Mobei Jun has a realisation about human instincts.
Mobei Jun left the meeting in a daze. It was not a particularly important meeting, as far as strategy and conquest went, but it was certainly illuminating.
Their Junshang asking for help in seducing his old teacher was entertaining by itself. But Qinghua's answer was the most important right now.
The advice went against everything he knew, against all his instincts. Act pathetic. No demon would ever choose a weak partner, shows of strength were what their instincts demanded.
But Qingqiu, and Qinghua were not demons.
Mobei Jun was not stupid. He doesn't talk a lot and he likes to let Qinghua take care of most details nowadays, but he is still more than capable of logic reasoning.
Plus he has long training in politics. He knows each demon clan has different set of courtship rituals. But all of them come from the same principles, from the same instincts.
First, some sort of fight, a display of strength. Then proof you can provide, a felled beast, a rare treasure a hard to get material. Then proving compatibility. The details vary, but the core ideas remain.
It never occurred to him humans might not have the same basic instinct. But it explains everything.
Humans are soft, squishy, without claws, sharp teeth or fast healing. He believed that would make them value strength more, but apparently he was mistaken.
Human first step was showing weakness, willingness to trust.
On their very first meeting Qinghua cried and begged, never once raising his weapon to him. A show of vulnerability.
And he knew Qinghua could fight. Had seen him decimate entire clans with ruthless efficiency. Ruthlessness he never showed him.
Qinghua was always so happy to shelter him when he was injured or poisoned or just tired from some plot. So quick to reassure him, to heal him, to take care of him. To make plans to mitigate or eliminate whatever threat to him. To take him into his own home. Always so happy, smiling and almost preening, it made so much sense now.
He always responded to these moments with increased beatings, desperate to not lose whatever progress he made by showing he was still strong. Which now looking back, might have been a mistake.
Qinghua's response to these, with the new understanding, made him almost stumble. To not fight back, to simply take it, to trust him he won't go too far, won't kill Qinghua. That was such a big gesture.
He needed to reciprocate somehow, now that he knew what was going on. That he was being courted, and so seriously.
Maybe he could take care of Qinghua next time he visited his Palace. No work, just food and rest and soft furs. He might even cook those noodles Qinghua likes so much.
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