Chapter Text
Yue Qingyuan and Liu Qingge were upset when Shen Qingqiu went off with Luo Binghe to raze Huan Hua Palace. Shen Qingqiu didn’t see why. Luo Binghe’s demon armies, with Mobei-jun at the forefront and Shang Qinghua covertly managing their supplies, would have made short work of the sect.
Victory was undoubtable. Luo Binghe was the protagonist and his victory was assured! A second-rate sect like Huan Hua Palace could never keep him down for long. And to be certain, Shen Qingqiu gave Luo Binghe every advantage he could aid with. All the talismans and protective gear may have been considered excessive, but no one was catching Luo Binghe in a trap again on Shen Qingqiu’s watch!
Two more heavenly demons showing up with an additional demonic army was a surprise. And overkill.
In the end it turned out razing Huan Hua Palace Sect to the ground and torturing the Old Palace Master together made for a great father-son bonding activity. Tianlang-jun was hard to get rid of, and Zhuzhi-lang was clingier still. Shen Qingqiu couldn’t fault them for wanting to make up for lost time, although he didn’t quite understand why they singled him out so much as well.
Shen Qingqiu didn’t watch as Luo Binghe made an example of Qiu Haitang - the wife of a very different Luo Binghe. But he did kiss Luo Binghe afterwards and help him wash off the blood - to reassure his bun of his affections, since Luo Binghe was unjustifiably worried that Shen Qingqiu might be squeamish.
Luo Binghe’s confidence had also grown with their frequent sessions to manage Xin Mo’s energies. Shen Qingqiu knew it was safest for Xin Mo to remain in Luo Binghe’s keeping, rather than any of the other power-hungry possibilities. But its influence on Luo Binghe could still easily become a problem, so Shen Qingqiu was diligently researching sealing options on the side. They hadn’t borne fruit yet, but Shen Qingqiu wouldn’t give up. And in the meantime his mushroom body was very effective at cleansing Luo Binghe’s qi.
It reassured them both to hold hands constantly and cling to one another, and if they spent all their moments together, perhaps they were making up for lost time. Or perhaps it was deeply-rooted trauma, who knew? If it was, Shen Qingqiu was certain that would fade eventually.
And then they had returned to Qing Jing, only to be scolded for putting themselves in danger - as though they were remotely in danger, with how quickly and easily Huan Hua Palace had gone down.
“But did Shen-shidi need to accompany him?” Yue Qingyuan asked, sounding a little pained. “You yourself said we needed to distance ourselves from this action.”
“I had a disguise,” Shen Qingqiu insisted. It was not an oversight, he knew what he was doing!
“The beard is not a convincing disguise,” claimed Liu Qingge, but Shen Qingqiu knew he was lying.
Liu Qingge had been fooled for some time by that “not convincing disguise” and had no basis on which to criticize it now!
The fact that the Old Palace Master had called him Shen Qingqiu right away notwithstanding! He was dead now, so what did it matter anyway?!
Shen Qingqiu looked away, and fanned himself to cool his blushing face. “It was enough for plausible deniability!” He insisted hotly.
Liu Qingge and Yue Qingyuan both teamed up to give Shen Qingqiu skeptical looks, and Shen Qingqiu quailed - just a little - under the combined weight.
Luo Binghe placed a threatening hand on Shen Qingqiu’s shoulder.
Liu Qingge placed a threatening hand on his sword.
Shen Qingqiu hastily wrapped up the meeting before they came to blows - again. You just got off bed rest Liu-shidi! Why so eager to return to it?
“I do need to ask, before you go,” Yue Qingyuan called out.
Shen Qingqiu paused in his hasty retreat, although he pushed Luo Binghe through the doorway and blocked it with his own body, just in case. Liu Qingge still looked twitchy even now that Luo Binghe was out of sight.
Yue Qingyuan’s voice was soft as he asked, “Shen-shidi. Are you happy?”
Shen Qingqiu beamed. “Yes!”