Chapter Text
A joint mission for Shang Qinghua and Shen Qingqiu was not something unheard of. Shang Qinghua came from a logistics peak, literally making sure that the sect didn't die due to the inability of the rest of the people around to keep an eye on the documents, contracts, and examine the quality of the products supplied to the sect under trade agreements such as equipment and food ordered from suppliers in the area. Shang Qinghua was not an alpha built in the most impressive way, compared to the other alphas in their pack he was smaller... but Shen Qingqiu never questioned Shang Qinghua's rights to be a proud alpha. Shen Qingqiu had seen Shang Qinghua move a damn donkey from place to place using only his own hands, and at other times how he kept the carriage stable while waiting for his fellow disciples to replace one broken wheel. In Shen Qingqiu's opinion, the timid alpha had something to brag about and should believe more in himself and his competence. Not that it was easy when they had for comparison
Liu - a fucking killing machine - Qingge or Qi - a bitch with no brains - Qingqi... Shen Qingqiu personally didn't complain about not being presented, even though he was already almost thirty years old and the departure of their masters was inexorably approaching.
He wished to remain unrepresented or, as a last resort, to be a beta. He didn't entertain the vision of being an alpha, but he also didn't wish for the eventual status of omega. As an omega, he would be seen as a little pet to be groomed or worse, judged angrily every now and then by others for being too independent and powerful. Furthermore, as an omega and future peak lord, he would find himself in incredible danger, much more than being the scapegoat that his shixiong from Qing Jing blamed his own laziness and lack of talent on. As an omega, he would literally become a game to be hunted, as the same scum who tried to get rid of him might start trying to hunt him down to get a relatively good position in the sect as his partner for free. Of course Shizun would never let that happen, Yu Mingai would tear to shreds any dull male who could ever try to take Shen Qingqiu by force or force him to do anything! But just because Shizun would go as far as murdering her own disciples to protect him didn't mean that those disciples wouldn't risk their lives. They were stupid. Very, very stupid.
"Shixiong?" a rough hand touched his elbow carefully. "Shixiong, are you alright? You look tired," the alpha said carefully, gazing at him softly.
Shang Qinghua was strange. He had heard all these rumors about him, and yet he was still careful and gentle around him, not raising his voice, not forcing his dominance, not contemptuous...
Shen Qingqiu... he enjoyed the other disciple's company.
"Yeah, I just," he furrowed his brows, trying to remember what he was thinking about. "I guess I'm tired," he admitted reluctantly, unfolding his fan to hide the pale blush of embarrassment that colored his cheekbones and the tips of his ears.
"All right, shixiong! We can rest for a while, we have a spare few days before the meetings in Zufang City," Shang Qinghua assured eagerly. A few meters away, they managed to find some larger rocks slightly entering the field of flowers they were traveling past so they could sit down while they ate. Shang Qinghua blithely consumed the melon seeds, occasionally glancing over to see how elegant Shen Qingqiu looked as he placed another bite of one of their rations (personally packed by him in small bamboo containers secured with talismans) into his mouth. It seemed that Shen Qingqiu was really enjoying the dumplings. The idle alpha focused on his surroundings for a moment and furrowed his brows with a sigh.
"This is strange, shixiong."
"What's strange?" muttered the not very interested man.
"Well, I... I think I've seen these flowers somewhere before," he hesitated. "It's... it's a really big field. And it looks almost fairy tale-like, pinks and blues everywhere..."
"Stop worrying about silly things," burbled Shen Qingqiu with some gentle hesitation. "We're almost at our destination ahead of time, nothing has attacked us or tried to eat us. Let's just rest and continue walking."
"Ah, yes! You-you're right, shixiong!" an embarrassed Shang Qinghua rubbed his neck nervously. His gaze continued to wander over the rose-like flowers.
He was sure there was something wrong with them. Almost all the large flower fields in this world augured something bad. He knew that. Too bad he couldn't remember exactly. Was it dangerous for people with cultivation? Or was it only for those without cultivation? For omegas, demons?
Nothing came to his mind.
By the time they ate, Shen Qingqiu was looking better and they were really close to their goal considering their physical capabilities, so Shang Qinghua's worries were relieved, retreating somewhere to the very back of his mind.
Maybe he really was unnecessarily nervous.
A few meters from the end of the path leading past the flower field, Shen Qingqiu began to slow down. His breathing seemed unnaturally heavy, and his cheeks were covered with an unnatural flush.
"S-shixiong?"
"Mnn?" the man looked at him with slightly hazy eyes, raising his eyebrow defiantly. This did not look good.
"Shixiong, I... I sense danger!" he chuckled out. "We have to hurry!"
"What danger?" it didn't matter if Shen Qingqiu was putting all the strength he still had into it. He sounded rather pathetic.
Shang Qinghua grabbed him and lifted him up with ease. A red flag fluttered in his mind as Shen Qingqiu only tried to escape for a brief moment before he became immobile. This... this was not normal. Shen Qingqiu almost docilely curled up in his arms, burying his face in the hollow of his neck almost as if he was searching for a scent to calm himself down.
Five minutes later, over the field, flying on his sword as fast as possible, Shang Qinghua felt one red flag turn into an entire fluttering, blindingly bright forest. Shen Qingqiu was really looking for his scent. He could feel him breathing deeply into the fabric of the robes at his neck.
This was not what an unrepresented person or a beta in a precarious situation should do. Shang Qinghua cast a glance at the field from above and then accelerated, expending far too much energy only to land a mile away from the field, on a path deep in the forest, and carefully continued on foot. His shixiong remained silent and motionless.
Oh gods.
Master Yu would tear him to pieces when she found out that her beloved disciple had suffered some sort of harm because of the perverted field of flowers that they had not missed by a wide margin then as soon as they saw it!
Shang Qinghua felt that he would soon be dead.
"Shidi," the voice was indistinct and heavy from fatigue, Shen Qingqiu's body was unnaturally hot. "Shidi..."
"We'll be in town soon, shixiong," he said reassuringly. "I'll rent a room at the inn and brew you some herbal tea. I have one really good one. You can sweeten it with honey and it brings down fever. Okay?"
"Shidi..."
"Oh gods, what happened to you, shixiong?"
Maybe he was allergic to pollen? He wondered involuntarily, gently correcting the semi-conscious man. He felt that he should protect him. He didn't know what from, but he should put as much effort into it as possible. He sighed heavily, pressed his leaner body against his own and quickened his stride.
He rented a room at the inn, growling warningly at the owner at the same time. He was... mildly surprised by this. Firstly because he had never growled at anyone before. Secondly because the triggering factor was the man's calculating stare at his shixiong. He squinted his eyelids, grabbed his room key, and left with a quick step.
He placed the shixiong on the bed, covering the other student with his outer robe. It almost hurt to hear the faint whimpering as he broke their physical contact, but thankfully it looked like leaving the cloak in the shixiong's hands repaid his guilt, whatever that guilt was.
He spent a few minutes carefully brewing the herbal tea and then adding honey to it. He absentmindedly put in more teaspoons until the drink looked more like honey with a little tea.
"Ah, shixiong should like this," he decided. He turned back towards the bed and became motionless.
On the bed, Shen Qingqiu sat in a clumsily arranged circle of blanket, pillow, and Shang Qinghua's coat... a coat that he had tried to simultaneously place in the gap between the blanket and pillow and keep for himself.
Shang Qinghua almost dropped his tea.
Shen Qingqiu was building a nest. A sweet, delicate fragrance floated in the air, thick and settling heavily on his tongue.
Oh no...
Master Yu would skin Shang Qinghua, slice his body into pieces, and throw him out for her cursed, big-eyed emerald pandas from Qing Jing Peak to devour.
"S-shixiong?"
"Shidi," he muttered, rubbing his cheek with a piece of light coat. "Shidi," tears began to form in Shen Qingqiu's eyes. "Do you not like me? Am I so horrible that you don't want to see me like everyone else?" the smell started to turn a little sour.
Fucking hell. Shen Qingqiu was presenting himself... he was presenting himself right now and he was an omega. And Shang Qinghua was willing to swear that it was all because of those damn flowers they had been walking past for many minutes and whose pollen they had inhaled.
"Shixiong," he slowly set his tea aside. He hesitated, but moved towards the bed. "Shixiong, it's not like that. This shidi likes you a lot," he assured. "I just... didn't know you'd want to build a nest," he added. "Here, I have... of course I like you, shixiong. I'll give you everything you need right away," he began nervously rummaging through one of his pouches, and then began taking out the things he had prepared before the mission as if they needed to set up a camping trip or any other emergency. He carefully placed two blankets on the bed, then some soft pillows, a fur coat from his King (which he shouldn't have here, which he shouldn't give to Shen Qingqiu). Omega stared at Shang Qinghua's face impatiently until the alpha took out a few of his coats to add to the pile. A quiet, soft murmur escaped from Shen Qingqiu's throat before he began to take the items, arranging them into a nest. He was shaking, his face was red and his breathing was definitely heavy, the smell escaping uncontrollably. Shang Qinghua had half a mind to be responsible and had attached talismans to the walls and doors and even the ceiling to stop the smell from escaping. He didn't need a horde of crazy alphas trying to get into Shen Qingqiu.
"Shidi... come here."
"H-here?" he howled, swallowing his saliva hard. "To... to the nest?"
His always cold, always serious shixiong stared at him helplessly needily as he nodded.
Shang Qinghua slowly walked back to the bed to sit on its edge. He held his breath as he slid over the edge of the nesting blanket. Disciple Qing Jing clung to his side like a small cat, beginning to push and shift him apodictically until he found the situation satisfactory enough to squeeze under Shang Qinghua's shoulder and curl up against his chest. Shang Qinghua tightened his grip around the skinny waist, the newly presented omega made a quiet, pleasant sound.
"Are you comfortable, shixiong?"
"Mnnn," muttered Shen Qingqiu sleepily. His scent was sweet again. The man rubbed his nose against his neck for some time before he became still. He had fallen asleep.
Shang Qinghua held himself rigidly as the omega slept sweetly on his chest.
Gods.
Master Yu is really going to kill him. She would rip him apart, slice him up, throw him to slaughter not for the pandas, but immediately to Bai Zhan's disciples in exchange for laying hands on her beloved disciple.
They had four days of time until their scheduled meetings on matters related to the business of their sect. Shang Qinghua slipped out after many hours in the nest, put on more talismans, including on himself, and then went downstairs. He scooped up the food, growling in the process at several alphas far larger than he should risk, but clearly interested in his situation. He took the food to the inn room and groaned guiltily. Shen Qingqiu sat hunched over in his nest and looked like he was about to cry.
"Shidi."
"I'm already here... I have food for you, shixiong!" he chuckled out, slamming the door. He walked over to the bed, slipping a tray full of food under his nose. He brought congee and lots of sweet things.
He had to feed Shen Qingqiu with his own hands for the omega to eat anything at all. He put the food straight into his mouth. The good thing was that apparently Shen Qingqiu was not the horny type of omega. However, that didn't change the fact that he clearly craved every last bit of attention, tenderness, and care from Shang Qinghua. Did this only apply to Shang Qinghua, or would he accept any alpha? But if it was any alpha, would he manage to not become a horny son of a bitch to surround Shen Qingqiu with comfort and care?
"Alright, shixiong. How do you feel now? Better with a full belly, right?"
Omega meowed quietly, grabbing him by the sleeve and pulling him towards the nest to go inside again.
"Come on," he muttered. "Be with me."
"Of course," he said reassuringly. "I'm already here. Here. It's all right, shixiong."
Two nesting days later, Shen Qingqiu began to regain consciousness, but continued to languish with Shang Qinghua. Shang Qinghua sent an emergency talisman to his shizun to gain support or some advice on what to do, but there was still no response. He nursed his shixiong without a word of complaint. His instincts wrapped and centered around the other student in a completely natural way. He was shaken by what Master Yu would do to him, but he was unable to take his hands off Shen Qingqiu, who seemed willing to rely on him. And content to be cared for. He must have needed or wanted it so badly. Shang Qinghua felt hurt on his behalf.
"Shidi... Qinghua... will you always come back to me?"
"I promise. Look, I just went to get more food for you," he said softly, carefully stepping into the nest to feed the omega again. He was so thin and petite. He should eat.
Shen Qingqiu made a quiet satisfied sound as he opened his mouth, although his cheeks were covered in an intense red blush.
He was slowly coming back to himself. But he still looks at Qinghua with so many hopes and needs.
***
Yu Mingai swatted half the conference room and inadvertently (though maybe not quite) broke Qi Qingqi's arm in two places (stupid girl, she should have not whispered nonsense about Shen Qingqiu at a time like this) when Lord An Ding rushed in late, shouting that Shen Qingqiu and Shang Qinghua were in trouble. The man nervously shoved a talisman with a message from his disciple into her trembling hands.
"A-Jiu... my baby!" she breathed out, running her eyes over the young alpha's handwriting. "I must find them immediately! Where is this city!"
"Mingai," Zhu Mingzhen tried to approach her cautiously to reduce the tantrum before everyone around her suffocated by the bitter, overwhelming smell she emitted defensively. "Mingai, tell me what happened. Mingai! I'll find A-Jiu for you, I promise, but you have to tell me!"
An exasperated Yu Mingai placed the talisman in his hands, letting out a desperate whine.
Zhu Mingzhen held her to him with one hand, reassuringly rubbing her back as he readied himself.
"Okay," he said, trying to sound confident and calm. "I'll go get them both and bring A-Jiu safely to the sect. Prepare a place in the bamboo house. Shitty, position-hungry teenage alphas from the nobility can't be trusted, no matter at what peak," he sounded serious and strong. He had known Yu Mingai all their lives, he knew how to care for her. And he could take care of her puppy.
Yu Mingai let out a low, throaty murmur in agreement, finding clarity and logic in his words.
"Go to Qing Jing and take precautions," he encouraged. "I'll meet you there when I get back. I'll bring A-Jiu straight to you."
She nodded, retreating cautiously.
***
Before the day Zhu Mingzhen reached the city where Shang Qinghua and Shen Qingqiu were, everything was almost fine. Shang Qinghua had somewhat intimidated the people they were to meet (as he had never done before) to return from the pit to the room as soon as possible. Shen Qingqiu was waiting for him, still surrounded by the soft, sweet smell, eating the thangulu he had received as bribery not to go anywhere. Shang Qinghua had to spend half of their money just to get enough thangulu sticks for more than ten minutes. Fortunately, they had spent most of the route avoiding unnecessary spending, even eating from the stalls they passed: that was the only reason he could risk so much financially on sweets.
"You've been gone for over an hour," Shen Qingqiu hissed angrily, wrinkling his elegant, thin eyebrows. His scent betrayed that he was stressed and worried. "Why?"
On top of his impeccable clothes, he had a light-colored outer robe that belonged to Shang Qinghua thrown over. He definitely did not intend to give it away. If he needed it then fine. He should keep it.
"It's fine, shixiong," he said softly.
"Yeah?" the omega furrowed his brow. "It's good that you're okay! Meanwhile, what am I supposed to call a nervous demon suddenly appearing in a room to find you?" he curved his lip angrily and crossed his arms over his chest. He was breathing heavily.
"Demon...?! My King!" he turned pale and slammed the door behind him, locking it with his talisman. "Shixiong... shixiong, where is he... what have you done with him?"
"He's got your stupid yellow tassel," he muttered resentfully, pointing with his fan toward the outstretched screen. Shang Qinghua ran without a second thought to find the demon squeezed with red ropes, a little battered, inside the blocking array. "I couldn't kill a demon that has your stupid tassel. Why does he have it?! Why did you give it to him?!"
Oh, gods. The fact that Shen Qingqiu had regained consciousness was good, but the man had definitely not completely recovered yet. His omega was still the dominant thing directing his perception of the world around him. His omega was jealous, scared and sad. The hurt, bitter-sour smell made Shang Qinghua uncomfortable, and he felt guilty that the omega he cared for felt hurt and unwanted by him.
"My King," he grated the array and carefully helped the demon up. He led him to the other chair, not having the strength to make such a mistake as planting Mobei Jun where Shen Qingqiu's nest was before. "My King, please wait a moment. I will soon help you with your injuries."
He returned to the shaking Shen Qingqiu. He couldn't let him feel so hurt. Of course he wouldn't. Shen Qingqiu was so good, sweet, holding him in his nest, accepting food from him, wrapping himself in his scent...
"Shh, Q-Qingqiu," he said very carefully. "Qingqiu, Mobei Jun is an important friend to me," he explained. "That's why I wanted him to have my tassel. But... but I also have a gift for you!" he assured eagerly. "I promise. A very nice gift, okay? I already told you, right? I like Qingqiu, you are very very precious to me," he swallowed his saliva hard. Oh, gods. How was it that he was explaining himself to the supposedly coldest shixiong of his sect? How was it that he couldn't bear his hurt feelings? It was all so complicated now that the man was unable to control his scent, and his feelings and emotions were spreading aside overwhelmingly.
"So you still like me even though you have this demon?"
"Yes, oh, here, see!" he searched the pouch until he found a protective collar meant to shield the scent gland. It was very pretty: leather, dyed a delicate green, with an embossed leaf motif. Shang Qinghua had bought it in the past, but he never really thought that the day would come when he would give it to some omega. And yet... he was going to do it. To give it to Shen Qingqiu. He expected the man to scoff at him as soon as he saw the item, but the Qing Jing disciple leaned forward impatiently, expecting the gift to be placed in the right place. "So nice, shixiong," he praised with hesitation.
"Hmpf," Shen Qingqiu looked at him distrustfully, but stepped back, reaching his hand into the protective strip of leather and touching it with his fingertips with the quietest, contented purr. "Why is Qinghua hanging out with a demon?" he asked wryly.
Shang Qinghua tried to distract him even more by handing him a thangulu from a plate.
"My King is my friend," he repeated. "He...you know, he spends a lot of time with me. No one else does. And... and I help him. There are a lot of documents in his Kingdom that someone needs to control."
"Mnn, Qinghua is smart," he admitted reluctantly. "But he's a demon, and you're the logistics guy for our sect."
"I know... but I would never do anything against Qingqiu! I promise! Can... can you not tell anyone about this? I'll do whatever you want!" he promised.
"I won't tell," he muttered, rubbing his sleeve over his eyes and trying to clean away the remnants of his tears. "I won't tell, but Qinghua... you won't be meeting him again without me!" he added, pointing his finger at Mobei Jun.
Was he... really that jealous?
Shang Qinghua blinked, glancing behind him. For some obscure reason, Mobei Jun had been sitting there the whole time, looking at them fixedly.
"Emm... well," he sighed. "You'll be able to come. But you will never say anything to anyone."
Satisfied with that the scholar nodded.
"Mnn," he raised another thangulu to his lips.
"I will bandage my King, okay? I'll be right back to you."
Omega meowed, grabbing him by the sleeve and pulling.
"Come back."
"I'll be back," he repeated. "It's the same room all the time. Just a few feet away from you."
He retreated back to Mobei Jun with a sigh. He felt a fucking headache that was growing damn fast. Mobei Jun stared at him piercingly for a moment, but then changed his aim. Shang Qinghua swallowed his saliva hard.
Mobei Jun stared straight at Shen Qingqiu, who was eating another sweet, impatiently tapping his nails on the table he was sitting at.
"Strong," Mobei Jun murmured.
"This is Shen Qingqiu, my shixiong, my King," he said hurriedly. "He is very loyal and very wise," he added. "I'm sorry for what happened! I didn't think that my King would show up here! We have this mission together and..."
"Strong," Mobei Jun repeated. "Like Qinghua."
Shang Qinghua felt his heart rumbling in his chest, overwhelmingly strong. He felt shaky. Omega Shen Qingqiu was jealous of him, Mobei Jun apparently found his interest towards Shen Qingqiu....
Master Yu will have no mercy if she finds out any of this, and she will definitely find out that hands belonging to the alpha touched her disciple! A cloak and collar smelling like Shang Qinghua rested on Shen Qingqiu!
Shang Qinghua was happy when he saw Master Zhu find their room at the inn. Mobei Jun had already gone. Shen Qingqiu slept curled up on the bed with his head laid on Shang Qinghua's lap. Omega ate a hearty meal before drinking the tea Shang Qinghua had prepared for him. The tea was to help him control his hormones and smells. Shang Qinghua had never been so happy to carry around the herbs needed to treat the various conditions that plants in this world could cause. This couldn't undo Shen Qingqiu's presentation as an omega, but it could help him learn to control what he expressed and how strongly.
"Thank the gods," he groaned as Master Zhu pierced him with a sharp gaze. "Qingqiu needs to go back to Master Yu," he reported. "I really don't know how to take care of an omega!"
Well.
In Zhu Mingzhen's opinion, Shang Qinghua had done better than most alphas in his position would have done. Shen Qingqiu was gently wrapped in An Ding disciple's robe over Qing Jing disciple's robe, his neck was protected by a leather collar that looked like a really elegant collar, and a natural sweet fragrance softly surrounded his body. Shen Qingqiu was undoubtedly perfectly taken care of. Shang Qinghua even dared to whine warningly at the first moment before he mastered himself and carefully let Zhu Mingzhen take the omega in his arms. Shen Qingqiu winced in his sleep for a moment, but quickly recovered. Zhu Mingzhen had helped Yu Mingai raise the unruly puppy into a young master and future peak lord, more than once he had sensed the boy as his own to help stabilize him in the pack. Shang Qinghua calmed his nerves as Shen Qingqiu became motionless curled up in a deep sleep.
"Let's go back. Mingai will want to know everything about what happened," he added warningly.
Shen Qingqiu slept the entire flight to the sect. The presentation, although usually much smoother than falling into heat or a rut, was against all odds very tiring to the body. Shang Qinghua reported that he gave Shen Qingqiu plenty of food and brewed herbs to relieve stress. Good. Shang Qinghua looked like he was about to faint when they landed on Qing Jing. He had probably almost completely exhausted himself to achieve this. He was stubborn. He vaguely impressed Zhu Mingzhen, although he looked like a pathetic, air-choking mess as he bowed to Yu Mingai, who snatched Shen Qingqiu into her own embrace quickly and jealously, meticulously watching and feeling him up as she retreated home. Zhu Mingzhen held An Ding's disciple at a distance as he led him into the bamboo house, then immediately dragged him off to the main room, as far away as possible from the small room that Yu Mingai had prepared for her disciple.
Shen Qingqiu was grounded for an entire month before Yu Mingai decided she was ready to let the omega out of her house. She made sure that the man had all the right herbs on hand, that putting on the collar from Shang Qinghua (he reflexively hissed like a cat at all other possibilities) had become an absolute habit, as had putting on the joint protectors... it could be said that Yu Mingai had gone into an absolute overprotective frenzy. Zhu Mingzhen had come several times at the request of the sect leader, and then informed during the assembly towards the head disciples (as a warning) and his martial siblings that Yu Mingai's foster puppy was recovering. He elaborated on this to suggest, not very subtly, that in view of the sect disciples' cruelty to Shen Qingqiu, Yu Mingai's instincts had been sharpened far more than normal maternal protective instincts. The anxious Shang Qinghua dared to ask several times if he could visit. Zhu Mingzhen dissuaded him from doing so until the beginning of the second month. Then, with little subtlety, he sent the poor man to Qing Jing and told him to buy a great many sweets
He hoped that the young alpha would make it out alive. Listening to his instructions on how the disciple should behave, Lord An Ding let out a few whiny mutterings sounding suspiciously like a prayer for Shang Qinghua to return to An Ding with all his limbs in place.
Shen Qingqiu let out a frustrated groan of relief when he heard Shang Qinghua's voice in front of the bamboo house. After waiting anxiously for a few minutes, finally Shizun allowed his shidi to enter the house so they could drink tea together.
"Qinghua," Shen Qingqiu brightened up a bit, reflexively stroking his collar with his fingers. "You came! And you have sweets for me," he swallowed the saliva gathering hard in his mouth at the sight of the plate of thangulu already set on the table.
"I wanted to make you feel better," Shang Qinghua explained awkwardly. "I... was worried about how... how you would react to your presentation," he admitted. "You seemed very happy as a neutral person, and now you're an omega, many students are rude to omegas, I... I... I wanted to make sure someone told you that you're an amazing person, very strong! And being an omega doesn't change anything about that!"
Shen Qingqiu's cheeks were covered with an insidious blush.
Watching them with sharp, watchful eyes, Yu Mingai let out a low murmur, suggesting that she accepted their contact. The two disciples slowly sat down at the table across from each other to maintain a proper distance. Shang Qinghua decided to introduce Shen Qingqiu to everything that was going on in the sect so that he wouldn't feel left out.
Shang Qinghua came to tea every day for another week. After that, he continued to come even when Shen Qingqiu returned to class and had to be in sight of Shizun or the other omegas from the peak at all times to make sure that none of the alphas would lay a hand on him.
It was only two months after returning to the sect that he fought with the impatient Liu Qingge for the first time. When Liu Qingge tried to throw out his wisdom about disregarding training and going to brothels, Shang Qinghua interfered. Shang Qinghua shouted at Liu Qingge for the first time in his life and called him out as a dull brute. Fortunately, he had time before Liu Qingge's instincts suggested to him that as the alpha and victor, he had the right to demand Shen Qingqiu's submission.
Shang Qinghua had left his yellow scarf that evening when he left Qing Jing Peak. He completely forgot about it, and when he was about to ask for it back a few days later... well... Shen Qingqiu looked good with the yellow scarf around his neck. Very good, in fact. There was a certain autumnal element to it. An autumnal element that remained in place when Shen Qingqiu appeared at the main summit meeting for the first time after a three-month absence.
Shang Qinghua's heart absolutely rumbled with excitement as Liu Qingge looked annoyed because of the scarf and Yue Qingyuan looked devastated.
"Qinghua," after hours of listening and discussing nonsense that Shang Qinghua had to make an entire protocol out of, the serious, cool voice of his shixiong sounded soothing. Something about the coolness alleviated An Ding's disciple's migraine, turning it into only a vague murmur in his head. He could ignore it. "Qinghua, can I come over for tea?"
"Ah? Of course, shixiong!" he felt a smile grow on his face. Gods. He was sure it was one of those shit-eating smiles of infatuation he sometimes saw from his fellow students. "I've got your favorite tea!" he offered, hastily grabbing the papers.
"Mn, I'll help," muttered Shen Qingqiu briefly. The scholar somehow remained neat and graceful as he managed to gather all the papers into a pile with a light flick of his hand, which he tightly grabbed from the edge. Shang Qinghua stared at him with his mouth open in astonishment.
"I have... I have osmanthus cookies," he howled. "I'll give them all back for help with the documents."
Shen Qingqiu didn't laugh, of course he didn't, but Shang Qinghua noticed the shadow of a blush on his cheekbones. Walking towards An Ding, he listened to the complaining about other head disciples and Qing Jing's disciples. If he made a mental note of the names of the people who particularly bothered Shen Qingqiu then no one needed to know about it.
***
"Qinghua."
"Ah, My King! You are already here," he rose, bowing slightly. Mobei Jun's gaze fell on Shen Qingqiu, and the omega sent him a defiant look from above his tea composed of 90% honey.
"He is mine," he informed haughtily. "Now I will not leave you alone. Get used to it."
Mobei Jun's brow twitched, but he didn't try to hit Shang Qinghua or attack Shen Qingqiu.
At the meeting three weeks later, Mobei Jun brought delicate black earrings with sparkling sapphire jewels for Shen Qingqiu. Shang Qinghua felt jealous, but kept it to himself satisfied when Shen Qingqiu disposed of his King with the message that jewelry of that kind was too ostentatious for a member of a cultivation sect.
After another three weeks, when it was already winter in the Sect and even the rainbow bridge was covered with a layer of snow, Mobei Jun brought for Shen Qingqiu a cloak trimmed with a rare beast's fur that had a pleasing to the eye, slightly golden hue. A very warm shade, resembling the color of Shang Qinghua's robes. Shen Qingqiu accepted this gift with a quiet snort. He rubbed the cloak with Shang Qinghua's scent before finding it satisfactory enough to wrap the garment around his lean body. Shang Qinghua didn't have the strength to be jealous, too enthralled by the sight. Mobei Jun was also staring.
Shang Qinghua used the meeting with the other head disciples for all to see when he handed Shen Qingqiu the soft, warm leather gloves. He was not petty, but he felt satisfaction when Liu Qingge looked like he was trying to understand what was going on and Yue Qingyuan internally howled with jealousy. Yue Qingyuan should be howling with jealousy. He was like a big brother to Shen Qingqiu! He had no right to covet him like he did. Shang Qinghua felt an inner anger at this man for daring to develop this kind of greed towards Shen Qingqiu.
That same evening, when Mobei Jun arrived, he brought with him an essentially priceless gift in the form of the egg of a rare spirit beast. Shang Qinghua watched in fascination as his shixiong's eyes lit up in recognition and his skinny arms encircled the egg. Shen Qingqiu looked so affectionate and fascinated by this still unhatched creature that Shang Qinghua involuntarily thought of an omega carrying a baby in its arms.
This fantasy was worth explaining to Yu Mingai the next day where the hell he got the egg of the legendary spirit beast from, what his intentions were for Shen Qingqiu, and what his connection was with the Northern Demons in whose territory the egg was presumably captured.
It was exactly a year after Shen Qingqiu's presentation as an omega when Shang Qinghua had to beg Yu Mingai not to tear Mobei Jun to pieces for having feelings towards her "beloved, naive A-Jiu". Shen Qingqiu looked pleased with his tacit acceptance towards the fact that two alphas were courting him, and one of them was a demon. It looked like Master Yu would not turn them all in for dealing with Mobei Jun as long as Shen Qingqiu remained happy and safe from the alphas lurking for profits that might come from having an omega with a good position.
The spirit beast turned out to be a creature resembling a small, fluffy dragon with a snake-like body, and Shang Qinghua was given permission to take Shen Qingqiu on a trip to Mobei Jun's palace when it became apparent that "Thangulu" was willing to bite any person who caused his guardian concern. Three of Qing Jing's disciples landed on Qian Cao for stitches on their hand wounds, one disciple Bai Zhan nearly lost an ear, and three girls from Xian Shu, who apparently spied the omega, unexpectedly found a slide under their feet that led them to suffer several harmless fractures.
Shang Qinghua had a hunch that the trip of "beloved, naive A-Jiu" outside the sect was to provide Yu Mingai with the opportunity to turn the lives of some of her other disciples into hell.
Two years after Shen Qingqiu presented herself as an omega, Yu Mingai reluctantly allowed her disciple to spend his heat in Shang Qinghua's house. She had indicated four times that it MUST be Shang Qinghua's house, so a trip to the northern palace was out of the question. Yu Mingai's spy network definitely surpassed the spy network that Head Disciple An Ding himself had. In the end, Yu Mingai made sure that Shen Qingqiu would definitely reach his alpha. The area around Shang Qinghua's house was already surrounded by talismans (just in case), there was plenty of food in the kitchen, including the beasts captured by Mobei Jun, and in the bedroom, the bed had already been replaced with a bigger one a month before. Next to that larger bed was a huge pile of materials needed to make a nest. Shen Qingqiu often stayed in this house, he went around it a few times, gathering some pillows and handkerchiefs or coats forgotten by Shang Qinghua, and then locked himself in the bedroom. By evening the omega had built his nest, carefully filling it with mostly soft, fluffy things. He waited now, snuggled in very soft fur, almost naked in one inner garment. Mobei Jun stood next to the bed. Only when Shen Qingqiu saw that they were both in the bedroom did he meow quietly, inviting them to join him.
"Here," he muttered impatiently, arranging them and pushing them with familiar apodicticity. As he did so he fell asleep between the two of them, he was all aflame, with a red face and trembling body. Qinghua embraced him from behind while Mobei Jun looked as if he was afraid to move being partly a pillow for the omega who's petite face was pressed into the hollow of his neck.
Shen Qingqiu gradually warmed up more and more as his heat came to reign, just before dawn he instinctively began to seek their attention. He tentatively moved between their bodies, quietly meowing and spreading a sweet scent around. Shang Qinghua woke up first. He felt every twitch of the supple body as he slid his hand between the plump thighs and caressed his shixiong's pussy with gentle strokes for long minutes until the material of the man's underwear was wet and slippery, and licks and kisses on his neck revived Mobei Jun. They both took care of their omega to make the man happy and soft with exhaustion.
After his heat, Shen Qingqiu returned to Qing Jing cool as ever, but surrounded by a strange aura of contentment. He had no collar around his neck, thus exposing two signs of partnership, a large, deep bite on his left gland and a clear, small bite on his right side. Qing Jing's disciples crooked with displeasure, but exposing the signs of partnership was not shameless or a crime. They could only clench their hands into fists at the loss of opportunity, keeping a reasonable distance, however, because 'Thangulu' had grown large enough to be the size of a large hunting dog and was wherever his handler was. Apparently he could shrink down to sleep comfortably looped like a breathing shawl around Shen Qingqiu's neck.
"Shixiong," he smiled, offering his arm to Shen Qingqiu. It was after the meeting, they were going to have the rest of the day free. "Please accompany me to lunch. The stew came out especially well this time. The meat will melt in your mouth."
"Mn," Shen Qingqiu accepted his offer, lightly fluttering his fan to hide his blush. Shang Qinghua loved to see this kind of sign of joy from his shixiong up close. They skirted around the gardens on Qiong Ding as they made their way out of the stuffy conference room and walked along the stone path between the dull buildings to the rainbow bridge.
As a rule, they avoided any large clusters of flowers if possible.
Perhaps one field full of flowers in the past had made them both happy, but there was no point in risking any trouble or counting on luck. It was better to add to the roads and see the sights in the process. Shen Qingqiu especially liked to look from the rainbow bridge at the peaks around them and the fog enveloping their highest parts. He painted many pictures in which the mountain tops disappeared proudly among the clouds. Shang Qinghua had at least five posted in his house, and Mobei Jun had about four in the palace. In the family library, where temperatures or incompetent demonic servants couldn't mess them up.
"Qinghua."
"Yes?"
"A-Hua."
"What's wrong, Qingqiu?" he asked puzzled, moving his head from the overcast sky to the scholar's pretty face.
"I like you," muttered Shen Qingqiu barely audibly. Shang Qinghua was pleased to place another clumsy display of teaching his shixiong in his heart. Shen Qingqiu was simply hopeless at talking about feelings, so it was better to feel all the love the elder was trying to express swirling in the sweet, suffocating cloud of scent that surrounded the two of them as they walked so close together.