Shang Qinghua jokingly talks about feeling heartbroken that Peerless Cucumber stopped commenting.
"When did you say you published the bonus chapters?" Shen Yuan asks.
He can't help but inquire as he replies. "November 2014. Why?"
Shang Qinghua expects an incredulous glare and a harsh tongue. After all, it made sense if Shen Yuan didn't want to read the bonus chapters after that ending.
That doesn't happen, though.
Instead, dear ol' Mr. Hater Cucumber-Bro gives him a sad smile.
"I was already dead in September."
(Converting the time after transmigration is weird. Shang Qinghua thought that, since SY showed up so late in the game, Shen Yuan died some time after he did. He was, of course, wrong)
~~✈️🥒Back on my cumplane brainworms! But I bring a twist :] transmigrated into two specific demons ahe
"Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky," are not the words Luo Feixiang— A.K.A. the aforementioned Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky— expects to hear coming from Mobei-jun's mouth at all.
It takes 5 seconds for him to make the realization.
"Proud Immortal Demon Way," he eventually replies.
The way Mobei-jun's(?) shoulders slump down alleviates any lingering doubts.
"Lucky you, transmigrating into the great and powerful stallion protagonist, hm?" His face seems to fall a bit. "Though, I guess it isn't so great to experience being a Qing Jing disciple, is it?"
Luo Feixiang rubs the back of his head, sheepishly. "Well, you see... I was dropped into the story at the start of the Endless Abyss Arc"— the other transmigrator makes a solemn face and Luo Feixiang backtracks—"I had the protagonist halo, it's okay! I got out of there all fine, as you can see by the fact I'm meeting you here. In the Demon Realm."
"I suppose that's so. It still must've been hard for you, as it must've been for Luo Binghe himself. Even if he is the protagonist, he still felt pain, didn't he?"
Luo Feixiang doesn't expect that. Not at all. Not from the average reader of Proud Immortal Demon Way.
Perhaps he was being presumptuous, but there were few who willingly read the story for any deeper analysis, or consideration for what Luo Binghe is feeling. Because Luo Binghe wasn't supposed to be someone a reader would care about as a person. Luo Binghe was the vessel for the reader, to satiate a sense of wish fulfillment for one's self.
Apparently, transmigrator wearing Mobei-jun's (very pretty, holy shit, it's better than he could've ever imagined with words alone) face agrees. He seems to take Luo Feixiang's silence as indicative of something else.
"Proud Immortal Demon Way is a shitty novel filled with shameless papapa and fruitless, violent vengeance in place of genuine plot," The Mobei-jun transmigrator starts. He takes Luo Feixiang's taken-aback expression as a sign to continue. "But Luo Binghe was a character with a backstory, whose future was fueled by his need for vengeance against a world that offered him nothing but a little love that would only be ripped away. When you remove the aspect of him being a reader-insert, and he becomes a real person, the feelings he does have aren't just one-off sentences to skip over."
Distantly, Luo Feixiang feels something pricking at his heart, but also... Hah... Maybe it's because the Mobei-jun transmigrator had somehow convinced him to put Xin Mo in a closed off corner that a strange sort of clarity comes to him from those words.
(Luo Feixiang would never admit it, but Luo Binghe... He was a self-insert of sorts. The way the other transmigrator spoke about Luo Binghe with such care...)
Luo Feixiang finally finds his voice. "Yeah, I guess so."
It's not much, but c'mon! Let Luo Feixiang process this a bit! He's been in the Abyss for 5 years right after dying in his own apartment, and the plot has been fucked over by something (Someone, actually. He now knows it's because, alongside himself as Luo Binghe now, Mobei-jun wasn't the same Mobei-jun. It was very likely he had a System too, if his passive observations were correct) and left some parts unrecognizable! He died at 27 and was brought into his own book and had to go through rapid-fire demon puberty alongside the whole abyss thing!
The Mobei-jun transmigrator gives a tentative hum of acknowledgement.
Awkward silence engulfs them again.
"I saw him, once," he suddenly says. "Luo Binghe, before you transmigrated. The Immortal Alliance Conference."
Ah. For all Luo Feixiang's shitty memory of the 6666 chapters he'd written of Proud Immortal Demon Way, he'd never forget the titular plot points that kickstarted the whole thing.
"How was he?"
"Amazing, obviously," he says with a smile that comes to his face so easily— it kind of takes Luo Feixiang's breath away, not an expression he'd thought he'd see if Mobei-jun were real. Unfortunately it doesn't last. The Mobei-jun transmigrator sighs. "I tried my best to alleviate it. To prevent the deaths at the conference, to not make myself an enemy, to hide Luo Binghe's demon mark from his Shizun..."
Luo Feixiang finishes for him. "... But, you have a transmigration system too. And it wants you to follow the important plot points."
The Mobei-jun transmigrator's eyes shift to the side, as if reading something Luo Feixiang can't see. If that wasn't confirmation enough, he turns back to Luo Feixiang and answers.
"Yes."
"I... I see." A question soon pops up in his mind. "How long have you been here?"
His expression changes so quickly, it almost startles him.
The Mobei-jun transmigrator laughs. "Ah, I got here when Mobei-jun was a kid. Apparently, a lot of things happened in his backstory! Which, well, explains a lot!"
Ah, fuck. That.
Luo Feixiang can't help but wince. He wrote pages and pages of lore for Mobei-jun on the side. Words that never made it to publication. Words that really fleshed out why he became... Well, Mobei-jun.
Words that built up what a real person now had to go through.
Speaking of which, he hasn't stopped talking the whole time Luo Feixiang was having this realization.
He, at the very least, seems pretty impassioned as he goes on about his feelings towards the hidden backstory.
It's as if he's been holding in these feelings for years (which, honestly, he most definitely had. God, that was something to think about. It was already a lot when going through this transmigration thing himself, but to think he dragged some random reader into this world, even if indirectly, he couldn't help but feel bad. Truly, it was easier when he saw everyone else as just NPCs. Just characters. It took him a while to even let himself see this as his reality. It probably would've taken a lot longer if Mobei-jun's weird behavior hadn't brought him to where they are now.)
"And that Shang Qinghua guy? Don't underestimate him. Airplane didn't put a lot of this in canon, and it really would've been useful if a transmigration scenario to know this shit"— he stops himself and shakes his head— "Whatever. Not like Airplane would've known at least. I'll give that hack something. Anyways, that Peak Lord... for someone that's just cannon-fodder to die on the sidelines, he's scary honestly. Holy shit, the amount of disciples he was going to be willing to let die during the conference! Something's wrong with that man."
Luo Feixiang chuckles, a bit of pride coming over him. "Of course. I wrote him that way! The kind of scary that isn't so obvious. He was originally going to—"
Wait.
The immediate silence that follows his comment tells him that there's no taking that sentence back.
His fellow transmigrator is starting to look a lot like the intimidating PIDW original goods with the cold (haha) look he sends his way.
Luo Feixiang could pull out some bullshit of being a fanfic writer that just really -REALLY- loved Shang Qinghua to the point of treating him like an original character... Except, he doesn't do that.
Instead, he remains quiet. And hopes.
"Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky," the Mobei-jun transmigrator says again— and oh boy! Gone is the quiet hopefulness in his voice! Gone is the careful way he spoke his godforsaken pen name into existence! (And, hey! Is it getting colder in here? Uh oh!)
It's said as a confirmation and warning at the same time.
He's about to say something further, but he suddenly turns his head to the side to glare at the air (God, is that what Luo Feixiang looks like when he's talking to the System? He has to be more careful once he's around more character— around more people).
The Mobei-jun transmigrator eventually faces him again and crosses his arms.
"You're lucky you have the Protagonist Halo and Luo Binghe's face, you goddamn hack of author."
Luo Feixiang's about to say 'Well, funnily enough, I do look a lot like Luo Binghe in real—'
But he realizes something.
The phrase 'Hack Author..." His strong feelings on Luo Binghe's happiness... The detailed rants and blatantly insulting PIDW in front of another reader...
"Holy shit, you're Peerless Cucumber!"
A dark blush makes its way to the other transmigrator's— who is absolutely Peerless Cucumber oh my gosh— face and even to the tips of his ears. That's a sight. Dear lord.
"Y-YOU RECOGNIZE ME?"
With a burst of protagonist-level courage, he stands at full height and brings himself up close to Peerless Cucumber, faces way too close.
"Of course," he says simply, now wearing a playful smirk. "How would I not recognize that man who left paragraphs and paragraphs breaking down my story and being oh-so-infatuated with"—he points to himself—"the protagonist that he pretty much paid my bills for me."
If Sha Hualing walks in, witnessing the peerless Mobei-jun acting like a hissy cat to a Luo Binghe that keeps flicking back and forth between over-confident asshole and fearing for his life—
Well, she doesn't say anything. Who knows? Maybe they'll fuck about it later, and she isn't a vouyer, yeah?
Bonus fluff:
(Some time in the future...)
"You know... look exactly like I imagined him, but like... better. It definitely helps that you're actually not so bad to be around too. Mobei-jun with Peerless Cucumber's personality... no a bad combo"
Peerless Cucumber, Shen Yuan as he recently learned, huffs. "Save the flirting for the harem."
"The harem you know I'm not building."
"Shut it."
"Hey! I'm just saying."
"Ugh, whatever... also what do you mean? He literally looks like—" He pauses and waves his hand over his face as if that helps with his question. "Me! This is literally the face I had when I was back living in Beijing and rotting away in my apartment. Except now, I'm like, what? 25 centimeters taller and have huge tits— Why are you looking at me like that?"
Bonus Bonus:
"Would it help if said I'd likely still find you attractive as a sentient cucumber?"
"FUCK OFF! Stop using your protagonist powers on me!"
"It's not the protagonist powers, A-Yuan! You just like me!"
✈️🥒 Cumplane thought— Post-SVSSS/PIDW's Ending and SY and Airplane (actual name is Luo Huachen here, shortened to LHC) transmigrate back into their original bodies, alive and well, just in a coma for a year or so.
Despite their very strained relationship, Luo Huachen's mom allowed him to come live with her as he recovers.
Shen Yuan's parents and meimei get really scared and basically force him to move back in with them.
Physically and emotionally, both of them are very tired. Both of them feel like they kind of lost their minds, just a bit.
(It wasn't real, was it?)
Eventually, Shen Yuan has the mind to check the last chapter of Proud Immortal Demon Way again, and realizes he hasn't commented before he... well... died.
Luo Huachen checks Zhongdian for the first time in a while and sees that Peerless Cucumber commented. This week. Well over a year since the final chapter of Proud Immortal demon way.
It was still scathing, yes, but uncharacteristically... very patient and thorough. It's not that Shen— Peerless Cucumber isn't good at articulating his hatred, but he's usually harsher, as directly beaming his anger into Luo Huachen's soul.
(At the end of the comment, Peerless Cucumber says something that sets off alarms in Luo Huachen's head. Something familiar. Something he wouldn't know if he just read PIDW by itself. And something the other readers probably won't get either.)
Luo Huachen decides to type back, referring to him with the name he first referred to him by while in PIDW.
Curious. Hopeful. Scared.
Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky:
> "Cucumber-bro [瓜兄], what happened? It's been a year since I released this."
Peerless Cucumber:
> "Well, Airplane-bro [飞机哥] Just got out of a coma [looking away emoticon]"
[...]
Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky:
> "Holy shit, bro. Any other place I can contact you? There's something I need to talk about with you, privately."
Of course, people are getting pretty shocked about [return of Peerless Cucumber], [Airplane replying kindly to him], [WTF DO YOU MEAN HE WAS IN A COMA?], [Hey wait why was Airplane just inactive for so long???], and also [oh my god...? Are they...? Getting along????]
Meanwhile, Shen Yuan and Luo Huachen meet in person after finding some free time among concerned friends and family and physical therapy and other doctors appointments—
✈️🥒 idea again! Imagining Shen Yuan resting in an inn after waking up in the mushroom body.
He just set off the alert talisman specifically made to communicate to each other if/when the other took control of the spare.
Considering everything, doesn't know why he still bothered, but he did.
It's all... too much.
Shen Yuan was on his last legs in the water prison, and used the last of his strength to make sure Lio Binghe didn't succumb to Xin Mo. It was most definitely different than what happened with the original goods, but painful nonetheless. Little Palace Mistress had done a number on him, as well as the Han Hua disciples guarding the cell. Gongyi Xiao was the only reason he managed to get to Luo Binghe in time. (Offhandedly, he wonders if he's alright.)
He heard Luo Binghe cry for him as he faded away. But... that couldn't have been right. He wished him dead, didn't he?
Ah, what does it matter anymore?
Based on what he'd heard, it's been 5 years. 5 years since he died. He isn't really sure if Airplane-bro would even bother. There's something "weird" happening with Cang Qiong apparently, and he's probably dealing with whatever that is.
He's tired. He woke up as if he died just yesterday and he's been left alone to his thoughts, without anyone to keep up that untouchable immortal facade for.
Without the System.
It should've felt a lot more freeing.
He had a plan, to run free and do whatever. To live quietly and away from the plot and explore the interesting parts of world that Airplane-bro made. But that was before he was brought to the Water Prison. When he thought he would die relatively quickly instead of the weeks of prolonged agony of repeated abuse. He escaped into his mind, but was unable to think about much else except how much he wanted it to be over, and how he wished to go back.
It'll end eventually. It'll end eventually. It'll end eventually.
He thought about Ning Yingying accidentally setting off an explosion talisman. He thought about Ming Fan shyly asking to have his hair braided. He thought about Luo Binghe, his little lotus, waiting excitedly for his Shizun to come back so he could see how he's improved his sword forms.
He thought about how all of this was once just some stupid novel to him. A stupid novel he loved to hate. A stupid novel that both killed him and brought him a new life.
Too much.
Too much.
Too much.
And he fell into his disciple's arms, and there was a burst of qi.
Then, he woke up.
The innkeeper was ever so kind to let him in. He was struggling to get his limbs to move how he wanted, and his voice could barely leave his throat. Not to mention, it'd been some of the colder months as well.
Washed up, fed, and now in uncomfortable but warm bed.
The floor was so cold in the Water Prison.
The distant sound of the bustling city he stumbled into is comforting, in a way.
He'd been lonely. Funny, that was once something he'd bemoan admitting.
He should rest, really.
And he does.
"Immortal Master Shang, what brings you to this humble inn this late? This one does not recall a night hunt being called anywhere near."
"Ah, no. There's someone I've been searching for. He's... he's got to be unwell at the moment. Covered in dirt probably, very loose robes if I remember right. Signs point to him being around this area."
"...Hm, interesting that you'd say that... Would you happen to know of a man who calls himself 'Peerless?'"
"Yes!"—throat clear—"I mean, uh, yes. That's exactly who I'm looking for. Have you seen him?"
"He's resting in the first room to the left upstairs."
Shen Yuan doesn't believe the figure standing in front of him at first. Doesn't believe the sheer relief in his eyes, or tears seem to form the longer he stares at Shen Yuan's face. Doesn't believe that Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky actually waited next to him as he slept, making sure he was—
"God... It really is you, Cucumber-bro," the figure says. His voice is hushed, but surging with a fragile joy.
"A-Airplane...?"
Shen Yuan internally cringes at the scratichiness of his voice and how much it hurts his throat.
However, from his grin, it's not like this hack author really seems to mind.
"You called for me," he replies, as if it's the most obvious explanation in the world.
Shen Yuan tilts his head, and Airplane-bro brings a hand up to his shoulder, to which Shen Yuan nods in permission.
He gives a light squeeze to Shen Yuan's shoulder before leaning in a bit closer. "I was waiting for it. Waiting for the alert to go off... It worked. It fucking worked and..."
Suddenly, Shen Yuan's pulled into a hug, very-unexpectedly strong arms wrap around him. He's stunned for a moment, staring forward as he processes the feeling of Airplane-bro's embrace.
His breath hitches.
Shen yuan buries his face into his shoulder, and hugs back.
✈️🥒 Idea: CumPlane transmigrate into NPCs/Side Characters. Shen Yuan, a nameless rogue cultivator, and Shang Huachen (Airplane) is Shang Qinghua's older twin brother.
They have some memory fuckery going on for a while, so by the time they learn they're transmigrators in Proud Immortal Demon way, they've already been married for almost a decade and had taken in Luo Binghe in as their son.
The timeline is not canon-accurate. Anyways! The washerwoman, naming her Lian Tianmi here, adopted Shen Yuan years before Luo Binghe was born. Shen Yuan is in his early 20s when the washerwoman brings a feverish baby Binghe— it's what she decided to call him for now, apparently— into their little hut.
When Huachen comes to visit his betrothed after a very tiring day as Shang Qinghua's brother-assistant-advisor person— he wants to fall asleep to his beloved's scathing criticisms of whatever subpar romantic literature he'd picked up on his recent trip— he's absolutely stunlocked by the sight of Shen Yuan holding up a babbling infant.
Shen Yuan is just like "I know we never talked about having children, but my mom found this guy floating down the stream. I asked around. Got nothing. So, uh..."
"We should get married soon."
It's Shen Yuan's turn to be stunlocked.
Before he can reply, Shang Huachen is quick to assure him, telling him that he wished they could take it slower, but it'd be useful to get married as soon as possible.
Paying off Lian Tianmi's debt and releasing her— and others— from their contracts had been their main mission for years now, and they've been trying to be as discreet as possible. Progress has sped up significantly ever since Shang Qinghua became Peak Lord, and Shang Huachen his second-in-command and co-teacher. Being a rogue cultivator isn't the most high-paying job, exactly. And Shang Huachen also doesn't want to use the sect's money in such a way that might rise suspicion.
It's a delicate process, especially since the mission's goal had spread past just Lian Tianmi.
And now, there was a baby?!
Yeah, they could use some sect benefits from that marriage. It's not as much as he would get as a Peak Lord, but it'd be a huge jumping off point.
So yeah! They get married, and Binghe— now called Shang Binghe— is recognized as Shang Huachen and Shen Yuan's son. Lian Tianmi is released from her contract, and many others soon after.
Years later, Shen Yuan, Shang Binghe, and Lian Tianmi are living in a cozy little house by a lake. It's not too far from Cang Qiong Mountain, at least by sword. Shang Huachen still lives on An Ding Peak, but he visits frequently.
Shang Binghe is 10 years old, and expressing interest in cultivation to Shen Yuan. Shen Yuan, of course, supports this. He tells him to wait for his other dad to come home so they can look over some options and where to go. (Side note: Huan Hua's completely off limits. Even Binghe knows that. Lian Tianmi used to be a disciple of a minor sect before her parents were arrested—on grounds she no longers remembers— and punished by the Huan Hua Palace Sect, never seeing their child again. For defending them, her meridians were forcefully sealed, preventing her from drawing her qi ever again.)
Anyways~! It's this same day that the System finally decides to show itself.
Shen Yuan was reorganizing his desk when, after deciding to draw out some of his qi, ends up knocking out and in a weird dream realm.
Shen Yuan looks down to see he's in his original body, and all of a sudden, he remembers everything as if it's just been behind a door this whole time. And more importantly, there's a blue motherfucker telling lore-dumping to him.
What do you mean he's in Proud Immortal Demon Way?!
What do you mean he transmigrated into an NPC and overhauled the protagonist's backstory?!
And he fell in love with a man and has a whole husband— wait, actually, you know what? After living for an additional 3 decades, that thought's no longer as wild for Shen Yuan as it would've been in 2014. He's actually quite happy about his gay marriage, thank you very much!
But also, SHANG QINGHUA'S TWIN BROTHER? When did he get a brother? Airplane didn't include that!
Wait, those kids when Shen Yuan befriended on the street years ago... Their names were Shen Jiu and Yue Qi... Does that mean they're...? Oh, fuck this, Airplane!
Shen Yuan's mind hurts.
[...][Anyway! Hello, Host~! Here's a long belated 'Welcome to Proud Immortal Demon Way!' Don't forget to rate five stars! <3 *heart*]
He wakes up.
"A-die? Is something wrong?" a tiny voice asks from the door. It's Shang Binghe, of course.
Oh, Binghe...
Shen Yuan, not wanting to worry his son— his son is LUO BINGHE?! What the fuck?!?!?!— Shen Yuan tries to pick himself up like he was purposefully laying on the floor the whole time.
"I'm just fine, Bingbing!"
Meanwhile, on An Ding Peak, Shang Huachen is mid-flight when he crashes into a tree and is promptly greeted by his own dream realm.
He's in Proud Immortal Demon Way. He's been living in his book for the past several decades of his life.
And he adopted the protagonist.
He already called Binghe his son in his head while writing PIDW, but— Oh, he hijacked the story so much. What butterfly-effect shenaniganery lead to this?!
Luo Binghe was supposed to be adopted by the washerwoman, but the washerwoman already has an adult son. Shang Qingxiang, Shang Qinghua's older twin brother, is not even supposed to be on this mountain! He wasn't even mentioned in PIDW!
Also, where did this rogue cultivator come from? He's 99% he didn't make a character like that. He's glad, of course. That's his husband! Yet, also, who?! He didn't have a character named Shen Yuan!
Granted, his memory of his novel was never too great. But he would've known, right?! Shen Qingqiu and Yue Qingyuan remember Shen Yuan from their childhood on the street, and have shovel-talked him to death when their marriage was announced. He would know if a character like that existed! He'd be the only one to know because he was the only one to see the backstory drafts.
Okay, now he has to deal with the existential dread of living in the world he wrote. That was.
That's going to be a lot to unpack.
Fuck.
To his surprise, Shen Yuan is waiting on one of the docks by the cozy house. For him. He looks a bit disheveled though.
Despite reeling hard from the revelation of being a transmigrator, he wants to make sure his husband is okay.
"Proud Immortal Demon Way!" Shen Yuan says exasperatedly. He looks almost desperate as he grabs Shang Huachen's shoulders and looks into his eyes.
He backs away when Shang Huachen doesn't respond for a second, before immediately getting pulled back into an embrace.
Shen Yuan seems to share that sentiment, glad he doesn't have to hide this from his husband.
Bonus:
"You were a fan of Proud Immortal Demon Way?" Shang Huachen inquires eventually, wiping away the tears that Shen Yuan refuses to admit he's shedding.
Shen Yuan huffs. "Fan? As if!"
Then, it's like a switch is flipped inside his brain. He begins to pick it apart, as if he was just reading it yesterday.
Shang Huachen realizes something. This is how his husband rants about literature usually. Yet, now that he has his memories of their previous life back, there's something about the way he words things that just...
"Why'd that chapter have to end with some stupid papapa, when the plant was perfectly set up for a reveal with—"
Oh.
"Holy shit, I married Peerless Cucumber."
Immediately Shen Yuan shuts up.
He stares at him, his face suddenly turning very flushed.
"I—" Shen Yuan decides to shift the topic. "And you're...?"
Sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck, Shang Huachen murmurs. "... Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky."
Thankfully, Shang Binghe is fast asleep next to his favorite nainai, Lian Tianmi :) She hears some sounds and assumes that her son and son-in-law are probably getting passionate on the docks, and it's best not to disturb them.
✈️🥒 cumplane thought: I just think it would be funny if Shen Yuan's denial came crashing down in one single moment while talking to Airplane. After SY is silent for too long, Airplane goes like "Uh, are you doing okay, Cucumber-bro?"
And Shen Yuan just stares at him, expression unreadable, and deadpans: "I just realized I'm in love with you. Bye!" and then hurriedly stands up and leaves
And Airplane's just
Holy shit???
On one hand, oh my god something finally speared through Cucumber-bro's comphet mental gymnastics
On the other hand???? HELLO?? He was for sure aiming for Liu Qingge, or Yue Qingyuan, or just— someone else?
(Him and his dedicated anti-fan, huh... well, for now, he won't admit it outloud, but he does find Peerless Cucumber's attitude pretty cute nowadays. Okay. Back to spiraling because WHAT)
✈️🥒 Idea: Mobei-jun makes an observation about CumPlane; a.k.a. Airplane wants to point out that non-romantic intimacy is a thing (*OP waving in AroAce*), but he's distracted by his devastating crush on Cucumber-bro
▪︎ Airplane's real name is Shang Huachen here
▪︎ Shen Yuan transmigrated into an NPC
▪︎ Mobei-jun thinks of Shen Yuan as Shang Qinghua's 'Future Wife' and Shang Qinghua does not have the heart to correct him
▪︎ alas Mobei-jun uses 'wife' in the 'one who marries into/under the other's family' sense and keeps using it
▪︎ Hints of Shen Yuan harem because I have zero self control
"Why don't you let your little wife stay here too?"
Shang Huachen makes a sound not unlike a choking seagull. His brush slips out of his hand and flings across the paperwork. The ink drags off the page, and follows the brush as it rolls to the side.
"My what?" He looks up at Mobei-jun, incredulously.
Wife? What wife? My King, are you trying to mess with me?
Of course, having written him, Shang Huachen is more than aware that Mobei-jun's question is asked in earnest.
"The assistant of Peak Lord Shen."
What???
And why is he acting as if it's the most obvious answer?!
Shang Huachen scrambles to answer. "Ah— My King— Shen Yuancheng is not my wife."
"You're still courting him after all this time?"
'All this time?' Mobei-jun, what???
Shang Huachen stays in his frozen 'there's ink all over the table and I have no idea what you're talking about' position. He tries to formulate a response, but his brain short-circuit at the thought that his relationship with Shen Yuan has been interpretted as—
Holy shit. Has Mobei-jun been under the impression that he and Shen Yuan were....?
He should be saying 'Me and Shen Yuan's relationship may seem like romance to you, and to some other humans, but one shouldn't make assumptions just from an outsider's perspective.'
Instead, he shoots up from his desk, hands smacked down against the table in a weird (and failed) attempt to save face. "W-We were never courting!"
He makes a move to look at his king and pretend that the tips of his ears weren't red, and—
Hey! Why does he look disappointed?!
Mobei-jun sighs. "I cannot guarantee his safety if he remains on Cang Qiong."
He does not reply 'Well, it's not like my safety is guaranteed by being here,' and instead, tentatively asks the second thing on his mind.
"Why are you bringing this up?"
"Shen Yuancheng is quite a valuable person to have at one's side. Knowledgeable and adaptable. It is no wonder that Shen Qingqiu has appointed him as a co-teacher." He walks a bit closer, as to emphasize his next words. "He has also, as indicated by some of your reports, charmed many of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect, and people he has come across."
Shang Huachen crosses his arms. "Yes, quite...?"
"I am aware that you care about him, more than your other Peak Lords. His loyalty to you, despite the awareness of your arrangement, is invaluable and not to be wasted." Mobei-jun leans down. He looks Shang Huachen in the eyes, and speaks as clearly as possible. "If you don't take him soon, somebody else will."
It shouldn't have left a burning feeling in Shang Huachen's chest.
The thought of somebody else with Shen Yuan. He tried to cease that thought with internally scolding Mobei-jun about how Shen Yuan isn't just a person to "take."
Unfortunately, it seems to only fuel the images conjuriing up in his mind.
He manages, somehow.
"Relationships aren't so rigid in categories where we're from, My King," is what he decides to say, "but... Perhaps I do wish to have Shen Yuancheng at my side."
Mobei-jun is silent for a few seconds before he huffs.
