Work Text:
Shen Qingqiu’s Luo Binghe was good at a lot of things, and as much as he loved him, it was undeniable that Luo Binghe was not… gifted in the romantic department of things. And that was why Shen Qingqiu was surprised to hear that Mobei-Jun suddenly showed up to their makeshift bamboo house in the secluded mountains, not to consult Luo Binghe about Demon Realm matters, but instead regarding matters of the heart.
Trying his best to maintain his lofty, immortal air, Shen Qingqiu repeated, “Mobei-Jun asked you about… what to do if his ‘heart is out of sync with someone’?”
Luo Binghe nodded, adjusting the bamboo hat Shen Qingqiu placed on his head with one hand while his other held onto his fishing rod. “Mobei decided to consult me, seeing as I managed to make my heart clear to Shizun.” A soft smile appeared on his face. “And seeing how our hearts are in sync now.”
Shen Qingqiu couldn’t help the affectionate look from washing over his features. He took back what he said about his Binghe being untalented in the romantic department – when he wanted to, Luo Binghe was a force to be reckoned with. Gently mopping Luo Binghe’s brow with a towel, Shen Qingqiu told him that he would taking the fish Luo Binghe caught back into the hut first before leaving him by the riverside to resume his fishing.
Back inside their hut after settling the fish down in the kitchen, Shen Qingqiu’s eyebrows rose as he thought about Mobei-Jun’s predicament – truly, he was in trouble if the object of his affections was Shang Qinghua. If he thought Luo Binghe was bad, Shang Qinghua would be in a league of his own when it came to being stunted in the romantic department. Case in point: Luo Binghe’s own blunders in romance were a by-product of Shang Qinghua’s brain working. In fact, the world they were residing in is statement to Shang Qinghua’s unromantic self!
Shaking his head, Shen Qingqiu offered a quick prayer to whatever gods above (as long as they were not Shooting Towards the Airplane) on behalf of Mobei-Jun. Then he thought about Shang Qinghua’s visit to them just two days ago, the almost jealous and longing way he stared at Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe domestically eating noodles, and how he forsaken returning to the present world for reasons he didn’t want to name –
Huh. Shen Qingqiu closed his fan and tapped it against his chin thoughtfully. Maybe Mobei-Jun would be fine after all.
To some extent, Shen Qingqiu’s prediction came true.
The next time he saw Shang Qinghua, following the latter salivating over Luo Binghe’s handmand noodles and Mobei-Jun’s sudden romantic consultation, was at their makeshift bamboo hut again. Mobei-Jun dumped him at the front of their hut (dumped was a strong word – it was more of a case of the pair suddenly appearing through a portal and Mobei-Jun shoving Shang Qinghua towards Shen Qingqiu the moment he caught sight of him) before requesting for Luo Binghe’s assistance. After a teary goodbye and a fierce hug, Luo Binghe disappeared with Mobei-Jun through another portal, venturing towards the Demon Realm. They were off to vanquish some B-plot monsters wreaking havoc in between the North and South borders, and if Shen Qingqiu’s memory of the original source material served him right, they would return by nightfall.
“Cucumber-bro!” Shang Qinghua exclaimed the moment they were in the house and had the privacy of four walls. “You won’t believe how OOC Mobei-Jun been acting!”
Shen Qingqiu almost rolled his eyes. He had no trouble believing. In lieu of a reply, he flicked opened his fan and hid half his face behind it.
Used to his (lack of) replies, Shang Qinghua continued rambling. “You know after that time I left your residence, my king took me back to the Northern Palace and made handpulled noodles for me. Handpulled noodles! Pulled from his own two hands!”
Shen Qingqiu hummed noncommittedly as Shang Qinghua launched into a drivel about how his leg was injured because of Mobei-Jun’s uncle, and how Mobei-Jun nursed him back to health and let him recuperate in his bed, how Mobei-Jun promised to not hit him again and gave him more employee benefits.
“… And then, that night, he called me out of the palace and gave his cloak to me because I was cold! And then, and then, and then he kissed me!” Shang Qinghua’s face was red as he squeaked out the last part. He finally paused for air, and looked as if he was going to pick up the cup of tea lying on the table to drink before he thought better of it.
Shen Qingqiu’s hum took on a surprised tone at that. “Huh.” He paused for a while, snapping his fan shut and tapping it against his chin thoughtfully. “… Were his noodles good?”
Shang Qinghua spluttered indignantly. “After all that I told you, that’s what you’re concerned about? Cucumber-bro!”
Shen Qingqiu hit his fan against the top of Shang Qinghua’s head.
“… It was not as good as Luo Binghe’s,” Shang Qinghua answered begrudgingly. “But it’s because of Bing-ge’s protagonist halo.” Then a stupid expression found its way on his face. “Anyway… it’s different. The taste can’t be compared because Mobei-Jun was the one to make it.”
Shen Qingqiu snorted derisively. Truly, Shang Qinghua was in a league on its own when it came to being utterly stupid regarding matters of the heart.
“Cucumber-bro!” Shang Qinghua protested.
“So?” Shen Qingqiu asked. “What happened after your… kiss?”
“Oh.” Shang Qinghua looked almost shy as he twiddled his thumbs together. “He asked me to return his cloak to him before the next day so I went to his bedchambers and returned it.”
“And?” Shen Qingqiu prompted, not quite sure if he wanted to know what happened after.
“And… I gave the cloak back to him? I even folded it neatly!” Shang Qinghua looked extremely proud of that. “My king requested me to help him get ready for the day and retire for the night every day from then on. I’ve been doing that daily.”
Shen Qingqiu snorted at that. “So you upgraded from punching bag to personal attendant. This is what you gave up returning to the present world for.”
“Don’t say it like that! … it’s actually quite nice to help Mobei-Jun get dressed every morning… But that’s besides the point! It’s not like I have anything waiting for me at the present world other than student loans and writing more Proud Immortal Demon Way chapters…”
A silence passed between them. They don’t talk about their previous lives often, but it was a consensus that neither of them had anything in the present world waiting for them.
“Besides…” Shang Qinghua mumbled, almost as if he did not know that he was speaking out loud. “Staying by my king’s side… is more than enough for me.”
Shen Qingqiu did not stop the loud sigh that escaped him. “Dude, you like him.”
Shang Qinghua blinked rapidly as if the notion was absurd. “No??” He started his usual rambling. “I just think Mobei-Jun is really handsome – after all, he’s my ideal man and his face is my ideal type. His personality is really bratty but he’s getting a lot better ever since his ascension…? He used to be some big sadist but now he’s kinder – at least to me – and is very loyal? I like looking at his face?? I like to be the only one in his whole court able to read his expression and serve a purpose in helping him?”
Shang Qinghua suddenly gasped loudly, recoiling back with a loud clatter as he jumped out of his chair. “Dude! I think you’re right! I like like Mobei-Jun! My ideal man! My king, my son!”
Shen Qingqiu shook his head, snapping open his fan and waving it in front of his face. Shang Qinghua was truly stunted… No wonder the romantic braincells of everyone (including Shen Qingqiu himself) in this godforsaken world was next to zero.
Forcing himself to not sigh again, Shen Qingqiu said, “Glad I could lead you to your epiphany. Anyway, just tell him. Trust me, he will be receptive to you liking him.”
Shang Qinghua was staring at him like he had two heads. “… I’ll think about it, Cucumber-bro…”
But somehow, Shen Qingqiu doubted that he would take his advice.
And true enough, Shang Qinghua did not take his advice, just like Shen Qingqiu predicted. Sometimes he wondered to himself, how did he know the inner workings of one stupid author so well? Must be a side effect of being intimately familiar with the ins and outs of his book.
“It’s easy for you to say,” Shang Qinghua hissed at him. “But my king is so… emotionally constipated! And so stingy with words! If I wanted the same pain from being rejected in the most concise way possible, I would just throw myself off a cliff! Even that would be less painful than if Mobei-Jun rejects me.”
Shen Qingqiu fought the urge to roll his eyes. He had to put up his usual immortal airs, especially in the company of others.
Presently, the two of them were in the Northern Desert, in Mobei-Jun’s throne room where a meeting was taking place between Luo Binghe and Mobei-Jun, and a demonic clan. The demonic clan were from the forest where Luo Binghe and Mobei-Jun vanquished the beast from a while back, and they wanted to extend diplomatic relations between their clan and the Demon Realm’s sovereign and right-hand. Naturally, as per logic of this book-verse written by Shang Qinghua’s grubby hands, diplomatic relations consisted of having a grand banquet with sexual tension (for the original Luo Binghe to land a new harem addition), and the point of the meeting was to plan for said banquet.
Shen Qingqiu was sitting in on the meeting on request of Luo Binghe. Luo Binghe was quite insistent on Shen Qingqiu attending for his sake, citing that he needed to show the clan that he had a lovely husband already and was uninterested in taking any of the demonic ladies as concubines in his non-existent harem. Hence, he was sitting next to Shang Qinghua, whispering about the latter’s abysmal love life while pretending to listen to the meeting’s proceedings drone on.
“Speaking of your king,” Shen Qingqiu said coolly. “I understand why he requested for your presence in his meeting. But why must you be dressed like this?”
Shen Qingqiu lowered his fan and fixed Shang Qinghua in a glare. Shang Qinghua, or rather, as he currently was, the fiancée of the Northern Palace King, sister of the An Ding peak lord.
Shen Qingqiu remembered when he first arrived at the Northern Palace and how he almost choked on blood the moment he laid eyes on Shang Qinghua dressed in the finest blue robes suitable for the loveliest maidens, the top part of his hair held back by an ornate headpiece while the rest was loosely flowing around his shoulders.
“What the fuck, dude,” Shen Qingqiu hissed into Shang Qinghua’s ear, out of earshot of Mobei-Jun and Luo Binghe (who smugly smirked at his shishu before discussing demon politics with Mobei-Jun). “Is that eyeliner??”
“Gotta be the whole package,” Shang Qinghua hissed back, looking equally aggravated to be dressing as a female.
“This is my fiancée,” Mobei-Jun declared to the demonic clan as soon as the meeting started, gripping Shang Qinghua’s waist.
Shang Qinghua looked like he was going to die and transmigrate a second time. “S-Shang Qinghua of An Ding Peak. Thank you for your attendance.”
Shen Qingqiu’s eyebrows rose when he heard the introduction. He didn’t even bother changing his name!
“An Ding Peak?” the clan leader said. “Isn’t the peak lord’s name also Shang Qinghua?”
“Ah!” Shang Qinghua said. “You must mean my twin brother. We share the same name in honour of the heavens blessing us with the same date. My name’s characters are written differently from his – my ‘hua’ means flower instead.”
Shen Qingqiu held his breath. That was a bullshit explanation if he ever heard one.
Unbelievably, the clan leader nodded. He must be one of those fodder demons with low IQ. “I see. Very fitting for a maiden like you. Your Excellency, you have a beautiful fiancée.”
“Naturally,” Mobei-Jun said, before dismissing Shang Qinghua to scurry over to Shen Qingqiu and formally started the meeting.
“Come on, Cucumber-bro,” Shang Qinghua whispered, snapping Shen Qingqiu out of his reminiscence and back to his present discussion with Shang Qinghua. “Since you made my protagonist-son gay, the duty of harem lord falls to my king.”
Turns out, when Luo Binghe rejected the demonic clan’s offer on concubines, they tried to aggressively push their females onto Mobei-Jun. Mobei-Jun was handsome, strong, and second only to Luo Binghe in the entire Demon Realm – and unmarried! He was the perfect candidate to take on wives! To wrestle his way out of the situation, he told them he had a fiancée. And proceeded to rope Shang Qinghua into crossdressing as her.
Shen Qingqiu shook his head. Truly, if Shang Qinghua had just taken his advice and talked to Mobei-Jun about his feelings, he wouldn’t be caught in this situation. He voiced out as much.
Shang Qinghua looked even more aggravated. “Bro, you have it easy. Bing-ge just fell at your feet! You don’t need to suffer like me, pining away for his handsome king who doesn’t even bat an eyelid at his lowly retainer.”
“If you are a lowly retainer in his eyes, would he keep you around for so long?” Shen Qingqiu resisted the urge to lash out with his fan. “Remember what the original Mobei-Jun did to your counterpart! This Mobei-Jun kept you around, tolerated you, looked for you when you left him, and even kissed you!”
“B-But…!” Shang Qinghua protested. “My king… He didn’t do anything… After that kiss.”
“Maybe he didn’t want to push you, and is trying to give you space? You wouldn’t know what he’s thinking unless you talk to him. He even asked Binghe for romantic advice a few days ago. Trust me, he likes you –”
Suddenly, a retainer of one of the demons stood up, sending cups and scrolls flying with a clatter, effectively cutting off their conversation off.
He drew out his sword with a flourish. “I will take over the Northern Palace, Mobei-Jun! Mark my words!”
Shang Qinghua and Shen Qingqiu shared an equally long-suffering sigh. As expected of a low-IQ canon fodder demon, thinking of challenging Mobei-Jun and announcing his intentions so brazenly.
“I will first take your consort and then your head!” With that, the demon retainer let out a battle cry and lunged at Shang Qinghua, grabbing him by the upper arm. Luo Binghe started to stand, looking at Shen Qingqiu in concern but Shen Qingqiu discreetly shook his head, reassuring his husband that he was fine.
The temperature of the room instantly plunged to a bone-chilling cold.
“I see,” Mobei-Jun uttered. He took a step off his throne and began walking towards the retainer. Ice cracks started appearing at where his feet stepped, and dark mist started to curl around his body.
(If Shen Qingqiu never seen Luo Binghe in action before, he would have been frightened by the sight. It was pretty impressive.)
“Stay away!” the demon retainer squawked, raising his sword and holding it near Shang Qinghua. “Or I will… Or I will….!”
“Will what?” Mobei-Jun said coolly before an icy blue wave of spiritual power wrapped around the sword. With a snap, the sword broke and crumbled to dust.
The retainer screamed, dropping Shang Qinghua and made a mad dash to the exit. But he never got far before dark mist and blue spiritual power grabbed him. In a span of a few short seconds, all that’s left of the retainer were bones and blood on the floor. Shen Qingqiu winced. ‘Rest in pieces,’ he privately thought.
Shang Qinghua squeaked and covered his eyes. Mobei-Jun barked for his guards to clear the body before striding over to Shang Qinghua and grabbing his wrist, pulling him to his side.
“Let this be a lesson to anyone thinking of taking my place. This palace is mine. This human is mine. This king welcomes your attempts of taking either with open arms and a promise of death.”
The rest of the demonic clan quickly tittered away, praising Mobei-Jun’s prowess and throwing themselves to the ground and apologising for their (now dead) retainer’s insolence. Luo Binghe, not caring about the commotion, made a beeline towards Shen Qingqiu.
“Shizun! Were you hurt?” Luo Binghe cried as he swept Shen Qingqiu in his arms.
“No,” Shen Qingqiu said, allowing himself to lean into the hug. “Your master is fine. Now, put me down, Binghe – we’re in public.”
Luo Binghe released him in time for them to see Mobei-Jun grab Shang Qinghua’s chin with his other hand.
“Shang Qinghua,” he growled. “You’re mine. Don’t forget that, or I’ll mark you.”
With that, Mobei-Jun finally released him. Luo Binghe went back to the front with Mobei-Jun and resumed their meeting.
Shang Qinghua shivered as he stared at Mobei-Jun standing tall and looming over the clan. “So hot,” he whispered.
“Bro,” Shen Qingqiu said behind his fan. “One day we need to work on addressing your kinks.” Then he snapped the fan shut. “But see, Shang Qinghua? I’m right. Mobei-Jun likes you.”
When the meeting adjourned and as Luo Binghe and Shen Qingqiu said their farewells, Shang Qinghua walked beside Mobei-Jun with a dazed expression.
That night, Shen Qingqiu received a poorly worded English letter delivered from the Northern Palace in a scroll.
‘Holy shit bro you’re right! He likes me!’
Shen Qingqiu did not want to know what lead to that revelation. But nevertheless, he was happy for Shang Qinghua. Setting the scroll aside, he thought that it was finally the end of the whole matter, and was ready to embrace his domestic, retired life with his sticky (but adorable) husband.
Turns out, it was not the end of the matter.
The Northern Palace was hosting a banquet, the one Luo Binghe and Mobei-Jun planned with the demonic clan, and Shen Qingqiu was formally invited to attend as Luo Binghe’s spouse. The banquet was carried out in true Proud, Immortal, Demon Way – food, music, dancing, mingling, and lots of people clamouring over the demon sovereign and his right-hand to get into their good graces.
But it was no wonder they were – Luo Binghe and Mobei-Jun looked ever the picture standing together dressed in their finest wear. If Shen Qingqiu wasn’t already married to Luo Binghe, he would be throwing himself at his feet too.
Even the usual thigh-hugger himself was dressed to the nines. Shang Qinghua was wearing his finest blue and silver robes, his peak lord crown polished and gleaming in his updo. Despite the finery he was swathed in, he looked gloomy, sticking out amidst the grand festivities like a sore thumb. Shang Qinghua was behaving like a kicked puppy – only he wasn’t trailing around behind his king. No, he was sulking in a corner and dragging his feet. Like a kicked and lost puppy.
“I’m a bit afraid to ask,” Shen Qingqiu said dryly as he approached Shang Qinghua. Both the demons were talking politics to the clan head, and Shen Qingqiu took this chance to talk to Shang Qinghua privately. “But what happened to you?”
“Cucumber-bro…” Shang Qinghua lifted his head forlornly. “It’s no good. Everything is ruined!”
“I thought your Mobei-Jun likes you? Shouldn’t you be elated?”
“Bro,” Shang Qinghua wailed. “It’s horrible! I’m sorry for the pain and suffering I gave you by endowing demons with a heavenly pillar.”
Shen Qingqiu choked on air.
“That night… My king took me to bed. And… And… he’s so big! I felt like I was splitting in two! How do you even do it without dying? God, it felt like my legs weren’t – Ow!”
“Your fault!” Shen Qingqiu said heatedly, pulling his fan back. “You wrote this!”
“I didn’t expect myself, or anyone to be on the receiving end of my mistakes!” Shang Qinghua wailed. “I was thinking of asking you for advice but then I whacked my king over the head and said his technique sucks! Now he doesn’t even want to talk to me, much less touch me ever again. Oh, Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky!! You are an idiot for chasing away the love of your life with bad reflexes and bad seduction methods and bad writing – Ow!”
Shen Qingqiu calmly snapped opened his fan and waved it in front of his face after hitting Shang Qinghua. “Reap what you sow.”
Shang Qinghua sulked. “Easy for you to say, Cucumber-bro. At least, no matter how bad your experience with Bing-ge was initially… He has skills now. Don’t give me that look, of course I know his learning curve! He’s my son!”
Privately, Shen Qingqiu agreed and thanked Shang Qinghua for writing Luo Binghe with skills and quick learning abilities to make up for his initially horrendous technique. Now, he all but demolished any kind of learning curve with his prowess.
On the outside, however, he remained impressive as Shang Qinghua continued to lament his life and how really, couldn’t he have just thrown in a one-liner giving his king good technique in bed too? It would have just been one line out of all the mindless drivel he written!
Out of the corner of his eye, Shen Qingqiu saw Mobei-Jun drag Luo Binghe away fugitively. This gesture was not unnoticed by Shang Qinghua. As if possible, his shoulders slumped even more.
“My king hates me now,” he wailed. “He’s probably discussing with Luo Binghe on what’s the best way to get rid of me. To demons, relationships are fleeting. A night of passion means nothing. What’s a night without passion with a meek human servant to Mobei-Jun?”
Shen Qingqiu resisted the urge to massage his temples. Or take out his fan and hit Shang Qinghua. Or both.
“If Mobei-Jun wanted to get rid of you, will you be standing here talking to me?” Shen Qingqiu said slowly as if speaking to a child. “Think of his personality! Remember what the original goods did. Now think of your Mobei-Jun!”
Shang Qinghua paused. “… You’re right! Wow, Cucumber-bro, you really know my characters so well – you are indeed my biggest fan!”
Shen Qingqiu gave in to the urge to hit him.
After Shang Qinghua stopped crying over the abuse, he asked, “So, Cucumber-bro… How did you and your sticky husband get better? In the bedroom, I mean.”
“I know what you mean,” Shen Qingqiu snapped before hiding his face behind his fan. “Look, just… Talk to him. Practice. Ask around. Read books. You’re both new to this, give each other time to learn. Or the relationship won’t work out.”
Shang Qinghua seemed to be receptive to taking his advice this time. When the banquet ended, he saw Shang Qinghua mustering up his courage and approaching Mobei-Jun. Maybe this time it won’t end in tears.
That night, Luo Binghe remarked, “Shang-shishu looks upset today.”
“Isn’t he always?” Shen Qingqiu said as he blew out the candles and slid into bed. “He’s very insecure when it comes to where he stands with Mobei-Jun.”
Luo Binghe laughed as if he found a funny joke, prompting Shen Qingqiu to ask Luo Binghe what he and Mobei-Jun talked about.
Luo Binghe gave an enigmatic smile. “To ask how we got better, of course.”
“Better at what?” Shen Qingqiu asked.
“Let me show you, Shizun…” Luo Binghe whispered, his breath hot against his ear.
And he did.
The next time he saw Shang Qinghua again was at An Ding Peak. The latter happened to be there to oversee some paperwork his head disciple needed him to personally attend to, and was in his Leisure House. He sent an SOS to Shen Qingqiu, begging him to go over and put him out of his paperwork misery.
With nothing better to do and promising Luo Binghe that he would be back for dinner, Shen Qingqiu made his way into the Leisure House under the guise of speaking to Shang Qinghua regarding official business.
“Cucumber-bro!” Shang Qinghua cried upon laying eyes on him. “Come! Let’s talk, save me from his boredom-induced death…”
They idly caught up, discussing Shen Qingqiu’s ‘honeymoon’ around the world with his sticky husband, peak politics, and made fun of the world created by Shang Qinghua and all of its cultivators and demons alike.
“Speaking of demons…” Shen Qingqiu lifted his fan. “How are things with Mobei-Jun? Did he finally get rid of you?”
“Bro!” Shang Qinghua beamed, ignoring the insult. “Your advice worked!”
Shen Qingqiu thought of the last advice he gave and balked. “Spare me from the details of your sex life – ”
“No, no, no!” Shang Qinghua protested. “I mean, yes, it worked for the papapa, but not just that! Your advice about talking to him and asking around and giving time to learn worked for… us, in general. For whatever that is going on between us.”
As he spoke about Mobei-Jun and their relationship, Shang Qinghua had the stupidest expression on his face and was beaming from ear to ear, his eyes sparkling. He looked like a fool in love. Shen Qingqiu privately wondered if he ever looked like that when he talked about Luo Binghe and raised his fan higher to cover his face that was no doubt red.
“Well,” Shen Qingqiu said. “Whatever the case, I’m glad you are happy.”
Shang Qinghua gave him a smile in return and the two of them were quietly bonding over the rare moment of pure friendship between them…
… Until Shang Qinghua ruined the moment by saying, “Although… Reading books for research helped a lot with the papapa.”
Then Shen Qingqiu snapped his fan shut and hit Shang Qinghua over the head. For much for pure friendship and bonding.
There was a sudden burst of cold wind and with a burst of light, a portal appeared in the room. If not for his lofty, immortal front, Shen Qingqiu would have jumped in surprise.
Not surprised at all and not even turning to confirm his suspicions, Shang Qinghua greeted, “My king.”
True to his words, Mobei-Jun emerged from the portal, barely sparing Shen Qingqiu a glance before his eyes landed on Shang Qinghua.
“Shang Qinghua,” he said. “It’s time to go back home.”
“Yes, yes!” In a flurry of motions, Shang Qinghua grabbed some scrolls, babbled apologies to Shen Qingqiu for not sending him off and to give his regards to Luo Binghe, and tacked a quick note on his table for his head disciple to read (and clean up after his unfinished work).
As quick as he appeared, Mobei-Jun swiftly whisked Shang Qinghua off. Shen Qingqiu nodded goodbye to them, noting the way Mobei-Jun draped his cloak over Shang Qinghua’s shoulder and the way Shang Qinghua’s fingers curled around Mobei-Jun’s arm – and thought to himself that perhaps the two of them will be fine after all.
Bonus:
One day, while passing by a local bookstore on the way home after checking the produce in the market, Shang Qinghua’s words about how reading books really helped his research popped in Shen Qingqiu’s head. In a mixture of morbid curiosity and some want to help his Binghe expand his research, he ducked in and checked out the kind of books that would feature such content.
As predicted, the Resentment of Chunshan was there, along with a sequel and some spin offs. (Shen Qingqiu secretly took a copy of one of the spin-offs for his purchase). When he was about to make payment, he spotted a book at the corner of the shelf.
Warming Tale Amidst Frosty Walls seemed to be a new addition to the section. The front cover had flowers suspiciously similar to the kind found in the Northern Desert. Picking it up, Shen Qingqiu began to thumb through the book.
The book was about an ice prince and a meek servant whose purpose in life was simply to serve his lord. Shen Qingqiu felt a sense of foreboding and a pit in his gut as he read on about the tale of this ruler and his loyal but whiny retainer. The icy lord and his thigh-hugging retainer reminded him of a certain pair he knew.
‘M-My king! Oh, oh, please, please, I will serve you and follow you to the ends of the world, for rest of my life – all my life belongs to you! Ah, ah – ’ the retainer cried. Then the book launched into explicit detail about how the two desecrated the throne room and every other semi-public area in the palace.
With a clang, Shen Qingqiu slammed the book shut and hastily put it away. He had to pay for damage charges and placed it under Shang Qinghua’s tab. It was what he deserved, anyway.