Funny / Qian Qiu

Shen Qiao never knew peace and quiet again since the day he knew Yan Wushi.

Sect Leader Shen felt utterly exhausted, both mind and body.

— Chapter 35

What else is to be expected when the protagonist is a Silent Snarker and the deuteragonist is The Gadfly who loves exasperating the former to no end?

---

Main Story

Introductory Arc

• After Yan Wushi and Yu Shengyan rescue Shen Qiao, Yan Wushi expresses interest in the possibility of corrupting Shen Qiao's morals. When Yu Shengyan worries that the injuries to Shen Qiao's head might have turned him into an idiot, Yan Wushi replies that if that's the case, he can bury Shen Qiao alive whenever he'd like. It's the complete nonchalance in his tone that sells it.
  • In the audio drama, when Yan Wushi makes the aforementioned remark, Yu Shengyan internally expresses relief that Shen Qiao only lost his memories and not his intelligence.
• As Shen Qiao wakes up, asking where and who he was, Yu Shengyan lies and says he's a disciple of the Huanyue Sect. He then can't help himself as he also claims to be the older man's shixiong, and Shen Qiao just plays along with it.

Funing District

• In the donghua Shen Qiao's business as a palm reader gets shown more, with Yan Wushi actually showing up and grabbing the other's wrist. This leads into the two hand fighting for a good few seconds before Yan Wushi beats Shen Qiao again, who tries to ignore the other by straightening out the flag near him. There's a lot more touching on Yan Wushi's side than absolutely necessary.
  • Then a passerby stops, notes how skinny Shen Qiao is and throws him a copper coin out of pity.

On the Run

• After dueling with Yan Wushi, Shen Qiao's injuries cause him to inadvertently cough blood on Yan Wushi's clothes, much to the latter's indignation. The novel even points out that killing intent flashed in Yan Wushi's eyes, and the audio drama has him exclaim an outraged "You...!"

Xuandu Mountain

• In the donghua, Yan Wushi gives Yu Ai a Bitch Slap via a small qi blast for having the cheek to call Shen Qiao "A-Qiao" despite betraying him. Sure, Yu Ai may have had it coming, but the moment is still so unexpected that it becomes hilarious.
  • This even becomes funny in the meta sense; if you play Episode 6 on the WeTV app, you can type "A-Qiao" in the comments. Do this, and a chibi version of Yan Wushi will crop up on the screen and hit you.
• The donghua also has Yan Wushi insult Yu Ai via wordplay, leading to Shen Qiao gasping in shock at how brutal Yan Wushi is metaphorically eviscerating Yu Ai's pride, or what's left of it. Keep in mind that Shen Qiao has suffered all kinds of insults thrown at his face, and all the time, he reacts with a stone-faced expression. Yet Yan Wushi's retort is scathing enough to have him feel scandalized on someone else's behalf.
• Yet another donghua-original moment, when Tan Yuanchun enters the picture and Yan Wushi sees that Shen Qiao still has plenty more to talk about with his martial brothers, he jumps away and perches on a building nearby to watch the conversation unfold. But not thirty seconds later, he openly dishes out some snarky commentary in a manner similar to an audience booing a terrible show. The sheer tone in his words just drips with the expression of "Oh, please!"
  Yan Wushi: Oh, what boring nonsense! [Yu Ai] just stole the position of sect leader when the real sect leader went missing. Don't sugarcoat it and make it sound like something honorable.
• Yu Ai's reaction when Yan Wushi takes Shen Qiao away from Xuandu Mountain? "That shameless bastard!" — which is also what many a fan tends to think of Yan Wushi every now and then.

En Route to Chang'an

• Yan Wushi starting to strictly refer to Shen Qiao as "A-Qiao". While he doesn't show it, the other is less than pleased.
  Shen Qiao: (internally) Who's your A-Qiao?
• Shen Qiao pauses for a moment at a drink Yan Wushi is offering him. Yan Wushi notices his hesitance and threatens Shen Qiao with something he saw at brothels called "lip-cup", saying that he's willing to feed him mouth-to-mouth if he wants. Shen Qiao is so appalled at the suggestion that he starts coughing out of anger, with an amused Yan Wushi laughing at his reaction.
• While eating at a local restaurant, someone approaches Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi and offers money to borrow Shen Qiao for some time, mistaking him to be Yan Wushi's boytoy due to his beautiful and youthful looks. Yan Wushi encourages Shen Qiao to play along so they can win some fast money, but Shen Qiao immediately clarifies that he's not a boytoy, and Yan Wushi can't help but tease him for it.
  Yan Wushi: A-Qiao, you're not cute at all. We could have had that twenty gold, but now it's gone.
• After Shen Qiao wins in his duel against Xie Xiang, Yan Wushi insists to bridal-carry Shen Qiao back to the inn, and he threatens to feed the latter mouth-to-mouth later if he continues resisting. Shen Qiao is left speechless once again at how shameless Yan Wushi is.
  Sometimes, [Shen Qiao] really felt that Yan Wushi would be better as a rogue or a gangster than as a sect master.
• In an attempt to address Yan Wushi in a respectful manner, Huo Xijing refers to other man as "grand elder". But he ends up accidentally pressing Yan Wushi's Berserk Button.
  "Grand elder? Am I that old?" Yan Wushi replied nonchalantly. There was a smile-like expression on his face.
• When Yuan Xiuxiu pays Yan Wushi a visit in an attempt to make a deal with him, Yan Wushi's first words to her after not meeting her for ten years shows that he has his way with women.
  Yuan Xiuxiu: We haven't seen each other for ten years, do you really not wish to talk to me?
  Yan Wushi: There's something I want to tell you since long ago.
  Yuan Xiuxiu: Go ahead, Yan-lang.
  Yan Wushi: If you want to dress up like a fairy, then don't put on such a licentious look. It may work with other men, but it only makes me sick. It would be better if you can cover your face too next time so as to not spoil my appetite.
  Bian Yanmei: ......
  Shen Qiao: ......
  Yuan Xiuxiu: ......
• When Yan Wushi tells Bian Yanmei about Shen Qiao, he explains why the latter is so weak and frail, with his interesting choice of words giving his disciple the wrong idea.
  Yan Wushi: Besides, since I force him to stay busy (read: spar and fight) with me every night and he doesn't get enough sleep, it's natural for him to be somewhat tired during the day.

Birthday Banquet at Su Manor

• While telling Shen Qiao about the Su family, Yan Wushi can't resist the urge to try and play with Shen Qiao's hands. Shen Qiao sees this coming and quickly hides his hands in his sleeves, much to Yan Wushi's chagrin.
  Yan Wushi: [clicks tongue] I offered you food and a place to live and provided you with so much information, yet you are so stingy that you won't even let me touch your hand.
  Shen Qiao: There are countless beauties within the residence who would be more than willing to come up and serve you if Yan-zongzhu lets them.
  Yan Wushi: [laughs] A-Qiao, you're such a boring person!
  • For an extra dose of humor, Shen Qiao initially put his hands behind his back, but put his hands back at the front midway as he realized that it made him look too childish.

Escort Mission to Southern Chen

• The circumstances behind Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi's First Kiss, which ends with Shen Qiao passing out from shock and rage.

The Coiling Dragon Conference

• In the donghua, when Shen Qiao arrives right on time to save Yan Wushi, this exchange happens, and considering what happened between them the last time they talked...
  Yan Wushi: [rasping] Your complexion looks a lot better.
  Shen Qiao: (curtly) It's all thanks to you.
  • Better yet? Yan Wushi has no response to that retort and just focuses on recuperating his injuries.

Refuge in Tuyuhun

• Shen Qiao feeding Yan Wushi soup mouth-to-mouth, only because Yan Wushi is unconscious and there's no other way to feed him food at the moment. Banna walks in and predictably misinterprets the situation.

Heading to Weizhou

• The author's notes in Chapter 70, which is one of the first of the many conformations that Yan Wushi gets jealous of himself.
  Xie Ling: Meiren-gege.
  Shen Qiao: Good boy. [pats Xie Ling's head]
  Yan Wushi: A-Qiao. (～￣▽￣)～
  Shen Qiao: (cold and detached) Yan-zongzhu.
  Yan Wushi: (╯'□')╯︵┻━┻”
• While hiding in a cave, Yan Wushi captures some sparrows for food and borrows Shen Qiao's sword to defeather the birds. Shen Qiao does not take to this well.
  Shen Qiao: (furious) What are you doing?!
  Yan Wushi: (genuinely confused) Do you eat sparrows with their feathers on or something?
  Shen Qiao: [nearly coughs up blood out of pure rage] That's the Shan He Tong Bei sword that Shizun gave me!
  Yan Wushi: (unfazed) A-Qiao, what are you getting so anxious over? Careful, you'll cough up blood again. Qi Fengge is practically a god in your eyes, but the man had to eat food too, you know. If he had used his sword to shave or something, you wouldn't even know, would you?
  • Then when they go to sleep that night, Shen Qiao suffers a nightmare where his shizun scolds him for using his sword for such a mundane purpose.
    Qi Fengge: Do you see what else is on here? [shows him Shan He Tong Bei]
    Shen Qiao [sees dark hairs on the sword] Shizun, did you really use the Shan He Tong Bei sword to shave your face?
    Qi Fengge: (outraged) Nonsense!
• Shen Qiao lampshading in his head how Yan Wushi is a living headache for him.
  Yan Wushi: Honestly, what would happen to you if I weren't around?
  Shen Qiao: (thinking) If you weren't around, my days would go a hundred times smoother!
• After Yan Wushi kisses Shen Qiao in his sleep out of jealousy towards Xie Ling, Shen Qiao wakes up and hits the older man to get him off him. Yan Wushi tries to pretend he's Xie Ling, but Shen Qiao doesn't fall for the act since Xie Ling would never call him "A-Qiao" like Yan Wushi just did.
• The next day, Yan Wushi borrows Shen Qiao's sword once again, promising that he won't use it to shave off bird feathers... because this time, he'll use to to scale fish. Shen Qiao is more furious than ever, to the point that he was close to literally stoning Yan Wushi.

Visiting the Bixia Sect

• During a banquet held by the Bixia Sect, Yan Wushi insists on spoon-feeding Shen Qiao and Shen Qiao absolutely refuses to let him, leading to the two exchanging blows. The "match" ends with Yan Wushi locking Shen Qiao's acupoints and force-feeding him fish soup.
• When Shen Qiao demands to know why Yan Wushi keeps on messing with him and insisting that they're friends despite what he said to him before, their exchange eventually leads to this:
  Shen Qiao: The way I see it, your name shouldn't be Yan Wushi.
  Yan Wushi: Then what should I be called?
  Shen Qiao: You should be called Zong Youli ^note  Meaning: "always has a reason" . No matter what, you always have a justification for everything!

Sword Trial Conference

• Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi talk about Hulugu's reappearance in the jianghu and what it could spell for everyone, yet Shen Qiao is unable to fully focus in spite of the serious topic of their conversation, for one reason.
  Shen Qiao: If you want to talk, just talk. Could you not put your hand on my lap? It's completely undignified.
  Yan Wushi: Oh? [pats Shen Qiao's lap a few more times] So this is your lap? I thought it was a pillow. [places a pillow between them and pats it to "prove" his point]
  Shen Qiao: (thinking) How shameless.
• Part of Yan Wushi's Love Confession to Shen Qiao has him declaring how he's so determined to win the other's love that he would even dig him out of Qi Fengge's grave if Shen Qiao ever thought of hiding there to get away from him.

Infiltrating the Imperial Palace

• When Shen Qiao and Bian Yanmei disguise themselves as maids, Bian Yanmei reminds the servants to not make Shen Qiao too beautiful otherwise he might end up catching the emperor's attention. Even then, Shen Qiao still looks eye-catching in spite of the servants' efforts to make him appear plain. Yan Wushi instructs them to make him look more sickly, and even then, Shen Qiao still ends up being noticed by Yuwen Yun.
• Yan Wushi's reaction when he first sees Shen Qiao dressed as a maid? Remark that he has good taste.
• Yan Wushi fighting Xue Ting while wearing a maid's dress the entire time (one that's even mentioned to be a bit tight on him once he unshrinks his bones). It's even lampshaded In-Universe how ridiculous he looks, and it's only because of the circumstances behind his get-up that he doesn't come across as a total fool.
• After the entire matter with Yuwen Yun and Chen Gong is settled, Yan Wushi sees that Shen Qiao has already removed his disguise and dressed back to his normal clothing. Yan Wushi feels disappointed, but he doesn't express it outwardly since he knows that his opinion would end up angering Shen Qiao. At least Yan Wushi is learning to be a bit more tactful towards his beloved.

Battle at Banbu Peak

• Yu Shengyan (and A-Qiao the deer) accidentally walking in on Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi sharing a kiss, earning him a Death Glare from his shizun. He nearly trips on his feet as he steps back and starts running for the hills.
• Shen Qiao doesn't understand the point of gambling and uses his inner qi to read the dice's movements, which worries the dealer and causes him to inform the owner, who politely sees them out. Yan Wushi ends up laughing his ass off as he expresses that he's never been kicked out of a gambling house before.
• The novel's ending. Yes, the novel concludes on a hilarious note. For context, after the fight between Yan Wushi and Hulugu, Shen Qiao rushes to the scene and believes that Yan Wushi has succumbed to his wounds, and breaks down in grief. He begs Yan Wushi to wake up, promising that he'll do anything the other wants of him if he does. Guess what happens next?
  • Downplayed in the audio drama, which manages to keep the scene emotional thanks to some masterful direction and voice-acting.

Novel Extras

Extra 6

• When Yan Wushi suddenly starts acting aloof towards Shen Qiao, Shen Qiao becomes worried and tries to engage in a conversation with Yan Wushi, although he ends up fumbling in his words, resulting in this exchange.
  Shen Qiao: Where are you going?
  Yan Wushi: Say what you want to say first.
  Shen Qiao: There's a large crowd around, it's inconvenient to speak here. Can we go somewhere else?
  Yan Wushi: If you won't say it, then I'll leave. [turns to walk away]
  Shen Qiao: [quickly grabs Yan Wushi's hand] You, you stay! [after an incredibly long pause] Are... Are you well?
  Yan Wushi: ...
  Shen Qiao: Do you... do you like tang ren?
  Yan Wushi: [sneers] Xie Ling likes them!

Extras 7 and 10

• As Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi engage in Their First Time, the inn staff below hears a crashing noise and wonders what's happening. When one of the younger workers asks if he should go check, the manager replies that they shouldn't interfere when cultivators are sparring against each other. As inaccurate as his assumption is, it ended up being a smart idea that they left the two alone.
  • The morning after when Shen Qiao wakes up and remembers what happened the previous night. He's so embarrassed he balls himself underneath the covers and refuses to come out as he tries to dress himself under the blanket. Yan Wushi then tries to call Shen Qiao "Shen-lang" since Shen Qiao only calls him "Yan-lang" in bed, with Shen Qiao yelling he can still call him "A-Qiao".

Extra 8

• When Yan Wushi tries to tease him, child Shen Qiao who only has his memories of that time wonders why Yan Wushi doesn't look that young despite his master telling him about the other. Yan Wushi then snarks that Shen Qiao was complaining about his energy in bed just a few days ago.
  • Yan Wushi looks after child Shen Qiao and he gets him a sweet candy shaped like his shizun because he was missing him. But of course he can't help but tease the other as he bites of its head, leading child Shen Qiao to weep loudly for his shizun. The disapproving look the passerby's give Yan Wushi is enough to make the man feel a bit guilty as he quickly promises to get Shen Qiao another one.

---