Chapter Text
Shen Jiu gritted his teeth as he hit the ground, feet swept out from under him. The impact jarred his back and shoulders, sending shocks of pain through his already sore body. Dust was kicked up around him, getting into his eyes and making his vision blurry. Groping the ground, Shen Jiu picked up a handful of sand, throwing it at his opponent.
“Argh!” Liu Mingjian shouted, scrubbing at his eyes.
Shen Jiu used his opponent’s moment of distraction to pick himself off the ground. Flicking his fingers out, he called his sword to his hand using his qi. He wrapped his fingers around the sword’s grip tightly, his arm shaking with exertion. Wiping the sweat and dirt from his face, he saw how Liu Mingjian was still covering his face with his hands.
An opening!
Mustering the last dregs of his strength, Shen Jiu lunged forward, slashing Liu Mingjian’s arm. His blade easily cut through the sleeve of the Bai Zhan disciple’s robes. Panting, Shen Jiu observed how his opponent clutched his bleeding arm. Finally, a victory, he thought triumphantly.
He thought too soon.
While reveling in his success, Shen Jiu failed to notice the vicious kick aimed for his stomach. He hit the ground hard, collapsing on his knees. He didn’t even need to look at the blade under his chin to know that he had lost. Again , he thought bitterly.
“Should’ve known you would resort to dirty tricks,” Liu Mingjian sneered at him.
Shen Jiu glared at the alpha in front of him. The handsome teen’s eyes were red and watery, swollen after trying to scrub out all of the dust.
“Is it dirty or are you just mad it worked?” the omega spat.
Liu Mingjian just huffed at him before walking away, joining the other Bai Zhan disciples on the sidelines.
“Good job Liu-shixiong!”
“Yeah you beat that cheater into place!”
“Serves that dirty omega right.”
Dirty. Cheater. What did they know? Those spoiled young masters knew nothing of how hard he had to work. How hard the climb was to get where he was now.
Shen Jiu gritted his teeth, attempting to get up.
“Ah!”
He clutched his abdomen, his body trembling from the sudden shock of pain. “Shit,” he swore under his breath. It seemed that the kick did more damage than he thought. Using his sword as a crutch, he managed to stand up. His ribs throbbed, every breath felt like he was inhaling glass.
“Shen Jiu.”
Shen Jiu flinched as a warm hand rested on his shoulder. Turning around, he bowed his head to the man in front of him.
“Shizun,” he said, unable to hide the shaking note of pain in his voice.
His Shizun sighed, looking at him with those benign eyes of his. “Let’s get you to Qian Cao. Can you walk?”
Walking sounded like a horrible idea to Shen Jiu, but he'd rather not be carried by his Shizun, or worse, his peers. “Yes Shizun,” he nodded.
“Come along then.”
His Shizun kept a hand on his shoulder as he walked, steadying him. As he was ushered off the sparring grounds, Shen Jiu could hear the other Qing Jing disciples talking about him.
“How shameful! My mother would beat me if I resorted to something as dishonourable as throwing sand.”
“What a loser. Can’t even fight with a sword.”
He bit his tongue. Perhaps a year ago, when he was still a new disciple, he would have said something back. But now, he held back the scathing remarks that were itching to escape his mouth. Talking back only resulted in punishment.
The jeers were silenced from a glare from his Shizun.
“Those of you who are injured, go to Qian Cao Peak,” the alpha ordered.
There was a chorus of “Yes, Shizun,” as the disciples scrambled onto their swords and flew themselves to the medicine peak.
“The rest of you, go back to Qing Jing and clean yourselves up. No classes for the rest of the day. You’ve all worked hard.”
As the rest of the disciples made their way back to Qing Jing, Shen Jiu remained standing on the sparring grounds with his Shizun, shifting uncomfortably on the gravel.
“You did well today, Shen Jiu,” Shizun said.
Shen Jiu did his best to bow. “This disciple thanks Shizun for his kind words.”
Shizun continued. “Though you lost, I see great improvement in your technique. I know these matches against Bai Zhan can be difficult, but they are the best way to gain experience. However,” he said, looking sternly at Shen Jiu, “one should not resort to dishonourable methods in order to succeed, regardless of how strong or weak they are.”
“But I-!”
Shizun gave him a pointed look. “It is better to fail with honour, rather than succeed with fraud.”
“Yes, Shizun,” he sighed.
Shizun drew his sword elegantly from its sheath, letting it hover above the ground. “Step on,” he said, “I’ll bring you to Qian Cao.”
“Thank you, Shizun.”
Shen Jiu stepped carefully onto the hovering blade, Shizun behind him.
Shizun often did this. Escorting him to Qian Cao after the sparring matches between Qing Jing and Bai Zhan Peak. He appreciated it, of course. But Shen Jiu didn’t like the idea that Shizun thought he was vulnerable. Omega or not, he could take care of himself.
When they got to Qian Cao Peak, Shizun escorted him to the main building dedicated to medical care. Qian Cao disciples could be seen running around, retrieving supplies and tending to the injured and sick.
A Qian Cao disciple walked up to them, bowing. “How may this disciple be of assistance?”
Shizun smiled at the boy. “Ah Mu-shizhi, it is good to see you again.”
The disciple gave a polite smile. “Likewise, Fu-shibo.”
Pushing Shen Jiu forward slightly, Shizun said, “My disciple here is in need of medical assistance.”
The Qian Cao disciple directed that polite smile towards Shen Jiu. “I’d be happy to help.”
“Excellent!” Shizun said. Turning to Shen Jiu, he placed a hand on his shoulder. “Be good.” Don’t cause trouble, his eyes said.
Shen Jiu inclined his head. “Yes, Shizun.”
Shizun nodded at him. “I’ll be off then. Come back to Qing Jing once Mu-shizhi is done with you.”
Shen Jiu watched as his Shizun flew back to Qing Jing. A light tap on his shoulder startled him. The Qian Cao disciple gave him a short bow, introducing himself.
“This disciple is called Mu Shufen.”
Shen Jiu did his best to bow back, wincing as a shooting pain emanated from his side.
“This one is Shen Jiu,” he said curtly.
Mu Shufen nodded. “If you’ll follow me, Shen-shixiong.”
Shixiong, Shen Jiu thought as he followed Mu Shufen. That was the first time another disciple addressed him so politely. Normally, they’d call him some derogatory name or call him shixiong mockingly. But Mu Shufen addressed him politely. K indly. The only people who were kind to him are Shizun and the women at the Warm Red Pavilion.
Mu Shufen led them to a vacant room. It housed just a clean bed and a cabinet of medical supplies like all of the other rooms in Qian Cao’s hospital.
Shen Jiu sat on the bed, silent as he watched Mu Shufen prepare his supplies, pulling bandages, cloths and jars of poultices from the cabinet.
Now that they were in closer proximity, Shen Jiu was able to make out Mu Shufen’s scent. The light, clean, slightly spicy scent of ginger filled his nose. An alpha, he concluded. The alpha’s scent was nice and subtle; controlled. Unlike the brutes at Bai Zhan who had no control over their stench. Nevertheless, Shen Jiu remained cautious, as he did around all alphas, including his Shizun.
“May I inspect your meridians?”
Shen Jiu wordlessly held out his arm to Mu Shufen. The healer gently took his wrist and checked his qi circulation, placing warm fingers against his skin. The alpha nodded to himself, seemingly satisfied with whatever he observed. Next, he pushed up Shen Jiu’s sleeve, clicking his tongue at the small cuts and scrapes he found. Retrieving a bowl of water, Mu Shufen proceeded to heat it up, streaming a small amount of qi into the porcelain.
Shen Jiu was impressed with the amount of control this Qian Cao disciple had. Most disciples of the medicine peak had excellent control over their qi, but he hadn’t seen any of them heat up water before. Shen Jiu had tried to do that before, but his bucket of bath water exploded on him rather than heated up.
Shen Jiu let out a small hiss as Mu Shufen cleaned his wounds with a warm soaked cloth.
“My apologies,” Mu Shufen murmured.
A poultice was spread over his wounds, stinging like a bitch, but Shen Jiu bit his tongue, distracting himself from the pain with another. Bandages were tied snugly around them.
“Keep these bandages on for at least three days before taking them off. That should give your wounds ample time to heal,” Mu Shufen said, his voice low and soothing.
As soon as the last bandage was applied, Shen Jiu stood up. He gave a curt bow to Mu Shufen. “This one thanks you for his aid,” he muttered. As he made to leave, a warm hand gripped his wrist.
“Wait. May I inspect your torso?”
“What?” Shen Jiu glared at the alpha. “I’m fine.” Shen Jiu jerked his wrist out of Mu Shufen’s hold.
“I saw you wincing every time you moved,” Mu Shufen said, concernedly. “Your ribs may be bruised.”
“I said I’m fine!” he snapped.
“Please. If you are in pain I can help.”
Mu Shufen’s face looked genuinely concerned. Why is he being so insistent? Most Qian Cao disciples would send him off after patching up his surface-level wounds, leaving him to deal with the internal ones on his own. Most of them aren’t as nice either, he thought.
“Shixiong, this shidi insists. It would not be any trouble to help you.”
Shen Jiu was uncomfortable with physical contact. At most he could tolerate Shizun’s hand on his shoulder or a medic patching up his wounds.
Mu Shufen seemed to be able to sense his apprehension. “You won’t need to take anything off. Just sit down.”
Shen Jiu sat down gingerly, his hands holding the lapels of his robes closed. Mu Shufen sat in front of him on the bed. The alpha’s movements were slow and deliberate, gently placing his hands over Shen Jiu’s ribs. The healer closed his eyes as he manipulated his qi, sending the energy into Shen Jiu’s body.
The sensation was… odd. Not unpleasant, but definitely odd. Shen Jiu could feel Mu Shufen’s qi passing from the alpha’s fingertips, through his robes, into his skin. The condensed stream of energy was like a probe, searching, feeling. There was a bizarre shifting sensation within him, as if the bones were being moved around. Slowly, the ache in his chest eased. Breathing no longer felt like inhaling glass.
“There was a small fracture in one of your ribs,” Mu Shufen said. “I used my qi to repair the fracture and alleviate some of the bruising, however, you will still notice a slight redness and tenderness. You should take it easy for a few days so your body can heal completely.”
“Why can’t you just heal it completely now?”
“If we use our qi to heal everything right away, our bodies’ ability to heal itself will lessen. Our bodies are capable of great feats, it only needs a little help.”
Shen Jiu could feel Mu Shufen’s qi reaching further, going beyond just his ribs and spreading throughout his body.
The Qing Jing disciple noticed a deepening crease form between the healer’s brow before the alpha let out a small gasp.
“What?” Shen Jiu demanded.
Mu Shufen schooled his expression back to something more neutral. “Have you broken your legs before?” he asked.
“In the past. Why?” Shen Jiu narrowed his eyes, drawing back from the healer’s touch abruptly.
“The bone wasn’t set properly. The break healed and the flesh around it accommodated it, but… are you not in pain?”
The omega had long grown used to the constant ache in his joints. Pain was now just a part of his life; a thing to be ignored, pushed to the back of his mind.
“An improperly healed injury like this would put strain on the muscles and ligaments.” Mu Shufen said. “But it can be fixed.”
Shen Jiu pressed his lips into a hard, thin line. He has stayed here long enough. His wounds were healed—there was no reason to linger. Shen Jiu stood up, making an effort to not look at the alpha healer. He walked briskly out of the room, pointedly ignoring the calls of “shixiong! Shen-shixiong!” behind him.
Notes:
I don't know whether or not I want to continue this. If I get a good response, I'll make this a full-fledged story.
SO HIT THOSE KUDOS AND THE COMMENT SECTION!!
I wanna know what y'all think, so lemme know.
Chapter 2: There was only one bed- I mean desk
Summary:
Shen Jiu finds himself continually drawn to Mu Shufen.
Notes:
Hello my lovely readers! I was absolutely floored by the response I got for the 1st chapter. Y'all will be haappy to know that I WILL BE CONTINUING THIS!!! But since I don't have an outline for this story yet, updates will be slow as I figure things out. But worry not, I have many things already planned *rubs hands evilly*. For now, updates will be far and few in between. Also, I got a new job, so I'll be busy with that *cries in minimum wage*
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
When Shen Jiu bathed, he did so in the privacy of the night, when the bathhouse was devoid of any other disciples.
He gingerly eased himself into the warm water, which maintained its temperature with talismans made by Fu Yawen himself. Shen Jiu sighed as the heated water soothed his aching muscles and joints.
Although the bathhouse was deserted at hai hour, the residual stink of pheromones still lingered in the humid air. Shen Jiu wrinkled his nose at the scent, the combined odour of pubescent alphas was revolting to his sensitive sense of smell.
Yet another downside of being an omega, he thought.
The Qing Jing disciple scrubbed his skin with a bath bean, the powdery perfumed bar stripping his skin of dirt. The warm, spicy scent of cloves was a welcome one, and the various herbs left his skin feeling pleasantly moisturised.
Shen Jiu paused as his fingers brushed against raised ridges on the skin of his back. Each scar was a rough, jagged line, and although he could hardly see them, Shen Jiu knew them as intimately as every other limb. They told the story of his past that he could never let go, etched into his skin like ink on paper. Sometimes, the omega swore he could still feel them—that searing pain as each stroke was lashed onto an already marked canvas.
But he pushed it aside, like he did everything else. He endured it.
And oh did he endure it. As the omega rose from the gently steaming water, he already felt the ache returning to his back, hips, and knees. Each ache was another burden his body was forced to carry—and now, the new ache in his ribs.
Shen Jiu dressed himself in a new set of inner robes—the latest pair had been sliced up, courtesy of Liu Mingjian.
Under the light of the moon, Shen Jiu made his way to the bamboo house, which his shizun so graciously allowed him to live in, much to the ire of the other disciples.
It was another source of rumours for the disciples, more fuel for their fire. Why else would Shen Jiu be allowed to live with their shizun if not for seducing him? Obviously , the lecherous omega enticed their righteous alpha shizun into favouring him.
Shen Jiu entered the Peak Lord’s home quietly, slowly easing the sliding door shut behind him. He silently made his way towards his room—a small, bare room to the side of the house. The omega had little to no personal belongings in there, just his uniform and supplies neatly stored in a chest. There were no soft blankets or pillows with an alpha’s scent to make a nest, just a straw mattress covered in clean linens and an extra sheet for a blanket. They were functional, of course, and comfortable to a certain degree, but lacked any sort of personal feel. The room had only trace amounts of his scent. Shen Jiu used scent-neutralizing soaps and practiced withholding his natural scent, although he had yet to perfectly mask it.
Even on the most quiet of nights, Shen Jiu found it difficult to sleep. His mind liked to keep him awake—and when he did sleep, haunt him. The Warm Red Pavilion was probably where he had the best nights, where he slept on a comfortable bed surrounded by the scents of the nice jiejies.
Their friendship was superficial at best. Shen Jiu still paid them, even if they insisted he didn’t.
Shen Jiu crawled into his bed and drew the sheets up around him. He could only lay on his back, lest his ribs start smarting. The scent of various herbs from the poultice smeared all over his arms were strong in Shen Jiu’s nose. If he concentrated hard enough, Shen Jiu could still feel the lingering touch of warmth in the bandages skillfully bound over his wounds.
As Shen Jiu laid on his bed, his mind conjured up the scent of ginger and a kind smile.
Although the omega was a light sleeper, Shen Jiu woke up later than usual. He already missed breakfast and lessons were about to start in less than an incense stick’s worth of time.
By the time Shen Jiu got dressed and made his way to one of Qing Jing’s classrooms, there was already a large group of disciples inside. Amidst the pale greens and whites of Qing Jing was the beige and light grey of Qian Cao.
Shen Jiu almost forgot that his shizun had told them that some Qian Cao disciples would be joining them for poetry class. As Shen Jiu continued to linger in the back of the room, someone collided with him from behind.
“Oof! Oh sorry about— Shen-shixiong!”
A rush of spicy ginger entered the omega’s nose.
The Qing Jing disciple looked up—damn the height difference— and noticed the Cian Cao disciple that helped him yesterday looking apologetic as he gave him a slight bow.
With his fluffy brown hair half bound into a topknot instead of the practical pony-tail he sported yesterday, Mu Shufen gave Shen Jiu his polite smile.
“Shen-shixiong, how are you?” Mu Shufen asked. “I hope your injuries didn’t give you too much trouble.”
Shen Jiu gave Mu Shufen his usual look of cold indifference. "This one's injuries are of no concern," he replied.
A hush settled over the room as the main doors opened.
Sweeping in with an elegance befitting of an immortal, Fu Yawen entered the classroom, his presence demanding the attention of every disciple.
There was a chorus of "Shizun" and "Fu-shibo" as the Qing Jing Peak Lord made his way to the front of the room.
Fu Yawen gave the group of disciples a once-over, nodding when what he saw satisfied him. He addressed the disciples, “Everybody, please take a seat. Given that there are many of you here today, you may find yourselves sitting two or three to a desk.”
There was commotion as the disciples shuffled around to find a place to sit, many shoved each other for ideal seats or to sit with friends.
Shen Jiu found himself in a middle row of desks off to the side. He generally sat closer to the back, however, the back rows were taken up by some rowdy alphas.
"I apologize for the inconvenience, Shen-shixiong, but may I sit beside you?"
He paused in the middle of taking his brushes and ink out. Shen Jiu looked up to see Mu Shufen standing beside his desk looking hopefully at him. Shen Jiu looked around the classroom, only to see that there were no other available desks. He gave a curt nod to the Qian Cao disciple and turned back to gathering his materials.
"Many thanks, Shen-shixiong," Mu Shufen said as he slid beside Shen Jiu.
The short benches behind each desk meant that Shen Jiu was very much aware that almost the entire right side of his body was touching Mu Shufen. He pointedly ignored Mu Shufen, opting to look down at his blank paper.
They were to copy down one of Fu Yawen’s own works. The Peak Lord’s voice soon started to go in through one ear and out through the other as he lectured on about character structure and balance.
As Shen Jiu copied down his scripts, his body was hyper aware of the presence beside him. He could feel every shift in Mu Shufen’s posture, every twitch of his muscles and every stretch he did to his legs. Shen Jiu was well aware of his aversion to physical contact, yet being close to Mu Shufen didn't repulse him as much as it would with any other person. Perhaps it wasn't the same level of comfort Shen Jiu felt with the jiejies at the Warm Red Pavilion, but Mu Shufen didn't make him feel like he had to escape .
Mu Shufen was an attentive student. His posture was perfectly straight and relaxed as he paid rapt attention to Fu Yawen’s lesson. His writing was smooth and precise, befitting of a young master. Shen Jiu couldn’t help but be envious at the ease with which he wrote.
When Fu Yawen announced that their class was over, Shen Jiu all but leapt from his seat. He hurriedly cleaned up his materials and walked out the room as fast as decorum would allow him.
There was a sizable crowd of Qing Jing and Cian Cao disciples outside of the classroom. Shen Jiu pushed his way through, ignoring the sneers thrown his way for it. He collided accidentally with another Qing Jing disciple.
“Watch it, you stupid omega!”
The disciple shoved Shen Jiu onto the ground. Shen Jiu gasped as the impact jarred his fractured rib.
Another disciple grabbed the one who shoved him. “Stop it, shixiong! Shizun is still inside? What if he sees?”
“Pah! Who cares?” the other disciple spat.
Shen Jiu groaned as he sat back up. He grabbed a leaf that was on the and sent it flying towards the disciple with a burst of qi.
“Ahh!” the disciple cried out, clutching his cheek. His hand pulled away, a trickle of blood rolled down from a thin cut on his cheek. “That was a cheap move, you son of a bitch!”
“There’s more where that came from,” Shen Jiu sneered.
“You little—!”
Before the disciple could kick Shen Jiu, a Qian Cao disciple stepped in front of Shen Jiu, blocking the omega from the other disciple’s view.
“That’s enough,” Mu Shufen said firmly.
It was the coldest Shen Jiu had ever heard him speak. Gone was the kind expression and the warm voice.
“Step aside, shidi,” the disciple sneered. “This doesn’t concern you.”
Mu Shufen helped Shen Jiu stand up, letting go of him immediately as Shen Jiu pushed his hand away.
“Oh, but I think it does,” Mu shufen replied. “You see, Shen-shixiong is my patient, and you have just injured him further. Would you like me to bring this up with my shizun? Or yours, perhaps? There’s consequences for those who bring harm to the patients of Qian Cao.”
The Qing Jing disciple looked as though he was about to protest, but he held his tongue. “Fine!” he spat. He stormed off, dragging his friend with him.
Before Mu Shufen could turn around, Shen Jiu had already started making his way back to the bamboo house.
I could've taken care of that myself, he thought to himself.
As he trudged back to the house, his side flared up with pain, making him wince with each step.
"Shen-shixiong! Shen-shixiong, please wait!"
Shen Jiu turned around to see Mu Shufen running after him. The alpha looked frazzled, his hair escaping from its topknot.
"Are you alright, shixiong?" Mu Shufen asked, fussing over him. Mu Shufen’s hands started to move towards Shen Jiu’s injuries, but stopped himself when he noticed the omega stepped back.
"Apologies, shixiong. I was getting ahead of myself."
Shen Jiu shook his head. "It's no matter. This disciple can take care of it.”
Mu Shufen continued to pester Shen Jiu, much to the omega’s ire.
“Please, shixiong, I insist—!”
Shen Jiu gave in. “Alright! Fine, let’s just go somewhere with more privacy.”
Shen Jiu didn’t know what possessed him to lead the alpha to the bamboo house and into his room. They sat on his straw mattress as Mu Shufen once again used his qi to help fix the fracture in his rib.
In the year that Shen Jiu had been in Qing Jing, the only other person that entered his room was his Shizun. Not once had he had another disciple in his personal space—much less an alpha (save for Fu Yawen). But with Mu Shufen’s warm ginger scent surrounding him, and the stream of qi easing his pain, Shen Jiu couldn’t help but feel safe. And he hated it—hated this foreign feeling around someone he barely knew.
“I took the liberty of browsing some medical texts to do with malaligned bones and did some further studying on them,” Mu Shufen said, grabbing Shen Jiu’s attention.
“While normally I fix improperly set wrists and fingers, I have no doubt I can help with your leg.”
Shen Jiu gritted his teeth. Why was this Qian Cao disciple, who barely knew him, so insistent on helping him? Was this some kind of dare? An act of charity to gain favour?
“Why are you doing this?” Shen Jiu asked, his voice low.
Mu Shufen looked startled. He paused his stream of qi. “I beg your pardon, shixiong?”
“Why,” Shen Jiu repeated, looking into Mu Shufen’s face with narrowed eyes, “are you doing this?”
“Shixiong, I—”
Shen Jiu cut him off. “What do you hope to gain from this?” His voice dripped venom. “Surely you want something out of me.”
Mu Shufen looked taken aback. “I can assure you that I have no ill intentions towards you. I only mean to help you.”
The alpha saw the dubious look on Shen Jiu’s face and sighed, his expression softening. “What can I do to prove to you I mean no harm?”
Shen Jiu pursed his lips. There was a part of him that wanted to accept Mu Shufen’s offer of fixing his bones—of perhaps, fixing other things as well.
“Fine,” Shen Jiu said eventually.
“Fix me.”
Notes:
Why do you guys think Fu Yawen favours Shen Jiu? 🤔 Let me know your guesses in the comments.
I'll be posting tidbits of future chapters as I write them on Twitter, so follow me Cheezy_Toast for more juicy content
Chapter 3: Fixing
Notes:
I'M SO SORRY GUYS PLS HAVE MERCY ON ME.
Since the last update, i got a second job, went through my senior highschool year juggling 2 jobs and college applications, got a boyfriend (everyone is suprised as i am that im straight), then i graduated, started college and went through like 100 mental crises, quit one of my jobs, regretted it, now i'm on the hunt for another.
Anyways, MY FAVOURITE BABIES ARE GONNA SPEND MORE TIME TOGETHER YAY!! I love sj he's so cute.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"You say 'fix me' as though there is something wrong with you," Mu Shufen said, softly. The alpha looked as though Shen Jiu said something shocking, appalling.
Shen Jiu scoffed. "Well there is, isn't there?"
There's always been something wrong with him.
"No," Mu Shufen said.
No?
"I don't think there's anything wrong with you, and those who believe otherwise are fools," the alpha said firmly.
"Well," Shen Jiu said. It felt as though there was something lodged in his throat. "When shall this disciple meet with Mu Shidi for the… procedure? "
Changing the topic. Yes, very smooth, Shen Jiu. Totally not avoiding anything at all.
The professional, clinical look returned to Mu Shufen's face.
"I'll need to have you stay at Cian Cao for at least ten days so that I can control and monitor your recovery," the healer explained.
Shen Jiu would have to ask his shizun to let him skip classes for some time. It wouldn’t be much of a problem, though—Shizun was always lenient with him.
"Very well," Shen Jiu said. “This disciple shall meet Mu-shidi tomorrow at wu hour on Qian Cao.”
Mu Shufen smiled. “Excellent!” he exclaimed, clapping his hands together. “This one made sure to consult his shizun for more insight on this procedure. I have no doubts that it will be successful.”
Fu Yawen was sitting at his desk in his study looking over the latest assignments he gave to his junior disciples.
Shen Jiu approached his shizun, his steps light so as to not disturb the serenity of the bamboo house.
There was a sort of restless feeling within him. That feeling of weightlessness within his chest that made it feel like he was floating, but so much so that he almost wasn’t in control.
Shen Jiu hadn’t felt like this since he arrived at the base of Cang Qiong, knowing that the trial ahead would decide the new chapter of his life.
He felt anticipation.
That jittery feeling of waiting for something to happen had the omega in a vice grip and he couldn’t figure out why.
“Do you need something, Shen Jiu?”
Fu Yawen noticed his disciple the moment he walked in. Although Shen Jiu kept a tight rein on his pheromones, even he could not hold back that scent of nervousness, escaping in little bursts in that adolescent way of his.
Shen Jiu straightened his back and dipped in a polite bow. His voice was much steadier than he felt as he explained his request.
“Shizun, this disciple would like to request ten days off from lessons.”
His shizun looked thoughtfully at him.
“And what is your reason for this request?”
Shen Jiu had his excuse planned and rehearsed in his mind. “Mu-shidi has consulted with this one and has deemed it necessary that I undergo a procedure.”
“Is that so?” Fu Yawen replied. “And what sort of procedure does Mu-shizhi wish to perform?”
Shen Jiu thought back to his conversation with Mu Shufen.
“I took the liberty of browsing some medical texts to do with malaligned bones and did some further studying on them,” the alpha had said.
“While normally I fix improperly set wrists and fingers, I have no doubt I can help with your leg.”
The Qian Cao disciple had gone through the trouble of researching methods of mending his improperly healed bones. The thought made Shen Jiu’s ears heat and redden, the reaction beyond his control. Get yourself together, he thought . Shen Jiu tried to slow his accelerating pulse.
“Mu-shidi wishes to reset this disciple’s leg bones,” Shen Jiu replied.
“I see.” The Qing Jing Peak lord looked at him thoughtfully. There was a barely perceptible twinkle to the immortal’s eyes, as though the man was concealing some amusement. “Very well. I grant you ten days of leave. However, do not think I will grant you relief from your studies. I will be bringing your work to you, and I expect it to be finished.”
“Of course shizun,” Shen Jiu replied. Of course shizun will make me continue studying even on bed rest. “This disciple expects no less.”
“I have no doubts that Mu-shizhi will also help you in occupying your free time,” Fu Yawen said, teasingly.
“Shizun!” The omega spluttered, scandalized.
“At ease, Shen Jiu,” Fu Yawen laughed. “This shizun is simply happy my prickly disciple has made a friend.”
“He’s not my-” Shen Jiu began, but he couldn’t bring himself to finish the rest of the sentence. “This disciple will take his leave. Bidding shizun a good day.” Giving a polite bow, Shen Jiu left Fu Yawen’s study. The omega walked to his allocated room, its plain setting a comforting and welcome sight.
Shen Jiu sat on his mattress. His sensitive nose picked up the warm, spicy scent of ginger lingering faintly on the linens. He wanted to hate it like he did with every other alpha’s scent, but he couldn’t. Abruptly, he stood up, wincing at the tenderness of his abdomen, but began to pace his room, as if he could escape Mu Shufen’s scent permeating his mattress.
The omega felt a jumpy sort of anticipation for the next day. The kind of excited anxiousness that caused him to feel light, as if he could run 100 laps around Cang Qiong and be back in time for the midday meal. He was simply just nervous for his procedure and excited for the results, Shen Jiu told himself.
It most certainly wasn’t because he wanted to see Mu Shufen again!
Shen Jiu stopped his pacing and fell heavily on his mattress, groaning at the whoosh of Mu Shufen’s scent that surrounded him.
Curse my sensitive omega nose .
Fu Yawen hummed to himself as he glided over to his bookshelf, although calling it a bookshelf did it injustice. It was practically a small library within his house.
The Peak Lord ran his finger over the various scrolls and tomes that lined the shelves. He paused his skimming over a particular red leather-bound book. A gift from his fellow Peak Lord, Lee Yaming, of Qian Cao.
Foundations of Healing . A general guide of how to heal the body utilising qi ranging from sprains to broken bones.
He flipped through the yellowed pages until he landed on the passage he wanted.
In the matter of resetting maligned bones, it is necessary to cleanly break the bone with a thin stream of targeted qi, taking care to not disturb the flesh surrounding the bone. Then, using a combination of physical and qi manipulation, the ends of the bone must be meticulously aligned and set. Qi must be circulated around the area three times per day for six days consecutively. After six days have passed, the patient may move the treated area with caution.
Fu Yawen paused over qi must be circulated three times per day for six days consecutively.
He smiled, amused.
Oh, Mu-shizhi. How sly.
Notes:
I swear im gonna update this story i just gotta find another job and make sure i survive my second semester and make sure my relationship survives.
Next chapter we get to see our favourite meow meow and his shidi interact more!!!
also i got a wip for a sj x lqg modern au with mr and mrs smith kinda vibes. Let me know in the comments if that sounds like something y'all wanna read and maybe i'll hop back on that one too.
edit: guys i just remembered i got twitter- i mean X. should i write thread fics? i sometimes post writing updates for scars fade there too if y'all wanna see.
Chapter 4: Shall we begin?
Summary:
Shen Jiu prepares for his procedure with the oddly friendly Qian Cao disciple.
Notes:
HI GUYS!!! I feel overwhelmed at the support the last chapter got. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! This lowly author doesn't deserve such awesome readers🥹🥹🥹
I got my shit this semester so i think im surviving and i started taking magnesium supplements bc i heard it can help with depression??? idk but it makes me really energetic so that's a bonus. Ya girl is socially anxious so therapy is a battle i don't wanna try again lmfao. Also, i think my relationship is surviving so that's pretty dope.
ANYWAYSSSSSS, i decided to include some more background on my favourite meow meow and included a location that's gonna show up a lot in later chapters. ENJOY THE NEW CHAPTER GUYS!!!!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The omega woke up groggily to the sound of the morning gong ringing at yin hour, jolting him from his restless sleep.
It had been difficult to fall asleep. The spicy scent of ginger had distracted him. That damn alpha, Shen Jiu huffed. How dare he be so annoying! His stupidly pleasant and warm scent that Shen Jiu couldn’t stop pressing his nose against…
Damn you, Mu Shufen!
Shen Jiu was half tempted to slam his head against the floor in a poor attempt to knock some sense into himself, except shizun wouldn’t appreciate it if he woke up to the omega pounding his head against the wood.
Shen Jiu went through the motions of his usual morning routine. He dressed in his disciple’s uniform— a new set of course, the last set being sliced up by a certain Bai Zhan brute. His only other set was still filthy from the previous day’s incident.
Shen Jiu undid the braid he slept in and oiled his hair and combed it through. He twisted the top half into a tight topknot, the way the jiejies at the Warm Red Pavilion taught him.
Shen Jiu strode out of the bamboo house, making his way to Qing Jing’s dining hall for breakfast. He normally didn’t encounter Fu Yawen in the morning, the Peak Lord had an unhealthy habit of working late through the night marking assignments or reading whole volumes of poetry before sleeping so late it was practically the next day. The Qing Jing disciples joke that their shizun must be some sort of nocturnal creature since he only wakes up at midday.
Shen Jiu entered the dining hall. There were few disciples when he arrived. It was only part way through yin hour and breakfast was served until mao hour. He retrieved his bowl of congee and cup of tea and made his way to a table to eat. Shen Jiu learned early on that it was much better to eat at the earliest possible time so not as to be disturbed by hordes of disciples that liked to harass him when he ate.
Speaking of…
The scent of the alpha cockily striding towards Shen Jiu practically triggered his eye to twitch.
“So!” the alpha heavily dropped his bowl onto the table, causing some congee to spill over the sides. “I heard that softie Qian Cao disciple actually stood up to Fai-ge for you huh. What’d you do? Fuck him?” The alpha let out an ugly squawking laugh, as if he just made the funniest joke.
Shen Jiu didn’t grace this idiot with an answer, continuing to eat.
The idiot continued to blabber. “You know, Fai-ge was pretty pissed after you sliced up his face, especially after that Qian Cao nobody told him off. I have a feeling Fai-ge is gonna do something, just you wait. Being shizun’s little whore isn’t gonna help you this time, just you wait.”
Shen Jiu rolled his eyes. Taking his dirty dishes, he returned them to the kitchen before making his way out of the dining hall.
Random disciples coming up to him just to insult him wasn’t new. They were just rich little pussies from well-off families that had nothing better to do than threaten people they didn’t like with half-baked threats.
Shen Jiu continued walking along the paths of Qian Cao. He had time to spare before classes started. There was always a signal from the gong that gave a five minute warning that classes were about to begin, which gave Shen Jiu enough time to walk back to his class.
Shen Jiu liked to spend his time in a secluded place he discovered in his earlier days as a disciple. It was actually located quite close to a cluster of classroom buildings, however, it was surrounded by a relatively small thicket of trees, so most assumed nothing of interest would be located there. Except, if one made the effort to weave through the dense plum blossoms, they would stumble across a small, tranquil pond that was marred by nothing other than the delicate petals scattered along its surface.
Shen Jiu had discovered the pond after staggering away from a fight in which a group of disciples had decided to pick on him after Fu Yawen had allowed him to live in his house. They had seen him leave the Peak Lord’s house one day and came to the conclusion that the omega was somehow seducing their virtuous alpha shizun with his wanton omega charms. Shen Jiu, still more inclined to violent tendencies at the time, had decided to fight back, which resulted in him limping into the dense pocket of trees.
The disciples, of course, faced punishment. Their shizun sentenced them to cleaning the toilets for three months. Shen Jiu, however, didn’t go unscathed. He had a lighter sentence for contributing to the fight, being forced to write lines after the last lesson of the day for two weeks.
Since then, that secluded pond has been Shen Jiu’s favourite place on Qing Jing Peak. There were other, larger, more beautiful ponds on Qing Jing, but they were popular and often crowded by disciples as popular hang out spots. The plum blossom pond became the omega’s sanctuary between classes and during free time. He often practiced his sword techniques there, where he couldn't be made fun of by his peers for being behind in his skills.
Shen Jiu let out a quiet groan as he sat down on the grass, leaning against the truck of a tree. His ankles often ached, one side more so than the other. After Qiu Jianluo broke his legs, he made the mistake of attempting to stand, only to quickly be overcome by pain and dizziness and fall and roll his ankle. After his bones healed and he could stand properly, his knees ached from supporting his weight and one of his ankles had a slight ache when he walked for long periods of time.
In ten days, that could be gone , Shen Jiu thought. In only a few hours, Shen Jiu would cross the rainbow bridge to Qian Cao Peak and a disciple he only met a few days ago would perform a procedure to hopefully reverse the damage done to his legs.
Shen Jiu sat in silence underneath the gently swaying plum blossoms and watched the petals fall onto the sun-dappled surface of the water, observing the small ripples that emanated from each drop of pink.
It didn’t feel like long before the warning rang across the peak. Shen Jiu sighed as he stood up. He loathed to leave the place, but he had three classes to get through before he left Qing Jing.
Giving one last look to the clear water, Shen Jiu brushed himself off and made his way to class.
Ugh. Finally.
Shen Jiu enjoyed classes. His thirst for knowledge was insatiable. But did shifu have to be so terribly boring? His voice was blander than the congee he eats for breakfast.
But he digressed.
Shen Jiu wouldn’t be attending his last class, as it was time for him to go to Qian Cao Peak. Wu hour was approaching and it couldn’t come soon enough.
Not that Shen Jiu wanted to see Mu Shufen, of course.
After dropping his materials off to his room at the bamboo house, Shen Jiu made his way to the rainbow bridge.
A series of rainbow bridges connected each peak, and the sight of them was still dazzling to Shen Jiu. Formed from powerful arrays created by the first generation of founding peak lords, the bridges were a powerful feat. The destruction of a bridge would be horribly isolating to whichever peaks it was connected to. When Shen Jiu was first accepted to Qing Jing Peak, Fu Yawen took the group of new disciples across the bridges to visit various peaks.
“The distance between the peaks is actually quite great,” Fu Yawen said. “However, the arrays that form the bridges manipulate the distance between them, making it shorter to cross. If any of the bridges were to be destroyed, it would take much time, even flying at top speed on one’s sword to get to another peak.”
The explanation had astounded Shen Jiu at first. His limited knowledge of the cultivation world had been warped by Wu Yanzi, who only focused on the destructive uses of talismans. Although the rainbow bridge wasn’t as exciting as a novelty anymore, its appearance was still impressive, and Shen Jiu liked to immerse himself in its beauty whenever he crossed it.
Shen Jiu found himself at Qian Cao Peak, recognizable by its large hospital building that stood proudly at its centre. It was a busy peak, with beige-clothed disciples carrying armfuls of medical supplies, bundles of various plants, and other healing paraphernalia.
And standing by the entrance was none other than Mu Shufen.
The alpha seemed to perk up when he saw Shen Jiu approach, walking to meet him. Mu Shufen inclined his head. “I hope Shen-shixiong had a good day so far,” the healer smiled.
“It was adequate,” Shen Jiu replied. Already he could pick up on that faint, spicy ginger scent.
As if noticing Shen Jiu didn’t attempt to make any more small talk, Mu Shufen gestured for him to follow. “If you’ll follow me, Shen-shixiong.”
Disciples who recognized Shen Jiu, both healers and patients, gave him cold looks as he passed, but he paid them no mind. None of their damn business anyways, he thought.
Mu Shufen led him through Qian Cao’s hospital. Shen Jiu was quite familiar with its layout, having been treated numerous times for various sparring-related injuries. But Shen Jiu noticed they were going further, past the small treatment rooms that he normally frequented.
Where are we going? Shen Jiu thought.
“Shizun gave me permission to utilize one of the long term recovery rooms,” Mu Shufen explained, as if reading Shen Jiu’s thoughts. “It will be much more comfortable than those small rooms and it feels much more hospitable than the operation rooms.”
“I see,” Shen Jiu replied.
They stopped in front of a door made of light wood, identical to every other room in Qian Cao’s hospital. Mu Shufen opened the door. “After you, shixiong.”
Shen Jiu stepped inside. It was only just slightly larger than the usual treatment rooms, but this one had a bed instead of an operating table. It had a window that faced the rest of the peak and it had been slightly opened to let in the breeze. There was an extra blanket and some extra pillows placed neatly on the bed as well.
“If shixiong could just sit down, this one will explain what the procedure will entail,” Mu Shufen said as he closed the door behind him.
Shen Jiu sat apprehensively on the bed, sitting at one end so as to put as much distance between him and the alpha as possible.
Mu Shufen didn’t seem to notice how he sat so far away and began to explain.
“After discussing with my shizun and one of my shijies who has performed this type of procedure before, this one has been given beneficial advice,” Mu Shufen said, walking around the room gathering up his supplies. “I will first have to break the bone using my qi. You may feel some discomfort at this stage. Then I will have to manipulate the broken ends into their correct alignment using both qi and physical manipulation. For this part, I will give Shen-shixiong some cloth to bite as it will be painful.”
Shen Jiu simply nodded. Of course he knew to expect pain. It wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle.
After Mu Shufen wrapped up his explanation, Shen Jiu was instructed to remove his clothing.
“Shen-shixiong only needs to remove his outer robes,” Mu Shufen assured. “Please keep your inner robes on. This one will leave for a few minutes to let Shen-shixiong get situated.”
Shen Jiu was relieved that Mu Shufen gave him some privacy as he undressed. He quickly took off his outer layers, folding them neatly and placing them on a small table. He was left in just his thin inner robe. Since arriving at Cang Qiong, Shen Jiu quickly grew to like the multiple layers of his uniform. They were a far cry from the meagre rags he used to wear that offered far too much access . Now, he couldn’t imagine himself in less than two layers around another person.
There was a knock on the door.
“Shen-shixiong, may this one enter?”
Shen jiu wrapped his inner robe tightly around himself. “You may,” he replied.
Shen Jiu noticed how Mu Shufen averted his eyes, even though he was still technically covered. A part of him warmed inside at the gesture.
The alpha gently nudged him around until Shen Jiu was positioned to his liking.
“Shall we begin?”
Notes:
istg i know i keep saying im gonna put updates on twitter but i keep forgetting. also, i don't really have much of a following so like... but if my awesome readers could follow me, i think this lowly author could be persuaded to post some sneak peaks 🤭🤭🤭
here's my twitter if u wanna check it out
please leave a comment if u liked this chapter! i love reading your guys' thoughts and theories about what's gonna happen.
Chapter 5: Let's get started
Summary:
Mu Shufen begins the bone realignment procedure on Shen Jiu.
Notes:
ASDKLJFHDKJ IM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG
I survived midterm season but now finals are less than a month away??? I don't understand how this shit works, but I digress. Enjoy our little meow meow getting the treated by our favourite fluffy healer.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Are you comfortable, shixiong?”
“This one is fine,” Shen Jiu replied through gritted teeth. As comfortable as one can be while being prodded .
Shen Jiu did his best to not flinch at every pass of Mu Shufen’s hands over his legs. The Qian Cao disciple was examining the meridians within his legs, locating the ones around the points at which the bone will be broken. The alphas' warm hands made him remember the sensation of another’s hands. Rough, demanding hands that tore at his clothing in a frenzied, animalistic manner. Hands that wound their way around his neck…
Shen Jiu stopped his thoughts right there.
No use in dwelling on the past.
Mu Shufen was a far cry from that person. His hands were gentle, polite— never going too far.
The alpha seemed satisfied with his inspection, nodding and covering Shen Jiu’s legs as best as he could with the fabric of Shen Jiu’s inner robe.
“Shen-shixiong, I can begin the procedure whenever you are ready,” Mu Shufen said.
“Get it over with,” Shen Jiu replied tersely.
“Very well, shixiong.”
Shen Jiu observed as Mu Shufen readied himself, placing cloth to bind his legs in a cast nearby. The healer also placed a bowl of water and a smaller cloth that Shen Jiu hadn’t noticed earlier nearby as well. The alpha pushed his sleeves up, tying them around his biceps with a cloth string, revealing strong forearms.
“Shixiong, if you could lie down on your back and expose just your legs, this one would be grateful.”
Shen Jiu reluctantly pushed his inner robes off of his legs and laid on his back. Gooseflesh rose on his skin, the fine hairs on his legs standing involuntarily.
Mu Shufen moved to Shen Jiu’s bedside. “Shixiong, if you feel along the edge just below you, you will find a raised edge that you can grip.”
“Grip? And why would it be necessary for this disciple to do that?” Shen Jiu felt around the edge of the wooden bed frame, feeling the raised edge that ran along the length of the frame.
Mu Shufen gave him a sly smile. “Shixiong will know why momentarily.”
Shen Jiu cocked an eyebrow at that response, but he didn’t question it. He took a small wad of cloth from Mu Shufen, who offered it to him. “Will Mu-shidi tell this one the purpose of this as well or continue to be mysterious?”
Mu Shufen let out a small laugh at that. The rich sound of his amusement made Shen Jiu’s ears warm.
“That’s for Shen-shixiong to bite down on. I’m sure shixiong wants to save face, the walls here are not very thick after all,” Mu Shufen said, a small smile curving his lips.
“I see.”
“Whenever you are ready, shixiong, this one shall begin,” the healer said.
Shen Jiu stuffed the wad of cloth into his mouth between his teeth and nodded up Mu Shufen. The omega stared determinedly at the ceiling. He kept his breathing steady, not flinching when he felt Mu Shufen’s hands rest on top of his right shin.
This is it, he thought.
“This disciple shall begin.”
Shen Jiu once again felt the odd sensation of qi passing through his skin, but unlike before, this felt more concentrated. Rather than searching and probing, this stream of qi was smaller, condensed. There was a feeling like a warm pulse as Mu Shufen broke the bone.
Shen Jiu almost didn’t notice. The pulse of concentrated qi was both like a knife and a hammer, splitting the two bones cleanly without so much as a small crack .
Shen Jiu most definitely noticed when Mu Shufen started aligning them.
Mu Shufen also used his qi to trim away at some of the bone in order to make space. He then firmly started to physically manipulate Shen Jiu’s leg from the outside and used his qi to carefully manoeuvre the bones from the inside.
Shen Jiu now understood the purpose of gripping the bed. The pain immediately made his arm flail for the raised edge, gripping and digging his nails into the wood, scratching lines into the frame. His teeth bit down on the cloth, preventing him from screaming. Beads of sweat immediately broke out on his forehead, rolling down his face and into his eyes as his neck arched back.
Mu Shufen furrowed his brow as Shen Jiu moved. “I know it hurts, shixiong. Please do your best to refrain from moving too much.”
Shen Jiu desperately wanted to shout at him.
How about YOU try and not move while you’re moving your fucking bones around!
Nonetheless, Shen Jiu did his best to stay still, the cords in his neck standing out from the effort. The pain was similar to that when his legs were first broken and he tried to put weight on it. Magnify it 10 times and that’s how he felt now. Due to the physical manipulation, he could feel every shift as the broken edge stabbed into his flesh from the inside. He bit down as hard as he could on the cloth between his teeth to silence any noise that tried to escape him. His jaw ached from how hard he was biting down.
“There we go, shixiong,” Mu Shufen announced. “The first leg is done!”
Mu Shufen looked pleased as he began binding his leg tightly. He then retrieved the bowl of water and cloth and moistened it.
“You did very well,” he murmured, as he wiped the sweat from Shen Jiu’s brow. “Your ability to withstand pain is remarkable. I’m sure many others would have passed out by now.”
The cool water on his face was a relief and the pain in his leg was starting to subside to a dull throb. The praise from the Qian Cao disciple, however, made his face heat up slightly.
He turned his face away from Mu Shufen’s hand. “Hmph. It was nothing,” he said.
Mu Shufen chuckled at his response. “I’m glad to hear that. I suppose that means shixiong will have no problem with the other leg then.”
Shen Jiu glared at the cheeky healer.
This insolent brat.
Shen Jiu was decidedly bored as he completed his missed assignments.
It had been a day since his bones have been broken and properly aligned. Mu Shufen would come to his room every few hours to help circulate his qi around the break and promote the flow of blood. He would then stay to chat before returning to his lessons and hospital duties.
The Qing Jing Peak lord personally visited Shen Jiu that morning, bringing him his missed poetry and arithmetic assignments and checking on his well-being.
“Expect this one to return every other day,” Fu Yawen said.
Shen Jiu inclined his head. “Of course. Thanking shizun for bringing this disciple’s work.”
Fu Yawen then gave him a pointed look. “Do take care to rest properly and do not be hasty about leaving.”
“Yes, shizun.”
Fu Yawen made his way to the door. Before leaving, he turned around and gave him a look Shen Jiu couldn’t decipher. “That boy, Mu-shizhi, he would be a good friend for you.” With that, he left, leaving Shen Jiu with a pile of homework and a reddened face.
“Shizun!”
Notes:
With finals approaching, who knows how long the next chapter will take. BUT FEAR NOT! I will not abandon this. As always, check out my twitter, I'm severely lacking in followers. Follow me at Cheezy_Toast for potential sneak peaks at future chapters!
edit: I just noticed that i wrote in ch 4 that mu shufen explained to shen jiu that the cloth was for him to bite on but in ch 5 he explained it again. Sorry for the inconsistency, i have a goldfish brain :)
Chapter 6: Baby Steps
Summary:
Shen Jiu has had time to heal and is building up his strength, perhaps unintentionally building something else as well.
Notes:
OH MY GOD IM SO SO SO SORRY FOR MAKING YOU GUYS WAIT FOR SO LONG. Every time I try to work on this fic, something else seems to pop up *cries inside* but here you go! Also why is my bf on a 3 day camping trip ALONE with his FRIEND whom he says is not a close friend but she calls him her "best friend"??? y'all i need to just stick to writing relationships, not being in one 😭 but i digress. Pls enjoy our fluffy healer and his prickly meow meow.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
From the end of my bed,
I recognize the bright light of the moon.
It almost looks like frost upon the ground.
As I raise my head to the bright moon,
then lower my head thinking of my home.
Shen Jiu scowled at the copy of the poem Fu Yawen brought him. He was supposed to write an analysis of its meaning and the intent with which the poet wrote it. He normally wouldn’t mind this kind of assignment, except for the fact the analysis had to be three pages long .
For one poem!?
Shen Jiu continued to scowl at the blank sheafs of paper as if he could intimidate the pages into somehow manifesting words for him.
“How goes the homework, shixiong?”
Shen Jiu replied without looking up. “It isn’t going anywhere, much like myself.”
Mu Shufen chuckled as he walked into Shen Jiu’s hospital room. “I can assure you, as soon as your bones have fully healed, I will let you walk around. You have my word.”
Somehow, over the course of just four days, Shen Jiu had progressed to having casual conversations with the Qian Cao disciple, going as far as to drop formal language, much to his annoyance.
The alpha walked leisurely to his bedside, that faint spicy ginger scent following him.
“May I sit down, shixiong?”
Shen Jiu rolled his eyes. “You act as though you don’t do this three times a day.”
Mu Shufen shrugged. “It doesn’t hurt to ask, lest you attempt to stab me with your brush.”
Shen Jiu’s ears coloured slightly. The first time Mu Shufen came into his room to circulate his qi, Shen Jiu had been resting and didn’t notice the quiet knock on the door. The look on the alpha’s face when Shen Jiu almost clocked him in the nose out of surprise was one he wouldn’t forget, but who could blame Shen Jiu when he awoke to the healer sitting beside him. Since then, Mu Shufen always asked before sitting down.
Shen Jiu pushed his work aside as Mu Shufen took a seat beside him. Placing a hand on each shin, Mu Shufen slowly pushed his qi into Shen Jiu’s skin, letting it find its way into the meridians within his legs. A warm sensation tingled under Shen Jiu’s skin as the life-giving energy worked through broken bones and muscles.
“What will be the first thing you do after getting out of here?” Mu Shufen asked, not looking up.
Always chatty, this one.
What did Shen Jiu want to do once he regained mobility? He thought about it, unintentionally remembering his last sparring match with Liu Mingjian. He thought of the way he was so easily beat, the ease with which the Bai Zhan disciple could defeat him with a well-aimed kick.
“I want to practice my sword skills,” Shen Jiu replied.
“Hmm… we should practice together sometime, shixiong.”
“You want to practice with me?” Shen Jiu snorted.
“Yes. Why wouldn’t I? This one is sure we can improve together.”
So hopelessly optimistic, this alpha is Shen Jiu thought. He had no doubt that Mu Shufen was leaps and bounds ahead of him in his martial arts skills. Once he found out how far behind Shen Jiu was, he’d regret ever wanting to practice with him.
For some reason, the thought of that made Shen Jiu feel a twinge of disappointment, which he quickly quashed.
“There you go, shixiong. All done,” Mu Shufen smiled.
As the warmth of Mu Shufen’s qi and hands left his skin, Shen Jiu couldn’t help but feel cold. Although he would never admit it out loud, Shen Jiu sometimes wished it took longer to circulate his qi.
I just like the extra pain relief Shen Jiu thought.
It certainly wasn’t because he liked being around Mu Shufen.
Shen Jiu was startled from his brooding by a finger poking him between the eyes. Shen Jiu glowered at Mu Shufen as he swatted the playful hand away.
“That was highly unnecessary, Mu-shidi.”
“You were frowning, shixiong. Are you sad to see me go?” Mu Shufen teased, a playful smile tugging his lips up.
“Shameless!” Shen Jiu exclaimed. “I’m frowning because you haven’t left yet.”
“You wound me so, Shen-shixiong.”
Mu Shufen made a show of putting a hand over his heart, looking like a wronged maiden. He went so far as to widen his eyes like a pitiful baby animal.
Truly a shameless alpha!
“Is Mu-shidi so fragile that he cannot bear to leave?” Shen Jiu scoffed.
Mu Shufen had already made his way to the door, but he turned around. “If this disciple has to leave the company of his friend, then yes.”
“Who’s your friend?!” Shen Jiu exclaimed, glaring at the back of Mu Shufen’s head as the healer walked out chuckling.
On day six of Shen Jiu’s recovery, Mu Shufen deemed him fit to move, albeit slowly.
And he meant slowly.
“Mu-shidi, I am quite capable of standing on my own.”
Mu Shufen was fretting over him, holding both of Shen Jiu’s arms as he stood up on his just healed legs. They felt fine to him, perhaps just a bit weak from the lack of use. Mu Shufen, however, was acting like he was standing for the very first time.
“Shixiong, this one is aware of your exceptional standing abilities, however, I simply want to take some precautions.”
Shen Jiu rolled his eyes, but made no effort to push him away. He refused to admit it, but he was slightly nervous about how shaky his legs felt. It reminded him of the first time they were broken, how he had to try and stand on his own. The many times he fell from how weak they felt and the way he feared they would never work again.
And he would never escape.
“Shen-shixiong, can you please try taking a step forward?”
Shen Jiu was broken out of his reverie. He took a tentative step forward, Mu Shufen holding onto his arms the entire time, watching his legs for any sign of him falling.
Another thing Shen Jiu refused to admit was how he didn’t mind Mu Shufen touching him. By now, he had grown used to the alpha’s presence, even enjoying their little banter when he circulated Shen Jiu’s qi. While he wouldn’t call them friends, Shen Jiu begrudgingly considered them well acquainted.
“Perfect, shixiong!” Mu Shufen exclaimed. “Let’s take a short walk. Everyday now, you should walk a short distance to strengthen your muscles again.”
“Very well,” Shen Jiu said. “On the condition that you stop holding me like the breeze will carry me away.”
Mu Shufen sighed. “As you wish, just don’t blame this disciple if you fall.”
Shen Jiu kept a hand on the wall as the two of them walked around Qian Cao’s hospital. The omega took the opportunity to observe the layout and the bustling of the many Qian Cao disciples and guest healers. As Shen Jiu and Mu Shufen rounded a corner, the Qing Jing disciple was assaulted by a foul and unfortunately familiar smell.
Moaning and groaning in pain on various beds were a group of Bai Zhan disciples, all in various states of injury. They were attended to by a few Qian Cao disciples. Shen Jiu noticed Liu Mingjian among them, looking just as battered, which gave him a sick sense of satisfaction, making him smirk. The Bai Zhan Peak Lord, Wu Yazhu, and another senior disciple stood off to the side, looking at the group of pubescent alphas with a mixture of exasperation and disappointment.
Liu Mingjian looked up and noticed Shen Jiu smirking at him. Scowling, the brute tried to stand up.
“What are you looking at, cheater?!”
Before Liu Mingjian could do anything else, his shizun walked over and bopped him on the side of the head as if berating a small child.
“That’s enough out of you!” Wu Yazhu declared. “Or need I remind you why you are here? This shizun feels perfectly well enough to spar 10 more rounds.”
“This disciples apologizes,” Liu Mingjian grumbled, sitting back down.
Shen Jiu couldn’t hold back a short huff of amusement. Turning to Mu Shufen, Shen Jiu noticed that even the composed healer couldn’t hold back a few chuckles at the display.
As soon as they walked away from earshot, Mu Shufen asked, “what kind of shizun beats his disciples to a pulp?”
“I don’t know, but it makes me appreciate Wu-shibo all the more for it.”
Mu Shufen laughed at his quip as he led the two of them back to Shen Jiu’s room.
“I’ll be seeing you tomorrow, shixiong.”
“As if I have any choice,” Shen Jiu responded drily.
Mu Shufen gave him one more smile before gently shutting the door behind him.
Shen Jiu sighed as he looked at the pile of work on his bed and he found himself almost looking forward to the next day.
Notes:
Mu Shufen is like a puppy trying to befriend a grumpy cat and i'm all for it.
I can't believe fall semester is already almost here. College is gonna make updating this rough, but worry not, this humble author will persevere 🫡
As always, follow me at Cheezy_Toast for sneak peaks at future chapters!
Chapter 7: Cracks in the Wall
Summary:
Shen Jiu gains a new homework buddy, learns something new, and maybe admits friends isn't a bad idea.
Notes:
Hey guys... sorry this took so long. I had one hell of a finals season and I got a stomach bug so bad I ended up in the hospital because I almost went into kidney failure lol. AAANNND currently I got pneumonia. DON'T WORK WITH KIDS OML. ISTG they are walking disease bombs. Anyways, thank you so much for all the nice comments, they mean a lot. Here's some fluffy mujiu with a serving of qi/meridian/dantian mumbo jumbo. <3
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Can’t you do your readings somewhere else?”
“But shixiong, this disciple is much more studious with you.”
Shen Jiu rolled his eyes. “You just need me here to interpret poetry for you.”
Mu Shufen grinned at him, looking up from his work. “You explain it better than I ever could, shixiong.”
Mu Shufen started spending his free time in Shen Jiu’s room, often bringing his homework with him. Most of Mu Shufen’s work was related to his peak’s speciality, often studying anatomy or medical procedures, but occasionally he had to study the six arts.
Which was when he bugged Shen Jiu the most.
“Shixiong, what do you think this line here means?”
“Shixiong, how is this equation supposed to be read?”
Shixiong this. Shixiong that. Mu Shufen was slowly but surely driving Shen Jiu insane!
“Don’t you have other places to be, Mu-shidi?” Shen Jiu huffed, not looking up from his arithmetic work. “Perhaps other patients to treat or classes to attend?”
Mu Shufen shifted his position, pulling his legs up from the side of the bed and sitting crossed-legged, facing Shen Jiu. The alpha rested his chin on his hand, looking far more casual than his usual professional healer demeanour. “I am treating a patient,” he replied, a teasing lilt in his voice. “I am treating you with my presence.”
Shen Jiu rolled his eyes. He lightly punched the Qian Cao disciple in the arm. “How is an unserious fool such as you trusted to treat Cang Qiong’s injured?”
“I am only unserious around you, shixiong,” Mu Shufen teased.
Shen Jiu felt his ears heat up, from embarrassment or annoyance he wasn’t sure. “Get back to work!” he ordered.
Mu Shufen gave him a cheeky salute before turning back to his poetry.
Shen Jiu had to admit—it was strangely comforting to do something as ordinary as homework with someone else. Even the quiet moments, sitting side by side in shared concentration, offered a flicker of something like companionship. But that was all it was—a flicker. A feeling. They weren’t friends. He didn’t let himself have those anymore. Once, he’d trusted someone like a brother, like a friend, and that trust had shattered. He wasn’t going to let that happen again.
He stole a glance at Mu Shufen—at the fluffy brown hair, the faint scent of ginger and something distinctly alpha . There was something almost too perfect about him. Too kind. Too gentle. Somehow, he’d slipped into Shen Jiu’s life with effortless ease, and he didn’t seem to be leaving. But Shen Jiu’s heart had long since gone quiet—sealed shut and steeled against anyone who might try to get in
Shen Jiu observed as Mu Shufen heated a bowl of water with his qi. “How do you do that?” the omega asked curiously.
“The key is sending in a controlled, but continuous stream of qi. Many people think they can push in a burst, but that’s how you end up with water all over you,” Mu Shufen replied, not looking up from where he was wiping down Shen Jiu’s legs. The healer bound his leg snugly with clean cloth, making sure everything was aligned.
“I could teach you, if you’d like. We can do it during my free time.”
Shen Jiu cocked an eyebrow at the alpha. “You would?” He replied blankly. Why would Mu Shufen go out of his way to teach him a seemingly simple trick. Not that it would be that simple for Shen Jiu, with his damaged meridians.
Mu Shufen shrugged. “You’re curious, so I’ll show you. It’s no problem, shixiong.”
“My qi control is not as strong as yours,” Shen Jiu muttered, looking away.
“That’s not a problem. Practice and hard work trumps talent,” Mu Shufen replied.
Shen Jiu let out a self-deprecating laugh. “You don’t understand. My lack of practice is not the problem.”
Mu Shufen frowned. “May I inspect your meridians?”
Shen Jiu hesitated before holding out his arm wordlessly. He felt the familiar warmth of Mu Shufen’s qi entering his skin, but this time, it travelled along the various meridians.
“How could I have not noticed before?” Mu Shufen muttered, lost in concentration. “I was so focused on your muscles and bones I failed to see this.”
“What is it?” Shen Jiu asked, although he already knew the answer.
“It is as if they are stretched out, but in a way that damaged them.” Mu Shufen said, a furrow between his brow. “Many of the channels feel… crooked. They were stretched out greatly once and have not been used properly since.”
Shen Jiu snorted. “That sounds about right,” he said sardonically.
Mu Shufen seemed to have fully entered his healer mindset. “Have you experienced a qi deviation before? Or perhaps a mishap while forming your foundation?”
Shen Jiu thought back to his time with Wu Yanzi. The bastard attempted to teach him techniques far beyond his capacity to handle. Shen Jiu had picked up on the art of robbery, assassination, and espionage fairly easily, seeing as they didn’t require qi manipulation. However, Wu Yanzi specialized in demonic cultivation and talismans. Some of his talismans required large amounts of qi—more than Shen Jiu should have released at once.
Shen Jiu had his hands over the array as he streamed qi into the black ink. Sweat streamed into his eyes from the effort. “Shifu, the array hasn’t activated,” he said through gritted teeth. He felt his reservoir of qi diminishing as the energy left his fingertips.
Wu Yanzi paced angrily in front of him, his scent flaring, filling the air with the scent of acrid smoke. “You need to push in more! Or are you not capable, you useless omega?”
“I can do it, shifu,” Shen Jiu grunted. He concentrated and sent out a large burst of qi into the array. Finally, it glowed as it activated. Shen Jiu fell back onto his bottom, hitting the dirt as he panted from the effort. There was a faint burning sensation radiating throughout his arms and fingertips.
“Ha! You did it!” Wu Yanzi exclaimed, though he didn’t sound proud. The demonic cultivator stormed towards the activated array, his eyes reflecting the glow emitted from the talisman. The lurid light made his eyes gleam almost manically, making Wu Yanzi appear more deranged than normal.
Bitterly, Shen Jiu watched as his so-called shifu fussed over his talisman and didn’t even notice him sitting in the dirt. He felt something wrong with his qi—it felt sluggish as he tried to circulate it. Shen Jiu gave up trying to circulate his qi and pushed himself off the ground, brushing some of the grime off his threadbare clothing.
“There… was an incident, or a few,” Shen Jiu replied, haltingly. There were certainly multiple instances, he scoffed inwardly.
Mu Shufen’s brow furrowed. “I see.”
Shen Jiu noticed that, though Mu Shufen didn’t push for more, concern still lingered in his voice. This little detail gave Shen Jiu’s stomach an odd, fluttery feeling.
“I would like for you to try something, shixiong,” Mu Shufen requested. “It is a basic exercise that all new Qian Cao disciples learn and we are encouraged to do everyday. I myself continue to do this after I wake up.”
The alpha settled into a comfortable cross-legged position, facing Shen Jiu. Without realizing it, Shen Jiu naturally did the same, though his legs were less bent.
“The dantian is located in three spots: the forehead, the heart, and the navel,” Mu Shufen explained. “Each of the dantian accumulates qi. It can absorb qi as well as release it. Start with the lower dantian, near your navel. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Feel the qi there.”
Shen Jiu observed as Mu Shufen closed his eyes and took deep breaths, his stomach expanding with every exhale. The Qing Jing disciple attempted to do the same, shutting his eyes and taking slow, measured breaths. Shen Jiu concentrated as he felt the swirl of energy below his belly. He marveled at the energy accumulated there. It felt lively, but trapped at the same time.
“Do you feel it?” Mu Shufen asked, his voice as calm as the rise of his chest.
“Mmm,” Shen Jiu hummed affirmingly. He could almost visualize his qi: a small, but bright mass within his body.
“Channel some of the qi—just a small amount—and guide it through your lower body. Send it through the meridians in your legs. Don’t release your qi, just let it gather. Then, move it lower to the meridians in your feet.”
Shen Jiu felt a bead of sweat slowly trickle down his neck as he concentrated. Unlike his forceful expellings of qi he often did, this slow movement of qi felt like a morning stretch after one had just woken up. It was as if his meridians were stiff muscles and as he guided his qi through them, they were being slowly opened and made flexible.
Mu Shufen continued to instruct him. They moved onto the middle dantian and then lastly the upper dantian, drawing qi from each and guiding it through various meridians. When Shen Jiu finished, he felt a strange, but welcome, energized tingling sensation throughout his body. It was as if all areas of his body woke up at once.
“Do you feel it, shixiong?” Mu Shufen asked. “Some areas of the body do not receive as much qi circulation as others. This is not only a good exercise for control, but it benefits the body as well.”
Shen Jiu glanced down at his hands and slowly clenched and unclenched his fists. His skin tingled faintly, as if brushed by something unseen, yet deeply familiar. He glanced at Mu Shufen, who looked at him with nothing but kindness, and something in him recoiled—because whatever rose up in response was soft, unfamiliar, and far too close to gratitude. Shen Jiu could feel the walls he built around himself starting to crack just a little. Mu Shufen had that irritating habit of being an actual decent person. Annoying really. And yet, for some reason, Shen Jiu didn’t want him to leave. Which was its own kind of disaster.
Fuck, I’m going soft, Shen Jiu thought. Ugh, maybe shizun was right. Damn bastard. Not that I’ll admit anything to him.
“Yeah,” Shen Jiu admitted softly. “I feel it.”
Notes:
If any of you were confused by the whole qi circulation exercise, here's my explanation based on reading a bunch of chinese traditional medicine things: the body has 3 dantian which are like energy centers for the body and can absorb or release qi. Basically qi is concentrated at these 3 points. Meridians are the various channels that run along the body and act as pathways for qi. :3
As always, follow me at Cheezy_Toast
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