Chapter Text
The market was crowded and filled with people bartering and selling wares. Stands of silks, sugary sweets, jewelry, and other wares lined the streets as far as the eye could see. As they walked down the street, there were buskers and street performers entertaining crowds of children and tired looking parents. Nearby, a grimy young boy played a guqin badly enough that several passersby visibly winced. He looked like he couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry. The brothers overheard a mother and another young woman conversing, apparently the young man’s father had been a poor scholar, passing recently. With no immediate family he left his child alone, leaving him to fend for himself with his meagre playing skills on the streets. Ming-ge frowned sadly. “I should give him some yuan. At least enough for some food and lodging for a little while. He’s not that bad?” He rumaged through his pockets to find his wallet. A-Jiu frowned, mouth opening and closing, trying to find the words. Finally it seemed like he found himself.
"It sounded like the instrument was apologizing," Jiu-er groaned. Ming-ge snorted.
"...That was mean." A-Jiu scowled.
"It was accurate. You’re still too soft."
"...You're definitely feeling better now. Whatever, I’m going over.” He pushed his way through the nearby passerby to get to the young busker, and Jiu-er could see the look of astonishment on his face when he saw Shen Ming, one of the most prominent business leaders in the world, before he made the universal ‘shush’ gesture from his brother and a look of understanding. His brother stood for a moment beside the boy, conversing lightly before starting to make his
Jiu-er looked around and in the corner of his eye saw an old woman selling steamed bao, before scolding himself internally and walking over. You’re not any less soft than your stupid brother. Need to stop feeding street rats.
“Hello nainai, could I get some pork bao?” She smiled softly at him, before putting a few into a paper bag. He took out a few larger bills from his wallet, before folding them into her hand before she could protest. “Thank you, nainai. Please keep the change.” He walked over to the young busker, his brother no longer next to the performer. “Here.” He lightly shoved the bag of bao into his hands before he could protest, and then walked away back to his brother, who had started looking for him. “Da-ge.” Ming-ge whipped around, eyes losing the worry they held just seconds ago.
“Where did you go?” Before his eyes scanned the crowd, and saw the young performer now warily eating a bao. “A-Jiu, you’re not fooling anyone. You’re just as soft as I am, maybe moreso.” He smiled softly at his didi.
“..Mhn.”
***
They wandered aimlessly.
Jiu bought a stick of tanghulu. Ming-ge ended up eating it because Jiu inevitably became distracted watching a calligrapher paint fans and silk tapestries.
An old man insisted Ming try homemade herbal tea, because he “looked stressed.” And then a child nearly ran them over with a balloon sword.
It was… admittedly nice. Normal. Ming almost wished days like this happened more often. But alas, as a business owner, that was unlikely.
"...Ming-ge."
"Hm?" A-Jiu had stopped walking, staring at something in the distance.
"...Can we go there?" Ming-ge followed his gaze.
It was… a tiny stall. Honestly, calling it a stall was generous. And it seemed.. separate? From everything else? It was like the heavens were giving a sign, LOOK AT THIS ONE!! With arrows pointing at it and everything.
The tiny-ass stall looked as though someone had draped mismatched fabrics over an old folding table and then dumped every trinket imaginable across the surface.
Bracelets. Hairpins. Strings of prayer beads. Tiny carved animals. Coins with square holes. Cheap jewelry. Glass marbles. Things that probably came from souvenir shops. Things that probably shouldn't exist.
"...You want to look there?" He warily looked over the stall. Didn't seem dangerous, just.. off.
Jiu nodded oddly(?) eagerly. "...Please."
***
The woman behind the table smiled, and Ming-ge immediately disliked her. Not because she'd done anything, but because something about her felt… wrong. She looked impossibly old? Wrinkles traced the corners of her eyes and mouth, yet somehow she was also… beautiful?
Unnaturally so.
Like looking at an oil painting instead of a person. Or an ai generated person. Layers upon layers of gauzy veils hid most of her face. Dark shawls wrapped around her shoulders despite the summer heat. For the briefest moment— Ming-ge could have sworn one pointed ear peeked through silver hair. Then a veil shifted slightly, a slender arm pushing it back into place, and then it was gone.
"...Welcome." Her voice was warm. Too warm. Like if honey had been left in the sun. "Take your time." A-Jiu slowly looked over the table. His hand drifted, past polished jade. Past silver bracelets. Past carved pendants worth far more. Until— his fingers stopped on the cheapest thing there. A tiny jade Buddha pendant. The jade wasn't particularly clear. One edge had a tiny chip. The cord looked as though it'd been replaced several times. It couldn't have cost more than a few yuan.
"...This one."
Ming stared. "...A-Jiu."
"Hm?"
"...Why?" Jiu blinked.
"...What do you mean?"
Ming gestured helplessly. "You own watches that cost more than my first laptop."
"...Ming-ge."
"You have access to the family jewelers. And the vault?"
"...Mm."
"You could literally walk into one of our stores tomorrow and leave with something carved from imperial jade."
"...Probably."
"So..." He picked up the little pendant.
"...Why this?" A-Jiu looked at it for a long moment. Then he smiled slightly.
"...Because..." He hesitated. "...It'll remind me."
"...Of what?"
"You." Ming-ge froze. Jiu looked almost embarrassed. "It doesn't have to be expensive." He rubbed the pendant between his fingers.
"I think memories make things valuable." His smile became sheepish. "So if I keep it… I’ll remember today. And us. Hanging out. I want to remember this. And who knows how long I'll be able to keep doing this kind of stuff?”
Silence. Ming forgot how to breathe for approximately three seconds. His little brother- his little brother wanted the cheap pendant… because he associated it with him.
"Shut up. You're going to live forever." He almost unconciously bit back. "...And we'll take it." The creepy old woman smiled wider.
"Excellent choice." Her glowing(GLOWING?!???) eyes lingered on Jiu for a heartbeat too long. "...Treasure it." Something about those words made the air feel colder.
"That'll be five." Ming-ge handed over fifty. "No need for change." The woman laughed softly.
"There are some debts money cannot repay."
"...Excuse me??" He asked, a little incredulously.
"...Nothing." She tucked the bill away.
"May fortune finally become kinder to you, little one." A-Jiu frowned politely.
"...Thank you?" Neither brother noticed, as they walked away, the pendant glowed. Just once, very faintly. Then went still.
"...You really wanted that thing?" Ming asked. Jiu looked down at the pendant hanging around his neck.
"...Mhm."
"You know it's objectively terrible quality."
"...Mm."
"It'll probably break."
"Then I'll fix it."
"Why?"
Jiu looked genuinely confused. "Because I like it. And because..." He smiled again.
"Now it reminds me of my favorite brother." Ming coughed.
"...Favorite?"
"I didn't say which favorite."
"You little menace."
"I learned from Er-ge."
"That explains everything."
*Much later*
Long after the brothers disappeared into the crowd, the old woman dropped the smile, as well as the many gauzy veils covering her pointed ears and unnatural beauty.
"...Can I go home now?" Nothing happened. She looked up at the sky.
"...Hello?"
Fuck.
A bright blue window appeared in front of her.
Double fuck. Ugh. Maybe I can go home soon?
【SYSTEM ONLINE! ヽ(≧▽≦)ﾉ】
"...Fuck you."
Congratulations to User Hualing! Mission Complete!! (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧
"I hate you."
Aww! This humble system missed you too! (｡•́︿•̀｡)
"I am a High Demon Saintess. A General."
Yep!!
"I commanded armies."
You sure did!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ:･ﾟ✧*
"I destroyed cities."
Super impressive resume!
"...And now I'm selling stupid trinkets? Not willingly, by the way!?"
Character development! ☆⌒(≧▽° ) User Sha Hualing will find that selling wares increases affinity to emotional relationships with others! And experiencing hardship increases something called empathy!
The demoness pinched the bridge of her nose. "I have lived for over three thousand years. I don’t need empathy."
Mhm!!
"I fought Luo Binghe. Both on the battlefield and in bed."
Yep yep! This system did not need to know that! Please keep your bedtime adventures with your stallion husband to yourself!
"Whatever. I negotiated peace treaties with Cang Qiong."
Very diplomatic! (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ
"I once bit a dragon."
Legendary behavior!! (≧▽° )
"..Why."
The System was silent for exactly three seconds. Then—
Because you're the only one scary enough to hand Shen Jiu the correct plot item without accidentally traumatizing him even more! (๑>◡<๑)
And you're fierce natu- She cut it off.
"I want a transfer."
Request denied! (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ: ･ﾟ*
"I quit!"
You literally can't!
"Send me back to the demon realm!"
One more mission first! ♪(´▽｀)
"...I'm going to eat whoever programmed you."
Please take a number! You're currently 14,728th in line! (≧◡≦)
The demon stared blankly into the distance.
"...I miss the apocalypse."
Somewhere far away, the System cheerfully hummed as another notification popped up.
Main Character Shen Jiu Happiness Potential Increased: +0.3%!
(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ:･ﾟ✧*
"What the fuck?? How is this my life." She vanished into the night in a swirl of black mist, leaving behind only an empty stall. The little jade Buddha pendant was gone.
Exactly where fate (or a particularly determined PIDW fan?) wanted it to be.