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soc_puppet) wrote2025-02-24 09:18 pm
soc_puppet) wrote2025-02-24 09:18 pm
Entry tags:
Fic: And There Was Only One Bed (1/4)
Fandom: The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System
Summary: With the Immortal Alliance Conference fast approaching, Shen Qingqiu realizes that there's no possible way the System will allow him to earn enough points to survive subverting the Abyss plotline. Shen Qingqiu thus changes his approach: What can he do to keep from being the one responsible for Luo Binghe entering the Endless Abyss, and is there any way to make the protagonist's time there less completely horrible?
In response, the System offers something it calls the "Only One Bed" package. Surely this is the better option, right?
Mirrors: Available on AO3
Wordcount: ~2500
Ships: Pre-Bingqiu
Notes: Inspired by this post on Tumblr; in particular, the following comment by![[tumblr.com profile]](https://www.tumblr.com/favicon.ico)
whetstonefires
Acknowledgements: Tremendous thanks togwogobo for doing an audio beta for me! It was very helpful 💖
Fic: And There Was Only One Bed
Chapter One
Shen Qingqiu glared balefully at the papers on his desk; the papers, for their part, unwisely did not shrivel up and disappear in a puff of smoke. This did nothing to make Shen Qingqiu's glare any less hate-filled.
While the forms in question weren't due for another week, Shen Qingqiu typically liked to have all of his paperwork completed and turned in as early as possible, if only to minimize his chances of having to interact with that traitorous rat on An Ding. Unfortunately, even knowing that Shang-shidi might have to chase him down for them didn't make Shen Qingqiu any more eager to fill out the disciple registration forms for the upcoming Immortal Alliance Conference.
Of course, even that paled in comparison to the knowledge that there were now less than three months before he would have to shove Luo Binghe into the Endless Abyss. The thought of having to do that to his precious white lotus disciple... Shen Qingqiu's heart clenched, and it wasn't entirely from knowing his eventual fate as the pusher. He eyed the forms again; perhaps if he just didn't fill one out for Binghe...
[Warning! If Luo Binghe does not compete in the Immortal Alliance Conference, the Endless Abyss plotline will not be triggered, and 10,000 B-Points will be deducted.]
Shen Qingqiu winced. 'Yes, I know, I know! Binghe has to go into the Abyss, I have to push him, he has to hate me.'
[Luo Binghe must enter the Endless Abyss.]
Shen Qingqiu paused. The System had only said... 'Do I have to push Luo Binghe into the Abyss myself?'
[Luo Binghe must enter the Endless Abyss.]
'Does Binghe have to hate me for it?'
[Luo Binghe must enter the Endless Abyss.]
'Can I do anything to prepare him? Give him anything to help?'
[Luo Binghe must enter—]
'Yes, yes, I got it, Luo Binghe must enter the Endless Abyss, or I'll lose 10,000 B-Points.' Shen Qingqiu pulled out his fan and tapped it against his lower lip. Back in his first life, his second-eldest brother had grown up to be a lawyer, but even when they were children, he'd shown an aptitude for making rules work in his favor. Shen Yuan had resented him for it on family game nights or when it came to assigning chores, but was happy to use it to his own advantage when it won them extra dessert or other privileges. Perhaps Shen Qingqiu could take some inspiration from him.
He addressed the entity that had shoved him into his new life. 'System, what options do I have besides pushing Binghe into the Abyss myself?'
[...Calculating.]
Shen Qingqiu waited, twisting his fan in his hands. When he was about ready to start tearing it to pieces, the System chimed at him.
[For 9,250 B-Points, Host may purchase the Only One Bed package.]
Shen Qingqiu bit his lip. That was almost all of his points; it would leave him only a few hundred to get by with, and there really was no possible way he'd be able to earn that many back in the next two-and-a-half months. On the other hand, the closer he'd gotten to the magic number, the stingier the System had gotten with points; it seemed unlikely that he'd be able to reach 10,000 before the Endless Abyss opened, regardless of how much grinding he did. If there was a way to go through with the Abyss plotline that wouldn't end with Luo Binghe killing or hating him...
Still, the name of the package was itself pretty suspect. Hadn't the original Binghe ended up with a significant number of wives after enduring a situation where there was only one bed for them to share? It wasn't as common a plotline as sex pollen, for example, but 'Great Master' Airplane had certainly relied on it often enough!
'What does the package include?' he asked.
[Answering Host: The Only One Bed package frees Host from pushing Luo Binghe into the Endless Abyss himself. It does not free Luo Binghe from needing to enter the Endless Abyss and retrieve his golden finger. Host will have to find another way to ensure that Luo Binghe enters the Endless Abyss to avoid loss of B-Points.]
Shen Qingqiu's frown deepened. That seemed like kind of a ripoff for the amount of points it would cost him.
The system chimed again.
[For a limited time, this package will also include a scroll with a water purification technique that can be used in the Endless Abyss.]
Now that made things interesting. 'And I'll be able to teach Binghe this technique before he... before the Immortal Alliance Conference?'
[Host will be awarded the scroll immediately upon finalizing the transaction. The Protagonist will be able to master the technique with one week of study.]
Shen Qingqiu nodded to himself. Finding potable water, while not strictly necessary for him due to his heritage, had been one of the original Luo Binghe's greatest struggles in the Endless Abyss; there were many chapters where he would lament the lack of access to fresh water to drink or cook with—and that wasn't even getting into bathing. His Binghe was a fastidious creature, and would surely appreciate the opportunity to clean up now and again.
[Warning!] the System blared. [Bonus scroll is only available as part of the Only One Bed package for the next thirty seconds. Does Host wish to purchase: Yes/No]
Seeing the timer begin to tick down, Shen Qingqiu slammed the Yes button. The System chimed happily at him. [Thank you for your purchase! Downloading scroll now...] He watched as his point total diminished in time with the scroll materializing in his hands. As soon as the scroll solidified, the System window blinked back out of existence.
Shen Qingqiu unfurled the scroll in his hands, barely seeing the technique it detailed. Well. This... this could work? Binghe would now have access to plenty of fresh water in the Abyss, he wouldn't have to end up hating Shen Qingqiu, and if the package name did somehow refer to wife plots, then hopefully that would just mean that Luo Binghe would lose his virginity in a less skeevy way than in PIDW. Right?
A loud crash rang out and he nearly dropped the scroll. Sparing a moment to be grateful that no one had seen that—it would have been very bad for his Elegant Peak Lord image—Shen Qingqiu looked out a window to investigate. Luckily, rather than some rowdy disciples causing property damage, it seemed to have only been thunder from an early summer storm. Though of course, he realized a moment later, that would mean—
"Shizun, this disciple has returned!"
Rolling the scroll back up, Shen Qingqiu tucked it into his sleeve before going to greet his student. "Binghe is back early today. I take it the storm necessitated training be canceled?"
Binghe nodded. "It was deemed unwise to continue sword practice during a thunderstorm."
"Mm," Shen Qingqiu agreed. "A wise move for today. Though Binghe must remember that it may sometimes be necessary to fight in a thunderstorm, or against a demon or monster that can wield lightning; remind this master at a later date to teach you a technique he once learned to redirect lightning."
Binghe instantly perked up, all but wagging an imaginary tail. "Yes, Shizun!" he said. "Would it be possible to begin learning that technique today?"
Shen Qingqiu rapped him gently on the head with his fan, even as he smiled fondly. Ah, Binghe was such an eager student! "Did this master not already specify that it would need to be at a later date? Besides, there is a different technique I had in mind for Binghe to study next. This master recently came into possession of a scroll detailing a rare water purification tech—"
An even louder crash than before rang out, this one accompanied by a brilliant flash of light as the Bamboo House shook. Realizing what must have happened, Shen Qingqiu rushed to the side room where Binghe stayed. Throwing open the door revealed that a bolt of lightning had struck the room, blowing through the roof and hitting Binghe's bed. It started already, Shen Qingqiu observed, before springing into action.
Sending out a wave of qi, Shen Qingqiu suppressed the oxygen around the flames, forcing them to go out. When not even smoke remained, he used his fan to redirect the qi he had used and circulate oxygen back into the room. "Fire cannot breathe without air," he said, taking the opportunity to lecture an awestruck Binghe, "but neither can we. If you smother a fire by using your qi to remove its air source, you must be certain to restore the air before you enter the area, or you could lose consciousness; if you have suppressed a large enough amount of air, you may even die. Now come," he continued, "let us salvage what we can of your things before we make arrangements for you."
Binghe snapped immediately to attention. "Yes, Shizun!" He rushed into the room ahead of his teacher.
Shen Qingqiu let him go, privately amused; it seemed likely that a boy of his age might have something salacious tucked away that he wouldn't want his old teacher to see. Shen Qingqiu would do them both a favor and focus on moving the more innocuous items first.
It took less than an incense time to move Binghe's things from the spare room to Shen Qingqiu's office. By then, the storm had dissipated, and both Ning Yingying and Ming Fan had stopped by to see what had happened. Shen Qingqiu sent both disciples off, Ning Yingying to the sect leader with a written explanation of what had happened and reassurances that both he and Luo Binghe were okay, and Ming Fan with a similar paper to An Ding to request assistance with repairs. Having secured a tarp over the hole in the Bamboo House's roof for the time being, Shen Qingqiu turned to the next most pressing problem: Luo Binghe's sleeping arrangements.
Shen Qingqiu regarded his disciple. "When Ning Yingying returns, you should go with her and make arrangements to stay at the dorms while the roof is repaired," he said.
Luo Binghe stiffened. "Begging Shizun's forgiveness, but this disciple would rather not."
Eh? "Why not?" Come now, Protagonist, this was a golden opportunity! Surely Yingying would offer to let you stay with her, thus neatly fulfilling the Only One Bed requirements and advancing your relationship at the same time! It was quite a neat solution, if Shen Qingqiu said so himself.
But Luo Binghe only frowned and looked away, his eyes taking on a faint sheen. "This disciple's time in the dorms previously was not restful; in fact, it has left many painful memories. If given a choice between them, this disciple would prefer to go back to the woodshed rather than to stay in the dorms."
Shen Qingqiu was stricken. He'd known that Binghe had been bullied out of the dorms, but to think that it had been this bad! Moreover, the fact that he still preferred the woodshed where he'd been beaten by the original goods to staying in a dorm room... Well, Shen Qingqiu couldn't let him stay there, either. There was only one solution.
"Binghe will not be staying in that woodshed ever again," Shen Qingqiu informed him. "Were it not needed for storage, this master would burn it to the ground himself. No, if Binghe will not stay in the dorms, he may instead stay in this master's bed."
Binghe's eyes snapped back to him, his tears vanishing. "Shizun, truly?"
[+50 Satisfaction Points!] the System announced.
Shen Qingqiu frowned internally; just for making sure that Binghe wouldn't be staying in the woodshed?
He nodded at Binghe and continued. "This master's cultivation is enough that a few nights without sleep will not harm him; I will simply meditate at night instead. It should take no more than a few days before the roof is repaired enough for a new bed to be set up."
His disciple was instantly overcome with distress. "Shizun, no!" he cried. "What of Without a Cure? Going so long without proper sleep could cause a flareup, or further damage your cultivation! This disciple would much rather sleep on the floor in the side room than deprive Shizun of his bed."
Shen Qingqiu whipped his fan open and hid his warming face behind it. "Nonsense! Binghe is a growing boy, still at an important stage in his cultivation. It is much more important for him to take the bed." Also, who knew what he would subject Shen Qingqiu to in the future if he forced Luo Binghe to sleep on the floor while taking the bed for himself? Shen Qingqiu couldn't risk it.
Tears began to gather again in Binghe's eyes, and Shen Qingqiu felt guilt stab him in the gut. How was this so effective?! Binghe, you're seventeen years old! Shouldn't you be past crying so easily by now? "Shizun has already sacrificed himself and been subjected to Without a Cure for this disciple... This lowly one would never forgive himself if Shizun's condition were to get even a fraction worse because of him! No, if Shizun won't sleep in his bed, this disciple won't either. I will stay up and meditate with Shizun, or even fix the roof myself instead!"
The protagonist relegated to doing menial physical labor? Shen Qingqiu couldn't decide if that would be better or worse than making him sleep on the floor, and he wasn't inclined to find out. He cast his eyes around the room, searching for some sort of solution, when they landed on the scroll containing the water purification technique.
He froze, groaning internally. Surely this couldn't be what the System had in mind with 'Only One Bed'! Shen Qingqiu was the protagonist's scum villain teacher, not some busty beauty! Wouldn't that just be way too much?!
But... he couldn't think of anything else. Shen Qingqiu reluctantly closed his fan and faced Luo Binghe again. "If Binghe is adamant that he will not take this master's bed for himself, I suppose the only solution would be... to share..."
Binghe sniffled. "Shizun wouldn't find it... an imposition, to sleep with this disciple?"
Binghe! Why did you have to phrase it that way?! Shen Qingqiu fought the urge to spit blood. "This master is sure that sleeping next to Binghe would not be an inconvenience," he corrected with a light cough. He'd have to make sure that they had separate blankets at the very least, since he wasn't sure he'd be able to wrangle a pillow barrier with the supplies available in Xianxia China; it would be difficult enough to prevent rumors of Shen Qingqiu perving on his disciples from taking root early as it was...
Binghe's tears vanished and he bowed deeply. "Thanking Shizun! This disciple will move his sleeping things to Shizun's room right away."
"Binghe, it's barely mid-afternoon, you don't need to—" he started, but Binghe was already moving. Shen Qingqiu sighed and shook his head fondly; really, that disciple of his!
[+150 Satisfaction Points!]
Eh?! System, WTF is this?!
--To Be Continued--
LBH: The dorms are much too far away from Shizun; I need to find a way to stay at the Bamboo House. Employing emergency technique: Crocodile Tears!
I'm still really new to cultivation stories and worldbuilding, so if you notice any mistakes that couldn't be passed off as Airplane's, please let me know! Ditto to other forms of concrit, pointing out typos, etc. I only ask that you try to say at least one other thing about the fic; in return, I'll do my best to give you other things to mention 😉
Summary: With the Immortal Alliance Conference fast approaching, Shen Qingqiu realizes that there's no possible way the System will allow him to earn enough points to survive subverting the Abyss plotline. Shen Qingqiu thus changes his approach: What can he do to keep from being the one responsible for Luo Binghe entering the Endless Abyss, and is there any way to make the protagonist's time there less completely horrible?
In response, the System offers something it calls the "Only One Bed" package. Surely this is the better option, right?
Mirrors: Available on AO3
Wordcount: ~2500
Ships: Pre-Bingqiu
Notes: Inspired by this post on Tumblr; in particular, the following comment by
'only one bed au' i therefore parse as a lack-of-beds situation directly leads to the narrative or characters developing in a different direction somehow, and that's the substance of the fic. which is a funny conceit amusingly phrased, and i would read it just to see how well it was pulled off.
Acknowledgements: Tremendous thanks to
gwogobo for doing an audio beta for me! It was very helpful 💖Fic: And There Was Only One Bed
Chapter One
Shen Qingqiu glared balefully at the papers on his desk; the papers, for their part, unwisely did not shrivel up and disappear in a puff of smoke. This did nothing to make Shen Qingqiu's glare any less hate-filled.
While the forms in question weren't due for another week, Shen Qingqiu typically liked to have all of his paperwork completed and turned in as early as possible, if only to minimize his chances of having to interact with that traitorous rat on An Ding. Unfortunately, even knowing that Shang-shidi might have to chase him down for them didn't make Shen Qingqiu any more eager to fill out the disciple registration forms for the upcoming Immortal Alliance Conference.
Of course, even that paled in comparison to the knowledge that there were now less than three months before he would have to shove Luo Binghe into the Endless Abyss. The thought of having to do that to his precious white lotus disciple... Shen Qingqiu's heart clenched, and it wasn't entirely from knowing his eventual fate as the pusher. He eyed the forms again; perhaps if he just didn't fill one out for Binghe...
[Warning! If Luo Binghe does not compete in the Immortal Alliance Conference, the Endless Abyss plotline will not be triggered, and 10,000 B-Points will be deducted.]
Shen Qingqiu winced. 'Yes, I know, I know! Binghe has to go into the Abyss, I have to push him, he has to hate me.'
[Luo Binghe must enter the Endless Abyss.]
Shen Qingqiu paused. The System had only said... 'Do I have to push Luo Binghe into the Abyss myself?'
[Luo Binghe must enter the Endless Abyss.]
'Does Binghe have to hate me for it?'
[Luo Binghe must enter the Endless Abyss.]
'Can I do anything to prepare him? Give him anything to help?'
[Luo Binghe must enter—]
'Yes, yes, I got it, Luo Binghe must enter the Endless Abyss, or I'll lose 10,000 B-Points.' Shen Qingqiu pulled out his fan and tapped it against his lower lip. Back in his first life, his second-eldest brother had grown up to be a lawyer, but even when they were children, he'd shown an aptitude for making rules work in his favor. Shen Yuan had resented him for it on family game nights or when it came to assigning chores, but was happy to use it to his own advantage when it won them extra dessert or other privileges. Perhaps Shen Qingqiu could take some inspiration from him.
He addressed the entity that had shoved him into his new life. 'System, what options do I have besides pushing Binghe into the Abyss myself?'
[...Calculating.]
Shen Qingqiu waited, twisting his fan in his hands. When he was about ready to start tearing it to pieces, the System chimed at him.
[For 9,250 B-Points, Host may purchase the Only One Bed package.]
Shen Qingqiu bit his lip. That was almost all of his points; it would leave him only a few hundred to get by with, and there really was no possible way he'd be able to earn that many back in the next two-and-a-half months. On the other hand, the closer he'd gotten to the magic number, the stingier the System had gotten with points; it seemed unlikely that he'd be able to reach 10,000 before the Endless Abyss opened, regardless of how much grinding he did. If there was a way to go through with the Abyss plotline that wouldn't end with Luo Binghe killing or hating him...
Still, the name of the package was itself pretty suspect. Hadn't the original Binghe ended up with a significant number of wives after enduring a situation where there was only one bed for them to share? It wasn't as common a plotline as sex pollen, for example, but 'Great Master' Airplane had certainly relied on it often enough!
'What does the package include?' he asked.
[Answering Host: The Only One Bed package frees Host from pushing Luo Binghe into the Endless Abyss himself. It does not free Luo Binghe from needing to enter the Endless Abyss and retrieve his golden finger. Host will have to find another way to ensure that Luo Binghe enters the Endless Abyss to avoid loss of B-Points.]
Shen Qingqiu's frown deepened. That seemed like kind of a ripoff for the amount of points it would cost him.
The system chimed again.
[For a limited time, this package will also include a scroll with a water purification technique that can be used in the Endless Abyss.]
Now that made things interesting. 'And I'll be able to teach Binghe this technique before he... before the Immortal Alliance Conference?'
[Host will be awarded the scroll immediately upon finalizing the transaction. The Protagonist will be able to master the technique with one week of study.]
Shen Qingqiu nodded to himself. Finding potable water, while not strictly necessary for him due to his heritage, had been one of the original Luo Binghe's greatest struggles in the Endless Abyss; there were many chapters where he would lament the lack of access to fresh water to drink or cook with—and that wasn't even getting into bathing. His Binghe was a fastidious creature, and would surely appreciate the opportunity to clean up now and again.
[Warning!] the System blared. [Bonus scroll is only available as part of the Only One Bed package for the next thirty seconds. Does Host wish to purchase: Yes/No]
Seeing the timer begin to tick down, Shen Qingqiu slammed the Yes button. The System chimed happily at him. [Thank you for your purchase! Downloading scroll now...] He watched as his point total diminished in time with the scroll materializing in his hands. As soon as the scroll solidified, the System window blinked back out of existence.
Shen Qingqiu unfurled the scroll in his hands, barely seeing the technique it detailed. Well. This... this could work? Binghe would now have access to plenty of fresh water in the Abyss, he wouldn't have to end up hating Shen Qingqiu, and if the package name did somehow refer to wife plots, then hopefully that would just mean that Luo Binghe would lose his virginity in a less skeevy way than in PIDW. Right?
A loud crash rang out and he nearly dropped the scroll. Sparing a moment to be grateful that no one had seen that—it would have been very bad for his Elegant Peak Lord image—Shen Qingqiu looked out a window to investigate. Luckily, rather than some rowdy disciples causing property damage, it seemed to have only been thunder from an early summer storm. Though of course, he realized a moment later, that would mean—
"Shizun, this disciple has returned!"
Rolling the scroll back up, Shen Qingqiu tucked it into his sleeve before going to greet his student. "Binghe is back early today. I take it the storm necessitated training be canceled?"
Binghe nodded. "It was deemed unwise to continue sword practice during a thunderstorm."
"Mm," Shen Qingqiu agreed. "A wise move for today. Though Binghe must remember that it may sometimes be necessary to fight in a thunderstorm, or against a demon or monster that can wield lightning; remind this master at a later date to teach you a technique he once learned to redirect lightning."
Binghe instantly perked up, all but wagging an imaginary tail. "Yes, Shizun!" he said. "Would it be possible to begin learning that technique today?"
Shen Qingqiu rapped him gently on the head with his fan, even as he smiled fondly. Ah, Binghe was such an eager student! "Did this master not already specify that it would need to be at a later date? Besides, there is a different technique I had in mind for Binghe to study next. This master recently came into possession of a scroll detailing a rare water purification tech—"
An even louder crash than before rang out, this one accompanied by a brilliant flash of light as the Bamboo House shook. Realizing what must have happened, Shen Qingqiu rushed to the side room where Binghe stayed. Throwing open the door revealed that a bolt of lightning had struck the room, blowing through the roof and hitting Binghe's bed. It started already, Shen Qingqiu observed, before springing into action.
Sending out a wave of qi, Shen Qingqiu suppressed the oxygen around the flames, forcing them to go out. When not even smoke remained, he used his fan to redirect the qi he had used and circulate oxygen back into the room. "Fire cannot breathe without air," he said, taking the opportunity to lecture an awestruck Binghe, "but neither can we. If you smother a fire by using your qi to remove its air source, you must be certain to restore the air before you enter the area, or you could lose consciousness; if you have suppressed a large enough amount of air, you may even die. Now come," he continued, "let us salvage what we can of your things before we make arrangements for you."
Binghe snapped immediately to attention. "Yes, Shizun!" He rushed into the room ahead of his teacher.
Shen Qingqiu let him go, privately amused; it seemed likely that a boy of his age might have something salacious tucked away that he wouldn't want his old teacher to see. Shen Qingqiu would do them both a favor and focus on moving the more innocuous items first.
It took less than an incense time to move Binghe's things from the spare room to Shen Qingqiu's office. By then, the storm had dissipated, and both Ning Yingying and Ming Fan had stopped by to see what had happened. Shen Qingqiu sent both disciples off, Ning Yingying to the sect leader with a written explanation of what had happened and reassurances that both he and Luo Binghe were okay, and Ming Fan with a similar paper to An Ding to request assistance with repairs. Having secured a tarp over the hole in the Bamboo House's roof for the time being, Shen Qingqiu turned to the next most pressing problem: Luo Binghe's sleeping arrangements.
Shen Qingqiu regarded his disciple. "When Ning Yingying returns, you should go with her and make arrangements to stay at the dorms while the roof is repaired," he said.
Luo Binghe stiffened. "Begging Shizun's forgiveness, but this disciple would rather not."
Eh? "Why not?" Come now, Protagonist, this was a golden opportunity! Surely Yingying would offer to let you stay with her, thus neatly fulfilling the Only One Bed requirements and advancing your relationship at the same time! It was quite a neat solution, if Shen Qingqiu said so himself.
But Luo Binghe only frowned and looked away, his eyes taking on a faint sheen. "This disciple's time in the dorms previously was not restful; in fact, it has left many painful memories. If given a choice between them, this disciple would prefer to go back to the woodshed rather than to stay in the dorms."
Shen Qingqiu was stricken. He'd known that Binghe had been bullied out of the dorms, but to think that it had been this bad! Moreover, the fact that he still preferred the woodshed where he'd been beaten by the original goods to staying in a dorm room... Well, Shen Qingqiu couldn't let him stay there, either. There was only one solution.
"Binghe will not be staying in that woodshed ever again," Shen Qingqiu informed him. "Were it not needed for storage, this master would burn it to the ground himself. No, if Binghe will not stay in the dorms, he may instead stay in this master's bed."
Binghe's eyes snapped back to him, his tears vanishing. "Shizun, truly?"
[+50 Satisfaction Points!] the System announced.
Shen Qingqiu frowned internally; just for making sure that Binghe wouldn't be staying in the woodshed?
He nodded at Binghe and continued. "This master's cultivation is enough that a few nights without sleep will not harm him; I will simply meditate at night instead. It should take no more than a few days before the roof is repaired enough for a new bed to be set up."
His disciple was instantly overcome with distress. "Shizun, no!" he cried. "What of Without a Cure? Going so long without proper sleep could cause a flareup, or further damage your cultivation! This disciple would much rather sleep on the floor in the side room than deprive Shizun of his bed."
Shen Qingqiu whipped his fan open and hid his warming face behind it. "Nonsense! Binghe is a growing boy, still at an important stage in his cultivation. It is much more important for him to take the bed." Also, who knew what he would subject Shen Qingqiu to in the future if he forced Luo Binghe to sleep on the floor while taking the bed for himself? Shen Qingqiu couldn't risk it.
Tears began to gather again in Binghe's eyes, and Shen Qingqiu felt guilt stab him in the gut. How was this so effective?! Binghe, you're seventeen years old! Shouldn't you be past crying so easily by now? "Shizun has already sacrificed himself and been subjected to Without a Cure for this disciple... This lowly one would never forgive himself if Shizun's condition were to get even a fraction worse because of him! No, if Shizun won't sleep in his bed, this disciple won't either. I will stay up and meditate with Shizun, or even fix the roof myself instead!"
The protagonist relegated to doing menial physical labor? Shen Qingqiu couldn't decide if that would be better or worse than making him sleep on the floor, and he wasn't inclined to find out. He cast his eyes around the room, searching for some sort of solution, when they landed on the scroll containing the water purification technique.
He froze, groaning internally. Surely this couldn't be what the System had in mind with 'Only One Bed'! Shen Qingqiu was the protagonist's scum villain teacher, not some busty beauty! Wouldn't that just be way too much?!
But... he couldn't think of anything else. Shen Qingqiu reluctantly closed his fan and faced Luo Binghe again. "If Binghe is adamant that he will not take this master's bed for himself, I suppose the only solution would be... to share..."
Binghe sniffled. "Shizun wouldn't find it... an imposition, to sleep with this disciple?"
Binghe! Why did you have to phrase it that way?! Shen Qingqiu fought the urge to spit blood. "This master is sure that sleeping next to Binghe would not be an inconvenience," he corrected with a light cough. He'd have to make sure that they had separate blankets at the very least, since he wasn't sure he'd be able to wrangle a pillow barrier with the supplies available in Xianxia China; it would be difficult enough to prevent rumors of Shen Qingqiu perving on his disciples from taking root early as it was...
Binghe's tears vanished and he bowed deeply. "Thanking Shizun! This disciple will move his sleeping things to Shizun's room right away."
"Binghe, it's barely mid-afternoon, you don't need to—" he started, but Binghe was already moving. Shen Qingqiu sighed and shook his head fondly; really, that disciple of his!
[+150 Satisfaction Points!]
Eh?! System, WTF is this?!
--To Be Continued--
LBH: The dorms are much too far away from Shizun; I need to find a way to stay at the Bamboo House. Employing emergency technique: Crocodile Tears!
I'm still really new to cultivation stories and worldbuilding, so if you notice any mistakes that couldn't be passed off as Airplane's, please let me know! Ditto to other forms of concrit, pointing out typos, etc. I only ask that you try to say at least one other thing about the fic; in return, I'll do my best to give you other things to mention 😉