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San Lang wouldn’t be happy if he heard about this, Xie Lian thinks as he treads ahead in the raging snowstorm, shivering slightly. He’d be so worried if he heard I got in trouble again…
Getting in trouble, in itself, is hardly new to Xie Lian. Few things can faze him anymore after the centuries spent bearing the burden of his bad luck, and his body is desensitised to all kinds of discomfort, pain and suffering.
However, being used to awful things doesn’t make it any less unpleasant to find himself trapped in what seems like a particularly malicious winter storm.
Xie Lian tries to wrap himself in his cloak more warmly. It helps little — the material isn’t exactly meant to be used as winter wear, and the freezing wind is blowing snowflakes around in fierce swirls, somehow finding a way to push through even the smallest gaps in the fabric.
This shortcut really wasn’t my brightest idea. What a foolish old god I am…
Earlier, Xie Lian had been running what was meant to be a simple errand. A mother taking care of her two children alone had prayed for Xie Lian and Hua Cheng’s protection, asking them to help save their house that was on the verge of collapse. Xie Lian, feeling sympathetic for the family in a predicament that he had experienced many times himself, had decided to go and help repair their home personally.
After getting their house fixed, the family had thanked Xie Lian profusely and apologised for not having much to offer as payment. Xie Lian, not having been expecting a payment to begin with, had smiled and waved it off, telling them to pray to him again if something went wrong — although he was quite sure his repairs would last. After all, he had plenty of experience fixing collapsed buildings and broken things.
In a good mood after seeing the shining smiles of gratitude on the kids’ faces, Xie Lian had headed back home. He had spent nearly all of his spiritual energy on spells to make the home repairs a bit easier, so a distance-shortening array was out of the question, but Xie Lian didn’t mind going for a little hike. However, he had decided to take a shortcut, despite being completely unfamiliar with the area he would be passing through.
It didn’t take long before he had realised taking the shortcut had been a very bad idea.
The change from a peaceful winter afternoon into a full-blown snowstorm had been so abrupt, Xie Lian suspects it must be a spell or a curse of some sort — possibly a particularly strong and capricious winter spirit getting mad at an intruder entering its territory.
That would make sense, Xie Lian thinks as he looks around. The area is quite desolate; such a spirit would have had plenty of room to grow stronger and absorb the spiritual energy of lesser ghosts or creatures roaming around. Xie Lian’s suspicions grow even stronger as he tries to reach out to Hua Cheng through their shared spiritual array, but realises he cannot even feel the array. It’s as if something malicious is blocking off all spiritual communication.
Well, that rules out any kind of teleportation as well, Xie Lian thinks dejectedly as he continues to trek through the whirling flurry of snowflakes, trying to keep up his pace to warm himself up.
A tiny sliver of hope lights up inside him as he spots a man-made shape among the snowfall — it’s a building, small in size but looking sturdy enough to provide some shelter from the storm. As Xie Lian approaches, he realises it seems to be a shrine.
A sigh of relief falls from Xie Lian’s lips as he finds the shrine’s door open and steps inside. Unfortunately, his relief is short-lived: the shrine has obviously been abandoned ages ago, as everything is covered in dust and spiderwebs that are just as deserted as the shrine itself, having frozen over in the merciless weather.
However, it’s the only temporary shelter Xie Lian has, so he retreats to the back of the building to stay as far from the doorway as possible.
Wrapping his robes around himself as warmly as he can, Xie Lian sits down to lean against the shrine’s wall. He considers trying to light up a fire using a spell, but whatever meagre amount of spiritual energy he still has left is nowhere near enough. His reserves weren’t fully topped up even when he left, and he wasted most of the remaining qi with his fruitless attempts to reach his and Hua Cheng’s array.
No choice but to wait it out, Xie Lian thinks. Hopefully the spirit will eventually shift somewhere else and take the worst of the storm with it, so that I can find my way out of its sphere of influence.
The wall behind Xie Lian’s back and the floor underneath him are not only rough and hard, but also quite literally stone cold. Xie Lian loses all sense of time as the chilly air surrounds him, seeping deep into his body as if there was neither a robe nor a cloak shielding him from the winter’s freezing grip at all.
He tries to distract himself with thoughts of home, of Hua Cheng’s embrace, of gentle spring days… but soon enough, his mind starts going hazy. The pleasant thoughts get pushed aside one by one, and eventually, all he knows is cold. Bone-freezing, merciless cold, his limbs growing weak and stiff until he can barely hold onto his cloak to wrap it around himself anymore.
The winter ghost is relentless; perhaps it is attempting to absorb Xie Lian’s powers as well, thinking he is just another creature intruding its turf — something to be dealt with in the same straightforward manner as countless others before him.
Moments pass. Time loses all meaning. Not only is there no warmth, warmth does not exist. Xie Lian can’t remember how it feels to be warm. Ruoye is shivering inside his robe; apparently whatever malicious being has cast the snowstorm spell is powerful enough to chill down even a strong spiritual weapon made of silk.
Xie Lian shivers until he shudders. He shudders until he is so rigid with cold his muscles lock up. Eventually, he falls into a half-slumber, his godly status unable to prevent him from slipping at the edge of consciousness when his body is drained of warmth.
San Lang…? Xie Lian catches himself calling out again, to no avail. San Lang… can you hear… please, help…
His eyes sting with tears. One slips free and runs down his face, its path unbearably hot against his chilled cheek.
San Lang, I… I want to see you.
San Lang, please…
It’s — it’s so cold. Won’t you… come and hold me…?
Ruoye, sensing its master’s distress, slithers out from inside Xie Lian’s robes. The silk band’s movement is enough to pull Xie Lian back into awareness for a few moments; he tries to speak, but his face is stiff with cold. Ruoye brushes against his cheek and strokes his chilly skin as if trying to warm him up, but it’s so cold even Ruoye’s movements are sluggish and torturously slow.
“Ruo…ye”, Xie Lian manages to whisper as Ruoye gently wipes the tear away from his face. “St…stay in m… robe. Stay… warm…”
Another tear threatens to fall, and it’s hard to even open his eyes anymore; Xie Lian realises his eyelashes are starting to freeze together. For some reason, it makes his heart ache for Hua Cheng all the more.
What if San Lang comes… what if he appears and I can’t even open my eyes to see him…
It’s nothing new for Xie Lian to miss Hua Cheng’s embrace and touch. However, it’s so much worse now; all alone, trapped in a merciless nightmare threatening to sap every bit of warmth still clinging to his body, Xie Lian wishes more than ever he could feel his husband’s loving arms holding him.
San Lang, help… please, help…
Xie Lian isn’t sure if he whispered the words aloud, or just spoke them in his mind, or if there’s still some part of him stubbornly trying to reach his and Hua Cheng’s shared communication array. His thoughts are getting hazy, and he isn’t sure if he is terrified or relieved to let go of his awareness.
After what might have been half an incense time or an entire day, Xie Lian awakens to the realisation someone is in the shrine with him.
His heart leaps. Someone is at the door, someone is watching over him, and he can feel them. It’s someone warm, someone safe, someone beloved —
Struggling to open his eyes, Xie Lian lets out a pathetic little whine, the sound getting stuck in his dry throat. His vision is blurry, but he can make out the slender, tall shape clad in a brilliant red robe, so beautiful against the white snowstorm raging beyond the shrine’s door.
San Lang… San Lang! Xie Lian manages to whine, frustrated at how weak his voice is. He still can’t see properly, but he can sense, he can sense his beloved walking closer; San Lang is going to save him, he’s going to hold him, at long last he—
Xie Lian jolts awake and opens his eyes, this time for real.
The shrine is empty. The wind outside is howling.
The realisation falls over him like a heavy cloak of snow, and his chest tightens painfully.
Ruoye is completely motionless, the moisture of Xie Lian’s tears having frozen its weakened body. The poor silk lies crumpled in a stiff coil on Xie Lian’s shoulder, Xie Lian’s only company having succumbed to the icy spell.
Xie Lian closes his eyes again.
———— ❄️ ————
“…ge?”
“…”
“……ge….Gege”
Xie Lian’s sluggish mind takes several moments to parse together what he is hearing.
“Gege, are you okay!”
It’s… such a lovely voice. Beloved, irreplaceable. The voice he has missed more than anything. San Lang —
And yet, Xie Lian knows it’s not real.
His heart is still raw with the memory of the previous time his mind conjured Hua Cheng in a pitiful attempt of comforting himself. He knows Hua Cheng won’t find him. He knows this Hua Cheng isn’t real. He’s just a wonderful memory woven of Xie Lian’s helpless love and longing.
“Gege. Gege, please. Open your eyes.”
The voice is closer now. Clearer.
Xie Lian still refuses to open his eyes. He isn’t sure if he can bear losing Hua Cheng again.
“N…no”, Xie Lian manages to mumble. “Don’t.”
“Gege, what are you —”
“Don’t, don’t, no”, Xie Lian pleads. A part of him wants the hallucination to go on forever, but another part knows that the longer he has to listen to his imaginary husband, the more pain it will bring to wake up.
He startles in surprise, his distressed thoughts scattering as something touches him. Gentle arms wrap around him. A faint source of warmth hovers somewhere close to his face.
“Gege, beloved, it’s me. It’s your San Lang… I won’t let anything harm you. Don’t worry, I’ll get you out of here.”
The soft wave of warmth moves closer still. Even through his closed eyelids, Xie Lian can make out a glowing light right next to him. The warmth seeps into the side of his face, stinging the sensitive, frostbitten skin. It is unbearable, but not because of the pain — because of how much colder it makes the rest of Xie Lian’s body feel in comparison.
There is moisture clinging to Xie Lian’s eyelashes again, and he isn’t sure if it’s thawing ice or tears.
He opens his eyes.
“Gege? Gege, how do you feel?”
Hua Cheng’s handsome, beautiful, lovely face is just a few cun away from Xie Lian’s own. He looks even paler than usually in the bleak light of the abandoned shrine; there is a worried crease between his eyebrows, his dark eye fixed on Xie Lian as he calls out to his beloved.
“San… Lang…”
“Ssh, gege, it’s all right. You’ll be okay. We’ll get you home and warmed up right away.” Hua Cheng lets go of Xie Lian for a moment and takes off the winter cloak he is wearing on top of his red robes. With deft and protective hands, he wraps it around Xie Lian, before enclosing him in the safety of his embrace again.
Stiffly, Xie Lian turns his head. He finds the source of the warmth and light next to him — it’s a ghost butterfly, but instead of the pleasant chilliness that usually surrounds those little spirits, it radiates gentle heat. It quickly subsides the stinging pain on Xie Lian’s face, too, and to Xie Lian’s relief, Ruoye also stirs upon feeling the sudden warmth.
Hua Cheng is warm, as well. His body feels even warmer than it tends to get during their most intimate embraces; he holds Xie Lian against his chest with firm gentleness.
“Are you”, Xie Lian whispers, brokenly, “are you… real…?”
He hears a pained, soft intake of breath. “Of course, gege”, Hua Cheng promises. “I’m here. I won’t leave you. We’ll check you for injuries and then go home immediately.”
Hua Cheng holds Xie Lian closer, whispering sweet reassurances in his ear and kissing his cheek. He is the warmest thing Xie Lian has ever felt, his arms the most steadfast barrier against every fear and threat. There is a low rattling sound nearby, one Xie Lian quickly recognises as E’ming vibrating in his scabbard, as if the scimitar is eager to get out to protect Xie Lian as well.
More spirit butterflies appear around them, each glowing that soft, strangely warm light. Their warmth is as gentle and loving as Hua Cheng’s whispers as they surround Xie Lian, slowly warming up his stiff body and hovering next to him, apparently making sure there are no serious injuries.
After a while, Hua Cheng stands up, still cradling Xie Lian in his arms. Xie Lian curls up instinctively; even with the butterflies and Hua Cheng’s cloak shielding him, the tiniest draft of air caused by the movement brings a fresh wave of chills and tremors to his body.
“I would teleport you home in a heartbeat”, Hua Cheng murmurs, tightening his hold around Xie Lian, “but I would need to forcibly break through the isolating curse around the area, and I don’t want to risk harming you with the impact. So, we’ll walk away until it’s safe enough.” He presses a kiss on Xie Lian’s forehead. “And don’t worry… I’ll make sure to come back later and give that trash spirit what it deserves after tormenting you like this.”
Outside, it’s — as expected — even colder than within the walls of the small shrine. Xie Lian gasps weakly as the sharp wind bites into his body, each gust mercilessly tugging at his robes and hair wherever they stick out even slightly from underneath Hua Cheng’s cloak.
However, Xie Lian ignores the cold and the discomfort, focusing solely on Hua Cheng’s arms carrying him to safety. Despite the winter spirit’s best efforts, its malice isn’t even nearly strong enough to pierce the shield of Hua Cheng’s devotion; Xie Lian curls up in his arms, seeking the warmth of his embrace. The ghost butterflies flutter around Xie Lian, and their gentle glow repels most of the whirling snowflakes.
Hua Cheng walks steadily, his gait firm and confident, just like all those years ago when he led Xie Lian through a forest of bloody corpses. Xie Lian soon dozes off into a half-slumber, and doesn’t awaken until he vaguely senses the qi around them shift.
“We’re out of the curse’s sphere of influence”, Hua Cheng murmurs. “Let’s go home, gege.”
A burst of potent spiritual energy surrounds them, and the next thing Xie Lian knows is that they are back in Paradise Manor’s courtyard. Hua Cheng heads to the large main doors, which swing open on their own as he approaches; as he steps through the doorway, blissful warmth rushes to surround Xie Lian.
Xie Lian thinks he could sob out of sheer relief.
Without further ado, Hua Cheng takes them to the bathing chambers. Blearily, Xie Lian lifts his head to look around, and is met with the sight of a large tub full of warm, gently steaming water. The steam smells heavenly; a soft, floral scent spreads in the room, sending sweet tendrils of warmth into Xie Lian’s lungs and replacing the sharp bite of frigid, dry air he was laboriously breathing just moments ago.
“Here, gege. The bath is ready for you”, Hua Cheng says, slowly easing Xie Lian to rest on the floor. “Let me help you with your robes.”
“Oh…” Xie Lian gasps as Hua Cheng starts to undress him; he is still so chilled to the bone that even the warm air of the bathing chamber is enough to make him shudder.
“Hang in there just a moment more. The bath will help you warm up.”
As Hua Cheng pulls aside Xie Lian’s robe, Ruoye peeks out from underneath the damp fabric. The silk seems to be well on its way to regaining its energy as it looks around the room, but its curious observation is interrupted by a loud, familiar rattling.
“E’ming, be quiet”, Hua Cheng says; and indeed, E’ming is making noise again. Ignoring his master’s order, he rattles even louder. Ruoye perks up with delight at hearing the sound, and Xie Lian can’t hold back a tired smile.
“San Lang… please let him out”, he asks softly. “E’ming has been very good… and I think Ruoye wants to see him, too.”
“All right, gege”, Hua Cheng grumbles. “You’ll spoil that unruly blade rotten.” He unsheathes E’ming, who has opened his eye big and bright, as if unable to hold back his excitement of seeing Xie Lian. After confirming that Xie Lian is safe, E’ming turns his gaze to Ruoye, making a chirping noise.
“Go on, Ruoye, E’ming must have been worried about you”, Xie Lian says. Upon hearing his encouragement, Ruoye unwraps itself from Xie Lian and slides to E’ming instead, coiling itself around the scimitar. E’ming’s eye squints into a happy smile, and Ruoye gently pats his hilt.
As the spiritual weapons settle to rest beside the tub, enjoying their hug of reunion, Hua Cheng continues disrobing Xie Lian. He makes quick work of it — admittedly, he has plenty of experience in that particular task — and grabs Xie Lian’s hand to help him step into the bath.
Xie Lian sighs as he sits down in the tub, slowly, to let himself adjust to the sudden heat; he can tell the water isn’t even that hot, but to his chilled body, the temperature is only barely tolerable. The water reaches up to his shoulders, wrapping him in its toasty embrace.
“I kept the water mildly warm for now”, Hua Cheng says, as if guessing his thoughts, “to not shock your body too much. We can heat it up more when you get used to it.”
“Thank you, San Lang”, Xie Lian says, his gaze finding Hua Cheng’s. The ghost king still looks worried, but the hint of concern is overshadowed by the endless determination he always displays when he is taking care of his beloved.
Xie Lian aches with how much he loves him.
“San Lang”, Xie Lian murmurs. He covers Hua Cheng’s hand on the edge of the tub and lets their fingers entwine. “Wouldn’t you… bathe with me? I… I really need to feel you close…”
Hua Cheng smiles. “Of course, gege. I’d love nothing more.”
In no time, Hua Cheng gets rid of his own robes as well and steps into the tub. It’s large enough to easily fit them both, but they still press close to each other, Hua Cheng squeezing Xie Lian against his chest as soon as they’re both settled comfortably.
“I’ll warm up the water”, Hua Cheng murmurs, pressing kisses on Xie Lian’s bare shoulder and damp hair. “We need to make gege forget all about what that cursed spirit put him through.”
Xie Lian smiles, for the first time in what feels like forever. “I’ve already forgotten”, he says. “San Lang spoils me so much, it’s impossible to remember whatever bad things might have happened earlier…”
For a while, they lose themselves in each other’s warmth, sharing countless sweet caresses and kisses. Unlike many of their shared baths, there is nothing suggestive about their embraces today; both of them are only yearning to relish in the simple comfort of relief and safety.
Slowly but surely, Xie Lian’s body warms up. A wonderfully sleepy feeling starts seeping into him as he is held and pampered by his husband in the water’s ever-warm embrace; Hua Cheng is clearly keeping the water heated up with a spell. Soon, Xie Lian’s eyelids start to droop as Hua Cheng keeps pressing kisses on his shoulders, his face, and his hair.
“San Lang, I’m going to fall asleep on you”, he mumbles, his head already resting heavily on Hua Cheng’s chest.
Hua Cheng gives a quiet laugh. “I wouldn’t mind”, he says, “and I’d make sure you’d rest safely, for as long as you wanted. But if gege wants to sleep, I think it’s more comfortable if we move to the bedroom.”
———— ❄️ ————
A sigh of utter contentment escapes Xie Lian’s lips as he leans back on the mountain of pillows Hua Cheng has piled behind him. Although their bath time is over, Hua Cheng’s pampering did not end there; he brings Xie Lian hot tea and a whole plate of buns before sitting down beside him and leaning close to caress his face and stroke his hair. They’re both clad in thin inner robes after the bath, adding to the comfortable atmosphere.
Xie Lian smiles. He feels a little more awake after getting out of the bath, and Hua Cheng’s promise of a nice, warm meal energised him even further — after all, he hasn’t eaten since leaving for his mission.
It seems that Ruoye has recovered quite well from the ordeal in the snowstorm as well. It’s affectionately wrapped around E’ming as the two lie cuddling at the foot of the large bed; the sight of them brings a smile to Xie Lian’s face.
“Gege, I was so worried”, Hua Cheng says, pulling Xie Lian’s attention from the snuggly spiritual weapons. “I should have found you sooner.”
Xie Lian sets down his teacup and reaches out to touch Hua Cheng’s face. “You found me, and that’s what matters”, he says gently. “And we’re safe now.”
Hua Cheng takes Xie Lian’s hand and clasps it between his own. “I still wish I had called out to you earlier. I instantly knew something was wrong when I couldn’t feel our connection.” He sighs, furrowing his brows. “Thankfully, I could locate you with the red string.”
Xie Lian’s heart aches. “As expected”, he murmurs. “San Lang’s spell on the string is far stronger than any winter spirit running amok.”
“That spirit will get what’s coming to it”, Hua Cheng says, a vicious look flashing in his eye. “As soon as gege feels better, I’m going back there to find it. I’ll disperse that wretched thing so thoroughly it won’t be able to conjure a single snowflake ever again.”
“I’m sure it will be no match for San Lang”, Xie Lian says, “but… that can wait, don’t you think?” He smiles shyly, shifting ever so slightly to the side to make space on the bed. “I miss my husband’s embrace, wouldn’t you indulge me?”
A slow, utterly pleased smile spreads on Hua Cheng’s face, and he nods. “If gege so wishes”, he says, and without wasting another moment, joins Xie Lian on the bed.
Xie Lian sighs happily as Hua Cheng scoots closer under the covers and wraps his arms around Xie Lian. Just like in the bath earlier, the ghost king’s embrace is warm and full of comfort; truly the safest place in all three realms.
“Sleep, gege, if you want. You should rest”, Hua Cheng murmurs, with a gentle kiss on Xie Lian’s forehead. “I’ll be here, keeping you warm.”
“Mm… San Lang… thank you.” For everything.
It takes mere moments before Xie Lian starts dozing off again, tired after the long day, but also so wonderfully at ease.
Surrounded in Hua Cheng’s warmth, Xie Lian realises he doesn’t remember how it feels to be cold.