"Hmmm, we should try dreamscape next."

"Would it be alright for Shizun to let me through his dreamscape?" Bingge asked worriedly, because he honestly don't know what to expect with Shen Qingqiu's memories with Bingmei.

"Mn. You have my consent, don't worry about it."

It's not really a matter of consent that I'm worried about, but more so what I will see and how I'll feel about it. The stallion protagonist thought, but didn't say a word.

They laid together back at the bamboo house on the same bed. Bingge kept his distance but his Shizun was very laidback and kept coming closer, not noticing how uncomfortable his disciple is by his side. Shen Qingqiu yawned and stretched his arms. "What a rough day, dates are fun but they're really draining. I guess this is the best way to end it, we can do this again next month to earn more points. I had more ideas on what to do to earn cool points for tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it."

"Uh-huh." Bingge answered, distracted by the fact that Shen Qingqiu's arms are wrapped around him.

His Shizun turned to him, his hair slightly rising from the action and falling softly back down. His eyes are half-closed and teary from the yawn, making them shine like a thousand stars. "What about you?"

"What about me?" Bingge was only paying attention to these details and the melody of Shen Qingqiu's voice, but not what he's saying.

"I'm asking how you feel about the date." His Shizun chuckled, with a hint of tiredness but still bright and airy. "Is my disciple even paying attention to what I said?"

"Yes! Of course, Shizun, I--" Bingge cleared his throat, breaking out from his reverie. He tried to sound as emotionless as possible. "I enjoyed it as well, it wasn't bad."

"Not bad? We earned thousands of cool points today bro, and I even got chummy with you and called you a friend. Be more grateful for this day, we totally lucked out!" Shen Qingqiu raised a fist to the air. "Ah, there's just too many excitement packed in one day. I for one would say it's a great date! It was awesome!"

"Really?" Bingge asked, trying not to sound glad his Shizun thinks that way.

"Really! Ah, but I'm also really tired." Shen Qingqiu rest his head on Bingge's shoulder and closed his eyes. "Let's go to sleep, Bing-gege. Start up your dreamscape magic."

Bingge was surprised by the closeness and knew for sure there's no way he can fall asleep in this position. He tried to calm himself by saying Shizun is his friend now, so he shouldn't think too much about it and just go to sleep. But it still took him 15 minutes before he can force himself to got to the world of dreams.

****

"What took you so long?" His Shizun smiled at him once he entered the dreamscape. "Look, this is the scene it started with, have you seen this scene before?"

Bingge stepped closer beside him and watched the two figures on the distance. "That's when Shizun is making Luo Binghe run ten laps, correct? I've seen it on Luo Binghe's dreamscape before."

"Yeah. Isn't the Young Binghe so cute?" Shen Qingqiu grinned while fanning himself. "He's your typical baby protagonist, before he debuted as a powerful hero. So silly and naive."

I don't know about naive, it's obvious that the kid is falling on Shizun on purpose. Bingge thought but didn't say a word about it.

"It's good that this is the first scene we see---"

"Shizun." Bingge noticed something.

"What's wrong?"

"Isn't that..." Bingge pointed at the bamboos on the distance. A figure stood, also watching the scene of the young disciple running laps with his master. A few blocks away, another figure is walking towards the man, a burning mark on his forehead.

Shen Qingqiu's heart stood still. "Ah, shit! It's THAT memory."

"Why is there another pair of Shizun and Luo Binghe?"

"Because the memory happened in a dreamscape. It's a dreamscape within a dreamscape." Shen Qingqiu covered his face with his palm. "Goddamit, there's so many versions of us. Let's just find another memory."

"Why?" Before Shen Qingqiu could stop him, Bingge watched the two figures again exactly at the same time their bodies intertwine and 'Luo Binghe' kisses his Shizun passionately.

Bingge: "......"

Shen Qingqiu: "....."

Bingge: "Okay, I'll go change it then..."

*****

The mood went awfully awkward, but before the two can say anything about it, they were thrown into a very intense action scene.

"Is that... Luo Binghe and Shizun fighting?" Bingge took in the scenario as the two clashed swords on the roof of a tall building.

("Luo Binghe, come here. We should settle things today."

"Settle things? How do you want to settle things? Shizun, can you and I still settle things cleanly by now?")

"Ah... this is the memory of my first death." Shizun said calmly beside Bingge.

(Shen Qingqiu said sincerely, "As matters stand, I have nothing much to say. As expected, even if every trick is used, it is difficult to disobey destiny."

Luo Binghe sneered, "Destiny? What's destiny? Is it allowing a four-year-old child to be bullied and humiliated without anyone lending a helping hand? Is it letting an innocent old woman die from anger and starvation?"

With every sentence, he took a step closer aggressively. "Or is it letting me fight with a dog over a scrap of food? Or is it allowing the person who I wholeheartedly, genuinely admired to deceive me, abandon me, betray me, and personally push me down into a place worse than purgatory?!"

He said, "Shizun, look. Am I strong enough the way I am now? Do you know how I spent those three years underground? During those three years in that endless abyss, all I did was spend every moment, every second, thinking about Shizun. Thinking about why Shizun would treat me like this, why you wouldn't even give me a chance to explain or beg for mercy. You want me to acknowledge that this is the destiny that the heavens assigned me? I thought about it for so long, and I finally understand now."

In Luo Binghe's smile, there was a hint of savagery. "None of that is important, it's enough if I do what I want to do. Destiny doesn't exist at all, or if it does, then it's something that should be trampled underneath my feet!")

"You know, you and him share the same sentiment. Isn't that what you said earlier before?" Shen Qingqiu watched the scene with his fan over his face, his expression unreadable. "That you don't believe in destiny. Only, your philosophy is more mature and more nuanced than his at this moment."

Bingge stared at his Shizun with a feeling that what he is going to say next will be something meaningful.

"Then again, if destiny doesn't exist, how would I have met you?" Shen Qingqiu was not looking anywhere in particular, his eyes calm and serene. "Maybe it's not that destiny doesn't exist, but that we assumed it wrongly. Because no matter what happens, I think my destiny is with you. You and I, no matter how cheesy it sounds, is destined together."

The stallion protagonist was taken aback by those words.

"It wasn't a matter of who is good or bad. It's just you and I, changing and changing over time, so many versions yet still the same. Maybe that's what the system is trying to show us, maybe not. Who knows? Who can really tell what destiny is?"

As he said this, he watched himself fall from the roof of the building after self-destructing. Bingmei jumped down and cried holding him in his arms. "Look. He's crying now, but we'll be together again eventually. It's like a joke--- no, not a joke, how do I describe it? I've never been good with words lol, I act like I do but half-ass it most of the time. Anyway, it's ironic, isn't it?"

"Yes." For some reason, Bingge felt that the more he get to know this man, with all his wisdom and his faults, the more he wants to stay by his side for all eternity. Is this really what his destiny is? Constantly yearning and pining for this man?

Suddenly, the scene changes without him doing anything.

"Huh?" The two looked at each other, confused.

They can barely see anything, it was pure darkness everywhere. Reflexively, they searched for each other's hands so they won't lose the other. In the middle of the darkness came a voice.

"Ah, is this the end for me now?"

"What a truly fitting end for a scum like me. Luo Binghe delivers his vengeance so swiftly, I didn't even have time to run away."

"What a shame, what a shame. I think, if only things were a little bit different, maybe he and I...."

"Maybe he and I... in another world... in another lifetime..."

"If destiny would allow it... In another life... I wish we'll have a better ending than this."