[Completed] Dearly Beloved (SVSSS) Shen Qingqiu x Shen Yuan

Promises

Shen Jiu was no longer surprised when he saw Zhi Minyuan come to bother him again at his usual place in the garden.

The alpha didn't bother with shooing the child away. It's an instinctive pull, even Shen Jiu himself was affected by it. Though, unlike the kid, he was just aware of why there was the need to be close and he can control that impulse much better than Zhi Minyuan who was still blissfully clueless. After arguing with him repeatedly, Shen Jiu realized early on that it would just be a waste of time to argue with him, the kid never runs out of words to counter him. Plus, it wasn't like the child was bothering him. Zhi MinYuan was surprisingly behaved on the next few days, bringing some books over to study by his side while Shen Jiu was cultivating, the sound of flipping pages while he was meditating was hypnotic and easily pulled him to relax and cultivate for some reason.

During those few days, Shen Jiu learned a lot more about him, it's not like they spend the entire afternoon in complete silence. It bothers him when that snarky child is completely silent by his side.

The one he took note the most was that he loves reading books, any kind of books. He always carried different one with him everyday to read. But what he liked the most were bestiaries about both demonic and spiritual creatures, second to that were about herbs. His eyes always shone in excitement as he took notes of them. All of it being related to cultivation which he was not supposed to be reading. If he wanted to become a cultivator he had to cut off all his mortal ties, everyone in the Zhi clan would be against that, he was, after all, being groomed to be the next clan leader.

Shen Jiu didn't say anything to stop him. Zhi Minyuan would never become the clan leader in the future, not when he would present as an omega. Might as well let him do whatever he wants. So when he would ask Shen Jiu, after he was done cultivating, about something that he doesn't understand he would satisfy the child's curiosity and answer all his questions, it was a good refresher for him as well.

They end up talking about it the whole afternoon until Zhi Minyuan is called back by his attendants as he never seems to run out of things he wanted to ask. There are times when he asks about some creatures and magic herbs that Shen Jiu was clueless about, making him puzzled as to where he even read or heard about them.

Zhi MinYuan was street smart, a trait rarely seen from young masters of noble families. Whenever they talk Shen Jiu feels that he isn't talking with a child but a teeneager who loves to go on adventures with so much curiosity towards the world.

It was his eyes, if Shen Jiu would be honest to admit it that he was attracted to them. Even though he was such a thin and small child. His eyes were bright and shiny. As if everything in the world could fit in them, both the beautiful and ugly parts, everything was equal and in harmony to his eyes.

He only realized that he wanted to keep his eyes shining bright when there was one afternoon when Zhi Minyuan wasn't around the garden. There were no mat or books indicating that he arrived earlier but just left because he forgot something.

Shen Jiu, still stubbornly denying that the attraction was only because of instincts as a fated pair, didn't bother with it. He even convinced himself that he doesn't care at all. For all he knew that brat was with his parents or his master doing something more important. A good time to spend his day undisturbed.

The cultivator sat in lotus position and began to circulate his qi in his dantian, falling in the usual rhythm of cultivating, still he kept his ears clear in case someone would come.

Ten minutes...

Thirty minutes....

One hour...