He pours another round of the exquisite peach wine for the two of them. It's a luxurious drink, almost as thick as honey, just as sweet, and very strong.
"I have seen many who are in varying states of denial," he says slowly before lifting the little wine bowl to his lips. He watches it swirl, its golden hue catching the dim light beautifully, before taking a long, deep drink. He'll have to locate another bottle and liberate it; this is exquisite. "But rarely one as you described. If I may ask, was there anything specific that left you in such a state?"
"It's hard to say, really," Consort Shen easily replies, already relaxed and a little unfocused from the wine they've drank so far. It's very strong, even for a cultivator's constitution, and deliciously sweet. He pauses with the bowl just under his nose, indulgently sniffing the bouquet while he slowly thinks over how he wants to say it. "I think it was more lots of little things, piled together, than one or two big things you could point at and say, 'ah yes, clearly that's the reason why I was so neurotic about my own sexuality.'" He grins at the Medicine Seller before tipping his head back and letting the wine slowly pour into his mouth.
"In my case, my illness definitely played a role," he admits, once he's swallowed and delicately wiped his mouth. "Nobody expected me to live past thirty, it was a whole thing. But then there was also fear of the unknown, not wanting to disappoint my parents -- that one turned out to be a pretty awkward misapprehension on my part, since when I finally manned up and introduced them to my then-fiancee, they welcomed him with open arms." He props an arm up on the table, smiling ruefully into the space about six inches to his companion's left. "Turns out they'd spent all of my teens and twenties worried about how lonesome I was, but didn't say anything because they didn't want me to feel pressured. It's amazing the things people just make up about each other so they can avoid having an actual conversation about these things, isn't it?"
"I did not know Shen-sama was sick," he states. It's good to know he's still alive and kicking. Human lives are already painfully short.
As for his parents...
He can understand on some level. It is natural to avoid awkward topics. He does not understand why something like this is such an awkward topic for humans, but since that can't be helped, at least it was ignorance and not apathy or outright malice that led Shen Yuan down such a confusing spiral.
"It seems a natural conversation to have with an adolescent," he hums, pouring another set of shots. "Did they expect you would be a child forever?
"Well, I'm not anymore," he admits, and gives the Medicine Seller a slow, smug little smile, exactly like a cat who got all the cream. "My husband is a master of dual cultivation," he declares smugly, without an ounce of the embarrassment his other self would show about discussing such matters. "He cured me the first time we made love."
"As for the other thing," he continues, interrupting himself to politely express his thanks when the Medicine Seller refills his bowl, "I think they really just wanted to let me choose my own life? My mother said to me once, after she'd met Binghe, that it seemed pointless to have all that money if she and Dad couldn't spoil their kids. But..." He grimaces a little. "I think in a weird way I might have been happier if they pushed me more? I never really needed anything as a kid, so it seemed pointless to push for anything more. I remember thinking that as long as I didn't embarrass them, that was all anybody needed from me."
He winks at the Medicine Seller over the rim of his bowl. "I know, I know. 'Rich people problems,' right?"
"Rich or poor, problems are still problems," he says. "You should not hide or diminish them just because you think others have it worse."
He smiles lazily, pouring himself into the corner of the sofa and lounging. The wine has left him warm, lazy and content.
"It is natural, too, for many parents to desire their children want for nothing and they fail to balance their affection with adequate responsibility."
Often times the results were less spoiled brats and more like Shen Yuan - apathetic to ambition and self-improvement, but not cruel. Just a bit... hollow. And directionless.
"Though if I may, I have never heard of intercourse able to cure ailments," he remarks in that continuous slow, halting monotone. "Such a thing would be useful to my work as a Nightwalker. Does Shen-sama know how his husband does such a thing...?"
Fucking someone to full health - he thinks he's doing a very good job of not laughing about Binghe's magical healing dick.
"Ah, wise words indeed!" Shen Yuan raises his bowl to the Medicine Seller in a final toast before he drains the last of the wine, setting it down on the table afterwards and letting his head fall back against the padded back of his own seat.
"Alas," he says facetiously, accepting the chance in conversational direction with drunken amiability -- and seizing on the chance to humble-brag about his husband some more. "I fear that even if Yàojì Shī-laoshi began practicing tomorrow, he would never be able to surpass my husband's level of mastery. Binghe is descended from the line of heavenly demons, you see, whose ancestress was cast from the heavens for reasons lost to history." Translation: Airplane never bothered to come up with any, the hack. Worldbuilding? Hardly know her!
"All of her descendants possess a rarified qi form, which grants them immunity to all known poisons and the ability to heal from nearly any injury," he explains, in a slowed-down, dreamy version of his normal lecturing tone. "By sharing his qi via dual cultivation, my husband is also able to share its gifts. But even fully human cultivators can pass each other their qi to assist in healing, has laoshi really never heard of this technique?"
"I am aware of dual cultivation having long-term health benefits if practiced on a regular basis," he muses, thumbing along the rim of his wine bowl as he lounges like he was born to be draped on plush furniture.
"And the passing of qi is not uncommon. I have simply..."
His lips curl into a chilly smile, the points his fangs peeking out to say hello.
"...never known of anyone able to so abruptly remove an illness. Your husband's powers are, indeed, astonishing."
"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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C. Shots! Shots! Shots! (For Consort Shen)
WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY???
"In my case, my illness definitely played a role," he admits, once he's swallowed and delicately wiped his mouth. "Nobody expected me to live past thirty, it was a whole thing. But then there was also fear of the unknown, not wanting to disappoint my parents -- that one turned out to be a pretty awkward misapprehension on my part, since when I finally manned up and introduced them to my then-fiancee, they welcomed him with open arms." He props an arm up on the table, smiling ruefully into the space about six inches to his companion's left. "Turns out they'd spent all of my teens and twenties worried about how lonesome I was, but didn't say anything because they didn't want me to feel pressured. It's amazing the things people just make up about each other so they can avoid having an actual conversation about these things, isn't it?"
HE SAYS "Another round, please"
As for his parents...
He can understand on some level. It is natural to avoid awkward topics. He does not understand why something like this is such an awkward topic for humans, but since that can't be helped, at least it was ignorance and not apathy or outright malice that led Shen Yuan down such a confusing spiral.
"It seems a natural conversation to have with an adolescent," he hums, pouring another set of shots. "Did they expect you would be a child forever?
So polite <3
"As for the other thing," he continues, interrupting himself to politely express his thanks when the Medicine Seller refills his bowl, "I think they really just wanted to let me choose my own life? My mother said to me once, after she'd met Binghe, that it seemed pointless to have all that money if she and Dad couldn't spoil their kids. But..." He grimaces a little. "I think in a weird way I might have been happier if they pushed me more? I never really needed anything as a kid, so it seemed pointless to push for anything more. I remember thinking that as long as I didn't embarrass them, that was all anybody needed from me."
He winks at the Medicine Seller over the rim of his bowl. "I know, I know. 'Rich people problems,' right?"
He tries uwu
He smiles lazily, pouring himself into the corner of the sofa and lounging. The wine has left him warm, lazy and content.
"It is natural, too, for many parents to desire their children want for nothing and they fail to balance their affection with adequate responsibility."
Often times the results were less spoiled brats and more like Shen Yuan - apathetic to ambition and self-improvement, but not cruel. Just a bit... hollow. And directionless.
"Though if I may, I have never heard of intercourse able to cure ailments," he remarks in that continuous slow, halting monotone. "Such a thing would be useful to my work as a Nightwalker. Does Shen-sama know how his husband does such a thing...?"
Fucking someone to full health - he thinks he's doing a very good job of not laughing about Binghe's magical healing dick.
no subject
"Alas," he says facetiously, accepting the chance in conversational direction with drunken amiability -- and seizing on the chance to humble-brag about his husband some more. "I fear that even if Yàojì Shī-laoshi began practicing tomorrow, he would never be able to surpass my husband's level of mastery. Binghe is descended from the line of heavenly demons, you see, whose ancestress was cast from the heavens for reasons lost to history." Translation: Airplane never bothered to come up with any, the hack. Worldbuilding? Hardly know her!
"All of her descendants possess a rarified qi form, which grants them immunity to all known poisons and the ability to heal from nearly any injury," he explains, in a slowed-down, dreamy version of his normal lecturing tone. "By sharing his qi via dual cultivation, my husband is also able to share its gifts. But even fully human cultivators can pass each other their qi to assist in healing, has laoshi really never heard of this technique?"
no subject
"And the passing of qi is not uncommon. I have simply..."
His lips curl into a chilly smile, the points his fangs peeking out to say hello.
"...never known of anyone able to so abruptly remove an illness. Your husband's powers are, indeed, astonishing."
no subject
"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.
no subject
"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?"
no subject
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."