Chapter Text
Some time had now passed since Hua Cheng's return.
Xie Lian and Hua Cheng were together most of the time and no one could blame them after 800 years of separation, although many Heavenly Officers saw this union, as somewhat ambiguous and could not help but worry, after all one was the strongest martial god ever ascended and the other was Crimson Rain Sought Flower a calamity.
In the eyes of the Heavenly Officers they were a couple to beware of especially with Hua Cheng, it was common knowledge that he hated everyone, especially the Officers themselves, to him they were just trash who deserved no attention especially from Xie Lian.
In fact, many times Xie Lian at meetings in the Heavenly Court would arrive late, Feng Xin and Mu Qing knew perfectly well that whenever he was called for some meeting and he was with Hua Cheng at that time he was held up by Hua Cheng himself, who asked him to ignore the "heavenly garbage," but since they knew Xie Lian well, they knew that whatever meeting he was called to he would always and still show up.
At the same time, they knew perfectly well that their friend disliked the Heavenly Court, reasons they could both understand and not, even though after defeating Jun Wu and making a name for himself in Heaven, he was still considered the scrap colector and misfortune god.
Mu Qing and Feng Xin had often heard the other officials chatting about why Xie Lian did not have his titles changed or why a god who had ascended as many as three times instead of spending time in the palace built for him in Heaven preferred to spend time in a Ghost City.
maybe it is because in that same city is the person he loves, since that same person if he were to come up here would give anyone heart attacks. They thought abruptly whenever they heard such phrases.
Their trio was full of unspoken things after Xie Lian's first exile, but after what had happened at Mt. Tonglu they began to rebuild their friendship even though they knew it could never go back to the way it was before the war in Xianle.
Xie Lian now had Hua Cheng and he had become the person he relied on, which Feng Xin and Mu Qing could not completely understand, neither of them trusted Hua Cheng, but at the same time they knew very well that he was the person their friend absolutely loved and trusted and who made him happy, after all those that Xie Lian went through, they only wanted the best for him and for him to be happy.
The only thing that managed to separate them were their schedules, Xie Lian at the heavenly court, only for meetings where his presence was strictly necessary, as he did not like to spend much time up there so he always stayed for the bare minimum each time, he preferred to stay in Ghost City and spend time in Paradise Manor or at Thousand Lights Temple.
Hua Cheng at the same time, sometimes he was busy with things that required his presence in Ghost City, although he would also have done without, he would have preferred to spend every single moment with his beloved, but Xie Lian always repeated to him " San lang if you have to go, go don't worry, I will wait for you here" "But Gege you will see it will be a trifle, I can even let it work itself out" but each time Hua Cheng would surrender to Xie Lian's gaze and go to settle the matter.
Whenever one of them returned neither of them would break away from the other, they could talk for hours, take a walk, practice calligraphy, cuddle each other.
As time passed between the two of them, Hua Cheng was thinking about proposing to Xie Lian; rather than doing, redoing, he puffed it up the first time without thinking too much about it, he didn't think he would get that reaction from Xie Lian and so he replied that he was joking, but he regretted almost immediately that he said it was a joke, seeing that maybe Xie Lian was a little hurt, this time it would be a perfect marriage proposal.
It happened quite often that ghosts in Ghost City would prepare marriage proposals by pretending they were from Hua Cheng, whenever Xie Lian caught one he couldn't help but think it was funny since they were rather ambiguous, but he knew very well that they couldn't be made by his San Lang.
Xie Lian really hoped that Hua Cheng would sooner or later propose to him.
When he had first heard those words come out of Hua Cheng's mouth and heard soon after that it was a joke, he felt almost hurt, wanting to ask Hua Cheng himself, why he was joking about wanting to marry him, but he did not open his mouth to ask or say anything else. In Xie Lian's mind he was just a nobody whom everyone hated and made fun of for his past mistakes, why someone like Hua Cheng would want to marry a failure like Xie Lian.
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One of those many evenings at Paradise Manor "San Lang come over here to the table let's do some calligraphy practice" "Gege why don't you come over here to the bed instead and let's not stay cuddled together" he said with a rather mischievous smile.
Xie Lian took a moment to figure out what he meant by " cuddled" and as soon as he sensed it his cheeks turned red, Hua Cheng at the same time looked at him with nice smile plastered on his face to see his reaction "San Laaaaaang" " If you want to get better you have to practice, if you want for that there is time later" he said covering his face with a hand, at that moment Hua Cheng really looked like a mischievous little fox.
"As Gege wishes" and walked over to the table and sat behind Xie Lian.
They were both wearing a simple robe, it was summer so it was quite hot, Xie Lian leaned against Hua Cheng's chest. The feel was wonderful, not only because Xie Lian loved being in Hua cheng's embrace, but also because his skin was cold and pale to the touch and felt like touching freshly fallen snow so good it felt.
Hua Cheng responded by hugging her beloved and covering him with kisses as Xie Lian caressed Hua Cheng's long, fluffy hair, finally Xie Lian found himself pulled into a long reverent and pious kiss in the way her lips were captured again and again and again.
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"San Lang you seem to have improved a lot," in a very enthusiastic tone, "This is thanks to Gege's lessons, I couldn't have done it without his help."
The two looked at each other for a few seconds that seemed like an endless time in their eyes, until Hua Cheng finally plucked up the courage to ask Xie Lian the thing he had been planning for some time, since before they met on that ox cart.
"Dianxia, there is something I've been wanting to ask you for a while, but after the last time I tried, I'm afraid to ask," he said in a very hesitant tone
Xie Lian did not know whether to laugh or cry, he usually has this kind of tone, when he is afraid of my answer he thought, " You can ask me anything" he said in a firm and gentle tone so as not to scare Hua Cheng.
Hua Cheng continued to stare at him for another series of seconds, took a big breath and finally asked " Dianxia" "Will you marry me ?"
Xie Lian at that question, which he too had been waiting for, was still surprised. He did not expect it to be asked at that moment or to hear it again, who would ever want to marry someone like him, Hua Cheng seeing that Xie Lian did not answer "If Gege doesn't want to, just act as if I didn't ask anything."
Xie Lian didn't want it to go the same way as the first time he had done it to him, this time he promptly replied "San Lang no, it's not like that it's obvious I want to marry you,
At this reply Hua Cheng was so impressed that a small tear fell from his eye before he embraced his beloved in a strong hug, he still could not believe that the person he had loved and search for 800 years, not only really wanted to be with him, but also wanted to marry him, this would truly mean forever.
He set his gaze on him again, moved closer and placed his lips on Xie Lian's for a long, breathtakingly deep kiss.
Hua Cheng took Xie Lian in his arms exactly as a groom carries his bride and laid him on the bed, and Hua Cheng joined him. He put his arm around Xie Lian who leaned against Hua Cheng's chest and they stood there for a few minutes in silence savoring what was to come and that they would soon be married.
Hua Cheng was concerned about one thing, however, "Dianxia, wouldn't he be ashamed to marry a calamity like me."
Xie Lian looked up to see Hua Cheng's face, as soon as he met the dark eye he saw that there was no worry or fear, he could not understand what exactly Hua Cheng was feeling at that moment, he tried to answer as quickly as he could.
"Never," he murmured, "Never will I regret and be ashamed of marrying someone like you, you are one of the most beautiful person I have ever met, you have made me find happiness again after a long time, it is because of you that I don't have that feeling of loneliness now, I want to be with you forever, no matter what happens I will always want you by my side."
At that confession so sincere and pure, he couldn't help but truly smile, he didn't think he deserved someone like Xie Lian and instead he was by his side and would stay there forever, this time no matter what would happen .
Xie Lian would stay by his side and Hua Cheng would stay by the side of Xie Lian, which was the thing he had always wanted to do and he could finally achieve it.
"But" "You are the one who has every right to be ashamed, marrying the scrap collector and misfortune god" He felt Hua Cheng wince at that remark, as if it had hurt him. And a moment later Xie Lian found himself pulled into a kiss.
"I want to marry the most perfect person in all three realms," the sound of Hua Cheng's whisper in his ear made Xie Lian shudder, "The person I have been searching for 800 years, that same person who gave me a reason to live and without him I would not be here" "Dianxia, I know you very well, I have seen every nuance of you and loved them all, I will want to love and worship you forever, it doesn't matter if you are a martial god or a god of misfortune, those are just stupid titles and who cares, I will always be your most devoted believer"
"I want to marry my God."
That same God was then crushed in Hua Cheng's fervent embrace, covered with kisses, his hair gently stroked, until he could think of nothing else but San Lang.