Chapter 1
It’s been so long. How long has it been? Yichen asked himself, remembering everything that happened in the past of his life even before he became a Great Demon himself. It’s been exactly been four hundred years since that happened. He decided to live in seclusion and travel around when he feels like it, people rarely seen him but his old friends would still visit him often and have tea or drink with them.
It's also been for hundred years since he last saw Yuanzhou, the person, or let’s say demon who he was able to form the deepest connection with him aside from A-Jiu whom he adopted after being able to obtain an inner core for him to use as his own and lived with him ever since. Still, Yuanzhou was different, they had a different kind of relationship.
Something deeper, that he wishes he can express in front of him. But, that’s not even nearly possible, as only the tiniest shred of Yuanzhou’s soul was left of him for Yichen to keepsake and take care of.
Yichen sighs ‘How I wish you were here’ he soke as if Yuanzhou can actually hear and would respond to him ‘I wasn’t even able to tell you how I felt’ he said to himself as he take a sip from his cup of tea. “Chen ge!” he heard Bai Jiu call out to him. When he turned he sees him carrying baskets of different kinds of goods.
“Where did you get all these Ah-Jiu?” he ask as he walk over to Bai Jiu who’s scrouching over the weight of everything he has to carry back to their small but humble house on the hills, just outside the town.
As they live secluded and rarely goes down the hill for only two things food and clothing, or important matters that needs to be taken care of.
“The people in the town gave them all to me. They said it’s for you as a thank you for helping with the evil demons that appeared.” Bai Jiu said smiling while holding a basket full of fruits and vegetables given y the town people.
“You should have told them I wasn’t asking for anything in exchange.” Yichen lightly smiled, “I did say that.” Bai Jiu answered “But they insisted to give this to us. We won’t need to go down for at least two weeks with this!” Bai Jiu added looking very much happy with the goods they were given.
“Alright” he said fondly smiling at him “Bring them in then.” gesturing at the baskets, Bai Jiu nodded and brought the baskets one by one inside the house. The house they are living in used to be already tattered up and was about to fall down and repaired by themselves with the help of Ying Lei.
Yichen remembered the time where he was able to obtain an inner core for Bai Jiu to use who was more than delighted when he found out that an inner core was placed within him to keep him alive. And announced right then and there that he would still follow Yichen wherever he go and keep him company for the rest of his life. And now, it’s been a really long time and he’s still with Yichen.
Bai Jiu never left his side and stayed by him all the time ‘It feels like you’re my son Ah Jiu’ he thought to himself and took a sip of tea. ‘Yuanzhou would be delighted with you Ah Jiu, if only he was here’ suddenly feeling sad he decided to go to Bai Jiu and help him organize the goods given to them.
At night, Yichen is sitting in the porch staring at the stars in the sky, when he heard Bai Jiu walk up to him and sit together. “Chen ge, you think-“ his words were cut off, thought it might make him woeful, Yichen turned to him waiting for him to continue what he was going to say. Bai Jiu cleared his throat and decided to finish his sentence “You think- Zhao ge will be still be back?” he asked, head down getting dejected himself for asking that.
Yichen sighed, “Honestly, I don’t know myself.” Bai Jiu turned when he heard him say that “I don’t know if I’m able to bring him back” he sighed again. “Ah Jiu, do you want to see him again too?” Yichen asked eyes not leaving the sky he was looking at.
“Yes” Bai Jiu simply answered “I would like to see him again, even if I don’t admire him as I admire you gege. He was still good to me even when he found out I worked for Chong Wu Camp.” He solemnly added, looking up as well.
“Then, I hope that we see him again” Yichen said smiling. “We won’t need to leave the town, right? Once he comes back.” Bai Jiu asked hopeful “No need to leave, we can stay here for a long time, as long as you want.” Yichen answered, turning to him and smiled before looking up again at the sky.
“I know you like this place better than the past places we have been to.” he added, and it made Bai Jiu happily smile at the thought of living there with Yichen along with Yuanzhou, all three of them.
Staring up at the sky, made Yichen thought how nice it would be if Yuanzhou is with them, though living partly in seclusion and only coming out when needed, it would be nice to be with him again.
And the Mortal World at peace again for a long time, only having problems occasionally but is fixed right away by the Demon Hunting Bureau and other new demon hunting sects formed in the course of time. Having Demon Hunting Bureau to lead the new sects to prevent what happened with Chong Wu Camp again. Though, he is the only person who became a demon after having Bingyi’s blood within him.
Now, it is strictly prohibited for sects to try and obtain inner cores or anything related to making demonized humans again, and other prohibited acts. That if violated is met with punishments that cannot be evaded, even if the one at fault is of a high position.
Yichen would have occasional dreams of having Yuanzhou with them and experience a peaceful life together, without having to face what they went through as being descendants of Great Demons Bingyi and Ying Long.
A life where they just do leisure stuff all day and occasionally go down the mountain. A life with no responsibilities and expectations from people around. A life where he could just be leave in peace with Bai Jiu, and possibly Yuanzhou.
“Zhou ge!” Bai Jiu immediately turned to see Ying Lei “Ying ge!” he happily call out, Ying Lei start walk up to where Bai Jiu was seated reading a new medical book from the town “Chen ge is in his room, resting.” Ying Lei sits beside him and peak at what he was reading.
“Did something happen?” Ying Lei asked wondering why Yichen is in his room at this early hour. “Chen ge stayed up late last night, to watch the stars again.” Bai Jiu explained while his eyes are not leaving the book he was reading. Ying Lei sighed “He must really long to see Yuanzhou again.” Remembering the times where he himself witnessed the times where Yichen would sit alone to watch the stars and stay up almost whole night, and only sleep once morning comes and his tiredness takes over.
“It’s hard when I see him whenever that happens. It’s like waiting for Yuanzhou to arrive anytime. Even his body gets too tired sometimes that he end up resting for a day or two.” Ying Lei breaths deep and pity sits right there for Yichen who’s still hoping Yuanzhou to comeback and not leave again. “Even I’m still hoping for Zhao ge to comeback” hearing that made Ying Lei turn to him “Chen ge said it’s alright if I won’t want to leave here even if Zhao ge comes back.” he added.
“Me too” Ying Lei agreed “It would be nice to have him back here again. I actually miss to see the two of them bicker again like a couple.” they both lightly smiled at that recalling the times where they would just bicker and it would end Yuanzhou shutting up with a just a glare from Yichen.
Yichen, hearing that, sighed ‘Yuanzhou, even they want to see you again. Will you let me see you again?’ he asked himself. And went to the courtyard to sit and have tea. “We’ll do a lot of things together.” Yichen unconsciously said out loud pouring himself some tea then opening a book to read. “I just want to see you again.”
After Ying Lei’s visit to Yichen and Bai Jiu he decided to see Wen Xiao and Sijing as well. “He does that once in a while” Wen Xiao said after hearing what Ying lei say about knowing that Yichen did it again, as if waiting for Yuanzhou to suddenly appear in front of him. They’re no longer surprised to hear that, but always make them feel in pain as well, as if feeling what Yichen is also going through within him, waiting for Yuanzhou.
“It will happen again in a while, at least he had a good rest after staying all night watching stars.” Pei Sijing said, Wen Xiao and Ying Lei agreeing, while also agreeing to visit them the next time Ying Lei goes to see them again.
“Chen ge, do you want some snacks?” Bai Jiu asks Yichen as he sit beside him at the courtyard, Yichen smiled “Of course” Bai Jiu then placed a bowl with a mix of different kinds of snacks given to them from the townspeople. “Gege, are you going to watch the stars again?” Bai Jiu asks, Yichen shook his head and said “No, I’m going to rest after.” Bai Jiu felt the hint of sadness and longing in Yichen’s voice when he said that.
“How about you? You should rest early. You’re still a kid.” Yichen spoke “Chen ge” Bai Jiu whines “I’m not a kid anymore” he complains, Yichen still call and treat him as a kid sometimes, “Well, for me you are. I’m still older than you.” Yichen teases him “Besides you were only fourteen when you turned into a demon.” he added recalling the day he placed the inner core inside Bai Jiu. On instinct, Bai Jiu touched his abdomen “I’m really glad you let me become a demon Chen ge.” Bai Jiu suddenly says.
With that Yichen turns to him “Why is that?” he ask “Because I could stay with you and wait for Zhao ge to return.” Bai Jiu answers smiling at him, then he scoots over to him and hugs Yichen “Thank you Chen ge.” he emotionally says, it made Yichen smile and lightly pat his head “I’m also glad that you chose to stay with me Ah Jiu. Thank you.” Bai Jiu separates from Yichen and brightly smiles at him, Yichen smiles back at him.
‘This is the kind of life we could have if you were here.’ Yichen says to himself as if telling that to Yuanzhou . ‘A peaceful quiet life with you and Ah Jiu would be nice’ he adds as they both stare up the sky and retreat to their rooms and take their rest tonight.
“Sleep well Ah Jiu” Yichen calls out to Bai Jiu before he get in his room for the night, Bai Jiu turned to him “You too Chen ge” Bai Jiu answer to him smiling before closing the door to his room. Yichen goes to his own room to rest as well. Lying down “Give me the chance to see you again Yuanzhou” he lowly said with a tired and sleepy voice before closing his eyes to finally sleep.
And while he finally sleeps, he doesn’t know that his pleas has finally been heard and will soon see the person he’s been longing to see again after all these years of living as demon. His dreams will no longer be just dreams of being with him again. He will no longer have to occasionally stare up at the sky just to watch the stars along all night in hopes of him appearing in front of him again. His longing will finally be gone.