Shen Jiu woke to the sound of knocking.
Soft but distinct, three light taps came from the bamboo door. They were measured, steady, and familiar.
The sky outside had dimmed. Golden light filtered through the open window, casting gentle shadows across the room. Evening had arrived.
He didn't need to ask who it was. He knew that rhythm all too well.
He stayed still for a moment, adjusting to the quiet. Then he felt something warm near his arm. Turning his head, he found Yuexin already awake.
She was staring at him with curious eyes. When he looked back at her, her tiny hands wiggled happily, and she let out a soft laugh. It was light and bubbly, like the chime of a small bell.
"You're already awake, little Yuexin," Shen Jiu said softly.
Yuexin reached toward him, her little fingers curling in the air. She gave another soft laugh, clearly wanting to be picked up.
Shen Jiu sat up and gently lifted her into his arms. "We have a visitor, little one," he murmured, kissing her forehead. "But first, let's get you into something clean, hmm?"
She blinked at him as if she understood.
Shen Jiu carried Yuexin to the other side of the room, where his wooden dressing table stood, complete with a polished mirror and a cushioned stool. He laid a soft blanket over the stool, then gently placed her on top. From his storage pouch, he took out a small stack of baby clothes the brothel ladies had purchased. After a brief pause, he sifted through the tiny garments, his fingers brushing over delicate fabrics and embroidered patterns, until he settled on a soft pale green robe adorned with little cloud patterns across the sleeves.
Setting the rest aside, he carefully removed Yuexin's clothes and the soiled wrap, then wiped her body clean with a soft, spirit-warmed cloth. Once she was clean, he used a fresh wrap before dressing her in the chosen robe, adjusting the folds with quiet precision.
Yuexin giggled as he fastened the ties. Her feet kicked excitedly in the air.
"You're too cheerful for someone who just woke up," Shen Jiu said with a small smile.
Once she was done, he picked her up and moved to the door.
The knocking had stopped some time ago, but Shen Jiu knew the person was still standing outside.
He could feel it.
He opened the door slowly.
Standing just outside was Yue Qingyuan.
The Sect Leader of Cang Qiong Mountain was tall and composed, always carrying an air of quiet authority and often seen with a gentle smile. But now, as the door opened, his expression softened into something real, a true smile, unguarded and warm. It was a side of him that no one else ever saw, a smile meant only for Shen Jiu.
Yue Qingyuan's eyes fell first on the baby fully nestled in Shen Jiu's arms.
It was a baby girl.
Her eyes were bright golden with dark black pupils in the center.
She had soft, thin black hair that lightly framed her small round face. She looked at him with wide, curious eyes.
Yue Qingyuan felt his breath catch. She couldn't be more than four or five months old, small, delicate, and beautiful. She didn't look anything like his Xiao Jiu. Did he still have a chance, or did she completely resemble her mother?
Shen Jiu said, "Come in," his eyes on the visitor. He already guessed why the other had come.
Yue Qingyuan looked at Shen jiu. His robes were a bit wrinkled and his hair messy from sleep, but he held Yuexin gently and protectively.
"Did I disturb you two?" Yue Qingyuan asked.
Shen Jiu shook his head and stepped aside to let him in.
Yue Qingyuan stepped inside, his sharp gaze never leaving Shen Jiu's face. The air between them was thick with unspoken words and old grievances.
Shen Jiu tightened his hold on Yuexin, his expression guarded. "You're here sooner than expected," he said coolly.
Yue Qingyuan's eyes softened as he carefully stepped further inside the small bamboo house. He settled onto a floor cushion beside the low bamboo table and glanced at Yuexin again. The baby blinked at him with curious eyes, her tiny fists curling and uncurling as if sensing the serious mood between the two men.
Shen Jiu sat opposite him on another cushion, gently placing Yuexin on his lap. The quiet between them stretched, heavy with unspoken words.
"She's... beautiful," Yue Qingyuan said quietly, voice almost breaking. "Your daughter."
Shen Jiu's gaze flickered down to the baby in his arms. "Yes," he said simply. "Her name is Yuexin."
Yue Qingyuan nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving the baby's face. "Yuexin," he repeated softly, as if committing the name to memory.
The silence hung between them again, the weight of everything left unsaid pressing down in the small room.
Yue Qingyuan's eyes darkened for a moment, a flicker of pain flashing across his face. He swallowed hard, then forced the question out in a low, strained voice. "What about her mother?"
Shen Jiu's grip tightened slightly on Yuexin, his gaze steady but distant. "She's gone," he said simply, voice low but resolute.
Yue Qingyuan nodded slowly, as if he had expected no other answer. "I see..."
After a long pause, he spoke again, his voice calm and steady.
"What do you want, Shen Jiu? Why have you brought her here, to the sect?"
Shen Jiu's eyes darkened, his voice low and sharp, laced with bitterness. "What do you mean, why I brought her here? Because she's my daughter. Where I live, she lives with me. If she's not welcome here, then I will leave the sect. I won't keep her where she's not safe or wanted."
Yue Qingyuan's gaze searched Shen Jiu's face, desperation and pain welling up in his eyes. The weight of those words hung heavily between them, a fragile silence stretching as if neither could find the right thing to say next.
Finally, Yue Qingyuan's voice broke the quiet, trembling slightly. "You're prepared to leave everything behind... all you've worked so hard for to be here... even me?"
Shen Jiu's jaw clenched tightly. His voice was steady, firm, but carried the weight of deep resolve. "If I have to. If this place can't be a home for both of us, then I won't stay."
Yue Qingyuan suddenly stood up, panic flashing in his eyes. "Xiao Jiu, you can't leave me. Did you forget the promise you made? The promise to give me all your loyalty in this life?"
Shen Jiu's eyes narrowed, a flash of anger lighting them as he stood up, holding Yuexin protectively in his arms. "Don't call me that." His voice was sharp and cold. "I kept my promise. But have you kept yours?"
Yue Qingyuan fell silent, unable to answer.
Shen Jiu's jaw clenched tightly. "I'm breaking my promise to you here, Yue Qingyuan. Because you don't deserve my loyalty."
He turned toward his bedroom, but before he could step through the door, Yue Qingyuan reached out and gently grabbed his arm.
Shen Jiu paused, then slowly turned to face him.
Yue Qingyuan's voice trembled. "I did. I returned to Qiu Manor to save you, but I was too late. The house had already been burned to the ground.''
He paused, swallowing hard as the memory surfaced.
"When I got there, the neighbors told me... only the women had survived."
His gaze dropped, filled with regret. "I searched everywhere. I waited, hoping and praying that someone might have escaped. But there was nothing. I thought you were dead, Shen Jiu."
He drew in a ragged breath. "I wanted to follow you. I wanted to end everything. But my master stopped me. He told me to live, for the sect and for you."
Yue Qingyuan's grip on Shen Jiu's arm slowly loosened, fingers trembling before falling away.
Freed, Shen Jiu didn't move.
His voice, when it came, was low and trembling. "You... came back for me?"
He turned slightly, eyes dark with uncertainty. "You didn't abandon me?"
Yue Qingyuan met his gaze. "Never."
A pause, then Shen Jiu's voice sharpened with a quiet bite. "Then why were you late?"
That silence returned, heavy and strained.
Shen Jiu held Yuexin tighter without thinking.
"Why?" he asked again, more insistently this time.
Yue Qingyuan drew in a long, shaky breath. "Because I was chosen by Xuan Su."
Shen Jiu blinked, confused. "The sword?"
Yue Qingyuan's voice dropped low as he began, "I wasn't strong enough to wield such a powerful spiritual sword. To master Xuan Su, I had to enter the Ling Xi Caves."
He hesitated, then added, "But I was in a rush, and while I was there, I suffered a severe qi deviation. My internal energy flow was disrupted. It could have killed me."
Shen Jiu's eyes widened. "Qi deviation?"
Yue Qingyuan nodded. "Yes, and at that moment, something unexpected happened. I accidentally formed a soul bond with Xuan Su."
Shen Jiu blinked, shocked. "A soul bond?"
"The sword is no longer just a weapon," Yue Qingyuan explained. "It's linked to my soul. Every time I draw it, it drains my life force, not just spiritual energy."
Shen Jiu's gaze drifted to the other sword hanging at Yue Qingyuan's side. "So that's why you use the other sword?"
A faint, weary smile appeared on Yue Qingyuan's face. "Yes. My master had this sword made for me to use instead, one that's safer to wield. Xuan Su is always kept in my storage pouch."
Shen Jiu's eyes narrowed, his voice firm but tinged with concern.
"You always rush into things, Yue Qingyuan. That's exactly why you got into trouble in the caves."
He shook his head and exhaled slowly. "I've told you since we were children to be patient."
Yue Qingyuan's gaze dropped, guilt flickering in his eyes.
Shen Jiu's voice softened but still carried weight. "You should have waited, trained harder, learned control before throwing yourself into danger. You know that."
There was a brief silence. Then his lips curved into a small, genuine smile. "But I know you rushed because of me. Thank you, Qi Ge."
Yue Qingyuan's eyes widened sharply, his breath catching in his throat. "Xiao Jiu," he said.
"Don't call me that," Shen Jiu muttered, cheeks tinged with color but eyes still sharp.
In his arms, Yuexin blinked up at him, her tiny brows furrowing in quiet confusion.
Yue Qingyuan hesitated, then softened his voice. "Shen Jiu."
This time, Shen Jiu gave a small nod, silent but accepting.
Encouraged, Yue Qingyuan stepped forward and drew him into a gentle, careful embrace.
Shen Jiu flinched slightly at the unexpected touch, the contact of a man, but the warmth in Yue Qingyuan's hold was familiar, comforting.
He relaxed into it slowly, because this was his Qi Ge.
Between them, nestled safely in Shen Jiu's arms, little Yuexin gurgled softly.
The moment hung quietly, a fragile peace settling over the room.
Then Yuexin began to cry, breaking the stillness. Both men pulled back from the embrace and looked down at her.
Their eyes met, and they laughed quietly.
"It's her milk time," Shen Jiu said, passing her to Yue Qingyuan.
He took her carefully, holding her fragile form with gentle hands as Shen Jiu went to his small kitchen to prepare her milk.