Danmei Heaven

Shen Qingqiu turns back to the stall and looks over the spread of the trinkets. On a closer inspection, the goods really do look quite well-crafted. His eyes are immediately drawn to the collection of hand fans. There’s quite the variety: simple fans made entirely of carved wood, bamboo and paper ones with auspicious characters and romantic poems written in elegant calligraphy, ones with painted scenes of nature…

He glances at Luo Binghe when he shifts a little closer, his eyes also on the fans.

“Does Binghe like any of them?”

Luo Binghe looks up at him, startled, then looks away just as fast. He points at the fan with two graceful cranes spreading their wings, ready to take flight, and mumbles:

“This one looks the most up to Shizun’s tastes.”

What a filial disciple, thinking of his Master first!

Warmth expands in Shen Qingqiu’s chest as he points at the fan. “I’ll take this one,” he tells the vendor. He glances sneakily at the flustered Binghe from the corner of his eye, then back at the stall’s trinkets.

Surely, a little spoiling won’t hurt? he thinks, nodding to himself. It’s just to curry favour.

“This jade pendant, too, please.”

The stall seller bows with a smile and wraps the two objects into separate parcels. “This Esteemed Master has wonderful taste, wonderful taste, indeed!”

Shen Qingqiu pays for the purchase, takes both parcels, and leaves for the entrance to the sect, Luo Binghe in tow, even if he keeps falling several steps behind from time to time.

Before they reach the bottom of the stairs, he stops and turns to the boy. He holds out the smaller parcel to him.

“As Binghe so graciously helped this Master pick his new fan, this Master picked this trinket for him.”

Binghe stares at the gift, then looks up, wide-eyed, and stares at him instead. The tanghulu is still held tightly in both his hands.

He’s… very quiet.

Shen Qingqiu can feel a drop of sweat form at his temple. Has he said something out of line…? Cover up! Must cover up!

“It’s for protection and good luck,” he says in his best Immortal Teacher voice, “but Binghe can just as well keep it and sell it later if he ever needs—”

“No!” Binghe cries, so suddenly that the mask of Shen Qingqiu’s Shizun face falters for a split second. “This Binghe will treasure it! A gift from Shizun… This one will never take it off!”

Can a chest burst from such overwhelming fondness?

Luo Binghe reaches both hands to accept the parcel with bright, bright eyes and coloured cheeks, and looks adorably distraught when he realises his hands are still too full to respectfully receive a gift.

Shen Qingqiu sighs a soft smile and unwraps the parcel. The pendant has come with a string long enough to make for a comfortable necklace.

“Shizun will put it on Binghe for him.” This way he can keep holding onto the tanghulu; a very pragmatic decision.

Luo Binghe stays very still when Shen Qingqiu carefully loops the new trinket around his neck, not a breath in or out. The string catches on the curly hair, so he gently pulls the strands away and pats them over.

There, that shouldn’t have tugged at all.

Binghe looks so moved, Shen Qingqiu can’t help himself and gives the top of his head one last headpat, before he turns towards the stairs up the mountain.

“Let’s go home, now,” he says. “Everybody must be waiting.”