Chapter Text
All around, everyone’s faces had petrified into a canvas of frozen shock.
Because there, on the pages of Scum Villains Self Saving System, was a drawing of their beloved and esteemed martial brother.
Shen Qingqiu.
His heart stuttered.
Silence.
Everyone just stared at Shen Qingqiu who could do nothing than stare back, trying to keep the emotions from showing on his face.
Silence.
Was this it? Was all his hard work going to come to an end?
Silence.
There were various reactions from around the room, ranging from shock to understanding.
Then -
“Shizun, this disciple will stand with you no matter what,” said Luo Binghe as he squeezed his hand. Shen Qingqiu sighed in relief. At least he could count on his husband.
It wasn’t so quiet anymore.
Luo Binghe’s statement broke that soundless barrier and suddenly everyone was talking, discussing this new announcement.
Tianlang-Jun coughed, “Well that’s awkward.”
“So, he isn’t the real Shen Qingqiu!” exclaimed Qi Qingqi. She turned to Liu Mingyan and held out her hand expectantly, “Where’s my money?” Shen Qingqiu had questions.
Meanwhile, Luo Binghe noticed that the stars in Liu Qingge’s eyes had somehow become even more glittery! He would have to keep a careful eye on that one to protect his shizun.
“This explains soo much,” said Wei Qingqwei. The other Peak Lords nodded in agreement - except for one.
Yue Qingyuan stared, unreadable emotions catapulting and twisting through his eyes.
She Qingqiu winced. He knew that the original goods and Yue Qingyuan had something that no one wanted to dive into. This ‘no one’ included Shen Qingqiu himself.
Google, what do you say to the man who had a situationship with the body that you are currently occupying?
Exactly.
Yue Qingyuan wasn’t the only one who was greatly affected by this, Ning Yingying also had a… look. Shen Qingqiu felt like shit. Shang Qinghua threw him a sympathetic glance.
Around Shen Qingqiu, he could hear the statements of ‘Who even cares, he’s better than the other one’ and ‘Goodbye good riddance, I say!’ coming to stop as everyone noticed how unusually quiet the Sect Leader was.
“Zhangmen – “, Shen Qingqiu who was about to call Yue Qingyuan’s name stopped at the pained expression flickering on his face. Luo Binghe twitched, but Shen Qingqiu put his hand on him to stop him.
This was his fight.
Everyone stared at this face off, but no one interfered.
Yue Qingyuan sighed. Shen Qingqiu tensed.
“It’s… I…,” there was nothing Shen Qingqiu could say to make this situation better. Yue Qingyuan had treated Shen Qingqiu like a brother, not knowing his real identity and Shen Qingqiu had betrayed the trust that he was given.
Except there was something that could calm both of their hearts, because Yue Qingyuan opened his mouth and said in a firm but calm tone, “I don’t blame you.”
Though he said this, his eyes were glittering with unshed tears and there was a hint of accusation in his expression.
Shen Qingqiu decided to ignore the nonverbal communication and let himself breath.
[Congratulations! +20 points for emotional maturity!]
“Is there a way to mute this thing?” muttered Liu Qingge.
“Not the time Shidi.”
Meanwhile, Shen Qingqiu puzzled over why Yue Qingyuan had forgiven him. He was too cowardly to ask him but something must have shown on his face because Yue Qingyuan clocked him.
“If the Shen Yuan in there is you, then it’s clear that you didn’t purposely choose to take over his body,” Yue Qingyuan’s voice wavered but his expression was firm. “That’s why I don’t blame you.”
Before Shen Qingqiu could reply, Tianlang-Jun butted it, “Just to be sure, you are Shen Yuan?”
Shen Qingqiu nodded stiffly.
“That’s so wild. You swear so much!”
Shen Qingqiu face heated. Just then, Sha Hualing said with a sly smile, “We’ve gotten the Sect Leader’s opinion on this, but what about the rest of the Peak Lords. More importantly, what does Lord Luo Binghe think about all this?”
Shen Qingqiu was going to commit murder soon.
What Sha Hualing had said had some merit, though. In fact, a lot of merit. Shen Qingqiu had firmly ignored looking at Luo Binghe. He wasn’t a coward! He… was just focusing on Yue Qingyuan’s reaction, that’s all!
Except, Shen Qingqiu was around 80% sure that Luo Binghe didn’t mind. From the way that his hand was still clasped in the others and the fact that Luo Binghe had not tried to kill him.
This belief was confirmed when Luo Binghe said to Shen Qingqiu – though it was obvious that he was more addressing the room than for his Shizun’s sake, “I don’t care where Shizun came from. As long as Shizun is Shizun then who is this disciple to go against him? From what I can tell, he saved me from a violent Shen Qingqiu and none of his actions were to harm me – unless I wanted it.” Luo Binghe said this last part with a wink, increasing Shen Qingqiu’s already high embarrassment.
To finish off his speech, Luo Binghe gave a huge fat kiss on Shen Qingqiu’s face who could do nothing but accept the protagonists wishes! Liu Qingge spluttered in rage while his sister started firing off words onto her notebook. A few others looked uncomfortable at this PDA – except for the perverted hamster who wiggled his eyebrows at Shen Qingqiu.
Shen Qingqiu tried to ignore the fluttering in his heart at his husband's statement. Though there was something that he needed cleared on, “Binghe?”
“Yes, Shizun?”
His heart spiked as he asked, “How are you sure that I’m the… man you fell in love with? The time that I was transported into this body?” His face was too thin to say such things! But the circumstances were bad enough so it’s not like his social embarrassment could get worse, right?
“It’s obvious when Shizun took over this body.”
“Really?” puzzled Liu Qingge. “How?”
“After Shizun’s Qi Deviation.”
“Ok but I got a question.” Thankfully the attention was diverted from discussing Shen Qingqiu, to Wei Qingwei who had spoken. “If you occupied the original Shen Qingqiu’s body, why did none of the possession tests we do activate?”
Guess they were still discussing him. Sigh.
The other Peak Lords nodded and made sounds in agreement – except for Yue Qingyuan who had taken to depressingly staring at the wall. Yeah… there was no way Shen Qingqiu would try to comfort him. He had gone through his max awkwardness for the day and that’s why he would firmly be ignoring the sadness on Ning Yingying’s face.
“Ahem. I’m sure that’s because I’m not of this world and I’m not a resentful spirit. Plus, the System can be quite… resourceful.”
[Awww, thank you valued User! (*≧∀≦*) ]
Shen Qingqiu wanted to split blood. That wasn’t a compliment you sorry excuse for a System!
Zhuzhi-lang gasped. Everyone turned to him in alarm to discover his eyes opening in realisation.
“What is it?!” asked Tianlang-Jun.
“Junshang, I’ve just realised that the System wasn’t lying when it said that User-200 was Master Shen! This reduces a huge amount of confusion!” There we’re a few gasps from around as the others also realised this.
“You were lying?” Tianlang-Jun asked in a disappointed tone. Sha Hualing snickered.
Shen Qingqiu coughed. Why was he acting like his parent?!
“Who cares,” said Luo Binghe.
“No offence Luo Binghe, but Shen Qingqiu could cannibalise and you wouldn’t find anything wrong with it,” unexpectedly, it was Mu Qingfang who came with this sick burn, though seemed to be a little self conscious because soon after he said, “Not that I would think Shen-Shixiong would do that of course.”
“No offence taken… I think?”
“Shen Qingqiu. Would you like us to call you your original name, Shen Yuan?” asked Qi Qingqi. A few others perked up at this, curious at what his answer would be.
Shen Qingqiu thought over this. He considered the implications of keeping the name of a dead man, but he had gotten used to being Shen Qingqiu. Hearing the people from the PIDW universe – or maybe he should more call it the SVSSS universe - calling him by his pre-transmigration name would be unsettling. He wasn’t Shen Yuan anymore, he had a new identity who was Shen Qingqiu. It would be uncomfortable to use the name of a man who wasn’t present.
That’s why, when he replied to Qi Qingqi it was with a sturdy, “No. Keep on calling me Shen Qingqiu.”
There were ‘yes’s’ from around the room and a choked sound from Yue Qingyuan – which was ignored.
“Shouldn’t we continue reading, otherwise we’ll be stuck here?” pointed out Mobei-Jun.
“That’s true - hey! I just realised that the story is told from Shizun’s point of view!” exclaimed Ming Fan. Shen Qingqiu sweated.
“You’re still calling him your Shizun? No judgement though. He’s still my son-in-law,” said Tianlang-Jun. Shen Qingqiu wanted to tear his hair out! What was the point of making a comment like that!
“Ehh, I don’t care to be honest,” Ming Fan looked straight into Shen Qingqiu’s eyes as he said this. His gaze was filled with reverence. “Though the other Shizun had his… perks, and though I hate to admit it, I find that he didn’t really consider me human.”
Luo Binghe glared at Ming Fan, who was speaking about his Shizun with a bit too much of adoration. Ming Fan better watch himself.
Meanwhile, Shen Qingqiu felt a little warm at the fact that he was better than a tea-throwing, child-whipping villain. Yue Qingyuan was noticeably quiet.
“Can we go back to the part where the story is written from Shen Qingqiu’s view?” for some reason Liu Qingge blushed a bit while saying this. There came the sound of scribbling from Liu Mingyan.
“No.” There were curious glances from around the room but that was all Shen Qingqiu was going to say. He knew how much he had sworn and was not ready for how much face he would be losing soon! Had he not been in privy to enough embarrassment already?! That damn System!
“I am curious to see what Master Shen thinks of all of us,” said Zhuzhi-lang, not knowing the nervous thoughts that were going through the War God and Demon Lord’s mind. Yue Qingyuan tried to ignore the butterflies at this thought.
“So, are we going to read?” said an impatient Wei Qingwei.
“Yes, yes. Calm down,” smirked Tianlang-Jun. Sha Hualing snickered.
Internally, Shen Qingqiu mentally prepared himself for all the face he was going to lose.
Zhuzhi-lang opened the book, and then they read.