QT: Don't fall in love with the Male Lead

The next day Xi Zirui forgoes his white and silver sect master robes, and Han Yu his teal and white ones, and dresses in plainer white cotton while Han Yu dresses in black.

The people of the little village still give them a wide berth -easily identifying them as outsiders among the familiar faces they are used to -but no longer act openly hostile. Now that neither of them is wearing the finery of a lofty immortal cultivation sect, some street vendors even try to engage them.

"Pretty young master, want some nice bamboo hairpins?" an old man with a wide slash of a smile calls out, his eyes curving into crescent moons.

To Han Yu's great shock, his Shizun approaches the stall.

"Those are some very nice hairpins," Xi Zirui says, genuinely admiring the artistry. "Boss must have a lot of business."

The vendor chuckles heartily and rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "Ah, this old man can't complain." He gives Xi Zirui a shrewd look. "Because little gege is so good looking, I'll even give him a discount."

Xi Zirui hears Han Yu's flustered splutter behind him. 

His spluttering only gets worse when Xi Zirui fans himself demurely and laughs delightedly at the clumsy praise. "Boss is such a charmer."

Now both Han Yu and the vendor are incredulous.

The vendor because the usual lines he uses to make his costumers laugh seem to be taken seriously, and by a peerless beauty of all people.

And Han Yu because he has never seen his lofty Shizun act so frivolously, and he isn't sure he likes it.

Xi Zirui smirks behind his fan, more than ready to give everyone a terrible time.

"I insist on paying Boss double for his most expensive hairpin," Xi Zirui says, picking a hairpin at random and stroking it. "The artistry is mesmerizing. Really, Boss is a true master.

He continues to stroke the hairpin as he twists it around in order to better inspect it, in a way that can be interpreted as extremely suggestive, by anyone so inclined.

Which both the vendor and Han Yu are.

The killing aura coming off Han Yu in waves is almost overpowering, in direct opposition to the vendor's mortification who looks around the busy street, fearful of anyone watching the improper display going on in front of his stall.

"Young master, ah, there's no need for such high praise, these are just my clumsy creations," the vendor says, trying to discreetly snatch the hairpin away from Xi Zirui's hand.

Faking ignorance, Xi Zirui turns to Han Yu and shows him the hairpin. "Doesn't A-Yu think this one would suit me?"

Han Yu cycles through at least five different colours before settling on bright pink. "I-I...Shiz-...that is, I."

And that's as much as he gets out before snapping his mouth shut with a loud clack of teeth.

Xi Zirui pouts and sighs, shaking his head. "What about Boss? Does he think this hairpin would look good on me?" he asks, holding up the hairpin against his dark hair and leaning over the small stall.

The vendor recoils as if scalded. "Ah, someone as beautiful as young master, any of them would look good on him." If his wife sees or hears about any of this he's going to be sleeping with the dogs in the street for a week. What does this young master think he's doing?

"Really?" Xi Zirui asks, widening his eyes. "I want to look like an immortal cultivator, they are so impressive, doesn't Boss agree?"

"Ah, we don't see many immortal cultivators around these parts," the vendor says, wandering when this man will buy a damn hairpin and stop darkening his stall. 

"Really? Why not?" Xi Zirui asks, tapping the end of the hairpin against his bottom lip.

Han Yu's eyes follow the rhythmic movements, drawn to the imprint of the wood against Xi Zirui's plush bottom lip every time he presses down with the hairpin.

The vendor wonders if he can be accused of vulgar and lewd display by proxy. "Our little village has stopped looking to the immortal sects for protection a long time ago."

"Who helps you when your crops don't grow? When you need rainmaking talismans, or to get rid of a hungry ghost, then?" Han Yu asks, his eyebrows drawn in consternation over his limpid eyes.

His outrage at the dismissal of the righteous path makes something in Xi Zirui's middle fill up with fondness.

If there's one thing he can say about travelling to all these worlds is that each of them shows him a new side of Han Yu to treasure.

The vendor doesn't find Han Yu's outburst quite as charming and gives him an odd look. "Blood Crane has been ensuring our safety for years. Unlike those immortal cultivators they aren't too high and mighty to look at us, and our small concerns."

Before Han Yu can open his mouth to say anything, Xi Zirui smacks him on the side with his folded fan. "Really? How kind of them. I've never seen a Demonic Cultivator, are they very impressive?"

The vendor tries to make one last grab for the hairpin in Xi Zirui's hand but he pulls his sleeve away at the last minute. "Very," the man says with a defeated sigh.

"Do they come to the village often?" Xi Zirui asks, now biting on the end of the hairpin and nearly making Han Yu choke.

"Almost every day," the vendor says, and then adds when Xi Zirui makes an interested "aah" sound," How about young master buy a hairpin so he can look dashing when he runs into them later? The one he's been chewing on, perhaps?"

Xi Zirui fans Untold Sorrow out and fans himself with a chuckle. "Boss is a very good salesman, for his troubles, I'll take three."

The vendor's grimace disappears like the wind blowing away thunder clouds. "Young master, honors this humble artisan."

Xi Zirui turns to Han Yu with a coy smile, half hidden behind his fan. "Why doesn't A-Yu choose the other two for me?" 

Han Yu looks like he's going to expire on the spot, this is probably the most attention his Shizun has payed him in his entire life. 

"A-Yu can have this one as a gift," Xi Zirui says, and slides the hairpin through the bottom of Han Yu's half top-knot. 

He walks away, before seeing the way Han Yu lifts his fingers to the hairpin in silent confusion, or the disgruntled look of the shopkeeper, who can't believe young people these days act so shamelessly in public.

---

Xi Zirui gets back to the inn first, and asks the servant manning the counter if he can use the hot springs. 

"There are customers there, currently," the servant says, smiling apologetically.

"That's not an issue, I don't mind sharing," Xi Zirui says, walking towards the pile of wooden basins on the floor next to the counter and taking two.

The servant tries to stop him, but he's already making his way upstairs.

Han Yu arrives a little while later, still a little pink across the cheeks. He hands a soft cloth pouch to Xi Zirui. "Shizun's hairpins."

Xi Zirui takes the thin pouch from his hand and opens it. 

The end of one of the hairpins is carved like the upper body of a crane in flight, very similar to those drawn on Untold Sorrow.

The other has a plainer plum blossom carving, but a verse carved with exquisite care across the body. "Lazily waving my white feathered fan /Naked to the waist in the midst of the forest's green trees." (2)

Han Yu likely chose this one because of the mention of the white fan, but the second verse about being naked to the waist makes Xi Zirui's tongue run dry.

Even though the poem conjures the image of a scholar letting his hair down in a hot summer day, Xi Zirui can't help wanting to read into it.

Did this poem remind Han Yu of Xi Zirui because he saw a carefree, playful, side of him he hadn't before, or because the literal meaning inspired him?

Xi Zirui slips the hairpins inside the pouch again and gives Han Yu a charged look from beneath his lashes. "These are a generous gift from my disciple, I'll treasure them forever."

"Congratulations Host! Han Yu's admiration up by +10 points. Now at 28 of a possible 100 points." 

Han Yu averts his eyes, clenching his hands into fists at his side. "Shizun shouldn't say those things."

His eyes tremble under his fine eyelids and Xi Zirui worries he might have gone too far, too soon.

"I've wanted Shizun to treat me kindly for a very long time," Han Yu says, his throat working as if the admission costs him. "My own happiness is embarrassing to me."

Xi Zirui gets up from the floor and takes Han Yu's hand in his, squeezing his fingers gently. "It's not embarrassing," he murmurs, chasing after Han Yu's gaze, which keeps evading him. "Your Shizun is sorry for every day he didn't show you the kindness you deserved."

He's also fucking furious at the original for neglecting someone as sweet and good as Han Yu for all these years. 

What damage must his callousness have wrought to leave Han Yu on the verge of tears because his Shizun said he would treasure a gift from him?

It's not good for his blood pressure to dwell on that.

He lets go of Han Yu's hand, giving him some space and replaces his hairpin for the one with the poem. 

"This master is going to the hot springs," he says, removing his waist sash because he doesn't want to take too much clothing with him

Han Yu's neck snaps up like a whip. "What?"

"Han Yu heard the vendor," Xi Zirui says with an insouciant shrug. "Blood Crane is often around the village, and according to the information on the ledger we are the only guests at the inn despite the rooms being empty."

"Does Shizun think they'll come here later?"

Xi Zirui shakes his head. "No, I think they're already here."

---

Han Yu follows Xi Zirui to the hot springs like a man bound for the gallows. Even after being told that if Blood Crane disciples feel so comfortable around this village, it means that a place like the hot springs is perfect to catch them with their guard down, maybe even learn the location of their sect grounds - Han Yu still looks like he would rather eat dirt straight off the ground.

Xi Zirui doesn't have time to coax and cajole him so he drags him behind him by his sleeve like an unruly child. It's possible that the embarrassment has rendered Han Yu speechless.

The hot springs consist of three separate pools hidden away behind the privacy of a bamboo thicket, and are in everything reminiscent of the hot springs in the Fragrant Spring Winds Pavilion.

It sends a shiver down Xi Zirui's spine that can't be wholly attributed to the pressure differential.

The thick vapor that rises from each pool obscures the view from the others, but Xi Zirui can distinguish two figures in the farthest pool, while the other two remain empty.

Playing it safe, Xi Zirui pulls Han Yu towards the nearest pool and drops their basins and towels on the rocky edge of the spring.

He's slipping out of his own robes when an idea unfurls in his mind, inspired by the verses written on the hairpin he's currently wearing. 

He meets Han Yu's eyes above his shoulder, and wetting his lower lip asks him, "Can Han Yu help this master undress?"

---

(1) Poem by...you guessed it, Li Bai. I swear I know other Chinese poets, it's just that my man Li Bai has a verse for every occasion.