Ban Ruojun looked up, her eyes shining with excitement. "You know Ling Wen?"
"Oh yes," said Pei Ming, with a smug little toss of his head, "she and I go way back." He let out a deep, pained sigh. "The Three Tumours they used to call us: me, Ling Wen, and old Watermaster-xiong, that was Qingxuan's brother. We had some good times, before the end." He blinked his eyes quickly, as if stoically holding back a single manly tear.
"Really?" Ban Ruojun turned to Shi Qingxuan. "You never mentioned your brother knew Ling Wen!"
"I try not to think about it," said Shi Qingxuan with a thin smile. "What with how she helped him destroy the lives of so many innocent people."
Ban Ruojun's face fell. They felt a little mean, popping her bubble like that, but if she was going to survive up here in the heavens she needed to know what sort of people she was dealing with. You'd think Ling Wen still being under house arrest would be enough of a hint, but apparently not.
They turned to Pei Ming. "How much did you have to do with all that, by the way? I was never sure."
"Let's not ruin the party," said Pei Ming. "We're here to celebrate the new Lady Windmaster and welcome all of you new gods to the heavens, not to talk about ancient history." He gestured towards Yu Yanli, who was currently smiling and laughing with Ning Mo as the two of them pretended to enjoy being in conversation with Lang Qianqiu. Or maybe they actually liked the guy, bigger miracles had happened.
Pei Ming cleared his throat. "Of course, if I was going to discuss that whole mess, I might bring up how strange it is to see my old friend's little brother taking up with the man who killed him. In my day, family loyalty meant something." He smiled mirthlessly. "But I'm not talking about that. Because this is a party."
Shi Qingxuan's smile turned into a grimace. Do I look like anyone's little brother right now? they thought, bitterly. With the fine jewellery and robes they were wearing, they'd pass as a pretty woman even if they were still in their male form. But they weren't, because even though it no longer gave a spiritual boost, they still felt stronger as a woman, and right now they needed all the strength they could get. Pei Ming was one of the friendlier familiar faces they were likely to encounter in the heavens tonight, at least he was willing to acknowledge them as a god. Even if he wasn't willing to acknowledge other things.
"Um," said Ban Ruojun, eyes flicking between the two of them. "If it's alright, I might...go talk to General Nan Yang? I believe his Highness Xie Lian said he had some questions about ghosts I might be able to help with..."
Xie Lian always wore a bittersweet "I remember being that young and naive" expression whenever he talked with Shi Qingxuan and Yu Yanli about their plans to improve the world, but he still did his best to help. The results of the 'persuade Ban Ruojun that not all ghosts are evil' campaign were thus far rather mixed, but Shi Qingxuan was sure they'd wear her down eventually. She'd barely tried to kill He Xuan even a little the second time they met, and things could go only go up from there.
"Of course," said Pei Ming, with a warm smile. "Farewell, my dear. It was a pleasure to meet you. I quite look forward to seeing your pretty little face around the heavens."
Ban Ruojun blushed and made her goodbyes. Pei Ming watched her back as she walked away with an unseemly amount of interest.
"Ugh," said Shi Qingxuan. "At least wait until they've finished puberty, you old lecher."
"Oh," said Pei Ming with a leer, "that girl has definitely finished puberty."
Shi Qingxuan made a retching sound.
Pei Ming sniffed. "At least I can say with some certainty that she's never killed any members of my immediate family."
Shi Qingxuan stopped themself from snapping back "Because they all died centuries before she was born". As much as they despised Pei Ming, they couldn't entirely fault him for disapproving of He Xuan, not when he was motivated by his lasting affection for their brother. So instead they just sighed and said "Lucky you."
Pei Ming's eyes widened, and he lowered his voice into a soft whisper, leaning closer. "You know, if you're scared to leave him, I can-"
"I'm not scared of him," said Shi Qingxuan, pulling away. "And he's constantly telling me I'm free to leave. But I'm not going to, because I'm happier with He Xuan than I've ever been before in my life." They looked down, not wanting Pei Ming to see the inescapable softness in their expression as they said, "I love him. And I've forgiven him." They took a breath, and looked up. "But that doesn't change what happened. I know you'll never forgive him, and I don't expect you to. Nor do I expect you to understand my choice. I just need you to respect it."
Pei Ming made a face. "You're right about me not understanding it. Even as Ming Yi, that bastard was a real-" He bit back on his words and shook his head. "But fine. I know there's no changing your mind once you're set on something. And all your brother ever wanted, more than anything, was for you to be happy. I wish it was with anyone else, but I know better than anyone that love doesn't always give you a choice."
Don't compare my feelings to yours, you philandering creep, thought Shi Qingxuan. But they smiled. "Thanks."
Just as they were about to try and extricate themself from this conversation while the two of them were still managing to remain civil, they felt the weight of a hand fall on their shoulder. A croaky voice stage-whispered loudly into their ear. "Darling, who is this fine piece of man-flesh?"
Shi Qingxuan's smile immediately became much more genuine. "Fan Xi," they said with a little bow, "this is General Ming Guang, also known as General Pei. General Pei, this is Fan Xi, he's another member of Lady Windmaster's court." Wow, they actually managed to refer to Yu Yanli as 'Lady Windmaster' without stuttering or bursting into tears, go them.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," said Pei Ming, with significantly less enthusiasm than when he'd said it to Ban Ruojun.
"Likewise," said Fan Xi with a wink. He leaned towards Pei Ming, leering, and the old hypocrite took a nervous step back, apparently intimidated by a cheerful old man a fraction of his age.
"You know, Fan Xi," said Shi Qingxuan, trying not to laugh, "the way you're behaving, a girl might get jealous."
Fan Xi leaned against them dramatically. "Xuanxuan, Shi-jie, darling," he said, clutching them to his bosom. "You know my heart belongs only to you."
Shi Qingxuan sniffed. "That's what they all say."
Pei Ming raised an eyebrow. "Probably shouldn't let Black Water hear about you stealing other men's hearts, Qingxuan."
"Oh don't worry about him," said Fan Xi, waving his hand dismissively. "He's a big old pussycat. Wouldn't hurt a fly." He smiled with all his teeth. "Unless they deserved it."
Pei Ming briefly flinched, and then narrowed his eyes, staring at Fan Xi more closely.
"Well, we better get going!" chirped Shi Qingxuan, grabbing Fan Xi by the hand and pulling him away. "Great to see you, General Pei! Enjoy the rest of the party!"
Shi Qingxuan looked both ways along the corridor before quickly pulling the man known as Fan Xi towards their private office.
It wasn't a very fancy office, in the old days Shi Qingxuan would have considered it barely large enough to serve as a closet. But it was theirs, and these days it was about the only place in the heavens where they could lock the door and be fairly sure of being allowed to keep their privacy.
"If you keep doing things like that people will figure you out," they whispered sharply.
"So what if they do," said He Xuan, as Fan Xi's wrinkled, moustachioed face became smooth and pale. Shi Qingxuan sighed, looking back at him with a pointed glare, and started walking faster. They weren't even in the office yet! Sure, this part of palace was empty right now, with everyone at the party, but you could never be sure.
"You're a ghost," they hissed, "they'll exorcise you!"
He Xuan snorted. "They can try."
"He Xuan," they wheedled, "My heart still hasn't recovered from the last time someone tried to exorcise you. You need to be more careful!"
"You overestimate the intelligence of the average god," said He Xuan, unrepentant. "No-one will connect a loud peacock like Fan Xi to the sullen, silent Ming Yi. I know what I'm doing."
"Well then they'll think I'm cheating on you!"
They'd reached the office at last. But before they could open the door, He Xuan pushed them against it, caging them in between his arms.
"Even you're not that much of a fool," he growled, leaning down to snarl into their ear. He was apparently going for the whole Sexy Terrifying Ghost King vibe, and it was sexy, but based on the few arguments they'd had during their time as a couple, Shi Qingxuan was pretty sure that if they ever did cheat on him (which they wouldn't, obviously!) he'd just be very sad and think it was his own fault. Since that was his default response to everything.
"Ahh, so scary," they said, breathlessly. "I'm terrified."
"No, you're not," said He Xuan, with the hint of a smile.
"Not even a little bit," they said, grinning and putting their arms around his neck, "But I'm not enough of a fool not to realise how good I have it. Nobody could remotely compare to you."
He Xuan looked away, with his familiar 'trying not to look embarrassed about praise' frown. Yu Yanli and Xie Lian always seemed politely doubtful whenever Shi Qingxuan enthused about He Xuan's cuteness. But he was adorable. She Qingxuan leaned up and rubbed their noses together before giving him a soft kiss. "I've been thinking about how much I want to do that all day."
"I could tell," said He Xuan, pressing closer. "You spent the whole party staring at me, and then had the gall to criticise me for flirting."
"Who could resist that moustache?" said Shi Qingxuan, rubbing their thumb across the smooth skin above He Xuan's lips.
"I'll have to make sure to grow one," said He Xuan, and then drowned their squawked protests in kisses.
It had been too long.
Yu Yanli had managed to recruit herself a small staff of existing gods and people she knew from the mortal realm, but Shi Qingxuan was the only one with an understanding of the heavens who she knew well enough to trust with anything important. So although everyone was working hard to settle Yu Yanli in as the new Windmaster, quite a lot of the work had inevitably fallen to Shi Qingxuan while everyone else got up to speed.
And they liked the work! The new Palace of the Wind didn't have as many resources as the old Palace of Wind and Water, but it was also, thus far, not built upon a foundation of avarice and fear. They couldn't just throw merits unthinkingly at problems any more, but they also didn't have to carefully avoid thinking about where all the merits were coming from. Yu Yanli genuinely wanted to help people, not just attain power, even if she did also want to do that too. And since no-one in the heavens who cared about power or prestige was going to attach themselves to a green young god with such a controversial history, the junior officials who'd been willing to join the palace tended to be very junior, but hard-working and sincere. The gods outside the palace tended to view Yu Yanli and her court with suspicion and disdain, especially Shi Qingxuan, but they would win them over in time. And everyone inside the palace, even Yu Yanli, looked up to Shi Qingxuan as an experienced and trusted senior. It was great, and made them want to work all the harder.
It was just that they also wanted to throw it all in and spend every minute of every day with He Xuan.
Shi Qingxuan pulled He Xuan tight against them, one hand on his hips and the other on the back of his head as he nipped at their neck. He Xuan's hands wandered over Shi Qingxuan's body possessively and then started to pull at their belt.
"Wait...wait..." they gasped. "Someone will see." Although the rumour mill already knew about their relationship with He Xuan, being caught with him in the heavens would still not be great, and they were a little anxious at the idea. Which He Xuan knew, of course. But he also knew that they liked a little bit of danger ssometimes. Being with He Xuan involved a lot of time spent on the knife edge between fear and exhilaration, but he always pulled back before the knife bit in too sharply. It was a game between them, now, a way to face the dark parts of life together and make them tame.
"Let them see," said He Xuan, biting their neck hard enough to leave a mark. "Let them see that you're mine."
Shi Qingxuan wriggled weakly, though they were pretty strong here in the palace. "Oh no..." they breathed, "Not where everyone can see!" They could heal any mark in moments, of course, but where would the fun in that?
There was a noise somewhere close, the sound of people talking, and Shi Qingxuan's exhilaration turned into pure and simple fear.
Before they even had a chance to say anything, He Xuan picked them up with one hand, opened the door with the other, and took them into the office.
"Ahh," they said, sucking in a breath of relief, "Thank you."
"It's in my best interests for you not get banished," said He Xuan, still holding them up, with one hand under their ass and one against their back. "Keeping you alive is much easier when you're immortal."
"And I can do this now," said Shi Qingxuan, lifting their legs to squeeze his hips closer. Their once broken leg would never go back to the way it was before, even with godly healing, but it was much stronger than it had been, and they didn't mind still having slight limp now that it didn't hurt any more.
"Mmm," said He Xuan, and pushed them against a wall. He pulled at their nei yi, sharply enough to bite in a little into the back of their neck . "Remove this before I rip it off."
"Ahh, so rough!" they said, in their best 'helpless maiden' voice, and then magicked away the fabric before he could make good on his threat. He Xuan would never hurt them, but he could be a real menace to good clothes.
He Xuan reached down and took one of their breasts in his hand, squeezing softly and playing with the nipple with the edge of his thumb, then leaned down and sucked at the skin.
Shi Qingxuan bit their lip to keep themself quiet, making a muffled noise. He Xuan looked up from under his eyelashes with a very self satisfied expression.
"F-for someone who claims to hate breasts you sure seem to like mine," they muttered.
There didn't seem to be any part of their body that he didn't like, whatever form that body took. There was still always something desperate and wondering in his eyes when he looked at them, like Shi Qingxuan was some impossible dream he was about to wake up from. They liked his body too, and not just because he was handsome. Every part of him was precious, every scar and scowl, imbued with the golden glow of belonging to the man they loved.
How had it taken them so long to see it? How had they not realised how much he loved them, and how much they loved him in return?
"I don't know if you've noticed, Shi Xuan," said He Xuan, his cool breath ghosting across their chest, "but I'm a liar."
They felt their expression soften into a soppy smile. They still felt a thrill every time he used their name. He Xuan looked up at them and his expression softened too. They considered saying some of the affectionate thoughts filling their heart, but that wasn't the game they were playing right now. And anyway, he knew.
"I should get back to the party," they said, biting their lip, as if torn. "Yu Yanli needs me."
"No she doesn't."
Which was true. Shi Qingxuan had already finished everything they needed to do tonight, and if anything Yu Yanli was better off without Shi Qingxuan there in person to remind everyone of her connection to the disgraced former Windmaster.
"But..."
"Do you know how many years I've dreamed of this?" said He Xuan, pulling at their robes to reveal more skin. "Taking you in this palace, defiling the heavens right under the noses of the gods?"
Shi Qingxuan giggled. He was so filthy, it was delightful. There was so much they hadn't understood about the man they'd known as Ming Yi. They were so glad they'd finally gotten to know his true heart.
"Ahh...but...uh..." They were having trouble coming up with any more reasons to resist, especially given how much they very much wanted to submit. Inspiration hit. "He Xuan..." they gasped, "what if you get me pregnant?"
He Xuan stared at them blankly for a moment, and then said, "I'm dead."
It belatedly occurred to Shi Qingxuan that children might be something of a sore point for He Xuan. He'd presumably been planning on having children as a human, back when he was engaged to a nice normal girl and not a ramshackle god who changed gender every few days. They sucked in a breath, trying to think of some way to paper over the awkwardness with a joke, but the air was knocked out of them again when He Xuan pushed his hand hard against their stomach, claw-like fingers bunching up the fabric of their robes beneath their breast.
"Any child of mine would be monstrous," he whispered, leaning close as his fingers pushed against their belly. "Inhuman. It would eat its way out of your womb and suck the marrow from your bones."
Hot.
"Ahahaha..." said Shi Qingxuan. "A healthy appetite, then, just like their father."
He Xuan snorted, and nipped at their earlobe. "Mmm. Maybe I'll just eat you myself."
"Go ahead," said Shi Qingxuan. "I'm all yours."
He Xuan let out a soft little sound and buried his head into their shoulder. After a moment he put them back down onto the ground so he could put both arms around them. "Are you really?" he asked. He was so fragile sometimes.
Shi Qingxuan kissed the side of his head and hugged him back. "Of course I am," they said. They hadn't meant it like that, but it was true. "I'd do anything for you. Even if you did want children...I could consider..."
"I don't want children," said He Xuan. "It's enough trouble looking after you. I have all the family I need."
"Right," said Shi Qingxuan. They thought back to a day not so long ago, kneeling to four urns in a room that smelled of incense and fresh flowers. "I'm glad I got to meet them. Um. Properly." It had felt pretty awkward, considering the part Shi Qingxuan had played in their deaths. But it was an honour, too, and they hoped that He Xuan's family could forgive them, as Shi Qingxuan had forgiven him.
"The dead members of my family aren't the ones who need looking after," said He Xuan. He took hold of their hand, and kissed it, over the faint remains of a scar on a hand that had once hung limp and numb.
Shi Qingxuan frowned, confused.
He Xuan rolled his eyes. "I was talking about you."
"You..." said Shi Qingxuan. They grinned. "You consider me part of your family?"
He Xuan rolled his eyes again.
They laughed. "Me too! Yes! This is what I was talking about!" They peppered his face with kisses and he wrinkled up his face. "So does this mean you've reconsidered my proposal?"
He Xuan refusing to agree to marry them had become another game, now, a way for them to reiterate their commitment to him and for him to indirectly ask for reassurance. They could tell that he was slowly coming to believe in them, regardless. To believe that they loved him, and that he could be worthy of love at all. To believe that even though they now didn't need his help to get money or food or healing, they still needed him. So they didn't mind having to ask over and over. Especially when they were sure he'd eventually say yes.
"Who has time to get married?" said He Xuan. "Lately you barely have time to sleep."
"Aww, I'm sorry I've neglected you recently!" said Shi Qingxuan. They'd seen him as Fan Xi, of course, but they'd had to avoid spending too much time with him alone to avoid ending up in situations like this. "I'll have more time for you soon! And for sleeping!" Not that they needed to sleep any more, but they'd gotten used to ending each day lying by each other's side, followed by lazy snuggles the next morning in bed. It was especially nice now that they actually had a bed, and reliable access to breakfast. He Xuan's 'kinder prison' had become a true home for the two of them, a place they could be themselves away from the eyes of the world. Bu rich or poor, weak or strong, all that really mattered was that the two of them were together.
He Xuan sniffed. "Maybe I'll be too busy." As if he wouldn't drop everything for Shi Qingxuan the moment they asked. It was a pretty heavy responsibility, to be loved by a man like He Xuan. A responsibility, and a gift.
"Aww...but He Xuan..." said Shi Qingxuan, fluttering their eyelashes. "Aren't you going to take responsibility for all these demon babies you've impregnated me with?"
"I haven't impregnated you with anything," said He Xuan, picking them up again and depositing them on their desk. "Yet." He pushed them down onto the solid wood and they pulled him down to join them, laughing and scattering papers to the wind. The party could wait.
"Welcome to the Temple of the Wind! Would you like some soup?"
The woman wrung her hands together nervously. She was underfed but neatly dressed, her young face haggard with worry, the familiar look of someone desperately trying not to seem as poor as they really were. "Oh, um. H-how much does it cost?"
"Nothing!" said Shi Qingxuan, cheerfully. They received a prod in the side. "Of course, if you happen to be feeling grateful, you could always offer a prayer to Lady Windmaster to thank her for her generosity in providing us with this delicious meal." They gestured towards the smoke-shrouded altar. "The incense is also free."
It would be nice to believe that Yu Yanli's commitment to being a god for the ignored and disenfranchised was purely a matter of moral conviction, but Shi Qingxuan had been present at a few too many meetings where Ning Mo had enthused about under-served markets and profit margins to be quite that naive. Still, that didn't change the fact that she was able to do a lot of good for those who needed it most, and the more grateful incense was burned in her honour, the more good she could do.
"Oh, of course!" said the woman. "I'd be glad to."
"We appreciate it!" said Shi Qingxuan, pouring her a bowl.
"Have you met her?" asked the woman, shyly. "Lady Windmaster, that is?"
"M-met her? Ahaha," Shi Qingxuan laughed weakly. "I am but a simple...simple acolyte, helping to serve the soup..." One of the nice things about being a minor heavenly official was that nobody on the ground really saw them as a god, so they hadn't bothered to change their name or appearance. It wasn't like them being known to have friends in high places was anything new.
But in theory, they were supposed to be incognito today, to help Yu Yanli check out how the temple was doing now that it had been running under her control for a while. The regulars knew about everything, and didn't care. But people who hadn't known Yu Yanli as a mortal tended to get a little overexcited.
"Oh," said the woman. "I heard she used to live in this temple...I was hoping I could meet her. I suppose it was silly of me. "
"Not silly at all," said Yu Yanli, smiling beneath an unruly mop of curly hair. She'd gone to more trouble to disguise her appearance than Shi Qingxuan, since people actually cared about her being a god. Her spiritual device, Jingwei, was even doing it's part, looking exactly like a regular human hand today instead of it's preferred appearance of fine leather embossed with dragons and wind-like swirls. (Yu Yanli and Jingwei were engaged in an ongoing argument about the line between good taste and kitsch. Shi Qingxuan was pretty sure Jingwei was going to win, since any time Yu Yanli hurt its feelings too much it would fly itself up into the rafters of her palace until she got sick of only having one hand again and apologised)
"I should have known it was a false rumour," said the woman. "The statue doesn't even look like her."
"Oh?" said Yu Yanli, who had asked Mu Qing for advice on which sculptors could be relied upon to carve a flattering likeness. "I thought it was pretty good."
"They've made her a half naked young woman! With bosoms!"
"And what's wrong with that," sniffed Yu Yanli. "People like something nice to look at when they pray."
"Everyone knows Lady Windmaster is an innocent little girl!"
Yu Yanli blinked and Shi Qingxuan choked back a laugh. "Uh," they said, "That's not how I've usually heard her described..."
"You know how people are," said the woman. "They hear that she was homeless for a while, and that she offers succour to women in..." she coughed, "...difficult circumstances, and they imagine...that." She waved her hands dismissively towards the statue. "But those of us who really understand her know she was a homeless child, left with no-one take care of her when her parents fell from the Heavens and died."
"Her parents?" asked Shi Qingxuan with a sense of impending dread.
"The old Wind and Water Masters that was. You must have heard about it. It turned out Lady Windmaster was actually-"
"Yes, yes, I heard about that," they said quickly. "But I thought they were brother and sister?"
"Really?" The woman made a face. "Well, I suppose the gods have different morals to the rest of us."
Shi Qingxuan sighed.
"I am quite sure that Lady Windmaster is an adult woman," said Yu Yanli, firmly. "Everyone says so."
Shi Qingxuan sent her a message through the array. "What, you don't want to be my sweet, innocent little daughter-niece?"
"If people feel the need to erase my past to feel comfortable worshipping me, I'll take the merits," said Yu Yanli. "And you've done for me than my actual parents, whoever they were. But can you imagine being stuck with a child as your most powerful form?"
Shi Qingxuan stifled a laugh at the mental image of Yu Yanli having to attend to her most important heavenly duties as a cute little girl. "Good point."
"My friend here is right," said Shi Qingxuan, out loud. "Lady Windmaster did used to come to this temple, and the people who met her all described her as an adult woman."
"A pretty one," added Yu Yanli. "Tall, too. Good figure."
There was a cough behind them. "You sure about that?"
Yu Yanli turned back towards the kitchen. "What was that?" she asked, sweetly.
"Nothing, boss!" replied Li Nianqi, who was working as cook today with his brother. "Just saying that I met Lady Windmaster, and she was definitely mature."
"And so generous," said Yu Yanli. "Giving jobs to bratty little punks who she could just as easily let starve."
"Yep!" said Li Shijiu. "A real nice old lady."
Yu Yanli snorted and rolled her eyes. Teenagers!
"It sounds like you're all pretty sure," saids the woman, sighing. "I guess I was wrong." She looked at Shi Qingxuan with sad eyes. "But I'm right about her parents, aren't I?"
"Who knows?" said Shi Qingxuan, who knew when to pick their battles. And they could think of worse people to have as a daughter.
"It broke my husband's heart, when the last Lady Windmaster abandoned us," she continued in a wavering voice. "He'd been worshipping her since he was a little boy. And then, just before their daughter came back for us, he and his best friend were killed by some criminal while trying to protect the life of an innocent woman."
"I'm so sorry," said Shi Qingxuan, feeling a twinge of the lingering guilt and resentment they felt towards their old worshippers.
"Thank you. You might have heard about it, the magistrate's daughter who was murdered last year?"
Shi Qingxuan made a strangled noise that they managed to turn into a cough.
"Yes, terrible business," said Yu Yanli, without a crack in her composure. "Now, I hate to hurry you along, but I see a few people behind you waiting to be fed." She gestured with Jingwei, who added a theatrical little flourish of it's fingers. "There's sleeping quarters at the back, and if you need medical care we have a healer. If you need any other sort of help, don't hesitate to ask!"
"Um, no, that's alright," she said. "I was just...just a little hungry. Thank you."
"We're happy to help. Everyone is welcome here in the Temple of the Wind, isn't that right Ol' Feng?"
"Yeah," said Shi Qingxuan. "I'm glad we could help you. Enjoy the soup."
The yamen runner's widow bowed thankfully, and turned away.
"You alright?" asked Yu Yanli, though the array. "You know none of that was your fault, right?"
"Yeah," said Shi Qingxuan. "I know. Doesn't make things better for her, though, does it?"
They took a breath to steady themself, and then it was on to the next person. There was always someone new who needed help.
Once their shift was done, they found He Xuan in the courtyard, playing go against Ol' Bao as Sha Lizhong. A little crowd had gathered around to watch, cooled by the water of the newly repaired fountain.
For all that He Xuan claimed to only have created this identity to keep an eye on Shi Qingxuan, who these days mostly divided their time between the heavens and their little island, Sha Lizhong as as much a fixture of the temple as ever. Because underneath it all, He Xuan was a kind man who cared about people. He just sometimes needed to wear another person's face to let himself admit it.
Shi Qingxuan sat next to Sha Lizhong, leaning against his side. "So who's winning?" Their brother had repeatedly tried to teach them to understand go, but had eventually given it up as a lost cause.
Sha Lizhong didn't reply, just staring down at the round black piece in his hands.
"He's doing pretty well for someone so young!" said Ol' Bao. "I've just had a lot more years to practice heh heh."
"Haha," said Sha Lizhong, flatly.
"You're good at thinking ahead," said Yu Yanli, pondering the board, "But you need to be more willing to let your pieces die."
"Thanks, Auntie." He smiled up at her and she laughed awkwardly. Shi Qingxuan had decided it would be wrong not to tell Yu Yanli the truth at this point, and she was still having a little trouble reconciling the cheerful Sha Lizhong with the grumpy He Xuan, ridiculous Fang Xi, and terrifying Black Water Sinking Ships. But one day she'd understand how they were all the same man, and still her friend.
"I'm sure you're doing better than I would," said Shi Qingxuan, sliding their arm around Sha Lizhong's waist.
"Probably," said Sha Lizhong, leaning their head against him.
"This'll distract you," they said through the array. "You know how you promised we could get married if we had kids?"
"No," said He Xuan. But his tone was lighter, amused, like he was curious to know where Shi Qingxuan was going with this.
"Well," said Shi Qingxuan, "Let me tell you about your new stepdaughter..."
They had to admire He Xuan's ability to keep up his bland expression as they explained. They mentioned the yamen runner's widow as a funny coincidence, an afterthought, but He Xuan knew them too well, and slid his own arm around their side, holding them tight.
"People are stupid," he said, at last. "If you want to play along with whatever nonsense they make up about you after we're married, be my guest, but don't expect me to take any part in it."
Shi Qingxuan took a moment to process this and then threw their arms around him, kissing his cheek over and over until he made a sound of disgust and pushed them away. But he didn't push them very far, and when they reached to hold his hand, he interlaced their fingers.
"What was that about?" asked Ol' Bao.
"I'm getting married!" they replied, grinning. He Xuan was going to look so good in red. Just imagining it made their heart flutter.
"To who?"
"My best friend in the whole world," said Shi Qingxuan, shouting loud enough that the whole temple could hear. "And we're going to be happy forever and ever. Isn't that right Sha Lizhong?"
"If you say so," said He Xuan, and he smiled.