I Ship My "Adversary" X Me: Scum Villain Edition

by Bluethursday

Summary:

Movie Star Shen Qinqqiu, somehow finds himself shipping…himself…with Luo Binghe. His "adversary"?

The more Shen Yuan considered it, the angrier he got, and the more sure he was that he had no fucking idea why the internet was insisting they hated each other. Did he push Luo Binghe off a cliff in a past life or something? Was this karma?

Notes:

This is based off of a web novel called I Ship My Adversary X Me, it's really cute and currently the translation is unfinished. It follows tightly to the novel for now, but there will be a divergence later.

Chapter 1

1.

Shen Yuan stared up at his ceiling in rage and wondered how his life come to this. He had an “adversary”. A mortal enemy…an eternal rival, if you will. Like his life was an action film, written to serve the perverse pleasure of readers who thought the height of coolness was a huge pillar. What kind of grown man had an “adversary”? Groaning, he tipped his head back further. Fuck, was that mold, or a weird stain?

His mind kept going back to the issue at hand. Allow him to introduce Luo Binghe. His “adversary”.

This, is Luo Binghe: a first rate actor who was so popular a major airport once had to be shut down because his fans came to see him off in droves. This handsome young junior made smart script choices, and had excellent performance skills. He broke into the acting scene at the age of seventeen, as a young man cast into the abyss of World War Two. His role as the tragic main lead, highlighted China’s unsung part in the global conflict. Shen Yuan loved the film, and the white lotus Luo Binghe portrayed. Luo Binghe blew up at the time, but made the controversial decision to take a five year break from acting to complete his schooling. He finished in three. He scored top marks in business at China’s first ranked university, and achieved a minor in acting, because apparently juggling shit like that was easy?

His next film, long awaited, was an action film known as The Emperor Returns. In his adult body Luo Binghe was no longer a young, fresh-faced piece of meat, but, in the words of Shen Yuan’s sister, some kind of panty melting revelation. He was very much a white lotus turned black, a dark protagonist out to steal the hearts of the audience. The action film once again skyrocketed him to fame, and Luo Binghe never looked back. Critics and fans alike loved Luo Binghe, flooding his Weibo with praise and sending his ticket sales through the roof. In secret, watching The Emperor Returns was Shen Yuan’s guilty pleasure.

2.

In comparison, this is Shen Yuan: Shen Yuan, stage name Shen Qingqiu, was a senior actor known primarily for his art films, or on occasion, historical dramas. His career began with a small production that reached international acclaim, named Secrets of the Bamboo Forest. It was a heartbreaking film about a brilliant scholar plagued with depression. His most well known role, however, was his most recent, and he supposed… it was also his most hated. Shen Jiu. The part of a wretched, yet brutally complex court official who was the main villain in a hundred and fifty-two episode epic documenting the rise and fall of the Qingyuan Dynasty. The part had taken a lot out of Shen Yuan, but it had been satisfying to do.

If a director needed a scholar, a teacher, a court official, or a musician, and the budget was high enough, he was often the first pick, not to brag. Although…as he felt his neck ache from the angle he had it tilted, he’d been contemplating his retirement. Acting wasn’t as easy on these old bones as it used to be.

3.

In short, Luo Binghe was a hot-blooded, and hot-bodied young man, easily swiping up lead action roles, and great romance films filled with many, many, shirtless scenes, while Shen Yuan was an…actor’s actor, he supposed? Their acting careers were, really, very different.

Then, how exactly, one might ask, did Shen Yuan manage to become Luo Binghe’s “adversary”?

It was very simple. They worked under the same company. They debuted at different times, of course, and the resources they needed were so vastly different that it was borderline insane to believe that they could ever be completing for anything, not even side roles. Imagine, six-foot-four hunk Luo Binghe, and five-foot-eleven scholar, Shen Qingqiu, competing for the same role? What kind of magical role was this? ——

……

The more Shen Yuan considered it, the angrier he got, and the more sure he was that he had no fucking idea why the internet was insisting they hated each other. Did he push Luo Binghe off a cliff in a past life or something? Was this karma?

They had no reason to be in contention. They didn’t speak to each other often, were rarely seen in the same area, they didn’t even do any of the company press releases together, and yet somehow… he was “adversaries” with a junior, five years younger than him? Shen Yuan could not wrap his mind around it. What would they even fight over? The air they were breathing? Luo Binghe’s stupidly perfect face?

4.

One the rare occasions they did meet in person they were polite.They shook hands, smiled, and nodded to each other like they were interested in what the other person had to say. Usually some comment about the weather. Sometimes Luo Binghe looked a little nervous to Shen Yuan, but that wasn’t something the cameras could pick up. Luo Binghe always had a charming smile poised and ready, and Shen Yuan had a calm poker-face on lock, like it was nobodies business. He once did an interview drunk off his ass after Shang Qinghua dropped, what tasted like, half a bottle of vodka into the bubble tea he shoved into Shen Yuan’s waiting hands.

Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe were cordial. They weren’t best friends who added each other on their social media accounts, sending fan service messages back and forth, or having their PA’s do it for them, but they definitely weren’t frigid with each other either.

If it weren’t for the fact that some gremlin would appear every so often to stir up shit in the Weibo comments section, Shen Yuan wouldn’t have known he had a sworn enemy, in a completely different film genre.

How fun.

Is this what people did when they were bored, just made shit up so they could bitch about their imaginary problems to their imaginary internet friends? How nice. Shen Yuan aspired to be that free with his time.

5.

So what did “adversary” mean, in this context?

It meant that in the eyes of Luo Binghe’s fans：

When Shen Yuan smiled his calm, tranquil, trademarked smile at Luo Binghe, he really wanted to shank him in the back. When he brushed against Luo Binghe’s massive shoulders, he was calling him an unworthy mongrel. When he looked anywhere but Luo Binghe’s face in front of a camera, he was bitterly resentful and petty over Luo Binghe’s success.

There was no right answer, no right way to act because Shen Yuan couldn’t do anything about perception. If people wanted to see a fight then that’s what they’d see. Shen Yuan was a conniving snake even if he was half-way across the room minding his own business…but then again…Luo Binghe didn’t have it much better.

In the eyes of Shen Yuan’s fans:

When Luo Binghe smiled at him, it was a silent dare. If Luo Binghe brushed shoulders with him, he was calling Shen Yuan a leg-less coward, and disrespecting his senior. If Luo Binghe presumed to talk with others at the same party as Shen Yuan, he was being inconsiderate and rude. If he was quiet, it was even worse, who did he think he was, after all, to ignore Shen Yuan?

The propaganda was so vitriolic, and never-ending that if Shen Yuan wasn’t himself, he’d almost believe they were enemies too. It wasn’t fun.

6.

The last time they wore the same thing…

Shang Qinghua’s batshit idea of dressing only in jade green and white was beggining to make more sense than it should. That was not a thought Shen Yuan ever thought he’d have.

7.

If anyone was curious, as to how Shen Yuan knew so much about what he liked to call “this bullshit”…

8.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he returned the phone back to his long time, self proclaimed “personal life assistant” and actual agent, Shang Qinghua.

“Why are you showing me this?” He asked the sewer-dwelling cretin he trusted with his career. “I tell you all the time not to show me gossip Airplane-bro, and what do you do?”Shen Yuan continued.

Shang Qinghua looked at him with a serious stare, and placed his hand on Shen Yuan’s shoulder. Shen Yuan looked at his hand. Shang Qinghua immediately took it off Shen Yuan’s shoulder. “Cucumber-bro we have to be on top of the gossip. You can’t live on top of a mountain like a heavenly immortal separated from Weibo. We have to be ready.” Shang Qinghua insisted.

“Ready for what, exactly?” He asked, regretting it already.

“If we stay ready, we don’t have to get ready.” Shang Qinghua stated, like a man reading off some trash meme he found at three in the morning.

“…If I drown you in the bathtub no one will convict me.” Shen Yuan stated like a man ready to drown his agent in a tub.

 9.

“Cucumber-bro you’ve got like three hours left before the next scene starts shooting. You will actually die of boredom if you don’t find something to do…aren’t you vain enough to search your own name up? I thought all actors did that?” Shang Qinghua knew very well that Shen Qingqiu did not like searching his own name up, but selectively forgot that information every time he was corrected.

“Look, here are some pictures of the newest starlet Liu Mingyuan, a peerless beauty, maybe if you look at -“ Shang Qinghua started only to be cut off.

“If you imply that I need to masturbate one more time, A’Shang -“

Shang Qinghua desperately waved his hands in front of his face, “No, no, no, I could never presume to do something like that.”

Liar. Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow at him, and Shan Qinghua cowered. It was satisfying.

“Look, why don’t you search up Luo Binghe instead?”Shang Qinghua offered.

“Why would I do that?”

“I don’t know, maybe reading people talk shit about him, might make you feel better about the things they say about you?”

10.

Fair enough. 

11.

Shen Yuan had started scrolling down the comments section on Luo Binghe’s Weibo page, only to watch them multiply by the second. How many fans did this brat have? What was he, some kind of Movie God, with a harem of a thousand beauties all flooding his Weibo non-stop? Most of them were either talking about how great his acting was, or his chest, or both at the same time. It was boring. Where were the snake emoji’s? The cursing of his mother. Shen Yuan came here for the trash.

As he was monologuing on the unfairness of his life he saw a post that caught his eye:

@Red_BingqiuArmy: GROSSSOBBING our boys are out here spreading the love again, when are they going to get married? *picture of Bing-pup kissing Shen Qingqiu’s perfect face attached.

12.

…The fuck?

13.

What happened next would go down in the history of Shen Yuan’s life, forever. The comment had a link. He followed the link down a rabbit hole he was truly not prepared for.

14.

He was being shipped with Luo Binghe. They had a ship. Somewhere in the country, a few people were crazy enough to see two “enemies” and decide: they must be in love.

The story of a gentle senior actor, and his hot-blooded junior unfolded before his eyes. A kind member of the Bingqiu army had created a three hundred and seven page pdf. compiling the evidence that proved Luo Binghe and him were a real couple. They were clearly, shyly hiding their relationship for the sake of their careers, but their love was pure and strong. If they wore the same accessories, they had gifted them to each other in secret as presents. If they wore similar colours they were trying to match, and if they wore the same outfit it was a sign that they were going to get married.

It was…

It was…

It was really sweet. It was tiring to keep getting snake emoji’s while strangers who didn’t know him kept saying that he was out to sabotage a perfectly nice kid. Like he was some kind of weird, abusive senior who took advantage of his position to press down those below him, so that no one would ever rise above him. The role of Shen Jiu, while rewarding, left some people confusing his “real” personality, with that of Shen Jiu’s. He hadn’t had a role big enough to wash that stain clean yet. It was a great part, and he didn’t regret taking it, but Shen Jiu was hated by the public. He had people yelling Shen Jiu’s famous line, “Filthy beast,” at him, in the streets. The other day a woman tried to spit on him, and for a long time his Weibo was flooded with people calling for his castration. He didn’t need people online to be nice to him, but it took a toll to get so much hatred after a while.

Here, however, in this small corner of the internet, he was kind, and gentle, and sweet. He was still all of those things to a lot of his fans, but it was hard being the “adversary” of a young action star, when people currently didn't like him that much. It was so stupid. Maybe he should take it as a compliment to his acting skills, and the popularity of the series?

The manifesto, if Shen Yuan could call it that, was really well put together. By the end of reading it, if he wasn’t Shen Qingqiu he would be pretty convinced that Binqiu was real. How cute. 

15.

Bingqiu was a terrible ship name though.

16.

So…for the next few hours he may have done a deep dive into the fandom. The art was really well drawn, and the drawings of Luo Binghe as a small fluffy dog were particularly favoured. Tiny Pomeranian Binghe was clearly the best Binghe. Shen Yuan laughed as he scrolled through drawings of Bing-pup in his arms, Bing-pup begging for treats, and Bing-pup scaring off rivals.

The drawings of Luo Binghe as a Demon, and him as bullied Maiden were less favoured, but he was rolling with it. The fanfiction ranged from sweet, to heartbreaking, to filthy enough that it raised Shen Yuan’s eyebrows, which was no small feat. He had a running, unpaid and never spoken of side gig, as Shang Qinghua’s gross porn editor.

17.

What did it mean when the entire internet seemed like it was dead set on setting up a duel to the death between Shen Yuan and a man he didn’t really know? Even his own fans thought he hated Luo Binghe, often becoming Luo Binghe’s anti-fans in order to “support” Shen Yuan. What did it mean when people keep asking him, about a non-existent conflict? Even interviewers kept sliding in “sly” questions about this or that moment, as they pretty much accused him of slighting Luo Binghe in order to try to get a soundbite they could play as proof of this “feud”.

What did it mean, when during all of this, a small group of people believed that he wouldn’t do that? That he wouldn’t fight with a younger actor. That he was better than that.

It felt close to salvation. Like rain after a long drought. It felt good to be thought of kindly. The “feud” pre-dated his role as Shen Jiu, but after Qingyuan Dynasty it was as though a match had been put to gasoline. For the third time today Shen Yuan thought, it really was overwhelming to be so praised for his acting, and yet so hated. 

18.

He may have been driven to delusion from all of the shit-posts Shang Qinghua kept forwarding to him.

19.

But he was sailing this ship. It was his now. He loved it. No one could take it from him.

At least until the Shen Jiu backlash died off. He could really use some people calling him a fluffy angel, who could do no wrong, right about now.

20.

Shang Qinhua opened the door with a dramatic slam, “It’s an emergency! Luo Binghe is going to be on set soon. You go pull the fire alarm, I’ll start the fire. No, I’ll pull the alarm, you start the fire, it’s harder to deny being caught with your hand on a fire alarm if they get a picture.”

Shen Yuan stared at Shang Qinghua for a long moment, “No.” He replied.

It was a bit of a surprise, to find out after he signed onto the series that he’d be working alongside his “adversary” for the first time, but it wasn’t the end of the world either. He was playing a gentle character, a teacher in a xianxia series called Proud Immortal Demon Way (name pending). Not a villain. His heart couldn’t take being a villain again, for the moment. Shang Qinghua knew all this, and yet here he was, apparently planning for them to…flee the set?

Shang Qinghua, stared at Shen Yuan intensely. “Okay, Plan B.” He said.

Shang Qinghua rubbed his palms together like a deranged squirrel, his grin unnerving, as he leaned down close to Shen Yuan and whispered, “Should I get the rope…the tazer…I can probably get a gun in under an hour. Or we can push him out the window!” Shang Qinghua hissed, "The bigger they are, the harder they fall, and he's pretty fucking big.”

The break room set up for the actors was on the first floor. So…

Shen Yuan reached a hand up and yanked Shang Qinghua’s messy ponytail once, but hard, “What kind of bullshit do you think we’re about to get up to?”He demanded.

“Ow, ow. Fine, fine.” Shang Qinghua rubbed his head, and grumbled,“Murder's illegal anyway. It’s fine, we can always arrange an accident later. That'll go over a lot better with the press. Plausible deniability, and all that.”

How would that be any better, Shen Yuan wondered?

Even his agent and oldest friend, at this moment, thought he was some kind of cheap Scum Villain. It was more likely that Shan Qinghua was fucking with him but still…what kind of life would he lead, if he didn’t have Bingqiu to hold on to? It was his light in the darkness. It would get him through a television series where he might be accused of poisoning Binghe by the press at some point if his junior so much as sniffled.

21.

He lazily waved a paper fan to dismiss Shang Qinghua, who was running off to get him a bubble tea, or a gun…he’d find out in a while anyway…you could never really know with A’Shang. Something sweet would nice for all this upcoming mess though.

Sighing, he popped open the MV he tabbed on his phone before Shang Qinghua came in with his dramatics.

It was a mash up of a small film he did where he played a reporter in the 1950’s, and Luo Binghe’s debut film. He was watching a heart wrenching clip of Luo Binghe’s eyes tearing up, as he begged his senior officer, who had been like a father to him, to not die. Previously it had been spliced with Shen Yuan in the hospital, so the implication had been pretty clear.

Somebody was knocking on the break room door. Assuming it was his agent he answered, “Come in.”

The door opened. A tall man stood there, his broad shoulders and good looks blinding. Every time Shen Yuan saw Luo Binghe he couldn’t help but notice how handsome the man was. Luo Binghe’s eyes were drawn to the phone in Shen Qingqiu’s hands, a strange, almost embarrassed look on his face.

22.

Fuck. Someone help. Shen Yuan was drowning. What was the protocol for being caught watching a fan-made music video shipping you and your new male co-star?

Notes:

Imagine the role of Shen Jiu as Joffrey from Game of Thrones to get a comparable understanding of hate levels. People logically know he's a good person, but that face...

Chapter 2

23.

You know that horrible, sinking, feeling in the pit of your stomach when your parents catch you watching porn? That’s what Shen Yuan was experiencing right now.

And not like normal porn either…. It was like they caught you with one hand down your pants, jerking it to some next level, tentacle monster, seven dicks in one hole, lolicon type shit.

How do you even begin to explain yourself?

24.

Shen Yuan’s gut reaction was to lock his phone, and flip it over at a speed that could only be described as the fastest he had ever moved in his entire life…including that one time he was almost hit by a car, and then promptly pretend nothing had ever happened.

“Ah, hello.” Shen Yuan nodded to Luo Binghe, standing up to greet his junior.

“….Hello.”Luo Binghe replied, his eyes staring at the accursed phone, face down on the table, “This is my first day working on the film. I was just coming to introduce myself to everyone on set.” He continued.

“That must be hectic, did you already finish, or are you still making your rounds?” Shen Yuan asked. He hoped Luo Binghe still had a shit-ton of people to make nice with so that he could leave this poor old actor, alone, to die of embarrassment in peace.

“I finished, I actually came to the break room to rest a bit.”He replied.

Wasn’t that convenient. Shen Yuan was stuck with him, what could he even say? “We have a lot of scenes together, I hope you don’t mind practicing when you’re available?” Is what Shen Yuan went with.

Binghe blinked in surprise, “I’m available.” He said quickly.

How responsible of him, thought Shen Yuan, but couldn’t he say a bit more? Keep the conversation going?

“Have you eaten yet?” Shen Yuan asked.

“No.” Binghe replied.

Honestly Shen Yuan wanted out of this awkward conversation as soon as possible. 

25.

In the end Shang Qinqhua was the one to save his ass, busting in with a paper tray that held two bubble teas.

Shang Qinghua spotted Luo Binghe, and greeted him, with a smile a little too wide to be natural, “Hello, Mr. Luo.”

Binghe nodded back at him.

Thank you, built in small talk topic and distraction. Shen Yuan looked at Luo Binghe and offered, “You said you hadn’t eaten. Please take one of the bubble teas, it won’t be good if you start filming on an empty stomach.”

Shit the fanfiction he read all agreed that Luo Binghe did not like sweet things, “They’re low-calorie, and low in sugar. They’re also vegan. My assistant found the place a few days ago, and I’ve taken a liking to them.” Shen Yuan continued.

Luo Binghe looked stunned, as he stared at Shen Yuan and nodded slowly in response.

Shen Yuan took the two bubble teas in hand, looked down, and cursed Shan Qinghua. One was plain, almond milk mixed with black tea, while the other looked like stew. Or if like, a ship crashed in a lake. It was filled with boba, grass jelly, coconut jelly, and pudding. It looked…disgusting. It probably needed to be eaten with a spoon.

26.

Shen Yuan turned to Luo Binghe, and showed him the teas, “The toppings are a bit uneven. If you’d like we can open them up and balance them?” Say no. Please say no, thought Shen Yuan. He’d even drink around the weird stew tea if it got Binghe out of the room faster. Shen Yuan wanted to have his nervous breakdown in peace, please and thank you.

27.

“Sure,” Binghe said, he even went and sat by the table to make himself comfortable. “Do you have a knife?” He asked.

Holding onto his dignity with his fingernails, Shen Yuan sat down beside Luo Binghe, placing the two teas in front of them. Shang Qinghua found them a knife. From where, Shen Yuan did not want to know. He learned long ago not to question how A’Shang could procure certain items. It was better for his blood pressure that way.

Luo Binghe thanked Shan Qinghua, cutting around the plastic seals on top of both cups. Thankfully Shan Qinghua also brought a spoon.

“Is there anything in particular you'd like?”Binghe asked generously.

“Grass jelly, please.” Shen Yuan replied.

All of the grass jelly was promptly transferred into his cup. It was a little impressive how Binghe managed to find all of the pieces in that mess.

“Anything else?”Binghe questioned.

Shen Yuan had a response ready, “No thank you. You haven’t eaten after all, you’ll need your strength.” He smiled politely.

Binghe looked at the stew tea, and seemed to find it too difficult to accept…not that Shen Yuan could blame him. “There must be something else you want?”

28.

This is what came out of Shen Yuan’s mouth: “How about your WeChat?”

29.

Shen Yuan must have lost his mind after reading that manifesto. It clearly rotted his brain.

He was caught off guard by his own words let alone Luo Binghe, or Shang Qinghua. From the corner of his eye Shen Yuan could see Shang Qinghua’s mouth wide open in shock.

30.

“I need the bathroom!” Announced Shang Qinghua before bolting out of the room like the weasley little rat-cockroach that he was.

So there they were. Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe. Staring at each other in dead silence, two bubble teas in front of them.

As the one with the higher emotional intelligence, Luo Binghe broke the weird atmosphere around them by pulling out his phone, “I’m sorry, I forgot to add you last time. What’s your account?”

Shen Yuan, carelessly waved his hand, “It’s nothing to worry about, here let me search my account on your phone.” There was no way in hell he was picking up his phone. That video was still there.

At the word “phone” Luo Binghe’s eyes again, bored holes onto the small black device innocently resting a few feet away from the drinks, before passing his phone to Shen Yuan.

31.

Shen Yuan sipped his bubble tea nervously, while watching Luo Binghe spoon jelly, or boba, or pudding into his mouth slowly as he ate his bubble stew.

The air around them went quiet again…what would they even have to talk about anyway? Two men, sitting a room, drinking…eating bubble tea. Awkwardly.

As the one with the clearly higher emotional intelligence, Binghe once again broke the silence, “Your look nice in your costume. The wardrobe team really outdid themselves, white suits you.”

Shen Yuan smiled slightly, and replied, “Thank you, your costume suits you too.” Pausing to look Binghe up and down, he proceeded to put shove his foot right down his throat again, “We look like we match.”

Luo Binghe’s outfit was pure black. His was white. Shen Yuan could picture the fanart already, what with this righteous devil-angel set up?

32.

The movie was xianxia, so it was only appropriate that Shen Yuan pray for lightening to strike him down where he stood, in order to shut his big, fat mouth. Right now. Right fucking now.

33.

Surprised, Binghe’s eyes widened as he burst out laughing. His red eyes lit up with joy, turning into half-moons. His mouth was spread wide, in a perfect grin, his white teeth gleaming. Shen Yuan could even spot his slightly shaper canines peaking out charmingly. Luo Binghe’s nose crinkled slightly from the force of his laughter. He was resplendent in his happiness.

Shen Yuan had never seen a man more beautiful than Luo Binghe. His eyes traced the arch of his nose, his strong eyebrows, the sharpness of his jaw, his high cheekbones, his lush black curls that spilled over his shoulders. Binghe, much like Shen Yuan kept his hair longer. On Binghe it gave the roles he played a wildness, his masculinity bursting forward. Shen Yuan contrastingly, played a lot of ancient, or elegant men. His hip length hair added a natural feel that wigs couldn’t give. Also wigs were itchy and painful, growing his hair out had been the better option.

Looking at Binghe, holding his stomach as he kept laughing, Shen Yuan thought that Binghe was far too handsome, he could enchant people with that smile alone.

34.

Wasn’t he laughing a little too long though? Shen Yuan didn’t even know what was funny about what he said.

Slapping him lightly on the bicep, damn he was built, Shen Yuan demanded, “Would you stop laughing?”

Binghe finally stopped, but his lips were still twitching, as he looked at Shen Yuan, “Ah, How come I didn't know you were so funny before? It’s so nice to be around you like this.”

Funny? What was funny about their outfits matching?

Shen Yuan deadpanned, “Clearly, you were blind before if you were unable to recognize the superiority of my existence.”

Luo Binghe didn’t seem to know what to say to that, looking at Shen Yuan dumbfounded.

 35.

Right before Shen Yuan, saw a laugh about the break out, he slapped his palm over Luo Binghe’s handsome mouth.

Binghe’s breath was hot, as he looked at Shen Yuan, blinking innocently, before licking the palm clasped over his mouth, but Shen Yuan held firm. This brat was not about to start howling at him again for no reason.

At that moment, Shang Qinghua busted through the door, “Everyone needs to get into their positio—-”

36.

Shang Qinghua looked at Shen Yuan, then Luo Binghe, then Shen Yuan’s hand. Shang Qinghua looked at Shen Yuan, then Luo Binghe, then Shen Yuan’s hand again.

Shan Qinghua turned so that he was facing the door, slammed it shut, and scuttled his way to Shen Yuan, holding his hands together as though in prayer. “Murder, is illegal A’Yuan.” He beseeched, as though he hadn’t been ready to throw Luo Binghe’s corpse into a river an hour ago?

This hypocrite.

 37.

Shen Yuan deeply contemplated quitting Proud Immortal Demon Way (name pending). It would be fine. He could be a monk instead. He could join a monastery and cut his hair off living a life of prayer and piety.

....

Luo Binghe’s Diary – Excerpt One

Luo Binghe was going to join the team of Proud Immortal Demon Way (name pending) tommorow. This, was the single greatest day of his life. All twenty-five years of it.

He looked in the mirror and glared intensely, “You can do this.” He tried to convince himself. He watched his reflection contort into a mixture of sheer happiness, gross sobbing, and panic, a half smiling, half cringing mess with wild eyes, before he covered his face and threw himself into his bed.

He couldn’t do this.

Tommorow he was going to being working on what looked to be massive project, with the greatest person who ever lived. Binghe’s lord and saviour. Shen Qingqiu.

Binghe rolled himself into a burrito, “A’Yuan” he whispered. He was going to be working with A’Yuan.

Glorious, beautiful, perfect Shen Yuan, stage name Qingqiu. The man who inspired Binghe to begin his own acting career. Binghe followed him avidly from the first moment he saw him. It had been Shen Qingqiu’s debut role, not that Binghe knew it at the time. Shen Qingqiu had been part of a small historical soap-opera series, called Qiu Manor. One of the orphanage managers loved the series and would often play it in the main room, watching the television instead of the children. If they were quiet they could sit on the carpet and watch along. Most of the kids went out to play instead, but Luo Binghe liked to watch.

Shen Qingqiu played a small role, as a quietly abused servant in a house rife with conflict. The main plot had a handsome man saving the first daughter from the attempted assault of her brother, and father. Binghe did not care about that. What he loved was watching the way Shen Qingqiu preformed, how he took the role and made it his own. The subtle bend to his back, when he was disheartened, or the way his eyes shined with a quiet defiance when he was wronged. In a way Shen Qingqiu was his first acting teacher. Watching Qiu Manor had been his escape during an admittedly bleak time in his life. He felt like the slave boy on the screen could relate. He thought maybe, he’d be friends with the older boy if he were in the orphanage with Binghe instead of on the screen.

When Binghe found out that same slave boy was going to be the main lead in a film from his intense research on the school computers, he was ready. He made and printed out his own posters promoting the film in his town. It was such a small production Binghe knew, and Shen Qingqiu would need all the support he could get.

He saw the film three times in it’s opening week, saving up money from his odd jobs just to watch it. It was, to this day, his favourite film of all time. The image of Shen Yuan, floating through the bamboo grove in jade green robes. The way his tears spilled over soft white cheeks without a change in his expression otherwise. His quiet, dignified suicide. It haunted Binghe. He cried for each of the viewings, sobbing like a baby.

Afterwards, he followed the press for the film as religiously as he could. When it blew up he was not surprised, and watched the new press circuit too. When it reached international audiences, and was nominated for the Oscar for Best International Film. Binghe was still not surprised. When it won, Binghe was ecstatic. That film had a small cast, most of the screen time was on Shen Qingqiu, if the film won it was very clear who carried it to that win. Binghe knew Shen Qingqiu deserved that Oscar, and he was so proud to see him get it.

Shen Qingqiu blew up after that role, his face on every magazine for half a year, and yet, the man stayed humble. He was always kind in interviews and in press photos. He was never angry, he gave homeless people food, and kissed little girls on the their skinned knees. He was active in multiple charities that dealt with homeless youth, and promoted food drives. He was the single greatest person in the entire world.

And here was Luo Binghe, ready to work with his idol.

Rolling out of his burrito, he stared up at the poster of Shen Qingqiu on his ceiling, he, Luo Binghe was going to make that man love him. Somehow.

They had met before but Binghe had always been too nervous to press for more, what if he came off as forward, and scared Shen Qingqiu off? Now though, Binghe had an excuse…they were working together, and Binghe needed a lot of help, okay? He could fake needing help, he was an actor.

Sighing, he grabbed his phone and scrolled through his Weibo to distract himself from his nerves.

The leader of his fan-club Shu something-or-the-other sent him a private messages for five days in a row, warning him to be wary of his living god, Shen Qingqiu.

In her view, his, “adversary” was some kind of demon creature, who would suck the marrow from his bones, or arrange for him to be poisoned or something. Binghe had many thoughts about what what should be done to the worthless trash who started those rumours about him and Shen Qingqiu. None of them were kind.

Unfortunately he wasn’t allowed to block his fan-club’s president. It looked bad for his image and the company would complain endlessly. Ugh. He’d just ignore her instead. He was a busy man after all.

He’d also sign into a different user name and leave angry, belligerent comments all over her blog, harassing her until he got blocked. Then he’d change accounts, and start the process all over again. Binghe said he was a busy man after all.

So many people to harass…so little time.

Luo Binghe’s Diary – Excerpt Two

That old man was messaging him for money again. Fine…Luo Binghe sent off 30,000 and promptly forgot about it.

Luo Binghe’s Diary – Excerpt Three

He joined the production team today. People tell you not to meet your idols. Luo Binghe would like to tell those people to kindly go fuck their mothers, as he enjoyed the light pouring from Shen Qingqiu, who was somehow, impossibly better in real life than he was in Binghe’s imagination. He was sweet, and charming, and funny, and most importantly, he watched Binghe’s films.

Not just any of his films either. Luo Binghe walked into the break room to see Shen Qingqiu watching Luo Binghe’s debut film! Most people had forgotten about Endless Abyss by now, preferring his adult image, but there sat his idol watching young Luo Binghe cry his heart out. He was so incredibly touched. He didn’t know what to say. Shen Qingqiu put the phone away rather quickly, but Binghe knew what he saw. His eyes had burned that image into his mind. It would stay there forever.

Their conversation overall, was a bit awkward but Binghe wouldn’t trade it for the world. Who cared if he could barely bring himself to speak to Shen Qingqiu, his usual charm going straight down the toilet? So many good things happened regardless.

Like Shen Qingqiu buying him bubble tea, and then asking for his number. In such a smooth way too, Binghe’s maiden heart wanted to swoon into his arms. Shen Qingqiu cared about his well being so much that he worried about Binghe going on set with an empty stomach. He had actually eaten some congee before coming, but that wasn’t the point. He got bubble tea from Shen Qingqiu. That was worth the small, white lie it took to get it. 

Then, Shen Qingqiu told him their outfits matched and Binghe’s maiden heart did swoon. His idol was complimenting him, and telling him they fit together perfectly. Binghe broke out into hysterical laughter, so overcome with joy. They matched, his idol thought they matched! Binghe always wanted to match with Shen Qingqiu. He loved it when they accidentally wore the same outfit. Nothing could be better than this moment in his eyes, and yet the day was filled with such ongoing wonder. Shen Qingqiu...dared to say that Luo Binghe did not know how wonderful he was and before Binghe could break down in full blown hysteria at how impossible that statement was...Shen Qingqiu touched him.

He covered Binghe's mouth with those slender fingers and Binghe couldn’t help but take a lick. The taste was clean, and a little salty. Binghe was never washing his mouth again.

He was definitely looked forward to filming Proud Immortal Demon Way (name pending). To him, it was the role of a lifetime.

Notes:

So Yufei did my icon. I was using a weird coffee shop owl I found online...until now. Yufei, is an amazing artist and old friend...I kind of metaphorically faked my death and moved to Cuba in my OG fandom. So I cannot thank her enough for loving me despite that, her site is https://www.yu-fei.com/. Check her out sometime, the art is cute :)

Chapter 3

Summary:

*we're playing catch the references.

38.

Premise: An old man gets caught by his young junior, staring at a fan-made video containing the two of them. Together. As a couple, being emotionally vulnerable with each other. Both of them are actors who are about to film a long project together…as a not-couple. In fact, they don’t really know each other at all, so this incident could colour the way one of the actors sees the other one, in a very negative way.

Question: What situation could be more embarrassing than this? Including shitting yourself in public.

Answer: Fuck Shen Qingqiu’s entire existence sideways.

39.

Shen Qingqiu spent his day preventing himself from staring mournfully at Luo Binghe, like some kind of abandoned mistress in a shitty soap opera. He would be caught dead, before someone saw him peering from behind constructed props to check if his lover was re-uniting with his wife. Or in this case, if Luo Binghe was feeling any type of way about what he saw. What Shen Qingqiu did instead was tactfully avoid the male lead, and politely rub shoulders with the other actors.

Now if only Luo Binghe could get with the program, instead of staring at Shen Qingqiu red-faced, like a despoiled maiden.

He even stuttered when he asked Shen Qingqiu to help him with his acting skills!

Like Luo Binghe would ever need help from Shen Qingqiu. Like Luo Binghe wasn’t a great actor who was universally loved by possibly everyone in existence. Luo Binghe gazed at Shen Qingqiu with puppy dog eyes Shen Qingqiu didn’t even know the other actor could make, and he folded like wet tissue. It was like looking at a high school girl delivering her first love letter. He agreed almost immediately. It would be fine. It wouldn’t be awkward at all. He was just helping out a junior.

Who may possibly think that Shen Yuan wanted to fuck him.

All day, he felt like he was standing on thin ice, thin ice that was slowly cracking underneath him, rescue nowhere in sight. He spent the day, walking around Luo Binghe worried that at any moment his co-star would turn around and accuse him of being a massive pervert. That didn’t happen, instead he watched Luo Binghe act shy and, dare he say, bashful in front of him. It was a bit uncomfortable.

This old man, wasn’t a pervert like that, alright? Shen Yuan was a good person.

It was only until that evening, when he arrived at his hotel room that he looked through the video again in order to figure out how much damage control would be necessary. Rewinding to the last five minutes, it turned out that no damage control was needed…because Luo Binghe didn’t see shit. The scene he walked in on was his own solo scene. It had no editing that added in hearts or sparkles, and no cuts to Shen Qingqiu’s face. It was Luo Binghe all by himself, crying. For a good five minutes.

Shen Qingqiu thought back to his day, and stared at the video quietly seething.

What the fuck was he so shy about then? What, was he so scared by Shen Qingqiu that he was reduced to an anxious mess? Was Shen Qingqiu’s reputation that bad? He was so angry he was liable to spank that brat the next time he saw Luo Binghe for the stress he put Shen Qingqiu through. Shen Yuan was not that young anymore, his poor heart couldn’t handle such emotional fuckery. 

Then again, Luo Binghe did ask for Shen Qingqiu to help him with his acting, so maybe he was just…nervous? It could be…sometimes very confident actors were really, very insecure, and Shen Qingqiu was older than Luo Binghe, so it was his responsibility to help this junior from the same company.

Whatever. It didn’t matter. He’d help. He wasn’t a pervert, and life was good.

40.

Shen Qingqiu stared at his phone, and went back to the Bingqiu universe, looking for more content. He was relaxing, he could do whatever he wanted in the privacy of his own hotel room, with the burner accounts he made. He had been through a very stressful workday, and he wanted to un-wind, okay?

He only managed to sail his ship for like, an hour or two in the form of some deep skimming. That wasn’t nearly enough time to savour the ship dynamics, or to figure out what the dynamics were in their full glory. What was their origin story in detail? What were the common tropes?He tried to keep up but kept on getting distracted by little white cat versions of Shen Qingqiu and frolicking Bing-pups. 

He knew there was a plethora of fluff waiting for him out there, he only needed to find it. Soon he’d have full command of every aspect of this ship. In joining a fandom one must strive to first understand it. 

Determined, Shen Qingqiu rolled up his metaphorical sleeves, and started digging.

If he was going to do this, he was going to do it right.

Fist he looked up a guide for joining the fandom and surprisingly, someone had actually created one. He was impressed by their dedication. According to the guide, he needed to follow both Luo Binghe and himself, which seemed straightforward. Then he needed to download a Fan App, that would inform him whenever the two accounts were posting, and provide him all relevant news for the accounts he followed. It was like a little news app, that would only show him news regarding himself, or Luo Binghe. This would help him keep up with the context of the newer posts on the Bingqiu forum. How was he to know if they wore the same outfit otherwise?

He then followed the Bingqiu Discussion Forum, scrolling down to see if he could identify any big name fans. When in doubt, follow the greatest amount of people. How do you know where to eat if your phone is out of battery, and you can’t look up reviews?

Find the biggest line. He’d be like those little fish that attached themselves to a shark in order to eat. He was new, he needed the guidance of the fandom experts in order to craft his own, internal understanding of his ship.

41.

Shen Qingqiu, then returned to the three-hundred and seven page manifesto that started it all, and looked through the massive document properly. One page at a time.

It included a love story complete with: an accurate time-line, well illustrated pictures, clips from any interview they gave the press, radio, or talk shows, and game shows they participated in.

42.

Allow Shen Qingqiu to summarize:

The Beginning: Two young men become actors. The first, a noble beauty, a white lotus with a cold gaze, and a soft inner heart. The second, a shy junior, who became a man in order to win the heart of his senior. One, elegant and quiet, the other bursting with a masculine aura. A puppy became a domineering wolf in order to chase after his love through, until his love had no choice but to acquiesce.

The Course of Events: They stumble into each other at the company, their first meeting inflaming the sparks of their souls. Shen Qingqiu teaches Luo Binghe how to act, perhaps late a night, until their student-teacher relationship becomes fraught with underlying tension. So Shen Qingqiu pushes Luo Binghe away, and leaves him out in the cold. Luo Binghe determined to prove himself, applies to a terrifyingly difficult university and fights his way through the hell of midterms and finals, until he returns to Shen Qingqiu. He arrives with great fanfare, The Emperor Returns a deep metaphor for his intentions to return to Shen Qingqiu victorious.

The Twist: The strong emotions that filled the two of them could never be. They realize that their love would ruin their careers, and lives if it ever came out to the public. The domineering wolf learns that some things only exist in the dreams of children, and so he backs off, and they tuck their love away, like an old letter into a drawer and leave it there. Every time their eyes met, they were communicating this lost opportunity, this wretched separation. If Shen Qingqiu did not look at Luo Binghe, it was because he could not stare at his love, knowing they would never be. If Luo Binghe could not look at Shen Qingqiu, he was unable to face the object of his passionate desire, knowing he could never have him.

The Ending: A series of cries, ringing out from the forum begging the world to give Bingqiu a happy ending please, as they tensely waited for events to unfold.   

43.

Shen Qingqiu stared at his phone in shock.

44.

This was…wasn’t this story too heartbreaking? Shen Qingqiu wanted his tissues and he wanted them right now…he also desperately wanted a happy ending for Bingqiu. Never mind that he was Shen Qingqiu, couldn’t the two actors see that their love was more important than anything else? 

45.

Furthermore, there was so much proof that they were a real couple. They had been photographed going in and out of the company building at the same time, multiple times. Often it looked like Luo Binghe was leaving with a marked up script, that was written on in green pen. Shen Qingqiu always marked his scripts up in green pen. His fans knew this about him. So they began to suspect that Shen Qingqiu was helping out his junior.

Then, in one video clip, Shen Qingqiu had been asked to describe his ideal type. He said he liked a strong beauty, with a forceful personality, who was driven and enterprising, but had a soft spot only for him. The clip the manifesto had attached beside that one, was of Luo Binghe being asked if anything would change about him if he fell in love. Luo Binghe chuckled and said, that no one would be able to see any changes in his behaviour, because he’d only ever be soft for his lover.

He also said, he wouldn’t let the relationship get in the way of his career.

That almost scared the facial mask right off Shen Qingqiu…canon was getting way too fanon compliant.

46.

Apparently, for a long time…they had been accidentally matching up their answers. Shen Qingqiu thought that Bingqiu was made-up on a whim, but in actuality…it was a very well argued relationship.

47.

Shen Qingqiu was born in a city that was built at the foot of a mountain range. He talked about how he would spend his youth walking through actual bamboo forests, and that his familiarity helped a lot with his role in SBF (Secrets of the Bamboo Forest). Luo Binghe posted on his Weibo two hours later that his favourite fairytale was: The Bamboo Cutter’s Daughter.

Luo Binghe said on a radio show, that he had always wanted to go to Paris but that his schedule was always too busy. By coincidence, Shen Qingqiu posted a picture of himself in London, with a line that had something to do with how Paris was so close, and that he could be persuaded to stop by and pick up some souvenirs.

One time, Shen Qingqiu sprained his ankle shooting a Shen Jiu scene, in one of the later episodes. The hype was already negative around him. He wanted some pity so he posted about the injury, was that so wrong? The sprain wasn’t that bad, but he had Shang Qinghua take a picture of him, sadly resting on a rock and icing his ankle, while tucking his hair behind his ear. It took a lot of work to look as graceful as Shen Qingqiu. A lot of work, and thirty mournful photos later they got the perfect shot.

That same day one of Luo Binghe’s friends posted a video of him with a small white kitten. The kitten fell off the bed, and Luo Binghe picked up that tiny fluff ball, bopping it on the nose, asking, “Why are you so careless? Hmm?”

That was the origin of Shen Qingqiu being drawn as a cute white cat.

48.

Well then. It seemed that Shen Qingqiu was already married, but no one had the decency to tell him? Someone should have informed him he had a husband. Why was Shang Qinghua not telling him these things? What did he even pay him for? 

49.

Shen Qingqiu sank into the bed, emotionally exhausted and liable to doze off, as the phone in his hand vibrated.

Demon lord @Luo_Binghe followed @Shen_Qingqiu

Demon lord @Luo_Binghe reposted a Weibo post by @Shen_Qingqiu

Demon lord @Luo_Binghe tagged @Shen_Qingqiu on a Weibo post

With his usual, stoic face, Shen Qingqiu tapped repost. Went to the bathroom, peeled off his hyaluronic acid infused face mask, patted the left over stay-young-forever juice into his pores, brushed his teeth, and applied a heavy duty moisturizing night cream to finish it off.

Good skin care was important to everyone but especially to actors. Shen Qingqiu did not get his flawless skin by sitting on his ass.

Inside, he was cheering at the plethora of fan work that would be produced from this small exchange…

Was it morally wrong to use yourself as a proverbial stick to poke a fandom into making more things for your own consumption?

50.

The moments Shen Qingqiu had between filming, were for the most part spent refreshing his own Weibo feed, and staring obsessively at the post he made last night. He spent a lot of timing thinking on how to best word it for maximum impact, but also maximum deniability in case it didn’t pan out.

What he was left with, was something along the lines of: “Everyone should take care with their health as best they can. Try to make sure to eat before a long workday…or least get something to tide you over. Self care is very important to maintain, although it can be hard when we get busy.”

Luo Binghe reposted immediately. He also posted a picture of the demon tea, and the words: “Thanks to Shen Qingqiu for the bubble tea the other day, I’ll do my best to take your advice.”

This moment was so good, Shen Qingqiu  couldn’t make it up if he tried…even though he partially staged the whole thing. The Bingqiu feed was blowing up with, things like: how Shen Qingqiu sounded like a spouse worried over their husband. How he sounded so concerned over Luo Binghe’s health and how cute it was that Shen Qingqiu bought him bubble stew. They called it bubble tea; somehow Luo Binghe had managed to capture an image of that monstrosity that made it look appealing, but Shen Qingqiu had seen him eat it with a spoon…so.

So the point was, clearly Shen Qingqiu was a loving, and generous partner. Who bought his husband bubble tea, and nagged him over his health. That was the point.

51.

There were of course, those who disagreed with the beauty of Bingqiu in the comment section, bitching about how Shen Qingqiu was a two-faced piece of shit who was only currying favour with Binghe to gain more popularity.

Which was…such nonsense. Shen Qingqiu was thinking of retiring, he had enough money, he was comfortable, and he did not need to ride anyones coat-tails on his way out the fucking door.

He could retire on some remote mountain top called Peak Bullshit, and there would still be some assholes at the bottom, holding picket signs, claiming that Shen Qingqiu was a cult leader.

Fuck it, give him Bingqiu or give him death. He was going back to the Bingqiu feed where nothing ever hurt him…even though someone managed to draw him in a naked apron…several someone’s managed to draw him a naked apron. Cooking. While Binghe’s apparently monster cock, gave to him good from the back.

….At least it was really well drawn! They also made the apron green, which was very appropriate! It had a little white cat on the front pocket too. He praised the attention to detail.

52.

The door of the break room knocked, and Shen Qingqiu locked his phone in that instant. Shen Qingqiu did not make the same mistake twice, not this closely together at least, and fuck his inner Shang Qinghua who had something to say about that.

Actual Shang Qinghua contracted scurvy at some point during their university years because his diet consisted of nothing but Cheetos, Diet Coke, and Swedish raspberries. The candy, not some bizarre, exotic, exported fruit. They had to go to emergency together when Shang Qinghua passed out cold, and have a nice doctor explain to them, in a kind of baffled, wondering tone, that Shang Qinghua was an idiot. They had to hear that same nice doctor tell them that Shang Qinghua, in all his glory had somehow managed to get a disease that should only belong to sixteenth century pirates and sailors. Shang Qinghua lost two teeth…two teeth. From scurvy. They had to replaced with porcelain not-teeth because he, in the twenty-first century contracted scurvy.

His inner Shang Qinghua could go fuck himself, if it ever wanted to say something about Shen Qingqiu’s propensity for repeating mistakes. He didn’t want to hear that from Mr. I-was-too-fucked-up in my undergrad that I ate not one fruit or vegetable for months. Shen Qingqiu did not. Repeat. His. Mistakes. 

Stopping his internal bitch fit, Shen Qingqiu watched as Luo Binghe poked his head in, and asked, “Production set aside a thirty minute window for a meet-and-greet with the fans. Would you like to go together?”

The good Shen Qingqiu on his right shoulder was saying that it was a terrible idea because their fans hate each other, and he should probably avoid conflict. The bad Shen Qingqiu on his left shoulder, let’s call him Shen Jiu, was saying that he didn’t care about what these fans wanted, but what the Bingqiu community would give him if he went out for the meet-and-greet with his internet husband.

Fluff. So much fluff.

Shen Qingqiu was sold. “That would be great.” He replied, standing up and moving towards the door.

On his way he grabbed some small snacks that Shang Qinghua had set aside, specifically for such an occasion. They were very on brand for Shen Qingqiu. Green-tea pocky, and light cookies that would be sweet without being too sweet in elegant little packages.

53.

Were these sweets reflective of Shen Qingqiu’s actual preferences…yes. Were they reflective of all of his snack preferences…no.

Give him a death by chocolate cake, or a stick of tanghulu and he’d dive right in…but apparently very elegant people didn’t like sweet things or, in the words of Shang Qinghua, deep throat tanghulu. So he wasn’t allowed to have any in public, or make his fans think that he liked anything other than some admittedly, very nice tea-cookies.

Gripping the plastic bag in determination, Shen Qingqiu thought to himself, it was time to go feed his people. Both the physical ones in front of him at the meet-and-greet, and the metaphorical ones driving the Bingqiu force to new heights, every day.

Notes:

I don't actually know much about social media. I'm relying heavily on ISMM for those portions. So if I fuck something up, it's because I don't actually know how Weibo, or instagram work. Help. If you see an incongruity, explain it to me.

Chapter 4

Summary:

*booty pirates?

54.

Although Binghe was the younger, and arguably more popular actor, an equal amount fans came out to see Shen Qingqiu. It was gratifying in a way, to have an equally devoted contingent. One composed of significantly fewer women pressing their breasts together, in order to try and catch Shen Qingqiu’s eyes, and he honestly preferred it that way. His fans were also mostly women, but they were a mixture of age ranges, from young to old. Many of them were fans of traditional music or working professionals. While Binghe’s contingent was in the thirteen to twenty-five demographic. High school and university students, with fewer young career women.

The second each group caught sight of the banners, and t-shirts worn by the other, they parted like a sea splitting in a half. A three meter gap formed between the two of them instantly appeared, a cold war brewing. To be fair it was more like one half held massive banners, and t-shirts, while the other held bags of light snacks, and beautiful flower arrangements.

The two groups had their gazes locked at the exit they knew the actors they were respectively supporting would come from. They did not look, or speak at the opposing team.

Both teams had people recording the encounter, and both knew they would get kicked out if a brawl started…or be embarrassed on Weibo by the enemy team posting their fight. So, a cold war it remained. They were here to do their business nothing else. They didn’t know those other people over there.

Luo Binghe, who’s that, I’ve never heard of him. Shen Qingqiu that washed up old man, who knew him? Sentiments like that permeated the air, without a single word needing to be spoken.

55.

Luo Binghe cheerfully escorted Shen Qingqiu to meet with the great divide, and it was…awkward.

56.

Shen Qingqiu sighed, it was an action he found himself doing often since filming started, well filming the test pilot to work out some kinks started. “Here," he said, passing some of his snacks to Luo Binghe. “Share some of these with your fans, you didn’t bring anything, and they must have been waiting a long time.”

They were also, for the most part, students, Shen Qingqiu recalled what it was like to be in university. Food was expensive, for some, and instant ramen a very common meal option. Their fans always put such time, and effort to meet with them, giving them a few things to eat was the least he could do.

Before Luo Binghe left, Shen Qingqiu grabbed his sleeve and fussed. “Make sure to ask them if they have any allergies to eggs or nuts, some of the cookies might contain those. The red bag has very simple sugar cookies that don’t contain either.”

Shen Qingqiu felt a little bit like a kindergarten teacher, but he didn’t want to be accused of poisoning someone, and allergies could be serious.

Luo Binghe nodded. “I see. Thank you senior, I’ll keep that in mind. I also appreciate you sharing your snacks, I didn’t have anything prepared.” Luo Binghe didn’t usually give his fans sweets. It messed with his domineering image to be be out in the street handing out cookies like a lunch lady. It was more like him to spend a few hours with the fans signing things, but if Shen Qingqiu was kind enough to worry about his fans then…

Grinning at Shen Qingqiu, Binghe said, “I’ll let you know when time is up, as payment for the snacks. You just relax, and I’ll come get you when we need to go in?”

Shen Qingqiu smiled slightly, and nodded. They only had thirty minutes, and time management was important. It would be nice not to have to keep looking at his phone, or watch.

The entire exchange was witnessed by the divide.

58.

Shen Qingqiu greeted his Disciples (they called themselves his Disciples, and it stuck because he ended up playing a lot of well educated men. It was adorable in Shen Qingqiu’s humble opinion).

“Hello, thank you all for coming out,” Shen Qingqiu started, handing out the snacks to a familiar face. A Big Name Fan, by the name of Ning Ying Ying.“There might not be enough for everyone today,” he continued. “So perhaps you could open them, and share on the way back?”

Ning Ying Ying beamed up at him. “Shizun is always so kind to us. We’re just thankful you got us anything.” The women in the back nodded in agreement, coming over to inquire about this and that.

Ning Ying Ying was pretty young, having only just started university, but she was very passionate, falling in love with her Shizun, as an actor, when she was a little girl. She didn’t want to marry him, she just thought his warm attention was soothing. He was so gentle with his fans, who wouldn’t love him?

Other fans came forward with great arrangements of peonies and babies breath, or blue and hydrangeas. Today’s theme was blue and white for the flowers being gifted. Shen Qingqiu accepted them all carefully, his hands stuffed with several bouquets. Smiling at his fans, he complimented their choice. “The flowers are beautiful as usual, I’ll be sure to decorate my hotel room with them.” He really would. The fresh blossoms would brighten up the place significantly.

Yet another fan pressed a cloth bag into Ning Ying Ying’s hands. Ning Ying Ying, elected mouth-piece of the Disciples, turned to Shen Qingqiu and opened the bag, announcing its  pitched contents.“We pitched in all together, don’t worry the students didn’t really pay anything, and we, well the older shijie’s that is, they bought you some snacks. We got some really nice tea from Beijing, and some tea cookies from a local bakery, those are in the black box. We also have some fresh organic apples from the mainland, another shijie went back to visit her grandparents and brought some, we thought you might like them.”

Ning Ying Ying finished her presentation and looked at Shen Qingqiu with eyes that begged for praise.

Shen Qingqiu chuckled, and freed a hand to pat Ning Ying Ying on the head, turning to look at the crowd as he spoke. “None of you have to do this, however I do appreciate you getting all this for me. I’m grateful.” Some of his fans, were still, were always, so sweet to him. Meeting them made him feel relaxed. He knew that some actors had crazy fans, but his were always well-behaved.

Ning Ying Ying and the other women shared a few glances, as Ning Ying Ying bit her lip, before looking at Shen Qingqiu and asking, “Shizun, is Luo Binghe bullying you?”

That phrasing…what was up with the phrasing Ying Ying? What was Shen Qingqiu, a preschooler?

Shen Qingqiu felt as though he was frozen in time for a moment, before turning to call out, “Luo Binghe.”

Luo Binghe turned around at the sound of his name spoken by Shen Qingqiu.

“Would you mind smiling for me?” Shen Qingqiu requested.

Luo Binghe beamed in his direction, his smile brightening, moving from a cool grin to a joyful exclamation, he even added a little wave. Perfect.

59.

Turning back to face his fans Shen Qingqiu replied, “Luo Binghe is a professional. We both are, there isn’t really a rivalry between the two of us, but three men can make a tiger, so,” Shen Qingqiu shrugged. “We are stuck with the stories we’ve been given.”

Noting the brand of tea in the cloth bag Ning Ying Ying was now clutching to her chest, he inquired, “How much did you all spend this time?”

NIng Ying Ying shook her head.“Two of the shijie’s are doctors, and one is an architect, and another works for a big law firm. No one who can’t pay, paid. So Shizun shouldn’t worry.”

These Disciples of his, what was Shen Qingqiu to do with them?

Sighing again, he passed the flowers into a few of his fans waiting hands. He’d get them back soon enough, they were just very exited to give them to him, he needed his hands free for this portion. Pulling out an emerald green pen, he informed them, “We have thirty minutes, form a line. I want to sign as many things as possible. If you want something more personal written, start thinking of it now.”

60.

While Shen Qingqiu was signing autographs he swore he overheard, Ning Ying Ying mutter in shock…something that sounded like…Bingqiu. No, nope. He didn’t hear anything. It must have been the wind.

61.

Shen Qingqiu was busy writing when he heard Luo Binghe call out to him, “Senior, can you come over here for a moment?”

The Disciples were looking at each other, like a fox had been let into their henhouse. They were unsure if they should push Shen Qingqiu towards Luo Binghe, or pull him back and form a human wall. Luo Binghe wasn’t that much taller than Shen Qingqiu, he was just a lot bigger, but he was definitely taller than the group of women. It would have been funny to see them try to stop Luo Binghe from reaching Shen Qingqiu.

Shen Qingqiu tucked the pen behind his ear as he strolled across the divide to Emperor Luo Binghe’s Concubine territory. His Disciples clutched at each other, glaring daggers that Shen Qingqiu could feel, even when he couldn’t see them. His back was burning from the intensity. What did they think Luo Binghe would do to him?

It was like they were all collectively sending off their only daughter to be married. The wrath of over three dozen mother-in-laws moving in unison was a powerful thing indeed.

62.

Luo Binghe stood beside Shen Qingqiu pulling the pen out of his hair, smiling down at him as Shen Qingqiu looked up with bemusement.

There was the click of a camera ringing through the air. “We can take a better picture if you’d like?” Shen Qingqiu offered. They hadn’t really been posing in that one after all. It was the first picture they had ever taken together, actually.

Luo Binghe twirled the pen between his fingers playfully. “It’s fine like this isn’t it?” He asked his fans, asserting the answer in his question.

His fans all nodded as though hypnotized, the only sound the rapid clicks of a camera or seven going off after the first one. Shen Qingqiu tucked his hair behind his ears, and gently grabbed Binghe’s hand to take back the pen. “I still need that, you know?”

“But Shizun,” Binghe teased. “What if I wanted to borrow it?”

Shen Qingqiu raised an eyebrow. “Then borrow it later, you have your own.”

“What if I ran out of ink?”

Shen Qingqiu blinked at that, and replied, “You didn’t, but if you really want the pen you can have it, I have a spare with me.” Binghe literally had three red pens on him, and some of his fans were holding sharpies.

“Shizun is no fun.” Binghe pouted.

63.

Welcome to Shen Qingqiu's Mind Theatre: Bingqiu forever. Bingqiu for life. Stand very close to me…yes, when this photo hits the internet the community is going to lose their ever loving shit. Call me Shizun in front of witnesses, I am here for some fluffy teacher-student type shit. This is gold. Such fucking gold. I’m going to scoot closet to Binghe. Yes, excellent.

64.

Binghe tucked the green pen behind his own ear, before asking one of his fans, “Hey, can you send those to me?”

One of the pictures looked something like, Binghe gazing mischievously down at Shen Qingqiu, his hand on the pen tucked behind Shen Qingqiu’s ear, in process of grabbing it. His large fingers framed Shen Qingqiu’s face, his skin a few shades darker than Shen Qingqiu’s translucent white, highlighting its delicacy. Shen Qingqiu looked down with half-lidded eyes as though shy.

The energy was clearly that of a scholar being pursued by a ruffian. A good-girl being pursued by a bad boy. That kind of strong contrasting feeling that sold many a romance movie ticket.

65.

Equality was important, so Shen Qingqiu led Binghe over to the Disciples so they too could get their fill of pictures with the two of them. All too quickly, the staff came out and began to urge the fans to leave, and to take care on their transit. Binghe had sent out a warning announcement that time was running close a few minutes prior.

As most of them left, Ning Ying Ying shuffled up to Shen Qingqiu. Binghe was busy saying goodbye to the last few lingering fans on his side. She reached out her hands, holding a small poster and a sharpie, her gaze glued to the floor.

The handmade poster had a miniature version of himself, and Luo Binghe, a heart above their heads.

Oh. Well then. Ning Ying Ying had many depths that surprised Shen Qingqiu. These unruly Disciples, coming out here to support him while imagining him and Luo Binghe in increasingly filthy situations together. Did he ever truly know his fans? To be fair he was now on the Bingqiu ship too…but they didn’t know that. So really this was…

Ning Ying Ying, took the small pause Shen Qingqiu took to look over the poster as rejection, and tried to shove it back into a purse that materialized, from seemingly nowhere. “Uh, um, it’s fine, it’s fine,” she blurted out. “There’s really no need.”

Luo Binghe conveniently came over and Shen Qingqiu gestured for him to come close before he could say anything, and asked, “Can I sign this?”

He may as well see if he could get Binghe’s permission. Without it, it might be weird to sign a couple poster, but he also wanted to make Ning Ying Ying happy.

An “Eep.” came from Ning Ying Ying, as Luo Binghe looked down over Shen Qingqiu’s shoulder, his hands coming around his waist to look at her poster. Shen Qingqiu already knew this moment would inspire such porn, but well, some sacrifices had to made for the fluff.

Ning Ying Ying was frozen as Luo Binghe said, “Sure.” Staring rather intently at the poster, he paused before asking, “Can I sign this too?”

Ning Ying Ying nodded in a daze, holding out the poster for them both.

66.

Shen Qingqiu felt Luo Binghe reach a hand over his shoulder to take the sharpie from Ning Ying Ying, and sign his name on the side of the poster that had a tiny Shen Qingqiu. Shen Qingqiu took the sharpie from Binghe, and knew full well what he was doing, when he signed his own name beside the tiny Binghe, and his chubby little face.

Ning Ying Ying, held the poster with shaking hands, her eyes tearing up, Luo Binghe’s hands migrating to rest on Shen Qingqiu’s shoulders. “Th-th-thank you so much,” she stuttered. “This will be my treasure.”

She carefully slid the poster into her purse, tucking it between a book to keep the pages flat. The poster was small, maybe the size of an regular piece of white paper, but it was good quality, the paper thick, and the water colour miniatures clearly taking time and effort to make.

Watching Ning Ying Ying rush off, Shen Qingqiu felt warmth in his belly. He loved to support his community, and Binghe truly was the best partner in crime, anyone could ask for. Even if he had no idea what he was doing.

Bingqiu was going strong. Bingqiu for life.

67.

Shen Qingqiu picked up the flowers that were rested on top of a cement ledge, that blocked off a small area of urban bushes. He grabbed the black treat bag and from the air, appeared Shang Qinghua, who snatched away the cloth covered goodies but let Shen Qingqiu keep the flowers.

“Bro, if I get caught letting you carry anything, your disciples are going to scold me again. They were up here, being like, ‘why are you letting Shizun carry things again, you’re an assistant’, and I cannot have that in my life. Those ladies are savage, two weeks ago Ning Ying Ying compared me to a slug.”

“You’re my agent.” Shen Qingqiu drawled out.

“I am man of many talents.” Shang Qinghua replied.

Shen Qingqiu rolled his eyes, and huffed, “The door is right there.”

The flowers he was carrying were taken away by Luo Binghe, as he insisted, “Let me grab these, they’re nice but they’re a lot for you to carry.” They were a lot, Shen Qingqiu could barely see over them.

68.

A male and female actor, well, two of them, were testing out some scenes, as Shen Qingqiu sat on a chair and watched.

It seemed like the script was going to end up in a pretty interesting direction. The bones of it were already set out, and they had a pretty firm idea of which direction it would take, but they were playing fast and loose with it. The only reason Shen Qingqiu signed on was because the director was the same one who created Shen Qingqiu’s first film. He knew the production team, was on good terms with them, and knew that the budget was massive enough that plot choices wouldn’t be decided by the whims of actors throwing fits.

It was a xianxia epic, with an ensemble cast. Something about Heaven, and officials. Proud Immortal Demon Way was the tester name, a few others being bandied about.

Luo Binghe walked over to Shen Qingqiu and…woah..that was different, “Costuming, thought the black was a bit too plain when we did the test shots, so they pulled out Option B.” Binghe explained.

Luo Binghe stood there, dressed in relatively tight black pants, a long sleeved robe that hit his mid calf, silver jewellery…and an eyepatch. It was…intense.

“They wanted the Ghost King to have a bit more impact.” Binghe continued, as he spread his arms out. “What do you think?”

“Binghe looks very handsome,” Shen Qingqiu replied automatically. Luo Binghe did look very handsome after all.

His character was supposed to teach Binghe’s about the beauty of life or something. Or patience. He hadn’t listened past the director talking about, “A deeply sympathetic and moving individual who was dealt a bad hand in life but never lost his kindness.”

He was sold. His white robes where a bit sketchy though.

69.

Luo Binghe looked at the script in Shen Qingqiu’s lap and asked, “Are you free later?”

“Sure,” Shen Qingqiu replied. “Why?”

Luo Binghe’s eyes looked at the floor in a maidenly fashion, it really wasn’t working out in combination with the whole black and red, xianxia ghost pirate outfit. The difference in aesthetics was too far apart. “I though maybe you could help me go over some lines, or some of the character motivations like we discussed?” He asked.

Fine, fine, Shen Qingqiu had agreed, he’d help out the booty pirate, even if he didn’t actually need the help. “That works out fine. I’m pretty free outside of filming,” he replied.

There was no way in hell Shen Qingqiu was going out that often or filming commercials after Shen Jiu. No one wanted Shen Jiu to recommend them anything. Shen Qingqiu had all the time in the world.

70.

Shang Qinghua walked by with a mini electric fan in his hand. His face changed when he saw Shen Qingqiu with Luo Binghe. Like a startled rodent.

He threw the mini fan at Shen Qingqiu, and ran away. What. The. Fuck. Shang. Qinghua. What was wrong with him?

71.

Shen Qingqiu’s phone vibrated moments later, and there was Airplane-Bro.

Airplane-Bro: Pay attention to your surroundings A’Yuan, anyone could be eavesdropping on you!

Airplane-Bro: Are you trying to seduce him in order to steal his love and money, and then dump his body in the ocean, so that you can marry your second husband?

Airplane-Bro: Or are you trying to seduce him to break his heart and mind? Psychological warfare style?

Airplane-Bro: Do you need me to get anything for you, I’m down with either plan. Do you need lube…I’m going to get lube. Text you back later, getting lube.

Shen Qingqiu, at that point, blacklisted Shang Qinghua. He’d stop blocking him after Shang Qinghua grovelled sufficiently.

Notes:

This is so easy to write in comparison to Rumpled Sheets...I still don't know how the fuck I got to chapter seven. Like I love it (it's my baby and I'm finishing that fucker), but the ISMM Crossover is such a happy crack fest. I don't have to think about character development and shit, I can just basically do the fiction equivalent of a shit-post and roll with it. It's great.

I went back and added (name pending) whenever I wrote PIDW for congruity purposes.

Chapter 5

Summary:

*dinner date*

72.

Shen Qingqiu finished shooting his test scenes for the day, on a different set, when he came upon a group up people rigging Luo Binghe up to a harness. 

He was just going to take a seat right here, and wait. No, no, his makeup could stay on for another few hours, never mind that the powder they kept applying to keep his face matte made it feel like he was literally wearing a mask, that was of no importance. What he clearly needed to do now, was make sure Luo Binghe didn’t end up a pancake on the floor. A Bing-cake, if you will. Why did xianxia films need so many flight scenes anyway?

Shen Qingqiu’s best guess was that they wanted to see what the costume would look like in the air, something about butterflies, and smoke. Luo Binghe needed to look aggressive, instead of flying chicken-like.

That didn’t mean Shen Qingqiu had to be okay with it. That boy, who let him make such rash decisions, surely there were stunt people who could take over?

73.

None of the utter morons surrounding Luo Binghe seemed to be wary of the danger. The two braincells shared between the director, assistant director, martial arts coach, and those little shits called actors, were clearly incapable of conceiving that maybe, just maybe, Luo Binghe could fall down. They didn’t even lay out enough safety matts.

Shen Qingqiu sat there clutching his handkerchief in hand and waited with baited breath.

74.

Not because he cared or anything, he was just nervous that if anything happened to Luo Binghe, he’d be blamed. It’s not like he wanted to grab him away from the stunt idiots, and wrap him in blankets and check over any bumps he had or anything like that.

He was worried that if Luo Binghe stubbed his toe, or fell to his untimely death, his fans would try to murder Shen Qingqiu.

The last time Luo Binghe had nearly been seriously injured, a light fixture came loose on a talk show and plummeted down beside him. It had been a close call, and who got blamed for it? Half a country away, a day before the accident, someone had spotted Shen Qingqiu praying at a shrine, and took a picture. In the minds of Luo Binghe’s fans, Shen Qingqiu was praying to the Gods for Luo Binghe’s death or injury, and this became the story they ran with.

The Gods, last time Shen Qingqiu checked, did not concern themselves with the whims of mortals, least of all a potentially petty Shen Qingqiu looking to sabotage his “adversary”. Who even did that? Who went to a shrine to pray that someone would get hurt, wasn’t that just asking for bad karma?

Shang Qinghua had taken great glee in informing Shen Qingqiu that people thought he was praying for Luo Binghe to break a leg, and not in the, wishing Luo Binghe good luck kind of way, but in the compound fracture kind of way.

What Shen Qingqiu was actually doing, was praying to meet someone in this life. Someone kind, who he might get along with. He didn’t necessarily need to be with a person to be happy, but he thought he might like one.

After finding the Bingqiu community, he looked up their version of the event. It was much better. The talk show happened to be the first one Luo Binghe went on. The community assumed that Shen Qingqiu was praying for Luo Binghe’s success. Only in the Bingqiu-verse was he a pious, and loving boyfriend, so consumed with worry that he prayed for the well-being of Luo Binghe. They cited his downcast eyes, and solemn gaze as he lit incense. Shen Qingqiu, in repayment for their kindness, would take the time to find more opportunities to create food for their spirits in the form of fan-service.

Clearly, Shen Qingqiu’s only reasonable option in this situation where Luo Binghe was in possible danger,  was to sit on a plastic folding chair, clutching a handkerchief between his hands like a wailing mother sending her toddler to kindergarten. It was all because Shen Qingqiu did not want to be blamed.

Ignore the way he nearly leapt out of his seat when it looked like Luo Binghe might hit a tree. It was blame-worry. All, a deep sense of worry he’d end up a scapegoat again.

75.

…Also what kind of God did one pray to, when trying to overcome their enemies? In a non-war like situation? Maybe Black Water Submerging Boats? The drowned God, he seemed like a good choice, or at least one that might not take offence?

 76. 

Under Shen Qingqiu’s worried gaze, Luo Binghe finished shooting his test scenes. The film director, and costume director huddled over a camera, playing the film back, and making happy noises. They seemed pleased with the flow of the fabric in the air.

He watched people rush towards, and surround Luo Binghe, and decided that backing off would be a good idea. He didn’t feel like trying to push his way through a crowd.

Shang Qinghua found him and at the moment, Shen Qingqiu, for once was happy to see his face. He’d use Shang Qinghua’s  short ass body, as a cane to get him back to his personal break room. Not the public one, he had bad luck with that one. Making subtle grabby hands for Shang Qinghua to move closer to him, he clung to his short friend, and shoved his hand over his shoulders. He wasn’t infirm, he was just tired, and Shang Qinghua was conveniently there.

77.

They only just arrived at the break room, Shen Qingqiu packing up his man-satchel, when Luo Binghe walked in through the door.

Did he not have his own break room? There was also a public one, why was he coming over to bother this old man…ah, they had agreed to “practice” later.

“It’s a bit early Binghe, I’ll be over tonight,” Shen Qingqiu reassured. It was the truth, they were staying in the same hotel. On the same floor, even. 

Luo Binghe boyishly grinned, as he asked, “I know, I just thought maybe you’d like to get dinner? It’s still early.”

Shang Qinghua dropped a water bottle, it crashed as it hit the floor.

“Aren’t you afraid we’ll get photographed with one another?” Shen Qingqiu asked, while looking bashfully at the floor.

Shang Qinghua knocked a stack of trashy romance novels with plain book covers off the table.

Luo Binghe replied coaxingly, “Not at all, I’d never be afraid of being seen with you. There’s a nice restaurant near the set, it’s pretty private. It’ll be my treat?”

Shang Qinghua was eyeing the glass flower vase with speculation, and Shen Qingqiu knew that stupid gleam in his eyes so before his agent’s grubby little hamster paws could grab the vase in order to throw it, presumably for distraction purposes, so that Shen Qingqiu, could flee through a non-existent back-door or something, Shen Qingqiu finally snapped, “Shang Qinghua, if you break one more thing in this room, you are going to be cleaning this floor with your tongue.”

A barely audible whimpering noise came from the direction of Luo Binghe. The door hinge was probably creaking.

Shang Qinghua chuckled nervously, raising his hands up in surrender, “I’m just, uh, I’m clumsy? But, I’ve got you guys covered, you two head out and if anyone asks me, I’ll tell them you ran off to join a drug cartel.”

What? What was the supposed to…Shen Qingqiu couldn’t deal with this right now, grabbing the arm of an oddly pliant Luo Binghe he led them both out the door. He wasn’t going to bring Shang Qinghua takeout from whatever place they were going to, rat-man could starve.

78.

On the way out, Shen Qingqiu grabbed a bottle of unsweetened ice tea. An expensive, organic brand his fans assumed he might like. They assumed correctly. They were such good Disciples.

Luo Binghe noticed what Shen Qingqiu was doing and which bag he grabbed the drink from. He quickly took the bottle from Shen Qingqiu’s hand. Not that Shen Qingqiu tried hard to cling to it, he let Binghe take the glass bottle without much effort.

“You shouldn’t drink this,” Luo Binghe chastised gently. “You really need to be careful, you shouldn’t accept anything edible from the fans. A few times, I’ve had drugs slipped into even closed bottles. There are ways around packaging.”

Well, he wasn’t wrong, but Shen Qingqiu had found that fans like Ning Ying Ying sorted through the gifts first, and he had never actually been drugged by any of his Disciples before. He heard of a few incidents where Ning Ying Ying had refused to put an item into the final offerings, because she didn’t know the fan in question. In all these years, nothing bad ever made it to him, but that didn’t mean that would always be the case.

“I’ll be more careful from now on.” Shen Qingqiu agreed, fully intending to be careful about who he consumed his goodies in front of. Binghe was right, but Shen Qingqiu wasn’t dead, so he would keep eating his fan food.

Although, Shen Qingqiu thought that Luo Binghe would make a great boyfriend with how much attention he paid to detail. Looking at Luo Binghe’s worried face, Shen Qingqiu reached one hand up and patted his head. Such a good boy.

79.

When they sat down at the restaurant, finding a cozy booth to share, Luo Binghe, out of politeness, told Shen Qingqiu he could order for then. Shen Qingqiu wanted to take back ever thinking Luo Binghe was a good boy…this lying piece of shit.

80.

Even without reading through the Bingqiu manifesto Shen Qingqiu knew damn well, that Luo Binghe was a picky eater and a great cook. Everyone knew Luo Binghe was a great cook. He won against professional chefs on cooking game shows, and the audience knew those weren’t vanity wins because the whatever chef they had on always left crying, or tried to recruit him.

The restaurant they were in seemed very plain from the decor, but Shen Qingqiu didn’t miss the two Michelin stars on the window. He wasn’t about to the try and mess with whatever Luo Binghe thought they should be ordering in a place he hadn’t been to. Don’t get Shen Qingqiu wrong, give him a moment and his phone, and he could source some great food. In an unfamiliar place, with this picky eater, he wasn’t about to press his luck.

Using the menu to hide his mouth, he looked up at the other actor. “You should pick. You’re  much better when it comes to food than I am, and it wouldn’t make sense if I chose what to eat in the restaurant you picked out.”

“Shizun knows I can cook,” Binghe teased with a quirk of his lips.

Shen Qingqiu slapped his bicep lightly with the menu, “Everyone knows you can cook. You were on that show, Cooking With The Stars, how many times?

“But still, Shizun watched?”

“Yes, and stop calling me Shizun.”

“I’ll stop if you let me cook for you?” Binghe offered.

Eyes widening in surprise, Shen Qingqiu though it was a nice gesture for Luo Binghe to make,  “It’s alright, we’re busy at the time and -“

“I insist. As payback for the acting lessons,” Binghe interrupted.

How silly. “Alright.” Shen Qingqiu agreed. “But you’re ordering the food.”

Binghe hummed in agreement waving over the waiter with a confident flick of his wrist, before rattling off a list without ever having looked at the menu. Hah. Shen Qingqiu knew it, he had been gunning for something specific this whole time, and there he was, telling Shen Qingqiu to order their food.

Shen Qingqiu was too old of a fox to be fooled by this little shit.

81.

The dishes came and Shen Qingqiu was surprised by the spread in front of him. There wasn’t a single shrimp on the table. He hated shrimp, they were weird little sea cockroaches, but the menu was pretty shrimp heavy. There also wasn’t any cilantro, and he knew some of the dishes on the table originally came with it.

The spread consisted of: a whole baked perch dressed with lemon, roasted eggplant, crispy shredded chicken, two bowls of rice, and two glasses of iced tea. One of Shen Qingqiu’s favourite foods, happened to be eggplant, he also really liked whole baked fish, of any kind. How lucky, that their tastes matched, he thought as he dug in.

Spooning a bit of eggplant into his rice bowl, he noticed that Binghe hadn’t touched his food yet.

“Are you not eating?” He asked.

“I’m just waiting for you to grab what you like,” Binghe replied.

Shen Qingqiu took a bit of the perch and put in the Binghe’s rice bowl, then he grabbed some eggplant and did the same. “Eat,” He said.

Binghe smiled and complied, occasionally putting choice bits into Shen Qingqiu’s bowl as well.

82.

Somehow they started talking about that one incident that Shen Qingqiu had been reminded of during filming. Shen Qingqiu thinks it must have been because they were conversing about filming in general but wasn’t sure.

It came up in Luo Binghe’s insane ramble on the many times he was injured while filming. Here were some of the highlights: He was once stabbed with a practice sword, which luckily bounced off of Binghe’s abs and didn’t do as much damage as it should have but required seventeen stitches. That was not quite the way Luo Binghe put it, but Shen Qingqiu’s version was more accurate. He twice was dropped by the rigging but luckily they weren’t too far off the ground one time, and the other time there was a net under him. He once almost drowned during a set, when his foot got caught in a reef. He twice got food poisoning from the catering, and had to be rushed to emergency to have his stomach pumped. Which wasn’t what happened with food poisoning so Shen Qingqiu replaced food poisoning, with poisoning-poisoning in his mind.

Luo Binghe laughed as he talked about how the talk show that tried to kill him via light fixture was actually really underfunded, and that they didn’t have a craft table, or good props, and that Binghe had to work sixteen hours straight to finish filming it, because they only paid to have the set space for one day, which is why a light dropped on him. The set wasn’t so much a set, as it was the run-down community theatre these people were borrowing to try and make a hit talk show. Apparently Luo Binghe wasn’t even supposed to be on that “show”, it was just that his press assignment was mixed up with someone else’s. By mixed up Shen Qingqiu inferred that it was blatant sabotage against the hot young thing who just filmed the movie of the summer that year.

Shen Qingqiu nearly broke the chopsticks he was holding in his hand. Noticing Shen Qingqiu’s pale face, Luo Binghe stopped laughing. “I’m okay, I promise, and this set has a hundred million dollar budget for the first season alone. Action films can just be demanding, what about you, have you ever gotten hurt filming?”

Shen Qingqiu answered, “Not as badly as that, and it doesn’t matter anyway. If you’re the one who gets injured  -“ Shen Qingqiu paused because he couldn’t say what he wanted to, to Luo Binghe’s face. What he wanted to say was, “Your fans will lynch me”. What came out was “ - it’ll make me worry. Please take care of yourself.”

Insert awkward pause…also insert Shen Qingqiu’s foot into his mouth. Again. It tasted salty, maybe that was the eggplant.

Shen Qingqiu reached for some crispy shredded chicken and put it into Luo Binghe’s bowl. He was just going to ignore the thing that came out of his own mouth.

“Thank you Senior.” Luo Binghe squeaked out as he began to reciprocate the food giving.

Move along folks nothing to see here. Just two coworkers, having dinner. All friendly like.

83.

Luo Binghe spotted a decorative streetlamp on their way back to the hotel and pulled Shen Qingqiu towards it, by the hand. “Come on, let’s take a photo. We’re adversaries, our peace treaty should be documented.”

“Binghe,” Shen Qingqiu chided.

“Okay, okay, how about taking a photo just for me then?” Binghe turned to ask the other actor, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

What a charming young man. His girlfriend would either be very lucky, to very unlucky to have him. 

Shen Qingqiu of course, took a few photos with Luo Binghe. Binghe’s arms were held out over Shen Qingqiu’s shoulders in order for him to take a few selfies of them in the soft light of the street-lamp. There was a a wall covered in climbing ivy behind them, it was the storefront of a florist. The scene was very photo-worthy but Shen Qingqiu didn’t really care about how the pictures came out, he was sure they were fine.

What he did care about was the wallpaper he caught sight of as Luo Binghe fiddled with his phone. The image was that of a sleeping cat. A familiar cat. A white cat, that looked suspiciously similar to the white kitten that Binghe was caught on video playing with.

Shen Qingqiu pointed to the phone, looking up at Binghe, “Is that the white cat from the video? The one where you’re playing with a kitten?”

Binghe, with his arms around Shen Qingqiu’s shoulders, looked stunned. Like someone just slapped him with a perch.

84.

Shen Qingqiu froze. He was fucked, how was he going to explain why he knew about that video. It was old as shit, and had like a hundred reposts or so.

What was he supposed to say, yeah…I internet stalked you? Was that better than I am part of fandom that ships us together but also, I’m not interested in you like that so please don’t be alarmed or call the police on my old ass?

87.

Binghe, instead of running away screaming towards the hills, like a normal person, scratched his nose in embarrassment, and said, “Umm…uh..so. Are you…are you more careful when you film, now?”

86.

Shen Qingqiu’s mind is not working anymore. It has gone out to lunch. If you return in a hour, maybe it will be back. Office Hours are Monday to Friday from 8:00 A.M to 6:00 P.M. If you have an urgent message please contact Shang Qinghua, the Communications Manager of the Department, or leave a voicemail.

To leave a voicemail message, please wait for the *beep*.

Notes:

THINGS I DID THIS MORNING: Cried over aishiteru's our story's just begun. It's so good. Such porn, such hurt, and the promise of an eventual harem. Also, I had oatmeal. Fibre is important in keeping regular.

Chapter 6

Summary:

*So money. Some of you will need this information (I had to look it up, personally). 300,000 Chinese Yuan = 40,000 USD. 30 Million Chinese Yuan = 4 Million USD. These are approximate.

87.

Shen Qingqiu came back into working order slowly…he then immediately shoved the words he just heard come out of Luo Binghe’s mouth, into the ground, and buried them. They were dead to him.

88.

“Hmm?” Shen Qingqiu answered, preying on the fact that it was probable to assume he had some degree of ignorance about the things that came out of Luo Binghe’s mouth.

Luo Binghe was acting kind of suspect about the whole thing, after all. Almost as though he really did make the video as a strange get well card for Shen Qingqiu. That was impossible. Firstly, who would understand that cryptic-ass message. Secondly, what were the chances that Shen Qingqiu would ever see that video in order to decode it, and thirdly, what would motivate Luo Binghe to make something like that in the first place? Camaraderie? A general love for the universe? Shen Qingqiu’s tired pity post?

Keeping his expression neutral Shen Qingqiu titled his head, bullshitted, and did not answer Luo Binghe’s question in any way, shape or form, “I really like cats, so when my agent showed me the video…I..um..remembered it.” Thank you Shang Qinghua, for looking so suspect at all times, that most people would believe whatever Shen Qingqiu told them about him. Also, he did actually like cats, so none of that was really a lie. Except the entire reason he knew about the post.

Upon hearing Shen Qingqiu’s response, Luo Binghe’s cheeks flushed, as he looked down. Scuffing his shoe against the cement, he shyly murmured, “I though you knew about it.”

89.

“What did you think I knew?” Shen Qingqiu softly asked. He really wanted Luo Binghe to enlighten him.

Luo Binghe nervously fidgeted, folding one palm over the back of his other hand, pulling at his right fingers with his left, and said, “You sprained your ankle before, on the Qingyuan Dynasty set. My fans always seem to cause trouble for you, in general, which is stupid because we aren’t actually against each other, but after you made that post…they went on your Weibo and said some things. It was completely out of line. It was clear that you were really suffering in the photo, even an idiot could tell it was bad sprain. But they wouldn’t stop saying it was fake, or calling you a liar.”

It was nice that he thought Shen Qingqiu was a decent person, even before they worked together….Him and Shang Qinghua did play up that sprain, but what Luo Binghe didn’t know, couldn’t hurt him. It was a real sprain after all, ankle swollen like a cantaloupe.

Luo Binghe maintained the shy air of a middle schooler confessing to her crush as he kept going while fiddling with his hands, refusing to look Shen Qingqiu in the eye.

“My manager was pretty insistent that I couldn’t say anything to clear things up, because we didn’t really know each. If I cleared things up it would have..um…seemed like the company was making me cover for you. So I…tried to get around it? I asked my manager to to help me record the video and I posted it. I didn’t know if the message would get to you because, it was really vague, but I couldn’t stand by and do nothing.”

90.

Shen Qingqiu stood there, under the lamp looking at Luo Binghe.

This Bingqiu idiot savant.

One of the few pieces of information on the manifesto, that was so close to conspiracy theory evidence, that it would be insane to believe it was true…was true. Luo Binghe filmed the video as a message to Shen Qingqiu. Catzun was real. The only thing Shen Qingqiu regretted in this moment, was that he could not share this news with the rest of the community.

Shen Qingqiu’s Bingqiu shipper soul, was hit with a tsunami of fluff. It washed over him, causing fizzy warmth to rise from the tips of his toes, to the top of his head. His heart skipped a beat, and a light pink flush coloured his cheeks.

This ridiculous junior, was so worried for him, huh? For someone Luo Binghe had never been close to. What a gentleman.

91.

“I-I thought you knew so, when you asked me…” Luo Binghe stuttered.

“Thank you.” Shen Qingqiu started, the corners of his mouth ticking upwards just the slightest, as his eyelashes fluttered, his eyes downcast shyly. “It means a lot for me, that you did that. The fans overall, were…a bit rough when I was filming Qingyuan Dynasty, not just yours, fans of the show. Knowing you made that video really means a lot to me.”

Luo Binghe, frowned, straightening his shoulders imposingly, “You were amazing as Shen Jiu. I watched every episode of that show, and there’s nothing bad to say about it.”

Shen Qingqiu chuckled self-deprecatingly, “Shen Jiu was pretty horrible.”

Luo Binghe’s face took on a stubborn look, “He was complicated, not horrible. And either way, you’re not Shen Jiu. You’re Shen Qingqiu. Anyone who can’t tell the difference needs to back off.”

Shen Qingqiu tucked a strand of hair behind his ears and replied, “Thank you.”

92.

Luo Binghe gazed softly down at Shen Qingqiu, before he said, “Let’s get back and practice, it’s getting late.”

Shen Qingqiu shivered a bit, in the cooling evening air. He didn’t bring a jacket, as it was pretty warm before they left but now…

Luo Binghe noticed, and slipped out of his leather jacket, offering it to Shen Qingqiu. Shen Qingqiu’s eyes widened as he noticed what Luo Binghe was doing.

“I couldn’t.” Shen Qingqiu spluttered, “I’m older than you, I’ll be fine, I can’t take your jacket.”

Luo Binghe’s face gained a mischievous glint as thew his jacket over one shoulder, grabbed Shen Qingqiu’s upper arms, and pulled him close to the younger man’s chest. Grabbing the jacket, he encased Shen Qingqiu in the leather, throwing it over those slender shoulders so it hung off him, before backing away swiftly, and saying, “It’s on you now, you have to wear it. I’m not taking it back.”

On one hand it was inappropriate for Shen Qingqiu to walk around swamped by Luo Binghe’s massive leather jacket. On the other…Shen Qingqiu was cold. He threaded his arms through the sleeves, wiggling his fingertips that made it just past the cuffs. Shen Qingqiu then snuggled into the collar, pulling the material close.

“I seem to be saying thank you a lot this evening.” He said.

Luo Binghe stared at Shen Qingqiu, and breathily replied, “It’s fine. You don’t need to thank me. I want to do this for you. Please.”

What a sweet junior cooed Shen Qingqiu internally. He really looked after his elders well…even when it should be the other way around. He would have to do something nice for Luo Binghe. Did the other actor like chocolate, he wondered.

Walking together, they made their way slowly back towards the hotel, in a comfortable silence. Shen Qingqiu failing to notice Luo Binghe’s fervent glances towards him, or the photos he sneakily took.

93.

When they almost reached the hotel’s entrance they saw a woman standing by the curb, with her hands crossed over her chest, she looked about university age, with a clean face, straight black hair, and disgruntled look to her. Like she had been handed the wrong order at a restaurant and was the type of person to try and get the waiter fired for the mistake.

Luo Binghe paused, before grabbing Shen Qingqiu’s hand and starting to pull them away but her thin, high voice petulantly called out, “Luo Binghe.”

Luo Binghe’s high spirits, dipped the moment he saw the girl

Surprisingly, Shen Qingqiu knew her face. He had seen her talking to Luo Binghe in the company on occasion. They seemed pretty close from the outside looking in. Why was Luo Binghe trying to run away, then? Why was she so angry? A lover’s spat?

94.

Someone once managed to get a picture of them together, but they were only talking, and there was no follow up, so the news gave up trying to spin some kind of sordid romance before they ever started.

Up close, she seemed pretty? Nice skin, light makeup, bright eyes, straight eyebrows that gave her an innocent gleam. Save for the mouth twisted into a grimace, and the anger in her gaze, she’d be a pretty university student. Dressed in pink sundress, with tan sandals, and a white cardigan, tote bag swung around one shoulder, she seemed…ordinary?

Definitely not up to par with Luo Binghe, but Shen Qingqiu knew that everyone had their own tastes. Maybe she had a great personality, or maybe they shared important life experiences? Maybe Luo Binghe was in to bland oatmeal? It wasn’t up to him to determine Luo Binghe’s love life.

Still, Shen Qingqiu felt indigestion build in his stomach. Maybe he ate too much, but seeing those two together was off-putting.

If someone asked Shen Qingqiu why he didn’t feel bothered shipping himself with Luo Binghe he’d say it was because he knew without a shadow of a doubt that nothing would ever happen between himself and the other actor. His fluff paradise was internal, non-existent and therefore never-ending. It was a stress reliever not a real relationship.

It was just…seeing his ship about to be shot-down as Luo Binghe greeted his pissed off girlfriend was a bit, much. It ruined the fantasy.

Gripping the cuffs of the leather jacket Shen Qingqiu prepared himself to watch canon rip his heart out, right in front of him. He could do this. Millions of people dealt with this all the time, as show creators ruined their lives with their so called “choices”.

Rest in piece Bingqiu, Shen Yuan would repress this moment and return to the fantasy of his ship when it was over. Canon never had much control over what fanon did with it anyway. Shen Qingqiu imagined dramatic enactments of him being left out in the rain as his lover ran off for another woman and left him to weep, miserable, alone, and cold. His two children crying for their father. He’d be a great widow.

Returning back to reality, he decided that he’d be polite, charming, and gentle to this, probably very nice young woman. Plan, Be Nice to that Home-wrecking Bitch was a Go. Shen Qingqiu could do this. He was an actor.

95.

The woman, huffed out, “You’re not even going to say hello? After everything my family did for you?”

“What are you doing here?” Luo Binghe asked, his eyes cold as he ignored her provocation.

The woman turned to look at Shen Qingqiu, and asked Luo Binghe, “Aren’t you going to introduce me?” She seemed like a bit of brat, but what did Shen Qingqiu know?

Luo Binghe was quiet for a moment, before turning to the other actor, “This is my step-sister.”

Yes, Shen Qingqiu internally fist pumped in celebration. Not his girlfriend. Shen Qingqiu turned to woman, and greeted her politely, “Sister.”

…Perhaps it was the relief of not seeing his Bingqiu dreams splatter onto the window pane of reality like a bird flying way too fast that made Shen Qingqiu call out to Binghe’s sister as if she were his own. Whatever the reason everyone paused to observe a moment of awkward silence.

Shen Qingqiu smiled disarmingly, “Sorry, I just wanted to lighten the mood. It’s nice to meet you. Luo Binghe has been wonderful to work with.” There, he praised her brother, that should work out.

The woman, gritted her teeth and bit out, “It’s nice to meet you too.”

Luo Binghe looked like his shoulders where shaking a bit, trying to hold back his laughter. He motioned that Shen Qingqiu should go forward. Shen Qingqiu shrugged, and complied. However, he only managed to get a few metres closer to the entrance before the conversation made its way to his ears.

He wanted to get away from this impending sibling spat…but this…

96.

Luo Binghe again asked her, “What are here for?”

The girl responded sarcastically, “What, are you so special that I can’t come see you? What do you think I came here for?”

Luo Binghe pinched the bridge of his nose, “I already sent you three hundred-thousand yesterday. What more do you want?”

“I want two more zeros added onto that number.” She demanded.

“Surprisingly, I don’t have that much on hand, to just give to you.” He mocked.

“Isn’t that a fraction of what you make shooting a drama like this?” She countered.

“I don’t get paid in bulk like that. The signing bonus isn’t even that much.” He shot back.

“Then, I guess you’ll have to see the headlines tommorow. I wonder what they’ll say?”

Luo Binghe didn’t say anything else.

97.

Shen Qingqiu felt a rage simmer in his belly, and turned his ass right back around. He was about to start some shit.

98.

Startled that Shen Qingqiu returned but weirdly proud, the step-sister, raised a folder she grabbed from her tote bag and mocked, “How about we let your friend take a look first? Maybe it’ll be good for him to learn what kind of person you are, before he gets closer to you.”

Luo Binghe started to move, but Shen Qingqiu waved his hand dismissively, “Pass it over.”

99.

Luo Binghe seemed to be covered by a cloud of gloom, as Shen Qingqiu opened the folder, to leaf through the material at a slow place, commenting as he went through each section of alleged blackmail.

“Oh. Poor educational background. I didn’t even know this was still a thing, he was an orphan so his high-school wasn’t the greatest because of circumstances out of his control, it’s not like he could go to a better one even if he did get in. After his first film, he tested into Tsinghua, and put his pay towards his board, and education.”

Shen Qingqiu kept reading through the steaming pile of absolute horse-shit within the folder, “ Drinking with directors in exchange for resources,” which meant either selling his own ass, or buying ass with upper management, “…isn’t this Director Guo who filmed Veiled Love? Whoever put this together didn’t read the author’s interview. The author worked as the scriptwriter and said from the very beginning of production that she wrote the film version with Luo Binghe in mind. He was her first choice for the male lead, and Director Guo agreed. Additionally, this photo is so blurry Director Guo could be drinking with an actual houseplant, and we wouldn’t know the difference…March 18th…wasn’t Binghe filming a show in Hunan Province that day? Funny how he’s simultaneously drinking in a clubhouse in Beijing?”

Flipping to another page, Shen Qingqiu continued, “Drugs? Are you kidding me? That’s a pretty serious accusation to throw around with no proof except a picture of Luo Binghe looking sick after a flight. That’s an airport, I know that airport, I’ve been there before. The floor is pretty unmistakable.” Shen Qingqiu looked for doctors reports, pictures of Luo Binghe shooting up, or snorting something, or a holding a bottle of pills…and unsurprisingly found nothing in this pile of third-class tabloid fodder his alleged “step-sister” was calling evidence.

100.

Whats-her-face interrupted Shen Qingqiu dumbfounded, “Are you his agent or something, what’s your problem?”

Okay, he was so angry on behalf of Luo Binghe, he wasn’t even offended that she couldn’t recognize him. She seemed like the type who knew pop stars, and nothing else. Nothing labelled “serious” must have ever crossed her screen because Shen Qingqiu was pretty famous. That being said, usually he wasn’t so harsh on people not knowing him, because it happened, and there was nothing wrong with it, but he wasn’t feeling very charitable at the moment. So instead of a bright young girl with other valid interests, she became an uncultured fetus with anger issues, and Shen Qingqiu was okay with that.

“No, I’m just a friend.” Shen Qingqiu replied. She didn’t need to know they worked together. She could find out by her own, damn, self. The same way she found out that Luo Binghe was totally doing drugs. Who knew, maybe she’d discover that Shen Qingqiu was really Luo Binghe’s third cousin?

101.

Blackmail could be pretty brutal, not because of the contents but because of the nature of the material. If there was one single truth in a pile of lies, then the lies automatically became true. Everything was painted with the same brush. If an actress was photographed kissing a male director, or caught going to his house late at night, she was sleeping around to get her role. The only move to preserve reputation, would be for her to admit that she was in a long term relationship with said director.

If there were subsequent pictures showing her standing close to different important people in upper management, which would be normal given she’s an actress, it wouldn’t matter if she slept with those men or not. The public would assume she did. Even if the initial picture taken was a spur of the moment situation where two people connected, that wouldn’t fly under public scrutiny. The associations would be made, and even other male directors who worked with the actress subsequently might assume she was playing by the hidden rules. There were things you could and couldn’t do as an actor, for fear of losing reputation. In many ways they were public figures first before they were private ones.

Shen Qingqiu worked his way through the folder, dismissing each, one-by-one, until he saw the single truth that woman was using as the cornerstone.

102.

There was an injury report. Four years old, with a bright red stamp in the corner. Shen Qingqiu turned his head to Luo Binghe, and asked, “Drunk?”

“No.” He replied, straightening his shoulders, his eyes connecting with Shen Qingqiu’s placid gaze.

“Did you run away after it happened?”

“No. I called the ambulance.”

“Who paid for the treatment?”

“I did, and I’m paying for the follow-up as well.”

“Are they recovering?”

“He was just discharged from the hospital, before New Year’s.”

Shen Qingqiu paused, biting his lip, just to make sure, he had to ask, “Were you the driver?”

Luo Binghe looked Shen Qingqiu dead in the eyes, and said, “No.” Shen Qingqiu nearly thew the folder in his face. What the fuck were they even standing here for then?

His stepsister screeched, “…What do you mean ‘No’?!”

103.

Shen Qingqiu looked down at her from the position of someone who was not trying to blackmail their step-brother, thus making him a better person, and said, “Publish it, however you want. I honestly don’t know who’ll take it, but there has to be some corner of the internet with enough stupidity to try and pass this off as fact. You’ll never get it through print.”

And if they did, Shang Qinghua was a certified lawyer. Not a lot of people knew that about him, but that squirrelly sonofabitch worked in New York as a lawyer for a few years in a firm as closely adjacent to hell, as a law firm possibly could be. He was a partner. Their offices smelled like sulphur, their basement was probably lava, and their lawyers where all vicious hell rats, who were undying, never-tiring, and indestructible. They were the cockroaches of justice, or whoever had enough money to pay them. Shang Qinghua left in a blaze of glory, holding a suitcase filled with money, screaming that he had to go save his Cucumber-Bro from the indignities of the film industry, right in the front lobby. He didn’t have to save shit, he was bored, and found the business end of the film industry hilarious. So he moved from being Shen Qingqiu’s part time agent into being his full time one.

Magnanimously, Shen Qingqiu decided that he would lend Luo Binghe, Shang Qinghua, if the occasion called for it. Shang Qinghua would probably be happy to sharpen his little mouse teeth on something easy like this. It had been a while since he actively practiced, his efforts nowadays going into securing Shen Qingqiu tight knit contracts, and great benefits.

104.

Whatever-her-name-was looked at Shen Qingqiu with surprise, then glared at Luo Binghe. Shen Qingqiu pulled the younger actor away, with a wave and a smile towards the woman, but the human leech grasped onto Binghe’s other arm.

Bland porridge cried out in panic, “Thirty million, thirty million, that’s all. This is the last time I’ll ask for anything, and it’s only thirty million, you owe it to us.”

Luo Binghe allowed Shen Qingqiu to pull him away again, shaking off her tacky pink painted fingernails, with ease.

105.

Did they think that Luo Binghe was a bank? Some kind of strange human tree, that shed money? Where did this leech come from? Only thirty million, his ass. Money wasn’t that easy to make. Why didn’t she go out and make it, if it was only thirty million.

Luo Binghe shot Shen Qingqiu a nervous glance. That poor boy, so overwhelmed by shitty relatives. Shen Qingqiu’s smile changed. It wasn’t a nice smile, “If you publish this, I’ll put thirty million into washing his reputation clean. You’ll still want his money, but you’ll have burned whatever bridge you’re using to get it.”

He pointed to the folder she tucked into her tote bag, “And that car accident? How long you think it’ll be for people to figure out what happened? Judging from your face you want to say that he’ll be blamed for covering it up, but you’re his step-sister and you’ve taken so much of his money. Whose to say you weren’t in on it too? Maybe the money he gave you was meant to go to the family of that poor man? And here you are taking it for yourself.”

She wanted to blackmail people, fine, two could play at that game. If she wanted to drag Luo Binghe down, then Shen Qingqiu would drag her down with him.

106.

Potatoes with no butter, oil, or spice, glared at Shen Qingqiu, like he was shit she was smelling, as Luo Binghe stepped in front to block Shen Qingqiu from sight, as though protecting him. “If you go back right now and never come here again, I’ll send over three-hundred-thousand to Lao Gongzhu’s account. Every month.”

Something about that cold calm tone, and the detached way that Shen Qingqiu watched Luo Binghe deal with the woman, save for the few nervous glances he shot at Shen Qingqiu, reminded him of the phrase: playing the pig to eat a tiger. He had no idea why, clearly Luo Binghe was nervous to be in this situation. Waving the thought aside Shen Qingqiu watched tensely, ready to intercept if need be.

She tried clutch Luo Binghe’s shirt, “Three hundred thousand a month?! Before you——”

Her voice stopped abruptly as a security guard snuck up behind her and clamped his hand over her mouth, carrying her away. Shang Qinghua appeared from the blue, eating a bag of sunflower seeds.

107.

As they watched her be dragged away, Luo Binghe looked at Shang Qinghua with confusion. Shen Qingqiu did not. He knew Shang Qinghua too well at this point to flinch at the timely save.

Shang Qinghua sighed desolately, which would have been more convincing if he had stopped eating sunflower seeds. “Anti-fans are so scary these days, they really don’t know when to stop.”

Shen Qingqiu sometimes, but only sometimes, loved his rat-friend. He was never telling him that though. Shang Qinghua's smugness would be unbearable.

Chapter 7

Summary:

*eh...it's cute?

108.

The three of them stared at each other. The cracking of the sunflower hulls breaking into two under Shang Qinghua’s mouse-teeth the only sound they could hear.

Shang Qinghua looked back and forth between the two actors, scuttling closer to Shen Qingqiu, pulling him away from Luo Binghe to whisper in his ear, “I saw nothing Cucumber Bro. I saw nothing, and I know nothing. Good luck though, I’m cheering you on.”

He then bowed to Shen Qingqiu and proceeded to run away, fleeing into the hotel, to presumably do whatever it was Shang Qinghua did when no one was watching. Shen Qingqiu, never wanted to know what that was.

109.

One day, though…one day, Shen Qingqiu would get a clear answer as to why Shang Qinghua liked to come and go like a tiny hurricane comprised of fluffy brown hair, and manic hand gestures.

Shen Qingqiu rubbed the bridge of his nose, and began to walk towards the hotel, Luo Binghe  walking beside him.

“Your PA is pretty…interesting?” Binghe said.

Shen Qingqiu’s gaze flickered to his junior. It was good to see the younger man looking so calm after everything that happened with his step-sister…but it was also worrying. “He’s my agent, actually,” he replied.

Binghe smiled gently, and asked, “You two seem close?”

Shen Qingqiu nodded, “A’Shang and I went to school together. He’s a good friend.”

Luo Binghe’s smile seemed to soften a bit, for some reason, as he replied, “How nice. I’ll have to greet him a properly next time.”

Shen Qingqiu waved dismissively, “It’s not a big deal. A’Shang doesn’t care, he’s happy to stay in the background.”

Luo Binghe hummed understandingly in response.

Shen Qingqiu reached a hand out to pat the taller man on the arm, and calmly stated, “It’s going to be fine. No matter what happens, I’ll protect you.” He didn’t want Binghe to think he was alone in his struggle and Shen Qingqiu didn’t trust the company to look out for his best interests.

Those money grubbing vultures would probably leave Binghe out to hang for a few weeks before addressing the issue, just to boost his popularity if his stepsister did reach out to the press. If people were talking about an actor, no matter what the topic, it would make that actor more known. The company would prioritize popularity over mental health, every time.

Shen Qingqiu had enough clout to put a stop to any rumours immediately, without consequence. He wasn’t bound by a long term contract, instead he had to renew with the company every year. It was a tenuous position because if he didn’t maintain a certain status, he could be let off easily. However, the benefits of a short contract greatly outweighed the risks, especially with Shen Yuan’s career being so lucrative. He could leave, pretty much whenever he wanted, and use his short stay as leverage if the company tried to act against him.

His contract also had amazing terms: a high cut of the profits went directly to him, and it was specified that Shen Qingqiu had full creative control over which projects he took on, and which advertising campaigns he accepted. Shen Qingqiu, to this day, had no idea how Shang Qinghua got him that contract without selling one of his kidneys, but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. In a testament to his skill, Shang Qinghua repeated this miracle every year the contract was renewed. Shen Qingqiu bought him a five years supply of seeds that came every month, in a cute gift basket, promoting different flavours and roasting methods, as a thank you.

What this all boiled down to was, the fact that Shen Qingqiu had enough power and resources to keep unsalted french fry from ruining Binghe's life. 

Luo Binghe paused, as though shocked, and took Shen Qingqiu’s hand in his own, gently removing it from his arm. His voice was gentle, and his eyes kind as he spoke. “Everything is going to be just fine. You don’t have to worry about me. They only want a little money, and you’ve made it very clear, that if they want to get anything, they’ll have to behave.”

Shen Qingqiu frowned and said, “If Binghe needs anything, you can always come to me for help.”

Luo Binghe’s eyes looked suspiciously wet and shiny as he gazed into Shen Qingqiu’s.

110.

Staring at the elevator mirror Shen Qingqiu didn’t say, or ask, anything else about the incident.

It sounded like some kind of shitty drama from the outside looking in. The adopted family of the orphaned child, extorting him for money, after heaping on abuse during the main character’s childhood. Shen Qingqiu was adding in the last part for dramatic affect, he didn’t know if it was true, or not. The main character would then rise to the top of his chosen field, and crush those who opposed him. That ending was sounding pretty good to him, right about now, after cereal with no milk, made herself heard.

He didn’t know Luo Binghe’s family situation, which made it hard to help. The car crash, the driver, the step-father…too many questions were left unanswered. He also had no right to know, or to push for answers to satisfy his own curiosity. That wouldn’t be kindness, that would be selfishness.

Families…families could be complicated. His own was fractured. His parents were relatively wealthy business owners who made their money in real estate. His sister, and two elder brothers, were kind but not close. When Shen Yuan was two, his father brought one of his older brothers home. Shen Yu was a product of infidelity, and his mother, upon learning of the boy, was never quite the same. They had none of the television drama of his father leaving his wife for a mistress, or the half sibling trying to get “revenge” on the Shen family. Instead, they were all raised together. Instead their parents worked alongside each other, they just…didn’t talk. They lived their own lives, separately, maintaining the marriage for tax benefits. Shen Yuan, and his siblings lived between them.

Looking at Luo Binghe pulling out his phone to send off a few messages, Shen Qingqiu’s heart felt as though it was being pierced. He would be good to this junior. He’d be all the family Luo Binghe would ever need.

Resolving himself, again, to buy some some high quality sweets for Luo Binghe. Shen Qingqiu held his tongue, and continued to stare at his own reflection.

111.

When they reached the hallway, Binghe put his phone into his pocket. Shen Qingqiu noticing Binghe was free, turned to pinch his cheeks, one hand on each side, pulling at the soft flesh.

“Give me a smile?” Shen Qingqiu asked playfully.

Luo Binghe stepped back, away from the grasping hands, and chuckled, before grabbing Shen Qingqiu’s cheeks and returning the action. “You look more worried than I do. How about you give me a smile, instead.”

Shen Qingqiu was not in the mood to smile, but he batted Luo Binghe’s hands away and tried his best.

Luo Binghe noticed Shen Qingqiu’s sullen demeanour, and stopped pinching to rub at the tender flesh instead, cupping Shen Qingqiu’s face, stroking his cheeks with his thumbs as though tracing imaginary tear tracks.

“Thank you for protecting me. I appreciate it,” Binghe coaxed.

Shen Qingqiu huffed internally. Who wanted to protect Binghe? That big lummox, who didn’t know how to stand up for himself. Binghe was being bullied, and Shen Qingqiu wanted to help but he couldn’t force it, if this idiot wanted to keep giving those people money, then Shen Qingqiu would have to wait until he got tired of it, before he could step in and help.   

112.

Why did Luo Binghe keep trying to soothe him, anyway? He wasn’t the one being extorted with shitty evidence.

113.

“By the way,” Luo Binghe began. “You’d make a great detective, or a domineering company president. Why don’t you try out for a role like that, next time? I’ve never seen you play something like that.”

This brat. Shen Qingqiu was going to hit him, see if he didn’t. Who between the two of them was the better visual fit for a tyrant? Clearly it was the man in front of him. In heart, Binghe was a soft white lotus, but in image…

Shen Qingqiu stared at him with dead eyes and snorted.

Binghe pouted, “But you’d be good at it!”

“That’s funny. Which one us played a Demon Lord again?” He retorted. “…And which ones of us has “Concubines”, I think I forgot, maybe you could remind me?”

Binghe, looked to side innocently, and scuffed the hotel carpet with his boot.

“Ah,” he exclaimed as though suddenly realizing something, his voice breaking shyly in the middle of his sentence. “How did you..umm… know all of those things about me?”

Oh Fuck.

Think lizard brain. Think. How was Shen Qingqiu going to get out of this one?

…“It’d like to say that I have a great memory.” He shoots. “But really, I looked you up. This is our first time working together. I was nervous because of the rumours, and I thought that if I knew a few things about you, I’d have a better chance getting along with you. Maybe I’d be able to find common ground to talk about, you know?”

This is how to lie well: tell half of the truth, and then distract the person with your own emotional vulnerability in some way, shape, or form. He scores. The crowd goes wild, Shen Yuan wins the game with three seconds left on the clock, as he pretends to shyly look down.

Luo Binghe’s face turns red. “W-what did Shizun think?” He asks.

Shen Qingqiu’s eyes soften, and his smile spreads easily across his face. “I think Binghe is a gifted young actor, who deserves all of the praise he’s gotten, and more. I am very excited to be working with you. I hope we can both take good care of each other, during filming.”

Binghe perked up, and Shen Qingqiu swore he could see dog ears on his head, and a puppy dog tail wagging behind him, as Binghe blurted out, “I’m a really, a very big fan of your work, and it means a lot for me, to hear you say that. You were the one who inspired me to go into acting and I’d love to take care of you during filming.”

Shen Qingqiu smacked his bicep, before the words really sunk in. “Take care of each other, brat.”

“Take care of Shizun.” Binghe replied, his eyes shining in happiness.

Holy shit.

Luo Binghe was a Disciple.

He wasn’t just mockingly using the word. He meant it. Given his popularity…Luo Binghe…could even be considered his…Head..Disciple? Huh. Shen Qingqiu learned new things every day.

It was Shen Qingqiu’s turn for his face to go red, as he snapped out, “Don’t call me that. We work together!”

Luo Binghe pouted. “But I’ve been a Disciple for years, and I wasn’t even able to tell anyone because of the press issue. Would Shizun really deny me this? I promise I won’t do it in public.”

Shen Qingqiu looked at those big eyes, and groaned out, “Fine, you can call me whatever you want. However, Binghe has already done so much for me, you have to let me take care of you a bit too.” It would be hard to forget that, Shen Qingqiu still had Luo Binghe’s jacket over his shoulders.

114.

“T-then can I have your autograph?” Binghe asked, clasping Shen Qingqiu’s hands between his own excitedly. His big paws were warm where they grasped Shen Qingqiu’s slender digits.

Ouch. The light from that smile was blinding Shen Qingqiu’s eyes. Could Binghe turn that down please?

Luo Binghe let go of the older actor only to pull out his cellphone, and a permanent marker he was probably carrying in case of autographs. It was gold. Taking the clear case off, Luo Binghe  presented Shen Qingqiu with the back of his phone.

W-was Shen Qingqiu supposed to sign it? His phone?…He was supposed to sign it wasn’t he?

Shen Qingqiu reached out his hands, and printed his signature on the back of Luo Binghe’s phone, as neatly as he could. This, was a thing that was happening then.

Pausing for a moment, Shen Qingqiu bit his lip before the Bingqiu demon that gorged on his soul won. Pulling out his own phone, Shen Qingqiu took off the clear case, and asked, “Won’t Binghe give me his signature too?”

Binghe choked a bit in shock, before complying, taking his time to make the signature just right.

Meanwhile Shen Qingqiu was frozen in awe at the series of events that led up to this moment…They had couple-phones. They had matching couple phones, and clear cases. The public was going to lose their tiny, feeble minds, over this. They couldn’t even say it was some weird trend as an excuse. They literally had each other’s signatures on their phones. 

Well. Let it never be said, that Shen Qingqiu never did anything for the Bingqiu community.

115.

They owned the same phone model too, which made it worse. Or maybe better? The only difference was that Binghe’s was dark grey, while Shen Qingqiu’s was a lighter silver. The gold signatures made the phones look like shiny pieces of special edition fan merchandise.

116.

Shen Qingqiu rolled in his blanket, phone in hand, recalling the meet and greet from earlier. Ning Ying Ying had outed herself as a Bingqiu fan…and had been witness to some pretty compelling evidence that her ship was real. He was curious about the fans opinions on the meet and greet in general, and if anyone had said something about him and Luo Binghe coming out together.

Signing into the Bingqiu For Life Discussion Board, Shen Qingqiu proceeded to lurk through the public chat forum, coming across a person who, very obviously, had to be Ning Ying Ying. He knew it was her because the handle was TwoBunDisciple…after her hair, which she kept in two buns. Sometimes he worried about that girl.

His own handle was Catzuntastic, though he didn’t really interact with people, preferring to observe and soak in the good energy.

Apparently what had happened was this: Ning Ying Ying lost it after the meet and greet and started telling everyone she could that Bingqiu was real, in the public chat forum. The group as a whole was restless after Luo Binghe had added him as a friend online, so they started hounding her for proof.

Photos or it didn’t happen, right?

She then said, that she did actually have proof, by which she meant the signed poster, but she didn’t want to make things complicated for Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe. Unable to cough up the receipts, due to Ning Ying Ying being a decent person, the group started accusing her of making shit up.

To which, Ning Ying Ying, to Shen Qingqiu’s great pride, responded with, “If you think it’s shit, then treat it like that. I don’t have to convince you.”

And, because it all went down on a public forum, random people began to chime in, turning the whole situation into a veritable shit-storm of he said - she said, five years ago so-and-so did this, two years ago it was proven that so-and-so was a lying desiccated grub worm, who no one should ever believe, and other such things like that. It was ugly.

How irritating. Tapping a manicured nail on the back of his phone case, Shen Qingqiu bitterly thought that those who doubted her would just have to wait and see wouldn’t they? It was only a matter of time before the pictures came out of their new couple phones.

117.

Shen Qingqiu’s interactions with Luo Binghe were real. Their dinner, the jacket that Shen Qingqiu had yet to return, the way Shen Qingqiu defended the younger man, were all real. The way they pulled at each other’s cheeks, like two people who had known each other for a long time. The ease they had with each other. All of it, was real.

The only thing that wasn’t real, was that Luo Binghe and him, weren’t a couple.

Shen Qingqiu stared at the back of his phone case, tracing the signature. The phone buzzed in his hand, and he flipped it over, curious as to the messages.

118.

Demon lord @Luo_Binghe made a Weibo post

Demon lord @Luo_Binghe made a Weibo post

Demon lord @Luo_Binghe made a Weibo post

Demon lord @Luo_Binghe tagged @Shen_Qingqiu on a Weibo post.

Demon lord @Luo_Binghe made a Weibo post

 119.

Curious, Shen Qingqiu unlocked his phone and logged into his own Weibo account.

Demon lord @Luo_Binghe: Had a great time at the meet and greet today.

Shen Qingqiu nodded, that was pretty normal. A standard post for an actor.

Demon lord @Luo_Binghe: We’re getting somewhere with the show. We should be starting official production soon.

Demon lord @Luo_Binghe: I’ve been reading Muxin’s The Lark Cried All Day.

The attached picture was a screenshot of a short poem called Temptation.

Shen Qingqiu’s eye had already begun to twitch.

Demon lord @Luo_Binghe: “Your eyes, your smile — as resplendent as the stars, as warm as the night breeze, formed the most gorgeous view I’ve ever seen.” @Shen_Qingqiu.

The attached photo was from the meet and greet, thankfully it was a group shot.

Shen Qingqiu’s eye full on, spasmed, at the text. This brat.

Demon lord @Luo_Binghe: For the fans.

The attached photograph was a selfie he took in front of a mirror, without his shirt on. His chiseled abs were gleaming, as he pinched one of his cheeks…the picture had no right to look as good as it did. Anyone else would look stupid, instead Luo Binghe looked like he was daring someone to touch him.

Shen Qingqiu threw the phone on his pillow, and covered his face with his hands, silently screaming into the void.

120.

Bingqiu was real.

He was convinced, alright. He could be gay now, he didn’t know? Luo Binghe might not know either, but they were definitely together. No one could tell Shen Qingqiu otherwise.

Bingqiu was definitely real.

Notes:

*The poet is a real poet - though I'm having some trouble finding a full version of the poem. That part was taken straight from ISMM. Muxi is real.

Chapter 8

Summary:

*...a change in perspective ⊂(O‿O)つ*

Luo Binghe’s Diary - Excerpt 4

The joint fan meeting went amazingly well. The animosity was pretty shitty at first, but after they realized that Luo Binghe and Shen Qingqiu weren’t about to lunge for each other’s throats they quieted down relatively quickly. Which was good, Luo Binghe prided himself on his excellent control, the last thing he needed was to be arrested for punching a teenage girl in the face.

Shen Qingqiu was kind enough to lend Luo Binghe some snacks to give to his fans, even though he didn’t really feed his Concubines, like that. Management said it would make him seem too approachable for his bad-boy aesthetic…and he personally never wanted to give them too much, but Shen Qingqiu pushed the snacks into his hands, and could never refuse anything Shizun asked of him. He was weak in the face of those tranquil green eyes. Shen Qingqiu had the cutest little rant too, as he carefully made sure that the ungrateful cretins on Binghe’s half of the divide would be taken care of, and not killed by allergies, even though a good deal of them were baying for Shen Qingqiu’s blood. Their slender bodies and innocent looking facies be damned. Luo Binghe knew some of their online handles, through his very healthy, and wholesome, foray into flaming the ever-loving shit out of Shen Qingqiu’s anti-fans.

Cream shirt, and the one to left of her, who Luo Binghe mentally dubbed as, who-even-wears-khaki’s-anymore, called his idol, over multiple different text threads: a “worthless shit-maggot, who didn’t have enough talent to fill a toilet urinal…k…lol”…she also wrote, “old man needs to die”, and “gross, why is he even cast in anything that shitty talentless hack, maybe he’s blowing X, Y, or Z”. Ill-fitting-blue-shirt once wrote, “lolololol, he looks like a woman anyway with that long hair,”. All of them, and many others, called him “that snake bitch”, which was a favourite pejorative used by Shen Qingqiu’s anti-fans…but it’s not like Luo Binghe  was obsessed or anything. It’s not like, in certain moments he imagined swirling their heads down a toilet or anything. That would be illegal.

Pasting on his best smile, he went through the meeting until a miracle occurred. The sea of fans which had been parted began to unit under one, holy banner. Bingqiu. The fans who clearly, had the good taste to ship him with Shen Qingqiu, crawled out of their shells, as they saw positive interaction between their ship. Luo Binghe gave all credit for this miraculous bridging of the divide, to Shen Qingqiu, who asked Luo Binghe to smile for him, which allowed for his only decent fans to feel comfortable asking for the two to pose together. Luo Binghe already saved all of the images onto several separate thumb drives, in case one was lost in a terrible accident.

He also kept them on a file, hidden on his phone that he liked to look through when he had a spare moment or seven. They were so perfect together.

The Disciples were a bit put off, but Luo Binghe was fine with that. He loved that they were so protective of Shizun, and they had no idea that Luo Binghe was a Disciple too, so they were right to worry. They came around eventually, which was nice. Ning Ying Ying, the false Head Disciple, even turned out to be a Bingqiu fan, bless her sweet soul. It almost made him forgive her for temporarily stealing his position.

He couldn’t believe it when Shen Qingqiu called him over to sign a couple poster. Fanning the flames, he put his arms over the man, who patiently put up with him, as they made Ning Ying Ying’s day.

Luo Binghe, was pleased to find out, that at the very least, Shen Qingqiu wasn’t disgusted by the thought of two men together, specifically the thought of them being together. He didn’t delude himself to think that Shen Qingqiu had intentions towards him, Shizun seemed more like he was trying to be gentle and supportive of Ning Ying Ying’s hobby, despite any discomfort it might cause him. It was a very Shizun-like thing to do.

Luo Binghe wasn’t about to get all gross, and pushy, by demanding something or inferring interest based on Shen Qingqiu’s decency as a person. He’d slowly work his way into his life instead in stages. First they would be coworkers, then friends, then Luo Binghe could test the waters of Shen Qingqiu’s sexuality, and if they were warm, he would dive in, and never come back out again. It was a solid plan.

One other new thing he learned from the fan meet, was that he needed to know more about Shang Qinghua. The man seemed very close to Shen Qingqiu. He knew the man was his agent, even when he pretended he didn’t because not many people knew that, and he didn’t want to come off as suspect, but still…what was their personal relationship, exactly?

Luo Binghe’s Diary - Excerpt 5

Luo Binghe was officially the luckiest man in the entire world.

He somehow snagged a date with Shen Qingqiu. They had a lovely evening, where Shen Qingqiu even trusted him enough to let Luo Binghe to order their food. The man, practically huffed at him to chose, and Luo Binghe did, but not before he got Shen Qingqiu to promise that he’d let Luo Binghe cook for him. His inner Disciple cackled with glee. Before their first date even ended, Luo Binghe snagged himself a second. He was practically puffing up in pride at the dinner table.

He had chosen their restaurant, based on both proximity and quality. It was the best possible option that was close to their hotel…but the seafood heavy menu wasn’t ideal for Shen Qingqiu’s palate. He was careful not to have order any shrimp, or cilantro, and he certainly didn’t order anything on the spicy end, sticking to savoury, sweet, or sour flavours. He was fairly confident that Shen Qingqiu would like the food based on the various interviews, and general hints he gave regarding his preferences. Some of those were liable to be constructed by the company, or his management, but Luo Binghe had poured over paparazzi photos of Shen Qingqiu eating things from craft services, and scoured his Weibo for photos that had food in them. It was from these, that he determined that Shen Qingqiu hated spicy food, despite never showing a weakness towards it. He supposed that it was smart, after all, Shen Qingqiu likely never wanted some host to suggest a spicy food challenge, in an effort to catch him off-guard.

Luo Binghe on the other hand, did like shrimp, and spicy food, but that wasn’t saying much. There wasn’t a food he refused to eat. He grew up poor, so he was pretty happy with anything substantial. Most of the kids from the orphanage grew up thinking that ketchup was the height of gourmet, their taste buds adapting to the things they ate in their youth, rejecting complex flavours for familiar ones. Luo Binghe had the unfortunate problem of having a very sensitive tongue. Flavours always stood out strongly to him, which made eating a chore, and lent itself to his abilities as a cook. He could eat anything, not out of preference but out of survival.

The food they ordered was good enough for Luo Binghe only because it made Shen Qingqiu content. The eggplant was over-salted, and the perch a touch overcooked, lacking the buttery texture of a perfectly done fish. As they placed food on each other’s plates he thought, that he could do better. He’d take Shen Qingqiu back to his home one day, not the hotel they were in, and cook him a full table. He could probably whip up some congee using the hotel kitchen before that though. Planning his next move he, basked in being able to add sub-par eggplant to his idol’s rice, the light hum he heard pleasing him.

It was, however, on their walk back to their hotel that the best part of Binghe's day happened, other than the part where, he, like an fool, forgot that no one could have possibly understood his desperate cat message. After they cleared that up, his idol thanked him, and Binghe could die happy. He also, in that short while, managed to get photos of their first date, which he would save for their wedding, and got Shen Qingqiu into his jacket. Those powerful, yet slender shoulders carried the black leather well. All Luo Binghe wanted to be, was the delinquent to Shen Qingqiu’s valedictorian, he’d be good he promised. At least for his Shizun.

Biting his lips, he sneakily took as many pictures as possible. Those were going into the album too. When they inevitably got married, and lived till one hundred, and became old men together, Luo Binghe wanted these memories preserved.

He still had that cat. Xiao Jiu was a fluffy white Ragdoll with yellow-green eyes. Despite the supposed, friendly nature of the breed, he was aloof, and only came near Luo Binghe when he wanted food, otherwise preferring to be on his own, like Shen Jiu. Sometimes Luo Binghe considered getting another cat to keep Xiao Jiu company. Maybe he was lonely…like Shen Jiu. Maybe he was a misunderstood court official, who really wasn’t that bad? Luo Binghe did not understand the fuss people made over that role. So Shen Jiu, betrayed a few other officials, and arranged a few murder’s, wasn’t that up to par for an ancient drama? Shen Jiu was only trying to make his place in the world, just like his little Xiao Jiu, who was a rescue despite his expensive breed. He didn’t belong in the dirt, begging for scraps. 

Luo Binghe’s Diary - Excerpt 6

Luo Binghe stared as his stepsister, who he liked to call Xiao Gongzhu (Little Palace Miss, sarcasm intended), was torn to shreds by his beautiful Shen Qingqiu. The older actor's white collar, framed his imperious face, Binghe’s black leather jacket still laid across his shoulder’s as he stripped skin from flesh with that elegant tongue.

He carefully, adjusted his crotch to hide his growing erection. Watching Shen Qingqiu tear apart the useless “evidence” Xiao Gongzhu brought out to frame him, did things to him. Swallowing heavily, he tried to make sure to keep himself close incase she tried something reckless, in her humiliation. He didn’t even know what she could do, he only wanted Shen Qingqiu to stay safe. For a moment, when she pulled out that folder, he was worried for a split-second, that Shen Qingqiu would buy into it. He should have never doubted his Shizun. He was certainly taught Xiao Gongzhu a lesson.

It was ultimately unnecessary, but Luo Binghe couldn’t deny the warmth it brought him to be so valiantly defended. Luo Binghe was only going along with their scam to get the evidence he needed. He was pretty sure Lao Gongzhu was directly responsible for the death of his mother, only coming into Luo Binghe’s life in his later years to swoop in, and take him from the orphanage like an vulture. He appeared after Luo Binghe’s first film claiming to have been his mother’s adoptive father, and not knowing that Luo Binghe  existed…which was unfortunately true.

Su Xiyan was once under the guardian-ship of Lao Gongzhu who seemed like a righteous man on the surface. He was the CEO of a moderately sized entertainment business named Huan Hua, he donated to charity, and he was a single father. The only problem was, that he acquired majority shares through ill conceived means. He was originally the partial owner alongside Luo Binghe’s grandparents. When they died, Lao Gongzhu was entrusted with his mother’s guardianship. He managed to cheat Su Xiyan out of her inheritance to the company to, and arranged for her subsequent death.

This was what he knew so far, although the details were sketchy. He wasn’t sure how his mother died, or how she hid her pregnancy, or why her signature was clearly on the share transfer papers.

He himself, owned Tianlong Entertainment, named after his father. Coming in as the long lost heir of a CEO who had committed suicide twenty years prior to his appearance, had been hell at first. Once he gained control, due to his savvy investments, and tyrannical leadership, the value of the company shares rose exponentially, which shut up even the worst of his detractors. That made it a lot easier to manage being both an actor, and a chief executive. He had the bonus of being signed under the company he owned…and it did not hurt that Shen Qingqiu was signed under Tianlong, either.

The first thing Luo Binghe had done upon gaining control of Tianlong Entertainment, was try to give Shen Qingqiu a better contract, only to find that the contact Shen Qingqiu had signed with them had…all the benefits Luo Binghe could hope to give him, and more. He was content in the fact that a company associated with him, treated Shen Qingqiu with a contract befitting his status. He did not question how the, honestly ridiculous piece of work existed…no other artist had the same deal. Luo Binghe waved it under that banner of his idol being amazing and didn’t think too much on the matter. It would have broken his heart if he learned they were treating Shen Qingqiu like a slave, taking most of his money, forcing him to stay in a long contract, and choosing his work.

Lao Gongzhu had no idea, of course, and pleaded for Luo Binghe  to “help out” at home, in return for Lao Gongzhu’s “grace” in order to, presumably, keep Luo Binghe short of funds and thus incapable of starting trouble. Lao Gongzhu would swear that he wanted to donate that money to orphanages in the name of Su Xiyan, or claim that the expenses of “covering up” Luo Binghe’s “terrible accident” were growing too high, and Luo Binghe really needed to take some responsibility if he ever wanted to work at Huan Hua, and take over one day. He made any excuse he could. For a brief moment, when Luo Binghe first met him, he almost believed that the man really did see him as an adopted grandchild. He was disillusioned of that thought, very quickly. Lao Gongzhu was disgusting, a filthy old man who presented one image to the world, while playing games behind the scenes with other people’s lives. Luo Binghe could not wait, until he put him in jail. He had considered a darker route, but if the old man died, it would be too closely connected with Luo Binghe himself, even if the circumstances looked natural. The last thing he wanted to do was have to pretend the old man ever did anything for him. He’d settle for dragging his name through the mud, and shoving him in a box for the rest of his life instead.

The cherry on top of the whole situation, was that his daughter, unbeknownst to him, started a blackmailing scheme behind his back. Like father, like daughter, he supposed. Lao Gongzhu never bothered to question why he sent the man money for "his sister" so frequently, on top of his other expenses. He probably thought Binghe was "grateful" or something stupid like that. Her, he’d most likely leave with a chunk of money, and ship off to some foreign country to learn how to be a better person, provided she didn’t do something stupid…like slap Shen Qingqiu.

After security was called on Xiao Gongzhu, they went back to their hotel. Shen Qingqiu looked so worried for him in the elevator that Luo Binghe wanted to smooth away that wrinkle on his brow with his fingers, but before he could try Shen Qingqiu tried to make him smile.

He wanted those fingers to pinch his cheeks all the time. Shen Qingqiu’s skin glowed white in the terrible hallway lighting, his eyes bright and glossy as Binghe thanked him for protecting him. He couldn’t exactly tell Shen Qingqiu the truth, not yet, the poor man, nearly had a panic attack when Luo Binghe told him all the times he nearly got hurt, or was hurt, in a variety of schemes originating from different enemies, all of whom he defeated. He’d tell him later, when Shen Qingqiu could be assured of his safety, and Lao Gongzhu was put away.

The second best part of the day was the moment when he was able to admit to his idol that he was a Disciple, which Shen Qingqiu took well, and managed to finagle a pair of couple-phones out of the other actor's clear sympathy for his situation quickly afterwards. Luo Binghe was hurting very much over his family drama, and he needed A'Yuan to kiss it better. 

No one said, that Luo Binghe couldn’t do a lot, with the inch he was given. He was going to turn every advantage he had into profit. That night, he made sure to take a shirtless selfie, angling himself as best as possible so his followers would catch the name on the back of his phone, making sure his abs were flexed for A'Yuan. He wanted to look his best for his future husband.

Luo Binghe’s Diary – Excerpt 7

Luo Binghe at the age of twenty-five, knew these three things to be true: People would try to take advantage of you if they could, the world would only give you what you took for yourself, and Shen Yuan was without a single doubt, the love of Luo Binghe’s life. The first two had become suspect in relation to the last, and he was definitely, absolutely, convinced of the last. He had never met anyone as kind as this man, who fussed over him with such care, when he’d never met Luo Binghe before. When he had nothing to gain from him. This silly, ridiculous man who teasingly asked for his phone number, and tried so hard to be polite to everyone around him.

He thinks he’d die if Shen Yuan didn’t love him back one day. Luo Binghe was determined to get himself wed, or at least engaged by the end of filming. 

 

Chapter 9

Summary:

*cliffhanger

121

Shen Qingqiu covered his face with his hands. This entire situation was ridiculous. T-this unbelievable Bingqiu shipping idiot…the phone cover clearly showed Shen Qingqiu’s signature, and to top it all off, the younger actor was shirtless. His sweatpants hanging low, as the cut of his muscles glistened in the shitty hotel bathroom lighting. Who looked good in hotel bathroom lighting?

That, however wasn’t the point. The point was, what was Luo Binghe, the epitome of straightness, trying to do to his poor fans? Obviously that brat wasn’t thinking clearly, and forgot what was written right on his phone. Shen Qingqiu knew the phone covers would come out eventually, but this…this was throwing a proverbial lit match on a puddle of gasoline.

He figured the signature would be photographed on set, or maybe as Luo Binghe went out somewhere, like a restaurant or the airport. He certainly didn’t think that the first appearance of their couple phones would occur under such…questionable circumstances.

Shit. Fuck the Bingqiu forum, what was the regular fan reaction going to be? Luo Binghe’s Concubines were probably losing their minds. Shen Qingqiu was not checking his Weibo, he couldn’t, he anticipated the messages, picturing death threats and poor grammar as the Concubines cursed him to forever be alone, or to lose all his hair, or to be f****d by a group of old, toothless men.

W-was the company going to ask to them to make an announcement, to play the image off as a joke? Who would even believe if it, if they tried. The evidence was pretty damning. They’d have better luck announcing their marriage, and weathering the storm that way.

122

Girding his loins Shen Qingqiu uncovered his eyes, and scroll down through Luo Binghe’s feed. He could do this. The image once again, caught his eye first. His signature, peeking through Luo Binghe’s big hands, clear as a brand on a cereal package.

Deep in his heart, he knew he was done for.

The comments of Binghe’s previous Weibo posts were filled with hundred’s upon thousands of heart emoji’s, and drooling smiley faces from his Concubines. In contrast, the cursed phone selfie was a social no man’s land. A white, comment-less space, staring Shen Qingqiu in the eye like the calm before a storm. Ten minutes passed, and slowly they trickled in…a measly few hundred well wishers saying generic things about Binghe’s looks.

Shen Qingqiu could already imagine their mental breakdown, as they were forced to rearrange their understanding of everything they thought to be true. First Luo Binghe posted that bubble tea text, then the group photo, with his alleged “enemy number one”, then that stupid poem he linked to Shen Qingqiu…and finally this. It was practically the final nail in the coffin of Shen Qingqiu’s professed status as single. They’d blame him for this wouldn’t they? For ruining the impossible possibility that Luo Binghe would one day date one of them. If Luo Binghe didn’t like women, was that somehow supposed to lower their chances with him? You couldn’t get lower than zero. Yet there they’d be screaming, “my husband” in the comments like it meant something.

Perhaps when they first saw the post they would imagine that the fan-service was for them? To console them in this trying time, where they were forced to see their idol around his adversary. Perhaps they would move to save the photo, or enlarge it to appreciate the fine details of Luo Binghe’s masculine form, and when they felt the most comforted they would come across the cursed phone in his hand. Like a dead bug in their food. If they missed it the first time, surely some industrious fan must have enlarged the photo by now, or created a side by side with a photo of Shen Qingqiu’s signature on another product, maybe a poster, or a napkin beside the phone as confirmation that what they were seeing was real. That image would have then been spread amongst the fans like sexually transmitted disease on a college campus, or a wildfire.

Within seconds their landscape so solid underneath them would have fallen apart, like their assurance in Luo Binghe’s heterosexuality.

To Luo Binghe’s fans his Weibo posts must have been like going to a free buffet, where most of the food was edible but three unspecified dishes would give you explosive diarrhoea. They would go because it was delicious, and free, but live in fear of eating the wrong thing one day. How unfortunate for them. Shen Qingqiu tried to smother himself with a pillow.

123

Moments later curiosity won out, and Shen Qingqiu checked his own Weibo. Surprise, surprise, it was silent. His Disciples hadn’t posted a single word, and Luo Binghe’s Concubines seemed mute for once in their lives. Shen Qingqiu didn’t have a single hate filled comment on how he was leeching off Luo Binghe’s success coming in. The Bingqiu Army, wherever it was, had most likely fallen over from joy, too happy to move. Mentally he imagined a tumble weed rolling in the desert.

Ten more minutes passed.

Was everyone dead? Should he be worried?

124

Two minutes passed the twenty that Shen Qingqiu had spent staring his phone so vividly, and the Bingqiu forum lost its collective shit on the shared toilet that was their ship. Like a volcanic eruption, they came in hot, fast, and fiery.

Shen Qingqiu’s screen was filled with expertly edited wedding photos, wedding certificates, mood boards on cake and venue choices, one ruthless argument about what the bouquet should be comprised of, and overall blessings for the newly married couple.

How nice. He should buy himself some champagne to celebrate. It wasn’t every day that a man got married. However…

Shen Qingqiu took three deep breaths. As much as he wanted Ning Ying Ying to be proven right, he didn’t want her proven this right. It would be hell on Luo Binghe’s career if he had these kinds of rumours confirmed. All Shen Qingqiu had wanted was some plausibly deniable “are they, aren’t they” kind of action. Not a fucking marriage announcement. So…damage control, he could do that.

Marching to his bathroom, he took a mirror selfie cropping it to only show his hand, with his matching phone case. Luo Binghe’s name was clear between his fingers. Shen Qingqiu took three more deep breaths, before he made his Weibo Post.

#PIDW #Heaven’s Official Blessing #Which title do you like the best? #How about which phone? #whichphone?

@Tianlong_ProductionTeam @GuYiliang_Liam

Shen Qingqiu watched as the Production Team, which was actually part of their agency for this project, forwarded the post to the other actors, and reposted it themselves on the company account. There was no way they’d turn down such good advertising.

Moving back to Luo Binghe’s Weibo, Shen Qingqiu waited to see if the fans took the bait.

The regulars came back from the dead, and the Bingqiu fandom died down, as a flurry of commenters made light of the “publicity stunt”. The Concubines were righteous in their fury that their poor Emperor had no choice but to work with that low-down, rotten, scummy Shen Qingqiu, even on his Weibo, and all was right in the world. As a bonus, this cleared them with production, because they were now one hundred and ten percent behind this new Bingqiu camaraderie campaign. Especially when both Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe were notoriously difficult to force into annoying situations where they had to plug their movies like roadside farmers trying to sell apples.

He did a victory fist pump as his photo and the production reblog, completely changed the direction of the discussion. Shen Qingqiu smiled, mentally patting himself on the back. His plan was a success.

125

 As to the love poetry post. That problem was too complicated for Shen Qingqiu to handle, so he just cheerily pretended it didn’t exist as he did with most things he found too complicated. He was sure it would work itself out.

126

Shen Qingqiu slept restlessly that night, dreaming of his phone vibrating and waking him. Nights where he dreamt of waking from sleep were already bad enough without the added bonus of increasingly bizarre imagined Luo Binghe Weibo Posts. His nightmare fuel took from reality, mixing the Bingqiu forum reactions with Luo Binghe’s, frankly, reckless Weibo habits to create a scenario where Luo Binghe put out their non-existent wedding certificate, and other material along those lines.

127

Shen Qingqiu sat in his makeup chair like a dead body in an autopsy room. He quietly refused to look at his buzzing phone, trying to vibrate a hole through his pocket.

“One of the production managers is asking why you didn’t reply to their Wechat message,” Shang Qinghua said, as he stood behind Shen Qingqiu like a vicious, soul sucking ghost, who would not allow Shen Qingqiu to ignore the outside world.

“They said, that the company agreed to cooperate with one of the new streaming platforms. They also said that you and Luo Binghe will be streaming for an hour starting at nine tonight to interact with the fans, advertise the new drama, wash yourself nice and squeaky clean from the Shen Jiu rumours, well they didn’t say that last part, but what they did say, was that they would like you to sell, a, and this is a direct quote “bromance”, with Luo Binghe…which, how do you even sell that? By the pound? Weird matching phone cases? Bro, they are being so insistent on this, it’s not even funny. Something about orders from way up top.”

Shang Qinghua waved his phone in front of Shen Qingqiu’s dead body which did not respond.

Because he was fucking dead. That’s how that worked.

“You-“ Shen Qingqiu began, voice frosty with rage.

Shang Qinghua waved his hands dismissively. “They can’t make you do anything, it’s in the contact. My best guess is, they think if they make it sound like you have no choice, you’ll forget that you do.”

Shen Qingqiu made a sound of disgruntlement, both of them ignoring the slightly shocked makeup-artist pretending to clean her brushes.

Shang Qinghua continued, getting oddly intense as he pocketed his phone, and moved to grasp Shen Qingqiu’s shoulders from behind. “…So…do…you…want them to suffer? We can do this like that summer in Mexico. All I need is a donkey, an elderly woman who manages a food stall, and two children. Did you ever have the urge set an ant colony on fire with a magnifying glass as a child? I didn’t, but on days like this…I understand. I haven’t made someone have a nervous breakdown in years. I haven’t had a nervous breakdown in years. I miss them. I miss it. Say the word Cucumber-bro, and they will be in a hell of their own making. I’m going to make them wish they never came out of their mothers'.”

Sometimes Shen Qingqiu forgot that under Shang Qinghua’s veneer of cowardly human garbage, was…more garbage, that had been breeding with itself to create a toxic mess that was two parts feral and one part rat. Shang Qinghua was like a iceberg of sewage, but he was Shen Qingqiu’s sewage-berg, and he would defend him if it came down to it. He wasn’t, however, about to cosign Shang Qinghua ruining people’s lives over nothing.

“No it’s fine. I’ll do it if Binghe will. He might get some serious flack from upper management if he refuses. It won’t be a big deal if I accompany him.” Shen Qingqiu replied.

Shang Qinghua whispered under his breath, “Like he’s going to say no.”

Shen Qingqiu asked, “What did you say A’Shang?”

He heard Shang Qinghua, he just wanted some clarification.

Shang Qinghua flopped over Shen Qingqiu’s seated shoulders in a half bent contortion, his feet planted on the ground, his upper body jello. “You never let me do anything fun,” he complained, changing the subject.

“You could go back to law?” Shen Qingqiu offered.

Shang Qinghua fake sobbed, “You don’t love me anymore.”

Shen Qingqiu shrugged to push him off, removing his clingy hamster paws from his person. Shang Qinghua almost fell to the floor as he righted himself.

“Be that way,” Shang Qinghua said. “I’ll text her that you are under no obligation to fulfill such a request, but that you’ll consider it. Let me know after you know, and I won’t tell her the answer. The streaming can be done on any laptop, it’s really easy, there’s no special preparations or anything. It can be a fun surprise for them alongside the fans, if it actually happens.”

“Fair.” Shen Qingqiu replied.

Shang Qinghua grinned. “I thought so.”

He then ran off to do his thing, and the makeup artist turned around and patted his face with a matte powder. As though they didn’t hear anything. Shen Qingqiu liked this one.

128

Shen Qingqiu sent off a quick text asking for Luo Binghe’s opinion on the stream, and received an immediate reply.

This Disciple would love do a live stream with Shizun.

Smiling helplessly Shen Qingqiu wanted to face-palm. Alright then, it looked the Bingqiu army would be fed quite well tonight under the veneer of fanservice. Texting Shang Qinghua the answer, Shen Qingqiu cracked his neck in preparation for a long day of filming.

129

It was almost nine when Shen Qingqiu knocked on Luo Binghe’s door. He was let in easily as Luo Binghe fussed over his coat, and whether or not he wanted anything to eat or drink. Luo Binghe was dressed down in black sweatpants, and black t-shirt, his hair loose, and a bit wet from the shower he just had, a towel thrown over his shoulder. He looked wonderful. The cynic in Shen Qingqiu noted that the casual air would appeal to the fans who feel that their favourite actor was being vulnerable around them.

Shen Qingqiu originally, opted for a simple pair of black slacks, and a white button up, as usual, but Shang Qinghua threw a fit saying he couldn’t be that boring all the time. Shen Yuan ended up in a pair of comfy black jeans that showed his ankles with their upturned hems. On top he had on an oversized sweater in sea-foam green, with darker green bamboo patterns woven into the knit. Slipping out of his white sneakers he padded on the floor in white ankle socks, wiggling his toes a bit. Binghe was holding his hooded camel coat and placing it carefully on a coat-hanger.

Shen Qingqiu noted that everything was already prepared.

The streaming app was open on a laptop, which was set up on a table, that faces a cream couch. Behind the laptop, an array of bottled teas sat beside a plate of water chestnut cakes arranged in bite sized cubes, beside that sat a tray of green mochi, filling yet to be determined by Shen Qingqiu’s mouth. To the right of the mochi sat another tray of Western style sandwiches, on…how did Binghe even find a baguette…that were filled with what looked like chicken breast, tomatoes, lettuce, some kind of mystery sauce dripping slightly from the sides, coating the chicken. Opposite to the chicken there was a green teapot, rested on a potholder, and two small cups beside it. This junior was always so conscientious. Everything looked appetizing and Shen Yuan was hungry.

“You didn’t have to go through this much trouble,” Shen Qingqiu said but Binghe was determined to ignore his concerns.

“Hot or cold?” Binghe asked, gesturing to the spread. He was talking about the tea. 

Sighing, Shen Qingqiu resigned himself to being hosted at this surprise dinner. “Hot please.”

Luo Binghe hummed as he went to sit on the couch, moving to pour them tea, but Shen Qingqiu got there first, snatching the pot away, which forced Binghe to give up. As Shen Qingqiu poured them both hot tea, he smelled the wafting notes of jasmine.

“I’m younger than you,” Binghe pouted. “And who paid for my food the other day?” Shen Qingqiu shot back.

“That was different.” Binghe complained.

He looked bashful as he gestured to the food again. “Help yourself, I didn’t know if you’d be hungry or not, I just wanted to be ready, I guess. You can eat them while we film, or beforehand, or not at all.” It wasn’t like Luo Binghe baked the bread himself or anything, even though Luo Binghe baked the bread himself and spent what time he had free, terrorizing his agent into buying the best ingredients possible so that Luo Binghe could create a nice meal for them before their stream.

“The filming went a bit late and by the time I showered and got here…I didn’t have the chance to eat,” Shen Qingqiu answered. “This looks great. I’d like to eat beforehand, but we’re pretty close to time, so I’ll just eat while we’e filming.”

Binghe nodded, “It’ll feel more natural that way.”

Shen Qingqiu agreed, “Thank you for the food by the way, Binghe is too good to me.”

Binghe smiled as he scooted closer to Shen Qingqiu, sitting close enough for their shoulders to almost brush before his face turned a bit concerned.

“Is Shizun okay with this. I’m sorry I forgot the ask before, I was too excited, but you can still back out! I’ll be fine, my contract is really good. There won’t be any backlash. I promise. If that’s what you’re worried about.” Binghe sent a post out on his Weibo fifteen minutes earlier, that he’d be live streaming, and it had blown up. He didn’t mention that Shen Qingqiu would be there too, to give the older man every chance he could, in case Shen Qingqiu wanted to bow out. The company didn’t send out any news either at his insistence, which went a long way when he was the one who signed the paycheques. If the stream did happen, he wanted it to look as organic as possible. Particularly if this transitioned into a real relationship.

While that would have been good to know beforehand, Shen Qingqiu hated the reputation their relationship had. Even outside of his Bingqiu agenda, he didn’t feel comfortable with their fans believing they didn’t like each other, he didn’t like it before and he hated it now that he knew Luo Binghe as a person. However the situation came about, this would be a good opportunity to bury the hatchet of “adversary”.

“I think,” Shen Qingqiu began, picking at his sleeves, “that I’m tired of people thinking I hate you. So this should be a great chance to prove them wrong. Is Binghe ready?”

Binghe nodded, and with a grin and turned the button on.

Notes:

1.)For those of you who also read Rumpled Sheets, it kind of has a sequel now. I'm getting comments that people just found it etc. Hope this note helps... someone?

2.)This cliffhanger is especially hilarious *to me* because for those who know the source material, it won't be much help...at all. For very obvious reasons.

Chapter 10

Summary:

*the livestream

130

The little box flickered to life, and a deluge of Concubines appeared in the side bar, throwing out images of shocked faces upon seeing Shen Qingqiu perched beside Luo Binghe. They only came to the live-stream for their Emperor, which was made pretty clear by one image of a surprised cat that also looked like it was dying.

Shen Yuan began to wonder if this would backfire on them, regardless, he wasn’t lying when he said he was hungry. Absently he reached over the laptop and grabbed a sandwich.

Binghe could do the introductions, this was his show after all.

Grinning, Luo Binghe announced, “Hey, I’m Luo Binghe and this is Shen Qingqiu.”

Shen Qingqiu waved with one hand while taking a bite of his sandwich, and paused to stare at it. Best. Sandwich. Ever. He had a preference for rice, but the creation in his hands was perfect. The lettuce was crisp, the bread crunchy on the outside while being soft and buttery on the inside. The chicken was coated in some kind of sweet and sour sauce, it had a kick to it he couldn’t place, but it was so good. He had to get the restaurant name from Binghe afterwards.

Binghe gazed at Shen Yuan moving to tuck a strand of loose hair behind Shen Qingqiu’s ear, as he’d done previously…only this time…they were live. Luo Binghe, really needed to watch himself. Shen Qingqiu tried to signal him with eyes but that was clearly not working out as Binghje chose to linger instead of moving away.

“Shen Qingqiu didn’t eat before filming so he’ll be helping himself, for now.” Binghe said to the fans, his hand migrated to play with the end of one lock of hair, while Shen Qingqiu tried not to choke on his sandwich.

He didn’t want to know how the comments were going. What bromance? This was blatant fan service for the Bingqiu community, they were selling rot and Shen Qingqiu knew it.

Did Binghe know it?

Was this how he was translating the words “bromance”? He really didn’t need to go this far.

Shen Qingqiu swallowed, his mouth dry. “Hello, I hope everyone had a good day,” he greeted politely. “I’m sorry for the surprise…and the sandwich. Binghe is actually the one who ordered all the food, so I’m very thankful to have such a thoughtful co-star.” Now if only Binghe would let go of his hair, and stop playing with it.

131

Binghe smiled, and asked the fans, “You can interact with me first. Do you have any questions?”

Binghe tugged on the strand he held his fingers lightly.

Shen Qingqiu didn’t even want to know the reaction that would spawn. Hair kink? Was there such a thing as a hair kink? What would it even entail?

132

Binghe read out, “What’s it like filming? It’s fine, the hours are long, but the crew is professional and the script is interesting.”

Shen Qingqiu took another bite and hummed in agreement at the generic answer. His eyes caught a comment which read: “Shen Qingqiu looks like such a pretty boy sitting next to Luo Binghe. He’s got like, no muscles, it’s pathetic, lol.”

Excuse them. He had muscles, alright, he just wasn’t built like a brick house. There was a difference. He’d like to see them, whoever the fuck internet stranger was, stand beside Luo Binghe and look good. His junior automatically made everyone look like the ugly friend. Shen Qingqiu was okay with that. He was decent looking and he knew it. Not everyone was be lucky enough to be born with Binghe’s face. 

Metaphorically turning his nose up at the dog-shit comment he zoned out as Binghe kept up the bland media trained PR, where he answered what his favourite colour was, what he liked to eat, and so on. All of it was public knowledge already.

By the time he finished, grabbing a paper napkin to dab at his clean lips, the comments had started to get more personal.

Comment: “I’m dying out here, I’ve been throwing up with the live-stream on the sink, please look at me, please!”

Luo Binghe nodded. “Drink water and rest up,” he said, his tone, bland and impersonal.

Shen Qingqiu followed up with some more advice because neither of them was specifically named, so he figured he may as well. “Open the windows, if possible, to let fresh air in. Camomile tea is soothing for the stomach but any tea will do. Don’t drink too much, it might make you more sick. Only wet your mouth for a few hours, and then increase the fluid intake. My condolences for your illness, I hope you feel better soon.”

W-was that too much? His fan interactions were usually meet-and-greets and he hadn’t really been told that someone came to watch him sick, save for in person, and then it was very easy for Shen Yuan to send A’Shang to get actual tea and if needed, over the counter medication.

He gazing down, and reaching for the teapot he missed the roll of comments that were screaming how much he reminded them of his mother.

Luo Binghe’s favourite was, “Whose filial daughter-in-law is this and what have they done with Shen Qingqiu!” His so called “fans” knew nothing of Shizun, the Shizun that the disciples faithfully followed. The Shizun, who, on rare and thus special occasion, showed a bashful flutter of his eyelashes, or an indolent laze that sparked the creation of Catzun. The Shizun who fussed over his fans, and now Luo Binghe. 

Comment: “Chest butt legs, choose one choose one (this question isn’t too much right???).”

Luo Binghe snorted softly and replied, “Legs.” It was a lie. Shen Qingqiu had long, slender legs, and while he did like to stare at them, the answer was something else, but they were live. So, he kept his mouth shut.

Shen Qingqiu’s eyes snapped to the screen just in time to see the comment Binghe had replied to. “Eyes,” he blurted out. The image of Binghe’s red gaze was a vivid image in his mind. He really needed to pay more attention, the feed was moving quickly, and Binghe only read out the questions half the time.

Comment: “My Emperor’s skin still looks so good, even without a beauty filter, how do keep your skin clear, tell this humble Concubine your secret?”

Luo Binghe replied, ”I wash and moisturize my face every day.”

Shen Qingqiu thought of his many, many, lotions, and decided to answer, “Same. Oh, also I use sunscreen every day. It’s important.” He did, he just also had…about seven additional things he put on his face, that alternated depending on the needs of his skin.

Comment: “Pick me! Flip my card Emperor Luo! What do the two of you do in your free time? Do you go shopping, travel, or watch movies? It would be a dream to bump into you one day.”

Luo Binghe stated, “I work out.”

Shen Qingqiu replied, “I like to read, I also do like to listen to classical music, and if I can catch a live orchestra it’s always a nice treat.” No way, is he replying that he works out, that wasn’t even a hobby.

Comment: “Fuck, I’m late, I just saw a post on my feed. What’s going on, is our CP answering couple questions? Holy fuck, I’m telling everyone.”

Shen Qingqiu watched the comment scroll away. The Bingqiu army had found them, or would find them soon enough. 

133

Comment: ”Do you lift weights?”

Luo Binghe hummed in agreement and in a move that should have been obnoxious, lifted his arm, and flexed. “I do lift weights.”

Shen Qingqiu pinched the bridge of his nose, and slapped Binghe’s side without thinking which only made the man laugh and put his arm down as he turned to face Shen Yuan.

“What, you don’t think I can lift?” Binghe teased.

Shen Qingqiu sighed. “I’m sure you can.”

Luo Binghe’s smile broadened in mischief, and he tuned fully to face Shen Qingqiu, sliding his hands around his back and under his knees, he lifted the smaller man off the couch. The screen was only showing Luo Binghe’s legs at that point, and maybe Shen Qingqiu’s dangling feet, but Shen Qingqiu was sure they heard him say, “Put me down right this instant Binghe.”

Binghe laughed and sat down, plopping Shen Qingqiu on his lap…right in front of the livestream…this…Shen Qingqiu reached one hand up and pulled Binghe’s cheek forgetting the audience watching them.

“I didn’t mean for you to put me down like this.” Shen Qingqiu deadpanned. He let go of Luo Binghe’s cheek, and turned his legs to right, easily sliding off of Luo Binghe’s lap and back onto the couch.

“Luo Binghe lifts weights. It’s confirmed,” he told the fans as calmly as possible, not looking at Luo Binghe’s shit-eating-grin, that only seemed to get wider. 

One side of the comments were cussing Shen Qingqiu out for taking advantage of Luo Binghe, which made no sense, while the other was still going on the theme of Shen Qingqiu being as weak as a chicken, and just as attractive. From this cesspit, a small section rose from the ashes to dominate, some of the commenters names showed they were Concubines and still…

A few Concubines: Our Emperor didn’t hurt our Empress did he!

The Disciples chimed in with: Wah, we knew that he’d be able to lift Shizun easily. Our Shizun is such a beauty.

The Bingqiu Army: *heart**heart**heart*.

Shen Qingqiu didn’t know what to say to that.

134

In the end it was Shang Qinghua who saved him from the bridal carry situation. Rat-friend knocked on the unlocked door, tried to open it, succeeded, and called out, “A’Yuan. A’Yuan”

Shen Qingqiu made his brief excuses and walked over to Shang Qinghua, shaking off the feeling of a thousand fans imagining Luo Binghe carrying him over a threshold. He anticipated bridal fanart, given the recent trend, or maybe it would just be another part of the whole demon and celestial maiden narrative? He’d find out later on the forum.

Shen Qingqiu asked, “What do you need?”

Shang Qinghua reached into his pocket, and pulled out a pill bottle, rattling it ominously.“It’s time for your pills,” he said. His eyes were mysteriously glazed, and Shen Qingqiu knew Shang Qinghua didn’t do drugs, so he assumed it was some form of sleep deprivation, but still…

Maybe…just maybe…Shang Qinghua could work on not sounding like it, also, why did he put Shen Qingqiu’s assortment of vitamins, and fish-oil, in one bottle…was it really so he could shake it like an addict in a film from the nineties? Was this the effect Shang Qinghua wanted?

Shen Qingqiu accepted the bottle, twisting it open and pouring the contents out onto his hand. Shang Qinghua offered him water but he was distracted by listening to the conversation behind him, hoping the whole carrying thing would be glossed over soon enough. Why was Binghe still talking about his work-out routine, and how light Shen Qingqiu was?

Feeling worried, he quickly placed each pill on his tongue separately and took a swig of water to wash each one down. He needed to get back there before Binghe accidentally announced they were in a relationship.

Luo Binghe’s low voice sounded from behind him, “… No, that’s not his personal assistant. He’s A’Yuan’s agent.”

Shen Qingqiu nearly spat out the water. Did Binghe really have to call him that? In public? After he just convinced everyone they weren’t getting married? Where was Binghe’s tact, did something eat it?

135

Shen Qingqiu turned to stare at Luo Binghe in disbelief.

Shang Qinghua chose that moment to lean forward and whisper, “I’ve been watching the livestream downstairs.”

“How bad?” Shen Qingqiu whispered back.

“Sexual tension through the roof.” Shang Qinghua replied sagely.

Shen Qingqiu elbowed him lightly in the gut, which made him cough but did not shut him up, “It’s not even my opinion,” he gasped. “The online consensus is pretty strong right now.”

“Go back to your room,” Shen Qingqiu said, manually turning Shang Qinghua and shoving him out the door. He had no time to deal with that. He had a livestream to finish up.

136

“I bet I could do a pushup with you sitting on my back.” Binghe offered as he sat down on their couch.

Shen Qingqiu wanted to throw something at him. That wasn’t something people did, even when they were trying to sell an imaginary relationship. He wasn’t that light, he’d break his junior’s back, and it was so inappropriate it wasn’t funny. However, it had already come out of Luo Binghe’s mouth, and the comments were going wild.

Comment: Oh my god, yes, Bingqiu for LIFE! ajdkvnqybaznbadnxvxz!!!

Pouring himself a cup of tea, Shen Qingqiu agreed, “Fine. How do you want to do this?”

Binghe answered, “I’ll go on the floor, we can tilt the laptop, and then you can sit on me.”

C-could Binghe not say it like that? That would be great. It sounded, wrong. Shen Qingqiu was just going to sit on his co-star's back, nothing wrong about that. Never mind the sirens that were going off in Shen Qingqiu’s mind.

Once in position, Luo Binghe’s firm forearms flexed. His back was a broad mass of muscle that his clothing couldn’t hide. His hair pooled onto the floor. He looked…firm.

Swallowing a sip of tea, Shen Qingqiu made his way over, his socks soundless against the wooden floor. Tilting his head, he considered how he’d get on. Gracefully he bent over to grip Luo Binghe’s shoulders and sat down on the small of Binghe’s back before swinging his legs around to cross them, raising his hands he turned to the laptop and waved. His seat, warm and hard, started to move. A slow pump down, and up, down and up…for an amount of repetitions Shen Qingqiu forgot to count. Sue him, it was hot alright? There was something undeniably attractive, even to him, about Luo Binghe’s strength. Leaning over, Shen Qingqiu gathered Luo Binghe’s hair gently into a bun, his nails scratching at the younger man’s neck, pulling a hair-tie from his wrist to pull it up.

It seemed uncomfortable, spilling out onto the floor like that. Binghe shuddered, probably from the weight. It wouldn’t have been noticeable on screen, but Shen Qingqiu was sitting on top of him, so he could feel it.

Patting the younger man’s shoulder to get him to stop moving Shen Qingqiu uncrossed his legs and lifted himself off his lovely human bench, and refused to look at the comments.

Binghe turned to laptop to face the couch again, and Shen Yuan went back to his tea, which had cooled significantly in the time period they were doing pushups. Well, Binghe was doing push-ups and Shen Qingqiu was sitting.

Binghe spoke up, “Hey, there’s a fan who wanted to know if our real personalities have any similarities to the character’s we’re playing, or have played before.”

Shen Qingqiu paused to think, “I’m not sure. I mean, I’m not quite like Xie Lan, and I’m not Shen Jiu, I don’t think I have too many similarities to the character’s I’ve played….except maybe Nie Huisang. From -“

“Secrets of the Bamboo Forest.” Binghe finished.

“I’m certainly not depressed as he was, or dealing with such a complicated situation, but I think I know what it’s like to feel sad, and not quite know what to do,” Shen Qingqiu continued.

Luo Binghe nodded looking concerned, “I don’t think I’m like any of the character’s I’ve played before, but I think I see some of myself in Hua Cheng.”

Luo Binghe definitely saw a similarity between himself and a man who waited for his love for eight hundred years. They, of course, couldn’t explicitly state that Hua Cheng was in love with Xie Lan, but only a blind man could miss it.

Shen Qingqiu nodded, and thought that it was nice that Luo Binghe saw himself as a powerful man, who was also loyal to his friends, or rather, his former liege. Such a good boy.

137

Shen Qingqiu was deeply aware that instead of edited clips, or gif. collections, there would be minutes of Bingqiu documentary style footage, proving how much they loved each other.

As a plus, both fan clubs were overflowing with joy. Some of them even bridged the divide, and made friends in their joint shipping.

138

Looking at the clock, Shen Qingqiu said, “There’s only a little bit of time left, what should we do for the last portion?”

Binghe let his hair out of the messy bun it had been placed in. “Should we show a special talent? I kind of did mine already, do you have anything you want to share? We can keep taking questions of you’re not sure.”

Shen Qingqiu frowned, “We don’t have an instruments with us…I can…maybe, sing?” He was average, but it would do it a pinch.

Binghe’s eyes lit up, and he asked the fans, “Start sending song suggestions, Shen Qingqiu agreed to sing us a song.”

Luo Binghe practically vibrated in place in excitement.

They watched the comments throw out random choices, some of which were from girl groups. That was not a thing that was about to happen. Shen Qingqiu valued his public image too much to be caught on video trying to do a girl group song. They were catchy, they just didn’t fit his image.

“The Moon Represents My Heart,” Shen Qingqiu called out, as he saw it scroll past. It was a Teresa Teng song, and a classic. It may have been sung by a female singer but that didn’t mean that Shen Qingqiu couldn’t do it justice. He knew it by heart too, it was his mother’s favourite song. Taking a sip of tea, he ignored Binghe’s wide eyes. He started to sing the song acapella and prayed his voice wouldn't crack. He didn’t exactly have instruments to hide behind.

A sound sweet, and soft like water left his throat, bewitching the listeners as he compared his love to the moon. His throat was bared, and his eyes fluttered shut. To Binghe, he looked like a crane on a misty morning, his voice that of a song bird, clear and haunting.

“You ask how deeply I love you, and just how great my love is. My affection does not waver. And my love doesn’t change. The moon represents my heart,” he crooned out.

Shen Yuan had never sung on camera before. His interviews were short, and more concerned with theme, or plot, or some technical aspect of his filming. He didn’t do the game-show style talk show circuit preferring more formal settings, so at no point did he have to show off a secret talent, by which Binghe meant a pre-planned talent to the fans.

He didn’t know A’Yuan could sing.

Neither did the fans.

The comment section, if either of them bothered to pay attention, was filled with crying faces, and shocked images, and a flurry of hearts from all sides.

Notes:

1.)It's a real song.
2.)I took some of the livestream questions directly from ISMM.
3.)Shout out to sear, we discussed siren SQQ in the comments section of Rumpled Sheets. He just umm...showed up here?
4.) https://twitter.com/kir1tsu/status/1483398166326218754
- really cool fanart of the fic from kir1tsu!!!!

Chapter 11

Summary:

*an update*

139

Suffice to say the livestream made an impression, the fans gained a greater interest in both the new series being filmed, and in Shen Qingqiu himself. His Weibo gained thousands of followers overnight, and it was growing still, not that it had been small to start but it certainly wasn’t a match for Luo Binghe’s. His junior was the thing teenage girl wet-dreams were made of.

The Bingqiu army in the time Shen Yuan liked to call “After the LiveStream”, unsurprisingly flourished, the video serving as a kind of conversion therapy for many Disciples and Concubines alike. It was nice to see that they found common ground and it was much better than seeing who could cyber-bully the other side into submission. However…the amount of Concubines calling him Empress made him want to twitch. He was a man. Clearly he should be the Prince Consort or something like that, or at least the Prime Minister who the Emperor was secretly in love with. It would be a torrid and heartbreaking situation for the both of them. They would have to have their own families to continue their respective lineages, but spend their lives yearning for each other, stealing kisses in the dark. Those who agreed with Shen Yuan’s opinion as to what he should be called were in minority, sadly, so Empress he remained. His thousand word treatise the correct title to call, posted to the forum under his handle, got him got some traffic but…not nearly enough. He even found historical documents to back up his thoughts. Not that anyone seemed to care.

Shang Qinghua  unlike Shen Qingqiu  was not playing on the Bingyuan forum. He did his job and fielded off requests for follow up interviews from the film crew, and shoved away the press opportunities that came through the company that wanted to capitalize on the hype. There would be plenty of publicity when filming wrapped up and the actors were trotted out like show-ponies to promote it. As for a repeat…one cursed livestream was enough. The images of Shen Qingqiu  sitting on Luo Binghe were too beautiful. They haunted QQ in his dreams.

Luo Binghe  thankfully seemed just fine laying low as the test shots were approved and they started to film the first season. The long hours and shared scenes, bonded the two closer together.

Often, Luo Binghe  could be found in Shen Qingqiu ’s hotel room, and vice versa. Many of their meals were shared, Binghe cooking for Shen Qingqiu in the hotel kitchen’s bashfully admitting that he had made the sandwiches that day. Shen Yuan thought it was adorable, and told Binghe what he thought just to watch the younger man blush. Some days he even found himself seated on the industrial kitchen tables watching Binghe work, and snacking on pre-cooked veggies.

140

This morning they wrapped up the final scenes of season one of Heaven’s Official Blessing. Shen Qingqiu  stood behind Luo Binghe  slowly combing the caked dirt out of Binghe’s hair.

The younger actor had fallen into a pile of mud, slipping due to the ridiculous boots he had to wear, nearly twisting his ankles and certainly making a mess of himself. At least they were done filming? Thirty episodes, many long hours, and plenty of aching bones later Shen Qingqiu  really did consider his retirement. There were only two more seasons to the series. Definitely then. That would be what? Two more years of work, three? And press.

Fuck. This press tour was going to be more annoying than working a wide toothed comb and ungodly amounts of conditioner through Binghe’s curls to get the worst of it out. Pulling out a twig, Shen Qingqiu  grimaced, and thew it into the trash.

Binghe leaned his head into Shen Qingqiu ’s hands.

“Shizun,” Binghe began, still insisting on calling him that, “Shizun we have a few months off before we have to do press. I was thinking of travelling to Japan for a while. Would Shizun like to come with me, I’ve never been, and it would be nice to go with you?” He asked.

Shen Qingqiu  paused as he was working through a stubborn clump and absently agreed, “Of course, its been a while and it would be nice. Does Binghe have anywhere in particular he wants to go?”

Luo Binghe  lit up, and confirmed, “Really!? Really? You’ll go with me?”

Shen Qingqiu  tugged at his hair, and muttered, “Stop moving, yes I’ll go with you. Now let me get this last clump and you can shower.”

Binghe sat still but practically vibrated with the energy he was exuding. “That’s perfect, I’ll plan everything. All A’Yuan has to do is come. We’ll leave in a week!”

141

Shen Qingqiu only realized out how serious Luo Binghe was about the whole “I’ll do everything” thing, when he found himself smuggled out of the country by a Binghe who resembled nothing more than a pleased Golden Retriever, showing its master a bird it killed.

Shen Qingqiu found himself, and a suitcase of his things removed from his home, as he was shuffled into the backseat of a black car, taken to an airport and put into a first class seat beside Luo Binghe.

He only had enough time to frantically text Shang Qinghua that no, he hadn’t been kidnapped, he was just taking some time to travel with Binghe.

Shang Qinghua then chose to send him several phone numbers to help-lines, and a map with every police station in Japan.

…What did his agent think was going to happen to him? he had know Luo Binghe for almost a year as a close friend. Longer, as a company peer! Binghe was a good boy. The best boy! He turned off the notifications after Shang Qinghua sent him a documentary on human trafficking, titled “I Didn’t Know He Only Wanted My Kidney’s”. Luo Binghe, of all people, wasn’t going to traffic Shen Qingqiu’s boring old, ass. No one wanted his kidney’s. Shang Qinghua needed to calm the fuck down.

He was going on a very friendly trip with his costar, and they were going to have a great time in Tokyo. Shen Yuan was sure the plane was going to Tokyo. That was what the boarding call said. He was a grown man, and he could go on a trip if he wanted to.

Yawning he fell asleep on his airplane cushion, only to wake up on Luo Binghe’s shoulder. Binghe smiled down at him and whispered, “A’Yuan should get some more sleep, okay.”

Shen Yuan guiltily tried to sit back up but Luo Binghe reached across to pull Shen Yuan close again, and Shen Yuan was weak. He was tired and Binghe had put a nice soft blanket over him. Binghe was insisting alright? He wasn’t taking advantage.

142

Luo Binghe tried not to burst out laughing as Shen Yuan left their hotel bathroom in his disguise. He was not…expecting it. First he though it was funny, they he felt a slow dawning horror.

Surely Shen Qingqiu was joking…right?

“Let’s go,” Shen Qingqiu said, while wearing a long fake beard…the kind that was strapped behind your head with an elastic band. His hair was shoved in a bun, and he had on a ball cap and sunglasses. Luo Binghe in contrast was dressed in the very normal, cap, sunglasses, and surgical mask that every celebrity used.

Shen Qingqiu stroked his fake beard oblivious to his costar’s suffering. In his defence, it worked every time.

Binghe felt panic as he realized that Shen Qingqiu was dead serious. He was going to go out in public like that. What if someone saw him? There was no way this was going to work, but that was fine…he could pay people off when something went wrong. He had money. And power. Everything would be fine. Who did he have in Japan?

143

…Nothing went wrong. No one said anything. It took Binghe a while to realize that the obvious beard was just crazy enough that people didn’t want to get close to Shen Qingqiu (and therefore never realized who he was), but not so crazy when paired with his normal behaviour that he couldn’t do things like ride the subway or walk around markets.

144

Luo Binghe haggled with the fish seller for the best possible price for the tuna he wanted to buy, one hand holding the rest of their purchases as the other was entangled with Shen Qingqiu’s. It was rare for him to walk in the markets with some degree of privacy, which made it nice. The fish seller shot strange looks at Shen Qingqiu but at this point Luo Binghe had grown accustomed to it.

Shen Qingqiu tried to peacefully eat a stick of barbecued eel and not get any in his beard. He only bought the one, it would be a shame if it got dirty, or if he had to go replace it so quickly. He almost lost it at theme park, earlier.

145

“Shizun, I rented out the whole place and everyone here is very private. I checked out their policies on things like press leaks,” Binghe gushed for the fourth time as he drove up to a private onsen. His voice sounded a bit strained. As though he was trying to hint at something. They had been on the road for hours, he was likely just tired. Shen Qingqiu had offered to drive too but Binghe had declined. How stubborn of him.

The tall wooden fence in view looked promising, so at least they would be stopping soon. Binghe could get some much needed rest.

“Shizun,” Binghe began with a complicated look on his face, “Shizun can take off the beard now. No no one will bother us here.”

Shen Qingqiu thought that was very sensible and he reached back to pull the elastic over his head rubbing his own face where it had been a itchy. Sighing in relief he slapped both of his cheeks lightly. It was so good to have his disguise off. It was kind of Binghe to remind him. He had gotten a bit too used to it, wearing it every day as they toured the city.

When they parked and walked to the entrance, they were greeted by a kindly older women in a plain navy kimono who welcomed them and showed them the onsen, and the best of the rooms available.

They chose the room with the largest private spring available. Looking around Shen Qingqiu realized that it was such a large place, and he felt guilt as he tried to calculate the cost of renting it all.

“Does Shizun want to soak in the springs with me?” Binghe asked through half-lidded eyes, interrupting his mental math. Shen Qingqiu nodded absently, and replied, “That sounds perfect. You can wash here?” He offered. “I’ll just use a different bathroom.”

146

They found themselves meeting again in front of the delicate sliding doors that led to one of the many outdoor hot springs in the resort. Both wore long white robes.

Binghe opened the door and gestured for Shen Qingqiu to go through it, which he did with a grateful nod. There was a path made of stone that led to a natural spring. It was beautiful, surrounded by mossy rocks and various flowers. The water was so clear you could see to the bottom small water plants swaying in the heat.

Removing the robe Shen Qingqiu let it pool onto the rocks at his feet, dipping his toe in first to test the heat before allowing himself to sink in fully. Raising his hands he twisted his hair up into a bun and tied it off with the hair-tie he habitually left on his wrist. A strange animal like sound came from behind him, like a wild boar. Dying.

Turning abruptly Shen Qingqiu saw Luo Binghe staring at the spring with a red face.

Was it too hot for him? The night was pretty cool though. Perhaps the mist from the spring was affecting his breathing? “Is it too hot?” Shen Qingqiu asked, already moving to get out of the water.

“No, no,” Binghe reassured waving his hands, “It’s just fine. I-I ate some of my hair accidentally and choked on it. That’s all. You should stay in the water.”

Shen Qingqiu nodded. How embarrassing, he wouldn’t mention it to save Binghe some face “I have a spare tie, I can put it up for you, if you’d like?” He offered.

Binghe said, “That would be great”, while a smile as he moved forward, unrobing while Shen Qingqiu was still facing him. It was Shen Qingqiu’s turn to flush red. B-big. So big. Who was that big when they weren’t even -? Looking away swiftly Shen Qingqiu tried to ignore the heat in his belly. Luo Binghe was really well built. Defined chest muscles, thick strong arms and thighs, and a great big - Shen Qingqiu splashed some of the spring water into his face.

Luo Binghe was a good boy, who did not need Shen Qingqiu to perv on him like a creepy old man. Clearing his throat he moved to an outcropping on rocks that formed a natural seat under the water and made himself comfortable.

Luo Binghe chased after him, and both of them tried to pass off the blame for their red faces to the spring.

147

With a gentle smile Binghe asked, “Has Shizun done this before?”

A wonderful array of food was in front of them. One soup, three dished and picked sides were served to them as part of their stay. The quality of the food was great. Shen Qingqiu’s spoon went through the creamy fresh tofu with ease. The taste was subtle and smooth in his mouth.

Swallowing Shen Qingqiu wondered what he meant. “Went to an onsen?” He asked.

Binghe nodded, and Shen Qingqiu replied, “Yes, and the one Binghe chose is very nice actually. I’ve never been to one that looks this…natural? Untouched?”

“…Oh, who did Shizun go with, if you don’t me asking?” Binghe continued.

“Myself. I haven’t have the opportunity to go with others, and those that may have offered were not people I wanted to go with,” Shen Qingqiu replied, thinking back to the fifty year old investors with their sweaty palms trying to entice him to cheap hot springs in exchange for movie rolls he didn’t even want.

Binghe beamed at him. “It is great that Shizun’s first time is with this Disciple! This Disciple is honoured. This Disciple also really loves things like this, so if Shizun can promise to take me with him every time he goes this Disciple will be very honoured,” Binghe gushed, putting his hands together in prayer and looking at Shen Qingqiu with puppy dog eyes as he shamelessly begged to go with him.

Caught off guard Shen Qingqiu laughed, covering his mouth, “Of course Binghe can come. You have to let me treat you for this somehow. But, ah, I think I’ll only end up going in a year or two -“

“Just let me know, I’ll come, I’ll definitely come,” Binghe pleaded with a determined look.

“Okay, okay,” Shen Qingqiu soothed.

“You can’t go with anyone else. Or…or I’ll be very upset!” Binghe pouted.

Shen Qingqiu wanted to laugh again, but looking at Binghe aggrieved face he refrained. Reaching his hand out over the table he patted still damp hair and soothed, “I won’t go without Binghe. I promise.” What a silly sweet boy. Shen Qingqiu would be sure to send him a text if he went on a trip, but no doubt Binghe would be busy. He would have to do something before that as a thank you. He could tell that the onsen they were staying at had some quality and history to it. The floors were aged but well maintained. The spring were amazing, and the food was impeccable.

“Is there anything I can do for Binghe to repay him for taking me here?” Shen Qingqiu asked.

“Take me with you when you go to a hot spring next time,” Binghe replied stubbornly. 

Sighing Shen Qingqiu made up his mind of buy an array of expensive sake. That seemed like an appropriate gift. Maybe some of the really expensive gift fruits as well.

148

It had been stupidly hard for Shen Qingqiu to sneak out until he literally told Binghe that he was sneaking out. It was worth it though. Getting rid of his sticky costar had proven impossible, Binghe clinging to him like a housewife with a cheating husband. His only choice had been to give up and tell the man he wanted to get himself something.

Coming back with his mildly ridiculous giant present in its giant green box and giving it to Binghe was still worth it. They were flying back soon, and he wanted to make sure that Binghe got his gift now rather than later. He didn’t want to wait until filming to show his appreciation for everything the younger man did for him.

Binghe flushed as he took the present, from its miniature trolly. Shen Qingqiu watched in awe as Binghe lifted it. This idiot was going to throw out his back.

“Put it down right now, before you hurt yourself ” Shen Qingqiu demanded, looking away as he muttered “I got it for you.”

Binghe smiled and put it down, gleefully unwrapping it, “You didn’t have to.” He said.

“I know, but I wanted to,” Shen Qingqiu replied.

Binghe slowly parsed through the present, taking each item out and examining it before putting it back. The sake bottles were carefully wrapped, but he spotted a few expensive brands like Marebito, and Dassai migaki sonosakie. There were six bottles in total, an array of gift fruits and…a Seiko watch. Holding it up Binghe quirked an eyebrow at Shen Qingqiu in question.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Shen Qingqiu snapped, “There are much more expensive watches, just think of it as a souvenir from Japan. You paid for this whole trip, I can get you something if I want to.”

Binghe hummed and took it out from its case immediately. The black strap was a nice touch. Putting it on, he really liked how it looked. A perfect present from his love. He’d have to buy Shen Qingqiu a matching one. Just like their cases.

149

One week after they settled back into their lives Shen Qingqiu received a phone call, “Shizun the pipes in my apartment broke can I stay with you until the press tour? It’ll only be for a month or two. Please?”