The Grandmaster’s weird disciple [BL]

The matter of Xu Yan's lovelife

Xie Yi managed to hold back for a full five minutes before he couldn’t hide the grin anymore. Xu Yan glared at him, ears red, and held up a stack of paper. “I want to remind you that this is totally your fault! If I wasn’t so busy with paperwork, I could… could invest more time!”

“Do you want me to ask my husband to give you a vacation?” Xie Yi blinked his eyes innocently and leaned on the table. “I can do that.”

Xu Yan choked and turned his head away.

“You know, in the time you managed to befriend her and admit that you like her, I managed to become the succeeding disciple of the guy I like, start dating the guy I like, become the unofficial spouse of the guy I like and have adopted two children.”

“It’s all because I’m busy”, Xu Yan tried to defend himself. It wasn’t fully a lie - he had become the whole administrative office’s favourite person. The previous sect leader confirmed that they hadn’t had someone work as efficiently as him before. No surprise, he took on a lot of work, but it did increase the general living standard in the sect.

“They’ve survived before, they can survive now. Come on, Xu Yan, you can do it!” Xie Yi smirked even wider and cheered his friend on. Xu Yan refused to reply.

Zhi Ci wasn’t exactly free. She wasn’t allowed to leave certain areas, had to report back at certain times and still slept in the prison area. Other than that though, she was allowed to help with minor, non-dangerous works.

Most of these were things the attendants did; carrying things for example, but Zhi Ci was more than happy. It was a sign that maybe one day she’d be allowed to officially join the sect and take off the collar that restricted her.

Xu Yan stayed the one who was most in contact with her. She clearly appreciated him, but there was a large issue.

Number one, Xu Yan was definitely too shy to actually pursue one.

Number two… He was courteous.

So courteous, in fact, that there was hardly any difference in how he visibly treated Zhi Ci compared to someone like Li Mei.

Xie Yi could see the differences, but most people wouldn’t notice.

So you couldn’t even fault Zhi Ci for not noticing.

“We could have a triple marriage! Come oooon!” Xie Yi whined and rattled at the table. Xu Yan coughed and quickly changed the topic.

“So how’s it going with the planning?”

“Well…”

Xie Yi showed him a lopsided smile.

First, other sects and their high-ranking cultivators had been shocked. They had complained that a sect leader having a spouse of the same sex was an issue.

Shi Yue kindly remarked he was surprised that other sects felt they had the right to intervene in matters of the Virtuous Sect.

The cultivators gave in. It was acceptable, love was love after all, but there had to be an heir! Shi Yue could simply take in concubines. Ideally, so would Xie Yi, as he too was a strong cultivator.

Shi Yue came fashionable just in time to stop Xie Yi from snapping some necks.

When they had started to ask what the two of them thought about having at least a surrogate-

Xie Yi asked them if they were truly planning on finishing that sentence.

“... It’s progressing”, Xie Yi laughed awkwardly and helped Xu Yan stack a set of papers. “How about we return to the matter of you and Zhi Ci? I think you suit each other, why don’t you officially pursue her?”

“No way.” Xu Yan pulled a face. “I don’t think I dare. What if she rejects me? Things would turn super awkward!”

“I don’t get you”, the black-haired cultivator sighed.

Xu Yan rolled his eyes. “The guy who casually confessed in front of the sect obviously wouldn’t understand.”

“Yeah, I don’t think I can understand why people are so hesitant to even try to show their feelings. Okay, you’re not really leaving the sect much anymore, but what about Zhi Ci? What if she finds someone else? Are you going to let her go like that?”

Xu Yan ducked his head and bit his lips. “That’s true too…”

“I’ll support you at any time, brother. Just tell me if you need anything.” Xie Yi wrapped an arm around Xu Yan and smiled.

He was genuinely hoping the two could get together someday.

Although he didn’t know that the “someday” would need years.

And wasn’t started by Xu Yan, but rather by Zhi Ci, who had given up on waiting for Xu Yan to make the first move and had taken the matter in her own hands.

And that from the start, Zhi Ci had considered dXu Yan excellent house-husband material but only hadn’t wanted to offer because she wasn’t sure if Xu Yan would take offense.

But thankfully cultivators had a long life and they were young.

… Still didn’t keep Xie Yi from pulling a face at Xu Yan when he, a long time later, finally found out that Zhi Ci was the one to ask Xu Yan out.

But then again, who cared about the process as long as the result was right.

 

The matter of Xie Yi's and Li Mei's lovelives

Flap. Flapflap. … Flap.

“Are you having fun?”

Shi Yue’s face twitched slightly. Xie Yi stopped moving his arms around and awkwardly chuckled. “I… haven’t worn so many thin layers before. They make fun sounds.”

He raised his arms up and down again. Flap.

"Could you please treat these clothes with a little more respect?"

Xie Yi tried hard to stop himself from flapping his arms around.

“Good to see you’re having fun”, Master Chen said stiffly, unable to move an inch while a female attendant worked on her hair. “By the way, why are you in here? There might be a groom and a groom, but you still shouldn’t see each other until everything is prepared.”

“I tried”, Shi Yue defended himself. “But he came in here anyway.”

“Li Mei was too fidgety”, Xie Yi admitted. “That made me nervous. There was no issue during the dressing, but when people came for her make-up, she started babbling and fidgeting. You’re calmer in here.”

The attendant paused. All three people in the room stared at Xie Yi, who merely tilted his head.

“Do I look relaxed to you?”, Master Chen hissed through grit teeth and lifted her hands to show a highly wrinkled handkerchief that she must have been crumpling and tearing at for quite some time now.

Shi Yue also raised both of his hands, displaying his palms that were covered in a thin layer of sweat and were slightly trembling. “I wouldn’t exactly call myself calm, either.”

“Rather, I’d like to ask how you’re so relaxed! It’s your wedding today, too!” Master Chen steadied her voice again and breathed in and out deeply before motioning for the attendant to finish her complicated hairstyle.

“I mean… For me, Shi Yue was my husband the moment he said he would be. This ceremony is super nice and all, but it’s more of a declaration towards other people than towards each other.” Xie Yi scratched his cheek. “Maybe that’s why? I’m looking forward to it, I’m excited, but not nervous. I’m simply happy that everyone will officially acknowledge us as a married couple.”

“... He sure can say sweet things without batting an eye”, Master Chen complained.

All three of them were wearing a festive red. Shi Yue and Xie Yi had their hair styled simply, with red ornaments, and Master Chen, as well as Li Mei, were getting more intricate hairstyles. The gathered worth of their clothes and accessories was something no one would like to mention.

The double wedding was indeed a type of declaration. A declaration that not only the sect leader could choose his beloved as he wished - that everyone could. That this wasn’t a privilege and saying otherwise was going against the sect leader.

The whole sect was covered in lanterns and flowers. If Xu Yan wasn’t running around, helping with preparations, he might have joined Xie Yi in waiting.

Everyone else was already doing that.

“I’m done”, the attendant finally said with a satisfied smile. Xie Yi whisted when Master Chen stood up, the red brocade dress falling fully into place. She looked gorgeous.

“Two brides, two grooms, and yet their marriage has nothing to do with each other. We must look confusing to people who don’t know”, Shi Yue joked.

“I hardly believe there is anyone who doesn’t know. I’m happy to inform you that you found a dragon during one of your travels, befriended it, taught it how to live as a human and are now marrying it.”

“... A whole town watched me meet him the first time.”

“That’s a cover-up. Geez, Master Li, don’t you know your own cover-up?” Master Chen lifted a delicate eyebrow. “Everyone is relieved to have the dragon on their side. No one minds you two marrying.”

“I still love that I’m officially not human. How did that spread so far?”

“Young man just of-age being a Grandmaster.”

“I see.”

The mood relaxed considerably with the stupid topic. In time, the bells outside began to ring, calling for the two couples to leave.

Since there was no single bride and groom, both couples would ultimately leave together with their partner.

Shi Yue held out a hand to Xie Yi, who took it with a bright smile. 

“Take good care of me, husband.”

“Certainly, and likewise.”

They looked at each other and smiled.

Behind them, Master Chen sighed and quickly passed them to find her own beloved and finally see her dress.