Chapter Text
Luo Binghe was tired of the bullying. The harassment. The pulling of his robes, his hair, and shoes. He wanted hands and words off from him. He never wanted it to come to this.
It was hard to live with the hatred of his sect siblings. It was harder to even deal with his shizun’s harshness and cold prickly exterior. He dealt with it for two years all by himself. The long punishments. The scolding. The silent treatment from just about everyone. Then Shen Qingqiu held tryouts once more. Because he hadn’t accepted disciples in way too long and accepting Luo Binghe hadn’t been enough to meet quotas.
Luo Binghe wouldn’t say that fate favored him that one season during the yearly try outs. So many young people like him had aspirations and dreams. All in order to become righteous cultivators. Shizun then picked another student. Someone that seemed to bring the same kind of ire and difficult attention that made Shizun twitchy and rude. Hence for once, Luo Binghe wasn’t tormented as much anymore. He would watch the other kid get bullied. He’d be grateful for it too.
The other kid wore glasses since his cultivation was low. Luo Binghe could only assume he was chosen by Shizun due to his appearance. Shizun hadn’t exactly been ecstatic in his welcoming or introduction. That set the tone for how everyone would regard Shen Yuan. Which wasn’t very warm at all.
Many speculated that Shen Yuan had just gotten lucky. That he only got into the sect because he looked like a low grade Shen Qingqiu. During the qi ceremony, Shen Yuan’s current output was absolutely ordinary and of typical stock.
“They’re definitely related,” would say some of the older shixiong.
“No. That can’t be. Do you see the way Shizun glares at Shen Yuan. That couldn’t be,” would chime in the more positive besmirchers.
“Maybe it’s a spell? A fluke? Not many people sport that exact shade of green eyes and that tone of dark hair.”
“Maybe a clan?”
“What clan would that be? No one knows Shen Qingqiu’s old name…” a few would sully.
No one exactly understood where Shen Yuan came from. It was clear he came from no reputable family or had any background. Be as it may, Shen Yuan was well mannered, even if he looked a lot smaller for his age.
Eventually the spark of interest Shen Yuan brought to the peak died down. Rather quickly too. With how harsh Shizun was in doling out his favorite kinds of corporal punishments. He seemed dead set on Shen Yuan in telling the “truth”, whatever that may be. No one exactly knew what Shen Yuan was concealing and so many soon began to have doubts about Shen Yuan’s initial sincerity.
Soon people got used to seeing Shen Yuan run laps in the same way Luo Binghe did. Shen Yuan with a cart rolling the blocks of wood to the shed. Washing the dishes. Sweeping the dorms and other rooms in their facilities. He’d not have as many chances to attend classes. Just like Luo Binghe. Except that the treatment and harassment was slightly worse. Shizun had incited Shen Yuan’s termination as a disciple on the peak, by letting Ming Fan and others have their way with him.
That made Luo Binghe even more prudent in ignoring the boy. If he extended any sort of favor… the fallout would recoil back to him. Just surviving day to day on this bone gnawing peak was hard enough alone. He didn’t need to extend his heart to this stranger.