Work Text:
It started, strangely enough, because of Ning Yingying. It was Shen Qingqiu's third day back at Qing Jing Peak. Luo Binghe was studiously preparing snacks in the kitchen, and Ning Yingying was in the bamboo house with Shen Qingqiu to get spoiled for a bit before going back. At the moment Ning Yingying asked the question, Shen Qingqiu was sitting in front of his table, reading the disciples' works and wishing he could chat individually with them about their lack of motivation, his face full of black lines. Was this someone's forgotten summer homework? He was reminded of a high school teacher who had gone on maternity leave returning and finding her whole class turned into slackers.
Ning Yingying said, “Shizun, what's the proper address for A-Luo?”
Shen Qingqiu answered idly, “Don't you just call him A-Luo?”
Seeing Shen Qingqiu pause a bit in his reading, Ning Yingying finally felt like they had something to talk about, and gleefully took the scroll from Shen Qingqiu's hand, placing it on top of the finished pile and scooting closer to the table on her knees. “The other disciples are asking about it. And none of the shixiong and shijie are sure.”
Thinking about it, it was too complicated, certainly not something that Shen Qingqiu has clarified before. Luo Binghe was “Junshang” to his subordinates, but the demon realm was the demon realm after all. While Huan Hua Palace was usually left in the hands of the little tyrant Sha Hualing in her human guise, Luo Binghe was technically still the Huan Hua Palace Master. But getting the disciples of Qing Jing Peak to address him as such meant seeing him as a stranger, definitely not appropriate.
At the same time, they haven't dissolved their master-disciple relationship. This juicy, scandalous relationship already couldn't be erased from people's minds, so even trying to void it at this point was useless. And it didn't sound like something Luo Binghe would agree with, even though it was hard to get him to address his shishu properly.
This was when Luo Binghe came in with a plate of snacks and tea. With a trace of mischief, Shen Qingqiu said, “He's your shimu.”
Luo Binghe paused. Shen Qingqiu continued with a straight face, saying softly as if contemplating it, “Shizhang?”
Luo Binghe's face twitched in an expression Shen Qingqiu couldn't place, but might have looked exceptionally fierce. Still delighting in teasing him, Shen Qingqiu flicked open his fan and hid his face behind it, nodding a little. “Tell the other disciples he's your shizhang.”
Ning Yingying looked a bit shocked at the revelation. “Shizun and A-Luo got married?”
Shen Qingqiu nodded, playing at nonchalance. “Just a quiet ceremony a few months ago. I haven't told your shishu and shibo yet, so Yingying best be discreet and not alarm them.”
Ning Yingying nodded, shook her head, then nodded, shaking like a toy drum. Shen Qingqiu shut his fan and tapped it against her shoulder to make her stop shaking, still finding it amusing.
Since the news was going to the other disciples, Shen Qingqiu should really have expected the outcome.
--
The first to appear was Liu Qingge. He had been in such a hurry that he actually ended up slowing himself down, channeling his qi to his feet instead of his sword and running all the way to Qing Jing Peak. Ning Yingying had been gone for only enough time for tea and a chat with Luo Binghe, and already, here was Liu Qingge storming up his peak like an elephant. Predictably, there was Ming Fan hurrying ahead on his sword, looking sheepish.
For a moment, Shen Qingqiu wasn't sure what Liu Qingge wanted. He kept pointing at Shen Qingqiu, saying a few “you”s in disbelief but swallowing the rest of his words. Then Liu Qingge's gaze was drawn to Luo Binghe who had followed behind Shen Qingqiu, and Liu Qingge drew his sword.
Got it. He was just here to exchange pointers. Shen Qingqiu gave a single nod, and went back in the bamboo house to keep drinking his tea. Liu-shidi, your shixiong had gone all out protecting the towns below the mountain, he was just here to relax a bit! And maybe straighten a few slackers!
“Get back here!” Liu Qingge roared from behind. Shen Qingqiu paused in his steps and turned back, “Why?”
“When did you... you...”
Ming Fan hurriedly cupped his hands and belatedly announced their visitor. Since Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe were away from the peak more often than not, Ming Fan was unquestioned in his role as the head disciple. Shen Qingqiu wasn't planning on cultivating anyone else as a successor either. But even as a rich young master, Ming Fan's position was a bit unstable, with no proper backing. With Luo Binghe being declared his shizhang, you would have thought this youth would be laughing wildly with joy; after all, Ming Fan himself would be the most likely disciple to succeed Shen Qingqiu once the current Peak Lords retired.
Shen Qingqiu looked at Ming Fan critically. Did this brat really run all the way to Bai Zhan Peak to brag? But he didn't look too happy, his eyes red-rimmed.
…Did he feel he was being bullied because he had to call someone of the same generation shizhang?
Shen Qingqiu had to admit it was a bit irregular.
But everyone already knew Regret of Chunshan anyway! Why was it that getting married suddenly seemed like a big deal? Wasn't it a bigger deal if they didn't get married after all that?
In the end, Shen Qingqiu had to invite Liu Qingge inside. And then next was Qi Qingqi, who had also thought to drop by unannounced to scold him. Finally, a few Peak Lords squeezed in, including Zhangmen-shixiong, who had taken time off his busy schedule to alternate between staring at Shen Qingqiu sadly and sighing into the tea that Luo Binghe had perfectly brewed for them.
A very hasty meeting. Only Shang Qinghua seemed ready, having brought melon seeds.
To show some respect for this whole group of Peak Lords huddled around one table, Luo Binghe had even tactfully retreated, waiting by the door instead.
Qi Qingqi said, “Where else do you hear a Peak Lord getting married like this? Why all the secrecy? Did you think you could hide it forever?”
Ku Xing Peak's Peak Lord immediately sighed. “Hiding it is not good ah. There's already all sorts of rumors outside, hiding this will only make it worse. You don't want to be known as a loose woman... ahem.” He hurriedly swallowed whatever else he was going to say at the twin looks from Shen Qingqiu and Qi Qingqi.
“Not to mention you're saying that that disciple of yours isn't the one marrying in, but there's no bethrothal gift or bride price either. It doesn't seem sincere enough.”
The other Peak Lords murmured their agreement. Liu Qingge gritted his teeth, and finally couldn't stop from saying, “You shouldn't settle for being the wife! It's disgraceful!”
As expected from him, it was a straight man's logic. Qi Qingqi narrowed her eyes, and slapped her hand on the table. “Don't confuse the issue, there's nothing disgraceful about that!”
“Then get that demon to be the wife!” Liu Qingge was probably only talking in anger, and wanted to criticize anything, but his words really were a bit disagreeable. In Airplane's cultivation world, women's status was tied to their cultivation. Normally, they were as prideful as men, and marriage alliances had to be approached carefully, with neither coming out lesser. (This setting was all so Luo Binghe could melt a cold, domineering female sect leader of course.) In any case, Liu Qingge's view that wives were lesser wasn't something Qi Qingqi could easily accept, and it seemed that she was going to whip out her sword the next second.
Shen Qingqiu hid a wince, and thought of whether he had enough time to hide his favorite vase and get his books to safety. Thankfully, another Peak Lord was quick to get in between the two, saying, “All right, all right. In fact it's a marriage between two men. Neither has to be the wife. What about it, shixiong? Shouldn't you both be husbands?”
Shen Qingqiu hesitated.
Why the choice, suddenly?
To begin with, wasn't husband and wife already there? The harmony of the two words wasn't bad, though as a man, he didn't think being called 'wife' in front of other people was something he could agree with. Wasn't a wife meant to be soft and cute, or the cool and alluring type? Anyway, it was definitely not an old man like him! It did seem to fit Luo Binghe more, and he'd called Binghe 'Maiden Luo' in his mind enough times that he could imagine it.
At the same time, Shen Qingqiu couldn't let go of his image of Luo Binghe as the cool, domineering demon lord, who was not someone he wanted to call 'wife.' Except maybe sometimes, teasingly. From that perspective, husband and husband didn't seem bad. But thinking of Luo Binghe calling him 'husband,' unexpectedly, Shen Qingqiu wasn't happy about it either. In fact, a bit... unhappy.
He didn't think he'd been thinking about it too long, but when Shen Qingqiu raised his head, the table had already strangely fallen quiet. Only Shang Qinghua said a quiet disbelieving “bro,” the word punctuated by a melon seed shell pinging off the table.
Shen Qingqiu glared hard enough that there was a collective flinch. He could feel his face heating up, so Shen Qingqiu snapped his fan open and turned his head away. Just how devious were these martial siblings? They suggested that just to trap him! Good, very good!
“It's already been announced. He's my disciples' shizhang.”
“Qingqiu-shidi,” Yue Qingyuan said, sounding less sad and a bit more like a more worldly, wise older brother. “There's no need to be hasty.”
“Qingqiu is already happy with this marriage,” Shen Qingqiu replied, hoping that was the end of that.
The Peak Lords disagreed.
Now that they'd established that Shen Qingqiu was not completely averse to the idea of being a 'wife' (it was just convenient, that's all!), there was a lot of talk about propriety and the proper order of things, no courtship and no bride price. Qi Qingqi scathingly remarked that one could even say that Liu Qingge gave more courting gifts than Luo Binghe, causing Liu Qingge to splutter. To Shen Qingqiu's surprise, Shang Qinghua seemed to have even turned off the part of his brain that was afraid of Luo Binghe. Luo Binghe was just outside the door and they were already thinking about scalping him.
“In the future, as soon as ten years from now, we really won't have any money! Don't I have to rebuild your bamboo house every few months? The Peaks that generate the most income are actually my An Ding Peak and Qian Cao Peak, but who ends up spending more?” Shang Qinghua fished out a roll of paper from his robe. “Look, if Huan Hua Palace helps fund this...”
Shen Qingqiu rubbed between his brows, rubbing harder with each 'that super rich Luo Binghe should donate this or that priceless treasure.' Finally, he gave up and chased them all out.
--
“This disciple apologizes.”
The words were out almost immediately after the doors were closed. Shen Qingqiu motioned for Luo Binghe to sit with him, and then supported his head with his hand. If Luo Binghe wasn't here, he would have wanted to flop on the floor and pretend to be a dead fish for a while. “Binghe has nothing to apologize for.”
It was Shen Qingqiu who should apologize. Who would have thought some casual remark would lead to this?
He didn't precisely mean to hide that they were married, and it had already been months. If someone was married, there was always a slight desire to brag, and the stablity around him had lulled him into thinking the reactions would be more muted and normal. Now that it was like this, it felt a bit shameless to ask Luo Binghe to grant Cang Qiong Mountain Sect some favors, just in exchange for Shen Qingqiu marrying him. Those sect siblings had seemed so interested in making Luo Binghe show his 'sincerity,' but in the end, Shen Qingqiu wasn't really a wife, and couldn't give Luo Binghe an heir to cement an alliance.
All of the demon families respected lineage, and as long as one of them couldn't give birth, there weren't going to be any quarter-demon babies.
In short, as a union, it was a dead end.
What this meant was that, even this early, there were many demons offering to be surrogates or offering up sons or daughters for Luo Binghe to adopt. Some clans decided to outright rebel, which was why Luo Binghe had been busy most of these days, and Shen Qingqiu had pulled him back to Qing Jing Peak to relax.
“Shizun hardly asks this disciple for anything,” Luo Binghe said. Which wasn't true, Shen Qingqiu remembered asking for a particular dessert just the other day, but maybe Luo Binghe meant more along the lines of grand shows of affection, like the ones written in Proud Immortal Demon Way.
Abruptly, Shen Qingqiu remembered Luo Binghe's line, 'Entrust Shizun to me.'
Such lines had already been spoken, and in front of an audience of old men. Shen Qingqiu said wryly, “This teacher's face is too thin.”
Surprisingly, Luo Binghe gave a cheeky response: “Perhaps Shizun needs practice.”
Shen Qingqiu watched Luo Binghe. His eyes were crinkled. He didn't seem upset, but he was obviously still thinking about something. If Luo Binghe didn't want to say anything at this point though, Shen Qingqiu didn't mind waiting. Without missing a beat, Shen Qingqiu said, “Then, husband?”
Shen Qingqiu's voice was too soft, like a cat's paw pressing softly. Luo Binghe's face turned splotchy, red and white, before fully washing red. Shen Qingqiu watched the color spread on his cheeks and was fascinated.
In fact, Binghe blushed very cutely. Binghe was still the cutest.
Luo Binghe ran his hand down his face, sighing heavily. “Shizun already said he would be busy with matters today, and to relax. This disciple thinks Shizun should be careful.” The implication was 'don't use “husband” so casually.'
Shen Qingqiu nodded his head. “Oh, is that so?” There was hardly any chance to get this much of a reaction from Luo Binghe. But if he called 'husband' all the time, would Luo Binghe get inured to it? It felt a bit exciting, like having a secret weapon that needed to be used sparingly.
Luo Binghe hardly got flustered now. If left alone, he tended towards being melancholy. All in all, he wasn't a very cheerful person. But the peace between them was comfortable, and it didn't feel necessary to force any changes. It was enough to just take everything slowly.
Shen Qingqiu patted the space right beside him. “Come here. It's loose, let me retie your hair.”
--
Shen Qingqiu left a few braids in Luo Binghe's hair and happily went on his way.
First, he returned the students' works with a resounding 'inadequate' and had all the older ones run five laps around the mountain. The younger ones had to be tutored a bit, and spent the afternoon happily showing off their improved works.
As a Peak Lord, Shen Qingqiu wasn't expected to be in charge of their training, and they mostly trained under the older disciples instead. It wasn't surprising for him to not see any of these younger disciples except when formally accepting them to the sect. But Shen Qingqiu felt that it helped when he still taught them all periodically. Finally, he sent them back to the disciples' quarters and serenely waited for the rest to be done, then reminded them to rest up for tomorrow since they were going to be spending the whole day in the library.
There were furtive, angry looks exchanged between some of the disciples. They probably thought this was punishment for the news leaking to the other Peak Lords, and were now blaming each other.
It was, a bit. But who told them to be so bad at writing? Qing Jing Peak was still a peak of scholars, so they couldn't neglect it.
The next day, the disciples were surprisingly well behaved for their lecture, and some even proactively asked questions. Shen Qingqiu finally started to feel like a teacher again, and had begun to smile a bit faintly while exuding the smug air of an old master.
At which point, Luo Binghe poked his head in.
Seeing their teacher's husband at the door, the disciples couldn't pretend they didn't see, and so had to greet him. “Shizhang!”
Shen Qingqiu had a moment of blank shock. The effect really was, a bit... He adjusted the fan in front of his face and coughed behind it.
Did married couples really walk around like this? For some reason, it felt like involving outsiders in their PDA, a strange feeling of both confidence and embarrassment.
Luo Binghe barely acknowledged the disciples, instead speaking directly to Shen Qingqiu. “Shizun, this disciple has some pressing matters, and has to leave the mountain.”
Shen Qingqiu adjusted his fan again, the mood that was lifted falling a bit. Schooling his expression, he asked, “How long will you be gone?”
“Perhaps a week.”
It wasn't that long, though the departure itself was a bit hasty. Shen Qingqiu felt sorry they didn't get a longer break, wondering what happened in the demon realm this time. He gave Luo Binghe his blessings, and Luo Binghe stepped out of the library again briskly, his face cheerful.
The disciples of course put their heads together to gossip.
“This shizhang is unreliable.”
“Still calling Shizun 'shizun,' he really wants to show off.”
“'I was a disciple like you, but can you reach where I am?' Really arrogant.”
“Look, Shizun's sad. That white-eyed wolf even has the gall to leave for a whole week!”
Shen Qingqiu was, in fact, not sad. But his ears were burning. The disciples were speaking very quietly, but with his level of cultivation, he could hear every word. These kids were really something, acting so meek at first but badmouthing Luo Binghe like this!
For some reason, the protagonist really wasn't getting respected. First the Peak Lords, and now even the disciples, Shen Qingqiu didn't understand what they were still unsatisfied about. Finally, he sent off the disciples and beat a hasty escape himself.
That night, he didn't meet Luo Binghe in the dream realm like usual. The issue in the demon realm had to be more serious than he thought, and Luo Binghe was doing his utmost to solve it. The next day, he met his disciples again, and even listened attentively while they played the guqin. The day after that was even more leisurely.
Rather than stay alone in the bamboo house, Shen Qingqiu first wandered into the bamboo grove, and when it started getting a bit dark, he went down the mountain.
There was a festival in one of the towns, with a small parade and lively people on the streets. Shen Qingqiu looked around as he walked composedly. Sometimes, people would stare at him in that way they sometimes did when they were seeing a master cultivator for the first time, a sort of awed look before hastily looking away to not seem disrespectful. But the crowd ensured some level of privacy, and for the most part, people left him alone.
Looking at the trinkets on display in one stall, Shen Qingqiu was struck with the realization that he didn't know which one Binghe would like.
Finally, Shen Qingqiu visited Shang Qinghua.
“Are you nursing a grudge? I was being honest, you try to budget this if you want,” Shang Qinghua fired out in rapid succession. “And I know for a fact that Bing-ge just has everything tucked away, he doesn't even look at them! All those thousand-year herbs and cabbages are just going to wilt sadly, okay? As a reader, you know it, too, right? When did Bing-ge retrieve one of those priceless treasures on his own initiative? Why is it wrong to ask for a few baubles?”
Thinking about this, the author was really a bit pitiful. None of the treasures he painstakingly wrote in and forgot about ever fell into his hands. Shen Qingqiu looked at him with a bit of pity, but with more annoyance. He hadn't even said anything yet!
“In fact, I came to ask about something.”
“Huh?”
Shen Qingqiu retrieved a few items from his qiankun pouch and laid them neatly on the table as Shang Qinghua looked on, confused.
“Thank you?” Shang Qinghua said meekly, reaching for one of them. Shen Qingqiu slapped the back of his hand, so he had no choice but to let go.
“I want to know which one Binghe likes.”
Looking at that selection of toys and accessories, which could at best only be called random, Shang Qinghua didn't know what to say. “Bro, who would think up a setting like this? How would I know what he likes?”
“If you can point out which one Luo Binghe likes, the rest is yours.”
Shang Qinghua wasn't one to let go of an opportunity, so he willingly gave up the item that he reached for first, saying wryly that it had the most chance of catching someone's eye. Shen Qingqiu returned with it to Qing Jing Peak, and lay on the bed while looking at the ring.
It wasn't from a roadside stall, but one of the more respectable shops in the town. It was simple and elegant, but of a normal human craftsmanship, not anything priceless like a device that boosted cultivation or soothed qi deviation. Sighing, Shen Qingqiu went and found a string for it, so Luo Binghe could choose to wear it around his neck or hang it somewhere in his room. Giving this to him and forcing him to wear it really wasn't his plan.
In fact, there was no plan at all, Shen Qingqiu mused. Maybe after so long, he just wasn't used to being so free with his time.
--
The next day, there was a commotion.
Dozens of Qiong Ding Peak disciples milled about, incredibly wary when they saw the visitor, but disciples from other peaks also came to spectate. Shen Qingqiu didn't know what Sha Hualing thought while standing in front of Qiong Ding Peak. The first time she was here, she'd been beaten back ungently by cultivators who were her seniors. Liu Qingge was even a frequent visitor at Huan Hua Palace, and had caused her time and again to be wronged.
Unfortunately, this little employee still didn't get a promotion, and now she had even been sent on an errand by Demon Lord Luo Binghe to bring gifts to his wife's family!
As for why she was sent, and not Mobei-Jun, this was a matter of delicacy. Sha Hualing was a girl, and could be sent on matters regarding marriage without her looking as out of place as Mobei-Jun's considerable bulk. And Mobei-Jun was part of the more successful raid on Qiong Ding Peak, which made for an awkward messenger.
Shen Qingqiu didn't think Airplane's cultivation world accounted for men getting married to each other, and human and demon cultures were different enough that even if there were rules for this sort of thing, the two realms weren't going to agree on what was 'proper.' Despite everything, Sha Hualing tackled the whole affair with a stiff air of professionalism. That was to say, she had perfectly memorized all her lines. Even so, there was a wry twist of her lips when she happened to look at Qiong Ding Peak's plaque, and announced the things she came with.
Shang Qinghua appeared to watch, too, eyes gleaming in excitement.
Most of the things being delivered to Cang Qiong Mountain Sect were valuable but of a practical nature, which made them doubly hard to refuse. Almost half could be handed over to Qian Cao Peak for safekeeping, medicine and elixirs and demon plants that Mu Qingfang would surely love to study. But while there were tea sets, artifacts, and cultivation pills in the mix, no demon weapons made an appearance, which was reasonable; priceless weapons would have surely attracted the envy of other cultivation sects, and Cang Qiong Mountain Sect didn't need potential enemies inventing charges against it to steal its treasures. Luo Binghe had managed to put together a bethrothal gift that was thoughtful and not vulgar.
Liu Qingge hmphed. Yue Qingyuan accepted everything on behalf of the sect with a solemn air. But throughout all this, even after looking at the edges of the crowd, Shen Qingqiu did not see Luo Binghe furtively watching.
He was somehow disappointed.
--
When Shen Qingqiu returned to his Peak, he could see smoke from cooking, and finally understood that Luo Binghe came straight to the bamboo house instead. He took a moment to compose himself, and entered the bamboo house without running. As expected, Luo Binghe was in the kitchen, tasting something with his back turned to him, his sleeves pulled up and tied back neatly. Seeing that back, Shen Qingqiu had a realization: wasn't this a chance to sneak up behind him and hug him from behind?
Unfortunately, he was still too slow for Luo Binghe, and before Shen Qingqiu could make up his mind, his insensitive disciple had already turned around.
Missed opportunity!
Shen Qingqiu looked blank for a moment, then sighed and greeted Luo Binghe.
“This disciple has returned as promised,” Luo Binghe said, studying his face with an uptilt of his lips. “Is Shizun happy to see me?”
“This teacher has been waiting,” Shen Qingqiu declared magnanimously. Luo Binghe laughed softly at that and set aside the bowl in his hand, and Shen Qingqiu decided that the front was just as good as the back.
With a chuckle, Shen Qingqiu brushed right up against Luo Binghe's chest, arms looping around him. They were almost the same height, but the effect wasn't like Shen Qingqiu imagined, and his arms couldn't quite engulf Luo Binghe. It was comfortable enough, but Shen Qingqiu hadn't quite gotten beyond that first short burst of happiness to a more mellow feeling when he felt Luo Binghe's big little brother expressing its interest.
...this disciple of his was really too honest.
Lips twitching, Shen Qingqiu peeled himself off and patted Luo Binghe on the shoulder with his fan. Luo Binghe quickly defended himself: “I haven't seen Shizun for almost a week!”
“Yes, yes, it's because you haven't seen me for a week. Who decided to stay away that long?” So in the end, wasn't it still Luo Binghe's fault? And with this sort of lively reminder, even Shen Qingqiu couldn't remain indifferent. But he lacked the courage to keep looking, and ended up turning his face away for his next few words: “This teacher... wanted to see Binghe.”
Luo Binghe took a deep breath. In a very careful tone, he said: “Please let this disciple finish preparing the food.”
After so long, of course the food had to be eaten. The earlier gifts had been for the sect, but this was solely Shen Qingqiu's. It had to be appreciated properly. Still, Shen Qingqiu couldn't help probing, “And then?”
“And then... please forgive this disciple for being rude.”
Master and disciple reached an understanding just like this, and Shen Qingqiu stopped worrying about it. He generously nodded. “Hmm.”
--
Shen Qingqiu woke up to Luo Binghe's face turned toward him. It was a rare opportunity of catching Luo Binghe still asleep, and without hesitation, Shen Qingqiu stretched his hand out to softly pull his cheek. He gave a quiet 'pfft.'
His body was aching and his throat was sore, but while normally he would be feeling lethargic and even sorry for himself, it was like he'd been injected with chicken blood. Almost like he'd been holding his breath the entire time, the feeling of seeing Luo Binghe beside him like this hit him with an intense feeling of relief, and Shen Qingqiu even found himself smiling. He fumbled around for a while, found the ring with its trailing silver string, and put it in Luo Binghe's palm, closing his fingers around it.
After that, Shen Qingqiu quickly slipped out of bed, hobbling out of the room as quietly as possible to clear his head in the bamboo grove. It really was to clear his head: the instant he'd put the ring in Luo Binghe's hand, the mostly dormant System had started blaring congratulations, awarding points, and inundating its display with packages that could be redeemed. [Wife 520 (Adjusted) Plotline Unlock Available, Dual Cultivation to Immortality Scrollx2, Cat Ears Package, Self-Lubrication Package (rechargable)...], the System truly didn't have a bottom line! If it hadn't been undignified for a Peak Lord to jog around the Peak, he would have wanted to run around a bit to dispel the surge of embarrassment.
Okay, hurry and purchase it, hurry and redeem, it was rare for the System to be so charitable after all. Shen Qingqiu pretended not to see the items that were being cleared from the shop by his own finger, adopting the mentality of getting everything on sale now and finding a use for it later.
Meanwhile, in the bamboo house, the earnestly sleeping Luo Binghe turned his face into the crook of his arm, speechless. His hand gripped the ring, cheek still feeling a slight tingling from Shen Qingqiu pulling at it. He felt a little at a loss, and could only silently promise himself.
The food today should be especially delicious!