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Hua Cheng had a deep rooted hatred for the heavens.
How dare those other gods think to push all of their insignificant errands and problems into Xie Lian’s hands? If they were so incompetent as to hand their duties over to someone else, perhaps they should just jump down from the goddamn sky themselves.
He could see, through the translucent curtains of the sedan, the rough outline of his prince as he sat exhausted. The whole fiasco had tired him out to the point that he fell asleep sitting down.
Still, his anger was stifled somewhat when he was finally able to see Xie Lian in full. Relief washed over him as he lifted the curtain and called. “Gege?”
Xie Lian stirred awake after hearing his voice. He turned to Hua Cheng in a bleary daze and smiled faintly, still half asleep. “San Lang?”
Hua Cheng was taken aback, lips parted. His eyes were blessed with the enchanting sight of his god, tussled hair and pink cheeks with a lazy grin on his face.
A sleepy dianxia, adorable.
He must have been staring for too long because Xie Lian had already sat up and cleared his throat. “I accidentally fell asleep.”
“Nothing to worry about gege, you’re tired.” Hua Cheng eventually returned his smile. “May I join you?”
Xie Lian nodded and scooted to the right, trying to take up as little space as possible. It wasn’t necessary though, because Hua Cheng seized the opportunity with a grin and pulled him in by his right shoulder. “No need, there’s enough space.” He said, bringing them closer together.
The ghost king reveled in the way that his god seemed to enjoy their contact, albeit with a slight blush. Xie Lian leaned into his touch, perhaps too tired to realize, while Hua Cheng was too enamored to refuse.
“You left just in time earlier, three upper court officials descended all at once.” The prince said, resting his head on the other’s shoulder.
Hua Cheng happily let him. “The three tumors? I expected as much.”
“Oh? Was that why you ran away?” Xie Lian asked teasingly.
“No, I went to hail for the carriage.” Hua Cheng replied jokingly too. “So how is it gege? Isn’t my Ghost carriage more fun than those Golden carriages in the upper court?”
Now it was Xie Lian’s turn to laugh. “Yes, it’s very fun.”
Then there was a short silence between them. Hua Cheng doesn’t exactly know the reason why but Xie Lian’s expression seemed to turn solemn. Was the Windmaster business still bothering him?
“By the way San Lang, what did you want to tell me earlier?”
Hua Cheng looked over at him, not expecting Xie Lian to have met his gaze. They simply stared at eachother for a moment as Hua Cheng contemplated what to do. His gege looked troubled, so he decided to lighten the mood instead.
The ghost king still had his gentle grasp around his god’s shoulder as if he was holding him in an embrace. Hua Cheng soothingly rubbed Xie Lian’s arm, which made the prince let out a content sigh.
It was probably going to be a stupid idea but Hua Cheng still pulled through with it anyway, smiling.
“Gege, want to get married?”
“…”
“…”
“Huh?”
Xie Lian abruptly shot up to look at him, startled. Then, realizing the gravity of the situation he effectively combusted. Hua Cheng could have sworn that his god started steaming.
Okay, yeah. He fucked up. Completely.
Hua Cheng quickly tried to find a way to amend the situation, the gears in his head turning desperately to think of a solution.
“Haha! It’s a j—“
But before he could even finish talking, a flash of white slithered past Xie Lian and shot out at him like a viper. He was stunned silent.
Hua Cheng looked down at what was gagging him and made an alarmed noise. Rouye?!
It seemed that the silk band clung to him out of its own accord because even Xie Lian was surprised that it had come out.
But Rouye was still the least of the prince’s concerns right now. “With—with me?”
Xie Lian was both flustered and astonished. “San Lang you…” He gaped, pointing at himself then to Hua Cheng. “Want us to marry?”
Shit. That was a terrible idea! Why did he even do that? He must have offended dianxia. Fuck.
Hua Cheng urgently peeled Rouye off his mouth, panicking. “Gege i-it was—“
“Yes.”
What? Was he hearing things or did Xie Lian say…
“I-I mean San Lang just proposed to me and—and I’m sure I didn’t misunderstand anything—“ The god stammered, red in the face. “But you want to marry me, right? I’m not a very suitable husband but I’m very selfish for San Lang so I would love to!”
Xie Lian was nervously rambling now, going on about how bad of a choice it would be to marry him of all people but how much he loved spending time with Hua Cheng. He chuckled as he spoke of how conflicted he felt and continuously asked if Hua Cheng was serious about it. “San Lang, you’re not kidding right? I’d be so embarrassed if you were…”
Well, Hua Cheng couldn’t really respond even if he wanted to. He was too frozen in shock to even think, much less reply. The ghost king could only watch Xie Lian with a dumbfounded expression. His brain probably turned into mush.
“Gege wants to marry me?” He asks, incredulous.
He must be dreaming. Yes, that was it. He was going to wake up in Paradise Manor, alone and gege-less. A fool’s dream, this is.
“D-Do you not want to?” Xie Lian flushed. “Oh my god did I just assume things? San Lang I am so sorry!”
“No!” Hua Cheng immediately yelled. Xie Lian flinched in shock which instantly quelled the raging emotions that ran rampant in Hua Cheng’s mind.
“Sorry, I mean…” His eyes darted around at random, he just couldn’t bare to meet his god’s gaze. “I didn’t think gege would actually say yes. I only asked as a joke to lighten your mood.”
Please forgive me, I’ve made a grave mistake.
Now the ghost king regrets even opening his mouth because upon hearing his explanation, Xie Lian visibly deflated. “Oh…”
No! This was only making things worse!
“Wait, gege.” Hua Cheng frowned, Xie Lian had long shaken his arm off so he reaches out again, this time to firmly but tenderly grasp his god’s shoulders instead and have them face eachother.
Though the prince was startled, he still obeyed and hesitantly locked eyes with Hua Cheng.
“You didn’t assume anything. I only said it was a joke because I didn’t think you would reciprocate my feelings.”
Then, Xie Lian was hopeful again. It was a horrible, addictive feeling. But he was hopeful; and Hua Cheng was feeling the same.
“So…San Lang likes me?” He doubtfully asked. “Interested in me? Fancies me?”
Hua Cheng never expected to have to confess his feelings like this so suddenly but it may have been the best surprise in his entire life.
“More than that gege.”
The ghost king wrapped his arms around Xie Lian, pulling him close and into a crushing embrace. Xie Lian returned the gesture, perhaps in even more earnest than Hua Cheng himself. “San Lang..?”
“I adore you, worship you, love you.”
Xie Lian lets out a breathless gasp and grasps at his clothes. Hua Cheng then holds him tighter.
“My noble, gracious, special someone, the person whom I haven’t won over yet.” He said, relishing the warmth of Xie Lian’s body against his own.
“My beloved’s name is Xie Lian.“
Then he hears the other laugh, disbelieving. “Me?”
“En, that’s right. So gege wasn’t wrong to assume.” His grasp around Xie Lian finally loosened. “This San Lang is yours and always has been.”
“I see, I didn’t misunderstand you.” The response is faint but the sheer joy that tainted it spoke volumes, almost deafening to Hua Cheng’s ears. “It really is true.”
Xie Lian pulls back from their embrace, still as radiant as ever. But there’s a new sort of passion burning in his eyes, one that he and Hua Cheng now share.
“Gege, want to get married?” The ghost king asked again with rekindled confidence.
And Xie Lian gave him a loving smile in return, reaching out to cup his face. “Yes.”
The next moment Hua Cheng is pulled in and Xie Lian happily meets his lips.