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Lately, it had been very peaceful. With Shen Qiao reigning Xuandu Mountain as its sect leader, Yuan Ying and the other elders helping internal affairs; even if small problems arose, they would be solved right away.
In the Xuandu Pavillion, Shen Qiao was reading a scroll while sipping his tea. Xuandu Pavillion was cleaned daily by the disciples, as they were more than willing to keep their sect leader feel comfortable in his living residence. The room was clean and neat, with the clear sunlight entering through the window. If there was an abnormality in the room, it would be the venerable man with white-streak hair on his temples wearing the dark-coloured robes sitting besides Shen Qiao; his hand propping his left cheek, and his legs sitting in a kind-of-unruly position. The venerable one indeed did not look like he belong to the meticulously-decorated room.
It really was just a usual sunny day.
However, Shen Qiao could not feel calm at all.
After all, Yan Wushi kept peering at him for a distant time already.
Shen Qiao sighed.
“Sect leader Yan, what are you doing?”
Yan Wushi chuckled. “What do you mean, A-Qiao?”
“Please don’t play fool, Sect leader Yan. You have been staring at this humble one roughly for half a shichen[1].”
And somehow I feel you keep staring at my nape.
Yan Wushi shook his head, like a troubled old man, “A-Qiao, my good A-Qiao. This venerable one has indeed been looking to your direction for a prolonged period, but aren’t you being too self-conscious, despite yourself? I am just looking at the mirror beside you, which is very clean and shiny,” Yan Wushi sighed.
“Yet your words and your expression accuse this venerable one of staring at you like a pervert about to do something inappropriate, which really hurts this venerable one’s heart. To think the wise, kind Daoist leader could be this aggressive towards this innocent venerable self…”
Shen Qiao’s mouth twitched, “You...”
In truth, Yan Wushi was indeed looking at Shen Qiao. He was just using the mirror as an excuse.
Shen Qiao had been with Yan Wushi for an extensive period, both of them sharing the same time together. He pretty much knew Yan Wushi’s tactics now; and so he only sighed once again.
Yan Wushi laughed.
After all his lifetime in the world of Jianghu, fighting martial experts wherever he travelled, perhaps this was one of the only times Yan Wushi had been this relaxed.
When next to his significant other.
Really, although their initial meeting was nothing like those romantic stories written in many scrolls at all.
Shen Qiao is an amiable person, who speaks efficiently and with honesty. When he gave flattery, it was just him commenting the truth, no exaggerated expressions at all. This was one of Shen Qiao’s charm. However, Shen Qiao was indeed a man with a thin face. This too, was not seen as a weakness at all; Yan Wushi found even this part of Shen Qiao charming.
However, perhaps being beside a stubborn man for years could even make Shen Qiao harden his face a little.
Shen Qiao ignored the man and focused his mind in reading the scroll on his hand again.
But even after some more minutes passed, the venerable man never diverted his eyes elsewhere.
When Shen Qiao was about to comment again that Yan Wushi was so shamelessly lying about not staring at himself, Yan Wushi managed to start the conversation first.
“A-Qiao, there is one thing that has been occupying this venerable one’s mind for a while.”
After being besides Yan Wushi’s side for a pretty long while already, even Shen Qiao could bit by bit read the former’s expressions a little. Shen Qiao perceived that Yan Wushi’s face suddenly differed from before, turning strict with a more serious expression.
“Sect leader Yan…?”
“This venerable one won’t be able to sleep another night if this went unanswered. This venerable self must get the answer today.”
Shen Qiao started a bit. Yan Wushi was even more adamant than usual in pestering Shen Qiao for an answer.
What could be so hard to answer that Yan Wushi need to ask Shen Qiao right away…?
“Please, ask, Sect leader Yan.”
Yan Wushi sat upright.
“A-Qiao…”
Shen Qiao put down the scroll he was holding, and turned to look at Yan Wushi’s eyes directly.
“…A-Qiao, who is more good-looking and handsome; this venerable one, or your Shizun?”
…
…???
Shen Qiao could not help but open his mouth a little.
He blinked innocently. Although his expression was still as calm as the river, but Yan Wushi glimpsed his brow twitch a little.
Yan Wushi found this reaction very adorable. His heart softened, but his expression still maintained the image of the serious venerable man.
Yan Wushi repeated his words, “A-Qiao, who is more good—”
Shen Qiao gestured his hand to ‘shush’ the old man in front of him.
“Yan Wushi, do not joke around. This humble Daoist will not answer such a ridiculous question—”
“A-Qiao, this venerable one, or your master Qi Fengge?”
“…”
Shen Qiao was the one shut up in the end.
Yan Wushi kept staring at him more intensely.
This….
Shen Qiao was flustered.
Who is more handsome…?
When Shen Qiao first met Qi Fengge, the latter was in his prime age. Although he was probably not the number one in the world in terms of appearance, Qi Fengge was a pristine and handsome man, who always dressed neatly and appropriately.
Which person could say Qi Fengge was not handsome?
Furthermore, he had rescued Shen Qiao and took care of him for a very long time like his own son.
Shen Qiao not only admired his master as a teacher, but also akin to a father.
Meanwhile, as Yan Wushi waited for Shen Qiao’s answer, he also pondered deep in his heart.
Yan Wushi had interacted with Qi Fengge previously, and he by now knew Shen Qiao’s taste.
Of course, Shen Qiao must have thought that his Shizun was a very cool and most handsome man who picked him up. Qi Fengge was practically an existence close to a deity for Shen Qiao.
…However, that was years ago.
While Yan Wushi might have met Shen Qiao in his venerable self, older than Qi Fengge’s age at that time…
Yan Wushi had spent a lot of time with Shen Qiao now, surely, the number one position should belong to this venerable one now, and not any other person, right?
“A-Qiao? So, who is it?”
Shen Qiao looked very calm on the outside, but in truth, deep in his heart, he was flustered.
Who is more handsome, it, it is obvious—
“N-naturally… Naturally it’s my Shizun!” Shen Qiao said while diverting his gaze elsewhere.
Yan Wushi blinked his eyes.
Well…?
“A-Qiao.”
“….”
“A-Qiao, this venerable self knows you are a very wise and honest man. Surely, this is your answer, not a lie?”
Shen Qiao looked away even more.
“O-Obviously…. my master is the most handsome. Even the first time he appeared in front of me and during the time I grew up, he’s the coolest.”
Yan Wushi sighed softly.
“…You say it’s your shizun. Fine, this venerable one accepts your answer. But then, why can’t you look at this venerable one’s eyes directly?”
Yan Wushi closed his distance a little bit more.
“If this venerable one is not the most handsome, then you surely can say it directly to this venerable one’s face, right?”
Shen Qiao backed his head a little bit.
“…D-Don’t come so close—”
“A-Qiao, even if it’s your Shizun, this venerable one does not like it when you admire another man.”
“…”
Yan Wushi’s face was very close to Shen Qiao. Only an inch more and their noses will have contact.
As Shen Qiao thought that Yan Wushi was about to… kiss him— he shut his eyes.
“…”
However, the said man never made a move.
“…?”
Instead, Yan Wushi moved a little bit far away, back to the position where he stared at Shen Qiao reading his scroll previously. He picked up the tea cup that Shen Qiao was drinking from, not saying a word, while rotating the cup like it’s antique design piqued his interest even more than the man in front of him.
“…”
This…
…Is sect leader Yan… pouting?
Usually, when the situation was like this, he would keep teasing Shen Qiao until Shen Qiao could not bear it anymore!
So…
Is Yan Wushi sulking even… more than usual?
“…”
Shen Qiao could not bear the silence between them anymore. Moreover, it seems that Yan Wushi was avoiding Shen Qiao’s gaze now.
….
Is he a little maiden who just had her heart broken by her first love!?
“S-Sect leader Yan…”
No answer, nor reaction.
“This… this question is really hard for this humble one to answer.”
…Silence.
“T-to tell the truth, well…”
“…”
“Although my master exceeds in way more points than sect leader Yan… His personality, wise-thinking, and his teachings, all had way more advantages…”
Yan Wushi did not look at him, and raised his eyebrow even more.
Suddenly, Shen Qiao picked up the hand-sized mirror besides him and held it in front of Yan Wushi.
“You asked even though you know this one’s answer…”
Shen Qiao continued, “That was years ago. However, this…. this is the most handsome one in the opinion of this humble Daoist now.”
Yan Wushi finally moved his head to Shen Qiao’s direction.
Yan Wushi saw his own reflection from the bright and shiny mirror; his head until his torso was reflected.
He could not help but tease such a sweet-reacting Shen Qiao again, “Well, this is really unexpected. To think you would choose such a bright mirror instead of this venerable self…”
Shen Qiao was dumbfounded.
Yan Wushi cocked his head, “This venerable one could not believe his A-Qiao has been taken by a mere, old mirror instead…”
Shen Qiao blushed red, “T-This humble one means the one who is reflected in this mirror!” Shen Qiao could not help but look towards the other way and shook his head.
“I mean you, Yan Wushi!”
“…”
Yan Wushi closed himself towards Shen Qiao’s face.
“Really?”
Shen Qiao was again taken aback by the sudden closed distance. He used the mirror as a shield to prevent any contact, and he did not answer Yan Wushi. Instead, he hid his face more and more behind the mirror, and gave nearly an imperceptible nod.
Yan Wushi chuckled. “A-Qiao, even if you hid, you know this venerable one’s personality. When there’s something that this venerable one wanted, he would chase it to the end of the world; even if this venerable self needs to dig up the world’s most powerful martial artist’s grave if you hid under it.”
Shen Qiao also did not budge. “Y-you have your question answered now, so back away…”
But how could Yan Wushi let Shen Qiao go when Shen Qiao was the one who had fallen to his trap sweetly?
Suddenly, everything went silent as only the sound of the mirror dropped was echoing in the room.
In the mirror, the reflection of the two figures were emulated brightly like a starlight through a dark cave.
The sight of the man in the dark-coloured robes kissing his loved partner.
***