Chapter Text
If he were to be asked what's the most memorable moment in his writing journey, then Shang Qinghua would remember that one particular event. In his previous life when he had the identity of Airplane Shooting Towards The Sky, the author of the most popular yet strangely most criticized Stallion Novel in Qidian, there's a time when he felt most giddy about. It was the point where the popularity of Proud Immortal Demon Way (PIDW) had finally made the fans urged him to present them with official art of the characters.
At that time, Shang Qinghua was excited to see how Mobei-Jun would look like. Mobei-Jun after all was the one whose looks and character setting were something Shang Qinghua deemed as what a man should be. A man whom Shang Qinghua dreamed to be like, instead of his plain real self.
Eventually, Luo Binghe, Mobei-Jun, MengMo, and some of the popular harem members all got their official arts done. One character's art was more beautiful than the next. All in all, Shang Qinghua was very satisfied with the works from the illustrator that his editor in Qidian had assigned him with. Especially looking at how masculine, strong, and mighty Mobei-Jun got drawn as, it had left Shang Qinghua having no complaint to give.
As for how Luo Binghe got drawn as....well, Shang Qinghua really couldn't care less about it. He knew that the protagonist must have been drawn to be that apex Ikemen, young people nowadays would like! No doubt, no worries about it~
That being said, as the Scum Villain, the first Villain whom Luo Binghe met in his life, therefore Shen Qingqiu was also included in the character's official arts panel. Something that Shang Qinghua got himself laughing out loud, rolling on the floor, crying tears and snots upon looking at the official art.
Shen Qingqiu in the PIDW official art was drawn as a fat, greasy, with that trademark beard that Television Shows usually gave to their Villainous character!
What a fucking joke!
It had given Shang Qinghua enough stock of laughter for the whole year afterwards, just looking at Shen Qingqiu's character art.
It really couldn't be helped.
After all, it was just like how his fellow author in the Green Website next door, that MoXiang TongXiu-Juju, and her cannon fodder character, that Jin Zixun or something, also got herself in the same predicament. Jin Zixun who's actually a handsome guy described in the MDZS novel was drawn as fat and a greasy guy in the official art....because he's a cannon fodder villain, and in the mainstream belief, cannon fodder or villain had always been described as an ugly one to evoke and fuel the dislikes from the viewers.
Henceforth, even if Shang Qinghua had described in his draft of PIDW how Shen Qingqiu should be like, in the end, the masses wanted a villain they could hate thoroughly, thus the laughable official art of Shen Qingqiu had turned out to be.
Later on, when Shang Qinghua got transmigrated in a Godforsaken world resembling his faulty stallion novel, the first time he saw Shen Qingqiu was during the assembling of the 12 Peaks' disciples.
At that time, Shang Qinghua was still an outer disciple of AnDing Peak, while Shen Qingqiu had already climbed high to be the Head Disciple of Qing Jing Peak. Naturally, in the assemble, he stood at the forefront, beside Yue Qingyuan, attracting the most attention.
Shang Qinghua found himself gawked, and felt awe looking at the guy standing straight and tall, looking like a Male Model standing in a Paris Fashion Week. The Head Disciple of Qing Jing Peak in the Qing Generation was, a good-looking man, a cold beauty with the charm befitting of an aloof immortal, the forbidden flower in the mountain top.
It was the real Shen Qingqiu whom Shang Qinghua had imagined in his draft!
From that day onwards, Shang Qinghua had been cursed, had been charmed by an irresistible spell, unable to shake off the very being of the Scum Villain out of his head.
He found himself being drawn closer, longing, and yearning towards that forbidden flower, a bloody red rose full of sharp thorns ready to pierce those who went closer.
He found himself kept turning his head towards the direction where Shen Qingqiu was at, whenever they were on the same occasion. He found himself paying his attention towards Shen Qingqiu, towards whatever he did, towards how he had been, towards what's going on in his life, so on and so on.
Shang Qinghua depressingly lamented that he was at the borderline of a creepy stalker, observing Shen Qingqiu from the darkness, behind his back, without the person ever knowing about it.
Though, if "unfair" had another word to spell it with, then it would be "Shang Qinghua".
His whole life had always been the very example of "unfair".
Neither in the modern world nor in this faulty XianXia world that he could live his life fairly.
Even when he died, and got reincarnated from an infant in this world, Shang Qinghua still had a fucking system nesting somewhere inside his brain, commanding and restricting Shang Qinghua's fate and whole life!
No matter how much Shang Qinghua longed and yearned for Shen Qingqiu, wishing to be closer to the Scum Villain, wishing to stand by his side and catch him when he falls,
In the end, the system said;
[It is OOC for the SPY Shang Qinghua to be closer with Shen Qingqiu, a sharp-minded person who can see through his betrayal.]
[It is OOC for the timid cannon fodder Shang Qinghua to try being closer with Shen Qingqiu, a scary and cold person he should be terrified at.]
[10,000 points will be deducted for the OOC behavior.]
Motherfucker!
To hell with OOC this and that!!
....Shang Qinghua couldn't help but weep as he cursed the system thousands of times over in his mind, whenever he had to restraint himself from drifting closer towards that Villain of his.
Therefore, from the disciple days, even when Shang Qinghua was still a nobody outer disciple of AnDing Peak, whom Mobei-Jun had laughed at when he offered his loyalty before, into when Shang Qinghua successfully became an inner disciple, and later schemed his way to snatch the post as Head Disciple of AnDing; never in the decades of his life could he ever get close towards Shen Qingqiu.
His relationship with the number one Peak Lord in the Qing Generation others shouldn't offend at; was so-so, or lukewarm at most.
Perhaps in Shen Qingqiu's heart, Shang Qinghua was at the same rank as Mu Qingfang or Wei Qingwei, those he regarded indifferently, neither hate, envy, looking down, nor favor.
Unlike how BaiZhan cultivators deemed AnDing Peak as a disgraceful place they wished never got themselves into, something that the Peak Lord had been threatening the disciples with if they failed at a task, Shen Qingqiu just saw AnDing Peak as what they were, a group responsible for logistic. He did his own things as Scholar, and AnDing Peak did their own things as Logistic staff. Both doing their own things without meddling, judging, or discriminating against each other.
It sounded cold indeed.
But, that's how straightforward of a person he was, really...
In conclusion, that's how Shang Qinghua's love scenario, cough-cough, the beginning of his love story had been like. Some years later, if he were to reminisce his past, he would surely laugh at it fondly, thinking how he had begun to pursue Shen Qingqiu, that one and only Scum Villain of his...
Around a decade after Shen Qingqiu got his post as the Peak Lord in Qing Jing Peak, after he went down the mountain, training his disciples to catch the Skinner Demon haunting the small town, Shen Qingqiu had gone to do something he loathed the most; meeting Yue Qingyuan.
If he could, he would rather not meet the man who stared at him with a guilty look at all. However, the matter about entering the treasured ground of Cang Qiong Sect, which was rich with spiritual energy suitable to cultivate at, the LingXi Cave, was something he needed Yue Qingyuan's permission to do it.
Speaking about the last mission Qing Jing Peak had, it was really something.
The mission was a boring case, and in the whole journey, Shen Qingqiu had been battling to press his annoyance from showing up.
Shen Qingqiu, had never been patient or good with brats. His relationship with the other little beggars in his childhood was...terrible. He had never been good at dealing with whiny or needy children.
Leading dozens of brats to do their mission was a challenge to his temper, itching to just leave them be to fight on their own. However, Shen Qingqiu was a person who was extremely good at hiding his emotions and keeping his fronts intact.
In his childhood, he had always hated it when Qiu Jianluo forced him to learn how to write and read after that guy had discovered his natural talent. He knew Qiu Jianluo would just use his knowledge to give more torture or errands towards him. That pervert would punish him If something had gone wrong with the ledgers, even when Shen Jiu had merely written out what he had been told to, and it's not his fault when the reports were wrong in the first place.
In the end, Fate had decided to joke with him. Upon entering Qing Jing Peak, Shen Jiu had to grit his teeth and do the things he once loathed, learning, and writing as a praised Scholar, to worm his way, earning the Peak Lord's favor.
He was ruthless and vicious by nature. Yet, being in Qing Jing Peak, he had to put up a front as an aloof and graceful Scholar, as second nature for him.
It turned out that he was truly good at doing something he opposed, just for the sake of continuing his life forward.
Thereafter, even if he hated brats, he could press down his own personal emotions and somehow manage to become the Shizun he was expected to be.
From the beginning, the farce with Luo Binghe who had no horse to ride, and how Ning Yingying had gone begging him to let Luo Binghe ride with her, had already been poking on his temper. Ming Fan and his skirmish, petty and lousy bullying, and Luo Binghe with his meek acceptance.
How he had wanted to just yell at Luo Binghe,
"If others sabotaged a horse from you, then you go and sabotage their leg for it!"
If it was Shen Qingqiu, he'd definitely stab Ming Fan's horse and let the brat be in the same condition as him, having no ride to get into. That way, they could go and ask for an additional horse to AnDing Peak together, and MingFan couldn't use the excuse of inserting the wrong amount of horses. Or he could stealthily trip Ming Fan and injure his leg instead. After all, it's useless to have a horse if your leg can't support you to ride it, no? Then, the horse would be Luo Binghe's to use freely.
Perhaps if Luo Binghe had retaliated instead of silently bearing the bullying attempt, Shen Qingqiu would let him off.
Yet, the white lotus boy, had silently accepted it, causing Ning Yingying to be the one who makes a fuss of it, grating on Shen Qingqiu's nerves to no end.
He had coldly reprimanded Ning Yingying for it instead,
"It is disgraceful for a man and woman to be in close contact at broad daylight. Yingying, you are not a child anymore, you should mind about your virtue as a woman. Let the beast run on his own."
Shen Qingqiu sneered.
Oh...didn't Liu Qingge back then say, A Natural Talent would always be better and achieve something higher than Shen Qingqiu who started his cultivation late at 16?
So, was this what a "high achievement" that the "natural talent" could get as Liu Qingge have compared Luo Binghe with him before?
Gloating inside his mind, he looked at how the brat whom Liu Qingge had elated and praised to be better than Shen Qingqiu, couldn't even get himself out of worthless bullying.
Shen Qingqiu knew he was no good man. He was nasty and a scum. Using an innocent brat to lash out his resentment and spiteful feelings at. Subjecting him to the same hell Shen Qingqiu had experienced.
Even so, he could not stop himself. He could not just suddenly erase his bitter envy and loathing. He could not make himself out of anywhere be kind towards Luo Binghe.
Or actually, whether it's Luo Binghe or others, Shen Qingqiu just couldn't generate any kindness, couldn't find any kindness within him, didn't know how to be kind at all...
No one had taught him any kindness. He had never been given any free kindness. If there's kindness, then he would be faced with betrayal. If he's given kindness, then he must pay them with his blood, sweat, and tears.
His worldview, his logic, his way of thinking, which was built during his whole life and from what he had been through, resulted in one thing; It's hard for him, or rather, he could never become a selfless kind person at this point...
With no horse, naturally, Luo Binghe had been late to reach the town their mission was at.
Ning Yingying would have no companion she could drag to roam around mindlessly with.
Not to mention after the reprimand that Shen Qingqiu had barked at her earlier, the young maiden was sulking and moping, following her other Shixiongs wordlessly.
From the beginning, when Shen Qingqiu had met with the Town's Head and his beautiful concubine, Butterfly, and listening to the whole tales, he had already conjured up a full picture of the case in his mind, narrowing down to the real perpetrator.
After all, Shen Qingqiu didn't just lay down and end up winning the successor position in Qing Jing Peak in his youth, no?
He had been on countless missions, either alone or in a group. Solving this simple case was something he could do while sleeping, with the rich experiences he had to this day.
Though as a Peak Lord, he had to let his disciples solve it slowly on their own. Something that he had always appreciated towards Ming Fan, despite his despicable petty bullying, he's after all a competent disciple. He was quick to understand Shen Qingqiu's command, executing it, and followed his instruction down to its details without doing any unnecessary action.
By the time Luo Binghe reached the town at dusk, the disciples were just at their peak in their brainstorming to find the real perpetrator.
Shen Qingqiu knew how long would it take to run and walk for several miles, thus he knew how long it would be for Luo Binghe to reach them, a period where the other disciples still hadn't concluded their mission yet. That way, the little beast's effort to run would not be wasted.
The disciples eventually finished their investigation and concluded their deduction. Shen Qingqiu listened to their reports, and only after he saw no mishaps nor leftover confusion, that he approve their assumptions. As the night fell, Shen Qingqiu instructed the disciples how to lure and catch the culprit, or something that they had identified with as Skinner Demon, with their current identity as Butterfly, the young concubine.
The whole demon trapping thing went smoothly. After all, with dozens of disciples chasing and guarding over, the Skinner Demon had nowhere to go, and with talisman after talisman thrown at the demon from the excited disciples...it truly was hard for the demon to get away.
Shen Qingqiu almost got himself facepalming, looking at how those inexperienced disciples kept throwing talismans even after the demon got himself dissipated. It was like killing a single cockroach by pouring a whole jar of pesticide....what an overkill!
When the mission ended, Shen Qingqiu was in quite a good mood after looking at the foolish and laughable manner those brats conducted their mission, that had entertained him somehow.
Glancing towards the weary Luo Binghe, he felt he had no further interest to teach the brat how cruel the world actually was.
He motioned towards Ning Yingying,
"Yingying, you go and accompany This Master in the carriage." He curtly commanded before he boarded the carriage.
Ning Yingying was reluctant as she thought she could finally go on a journey back with her favorite shidi, Luo Binghe.
She whined, "But Shizun, Yingying wants to ride the horse." Usually, his Shizun had always relented on her whenever she asked for something.
"Yingying."
Yet a short call, cold and full with an underlying warning, finally made the little girl trot sullenly, following Shen Qingqiu to climb inside the carriage.
The horse that she left behind was naturally, used by Luo Binghe. But of course, they could not let a horse be left outside the sect.
But, the looks that the disciples had cast over Shen Qingqiu were a little strange.
Perhaps in the future, it would be one of the many occasions they thought as a scene of their Shizun was harassing Ning Yingying with...
None of them knew, that in the carriage Shen Qingqiu didn't even attempt a conversation towards this favored female disciple of his, much less doing anything aside from sitting on the opposite sides and pushing a plate of sweets towards the little maiden.
In any case, that's how Shen Qingqiu's latest practiced nighthunt with his disciples ended up with.
Whenever he saw Luo Binghe, he had always been reminded of Liu Qingge's ridicule over his cultivation. Therefore, he would definitely be fired up to go into seclusion, and advance his level of cultivation,
.....and eventually challenging Liu Qingge after he finished his seclusion.
Just like how he had always been doing since his disciple days.
Scouring his way inside the cave's interior smoothly, Shen Qingqiu was no stranger in LingXi Cave. As his foundation in cultivation was laughable, he had entered in and out of the cave almost frequently to painstakingly advance his cultivation during the years.
One of his favorite places was that one inner chamber in the deeper part of the cave, a strategic place, pooling with spiritual energy.
When a sudden killing intent had appeared from behind him, Shen Qingqiu quickly evaded and later saw the wall where he faced earlier was cracked from sword energy, a sword Shen Qingqiu was so familiar with.
He had no time to think further as another killing intent surged up, looming towards him.
Brandishing his Xiu Ya, Shen Qingqiu shouted in annoyance,
"Liu Qingge!"
Both of them were too used to being at odds with each other. Both had always been trying to tear down each other's stage as soon as they met. It was already a reflects for him to retaliate and blasted an attack back towards Liu Qingge, whenever he was given a blow.
Therefore, when the man instead of deflecting it like he usually would do, but instead received the full brunt of Shen Qingqiu's blow, and kept mindlessly attacking forward, Shen Qingqiu had bitterly cursed after he realized the situation he was in.
"Damn! Must it be me the person you end up meeting and attacking in a Qi Deviation!?"
Cursing relentlessly, he was about to deflect another reckless blow from Liu Qingge and tried to stun him, when suddenly as if feeling a Déjà vu, the scene from many, many years ago had resurfaced inside Shen Qingqiu's mind:
“If, in the future, you see someone going into Qi deviation, do not panic, and do not hastily rush to help thinking you can save them. You must stay calm and go call for help, do not make a move yourself.”
Perhaps in another world, Shang Qinghua whom he met was not the squeaky mouse author of PIDW, but the real traitor who couldn't care less about others aside from his own life.
Perhaps in yet another universe, those bits of memories had no chance to resurface at all at this point of time since Shen Qingqiu's soul had gone into God only knew where.
But in this life, as someone who had a good memory, able to stuff all the bestiary knowledge inside his head to be called as the Walking Monster Encyclopedia, able to remember things in the past to a certain clarity, to the point where his unfavorable past had stayed clear as his heart demons;
therefore, Shen Qingqiu was able to remember what Shang Qinghua had said towards him, even at the state where Shen Qingqiu was being drowned in anger towards Liu Qingge's blind accusation many years ago in their disciple days.
His hand that was about to strike a blow towards Liu Qingge's nape was retracted backward, and in the split of a second before Liu Qingge's blow reached him, Shen Qingqiu lunged forward, rolling on the cave ground, as he made his way rushing towards the cave entrance.
If there's one person who was able to help, just like how he had calmed Shen Qingqiu's infamous severe Qi Deviation previously, it was Yue Qingyuan.
Barging into Qiong Ding Peak, Shen Qingqiu didn't bother to maintain the formality as he shouted,
"Yue Qingyuan!"
The Sect Leader was finishing his paperwork when Shen Qingqiu had rudely entered his abode.
"Qingqiu-shidi?" He blinked in surprise.
Shen Qingqiu had no time to waste, he grabbed Yue Qingyuan's sleeves and dragged him outside as he quickly explained,
"Help me take care of Liu Qingge's stupid Qi Deviation!"
Perplexed, Yue Qingyuan wondered, "How could Liu-shidi have a Qi Deviation?"
"How would I know!?" Shen Qingqiu bristled in annoyance.
Only when they reached the LingXi Cave that Yue Qingyuan finally understood the serious situation.
Dealing with Liu Qingge's madness strike was easy, as the Sect Leader struck him unconscious, Shen Qingqiu had to hold him down as Yue Qingyuan poured his own Qi to stabilize Liu Qingge's rampaging one.
Not long after, Liu Qingge's eyes eventually opened in clarity. Shen Qingqiu immediately shoved him to the ground from his original position in Shen Qingqiu's arms.
The Bai Zhan Peak's Lord grunted in pain at the impact when his head had contact with the hard stoned floor, as he exclaimed, "Shen Qingqiu!"
"Hmph." Shen Qingqiu snorted. "Looking at how energetic Liu-shidi is, it seems there's nothing to worry about anymore."
Yue Qingyuan smiled helplessly, witnessing how his Xiao-Jiu didn't forget how to act nasty in front of Liu Qingge...even after how frantic he looked prior when dragging Yue Qingyuan to the cave.
"Liu-shidi, I don't know how you get into a Qi Deviation so suddenly. Nonetheless, it is good that Qingqiu has found you and dragged me here to help." Smiling, Yue Qingyuan explained what had happened.
Extending his hand towards Liu Qingge, the sect leader continued, "Let me check your pulse one more time to be sure."
Wordlessly, Liu Qingge offered his hand. He blinked his eyes several times, looking at Shen Qingqiu in disbelief. The idea that Shen Qingqiu had the thought to save him was so bizarre. He had thought Shen Qingqiu was that person who would strike another when they're already lying down, instead of offering them a hand to get up.
Looking at Liu Qingge's expression, it was easy for Shen Qingqiu to guess perfectly what this guy was thinking.
The everlasting frown at his forehead went tightened. Gritting his teeth to shove down the inevitable pang he felt in his heart, Shen Qingqiu sneered.
"Why do you look so surprised, Liu-Shidi? Do you think I was doing a charitable act? Why don't you start to think about how to repay my help in the future?"
With that, he flicked his sleeves, and turned his heels, walking deeper towards the cave.
"Qingqiu-shidi," Yue Qingyuan wanted to stop him, but Shen Qingqiu quickly cut him off,
"I believe Yue-Zhangmen is more than sufficient to take care of the aftermath." He said as he strode briskly without looking back.
Shang Qinghua didn't know that the hearty warning he said towards his Scum Villain many years ago had been carved in the man's memories to this day.
He didn't expect that his warning would influence the future by...a lot.
After the disturbance of Liu Qingge's inexplicable Qi Deviation, Yue Qingyuan was uneasy even when he sat comfortably in his Peak.
He kept throwing a glance towards the direction of LingXi Cave, wondering if Shen Qingqiu would be alright. Would he face another Qi Deviation just like he had always been facing during the years? Even Liu Qingge, it's really surprising that someone who had never faced a bottleneck in his cultivation, much less experiencing a Qi Deviation in his whole life, had suddenly gone into one. Leaving two people with a vulnerable state cultivating at one place was truly grating on Yue Qingyuan's nerves.
Perhaps if he didn't fear Shen Qingqiu's death glare, he would go and guard the two people right in the cave's entrance!
Hence, when there's a notice that he had one business he must attend outside the sect, he regretfully asked Wei Qingwei and Qi Qingqi to go in his place instead, as he stayed in Qiong Ding Peak, fretting over Shen Qingqiu and Liu Qingge's situation like an overprotective Hen.
As it stood, when Sha Hualing, the newly crowned Demon Saintess barged into Qiong Ding Peak to flaunt her power, she was met with a blast of Yue Qingyuan's Qi, throwing the demons she brought with her and destroying even her sorry excuse of clothes into smithereens.
She hadn't even said her villainous monologue at all, much less executing her important villainous deeds!
If there's one human cultivator able to face a Heavenly Demon one on one and offered them a good fight, it would always be the current Sect Leader of Cang Qiong Sect, Yue Qingyuan. A demon saintess and her minions of demonic elders were truly nothing for the man at all. He didn't even bother to unsheath Xuan Su to kick them down the mountain.
The man who always plastered a gentle expression on his face, was truly a terrifying being when his smiles had gone as he politely yet ruthlessly invited Sha Hualing out with,
"I believe Cang Qiong Sect is not a place for Demon to wreck as they please."
Leaving aside how pitiful and embarrassing Sha Hualing's reputation in the Demon World had become,
Shen Qingqiu couldn't find peace even after months of meditating. His ever-present heart demons were one thing, however, there's one more thing that he found it hard to let go from bugging his mind at this time.
After months of secluded cultivation in LingXi cave, as his cultivation advanced to the Late stage of Golden Core, one step away from reaching the Golden Core Great Perfection, Shen Qingqiu stopped himself at that point.
Advancing to another level meant, a tribulation.
It meant, Shen Qingqiu in his current distraught mind couldn't do it and would be in danger if he forced himself to.
Warming up his body, feeling the new addition of power surging up inside him, Shen Qingqiu sighed.
It's fine. I'll go and cultivate again later.
...He consoled himself, as he went out from the cave.
After reporting towards Yue Qingyuan, and escaping from the man's fretting over his well-being like usual, there's a place Shen Qingqiu had to go immediately.
Shang Qinghua wouldn't expect that the man of his dream, the person he longed for, would come to his Leisure House in AnDing Peak with full vigor.
...Or not.
Shen Qingqiu was as cold and scary as usual actually.
When the man suddenly went knocking, Shang Qinghua had to check if the sun had set out from the west, for his crush to appear at his door, looking at him solemnly and waiting to be invited inside.
"Uh, Shen-shixiong?" Shang Qinghua started after he brewed a tea with his meager technique and served a plate of confectionaries for the man who's sitting silently inside his living place.
"Shang Qinghua."
The way Shen Qingqiu called his name instead of using the sophisticated regards of shidi and shixiong, had indicated that this person wanted a serious and straightforward conversation.
"Twelve years ago, XinHai County, the spirits inside the well, is the first case that I, or we, have been put in a group mission." He said afterward.
"W-well, I suppose that is. How about it, Shen-shixiong?" chuckling nervously, Shang Qinghua gripped his teacup with both of his hands tightly.
Shen Qingqiu continued.
The man proceeded to retell what had happened 12 Fucking Years Ago, in detail, from one event to another. From when Shen Qingqiu was pretending to be aloof by reading some books, ignoring Liu Qingge, into how Shang Qinghua became the bullying target of the spirits, how he had played dead after, how Liu Qingge blindly accused Shen Qingqiu of backstabbing him, until finally the important part.
"At that time, when we boarded the carriage, you told me something peculiar; If, in the future, you see someone going into Qi deviation, do not panic, and do not hastily rush to help thinking you can save them. You must stay calm and go call for help, do not make a move yourself. OTHERWISE, you will definitely be more of a hindrance than a help, poke a big hole in the basket, falling into despair from then on, unable to free yourself for the rest of your life. Not even jumping into the Yellow River could wash off your regret."
With that, Shen Qingqiu finished his retelling.
Before Shang Qinghua tried to think about how to respond, he had to gawk and marvel at how detailed Shen Qingqiu's memory was!
It was terrifying.
Shang Qinghua didn't even remember the exact words that he had said, yet this guy in front of him had remembered it words by words down to its punctuation...somehow.
Shifting at his seating mat, Shang Qinghua coughed, looking down to hide the bashful look on his face, Shang Qinghua stuttered, "That, that, I'm, this shidi, is happy that Shen-shixiong remembers his words!"
Shen Qingqiu had expected to face denial or excuses from Shang Qinghua, so when in the end the guy was shyly expressing his happiness at the wrong focus instead, Shen Qingqiu was left speechless, unable to say anything for a while.
"...You," He could only gape hesitantly.
Looking up, the little squeaky mouse who always looked like he was constantly nervous in front of Shen Qingqiu, his eyes were blinking a few times, as a realization finally dawned upon him.
Wo de tian!
He was being carried away by his happiness when his crush had remembered his words from a decade ago perfectly, that he completely forgot the underlying meaning of Shen Qingqiu's confrontation!
It was a fucking interrogation, Goddamn it!
And instead of weaving out a good excuse, Shang Qinghua had given himself away in a silver platter, happily offering his hand to be handcuffed by the dreamy Investigator in front of him~
Good Job, Shang Qinghua! Now, you can say goodbye to your SPY career.
...He lamented dearly as Shen Qingqiu stayed silent, looking at him in a strange, indescribable look.