[SVSSS] The Enemy Who Always Catches You (Even When You Don't Want Them To)

Chapter 2

Shen Jiu's consciousness drifted in and out of reality, caught between delirium and moments of painful clarity. The fever burned hotly, consuming him from within as his body fought against the relentless onslaught of pain from his injuries and exhaustion. Shen Yuan's presence was a soothing anchor amidst the chaos, his gentle touch offering fleeting relief from the agony that gripped Shen Jiu's weakened state.

Shadows danced at the edge of his vision, he could make out voices around him from time to time but couldn't grasp them entirely. Through the haze, he strained to understand their tense conversation. Even in his delirious state, Shen Jiu worries how his brother's scent was still giving off that bitterness of distress.

"..... deviation! Shixiong!"

" Have.... contract."

"-orders-"

"...hurry..... you need...."

"-a few more days..."

"....can't do..."

"-return to the... immediately."

A dull throbbing pulsed behind his eyes, a persistent rhythm that dragged Shen Jiu back to consciousness. The world came into focus slowly—blurry shapes solidifying into the wooden interior of a carriage. Discomfort prickled at his skin, a dull ache radiating from his limbs. Memories flickered back—the Qiu household, the fight—and then... A-Yuan!

He tried to rise, but a wave of dizziness washed over him, forcing him back down onto the makeshift bed of furs. "Da-Ge?" The voice that calls his name is familiar and full of anxiety.

Perhaps it is the knowledge of the impossibility of hearing that voice that makes him turn his head to meet the concerned eyes—relief washed over Shen Jiu, a warm wave that momentarily eclipsed the throbbing pain.

"A-Yuan..." His voice rasped, a dry croak that caused him to wince. His brow furrowed, eyes struggling to focus on Shen Yuan.

"Don't try to talk," Shen Yuan soothed, gently pressing a bag filled with a cool liquid into his hands. "Here, drink this. It will help your throat."

Shen Jiu took a sip, the coolness a welcome sensation that eased the burning dryness in his throat. The liquid trickled down, providing much-needed relief. With renewed strength, he mustered a weak question, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Where... where are we?"

"We're heading to the Cang Qiong Sect," Shen Yuan replied, his expression serious yet reassuring. "I wish we could stay until you're more fit to travel, but we need to go back quickly." Shen Yuan bit his lip, he looked worried and anxious about Shen Jiu's condition. "One of my shixiong there is much better equipped to handle your injuries than me."

Shen Jiu's eyes fluttered closed briefly as he absorbed the information. His gaze settled on Shen Yuan, who was busy changing his bandages, and a flicker of relief in his eyes despite the pain.  The malnourished boy from the streets, with haunted eyes and a frail frame, was gone. In his place was a young man of quiet grace and beauty - something he and Qi-ge had always imagined Shen Yuan to become if their life was better than being a street urchin. He looks better yet somehow it doesn't quite feel right. 

"So," he managed, his voice a bit stronger now, "my little brother has become quite the capable cultivator in such a short time."

"I'm not a capable cultivator," Shen Yuan retorted, his tone laced with a sardonic bite that made Shen Jiu's eyebrows raise. "If I were, I would have broken that Qui bastard's bones as much as the number of whip lashes you have endured."