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Chapter Text

Shen Yuan didn’t ask for much. 

He especially didn’t ask for a nasty bout of food poisoning that would end in his demise.

Shen Yuan slowly cracked open his eyes, the light pouring in making him shut them again in pain. He turned over to shield his face from the sunlight and give himself a moment for his eyes to adjust before slowly rising. 

Right. So. Shen Yuan had read enough shitty web novels to know what was going on. Character dies, ends up in a new world, proceeds to freak out. He knows the formula well, and made sure to leave a scathing comment about the lack of originality everytime. The last thing he wanted to do was mimic said characters, so he sat up confidently. 

Truthfully, Shen Yuan wasn’t entirely sure as to where he was, but a single glance around told him he was at the very least in some sort of ancient setting. He quickly busied himself with looking around the room for any clues grabbing a fancy looking fan to inspect off the nightstand. Making his way to the main room of the small hut, he noted the shelves full of all sorts of scholarly literature, namely focusing on poetry. 

Shen Yuan nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard a knock at the door. He briefly considered whether he should even open the door at all, but with no other clues, he put on his best poker face and opened the door. 

“Qingqiu shidi? Are you alright?” A deep, but gentle and concerned voice spoke.

With that, everything clicked into place.

Shen Yuan flicked open the fan in hand, covering his face. “I’m fine. I just woke up feeling a bit under the weather. I’ll be on my way soon.” 

The man at the door seemed satisfied with the answer, allowing Shen Yuan…no. Shen Qingqiu to shut the door once again.

Shen Qingqiu..

Shen Qingqiu! !  

No wonder he had no idea where he was! He had somehow transmigrated into the body of Shen Qingqiu, the elegant poetry teacher from “White Lotus Maker”, A simulation game from an indie dev who went by “Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky”. If he was right, then the gentle but strong looking man at the door should have been Yue Qingyuan, the strategy teacher. 

The game had limited areas it would show the player, so of course he would’ve never recognized the inside of a home never seen in game. Finally realizing his exact situation, Shen Qingqiu thought to himself. It really was..

The best!

Transmigrated as some side character that lives a calm life of teaching the youth and studying flowery poetry? He certainly wasn’t going to complain. It was, all things considered, the best role he could take up in this world. The worst thing would probably be adjusting to the former Shen Qingqiu’s lifestyle, but it was a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things.

After brushing off his robes, Shen Qingqiu headed out to get a feel for this new world.

Shen Qingqiu managed to find his way to the pavilion where he taught at..somehow. He definitely needed to take a walk around town on his own time, he never thought the simplistic nature of the game would come to bite him like this. 

Shen Qingqiu spotted students sitting under the pavilion as he drew closer. He quickly flicked out his fan, walking gracefully towards them all as he covered his face. Despite hiding his face, however, he couldn’t hide the way his eyes lit up as he got close enough to make out the faces of the students.

Out of them all, there were only three he could recognize, the most important being…  

Luo Binghe!

The main character of the game..the reason for everything!

At the start of “White Lotus Maker” a poor old washer woman begs the player to take care of her young child after her passing, that child being Luo Binghe of course. The player’s goal is to raise him until the age of eighteen, sending him to various classes, jobs, and adventures to boost his stats. By the end, hopefully the player has molded him into a respectful young man. Luo Binghe himself even turned out to be a fairly interesting character rather than a means to an end for gameplay. 

The main pull of the game was good! Really! But that was where Shen Qingqiu’s praises ended. 

Shen Qingqiu glanced at one of the other students he recognized, Ning Yingying. She was one of the many, many , girls Luo Binghe could sweep off their feet into marriage. A bit of romance couldn’t hurt, sure, but it seemed like the esteemed “Airplane-bro” was set on making them all as uninteresting as possible! Also, hello? Airplane-bro? What kind of game docks points for not pursuing romance options?

He remembered one of the flowery letters Luo Binghe would leave after leaving home, a sort of look back at the player’s playstyle:

“I often wish I had more time for romance..”

Ah?? You were reasonable the whole game and now three girlfriends isn’t enough for you!?

Shen Qingqiu fanned himself, a poor attempt to stave off his rage. He glanced at the student’s papers as he walked by, maybe homework was due today. Lucky for Shen Qingqiu, as he didn’t have the time to review whatever was being taught. Shen Qingqiu made his way to the center of the pavilion.

“Each of you will recite your poetry to the class, I will evaluate it.” Shen Qingqiu said, liking the authoritative tone he was putting up.

“Luo Binghe. You will go first.”

Luo Binghe looked shocked for a moment before quickly nodding and getting up, beginning to recite his poem. Shen Qingqiu couldn’t help but think to himself…

Luo Binghe! Isn’t your charisma stat already way too high?

The Luo Binghe in front of him couldn’t have been older than fifteen, but he was already reciting such amazing poetry. Everyone in the pavilion seemed captivated, even the rowdy rival of the class Ming Fan. Of course, Shen Qingqiu couldn’t blame any of them. Who would be able to tear their eyes and ears away from such an event? It was only natural to appreciate the skills of a main protagonist after all. 

In the back of his head though, Shen Qingqiu wondered how Luo Binghe could reach such a high level so soon. Surely if the player was meant to be the father, then a father should exist in this world as well right? Shen Qingqiu was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of the other students applauding. 

Luo Binghe bowed before nervously turning towards Shen Qingqiu. Shen Qingqiu, forgetting his “cool and composed” act, lowered his fan before addressing him.

“Well done, Binghe.” He said, a soft smile gracing his face.

Binghe breathed in sharply with a brief look of awe before stammering out a reply. 

“Th-Thank you shizun!”  

Binghe returned to his seat, a light flush dusting his cheeks as he clutched his poem in hand.

As Shen Qingqiu called the next student up, he glanced at Luo Binghe and thought to himself:

Huh. Seems like not even the protagonist is immune to stage fright.

Chapter Text

The next few weeks of Shen Qingqiu’s life were hectic to say the least. First, Yue Qingyuan kept coming by and checking up on him after Shen Qingqiu was late his first day. Shen Qingqiu was a tad worried that Yue Qingyuan could sense something “off” about him, so for the time being, he tried to dodge him as much as he could. Despite all this, thankfully, Shen Qingqu had managed to get pretty used to his new teaching life, his critical nature coming quite in handy.  

Although…it really was difficult navigating a world where the person whose body he snatched clearly had some sort of reputation! Shen Qingqiu still remembered the incredulous look on the face of Liu Qingge, the combat teacher, after he simply said “Good morning.” on his way to their meeting. The meeting itself didn’t go much better either, the other teachers all eyeing him up as if his every action was strange.

As painful as the meeting was to sit through, he did learn some important info. He had already known the group of teachers was essentially a small cultivation sect, but he hadn’t known that each teacher had about three “head” disciples that were chosen representatives of their class. Shen Qingqiu’s were Ning Yingying, Ming Fan, and, of course, Luo Binghe. 

Shen Qingqiu fanned himself gently as he walked through town. He might have a bit of a hard time acclimating himself to his new social life, but overall, Shen Qingqiu really didn’t have much else to be worried about. He found himself getting a tad excited over future possibilities. With the strength of a cultivator, it’d surely be easy to go off and explore the land, taking a look at some of the monsters found in the game. Before being able to get too deep into thought, Shen Qingqiu heard a loud thud from an alleyway.

“Aw, what’s wrong? Can’t get up?” A young, nasally voice said.

Shen Qingqiu kept himself close to the wall so as not to be seen as he listened on.

“Come on! You too good to even look at us?” Another voice asked.

Something about the whole scenario felt strangely..familiar. Shen Qingqiu’s eyes widened as he let himself peek into the alley. He couldn’t see his face, but he recognized the large curly ponytail, the boy on the ground was Luo Binghe. The other boys, three of them as he could see now, he knew as regular students of the combat class. 

Luo Binghe remained silent, seeming to anger the boy in the center. He grabbed Luo Binghe up by the collar, pulling him to eye level. Shen Qingqiu caught a look at Luo Binghe’s face as the boy turned to the side, avoiding the other boy’s eyes. Suddenly, Shen Qingqiu realized why the scene was so familiar to him.

The face of the boy holding Luo Binghe up flashed in anger before he lifted his fist--

“Is this what Liu Qingge teaches his students?”

Luo Binghe fell back to the ground as the boy holding him froze in shock, along with the other two. Luo Binghe turned to look at Shen Qingqiu in surprise as he lifted himself back off the ground. 

“S-Shen Shibo! We were just..um..!” One of the boys stammered out.

Shen Qingqiu raised an eyebrow at the boy.

“This master saw everything..unless you take me for a fool?”

The three boys turned deathly pale as they quickly shook their heads. Shen Qingqiu walked over to Luo Binghe before continuing. 

“Go. Liu Qingge will hear of this.” 

The three boys ran off, leaving the other two alone. Luo Binghe hadn’t moved from his spot on the ground, so Shen Qingqiu knelt down to his level to speak. 

“Binghe, are you alright?”

“Y-Yes Shizun. This disciple is sorry for the disturbance.”

Shen Qingqiu shook his head as he brushed some dirt off of Luo Binghe’s shoulder. 

“Nonsense. If something like this happens again, please let this master know.”

Shen Qingqiu turned to a basket on the ground, unnoticed in all the commotion. Its contents were smashed and splattered all over the ground, the vegetables now useless. Luo Binghe’s eyes followed, wincing a bit at the sight. Shen Qingqiu couldn’t help but frown at his expression, even though he’d tried to avoid it, Luo Binghe still seemed somewhat upset.

In the game, events where Luo Binghe would run into fellow students were common, the altercation in the alleyway being one of them. From what Shen Qingqiu remembered, poor Luo Binghe’s stress stat would rise by a hundred! It was clearly meant to be an unavoidable headache for the player who would currently be hurting for money, having to send him to free time with some cash or on vacation to lower it. 

Regardless of all that, Shen Qingqiu went with the vacation every time. Anyone would of course.   

Although now..Shen Qingqiu wasn’t as sure of what to do. In truth, he didn’t have to do anything! He wasn’t the father after all, just the teacher. He didn’t even have to intervene in the first place! Shen Qingqiu’s only responsibility was making sure the boy was well read…but even then..

“Shizun..is this all fine?”

“This master said anything , Binghe.”

Luo Binghe stood fidgeting off to the side as Shen Qingqiu pulled out a pouch to pay for the goods. Shen Qingqiu ended up figuring that getting the boy some more produce was the least he could do. Who else could bear that solemn expression in the alleyway? It was practically the only option!

Once the vegetables were in the basket and grabbed by Luo Binghe, Shen Qingqiu noticed how tightly he had been gripping the basket, a bright look in his eyes as he stared down at the vegetables. He was probably just glad to get some groceries for free! Shen Qingqiu sure knows he would have been. As they continued walking from the market, he figured now was a good time for some small talk. Maybe he could even learn a bit about his father!

“So Binghe, do you do the cooking at home?” Shen Qingqiu asked.

“Oh, yes! Most of the time. It’s..calming.” Luo Binghe replied, seeming much more upbeat than before.

“I see..what else do you get up to outside of classes? You’re not always present after all.” 

“Well, I help out with chopping wood for extra money sometimes, and…” Luo Binghe thought to himself for a moment before seeming to come to a revelation.

“I’ll actually be going out on another excursion alone soon. This time I’ll go near the lake to the south..” 

“Oh.” Shen Qingqiu replied, trying to keep his facial neutral.

Binghe!! You really are way too advanced!!

The lake near the mountains was one of the higher level areas in the game. Shen Qingqiu generally only made trips to the area around the seventh year of the game, it was only then he had gotten enough strength and combat skill to handle the area after all. Even so..Luo Binghe’s father was really efficient! Shen Qingqiu wondered what kind of man Luo Binghe’s father could be..he certainly hoped he wasn’t too hard on the boy.

“Well..Remember not to run yourself too ragged. If Binghe needs to cut down on class, this master understands.” Shen Qingqiu advised. It’d be relieving if he could get Luo Binghe to consider asking his father for more free time.

“No worries Shizun, this disciple can handle things! Besides..”

Luo Binghe smiled brightly before continuing.

“This disciple wishes to show his shizun even more of his improvement.”

Shen Qingqiu’s eyes crinkled in response, hiding a light smile behind his fan.

“This master looks forward to it.” 

As more time passed, Shen Qingqiu settled into his role quite naturally. There were a few hiccups, sure, but nothing unmanageable. He was even getting along with the other teachers quite nicely! Yue Qingyuan would visit every once in a while for tea, Shen Qingqiu still felt a bit nervous due to their unknown history together, but Yue Qingyuan clearly wasn’t going to mention it if he didn’t, which he greatly respected.

He and Qi Qingqi had actually been getting along quite well! They’d often discuss the latest news and drama going around the sect, there sure was a lot after all. The mild mannered medical teacher Mu Qingfang never gave him any trouble, often indulging his curiosity regarding the strange plants and herbs littering his study. His relationship with Liu Qingge was still...shaky? The man never dropped his intense looks and glares, but he was less..confrontational? Shen Qingqiu’s “Good morning’s” were being met with a nod at the very least.

Things were going great! He especially enjoyed doting on his students, he hadn’t been around since the start of their studies but seeing them grow and improve was heartwarming nonetheless. Ming Fan was growing into a fine young man alongside Ning Yingying, who was bright and cheery as always, always helping with the class. 

Shen Qingqiu was really forced to realize just how much time had passed when faced with Luo Binghe. 

He had gotten quite a bit taller, now almost level with Shen Qingqiu, and the muscle from his training showed subtly. The titular “White Lotus” really was growing well, two years had come and gone meaning that he was fast approaching eighteen. It made Shen Qingqiu a bit sad to think about really, Luo Binghe would leave to grow into..whatever role awaited him. Shen Qingqiu couldn’t help but be a bit anxious over not knowing the outcome.

There was no use worrying about things he couldn’t predict though, what he could do now was aid Luo Binghe to the best of his ability. It was his duty as a teacher after all! 

Today was especially exciting for him, apparently Luo Binghe’s ever so evasive father called for him specifically. Every year, a large festival was held, drawing people from all over. One of the big draws were the competitions held during it, dancing, the arts, combat..all promised a nice cash prize for the winner. The same was said for the original game, where the player could choose which one Luo Binghe would fare best in. Luo Binghe, however, could object and press to join a specific competition. This was apparently the case this year, and Luo Binghe wanted help convincing his father. 

Shen Qingqiu knocks lightly at the door in front of him. He observes the exterior of the home, it’s a quaint place. Not too big, not too small. He briefly wonders what things would have been like if his new life started here. 

“Shizun! You came!” A bright voice rang out.

Shen Qingqiu smiled as he met Luo Binghe’s eyes.

“Hello Binghe. This master hopes he isn’t too early” He replied.

“Of course not Shizun! Please, come in!” Luo Binghe said as he opened the door wider.

Shen Qingqiu looked around as they entered the main area of the home. It was just as he remembered from the game, but seeing it in person was quite different, especially since the game only let him see it from one angle. Shen Qingqiu felt a bit of pride swell in his chest as he walked by one of Luo Binghe’s poems, carefully laid open on a small table. Luo Binghe led him to sit at a table as Shen Qingqiu took in more of the place. 

“This disciple hopes his home isn’t too..drab, for shizun’s tastes.” Luo Binghe said apologetically, looking rather bashful. Shen Qingqiu shook his head.

“Nonsense. This master has been looking forward to seeing Binghe’s home, I wouldn’t dare to call sucha space drab.” 

Shen Qingqiu could have sworn he saw a flash of red out the corner of his eye, but Luo Binghe was already making his way to the kitchen area by the time he turned. 

“W-Well shizun, I’ll prepare some snacks and tea. My father should be out soon!” Luo Binghe called out from the kitchen.

Shen Qingqiu acknowledged Luo Binghe before flicking out his fan, needing something to fidget with as he waited. He was honestly getting pretty nervous..He’d spent all this time theorizing about Luo Binghe’s father, and now here he is? Asking for him specifically even, it was all so sudden. Shen Qingqiu became even more nervous when he heard light noise coming from the short hallway leading to the bedrooms. This was it wasn’t it? Just one turn through that hallway and the mystery would be no more.

Before the mystery man was able to fully reveal himself though, Shen Qingqiu heard a loud thump from down the hall, as if someone had bumped into something.

He also heard the yelp of a very, very , familiar word.

“Fuck--!”

Chapter Text

Shen Qingqiu watched quietly as Luo Binghe's father stumbled into the living area.

"A-Ah, Master Shen! You're here already, g-good." The man said sheepishly. He was an average looking man, nothing particularly remarkable. Well..it was natural the father would look unremarkable with Luo Binghe as his son.

Shen Qingqiu only replied with an icy glare, causing the man to swallow comically. 

"I-it's good seeing you Master Shen! My name is Shang Qinghua. I was hoping we could discuss my son's involvement in the tourname--"

"How do you know that word?" 

Shen Qingqiu quickly cut the man off, angrily tapping his finger on the table.

"Ah..what word might you mean?" Shang Qinghua replied, looking genuinely confused.

" Fuck." 

For a moment, Shang Qinghua seemed to blue screen before his face went through a wide range of emotions in less than a second.

"Binghe!" He yelled suddenly, causing the young man to meet them in the room.

"Yes father?"

"There should be a small pouch with some money near the entrance, take it and go out and have some fun! I'd like to speak to Master Shen in private." Shang Qinghua said, making a shoo-ing gesture with his hand.

"O-oh. Alright." Luo Binghe replied dejectedly.

After Luo Binghe was gone, Shang Qinghua let out a huge sigh, settling into a lax position.

"So, uh. Guess you're like me then, huh?" He said, in an incredibly casual manner.

An incredibly casual manner that made Shen Qingqiu's eye twitch, but he decided to try and stay neutral.

"Yes." 

"Phew~ Had me scared for a minute there! So you got Shen Qingqiu? Lucky..being a father is no easy job you know? I mean I practically already gave birth to him, why did I have to--"

"..Gave birth?" Shen Qingqiu said, cutting off Shang Qinghua's rambling.

"Huh? Oh- yeah, I created this game actually. If you've heard of it I go by--" 

"Airplane shooting towards the sky."

"Oh! So you have heard of--"

"--The absolute hack of a game dev who couldn't write a good story to save his life." 

Shang Qinghua simply blinked at Shen Qingqiu dumbly. Shen Qingqiu continued on.

"The same dev who made a harem mandatory for good points. The same dev who set up plot points only to drop them 5 seconds later. The same dev that listed scholar as a sub par ending!? "

Shang Qinghua barely got his mouth open before Shen Qingqiu exploded. 

"Ahh, no wonder Binghe has so many combat classes! Let me guess-- you're going for the Great Master ending? The one only accessible with at least ten in your harem minimum? You couldn't have made up a shittier requirement if you tried!"  Shen Qingqiu spat..though he didn't stop there.

Complaining about dropped character arcs, shallow romances, the absolutely God awful dialogue from any girl within Luo Binghe's bewitching range. He really let Shang Qinghua have it. Shang Qinghua, however, seemed to have a twinkle in his eye. 

"..No way, Cucumber bro? " 

"..You know me?" Shen Qingqiu said, genuinely surprised.

"Of course I know you bro! No one else leaves a scathing review like you do, I've been reading all your comments since the beta build!"

"..And not taking any of the criticism to heart?" Shen Qingqiu asked, raising an eyebrow. Shang Qinghua paused before smiling awkwardly, followed up by flinching at Shen Qingqiu's raised fan.

"L-look bro, that's besides the point! I called you here today for a reason right? It has to do with Binghe!" Shang Qinghua said. Shen Qingqiu was sure if it was just a diversion tactic but the mention of Lup Binghe was enough to get him to settle down. 

Shang Qinghua continued on, "So there's this thing called the system or whatever, it shows me Binghe's stats..but.." Shang Quinghua raised his hand up as if he was swiping through a screen. "..Everything's out of wack! I mean even you had to have noticed right? He's almost eighteen and doesn't even have any harem members!" 

Shen Qingqiu's eye twitched at the mere mention of the harem but he was right. It made perfect sense that Shang Qinghua of all people would head straight for that opportunity in the game, so the lack of romance in Luo Binghe's life was strange to say the least. He'd seen him exchange conversation with Ning Yingying, but he'd hardly call it romantic. Shen Qingqiu was pulled from his thoughts when Shang Qinghua let out a sound of anguish.

"Gah-- See! Everything's wrong! I just sent him out to do whatever he wants with some extra cash but his stress is rising? It doesn't make any sense!" he whined, clutching his head and eyeing the "system" still invisible to Shen Qingqiu. He surmised that Shang Qinghua was able to see stats change in real time.

"..And you!" Shang Qinghua said with an accusatory point. "What's up with poetry class huh? I send him there because it lowers his stress better than free time at this point! And that's not even mentioning how high it rises when I tell him he's not going!" Shen Qingqiu was not as nearly perturbed, basking in his own pride. "I suppose that's just the mark of a good teacher." He said, ignoring Shang Qinghua's plight.

Shang Qinghua rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, whatever you're doing you're doing it too well. There's no telling what ending I'm getting now, and the time for him to leave is so soon too.." This comment pulled Shen Qingqiu out of his head.

It was true, Luo Binghe's birthday was somewhere around the beginning of winter which was approaching soon. If whatever world they were in functioned the same as the game, he'd set off to go pursue..whatever. Maybe it was possible that he would come back? This wasn't the game, of course, he'd seen plenty of places you could never see in game! So maybe there was a possibility...at least, he hoped so. 

Shen Qingqiu shook his head, pulling the conversation back to what he was there for in the first place. "So, about that tournament..if things have already gone so awry, no point in not allowing him to join the arts competition, yes?" Shang Qinghua looked as if he was going to disagree, but was quickly cut off. "Besides, with the lack of vacation time you give him it really is the least you can do." He added with a cutting glare. 

Shang Qinghua sighed in defeat before nodding. "Yeah yeah, sure..I'll even send him to your class some more so he can prep for it." 

"As you should." Shen Qingqiu replied smugly, feeling victorious. He'd make sure Luo Binghe was well prepared for the event. Shen Qingqiu briefly thought about how it might even be their last together. 

The two chatted for a bit longer after that..if Shen Qingqiu chastising Shang Qinghua could be called that..before the Shen Qingqiu left for home, brainstorming more personal course work for Luo Binghe on the way home. 

"Shizun?"

Shen Qingqiu looked up from the stack of papers he had been grading to see Luo Binghe standing at the entrance to the pavilion. Truly a welcome sight after staring at paper for the past hour.

"Oh, Binghe. Did you need something?" 

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something." 

Shen Qingqiu nodded and scooted over from his original seat to make room for Luo Binghe, patting beside him as he did. Luo Binghe sat next to him sheepishly.

"I've been thinking about going on a long trip after this tournament. I just..want to see what's out there, if that makes sense."

Shen Qingqiu listened on, somewhat absent mindedly. All Luo Binghe was really doing at this point was reminding him of his inevitable departure, something he still wasn’t quite sure how he felt about.

“Shizun..would it bother you if I..changed while I was away?” Luo Binghe asked, avoiding Shen Qingqiu’s eyes. Shen Qingqiu quirked an eyebrow before responding.

“And why would that matter, hm? It’d be stranger to not change when moving into adulthood. Besides..” Hearing his pause, Luo Binghe looked up to meet his eyes. “To this master, Binghe will always be Binghe.”

Luo Binghe’s eyes widened slightly before he smiled softly. “I see..thank you shizun.”

Shen Qingqiu smiled right back at him, shoulders relaxing after seeing Luo Binghe’s expression ease up. 

“Now, while the future is important, let's focus on the present for now. We’ve got a tournament to win, yes?” Shen Qingqiu said teasingly.

Luo Binghe smiled back, a proud expression forming on his face.

“Of course, Shizun.”

Luo Binghe took home the first place prize for the competition. Naturally , Shen Qingqiu would add. 

After the end of the competition, and after Shen Qingqiu managed to drag Luo Binghe away from inquiring scholars, the two made their way back to his pavilion. Luo Binghe was surprised to see his father and his fellow classmates, all seated around a table covered in all sorts of dishes. Shen Qingqiu beamed as everyone welcomed him.

Anticipating Luo Binghe's eventual win, Shen Qingqiu enlisted Ning Yingying and Ming fan to set up the current festivities.  Luo Binghe had been working so hard after all! Shen Qingqiu really wanted this festival to be a memorable experience for him. 

Luo Binghe still stood next to him, a look of awe still sprawled upon his face. Shen Qingqiu gently patted his back.

"Well? Go on."

Luo Binghe took one last look at the pavilion before leaping towards Shen Qingqiu, the man just barely catching him in his arms. Luo Binghe squeezed his arms tightly around Shen Qingqiu’s waist as Shen Qingqiu simply rubbed his back.

“Thank you so much, Shizun!” 

Despite it being Luo Binghe’s party, Shen Qingqiu was beaming the entire night. Even he and Shang Qinghua were getting along pretty well for a change, although curiously, Luo Binghe always found his way in between the two of them. It made enough sense to Shen Qingqiu, if it were his party he might be antsy for attention too! Who was he to deny his star pupil. 

As the night went on more people eventually made their way home, leaving only Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe, Shang Qinghua excusing himself earlier after one too many tastes of wine. After the last person was out of sight, Shen Qingqiu began rummaging through his sleeve. After some trial and error, he eventually fished out a small pouch.

“Binghe, come here will you?” Shen Qingqiu called out. Luo Binghe immediately perked up and stopped tidying up the pavilion. 

“Yes, Shizun?” Luo Binghe said, eyeing the pouch.

“One more surprise for you. Close your eyes.” Shen Qingqiu said, stepping into Luo Binghe’s personal space. Luo Binghe did as told, moments later feeling a necklace being put around his neck. His eyes flew open and then looked down at the necklace in shock.

It was a jade pendant, the carving on it being especially lavish. Shen Qingqiu managed to grab it on one of his visits to Shang Qinghua’s home. There was a merchant that would turn up every festival season with items unavailable elsewhere in game, as fate would have it, Shen Qingqiu just happened to be visiting at the right time. 

Generally, Shen Qingqiu would pass those items up during his playthroughs, them being overpriced and normally being tailored to a very specific ending. He figured though, it’d be good to send Luo Binghe off with something nice right? In the game, the pendant provided a substantial boost to Luo Binghe’s luck..so he could only hope it would carry over.

“Thank you..Shizun.” Luo Binghe said after a long silence.

“I’m glad you like it..besides, this Master has to make sure you don’t forget about him somehow .” Shen Qingqiu replied playfully. Luo Binghe seemed to be having none of it though.

“Shizun, I’d never forget you!” He replied urgently. Shen Qingqiu, not seeming to read the room, responded casually.

“Yes, yes, I know..but make no mistake, I wouldn’t be mad if--”

In a sudden act of brashness, Luo Binghe swept up one of Shen Qingqiu’s hands and clasped it tightly in his, a serious expression on his face.

“No matter what happens, I'd never forget you, Shizun.”

Luo Binghe would decide to leave the day of his eighteenth birthday, and that serious expression would stay on Shen Qingqiu’s mind as he saw him off at the city gates. All things considered, it was fairly standard for a send off. His father..a trusted mentor..his few acquaintances..it was normal, standard, stuff! So surely, he shouldn’t feel so high strung.        

Luo Binghe gave one final wave to everyone, eyes briefly meeting Shen Qingqiu’s. Shen Qingqiu gave him an affirmative nod, or at least he hoped it was, his nerves clouding his mind. Luo Binghe gave him one last smile as he turned heel.

“I’m off, Shizun!”

Ahh.

Shen Qingqiu had really hoped Shang Qinghua didn’t treat luck as a dump stat.

Chapter Text

“..So you’re really going to go?”

“Of course. You said it’s likely I might find what I’m looking for, right?”

An indignant look came over Luo Binghe’s face, arms crossed as he turned to look at the man beside him. The man sighed as he rubbed his temples.

“I’m simply saying that-- maybe this isn’t a great idea.” He said, looking exasperated.

“Elder Meng Mo, maybe if it were you there’d be cause for worry, but I intend to succeed.” Luo Binghe said as he smirked.

Meng Mo’s eye twitched before he rolled his eyes and dismissively waved.

“Fine then, but don’t come back crying to me when you get a limb or three ripped off. I’m not sure people will be so inviting .”

“--Which won’t be happening.” Luo Binghe grabbed the hilt of his sword, as if to show why it wouldn’t be happening. “Besides, I promised someone I’d come see them again, and I’d like to keep that promise.” He said, his voice sounding a bit sentimental.

“Well isn’t that adorable. Not sure if I’d want to be around you as a human if you can do something like this, but-- oh well.”

Luo Binghe’s face grew gloomy for a moment before he turned towards the entrance to the cave they stood near. He raised his hand to wave goodbye before striding into the cave, the darkness within seeming never ending. 

Five years had passed since Luo Binghe left.

A lot had changed since then. Cang Qiong’s reputation had only improved, the number of eager disciples increasing alongside it. Naturally, Shen Qingqiu grew busier, wrangling his new students. Thankfully, Ning Yingying and Ming fan were kind enough to act as teachers assistants from time to time. He encouraged the two not to take time out of their busy schedules as cultivators to help him, but they both seemed to genuinely enjoy helping him teach.

Shen Qingqiu and Shang Qinghua's relationship only became more..cordial. Or at least, as cordial as they could be while Shen Qingqiu still verbally berated him. Shang Qinghua had taken up publishing novels and Shen Qingqiu had taken up angrily knocking on his door everytime a new volume made its way into his hands. The two fell into the cycle quite easily.

Ever since Luo Binghe left, Shang Qinghua told him the "system" had seemed to stop functioning. He assumed it was because his role in things was over and done with. As ridiculous as Shen Qingqiu thought he could be sometimes, even Shang Qinghua seemed a bit melancholic when discussing Luo Binghe. 

He had sent back letters to both Shen Qingqiu and Shang Qinghua. Various stories of his travels. New things he'd encountered or learned. Shen Qingqiu always looked forward to the letters, so even he couldn't deny that he was filled with worry when they suddenly stopped one day. He had grown used to it, but the idea that it had already been a second year without any contact was always in the back of his mind.

Shen Qingqiu did well enough clearing his mind when he had the time though. If there was one thing he'd praise Shang Qinghua for, it was the monsters in the game. Having the opportunity to examine the creatures up close was a dream come true! He had all sorts of notes from the night hunts he'd tag along on. 

A tap pulled him from his thoughts. He turned to see his shidi, Liu Qingge, glancing at him before turning his attention in front of them. There was a creature heavily resembling a bat, but seeming to mimic the proportions of a human male. Its limbs were grotesquely long and covered with fur, its eyes bulging out of its skull. 

Shen Qingqiu looked on at it in wonder, as he heard Liu Qingge unsheathe his sword. Shen Qingqiu took some mental notes on the creature's anatomy and features before he nodded to Liu Qingge. With that, Liu Qingge hopped from the bushes and drove his sword into the creature, it barely had any time to react before sliding off and falling. 

It wasn't a lot of time to look over the monster for Shen Qingqiu but it was certainly better than before. Normally once he unsheathed his sword whatever monster they encountered would be done for in the blink of an eye. After a few disappointed sighs from Shen Qingqiu though, Liu Qingge seemed to try and hold back, so it was certainly an improvement.  

Shen Qingqiu walked over to examine the corpse, cringing a bit at its wound. Normally it'd be strange for two fairly high level cultivators to take on such a menial task, but Shen Qingqiu was curious about the many things he'd only ever encountered through a screen, and Liu Qingge thought that any practice was good practice. Things had been a tad strained between the two before, but Liu Qingge seemed to ease up after a while, their occasional night hunts together were proof of that. 

This particular outing was because of a request from a nearby village. A bat creature was slaughtering their livestock and frightening anyone who had the misfortune of being out late enough. All they knew was that it sported a large scar on its front and sure enough, Shen Qingqiu found one. 

"That's the one, right? We should get to the village then." Liu Qingge said, breaking the silence.

"Right! Hopefully they have an inn of sorts.." 

Shen Qingqiu left out the part about his bones aching. He was glad to see a monster or two but the arduous hikes into their domains were something he could do without. This particular area and the village were quite out of the way from where the sect was located, so a place to rest was definitely necessary. With that, the two headed back to the village to get some well deserved rest. 

In the middle of  their meal in the dining hall of the village inn, Shen Qingqiu and Liu Qingge overheard a conversation from a neighboring table.

“--Huan Hua Palace? Well ..who’s the new palace master?”

“I don’t know! The guy showed up out of nowhere. Locals seem to like him enough though.”

Shen Qingqiu absentmindedly chewed on his food as he listened. Clearly this had happened very recently, as normally, most other sects would have this information quicker than common citizens. Huan Hua Palace had the most influence among all the sects, so it went without saying that whoever took over the mantle would be very capable.

“..You listening too?”

Shen Qingqiu looked up at Liu Qingge who had apparently been listening in as well.

“Yes, I didn’t expect to find out like this. What a sudden change..”  

“We should find out who it is sooner or later. I’m not too concerned for now.”

Shen Qingqiu held back a laugh, Liu Qingge’s bluntness being humorous as always. He couldn’t say Liu Qingge was wrong though. Life was unpredictable, and as suddenly as he’d been dropped into it, this was Shen Qingqiu’s life now. Things would probably go smoothly as always. 

-- Until. They didn’t.  

It all started with a very disgruntled looking Yue Qingyuan. Now, even when confronted with the most irritating of people, Yue Qingyuan’s gentle smile would never falter. If most things bothered him then he certainly never let it show, but whatever was going on was clearly beyond him. 

After several days of starting conversation and then scurrying away, Yue Qingyuan finally properly summoned him. After a bit of chit chat over some tea and snacks, Yue Qingyuan asked Shen Qingqiu a question:

“The new Huan Hua Palace master has invited me and a select few others out for dinner..I was hoping that you could join me as a representative of our sect.”

Was that all? Is what Shen Qingqiu wanted to say, but even after getting a “Yes” from him, that nervous tilt to Yue Qingyuan’s smile remained. At this point, Shen Qingqiu was getting a little nervous himself. Was he worried about how he’d act in front of such a big wig? He didn’t know what kind of guy the new palace master was, but he could only hope he wasn’t cruel enough to disregard their sect because he blinked at him wrong. He really tried his best to calm himself, he really, really, did..

--But why the hell was Shang Qinghua here!?

Not only was he seated at the banquet table, looking like he’d seen a ghost, but it wasn’t even because of Shen Qingqiu’s icy glare! He had been like that ever since he had meekly greeted him and Yue Qingyuan. That certainly did nothing to make him glare less. Yue Qingyuan’s nervousness, Shang Qinghua’s presence, and being in a gaudy room while waiting for some mystery man was quite frankly, driving him mad. None of his previous emotions could compare to when the palace master entered the room, however.

It had been a while but there was no way Shen Qingqiu could forget him, even if his once rounded face became a tad sharper, and his shoulders broader. The room grew silent as he took his seat, some people looking confused, or baffled. 

“Good evening everyone. As you may have heard, I am the new palace master, my name is Luo Binghe.”

The rest of the dinner went well. Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe shared a quick glance and nod at one another, but the dinner was more about business than anything, so that was the extent of their interaction at the time. As he was sitting right next to him, Shen Qingqiu’s eyes frequently shifted to Shang Qinghua. He looked terrible . Nothing like a man who had just seen his son after five years. He was going to question him, but the man took off before he had a chance.

As things were winding down, some of the others had left. Yue Qingyuan took his leave after Shen Qingqiu told him he wanted to do some catching up. He knew Luo Binghe was probably busy, but it’d leave him feeling strange if he didn’t try to talk to him some more. When he approached him it almost seemed like Luo Binghe had been waiting for him, his eyes crinkling as he smiled. Shen Qingqiu had to stop himself from reaching out and patting his head. 

“Binghe! It’s good to see you” Shen Qingqiu said as he beamed.

“It’s even better to see you shizun..but did you not have to head back to the sect?”

Shen Qingqiu shook his head “Of course not! It’s been so long since we last saw each other, I couldn’t just up and leave without some catching up.”

Luo Binghe seemed to freeze for a moment before flashing a smile that would’ve made anyone melt. Shen Qingqiu almost felt the need to look away. 

“I see..I’m glad you feel that way! Maybe we could walk and talk? In the garden, if that’s fine.” 

“That’s more than fine! Lead the way Binghe.”

As Shen Qingqiu followed Luo Binghe to the garden, he took a closer look at him. Of course, it was no surprise that he would grow into such a handsome man. Whether he ended up famous or the village drunkard, the ending illustrations still never had him looking like anything less than a top model…Seeing it up close, however, was completely different! So it made sense to stare a bit.

As…many. Would do. He was sure. 

“Um..Shizun?”

A voice snapped Shen Qingqiu back to reality. He had spent so much time examining Luo Binghe’s face that he hadn’t even realized they’d finally made their way to the garden. 

“--Oh! Sorry, I was..thinking.” He blurted out. A flimsy excuse.

Luo Binghe paused for a moment before his lips curled into a playful smile.

“..And what were you thinking about?” Luo Binghe asked, barely hiding the smugness in his tone.

Shen Qingqiu cleared his throat as he snapped his fan out to cover his flushed face. “Nothing important.”

Luo Binghe smirked again at him, but mercifully dropped the subject as he walked further ahead into the garden. The two easily fell into conversation, Luo Binghe telling Shen Qingqiu about the things he’d seen on his travels and Shen Qingqiu catching him up on all the things around the sect he’d missed. As they talked, Luo Binghe’s story became fewer and farther in between, until he stopped to look at Shen Qingqiu with a serious expression.

“Shizun. Could I trust you with a secret?”

He was a bit taken aback at the sudden shift in mood, but nodded anyway.

“Please, look at this..” Luo Binghe softly said, as he unsheathed his sword that Shen Qingqiu hadn’t bothered to notice it was on him. It was a deep black, with red accents and gave off a powerful aura. He tried searching through his mind but he couldn’t recall ever seeing a sword like this in game.

“I got this from a place called the Endless Abyss. The fact that I can wield it is…” He paused, his expression growing more strained. “...Proof of my heritage.”

While Shen Qingqiu didn’t know of the sword, the Endless Abyss had been mentioned in game, just never seen. It was said to be a den of suffering, even demons kept away from the place. If Luo Binghe found the sword there, and it had something to do with his heritage then he could hazard a guess as to what was next.

Apparently Luo Binghe saw the bit of realization dawning across Shen Qingqiu's face, as his expression grew bitter as he shrunk in on himself. Shen Qingqiu, flustered,  found himself grabbing his free hand.

“Agh..Binghe. Don’t make that face.” He said, looking at him with a worried expression.

“..So you’re not disgusted? Most other people wouldn’t be happy to hear they’ve been associating with a demon..” said Luo Binghe, his voice bitter and snarky as he looked away. Shen Qingqiu frowned at his tone, raising his fan up to tap him on the head.

“Nonsense. You’re the same as I remember…even if you have seemed to forget some of your manners.” He said, a pout forming on his face. 

Luo Binghe seemed taken aback by the sudden gesture, staring wide eyed at him like he couldn’t believe the situation, but his expression eventually softened into something much more tolerable for Shen Qingqiu’s heart. Before he could say anything else though, Luo Binghe had sheathed his sword and grabbed up both of Shen Qingqiu’s hands almost feverishly.

“So-- You’re fine with it? Even if others would disapprove?”

“Well yes, I--”

Luo Binghe’s speech only seemed to speed up.

“So you also wouldn’t mind spending more time together, if that’s the case?”

“Yes, but--”

“And--”

While he rambled on, Luo Binghe had pulled himself quite close to Shen Qingqiu, causing him to blush. He had such an intense look in his eyes, the emotion not being one Shen Qingqiu could quite place, but surely being so close to a face like his wasn’t advised!

“Binghe! Listen.” He yelled, as Luo Binghe seemed to snap out of it for a moment, but still looked at him eagerly.

“Look, if I can make you less anxious..I’d gladly do anything you asked of me. Within my means of course.” …He might’ve said it to calm him down but he really meant it! Besides, even he couldn’t lie to himself, he did quite miss the times where he’d follow him around endlessly. Luo Binghe seemed shocked again for a moment before he looked at Shen Qingqiu in awe and--

Are those tears??

“Sh-Shizun..” If it was even possible, Luo Binghe pulled him even closer, that look back in his eyes. Shen Qingqiu still couldn’t place it-- or what it was making him feel-- or if he even wanted to know what it was making him feel.

Before his fight or flight could activate, however, a voice rang out in his head:

[ Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations! Important things must be said three times! The user has activated ‘Post canon’ mode! Please ensure your White Lotus enjoys life to the fullest! ]

A myriad of stats then appeared in front of Luo Binghe’s smiling face.