Archive of Our Own

Despite what everyone usually thinks, Mo Xuanyu is not just a pretty face draped in expensive robes.

Yes, he´s pretty and he knows it, Mo Xuanyu knows how to carry himself with elegance and how to look like a proper and young gentleman, he knows how to act like a Jin even if he´s just half of a Jin.

But Mo Xuanyu is also pretty smart.

When his father took him back to learn cultivation in Lanling, Mo Xuanyu saw the opportunity and took it, becoming a young master in a rich family would change his life, his own and also his mother. Mo Xuanyu arrival to the golden palace had earned the Second Lady of Mo praise and jealousy in Mo Village and put a prideful smile in Mo Xuanyu red tainted lips.

Maybe he wasn´t as good as fighting as other cultivators and yes, his golden core was... weak, but Mo Xuanyu knew many other things.

He knew how to listen, how to observe, he knew what kind of smile would rip a little more information from someone than just a serious face and he knew that he was pretty. And they´re world, so rightful and strict, was for pretty people who knew how to use their face in their advantage.

So yes, Mo Xuanyu knew where and when to look, he knew what corridors had the best whispers and he knew that there was someone looking at him as he walked down the gardens.

He looked carefully and, as he had thought, there was a boy looking at him so Mo Xuanyu did what he did the best.

Smile, comb a strand of hair behind his ear and tilt his head, just a soft look and the guy turned around so quickly that he walked straight into a tree.

Or maybe not straight because well, he had been looking at Xuanyu and Xuanyu knew that the guy´s eyes had been on him for a while.

He walks away, he has a class to attend but... something says that maybe he should go after the guy but... he can leave that for other day. For now, he needs to sit down and listen to an old bitch talk about ancient history. He keeps going with his life and, monotonous as it is when with his visits to the village, looking for the guy make it a little more entertaining.

He feels his eyes on him sometimes, never for too long, just a quick glance and when he turns round, the guy is already gone... so he was a little secret admirer.

A few days later, when he´s leaving the class, a voice surprise him: “Morning young master Jin...”

The guy is leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest and a wild smile in his face.

Oh, so the guy finally made a move.

“Hi...”

And before the guy can say anything else Xuanyu turns around, rest his hand in the wall and lifts the guy's chin with a finger, more precisely the one in which his waring the metallic nail claw.

He sees how the guy swallows and well, the little sounds he lets out is like magic in Xuanyu´s ears.

“I´ve noticed you looking at me,” he tilts the guy´s head with his finger, making him look into his eyes, he´s short, way shorter than Xuanyu. “Aren´t you scared of getting caught looking at a young master?”

The guy is... cute. In the same way stray cats are cute, a little wild, messy hair falling around his face, bangs almost covering his sharp red eyes.

Not his usual type but... cute.

Xuanyu smiles, leaning closer and the guy freezes, eyes opening wide as he opens his mouth, trying to say something.

"Well, yours or mine?"

"What?" the guy manages to ask in a trembly voice.

"Your room or mine?"

He doesn't even know if this guy is a disciple or a servant or what but... the guy face is flushed red and he starts to stutter and, before Xuanyu can say something else the guy slips under Xuanyu's arm and runs away.

"Maybe he's not into men?"

"Don't scare my demonic cultivator A-Yu," he turns around to find his brother. "He's a worker here"

“Well, then as your evil advisor I should get you know him”
“I don´t think so”
“Oh, so I have to keep you updated about gossip but not about the new guy?”
“I don´t want you to….” Yao does a little pause, like he was searching for the right word. “Distract him”
"Oh... he's the guy father took in? The want sect leader Nie wants dead?" Xuanyu asks, tilting his head, a grin flashing on his face.

"Dage wants a lot of people dead but.... yes, why?"

"Mmmmmm I expected some creepy old guy you know? A crazy man screaming about the Yilling Patriarch...not-"

"A kid your age?"

"He's my age?"

“I think he´s just one year younger or so”

Oh, gods he was joking when he had tried to flirt but if the guy was his age...

"Xuanyu he's here under Jin Sect protection and he'll lost it if he gets distracted from his work"

"I won't distract him"

"And he's dangerous"

“Ge, I spent the past month trying to depict the Yilling Patriarch writing for you, you got my involved in this I think that it´s my right to… be interested in the work”

They walked the corridor in silence, Xuanyu felt his brother tense by his side, clearly thinking about the pros and cons of letting Xuanyu near him.

“It would be… useful, to say it in a way, to have Su She with me instead of reading for him”

“He can´t read?”
“No complex texts at least,” Yao sighted, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Okay, I can assign you as his new… partner, but do not distract him”

Where did his brother found someone like that? A demonic cultivator with the reading level of a kid? Or less?

"Oh, please he run away as soon as I smiled, I know what I'm doing"

“Are you sure about that?”

“Of course, ge!” and he opened the fan that he always carried around inside of his sleeve with a sharp snap. “I´m so bored here, let me have this little fun”

“You´re incorrigible,” but he starts walking by his side. “This one is dangerous and it´s not fun, it´s job”

“That´s the fun part,” taping his lips with the fun a grin covered his face. “The danger part, not the job one, I would love to meet him outside the work but… this is what we have”

“Well... at least he´s your age”

“A-Yao, my dear, I would flirt with Zewu-Jun if he was younger... or if I were older...” Xuanyu smiled. “What I´m saying? Have you seen him? I would flirt with him no matter what”

“He´s a married man Xuanyu,” his brother sighted, rubbing his temples.

“Marriage is just a social construct!”

“That´s the point of marriage”

“Whatever you say,” and Xuanyu stops in his track. “What´s his name by the way?”

“His courtesy name is Xue Chengmei,” Yao says. “And I´m serious when I say that he´s dangerous”

Xuanyu ignores the second part, Chengmei... he was indeed pretty, not the usual kind of beautiful but... pretty.

“Like in the proverb?”

“Yes, I choose the name myself”

Well... Xuanyu knows how twisted Yao´s sense of humor is so, if he gave the guy´s his courtesy name, Xue Chengmei is probably not a gentleman.

“Don´t get near him when it´s not needed Xuanyu,” Yao warns for the last time and Xuanyu rolls his eyes and waves his brother goodbye before going back to his own room.

So... the guy is a demonic cultivator and, if the rumors are true... he has a lot of blood on his hands.

Not like Xuanyu cares like it just makes the guy even more interesting.

When you know how to listen everything becomes easier, that´s what his mother had taught him before he leaved Mo village. Listen and observe and you´ll become powerful... yes, Mo Daiyu was just the second daughter of a servant but she was also the second daughter of the village leader, she was smart and Xuanyu was smart enough to follow her advice.

And that had took him here, to the outskirts of Lanling City, where the forest started. The path was narrow but it was easy to find it, someone walked that path oftener ought to leave a patch of ground among the grass.

Xuanyu approached the strange building amongst the wilderness, a voice in his head saying that maybe this wasn´t his best idea but fuck it.

The building wasn’t pretty, it was dark and stink like resentful energy but Xuanyu walked past the tall walls to find a row of long, black houses.

There were a strange training field before the houses and the fences were packed with red and yellow talismans. Maybe he wasn't a goof fighter, but arrays and talismans? That was his thing and... that looked like protective talismans. The ones you put when you don´t want to let anyone inside or... out.

With a shrug Xuanyu walked to the main house, the only one that looked habitable, whatever was going in that training field or, in this place, didn´t had anything to do with him thanks.

And with a deep breath, Xuanyu knocked on the door: “Is someone at home?”

Something cluttered at the other side of the door, it sounded like a lot of objects had feel to the floor and then a scream and another crash before the door opened.

“What the fuck do you want Yao!” Xue Chengmei tripped on his way to open the door, scrolls and talisman paper falling from his arms.

“I´m not A-Yao"

When the guy looks at him Xuanyu is still laughing behind his sleeve, but he tries to hide it and coughs.

“Morning young master Xue”

“I...”

“I hope you´re not disappointed with my visit young master Xue,” and he opens his fan. “I just wanted to see you”

“I... I was...” when he tries to say something more the scrolls fall and Xuanyu just stares as Xue Chengmei panics. “Shit!”

“Let me help with that young mast-”

“Chengmei,” Xuanyu kneels by his side, putting the fan back to its place as he picks up the scrolls, he can discern some messy writing on them. “Chengmei is fine...”

“So Chengmei then,” with a smile he stands, offering him a hand. “You can call me Xuanyu”

“Thanks...” Xuanyu´s hand brush against Chengmei´s left one when he helps him up and the guy steps back like Xuanyu´s touch burns. “I... what... are you doing here?”

“Let´s get your things inside first,” and he walks past the cultivator, entering in the house without looking back. “Where do you want this?”

“I... just follow me,” Chengmei walks into the house too and... his barefoot.

Walking around without making a single sound, comparing it with the mess from sooner, Xuanyu is impressed. It´s obvious that he wasn´t expecting a visit, long black hair untied and falling down his back like ink.

He´s wearing simple back robes, not Lanling usual yellow and he looks... tired, dark circles under his pretty red eyes.

“Here it´s... here it´s fine...”

The room is big but... inside there´s just a mat and a table. It´s so simple and the space is so big that Xuanyu just can think about the room itself felling sad. It´s a mess of scrolls, papers and ink, brushes and letters all around the floor.

Yes, this guy wasn´t expecting a visit.

At least no one different from the usual.

“You look tired Chengmei,” he says as the other takes the things away from Xuanyu´s arms. “What kind of research are you doing that prevents you from sleeping”

“I sleep”

“Well, everyone does it but... you look like you haven´t do it in a while”

“I´m fine,” he says in a sharper way. “If your brother sends you tell him that I´m working on it”

“A-Yao doesn't know that I´m here,” he doubts that Yao would allow him to visit his little demonic cultivator. “I´m here for you”

Chengmei trips on his own feet again: “What?”

“I´m assigned to help you with the texts instead of Shu She but I thought that we could… talk, outside of work too, get to know each other, that would be nice don´t you think? Knowing the person you´re working with”
“I…” Chengmei´s face flushed red, how cute… Xuanyu wasn´t expecting that for someone who looked like that.

“I know how you looked at me,” he walks closer. “But you run away as I looked back... I misread the sings?”

“What?”

Xuanyu blinks.

And... blinks away.

“You´re dense”

“What!” this time he sounds offended. “Are you here to insult me?”

“I´m here to ask if I can treat you to a meal”

“Oh...” his face goes softer and...

He indeed looks young, even if his skinny and sharp there´s... something childish in his face, in the way he scrunches his nose. Maybe it´s the way his eyes shine or the shy smile he offers to Xuanyu.

“What do you say?”

“I... I have work”

“Tomorrow then?” Xuanyu smiles. “I´ll wait for you at the main stairs... don´t make me wait”

“What makes you think that I´ll accept?”

So, he´s growing bolder... he likes it.

“Maybe the fact that I caught you looking at me at least six times the past week?”

“I´ll... think about your offer young master Jin” Xue Chengmei talks with his back turned at him, putting some order in the things that cover his desk. “Now I have things to do”

Xuanyu it's very tempted to say that he´ll enjoy doing him instead but, he bits his tongue and bows.

“See you soon Chengmei”

“Goodbye...”

Xuanyu feels Chengmei eyes on his nape as he leaves the house so, yes, he´s counting this as a victory.

Xue Chengmei doesn´t show up next day.

And Xuanyu tries to act like he doesn't care but he fucking cares.

How dare that guy to dump him?

No, no one dumps Mo Xuanyu, not even mister mass murderer and demonic cultivator. He can kill an entire sect but can´t face a date?

So, in a very mature way, he asks the servants to take Xue Chengmei to the training fields of Lanling, he´s going to have some words with him.

Sword to sword.

It´s close to midday when two servants walk in the training grounds, Chengmei walking between them, wearing the golden disciple's robes.

His hair is tied in a high ponytail and there´s a frown in his usually pretty face that match Xuanyu´s one. A purple bruise covers his cheek and he looks a little messed up, like he´s been on a fight.

“What I am doing here?”

“You´re a guest disciple here, right?” Xuanyu asks. “That gives you the right to train here, with us”

“I... I don´t need it”

“Really?” Xuanyu asks as he draws his sword. “Probe it”

“Young master Jin this is a bad ide-” Xuanyu shush his master with a gesture.

“I want to spar with him... will you made me that favor Chengmei?”

Xue Chengmei licks his lips, something dark shining in his eyes.

“I gain something with it?”

“I win, you go in a meal with me,” and Xuanyu takes his first position. “You win... you can ask me for anything”

“I´m in”

The change is almost scary, from the shy guy he cornered against a wall to something… almost wild. Chengmei eyes change, sharper and he tilts his neck to the side until it cracks, rolling his shoulders with a similar sound.

“Young master Jin...”

“Okay,” Xuanyu smiles and Xue Yang tilts his head. “Ready then?”

“Of course, young master”

When Chengmei walks in the circle Xuanyu start seeing the danger of what he has done. Xue Chengmei walked slowly to the sand circle. He didn't even carry a sword.

Or any weapon, for that matter.

And Xuanyu blinked confused.

He just stands there, his hands behind his back, and the ghost of a smile forms on Xue Chengmei´s face. Well, if this is how he wants to play...

Xuanyu darts at him, a soft blow with the flat part of the sword. It wouldn't take any more. Chengmei´s small, weak. A petite frame and sure, he´s dangerous but nothing that strength can´t put down in a blow. Chengmei moves, elegant and fast as a blade, and steps away from the first blow. And the second.

And the tenth, always with that smile on his face. Chengmei´s feet barely touch the ground, not a single sound, not a single grain of sand flaying when his feet step on it.

Xuanyu realizes that the other is, once again, barefoot. Moving around with a speed that don´t seems human.

After ten minutes of dancing, Chengmei frowns, hands moving from his back to the back small cut on the robe.

Xuanyu had managed to hit him, but not enough.

It just a tiny cut and Lanling disciple robes are so ugly that it´s not even a big loose. Chengmei´s red eyes nail into his as he pulls something form his sleeve. But... but he´s wearing leather braces, how... where was that sword.

He must see the surprise on Xuanyu faces cause his smile grows wider: “Oh, this little trick?” he says. “Just something I created... makes it easier to carry your things”

Xuanyu swallows when Chengmei smile grows even wider.

"It seems that it's time to take you seriously, " and he licks his lips and attack forward.

He throws himself at Xuanyu without allowing him to think and Xuanyu stops the attack with the edge of his own sword, his leg trying to sweep Chengmei from his feet, but Chengmei jumps and for a moment Xuanyu thinks that Chengmei is floating.

They could only hear the clash of metal and the stomping of feet against the sand.

The minutes passed and he ran out of breath while Chengmei´s still perfect. Then he didn’t see him anymore. He´s tired, so tired, sweat running down his face and he feels disgusting.

How is this guy so fast?

How is he much faster than before after minutes of fight?

Xuanyu has almost no time to turn around. He tries to catch Xue Chengmei´s sword but he doesn´t make it in time. He feels the cold metal on his skin, right above his heart, and lowers his sword, he knows how to accept a defeat, no matter how humiliating it was.

As much as his adversary was smaller than him, Xue Chengmei had no trouble breathing and not a single hair out his ponytail.

He´s not even sweating.

“That was easy,” he smirks. “Not bad princess”

“Again”

The words leave his lips before he can think about it.

“Are you sure princess?”

“Fucking yes”

He´s not usually competitive but... he wants to try again.

He wants to make Chengmei show any signs of effort.

“Okay...” he rolls his shoulders and cracks his neck again. “Come to me”

Xuanyu didn't think this time. He drew his sword so quickly that Chengmei had no time to dodge, the sound of fabric ripping filling the arena, he gives him an angry look after seeing the second cut in the robe, completely tearing the skirt. He sighs before resting the sword on one of the pillars and...

Chengmei looks at him and begins to undo the knots of the fabrics that stuck the robe to his waist, letting them fell to the ground slowly. The robe opens up a little bit. The smile on his face grows and then, exceedingly slowly, the outer robe follows the belt to the ground.

Xuanyu stares startled, his breathing hitching and the heat rising his face, the sword still pointing at Chengmei, who is just wearing pants and a light shirt over it.

"So eager to undress me," he steps away from the ruined clothes and rise his sword. “Let´s go princess”

And he attacks at an incredible speed, Xuanyu could hardly stop Chengmei’s sword. The metal collided and they stay very close.

With a push he manages to make Chengmei retreat, his feet dragging over the sand. Red and gray eyes looking at each other, close. So close Xuanyu can smell the wine in the other's breath.

But no one had said it would be a clean fight. Chengmei kicks Xuanyu's stomach to get him off his back. He looks at him and laughs as Xuanyu tries to recover the air that had escaped from his lungs.

Xuanyu gasps before attacking from the ground.

The kick heading straight to his knee but Chengmei jumps and, lucky for Xuanyu, it isn´t fast enough. He grabs Chengmei´s ankle, making him fall to the ground awkwardly, his shoulder makes a sound not pleasing at all, but it´s clear that he´s not giving up.

They both stood up again and Chengmei spins around to strike Xuanyu with the sword’s handle. He leans back to avoid the blow. It was so fast that the sound of the sword cutting off the air invaded his ears.

They walked around the circle, eyes on them as they fought, the swords colliding and their feet light across the sand, almost as if they danced.

Xuanyu had lost one of his robe sleeves.

There was a cut on Chengmei cheek, but that hadn't wiped the smile off his face.

They kept fighting like this for a while, neither of them knew how time had passed, but they weren't tired, blood roaring in their ears.

And suddenly Xuanyu was on the ground, Chengmei holding his arms above his head with a hand and had his arm tight against his neck. Xuanyu swallowed and hit the ground with his hand, surrendering.

He couldn't breathe anymore.

When Chengmei removed his arm from his neck, he didn't walk away.

He just got closer, hair falling over his shoulder and Xuanyu could count the freckles that covered Chengmei´s face.

Xuanyu felt his breath very close.

“You own me a meal,” he whispers against Xuanyu´s ear. “Tomorrow in the main stairs, wait for me”

And then he´s gone.

He´s gone and Xuanyu needs a cold bath.

Mo Xuanyu is pretty smart, expect when he´s an idiot.

And okay, falling from a guy he barely knows it´s... stupid. And that guy is an assassin, he knows it but... he´s cute. He was cute fangs! And red eyes! And he can beat the shit out of him even if Xuanyu is much taller and okay.

He... has a crush on mister demonic cultivator.

So, he waits again, wearing his best robes and jewels.

Chengmei disappeared after the fight, not even giving him the chance to talk at him so... yes, he has a crush and he´s desperate.

“Waiting for someone?”

Xuanyu turns around and...

Xue Chengmei is there, wearing black robes and his long hair untied and falling down his back once more. He looks a little less tired and the purple bruise on his cheek has almost faded out.

“Maybe...” Xuanyu steps closer and offers him his arm. “Ready?”

“Where are you taking me?”

“A little bird told me that you´re found on sweets,” Xuanyu starts to walk down the stairs. “So... we´re going to the best tea house in Lanling”

“Sounds good”

“You look good”

“They teach you how to flirt on your rich kid classes? Because they´re doing a terrible job”

Xuanyu laughs and Chengmei lets out a tiny chuckle.

“Are you okay?”

“Oh yes, no bad injuries... just tired,” he had had bigger problems to deal with than his injuries when Xue Chengmei had leaved. “And you?”

He stops for a moment, fingers brushing against Chengmei´s face.

“That´s not from our fight...” and he turns around so they can keep walking. “Don´t worry about it”

“You got into a fight?”

“It was a job...”

“My brother sent you? That´s why you didn´t showed up to our date?”

“Oh, we had a date?” Chengmei asks with a smirk. “Yes, I was away”

“A shame...”

The best part about being a Jin is that the owner of the tea house just leads them to his best table as soon as he sees them, they sit in a little table in the third floor, in a balcony that shows almost all the city.

“Lanling is beautiful...”

“It is...”

They fall in a comfortable silence as their food arrives and Chengmei goes for the pastries as soon as they´re in the table.

“So... you´re not from here?” Xuanyu asks. “No one from Lanling looks so amazed at the view...”

“Okay, let´s play”

“What?”

“You´re asking about me...” and he smiles before eating other pastry. “Three questions for me, three for you... that´s all I´m giving you”

“Just... three?” but he realizes what he had say just in time. “No! That´s not a question just... okay I... where are you from then?”

“I grew up in Yueyang”

“That´s... pretty far”

“Yep,” he says clicking his tongue. “It was a long journey, all by feet... why did you asked me out?”

“I... I don´t know, you were looking at me in first place... I just took the chance, I really want to know the person my brother had sent me to work with”

Chengmei looked smart, in a sharp way, like a wild animal living in the streets or something like that, did he really need his help? Or Yao had just been nice? Sending him to have some fun?

“Mmmmm... bad taste I see”

They drink their tea and... the silence in the middle of their talk is not a weird one. It feels almost natural.

“What sect do you came from then? I´ve never seen the sword forms you use... Yunmeg? Maybe a temple? Baoshan Sanren mountain?”

Xue Chengmei throws his head back and laughs and... his laugh.

Oh, by the gods his laugh is everything.

Loud and noisy and he snorts after it and Xuanyu is fucking in love.

“From no one!” he says as he dries his tears. “I´m just a little street urchin”

“Oh... I´m... I´m sorry”

“It´s fine... I´m okay with it,” he shrugs. “Mmmmm... you´re not scared of me?”

“I know the things you´ve done... my ge warned me but... no,” Chengmei´s red eyes are on him. “You´re not scary”

“I´m glad then...”

“Your last question?”

“I´m saving it for later”

And he winks at Xuanyu and... okay.

Maybe Chengmei looked at him first but Xuanyu´s sure about having fall faster and harder, way harder.

They... talk.

They talk and Chengmei laughs and Xuanyu wants this to last forever.

He wants to grab this moment and put it in a safe place because it´s the first time since he arrived to Lanling that he feels so free.

He walks Chengmei to his little cabin in the woods that, doesn't sound safe but it´s nice. He walks him there with the moon shinning above them. He just... looks at Chengmei, at his smile and his messy hair and the scars that cover his face and his neck.

“Tonight was... good”

“Yes...”

“Thanks for the dinner...”

“It´s... it´s nothing”

“Well... see you tomorrow...”

“I suppose...”

“Goodbye-”

“You still... you still have a question”

“True...” Chengmei steps closer, looking up so he can look into Xuanyu´s eyes. “If you could go anywhere... where would you go?”

“The ocean,” he says without doubt. “I always wanted to see the ocean...”

“Lucky you then...”

“Why?”

Before he can ask anything Chengmei hands tangle on his hair, pulling him into a kiss. Xuanyu can feel him smiling against his mouth and when Chengmei parts away he bits Xuanyu´s bottom lip.

“My name is Xue Yang...” he says a whisper away from Xuanyu´s lips and just like that, he disappears into the house.

Xuanyu caresses his lips, Xue Chengmei... Xue Yang touch still buzzing over his skin and... this is going to be the best summer ever.

It´s the best summer ever.

Xue Yang is quick to adapt and soon enough he learns how to sneak into Xuanyu´s chambers. They work together in the morning and, most nights, Xuanyu sleeps as Xue Yang keeps working in the candlelight, sitting in the bed next to him.

He´s curious, never still, Xue Yang is always moving from one place to another, leaving for a few days before being back to his arms.

And Xuanyu learns the best ways to climb up Lanling golden towers to rest after a long day, looking at the stars... he lears to make promises.

Xuanyu reads poetry as he moves around the room, Xue Yang wrapped in Xuanyu´s golden robes, sitting in front of the fireplace, laugh never leaving him. He reads him poetry instead of the texts he should be helping him with.

He teaches him to get better at reading, at writing, and he falls a little more in love when Xue Yang eyes shine like that. He´s hungry for knowledge and he´s always been denied of it, so Xuanyu offers him all he has.

He leaves gifts on his pillow, he puts bracelet and collars around him.

He covers him in gold, he wants to wrap Xue Yang in red.

He wants him, all of him.

Day after day new gifts appear in Xue Yang´s little house.

Day after day he feels asleep thinking about kissing Xue Yang´s for the rest of their days.

It´s almost the end of summer, almost a year has passed and they´re lying in Xuanyu´s bed, legs tangled and hair messy and Xuanyu fingers are tracing Xue Yang´s scars... just... silence.

Nothing else between them, just the calm and quietness of the moment.

“Your brother asked for my presence...” Xue Yang´s whispers, lips pressed against his shoulder. “I don´t want to go...”

“Stay here then...”

“He´ll send someone...” and he moves so he can lay in top of Xuanyu, hands tangling in his hair. “And it won´t be fun if they find us like this”

There´s no way Yao doesn´t know about this already, but maybe he doesn´t care.

“Then go... I´ll wait here...”

Xue Yang kisses him before detangling from the sheets and from his arms, he dresses and before opening the door, runs back to bed, kissing Xuanyu again.

“Tonight, at the tea house... I want pastries”

“Love you to Mei...”

And then he leaves for real and Xuanyu goes back to sleep.

He wakes up again past midday, goes through the essays one of his teachers had ordered him to do and then, dress up and goes to the tea house.

He sits down in their usual table and waits.

Xue Yang is always late and then he hears the steps.

He turns around to find his brother.

Jin Guangyao’s expression is indecipherable as he walks closer.

“Ge?”

“Sit down A-Yu"

“Ge? What´s... what´s going on?”

But he obeys, because he knows better than disobeying someone like Jin Guangyao. His brother serves the tea and then, puts a dark handkerchief in the table.

“You know that... with father gone things have changed, right?”

“Yes?”

Where is he trying to go?

“You know that our home is in danger, right?”

“Yes ge...”

“Then I hope you can understand my decision”

He pushes the fabric toward Xuanyu, who opens it with shacky hands and...

No…

“We couldn´t have someone like him roaming around any longer”

Xuanyu screams and covers his mouth.

“It was for the best Xuanyu”

The… peony headpiece, the one he had gifted him during the solstice.

“He didn´t suffered”

Covered in blood.

“Xue Chengmei had been executed”