Chapter Text
“Now get some sleep, Elder Shen. Sleep. Just sleep, that’s it…”
As Shen Jiu and Gongyi Xiao lay together in the water prison, wrapped in the blanket, mere moments after Gongyi Xiao’s rut has passed, that alpha cub starts giving directions. Commands, more like.
Shen Jiu’s eyelid is getting heavy. Gongyi Xiao is whispering in his ear, muttering what feels like a spell but is really just the word ‘sleep’ over and over again.
The thing is. In general, it is very difficult for omegas to disobey the command of an alpha. This is a biological thing. In Shen Jiu’s case, he has been disregarding the wishes of alphas his whole life. He really couldn’t care less about the orders of some idiot throwing their pheromones around to gain unearned clout. But this situation is different. He just mated with Gongyi Xiao. Gongyi Xiao’s cock is still inside of him, not to mention his essence which sits heavily in Shen Jiu’s womb, sloshing around and weighing him down…
It would be impossible not to follow his commands right now. Shen Jiu’s body is naturally compelled to do so. He doesn’t have the strength left to fight his biology.
“Sleep deeply, Elder Shen. Your body needs a lot of rest. You don’t need to wake up for a while, okay? So sleep well…”
And so. Shen Jiu falls into a deep, deep sleep. Possibly the deepest he’s ever known. He falls into a place that feels like oblivion, like there was infinite blackness buried somewhere in the center of his body and he just fell right in. He loses track of his surroundings, of his place in the universe. His tormented brain finally shuts off and leaves his soul to repair itself.
An alpha’s power of suggestion is a dangerous thing.
At one point during his sleep, Shen Jiu feels himself floating. He tries to open his eye a little bit, confused and not even half-awake. He thinks he sees the corridors of the water prison (a sight he has never seen before, since they blindfolded him on his way down) flying by while he is tucked away in a pair of warm arms.
Oh, this smell. Succulent honeycomb and pork on a bed of lilies. It’s Gongyi Xiao.
The smell is so innately familiar to Shen Jiu after their coupling that he feels at peace in spite of the fact that he appears to be flying. He burrows closer to Gongyi Xiao, rubbing his face against the alpha’s pectoral muscles. Purring contentedly.
“Shh, shh.” Gongyi Xiao places a hand over Shen Jiu’s eye. “Go back to sleep, Elder Shen. Don’t wake up yet.”
As if he’s been physically pushed, Shen Jiu falls back into that mindless oblivion. He dreams he is naked and laying in a bed of sweet honeysuckle flowers. The flowers warm his body and keep him safe. Nothing bad will happen to him as long as he lays here with these kind, caring flowers. He feels comfortable and well-protected.
A smile creeps onto his lips and stays there.
This is the best sleep he’s ever had.
_______________________
The next thing Shen Jiu registers is the sound of birds chirping. The music birds make amongst themselves is a truly unique thing. Unmistakable. The sound flips some befuddled switch in Shen Jiu’s mind because…
There are no birds in the water prison. How long has it been since he heard this music? Ages upon ages!
Eyebrows furrowed, Shen Jiu awakens to a painful slab of light pouring into his eye. Light . Sunlight! Is he outside? How on earth…?
His body his still sluggish and uncooperative, recovering from the total immobilization of that sleep. He can’t really move his arms or legs yet. Nor can he speak. He can only roll slightly on his back, groaning in complete and utter confusion.
“Elder Shen? Oh, you’re awake.”
Gongyi Xiao appears. He immediately sits beside him. His body weight shifts the bed…oh, wait, Shen Jiu is laying on a bed! An actual mattress! He thought perhaps he might be floating still, since the downy comfort of this mattress feels as good as sleeping on a cloud. His bones are finally quiet, instead of creaking in agony as they have been for so long. His skin does not sting. The traces of acid have been wiped away. His skeleton is resting peacefully inside his weak frame.
Shit. This feels so good.
He turns his face towards Gongyi Xiao, squinting to see him as his eye readjusts to regular sunlight. Like this, Gongyi Xiao’s face is obstructed by a backdrop of intense golden light. Shen Jiu can barely look at him.
“Here. Drink this.”
Gongyi Xiao holds a small bowl of water to Shen Jiu’s face. He automatically drinks from it. For some reason the water tastes unusually sweet. On close inspection, there are tiny gold particles floating around in it. When the water settles in his stomach, Shen Jiu feels warmth spreading from the tips of his fingers. The return of sensation after being numb for a long time.
“Eat.”
Now there is a bowl of hot, fluffy white rice in his face. The familiar smell of it washes over Shen Jiu and makes his mouth water. His body does not need to adjust to this, at least, since he ate this in the prison. So he feels alright stuffing his face—he wants to. Unfortunately his arms are still too sleep-laden to move. They loll uselessly at his sides.
So Gongyi Xiao spoon-feeds him the rice. One careful bite at a time. It is the first time Shen Jiu has eaten something warm since he surrendered himself to Luo Binghe. His mouth tingles in sheer human joy. He chases the spoon after each bite, straining his mouth open like a baby bird.
There is no specter of shame here. His mind is not working at fully capacity yet. For now, there is only his body and its innate needs. Shen Jiu has been in sore need of many things for a long, long time. His body knows only to seek comfort. To try to heal.
“Don’t worry about a thing,” Gongyi Xiao tells him. “You’re safe now. No one knows about this place. No one will find us.”
Frowning, Shen Jiu glances around and realizes he is in a room. In a house. There is a window next to his bed and he can see a stretch of forest.
He has absolutely no idea where he is.
But he doesn’t have the wherewithal to tackle a problem like that right now. His main goal is to finish this bowl of rice, because it gives his stomach the most pleasant feeling. The warmth in his fingertips is spreading through his arms. It feels good, but it also makes him tired.
The bowl is finished far too soon. When he’s done, Gongyi Xiao gives him the rest of the water and gently pushes his head back down onto the pillow. He strokes his forehead and leans in to whisper at him again.
“Back to sleep for now. You really need to rest. Sleep, sleep. Shen Qingqiu, go to sleep…”
“Mmm…” This time, Shen Jiu has some reservations about falling asleep. He would like some more answers first. Like what on earth Gongyi Xiao has done in order to bring them here…to this place…
Or maybe, he’d just like to hear his alpha’s voice a little longer. To know for sure that he is safe before he surrenders to that honeysuckle blackness.
But his body is unable to muster up any strength whatsoever to fight the command. So he is quickly lulled back to sleep. As he falls, he focuses on the familiar notes of Gongyi Xiao’s voice. He tries to dissect them piece by piece, to hold onto each inflection, so he can be calm as he rests. He wants to keep that voice in his head as long as possible.
Thankfully, as he rests upon his bed of honeysuckle in the thick fog of dreamland, he can still hear the birds singing. Occasionally, he hears the gentle hum of Gongyi Xiao’s voice as well.
He is at peace.
_______________________
At some point, Shen Jiu hears another sound added to the mix. A voice. An unfamiliar one.
“Are you certain? Every precaution?”
“Yes…I…” Gongyi Xiao is speaking to someone. But because his voice is more familiar, it fades into the background of Shen Jiu’s dreamscape. He can’t make out everything Gongyi Xiao says.
Instead he hears the voice of this unknown person cutting through the peace of his sleep. Like lightning flashing across the sky, making his hair stand on end from the static electricity. He has the feeling that something just isn’t right .
“Well, it can’t be helped now,” the persons says with a sigh. “I can see it in your face, I can smell it in this house. We only have one option. So let us make sure the wards are impenetrable.”
“Yes please, thank you, A-niang.”
“And let me see him.”
In a moment, Shen Jiu feels the presence of people standing over him. He is trapped in his dreamscape like a mouse caught in a glass bottle. Naked, on display for strangers to gawk at.
“Mmm…” He thrashes in his sleep, which in reality is barely more than a twitch. He is trying to shake the confines of his dreamscape so he can wake himself up. The glass around him is obscured in blackness but he can still hear the voices. Maybe if he can shake hard enough, the world will shatter.
“Let me see the eye.” Suddenly, a warm hand parts the hair away from his face (he can feel his physical body now). Exposing the empty socket where his left eye used to be.
He thrashes with all his might. He manages to turn his head weakly in the opposite direction.
“I see what you’ve done, Xiao’er,” the unknown voice says. “It’s not bad work. In fact it’s very good. Allow me to bolster the lattice work of the qi formation, that should help a bit…”
Something trickles through Shen Jiu’s eye socket like cool, sparkling snowflakes falling on a bed of soft snow. It doesn’t make a sound, in fact its physicality is difficult to perceive. Still, it is gentle and fresh. Clean. Dazzling. An undisturbed bit of nature appearing out of the blue.
Shen Jiu can’t trust it. He knows how deceptive dazzling beauty can be.
With the snowflake qi working through his body, he gains a burst of energy. He can open his eye now! So he seizes the opportunity and jolts awake.
He is greeted by the sight of a smooth face barely an inch away from his nose. When his eye opens, the face reels back slightly, raising a bemused eyebrow in his direction.
This person is a man. He is unquestionably beautiful. Coal black phoenix eyes and wide, sparsely haired eyebrows that form a perfect arch. Dewey skin that emanates a certain kind of freshness.
“Hello, Shen Qingqiu,” the man says. “Welcome.” Even though he is welcoming him, Shen Jiu senses the coldness in his voice. Not bitter or irritated, just cold. Flat. Unamused.
Shen Jiu glares at him. Very aware of the inequity in their positions.
“Ah—Elder Shen! Wait, not yet, don’t wake up yet!” Gongyi Xiao lays his palm on Shen Jiu’s forehead. His caress is rushed and not as domineering as it was before. He is hastily trying to put Shen Jiu back to sleep.
Shen Jiu grumbles and tosses his head away. He doesn’t want to go to sleep! He wants to at least make measured eye contact with this person, to defend his dignity with a venomous stare (his only recourse)!
“Sleep. Sleep, it’s alright. You’re safe. No one is going to hurt you.” Is that really true? Are these soft words in Shen Jiu’s ear some kind of trap? “Go back to sleep. I’m here. Shh…”
Why is Gongyi Xiao’s voice so alluring? Used to submitting by now, Shen Jiu already feels the tug of oblivion pulling at his consciousness. His blinking is becoming labored.
As he inevitably begins to fade, he turns to the unknown man and scowls. He wants to make it clear that they’ve solved nothing. That if he needs to fight he will, to his last breath! Just as soon as he wakes up…
Sighing in impatience, the man waves a hand over Shen Jiu’s face. With a definitive snap, Shen Jiu is sent tumbling back into the honeysuckle darkness. He is deep in it now. He can’t hear their voices anymore.
He doesn’t wake up again for a long time.
_______________________
Muddled sounds penetrate the heavy blanket of sleep now and then. Even though it is an unnatural sleep, it is still very restful. Shen Jiu forgets to fight it and just lets himself enjoy the peace. There is no pain here. For once. In however many years (even longer than his stay in the water prison, decades, maybe even for as long as he can remember).
Shen Jiu’s body does not hurt.
Little by little, his consciousness drips back down to him. Softly. Raindrops slipping from a petal, right onto his face. He is waking up warm, covered by a heavy blanket, surrounded by pillows. And his own scent.
Even though his omega scent is still relatively new to him, Shen jiu inherently finds comfort in it. This is a place where his scent can thrive. That’s good. His body is allowed to exist here. To unfurl its leaves and let its scent spill out naturally.
He likes that.
“What else do you need, Xiao’er?”
“Nothing, A-niang. We’re quite alright for now.”
Ah, that man is back! The cold, pretty one! Shen Jiu opens his eye in retaliation. Strangely enough, he feels a pulse in his empty eye socket. A tiny reflex, perhaps a phantom sensation. Though Shen Jiu never felt it before.
He lifts a hand to the wound (he can move his arms again!) and finds a quarter of his face wrapped in bandages. Heavy gauze and cloth. They overdid it, Shen Jiu thinks. The wound was already mostly healed, wasn’t it?
Still. Warmth pricks his cheeks. These bandages were lovingly wrapped, he can tell. Even though he was unconscious when it was done. He can sense the affection in the lining of the gauze. Something he has never felt before, at least not so close to his body, pressed up against his very skin.
He touches the bandage again. Surreptitiously. Just for himself.
The voices are coming from the room adjacent to Shen Jiu’s. He can see that he is in a bedroom now, a wide bed surrounded by two high windows on either side. There is enough space to walk in either direction. The adjacent room is not separated by a door. Shen Jiu has an unobstructed view of a modest parlor.
This house is not very big. Across the parlor is the front door. Gongyi Xiao and his guest are tucked away from the doorway, someplace Shen Jiu cannot see. They are speaking in soft tones about the upcoming winter. The seasonal changes and such.
They don’t appear to be in any kind of hurry. Or fear. Their casual statements relay mild trepidation at most. Which seems insane to Shen Jiu considering the fact that…
He has escaped from the water prison. The beast, the Lord of Two Realms, the conqueror of the known world, is missing one rather notable prisoner. A slight he must have realized by now!
Shen Jiu has been asleep a long time. How has Luo Binghe not found him yet?
The memory of that beast sends a tremor of nausea through Shen Jiu. He trembles in his core. He had nearly conquered his fear of his former disciple during those endless hours in the water prison. Making apathetic peace with his own suffering. He had come so close to losing all sense of self-preservation, to the point where his own pain meant nothing. But the truth still remains: Shen Jiu is terrified of Luo Binghe. Because he knows there is nothing Luo Binghe won’t do to torment him. The man’s mind is broken and his will is infinite. This is a horrifying combination.
Now that Shen Jiu’s body is finally at peace, he wants to cry at the thought of going back to that place. To that hell! To a man who lives to tear him apart!
“You…!” Clutching the blanket, Shen Jiu calls for Gongyi Xiao. He’s not thinking, he’s just reacting to the terror inside of him. His body knows who he needs. Except, he doesn’t really know what to call him yet. “You…little cub! Come here!”
Heedless of the name, Gongyi Xiao drops everything and scrambles to Shen Jiu’s bedside. Coming as soon as he’s called.
Good boy.
“Elder Shen! You’re…! How are you feeling?” That achingly familiar face (one Shen Jiu would have barely recognized not too long ago, not even to pick out in a crowd) is highly alert. Gongyi Xiao kneels next to Shen Jiu’s bed. His knees are on the hardwood floor, but he doesn’t even flinch. He seems intent on making sure they are eye level with each other.
This kid is really too much. His sense of propriety, not wanting to tower over an elder…
Shen Jiu reaches for him automatically.
Without hesitation, Gongyi Xiao grabs both of his hands. He pulls one to his chest and the other to his cheek. He rubs his cheek against Shen Jiu’s knuckles, scenting him. This is the casual reassurance of an alpha when they sense an omega in distress. It is intimate in a familial way. A parent might do this to a child or a husband to a wife. Siblings, pack mates, close friends.
Gongyi Xiao is treating Shen Jiu like family. That prickliness returns to his cheeks. Something is stinging his eye. And his heart.
“I’m…alright…” Shen Jiu answers half-heartedly. He is overwhelmed and confused, yes, but physically speaking he’s the best he’s ever been. It’s disorienting to have both of these things happening at once.
“Really? Are you in any pain at all?” Gongyi Xiao lets go of the hand on his chest and reaches up to feel Shen Jiu’s forehead. Taking his temperature. He hums at whatever he feels, then his hand trails downward, finding the spot behind Shen Jiu’s ear. Where his jaw meets his neck.
The most sensitive place on an omega. This is where their scent gland begins, where it can be found outside of mating (the round gland in the throat will only raise during sex, when the omega is ready to be bonded). Gongyi Xiao finds Shen Jiu’s with uncanny accuracy and rubs small circles over it. Gentling him. Coaxing more of Shen Jiu’s scent to leak out into the world, which makes him feel grounded. More at ease.
“Mmph.” A quick purr escapes him. He is shocked at how good it feels to have someone do this to him. It doesn’t feel sexual in this moment, it’s not a precursor to sex, he is not battling the itchiness of a heat. It just feels… right . Appropriate and good. His scent is heavier than he would have imagined and he wants to mark this room. So it can be his .
And Gongyi Xiao’s fingers too—
“Don’t forget to drink. Here, help yourself.”
Snapping back to reality, Shen Jiu whips around to face the other person in the room. That strange, beautiful man. He is standing against the window on the other side of Shen Jiu’s bed, holding out a bowl of water. The golden sheen along the top of the water is unmistakable now. Something particulate has been mixed in.
Shen Jiu inches closer to Gongyi Xiao. He’s not sure if he should hiss yet, but the low growl in his throat is unavoidable. This person is closer than Shen Jiu would like. Not too close, thankfully, not enough where he can be sure he needs to fight…
Just who the hell is this person anyway?
“It’s alright, Elder Shen, please don’t be alarmed. I know you’ve never met before, but trust me this person means you no harm.” Gongyi Xiao croons softly to ease Shen Jiu’s nerves. “He is family.”
The man nods. “Yes. My name is Tang Yiqing. I am Gongyi Xiao’s birth father.”
Tang Yiqing. The name floats around Shen Jiu’s head as he tries to place it. Well, who hasn’t heard of the Tang family? They’re one of the oldest and wealthiest families in the jianghu! They come from a strong line of cultivators known for their unique brand of healing practices. Their medicines and potions are quite coveted throughout the world. Seeking visitation with one of them is reserved mostly for the rich and powerful.
It all makes sense now. So this man is Gongyi Xiao’s birth father. That means the Gongyi family must have made a match with a Tang. Two wealthy families striking harmony in marriage. As routine as anything in the world, and the exact opposite of anything Shen Jiu would or could ever experience in his entire lifetime.
It also means…yes, Shen Jiu can smell it now. This man’s scent. Dragonfruit, grass, and ever so slightly…honey. This man is an omega, and without a doubt related to Gongyi Xiao. This is the person who carried him in their womb and gave birth to him.
“I’ve heard a lot about you from my son, though we’ve never had the pleasure of meeting,” Tang Yiqing begins. He takes a step back, respecting Shen Jiu’s boundaries. He passes the bowl of water to Gongyi Xiao so he can give it to him. “Allow me to welcome you, again.”
Shen Jiu can’t seem to find his voice. The idea that someone as wealthy, powerful, and untouchable as Tang Yiqing would treat him this way— respectfully . Giving Shen Jiu his space. Speaking to him like an equal. It is true that Shen Jiu was treated quite well as a peak lord, but…he hasn’t been a peak lord for a while. His name was dragged through the filthiest mud in the jianghu. Everyone knows the truth about him. That he is a fraud. A liar. A thief and a murderer. A runaway slave. And now, a runaway prisoner.
Tang Yiqing’s cold face does not show any of that. He is staring at him with an unaffected, removed expression. Which, Shen Jiu imagines, is the type of expression he uses to address the world at large. He is wearing an eggshell white hanfu embroidered with bright golden brocade in an intricate, flowery design. The hem of the hanfu is lined with thick, cream colored, impossibly soft fur. He is as pristine as untouched snow. Deliberately so.
And yet. He covers his neck politely, hiding his scent gland underneath the fur so that his scent becomes subdued in comparison to Shen Jiu’s. This is an omega deferring to another omega, conceding ground. Tang Yiqing is acknowledging that this space belongs to Shen Jiu.
It is the most respect Shen Jiu has received since his status as an omega was revealed. And it is given by the unlikeliest of people.
He swallows hard, nodding in Tang Yiqing’s direction. This is the only greeting he can allow under these bizarre circumstances.
“My father is extremely skilled in medical cultivation, even better than what you had on Cangqiong Mountain, I’m sure,” Gongyi Xiao states proudly. Not trying to disguise that boast. “He and I have been tending to your injuries ever since I brought you here. There were…a lot of wounds. Some new and some…not.”
The hesitancy in Gongyi Xiao’s voice is extremely telling. These two must have found the aftermath of the treatment Shen Jiu endured as a child. That would explain why he feels better than ever; some of the injuries from back then are gone. Things that never fully healed, or that left their mark in some indelible way over the course of Shen Jiu’s life.
This can’t be real. This can’t be happening. How has his pathetic, decrepit body finally found a cure for the chronic pain after so many years of secretly searching…why now? After Shen Jiu had already given up on life? Why is he allowed to suddenly taste the luxury of living without suffering? When there is a high chance that all of this will be snatched away by the bloody hands of a demon in no time at all?!
“We fixed most of the damage,” Gongyi Xiao explains. “We even managed to begin the process to reconstitute your left eye. It should heal within a few months. But we could not fix everything. Some things were irreversible. Like your spiritual core. And…” His eyes wander towards Shen Jiu’s shoulder. “…other things.”
Ah. Right. Shen Jiu knows what he’s looking at. It’s hidden right now because he is laying down, but it’s there. The slave brand. The mark of the trader that trafficked him, alongside the catty corner number nine. That wound is too old.
He’s too old. For all of this. Actually, looking carefully, Shen Jiu can tell he is close in age to Tang Yiqing.
This is all so humiliating.
He wishes he could hold his head high and snort in the face of these elites. These people that would have had their manservants shoo him away from their carriage back when he was a child living on the street. Hell, there’s a chance Shen Jiu might have been sold to the Tang family if the timing had been right! Heaven only knows how they would have treated him!
He wants to scoff and turn his face. He wants nothing to do with their kind. Not anymore. Not now . No, no, no. Not now.
But he can’t do any of that. Because he owes them everything. His life. His freedom. His shelter. His health. His very body!
Frustrated, overwhelmed tears spring to his eyes. He can’t do this, he can’t allow any of this…he just can’t! It’s too much!
“Ah, wait, what’s wrong? Elder Shen? Is something still hurting you?” Gongyi Xiao’s hands flit around Shen Jiu’s body. Checking here and there for injuries. “Tell me, please. What can I do?”
There is a wound, of course. Shen Jiu’s entire chest has been blown wide open. This kindness, this compassion…it has smashed him to pieces! His hands are shaking and his tears are coming harder now. The beginnings of a sob spills from his lips. He could never have prepared himself for kindness after all these years! He doesn’t have a planned response. He isn’t ready!
So instead, he cries.
Crestfallen, Gongyi Xiao croons in sympathy and continuously rubs Shen Jiu’s scent gland. “It’s alright. Shen Qingqiu, it’s alright. Tell me what’s wrong and I’ll fix it. Okay?”
Shen Jiu can only shake his head. He can’t explain that every word out of Gongyi Xiao’s mouth unravels him even further.
“Maybe you should go back to sleep…”
“No!” That’s the line! Shen Jiu yanks his head away from Gongyi Xiao’s grasp. “Fucking stop that already! Enough! I don’t want to sleep anymore!”
Gongyi Xiao’s face dissolves into genuine hurt. He shrinks back, hesitantly pulling his hands away. He clearly has no idea what went wrong. What he should do next.
“It’s alright, Xiao’er. Let him be for now.” Tang Yiqing steps in, patting his son’s shoulder in reassurance. “I told you this would happen.”
Shen Jiu sniffs and wipes his nose on his sleeve. He is wearing nothing but a thin under robe, but at least it’s new. Not the filthy thing he took from the prison. This one is made of silk, lined with bamboo cotton on the inside. It certainly costs more than Shen Jiu’s life is worth at the moment.
He sits in silence. Contemplating the fact that they were talking about him while he slept. He can only imagine the things they must have said…actually, he can’t imagine. At all. He can’t tell what Tang Yiqing is feeling, what kind of ‘I told you’ that was. He just doesn’t know.
After a long, awkward pause, Tang Yiqing speaks again. “Son, why don’t you go gather some firewood? The sun is setting and the fire pit could use refreshing.”
Right on cue, Gongyi Xiao rises to his feet. “Yes, A-niang.” He hurries to the door without even glancing backwards. Eyes focused. Set on his mission.
Another truth is made clear to Shen Jiu. This Gongyi Xiao. This overeager alpha cub. All he wants is something to do. Directions. A task to follow. Something he can complete with maximum effort and efficiency, so he knows he is doing something right.
Shen Jiu stores that information for later, highlighting it several times in his mind.
In addition, when Gongyi Xiao opens the door he performs a quick incantation. Once before he steps over the threshold, once when he is outside. The air in the doorway shimmers like the surface of an oil slick. There must be some kind of barrier here. Spiritual wards.
…That’s it? Spiritual wards? That’s the only thing standing in the way between him and Luo Binghe?
He’s doomed.
After Gongyi Xiao leaves, Shen Jiu is alone with Tang Yiqing. His tears have slowed, but he can’t seem to stop sniffling. As embarrassing as that is to do in front of a man like Tang Yiqing.
But when he risks a glance in Tang Yiqing’s direction, he sees that the man is smiling softly. A crack in the ice. A peak of the sun’s rays breaking through a long frost. Moreover, that smile is familiar to Shen Jiu. Unflaggingly kind with a hint of mischievousness under the surface. That’s the smile Gongyi Xiao gave him many times when they were mating. His most intimate, natural smile.
For some reason, seeing that same smile on Tang Yiqing’s face puts Shen Jiu at ease. He relaxes somewhat. Without meaning to.
“It’s a lot to take in, I know,” Tang Yiqing says. “Don’t feel rushed. My son can come on strong, but he means well. He is young. Please be patient with him.”
Patience with the younger generation is not known to be Shen Jiu’s strong suit. Especially when it comes to young men, and especially alphas. But. For Gongyi Xiao, Shen Jiu will do his best. He nods in agreement.
“You should also know that you are extremely safe here, just like Xiao’er said.” Tang Yiqing picks up the water bowl again. “You are in a cottage owned by the Gongyi family’s most faithful servant of many years, Lao Fang. Lao Fang died years ago and left this house to us. We have been keeping it clean in honor of his memory ever since. He was like an uncle to my children, you see. If his spirit is still here—which I hope it is not—our Lao Fang will be the most benevolent ghost to you both.”
An uncle. Shen Jiu’s ears sting at the notion. Wealthy people treating their servants like family. He can’t help distrusting that. He wonders how this Lao Fang really felt about the Gongyis.
Not that it matters. The old man is dead. His house is in the middle of woods with trees as far as the eyes can see. It’ll serve Shen Jiu well, so he has no problem taking it and using it as he pleases. Waste not, want not.
“I’m sure you saw the wards outside?” Tang Yiqing shakes the water in a circular motion, making the golden particles rise to the top. “Those are the Tang family’s strongest talismans. Maybe you haven’t heard of them, but they’re the most powerful wards in the jianghu. Long sought, fiercely protected. I’ve gifted you my most perfect stash, so please rest easy that it would be nearly impossible for anyone other than those who know the incantation to perceive this house.”
Shen Jiu wants to snort. Tang Yiqing can crow about his family’s talismans all he wants. But he doesn’t know Luo Binghe. Besides…
“That demon made me drink his blood parasites,” Shen Jiu explains, speaking in a hoarse voice. “His blood is the most potent thing on this earth. He’ll always be able to…sense me…” Saying those words summons an irrepressible shiver that crawls across Shen Jiu’s skin.
The beast is watching. He’s always watching. He always knows . He’ll find him sooner or later…
Shen Jiu clutches his elbows in agitation. He suddenly wishes, for no reason at all, that Gongyi Xiao would hurry up and finish with he damn firewood. He should be here. Next to him. So he can…well, it’s not like there’s any question who would win in a fight, Gongyi Xiao or Luo Binghe. The kid would be dead before he drew his sword. Even so, Shen Jiu wants him here now. He just does.
“Yes, I know all about the blood parasites,” Tang Yiqing says. “Which is why you need to drink this.” He holds up the water once again.
Now Shen Jiu is curious. That golden sheen. Exactly what is it? He peers at the water with trepidation.
Tang Yiqing calmly explains. “The only substance known to have the power to destroy a demon’s blood parasites is crushed up dragon scales. It is not an immediate process and it’s never been tested against a demon as strong as Luo Binghe. But, if you consume enough, I have no doubt that with time the parasites will be completely destroyed.”
Dragon scales. Is that true? Shen Jiu never heard of such a thing! Besides, where on earth could a person even get something so rare and precious?! They must cost an absolutely fortune!
He stares at Tang Yiqing in utter shock. So this is the power of the true upperclass elite. Incredible.
Not needing to hear anything else, Shen Jiu grabs the bowl from Tang Yiqing with both hands. He gulps the water down in one go, swallowing as fast as he can without allowing himself to spill a single drop. After the water is gone, safely inside his stomach, Shen Jiu notices some granular golden dust sticking to the bottom of the bowl. Without hesitation, he licks the bowl with his tongue, then scoops up the hard to reach places with his fingers and sucks them clean. He makes sure to consume every last speck.
Tang Yiqing is smiling sweetly again when he takes the bowl back. “Not to worry. I’ve stocked this house with enough supply of dragon scale dust to last you several years, provided you consume them at the appropriate dosage the recommended three times a day. My son has been feeding the stuff to you in your sleep, but it’s more effective when taken with water. So please remember what I said.”
Shen Jiu wipes his mouth clean. He nods, wholeheartedly this time. “Yes. I will.” From where he’s sitting, Tang Yiqing looks like an agent sent from heaven! Is he? How could such a blessed person exist?
No, but if he was an agent of heaven, he would want absolutely nothing to do with Shen Jiu. Except to deliver swift retribution for his crimes. So, Tang Yiqing must be an ordinary man with his own motives. Which are…?
Feeling the creeping warmth of the dragon scales spread out from his fingertips, Shen Jiu lays back down. He is tired from so much excitement. But he needs to make one more thing absolutely clear.
“Why are you doing this?” he asks. “Tell me the truth.” He is too weary to play games. He can’t imagine what selfish end the Gongyi family could derive out of helping him like this, but leave it to the absurdly wealthy to think of a way. At this point, Shen Jiu would prefer to hear it outright so he knows what he can expect.
Tang Yiqing’s smile fades. Now his face is nothing but smooth ice once more. “Doing what?”
“This!” Shen Jiu gestures to himself. The house, the robes, the bowl of dragon scales. His eye. “Why are you helping me? You must have heard what that beast said about me! What kind of man I really am!”
Tang Yiqing’s mouth is as straight as the edge of a knife. “Yes. Of course I know.” Then, he waves his hand in front of his face. “But none of that matters now.”
Shen Jiu can only gape at him.
After a horrifyingly long stretch of time, Tang Yiqing sits up straighter and says his piece. “Shen Qingqiu. You should know that from now on I will treat you as my son’s mate. I know he imprinted on you during his rut. I know that he tried to stop himself but was ultimately unable to fight the urge to mate with you. And I know that you were kind to him during the act, that you stopped him from marking you when the time came. Even though you could have just as easily allowed him do it, which would have been nothing but a situational gain for you, in your position as an unbonded omega in need of an escape route. And which would have, almost certainly, ended with my son being killed. Brutally. On the spot.”
Wow. Gongyi Xiao really shares everything with his birth father, doesn’t he.
Of course he does. That mama’s boy.
“To be honest with you, Shen Qingqiu, I don’t really know what to think of you. As a person.” Tang Yiqing’s words are as direct as they can be. “People say you’re a monster and I have no reason to doubt them, other than the fact that you stopped my son from completely ruining his life in that moment. I don’t understand why you did it. You could have instantly procured the status of a Gongyi family omega which would thrust the political world into chaos, since we would be honor bound to rescue you one way or another. Perhaps you were waiting for the Heavenly Demonic Ruler to mark you instead. But then, you must have known there is no way such a thing would end well for you, since you are Luo Binghe’s most hated person. Everyone knows that. So, I cannot conjure up any tactical reason why you would have saved my Xiao’er. And as you can see, I’ve given it a lot of thought.”
Yes. Clearly.
“Thus, in the absence of any explanation, I can only assume that you did it out of kindness. Which means that everyone else in the entire jianghu is wrong about you, like my son swears up and down, and that you are actually not such a cruel man. Perhaps just…an unfortunate one.”
There is no warmth in the way Tang Yiqing uses that word ‘unfortunate.’ That word is closer to what Shen Jiu assumed these people must think of him. That noble pity he despises. Shen Jiu wishes he could have seen the look of horror on Tang Yiqing’s face when Gongyi Xiao sat him down and explained all this. Through every twist and turn of that lovely, rather explicit conversation.
Right now they are some distance away from that first moment of realization. Which is probably better in the long run (vindictiveness aside). Tang Yiqing is deathly calm as he iterates all this.
“Besides, in the end there is really nothing I can do about all this. Xiao’er has made up his mind. I can see it in his eyes. There may not have been any actual bonding that day in the prison, but…” Tang Yiqing smiles wistfully. “…it’s the same to him. You were his first time, did you know that?” Yes, of course Shen Jiu knew. “And he is quite in love with you.”
Heat lights up Shen Jiu’s face. He doesn’t know why. He is over forty years old, speaking to someone his same age about a person twenty years their junior who just lost his virginity and caught a bad crush. Even so…
“Shen Qingqiu, please understand. I know my son very well. Inside and out.” Tang Yiqing is utterly certain of that. “Once he becomes passionate about something, there is simply no way to dissuade him. He is obstinate like his sire father and just as gentle. He is guided in life by his beliefs and his passions. And you, Shen Qingqiu. I have never seen him as passionate about anything as he is about you.”
The blush in Shen Jiu’s face grows hotter. There is a trickling sensation in the center of his chest. Where he was hurting earlier.
“You probably don’t know, but this forest lies beyond the black moon python rhinoceros plains.” What?! All the way there?! “My son carried you here while riding on his sword, somehow managing to keep you balanced for a trip halfway around the world. Braving those terrible rhinoceros along the way. All because he wanted to save you. Not to mention the fact that he has defied the entire jianghu and spit in the face of the most powerful man on the planet. Again, to save you.”
The trickling sensation in Shen Jiu’s chest feels like hot tea. Soothing and also riveting in its own way. What is this feeling? Could it be…?
“So, you see. I ultimately have two choices.” Tang Yiqing crosses his legs conversationally. “I can help my son survive. Help him live the life he wants. Accept the mate he has chosen and keep both of you as safe as I possibly can. Or, I can rebuke his choices and in so doing cut all ties with him forever. In which case, he would continue to do whatever he wishes, but without my protection.” He pauses for a dramatic heartbeat. “Obviously, I made the only logical choice. I will keep him safe with everything I have.”
So that’s a parent’s love? That fierce burning in Tang Yiqing’s stark black eyes? That’s how a parent loves their child?
…Remarkable. Shen Jiu has never really seen parental love like this. Not up close, anyway. He is taken aback by the ferocity of it. The animalistic intent. Even a person as pristine and straight-backed as Tang Yiqing is moved to ardor by such a thing.
“There is one more thing I’ll say on this matter.” Tang Yiqing is finally wrapping up, after raking Shen Jiu over the coals for so long. “My son has left you with the choice to stay and live this life or to go and disappear in the wind. He made that very clear to me. He loves you with all his heart, but he is not going to force you into anything. He is doing his very best to treat you like family, not like a mate, until you’re ready. So that he doesn’t influence your decision to stay or go.”
That hot tea is scalding Shen Jiu now! That effusive, all-encompassing—
“Naturally he wants you to choose him. What I want is a thing I will keep to myself for now. And then there’s what you want, Shen Qingqiu. In this, my son has left the final decision up to you.”
—happiness. That’s what this is. The first licks of happiness. Crinkling around the edges, like a piece of parchment on fire, burning itself out. Hearing Gongyi Xiao’s birth father lay everything out plainly has filled Shen Jiu with a kind of happiness he can’t remember ever feeling. The sense of being chosen, not because they have any history whatsoever, but because he is liked. Actually liked . As a person. In spite of everything!
No one has ever loved Shen Jiu so openly. In the face of such a genuine expression of fondness, Shen Jiu really doesn’t know how to act. He feels small. Self-conscious. Certain he does not deserve Gongyi Xiao’s boyish affection.
And yet, whether he deserves it or not, he has it. All of it.
A tiny mewl threatens to sneak out behind Shen Jiu’s teeth. He holds it in, but…his dissolve is wavering. He really wants Gongyi Xiao to be here now. He wants him badly! He needs him! Where did that brat wander off to? Doesn’t he know Shen Jiu misses him?
Anyway, there’s really no decision left for Shen Jiu to make. He made his choice back in the water prison. When he told Gongyi Xiao to take him, Shen Jiu was agreeing to the life Gongyi Xiao wanted. In that moment, it was all over.
There isn’t any explanation for why Shen Jiu is comfortable with the idea of this life. With Gongyi Xiao, with this complete insanity. He can’t put words around it. And yet…
There’s a part of him that is desperate for this. So desperate it hurts.
Shen Jiu wants this life more than he’s ever wanted anything.
As if sensing his needs, Gongyi Xiao bursts through the door a moment later. In one arm he carries a large stack of firewood and in the other he is holding what looks to be a small deer. It seems that he, ever the star pupil, has returned with meat for their dinner. More than what was asked of him.
“I’m back!” he calls out. He replenishes the small box of firewood next to the door and then carries the deer back outside. There must be a meat storage shed out there. Or an icebox.
They really are set up to live here for the long term. Gongyi Xiao is obviously equipped with survival skills (it must be part of the training for the Immortal Alliance conference). The soft, creamy part of Shen Jiu’s omega instincts purrs with happiness at the thought. Gongyi Xiao is strong and capable. Young and obedient. He would definitely make a good mate…
Suddenly Shen Jiu becomes very aware of the skin on his neck. How unbonded it is. Unmarked. The scent gland behind his ear is itchy in the worst way!
Gongyi Xiao appears at his bedside, cold and rugged from the outdoors. When Shen Jiu reaches for him, Gongyi Xiao wastes no time clasping his hands and quickly scenting him. He croons lowly in contentment as he rubs his cheeks all over Shen Jiu’s fingers. Even better, he reaches behind Shen Jiu’s ear to scratch his scent gland. As he should! Just what Shen Jiu wanted—!
Without warning, Shen Jiu moans in surprised pleasure. This time, he is getting aroused. Gongyi Xiao’s cold fingers are perfect. They rub him softly, massaging a place that Shen Jiu has been ignoring his whole life. That longs to be touched. He wants to lay down and let Gongyi Xiao touch him more. He knows the kid wants to. His croons are getting deeper and his breath is running hot. Why is he holding back?
Well. Tang Yiqing is still there.
The older omega clears his throat and rises to his feet. He can read the room. He can smell the sudden notes of citrusy sweetness indicating Shen Jiu’s arousal and he can see how Gongyi Xiao’s pupils have dilated. This is…embarrassing for Shen Jiu, in many ways. He pulls his head away from Gongyi Xiao’s fingers, contenting himself to hold the boy’s hand instead. Until they can be alone.
“I should be going before it gets any later, Xiao’er,” Tang Yiqing announces. “Your A-niang’s light-step is getting a bit slower these days.”
Gongyi Xiao shakes his head vehemently. “Not at all! A-niang’s light-step is still the most elegant in the jianghu. Always will be.” What a joy it must be to have a son as blindly loyal as him.
Shen Jiu is getting a taste of that same loyalty. It’s…nice.
With that, Gongyi Xiao and Tang Yiqing bid each other farewell with a warm hug and an affectionate rub of the cheeks. Tang Yiqing has let his scent leak out for the first time. It is indeed a powerful one. That dragonfruit and grass mixture is overwhelming. But it complements Gongyi Xiao’s cloyingly sweet scent so nicely. Anyone could see how strong their relationship is.
Tang Yiqing nods at Shen Jiu before he leaves. There is deep meaning behind his dark phoenix eyes. Even though Tang Yiqing’s feelings are still largely a mystery, Shen Jiu thinks he understands him better.
He wouldn’t mind speaking with him again. Maybe.
Once they are alone in the house, Shen Jiu holds his arms out to Gongyi Xiao. Reaching for a hug. He wants Gongyi Xiao to stay close to him for a while. Just until he gets his bearings.
Gongyi Xiao hesitates. “Elder Shen. Are you…?” His eyes are full of questions. “Do you want to be held right now?”
Brat. Making him say it! Grunting in irritation, Shen Jiu nods shallowly.
It has the desired effect. Now that Gongyi Xiao has been assured of what Shen Jiu wants, he knows exactly what to do. He climbs into bed and pulls him into his arms for a full-body embrace. He clutches Shen Jiu to his chest like a treasure.
Shen Jiu moans again. Harder this time. He has lost control over his voice. His body is too honest now that his dynamic is free. He can’t really hold anything back.
So he doesn’t try. He does what he’s been wanting to do since he woke up. He buries his face against Gongyi Xiao’s strong chest and purrs. He paws at the kid’s robes, opening them just enough to tuck his nose inside. So he can smell everything . The alpha scent, the musk, the body odor. Shen Jiu sniffs rapidly, inhaling the intimacy of Gongyi Xiao’s body.
He wants to know this man. This alpha who rescued him from the darkest fate imaginable. Shen Jiu wants to know every single thing about him.
Gongyi Xiao scratches his scalp, pleased. He trails his hands behind Shen Jiu’s ears and rubs them both at the same time.
The pleasure is immediate. Bone-deep. Shen Jiu gets stimulated in the very center of his being, a primal place. His eyes roll back in his head. His scent is roaming everywhere, staining the sheets with his own omega-ness.
“Your body is much stronger today,” Gongyi Xiao announces. “That makes me very happy, Elder Shen.”
Here come the tears again. Shen Jiu is such a wreck! But…he can’t hide from Gongyi Xiao’s light. His earnest warmth directed entirely towards him. How can Shen Jiu protect himself against something that strong?
He fists Gongyi Xiao’s robes to get ahold of himself. “You…Gongyi Xiao. You…” What can he say? “I don’t know how to thank you. Or if I even should. It feels like you’ve thrown your whole life away for my sake—”
“Don’t say that. That’s not how it is.” Gongyi Xiao lifts Shen Jiu’s face to look at him. “Given the choice, I would choose this. This life. Every time.” He is smiling softly with that gentle puppy face. “My life of servitude under the Heavenly Demonic Ruler was nothing I’ll miss. The best part of it was that I could…” He laces their fingers together. “…tend to you every few days. To make sure you were still breathing.”
Stop. Just stop.
“And you don’t ever have to thank me. The fact that you survived your injuries and that you’re healing is thanks enough. I’m already overjoyed.”
“Stop…no more, I…” That’s the straw that breaks his back. The nail in the coffin. Shen Jiu cannot withstand anymore. He clasps a hand over his mouth to stifle his cries.
But his shoulders are already broken. He collapses on top of Gongyi Xiao and sobs. The kid holds him through it. Letting him cry. Crooning on a low hum and stroking the back of his neck, which makes Shen Jiu’s muscles go weak. He holds him through all of it. Shen Jiu’s entire breakdown. The wracking sobs, the wails, and the teeth-clenching agony of this emotional release. Shen Jiu has not let himself cry in a long time. He has a massive amount of things built up.
Even so. The rain cannot last forever.
Shen Jiu eventually cries himself out.
When he’s done, he feels blank. His face is stained with tears, rubbed raw around the eye. His heart is an empty cup. He just dumped out everything. The fear, the pain, the disappointment, the regret, the anger. The same as it was with his body, some of the wounds were new and some were old. Shen Jiu let himself feel each one as he cried.
He knows he’s not healed. That would be impossible. He can never be fully healed. But at least for now, he is hollow. A liminal state. Everything on pause.
He is still lying on Gongyi Xiao. They trace random patterns in each others’ hands. Absentminded, yet comfortable with each other.
“You should try courting me for real,” Shen Jiu announces all of a sudden. “If you court me, I’ll accept.”
Gongyi Xiao flinches, then freezes. His muscles clench and unclench. Apparently he wasn’t expecting that. “Are you saying you’d…become my mate? My husband?”
Shen Jiu nods. “Yes.” Of course he will.
In a burst of movement, Gongyi Xiao gathers him up in his arms and squeezes him tightly. He is chuffing in excitement. He rubs his cheek against Shen Jiu’s face, as eager as a yapping dog and just as energetic.
But Shen Jiu is smiling. He pats him on the shoulders and tells him to take it easy. Gongyi Xiao apologizes, though he is not sorry at all. They look into each other’s eyes and they know.
They are going to make this work.
This is Shen Jiu’s very last chance at a real life. He thought Qing Jing Peak was his last chance, but then he went and fucked that all up. So now it’s come to this. Him and Gongyi Xiao.
He will do whatever he needs to. He won’t let a blessing like Gongyi Xiao get away from him. No matter how uncomfortable it is or how much he needs to learn, he’ll do it.
He will make a life with Gongyi Xiao that he can be happy with.
From the way things are right now, Shen Jiu doesn’t think he’ll have any trouble accomplishing that.