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...So, that All the Shen Siblings Transmigrate AU? I wrote the Qijiu reconciliation in that universe. It's 1800 words long so I'm gonna read more most of it.

 Yue Qingyuan woke in the dead of night and found himself unable to move from the neck down. A shadowy figure was leaving his room.  He would be more concerned about this if he didn’t recognize the toddler the shadowy figure had left sitting on his chest.

“Shen Meishan,” he greeted her. “It’s nice to see you.”

Meimei giggled at him. 

“Clearly your brothers are up to something,” he said. “Do you know what?”

Meimei answered, but she was unfortunately in that stage of babyhood where most of what she said was babbling, and he did not possess her brothers’ talent for interpreting her. He thought he caught the word ‘gege’ but that wasn’t much help.

“I see,” he said. At least his training in diplomacy had taught him what to do when someone was talking nonsense.

Meimei nodded solemnly, then reached out and poked his nose.

“Ding!” she said.

“Oh fascinating,” Yue Qingyuan said.  “I didn’t know it did that.”

Meimei giggled again.

It had likely been the eldest Shen who had paralyzed him.  Qian Cao doctors could do a lot with their acupuncture needles- though he wouldn’t put it past Shen Yuan to have found a plant or artifact that had the same effect.

He could hear a scuffle coming his way, so he’d find out soon enough.

The door to his room opened and he watched Shen Qingqiu be wrestled into the room by his brothers.

“Shen Qingqiu,” he greeted. He didn’t get a response but that was understandable, Shen Qingqiu was busy.

“Shen Xuan,” he continued his greetings.  Technically it was Chen Xuan, but the eldest Shen had stopped protesting the name change months ago.

“Zhangmen-shixiong,” Shen Xuan replied calmly. Like he didn’t have his brother in a headlock, and as if he couldn’t feel Xiao Jiu biting his arm.

“Shen Yuan,” Yue Qingyuan concluded.

His disciple winced but then put on the same serene mask his siblings often wore and said, “Shizun.”

Surprisingly Luo Binghe wasn’t present.  Shen Yuan’s ever present shadow was not welcome at whatever this was… that actually made Yue Qingyuan a little nervous.

Shen Yuan deliberately tripped Shen Jiu, allowing Shen Xuan to manhandle him down onto the bed beside Yue Qingyuan.

Meimei giggled at the ‘thump’ they made hitting the bed.

“I’m glad you think this is funny,” Shen Jiu snapped at her with less than a quarter of his usual venom.

Shen Jiu was face down on the bed; Shen Xuan seated himself on his back while Shen Yuan sat on his legs. Shen Xuan also pinned Shen Jiu’s wrists.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he snarled at full venom.

“We’re here to ask Qi-ge some questions.” Shen Xuan said. 

The ‘Qi-ge’ made his heart freeze. Oh.  That’s what this was about. 

Xiao Jiu went wild, nearly succeeding in bucking his siblings off him before he seemed to surrender completely.

“He isn’t going to fucking say anything.” Shen Jiu said. “He never fucking does.”

“Well we’re gonna sit here until he does,” Shen Yuan piped up.  “We have co-conspirators, you won’t be missed for some time Shizun.”

Ah, that’s where Luo Binghe was, possibly Mu Qingfang was in on this as well. If that was the case he could truly go unmissed for at least a day or so before anyone got suspicious and came looking.

“Now,” Shen Xuan said. “Why didn’t you come back for Shen Jiu like you promised?”

The familiar omnipresent guilt washed over him, but the audience didn’t change his response.

“I am very sorry for what I’ve done,” he said.

Having four Shens glare at him was a new experience- much more oppressive than just one.

Meimei crawled off his chest and went to sit in Shen Yuan’s lap.

“See?” Shen Jiu said. “This is fucking pointless.”

Yue Qingyuan had not met Chen Xuan before he became Shen Xuan. The eldest Shen had always seemed like a calm, level-headed, and sweet man to him.  Now he watched the man get quietly furious just as Xiao Jiu did, before his face shifted into the cold calculating look Yue Qingyuan saw most often on Xiao Jiu or Shen Yuan.

Shen Xuan looked down at Shen Jiu. “I’m sorry didi.” He said, and bent to kiss Shen Jiu’s temple.

Shen Jiu couldn’t turn his head more than it was, but he clearly wanted to, squirming to try to get a better look at his older brother.  “What are you going to do?” he asked.

Shen Xuan ignored him and locked eyes with Yue Qingyuan.

“He thinks you hate him you know,” Shen Xuan said. “He thinks you never intended to come back for him and that you threw him away like trash. Is he right?”

Yue Qingyuan was thunderstruck, that couldn’t be right- surely Xiao Jiu knew how much he adored him. He couldn’t-

Xiao Jiu let out a stifled sob. Yue Qingyuan tried for the first time since waking to move- but he couldn’t.  The other Shen siblings on the other hand moved immediately. Both Shen Jiu’s brothers got off him, Shen Xuan pulling Shen Jiu up into a seated position to hug him.  Shen Yuan and Meimei scooting over to hug him from the other side, sandwiching Xiao Jiu in the middle of his siblings.  Xiao Jiu hid his face in Shen Yuan’s hair for a moment before looking over at Yue Qingyuan.

“Just say it already,” Shen Jiu said-begged.  His eyes were wet. “Just say you hate me so we can stop fucking pretending.”

“Xiao Jiu is my favorite person in the world. I could never hate him.” Yue Qingyuan heard himself say.

Had Xiao Jiu truly thought this the whole time? Was that why he was so angry? Not because he was mad at him for being an idiot, but because he thought Yue Qingyuan was pretending not to hate him? 

But of course that was why, he realized. His own agitation made qi surge between himself and Xuan Su on its stand across the room.  After all Xiao Jiu had no idea how stupid his Qi-ge had been.

“You left me,” Xiao Jiu snapped. “And you never came back. What was I supposed to think?”

What indeed? What had the expected Xiao Jiu to do? He’d been so young when they parted, and so sensitive to any rejection.  Of course he’s thought Yue Qingyuan had abandoned him.  He really was tremendously stupid.

“I did come back,” Yue Qingyuan said. Explaining was like ripping his own heart out of his chest, like being alone in those caves again- but he’d endured it once for Xiao Jiu, he would do it again. “I was too late.”

“What?”

“I spent a week digging through the smoldering ruins of Qiu manor before my Shizun came and dragged me back to the sect. I thought you were dead.  Seeing you alive at the Immortal Alliance Conference was the best day of my life.”

Xiao Jiu’s eyes were wide as saucers, his whole face a picture of shock. 

“Gege let him up,’ he said eventually.

Shen Xuan stopped hugging him just long enough to remove the acupuncture needles from Yue Qingyuan’s neck.

He had the strangest sensation of something crawling all over him for a moment, but he ignored it in favor of sitting up so he could look Xiao Jiu in the eyes.

“Why did you take so long?” he asked.

Yue Qingyuan grimaced, but Xiao Jiu deserved to know.

“Qi-ge did something very foolish,” he said.

“He always does when I’m not there to keep an eye on him.” Xiao Jiu countered. “He’s simply an idiot I fear.”

The affection in those insults was a balm on his soul. He took a deep breath and spilled his guts.

“I was going to come for you as soon as I got my spiritual sword.  I trained as hard as I could as fast as I could- but when I went to pull my sword… I thought I needed the best sword, the strongest, to save Xiao Jiu.”

“Xuan Su didn’t pick me, I forced the bond.”

All three Shen brothers gasped. Adorably, a beat later Meimei did as well.

“Can you do that?” Shen Yuan asked.

“Only if you want to literally explode.” Shen Xuan told him.

“How are you alive?” he asked Yue Qingyuan.

“I was a good enough match the sword didn’t immediately kill me- and then my Shizun bound my soul to Xuan Su’s qi.  The process kept me alive, but Xuan Su remade my spiritual veins and bones to suit its needs- I was essentially qi deviating the entire time it was happening.”

“How long was that?” Xiao Jiu asked.

“A year. They sealed me in a chamber in the Ling Xi caves so I didn’t hurt anyone.”

“Except yourself!” Xiao Jiu hissed. “The chamber with the bloodstains…”

“Yes.” Yue Qingyuan said, eyes dropping. “I came for you the moment they let me out- but it was too late.”

Warm arms embraced him, he looked up to find Xiao Jiu hugging him, and glaring more.

“You absolute fucking idiot!” he snapped.  “Why the fuck would you need a giant fucking sword to come fly me away?”

“This one is lost without his Xiao Jiu.”

“Clearly you half-wit!”

“You never draw your sword,” Shen Xuan said.  He was clearly herding the youngest two Shens toward the door.

“When I do it burns through my own life-force.” Yue Qingyuan explained.

Xiao Jiu’s arms tightened around him.  If he was lucky they would leave bruises.

“Does Mu Qingfang know?” Shen Xuan asked.

“Before tonight he was the only other person still on this plane besides me who knew.”

Shen Xuan nodded.

“Shen Yuan,” Xiao Jiu said suddenly. “Do not tell that little beast about this.”

Shen Yuan nodded and left, holding Meimei.  Shen Xuan was right behind them.

Once they were gone Yue Qingyuan said. “He’s absolutely going to tell Luo Binghe.”

“I know.” Xiao Jiu grumbled. “I’ll threaten the brat into silence later.”

He eyed Yue Qingyuan. “I’m still mad at you,” he said. He had not let go of Yue Qingyuan yet.

“I deserve all the anger you want to give me,” Yue Qingyuan said. “I failed to save you, and then I let you suffer while I wallowed in self pity and shame.”

Xiao Jiu slapped him hard. “And you nearly killed yourself you stupid piece of shit!”

Yue Qingyuan was still stunned from the slap when Xiao Jiu kissed him hard, biting his lip until it bled.  He was only just able to kiss back before Xiao Jiu pulled away.

He had Yue Qingyuan’s blood on his teeth as he spoke. “You aren’t allowed to die- do you understand?” He shoved Yue Qingyuan down on to his back and climbed on top of him. “I forbid it!”

“Of course, whatever Xiao Jiu wants.”

Xiao Jiu huffed and bent over him.

“Good,”” he snapped and bit Yue Qingyuan’s mouth again. “Don’t you forget!”

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Two months after Shen Jiu joins the sect he's finally forced to go get a full medical exam. It's remarkably tolerable- but they keep asking if he has any siblings and don't seem to be taking 'no' for an answer. Finally he's like "if I do I've never met them!" And fuck if the healers don't bring in an older boy with Shen Jiu's exact same face.

Chen Xuan is an inner disciple specializing in spiritual veins. He's from a middle class merchant family, but admits he doesn't look much like either of his parents.

Eventually they take a magical DNA test and yep, they are brothers.

Both of them are like, "this doesn't really change anything, I don't know you."

But they meet for tea frequently, and eventually after they become genuine friends Chen Xuan coaxes Shen Jiu to let him work on his spiritual veins. (Shen Jiu might start going to hide in his brother's room when he can't sleep but they never talk about that.)

Life goes on and not much is different until one year disciple selection gets Real Weird. Shen Qingqiu is just trying to snipe a promising kid from Liu Qingge - but then Ming Fan is like, "Shizun that other little boy bit me when I tried to separate them"

That other little boy, is of course Shen Yuan, who has his same face again. SQQ hadn't noticed him at first, he kept his head down. He's mentally cursing his slut-dad when Yue Qingyuan steps in and scoops up both boys despite his protests. (He noticed the mini Shen immediately)

Chen Xuan tells him later they do indeed have a new didi, just one thank the gods. If SQQ was related to both those little brats he'd kill someone.

He doesn't see either boy often but Shen Yuan has it out for him for some reason. He'll feel eyes on him and turn and there's that little street rat, glaring at him.

Again life goes on, once the boy's a little more settled he's invited to the brotherly tea meet ups. He and Shen Qingqiu reluctantly become fond of each other. (Chen Xuan's plan worked perfectly.)

Until Shen Yuan comes back from his first night hunt and crashes tea with a little baby girl. (Also Binghe comes too.)

SQQ rightfully asks why SY stole a baby and SY informs then that 1) the demon they killed had her in a sack so she was free not stolen and 2) "It's Meimei."

The two older men have sudden violent flashbacks to their past lives as Shen Yuan's Da-ge and Er-ge. Shen Yuan, of course has always remembered. After they recover from the shock they do another magical DNA test. The baby is definitely Meimei.

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Shen Qingqiu on a mission with his disciples when they run into someone so Rude it makes SQQ flashback to his forum posting days.

SQQ: Babies, cover your ears Shizun is going to be mean.

Disciples: *pretend to cover their ears*

SQQ: *snaps fan shut* You listen here you festering cesspool-

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AU of this AU where Yue Qi started making a replacement body to put SJ's soul into when he thought SJ was dead

This time he went the plant body route- maybe even using the canon mushrooms- and has like, a toddler sized body that looks like SJ growing under his floorboards.

SJ is like WTF we have to get rid of it you stupid dumb weirdo! During his rant though he pokes the body- which was waiting for his soul to inhabit it and at the touch 'wakes up' early.

So now they have a plant baby to figure out- it seems to just be developing it's own personality in the absence of SJ's soul.

SJ is Team Dump It Somewhere. But YQ can't- it looks so much like SJ! He can't be mean to it! So he goes to his Shizun like, "btw I have a little brother can I bring him here?" And his Shizun like "yeah sure whatever."

The problem of course is that YQ leaves to 'go get his brother' and comes back with a toddler who looks just like SJ.

So everyone is like, "that's just you and SJ's lovechild isn't it?"

Which they both vehemently deny but like, Yue Yuan isn't looking any less like SJ the older he gets...

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Brand new Head Disciple Shen Jiu decides to do some breaking and entering to make sure he hasn't gotten rusty and decides that since Head Disciple Yue Qi is out on a mission- and is a coward who won't turn him in even if he catches him- he's the best target.

He's not actually going to steal anything- though if he found like, a diary containing all Yue Qi's thoughts and feelings he'd definitely read it.

He doesn't find a diary though (that's a whole separate AU idea) instead he finds- barely hidden at all!- a ton of demonic cultivation manuals and items that indicate Disciple Yue is trying really hard to bring someone back from the dead.

(There's also a bunch of really detailed drawings of Shen Jiu's face but that's a secondary issue.)

Yue Qi comes back from his mission to find Shen Jiu in his room going through his necromancy supplies.

Shen Jiu: 1) You need to hide all this better how am I supposed to blackmail you about it if you don't even hide it? 2) What the fuck are you up to???

Yue Qi: Xiao Jiu is right, this worthless one forgot to get rid of these supplies when he found out Xiao Jiu wasn't dead.

Shen Jiu: You thought I was dead and you were going to make me a weird meat puppet about it?? Wait...when did you think I was dead?

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Stolen from reddit where it wasn't being properly appreciated

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Day 3: Devotion

It’s in the little things 💝

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Day 1: celebrity au

Shang Qinghua fanboying over actor MBJ playing a role as an icy demon king

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she was seriously worried that the city would get rid of the grafitti before she could take a picture with it

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I love it when the same character honorifics are basically used as a barometer for an evolving relationship over the course of a story.

"...Princess" (Derogatory)

"Princess." (You have disproven several of my previous assumptions but I'm still guarded and critical.)

"Princess," (Mildly impressed but still snarky)

"Princess," (I am coming to terms with how much your office has demanded of you and am finally considering you an equal)

"Princess," (I genuinely respect you, your office, and how much you have grown beyond it since we have met.)

"Princess." (Uh oh I've started catching feelings and am now using your title to remind both you and myself of the distance between us.)

"PRINCESS!" (You are in danger and I am now utterly devoted AND DOWN SO BAD.)

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Hello Lovelies,

I work for a small business, and it's always treated us a little shady- no benefits, no breaks (our state doesn't require them), non compete within 45 miles, our contract says we can't discuss wages (we do anyway), kind of gross working conditions, but this new thing takes the cake.

We no longer have a time clock so we write down our times in and out, not a big deal until my manager left the timesheets out a few weeks ago. I looked as mine was on top and I wanted to calculate how much my check would be for budgeting. *Note this happened 2 paychecks in a row where the papers were left out on the communal desk and mine was on top so anyone could see.

I noticed that if I came in at say 12:50 the shift would be rounded up to 1pm, there were some that might be rounded down but instead of say putting all the odd amounts on the side and adding them up- that extra 5 here, 7 there. They just weren't added anywhere. I'm already being underpaid because "they don't have the budget" which isn't accurate they've just made some dumb spending mistakes, and we don't have HR or a finance department to take this to. It's all through the manager and the boss who I'm pretty sure knows. I'm wondering if there's any recourse other than quitting (I've been trying) because technically I was never supposed to see those papers because they're supposed to be filed in a locked cabinet immediately upon completion.?

I'm afraid if I mention it I'll get my hours reduced because they don't "fire" you so they don't have to pay unemployment.

The most common form of theft in the United States is wage theft.

Yes, you absolutely need to be searching for a new job to get out of this hell hole. But in the meantime, you need to get paid for your stolen labor. I recommend you get in touch with your state's department of labor to get connected with resources for recovering stolen wages.

But before you do that, start taking a picture of your time sheet every time you sign in and out. You need proof of the discrepancy before you can take any action.

Oh, and not for nothing but it's illegal for employers to enforce salary secrecy among coworkers. Here's more:

“Independent Contractor” My Ass: How to Stop Wage Theft Through Worker Misclassification 

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