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"Your Highness!" A faint, but a cheerful voice called, making him turn his head. The one who called was a young, unkempt boy—Shi Qing Xuan—that had an air of freedom. This one wore white robes, dirtied by many brown spots that—Xie Lian assumed—were there because of the hard, unfair labor he went for because of the money. "Your Highness, hi! It’s me!"
Shi Qing Xuan called, waving his hand up in the air. His steps faltered when closer, but these got faster still. The robes swung by the breeze, and so did his disheveled hair, covering his eyes from time to time.
When Qing Xuan was finally a step from entering the shrine, he swept his front, lowering his upper body while putting his hands on his knees.
"Phew, Your Highness for a moment I thought I was going to die-" He breathed out, exaggerating the distance. Xie Lian gave him a smile, he really was glad Shi Qing Xuan was still the one he knew. But, he still didn't know whether to laugh or cry at his statement. "Well, I should be grateful Puqi village wasn't that far, haha."
Xie Lian hummed, moving his head down and up one time in gratitude. Qing Xuan was smiling, as usual, even when he's not coherent enough to make proper decisions, he was, or is, always smiling.
Putting his hand on his hip, Qing Xuan tilted his head to the side, smiling apologetically. “Per see, Your Highness, I just realized- yeah, somehow I just-, to think I’m that old! Jeez... Oh, right! Well, I just realized some people…” The young man trailed off, looking inside the shrine. “Oh, Your Highness, it looks pretty clean! And beautiful!”
‘His Highness’ just stared inside, narrowing his eyes, trying to see what Qing Xuan was saying. “It’s always like this?”
“Yeah, and that’s amazing!” Shi Qing Xuan instantly beamed, almost bouncing on his spot.
Xie Lian simply walked inside the shrine again, laughing at the other’s antics, gesturing Qing Xuan to enter.
This one walked inside, radiating the feeling that the place felt like home with a smile. A genuine warm, tender smile. “Your Highness, or A-Lian, or Xie-Xiong - wait, those don’t fit…” He trailed off again, and Xie Lian didn’t knew whether to laugh or cry.
“Oh, by the way! I just saw these books for-” He grabbed Xie Lian’s sleeve cheerfully, dirtying it by doing so. Shi Qing Xuan paused his talking and tried to wipe the dirt away from the white robes, but it simply got more stained. At a point, Shi Qing Xuan gave up with a blank expression.
Shi Qing Xuan coughed, letting it go and walking ahead in the humble shrine. “As I was saying, I saw these books for dating and so in the market! So I maybe thought I could let you know.” He said, ignorantly about how Xie Lian almost choked in the air by the comment.
“Why’s that?” He asked, holding a small, awkward smile on his lips. Which, Qing Xuan only slightly yelped, looking back and finding Xie Lian’s eyes.
“Well, you’re - y'know... How do you say it, well uhm-” Qing Xuan tried to let him know, but failed, at some point he stopped his rambles. “Innocent? Would that be the word?”
Xie Lian sometimes asked himself exactly how protective Shi Wudu was regarding his brother.
“No offense Your Highness, I really wasn’t insulting you!” Shi Qing Xuan assured after noticing how quiet Xie Lian was, panic flickering in his eyes. “I know! I know!”
“Either way, where’s Crimson Rain? I haven’t seen him around… Which is completely fine! But he says he doesn’t tolerate me, which is pretty rude, but we’re working on it!” Shi Qing Xuan said after some minutes, and Xie Lian heaved a sigh with a smile.
“Yes, I know! I always helped you, I thought maybe he may have been grateful because of it?” He told Xie Lian, his hands around his mouth, whispering. Xie Lian didn’t knew whether to laugh or cry - maybe cry.
“It’s… it’s nothing personal, I’m sure San Lang was just joking.” Xie Lian dismissed Qing Xuan’s concern, assuring him.
After their exchange, there was nothing but comfortable silence filling the shrine they call home. From time to time, Shi Qing Xuan shifted on the sit he took on the floor, bothered by his thoughts. Xie Lian wanted to ask if something was wrong, but did not dare to ask.
Shi Qing Xuan scrunched his expression, as if trying to remember something, but soon stood up in something akin alarmed. "Your Highness! I'm sorry for the delay, also, I know I told you I'd bring something to eat but I couldn't, and in the end-" Shi Qing Xuan abruptly paused, sighing, his expression a mix of frustration and disappointment. Disappointment directed towards himself. "In the end, we barely got paid, and I was in a hurry." He whispered the last part apologetically, as if afraid of being scolded. He lowered his head, a part of his tied hair falling down to his front.
"Please don't worry, QingXuan." Xie Lian assured gently, the other's name tasted bitterly in his mouth, but he could bear with it. Although he comforted Qing Xuan kindly, he still heaved a sigh in disappointment. Xie Lian was once killing himself, along with Feng Xin, to get money, too. He knew how unfair the pay was, and seeing others suffering was something he was used to. But it was different from how he experienced it and lived with it to see it from other people. Seeing someone like Shi Qing Xian getting dragged down was something he had seen before. Celestial individuals, kings, nobles, or simple people with good hearts would always find their downfall too soon. He has seen it, experienced it, but seeing someone who still bore with the hardships like Qing Xuan, acknowledging the simple fact that Qing Xuan was his friend made him feel frustrated towards the people who took advantage of him. His mind tries to not guilt the ones who wronged them but he still fails miserably in that single task.
“Well, your Highness, I think I still have something with me..?” The youth wondered, swinging his head, confused. He started checking his robes, which Xie Lian tried to curtly insist he really was fine.
He grabbed Qing Xuan’s frantic hands, causing them to come to a halt, making the other look up shyly. "It's nothing, really!" Xie Lian insisted, withdrawing his hands to then wave them hastily. The other simply frowned soundlessly, but then reluctantly gave up.
“Your Highness, you just can’t make someone stop sometimes, ok?” Shi Qing Xuan glared at him, but the glare wasn’t strong nor intimidating, which made Xie Lian laugh sheepishly. “Alright, alright, my apologies.” He scratched his nose, “But, Qing Xuan, you don’t need to bring me anything.”
That response made the other stare at him with an unreadable expression but Qing Xuan soon smiled awkwardly. “Sorry, I just…” He trailed off, staring at the floor while trying to avoid Xie Lian’s eyes.
Xie Lian gave him a gentle smile nonetheless. “Because you wanted to repay me as a friend and because of obligation?” Shi Qing Xuan yelped. “Because you wanted to at least give me something because I still view you and treat you with respect while giving you somewhere to stay?” He clarified. “Because I’m still your friend?”
Qing Xuan laughed, the noise faint. “Yes.” He confirmed, “Haha, nothing gets past your eye, does it, Your Highness?” He looked up, smiling mindlessly. Xie Lian frowned.
“Qing Xuan, you don’t need to repay me.” He said gently, “I’m doing this because I want to, because you’re you and my friend.”
“Just like when you treated me with legit respect when none else did in the Heavenly court.” He said, laughing at the memories made. “If someone needs to be in debt, it’s probably me!”
At seeing Xie Lian’s careless reaction, Shi Qing Xuan stared at him in awe and relief. Even if he may dislike Jun Wu, he was right that they would be a good team - that they were two sides of a coin.
“Well, I do have a... A request.” Qing Xuan said, making Xie Lian look at him in expectation. “Can I stay the night here? Uhm, it’s alright if not-” He spoke in panic, what if he was being too straightforward? What if he makes the other uncomfortable?
“Of course you can!” Xie Lian clapped his hands, making Shi Qing Xuan yelp and come back at reality.
“Huh? Really??” He asked, which Xie Lian nodded. “Ah- thank you, Your Highness!”
“Really? Maybe we can gossip- I mean, maybe we can talk ‘til late?” Shi Qing Xuan requested, his eyes sparkling. Xie Lian tried to not heave a sigh. “Yeah, we can.”
“Thank you, thank you!” Shi Qing Xuan repeated in gratitude, a grin on his face.