The boy came to UCR_1669321_QH with the night shuttle. This was significant only because the ID he showed to Auntie Huaifeng on paperwork duty is clearly fake, and he didn’t leave with the next shuttle outbound—he wandered further into the belly of the station instead, asking about work. Auntie Huaifeng reports this all to Mingjue through the comm right from her rickety booth overlooking the station shuttleport in gleeful, cracking bursts.

Nie Mingjue's mustache deserves to be classed as a spiritual tool. Or 5+1 times someone appreciated Nie Mingjue's facial hair for Reasons.

Nie Huaisang hates, hates, hates paperwork. Life would be so much better if only Meng Yao (now officially recognized as Jin Guangyao) were available to do it for him...but unfortunately, his brother never did end up swearing brotherhood with him, which means that Nie Huaisang has no basis to go ask him for help. If only there were another position available where Jin Guangyao could just run the Nie sect – (in which Nie Huaisang decides to matchmake his brother and Jin Guangyao together for his own selfish reasons)

As a twisted gift for the sworn brotherhood of Nie Mingjue, Lan Xichen and Jin Guangyao, Jin Guangshan slips heat triggering poison into his son’s tea. It has the opposite effect than he hopes, and instead of isolating Jin Guangyao from his sworn brothers, it deepens their bonds, making Jin Guangyao finally decide on whose side his loyalty lays.

Meng Yao had finally achieved the pinnacle of power: he was the viceroy of Emperor Wen Ruohan, who conquered the cultivation world years ago - the Nie sect heirs having disappeared without a trace, the Jin compromised, the Lan crushed, the Jiang destroyed - and the Emperor had left him in complete charge in his absence. Unfortunately, complete charge meant a complete headache. How was he supposed to get anything done when everyone else was scheming against him all the time? He needed help, and good help was so hard to find. "Hold this," he said to a passing guard - something of a giant, with a tall frame, strong back, and broad shoulders, and handsome features to boot; just Meng Yao’s type. "It’s not that difficult. I only need your arms, not your brain, so just – do it. Whatever your name is!” “A-Jue,” the guard said. “I mostly get called A-Jue.”

Mingjue hadn't even realised Meng Yao still had her number when she texts to invite herself over at eleven o'clock at night.

He knew the instant the flowers went away.

What did the nice, attractive man from the grocery store ever do to you, cat? Let Mingjue live, this date had been going so well.... -- Modern NieYao, cat!Baxia, and a bit of a rocky 4th date that has more blood in it than Mingjue anticipated