Xingyun Oneshots

128 - The Worst Possibly Way Something Could Go Wrong

Xingqiu pops a warm crystal shrimp into his mouth, humming in delight at the flavors before he immediately starts reading with doubled energy, eyes scanning the pages of the newest martial arts novel he'd managed to snag from his brother's collection.

Sure, the bookcase is locked with a 'XINGQIU, DON'T TOUCH!' note written on the front, but for simplicity's sake, he chooses to believe he just didn't see it and lock picked it open. Easy peasy.

He can see why his brother locked it away, too - a diamond edition copy of 'The Samurai's Tales', freshly bound without a single scratch or blemish, and it's signed? Color Xingqiu impressed, he can't believe his brother managed to get something like this and keep it in mint condition.

He plans on returning it right after he's done so his brother won't notice, gently poking the skin of another crystal shrimp and about to shove it in his mouth without another thought before he notices the chair adjacent to his wobbling.

Well, that won't do! He'll have to let Xiangling know one of the chairs here at Wanmin is a teensy bit faulty so she's aware of it. He'll get it fixed for her by tomorrow, courtesy of the Feiyun Commerce Guild (and his lucrative allowance).

Xingqiu sets the book down, still chewing his food while he shifts out of his chair to prop the other one up so it won't fall over right when an icy blast obliterates his own chair into splinters, causing him to whip his head back around in surprise.

Said chair is, well. No longer a chair. In it's place is a familiar, floating apparition with a long braid and talisman covering its face, and even though he can't see it's expression, he gets the message that it and it's owner are not happy with him.

He nearly chokes on his food from the shock, whipping his head around until he settles on Miss Shenhe and an apologetic looking Xiangling staring back at him from inside the Wanmin Restaurant Kitchen, silence filling the air between them.

Xingqiu finally swallows (lest he choke and really get hurt), his arms flailing about on their own in a less than graceful manner until he brokenly shouts, "Wha-what on earth was that for?!"

He knows better to go shouting for a number of reasons, 1. Because his father would give him a lecture about acting polite and respectful as a representative of the guild, and 2. because he already knows Miss Shenhe doesn't hold him in her good graces. For some reason.

But he can't help himself from his reaction after almost dying, his chest heaving while he waits for an explanation.

Miss Shenhe furrows her brow, the one eye not covered by her white bangs shooting him a look that could kill him on its own. "You know what you did."

Xingqiu's face contorts to further confusion, looking back and forth between his meal and the wreckage and Miss Shenhe. "I-I don't?!"

"Um, y'know what, why don't you take the rest of the day off, Shenhe? I can take care of things from here." Xiangling laughs nervously, trying to de-escalate whatever is going on.

"Are you sure? I don't mind staying, my shift doesn't end for several more hours." She says kindly to Xiangling. Okay. So this is clearly something personal against him. Noted.

"Y-yeah, just go ahead, it'll probably be pretty slow anyways..." she mumbles, watching Shenhe leave and give Xingqiu a final warning glance before Xiangling hurries over to him.

"Hey, you okay? Sorry about that, I-"

"I almost died!" Xingqiu throws his arms out. "My chair was obliterated! Destroyed! Returned to its core elements in a matter of seconds!"