Chapter Text
Silence permeates the room, not even the sound of a heartbeat monitor or a ticking clock breaking through. Shen Yuan tries to open his eyes, but is forced to stop. They hurt too much.
A familiar hand pinches his arm. “Stop it, your eyes are injured.”
“Ah, sorry.”
He lifts a hand and pats around his eyes. There’s some sort of gauze laid on top of his face.
Huh.
He’s used to waking up to the feeling of a sibling worrying at his bedside. Usually, it’s Da-ge. For Er-ge to be here instead, it must be something grave. This is the first time he’s ever had a problem with his eyes, too.
“Er-ge, can you hand me some water?”
There’s a pause, then he hears Er-ge get up.
“Where are the others?” Shen Yuan asks.
“Who?”
“Da-ge and Haitang. Did something happen?”
The sound of sloshing water stops. “Da-ge… and Haitang…? Qiu Haitang?”
“Yes?”
Er-ge continues the strange silence, though he comes back and hands Shen Yuan a cup of cool water. With his usual horrible bedside manners, he doesn’t even think to help him drink, likely only watching him with dispassionate eyes.
It’s not even water. It’s tea.
Shen Yuan sighs in his heart. “Er-ge, if something happened, can you just hurry up and tell me?”
Shen Er-ge speaks with spite in his voice: “Something did happen. My stupid little brother collapsed and got confused. Who’s your Er-ge? You never call me that. And stop spilling tea all over, what am I supposed to say to Mu Qingfang when he sees you like this? A fool like you makes me ashamed to be your brother.”
Shen Yuan stops drinking for fear of choking.
“What did you just say? Mu Qingfang?”
“What about him?”
He considers his words carefully. “Er-ge… Are you sure you’re not the one who’s confused? I’ve always called you Er-ge. And ‘Mu Qingfang’... Isn’t that…”
Isn’t that a character from that stupid online novel?
Knowing Shen Er-ge, there’s no way he would ever read Proud Immortal Demon Way, not even if it were a matter of life or death. It’s true that Shen Yuan complained about it a few times in his vicinity, but it was always about how some of the characters share the same names as them and their siblings.
So how could Er-ge know enough about Proud Immortal Demon Way to spout out the name ‘Mu Qingfang’ like it’s nothing?
“Did Haitang put you up to this?” he asks, suspicious.
The atmosphere darkens. “Dare to speak this name again, and we’ll see,” Shen Er-ge hisses.
Uh-oh.
Did Haitang make him mad again? Shen Yuan has already sworn to himself that he would never interfere in feuds between any of his siblings again.
He moves on, “Where’s the doctor?”
“Doctor?”
“Aren’t I in the hospital?”
“Hospital? You’re on my Qing Jing Peak. You’ve been asleep for 3 days and 3 nights already, it was more of a bother to leave you on Qian Cao Peak instead — and as if I can trust any of those braindead Qian Cao disciples! I’m the one who’s been forced to watch over you this whole while, so hurry up and heal, do you understand?”
Shen Yuan is too busy gaping to answer his brother’s worried scolding.
What did you just say? Qing Jing Peak, Qian Cao Peak, disciples…
No way, his brother actually got so confused he thinks that they’re actually in a cultivation novel!? And worse than that, he thinks they’re in Proud Immortal Demon Way!?
“Er-ge, you shouldn’t read that kind of thing…”
“What?”
“You know… Novels with stallion protagonists…”
“Why would anyone write about a horse protagonist? Have you been reading this type of nonsense? Pah!” Shen Er-ge makes a derisive noise. “See if I give you free reign over what you can read again, filling your head with this nonsense, really…”
While Er-ge goes back to worried muttering, Shen Yuan plunges into his own panic. Shen Er-ge really fell in too deep this time! Instead of confessing, he’s doubling back down on his self-denial, acting like he doesn’t even know what a stallion novel is!
Poor Er-ge… Shen Yuan cries in his heart for his brother’s sake.
“Ah, Mu-shidi is finally here. Stay laying down, don’t sit up.”
Er-ge gets up and moves away, then seems to open a sliding door. The sound of voices is somewhat muffled, both by the distance and Shen Yuan’s own panicked heartbeat.
Mu-shidi? Is that supposed to be Mu Qingfang? Does that mean there’s really someone playing along with his brother’s delusions?
Er-ge’s terse voice carries over: “And what is Zhangmen-shixiong doing here?”
“Ah, Qingqiu-shidi, this shixiong was only worried over Yuan-shidi’s wellbeing…”
At the sound of the voice, Shen Yuan startles into a sitting position.
Da-ge! Da-ge’s here!
And… he’s playing along with the delusions as well?
For the first time since waking up, Shen Yuan feels a cold realization start to sink in.
“Unfortunately, A-Yuan is still feeling unwell. This master believes being crowded so soon after waking up could only worsen his condition. Surely Zhangmen-shixiong understands…” Despite the polite words, Shen Er-ge’s voice is cold as ice.
While the two brothers continue to argue over at the door, the third person steps forwards.
“Yuan-shidi, this shixiong is glad to see you awake. How is shidi feeling?” The voice sounds unfamiliar, though kind and patient.
Nonetheless, an uneasy shiver goes down his spine. “Ah… I’m… this one is feeling alright…”
The unfamiliar person, whom he can only conclude must be Mu Qingfang, lays a hand on his shoulder. “If Yuan-shidi is willing, could he lie back down? As Shen-shixiong said, shidi must still be feeling unwell. In that case, it’s best to rest as much as possible…”
That coaxing tone is familiar enough, at least. How many nurses and doctors have used that voice with him?
Although he would normally fight it a little, this time, Shen Yuan lies back down silently.
“Then, Yuan-shidi, this shixiong will begin his examination.”
A soothing, cool wave of something sweeps through Shen Yuan’s body. He’s never felt anything of the like before, not even when he was given morphine.
Then, this can only be qi.
That means…
It’s not just that Er-ge is having some strange delusions about a stallion novel he would never willingly read. It’s not just that everyone else seems to be playing along.
This is… transmigration…
Ah…
When Shen Yuan had read all those transmigration novels, he had promised himself he would never arouse suspicion or say anything foolish. He’s already fumbled a little, thinking that the brother at his bedside was his own Er-ge — but it’s alright. He can recuperate.
If the brother at his bedside is not his own Er-ge, and is called Shen-shixiong by Mu Qingfang, and is daring enough to scold his sect leader in front of others…
Then, that man must be Shen Qingqiu, Proud Immortal Demon Way’s very own scum villain teacher.
“Yuan-shidi, is there something wrong? Your heartbeat suddenly picked up.”
“Ah, it’s nothing…”
The two men by the door are still arguing, the scene so familiar that Shen Yuan can’t help but compare it to his own two elder brothers, Shen er-ge and Yue da-ge. Not only are the names similar, not only are the voices similar, but now the attitudes and relationships are similar too.
“Mu… Mu-shixiong, my eyes…”
There’s a stunned silence, then Mu Qingfang speaks slowly, “Ah, yes, this… shixiong will inspect them now. If Shen-shidi will allow me… Please don’t move while I remove the bandages.”
Gentle hands start picking at the gauze around his face. Shen Yuan obediently stays still.
“What happened to my eyes?”
“Shen-shidi unexpectedly collapsed, bleeding from the eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. This shixiong was able to mitigate most of the damage, but shidi’s eyes wouldn’t stop bleeding for an unknown reason.”
“An unknown reason? Why did I collapse in the first place?”
“This shixiong apologizes, despite researching shidi’s symptoms, I have yet to find any illness that matches shidi’s condition.”
“Ah.”
Since this is a transmigration event, it’s possible the sudden collapse was just some sort of transmigration system’s interference in order to smoothly transfer Shen Yuan into this new role.
Whoever this role is, anyway… It seems this character’s name is Shen Yuan as well.
Shen Yuan lifts his head a little to let Mu Qingfang finish cutting the bandages away. Immediately, he tries to open his eyes, only to be forced to close them.
“Do they hurt?”
“Ah, a little. They’re sensitive.”
While Mu Qingfang inspects his eyes and helps him through the process of opening them up, Shen Qingqiu and Yue Qingyuan finally stop arguing, walking over. Their tense atmosphere follows.
“Why are his bandages gone?” Shen Qingqiu asks tersely.
“From my inspection, it seems they’ve healed. Although Shen-shidi might be a bit sensitive to light for a while…”
“Then, Yuan-shidi is feeling better?” Yue Qingyuan says.
As expected, the voice is still that of his Da-ge.
Shen Yuan’s eyes flutter open on their own, and this time he forcefully keeps them open. Observing these two men, they really do look like his own elder brothers — if his brothers had long hair and slightly more muscles. And looked eternally young.
“Yuan-shidi?”
“Ah, Shen-shidi, please don’t force your eyes open…”
“Didn’t you hear? Hurry up and close your eyes, idiot.”
Looking at these concerned faces, Shen Yuan’s heart sinks.
This means this really is transmigration.
Worse than that, it’s transmigration into Proud Immortal Demon Way, that stupid stallion novel wherein characters bearing his siblings’ names exist.
Yue Qingyuan, the kindly and noble sect leader, pierced by a thousand arrows.
Shen Qingqiu, the protagonist’s scum villain teacher, tortured into a human stick.
Qiu Haitang, the girl who lost her entire family, turned into yet another wife.
And… and Shen Yuan’s own character, who never even appeared in the novel or any of the extras.
Who is he supposed to be?
Shen Yuan finally closes his eyes, mute. What can he say? He can’t even properly discern what his relationships with those people are.
He can’t call Er-ge ‘Er-ge,’ so who’s to say how he’s supposed to call any of those people? Is he supposed to treat them familiarly, politely, coldly?
Is he supposed to look at his own Da-ge with hatred?
Ahh, although they’re just doppelgängers, if only they could look just a bit different…
The rest of the health inspection goes more or less the same, with Mu Qingfang studiously examining him, the two doppelgängers in a silent cold war, and Shen Yuan pretending none of them are here.
Under the doctor’s instructions, he opens and closes his eyes repeatedly, slowly acclimating to the brightness around him. If this were the real world, this way of operating would only lead to more trouble, but since this is a cultivation novel, Mu Qingfang manages to nonsense and cultivation his way into actually healing him.
Ah, knowing Proud Immortal Demon Way… at least it didn’t involve dual cultivation…
Eventually, Mu Qingfang straightens and begins packing up. “Everything seems to be in order, Shen-shidi, Shen-shixiong. With some more rest, Shen-shidi will be back to his full health.”
Shen Yuan blinks the last dark spots out of his vision. “That easily?”
In his experience, ‘waking up with no memories in the hospital’ usually means a few weeks of bedrest and physical therapy.
Shen Qingqiu fans himself. “Many thanks to Mu-shidi.”
“Ah, this shidi is only doing his duty…”
While the two converse politely, the kicked puppy known as Yue Qingyuan comes closer. “Yuan-shidi didn’t answer earlier. How is he? Does nothing else hurt?”
Yue Qingyuan, weren’t you there during the whole medical inspection? Shen Yuan sighs in his heart.
When Shen Yuan had read Proud Immortal Demon Way, the Cang Qiong Mountain Sect leader he’d imagined certainly had his da-ge’s face, courtesy of their similar names, but he’d never thought their temperaments would be the same. How can a noble, strong, and righteous sect leader act the same as his worried, doting eldest brother?
“I feel fine, thank you.”
Yue Qingyuan nods twice. “Yes, yes… It truly was unexpected for Yuan-shidi to collapse like this. Does Yuan-shidi remember what happened?”
Behind him, both Mu Qingfang and Shen Qingqiu quieten, clearly listening in.
Shen Yuan sweats.
What does he know?
He’s not even the real Yuan-shidi.
As for him, the last thing he remembers is being in front of his computer, patiently waiting for his little sister to come home from school. They’d been planning to go shopping together. Haitang always complains about his lack of style, the classic tale of a cute little sister eternally embarrassed by her nerdy older brother.
By this time… Haitang has undoubtedly come across his corpse.
Shen Yuan’s heart twinges at the thought.
Ahh… Haitang, forgive your san-ge, alright? Don’t cry too much.
“I don’t remember anything of note,” he says.
Yue Qingyuan nods, but the familiar face shows a hint of doubt.
Shen Yuan, brother-translator extraordinaire, understands immediately that Yue Qingyuan thinks he’s hiding something — but unfortunately, there really is nothing he can say to reassure him.
Mu Qingfang raises a hand. “If Zhangmen-shixiong is interested, this shidi has some theories on what could have affected Shen-shidi…”
Yue Qingyuan nods. “Then, please.”
Mu Qingfang turns towards Shen Qingqiu. “Then, Shen-shixiong, this shidi will come again tomorrow to check on Shen-shidi. If anything happens in the meantime, please send a message…”
“Yes, yes,” Shen Qingqiu says in the clear tone of ‘get out of my house already.’
Finally, the two give their final goodbyes and leave. Shen Qingqiu seems pleased at their departure, but Shen Yuan only feels numb inside, watching the Da-ge doppelgänger’s back as he disappears behind the door.
Da-ge…
As soon as it’s only the two of them, Shen Qingqiu’s expression hardens.
“Lie back down, lie back down! Who said you can sit up!”
“Mu-shixiong said so…”
“Mu-shixiong? Who’s Mu-shixiong? You always call him Qingfang-shixiong. Your head really did get confused, did Mu Qingfang tell you anything about this?”
“Ah, no… Er-ge, calm down, I’m alright.”
Shen Qingqiu stops fluttering his sleeves around, hands on Shen Yuan’s shoulders, and fixes him with a mean look. “And why are you calling me Er-ge now!”
Shen Yuan hesitates to answer.
He already messed up once with Er-ge, then twice with Mu-shixiong. Thank the Heavens he didn’t try to call Yue Qingyuan anything, otherwise those three would definitely realize the soul has changed — if they haven’t already realized!
But since he doesn’t know this Shen Yuan character at all, how else can he answer except honestly? If the situation gets any worse, he can always pretend amnesia…
“Er-ge, I thought you don’t like being called Shen Jiu?”
Shen Qingqiu blinks and backs off enough to look him in the eyes. “What did you just say?”
“Because Jiu-ge is the order of abandoned kids, while Er-ge is the order of loving siblings.”
“…When did I tell you that?” Shen Qingqiu looks genuinely surprised, not even trying to hide it. His expression softens. “Have you felt the same all along and just never had the courage to say anything? Foolish child.”
Shen Yuan feels a twinge of guilt.
It’s not that he noticed anything, it’s just that his own er-ge felt the same. Although, unlike Shen Qingqiu, Er-ge never got to change his legal name. Every time someone dares to call him by his full name, he bristles like an angry cat. It’s somewhat funny and somewhat sad.
But still, this means yet another similarity between his er-ge and this Shen Qingqiu.
Shen Yuan narrows his eyes.
Perhaps… this world’s plot holes were filled in by real details and events from the real world?
“It’s no matter. Don’t call me this in front of others,” Shen Qingqiu says, sitting on the side of his bed and gently brushing strands of hair out of Shen Yuan’s face. “Look at you, looking so pitiful in front of Mu Qingfang and that idiot Yue Qingyuan…”
“Er-ge… You want me to call you Jiu-ge instead?”
Shen Qingqiu’s face darkens, and he doesn’t answer.
“Then… Shen-shixiong? Qingqiu-shixiong? Da-shixiong?”
Shen Qingqiu flicks his forehead. “What nonsense are you spouting? Never mind, you’ve clearly lost your mind. Just call me Er-ge, then.”
Shen Yuan’s lips twitch.
Er-ge, you tsundere, you just realized you actually prefer Er-ge to anything else, but you also didn’t have the face to go back on your own words, right?
Ah, well, this isn’t really Er-ge, though…
“Strange that I’m Er-ge and not Da-ge. Apart from me, what other brother do you have? Hm?”
One look at Shen Qingqiu’s dark face and Shen Yuan wisely decides not to answer that.
When reading Proud Immortal Demon Way, the only part of Yue Qingyuan’s character he both loved and hated was his relationship with the scum villain Shen Qingqiu.
Although the character Shen Qingqiu was detestable and deserved death, Shen Yuan would never have been able to bear it if the character Yue Qingyuan didn’t defend him. Seeing the character of Qiu Haitang even threatened to make him drop the whole novel.
Da-ge would never give up on any of his siblings, even if they committed the worst crimes possible.
Even if they abused an innocent child…
That’s why it never made sense why the character Shen Qingqiu seemed to loathe Yue Qingyuan as much as he did. But putting it through the lens of his own elder brothers’ relationship, it starts to make a little more sense…
Shen Yuan sighs, feeling a headache oncoming.
Maybe he really is confused, if he’s treating those novel characters like they’re actually his own siblings. Mu Qingfang advised for more rest, he shouldn’t be giving himself headaches over this.
“Er-ge, I feel tired… Is it alright if I…”
Shen Qingqiu’s expectant expression softens once more. “Fine, fine. You’ll answer me later. Go to sleep already, heal quickly.”
“Yes, Er-ge.”
Shen Yuan watches his er-ge putter around the room some more, lighting some incense and neatening his bed covers. Er-ge comes to stand over him nervously, then leans down and pats his head twice.
Before Shen Yuan can even react, Er-ge has already disappeared from the room, making a small ruckus the next room over.
Tsundere.
It’s not his own brother, but… this reaction… really screams Er-ge.
Shen Yuan stares up at the ceiling, whole body enveloped with dread.
Two novel characters that bear the same names, appearances, temperaments, and relationship of his elder brothers.
One other novel character that at least has the same name and a vague connection to the others.
And now a brand new, unknown character that perfectly fits in for himself, down to the name and at least one relationship.
The headache solidifies. So much for rest.
Fuck, why does he not have a Transmigration System?