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Shen Ting had received a text a week ago that her brother, Shen Yuan, had been discharged from the hospital. However, at the time she received the text, she was still in college! But now, since she was free from the shackles of her prison, (having to do schoolwork again) why not visit her brother? Maybe he was still obsessing over that shitty web novel or something..
Shen Ting decided to rush over to see her brother, skipping her afternoon nap which she usually took after she got home from college, so she was more tired than usual. She yawned, getting out of her car before approaching Shen Yuan’s apartment complex. She found her brother’s apartment, apartment 332, and mentally prepared herself to deal with his usual messiness.
Shen Ting knocked on the door, calling out to Shen Yuan. Before she tried to knock again—since it usually took a couple knocks for Shen Yuan to answer—to Shen Ting’s surprise, Shen Yuan answered, but… Something was seriously off about Shen Yuan, okay?! For some reason, he had long hair! Even for the amount of time that he stayed in the hospital, there was no way it could grow that fast! And, compared to his usual attire, which consisted of a t-shirt with the print fading away and a pair of shorts, he was wearing a long sleeve, collared dress shirt with a cardigan or some kind of sweater sort of situation on top. He was also wearing
jeans!
Albeit, loose jeans, but
still jeans!
Before the incident, Shen Yuan rarely wore jeans, and when he did, he always complained about how uncomfortable they were.
“Shen Yuan..! Ah, y-your hair? Um.. Did you get extensions..?” Shen Ting laughed nervously, unsure of how to feel about her brother’s new appearance. It was such a stark difference compared to his old outfits, it was hard not to be shocked!
“I did get extensions, yes..” Shen Yuan raised a brow, confused as to why Shen Ting was so appalled at his appearance. Did he need to brush his hair or something? Did he have something on his face?
“And your outfit! It’s new, isn’t it?”
“Just got it, yep.”
Shen Ting nearly fainted. She steeled herself, taking a deep breath.
“...It looks good. Now—did you want to watch a show together or order out? What did you want to do..?”
“First, you should come inside. It’s improper of me to keep you waiting.”
Since when did Shen Yuan care about propriety?! Shen Ting felt as though something was
very
wrong here! Did a serial killer kill and replace her brother?! Who was this, and where did Shen Ting’s messy, lazy, and crude brother go? Did this new Shen Yuan still have the same humor? Did he still remember that he used to braid Shen Ting’s hair when they were younger? Ack! How much did that trip to the hospital take from her brother?! To be fair, he was gone for quite a while, but she didn’t think her brother would become an entirely new person!
Shen Ting forced a smile, and entered Shen Yuan’s apartment. What she had expected—a room clouded in darkness, with different kinds of trash littered around the place—was not what she got. Instead, she got a clean, well lit, and even decorated room! There were various paintings that looked fresh out of a history book. One was a painting of a bamboo forest with a little wood shack. Another painting featured a white lotus, with abstract hues bleeding into the foreground from behind. The third painting showcased a mountain with 12 peaks. On the mountain, the peaks had many differently colored buildings with various foliage surrounding them.
And on top of all of that, sitting on the couch in the middle of the room, was a man Shen Ting had never seen before! Shen Ting didn’t know Shen Yuan had made a friend. Did they meet at the hospital or something…? The man on the couch had long, curly brown hair. He had a peculiar mark on his forehead that looked like a flame. Was it a tattoo? Maybe it was a scar of some kind? Either way, the guy was totally handsome! A pure 10/10 in Shen Ting’s book! If anyone said this man was anything less than utterly captivating, they’d be wrong!
“Who’s he?”
Shen Yuan turned to look at the man.
“Oh! I forgot to introduce you to my boyfriend. His name is Luo Binghe.”
Oh yeah! Her brother’s boyfriend! Makes sense…. SINCE
WHEN
WAS SHEN YUAN
GAY????
AND WHEN DID HE FIND THE TIME TO GET A BOYFRIEND?! WASN’T HE IN THE HOSPITAL FOR
YEARS????
“Your… boyfriend..?”
Shen Yuan nodded, sitting next to him. His gaze met Binghe’s, before he cleared his throat. Binghe hummed, looking up at Shen Ting with a polite smile.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, xiao guzi.”
Shen Ting’s eyes widened. Weren’t they just boyfriends? Why was this strange, yet awfully gorgeous man calling her sister-in-law? Was this his way of saying ‘I’m going to marry your brother, and you have no say?!’
Shen Ting’s eye twitched before she glared at Shen Yuan, silently demanding an explanation. Shen Yuan only raised a brow before coughing, looking away.
“Binghe, would you fix some tea for her?”
Binghe happily obliged, getting up, heading into the tiny kitchen. Meanwhile, Shen Ting sat down next to Shen Yuan. She figured, while Binghe was making tea, she could get some answers from Shen Yuan.
“So… When did you and Binghe become a thing? And-and… What’s with… All this?” Shen Ting gestured to all of Shen Yuan.
“Oh.. It’s a bit.. Complicated. And, I figured it was time for a change.”
“Have you been taking your medication??” Shen Ting said that faster than she intended. Also, what was with that vague ‘it’s complicated’ answer?! Shen Yuan’s brow furrowed slightly.
“Yes, I have been taking my medication.” Well, it doesn’t seem like it!
“Yes, yes, of course.. I just wanted to make sure with all that’s going on, you weren’t forgetting your body’s needs.”
“It’s hard to forget about something that’s constantly there.” Shen Yuan frowned slightly, looking towards the kitchen. He watched Binghe steep their tea, before bringing it over. Woah, woah, woah! Wait a minute! Why did Shen Yuan have a full on tea set?! Didn’t he usually just microwave tea in a sad mug?! Why the formalities?!?! Why did her brother become so much more classier than her over the duration of a dumb hospital trip??
Binghe placed the tray with the tea set on the coffee table in front of the couch. Shen Yuan picked up the tea kettle, pouring Shen Ting a cup before pouring himself and Binghe cups as well. Shen Ting suspected the tea was laced. Was she going to die and get replaced by a cooler, kinder, and more composed version of herself as well..? Shen Ting hesitantly took a sip, only to taste the best tea she had ever had in her life.
“Wow! This is fantastic! What’s in this?”
“It’s green tea with lemongrass and lavender.” Binghe responded, that dumb, yet infuriatingly charming smile still on his face.
Shen Ting nodded, taking another sip. Binghe’s eyes widened before he spoke,
“Shizun, do you want me to get the pastries you prepared earlier?”
Shen Ting raised a brow.
“Shizun? If I recall correctly, that’s some fancy cultivation term, right..?”
Shen Yuan cleared his throat.
“It was a slip of the tongue, I’m sure. But yes, I would like that, Binghe.”
Binghe got up from the couch, a hint of embarrassed blush on his face as he scurried back to the kitchen. He came back in a moment, carrying little lemon cakes. He placed them on the coffee table as well before taking his spot next to Shen Yuan once more. Shen Ting beamed at the sight of the cakes, and almost instinctively reached out to grab one. However, her brother beat her to it. He grabbed the best looking one, and handed it to Shen Ting. Shen Ting narrowed her eyes, taking a bite from the lemon cake.
Again, what the hell?! This little thing was so good! Was Shen Yuan replaced by a baker? When did he learn how to bake like this?? Ugh! So many strange things had piled up, what’s one more?! Shen Ting hurriedly finished the lemon cake, nearly choking on the last bite. Shen Ting thought about what her next move should be, and her eyes drifted to Shen Yuan’s hair. It did look really soft, and it was very long..
“Hey! I’ll braid your hair, let's chat for a bit!” Shen Ting chirped, using her customer service— ahem , overly cheerful—voice. Shen Yuan smiled softly, sighing.
“I suppose you can. Don’t mess it up, alright?”
Shen Ting blinked. He had actually accepted?! What the hell?!!? Normally, Shen Yuan would laugh and tell her to piss off! Then, she would fake cry until he reluctantly agreed, he would not act like some kind of ‘i have better morals than you’ weirdo who’s whole personality is holier than thou! Shen Ting attempted to hold herself back from frothing at the mouth, kicking this stranger out of her brother’s house.
“Ahahah, of course! This meimei will make sure you look gorgeous!” Shen Ting laughed through gritted teeth, hissing the rest of her sentence.
She hit Shen Yuan’s back a little, until he scooted further to the edge of the couch a little bit so she could get behind him. Just before Shen Ting started braiding his hair, Binghe dropped down to all fours, crawling in front of Shen Yuan, his eyes bright as he looked up at him.
“Shizun, use this disciple as a foot rest!”
Shen Ting nearly died on the spot.
“A-Yuan..?”
Shen Yuan watched his sister’s graceful—and by that he means extremely forced smile with obvious tones of annoyance and ‘you better have a good explanation for this’—face shift into that of pure horror, like someone who had just witnessed a terrifying ghost for the first time, his own expression changing into an embarrassed and apologetic one. He gestured for Binghe to get off of his knees with a flick of his wrist, pinching the bridge of his nose, his brows furrowed deeply. Binghe tilted his head, acting like an innocent child who had done nothing wrong. Of course, he knew this was probably weird, but he didn’t care. If he disregarded his husband’s comfort just because his family was present, would it truly be alright to call himself a good partner?
Shen Yuan looked down at Binghe, watching him tilt his head. His heart wrenched and he grumbled, “get up!”
Binghe hesitated for a second before ultimately getting up, returning to his normal position. On one hand, he didn’t want to believe it’d be okay for his beloved to be forced into such a position! Was he truly that selfless? Binghe felt extremely inspired. On the other hand, it baffled him how he dared to think that, even if for a fleeting moment, it was acceptable to ignore his shizun’s command. He internally kicked himself, reminding himself to do better.
Shen Yuan calmed himself, inhaling deeply through his nose, exhaling with his mouth. He returned his gaze to his sister, only to see her completely still, not moving from that horrific position. Shen Yuan thought he should hit her like he used to, but remembered Binghe was there. How could he be a good role model, hitting women in front of his disciple? He cleared his throat, snapping his fingers in front of Shen Ting’s eyes.
She shook her head, her conscience returning to her. She rubbed her eyes before hitting Shen Yuan’s back with what felt like the force of a thousand suns. Shen Yuan winced, biting his lip, holding back a curse. He looked to the floor, ashamed of himself. Of course, he deserved this for his husband acting so dastardly in front of his sister.
Shen Ting rolled her eyes, raking her fingers through Shen Yuan’s hair. Quickly, her nimble fingers navigated throughout her brother’s, almost silky in nature, beautiful, graceful and long hair. Why the hell did his hair look better than hers?! This is such bullshit! Shen Ting bit her thumb, sobbing in her mind before continuing to braid Shen Yuan’s hair.
“Do you remember when you used to braid my hair, A-Yuan?”
“Of course I do. How could I forget?”
“Do you remember what you promised me?”
“I said I would always protect you.”
“No! The other thing!!” Shen Ting flicked Shen Yuan in the head, scoffing.
“…If I married someone, she better be rich?”
“Yes! Yet, you are dating some guy you had to have met in only a week , fresh out of the hospital??? A-Yuan! You said you would never break your promises!”
Shen Yuan really wished he still had his hand fan to conveniently pull out of his sleeve. He wanted nothing more than to hide his face from his sister. He turned his head, whispering to her,
“Calm down! Calm down, okay?! He is rich! Who do you think buys my stuff?! Would you be quiet??”
Shen Ting's eyes widened. There her brother was! That extremely sassy and quick witted boy! That’s him! So he hadn’t been replaced? That was great news! And, even better, he married a HANDSOME, KIND, AND RICH MAN?!? What kind of luck is this??! Shen Ting wanted to cry out of pure joy, her heart swelling with pride for her brother.
In the meantime, Shen Yuan thought it was uncanny how similar his sister acted like Shang Qinghua. He straightened his back and faced forwards once more, attempting to quiet the incessant whines of his inner self cringing at his indecent behavior.
Shen Ting suddenly remembered that she was doing something. That something was braiding her brother’s hair, but more importantly, she was trying to get information! Seriously, thinking back, that ‘it’s complicated’ answer was super shady..
“Ah, now tell your meimei, where did you meet this man?! Have you known him since before you got hospitalized? Ack, what the hell is with the ‘shizun’ and ‘this disciple’ thing? Are you roleplaying or something..?!”
Shen Yuan’s throat went dry after hearing his sister rapid fire questions at him. He turned back to her, despite his every instinct telling him to remain aloof, muttering under his breath.
“I met him in college. Yes, it was, ahem before the incident. And, lastly, shut up! It’s my business if I want to.. roleplay or whatever you suggested…”
Shen Ting accepted these answers, rolling her eyes once again. Whatever, everyone had their gross secrets.
At last, she finished braiding Shen Yuan’s hair. It ended up taking her way longer than she thought it would, since she stopped braiding to talk frequently. She took the ponytail out of her own hair, grabbing the hair tie, using it to tie off the braid. She struggled to return to her original position, now that she had no need to be behind him. She ran her fingers through her own hair, teasing the roots to give her hair more volume. She grabbed her phone from her pocket, using the camera as a mirror so she could adjust her bangs, making sure they framed her face perfectly.
If her brother’s hair was going to look perfect, shouldn’t hers as well? Maybe if she had known her brother was going to have someone over, as well as tidy himself up, Shen Ting would have put as much effort into her appearance as well! As comfortable as wearing a t-shirt that was 3 sizes too large, the areas around the shoulder covered in hair dye, paired with grey sweatpants was, they weren’t the best first impression. Especially when meeting your brother’s husband..
“So… how have you been feeling since you were discharged?”
“I’m recovering fast. That’s what they tell me. Though, honestly? It feels like I woke up from a dream when I didn’t want to. I kind of wish I could go back to dreaming. I mean—if I could do that without the whole, ah, hospital… mess .”
Shen Ting hummed halfheartedly, trying to figure out what Shen Yuan meant. A dream? Choking and ending up in a coma felt like a dream to you?! Well to your family, it was a total nightmare! Don’t you ever rest again, alright?!
____________
A few hours of conversation had passed. Shen Ting and Shen Yuan had mainly spent it reminiscing about their childhood memories. The sun was starting to set, and Shen Ting decided it was time to go home. She slipped her shoes on, pocketing her belongings before heading to her brother’s door.
She paused, looking back to her brother and his husband, who were laying on the couch. Shen Yuan’s head was resting on Binghe’s chest, while Binghe played with his hair, his lips pressed softly against his forehead. Shen Ting sighed, leaving the apartment. She quietly shut the door behind her, walking down the apartment complex’s staircase. Once she got in her car, she put her key in, starting the engine, before hesitating.
Why didn’t her brother tell the family about his husband? Was it because he thought they were going to judge him? Would he really think such things? Shen Ting could honestly continue going on and on about that kind of thing, but she decided it was best not to worry about it. If her brother was happy—and safe—Shen Ting was glad. Shen Ting yawned, her earlier sleepiness from the afternoon coming back to haunt her, now that her heart wasn’t struggling to catch up with her brain constantly entering fight or flight mode. She turned the radio on in her car, pulling out of the parking lot.
As Shen Ting drove away, she recounted the events of the day in her head, but one thing kept resurfacing.
How expensive were the hair extensions, though…?