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Coming home after a long day always filled Xie Lian with a sense of joy and warmth.
Home.
For so long, Xie Lian had been without a home. Often he did not even have a safe place to spend the night, and apart from Ruoye, no companion had ever stayed long enough to be called a friend. He had been alone and wandering for such a long time that he had forgotten what it felt like to have a home.
But now that Hua Cheng was back, and their feelings for each other were no longer a secret, Xie Lian’s life had taken on so many new exciting facets – things he had never known before, despite the long years he had walked the earth. He loved and was being loved, he now knew happiness and bliss he had never imagined possible, he had a companion with whom he could share his sorrows and joys – all thanks to this wonderful man who knew his everything and loved him regardless.
Sometimes, Xie Lian still couldn’t believe how this was real. Even all the accumulated bad luck from 800 years of having his luck shackled still not felt enough to make up for the blessing that was Hua Cheng. How did he deserve to be loved by this perfect man, whose mere existence would be enough for Xie Lian, but who showed him each day how easy it was to be happy.
And in addition to all the wonderful things he had gained since Hua Cheng’s return, he now had a home – something he hadn’t even realized he had missed before.
Whether it was their luxurious manor in Ghost City, the intimate privacy of Qiandeng Temple, their tiny shrine in Puqi Village, or their comfy cottage on Taicang Mountain – wherever Hua Cheng was, it was home. And no matter how tiring his day had been and how busy his duties as a god made him, coming home to his beloved always caused all the stress to fall off him and replace it with a feeling of comfort, warmth, safety, and love.
Today, it was Paradise Manor where Xie Lian returned to after a long day of meetings and discussions in the Heavens. It had been about two months since Hua Cheng had returned from his one-year-long absence. After spending the first few weeks on Taicang Mountain only in each other’s company, reveling in the happiness of their shared feelings and discovering and exploring new aspects of each other and their love, Xie Lian and Hua Cheng had begun to return to their duties.
Since they had both been absent for one year, each of their duties had piled up. Ghost City had been left without its Chengzhu, and with Yin Yu still recovering, there had been no one to maintain order. And Xie Lian had neglected his Heavenly duties while waiting for Hua Cheng to come back, leaving a pile of unanswered prayers that had begun to increase after word got out that he had defeated Jun Wu. And with the Heavenly Capital still being under reconstruction, things were busier than ever. So they had resumed their duties, but made sure to come home to each other every day.
Normally, Xie Lian loved to explore Paradise Manor in search of his beloved. He still found new rooms or secret passages leading to hidden treasures every now and then. Sometimes he suspected that Hua Cheng deliberately remodeled parts of the manor just to see the god stare in wonder or talk excitedly about his new discoveries. Today, however, had been particularly exhausting, and he couldn’t wait to see his beloved, so he tugged at the red string tied around his finger and followed its lead.
He found Hua Cheng in the kitchens, preparing dinner, and Xie Lian felt hunger wash over him at the delicious smell hanging in the air. Usually, Xie Lian cooked for them or Hua Cheng had meals prepared for them when they were at Paradise Manor. But sometimes, like today, when Xie Lian returned later than usual, the Ghost King took it upon himself to prepare something special for his beloved.
As soon as Xie Lian entered the room, Hua Cheng turned around to greet the god.
“Gege, welcome home!” His eye lit up and a warm smile graced his lips as he walked towards Xie Lian.
Just seeing his beloved made Xie Lian’s heart flutter with excitement. They had only been apart for one day, and yet it had felt too long. Xie Lian fell into Hua Cheng’s arms and despite the ghost’s cold skin, he felt warm and safe in his embrace.
“I’ve missed you, San Lang,” Xie Lian whispered against Hua Cheng’s chest and felt the arms tighten around him. When he looked up, Hua Cheng regarded him with a gaze of wonder and admiration, and the god didn’t miss how Hua Cheng’s eye traveled to his lips. Slightly blushing, Xie Lian closed the distance between them and their lips met –tentatively and tenderly at first, but then Xie Lian parted his lips and Hua Cheng deepened the kiss. Warmth engulfed Xie Lian as he leaned into the kiss, trying to get even closer to his beloved. He felt a thousand butterflies dancing inside his stomach, like he was falling in love all over again with this perfect man who ignited such feelings in him.
“I’ve missed you too, beloved,” Hua Cheng said softly after they parted, and Xie Lian smiled bashfully, still feeling his lips tingle in the aftermath of their passionate greeting.
“Are you hungry, Gege?” Hua Cheng took the god’s hand and led him to the dining room.
“Mhm, it smells delicious, San Lang!” Xie Lian sat down on the seat the Ghost King offered to him. “What are you cooking?”
“Just a small dinner for my hard-working husband.”
Xie Lian blushed deeply. It had only been a few weeks since they had married, just the two of them in the privacy of his former temple on Taicang Mountain. Hearing Hua Cheng call him ‘husband’ was still so new, but it always made him feel like the luckiest person in all the three realms. It made him remember that day on the mountain, their promises to each other, and the passion of the night that had followed…
Xie Lian cleared his throat and broke eye contact with the grinning ghost, who seemed to have guessed his thoughts.
“I’ll help you with dinner, I—” before he could get up from his seat again, Hua Cheng placed his hands on his shoulders to gently keep him seated.
“No need, Gege! While I love your cooking, you’ve been working hard today.” He placed a gentle kiss on Xie Lian’s forehead. “Let this worshipper do all the work tonight! Just sit back and relax!”
“You spoil me, San Lang,” Xie Lian protested, but let his husband go back to the kitchens, leaving some of his butterflies to keep him company while he waited.
The ‘small dinner’ turned out to be a feast. Hua Cheng had prepared various dishes, and Xie Lian’s mouth watered with hunger at the sight of the beautifully arranged and deliciously smelling servings. There were steamed pork buns, baked egg rolls, grilled tofu, roasted duck, fried rice, noodles, and a variety of stewed vegetables.
“San Lang, this is too much!”
The god stared in wonder at their full table while Hua Cheng took a seat himself and chuckled.
“Nothing could ever be too much for my beloved! Gege has come back later than usual today, so I thought you must be hungry after such a long day.”
They began to eat, and Xie Lian relished in the rich tastes of the various dishes. How could Hua Cheng stomach and even enjoy Xie Lian’s cooking when he was such a good cook himself? His husband was truly full of miracles. Just how long had he been working in the kitchens for such a lavish feast?
“I’m sorry for coming back so late,” Xie Lian said after another helping of dumplings. “The meeting took longer than expected.”
“Gege never needs to apologize to this one,” Hua Cheng said, his gaze full of love. “It gave me the opportunity to cook for you tonight. And if that trash had kept you after dinner was ready, I would have gone up there to pick you up.”
Xie Lian laughed at the thought of how his Heavenly colleagues would have reacted to that.
“Thank you, San Lang! You’re always taking such good care of me.”
They finished their meal and Hua Cheng had the remaining food cleared by a servant who beamed at Xie Lian’s insistence to give the rest of the food to the staff of the manor. When they were alone again, Xie Lian and Hua Cheng retired to the privacy of their chambers.
“So, what did the trash want from you?” Hua Cheng asked as he was helping his husband out of his outer robes. They made themselves comfortable and sat on a divan. While the ghost remained seated, Xie Lian lay down with his head in his beloved’s lap and Hua Cheng began to softly stroke his hair.
“Well,” Xie Lian began, relaxing at Hua Cheng’s gentle movements, “the meeting was mostly about the new Heavenly Capital. Reconstruction is still not finished. There’s no Earth Master at the moment, which makes things more difficult. There are still quite a few vacant positions, so they asked me for instructions on several topics.”
Hua Cheng chuckled silently.
“Whatever would they do without you, Gege? Next time, I should come to get you if they keep you so long for such trivial matters. Useless bunch, can’t manage anything on their own.”
Xie Lian smiled. It was so typical of his husband to only see importance in things that concerned Xie Lian. The god was only just relearning what it felt like to have someone care about him, to get angry on his behalf, and to see importance in what he was doing. And he was growing to like that feeling. It left a pleasant warmth in his chest. It almost suppressed the urge to defend his Heavenly colleagues.
“I haven’t been much help over the past year,” Xie Lian eventually said, trying to ignore the pang in his chest at the reminder of that one year he had been waiting for Hua Cheng’s return. He unconsciously grabbed the ring hanging around his neck.
It’s over. He’s here now!
Sensing Xie Lian’s train of thought, Hua Cheng leaned down to place a soft kiss on his temple, and the god relaxed again.
“You should give them some credit, San Lang. They’ve been working hard and haven’t slept too well these past few weeks.”
“Oh?” Hua Cheng feigned surprise, but Xie Lian could hear the amusement in his voice. “Why is that?”
The god couldn’t help but laugh.
“You know, the bell!”
Hua Cheng’s lips twisted into a devilish smirk.
Ever since he had returned, the bell in the Upper Court had been ringing non-stop, day and night, praising the Ghost King, as had been agreed upon in exchange for Hua Cheng’s help during the opening of Mount Tonglu. The other Heavenly Officials had begged Xie Lian to ask his husband to let it go, but the god refused to see any fault in what the Heavens owed the ghost.
“It’s actually quite loud and can be heard throughout the entire Upper Court, even inside the buildings,” Xie Lian happily told Hua Cheng, whose smug expression suddenly turned serious.
“Has it been bothering Your Highness?” the ghost asked hesitantly, his tone no longer playful but concerned, and the hand stroking Xie Lian’s hair stopped.
“NO, not at all!” Xie Lian rushed to reassure his husband. He sat up to look into Hau Cheng’s eye and grabbed his hands. “On the contrary, actually,” he explained and upon seeing Hua Cheng’s confused expression, he continued, feeling slightly embarrassed, “Hearing the bell when I’m in the Heavens reminds me of you! That you’re back… that you’re here…”
Hua Cheng’s eye widened.
“The ringing of the bell is proof to everyone that you have come back to me. It’s a reminder of home… of you… even when you’re not there with me. So I love to hear it!”
The Ghost King’s expression turned soft at these words, and he leaned down to gently kiss Xie Lian.
“I’m glad,” he whispered against the god’s lips, and Xie Lian reached up to stroke his cheek as he kissed him back, wanting to show his husband how much he loved him. After their lips parted, Xie Lian leaned his head against the ghost’s shoulder and Hua Cheng wrapped his arm around him, pulling him closer.
“So I guess it’s my fault then that your meeting took so long, if everyone was distracted by that bell,” Hua Cheng said amused, but then reconsidered, “nah, still their fault for letting themselves be distracted!”
Xie Lian snickered but then shook his head.
“No, it was another topic that came up towards the end of our meeting that delayed me,” Xie Lian turned serious, remembering the discussion a few hours ago. Hua Cheng noticed his change in mood and raised an eyebrow in question, prompting the god to explain, “General Ming Guang started a discussion about the position of Heavenly Emperor, since that post is still vacant.”
Hua Cheng laughed out loud.
“Does he want to be Emperor now? Does he think it will get him some more affairs?”
“Actually…,” Xie Lian hesitated and then continued in a quiet voice, “they want me to fill that spot.”
Hua Cheng stopped laughing, his expression unreadable.
“Do they now?” He snorted contemptuously. “First, they mock you and now they want you to lead them? What a bunch of hypocrites!”
Xie Lian couldn’t help but agree with his husband, even though he would never voice these thoughts to his Heavenly colleagues. But Hua Cheng wasn’t entirely wrong, was he? Just a little over a year ago, he had been the laughingstock of the three realms, most of the other gods had avoided him, and some had even openly expressed their displeasure at his renewed ascension. How much things had changed since then.
“They seem to think I’m the best choice since I defeated… you know… the former Emperor,” Xie Lian explained, feeling a knot in his stomach.
“For once, I have to agree with those idiots,” Hua Cheng said, his tone flat, but then his eye softened as he regarded Xie Lian who leaned against him, “There is no one better suited, capable, or more deserving than Your Highness.”
“You’re completely biased, San Lang. Be serious!” Xie Lian laughed, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.
“I am, though!” Hua Cheng insisted, feigning hurt. But then his tone was serious again. “You are strong, kind and just. You’ve handled so many of that trash’s problems already, you’ve uncovered and dealt with corruption and injustice, and yet you don’t lose sight of the common people and you care for the weak. You’d be the best Emperor the Heavens could ever hope for!”
Despite his beloved’s praise – and Xie Lian knew that Hua Cheng meant every word – the god felt the knot inside his stomach twist, and a feeling of unease filled him.
“But…,” the Ghost King continued; the arm wrapped around Xie Lian squeezed him lightly, and the god instantly felt more at ease knowing he wasn’t alone, “there’s only one thing that matters: how does Gege feel about this?”
Warmth flooded through Xie Lian again, and he realized that during their discussion of this topic in the Heavens, no one had really asked him how he thought about becoming the Heavenly Emperor. There had been a vivid debate about responsibilities and the distribution of power. It was decided that some sort of control mechanism should be established to prevent a repetition of what had happened with Jun Wu. Many had spoken in his favor and had supported the suggestion of him becoming the new Emperor, but no one had actually asked him whether he even wanted that position. Nothing had been decided yet, and their meeting had ended with the promise to revisit that topic at their next meeting.
Hua Cheng was the only person who was asking for Xie Lian’s opinion on this matter, and the god knew that the ghost would support his choice, no matter what it would be. Pure joy filled Xie Lian at this thought, and the love he felt for Hua Cheng grew even stronger. To have someone to talk to about such topics, someone who listened and gave advice, someone who valued and supported his opinion – Xie Lian didn’t think he would ever get used to such a treasure.
Xie Lian leaned even closer to Hua Cheng and took a deep breath. His husband’s familiar scent of flowers, sandalwood, and smoke soothed him.
How did he feel about becoming the Heavenly Emperor?
“I’m honored,” he began, “that so many of them believe that I’m the best choice to become the new Heavenly Emperor. But…,” he fidgeted with the sleeves of his robes, “I’m not so sure I agree with them.”
“Why is that?” Hua Cheng asked.
“I mean, I’m rarely ever in the Heavens these days,” Xie Lian said while still trying to sort out his thoughts on the matter. “The Heavenly Emperor is supposed to be in the Heavens, at least most of the time. But I’d much rather spend my time here with you!”
Xie Lian felt his husband stiffen and when he looked up, he saw a shadow flicker across the ghost’s face, his expression unreadable, but his gaze dropped and he looked away.
“I don’t want to stand in the way of Your Highness reaching your true potential…,” he said quietly, sorrow edged in his voice.
“What…? No!” Xie Lian jumped up. He took his beloved’s face in his hands to turn it back to him, forcing their gazes to meet. Hua Cheng looked full of self-doubt, but his eye widened at the god’s sudden action.
“San Lang, it’s only because of you that I can reach my true potential!”
Hua Cheng swallowed, there was a flicker of hope in his eye, but there was still uncertainty in his gaze, “But… your cultivation…”
Xie Lian blushed deeply at that, but forced himself to keep looking into Hua Cheng’s eye. This was important. He couldn’t let his husband believe that he was the reason Xie Lian was missing anything when the exact opposite was the case.
“That was my own choice! I’ve never once regretted it. And I never will!” He leaned against the ghost’s chest and instantly Hua Cheng’s arms reached out to hold him. “I will find another path to cultivate, and you never leave me without spiritual energy. Besides, what I’ve gained because of you is so much more important and precious to me.”
He felt the arms tighten around him.
“I’m here with you because I want to be. There’s no place I’d rather be if you’re not there. You are home! I love you, San Lang!” Xie Lian whispered against his chest and Hua Cheng’s expression softened in relief and adoration. They leaned towards each other and rested their foreheads against each other.
“I love you too, Gege! And I will support you in whatever you decide to do!”
“I know,” Xie Lian smiled at his husband who smiled back, both of their gazes full of love, “Thank you, San Lang!”
They kept sitting entangled into one another. Xie Lian felt safe in his beloved’s arms, but his thoughts kept swirling, the uneasiness he felt when thinking about the idea of him becoming the new Heavenly Emperor did not leave him. Hua Cheng didn’t push him and gave him time to sort out his thoughts.
Objectively, he could understand why he was considered a suitable candidate. He was one of the oldest gods, he had defeated the old Emperor, and he was gaining more followers every day. He had good relations within all three realms, which would be of great help in maintaining peace between gods, ghosts, and mortals. And the experiences he had gained throughout his long life between royalty, ascension, banishment, and uncovering the Heavens’ secrets gave him a wide range of skills, insights, and knowledge that would come in handy as the ruler of the Heavens. And yet…
“It’s a huge responsibility,” Xie Lian tried to explain, “and I don’t want to run away from my responsibilities, but I’m just not sure if I should be given such power…”
His thoughts drifted back to darker times, to feelings of anger and hatred he once harbored and which had almost driven him to do something unforgivable. He had been cruel back then, and his beloved had paid the price, something he would never truly forgive himself for. The lingering guilt had made him afraid of wielding too much power ever since.
Hua Cheng gently squeezed his hand and his fingers affectionally stroked the back of his hand, giving him comfort.
“In the end, you’ve always stayed on the right path, no matter how cruel the world has treated you and despite how much you were being led down onto a different path. I believe you’d be a good ruler not despite, but because of your choices and what you’ve experienced. And that makes you different and so much better than…”
Hua Cheng didn’t finish his sentence. It was an unspoken rule between them not to mention Jun Wu’s name, for the scars he had left upon them over the past eight centuries were still not completely healed, and the memory of what White No-Face – Jun Wu – had done, especially to Xie Lian, was still painful for both of them.
“Thank you, San Lang,” Xie Lian said quietly, “but I think that’s exactly why it feels so wrong to become the new Emperor. Filling the position he held for so long… It’s like what he would have wanted… I don’t think I can…”
“It’s okay,” Hua Cheng gently rubbed his back, “I understand. You don’t have to do anything. Just decline the offer.”
Xie Lian let out a huge breath he didn’t know he was holding and he felt the knot inside his stomach loosen. That was it, wasn’t it? The reason for his feeling of unease ever since the proposal of him becoming the new Heavenly Emperor had come up. He had been caught up in his responsibilities, in what others were expecting of him. But deep down, he was scared. And the truth was, he didn’t want to be the new Emperor. It felt wrong on so many levels.
But his husband understood.
Relief washed over him and he was reminded once again that he was no longer alone. Hua Cheng always supported him and Xie Lian felt so grateful to be able to discuss such things with someone who truly knew him and respected his opinions. He had been a little worried that his husband would be disappointed if he refused such an honorable position. But now he felt foolish for ever thinking that. His beloved would always be on his side, just as Xie Lian would be on Hua Cheng’s.
“You’re right, San Lang, thank you!” he relaxed and lay down, his head once again resting on the ghost’s lap. Hua Cheng continued to stroke his hair affectionally as Xie Lian sighed, “I just hope the other gods will accept my refusal. I don’t want them to think I’m ungrateful for their proposal, and I don’t think I can really explain my reasons to them very well.”
“Screw them!” Hua Cheng stroked a strand of Xie Lian’s hair from the top of his head down along his side, leaving the god with a pleasant tingling sensation, the Ghost King’s hands so tender in spite of his harsh words. “Gege doesn’t owe that Heavenly trash anything, least of all an explanation. Why would they even need an Emperor anyway? It’s not like the Heavens ever do anything useful.”
“San Lang…,” Xie Lian chided his husband and playfully poked him lightly in the side.
“You know…,” a mischievous smile crept upon the ghost’s face, “if Gege were to become the new Heavenly Emperor, I would have no choice but to visit him in the Heavens more often.”
Xie Lian couldn’t suppress a little giggle at that, which only seemed to spur Hua Cheng on.
“I wonder,” he continued, his smirk growing wider, “would that make me the Heavenly Consort then? The Scourge of the Heavens married to the Heavenly Emperor… Now wouldn’t that be a sight to behold?”
Xie Lian was laughing now. His husband never failed to lift his spirits.
“I’ll make sure to remind the other officials of this fact the next time this discussion comes up. That will make it easier for them to accept my refusal, I’m sure, and it will certainly stop them from asking again.”
The smirk on Hua Cheng’s face turned into an honest smile as he looked proudly at his husband.
“That trash can take care of their own problems. Just do whatever makes you happy!”
Xie Lian reached up to his beloved’s face and cupped it gently.
“That’s what I’ve been doing ever since meeting you again. And that’s why I’m here…,” he said softly, full of love for his husband, “…because being with you is what makes me the happiest!”
Hua Cheng leaned down and captured Xie Lian’s lips in a passionate kiss and all his worries vanished. Here is where he wanted to be and where he felt that everything was alright.
It was good to be home.