The System's Malfunctions

Chapter 3 (So this is what they meant...)

After finally reaching a calm state of mind again, Yue Qingyuan called the remaining peaklords for a meeting. His reasoning was that, when Shen Qingqiu really found himself unable to lead his peak for the time being, they would have to find a solution. Therefore they would need their peers' assistance. Yue Qingyuan had at first wanted to keep Shen Qingqiu out of the meeting and not tell the other peeklords exactly what had happened and instead tell them he had a heavy fever or something alike, but Shen Qingqiu had argued back that he wished to prevent rumors and not fuel them, given that his peak appearently had some talkative desciples.

Now Shen Qingqiu sat in his usual spot at the table, keeping a calm face as judgemental and condescending looks were shot his way. They hadn't yet cleared up the situation, so those looks were most certainly due to the fact he sat in a peaklord's spot, while being rumored to be exactly that peaklord's lover. Shen Qingqiu couldn't even blame the other peaklords in that case. But what he could blame them for were those comments they shot his way whenever Yue Qingyuan and the others were momentarily gone.

"So Shen Qingqiu got himself a little plaything, eh?", one asked with a smug grin, "Got to admit, he's got some taste given how tasteless he normally is."

The man sitting next to him gave a laugh and shamelessly looked Shen Qingqiu up and down. "You're right at that one..."

Shen Qingqiu felt so sick, he wanted to vomit. He had never been subject of something this disgusting, neither had he ever witnessed it in person. He used to think it wasn't this bad when men checked out women, but this... he wondered how those bastards had managed to reach such a position with such a character. When thinking about it, Shen Qingqiu had to admit that this whole book seemed to be extremely sexist, so this behavior made sense.

Shen Qingqiu tried his hardest to suppress the anger and disgust showing on his face as he deliberately ignored the men. The one who had spoken last seemed displeased at that and tried to get his attention.

"Hey, lady! Why do you choose to do it with that bastard? I'm sure with me you will be having more fun than he could ever bring you", he said with a meaningful smile, "What about it?"

Shen Qingqiu looked his direction and forced a smile on his face, however it was so saturated with disgust and hatred that the other man instantly felt shivers run down his spine. Shen Qingqiu had changed his mind. It wasn't the original Shen Qingqiu who ought to be castrated, but rather this abomination of humanity calling himself a man. Not even that man had been this disgusting. At least he could keep his words in check, no matter with how many women he had slept.

To Shen Qingqiu's delight, it didn't take long for Yue Qingyuan to come back and immediately all comments and commentators fell silent. He had barely taken a seat when someone piped up.

"Zhangmen-shixiong, why is that women here? What is the meaning of this?", he asked and nodded his head to Shen Qingqiu, "This should be a confidential meeting concerning the safety of our sect. And why is she sitting in a peaklord's seat? It's already enough that she is... she should not be allowed to sit in his place as if she were his wife."

Yue Qingyuan cleared his throat. He understood now why Shen Qingqiu had wanted to clear this up as soon as possible. At least infront of his fellow peaklords. "Shidi, you might want to speak for yourself", he said with nervous undertone.

Everyone looked confused at once, some looking around the room or towards the door. When Shen Qingqiu straightened up and cleared his throat they shot their glances back at him. A hint of confusion shone in every pair of eyes directed at him.

"Thank you, Shixiong", Shen Qingqiu said and smiled towards Yue Qingyuan, then he looked back into the round, "As some might have already heard, have I left the bamboohouse on Qing Jing peak this morning. Those rumors are infact true."