Chapter 171

### Chapter 171

Su Ying awoke from the flashback deep into the night. A cool breeze drifted in, but was blocked by a warm embrace. The scent of pear blossoms wrapped around him like a sheer veil; the bright moon and countless stars filled the sky. The distant sound of flutes and pipes mixed with insect chirping in the high tower, while fishing lanterns and glazed roof tiles wove into a sea of gold, gently rippling at the base of the tower.

"Is it beautiful?" Shen Qichi's voice in the wind sounded like it was made of clouds.

'Beautiful,' Su Ying thought, his tail tip brushed against Shen Qichi's sleeve as he carefully examined his right hand. The swelling and bruising had completely faded, leaving only two unhealed holes. He lowered his tail tip and said sullenly, 'I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me. I just suddenly got very angry.'

"It's all right. Even married couples argue." Shen Qichi shifted so Su Ying could see the capital's night sky better. "It's nothing."

Joy and regret fluttered like birds beating against his heart. Su Ying said, 'But we're not married yet.'

Shen Qichi let out a soft chuckle. "Do you want to get married? Like Zhangting and Miss Sun?"

'Just like Li Zhangting and Sun Yumei,' Su Ying said firmly.

Shen Qichi didn't answer. "We've been out for a long time."

'I want to go home,' Su Ying said gloomily.

"All right."

Silence fell between the man and the demon. The flutes and pipes drifted through the tower toward the sky. Su Ying watched quietly for a while, then suddenly said, "It's really beautiful here." He remembered the countless stunning sights along their journey north—the majestic landscapes and the human settlements painted with everyday life.

Back then, he didn't know how to appreciate them. Now he understood why so many demons longed for the human world. The demon realm never changed, while the human world changed every day, yet it was far more beautiful and warm.

On the day they left the capital, way more people came to see them off than Su Ying expected. The emperor, in plain clothes, stood at the front next to Su Hai. Qiu Fangsheng pulled Shen Qichi aside and whispered earnest instructions. Shen Shan, a grown man, cried like a baby, holding his infant son while looking reluctantly at Shen Qichi, one hand steadying the trembling Shen De. All the servants of the Shen residence stood together, eyes glistening with tears as they faced the goodbye.

Su Ying stood by the carriage, waiting for Shen Qichi to say goodbye to everyone one by one. But the emperor stepped forward, motioned for Su Hai to stay, and walked toward him. He looked at Su Ying calmly. "Can we talk?"

Su Ying thought for a second, then nodded. He walked with the emperor in a different direction, away from the crowd. The emperor didn't rush to speak, instead studying him like he was a complete stranger.

Su Ying let the emperor's gaze sweep over him, waiting for him to talk.

"I don't trust you," the emperor said, just as Su Ying expected. "But I trust Yunzhuo's judgment. Still, I don't see this working out between you two. Do you know why?"

"Because I'm a demon, and he's human," Su Ying said flatly.

The emperor looked surprised at his frank admission, then a quick smile appeared.

"It's not just that," the emperor said. "Have you ever thought about why demons can take human form and speak human language, but can never truly be called human?"

It was an obvious point. Demons were demons, humans were humans. Su Ying couldn't think of any reason to mix the two up. It was a natural difference, so basic that neither humans nor demons had ever bothered to find a precise answer. Su Ying understood the idea but couldn't put it into words.

"I may be mortal, but I'm not clueless about demons," the emperor said. "The difference between humans and demons is like heaven and earth. Demons gain intelligence from beasts and insects, then cultivate, fight each other, split into strong and weak, imitate humans to transcend, and finally ascend to immortality. It's their nature, and they never ask why. Humans are the opposite: born into the world, they first learn about things, then get educated, reflect on themselves, and finally find their purpose."

Su Ying listened in silence.

"Humans are born with seven emotions and six desires. Demons aren't. That's the biggest difference between you. Do you understand?" The emperor's probing gaze fell on Su Ying's face. "You're with Yunzhuo, doing what married couples do. But do you really understand what's going on between you? Snakes are lustful by nature, and Yunzhuo's beauty is unmatched even in the mortal world—I don't mean to insult your relationship, but do you love him?" He paused. "Do you know what love is?"

Love?

What is love?

A flicker of confusion crossed Su Ying's mind.

He only knew that Shen Qichi made him feel joy, sadness, hurt, fear, shyness, and jealousy—but he had never put a name to it.

"I don't know," he said slowly, clearly seeing the unsurprised disappointment in the emperor's eyes. "I don't understand humans, but I understand Shen Qichi."

He had read every book Shen Qichi had read, written every word Shen Qichi had written, walked every path Shen Qichi had walked. He knew Shen Qichi's ideals and ambitions, his sorrows and helplessness, his regrets and carefreeness.

Though Shen Qichi hadn't allowed it, he knew everything about him.

He didn't know if he loved Shen Qichi, but his slowly beating heart raced for him, his cold blood boiled for him. All his emotions and turmoil were tied to Shen Qichi alone.

He didn't know, but he thought he had a long time to figure it out.

The emperor looked surprised again, as if Su Ying had said something remarkable. He opened his mouth as if to say more, but after a long moment, he simply closed it and smiled with relief.

"I knew I hadn't misjudged you." The emperor paused. "Take good care of him. Take care."

Su Ying hummed in acknowledgment, a faint smile curling on his lips. "You're a good emperor and a good senior brother. He trusts you, which is why he brought me to the palace."

The emperor was genuinely impressed by the demon before him.

Su Ying said "Take care" and turned to leave.

"Him?" Qiu Fangsheng asked, watching Su Ying walk toward them.

"Him," Shen Qichi replied, also watching the approaching figure.

Qiu Fangsheng shrugged with a hint of childishness, offering no further persuasion. From the first time Shen Qichi had brought the demon to his door, he had understood his prized student's intentions.

The lush forests on the outskirts of the capital burst with vibrant green. Su Ying's pale face grew clearer in the sunlight as he approached, his violet-gray eyes sparkling with bright light, reflecting Shen Qichi's figure. He stopped a few steps before Shen Qichi, extending a hand with a warm smile.

Shen Qichi's face lit up. He stepped forward and placed his hand in Su Ying's palm.

Su Ying closed his fingers, gripping him tightly.

He would never let go again, he silently vowed.

The kingfisher spirit perched on the carriage's eave, quietly watching this scene. As the man and demon walked side by side in the distance, it lowered its head to preen its wings, then suddenly spread them and soared into the sky.

*

Rain poured like a torrent. Su Ying pushed open the door of the Snake Temple, pulling Shen Qichi inside by the shoulder before dispelling the rain-blocking magic. He released Shen Qichi, lit a flame at his fingertip, and circled him several times, confirming that not a single drop of rain had touched him. Relieved, he flicked his finger, and the flame flew to the altar. The long-unused oil lamp flickered once before slowly igniting.

The dim candlelight dispelled the darkness and the chill brought by the storm. The pile of hay where they had once lain remained untouched in the corner, a testament to the temple's neglect over the past months. Shen Qichi unfastened his cloak and was about to clear the dusty hay from the top when a gentle breeze swept through, instantly refreshing the entire temple.

He turned to meet Su Ying's slightly smug gaze.

"A harmless little spell. You allowed it," Su Ying said, taking the cloak from Shen Qichi's hand.

Shen Qichi sighed helplessly, retrieved the cloak, and walked to the corner to spread it over the hay. Su Ying followed and sat beside him. Glancing at the kingfisher spirit, which had flown to the altar to rest, he took out a waterskin, pulled out the cork, and handed it to Shen Qichi.

Shen Qichi moistened his lips and throat. As he set down the waterskin, a polished wild fruit was offered to him.

"You haven't eaten much today," Su Ying said, his eyes reflecting the flickering candlelight as he gazed at Shen Qichi with focused intensity.

He had been taking exceptional care of Shen Qichi throughout the journey, more so than before. Though Shen Qichi was gradually getting used to it, he couldn't take it for granted. He took the fruit and slowly ate it under the snake demon's eager gaze. As he swallowed the last bite, the snake demon leaned in and naturally pecked a kiss at the corner of his mouth, licking away the lingering juice.

Despite their countless intimate encounters, Shen Qichi's face still flushed. He glanced at the kingfisher spirit on the altar, who had flattened itself into a pancake, deliberately turning its back to them.

Shen Qichi pushed the snake demon away, asking in a low voice, "What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong?" The push was barely a tickle. Su Ying seized the opportunity to press Shen Qichi's hand against his chest, feigning innocence.

Shen Qichi couldn't articulate it. He stammered for a moment before finally saying, "Nothing. It's late. Let's rest."

A hint of amusement flickered in Su Ying's eyes as he pulled the man into his arms and lay down.

Traveling through scenic mountains and rivers, Shen Qichi looked tired, and he soon fell into a deep sleep in the snake demon’s cool embrace. Su Ying turned his head to look at him, and after a long moment, planted a kiss on his forehead.

The emperor’s question had been nagging at him since before they left, and Su Ying spent a long time pondering it, yet the answer remained unclear. But he thought that loving someone meant treating them well; he couldn’t promise Shen Qichi he fully understood this love, but at least he could do his utmost to be good to him.

The dragon statue was spotless after the spell. Su Ying shifted his gaze from Shen Qichi to the statue, silently meeting its glassy eyes. After a long while, he looked away, tightened his arms, and closed his eyes.

A few days later, they returned to Anmen Village. The villagers welcomed Master Shen with open arms, who had been away for so long. Before they could even clean the dusty house, the guest hall and kitchen were overflowing with fruits, game, and other gifts from the neighbors.

Taking advantage of how lenient Shen Qichi had been lately, Su Ying took the initiative, casting a spell to clean the whole yard without waiting for Shen Qichi to act, and neatly sorted the items sent by the neighbors.

Shen Qichi said nothing, only glanced outside the yard to ensure no one was nearby, then asked, “Do you want to go back to Deer Cliff?”

Su Ying concentrated, sensing the barrier he had set around his cave dwelling, and confirmed that no demon had breached it in half a year. He shook his head: “It’s fine, no need to go back.”

The granary was empty, so after a brief rest, Shen Qichi and Su Ying took their farming tools to the fields. Half a year of neglect had left the fields overrun with weeds. Su Ying didn’t use magic; instead, he hitched up his robe, rolled up his sleeves, and started weeding.

Shen Qichi blinked, then picked up his hoe a beat late and followed, promptly turning over the soil where the weeds had been removed.

“I never knew farming could be this much trouble,” Su Ying said halfway through weeding. Shen Qichi had explained it to him before, but actually doing it was another matter—tedious, dull, and yielding nothing immediate.

“Rest if you’re tired,” Shen Qichi advised, no longer explaining everything as he used to.

Su Ying shook his head and deftly pulled out a clump of wild millet: “I was just thinking how hard it must have been for you to do all this alone in the past.” He knew Shen Qichi’s health was poor. “I should have come to help you sooner.”

“It wasn’t that hard; the villagers always lent a hand.” Shen Qichi took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from Su Ying’s brow. “The season’s passed for this year, so we won’t plant wheat, just some ordinary vegetables. Tomorrow I’ll go to town to buy some grain and seeds, and you can plow the fields.”

Su Ying was a bit reluctant to part with him, but the weather was getting hot, and the sooner they planted, the less work there would be later. He didn’t want Shen Qichi to toil under the scorching sun in the fields, so he agreed.

After finishing weeding, there was still a small patch of soil to turn, so he took the hoe from Shen Qichi and took over his work. Shen Qichi, empty-handed, sat down on the ridge of the field, watching him with a smile.

The weather was warm and pleasant, the gurgling sound of the waterwheel like a serene melody. Su Ying occasionally glanced at Shen Qichi’s gentle face under the blue sky, his heart feeling like it was stuffed with honey-soaked cotton—soft and full.