There is no Redemption for A Scum Villain

Chapter 30

The morning was spent with looking throughout the house to see if they had forgotten anything before putting the luggage by the door of the house. Shen Qingqiu stuffed the last book from the desk into his sleeve while Yue Qingyuan put two bowls of soup on the table.

"Let's eat before we leave," Yue Qingyuan suggested, "We shouldn't leave behind too much food for the owner of this house to eat."

"I doubt he would mind too much," Shen Qingqiu replied, but he agreed nonetheless.

Just like the day before, Yue Qingyuan happily watched as Shen Qingqiu ate. It was as if he still couldn't get enough of the happiness he felt about Shen Qingqiu enjoying his food. Shen Qingqiu would surely not mind it. It was a nice thing whenever Yue Qingyuan looked happy especially now that he seemed a bit unhappy all the time.

After the meal Shen Qingqiu gave Yue Qingyuan a set of familiar grey and black clothes to put on before helping him do his hair. It was weird for Yue Qingyuan to wear the sect leader's dress, but it also made him feel somewhat proud. When he was dressed he looked into the mirror until Shen Qingqiu appeared behind his reflection, holding a sword.

"This is Xuan Su," Shen Qingqiu explained and held out the sword, "Your sword. I've been taking care of it until now, but you should have it when we travel. It's safer."

Yue Qingyuan looked with amazement at the sword in Shen Qingqiu's hands. It was beautiful and looked so majestic. Yue Qingyuan couldn't believe that this sword had really chosen him. When he took it from Shen Qingqiu, the sword hummed in response. He caressed the scabbard of the sword, his eyes sparkling. When his fingers moved to the hilt to grab it, Shen Qingqiu gasped.

"No! Don't!"

Yue Qingyuan's hand instantly retracted in shock. He looked up at Shen Qingqiu and saw a look of pure terror in the man's eyes. His gaze seemed a bit clouded as if he wasn't quite in the moment but rather very far away. To be precise, like he was seeing something that had happened a long time ago.

When Yue Qingyuan realized why the man had reacted like this his face paled. Right. This sword could kill him when he pulled it. Or rather it could have back then, but now? Shen Qingqiu also seemed to have remembered and his eyes began to clear.

"I..." he stammered, then he reached out his hand, "Please. Let me."

Yue Qingyuan handed the sword back to Shen Qingqiu and watched him grip it tightly with trembling hands. Shen Qingqiu swallowed audibly before he slowly pulled the sword from the sheath. The sword didn't give off more than a faint sigh as it left the sheath. No blinding light, not even a glimmer that indicated a leak of spiritual energy flowing from the owner out of the sword. Shen Qingqiu released a shaky breath and pulled Xuan Su fully from its enclosure where the sword had spent the majority of its life.

For a second time a look of terror crossed Shen Qingqiu's face, but not only his. But eho wouldn't look absolutely terrified at a blade covered in dried blood. Shen Qingqiu reached out and touched it, remembering how it came to be there. He couldn't stop the whimper that escaped his mouth.

Yue Qingyuan quickly took the sword and used a cloth to try and wipe off the blood, but it was hard to do since it had practically been baked into the metal. He would definitely need water to get it off. Shen Qingqiu though didn't care about the sword. He grabbed it by the blade and threw it aside before grabbing onto Yue Qingyuan tightly. His eyes were fixed on the other man's neck, but there was nothing. Nothing but unblemished skin.

Shen Qingqiu let his face fall into the crook of Yue Qingyuan's neck as his fingers trailed around on the man's throat. Yue Qingyuan shivered at the sensation of the hot breath against his skin and the fingertips dancing along his neck. He tightly hugged Shen Qingqiu feeling utterly guilty even when he didn't remember what he had done.