XXX
The next time Luo Binghe entered the room, he carried a book along with the tray of food. He set both down on the table and looked at him, his demeanor appearing less obviously hostile than it had been the day before.
"I have an idea," he announced. "You said you have nothing to gain by listening to me. And you're right about that, so I have a proposal."
Even before he said it, Shen Qingqiu had an idea of what this 'idea' was. Really, it was something you'd propose to a child to get them to eat their bitter vegetables. Except in this case, it was trying to get a grown man to eat anything at all.
"If you eat at least half of this food without making me use my blood parasites, I'll leave this book here so you can read it," Luo Binghe offered. "You're probably bored at this point, aren't you? And if you refuse, I'll just force you to eat it anyway. So really, now you have something to gain and nothing to lose with eating. Does that work?"
Yes, the proposal was exactly what it had seemed like. 'You can have dessert if you finish your dinner'. It was stupid, and really, it normally wouldn't have worked.
Except, despite what he'd said yesterday, he was actually already starting to give up. If his options were between eating willingly and not eating at all, he would have picked the latter. Except his actual options were eating willingly or unwillingly, and both of those sucked. He'd already been half-considering giving in just because he was getting so tired of the routine, so tired of those damned parasites taking control of his jaw. He still couldn't quite decide if he wanted to cling to his pride or not, but his head hurt and his body ached, and some primal urge to just eat still pounded at the back of his skull after only having one meal after more than a week of starving himself and a small, weak part of himself just wanted it to stop. That little street boy inside himself was calling him an idiot for rejecting food, an idiot for suffering when he didn't have to because, as important as pride was, one of the first lessons he'd learned on the streets was that you couldn't have pride if you were dead, and if you didn't eat, you'd die.
So really, it wasn't the offered book that chipped away his resolve. Rather, it was his own mind and body betraying him, pushing him toward something his pride wanted him to reject.
"… Fine. I am so tired of arguing about this," he huffed, still not wanting to lose too much face, even though he already had.
Luo Binghe had the gall to look surprised.
"I can assure you that you're not any more tired of it than I am," he replied. "Well, come on, then. Eat."
Begrudgingly, Shen Qingqiu went over to the table and sat. He had been given congee again today, but this time, it was accompanied by some roasted vegetables and a few chunks of fruit. As much as the street urchin within him urged him to eat, and though this would not be considered an especially large meal, Shen Qingqiu suddenly wondered if he really would be able to eat half of it without being forced. Despite denying the food before on principle, Shen Qingqiu hadn't really had any physical problems with consuming it once Luo Binghe forced it into his mouth. Now, though, he actually felt nauseous.
"Shizun. Eat," Luo Binghe ordered, placing a spoon in his hand.
"Beast," he spat before taking a bite.
Though each bite made his stomach want to rebel, the congee wasn't too bad. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised about that, considering that people often ate it when they got sick. The vegetables, however, proved to be more of a challenge, and the fruit was even worse. He had to take sips of chamomile tea in between bites, which was the easiest part of the entire experience. In the end, finishing just half was difficult, as he already felt like the food was about to come right back up.
He put the spoon down and clenched his mouth shut, willing his stomach to settle down.
"You're done?" Luo Binghe asked. "I know I only said you need to eat half, but you should eat more, considering that you've been starving yourself for over a week."
He shook his head, which was a mistake because it just made him feel dizzy.
The demon lord sighed.
"Fine, since I did say half, and that's better than nothing, I guess," he accepted. "I'll leave you the book then, since you were good today."
Shen Qingqiu really didn't care about the book. Right then, all he could care about was trying not to throw up onto the table.
"Well, I have to take care of some things, so I'll leave you to read, then," Luo Binghe told him before collecting the leftovers and exiting without much fanfare.
Shen Qingqiu, meanwhile, continued to sit motionless on the floor until the nausea settled enough to let him drag himself back to the bed. There, without witnesses, he curled up, and a long while later, he fell asleep.
XXX
Luo Binghe noticed Shen Qingqiu becoming increasingly pale with each bite of food he ate, but he chalked it up to the man feeling like he'd lost. His Shizun never had taken failure very well, even if it really was for his own sake. When Shen Qingqiu ate exactly half of the food, he considered letting him have the book but still making him eat the rest of it with the parasites, but then he thought that might just make him refuse to eat the next time. Perhaps, after a few days, he'd increase it to eating a whole meal if he wanted a book.
At least he'd gotten him to eat on his own at all. It was rather perplexing, but the demon lord actually felt a little relieved that his plan had worked.
He must have really been quite tired of arguing about the food.
XXX
He woke up to a churning feeling in his stomach, and before he was even fully awake, he felt the food he'd eaten earlier coming back up. Half-digested bits of food clumped together as the mixture of tea and bile soaked into the blankets.
He managed to push himself up onto his hands before his stomach lurched again, sending another rush of vomit to soak into his clothes and bedding. He gagged again, only a little coming up, before continuing to dry heave for a few minutes.
He felt disgusting, but for some reason, he didn't quite know what he was supposed to do about it. His head was pounding and hazy, and he couldn't think straight. The smell was really gross, though, and the dampness, which was starting to grow cold, was even worse.
Eventually, he was able to piece together the idea that he could peel his clothes off, at least. Actually employing this plan was more difficult than he thought it would be, though, and he found himself getting tangled in the fabric. It took him far too long to free himself, and even then, he ended up keeping his pants on.
Shivering, he shoved the bundle of cloth away and dragged himself to a different part of the bed before collapsing, letting his face bury itself in the blankets.
He began to drift, even as his stomach pinched painfully.
XXX
Luo Binghe usually visited Shen Qingqiu in the early afternoon, since that had become the time the man woke up. That day, however, he'd thought that he would show up a little early so he could be there when the man woke. Maybe, if he was caught off-guard by lingering sleep, it would be easier to get him to eat his breakfast.
However, as soon as he opened the door, he knew something was wrong.
To begin with, he immediately noticed that the man had removed his robes at some point, leaving his torso exposed, and he was moving quite a lot for someone who still appeared to be asleep. He stepped closer, and the smell hit him just as he caught sight of the soiled bedding.
Shen Qingqiu had obviously thrown up.
"Shit."
He set down the items he was holding and gently rolled the man over so he could see his front. He was, in fact, still asleep, but his face was contorted in discomfort and wet with perspiration, as was his chest. His long hair was sticking to his face, tangled yet again. He could now see that vomit had soaked into the pants the man was still wearing, too. From touching him, Luo Binghe could also feel that he had a fever, a rather high one, it appeared.
So, Shen Qingqiu was sick.
Perhaps his paleness the day before had been from nausea rather than being upset about giving in.
Because nothing with his Shizun could ever be easy, could it?
"Couldn't you have said you were sick?" Luo Binghe questioned, frustrated.
Truly, this man was far too stubborn.
Shen Qingqiu, still asleep, only groaned in response.
Based on how sick the man was now, Luo Binghe was reasonably suspicious that he had already been feeling ill the day before. If not, this was quite a severe downturn. But really, it was more likely that Shen Qingqiu had just hidden it.
Was this why he'd agreed so easily yesterday? Had illness softened him enough to convince him to decrease whatever suffering he was experiencing a little? It somehow annoyed him that his deal might not have worked if Shen Qingqiu had been feeling well.
But, that was something to figure out later. Right now, his Shizun was covered in vomit and sweat and clearly quite ill, and leaving him like that probably wasn't a great idea.
So, he stepped back out into the hall and sent one of his servants to gather him some supplies and to start bringing water for a bath. While that was being done, Luo Binghe stripped him of his remaining clothes and gathered up the soiled garments and bedding, dumping them in a pile near the door. The mattress hadn't managed to escape the same fate as the blankets, so he would have to have a different one brought while this one got cleaned. For the moment, though, he left his Shizun on it, as the man was still unconscious, and dropping him onto the floor when he had already slept the night like this seemed pointless. What was a few more minutes, really? He would have the mattress swapped while he cleaned the man up.
His servants were efficient, so it didn't take long for a group of them to enter the room with the items he'd requested, and the tub was soon filled with slightly warm water. It was a little cooler than what he would have normally provided, but he figured that it might help with the fever. But he didn't want it to be too cold, or it could be too much of a shock. Next, he directed his servants to switch out the mattress and deal with the discarded pile of cloth. Then, he lifted Shen Qingqiu up and carefully lowered him into the bath, making sure he didn't accidentally submerge his face.
He didn't even need to use his blood parasites, as Shen Qingqiu made no attempt to fight him. Being placed in water, however, did seem to wake him up a little, as he let out a small groan. His eyelids fluttered for a moment before he placed a hand over his mouth.
Realizing what was about to happen, Luo Binghe quickly grabbed a bowl and shoved it in front of the man, just in time for him to gag. Only a small amount of bile came up, most likely because he'd thrown up everything he had eaten during the night. He continued to hold the bowl until it seemed like Shen Qingqiu was done for the moment, his dry heaves settling down.
"Shizun? Are you awake now?"
Instead of answering, Shen Qingqiu let his head flop back, allowing it to rest on one of Luo Binghe's arms. His fevered forehead burned hot against his skin, but it didn't explain the heat he felt in his own cheeks.
"Shizun. Are you awake?"
The man's eyes opened just a little, but he quickly closed them again.
"Qi-ge…?" he mumbled. "I don'… feel good."
Luo Binghe had no idea who 'Qi-ge' was. Whoever that was supposed to be, though, Shen Qingqiu seemed to not realize he was talking to someone else. Perhaps this 'Qi-ge' had once been the person to take care of him when he was younger.
"You're sick," he informed the man, as if it wasn't obvious.
"Hmm…"
Luo Binghe just shook his head and started to clean away the remains of vomit and sweat from the man's body. What kind of immortal master got sick like this, anyway?
… Perhaps one with his cultivation sealed. Or one in a brand new body, unused to the pathogens his old body had once been exposed to. Or one who had been relatively isolated and then had suddenly been exposed to a group of Luo Binghe's servants, some of whom weren't exactly the cleanest of demons.
Fuck.
He didn't make his Shizun stay in the bath longer than necessary, especially since the man seemed unable to stay awake for long, and he really didn't want to deal with him slipping downward and drowning himself. Imagine if, after all this, his former teacher managed to kill himself by accident.
He dried him carefully and wrapped him in a clean sleeping robe before placing him back onto the bed, at which point the man immediately curled in on himself and made a displeased noise.
"You've really become quite a handful, Shizun…"
XXX
Shen Qingqiu continued to vomit rather frequently, but at a certain point, there wasn't anything left for him to throw up, so he was just gagging while half-conscious. After a while, Luo Binghe realized that the man must be getting severely dehydrated when he noticed how dry his mouth was becoming.
Except every time he managed to get Shen Qingqiu to drink, he just ended up throwing it right back up anyway.
Should he bring a doctor? Healing was never really something Luo Binghe took much interest in. He knew the basics because he had tried to help his mother before she died, but he had only been a child back then. He certainly didn't know how to make medicines or even which ones he was supposed to use. But he also couldn't tell how serious this illness was, if it would just blow over or if there was some risk that his Shizun would die.
Well, it was better to play it safe, wasn't it? It was a lot easier to get a doctor than to make him yet another body and drag his soul back because he got taken out by illness.
Just as he was about to go summon one, however, Shen Qingqiu decided to wake up again. His eyes were still glazed over, but at least he didn't immediately start gagging again, so there was that.
"Qi-ge…"
There was that name again. This person must be important to his Shizun, for him to be calling out for him like this, for this man who would never ask for help if he wasn't so ill that he didn't know where he was to call for someone. That thought burned within Luo Binghe's mind, made him want to find out who 'Qi-ge' was and destroy him in front of the man just to prove that he really didn't have anyone left (no one except Luo Binghe himself, his disciple who he hated so much). Then again, though, there was a good chance that 'Qi-ge' was already dead or gone from Shen Qingqiu's life. The name had never come up anywhere, and no one by that name had tried to come forward to defend him during his trial. Nor had this 'Qi-ge' tried to save him after his imprisonment. So, whoever it was, Shen Qingqiu likely hadn't seen them in a long time.
Maybe he'd ask Qiu Haitang about it, or possibly search his memories for them later. He never did seem to get around to doing that, always too distracted, either by torturing or playing with the man.
"W-Where're you goin'..?"
"I'm going to call for a doctor, Shizun. You're sick, remember?"
Shen Qingqiu snorted, the most normal thing he'd done all day.
"Like w-we can aaafford a doctor," he responded dryly, looking past Luo Binghe with confused eyes. "Ssstupid Qi-ge."
"We can," Luo Binghe said, playing along just a little.
Qi-ge must definitely be someone from the past, then. It would have been quite a long time since Shen Qingqiu couldn't afford a doctor. Perhaps he was thinking back to his days as a slave, before Qiu Haitang's family had taken him in?
"Liar."
Luo Binghe sighed, not wanting to argue about whether some imaginary person could afford a doctor or not. He was the ruler of the combined realms- if he told a doctor to come, they would, unless they were a supreme kind of idiot.
"I'm going to bring one anyway," the demon lord insisted. "Stay in bed."
He got up and went to move toward the door, but to his shock, he felt a light tug on one of his sleeves.
"Dooon' go!" Shen Qingqiu begged him, his eyes suddenly wide, but no clearer. "Don' leave a-again…"
The grip on his sleeve was weak, so weak that a child could have broken away from it without even trying. Of course, there was nothing Shen Qingqiu could do to stop him.
Except the man looked just so pitiful right then, sick and miserable and practically teary-eyed as he begged someone who wasn't there to stay with him. And as inconvenient as this day had been, Luo Binghe couldn't help but admit that he liked seeing the man looking so pathetic. He'd always liked it when people relied on him, when his weaker wives looked to him for protection, comfort, and care. He liked it even better when it was his stronger wives who sought those things, as it was a rarity to be savored. Of course, there was more tenderness on his end where his wives were concerned than with his old master, but that didn't mean he no longer got a bit of a thrill by having someone who used to be strong needing to rely on him.
And well, his goal with his Shizun was wife-adjacent enough for him to be a little caring, wasn't it? Certainly, caring for him while he was ill would earn him a few trustworthiness points, wouldn't it?
And so, Luo Binghe sat back down and gently patted the man's head. He could just wait for him to fall back asleep to call the doctor.
XXX