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Peak Lord Shen has a surprisingly cute side. Gongyi Xiao always thought of Shen Qingqiu as a loft immortal, a cold but enchanting beauty. Unlike many of his martial siblings, Gongyi Xiao didn't believe the rumors and sought to better understand Shen Qingqiu through countless interactions. The misunderstanding from the love letter was a heaven sent blessing.
Peak Lord Shen had a harsh exterior but a very soft and gooey interior.
Shen Qingqiu preferred fish and rice over heavy meat and boiled vegetables but his favorite foods are sweets. Pastries, custard tarts, candied fruits and melons, his favorite fruit are hawthorn berries. Hawthorn berries swathed in a hard coat of melted sugar. When Gongyi Xiao discovered that tanghulu were Shen Qingqiu's favorite, he made sure to carry at least two sticks with him during every meeting.
Gongyi Xiao pities those who never got to know Shen Qingqiu the way he has. They never saw the adorable blush Shen Qingqiu gets when he's flustered, the way his cheeks stretch when eating tanghulu, or how kind he can be. Gongyi Xiao can proudly say he's one of the select few who had the fortune of experiencing Shen Qingqiu's kindness.
The two of them exchanged letters when their schedules clashed. They still had their own respective responsibilities to attend to and couldn't always meet up. It was mainly mundane things like what they ate for the day or how they interacted with the disciples from each sect. Gongyi Xiao often writes about new shops he would like to introduce Shen Qingqiu to and old texts that he's interested in sharing.
It didn't take much for Gongyi Xiao to realize Shen Qingqiu preferred genuinity over flashy accomplishments. As long as Gongyi Xiao can uphold his words, Shen Qingqiu would be pleased. Shen Qingqiu also hated lies above all else, especially if they're promises left unfulfilled. The scholar had once asked him why he never missed out on a meeting and his answer had pleased him so much that he was awarded with a smile!
Of course Gongyi Xiao couldn't miss out on an appointed meeting! He made a promise and he intends to keep it.
That's why even though the two of them would be seeing each other at Cang Qiong Mountain for the pointer exchange event, they still met up for a tea session previously arranged.
"Qin Wanrong introduced me to this shop a few days ago. She said it was becoming something of a tourist spot, well-known for its sweet teas. I thought Peak Lord Shen would enjoy it," Gongyi Xiao says as he pours a cup for Shen Qingqiu then himself. He specifically asked for a blend of dried hawthorn berries and lychees.
Shen Qingqiu picked up the cup of tea and lightly blew on it, using his qi to make it cool down faster. Hm, it was just as good as Gongyi Xiao had described it to be. "Not bad, your Shimei's judgment was right."
Gongyi Xiao smiled, and pulled out a scroll and a book. Oh, that must be the old folktale collection that Gongyi Xiao recently got his hands on.
"I was able to translate the story of the river monk and dragon but Peak Lord Shen's insight would be most helpful."
Shen Qingqiu made a gesture for Gongyi Xiao to give him the scroll and booklet. As prodigious as Gongyi Xiao was, he wasn't the best scholar out there. His translations were off most of the time but Shen Qingqiu found it endearing in a way. Even though Gongyi Xiao wasn't great at it, he still pursues his hobbies. It's admirable in a way, the way Gongyi Xiao persists while keeping his warm and positive nature.
The pointers exchange program was basically the Old Palace Master and a large group of Huan Hua disciples coming to Cang Qiong Mountain. Just as the theme explained, Huan Hua disciples and Cang Qiong disciples would have 'friendly' spars, exchange knowledge and experience, share living space for a week, and try not to kill anyone.
Shen Qingqiu didn't see the point of such an event.
Having disciples train for a period of time at another sect wasn't uncommon. Lots of sects did this to build friendly relations and establish good bonds. But Huan Hua and Cang Qiong's rivalry is notorious. Every few years, Cang Qiong would send a Peak Lord and a mixed group of disciples to Huan Hua and vice versa.
To Shen Qingqiu, it was like a discreet way of flexing wealth and social standing.
Huan Hua Palace always went above and beyond when playing hosts, bringing out rich dishes and expensive cutlery. Just because they were the richest sect didn't mean they had taste. The greasy meat and fried food always made Shen Qingqiu's stomach queasy.
How a sect like Huan Hua Palace managed to have a head disciple like Gongyi Xiao is an unsolved mystery. But Shen Qingqiu is more than grateful for having Gongyi Xiao in his life.
Just as Shen Qingqiu had expected, rumors of him seducing male disciples from other sects spread like fire. Although mostly contained, it still left its impact.
But who cares what the public thought?
Gongyi Xiao certainly didn't and Shen Qingqiu was learning to focus on himself more. He never had a good reputation in the first place, another rumor won't change anything.
Shen Qingqiu called for Luo Binghe. Treating the head disciple of a major sect with special treatment isn't rare. Head disciples are known to receive special treatment because they acted as ambassadors for their masters. How you treat the head disciple would be a reflection of how you treat the master if they were there themselves.
"Shizun?"
"Prepare some snacks during your free time," Shen Qingqiu said simply. He took Gongyi Xiao's advice to heart, focusing on what he had instead of what he could've had. It gave him. . .clarity. . .in a sense. Having someone acknowledge the effort you put into your accomplishments is very refreshing. Gongyi Xiao is never half-hearted when voicing his admiration and it's. . .
The tips of Shen Qingqiu's ears took on a pink shade. He quickly snapped open his fan and covered his face, even making sure to turn around so he wouldn't be facing Luo Binghe.
"Well? Doesn't Disciple Luo have a class to go back to?"
"Y-Yes, of course Shizun!"
Shen Qingqiu shooed him away. Luo Binghe truly is gifted, from fighting to cooking. The only thing he couldn't seem to grasp was embroidery. It wasn't a main class so Luo Binghe wasn't expected to be any good.
Speaking of embroidery, he still had to finish stitching the white peony. Gongyi Xiao had given him his outer robe and Shen Qingqiu asked for permission to embroider it through their letter exchanges. He was given full permission to do whatever he wanted with the robe. The handwriting was a bit erratic, indicating the nervousness Gongyi Xiao must have felt. It was amusing.
Outside the Bamboo House, Luo Binghe nearly spat blood.
How was it possible for a person to both curse a piece of fabric while also wanting to be said piece of fabric?!?!?! It was illogical!
Shizun wasn't as subtle as he thought he was. Luo Binghe saw Shen Qingqiu sleeping with that robe, washing that robe, caressing that robe, staring at that robe with fond eyes. It was too unbelievable! Shen Qingqiu was seen embroidering it!
Knowing that yellow shade, it was probably that Gongyi Xiao's robe. The thought made Luo Binghe want to cry tears of blood.
Gongyi Xiao was a disciple from another sect, how dare he come and seduce Qing Jing Peak's Peak Lord?!
The entirety of Cang Qiong Mountain suspected Shen Qingqiu may be under some sort of possession. There was no possible qi deviation side effect seeing as how Shen Qingqiu hadn't gotten a qi deviation for a long time. The Qing Jing Peak Lord was in a good mood. It wouldn't be so much of an issue if his fellow Peak Lords were so used to seeing their martial brother scowl and glare at everything.
Multiple exorcisms and possession tests had been performed, courtesy of Ku Xing Peak and Hong Jing.
Shen Qingqiu's good mood started around the same time as the rumors of him preying on male disciples from outside sects. Yue Qingyuan had been especially worried about Shen Qingqiu but with the preparations he had to oversee and the Immortal Alliance Conference meetings he had to attend, there wasn't the right time to confront Shen Qingqiu about his good mood.
Liu Qingge was equally confused as everyone else even though he had more understanding of the situation. After his three disciples had apologized and properly punished, Liu Qingge thought that it was the end of that. The rumors would gradually die down, Liu Qingge would get over his guilt as Shen Qingqiu got over whatever made him laugh so bitterly that day, and he can forget about Shen Qingqiu looking dejected with time.
Shen Qingqiu. . .couldn't really be carrying on a relationship with Huan Hua Palace's head disciple? Could he?
Liu Qingge side-glanced at Shen Qingqiu from the corner of his eye. All twelve peak lords had been gathered to greet the Old Palace Master, the Huan Hua elders, and the head disciple. Shen Qingqiu never looks happy (he could tell he was happy, Liu Qingge spent decades staring at him after all) when receiving Huan Hua Palace.
An elder of Qiong Ding Peak announced the arrival of the Huan Hua Palace entourage. Normally, a sect leader would welcome another sect leader. But it was also a power play to have Cang Qiong wait on Huan Hua. So having an elder receive the entourage wouldn't be a symbol of disrespect or bowing head.
Shen Qingqiu tunes out most of the greetings. It's not like he's needed to make any comments so as long as he looks present, he doesn't need to pay attention.
He made a small, discreet fluttering gesture with his fan, a little greeting he taught Gongyi Xiao. Noticing the gesture, Gongyi Xiao's back stood straighter and his eyes burned brighter.
Once all the boring formalities had been conducted, the Huan Hua disciples are free to roam around Cang Qiong Mountain until the tournament begins. Shen Qingqiu had always wanted to show Gongyi Xiao his Qing Jing Peak. He once promised him he would as well.
"Qing Jing Peak lives up to its name, the atmosphere is very calm and quiet," Gongyi Xiao commented.
Shen Qingqiu snorted. "Only when those rowdy brats aren't here."
Gongyi Xiao chuckled. Shen Qingqiu is writing more and more about how his students are progressing, even once praising Luo Binghe's cooking although not directly. It felt inappropriate but Gongyi Xiao found Shen Qingqiu's thin face to be one of his cute points. How could he not when the older man always hid his face with his fan or sleeve in such an adorable manner?
"I'm sure Peak Lord Shen wanted to show me something," Gongyi Xiao says to change topics.
This would be their first date at Qing Jing Peak and both of them wanted to enjoy it as much as possible before the tournament began.
Shen Qingqiu was holding the prepared lacquer box of snacks he had Luo Binghe prepare in one hand and another box of scrolls and books in another. It's always Gongyi Xiao taking him to new sights and sharing new foods with him. And as begrudging as it is to admit, none of those foods was able to surpass Luo Binghe's homemade cooking.
"The lotus paste balls were made using Qing Jing Peak's own lotus pods," Shen Qingqiu says. "But the hawthorn jam was made from imported hawthorns."
Gongyi Xiao nodded along as Shen Qingqiu pointed to each of the sweets. He was intrigued after noticing that Shen Qingqiu seemed to write more about Luo Binghe's cooking than any of his other disciples (save for Ning Yingying) and if Shen Qingqiu is saying something is good, then it must be delicious.
Gongyi Xiao's eyes widened as he bit into the puff pastry. It was so soft and buttery, with sweet hawthorn jam in the center to give it a kick. This was beyond delicious! No wonder Luo Binghe's cooking was mentioned so many times in Peak Lord Shen's letters!
"Delicious, aren't they?" Shen Qingqiu said, smug.
He knew that Gongyi Xiao liked to tease him and make him blush. It's only fair that he teases Gongyi Xiao just as much as the junior teases him!
The two of them sat right next to each other, sharing personal space that was far more intimate than it should be. This was the closest Shen Qingqiu had ever been to another man in decades, the last one being Yue Qi. Gongyi Xiao had always wanted to explore Qing Jing Peak's esteemed library. It was known as one of the greatest collections of literature and as a fan of poems and folktales, he often dreamt of walking through those library doors one day.
That letter truly is a gift from the heavens.
Not only did it give him a chance to win Shen Qingqiu's affection and company, it also allowed him to read books from Qing Jing Peak's library!
"If only there was a plum blossom tree," Gongyi Xiao commented.
"Hm?"
"It's just. . .bamboo suits Peak Lord Shen well but plum blossoms suit Peak Lord Shen as well! And a lot of our meetings take place under plum blossom trees as well! So I want to recreate all our moments here in Qing Jing Peak as well!" Gongyi Xiao said. His face reddened, suddenly feeling embarrassed from the intensity of Shen Qingqiu's stare.
Shen Qingqiu wasn't as composed as he made himself look. He took an egg tart and stuffed it into Gongyi Xiao's mouth, muttering quietly, "Casanova."
Luo Binghe glared at Gongyi Xiao from his hiding spot. He made those snacks for Shen Qingqiu, not Gongyi Xiao!
That playboy is just lucky he's got to Shen Qingqiu first! If only Luo Binghe had been born earlier, then he would have had the chance to woo Shen Qingqiu first.
Liu Mingyan patted her brother's shoulder, nodding in sympathy. But she couldn't console her brother forever (it was only two seconds). She had to write down all the interactions between head disciple Gongyi and Shen-Shibo or else she might miss something.
Liu Qingge knew it was rude but he wanted to shove his sister away. Liu Mingyan wasn't helping him, she was mocking him.
At least he now knew the explanation for Shen Qingqiu's good mood.
Yue Qingyuan's face scrunched up the longer he stared at the dog-food couple. Qingqiu-Shidi and Disciple Gongyi were so sweet he, a third party, may as well get diabetes.
Liu Qingge and his sister were in one of his main hiding spots for watching Shen Qingqiu from afar. Liu-Shidi he can understand, that man is like a bloodhound for anything Shen Qingqiu related. But how did that Luo boy also end up using one of his hiding spots?
During the tournament event, many Huan Hua dispels complimented Gongyi Xiao on his new outer robe. The embroidery was done so well, not a thread out of place and every stitch was done with masterful skills. It looked so lifelike and captivating.
"Shixiong, where did you get this robe? The pattern work is amazing," Qing Wanyue praised. Her hands itched to touch the embroidery up close. The lapel of the coat had been embroidered with plum blossom branches and each side had a white peony at the bottom of the stitching.
"Someone very dear made it for me," Gongyi Xiao answered. He peeked at Shen Qingqiu and smiled when he saw the older man turn his head away.
"Can you introduce me to them? I would even pay for their work!"
"Unfortunately, I don't want to share this person's handiwork."
The female disciples gathered around Gongyi Xiao cooed and made funny faces at him.
Unnoticed by all the younger disciples, the arms of Yue Qingyuan's chair cracked under pressure. There are ways to tell when someone is smiling because they're good-hearted and when they're just masking all their emotions behind a smile that looks nowhere safe to be around. Obviously, Yue Qingyuan is the latter right now.
"Gongyi-Shixiong must be blessed by the heavens to have such a wonderful gift," Luo Binghe said through gritted teeth. (He and Gongyi Xiao looked similar but Shizun never made such a heartfelt present for him!)
Gongyi Xiao chuckled. "I poured my soul into pursuing a future with this person."
"How fortunate."
Get out you Shizun-stealing-no-good-playboy!