Chapter Text
Shang Fei closes his eyes and tries to pretend the shaking of the carriage is because he's driving shittily.
It's better than the last time, he supposes, where it was definitely because the other two kids were fucking, but he still doesn't appreciate the violent fighting happening behind him.
He doesn't even dare to intervene! Because it's not just anyone fighting behind him, it's Liu fucking Qingge and Shen fucking Jiu! He is not equipped to deal with this!!
Not to mention this is probably the rather infamous well mission where Shen Jiu supposedly tries to kill Liu Qingge. Shang Fei knows better, of course, but that doesn't mean anything when Liu Qingge is going to be going around accusing Shen Jiu of attempted murder where anyone and everyone can and will overhear him.
Plus, considering where he's going to end up eventually, he doesn't think Shen Jiu really wants him on his side. That's probably only going to make his reputation worse.
Shang Fei almost cries from relief when their destination comes into view. Thankfully, Shen Jiu seems to have realized this as well, as the carriage behind him goes quiet.
After just a few more minutes, they pull into the small village. The village chief is already out and waiting for them; relief floods his face when Shen Jiu and Liu Qingge step out of the carriage.
"Ah, cultivators! Thank you so much for agreeing to come help—"
Shang Fei tunes him out pretty quickly. Shen Jiu is paying attention; he'll tell him whatever he needs to do.
The talk wraps up fairly quickly, and Shang Fei is directed to an inn where the horses can rest while they handle the problem. Both Shen Jiu and Liu Qingge agree that they can deal with this in one day and won't need to get a room at the inn. Shang Fei doesn't even try to argue.
The well the chief claimed to be haunted is a little ways away from the village itself. Shang Fei leads the other two, having looked at the provided map before they left Cang Qiong. He's a little surprised Shen Jiu hasn't sped ahead by now, actually… although he supposes this is just one of the little things he does due to the soulmate status of the two behind him. Not that Liu Qingge ever notices them.
Shang Fei stops when he sees the well. It makes his stomach churn, and he quickly retreats to the back of the group. Sorry, shixiong, shidi!! This one's skin comes first!! Liu Qingge gives him a disgusted look, but he really has nothing on Shen Jiu's icy glares, so Shang Fei doesn't pay him much mind.
Shen Jiu approaches the well first, peering over the side. When nothing happens, Liu Qingge shoulders him gently out of the way to look into it himself. Shang Fei can't put a name to Shen Jiu's expression, and he isn't sure he wants to.
He pales when both Liu Qingge and Shen Jiu turn to him. "Ahaha, well, if nothing's shown up, maybe there's nothing to find!" He tries, inching backwards. A hand on his arm stops him. Shixiong, when the FUCK did you get there!!
A dangerous smile rests on Shen Jiu's face. "Wasn't shidi listening? The monster only comes out for those weaker than it."
Shang Fei opens his mouth to protest, then promptly closes it when Shen Jiu's smile turns into a glare. "Right! Of course! How could this shidi have forgotten!" He squeaks out, approaching the well on shaky legs. He really doesn't want to die today!!
He swallows, probably audibly, as he reaches the stone walls of the well. He leans ever so slightly over the edge, and gets blown back form the sheer amount of ghosts that explode from the well.
He hits a tree some distance away, and decides it's probably safer to stay slumped against the trunk. Shang Fei watches through slitted eyes as Liu Qingge and Shen Jiu fight the hordes of ghosts still coming from the well.
The ghosts disappear as soon as they're hit, and Shang Fei looks on with a sinking stomach as one of the last few stragglers creeps up behind Liu Qingge. He can see the exact moment Shen Jiu notices it, eyes widening a fraction as he rushes to strike it. The blade of his sword hovers right by Liu Qingge's ear, and the ghost dissipates just before Liu Qingge turns around.
Stormy anger and disappointment cloud his face. Shang Fei knows what's coming, and he hates it. Why did he write him to be so impulsive?
"You tried to kill me!" Liu Qingge shouts, anger and hurt clear in his voice. Shang Fei watches something shatter in Shen Jiu, and decides, fuck it.
Scrambling up, he marches forward. His sudden arrival startles both of them, stopping Shen Jiu from saying whatever bullshit he was going to make everything worse with.
"Are you an idiot?" Shang Fei asks, poking Liu Qingge's chest. Damn, he's actually really pissed right now. "Or are you just fucking blind? Shen-shixiong missed. His sword was right by your ear, yet it didn't hit you at all. Your back was turned, and you clearly weren't expecting a hit from behind; if Shen-shixiong wanted you dead, you'd already be fucking dead. He was, in fact, saving your sorry ass from a ghost preparing to attack from behind. But of course you jump straight to the worst possible conclusion! If you would've stopped to think for even half a second, you'd realize it really wasn't that possible at all!"
Shang Fei pauses to take a breath. Both Liu Qingge and Shen Jiu are looking at him like he's grown a second head. Liu Qingge opens his mouth to say something, but Shang Fei's not fucking done yet. He barrels on.
"And! That's just what Shen-shixiong would do for anyone! That's not even opening the whole you-two-are-soulmates box yet! Do you realize how important the concept of a soulmate is to him?? Probably not, because you don't fucking talk to him, do you!! What with the shitty hand life dealt for him, knowing there's someone out there who's supposed to love and trust him unconditionally is probably a big fucking deal! Yet here you are, being a rather large dick and treating him like shit!" Shang Fei takes another pause. Liu Qingge looks sufficiently shamed and guilty, so he whirls on Shen Jiu. The boy freezes when Shang Fei turns on him, eyes already wide.
"And you!! Yes, Liu-shidi's done a rather shitty job of trying to actually get to know you, but so have you! You've not tried to actually get to know him, just assuming him to be a shitty noble that looks down on everyone. Nor have you volunteered any information about yourself! Yes, you're entitled to your own privacy and you don't owe anyone anything, but you can also at least make an effort to correct people! Especially when it's your soulmate! If all they know of you is that everyone says you're a shitty lecher, then of course they're gonna be more than a bit wary! And don't even try and say you were about to tell Liu-shidi the truth about the ghost. You know you weren't. I get your whole 'the people worth keeping around will see the truth' thing, but sometimes people are dipshits that need you to spell the truth out for them, okay? And unfortunately for you, your soulmate is one of those people."
Shang Fei finally stops, heaving out a sigh. He's still super frustrated, but there's a lot of panic there as well as the reality of this situation hits him. He just yelled at Liu Qingge and Shen Jiu. He's so fucking dead. He manages to stammer out an excuse before hightailing it out of there, not wanting to be around to deal with the fallout.