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He didn’t know what to expect - Hua Cheng himself was a handful of surprises, so he really was surprised when Hua Cheng uncovered his eyes, (right after he kissed behind Xie Lian’s ear, making him giggle), and he could finally see a kitchen right in front of him. A kitchen. 

“San Lang,” Xie Lian gasped, turning around to look at Hua Cheng. The Ghost King smiled at him and placed both hands on Xie Lian’s waist, bringing him close. 

“Your Highness was complaining about the kitchen at Qiandeng Temple,” Hua Cheng explained and Xie Lian could only feel his smile growing fonder. “So I thought I could do a little something for him right here in Paradise Manor,” he said and Xie Lian giggled again when Hua Cheng lowered his head to kiss the warmth of his neck.   

It was true that he was complaining a little, earlier that same day, about how tiny and unequipped the kitchen at his temple was, but he never expected that when Hua Cheng said he had some things to do and that he’d be gone for a couple of hours, he was going to actually build a whole kitchen just because he was not happy with the other one!

But, after all this time, he should learn that Hua Cheng would even give his life away just for Xie Lian’s happiness… he didn’t like that thought that much, so brushing it out of his head, he tiptoed and pressed a tender kiss to Hua Cheng’s lips.

However, he had learned that a simple kiss was enough to thank Hua Cheng for everything he did for Xie Lian.

“So this was where you were, hmm?“ Hua Cheng nodded, a bright smile on his lips as he leaned down to steal another kiss from Xie Lian’s lips. "Thank you, San Lang.”

“You don’t have to thank me, Gege. Do you like it?” Xie Lian nodded, turning around to look at the kitchen again and only noticing then that there were pumpkins right on top of a table. 

“What- what’s that?”

“Ah! Hehe, look! I even got everything to make some pumpkin pie! We can immediately make good use of our new kitchen.“ Hua Cheng flashed him this very sweet and gentle smile.

“I thought we could make it together,” he added, and he held up two matching aprons for them to wear. For a moment Xie Lian gaped at him, feeling overwhelmed with love and fondness. And then… A random thought snuck into his mind- causing a sudden laughing fit. 

“San Lahahang!” he laughed, holding his stomach from the sudden burst of laughter. Hua Cheng blinked and cocked his head, putting down the aprons again.

“…Is it too much? I can understand if Gege laughs at me,” he said with a defeated smile, hitting Xie Lian hard in his guilty feelings.

“No - hehehe no San Lang, I swehear! Just- hahang on!” Hua Cheng waited patiently until Xie Lian was finished laughing. He took a deep breath so he could calm down at last and explain.

“It’s just… Seeing you like this, everytime you keep surprising me. And then I had this thought of, well, you know.. Even now, your reputation!” he explained. 

“Like, I know in the common world there are so many rumors about you, I’d say even creepy ghost stories. They make up the weirdest things, well actually, even some Gods tell scary tales of Crimson Rain Sought Flower,” he explained. Luckily Hua Cheng didn’t seem offended, just happy and intrigued.

“Scary stories such as, Gege? Do tell me, please. Meanwhile, would you mind?” He politely held up the apron after putting on his own, and Xie Lian quickly stood before him and turned.

“N-no please, go ahead,” he shyly said with a blush, and he allowed Hua Cheng to lean close to put the apron on him. While he did, he tried to think of some of the stories.

“Well, one story goes like.. There’s this couple on earth, haunted by the Ghost King. They claimed he, I mean you, you were haunting them at night. They would lie frozen in their bed as they heard the door, and sounds of him emptying their storages. They were terrified to go out of bed, but every once in a while he would come like this, and in the morning they’d find a mess on their floor. I don’t think it’s that scary at all since the Ghost King in this story was probably just hungry and clearing out the storages, or maybe bullying the couple for some reason.”

Hua Cheng nodded slowly but continued listening, so Xie Lian resumed, “But they swore every night after he raided the storage, he’d leave a mark which was why they were sure they were being haunted by the Ghost King. People at first didn’t believe them and thought they were just insane, until they could really prove it, and the entire village got scared and I believe even now they are praying every night to not get a visit from the Ghost King!”

“It is not that scary,” Hua Cheng said, seemingly unimpressed. Xie Lian raised his eyebrows. “I know right? But I got another one!”

“They also say that there was this Daozhang,” Xie Lian started, leaning his hip against the table. “And this Daozhang was extremely hated by the Ghost King. They say it was because when the Ghost King was a child, he approached the Daozhang, asking for something to eat, but, instead of helping that poor child, he grabbed a stick and started to hit the kid with it; they say he even threw rocks to at him!”

Xie Lian said and he smiled softly when he saw Hua Cheng raising his eyebrow and listening to his story. 

“So when that child became the Ghost King, he came for the Daozhang and unleashed the worst of lucks on him, he convinced the villagers to stop hiring the Daozhang’s services; he even took his cultivation and sanity, making the Daozhang kill himself!”

Xie Lian rolled his eyes fondly when Hua Cheng gasped dramatically, but he continued. 

“The villagers say that they sometimes hear ghostly whispers saying ‘The Ghost King’, 'The Ghost… King. He’ll kill me. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” Xie lian said with a ghost-like voice, making Hua Cheng laugh.

“But… Here you are! Being my lovely husband, ready to make pumpkin pie with me,” Xie Lian said as he spread his arms, genuinely admiring his domestic relationship with the infamous Ghost King. Hua Cheng chuckled and welcomed himself in Xie Lian’s open arms. 

“Of course, Gege. The most delicious pumpkin pie we shall make,” he said as he grabbed Xie Lian’s shoulders, turned him around to face the kitchen counter and he kissed his cheek fondly. His hands slid down to squeeze his hips lovingly.

“Heheh, but San Lang. In these creepy stories they describe you as such a scary and evil ghost, but you are not like that at all!” Xie Lian said.

“Hm no?” Hua Cheng kissed his cheek again. “But I can be.” 

Xie Lian frowned and he turned his head around to look at Hua Cheng, the Ghost King was smiling brightly and he pressed his nose against Xie Lian’s. 

“You cannot,” Xie Lian said, lifting one hand to cup His Cheng’s cheek. “You are not…  what they say you are.”

No one had ever taken the chance to know Hua Cheng as best as Xie Lian knew him: kind and always worried about Xie Lian’s well being. Xie Lian knew Hua Cheng didn’t mean harm, he was reliable and gentle and sweet… Xie Lian couldn’t believe Hua Cheng could do such things. Impossible!

“But I am, Gege,” Hua Cheng repeats with a wide smile. “I do remember His Highness yelling how mean I was when I was tickling him last night, was he not?”

Xie Lian widened his eyes, suddenly too conscious about Hua Cheng’s hands against his hips. 

“That’s- that’s not- ah! Wait! Wahahahait!” Loud laughter bloomed out his mouth as Hua Cheng started squeezing his hips. Xie Lian wiggled and tried to push Hua Cheng’s hands away. “N-Not fahahair!”

“Not fair? How?” Hua Cheng said teasingly. Xie Lian had thought it was going to be a quick laugh and then on to some cake baking. But it was not. His body already started to feel heavy as Hua Cheng’s fingers continued to squeeze his hips, occasionally moving up to his sides and back down.

“San Lahahang! Now’s not the tihihime!” he laughed, throwing his head back, only to have Hua Cheng kiss his exposed neck.

“It is always a good time to hear His Highness laugh,” Hua Cheng said fondly as he placed ticklish kisses in Xie Lian’s neck while his hands continued to wander. His wiggling fingers found their way up his sides once more and started to poke lightly at his ribs. Xie Lian mewled and weakly squirmed in his embrace.

“Nooo~!” he whined and blushed when Hua Cheng purred against the shell of his ear.

“I might not stop until Gege admits that I am mean,” Hua Cheng teased, his light poking turning into claws, vibrating against Xie Lian’s lower ribs. 

“I cahahahan’t!” Xie Lian squeaked, trying to break free from his lover’s embrace as loud laughter made his body shake everytime Hua Cheng clawed at his lower ribs. 

“You can’t stand it or you can’t admit it?” Hua Cheng asked before nuzzling his face against the side of Xie Lian’s neck, angling his head so he could nibble at that tender spot right under Xie Lian’s jaw.

“B-Bohohoth!” He squeaked. “N-Nohohot thahahat!” He said as bubbly laughter escaped his mouth, feeling the nibbles against his neck.

Xie Lian giggled, laughed and squealed in delight as Hua Cheng’s expert fingers abused every single weak spot around his neck and rib cage. He stomped his feet and tried to push those arms around his torso, succeeding as soon as Hua Cheng started to massage Xie Lian’s highest ribs. 

“Ah, Gege!” Hua Cheng gasped and Xie Lian only giggled as he ran away from him, circling the table where the things for the pie had been abandoned, and using it as an obstacle between his thirsty Ghost King and his super ticklish body.

“S-Sahahan Lahahang! We- We were supposed to make that pie!” Xie Lian tried to convince Hua Cheng, but his husband only smirked even more and Xie Lian squeaked. 

“Oh, Gege, that pie will have to wait, because this Ghost King will catch you and show you how mean he can be,” he said, lifting his hand in little claw motions and wiggling his fingers. 

Xie Lian squeaked again and he immediately turned around, running out of the kitchen. He did not get very far, though in all honesty, he wasn’t really going that fast either. Soon he could feel Hua Cheng’s arms circle around him from behind, and his legs instantly gave in. Sliding to the floor, Xie Lian squealed when Hua Cheng followed him down and gleefully tickled him with rapid fingers all over his arms and torso. The apron did not offer even a little bit of protection - he was vulnerable and as ticklish as ever.

“GEeehehehee San Lahahang!” Xie Lian laughed, rolling and writhing to avoid the tickling to no avail. Hua Cheng merely chuckled and continued to attack him with playful pokes and scribbles.

“Am I not a mean and evil Ghost King, Gege? Look what I’m doing~!” Hua Cheng said playfully, and Xie Lian squeaked when those rapid fingers went from his underarms all the way down to his thighs and gave the most ticklish squeezes he could feel.

“Nohoho!” He could feel very well what Hua Cheng was doing. But mean? He was not going to admit it! Never! 

“Aahahaahh!” Xie Lian’s laughter continued, and Hua Cheng’s tickling continued until his voice started to sound hoarse and his struggling decreased. 

“You really are not going to give in?” Hua Cheng sounded surprised. Xie Lian only giggled and shook his head defiantly. At times, he would quickly beg his tickle monster husband for mercy. But not today. Not when begging for mercy actually meant having to admit to his beloved being an evil ghost. 

“Ah, you are too good to me. I guess that makes you win, Gege,” Hua Cheng said with a smile on his face, and finally ceased the tickling. Sitting back, he gently caressed Xie Lian’s body that still recovered from the sudden bursts of laughter. 

Xie Lian went boneless as soon as those fingers stopped tickling him, his face was flushed and little giggles kept bubbling out of his mouth as he tried to regain his breath.

“Gege,” Hua Cheng whispered and Xie Lian looked up at him just as he was gently cupping one of Xie Lian’s hands between his own. Xie Lian hummed in response, a happy, warm smile pulling at his lips. 

“Gege, do you really think I’m not mean?” Hua Cheng asked, lifting Xie Lian’s hand and placing it against his cheek.

Xie Lian’s heart clenched, “San Lang,” he whispered back, sitting up and cupping Hua Cheng’s other cheek. “Of course I do think so!” Xie Lian said, pressing his forehead against Hua Cheng’s.

“You are always so gentle, so considerate.” He was just like a child, a little naughty, but so full of love for the people… the person he loved the most. Hua Cheng chuckled softly, but he then smirked a little, seemingly preparing to say something.

“Then I am afraid I have one more surprise,” he said, and Xie Lian cocked his head.

“Yes?” he asked.

“Those ghost stories you just told me. They are actually true. I did that, I am the evil ghost that scares people,” he said. Xie Lian didn’t even gasp or widen his eyes. He simply smiled and without hesitation, he continued to cup his lover’s cheeks, and he kissed him lovingly on his lips.

“Then I am sure you had a good reason, didn’t you? You can tell me all about it while we make that pumpkin pie.” 

Xie Lian could see the relief going through Hua Cheng’s features and Xie Lian understood that, even when he tries to be so playful about it, Hua Cheng was worried that Xie Lian could feel fear of him at knowing about his past. 

But Xie Lian could never feel fear, because Hua Cheng knew all of Xie Lian’s scary stories of his own and Hua Cheng still accepted and loved him fully and tenderly and unconditionally. 

Xie Lian smiled warmly, caressing Hua Cheng’s cheekbones, his Ghost King melting under the attention. 

Hua Cheng smiled playfully again, this time a little less tense. “Yes, but I don’t promise this mean Ghost King will stop tickling His Highness,"  he said, gently squeezing Xie Lian’s waist, making him jump and giggle brightly.

"Okay, okahahay!” Hua Cheng chuckled and he stopped. “Then I don’t make any promises this humble god will not tickle back this mean Ghost King,” Xie Lian said and Hua Cheng could only widen his eye for a second before closing it at feeling Xie Lian’s hands wrapping around his hips and squeezing them gently.

Xie Lian’s heart skipped a beat as he heard that beautiful, loud and clear laughter escaping from Hua Cheng’s mouth, filling the kitchen and Xie Lian’s heart. 

“Fihihine,” Hua Cheng giggled softly as Xie Lian stopped his brief assault. “Then, I hope his Highness doesn’t mind listening to my version of those stories.”

“I am so ready to listen to them. All of them, because your version is the only truth for me,” Xie Lian said and he was engulfed into a warm and tight hug. 

They did manage to work on their pie, (thankfully Hua Cheng was there to control everything out), and the smell of it cooking in that lovely oven and the warmth of the wonderful tea they were having and the coldness of Hua Cheng’s fingers sneaking inside Xie Lian’s clothes, trying to draw out more laughter and maybe some other sweet sounds, made Xie Lian think that Hua Cheng could destroy the whole world if he wanted to, he could destroy heaven and hell and even the human world. 

And it wouldn’t matter, because Xie Lian would always be by his side: loving him warmly and tenderly and accepting all of his faults and virtues until his last breath.