. After spending centuries with his husband, he’d nearly forgotten all about how his shizun used to be back in Luo Binghe’s first few years on Cang Qiong. 

The only reason Luo Binghe was able to make it through the rest of the meeting was because he had so much experience with these types of deals that he was able to go on autopilot, and this was only a preliminary discussion anyways. Though truthfully, even if Luo Binghe ended up negotiating the worst deal of his life, he wouldn’t even mind as long as it meant being able to spend more time with his shizun. 

As he returned to his office, his mind ran over Shen Jiu’s parting words about Luo Binghe’s managerial skills. He knew that his memories were not wrong, and that Shen Jiu did look identical to Shen Qingqiu from back then. And yet, he was so different from the man Luo Binghe had loved and eventually lost. Part of it was the man’s behavior and attitude, yes, but there was something else, too. Something was missing when Luo Binghe looked into Shen Jiu’s eyes. An inherent spark, separate from his affection for Luo Binghe, that should have still been there even in a different lifetime with a different set of memories. 

For some reason, Luo Binghe’s mind wandered back to the man he’d bumped into in the hallway earlier. The details of the stranger’s face had already mostly faded, blending in with the many other faces Luo Binghe saw each day, but he couldn’t help thinking about that man’s eyes. Some buried instinct that he didn’t really understand told him that he would want to find out more about that man.

Luo Binghe abruptly changed course; instead of heading to his own office, he went to the security office instead. The two men on duty watching the cameras looked up and gave him twin nods of acknowledgement. “Can you look at the footage from the fifth floor from about two hours ago?” 

His employees knew better than to ask questions, they just did as they were told, one keeping an eye on the live feeds while the other looked up what Luo Binghe wanted to see. He nodded when he saw the man enter the camera’s range. “There, that man. Can you find out when he entered the hotel, and what room he’s in?” 

The guard nodded, and started rapidly flipping through images of different camera angles, following the man’s journey in reverse until they saw which room he came out of. Instead of emerging from the elevator or one of the rooms on the fifth floor, they saw the man move backwards into the meeting room that Luo Binghe had just left. He frowned. Had that man been in there bothering his shizun, or had he just been lost?

They rewound the footage back a little further, pressing play when they saw more motion, and Luo Binghe watched as the screen showed Shen Jiu and the young man walk down the hallway together. They were angled towards each other, and even the somewhat grainy camera quality showed the young man rolling his eyes as Shen Jiu talked down to him. There was no audio, unfortunately, but Luo Binghe had heard enough of his shizun’s lectures to guess the tone being used, along with the barely hidden fondness for the person he was talking to.

Luo Binghe instructed the guard to go all the way back to the front entrance cameras from earlier in the day, around check-in time. Then he quickly texted one of the front desk agents to look up what time Shen Jiu had checked in. They responded promptly with the exact time, and Luo Binghe told the guard. 

He watched through one of the lobby cameras as Shen Jiu walked up to the front desk, the young man from earlier standing next to him, not even looking up from his phone. Luo Binghe already knew that they’d been upgraded to the Presidential Suite since he’d done that himself as soon as the dates for his meeting were settled on. But he hadn’t known that Shen Jiu would be bringing anyone with him.

Luo Binghe thanked the guards for their help, and then he left to wander back to his office, lost in thought as he wondered who that man was to his shizun.

,,,

Shen Jiu scowled over at Shen Yuan once he returned to their room. “What’s with you?” 

Shen Yuan looked up from where he’d been slumped on the couch. He hadn’t even realized that enough time had passed for his brother’s meeting to be over. “I…” he trailed off, already knowing how crazy his next words were going to sound, and not only because he'd never really talked about his fever dreams with anyone. “I think I saw the guy from my dreams?” He only sounded uncertain because he knew that it had to be impossible, but truthfully, he had recognized the man immediately. Luo Binghe. A character from a stupid book by a stupid author, one who had starred in Shen Yuan’s fever dreams during his brother’s previous business trip. Perhaps he’d seen a picture of the man somewhere before, and his subconscious assigned that face to the novel character? That didn’t really make any sense, but he didn’t know what other possibilities there could be.

Shen Jiu just scoffed. “So you finally admit it?”

Shen Yuan just blinked a few times. “...what?” Then he shook his head. “Ugh, nevermind, just forget about it. What do you want to get for dinner? It seems like the restaurant here is pretty popular.” 

“I have more meetings,” his brother told him almost apologetically. “Mr. Luo is not the only one I have business with while I’m here.” 

Shen Yuan’s head jerked up. “Luo?” 

“The owner of this hotel,” Shen Jiu told him, somewhat exasperated. “As I told you already.”

“Right, right,” Shen Yuan mumbled.

His brother narrowed his eyes and gave him a long look, but seemed to decide that Shen Yuan wasn’t about to keel over or anything. “So you’ll be on your own for dinner. Don’t bother getting anything for me, I’ll be dining with my associate.”

Ah. Shen Yuan couldn’t help letting out a snort. His brother only ever talked about ‘his associate’ with that specific tone when talking about one person. “I didn’t know that Qi-ge was here.”

There was no reply to that, his brother just picked up a cushion from the end of the couch and chucked it lightly at Shen Yuan’s head before retreating to his room to get ready for his dinner date. Sorry, dinner meeting.

Shen Yuan decided that since he was bored and hungry anyways, he may as well go get some food. He told his brother that he was leaving, and then headed out of the suite. 

He grimaced when he got off the elevator in the lobby and saw how crowded it was. The reviews for the attached restaurant, the Bamboo House, had been pretty good, but probably not worth all this fuss. Maybe he’d just pop outside and see what else was around. As he peered through the crowd to try and remember where the exit doors were located, he must not have been paying enough attention, because he found himself walking right into someone- who apparently had a very solid chest.

He looked up, ready to apologize, but found the words dying on his lips. It was the same man he’d bumped into earlier, surely the Luo Binghe that his brother had mentioned, because who else could it be with that resemblance to Shen Yuan’s dreams? “Ah…”

“My apologies,” the other man said in a smooth, deep voice that sent shivers down Shen Yuan’s back. “Twice in one day must be a new record.” He held out his hand. “I may have forgotten to introduce myself earlier. I’m-”

“Binghe,” Shen Yuan breathed out, forgetting himself for a moment, feeling like he was transported back to that dream that had felt far too real. Then he shook his head quickly. “I’m sorry, that was so rude of me!”

The man gave him a long, intense look, and then finally nodded once, confirming what Shen Yuan had expected. “Yes, I’m Luo Binghe, owner of the Qing Jing. And you are…?”

“Shen Yuan,” he mumbled, feeling totally embarrassed and ready to just turn around and head right back to the elevator.

Luo Binghe let out a thoughtful little hum. “Shen Yuan,” he repeated, something off about his tone for just a moment. “Please, as I offered earlier, allow me to treat you to a complimentary dinner.” 

Shen Yuan looked around at the crowd, which seemed to have only grown in the time he’d gotten here. Even if the owner could cut him to the front of the line, it would be busy inside. “I think there’s a bit too many people for me, but thank you anyways.”

He turned to go, but Luo Binghe reached out suddenly to grab Shen Yuan’s wrist, his large hand feeling like a hot brand against Shen Yuan’s sensitive skin. “Perhaps a more private setting then? I really would like to make it up to you that we keep colliding.” 

The man had a charming grin that probably drew in all the ladies, and when combined with the moments of devotion he still recalled from his dreams, Shen Yuan felt a swooping in his stomach that he wasn’t used to. He cleared his throat a couple of times before nodding. “Sure. Yeah.” He had to remind himself that just because he had been married (!) to a man (!!) in a stupid dream didn’t mean anything. 

Still not letting go, probably to avoid them getting separated amongst all of these people, Luo Binghe led Shen Yuan back to the elevator. He pressed his thumb against a scanner on the wall, and once it lit up, he was able to press the button for the 13th floor, which was faded and grayed out compared to the others. “My personal apartments,” he explained. 

Since he wasn’t actually leaving the hotel, Shen Yuan figured that there was no need to let his brother know about this change in plans, and instead just followed Luo Binghe off of the elevator. Considering that this entire floor was just Luo Binghe’s home, it was a very large and open space, but Shen Yuan couldn’t help but notice that it wasn’t quite what he would have expected.

Someone who owned and ran this kind of a hotel was surely making enough money to afford to live at the same level as most of the guests who stayed here, and yet his apartment was one that could almost be described as humble. Perhaps with the exception of the kitchen that Luo Binghe led him into. It looked to have all of the state-of-the-art equipment that would fit in well in a five star restaurant. And after indicating for Shen Yuan to sit at one of the stools at the granite island in the middle, Luo Binghe started gathering up ingredients that all looked fresh and high quality. “So you really like cooking, huh?” he guessed.

Luo Binghe paused for a moment, then nodded as he started expertly chopping up vegetables on the other side of the island so that he was facing Shen Yuan. “Yes.” His voice was softer than before, more genuine, as he continued. “I learned a lot from my mother, and I always enjoyed cooking for her, and then later for- for someone special.” Shen Yuan nodded understandingly. It was only logical that someone like Luo Binghe would already have a girlfriend. It would be much stranger if a man like this wasn't already taken- if the character from the book looked anything like this then it was no wonder he’d had such a massive harem. Then Luo Binghe glanced up from his cutting board, back to wearing his customer service face. “But that was a long time ago, and now I shall enjoy cooking for you tonight, Shen Yuan.” As he focused back on what he was doing, he refused to let an awkward silence build up between them. “So what brings you to the area?”

Shen Yuan tilted his head. “Ah, aren’t you the owner? Shouldn’t you already know? My brother’s here to meet with you.”

Luo Binghe looked up for a moment. “Your brother is Shen Jiu?” he asked.

Shen Yuan nodded. “Yup. Don’t bother asking me anything about whatever deals or contracts you guys are working on, though, because I don’t have anything to do with the family business.”

Since Luo Binghe didn’t seem put out by the thought that he hadn’t found an ‘in’, Shen Yuan figured that this wasn’t some attempt at sneakily trying to get a better deal, and he found himself relaxing even more. “So what do you do?” Luo Binghe asked curiously.

Shen Yuan shifted on the stool. It was always awkward explaining to people that he had no problem relying on his family’s money and doing nothing productive with his life other than critiquing crappy web novels. At least he actually did have something new to say this time. “Tutoring.” It was something he’d started doing after that dream where he’d been a teacher (ignoring the fact that he’d been a shitty character in the dream on top of being a teacher). “I tutor people taking botany and zoology classes at the universities near me.” This world didn’t have anything compared to the stuff in some of the novels he read, but even here the plants and animals could be quite fascinating, and Shen Yuan enjoyed sharing that knowledge with others, even if it didn’t pay very much.

Luo Binghe’s hand slipped, and he jerked his thumb out of the way, though not in time to avoid slicing into his skin with the sharp knife. “Ah-”

“Are you okay?” Shen Yuan jumped out of his seat and hurried around to the other side of the island, reaching out to grab Luo Binghe’s hand without thinking. Luo Binghe just stared at him as Shen Yuan gently led him over to sit on one of the stools. “Do you have bandaids and antiseptic or something? I’m pretty sure that it can get infected more easily because of the food residue on it, so you need to treat it quickly.” Luo Binghe just continued to stare at him silently, and Shen Yuan wondered if he was in shock. It didn’t seem like a major injury, no more than a few drops of blood on the countertop, but perhaps someone who liked cooking this much wasn’t used to getting injured? “Binghe?” He waved his hand in front of Luo Binghe’s face.

Luo Binghe reached out to grab Shen Yuan’s moving hand in a motion that reminded Shen Yuan of a cat instinctively batting at a toy being dangled in front of them. “I’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, you will be, as long as we get some disinfectant on that.” 

There was a long pause, and then Luo Binghe sighed, as if Shen Yuan was the stubborn one. “There should be something in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom.” 

Shen Yuan nodded and went to retrieve it. The bathroom was practically sparkling clean, and Shen Yuan wondered if Luo Binghe had the time and skill to do it himself, or if he hired a service. If it was a service, he wondered if they would be willing to fly across the country, because they clearly did an amazing job, and Shen Yuan’s apartment could definitely use a thorough cleaning.

As he opened the cabinet, he couldn’t help feeling just the slightest bit disappointed. Even if Shen Yuan was the type to be nosey and snoop in a stranger’s business, there would be nothing to find here. The only thing inside the medicine cabinet was a cheap little first aid kit, and when he popped it open, the contents were untouched. Either Luo Binghe was very careful and this little kitchen accident was a fluke, or he never bothered to spend time here in his own home. 

He hurried back to the kitchen, pausing in the doorway when he realized that Luo Binghe had just been staring intently in that direction, like all he wanted to do was wait for Shen Yuan to return. Shen Yuan took a deep breath, then continued forward, though not before subtly patting his pocket to make sure he still had his phone, just in case. 

“Found it.” He held out the little kit triumphantly, then set it down on the island so that he could pop it open and pull everything out. He found an alcohol swab and a little bandaid, which would have to do. He tore open the paper packet containing the swab, then grabbed Luo Binghe’s hand and gently patted the specks of blood away, leaving only the faintest line that indicated there was an injury. He leaned forward to blow on Luo Binghe’s thumb to get it to dry faster, then looked up apologetically when Luo Binghe made a strange noise. “Sorry, I know it stings, but it’s best to make sure it’s clean.”

“Right,” Luo Binghe responded in a gravelly voice that sent strange shivers through Shen Yuan’s body. He hurried to wrap the bandage around the finger, and then backed away to go wash his hands at the sink.

The air between them felt very tense all of a sudden, and Shen Yuan jammed his hands into his pockets. “Ah, I should-”

“Don’t go,” Luo Binghe interrupted a little too loudly. He winced at his own volume, then repeated in a more reasonable voice, “You don’t have to go. I can still make your dinner.”

Shen Yuan looked doubtfully at the dull beige strip around Luo Binghe’s thumb. He really didn’t want to be the reason that Luo Binghe died from some random infection. “Ah, I’ll be here for a few more days, maybe it would be best to wait…”

“How long?” 

Shen Yuan blinked, surprised that Luo Binghe sounded like he really cared to know the answer. It was nice that he cared so much, even though he really wasn’t at fault for bumping into Shen Yuan either time. “I guess until my brother’s business here is finished.”

Luo Binghe furrowed his eyebrows, looking oddly confused by that statement, even though it made perfect sense. “Right, your brother. Shen Jiu.” 

“Yes.” 

There was a long pause, and it looked like Luo Binghe was putting a lot of effort into thinking about something. “Has he ever gone by a different name? A nickname perhaps? Something like Qingqiu?”

Shen Yuan couldn’t help giving Luo Binghe a weird look. “No?” Luo Binghe had probably heard about Proud Immortal Demon Way before, if only because of the name he shared with the protagonist, but it was still kind of weird to try and relate other real life people to the characters in the story. And besides, Shen Jiu may be a little rough around the edges at times, but he was nothing like the child-abusing scum villain from that crappy book! Feeling a little offended on his brother’s behalf, Shen Yuan decided that it really was time for him to go, especially if he wanted time to grab some food. “Look, I hope your finger feels better and things go well for your business. Thank you for the offer of dinner, but I really shouldn’t bother you any longer..”

Luo Binghe frowned for just a moment before shifting into a charming smile that reminded Shen Yuan so much of his dreams, with one main difference: this smile didn’t seem to reach his eyes. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out for tonight. Perhaps another time.” 

The small amount of self-righteousness Shen Yuan had been feeling flowed out of him. For such a manly guy, Luo Binghe sure did perfect the art of looking absolutely pathetic! Was spending time with Shen Yuan really such an exciting thing? Nobody had ever looked so disappointed to see Shen Yuan leave before, and this man really had just been trying to be kind…

“Well, maybe I could stay for a little longer,” he allowed. “But you have to let me finish chopping the vegetables!” he boldly declared. “We cannot risk any more accidents tonight.” 

Luo Binghe blinked, taken aback for a moment, and then a more genuine smile settled on his face. “Whatever Yuan-ge wants,” he agreed easily enough.

Shen Yuan felt his face heat up and he spluttered, “What? Ge? Who’s ge?” He didn’t wait for a response before hurrying over to the cutting board to wipe it clean, ignoring the white-lotus innocent look on Luo Binghe’s face. 

It very quickly became apparent that Shen Yuan was far less experienced with knife work than Luo Binghe, his pile of chopped vegetables looking like they’d been shredded by an angry bear in comparison to the neat pile of even little pieces that Luo Binghe had diced. He also couldn’t move the knife up and down with the insane speed that Luo Binghe had used.

After watching that pathetic sight for a couple of minutes, Luo Binghe got up and walked around the island. “Hm, let me at least help, Yuan-ge,” Luo Binghe’s voice suddenly spoke right into Shen Yuan’s ear. A large hand reached around from behind him and gently rested on Shen Yuan’s, correcting his grip and helping the knife move more fluidly, though still at a slow enough pace that Shen Yuan didn’t have to fear he’d accidentally chop off a finger. Though maybe he was more worried about that than he’d thought, considering how his heart kept racing like crazy even after the vegetables had all been satisfactorily cut up.

Once Luo Binghe took over fully again, moving through his kitchen with complete ease, he cleared his throat and started the earlier conversation back up. “You seemed to recognize the name Shen Qingqiu.” 

Shen Yuan shrugged one shoulder. “It’s a pretty well known book, I don’t think it’s that surprising that I’d have read it, even if it is complete garbage.”

Luo Binghe’s hand paused for a moment before he continued. “You don’t like it?”

The way that Luo Binghe’s voice went soft for that moment made Shen Yuan stop and really think. Why would Luo Binghe care what Shen Yuan thought of a random book? Unless the matching name was more than just a coincidence. Was it possible that some random hotel owner had decided to live out the ultimate power fantasy by writing himself as the protagonist of a stallion novel? “Are you Airplane?” he asked in disbelief.

There was a moment of silence, and then Luo Binghe laughed, the noise sending warmth through Shen Yuan. It was a nice laugh. “You think that I-?”

“It was a reasonable question,” Shen Yuan grouched. “Anyways, why would you think my brother has any connection to that trash book? It’s definitely not the kind of thing he reads.” There was no immediate response, so Shen Yuan decided to answer Luo Binghe’s question. “And it’s not that I necessarily hate the whole book, it’s just… there was so much potential. The worldbuilding! The monsters and plants and animals! The protagonist! He was the coolest part of the whole thing, but by the time he finished getting his revenge, he just got stuck in a loop of doing the same thing over and over: go on an adventure, meet a lady, papapa, get married, go home. Rinse and repeat. It was such a waste of everything that made him so interesting to begin with, and made absolutely no use of his backstory or the wives who should have been more than low-IQ fodder for keeping Xin Mo calm, or-” he cut himself off when he realized that Luo Binghe was staring at him. “Sorry,” he mumbled, feeling supremely awkward. This was exactly why he preferred not to talk to people in person, it was way too embarrassing!

Amazingly, instead of laughing at him for rambling on about a stupid book that was basically nothing more than a vehicle for badly written porn, Luo Binghe was looking at him with a soft, fond little smile. “You remind me of someone I knew a long time ago,” he said without prompting. He tilted his head to the side, and gave Shen Yuan a long, searching look. “You barely have any resemblance, and yet…” He trailed off, looking deep in thought, and then his eyes widened and he murmured to himself, “It was for such a brief time that I haven’t thought about it in years, but perhaps,” then he cleared his throat and spoke a little louder. “Does the name ‘Peerless Cucumber’ mean anything to you?”

Shen Yuan felt his soul leave his body and ascend to the heavens at that moment. There was nothing worse than someone in real life knowing his online username. “Ah…” he didn’t even know what to say, he only knew that he was surely dying or in hell. Jiu-ge would kill him for this if he did die here, but what else could he do? How did this man know Shen Yuan’s username?? 

Luo Binghe seemed weirdly reassured by Shen Yuan’s silent panic. “But if that was you…” he furrowed his eyebrows, and it seemed that he had forgotten entirely about the meal he’d been working on. “Were there always two?” he murmured to himself, looking like he’d just had some kind of life-changing revelation. 

Considering that he’d already gotten sliced up once, Shen Yuan was a little worried about how distracted Luo Binghe looked, even if he was done with the knife work for now. “You’re really not Airplane-Shooting-Through-the-Sky?” he double-checked. He wouldn’t be too surprised if Airplane put in the effort to find out who Peerless Cucumber was, though it likely wouldn’t be to thank him for his valid critiques or cook him a nice dinner. 

Thinking of Airplane’s identity made Shen Yuan think of a part of his fever dream that hadn’t been his main focus. A mousey little man who was also stuck in the body of a villain doomed to die, and from what Shen Yuan could vaguely recall, the two of them had even been friends, eventually. That, more than anything, was proof that the whole thing had just been a dream. There’s no way Shen Yuan would ever befriend that hack author in real life. 

“I am really not,” Luo Binghe confirmed. But that only made it more concerning that he knew Shen Yuan’s username! Had he done a lot of digging to find dirt on Shen Jiu, and then thought that he could go through Shen Yuan by association? Because if he was threatened with his online persona being shared with his family, he would definitely agree to just about anything! But Shen Yuan didn’t have any power in the family business so he would be the only one screwed if this was a blackmail job!!

If Luo Binghe was aware of the direction that Shen Yuan’s thoughts had gone in, he didn’t let on. “It’s an interesting name,” he said in a diplomatic tone that sounded like he was actually laughing at Shen Yuan on the inside. “How did you choose it?”

There was no way in hell that Shen Yuan would confess out loud about choosing a username made of a dumb euphemism. “You must go on the forums too, right? To have found me there? What’s your username?” Shen Yuan very subtly attempted to change the subject.

Luo Binghe let out a light laugh. “I’ve only ever gone by Luo Binghe. I suppose some people are just not as talented as others when it comes to adopting new identities.”

Shen Yuan wrinkled his nose. “I guess?” He tried to think of whether he recalled any specific comments left by a user called Luo Binghe. Surely that name would have been snapped up immediately, unless he’d had it before Proud Immortal Demon Way came out? His thoughts were interrupted, though, by one of the most delicious aromas he’d ever smelled, and he inhaled deeply without thinking. Even if Luo Binghe was a weirdo trying to blackmail him about his online username, he certainly lived up to his name sake’s ability to cook! He peered past Luo Binghe’s broad shoulders to try and get a better look at what was sizzling away in a pan on the stovetop, and he saw crispy looking strips of pork. “That looks so good.” 

Luo Binghe smiled, eyes crinkling in the corners. “I hope you like the taste as well.” 

He worked with a little more flourish as Shen Yuan watched the plating process closely, and then a bowl was set down on the island. “Congee?”

Now Luo Binghe suddenly looked bashful. “I hope you don’t mind something so simple.”

Simple, his ass! This beautiful snow white congee, with those perfect looking pork bits and bright green onions looked like something out of a five star restaurant! Shen Yuan just barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes, then sat down again and got ready to take his first bite. He paused, though, when he realized that Luo Binghe hadn’t served himself any, and was just staring intently. It was a little awkward. “Aren’t you going to eat?”

Luo Binghe blinked a few times like he was surprised, and then he quickly put together a bowl for himself, though he didn’t put nearly as much care into the presentation. He sat down next to Shen Yuan, though he still waited to eat any until after Shen Yuan had some. It was impossible to contain the little moan that Shen Yuan let out, and he just hoped that Luo Binghe didn’t hear it and think he was a complete weirdo. “This is so good!” 

“I’m glad Shi- Shen Yuan likes it.” Shen Yuan gave Luo Binghe’s bowl a pointed look, and then they finished eating without much conversation. Once he was finished, Shen Yuan stood up and brought his bowl over to the sink with the intention of washing it- it was only fair that he washed up since Luo Binghe had cooked. But Luo Binghe was quick to intercept him and gently took the empty dish. “There’s no need, I can take care of it.”

Well, far be it for Shen Yuan to argue his way into doing more work, so he just shrugged. “Alright, if you’re sure. Thank you for dinner,” he hurried to add as he remembered his manners. “It was really good.”

“What are you doing tomorrow?”

Shen Yuan shrugged one shoulder. “I’m sure I’ll find something.” He didn’t want to outright admit that he would probably just be scrolling around online, even though Luo Binghe had probably already guessed that based on what he would have seen of Shen Yuan’s frequent comment history. 

Luo Binghe’s eyes seemed to get brighter. “Let me show you around the city. It would be a waste to come all this way and not see anything.”

Shen Yuan furrowed his eyebrows. “Don’t you have business stuff to deal with? Like with my brother?”

Luo Binghe waved his hand. “There’s plenty of time for business and pleasure.”

A shiver ran up Shen Yuan’s back at the sudden dark, intense tone in Luo Binghe’s voice. Well, if Luo Binghe really wanted to spend time with him, for blackmail purposes or otherwise, maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing? Shen Yuan didn’t really know much about the family business, but maybe he could help put in a good word or two that would help speed things along. And it’s not as though it was some kind of hardship to hang out with a cool guy like Luo Binghe, so… “Sure, why not.” 

The strange look in Luo Binghe’s eyes, one that could almost be described as ‘hungry’, should have made Shen Yuan more wary, but it reminded him too much of his dream for it to feel properly off-putting. He was suddenly very glad that Shen Jiu was out with Qi-ge right now, though, because this whole thing would be very awkward to explain. 

,,,

As Shen Yuan walked out of the apartment, Luo Binghe was already thinking of an itinerary for the rest of the week. It shouldn’t be too much trouble to stretch out his business with Shen Jiu so that the brothers would stay for longer, which would give Luo Binghe enough time to win his shizun over. It had taken such a long time for him to find his husband again, even if the circumstances led to a lot of questions for him, and Luo Binghe did not plan on losing his shizun again. 

Chapter Text

“And where do you think you’re going?”

Shen Yuan whirled around, hoping he didn’t look guilty, especially since there wasn’t anything to feel guilty over. He was a grown adult and could very well go where he pleased. “...out.”

Shen Jiu arched one eyebrow. “Out,” he repeated, like it was a concept he’d never heard of before. “Really.”

“I sorta made a friend,” Shen Yuan awkwardly tried to explain. “He offered to show me around the city.”

Shen Jiu narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. “And does this ‘friend’ have a name?” 

“Yes.” The two brothers had an intense stare off that lasted for several long seconds until Shen Yuan blinked and gave in first, as per usual. “Luo Binghe,” he muttered. “You should be happy that I’m hanging out with someone who’s on your level.”

“That… man is far from being our equal,” Shen Jiu told him. “That he has time to play around when there is business to deal with does not bode well for our potential contract. And how did you come to meet Luo Binghe?”

Shen Yuan shrugged one shoulder. “We just bumped into each other,” he answered honestly. 

That didn’t seem to mollify Shen Jiu in the slightest. “Right. In this giant hotel, he just happens to bump into the brother of the person he’s trying to make a deal with?”

“It was when he was on his way to meet with you,” Shen Yuan told him with some unhidden annoyance in his voice. Did it really seem so impossible that someone might want to just hang out with Shen Yuan with no ulterior motives? Actually, he didn’t want an answer to that. He cleared his throat and did his best to keep his mind on the present. “How was your date with Qi-ge?” he asked in a last ditch attempt to distract Shen Jiu. 

From the telltale twitch at the corner of Shen Jiu’s eyes, he was not going to fall for that. “It was a dinner meeting,” he said in a low voice before immediately jumping back to the previous topic. “And that idiot has nothing to do with yours.”

“Mine?” Shen Yuan thought of the deep devotion that had run both ways between him and his husband in that strange dream, but then did his best to focus on the present. “Anyways, it doesn’t matter. I don’t know shit about your business, so it’s not like he could use me nefariously even if that’s what he intended- which I don’t think is the case, because Luo Binghe is a very nice young man!” He stomped over to the door and yanked it open. “Tell Qi-ge I said hi,” he snapped before slamming the door shut behind him and hurrying to the elevator.

By the time he reached the lobby, where he was supposed to meet with Luo Binghe, he felt bad about picking a fight, when he knew how his brother could be about. Well. Everything. It reminded him of Luo Binghe insinuating that Shen Jiu was similar to that stupid scum villain character even though the reality was that his brother would never do those kinds of terrible things, no matter how cold he might act sometimes. 

When he got off the elevator, he saw Luo Binghe standing near the reception desk, quietly talking with the employee stationed there, whose fingers were flying across their keyboard, the clacking sound of the keys echoing through the mostly empty lobby. Shen Yuan paused, suddenly feeling awkward, but Luo Binghe looked up right at that moment, and the bright smile on his face helped give Shen Yuan the courage to approach. “Yuan-ge! I’m so glad you could make it!”

Even though there wasn’t really anyone around to overhear, Shen Yuan could feel his face go bright red with embarrassment. “What-? That’s not- I’m not-” he sputtered out, then squeezed his eyes shut. “You are so ridiculous,” he muttered to himself, even though he didn’t really mean that. Someone with Luo Binghe’s looks and personality could get away with just about anything without ever truly looking ridiculous the way a normal person would. 

They were far enough apart that Luo Binghe shouldn’t have been able to hear that, but he must have had freakishly good hearing, because he let out a strangely happy little laugh for someone who’d just been vaguely insulted. “Are you ready to go? There’s so much I want to show you!” As Luo Binghe bounded over to him, Shen Yuan could practically picture him excitedly wagging his tail. Without that dark, intense look in his eyes, he really came across quite cutely- not in a gay marriage kind of way though! Obviously! 

He was too caught up in his own thoughts to make any protest when Luo Binghe linked his arm with Shen Yuan’s and pulled him out through the main doors. Despite the early hour, it was already pretty crowded outside, and Shen Yuan found himself pressing up closer to Luo Binghe- to make sure they wouldn’t get separated! Even with a gps app on his phone, getting lost in an unfamiliar city was no joke! “So what are we doing today?” he finally thought to ask.

Luo Binghe grinned. “I’ve got a few ideas.” Shen Yuan wasn’t sure whether he should feel threatened by that or not, but decided that it was easiest to just go along with it for now.

,,,

Luo Binghe could not help cataloging every single detail about Shen Yuan as they wandered the city together. Even after such a short time, he could see how Shen Yuan was the same as Shen Qingqiu at the core: a kind man who felt the need to hide it, passionate about similar subjects, happy to pass his knowledge on to others, easily irritated by incompetence, a bit lazy, and oblivious to the effect he had on people. But in other ways, he was so different that it was tough to fully connect the two in his mind.

After Luo Binghe and Shen Qingqiu had gotten married, he had noticed his husband’s demeanor loosened up, though even after many years of marriage he still struggled with his thin face. That was alright with Luo Binghe, because it only made the success all the sweeter when he did get his husband to admit to certain things, or when his husband felt comfortable smiling or laughing without covering his face. Ultimately, though, Shen Qingqiu never really lost the appearance of an esteemed immortal peak lord. 

Shen Yuan, on the other hand, did not act like someone in such a prestigious position. Perhaps it was because in this life, he had been born into it, rather than the troubled childhood that Shen Qingqiu had struggled to leave behind? Luo Binghe had always been understanding of the fact that Shen Qingqiu had not wanted to discuss his past, but details slipped out here and there, and Luo Binghe could never forget that awful day when that woman had revealed to the world that Shen Qingqiu had been a slave almost forced into a marriage with her. That revelation had made sense, though, in explaining Shen Qingqiu’s need to appear perfect at all times, like he had to prove himself more than anyone else (even though that was not true, because the entirety of Cang Qiong loved him and would not reject him even if he was not perfect.)

Shen Yuan spoke bluntly where Shizun would have cleverly danced around with his words, calling people fools to their faces without them ever realizing it. Shen Yuan walked quickly rather than Shizun’s slow, measured pace. He constantly moved his hands while speaking without seeming to realize it, in place of Shizun gently fanning himself. Even in that temporary plant body, Shizun had acted more like himself than like this. 

None of those were bad things, on their own. Luo Binghe had never been blind to his husband’s beauty, but it was not those outer details that he had noticed first. No, Luo Binghe had started to fall for Shen Qingqiu because of that inherent kindness he had shown, even while trying to hide it. Like throwing himself in harm’s way just to protect a random disciple who had only ever disappointed him, or personally taking responsibility for Luo Binghe’s training. And when that shifted to the constant praise and strong confidence in him, Luo Binghe felt it was inevitable that he would fall in love.

No, the biggest disappointment was that Shen Yuan did not know Luo Binghe. He did not have that lifetime of memories, and even if they started fresh and got married again, it would always be different from what they’d had in the past. But Luo Binghe had always known that would be the case, from the day he started searching for his husband’s reincarnation.

When there was a moment of silence in between rants about some fish misclassification, Luo Binghe cleared his throat. “So about Proud Immortal Demon Way…”  

Shen Yuan rolled his eyes. “You really want to talk about that trash again?”

“You said that the protagonist was the coolest part?” Luo Binghe shamelessly prompted.

Shen Yuan gave him a strange look, and Luo Binghe could not wait until he knew Shen Yuan well enough to understand each expression. “Well, yeah, obviously. How could anyone not cheer him on with the way he was written? Even after so much tragedy in his childhood, he always persevered and did his best. Even when he got stronger, he, um,” Shen Yuan suddenly cut himself off as his face turned pink and he looked away from Luo Binghe. “Ahaha, what parts did you like?”

Apparently not all of Shen Yuan’s expressions were unfamiliar. Luo Binghe could not help but feel smug at having gotten Shen Yuan so flustered. It showed a level of awareness that Shen Qingqiu had not gained until far past the point where he should have. The world was very different now than when the two had first met, so perhaps that had something to do with it? The fact that Shen Yuan already showed some interest was definitely a positive sign.

Not wanting to scare Shen Yuan away by getting too pushy, Luo Binghe generously allowed the redirect. “I always thought that Shen Qingqiu was a fascinating character.” Of course he had been enraged when he’d first read Proud Immortal Demon Way. It had started off so accurately, and then quickly delved into utterly untrue character assassination, making Shen Qingqiu out to be an abusive monster, and it had been frustrating to slog through the excessive sex scenes between him and seemingly every damn woman in the world, as if Luo Binghe had ever cared about being with anyone but his shizun. After Shen Qingqiu’s death in the book, Luo Binghe had not been able to continue reading. Even in his lowest moments, thinking that Shen Qingqiu would hate him forever, Luo Binghe would have rather died than ever hurt his shizun.

Shen Yuan wrinkled his nose. “Ugh, that scum? There’s no nuance to his character at all, he’s just evil! Lusting after his female disciples, visiting brothels, bullying Binghe. He should’ve…” he trailed off before launching into what would surely be another long rant, and tightened his arm around Luo Binghe’s. “I guess it wouldn’t be as interesting if there was more to it than that, if the story had been able to go some other way.”

“What do you mean?”

Shen Yuan tilted his head to the side as he carefully thought about how to respond. “Well… we’re never even given a proper reason for why he’s so mean to Binghe, though we can assume it’s because he was jealous of Binghe’s natural talents, or maybe because the name has too many bad memories from his childhood, but the reason is never confirmed, leaving him as evil for evil’s sake. Since we don’t have a canon reason for his cruelty, wouldn’t it be interesting if he decided to stop acting so poorly towards his students? I mean, Binghe’s entire character arc is formed around his shizun’s actions, so if Shen Qingqiu had been written with any kind of complexity, that could have changed the outcome of the whole story, don’t you think?”

Luo Binghe frowned and nodded slowly. “Yes… like he could have fallen in love with his shizun.”

The pink that had started to fade from Shen Yuan’s cheeks came back with a vengeance. “Ahaha, what? They’re both men!” he squeaked out.

Yes, Luo Binghe remembered when his shizun had had a similar hang up, though he was never able to figure out the reason why. Back then, nobody questioned two people of the same gender getting together, not the way they did in this world, and yet his shizun seemed to think it was a problem. Clearly whoever had written Proud Immortal Demon Way thought that Luo Binghe would only be interested in women. Which was an odd standard, because even if he became like the Luo Binghe from the story, like the one who’d once tried to steal Shen Qingqiu away, wouldn’t it make sense that he’d have just as many men in such a vast harem? 

Thinking of that other version of himself, it occurred to Luo Binghe for the first time that Proud Immortal Demon Way was not about him, and never had been. Instead, it was about that other Luo Binghe. But what had changed things so drastically? The other Binghe had done all the same things, so why had he never managed to prove himself to his shizun in the same way? 

“-Binghe?” He looked over to see Shen Yuan looking up at him, brows furrowed with concern. “We can talk about a better book if you’d prefer.”

Luo Binghe paused midstep, causing someone behind him on the sidewalk to stumble right into him. They grumbled in irritation before moving around to continue on their way, but Luo Binghe paid it no mind, too busy looking at Shen Yuan, who only looked more concerned now. Shen Yuan admired the Luo Binghe of Proud Immortal Demon Way, the one that was not him. They were so different, in the end, how could Shen Yuan come to love him if he loved the version from the book? Or- what if Shen Yuan was already in love with someone in this life? It hadn’t even occurred to him to ask, and he could still remember the time he’d tried to ask his husband whether he’d ever loved anyone else. He could still hear Shen Qingqiu’s almost indignant, “How could I when Binghe is right here?” But in this life, Luo Binghe had not been right there. 

He didn’t know how to even begin putting all of that into words, especially when he couldn’t explain their history without looking crazy. It was something of a relief when a determined look came over Shen Yuan, and he took charge of the situation. “I’m tired and need a break,” he declared, kindly not mentioning that it was Luo Binghe who was acting so strangely. Shen Yuan glanced around to see their options, then tugged on Luo Binghe’s arm and pulled him down the street and into a little cafe.

It was like stepping through a portal into a different world; it was so quiet inside, the door blocking out almost all of the noise from the passing foot traffic. Shen Yuan gently pushed Luo Binghe down into a seat near the back of the mostly empty shop, and then went over to the counter to order. 

By the time Shen Yuan came over with a paper cup in each hand, Luo Binghe felt quite embarrassed about freezing up like that. Shen Yuan just pushed one of the cups into Luo Binghe’s hand, and he sighed before taking a sip without bothering to ask what it was. The familiar taste that ran over his tongue was not what he had expected, and Luo Binghe looked down at the cup with some confusion. “What-?”

“It’s a cinnamon latte,” Shen Yuan told him.

The taste wasn’t quite right, much sweeter than Luo Binghe was used to, but it was close enough that it practically transported him back to a different time. He remembered pouting when his husband had kicked him out of the kitchen to make a ‘new recipe’ because he was ‘bored of tea’. Luo Binghe never saw the actual process, but when he’d been offered a sip of his husband’s drink, he’d been amazed by how different it tasted from the drinks he was used to. 

Luo Binghe had tried coffee a couple of times since coming here, but he still vastly preferred tea. None of the coffee he’d tried had a taste so close to what he’d had back then, so he’d never made the connection. He didn’t know how Shen Qingqiu had gotten his hands on coffee, or where he’d found a recipe to essentially make a latte. And why had Shen Yuan chosen this to give him, out of all possible beverages? “Sorry, I should have asked what you wanted, but you seemed a little out of it,” Shen Yuan said after the silence went on for a few beats too long.

Luo Binghe cleared his throat and took another sip, the warmth of those old memories filling him more than the coffee. “It’s a good choice, thank you.” 

Shen Yuan shrugged one shoulder. “Well, I figured since you-” then he cut himself off and coughed a few times. “Um… Yeah. So what happened back there, Binghe? Are you feeling okay now?” He reached across the table to rest his hand on top of Luo Binghe’s. 

Shizun had been the only one to ever call Luo Binghe by his name like that, and even in a different body, Shen Yuan said it in that same old achingly familiar way. Thinking about it now, hadn’t Shen Yuan called him that before he’d even introduced himself? He wanted desperately to ask about it, but he did not want to risk ruining his progress if he was wrong.

Making such a big decision was difficult when Shen Yuan kept staring up at him with those kind eyes of his, so different from Shen Qingqiu’s, and yet containing the same depths of emotion. “I’m fine, but maybe we should return to the hotel.” 

“Oh. Okay.” Shen Yuan nodded and got up, moving around the table so that he did not lose contact with Luo Binghe’s hand. And Luo Binghe felt grateful to hear the hint of disappointment in Shen Yuan’s voice at the thought of ending their time together. All hope was not lost yet. 

Perhaps after such a bizarre episode the air between them should have been more awkward, but Shen Yuan seemed content to jump back into conversation, though he did avoid the topic of Proud Immortal Demon Way. Instead, he started complaining about his sister being too nosey, and his brother being overbearing, and his parents being annoying, all with a tone that was full of warmth and love for his family. Since Shen Yuan did not seem to notice that they were still holding hands, Luo Binghe did not say anything about it.

When they got back to the hotel, the lobby was a little more crowded than before, but it was hard to miss the icy gaze boring into him. Shen Yuan frowned as he also spotted the culprit, and finally let go of Luo Binghe so that he could march over to where his brother was waiting for them. “Ge! What are you doing here?” 

“I need to speak with Luo Binghe.”

Shen Yuan rolled his eyes. “You can’t even take one day off? I doubt that he’s suddenly going to find a full supply of mattresses somewhere else just because you haven’t signed a contract yet. There’s so much to do around here, has it ever occurred to you to even try having some fun?” 

Luo Binghe slowly approached the pair, who were not trying too hard to be quiet. “I’m sorry to have left you waiting, Mr. Shen. As I instructed my staff to inform you, I had other plans for the day that could not be canceled.” 

Shen Jiu gave him a long look that seemed to go right through him, and Luo Binghe had to fight to stop his body from visibly shivering. “Of course, it would be difficult for a beast to understand how to properly conduct business.”

There was a ringing in Luo Binghe’s ears, and he was only vaguely aware of Shen Yuan scolding his brother. “Now you’re just being a dick for no reason! What’s your problem, huh?” But Luo Binghe could only stare at Shen Jiu, who had a knowing look in his eyes that had not been there during their previous meeting. 

,,,

The presidential suite was so high up that the people on the ground appeared as nothing more than little specks, but Shen Jiu was still able to track his foolish brother as he returned to the building, arm in arm with that beast. When their father had first mentioned this assignment, Shen Jiu had asked to take on the job himself, the name of the Qing Jing Hotel drawing up too many memories for him to not feel nostalgic. He was not prone to making such quick decisions, though, and when he read the follow up information, it only proved that he should have thought it through more carefully. For Luo Binghe to be the one he was dealing with… it did not make Shen Jiu happy at all.

From the time that Shen Jiu was a young boy, he’d known that he was different from any of his family members or peers. At the time, he’d just been told he had an active imagination, and then he’d grown old enough to understand why he should keep the truth to himself- the fact that this was not meant to be his life.

Shen Jiu had been a street rat, and then a slave, and eventually a peak lord. Due to the dubious lessons from his first teacher, his cultivation had been crippled from the start, and he had suffered through minor qi deviations throughout his life. And yet he had still been surprised when he was hit by one bad enough to kill him. And then he’d woken up as a child; it was his own body and yet unfamiliar in the way that it did not constantly pain him. It had been difficult to accept, at first, that he had lost everything he’d worked so hard to earn. But he could not figure out any way back, and this life had offered its own benefits.

He had a family here, a real family, one that would not abandon him with no explanation. Parents who were somewhat distant, but caring. A younger brother and sister who looked up to him and who needed him. After a few years, it was easier to tell himself that his old life and the world he’d come from had just been a bad dream, even though he knew that that was not true, especially after meeting Yue Qi, even if his peer had no memories of that other life. And there was other proof that validated Shen Jiu’s old memories. 

He could still remember the day his A-Yuan had failed to meet him for lunch, even though one of the conditions of allowing him to live on his own was that he would make an effort to stay in contact. Angry, and just a little worried even if he’d never admit outside the privacy of his own thoughts, Shen Jiu had forced his way into A-Yuan’s apartment with the spare key he’d made for himself, and found that his brother was perfectly alright, aside from having forgotten to eat or bathe in days. 

When questioned, A-Yuan went on a long rant about the latest web novel he was reading. Shen Jiu typically did not care for A-Yuan’s obsessions, usually consisting of absolute trash, but the story A-Yuan told him about sounded horrifyingly familiar. Later, Shen Jiu had looked into it for himself, Proud Immortal Demon Way. Written decades after Shen Jiu’s entrance to this world, and far too accurate to just be a coincidence.

The strangest part, though, was where the story diverged from Shen Jiu’s memories. The last thing he recalled of his life as Shen Qingqiu was his death from a qi deviation. He had died when Luo Binghe was still a boy, but the written story claimed he actually lived for several years after that, enough time to abuse the boy further and then eventually be tortured to death. If that was truly what had happened, then perhaps it was fortunate that he could not recall more.

The existence of the story itself was just too strange, unless the one who’d written it had also been there in that other life. But in the end, it hardly mattered. Shen Jiu had his life here and now, and he much preferred to think about his life of luxury and love than the one where he’d grown up on the streets and struggled to survive.

And now he could not even properly put the past behind him, because Luo Binghe was here too. Perhaps he should have realized it was inevitable, that if he was here and Yue Qi was here then anyone from that life could be here as well, but Shen Jiu had never bothered searching for others. 

Luo Binghe had named his hotel after the cultivation peak he’d been raised on. It could be coincidence- a delusional man who’d read Proud Immortal Demon Way and decided to become more like the protagonist- but Shen Jiu didn’t think that was the case. Not when Luo Binghe had stared at him so blatantly yesterday throughout their meeting. Even with that name, though, Shen Jiu had found it difficult to recognize the man at first. This Luo Binghe had certainly grown up from the little brat that Shen Jiu had last seen him as. 

The fact that Luo Binghe wanted to spend time with A-Yuan was very concerning. If the book was accurate, then Luo Binghe must greatly resent his old teacher, and would no doubt be happy to have another avenue for revenge. And what better revenge was there than going after his loved ones? Afterall, the story said that Shen Qingqiu had not cried a single tear throughout all of the torture he endured, and the only exception was for when Yue Qingqyuan had been killed. And now Yue Qi was here, the stubborn man refusing to return home even after Shen Jiu had commanded him to do so last night, and foolish A-Yuan was walking right into the beast’s trap without a second thought. 

In this world, it was not as easy to kill someone and get away with it, but there were ways for rich men to get around the laws, as they did in every world. Not to mention that there were other ways to hurt people besides just killing them. So whatever Luo Binghe wanted with A-Yuan it could not be good. If A-Yuan was going to wander into danger without a second thought, then it was Shen Jiu’s job to keep the idiot safe and alive. He only wished that it could be easier to let the past lie where it was, but the Luo Binghe written of in that awful book would never forget a debt owed, and even if everything in the book after that qi deviation was a lie, Shen Jiu was sure that that beast would consider even those few years on Qing Jing to be worth revenge.

,,,

There was something strange going on between Luo Binghe and Jiu-ge, and Shen Yuan had no idea what it was. He only knew that the look on Luo Binghe’s face reminded him sharply of how he’d looked in the beginning of Shen Yuan’s dreams, when he’d expected his villainous teacher to lash out at him again and again. He couldn’t stand to see such a look on Luo Binghe’s face, and he bluntly wedged his way between the two taller men, hands on his hips as he looked back and forth between them. “Okay, I don’t know what happened during your meeting, but-”

“Perhaps you should return to the room so that I can speak with Luo Binghe alone,” Shen Jiu told him, eyes not moving from Luo Binghe.

Shen Yuan narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Whatever you need to talk about can wait until tomorrow.” The two basically ignored him, too busy staring at each other intensely. Several seconds passed by before Shen Yuan reached a realization. The only other person Jiu-ge got this intense with was Yue Qi, so that meant… “Do you like each other??” he blurted out, his usual filter apparently nowhere to be found.

Both his brother and Luo Binghe reacted to that question almost hilariously in sync, making disgusted faces and automatically taking a step back, which left more space between them. “What on earth are you on about, A-Yuan?” Shen Jiu asked, irritated. “Just go back to the room already.” 

Luo Binghe suddenly reached out to grab Shen Yuan’s hand, even though Shen Yuan hadn’t been planning on leaving when the situation still seemed so precarious. “There’s only one person I like,” he said in a low, urgent voice, like it was of the utmost importance that Shen Yuan believed him.

Hesitantly, Shen Yuan nodded in agreement. “Your girlfriend, right? The one you cook for?”

Luo Binghe just blinked a few times, and then bowed his head forward. His shoulders were shaking, and Shen Yuan had a moment to wonder if he’d horribly fucked up- what if Luo Binghe had recently broken up with her, or she’d been injured, or some other tragedy had occurred? But then Luo Binghe wasn’t able to contain the sound of his laughter. “Ah you- you really are the same.”

‘The same as what’ would be the logical question there, considering that they’d only met yesterday, but the sound of Luo Binghe’s laughter felt so familiar that Shen Yuan couldn’t find it within himself to act like they were strangers, even though he knew that they were. 

He didn’t even realize that he’d already reached out to rest his hand on top of Luo Binghe’s until Shen Jiu was suddenly reaching over to yank him away. “I forgot my phone in our room. Go get it.”

“Get it yourself,” Shen Yuan grumbled. “How do you leave behind your phone, of all things?”

“Not everyone is as attached to theirs as you are. Now go.”

Shen Yuan scowled. His brother must really think he was an idiot, but Shen Yuan wasn’t going to fall for that. “Fine.” He reached out to grab Luo Binghe’s hand. “We’ll be right back with your phone, then.”

Luo Binghe let out a strained little laugh. “It’s alright, you go ahead, we’ll catch up.”

Annoyed at being treated like a child, Shen Yuan glowered as he agreed. “Fine.” He gave his brother a pointed look. “If you kill someone right here in a public hotel lobby, Baba will kill you,” he told him, as if Jiu-ge would need any reminder. 

Then he started towards the elevators. He pressed the button for their floor, then glanced back and saw Shen Jiu and Luo Binghe heading down the hallway, in the direction that presumably led to some more conference rooms, if the signs on the walls were anything to go by.

Shen Yuan didn’t even hesitate to ditch the elevator and carefully headed after the pair. He didn’t know what was going on, but it was weird, and also it was probably the most interesting thing to come from this business deal. 

They must have been really pissed at each other, because they hadn’t even checked to make sure that the door to the small room they’d picked was closed all the way. Shen Yuan leaned up against the wall, head tipped towards the sliver of an opening as he concentrated on hearing what was being said in low voices. 

“-of course I know who you are,” Jiu-ge said in that intentionally disinterested voice he was so good at.

“You’re not my shizun,” Luo Binghe responded quietly.

“Oh?” Shen Yuan could easily picture his brother raising one eyebrow and looking intimidating. “Then that ridiculous book is accurate about how unfilial you are? Though I suppose that’s to be expected if the book is accurate about you being a demon, as well.”

There was a moment of silence, then, “You don’t know? Then… then you weren’t there either.” 

“‘Weren’t there either’? Explain,” Shen Jiu demanded sharply.

“It’s not me, the one from the story. My life was different after- after my shizun changed.” He hesitated a moment before speaking with more certainty, “After you changed. I used to think that Shizun was able to love me because I had proven myself to him, but… but it wasn’t you at all, was it? That was Shen Yuan.”

“You’ll do to keep my brother’s name out of your filthy mouth,” Shen Jiu answered coldly. “And you will stay away from him. Whatever grievances you hold, you hold them with me.” 

Apparently that was enough of an answer to confirm Luo Binghe’s theory, but he chose to ignore the second part of what Shen Jiu had just said. “You left and Shen Yuan took your place. He’s the one who loved me; it never had anything to do with you. He’s the one who became my husband.”

“Your what!?” Shen Jiu’s genuine shock broke through his facade of not caring. 

Shen Yuan couldn’t just continue waiting around in the hallway after hearing that. He could be slow sometimes, but even he couldn’t be that stupid. Luo Binghe and Shen Qingqiu getting married was something that had only happened in Shen Yuan’s all-too-realistic dream, not something that could be found anywhere in the pages written by that hack author. And fanfictions depicting such things could only be found in the deepest, blackest trenches of the internet, certainly not something that someone would openly chat about with someone who clearly didn’t like them.

Shen Yuan still didn’t entirely understand what was going on, but he knew at least one thing- that dream was perhaps never just a dream at all. Maybe he was about to make an utter fool of himself, but Shen Yuan’s body was already moving before he could overthink it, shoving the meeting room door the rest of the way open and hurrying inside. “Binghe!” The name burst out of him like it had a million times before. “All of that was real?”

Luo Binghe whirled around to stare at Shen Yuan with wide eyes. “Shiz- Shen- Yuan-ge! What-?”

Shen Yuan rapidly sorted through his memories of that dream to pick out some of the biggest differences between that and Proud Immortal Demon Way, to prove that he knew of the real, more satisfying, version. “Jinlan City, and Liu Qingge, and meeting your dad, and stopping the realms from merging, and- and-” It was such a long story, hundreds of years long, and it was hard to remember the stuff that had mainly been right from the beginning of when Shen Yuan had first transmigrated in.

Luo Binghe hurried forward, then paused right in front of him, looking at Shen Yuan frantically, like he was trying to see Shen Qingqiu’s form hidden beneath his skin. He didn’t even have time to feel self-conscious because Shen Yuan was too busy worrying about the vulnerable look on Binghe’s face that had not been there in such a long time. “-and got married,” Binghe filled in very, very quietly.

“Binghe,” Shen Yuan gasped out, unable to stop himself from reaching out. Binghe reached out at the same time and they pulled each other into a tight hug, just breathing and existing in the same space, knowing that they were both exactly who they thought they were. 

It was like they were in their own little world, just the two of them, the way it had often felt throughout their marriage. They were only dragged out of it by the sound of Shen Jiu’s loud snarl of, “What the fuck?”

,,,

Twenty-six years ago, Luo Binghe had been dealing with some dreary business in the Demon Realm, going through his paperwork with the exacting precision that his shizun had always drilled into him, when he suddenly felt his connection to Shen Qingqiu disappear. Because of his blood in his shizun’s body, Luo Binghe always had a vague awareness of his husband’s general state, even when he wasn’t trying to focus on it.

He had immediately abandoned any semblance of the Demon Emperor that he was meant to be, taken over entirely by his worry for his spouse. He rushed back to Cang Qiong as fast as possible, regretting the loss of Xin Mo for the first time in a while. Halfway there, he remembered to try calling for Mobei-jun, but the disloyal ice demon did not listen to the summons, so Luo Binghe continued on his own.

By the time he arrived, the other peak lords were already waiting for him, clearly anticipating his bad reaction. Shen Qingqiu had gone on a mission with a handful of his younger disciples. Something went wrong, as often tended to happen around Luo Binghe’s trouble-magnet of a husband, but instead of the usual aphrodisiac flower or qi deviation with odd symptoms, it had been an ambush. 

A group of demons who knew they stood no chance at overthrowing Luo Binghe, so they decided to go after Shen Qingqiu instead. They knew they didn’t have great odds against the immortal cultivator either, though, so they specifically targeted the disciples, knowing that Shen Qingqiu would throw himself in front of them. He made sure that the children were able to get away and report back to Cang Qiong about what had happened. 

Several peak lords had gone to rescue Shen Qingqiu, only to find that they were too late. The demons did not take him captive, as several enemies in the past had done. No, they simply killed him and then carelessly left the body behind as though it was worthless.

Thanks to that other Luo Binghe, he knew that there were other worlds where it was possible for people who were alive to be dead, or vice versa. Silently apologizing to his shizun, Luo Binghe repaired Xin Mo, and then began pushing the sword to its limits jumping from one world to another, desperately in search of his shizun. When he’d eventually reached this world, he’d had some gut instinct that he was in the right place, even if he had no evidence to support it. At least not until he’d been working on deciding who to go into business with, and his research of a certain company led him to an image of Shen Jiu, who looked just like his shizun. 

After sharing all of that, Shen Yuan pulled Luo Binghe into another hug. “I’m so sorry- I never meant to leave you. I thought that I still had that plot armor and-”

Shen Jiu had seemingly been shocked into silence while Luo Binghe explained, but he was finally able to find his voice again and interrupt. “How do you have anything to do with this beast?” he demanded to know.

Shen Yuan sighed and shot Luo Binghe an apologetic glance that made his heart race, and then he turned to face his brother. “Remember when you went on that business trip and I ended up in the hospital?”

“Yes,” Shen Jiu answered through gritted teeth.

“Well, I had this super long dream, or at least I thought it was all a dream, but it turns out it was real! I-” he cut himself off, eyes wide as he slowly turned his head like he was looking for something, and then he let out a startled laugh. “The System isn’t here. I can say whatever I want. I can-” He turned to look at Luo Binghe again, eyes sparkling with warmth. “I’m not Shen Qingqiu,” he blurted out, wincing for a moment like he expected something to happen. When nothing did, he continued. “I was Shen Yuan first, and then I transmigrated into Proud Immortal Demon Way, and there was a System that made me do certain things- the Abyss!” 

It was Luo Binghe’s turn to flinch. Even after all the years they’d spent together, they had never really talked about the Abyss, and the events leading up to it. It was enough for Luo Binghe to know that his shizun had regretted it. “That’s not…”

He trailed off when Shen Yuan reached out to gently take hold of his hands. “I’m sorry, Binghe. I was a coward. The System threatened to kill me if I didn’t push you. I shouldn’t have done it anyways, but I just-”

Luo Binghe felt himself fill up with rage towards this unknown ‘system’. “I would rather get pushed into the Abyss a thousand times than see you die,” he vowed.

It was something they could talk about more later. For now, this was more than enough. Shen Yuan smiled softly at him, and continued. “I read Proud Immortal Demon Way before being stuck as Shen Qingqiu. I kept thinking it was all going to go the same way the book did, even when things were clearly changing.”

“I forgive you,” Luo Binghe said. Even though he had absolved his husband of all his sins so long ago that he could barely remember, he knew that it was something Shen Yuan needed to hear now. Then he looked up at Shen Jiu, whose face was white with anger. “Looks like your brother has gone by Qingqiu after all. Just not the one I was looking for.” 

Shen Yuan looked at Shen Jiu again. He’d been so focused on the revelation that his dreams were real and that Binghe was his husband, he hadn’t really thought about what Shen Jiu’s half of the conversation meant. “You… you were the one who hurt Binghe?” he asked with uncertainty. He knew his brother could be a bit of a bully at times, but only to show his care. He was never genuinely cruel. It was hard to reconcile the brother he loved with the teacher who had abused his favorite student.

“Yes,” Shen Jiu answered, standing tall. “And then you took my life.” The three of them all stood there awkwardly for a long moment before Shen Jiu narrowed his eyes. “Do as you please. I know that you will no matter what I say.” Then he stormed out of the room. Shen Yuan started to move to go after him, but then stopped himself. With such big revelations, they could both use some time to cool down before talking again. And Shen Yuan really didn’t want to think about the fact that he’d been using his brother’s body when being with Binghe- nope, definitely not thinking about that!

There was one person he could focus on right now, though. “Thank you for coming to find me.”

“You’re so different here,” Binghe observed. “Was it that system making you act differently?”

Shen Yuan nodded. “I had to act just like Shen Qingqiu or I would get punished. And eventually I just got used to being like that.”

Binghe’s face twisted slightly, and Shen Yuan knew his husband well enough to know when he was containing laughter. “You were never anything like that other Shen Qingqiu. And I’m glad.” He pulled Shen Yuan closer again. “I have so many questions, and now you can answer them all, right? But first… What was that you were saying about me being your favorite character?”

Shen Yuan felt his face go red, and wished desperately that he had a fan on hand, either to cover his face or lightly smack Binghe with it. “You-!” The sound of laughter echoed down the hallway for all to hear. “I’m going to make you meet my whole family before we get married here,” Shen Yuan warned him. “You’d better be on your best behavior!” 

“I’d be delighted to meet Shizun’s family,” Binghe told him, eyes glittering mischievously. “I would never dare sabotage my chances at sharing another wedding with you.” 

Shen Yuan rolled his eyes. “And you have to go through with a fair deal for Jiu-ge’s contract.”

That one had Binghe hesitate for just a moment, but then he still nodded. “As Yuan-ge wishes.”

Shen Yuan regretted reacting to the nickname earlier, because he knew that now Binghe would never let it go, even if he would probably continue to use ‘shizun’ most often. He grabbed Binghe’s arm to pull him out of the meeting room. “Let’s go back to your place to keep talking.” 

Binghe obediently followed along, probably already thinking about what new snacks he could make. As Shen Yuan kept looking over at his husband, he silently vowed to never tell his brother that dragging Shen Yuan along on this business trip had turned out to be the best thing ever.