Shen Nyan's taile

Not alone

Honestly, it was annoying how much that fool fussed over him. Personally, he saw no need to have Peak Lord Mu check up on him, but Yuan Qingyuan seemed to think that it was necessary.

It's not like he does what that fool wants, but the constant pestering was getting annoying, so he did go to Qian Cao Peak to get a check-up.

When he arrived back at the training grounds of Qing Jing Peak, a certain female disciple came to greet him with a smile. "Welcome back, Shìzūn! Did you have a pleasant time visiting Peak Lord Mu?" she asks with a bright smile and tilts her head.

He nodded quietly as Ning Yingying kept rambling about some things. He nodded occasionally and didn't say anything as she began walking next to him. Then she said something that made him stop.

"You should probably check that Jing is okay. I saw him running into the woods while out wandering," she said in a worried tone of voice. "I didn't realize to stop him at the time."

...What? No, no, Jing's supposed to be inside the house. How did it get out? It ran into the woods? It left him? His breathing became quicker, and he quickly dismissed Ning Yingying. "Yes, I'll do that... you can go now."

Ning Yingying looked at him with a worried expression but nodded and walked off. Shen Qingqiu didn't ever care about the lack of manners.

With Ning Yingying leaving, he began walking to the house, trying to make sense of himself. It's fine, it's just a beast that he was going to kill anyways.

He didn't need it... he didn't mind that it left him. Why does nobody stay with him? Can't someone just stay for once? He isn't asking for much, just for someone to stand by him. Even a pest would rather run off into the wild than stay with him. Maybe he's worse than the monster.

Unconsciously, he had begun walking faster and faster, taking bigger steps every moment. He was almost running now when he stopped for a moment. He spotted Ming Fan in the distance.

On the boy's hand, there was a noticeable bite mark; it had bruised with purple and red colors. There aren't any other beasts on the peak and Ming Fan hadn't been sent on a mission.

Jing had never bitten him, not when it was kicked, stomped on, or thrown. What did Ming Fan do for Jing to bite him? Why had the disciple interacted with Jing in the first place? Did he scare Jing and make him run off?

With the thought of Jing being gone, he began running to the house. He knew logically that Jing wouldn't be there if it ran off, but what he was acting out at the moment wasn't logic, it's instinct.

He arrived at the building built of bamboo, and with shaking hands, he opened the door. His eyes darted around wildly as he searched for the ball of fur, and the pure sense of relief he felt when he saw it lying on his bed was indescribable.

He approached the bed and pulled Jing into his arms, waking the moon coon up, who let out a surprised noise. When Shen Qingqiu heard Jing and felt the fur in his arms, he began sobbing, his tears eventually wetting Jing's fur.

Jing tried to wiggle out, but that only made him tighten his grip on Jing. "Why would you leave? You wouldn't leave. You can't leave. I don't want to be alone. I don't want to be alone," he kept on repeating the sentence and buried his face deeper into Jing's fur.

His grip kept getting firmer, tighter, and eventually, Jing let out a panicked meow and scratched his arms. Regardless of that, he didn't let go; he just pulled Jing closer, if that's even physically possible, and kept muttering.

Jing finally gave up after a bit more of struggling. "You should just stay here with me." He whispered.

Then it hit him. Jing could have left. Ning Yingying said that the beast had been outside, but Jing didn't leave him. Jing's right here, in his arms. He finally stopped sobbing with a sigh and loosened his grip a bit.

But how did Jing get out in the first place? He always makes sure that the doors and windows are shut tight. Wait, that bite mark on Ming Fan's hand. Did Ming Fan try to do something to Jing? Had he taken a deciple that will betrey him? Did he become too trusting? And the biggest question: Did Ming Fan try to get rid of Jing?

That thought made his blood boil. That brat dares to touch something of his? He can't just let that slide. He put Jing down. Breathing shakily, he grabbed Xiu Ya from where he had dropped it earlier and opened the door. Jing followed him with a confused meow, only to be shoved inside by Shen Qingqiu.

Jing didn't seem to be giving up, though, as it next bit into Shen Qingqiu's robe, trying to stop him from leaving. He looked down at Jing; it wanted to be with him. It didn't want him to leave. With a shaky breath, he scooped up the moon coon and lay in bed with it. He wrapped his arms tightly around it and listened as it fell asleep.

After a bit of just that, he began thinking. What was he just planning to do to Ming Fan? Why was he taking the sword? Was he getting too attached to Jing? Should he throw Jing out? He didn't want to be alone again, though.

The few months that Jing has been with him have been somewhat different compared to his life previously. He stays as the Qing Jing peak lord because of a stupid sense of loyalty and responsibility that he has, but he doesn't actually like interacting with any of the people here.

The closest thing to a friend that he has is Ning Yingying, and she's his disciple for god's sake, but Jing is there just for him. Maybe it's fine to keep Jing a bit closer.
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(God I feel like I somehow messed up this chapter but yeah.)