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One day, Xie Lian shows up at Black Water Manor, as it were.
For a good half a minute, He Xuan can do nothing but stare at the god wearing plain white robes –although less tattered and cheap than the ones he wore last time he saw him– and a straw hat –same old one– with a satchel across his chest and a red pearl shimmering in his ear. He thought he’d had plenty of gods in his life to last him an eternity. And yet, here he is, the Crown Prince of Xianle, who pleased the gods and then displeased them and then went and married a ghost king, standing at the entrance hall of his home, smiling up warmly at him.
He Xuan must be finally going insane. It’s something he’s been expecting for a while, what with his reclusion in a cold dark palace that almost feels alive and his tons of regrets and grief tormenting him and whatnot. That’s the only possible explanation, too. Xie Lian, cherished by Lord Wind Masters and loved by Crimson Rain Sought Flowers, standing in the entrance hall of He Xuan's house, probably the last person –and there’s plenty of poor souls in Hua Cheng’s black list– Lord Wind Master and Crimson Rain Sought Flower want him fraternizing with. Either this is a very convincing, very cruel, very absurd display of insanity, or–
Or a trap.
He stands from his throne and bows. “Tai Zi Dianxia”
Xie Lian smiles brightly at him again and bows back. “Lord Black Water” he greets and takes off his straw hat. “Beautiful weather, isn’t it?”
He Xuan frowns, taken aback, because the Black Water Island is cursed with eternally gray erratic skies and cold humid air, but to its standards, the time has actually been good lately, especially today. If Xie Lian only said it to make conversation and struck some luck, that’s fine, but if he actually noticed the favorability of the time, well– he doesn’t quite know what to make of that.
Xie Lian is alone, but He Xuan narrows his eyes all the same and looks around, searching for any stray Crimson Rains. If this is a fucking joke, it’s one of some really poor taste, not to mention ridiculous. What is this supposed to accomplish? Is the god standing in front of him going to shapeshift into the ghost king, to say “Gotcha! You thought gege was here but really, it’s me! Fucking idiot”
No. No, first of all, Crimson Rain probably would beat himself with a stick if he were to try and shapeshift into Xie Lian, and second of all, the god standing in front of him is smiling at him in such a way; He Xuan doesn’t think Crimson Rain can smile at anyone –except maybe gege– like that, and even if he did, it’d probably look eerie as fuck.
So, if it’s not Crimson Rain pulling a prank on him, maybe it’s someone else, setting a trap for him? That would be smart. There are very few people in this world He Xuan isn’t free to stomp, and one of them is Xie Lian, out of begrudging loyalty and a ton of unpaid debts but a promise all the same. If someone was to trick Black Water into welcoming them in his home, Xie Lian would definitely be perfect for the job. Or Qingxuan. But Xie Lian is probably the safer alternative.
“I’m here alone, Lord Black Water” Xie Lian assures, seemingly catching on He Xuan’s wariness.
“Is that really you, Tai Zi Dianxia?” he asks, because bluntness has more often than not worked for him.
“Yes” Xie Lian nods seriously, as if this is a more than reasonable question, and extends his left hand towards He Xuan so he will see the red thread tied to his finger, as if that proves his statement. It does; he vaguely remembers Crimson Rain saying the red thread that ties them can't be replicated. Or something. He listens to Hua Cheng so little these days.
So it really is him. Well, that actually creates more questions than answers, doesn’t it?
As He Xuan considers him with a tired expression –honestly, can’t a ghost king waste away in peaceful retirement after wrapping up his revenge plot without anymore surprises–, Xie Lian looks to the side and balances on his heels, like he’s expecting something. Expecting what? He Xuan is not going to applaud him for giving him a visit. He catches He Xuan’s eye and gives the hallway some furtive glances, and then He Xuan realizes he’s being a brute, and his manners are taking over and he doesn’t know what he’s doing anymore.
“Would you like to come in for tea?” His mouth says, entirely against his will.
“I thought you’d never ask” Xie Lian replies cheerfully, but he doesn’t move.
He Xuan looks at him intelligently for a moment, before realizing this is his house. He is the host –the fucking host? He’s never been a host of anything, he’s only been a ghost and that’s all– and Xie Lian has never been here, except for some very unfortunate instances that are a lot to unpack right now, so he has to lead the way. He springs to action, feeling only a little embarrassed, and starts walking down the hallway. As he does so, he summons one of his ghouls and asks him to serve tea, as he rocks his brain for which one of the two of them is supposed to be older and wonders if he should be lowering his head, him being a prince and all.
They arrive at the hastily thrown together pavillion that He Xuan has been meaning to dedicate time to since– well, since everything went to shit. They sit, and He Xuan finally remembers Xie Lian is a few centuries older than him and serves the tea. Xie Lian sips it gratefully, commenting vaguely on the silver highlights of the décor and an interesting bird he saw on his way here, like they’re old friends in their weekly meeting for tea.
“I know this is most unusual,” Xie Lian says exactly what He Xuan is thinking and he reaches for his satchel. Thinking whatever he brings out of there is going to explain the why of Xie Lian’s odd visit, he readies himself for it, sharpening his senses and squaring his jaw. “but I brought some food with me”
What now, his brain helpfully supplies.
Xie Lian fishes out some steamed buns and what looks like a pot of stew carefully wrapped in cloth and places it on the table. He looks up at He Xuan to study his reaction, and whatever he sees in his face must prompt him to explain himself. “I mean no disrespect! I know the host is usually the one that serves the food” he says hastily, terribly preoccupied with offending He Xuan , apparently. “I just didn’t want to come empty handed, but the only thing I really know you to like is food, so…”
Right. When he said “most unusual” it was because he’s brought food when normally the host provides the food, not because of the everything else about this crazy bananas scenario.
He’s brought He Xuan a gift, because that’s what etiquette says you are to do when you visit friends. Somehow, he knows that. Many, so many lifetimes ago, he learned that by devouring scroll after scroll and the knowledge has simply never left him, proven to be useful in the most ridiculous of situations. Where the Crown Prince of Xianle, best friend of Shi Qingxuan, whose brother parted ways with his head via He Xuan very recently, is sitting at his table and offering him stew–
Stew?! His eyes grow wide and he unconsciously pulls away from the pot, as if it contains poison, and it probably does. He remembers what happens the last time he ate food cooked by this man, too vividly! Is his life to end at the hands of the Crown Prince of Xianle because he has offered him food and courtesy dictates he accepts it? Is this Shi Qingxuan’s revenge? Or the universe’s punishment for not taking his fate back when he could?
Xie Lian catches on his reaction and blinks at him, before looking back at the pot in his hands and sighing sadly. Through a pout, he says, “Don’t worry, I didn’t cook it”
Alright well, now He Xuan feels like a fucking monster. The guy looks so sad, his cheerful air completely evaporated. Is this how Crimson Rain manages to swallow his food without dying? He simply thinks of how utterly miserable he will look if he rejects it, and how that can actually dim the lights in a room and suck the warmth out of you, and that is enough? He bets it is. He bets that is plenty of reason.
He rushes to make amends. “I am indeed fond of food. Your gift is very appropriate and appreciated”
Xie Lian looks at him with an eyebrow raised in something that looks like amusement, and He Xuan panics. But then he says, “I’m glad” And he says it so sincerely, all suspicions of all this being a joke in bad taste leave him. He’s also smiling again, so his amends worked. “Let’s eat?”
He Xuan calls for some plates to serve the stew, and he serves them both again. As he takes the food to his mouth, he spares a glance at Xie Lian, who is munching on a steamed bun, and the memory of the last time he shared a meal with someone assaults his head. Bright laughter and cups of wine rush to his mind, and he brushes them away aggressively, focusing instead on filling his stomach with the gift that has been brought to him.
This is very really weird.
Xie Lian easily carries the conversation. He chats idly about many things, with He Xuan chiming in occasionally to give an opinion or a reaction. (He tries very hard not to think of how much it all is like that last meal he shared with someone else.)
Xie Lian talks about cases he’s been dealing with lately, about Crimson Rain, about the food, about some stray cats he’s been feeding lately, about the renovations of his home, about He Xuan’s earrings and how he’s going to get himself ones like those; and he very, very carefully avoids talking about Heaven, except for the occasional mention of the two idiots who were always cursing up a storm up there, and whenever the conversation threatens to get stirred there, he gently nudges it the other way. He Xuan doesn’t know if he’s touched or thankful or irritated by this.
“Dianxia” he begins, and he waits for Xie Lian to look up from his empty plate. “does Crimson Rain know you’re here?”
Xie Lian regards him silently for a moment, and then he smiles. “My husband doesn’t need to know of every step I take”
He Xuan almost laughs. “Are we talking about the same guy?”
Xie Lian does laugh. “Right. He– well–” he says, playing with the red thread in his finger distractedly. “No”
Ah well that about does it, He Xuan is doomed. He’s lived a long life (and death) already, and there’s nothing left for him ahead, what with his revenge completed and whatever. He idly wonders if he’ll put up a fight when Hua Cheng does strangle him for having lunch with gege, if Xie Lian will defend him, if Hua Cheng will maybe grow a conscience and let him go with a warning. He thinks this smiling god who has brought him food standing up to his Calamity husband for him is the most likely out of the three.
“Calm down” Xie Lian says, half rolling his eyes. He’s spending too much time with the loud General that thinks he’s not loud. “He’ll come around” he says, waving his hand casually.
He Xuan laughs drily. “Sure he will”
At this, Xie Lian’s face grows dark, and He Xuan fears he’s said the wrong thing. “San Lang is not an unreasonable man” he says, firm, not upset at him, but at people who are always making wrong assumptions about the man he loves.
After He Xuan is done being relieved, he has to agree. “True. He can be very level headed if he wishes to be”
Xie Lian looks at him, surprised, and it really must be rare the times someone meets him halfway when it comes to Hua Cheng. He smiles, delighted. “That’s right”
“But I’m afraid that rarely applies when you’re in the picture”
Xie Lian sputters as he blushes deeply. He waves a dismissive hand. “Nonsense. He will understand we can’t simply avoid each other forever. You are my husband’s f– ah, associate. You proved very helpful when Mount Tong’lu broke out” The mention of that day makes He Xuan completely forget about the slip up, as evident as it was. “It would be very rude of me to simply pretend you don’t exist”
“So that is what this is about?” He Xuan asks. “Courtesy?”
“Yes” he says, and this blunt honesty is bringing all sorts of memories He Xuan doesn’t have the mind for right now. Xie Lian regards him sheepishly. “But also– well, it’s nice to speak to somebody who knows San Lang. Actually knows him”
He Xuan frowns. He doesn’t know what he has done to make this meal anywhere near nice for Xie Lian. He barely talked, and when he did talk it was to interrogate him and insult his husband. If this whole thing was enjoyable to anyone, really, it’s He Xuan; he got to eat delicious food and bitch about Crimson Rain. He vows to make it better for Xie Lian next time.
Huh. Next time.
(Sometime, someone He Xuan refuses to give a name or a face to used to tell him his company was nice too. He didn’t talk much back then either, or contribute much to the meal, but he supposes that’s what cheerful kind gods are into. Someone who listens.)