How to Catch a Celestial Fox

Zhou Lieren grew up sharing a space with ten other orphans. In Tiger’s Grotto, all the basic, low ranking disciples lived in the dormitories together, and during missions or night hunts, there was always a body to share a tent with. However, rooming with Mu Yi and Fan Su who were two upper class sons of officials, tested his level of patience.

 

“Ugh, I’m bored.” Mu Yi splayed across his bed and tossed a ball up in the air.

 

“We could go outside and see what the dorks are doing.” Fan Su offered. He sat on his own bed with his blade in hand cleaning it with a cloth. “What do you think, Zhou Rong?”

 

“Mmn,” he said passively. He was sitting with his back against the corner of the room where he put his own bedroll on the floor. On his lap was a sword manual that Bai Luo brought along for the journey and offered to let him borrow. He’d been reading it since before dawn when he woke up, and he’d just about gotten halfway through it. He wanted to read the theory first before trying out any maneuvers.

 

His eyes skimmed over the start of a line about elemental swords when the book was snatched out of his hands. Zhou Lieren looked up to see Mu Yi holding the book, squinting at the pages with a pinched look of disgust.

 

“Where did you get this load of crap?” Mu Yi shut the text and waved it at him. Swallowing down a harsh word, Zhou Lieren stood up slowly and held his hand out.

 

“One of the Heavenly Lake disciples had it on hand, and thought I would be interested in it.” He looked at his hand expectantly.

 

“How can you get any advice about swords from a book?” Mu Yi flipped through the pages again with a snort. “Since when did books go to battle?”

 

Fan Su snickered, adding to Mu Yi’s soft cackling at his own joke. Mu Yi turned and tossed the book towards Fan Su. “What do you think?”

 

Zhou Lieren clenched his jaw and followed the book to Fan Su who caught it in one hand. He set his sword down and opened the manual to a random page and inspected it right side up then upside down.

 

“Should we burn it?” Fan Su’s eyes widened in delight and Zhou Lieren’s blood pressure rose. “That would really piss them off!”

 

He grabbed Fan Su’s wrist and twisted it, wrenching a hiss from the other disciple as he spoke. “If you destroy that book, you’ll make me indebted to that disciple.” He reached with his other hand and plucked the book out of Fan Su’s grasp. “Seven Star isn’t indebted to anyone.”

 

Books were costly, that much he knew, and a manual with this much valuable information had to be expensive. He didn’t want that kind of burden, especially towards some other alpha in a different sect.

 

He let go of Fan Su’s arm and crossed the room back to his bedroll. Fan Su grunted and muttered some words that, while he couldn’t hear, was sure to be less than flattering towards him. Zhou Lieren planned on going out later to practice, but he didn’t trust being able to sit in the room with peace and quiet now. Without another word, he picked up his sword with the manual in tow and left.

 

Once downstairs, he crossed paths with the Innkeeper and gave him a polite nod. There was a bit of a commotion outside with the sounds of heavy thuds and barked orders, so he stopped to ask the old man about it.

 

“Oh, that outside?” The Innkeeper blinked his owlish eyes up at him. “One of the Huo Daozhang is coordinating a project. A bunch of men are loading carts with lumber and thatch.”

 

Daozhang? Oh, right. The Huos were pretty recognizable as followers of the dao with their robes. Curious now, he went outside to see what was going on. Like the Innkeeper had said, there were men loading two ox-carts with some shafts of lumber. Huo Cheng was among them wearing a simpler pair of commoner's clothes with the sleeves tied back. He almost mistook him for a villager, but the distinct sabre and bell tassel at his waist gave him away.

 

Zhou Lieren casually scanned the area for signs of Huo Laoda, but he spotted the younger twin standing nearby inspecting strips of cloth that a woman had in a basket. He walked over to Huo Ningjing, who saw him and waved. It took a moment for Huo Ningjing to wrap up what he was telling the woman before he turned to face Zhou Lieren.

 

“Hi!” He smiled brightly, “You are Zhou Rong, am I right? Did you have a good sleep?”

 

He relaxed at seeing how friendly and bubbly Huo Ningjing was. While it was unusual, it seemed to fit the small omega’s personality. He rested his sword over his shoulder and nodded in greeting.

 

“Yes, I am Zhou Rong. I did have a pleasant sleep, thank you.” He stuck his chin out towards the carts. “Is something special going on?”

 

“We are…” Huo Ningjing’s smile broadened and he curled into himself before bursting in excitement with his arms outstretched towards the sky. “Building a clinic!”

 

Zhou Lieren frowned and remained silent while Huo Ningjing remained in that pose. They stared at one another like this, and then after a few blinks, he asked, “Why?”

 

Huo Ningjing lowered his arms with a pout. “Why else, silly? The village needs one.”

 

He stared down at the little cultivator who looked up at him with as much confusion as Zhou Lieren felt. In his mind the village needed protection, not for them to be meddling in their affairs. Pushing his lips out further into a pout, Huo Ningjing looked like a small, annoyed fish.

 

“Well, I have to get back to collecting donations. You can go help--”

 

“Everyone!” A familiar voice called from behind him. Zhou Lieren turned to its source and his breath was taken away by the sight of Huo Laoda. 

 

Sweaty and slightly disheveled, Huo Laoda had no business looking handsome during manual labor. His thick brown hair was pulled back and wrapped with a leather cord though strands clung to his flush, sweat slicked face. The soft redness in his cheeks brought out the color of his lips which were split into a soft smile as he addressed the crowd. Without his baggy red outer robe, Zhou Lieren could see that he also wore a sword at his hip, but a small one. Even without that layer, Huo Laoda remained covered from the neck down.

 

“I want to thank you all for your help so far. It is greatly appreciated,” Huo Laoda’s eyes scanned the crowd as he spoke, and even from afar, it felt like he was speaking directly to him.

 

He definitely has a charisma about him, he mused to himself.

 

“If Disciple Zhang Yong is correct about the roof, we can get that done very quickly and focus on cleaning the interior and building the watchtower for the rest of the day. Disciple Zhang, thank you for your assistance and sharing your expertise.” Huo Laoda bowed towards a section of the crowd where he spotted the Heavenly Lake beta. He wasn’t in his scholarly robes any longer but dressed similar to Huo Cheng. The beta took off his glasses and blushed up to his ears.

 

“O-oh it’s really nothing,” he bent his head and furiously rubbed at his lenses with the hem of his shirt.

 

Huo Laoda chuckled and pushed some of his sweat slicked hair back. “Every bit helps. That goes for everyone, too! We will still be accepting donations of provisions, but to those who are able to help with the construction, we will compensate you. We can pay each of you ten wen a day. This--”

 

“Oi!” Mu Yi’s voice called from above. Everyone on the road in front of the inn looked up to see Mu Yi hanging from the open window. “Ten wen a day? Pfft!”

 

Mu Yi hopped out of the window and dropped down to the ground, landing on one knee. He stood up and strutted across the dirt road to stand in front of the ox-cart that Huo Laoda was standing on.

 

“How do we know you are good for it?” asked Mu Yi. “I mean, I don’t see any money hanging off your belt.”

 

Huo Laoda’s smile did not fade but something ignited in his eyes that made them glare despite his friendly demeanor.

 

“If there are concerns about us being unable to pay, I can assure you all that my Elder has provided us with the necessary funds to give to the villagers,” Huo Laoda turned his gaze onto the crowd, and his eyes returned to that familiar, serene calm.

 

Fan Su, who now joined them by hopping down through the same window as Mu Yi, came up beside the cart. “And all we gotta do is fix a shitty roof and nail some boards together?”

 

Some of the older people in the crowd frowned at Mu Yi and Fan Su while whispering to one another. Next to him, Huo Ningjing muttered, “Does anyone teach people manners in Tiger’s Grotto?” Zhou Lieren turned his head towards the omega, who let out a squeak and covered his mouth. He lowered his hand and frowned, “I’m sorry.”

 

He couldn’t blame his words, because his two sect brothers were acting very rude. He shook his head, and tried to look as reassuring as he could. “There is no need. I am not offended.”

 

Zhou Lieren turned back to the banter that still went on between them. Huo Laoda had his arms crossed over his chest now, staring down at Mu Yi and Fan Su.

 

“This is all to benefit the village. I will remind everyone again that should anyone want to learn a bit of medicine, please speak to my brother Huo--”

 

Huo Laoda paused when their eyes caught one another. Zhou Lieren’s mouth went dry all the sudden, and that fiery gaze came back to life in Huo Laoda’s eyes. What did I do? He was worried that perhaps he became guilty by association now, but he saw Huo Ningjing from the corner of his eye take several big steps away from him. He glanced at the smaller Huo, then back at Huo Laoda. Does he think I’m making advances on his brother? 

 

Huo Laoda continued with what he was saying and Huo Ningjing came back to his original spot with a giggle. The Huo twins had very infectious smiles, and though he did not do it all too often, Zhou Lieren could feel the corners of his lips turn up.

 

“Do you want to go help?” Huo Ningjing asked and pointed towards Huo Laoda.

 

“Oh, um…” Zhou Lieren looked down at the book in his hand then back to Huo Ningjing. “I have to return this book to Bai Luo.” 

 

“Bai Luo?!” Huo Ningjing practically screeched the name and rushed to Zhou Lieren with his hands held out like a beggar. “I can return it for you! I swear on my life and spicy pork pancakes that I will return this book in perfect condition.”

 

Spicy...pork...pancakes? He wasn’t sure he entirely understood what Huo Ningjing was saying, but he hesitated. Owing people favors, or being indebted to them, was against the Seven Star’s code. Elder Mu’s lecture echoed in his head. There’s a price for everything, and you don’t want to be caught on the short end of a stick. He was constantly reminded of the cost of owing someone by having his life saved by the sect after they took him in as an orphan. It was a debt that couldn’t be repaid, and Zhou Lieren had no interest in racking up more debts.

 

“I can’t ask that of you,” he shook his head. “I would not like having to owe you.”

 

“Oh, you wouldn’t be the one to owe me! I would be forever grateful if you let me do this.” Huo Ningjing stepped up close and grasped the book in his two small hands. They were dwarfed in comparison to Zhou Lieren’s hand which also held the book. “I have been looking for an excuse to speak to him, and you have just given me the perfect one!”

 

He looked between the borrowed book and then to Huo Ningjing. Zhou Lieren was no fool - if Huo Ningjing was going to such lengths to speak to Bai Luo, it must have meant that he too had an attraction. He thought back about the glare Huo Laoda had on earlier, and the murderous look when Mu Yi tried to flirt, and a rare bit of sympathy came out for Bai Luo. The fate of any alpha that tried to court Huo Ningjing was sure to end in disaster.

 

“Alright,” he released the book and Huo Ningjing held it close to his chest. He lashed his sword on his hip and turned. He could hear the excited squeals behind him, and his lips slightly tugged once more.

 

The bickering had ceased now, and he joined his sect brothers. “Are you following the rest of them?”

 

Mu Yi thumbed his nose with a smirk, “I don’t see why not. Seems like an easy way to earn some cash, right? Besides,” Mu Yi turned to him and Fan Su, his chest puffed out. “We can’t let them get all the glory.”

 

Fan Su chuckled, but Zhou Lieren remained silent as he walked with his brothers as everyone followed the ox-carts toward the farmland east of the valley. Alongside the road just a little ways past the village was a barn that had large sections of thatch and wood caved in. It was a pitiful sight, and it was not much more than four walls and a thick sturdy door. The elderly gentlemen that drove the carts slowed down in front of it, and Huo Laoda hopped off.

 

“Thank you very much, Sirs.” Huo Laoda smiled at the men and started directing everyone into different tasks, but when he turned to Zhou Lieren, he frowned. “Mmm...do any of you have skills with carpentry?”

 

“Heh! What’s so hard about it? Put a board up, nail the board.” Mu Yi grunted and pointed to the wood piled on top of the ox-cart. “Why not leave the heavy wood to the real strong men that can carry it, hm?”

 

One of Huo Laoda’s slender brows rose high and his red lips thinned into a line. His chest, which was only slightly more visible now without the big robe, expanded wide as he inhaled and let out an audible breath. Next a cool smile played on his lips and his eyes drifted to a spot beyond them.

 

“If that is the case...then perhaps you three gentlemen would be willing to deliver the wood to where the watchtower is going?” He looked back at Mu Yi, his head tilted. It exposed just a sliver more of his neck, which Zhou Lieren honed in on, only half listening to the conversation that followed.

 

If at all possible, the tiny bit of flesh peeking out looked even softer than what little he could already see. A small droplet of sweat slid down Huo Laoda’s temple, twisting about as his mouth moved around words Zhou Lieren couldn't hear. It rolled down the smooth line of his jaw, then down the column of his neck, until it disappeared under the high collar of his gold colored shirt.

 

Fan Su smacked him in the chest with the back of his hand, effectively pulling Zhou Lieren’s attention back to the discussion at hand. Fan Su huffed, “Come on, let’s show them how it's done.”

 

Huo Laoda pointed to the wood stack, “We will need twenty pieces here, and the rest can go up there.” His finger traced the path up towards the side of the hill nearby.

 

“Easy enough,” said Mu Yi. The three of them carried the lengths of wood in stacks of five, making a big show of grunting. Huo Laoda stood by with his fists on his hips, tapping away his brown leather boot. Between them it was quick work to get twenty slabs in a pile by the barn. Mu Yi moved to the head of the cart and got on. “Move it, old man.”

 

“Ah, ah, ah.” Huo Laoda stepped forward and held up a hand. The driver also looked a bit miffed. “You said you would be delivering the wood to the watchtower spot. Where do you think you are going?”

 

Mu Yi looked at Huo Laoda with a scowl, “Exactly what you just said. I’m going to drive the cart up to the spot on the hill.”

 

The smirk grew into a full fledged smile now. “You said you could carry it. With you offering to do that, it means the cart can pick up more lumber and drop it off to the sites much farther away for the other watchtowers.”

 

All three of the Seven Star sect disciples turned their head to follow the spot Huo Laoda pointed to previously. It was not an incredibly far walk, but it was uphill with a heavy load. What Huo Laoda said wasn’t a lie, because Mu Yi did say they were strong enough to carry it. They walked right into a trap that they had no idea was coming. Zhou Lieren looked at the man once more carefully, taking his time to look up and down. He’s cunning.

 

“You can’t be serious?!” Fan Su stepped up to Huo Laoda, standing toe to toe to him. The omega came up to Fan Su’s chin, so he still had to look up at him, but he appeared unphased by Fan Su’s face which was bunched up in anger.

 

“I’m sorry?” Huo Laoda canted his head, “Mu Yi was the one who suggested that I leave the wood to those that are strong enough to carry it. Are you saying that you cannot carry it? My apologies, then. I can see if the others are strong enough to--”

 

“Shut up,” Mu Yi spoke through gritted teeth and hopped off the cart. He walked around the length of the cart, shooting daggers at Huo Laoda as he started pulling wood off the back of the cart. He and Fan Su hesitated, but Mu Yi snarled at them next. “Come on!”

 

And so, the three Seven Star disciples went about pulling the fifty or so pieces of lumber off the cart so it could drive off. Huo Laoda’s qigong was graceful as he leapt to the rooftop, joining the other men who were affixing new beams. It appeared that the Heavenly Lake beta, Zhang Yong, was acting as foreman for the project. Zhou Lieren cast one last look at Huo Laoda when he bent down to sit on his knees and remove some spoiled thatch.

 

“Are you just going to stand there a space out all day?” Mu Yi growled and thrust some wood into his arms. Mu Yi took up five himself, and Fan Su tried to take a heavier load. They made their trek up the hillside until they came to a red flag marker, which they assumed had to be the spot. Zhou Lieren’s back was covered in sweat by the time they reached the spot, and his sect brothers looked a little worse for wear too.

 

“Stupid fucking omega,” Fan Su grumbled as they carefully made their way down hill. It was a blessing that the return trip felt so quick, because each bundle they grabbed felt heavier and heavier as they progressed.

 

With the final bundle in his arms, it took about eight trips for them to get all the pieces up to the watchtower site. He unceremoniously dropped the last stack of wood and bent over with his hands on his knees.

 

“Fuck,” he whispered, his hair sticking to the sides of his face and the back of his neck. At mid-day, it was even hotter than when they started. Mu Yi was leaning against a nearby tree, and Fan Su sat on his knees.

 

“That...fucking little shit…” Mu Yi panted, his voice dripping with venom. “I swear, this is worth a hundred wen. No, a whole tael for this bullshit!”

 

Zhou Lieren lifted his head to look back down the hill towards the barn. A new, smaller cart was coming in, driven by a donkey, and in it was Huo Ningjing with some children and what appeared to be buckets of--

 

“Water!” Fan Su cried and leapt to his feet. Mu Yi whipped around and hung his mouth open. The two made a run for it downhill, but while Zhou Lieren’s mouth also yearned for a cool drink, he took his time down the hill. 

 

He unwrapped the bands of fabric that kept his sleeves shut, undid his robes, and peeled the fabric off him. He felt worse than practicing the sword for an entire day, and his skin was slick with sweat. There was not a speck on his shirt that he could use to dry off his face, the entire thing was soaked. He tucked an end into his belt, leaving it to hang at his hip while he walked back to the arn.

 

At the bottom, Fan Su and Mu Yi sat on the ground drinking cups of water that the children and Huo Ningjing distributed. Zhou Lieren stumbled towards the cart and held onto it, which caused it to rock slightly. The donkey brayed at him, flicking his little tufted tail in annoyance. He chuckled lightly and apologized.

 

“I’m sorry, little thing.” He sighed and closed his eyes for a second before he was startled into opening them again. A cold wet thing landed across his shoulders, which he instinctively ripped off. He held up a piece of wet cloth in between his hands, blinking at it.

 

“Silly, you put that over your head and shoulders!” Huo Ningjing suddenly popped up beside him, his ever-present smile wide. “You looked like you needed to cool down.”

 

He frowned but put the cloth over his head and shoulders like he was told to, and he was pleasantly surprised that he did feel significantly cooler. He used one of the corners to wipe off his face, and when he opened his eyes again, Huo Ningjing held a cup full of water to him. He took it with a hoarse thanks and drank it slowly, savoring the cool liquid.

 

“Xiao Huo, can you help me with the ladle?”

 

Zhou Lieren choked on his water at hearing Huo Laoda’s voice. He recovered by pulling the cup away and wiping the back of his hand across his mouth and glanced to where the voice came from. Huo Laoda knelt down beside the cart with the myriad of buckets and handed one of the small ladles they used to divvy out the water.

 

“Sure!” Huo Ningjing set down another cup for him on the cart’s railing and went to his brother’s side. He took the ladle and Huo Laoda twisted his body so his back was to his brother, and to Zhou Lieren too.

 

Huo Ningjing dipped the ladle into one of the buckets filled to the brim with cool, clear water. His brother bent his head down and lifted up his thick hair held back in a tail, exposing the soft curls at the base of his skull. Huo Ningjing hooked a finger on the back of Huo Laoda’s collar and pulled it back, revealing the path of his slender neck that led down to his spine.

 

His fingers tightened around the cup as Huo Ningjing proceeded to tip the ladle over Huo Laoda’s neck, and the water cascaded over the back of it and trickled down into his shirt. The water glistened against his exposed jade white skin, and Huo Ningjing poured water two more times, where all the while Huo Laoda shivered and a soft groan escaped his lips. How his eyes longed to see just a hint more of that creamy skin.

 

Setting the first cup down and picking the second one up, Zhou Lieren splashed his face with the water. He blinked through his wet lashes and caught Huo Laoda giving him a funny look. Still kneeling, Huo Laoda’s face changed from curious, to confusion, then to a glare, and this repeated several more times in no particular order until he suddenly stood and walked away. Huo Ningjing looked at his brother’s retreating back then towards Zhou Lieren. There was a glimmer in the omega’s eye that he had never seen up until now.

 

“Do you have any cuts or scrapes, or particularly ill?” Huo Ningjing tapped himself on his chest, “It is my responsibility to make sure you’re healthy...and happy.”

 

Huo Ningjing took a step much too close and his eyes roved up the length of his exposed torso. Zhou Lieren’s pulse paused along with his breath and an unfamiliar flutter of nervousness spread across his chest. With Huo Ningjing this close, he could smell the omega’s natural scent. It was spicy and tickled his nose like taking a large sniff of cinnamon. His once quenched throat was once again dry.

 

Is he making an advance? He was used to a flirtatious exchange here and there, though having alpha on alpha relations was a very ‘see nothing, say nothing’ policy at Tiger’s Grotto. He’d had sex plenty of times, so why was he so shy now? His eyes darted around, trying to find something else, but all he caught was Huo Laoda’s gaze watching. Though they were far from one another, he could feel the flames from that intense stare lick at his skin.

 

He blinked, then looked down at Huo Ningjing with a shake of the head, followed by a large step backward, “I’m...sorry, but no. I am fine.”

 

Huo Ningjing’s smile widened and his eyes went big. He made a little noise like a squeal and spun around, heading in the direction of the village. Though he flatly rejected Huo Ningjing, this seemed to delight him even more, which further confused Zhou Lieren. Maybe I have some heat sickness? He rubbed the cloth against his head and went to grab another cup of water when he heard a loud slam and Mu Yi’s angry, high pitched voice.

 

“What do you mean we aren’t getting paid!?!”

Omega Mini-Theatre 1

 

Huo Ningjing threw open the doors to Bai Luo’s room in the inn and shouted, “A-Ming!”

 

His sweet, endearing alpha jumped from the bed and pages from a book he’d been reading scattered into the air. He tumbled off the bed and landed with a hard thud onto the floor. The pages rained down on Bai Luo as he quickly sat up and began snatching the papers up.

 

Concerned that certain very important baby-making parts of the dear man may be injured, Huo Ningjing rushed over to kneel beside his soon-to-be match. He fell to his knees and started to pat down Bai Luo’s body, feeling it stiffen under him.

 

“Jing’er!” Bai Luo cried out, squirming away from his reach. His high cheekbones were bright red, the color stretched to his temples and up to the top of his ears. Clenched tightly in his trembling hands were pages of the book, the paper wrinkling in his hold.

 

“Oh, don’t ruin your book!” Huo Ningjing understood that books were very dear to Bai Luo, and though this was an emergency (it wasn’t), he never wanted to cause damage to Bai Luo’s things. He reached for the pages, hoping to find a way to get the creases out of them before they were damaged any more than they already were.

 

“A-ah! Jing’er, don’t look!” Bai Luo’s normally deep voice became as high as a squeak. 

 

“Don’t look?” Huo Ningjing pouted and soon a wrestling match began. Bai Luo lifted his arms to the left, and when Huo Ningjing dove left, Bai Luo went right, and so on and so forth. “Don’t look at what?!”

 

Bai Luo was at a disadvantage because he was on the floor. If he’d been standing, Huo Ningjing wouldn’t be able to reach his height without resorting to dirty tricks. On the ground, however, all Huo Ningjing had to do was hop on top of Bai Luo’s broad chest and grab at his wrists - well, one of his wrists, because one hand couldn’t wrap around his all the way because Bai Luo’s hands and limbs were so much larger than his own. He secured both hands around Bai Luo’s left wrist and pulled it towards him.

 

“What don’t you want me to see, A-Ming?!”

 

The alpha’s grey eyes widened and with a strangled cry, Bai Luo yanked the papers away and pushed his hands against his face, trying to stuff the paper in his mouth. 

 

Horrified, Huo Ningjing shrieked No, no! Please don’t tell me this man is a maniac! He frantically clawed at Bai Luo’s hands to get him to stop. I can’t marry a maniac!

 

He did not have to worry about Bai Luo hurting himself, for even his strong, manly jaw wouldn’t open wide enough to shove that many pages in. Bai Luo coughed and pages flew up from his grasp from the force. Huo Ningjing quickly caught one and examined the page. When Bai Luo made a sound of protest, Huo Ningjing put a palm over his face and held his head down against the ground.

 

An image depicted a seated alpha buried deep inside a much smaller omega that sat on his lap. A second alpha was there, sucking down the cock of the omega situated between them. The omega’s features were caught mid-rapture, his body hunched over and his face in that state between what could be pain or bliss. The omega’s toes were curled and his long hair caressed the shoulders of the man who had his lips wrapped around his shaft. With his legs splayed open, nothing was left to the imagination.

 

This is... Huo Ningjing’s eyebrows rose, immediately identifying the image. The Sutras of Tian Tie Shao Bing?!

 

Huo Ningjing looked down at Bai Luo, wanting answers. Bai Luo’s head was turned away, his eyes shut tight and Huo Ningjing could feel his whole body trembling underneath his bottom. He lifted his hand off Bai Luo’s face and turned the page to face Bai Luo.

 

“Why are you reading a sacred dual cultivation text?”

 

“S-s-sacred text?!” Bai Luo’s head whipped back around, his eyes flung open wide. “W-what sacred t-text?!”

 

“This is the Sutras of Tian Tie Shao Bing!” Huo Ningjing pointed at the image and looked at Bai Luo over the top of the page. “This is a very sacred text of my clan, written by one of my ancestors!”

 

Bai Luo bolted up into a sitting position and Huo Ningjing toppled over backward with an eep! and dropped the page. He fell back against Bai Luo’s legs, forced to keep his own apart in the awkward fall and dangled them around Bai Luo’s waist. In such a compromising position, Huo Ningjing quickly calculated the best way to move forward.

 

“Oh my, A-Ming...I didn’t know you were doing this kind of research for me…”

 

“Research?” Bai Luo's confused face was not unlike that of a puppy’s; head tilted, eyebrows furrowed, and his mouth slightly open. He just needed two floppy ears to complete the look.

 

Huo Ningjing perfected the art of making himself blush long ago. His cheeks grew hot, and he put together a mix of innocent and coy by turning his face away and shielding his cheek dramatically with the back of his hand. With his other, he clutched the folds of his robes together as if to prevent them from revealing his body, even though they weren’t in any danger whatsoever of doing so.

 

“A-Ming, my love, you know that I love you,” he slid his eyes to look at Bai Luo from the corner of them, hitching his breath. “B-b-but I must ask that before we do anything so...so intimate, you should do this properly!”

 

“Properly?” Bai Luo blinked several times, his eyes scanning Huo Ningjing up and down before his eyebrows shot up. “Properly! Oh! You want my family to send an inquiry to your father?!”

 

“Yes!” Huo Ningjing shouted and flung himself upright to Bai Luo’s lap. He pressed his weight down exactly where Bai Luo’s cock would be and he was pleased to feel it twitch to life against his thigh. In this position, he could almost be at eye level with his big, strong alpha.

 

Huo Ningjing dropped his chin then looked up at Bai Luo through his long, batting lashes, “Unless...unless A-Ming has ill intentions for me…”

 

“No!” Bai Luo was the one to shout now, clutching hold of Huo Ningjing by the shoulders. He shook his head, half bun almost coming undone from the force. “No, no, this one loves Jing’er! But...” Bai Luo frowned and that puppy face was back. “You said your brother expressly forbade it and that I should wait until we return to our sects before talking to my parents?”

 

“Do not worry about my brother,” he poked Bai Luo’s nose. “I found a solution, but it requires your help.”

 

“My help? What should I do?”

 

“First, I want you to contact a few people and gather more information about Zhou Rong for me,” Huo Ningjing held up two fingers, “Second, I want you to try and befriend him. Get a judge of his character, and I will do the same.”

 

“Zhou Rong…?” Bai Luo scratched the side of his head. “What does Zhou Rong have to do with my parents asking yours for a match?”

 

Huo Ningjing cupped his sweet, innocent alpha’s face. Bai Luo, a learned fellow who loved books and excelled at arithmetic and complex calculations, was still dumb and very naive. He was a perfect soulmate. 

 

“A-Ming, my precious love, my brother’s happiness is my happiness, do you understand?”

 

Bai Luo’s steel-colored eyes stared into his, their sparkle dazzling. He nodded his head in Huo Huli’s palms. “Y-yes, I have four brothers. Brothers are important.”

 

“And I am my brother’s twin, so our bond is deep. I wish for my brother to be happy, and I think Zhou Rong has caught my brother’s interest.” He dropped his hands down to Bai Luo’s chest and turned his cheek away while pouting. “He is a man that seldom shows regard to any alpha, and I worry about his future…”

 

“Of course, of course…” Bai Luo slowly rubbed his hands up and down Huo Ningjing’s back in smooth, comforting strokes. “I understand. Your brother can be a little…”

 

“Intelligent? Charming? All-powerful?”

 

Bai Luo gave a strained smile, “...Intense?”

 

Huo Ningjing sighed. He couldn’t refute that, so he nodded. “He is, so he must be paired with an equally intense man. But I will not give my dear brother to just anyone, which is why I need your help to determine if Zhou Rong is a good match.”

 

“I would be honored to help my future brother-in-law.” Bai Luo’s eager, determined stare made Huo Ningjing’s insides warm.

 

Yes, he did calculate this based on his own criteria for a good match: good looks, excellent background, preferably noble, tall, strong, a cultivator, and a little easy to manipulate. But he did have a genuine affection and attraction to this scholarly alpha, so much so that he was tempted to lose his virginity right there and now.

 

Reigning himself back a little, because he did not want to do this without sealing the deal first, Huo Ningjing lifted himself off Bai Luo’s lap. He dusted off his robes as Bai Luo also stood up. He fidgeted awkwardly, most likely from his erection, and Huo Ningjing grinned. Ah! About that…

 

“I do not mind you reading these texts about dual cultivation. You know I am untouched, but I want to make myself clear.” Huo Ningjing lifted up the page he had dropped with the threesome and held it up to Bai Luo once more. “We will be doing none of this! It is only you and me. You will not take a second, or a third, or any other male wife. Or a woman, for that matter! I forbid it!”

 

Bai Luo lunged for him and swept him up into his big, strong arms. Huo Ningjing gasped as the breath left him from the tight embrace, but he let himself melt against the alpha’s large frame and rested his head in the crook of Bai Luo’s neck. Lest he be called stingy and unromantic, Huo Ningjing wrapped his arms around Bai Luo’s neck and squeezed.

 

“Never, Jing’er,” Bai Luo turned his head to kiss Huo Ningjing’s temple softly. “There can only be you.”

 

Oh, this man… Huo Ningjing had to give himself some praise - he really knew how to pick a good husband.

Author’s Note:

To clarify a bit about the sects.

 

Seven Star sect, they are a very strict caste system. Orphans (and illegitimate children) are the lowest, followed by regular people. There are wealthy people who are next in line, and finally, nobility and the leadership of the sect itself are the top rank. The only nobility are the Mu family, who happen to be Marquis of the area. The Mu family became Elders roughly 30 years ago. They are basically paid mercenary type cultivators. They only accept alpha males for cultivation.

 

Heavenly Lake are primarily scholars. If you had to give an explanation, they are all about “theory” of tools of cultivation and methods, rather than actual practice. Yes, they cultivate, but in terms of strength and experience, they are the lowest of the three. They are more knowledgeable about enchantments and wards. They keep records of the history in the prefecture and the sects themselves. Alphas and betas of any gender can be a member.

 

Anyang Huo Clan sect is made up of regular people who aren’t from the Huo Clan themselves and the primary leadership tends to be the Huo Clan themselves. They often accept “stray” omegas or children born from omegas that are out of wedlock and take them in for the omega. They are the only religious sect and have active participation in society, so their robes are distinct and often known throughout the prefecture. The two primary ways they help society is medicine and exorcism/typical cultivator monster handling. They accept any gender and designation.

Also! The term "tiē shāo bĭng" is "sticking flat bread." In Ming and Qing dynasty it was a colloquialism for homosexual sex. The lovely AvenueX explains this a bit more in detail here on her YouTube channel [minute mark 4:58] https://youtu.be/jvOzbhiiMNA