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It had been a quiet weekend at the shrine.
The rain had been coming down quite heavily for the last several hours. When Xie Lian first awoke, early in the morning, his eyelids felt too heavy to open. Just last night he had gotten back home after a whole two weeks of answering prayers. It was the busiest he had been in years. In fact, for the last couple of months he hadn’t spent much time at the Puqi shrine.
As he laid there, all Xie Lian heard was the heavy drops of rain on the roof and the occasional drip into a bucket on the floor inside. He also sensed Hua Cheng’s head on his chest, still in deep slumber. For some time, he simply laid there, perfectly content to live in this moment forever.
When he heard the roar of distant thunder, he opened his eyes for a second, but remembering he was safe inside the shrine with his husband he began to drift off again. But when thunder rumbled much closer overhead, and a child-like whimper came from his husband, he finally awoke and looked at Hua Cheng.
For a brief moment, he almost didn’t recognize the individual on his chest. It wasn’t unlike Hua Cheng to unexpectedly change his appearance from his ghostly supreme form to San Lang—but Honghong-er was certainly a rare sight to see.
It had happened a couple of times before, when Hua Cheng would revert to this form. It wasn’t intentional, just something deep within him would cling to Xie Lian’s chest needing to feel that safety he had long ago.
“It’s alright, San Lang,” Xie Lian soothed his little husband. “The storm can’t hurt us here.”
Hua Cheng burrowed his face in Xie Lian’s robes, a mess of black hair being all Xie Lian could see. His small hands were trembling slightly, so Xie Lian took care to stroke his head, reassuring him whenever the sky rattled outside.
Hua Cheng finally lifted his little head, a bandage over his right eye and his left full of tears. “Gege?” He whispered in a small voice.
“Yes, my love?” Xie Lian smiled.
“Don’t leave me, please,” he whimpered.
“I could never. Not to my sweet San Lang,” Xie Lian hugged the boy.
A bright flash of light illuminated the shrine. Little Hua Cheng pulled the blanket over his head.
Xie Lian was a little surprised to see his husband frightened in such a way. Hua Cheng never seemed to be afraid of anything. Even Honghong-er had been quite impressive: having the audacity to cling to the young Crown Prince of Xianle.
But when would Xie Lian ever complain about his San Lang?
In fact, the god thought it was quite cute when Hua Cheng regressed a little like this. In addition, it was always a pleasant reminder for Xie Lian that Hua Cheng truly loved him and felt safe. Being allowed to see his husband in such a vulnerable way was endearing.
Hua Cheng admitted before that the moments he spent in his childhood form were always fuzzy afterward. He couldn’t explain why. The first time it had happened, and Xie Lian explained how little Hua Cheng had clung to his leg while he attempted to cook, the ghost was quite embarrassed. But Xie Lian knew it was just another side of Hua Cheng—one that absolutely loved being taken care of, treated like something precious, and completely protected. It was something Hua Cheng couldn’t seem to admit to wanting in his usual state but needed. And when that need took over, he became Honghong-er again.
“I think the storm is passing,” Xie Lian said after hearing the thunder quiet down.
Hua Cheng reappeared from under the blanket, tentatively lifting his head to look out the window. The rain was still a steady downpour, but the thunder and lightning were now much further away.
“Would San Lang like something to eat?” Xie Lian smoothed down Hua Cheng’s hair.
The little ghost nodded.
Xie Lian then attempted to pry the child off of his chest.
“Nooo!” Hua Cheng cried.
“What’s the matter?” Xie Lian frowned.
“Gege said he wouldn’t leave!”
Xie Lian sighed. He wouldn’t literally be leaving him. He just needed to get up in order to start cooking something. However, there was no point in attempting to reason with his husband when he was like this.
“Sorry about that. I won’t leave you, San Lang,” Xie Lian reassured, giving his husband a kiss on the top of his head.
The god attempted a different strategy. He couldn’t let go of Hua Cheng, clearly. So instead he rolled the little ghost to his side, holding him in his left arm while using the other hand to get to his feet. Hua Cheng seemed satisfied with this solution.
Now, how was Xie Lian supposed to cook with someone in his arm? Xie Lian recalled how he had held the boy while completing the parade back in Xianle. Surely, this couldn’t be any more challenging than that. Not that it had been a challenge at all for the Crown Prince of Xianle in the first place.
So Xie Lian held his little husband as he diced some vegetables and prepared two bowls of rice, plus extra just in case. Last time he cooked for the two of them while Hua Cheng was in this form, he had underestimated how much the ghost would eat. He expected the appetite of a child but Honghong-er was even more ravenous and approving of Xie Lian’s cooking than Hua Cheng was. He had gobbled down three entire bowls of stew!
Little Hua Cheng paid no attention to the meal this morning, however, as it was prepared. All he seemed to care for in this moment was being held tightly against his beloved dianxia’s chest.
Xie Lian hummed to himself as he cooked, eyeing the ghost every now and then, checking to see whether he was content. Hua Cheng looked so cute Xie Lian didn’t want to disturb him even in the slightest.
Once the meal was finished, Xie Lian picked up the bowls and set them down at the table. He looked down at Hua Cheng who looked like he was about to fall back asleep.
“San Lang,” Xie Lian stroked the little ghost’s ear. “It’s time to eat.”
Hua Cheng opened his eye, rubbing it awake while looking up at Xie Lian. “Hm?”
“I said it’s time for breakfast,” the god smiled. “Can I set you down so we can eat?”
Hua Cheng shook his head furiously, tightening his grip on Xie Lian’s robes.
“You want me to hold you while we eat?”
Hua Cheng nodded.
“Very well,” Xie Lian said.
Whilst holding his husband, he sat down at the table and adjusted Hua Cheng to be sitting on his lap, his back against the god’s chest. Xie Lian then handed a bowl and chopsticks to Hua Cheng and he began to devour the meal. Xie Lian took his time eating, wondering how he managed to have simultaneously overcooked and undercooked the rice.
Hua Cheng didn’t seem to mind, though. He ate every bite and once he finished, asked for seconds, which Xie Lian happily retrieved for him. When the two were done eating, Hua Cheng thanked his husband for the meal.
“What does San Lang want to do today?” Xie Lian asked Hua Cheng.
“Dunno,” Little Hua Cheng yawned, full of food.
Xie Lian glanced at the rain out the window. “Could be a good day for San Lang to practice his calligraphy…”
“Nuh-uh!” Hua Cheng frowned.
Xie Lian supposed it might not be good after all, with his husband’s hands being so small today.
“Hmm, I believe we have some paint. How does that sound?” Xie Lian recalled his husband’s artistic side.
But to his disappointment, the little ghost shook his head.
Xie Lian was at a loss. There wasn’t a lot to do in the shrine, unfortunately. The god had originally planned on doing some cleaning today but Hua Cheng clearly needed his undivided attention.
“Will gege play a game?” Hua Cheng looked up at Xie Lian.
Xie Lian smiled. “Sure. What game does San Lang want to play?”
Xie Lian was nervous and hoped he had the ability to play whatever he wanted. There were no cards or marbles or anything at the shrine. Maybe if they had been in Paradise Manor this weekend…
Hua Cheng hopped up suddenly, to Xie Lian’s surprise. He ran to the opposite side of the shrine and lifted a floorboard up, taking out a small pouch.
“How long has that been there…?” Xie Lian mused to himself, scratching his head.
The little ghost pushed the floorboard back down, returned with the pouch and handed it to Xie Lian. Xie Lian opened it up and spilled the contents into his hand.
Inside were six mismatched dice.
“You mean you want to gamble?” Xie Lian couldn’t help but laugh.
Xie Lian had never seen this batch of dice before. None of them looked like any he’d seen in Ghost City. Most of them looked quite worn except for a die that seemed to be made of a clear quartz. But another looked suspiciously like it was made of bone. He decided not to ask.
Hua Cheng made no comment and only took three of the dice out of Xie Lian’s hands, leaving Xie Lian with two wooden dice and the bone die.
“We both roll three times,” Hua Cheng held up three small fingers. “You can keep a die if you want. The goal is to get three of a kind first.”
“Alright,” Xie Lian said, getting a strong feeling like he was about to lose. “What are the stakes?”
Hua Cheng sat down cross legged across from Xie Lian. “If I win,” he began, “Gege has to stay home with me for a whole week!”
Xie Lian felt a small pang in his chest. Was that what this was about? Xie Lian had been so busy lately. Did Hua Cheng miss him and not have the words to say something about it?
“And if I win…” Xie Lian gave it some thought. “If I win, then San Lang has to be honest with me for a whole day.”
Hua Cheng narrowed his eyes but agreed to the conditions.
The two both took the dice in their hands and rolled. Hua Cheng had two fives and a three. Xie Lian had a four, two, and one.
They each rolled again, Hua Cheng keeping the pair of fives whilst Xie Lian re-rolled all three dice. Hua Cheng rolled a four and Xie Lian rolled another set of four, two and one.
Figures. Xie Lian thought to himself.
“First game is practice,” Little Hua Cheng blurted out.
“Of course,” Xie Lian nodded, not overlooking the fact that even in this form Hua Cheng was kind to his husband’s bad luck streak.
They rolled one last time. Hua Cheng rolled his final five and Xie Lian rolled yet another four, two, and one. He didn’t know how that was possible.
“Yes!” Hua Cheng smiled.
“Are these weighted?” Xie Lian raised an eyebrow, inspecting the bone die.
“What!?” Hua Cheng exclaimed. “No!”
“Just checking,” Xie Lian waved a hand.
To prove it, Hua Cheng traded his dice with Xie Lian.
“For real this time,” the little ghost stated.
Both rolled their dice three times—ending up in a tie. Each of them had rolled two of a kind. Xie Lian was a little surprised, but assumed it was just a fluke. Hua Cheng also looked surprised but quickly announced they had to play again to break the tie.
“Fine with me,” Xie Lian smiled.
They played again. After two rounds, Xie Lian had two ones and a four while Hua Cheng had two sixes and a two. The two both rolled their last die—Hua Cheng rolled a five while Xie Lian managed to roll a one. Xie Lian was shocked. He had never won against Hua Cheng without the ghost’s help.
Meanwhile, little Hua Cheng was upset. A small tear trickled down his cheek as Xie Lian looked up at him. Something was definitely wrong. He stood up and ran out the door of the shrine.
“San Lang!” Xie Lian called as he scrambled to his feet.
Xie Lian felt torn for a brief moment, unsure whether Hua Cheng needed space or needed him to follow. Then Xie Lian realized he didn’t know whether Hua Cheng had the same abilities in his Honghong-er form or not. After all, he had somehow managed to lose at their dice game. He could get hurt.
So Xie Lian followed into the rain, looking back and forth wondering where he might have gone. Apparently he didn’t need to go far, because the little ghost had only run around and behind the shrine; the evidence being his footprints in the mud.
Xie Lian crept around the building and found a small Hua Cheng sitting on the ground, tears on his face. Xie Lian held out a hand to him.
“Even though I won the last round,” Xie Lian began, “San Lang did win the first round. Even if it was just practice.”
Hua Cheng looked up at Xie Lian’s hand.
“So…” Xie Lian continued, “I think I will stay home with my husband for a week—if he promises to be honest for a day.”
Hua Cheng didn’t move.
“That day doesn’t have to be today,” Xie Lian added, his hand still extended.
Finally, the little ghost lifted his hand. Xie Lian helped him to his feet, then lifted him up. He carried him back inside the shrine, out of the rain.
Xie Lian sat down on the straw mat, holding Hua Cheng against his chest.
“I will hold you here for as long as I live,” Xie Lian said. “If that’s what it takes for you to realize how much you mean to me.”
Hua Cheng began to sob then. Clearly, something had been building up that only just now was he letting out. Xie Lian stroked his hair, encouraging him to simply let it all out. Eventually, Hua Cheng seemed to calm down. The two of them stayed there for quite some time.
The remainder of the day passed quietly. Xie Lian read some scrolls while Hua Cheng listened. Soon enough, the sun went down and night fell.
…
In the morning, when Xie Lian woke up, he found a regular-sized Hua Cheng in his true form making some tea.
“Good morning, gege,” Hua Cheng smiled, bringing over a teacup.
“Good morning,” Xie Lian yawned, thanking his husband for the tea.
Hua Cheng took a seat next to Xie Lian, leaning his head on the god’s shoulder.
“Do you… remember anything from yesterday?” Xie Lian asked.
“Yes,” Hua Cheng stated. “I’m sorry—”
“Don’t be,” Xie Lian cut him off.
Silence hung in the air.
“I’m asking for that day of honesty now,” Xie Lian said.
Hua Cheng only nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were upset that I was gone so much?” Xie Lian asked.
Hua Cheng’s head slipped off Xie Lian’s shoulder and into his lap.
“This one knew your work was important,” Hua Cheng said.
“You are important,” Xie Lian squeezed the ghost’s shoulder.
Hua Cheng burrowed his head into Xie Lian’s robes.
“I know you don’t believe that,” Xie Lian sighed. “But either way, you can tell me when you need me. You don’t always have to be strong. You don’t have to be a child to be vulnerable.”
“This one understands.”
“Also, I hope my husband would know that I love him and always enjoy spending time with him,” Xie Lian added. “I’d spend every second with him if I could.”
“Did gege really mean it?” Hua Cheng lifted his head. “About what he said yesterday?”
“About holding you for as long as it takes for you to realize how much you mean to me?”
“Yes,” the ghost closed his eye.
Xie Lian set down his teacup and pulled his husband close, with Hua Cheng’s head against his chest, just like the day before.
“I also meant the other thing I said,” Xie Lian smoothed Hua Cheng’s hair.
“Hm?”
“That I will not be leaving San Lang’s side for a week,” Xie Lian smiled. “At least.”
“Really?” Hua Cheng turned over, the back of his head against Xie Lian.
“Of course,” the god stroked Hua Cheng’s cheek.
“Even if gege has to drag this one around the heavens?” Hua Cheng smirked.
“Especially if it means I get to show off my wonderful husband to all of the gods in the Heavenly Realm,” Xie Lian kissed Hua Cheng’s cheek.
“Ah…” Hua Cheng attempted to sit up. “This one has changed his mind—”
“Too late!” Xie Lian grabbed Hua Cheng, pulling him back into an embrace. “San Lang is stuck with me.”
“I could never feel stuck with gege,” Hua Cheng laughed.
Xie Lian laughed too, before leaning forward to passionately kiss Hua Cheng. They then stayed in one another’s arms the remainder of the morning.