"Yes, my husband is truly amazing, this one must agree." At length, if he must! "It's truly a shame Yaoji-laoshi cannot return home with me, and meet him," he laments. "Although Binghe so no longer quite so free with his gifts as he was before our engagement --" This will be one of the greatest achievements of Consort Shen's life: turning the stallion protagonist onto monogamy. And at the time he wasn't even trying! "He has a cousin who is of age, a very polite and adorable snake demon." Because it's our sandbox and darn it all, Zuzhi-lang deserves nice things.
"I'm sure he and laoshi would both benefit from an introduction." They'd be so cute! Even if nothing came of it in the long term, Consort Shen is sure his new friend would show his cousin-in-law a good time! Oh, for what might have been. He flags down a passing waiter to bring them some snacks and another drink.
A shame or a relief? He did not want to put anyone in such a precarious position, even a powerful snake demon. The things the Medicine Seller has encountered... they were not hardships he would wish anyone else to carry.
Moreover, he doubts Shen Yuan's husband would be as accommodating to him as he was his most favoured consort - especially if he knew of the Medicine Seller's true nature. He'd probably take his presence as a challenge, however much the Medicine Seller was not interested in violence, and certainly not to whatever dick-waving contest Lord Luo Binghe might try to drag him into. He knows the type; the only way to win that game is to just not play.
"Perhaps this snake demon will be brought here...?" he answers vaguely, hoping it will put Shen Yuan at ease. "I am fond of serpents."
Like moths and butterflies, they too were symbols of rebirth. Moreover, their association with both poison and medicine always tickled his fancy.
"Perhaps, perhaps," Consort Shen agrees, blissfully oblivious of any discomfort he might've caused his tablemate. "I'll have to leave my other self a note, so he'll recognize him and treat him kindly. Zuzhi-lang is a gentle soul, for all that he can appear quite fearsome if he wishes. He served my father-in-law to the end, you know, even though it brought him considerable hardship."
The whole family suffered to a frankly unreasonable degree, and Airplane hadn't actually used any of it in his novel! What was the point of coming up with all that if you were just going to ignore it? As usual it fell to an ignorant but hard-working transmigrator to come in afterwards and pick up the pieces!
"He sounds like a loyal individual," he agrees, hoping against hope that's all Consort Shen intends to leave in the note. He really doesn't need any well-intended meddling in his own love life. He can make plenty of bad decisions on his own, thank you!
"I am sure your other self will greet him kindly. And if I encounter any serpent demons washed up on shore, I shall be sure to send them his way."
A playful smile flits across his lips only briefly.
"Oh?" he asks, leaning closer with a secretive, plotting-style grin on his face. Well, as plotting as one can get when five and a half sheets to the wind, anyway. "Laoshi is so kind, so generous with his time," he hums quietly. "One wonders what else he plans to send my other self~?"
What? Just because he's married doesn't mean he can't flirt! And he's doing it for the other him, so it's doubly fine! He's like a matchmaker, only hot and not an old lady.
He gives one of his horrible little laughs that makes him sound almost cartoonishly sinister. He isn't, of course, that's just how his voice is, but it's not like he doesn't take delight in it somewhat.
He gives a dismissive wave of one perfectly manicured hand. No, he does not need to be chasing after some ingénu closet case - not in his line of work.
"You misunderstand," he says in as gentle of a tone as he can manage, "I have no intention of such a pursuit. Humans..."
And there is a flicker of melancholy behind his eyes that he hides with a sip from his bowl of wine.
Ah? Well, okay! Consort Shen leans back with a careless little laugh, reaching for the wine with the same air as a cat pretending it hasn't just been rebuffed.
"My my laoshi, so serious!" he giggles, clumsily topping up both of their bowls. "Then how do you intend to the pass the time, while you're here?"
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"I'm sure he and laoshi would both benefit from an introduction." They'd be so cute! Even if nothing came of it in the long term, Consort Shen is sure his new friend would show his cousin-in-law a good time! Oh, for what might have been. He flags down a passing waiter to bring them some snacks and another drink.
no subject
A shame or a relief? He did not want to put anyone in such a precarious position, even a powerful snake demon. The things the Medicine Seller has encountered... they were not hardships he would wish anyone else to carry.
Moreover, he doubts Shen Yuan's husband would be as accommodating to him as he was his most favoured consort - especially if he knew of the Medicine Seller's true nature. He'd probably take his presence as a challenge, however much the Medicine Seller was not interested in violence, and certainly not to whatever dick-waving contest Lord Luo Binghe might try to drag him into. He knows the type; the only way to win that game is to just not play.
"Perhaps this snake demon will be brought here...?" he answers vaguely, hoping it will put Shen Yuan at ease. "I am fond of serpents."
Like moths and butterflies, they too were symbols of rebirth. Moreover, their association with both poison and medicine always tickled his fancy.
no subject
The whole family suffered to a frankly unreasonable degree, and Airplane hadn't actually used any of it in his novel! What was the point of coming up with all that if you were just going to ignore it? As usual it fell to an ignorant but hard-working transmigrator to come in afterwards and pick up the pieces!
no subject
"I am sure your other self will greet him kindly. And if I encounter any serpent demons washed up on shore, I shall be sure to send them his way."
A playful smile flits across his lips only briefly.
no subject
"Oh?" he asks, leaning closer with a secretive, plotting-style grin on his face. Well, as plotting as one can get when five and a half sheets to the wind, anyway. "Laoshi is so kind, so generous with his time," he hums quietly. "One wonders what else he plans to send my other self~?"
What? Just because he's married doesn't mean he can't flirt! And he's doing it for the other him, so it's doubly fine! He's like a matchmaker, only hot and not an old lady.
no subject
He gives a dismissive wave of one perfectly manicured hand. No, he does not need to be chasing after some ingénu closet case - not in his line of work.
"You misunderstand," he says in as gentle of a tone as he can manage, "I have no intention of such a pursuit. Humans..."
And there is a flicker of melancholy behind his eyes that he hides with a sip from his bowl of wine.
"...die. Too easily."
Best not to get too attached.
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"My my laoshi, so serious!" he giggles, clumsily topping up both of their bowls. "Then how do you intend to the pass the time, while you're here?"
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The melancholy fades as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a thin and mischievous smile.
"There is no shortage of interesting things here to surprise, delight, or horrify."
Mostly the latter, but he wouldn't be in his line of work if he couldn't stomach the grotesque.
"...And one need not be wed to ...enjoy such pursuits."