Chapter Text
Awareness returns to Mu Qingfang slowly. Everything is sore and his mouth tastes disgusting . His eyelids are stuck together and he makes a sound of displeasure in his throat. Jasmine lingers in the air, a good indicator that he’s safe, at least. Yanmei must have been here recently.
He rubs his eyes, one after the other, and finally opens them. Mu Qingfang blinks. He’s…not at the Healing Pavilion, but why does it look like he’s been sleeping in a woman’s bedchamber?! The bedroom is furnished minimally, but there is a vanity table near the door.
The talisman on his chest buzzes, and he absently plucks it off. He tries to cancel it, but where his cultivation should be, there’s …nothing.
“Hello?” Mu Qingfang calls, trying and failing to sit up. Fuck , everything hurts. He flops helplessly back down and stares at the ceiling.
He hears footsteps in what must be the hallway, and then--
Shen Qingqiu appears. The man takes one look at Mu Qingfang and raises his message array. “He’s awake,” Shen Qingqiu tells it, and the array dissolves into twin green magpies that fly off. He walks over to the bed, looking down at Mu Qingfang. “How do you feel?”
Swallowing over the lump in his throat, Mu Qingfang says, “My cultivation--”
With a snort, Shen Qingqiu says, “Wu Shimei blocked it because, and I quote, ‘He will absolutely do something stupid again if I don’t.’ ”
“What happened? Why-Where are we?” Mu Qingfang is trying to stay calm. Would it kill Shen Shixiong to be a bit more forthcoming? Also, why is Shen Qingqiu watching over him? Not that….he means…it’s fine .
There’s a stool next to the bed, and Shen Qingqiu sits. He settles his robes before fixing him with bright green eyes. “We are at the Warm Red Pavilion. You called me here, and I arrived to find you forearms deep in a young woman’s stomach, delivering a malpositioned baby.”
Mu Qingfang frowns. “I don’t remember that,” he says honestly.
Shen Qingqiu’s lips thin. “Do you recall qi deviating the day before you left your peak? Because your two friends were quite annoyed about that.” He smiles a little meanly. “You should expect a thorough scolding, I am told.”
Ignoring the jibe, Mu Qingfang searches his memory. All right, yes , he remembers flying down to town, a bit chagrined that the girls were so angry with him. “I went to the bookstore,” he says slowly. “And since I was here anyway, I decided to visit Madam Cheng. She…” Mu Qingfang’s eyes meet Shen Shixiong’s. “The girl. She was in labor for eight shichen.” More memories come back, a rush of them, in fact. “Are they all right? Did the baby make it?” He reaches out, wrapping his fingers around Shen Qingqiu’s wrist.
Shen Qingqiu’s brow furrows and he looks down at Mu Qingfang’s hand. Hastily, he withdraws it, but the other man’s frown remains. “Mother and baby are well,” Shen Qingqiu says at least. Then he prods Mu Qingfang in the chest with a very pointed finger! “You, on the other hand, nearly died! If I had not come when Cheng Jie called, you would have! Idiot man,” Shen Qingqiu finishes up. “Why did you not call an actual healer ? What was I supposed to do?!”
Mu Qingfang can’t help the dopey grin that crosses his face. “Well…I figured Cheng Yi had some way to contact you. I knew you could stabilize me until the girls arrived.”
“Did it occur to you,” Shen Qingqiu says icily, “that I might not have been on the mountain? What if I was away on a night hunt, hm? Our Mu Shidi would have died!”
Okay, Mu Qingfang knows that he’s not supposed to find this funny . He knows! It’s just that- “I think the phrase is ‘Our A-Shu.’”
“Mu Qingfang!” Shen Qingqiu shouts, and the smile drops off Mu Qingfang’s face. Shen Qingqiu clenches his jaw, and looks away.
“Forgive me, Shixiong,” Mu Qingfang says quietly. “You’re right.”
“I know I am correct,” Shen Qingqiu snarls, leaning forward. “What if I failed? Did you think of what that would have done to me? Forever known as the man who let the best physician in the Jianghu die!”
Their eyes lock. Mu Qingfang reaches out, finding the other man’s hand. “Shen Shixiong. I am sorry . It was selfish of me to put you in that position. I won’t do so again.”
Shen Qingqiu huffs, and looks away again. “At least you can apologise properly. Unlike some people.”
“I’ve…had a lot of practice.” Mu Qingfang says after a moment. “Do you mind helping me sit up?”
“Finally, he comes to his senses and asks for help.” Shen Qingqiu complains, but rises to his feet. He leans in, wrapping one arm behind his shoulder and the other under his knees, scooting his position up. “Here, lean forward.” Mu Qingfang manages it with the man’s help, and Shen Qingqiu shoves a pillow behind his back.
Mu Qingfang sighs in relief, feeling much better just with sitting up. “Many thanks. Shixiong did well.”
“Xie Shimei already tried to recruit me,” Shen Qingqiu says, sitting back down on his stool. “I’d rather be a peak lord than a healer.”
Grinning again, though this one is just a flash, Mu Qingfang quips, “Why not be both?” Fast as lightning, Shen Qingqiu swats him with his closed fan on the shoulder, and Mu Qingfang yelps. “Hey!”
“I never said I was nice , Shidi,” Shen Qingqiu says smugly, the hint of a smile barely visible in the curve of his mouth.
“Perhaps,” Mu Qingfang says. Then his mouth gets ahead of his brain. “I like you anyway.”
Shen Qingqiu freezes, and his cheeks slowly go pink. “Your friends will be here shortly.” He stands up and leaves without another word.
Ah. Mu Qingfang really meant those words, but it seems Shen Shixiong is easily embarrassed. He’ll have to figure out some way to express his appreciation to the man. Maybe he can ask the kids from Zui Xian to make some sweets? He’ll check on it.
Not too much later, the girls arrive. “Oh, look who’s awake,” Wu Yanshin says, striding right up to the bed and settling on the stool. She doesn’t ask for permission but runs a scan.
Behind her, Xie Yanmei sighs. “A-Shu. We need to talk.”
“Hold that thought, Meimei,” Wu Yanshin says. “A-Shu, Shen Qingqiu probably told you I blocked your cultivation?” At his nod, she continues. “You came dangerously close to dying, do you realize that?” She releases his wrist and rubs a palm roughly over her face. “Not one, but two severe deviations, all because Mu Qingfang couldn’t wait and prepare his body properly for his new cultivation techniques.”
“Yanshin-” Mu Qingfang tries.
She just glares at him. “ Shut up , Qingfang.” She says flatly. Leaning forward, she adds, “I spoke with Shen Qingqiu at length. He is an accomplished spiritual cultivator, who uses a similar technique with leaves of all things, coating them with his qi and using them as weapons.” Wu Yanshin looks impressed about it. “He began using that technique as a child and has been working on his spiritual reserves for years. ”
“What you did was incredibly reckless,” Xie Yanmei speaks up, coming to perch on the edge of the bed beside Yanshin. “Not only did you put yourself in danger, but then, instead of calling trained healers , you involved poor Shen Qingqiu! You know the talk about him now, how do you think the sect would have responded if they found out that he tried to save you and failed ?” Her voice cracks, and Mu Qingfang is reminded that she cares very much about the Qing Jing peak head disciple.
He feels properly ashamed, and looks down at his lap. “You’re both right,” he admits quietly. “This one was wrong, and promises never again .” A warm hand drops over his own, and Mu Qingfang meets Yanmei’s warm brown eyes.
“You scared us, A-Shu. A lot . You scared Shen Qingqiu, and Cheng Yi, as well.” Xie Yanmei’s expression is sober. “This…this can’t happen again. Ever .”
If he thought he felt ashamed before , he was wrong. His throat tightens, and tears prickle at the corners of his eyes. “I’m sorry ,” he whispers, anguished.
Another slightly larger hand clasps Mu Qingfang’s wrist. “Okay.” Wu Yanshin says. “Apology accepted.” She closes her eyes, sighing heavily. She opens her eyes, meeting his own. “Jiejie still loves you, so stop looking so heartbroken. Meimei, you better tell him.”
“Your meridians are a mess ,” Xie Yanmei says. She rubs her temple. “Believe it or not, you didn’t do too much damage from the first deviation. The second though… you really are lucky that Shen Qingqiu’s cultivation agrees with yours so much. If I thought I could get either one of you to agree, I’d prescribe you both medical dual cultivation.”
Mu Qingfang freezes. “What? Why?”
Yanmei pins him with a look. “You already know that Shen Shixiong was badly used in his youth. Medical dual cultivation would have improved his condition. I discussed it with him once, and he told me he would rather die. I did not broach the subject again.”
For a moment, Mu Qingfang thinks about it. Being with Shen Qingqiu that way. Imagines kissing his neck, then his mouth, running his hands through his hair-
His stomach flutters, and Mu Qingfang frowns. “If he. I would at least consider it. Only if he was willing. And I don’t want you to ask him about it, either.”
Wu Yanshin and Xie Yanmei exchange glances. Yanmei leans forward. “All right. I won’t bring it up. Does that mean you will?”
Mu Qingfang opens his mouth, and then closes it, looking away. His cheeks feel hot. “I’ll…think about it.” He feels the silence stretch out, and makes himself look at his friends. “WHAT.”
“It’s okay to like him,” Wu Yanshin says gently. “It’s okay to think about… things with him.”
“I know it’s okay!” Mu Qingfang says, more loudly than he intends to. He leans his head back against the headboard and sighs. “Sorry.”
“You should plan to discuss it with Shen Shixiong,” Xie Yanmei says at last. “A-Shu…I think if it’s you …he might be more willing than you’d expect.”
*
The girls help Mu Qingfang get dressed with minimal trauma to everyone. Working as a healer, especially having worked in the dual cultivation pavilion is a good way to lose most of his body shyness, especially around people he feels safe with.
Before he leaves, he asks to speak with Cheng Yi.
“Mu Qingfang,” the older woman greets, entering the room he’s been using for the last few days. “You’re looking much better.”
Mu Qingfang gives her a deep bow. “Apologies for imposing on Madam Cheng’s hospitality. I would like to--” Pay for my room is what he means to say, but Cheng Yi holds up a hand.
Appearing amused she says, “A-Jiu already took care of it. He insisted .” Cheng Yi smiles. “So Mu Qingfang should not worry, and focus on healing himself so that he may heal others in turn.”
“Madam Cheng is wise,” Mu Qingfang says.
Wu Yanshin mutters, “Smarter than you .” Yanmei elbows her, and Yanshin quiets.
“This Mu owes you a debt,” Mu Qingfang says honestly.
“There are no debts between friends,” Cheng Yi says. “Now, if you will, please follow me.”
He exchanges glances with Yanmei, but she waves a hand at him, indicating that he should follow Cheng Yi.
Two rooms over, he finds Cao Ruolan nursing her baby. Cao Ruolan looks up at his knock on the doorframe, and smiles widely. “Master Mu! Please, come in. I have heard you required some recovery just as I did.”
Mu Qingfang returns her smile, and sits on the edge of her bed. Cao Ruolan looks to be in much better health. “May I check your incision?”
“Only if you hold the baby a moment,” she says cheekily. She uses a finger to unlatch the child, who whines a bit in complaint at her meal being stopped.
Mu Qingfang gathers the tiny bundle into his arms. “Oh,” he says softly. “Look, you’re so beautiful!” He runs a gentle finger across her cheek. “Aren’t you just perfect .”
“Master Mu, would you consider attending her hundred day celebration?” Cao Ruolan asks.
“Try and keep me away,” he jokes.
After that, Cao Ruolan parts her robes, and he inspects the incision. It’s healing surprisingly well. The qi sutures have dissolved, but from what Mu Qingfang sees, when they did so they knitted the flesh and skin neatly back together. His cultivation is blocked right now, which makes assessment difficult. “You’re healing well,” he says, and hands her back the baby once Cao Ruolan’s robes are sorted.
The girl smiles. “The best doctor in the Jianghu attended the birth of my child. Naturally, I am healing well.”
“I’m not the best-” Mu Qingfang demurs, ducking his head.
“If not you, then who?” Cao Ruolan asks tartly. “No, I’m afraid Master Mu must accept reality. For no other could have saved my baby.” She presses a gentle kiss to the baby’s head.
If not, you, then who ? Shen Qingqiu had said something similar the other day, hadn’t he?
Mu Qingfang puts it from his mind, taking his leave, and allows Yanshin to fly him back to Qian Cao peak.
*
It turns out, Mu Qingfang really underestimated how much he chafed at his cultivation restrictions. Wu Yanshin keeps him blocked for over a week, coming by each morning with Xie Yanmei to eat breakfast together. It reminds him of how they used to eat at the cafeteria, every day at the same table.
“Sometimes I really miss you both,” Mu Qingfang tells them on the third morning of this routine. He has his scallion pancakes and the girls have their congee. “Life was a lot easier before we had so many responsibilities.”
Wu Yanshin says mildly, “Yes, it was so much easier , only being responsible for patient’s lives .”
Laughing, Xie Yanmei gives her a friendly elbow to the ribs. “You know what he means! Don’t listen to her, A-Shu, she’s just being difficult.”
“I often am,” Yanshin agrees cheerfully. She takes a bite of congee. “Have you spoken to him yet?”
Mu Qingfang doesn’t have to ask who she’s talking about. His pancakes sure are interesting! “I haven’t seen him since I returned to the peaks.”
“If only there was some way to communicate with our friends on other peaks,” Xie Yanmei says thoughtfully. “Jiejie, maybe we could teach A-Shu how to take a walk .”
“Or,” Yanshin needles, ignoring Mu Qingfang’s sour expression, “He could write a letter. I’m told he’s pretty powerful on Qian Cao. Maybe if he asked one of the juniors nicely they might deliver it for him.”
As one, both women give Mu Qingfang a distinctly unimpressed look. He huffs, crossing his arms over his chest. “You’re both bullying me today!”
“And you deserve it,” Wu Yanshin says, arching an eyebrow. “You know exactly what you need to do, A-Shu. Stop dithering and do it.”
“Well forgive me if I haven’t yet found the right way to proposition someone for medical sex!” Mu Qingfang snaps. He winces, and rubs his temples.
“Wrist,” Yanemi says, and Mu Qingfang hands over the goods. His qi may be blocked, but he feels the sweep of hers easing the headache he’d only been peripherally aware of. She releases him. “Shen Qingqiu is a reasonable man. Offer it as an option that will benefit you both, and if he says no, then at least you asked.”
“You can’t be embarrassed about this,” Yanshin says in disbelief. “You? The Master of Dual Cultivation? The same man that gave the sex pollen lecture to our juniors for the past ten years?”
“It’s different with him,” Mu Qingfang says. He chews his lower lip. “It’s not embarrassment , exactly, it’s just…”
“You like him.” Xie Yanmei says softly.
“I like him,” Mu Qingfang agrees. “And I don’t want to…to …”
Carefully, Yanmei ventures, “Have you been considering something… more with Shen Qingqiu?”
“No!” Mu Qingfang exclaims. Then he sighs, and looks up. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“You two are overthinking this.” Wu Yanshin says. “Shen Shixiong is an accomplished spiritual cultivator. You are a spiritual cultivator in need of assistance. Once Meimei releases the cultivation block, why don’t you see if you two can practise together?”
Sitting up straight, Mu Qingfang says, “That’s actually a good idea!”
“I do have them occasionally,” Wu Yanshin replies dryly.
“Bring him something sweet,” Xie Yanmei says. “You didn’t hear this from me, but the man loves tanghulu.”
“Meimei, can you send a message for me?”
*
To his chagrin, Mu Qingfang finds that his cultivation really is in bad shape after Xie Yanmei releases the block. His meridians feel scorched and tight, his qi sluggish. What used to be a wide and smooth river is more like a gully formed from a downpour, and filled with rocks and sticks.
It feels awful .
He manages to send a message to his friends on Zui Xian himself. Mu Qingfang isn’t in any shape to ride his sword, so he calls up the message array. Or, well. It takes a few attempts before he’s successful. And the resulting qi messenger is pale and flickering, not at all like his brightly glowing bluebird.
To his pleasure, Shen Qingqiu replies promptly, accepting his invitation for tea at Mu Qingfang’s residence.
They meet the day after, which is fortunate, as it gave Mu Qingfang time to straighten up. He’s not usually a messy person, but with little else to do besides read and putter in the garden, clutter accumulated. The stack of books on the tea table. The pile of charts he insisted on reviewing. Some new sketches of his garden expansion. It all had to live somewhere!
The passage of time feels both too slow and too fast at the same time. As well, Mu Qingfang suffers a bit of anxiety. Does he even know what he wants from Shen Qingqiu? Mu Qingfang’s not sure that he does . Aside from the obvious, he’s not even sure what to ask for.
Eventually, though, the house is clean, Mu Qingfang is dressed in new-ish robes with his hair neatly done and shining. The tea set is ready, white tea leaves already portioned out…all that’s left is to wait for Shen Qingqiu.
When the knock at the door finally comes, Mu Qingfang wonders if the palpitations he’s been having might actually turn into some ischemia. He smooths his robes down once more, and crosses the room.
Opening the door, he finds Shen Qingqiu on his porch, also very nicely dressed in robes of dark green with four layers of inner robes: two of a much lighter green, and two crisp white.
Mu Qingfang smiles. “Shen Qingqiu. It’s good to see you.”