Work Text:
Deep within the bamboo forest of Qing Jing Peak, where the wind carried the scent of fresh leaves and the sound of rustling bamboo never truly ceased, a melody quietly drifted through the mountain.
It was gentle.
Sad.
Longing.
The disciples who happened to be sweeping nearby stopped what they were doing. Even the birds seemed to quiet down, as if listening.
Farther down the path, Ning Yingying blinked in surprise.
She had been carrying a tray with a freshly brewed pot of tea, intending to invite her Shizun for a short break after his morning work. Instead, she found herself standing still, listening to the unfamiliar tune.
She had never heard music coming from her Shizun before.
When the final note faded, she slowly approached the bamboo pavilion.
Shen Jiu sat alone beside a stone table. His guqin rested before him, his fingers still lightly touching the strings. His expression remained as calm as ever, though his eyes lingered on the instrument a little longer than usual.
"Shizun?" Ning Yingying called carefully.
Shen Jiu looked up.
"What is it?"
She smiled and placed the tea on the table.
"I heard the music just now. It was really beautiful."
"...Hm."
"Did another cultivator teach it to Shizun?"
"No."
"You made it yourself?"
"...Yes."
Her eyes immediately sparkled.
"Really? Then... who was it for?"
Shen Jiu reached for his teacup.
"...Someone."
He answered so simply that Ning Yingying almost thought she imagined it.
Someone?
Her usually cold and distant Shizun... composed a song... for someone?
She wanted to ask more, but one glance from Shen Jiu reminded her not to push her luck.
Instead, she obediently poured his tea while the question continued spinning inside her head.
By sunset...
Half the peak already knew.
By the next morning...
The entire sect knew.
"The Qing Jing Peak Lord composed a love song!"
"For someone!"
"I heard it sounded tragic."
"Maybe he was rejected?"
"Who could possibly catch Peak Lord Shen's eye?"
Even the older disciples whispered whenever Shen Jiu passed.
He naturally ignored every single one of them.
Unfortunately...
The gossip did not stop there.
—
Liu Mingyan heard the rumors while returning from a training session.
At first, she laughed softly.
"Shen-shibu? A love song?"
It sounded impossible.
Still...
Curiosity slowly won.
She knew enough about Shen Jiu to believe he wasn't interested in meaningless romance. The rumors saying he had fallen for some woman from Red Lantern Pavilion made even less sense.
She had personally seen him there once.
Not as a customer.
The women greeted him warmly, and he politely addressed each of them as "Sister." They chatted comfortably before he left with medicine he had apparently delivered.
There had been nothing improper.
Which meant...
Someone else had caught his heart.
"...Interesting."
She decided to investigate.
Her first stop was naturally Qing Jing Peak.
The disciples welcomed her politely.
She casually asked if anyone had noticed Shen Jiu spending time with someone recently.
The answers were disappointingly similar.
"No."
"Shizun always works."
"He only argues with Peak Lord Liu..."
"...Wait."
One disciple scratched his head.
"They argue a lot."
Another nodded.
"They've been rivals since they were disciples."
Mingyan smiled awkwardly.
"That's... probably unrelated."
She continued asking until she finally met Ning Yingying.
The young girl answered every question honestly.
"My Shizun hasn't been close to anyone."
"Then... who do you think the song is about?"
Ning Yingying thought for a long moment.
"If I have to guess..."
She smiled innocently.
"...An old rival, I think.."
Mingyan blinked.
"...Old rival?"
"Yes, I remember Shizun saying something about an old rival when I left."
"Do you know who?"
Ning Yingying shook her head.
"I don't, but it's probably from his discipline days!."
That was enough.
She immediately went looking for her older brother.
—
Liu Qingge had just finished training when she found him.
His robes were slightly dusty from sparring, and Cheng Luan rested quietly beside him.
"Brother."
"What."
"I have a question."
He glanced at her.
"Ask."
"Who was Senior Shen's rival during your disciple days?"
Without hesitation, Liu Qingge answered.
"Me."
Silence.
Mingyan stared.
Qingge looked back, confused.
"...Why are you looking at me like that?"
Inside...
Liu Mingyan was screaming.
Senior Shen's old rival.
Her brother.
The song.
Everything suddenly lined up so perfectly that she almost laughed out loud.
No wonder!
No wonder the lyrics everyone talked about sounded like someone believing his love would never work.
Because Shen Jiu thought Liu Qingge hated him.
"Oh..."
She covered her smile with a sleeve.
"I see."
—
Two days later...
Brother and sister sat together drinking tea.
Mingyan quietly watched Liu Qingge.
He looked exactly the same as always.
Cold.
Serious.
Completely unaware.
"...Brother."
"What."
"I think you're in love with Shen-shibu."
He nearly choked on his tea.
"...Ridiculous."
"You are."
"I'm not."
She sighed.
"Then answer honestly."
He folded his arms.
"...Fine."
"If Shen-shibu became close to another man?"
Qingge frowned.
"He wouldn't."
"Just imagine."
"..."
After several seconds...
"He'd probably insult him."
"What if they walked together?"
"He'd find an excuse to leave."
"What if they held hands?"
Liu Qingge snorted.
"Shen Jiu would cut the man's hand off."
"...Brother."
"I'm being realistic."
She pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Fine. Last one."
He looked at her.
"What if..."
"...Senior Shen kissed another man?"
"..."
He scoffed.
"As if."
"Imagine."
"..."
Slowly...
Against his own will...
He imagined it.
Shen Jiu standing beneath swaying bamboo.
Another man's hand gently holding his face.
Another man leaning closer.
Their lips—
CRACK.
The teacup shattered inside Liu Qingge's hand.
Tea spilled across the table.
Both of them stared at the broken porcelain.
Liu Qingge looked down at his trembling fingers.
His chest felt strangely tight.
The image refused to disappear.
Instead...
It made him angry.
No.
Not angry.
Jealous.
Painfully jealous.
Mingyan smiled knowingly.
"There."
He stayed silent.
She continued gently.
"Shen-shibu composed a song."
"I know."
"It was for someone."
His brows slowly knitted together.
"...Who."
"I found out."
He looked up immediately.
"...Who."
"It was about you."
Everything became quiet.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
Liu Qingge stared blankly.
"...Me?"
She nodded.
"He thought his feelings would never be returned."
Heat rushed into Liu Qingge's face.
His ears burned.
His neck turned red.
He suddenly remembered...
A thin, proud boy standing in the training grounds years ago.
Every morning before sunrise.
Already practicing.
Already refusing to lose.
Even after falling hundreds of times.
He remembered sparring until both of them collapsed from exhaustion.
Remembered Shen Jiu glaring at him with bright, stubborn eyes.
Remembered secretly looking for him during sect gatherings.
Remembered feeling annoyed whenever Shen Jiu ignored him.
Remembered believing Shen Jiu wasted his talent because he kept taking care of troublesome disciples instead of himself.
He always complained.
Always argued.
Always looked.
Always noticed.
When had that become...
Love?
His heart answered before his mind could.
A long time ago.
Without another word...
He grabbed Cheng Luan.
Then flew straight toward Qing Jing Peak.
—
The classroom was peaceful.
Shen Jiu stood before his disciples, explaining cultivation techniques with his usual calm voice.
No one expected the doors to suddenly slam open.
BANG.
Everyone jumped.
Liu Qingge stood there breathing heavily, robes fluttering from flying here at full speed.
Shen Jiu frowned.
"...Peak Lord Liu."
"What nonsense are you causing now?"
Qingge walked inside.
Straight toward him.
Every disciple quietly watched.
Neither peak lord noticed.
"I have something to say."
Shen Jiu folded his fan.
"It can wait until after—"
"It cannot."
Silence filled the room.
Liu Qingge took one slow breath.
Then another.
Finally...
"I like you."
The room froze.
"I have for a long time."
"I only realized it today."
"I don't know when it started."
"I don't know how to speak beautifully."
His face became completely red.
"So..."
"...Starting today."
"I want to court you."
"...Please let me."
Shen Jiu simply stared.
His fan slipped from his hand.
"...What?"
His pale ears slowly turned pink.
Then his cheeks.
Then his neck.
Even his fingers gripping his sleeves trembled slightly.
"You..."
"...You..."
The disciples looked between them with sparkling eyes.
One nearly cried.
Another silently grabbed his friend's sleeve in excitement.
Ning Yingying covered her mouth to stop herself from squealing.
Shen Jiu noticed every single expression.
His face became even redder.
"...Class dismissed!"
Everyone immediately stood.
"Yes, Shizun!"
None of them actually wanted to leave.
But Shen Jiu had already grabbed Liu Qingge's wrist and dragged him away before anyone could say another word.
—
They did not stop until they reached the quiet bamboo forest.
Only the sound of leaves surrounded them.
Shen Jiu finally let go.
"...What are you doing?"
"You barged into my classroom."
"You confessed in front of everyone."
"Have you completely lost your mind?"
Liu Qingge lowered his head.
"...Maybe."
Shen Jiu blinked.
"...What?"
"I only realized today."
He laughed quietly.
"A sword is easier than feelings."
His voice became softer.
"When we were disciples..."
"I always wanted to defeat you."
"You were proud."
"Annoying."
"You looked down on everyone."
Shen Jiu scoffed.
"I did not."
"You did."
"..."
"But..."
"You never gave up."
"You worked harder than anyone."
"You stood back up every time."
"I admired that."
Shen Jiu's expression slowly changed.
"I kept watching you."
"I noticed when you skipped meals."
"When you hid your injuries."
"When you smiled after one of your disciples improved."
"I complained because you exhausted yourself."
"I told myself it was because you were wasting your cultivation."
"...That wasn't true."
He smiled awkwardly.
"I was worried."
"I wanted you to live longer."
"I wanted to stay beside you."
"I didn't understand why."
"I understand now."
He finally looked directly into Shen Jiu's eyes.
"They say you're cold."
"I don't think so."
"They say you're cruel."
"I don't think so."
"I've seen the person beneath all of that."
"The one who quietly helps others."
"The one who acts harsh but remembers every disciple."
"The one who carries everything alone."
"I..."
"...love that person."
"I love you."
The bamboo swayed gently around them.
Shen Jiu had not spoken once.
His face had turned completely red.
His ears.
His neck.
Even the knuckles of the hand holding his fan carried a faint pink color.
His breathing had become uneven.
For perhaps the first time in many years...
The proud Peak Lord of Qing Jing looked completely caught off guard.
Liu Qingge's heart raced.
"...May I..."
"...Court you?"
"...Properly?"
The silence stretched.
Then...
Shen Jiu quietly looked away.
"...Whatever."
One word.
Only one.
But to Liu Qingge...
It sounded like the greatest yes in the world.
His smile appeared before he realized it.
"...Then."
"...The song."
Shen Jiu immediately stiffened.
"What about it?"
"...Was it really for me?"
His face somehow became even redder.
He glared weakly.
"...Who else would make me write something so embarrassing?"
Liu Qingge's heart nearly stopped.
"...Will you..."
"...play it for me?"
Shen Jiu covered part of his face with his sleeve.
"...Just this once."
He sat beneath the bamboo.
Placed the guqin before him.
His fingers brushed the strings.
The familiar melody returned.
Soft.
Bittersweet.
Full of hope that had once been buried.
Liu Qingge quietly listened from beginning to end.
When the last note faded...
He stepped closer.
Then gently held Shen Jiu's hand.
"I won't let it become a one-sided song anymore."
Shen Jiu didn't pull away.
Instead...
He let their hands remain together beneath the swaying bamboo.
For the first time in many years...
Neither rival stood alone.