Chapter Text
CAYQ -07
The morning started like any other.
Yue Qi woke before dawn, as he always did, and lay in bed for a few precious moments simply watching Shen Jiu sleep. His husband was curled on his side, one hand tucked beneath his cheek, his breathing slow and even. The pale morning light softened the sharp lines of his face, making him look younger, more vulnerable.
Yue Qi resisted the urge to reach out and touch him. Shen Jiu needed his rest, especially lately. The fatigue that had plagued him since their return from the honeymoon showed no signs of abating, and Yue Qi had learned to treasure every moment of peaceful sleep his husband could get.
He slipped out of bed carefully, padding quietly to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. The routine was familiar, comforting. Rice porridge simmering on the stove, pickled vegetables arranged on a small plate, tea steeping in the pot. Simple things. Domestic things.
Things that meant home.
By the time Shen Jiu emerged from the bedroom, rubbing sleep from his eyes, breakfast was ready and waiting.
"You're spoiling me," Shen Jiu muttered, accepting the bowl of porridge Yue Qi pressed into his hands.
"I enjoy spoiling you."
"That's not a good habit."
"It's an excellent habit. I'm committed to it."
Shen Jiu made a sound that might have been exasperation or might have been fondness. With him, it was often difficult to tell. But he ate the porridge without complaint, and that was victory enough for Yue Qi.
The restaurant opened at midday, as usual.
Yue Qi stood near the entrance, greeting customers as they arrived. The waiting list that Shang Qinghua had implemented was working well, keeping the flow of patrons organized and manageable. Xiao Mei managed the front desk with increasing confidence, her competence growing with each passing day.
The lunch rush came and went without incident. The afternoon crowd was lighter, a mix of regulars and curious newcomers. Yue Qi moved through the dining room, answering questions and refilling water cups, his attention split between the customers and the kitchen, where Shen Jiu was directing the preparation of broths.
‧₊˚ ⋅ 𓐐𓎩 ‧₊˚ ⋅‧₊˚ ⋅ 𓐐𓎩 ‧₊˚ ⋅‧₊˚ ⋅ 𓐐𓎩 ‧₊˚
Everything was normal. Everything was routine.
Until the door opened and two figures walked in. Yue Qi's head ringed with a tense feeling of being invaded, his head involuntarily looking in their way.
Yue Qi's first impression was that they were cultivators. It was obvious from the way they moved, the quiet confidence in their bearing, the subtle shimmer of spiritual energy that clung to them like a second skin. The man was tall and striking, dressed in dark robes embroidered with silver thread, his bearing regal, his features handsome in a way that suggested noble blood. The woman beside him was elegant, her robes simple but finely made, her dark eyes sharp with intelligence.
They were not from this city. Yue Qi would have remembered faces like these.
"Welcome to Qijiu Hot Pot," he said, stepping forward to greet them. "Table for two?"
The man nodded. "Please."
His voice was deep, resonant, carrying a weight of authority that made Yue Qi's instincts prickle. There was something familiar about him, something that tugged at the edges of Yue Qi's memory. But he couldn't place it.
You're overthinking, he told himself firmly. They're just customers.
He led them to a table near the window, one of the better spots in the restaurant. The woman looked around with obvious interest, her eyes taking in the heating discs, the simmering pots, the plates of raw ingredients arranged on the tables.
"This is unusual," she observed. "I've never seen anything like it."
"It's a new concept," Yue Qi explained. "You cook your own ingredients in the broth. It's interactive."
"Interactive food." The woman's lips curved into a smile. "How novel."
"Take your time with the menu. Our server will be with you shortly."
Yue Qi retreated to the kitchen, where Shen Jiu was inspecting a batch of thinly sliced beef.
"New customers?" Shen Jiu asked without looking up.
"Two cultivators. They seem..." Yue Qi hesitated, searching for the right word. "Familiar. Somehow."
Shen Jiu glanced at him, one eyebrow raised. "Familiar how?"
"I don't know. I can't place it." Yue Qi shook his head. "It's probably nothing. Just my imagination."
"Probably." Shen Jiu returned his attention to the beef. "These slices are too thick again. Tell the kitchen staff to pay attention."
"I'll let them know."
The afternoon continued, the two cultivators eating their meal with quiet appreciation. Yue Qi found himself glancing their way more often than he should have, trying to place where he might have seen them before. But nothing came to him, and eventually he forced himself to focus on his work.
You're being paranoid, he told himself. They're just customers. Nothing more.
The dinner rush was busier than usual.
Every table was full, and the staff moved through the dining room with practiced efficiency. Yue Qi helped where he could, clearing tables and refilling cups and answering the endless questions of first-time customers.
Shen Jiu was in the kitchen, directing the chaos with his usual sharp commands. But Yue Qi noticed that he was moving slower than normal, his movements lacking their usual precision. He stumbled once, catching himself on the counter, and Yue Qi saw him press a hand to his forehead, his expression pained.
Yue Qi started toward him, but a customer called out for assistance, and by the time he looked back, Shen Jiu had straightened and returned to work, his face composed.
He's just tired, Yue Qi told himself. He's been tired a lot lately. It's nothing. It's fine.
But the knot of worry in his chest refused to loosen.
The two cultivators were still there. They had finished their meal but showed no signs of leaving, sitting at their table and talking in low voices. The man occasionally glanced around the restaurant, his eyes lingering on the staff, on the customers, on the various workings of the establishment.
Yue Qi couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching. Observing. Assessing.
But why? What interest could two cultivators have in a hot pot restaurant?
You're being paranoid, he told himself again. They're just customers. Nothing more.
The evening wore on.
The dinner rush began to slow, tables emptying as customers finished their meals and departed. The staff began the familiar process of cleaning and restocking, preparing for the next day's service.
Shen Jiu emerged from the kitchen, his face pale, his movements unsteady. He made it halfway across the dining room before he stopped, one hand reaching out to brace himself against a table.
Yue Qi was at his side in an instant. "Baobei? What's wrong?"
"I'm fine," Shen Jiu said, but his voice was thin, breathless. "Just... dizzy. I need a moment."
"You need to sit down." Yue Qi took his arm, guiding him toward a chair. "When did you last eat? You've been in the kitchen all day."
"I'm not hungry."
"You're never hungry lately. That's the problem."
Shen Jiu opened his mouth to respond, but before he could speak, his eyes rolled back and he crumpled.
Yue Qi caught him before he hit the ground, his heart lurching with terror. "Shen Jiu! Shen Jiu!"
His husband was unconscious, his face ashen, his breathing shallow. Yue Qi gathered him into his arms, his mind racing, his hands trembling.
"Xiao Mei!" he shouted. "Xiao Mei, get the door to our quarters open!"
The young woman appeared, her face white with alarm. "Master Yue, what happened?"
"I don't know. He just collapsed." Yue Qi was already moving, carrying Shen Jiu toward the back of the restaurant. "Get the doctor. Now."
"I'll go!" Shang Qinghua's voice came from somewhere behind him. "I know where the physician lives. I'll be fast!"
Yue Qi didn't respond. He was focused entirely on Shen Jiu, on the terrifying stillness of his husband's face, on the shallow rise and fall of his chest.
Please, he thought desperately. Please be okay. Please don't leave me.
He laid Shen Jiu on their bed, his hands moving frantically, checking for injuries, for signs of illness, for anything that might explain what had happened.
"Shen Jiu," he whispered. "Baobei, can you hear me?"
No response.
Yue Qi's heart was pounding so hard he could barely hear anything else. His vision was blurring with tears he refused to shed. He couldn't fall apart. Not now. Not when Shen Jiu needed him.
🧸ྀི𓊆ྀི❤︎𓊇ྀི🧸ྀི𓊆ྀི❤︎𓊇ྀི🧸ྀི𓊆ྀི❤︎𓊇ྀི🧸ྀི𓊆ྀི❤︎𓊇ྀི🧸ྀི𓊆ྀི❤︎𓊇ྀི🧸ྀི
"There's no need for alarm."
The voice came from behind him. Yue Qi spun, his hand going to the sword at his hip, his instincts screaming danger.
The two cultivators stood in the doorway to the bedroom. The woman, the one with the sharp eyes, was looking at Shen Jiu with an expression of calm assessment.
"Who are you?" Yue Qi demanded. "How did you get back here?"
"I am Su Xiyan," the woman said, stepping forward. "Your husband is not in danger. He simply fainted from exhaustion and low energy. If you'll allow me, I can examine him properly."
Yue Qi hesitated. Every instinct told him to be wary, to protect Shen Jiu from these strangers. But there was something about Su Xiyan's manner, her calm confidence, that suggested she knew what she was talking about.
"You're a physician?" Yue Qi repeated.
"I have some knowledge about medicine . I can help."
Yue Qi looked at Shen Jiu, pale and still on the bed, and made a decision. "Fine. But I'm watching you."
Su Xiyan nodded and moved to the bedside. The man, the one who had not yet spoken, remained in the doorway, his presence a silent watchful weight.
He's familiar, Yue Qi thought again. Why is he familiar?
But he pushed the thought aside. Shen Jiu was his priority.
Su Xiyan examined Shen Jiu with practiced efficiency, checking his pulse, his breathing, his color. She pressed gently on Shen Jiu's abdomen, her expression thoughtful.
"How long has he been experiencing fatigue?" Su Xiyan asked.
"A few weeks. Maybe longer."
"Nausea? Loss of appetite?"
"Yes. How did you know?"
Su Xiyan didn't answer. She continued her examination, her expression giving nothing away. Finally, she straightened, her eyes meeting Yue Qi's.
"Your husband is not ill," she said.
"Then what's wrong with him?"
Su Xiyan's lips curved into a smile. "He's pregnant. Approximately 1 and a half month"
The words hit Yue Qi like a physical blow.
"Pregnant," he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes. The fatigue and nausea are normal symptoms. His body is adjusting to the new life growing inside him."
Yue Qi stared at Su Xiyan, then at Shen Jiu, then back at Su Xiyan. His mind was blank, his thoughts scattered, his heart pounding with a mixture of shock and joy and terror.
"Pregnant," he said again, because he couldn't think of anything else to say.
"Congratulations." Su Xiyan's voice was warm. "It's a happy occasion."
Yue Qi opened his mouth to respond, but no words came. He looked at Shen Jiu, still unconscious but peaceful now, and felt tears streaming down his face.
Pregnant. Shen Jiu is pregnant. We're going to have a child.
The thought was overwhelming. Terrifying. Wonderful.
"We need to make sure he gets proper rest and nutrition," Su Xiyan continued, her voice calm and professional. "The early months are crucial. He should avoid strenuous activity and eat small, frequent meals. I can recommend some herbal supplements to help with the nausea."
Yue Qi nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
"I'll write everything down for you." Su Xiyan paused, her expression softening. "You should be with him when he wakes. I imagine he'll have questions."
"Thank you," Yue Qi managed. "Thank you for... for helping."
"It was my pleasure." Su Xiyan glanced at the man, who had remained silent throughout. "We should be going. Congratulations again, Master Yue."
They left as quietly as they had come, disappearing through the restaurant and out into the night.
Yue Qi barely noticed their departure. He was already moving to the bed, settling beside Shen Jiu, taking his husband's hand in his own.
"Shen Jiu," he whispered. "Baobei. We're going to have a baby."
No response, but that was okay. Shen Jiu was resting. Shen Jiu was safe. Shen Jiu was carrying their child.
Yue Qi pressed a kiss to his husband's knuckles and let the tears fall freely.
He had never been so happy. He had never been so terrified. He had never felt so alive.
And somewhere in the back of his mind, a quiet voice whispered a warning. The two cultivators had been familiar. The man had been watching. And Su Xiyan had known exactly what was wrong before she had even examined Shen Jiu.
But that was a concern for another day.
For now, there was only this. Only Shen Jiu. Only the miracle growing inside him.
Yue Qi held his husband's hand and waited for him to wake.