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Living with a demon is easy, all things considered. Sure, it still throws Xie Lian off when he returns to his apartment to find a butterfly on his windowsill or a cat on his couch in place of an actual person. And yes, it can be a little unnerving when the aforementioned demon disappears in front of his very eyes or materialises beside him without making a sound. But, overall, living with Hua Cheng is okay.
Hua Cheng is respectful of his personal space. He offers to help clean the apartment when it’s messy, and sometimes he cooks dinner for Xie Lian when he returns home late from work. He’s even managed to fix the leaky tap in the kitchen, which is something that’s been causing problems for Xie Lian for months.
So, living with Hua Cheng is fine. It’s great. Maybe, it’s even perfect.
Taking Hua Cheng to his friends’ wedding, however… Well, that’s a completely different ballgame.
“How do I look, gege?” Hua Cheng asks as he enters the living room, where Xie Lian has been waiting patiently for the last ten minutes. He glances up at his roommate, then has to do a double take.
He’s seen Hua Cheng in countless forms, but most of them consist of various animals. Whenever he’s in his human form, he usually adopts the same, familiar appearance; traditional red robes, silver jewellery, long black hair, and an eyepatch over his right eye. Only on the rare occasions that Xie Lian’s friends visit his apartment does Hua Cheng change into modern clothes, but his appearance remains the same most of the time.
Now is different. His hair is shorter and sits in a high ponytail on his head. His face looks younger and more rounded, and his skin isn’t quite as pale as it normally is. He’s also a little shorter than he is in his true form—though, it’s obvious to Xie Lian even from his spot on the couch that he’s still taller than him. The most notable difference in Hua Cheng’s appearance now, though, is the lack of an eyepatch. In its place, a second eye stares down at him expectantly.
All in all, Hua Cheng still looks handsome in his neatly ironed suit and red tie. Xie Lian doubts he would ever look anything less than breathtaking, no matter what appearance he takes on. This will just take some getting used to, is all.
“You look good,” he finally says. “Though, I think I still prefer your true form.”
Hua Cheng tilts his head, as if this response surprises him in some way. “Really?” he asks. “You don’t think that this is better?”
“Both appearances are great,” he assures. “It’s just— Well, I like seeing the real you.”
“Hm.”
They stare at each other for a few moments, before Xie Lian eventually clears his throat and stands.
“We should get going. I don’t want us to be late.”
“Of course. Sorry for taking so long, gege.”
“No, don’t apologise! It’s fine.” He offers Hua Cheng a reassuring smile as he pats over his pockets to check that he has everything. He finds his keys and wallet, but freezes when he can’t find his phone.
“Are you looking for this?” Hua Cheng asks, holding up the device for Xie Lian to see. He sighs in relief.
“Yes, thank you. You’re an angel, San Lang.”
Hua Cheng snorts. Xie Lian’s eyes widen as he realises what he’s just said.
“I-I mean! Haha, that’s just a figure of speech, San Lang. Of course, I didn’t mean—”
“It’s fine, gege. It’s not like it’s an offence to call someone like me an angel, though it is quite ironic.”
Xie Lian takes his phone from Hua Cheng’s hand with a sheepish smile. “Right. Then, um. Let’s go?”
Hua Cheng nods and starts following him, but something behind him catches Xie Lian’s eye and makes him pause. Hovering in the middle of the room is a gleaming scimitar; an eye set into its hilt stares longingly in their direction.
“Ah. You aren’t bringing E’Ming?”
The scimitar had first appeared in Xie Lian’s apartment a week after Hua Cheng had moved in. Seeing the weapon around had taken some getting used to, at first—Xie Lian hadn’t even known that Hua Cheng owned a weapon, and to have a sharp blade suddenly appear in the middle of his living room at random times throughout the day was a little unnerving. But, after learning E’Ming’s name and history, Xie Lian began to feel only affection for the blade.
“He’s curious about you, but he’s shy,” Hua Cheng told him, after E’Ming had appeared for the third time. “That’s why he keeps showing up, then hiding again. Just ignore him. I’ll tell him to go away if he gets annoying.”
“He’s not annoying! He just needs time to adjust—like a new pet!”
Hua Cheng stared at him incredulously. “Are you… comparing my cursed scimitar to a living, breathing animal?”
“Uh… yes? Should I not?”
“No, it’s fine,” Hua Cheng said. Chuckling, he added, “Actually, it’s cute.”
(That word has been thrown around a lot, ever since Hua Cheng moved in.
“Gege, your room is so cute.”
“Gege, what’s that song you like to sing when you’re cooking? It sounds cute.”
“Ah, gege. This photo of you is so cute.”
And that’s fine. Really, it is. Xie Lian can cope with Hua Cheng thinking that he’s cute. He can cope with warmth in his chest and butterflies in his stomach every time Hua Cheng looks him in the eyes and says that word. He can cope with the blush that never seems to leave his cheeks nowadays, and the emptiness he feels whenever he leaves his apartment and has to spend hours away from his roommate.
He can deal with this silly crush he’s come to realise he now has on Hua Cheng. He can, because what else is there to do?)
More recently, Xie Lian thinks he’s done a decent job of making E’Ming feel comfortable in his home. He’s confident that the two of them have bonded quite well. The scimitar is, however, still a little unsure about Ruoye—Xie Lian’s actual pet, a leucistic ball python he adopted several months ago. Every now and then, he stumbles upon E’Ming watching Ruoye warily through the glass of his tank. He isn’t quite sure when or even if the two of them will become friends.
But, small steps. They’ve already made a lot of progress.
“Gege, correct me if I’m wrong,” Hua Cheng says now, glancing over at E’Ming, “but I believe that bringing weapons to weddings is no longer an acceptable practice.”
“Ah… I guess you’re right.” He meets E’Ming’s gaze, only to find that the scimitar has crept closer and is staring almost pleadingly at him. “It’s just— Won’t he get lonely if we leave him here by himself?”
E’Ming begins to vibrate, as if he wholeheartedly agrees with that sentiment. However, Hua Cheng raises a hand and knocks him to the ground without breaking eye contact with Xie Lian.
“I’m sure that he’ll cope,” he says. Face-down on the ground, E’Ming lies motionlessly as if in despair. Xie Lian makes a mental note to give him lots of attention later to make up for this.
Once they’ve left the apartment, it only takes their taxi around twenty minutes to reach the venue of Feng Xin and Mu Qing’s wedding. Xie Lian spends the journey scrolling through his checklist in the notes app of his phone, making sure that everything has been finalised. Shi Qingxuan is in charge of bringing the rings, Pei Ming will be directing people to their seats, and Yushi Huang will be playing the piano while the grooms walk down the aisle. Lang Ying and Xiao Ying will be handing out confetti, while Guzi is in charge of making sure that his father doesn’t get in the way of anything.
It’s taken a lot of dedicated effort to get to this point—planning any wedding in the span of only a few months is tough, but Xie Lian thinks that they’ve done a pretty great job. They’ve worked out a good system, all in all. Now, all that’s left to do is put everything together and watch his best friends finally get married.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay sitting by yourself while I’m standing up at the altar?” Xie Lian asks.
Hua Cheng offers him a smile. “Of course.”
“And you’ll be okay sitting by yourself at dinner, too?”
“Yes, gege. Don’t worry about me. Besides, we’ll have plenty of time to spend together later.”
He supposes that’s true. Although, he still can’t help but wish that he and Hua Cheng could sit together at least throughout dinner.
They arrive at the venue slightly later than expected; small clusters of guests are already milling around, waiting to be ushered inside and to their seats. Xie Lian greets a few of them as he passes by with Hua Cheng in tow. He senses a few people glancing warily at his companion, whispering to each other and pointing in a way they must think is more subtle than it actually is. He isn’t bothered by the attention, but he glances over his shoulder at Hua Cheng anyway, afraid that he might be affected by it all.
Instead, Hua Cheng’s attention is focused solely on him. He smiles as they make eye contact.
“Is something the matter, gege?”
“No, not at all,” he says, shaking his head. “I’ll have to go check up on Feng Xin and Mu Qing. You’re welcome to accompany me, but if you’d prefer to wait here—”
“I’ll come along,” Hua Cheng says. “You know how much I enjoy catching up with your friends.”
Xie Lian narrows his eyes at him, yet he’s unable to stop himself from laughing a little. He wouldn’t exactly say that Hua Cheng and his friends get along; the demon still finds Feng Xin and Mu Qing rather annoying, and in turn, they’re more than a little distrustful of him. He knows that the three of them force themselves to get along for his sake. While he’s disappointed that they can’t genuinely learn to tolerate each other, he does find their interactions quite entertaining.
He leads Hua Cheng through hallways and past countless doors until they finally reach the room he knows Feng Xin will be getting ready in. He only knocks once; within a few seconds, a frazzled Feng Xin is swinging open the door. Upon seeing Xie Lian waiting there, his shoulders visibly relax.
“Xie Lian! You’re finally here,” he says, smiling in relief. Until, that is, he spots Hua Cheng standing behind Xie Lian. “Oh, you’re here too.”
“San Lang is my plus one,” Xie Lian says. “I’m sure I told you that I’d be bringing him.”
“Hm.” Feng Xin squints up at the demon, assessing him closely as he says, “I don’t seem to recall that conversation.”
Hua Cheng inclines his head and, ignoring Feng Xin’s obvious disapproval, says, “Pleasure to be here.”
“How are you feeling?” Xie Lian asks. “Nervous? Excited?”
Feng Xin snorts. “Cold. Does my tie look okay?”
Xie Lian inspects his tie and frowns, then inches closer to get a better look. He spots the problem a moment later; the tie is hanging just a little too short. He tuts as he reaches out to untie it himself, then carefully completes the process of tying it again. As he does this, Feng Xin shivers.
“It’s definitely getting colder,” he grumbles.
It’s probably just his nerves, Xie Lian decides. He, for one, feels fine.
Once the tie has been adjusted, he steps back and nods with a smile. Feng Xin turns and stares into the mirror. He sighs in relief.
“Thanks. That’s a lot better.”
“It’s not a problem,” Xie Lian says. Then, “If there’s nothing else for now, I’m going to go greet Mu Qing. You sit tight for a while longer.”
“Tell him that I hate him for making me marry him in winter,” Feng Xin grumbles. He shivers again for emphasis. “It’s so fucking cold.”
It really isn’t that cold at all, though, Xie Lian thinks. He glances up at Hua Cheng, who shrugs in faux innocence despite the mischievous glint in his eyes giving him away. Xie Lian doesn’t know whether to feel exasperated or amused, and chooses to lead him out of the room silently.
Once they’re out of earshot, he says quietly, “You’re too cheeky, San Lang.”
Hua Cheng chuckles. “My bad. I’m sorry, gege.”
He isn’t sorry at all, and they both know it.
They arrive at the room Mu Qing is getting ready in a while later, and this time they don’t even need to knock before Mu Qing is throwing the door wide open. His shirt is only half-buttoned and his hair is a mess. There’s a crazed look in his eyes as he says, “Oh, good, you’re here. Can you ask whoever’s in charge here what the deal is with the air conditioning? I think it’s broken—I can't stop fucking sweating.”
Xie Lian looks pointedly at Hua Cheng beside him, who grins. Almost immediately, Mu Qing sighs in relief as a wave of cool air hits them from inside the room.
“Oh, so now it decides to work,” Mu Qing grumbles. “Whatever, come in. How’s A-Xin?”
“He’s fine,” Xie Lian says.
“Is he nervous? Excited?”
Xie Lian laughs. “He’s a little cold.”
Mu Qing rolls his eyes and doesn’t respond. Instead, he spends a few minutes fixing himself up in front of the mirror. Unlike his soon-to-be-husband, his skills at fixing up his tie are impeccable. All that’s left for Xie Lian to do when he’s finished is give him a thumbs-up and a reassuring smile.
“You look great. Don’t be nervous! Everything will be fine.”
“I’m not nervous,” Mu Qing says, shrugging. “I just want to get this over with.”
To anyone else, a comment like that might make it seem as though Mu Qing thinks of his own wedding as a chore. But, Xie Lian has known him for long enough now that he recognises Mu Qing’s tone and choice of words for what they really are: excitement. He’s eager—impatient, even. He wants nothing more than to be standing at the altar already, hand in hand with the love of his life.
Xie Lian smiles at the thought. It’s time they get this show on the road, he decides.
“Just wait a little longer,” he says. “I’ll go out and make sure everything is ready. You’ll be married in no time.”
They leave Mu Qing alone in his room, pacing back and forth in a mixture of excitement and restlessness. Xie Lian can’t help but laugh a little as he leads Hua Cheng back to the main room, where the ceremony will take place.
“What’s funny, gege?”
“Ah, it’s just those two,” he says. He shakes his head fondly. “Back when they first met, they hated each other. They were constantly fighting, and I thought they’d never get along. Look how far they’ve come.”
Hua Cheng grins. “It seems that, against all odds, even polar opposites can fall in love.”
Xie Lian falls silent and glances up at him. The other man stares back at him intently. For some reason, Xie Lian finds himself blushing as he looks away.
“That’s right,” he says quietly. “They can.”
The next few minutes are a blur of greeting friends and making a few last-minute stops around the room to make sure that everything is in order. Hua Cheng wanders off to take his seat as Xie Lian finds his place beside the altar, where he greets Ling Wen politely. Shi Qingxuan approaches the two of them and hands Xie Lian two ring boxes, before returning to their seat; across the room, Xie Lian spots the children handing out boxes of confetti, as arranged. He can only hope that little Guzi is doing a sufficient job of distracting his father somewhere.
Finally, Pei Ming raises his hand in the air, giving Xie Lian a thumbs-up. He takes his seat a second later, leaving Ling Wen and Xie Lian as the only two people standing. Somewhere in the room, a note rings out loudly. Xie Lian glances down at the watch on his wrist to see that the time is exactly eleven a.m.. Right on cue, two doors at the end of the aisle open simultaneously to reveal the grooms.
As soon as they see each other, the two of them smile. They walk to the beginning of the aisle together, then link arms. The room stands, smiling as Feng Xin and Mu Qing begin their journey to the altar.
Music echoes around the room, yet Xie Lian still hears his two friends bickering loud and clear even as they arrive at the altar together. Somehow, it’s rather fitting that they’ve still found time to argue during their wedding; Xie Lian fails to hold back a quiet laugh at the sight.
“—seriously fucking freezing—”
“That’s your problem, not mine—”
“Should’ve had a summer wedding, like I said—”
“Please be seated,” Ling Wen calls, which effectively shuts the two grooms up. Their guests take their seats once more, and Ling Wen clears her throat before continuing. “We are gathered here today to witness the union of Feng Xin and Mu Qing…”
As Ling Wen speaks, Xie Lian finds himself gazing out into the hall. Inexplicably, his eyes are drawn to Hua Cheng sitting two rows from the front. He’s been squeezed in between Shi Qingxuan and Quan Yizhen, the former of whom is already silently wiping away tears while the latter stares unblinkingly at the ceiling. Xie Lian expects Hua Cheng to look bored or, more likely, pissed off; he doesn’t seem to be the sort to tolerate many people, and somehow he’s found himself stuck between two of the most intense people Xie Lian knows.
But Hua Cheng doesn’t look bored at all. He doesn’t even look annoyed.
Instead, Hua Cheng is staring back at him with warmth in his eyes.
Dimly, he registers Ling Wen requesting for the rings to be handed over. Xie Lian tears his attention away from Hua Cheng for only a moment as he passes over the ring boxes. Once satisfied that his work is done, he turns back to find Hua Cheng smiling up at him. It's as if, in those few seconds that Xie Lian's focus was elsewhere, he'd been waiting eagerly for Xie Lian to look back at him again. Now that he's regained Xie Lian's attention, he seems intent on not losing it again. Fortunately for him, Xie Lian is more than happy to give him his attention for as long as possible.
Suddenly, as they continue to stare at each other, it feels like they’re the only people in the entire room. Xie Lian doesn’t even have the mind to feel flustered anymore, too distracted by the way Hua Cheng’s lips pull upwards slightly at the corners. He tilts his head an increment to the right, appearing both enticing and adorable all at once, and the realisation dawns on Xie Lian suddenly that he’s completely, irreversibly in love with him.
He’s in love with Hua Cheng.
He should feel scared, probably. Falling in love with anyone can be daunting, but falling in love with a demon should be particularly terrifying. But how could Xie Lian ever be scared? It’s only Hua Cheng.
Hua Cheng, who always washes the dishes after Xie Lian has cooked dinner for them both; Hua Cheng, who wraps a blanket around Xie Lian’s shoulders whenever he feels cold, without him even having to say anything; Hua Cheng, who insists on feeding Ruoye because the mice he eats are too dirty to be handled by Xie Lian.
Developing a crush on Hua Cheng had been unexpected. But, somehow, falling in love with him seems like the most natural and inevitable thing in the world.
Unexpectedly, the ceremony passes by without a hitch. By simply being in the same room as the happy couple, Xie Lian had been secretly afraid that something would go wrong. Only when Ling Wen has announced that the two of them are married, and Feng Xin and Mu Qing have sealed the deal with a kiss, does Xie Lian finally relax.
The newlyweds are the first to leave the room, closely followed by Xie Lian and Ling Wen. They make their way along a corridor and into another, larger room that has been reserved for the post-wedding dinner and dancing. The rest of the guests follow behind at a much more leisurely pace, slowly trickling in through the doors before dispersing to find their allocated seats.
A few people shout their congratulations to Feng Xin and Mu Qing, who have already taken their seats at the main table. The two of them smile and wave back at their friends, thanking them as wine is poured and laughter rings out across the room. They seem to have already forgotten about their disagreement over the weather; Mu Qing’s jacket is slung over Feng Xin’s shoulders as an extra layer of warmth, and Feng Xin quietly asks a passing waiter for extra ice in Mu Qing’s water.
As Xie Lian takes his seat beside them, he searches the crowd for Hua Cheng’s face. He finally spots him sitting at a table not too far away, fiddling with the cutlery as more guests take their seats around him. He watches him for a while, until eventually Hua Cheng must feel his gaze on him, and he looks over. As soon as their eyes meet, Xie Lian feels himself blush. He coughs and averts his gaze just in time for a waiter to set a glass of champagne down in front of him. Grateful for the distraction, he gulps down the entire glass. When he eventually musters up the courage to glance over at Hua Cheng again, the other man is still watching him, shoulders shaking with laughter as he sips from his own glass.
Dinner is, surprisingly enough, a quiet affair. As plate after plate of food is served and glasses are topped up with wine and champagne, soft chatter fills the room. When Xie Lian occasionally finds his attention returning to Hua Cheng, he finds him conversing amicably with a woman beside him. Her back faces Xie Lian, making it impossible for him to tell at a glance who she is, but he thinks that she must be someone he knows. Though a little surprising, the sight of Hua Cheng getting along with one of his friends fills Xie Lian with warmth. He’s glad that Hua Cheng isn’t totally alone here.
As the final course comes to an end, the grooms take it in turns to make their speeches. Xie Lian can’t tell whether the two of them are intending to flatter or offend each other with their words, but they both seem happy by the end of it, and that’s all that really matters.
Finally, Feng Xin turns to him and grins. “And now,” he announces to the rest of the room, “we’ll hear a few words from our best friend, Xie Lian—without whom, this wedding wouldn’t have been nearly as successful as it has been.”
There are a few claps and cheers as Xie Lian smiles sheepishly and stands.
“Hello, everyone,” he begins. “I’m Xie Lian, and um… Well, I’m the best man of both grooms, which means that my speech is actually about both of them.”
In truth, he’s been preparing to make this speech for a while; he’d even written down everything he planned to say and rehearsed it multiple times in front of the bathroom mirror in his apartment, which Hua Cheng had found endlessly amusing.
Yet, now that he’s actually standing here, Xie Lian doesn’t even reach for the notes he keeps folded in his jacket pocket. He knows exactly what he wants to say to his friends.
“You see, Feng Xin and Mu Qing have both been my friends for many years. They’re two of the best people I’ve ever met, and I’m so honoured to be standing beside them today on their wedding day. I’m especially grateful because we’ve been through a lot of ups and downs over the years. There was a time when I thought I had lost my two closest friends for good. However, they were kind enough to let me remain in their lives. For that, I can’t thank them enough. They’ve both helped me feel truly happy, and now I get to be a part of the happiest day in their lives in return.”
He smiles over at the two of them and raises his glass. They both return the gesture, unable to hide their own matching smiles. Atop the table, Xie Lian can see their hands squeezed tightly together, fingers interlocking.
“So, I’d like to raise a toast to you both. May today be the beginning of a wonderful life together.” He turns to face the rest of the room, holding his glass high in the air as he exclaims, “To Feng Xin and Mu Qing!”
The room responds in kind, clinking their glasses together and cheering as they drink. Xie Lian finds Hua Cheng again, already staring back at him with his glass half-raised to his lips. The other man pauses, then tilts his glass in another silent toast, before finally drinking. The entire time, his gaze never leaves Xie Lian.
A little flustered, it takes a few seconds for Xie Lian to remember what he’s meant to be doing. He clears his throat and places his glass down.
“Ah, now that all the sappy stuff is out of the way, let me get to the part you’ve all secretly been waiting for,” he says with a quiet laugh. “I’ve been told that the best man should always include an embarrassing story or two in his speech, so— Well, here we go.
“Feng Xin and I met Mu Qing in our first year of high school, and the two of them immediately despised each other. I almost couldn’t believe some of the pranks they pulled on each other—especially when I look back on it now with their true feelings in mind. Actually, now that I think of it, there was this one incident involving Feng Xin’s locker and five cans of whipped cream…”
Later, as plates are cleared away and people begin leaving their seats to personally congratulate the happy couple, Xie Lian sneaks away from his friends to search for Hua Cheng. He expects to find him still seated at his table, but upon arriving there, all he finds is his jacket slung over the back of his chair.
“Are you looking for someone, Xie Lian?”
He turns to see Yushi Huang smiling at him from the next seat over. She glances between him and Hua Cheng’s jacket before making a quiet sound of understanding.
“Your friend headed outside just now,” she says. It strikes him, then, that she must have been the person Hua Cheng was talking to during dinner.
“Ah, thank you.” He slides into Hua Cheng’s vacant seat, intent on waiting for his return.
Yushi Huang tilts her head. “Will you not go to find him?”
“Oh, no. He probably wanted a small break. I’m happy to wait here for him.” He shifts his chair slightly closer to her, crossing his legs and making himself comfortable. “Besides, it’s been a while since the two of us have had the chance to catch up. How have you been?”
“Oh, you know. The same as always.”
They both grin. A waiter pauses by the two of them with a tray full of champagne glasses, but they both politely decline the silent offer.
"The way you played during the ceremony was exquisite," Xie Lian says, once the waiter has left them behind. "Really, I could listen to you play all day."
Yushi Huang laughs softly. "You flatter me, Xie Lian. But thank you."
"No, no. Thank you."
They settle into a comfortable silence for a while, watching people pass by their table on their way to the restroom or the dance floor. Xie Lian has always felt at ease around Yushi Huang; it's no wonder, he thinks, that Hua Cheng also seemed to get along so well with her.
As if reading his thoughts, Yushi Huang says, “Your friend is quite polite. He was a pleasure to talk to over dinner.”
“Yes, San Lang is great,” he can’t help but agree. “I must say, I didn’t expect him to make conversation with many people here. I’m glad that the two of you got along well.”
Yushi Huang nods. “Quite well. Xie Lian, you’ve found a good match. Don’t let him go.”
It takes a few moments for her words to truly sink in. When they do, Xie Lian immediately feels heat rise to his cheeks.
“Oh, n-no,” he stammers, shaking his hands wildly. “No, that’s not— Actually, we’re just friends. Roommates, in fact. We… we aren’t…”
But, the more that he tries to explain, the more flustered he can feel himself becoming. Yushi Huang simply watches him, eyes glinting with mirth. Finally, she rests one of her hands gently over his own and pins them to the table, forcing him to relax.
“Xie Lian, I understand,” she says. “I am sorry for making you uncomfortable.”
He sighs in relief, then shakes his head. “It’s okay. You didn’t make me uncomfortable. I just— Something like this… I didn’t want you to misunderstand.”
Yushi Huang chuckles. “Oh, I understand very well. Your reaction has told me everything there is to know.”
Xie Lian’s eyes widen, and he falls silent. Without letting go of his hands, Yushi Huang leans in closer until nobody but him can hear her next words.
“When the time comes, don’t back down. Be brave, Xie Lian. Judging by the way he talks about you, I’d guess that he would be more than happy to hear how you feel about him.”
He feels his heart beat a little faster at those words, and hope begins to bloom in his chest. He swallows thickly and asks, “How does he talk about me?”
Yushi Huang is about to respond when she catches sight of something over Xie Lian’s shoulder, causing her to pause. She slowly leans back, the smile on her face stretching wider all the while, and releases Xie Lian’s hands. Before he can question her again, he feels a hand come to rest at his shoulder.
“Gege,” Hua Cheng says, “there you are.”
Xie Lian immediately looks up at him. Subconsciously, he leans into the other man’s touch.
“Ah, San Lang,” he says, unable to hold back the wide smile on his face at the sight of him. “You’re back.”
“I am.”
For a moment, the tender look in Hua Cheng’s eyes paired with the way his hand squeezes at Xie Lian’s shoulder makes him lose focus. He forgets himself, staring unabashedly at the other man. It takes him an embarrassingly long time to realise that Hua Cheng has asked him a question.
“Hm? Sorry, San Lang, I zoned out for a moment there.” He coughs lightly into his hand, feeling rather embarrassed. “What were you asking?”
Hua Cheng laughs fondly and repeats, “Would you like to dance, gege?”
“Oh! I-I’m okay, I’m not much of a dancer.”
“You don’t have to be a dancer to dance,” Hua Cheng says, which he supposes is true enough. “Besides, shouldn’t the best man have at least one dance to show everyone else how it’s done?”
Though he doesn’t quite think he’d be setting a good example, he nods anyway. “Ah, I suppose you’re right…”
“Then, you should dance.”
Before he’s able to protest any more, Hua Cheng is offering his hand. Xie Lian blinks down at it and doesn’t move.
“With… with you?” he asks.
Hua Cheng’s smile falters for only a second, but it’s long enough to be noticeable. “Unless gege doesn’t want to,” he says.
“No, of course I want to!”
At that, Hua Cheng’s smile returns, seemingly even brighter than before. His hand inches closer as he asks, “Then, please may I have this dance?”
Xie Lian nods dumbly, reaching out to take his hand. His palm is smooth and soft, slightly cold to the touch; it’s to be expected from a demon, yet it doesn’t make holding Hua Cheng’s hand any less pleasant. In fact, Xie Lian can’t help but notice that their hands fit together perfectly.
As he’s pulled from his seat—technically, it’s still Hua Cheng’s seat, but he doesn’t seem to mind that it’s been stolen from him—he happens to glance over at Yushi Huang. She sends him a wink. Embarrassed, he gives a jerky nod in return, then allows Hua Cheng to lead him off to the dance floor at the other end of the room.
Neither of the grooms have ever been particularly flashy people, Xie Lian knows. Rather than spend their first dance alone on the dance floor, they both wanted to do away with the tradition altogether and have everyone begin dancing at the same time. That way, things would be less awkward. Instead of milling around and waiting for their turn, everybody would be able to dance together. Xie Lian had expressed his approval of this decision when they’d both informed him of it; but now, as he slides to a stop beside Hua Cheng just a few metres away from where Feng Xin and Mu Qing are swaying to the music together, he can’t help but feel like he’s intruding on something. He feels detached from his own body, unable to move it in the way he wants to. It’s as if every nerve in his body is screaming at him to turn around and walk right back in the direction whence he came.
Yet, as soon as Hua Cheng rests a hand over his hip, all those thoughts disappear. That point of contact is the only thing he can focus on. Everything else—their surroundings, the awkwardness, even his friends nearby—melts away.
Hua Cheng’s other hand is still clasping his own, and he raises them up high as he pulls Xie Lian closer. Xie Lian’s free hand comes to rest on Hua Cheng’s shoulder on instinct alone. At first, he worries that Hua Cheng will change his mind at the touch and pull away completely. But, instead, the demon only smiles and begins leading Xie Lian in a simple dance.
They shuffle around for a while, both of them getting used to the way the other moves. In the time it takes for them to begin learning each other’s habits, the song only changes once. Now, a slow melody guides them across the dance floor as if they are afloat on tranquil waves.
“You aren’t a bad dancer, gege,” Hua Cheng tells him. Xie Lian’s right foot chooses that exact moment to land squarely on the other man’s toes, as if spiting him.
“Sorry, San Lang,” he says, ducking his head. He hears a breathy laugh.
“It’s okay. No need to apologise.”
He sighs, shaking his head. “I’m definitely not the best dancer, either.”
“Hm, but ‘not the best’ doesn’t automatically mean that you’re bad.”
“I suppose you’re right.” He’s silent for a while, and Hua Cheng uses the lull in conversation to spin Xie Lian around a few times. He laughs as he’s drawn back into Hua Cheng’s chest. “You’re a great dancer, though. Where did you learn?”
“In my hometown,” Hua Cheng says. He chuckles. “It was a long time ago.”
Xie Lian isn’t quite sure just how old Hua Cheng is—he’s thought about asking, but he isn’t sure if that would be rude of him. However, if Hua Cheng says that it was a long time ago, then he doesn’t doubt that it must have been a really long time ago.
“Why did you learn?”
Hua Cheng’s smile dims slightly, and he gets a faraway look in his eyes. “Back then, things like dancing were for people who were rich and noble and beautiful,” he says. “I was none of those things, but I spent a lot of time in my childhood wishing I was something I wasn’t. Hence, I taught myself how to dance.”
Xie Lian can picture him now; a Hua Cheng who was young and angry at the world for being so biased against people like him. A Hua Cheng who was determined and resilient in the way that he tried desperately to be as good as other people. A Hua Cheng who thought himself to be the opposite of noble and beautiful.
“I’m sure that you think too lowly of yourself, San Lang.”
“If you could see the person I was back then, you’d think differently,” Hua Cheng tells him. He sounds so sure of his own words that Xie Lian can’t help but frown.
“That’s not true,” he says.
“How can you be so sure?”
He stares Hua Cheng directly in the eyes and, with as much conviction as possible, says, “Because you were still you, and I think you’re great. You may have changed in some ways since you were a child, but the you who painstakingly taught yourself how to dance is the same person as the you who is leading me now. You shouldn’t be ashamed of the person you once were, because he has allowed you to be the person you are today.”
By the time he finishes speaking, Hua Cheng appears to be a little dumbfounded; his lips are parted, and his eyebrows are raised in surprise. There seems to be something more beneath the surface—relief, perhaps. Xie Lian can understand that. To have someone believe so wholeheartedly in him, regardless of who he is and who he might once have been… he thinks that it must be quite relieving for Hua Cheng, indeed. He, too, would feel relieved if there was someone out there who believed in him like that.
Finally, after a few moments of silence, Hua Cheng clears his throat and regains his composure. Smiling, he mutters, “Gege always says such wise words.”
“Pfft. Not at all,” Xie Lian says. He shakes his head, then stares down at their feet as they shuffle together, trying desperately to hide his reddening cheeks. “Actually, the more I reflect on what I just said, the more embarrassing I realise it all was. So bold! Please, pretend like I didn’t say anything.”
Hua Cheng makes a dissatisfied noise at that. He releases his grip on Xie Lian’s waist, moving his hand to lift up his chin. Xie Lian has no choice but to lock eyes with him.
“I think they were very good words,” he says. “Everything gege says is worth hearing. I really treasure everything you say to me.”
Xie Lian is already rendered speechless by how close the two of them have suddenly become; the addition of Hua Cheng’s words leaves him unable to do anything more than gaze up at him, shocked and breathless. Almost without realising it, the two of them have begun to slow their movements.
There are a thousand things Xie Lian wants to say, but maybe nothing really needs to be said. Because, all of a sudden, both of them are leaning closer. One bending down, the other stretching up—hands cradled on cheeks, lips parting. And then—
Somebody bumps into them, and they jump apart. Xie Lian barely has enough time to catch Pei Ming before he falls to the floor. Fortunately, he’s helped by Hua Cheng, who reaches out a hand—albeit reluctantly, it seems—to stabilise Pei Ming. Together, they help the man to his feet again. He’s tipsy enough that his gratitude leaves his lips in an incoherent mumble, yet still sober enough that he recognises Xie Lian and grins at him before taking off across the dance floor.
Having been interrupted, Xie Lian feels at a slight loss. He’s sure that, before Pei Ming had bumped into them, he and Hua Cheng were— They’d been about to—
He coughs and stares down at the floor, willing away all thoughts of what could have happened. It’s likely that he’s overthinking it all, he decides. The moment has passed, now, anyway.
“Gege—”
“Xie Lian!”
Their focus is drawn immediately to Feng Xin and Mu Qing, who are once again standing a few paces away from them, smiling from within one another’s arms. Mu Qing has his hand stretched out towards them, as if beckoning Xie Lian over.
“Come dance with us,” he shouts. “You have to! It’s part of your duties as our best man!”
Well, he can’t exactly turn them down. But—
“Go, gege,” Hua Cheng says, nodding reassuringly. “It’s okay. I made a promise to dance with someone else earlier, anyway.”
Xie Lian feels a wave of disappointment crash over him for a brief moment, but he forces himself to push it down and ignore it. He allows his eyes to linger over Hua Cheng for a few seconds more, then hurries off to his friends. They greet him with jovial cheers and a hand on each of his shoulders, before he’s being swept—quite literally—off of his feet.
As he spins and glides, cradling his two best friends close all the while, he catches sight of Hua Cheng across the room. He bends low, stretching out his hand with a polite smile on his face. Yushi Huang accepts his offer, and the two of them return to the dance floor together. For a split second, Hua Cheng’s eyes meet Xie Lian’s, and the two of them grin at each other.
With just that look alone, all of his worries and doubts fade away. Later, there will be time for him to tell Hua Cheng all of the things he wishes to say. For now, he allows himself to be caught up in the thrill of dancing with his best friends as he repeats Yushi Huang’s words to himself in his mind.
When the time comes, don’t back down. Be brave, Xie Lian.
It’s late when the festivities finally come to an end. Xie Lian only allows himself to leave once he’s made sure that the newlyweds have been bundled into a taxi home together. The two of them sleepily mumble their thanks to him as they go, wrapped up in each other with matching silver bands on their fingers.
By the time he and Hua Cheng are climbing into the back of their own taxi, he finally feels exhaustion clamping onto him with no signs of letting go. He slumps down into his seat and allows a quiet sigh to leave his lips.
“Tired, gege?” Hua Cheng asks him.
Xie Lian yawns in response. It’s all the answer Hua Cheng needs, and he laughs fondly at the sight as passing streetlights cast a dim, orange glow over his face.
Mesmerising, Xie Lian thinks.
He isn’t sure when he dozes off, but he wakes again as the car rolls to a stop. He hears soft muttering, then feels a hand brushing his hair back from his face. Lifting his head from where it had somehow come to rest on Hua Cheng’s shoulder, he tries his best to blink the bleariness from his eyes.
“Hm? San Lang, are we home?”
He feels Hua Cheng’s responding hum more than he hears it. “We are. It’s okay, you go back to sleep. I can carry you up.”
“Eh?” Suddenly feeling much more awake than he was before, he sits up straight and vigorously shakes his head. “No, no you can’t possibly—”
“I can,” Hua Cheng says, and it’s all the warning he gets before the other man is exiting the car and lifting him out of it effortlessly.
Because, of course he can carry Xie Lian. Somehow, Hua Cheng’s demonic strength has never before crossed his mind. Now, he thinks, it’ll be all he’ll be able to think about for a long time.
Despite trying his best to stay awake, he finds himself drifting off again as Hua Cheng carries him up to their apartment. Each step he takes seems carefully measured, as if he’s trying his best not to jostle Xie Lian too much. He needn’t worry, though. Xie Lian has never felt more comfortable than he does now, here in Hua Cheng’s arms.
He registers the sound of a door opening, followed by some faint shuffling and a metallic clang. When he opens his eyes a few minutes later, Hua Cheng has already carried him into his room. He’s also changed back to his true form, Xie Lian realises. Familiar red robes and silver jewellery greet him; his eyes trail upwards to Hua Cheng’s face, where one of his eyes is once again covered by his eyepatch.
Xie Lian smiles and mumbles drowsily, “There you are.”
“Here I am,” Hua Cheng whispers back.
Silently, he removes Xie Lian’s shoes and jacket. He hesitates for a moment as Xie Lian struggles to keep his eyes open, before finally sighing quietly and helping him to lie down.
As soon as Xie Lian’s head meets his pillow, his eyes close once more. Warmth envelops his hand and snakes into his hair.
“Goodnight, gege. Sweet dreams.”
Xie Lian is much too tired to respond. As he drifts further into sleep, he thinks he briefly feels something pressing against his forehead—gentle, soft, barely there. The pressure is gone again before he has the time to decipher what it is. Seconds later, he’s asleep.
And sure enough, his dreams are sweet.