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Ling Wen couldn’t be blamed— she really did just need everyone to get to the meeting.
As the most networked god probably ever, she was more than aware of how others hated the methods she used to get stuff done. Involving people always was a pain. But they were also gods whose very existence required maintenance. And she needed them to do their part.
Xie Lian, thank everything, was hyper aware of her struggle. And so despite the fact that she was technically serving out her punishment, he worked with her to lessen the load. Rarely did he take on anything himself, but he was passionate about creating a faster system; giving, taking, adding, or cutting whatever he could.
Xie Lian gave her far more power to dictate than she probably deserved (and much more than she’d ever deign to ask for). And when questioned by a random Middle Court official Ling Wen bribed, all he did was give a knowing smile.
Vague and unhelpful, she went about her day.
Today was mostly fine. Ling Wen was almost on the verge of tears, but if she ever cried in front of the hordes of men, she knew there’d be consequences (immediate or not). And so she sucked it up like she did every day and moved on. A miserable existence, but at least this one she deserved.
As the day went on, sorting through unfiltered prayers and dealing with various problems with various gods, a common problem was arising.
The problem with wasn’t new, in fact, there was an early (early for normal gods, around the middle of the day for her) meeting scheduled today about it. But it had been developing fast and on a steady up climb, so getting on it and deciding their course of action was appearing to be increasingly important.
Reminder, in two incense time we will be beginning the meeting.
There were several shouts, complaints, and mumbles from tired gods. But it wasn’t out of the ordinary enough for them to truly argue with her.
Usually she’d get a little ‘ Thank you for the reminder! ’ from Xie Lian, so she waited a bit in the communication array. After some time of nothing, she left to go back to work. It also wasn’t very out of the ordinary to hear nothing. Why the inconsistency? Probably Crimson Rain. What exactly was Crimson Rain doing? She never asked. Should she be worried? …all things considered, probably not.
In the past, early meetings usually had an attendance of two: Xie Lian and Ling Wen.
Xie Lian was polite, polite enough to wake up before the sun rose, but he wasn’t timid. Ling Wen had worked under Jun Wu in far more ways than she liked to admit, so most of Xie Lian’s “intimidation” (if you could even call it that) felt cute in comparison. Because of that though, Xie Lian was always able to follow through on his threats.
Jun Wu couldn’t afford to rip off her head, but Xie Lian was more than happy to dump work on her whenever she “volunteered”.
In that same vein, Xie Lian threatened all the missing gods with an actual threat: if they didn’t show up, they’d be summoned forcibly. No matter their state, they’d be in the meeting room.
This was a direct knife to the throat of their hard earned dignity, and so while some had enough balls to complain, most were just glad they got a warning.
After some practice with Hua Cheng’s transportation method, Ling Wen became the aforementioned knife. She’d inform everyone about an upcoming meeting, inevitably some wouldn’t get there on time, she’d look around, and then anyone missing would be there.
Several embarrassing meetings later— with people appearing half dressed, in bathtubs, or with their servants still putting together their outfit (as well as the memorable Toilet Incident), no one took getting ready lightly. Some stayed up all night just to make sure they and their servants didn’t accidentally sleep past the sun.
Still, every single time, Xie Lian was missing. When she’d summon him, he’d be ready to go, but he never walked in on his own.
He usually entered looking lively and strangely chipper. The air seemed to freshen into something reminiscent of a breeze on an ocean cliff whenever he appeared (which was always last. Maybe because it wasn’t dignified to have the ruler wait on his subjects. Maybe because Ling Wen liked picking on the lazier gods. Who could say?)
Except this time, when Ling Wen finished summoning all of them, he was not ready.
And so at this moment, in a room full of elegantly dressed, tired gods, Xie Lian appeared on the floor.
He was, from what was not covered by the large comforter, probably naked. Thank god Ling Wen’s spell considered the blanket a piece of clothing. Unfortunately though, it seemed to have also taken Crimson Rain as a robe.
She tilted her head. Considering how wrapped up in each other they were, she could understand the confusion.
Xie Lian’s head rested a bit higher than Crimson Rain’s, tilted down into Hua Cheng’s hair, with his arms gripping Hua Cheng’s head so as to keep him from moving. In a similar fashion, half beneath the blanket, Hua Cheng’s face was hidden in Xie Lian’s rib cage.
Neither seemed to find this sideways hug uncomfortable whatsoever.
Ling Wen tore her vision away from the couple on they floor to look at all the other gods. Everyone talking had immediately shut up. Even Quan Yizhen stopped (though she suspected he just had enough respect for Xie Lian to not want to wake him).
She wished this was more surprising than it was.
Unfortunately, as the god who probably dealt with Xie Lian the most, she was very very aware of Crimson Rain in Xie Lian’s life.
A couple of seconds passed like this: Ling Wen contemplating what actions could get her banished within an incense time, and everyone else just staring.
They were all far far more quiet than usual. Had this been anyone else, surely they’d be gossiping up a storm. But with both their ruler, and Crimson Rain right in front of them, their chatterboxes of mouths seemed to fall apart.
Once more than five seconds passed, no one wanted to break the silence. Whether because they read the room, or because they feared the consequences, this meant that either one of Xie Lian’s friends would have to be the one to wake him up. If any other person was to, she had no doubt Crimson Rain would make her life a living hell, even if less directly.
She stared at the two martial gods of the South. Mu Qing had already decided his fate and turned away in exasperation. Feng Xin though was more taken aback and stood there with his mouth hung open.
Eventually, Mu Qing’s embarrassment got overtaken by the uneasiness of being stared at.
He looked to her and when noticing the prompting to do something from Ling Wen, just shrugged. He was apparently too used to the couple’s random shenanigans (PDA) to be bothered with the futile goal of stopping them. And with Feng Xin now calming down to look at Mu Qing with misplaced anger, she knew they’d be off in their own little world.
This left her and all the other gods of heaven waiting for the strongest martial god and the strongest Calamity to wake up and get less naked.
She really did just want to have a meeting.
Xie Lian, apparently now noticing the change in scenery, shifted uncomfortably on the hard floor. His head knocked back and forth, eventually forcing him to open his eyes.
Whatever previous annoyance he had towards the shift in comfort dissipated the moment he saw Pei Ming’s smirk and eyebrow.
Xie Lian pushed himself onto his elbows (presumably to yell at Pei Ming), but visibly tensed up and stopped still as a statue once he noticed the audience.
Hua Cheng, now in his lap with no legs nor arms wrapping around him, whined low and clutched at Xie Lian’s waist.
A quiet “gege…” could be heard throughout the dead silent room.
Xie Lian looked down at his husband and quickly checked that neither of them were actually showing anything (they weren’t, thank god), then soothed his aggrieved husband by slowly stroking his hair.
Now that his attention was back on his husband, it didn’t seem to leave. He paid no mind to the hoards of gods watching them, and instead focused on cupping Hua Cheng’s face, then lowering his own so he could give him his typical morning kisses.
The gods shifted uncomfortably at the scene. They still didn’t want to talk, but now that they were being so completely ignored it felt prudent to stop paying attention. (Which was weird considering they weren’t the ones naked on the floor).
Once Xie Lian had felt his routine was seen through, he calmly situated Hua Cheng’s displaced eyepatch back over his socket and began talking. It was low and even, but it suggested an amount of worry that would’ve concerned anyone.
“Be calm and don’t freak out, but I do need you to wake up and get us into clothes sooner rather than later.”
Hua Cheng, who’d already been half awake thanks to all the shifting, immediately cracked open an eye.
The amount of not-red light that hit his eye was probably the first indication they needed to get up .
Almost a second later butterflies descended and Xie Lian was in his preferred, cheap white robes and Hua Cheng in a more (relatively) simple outfit with a black sleeveless shirt and a red over robe made from the comforter they’d originally been under.
Hua Cheng, now sitting as well, glanced at Xie Lian.
To whatever was conveyed in that glance, Xie Lian shook his head and responded, “No. This was completely our fault unfortunately. Yin Yu told us he wouldn’t be here this week.”
Hua Cheng pursed his lips but didn’t disagree. Instead he stood up and offered his hand to Xie Lian.
“Should I stay?”
“No,” Xie Lian sighed, “Just please go out the normal route? Today will be hard enough without people freaking out over the butterflies.”
Hua Cheng scoffed. “They’re all just pussies, I wouldn’t hurt them.”
Xie Lian chuckled and nodded in a rather sincere but tired manner. “I know, but I don’t want to deal with it.”
Hua Cheng pulled their still connected hands closer to his body. “Gege’s sure he doesn’t want any help? I could probably work something out from Ghost City.”
Xie Lian shook his head, “It’s fine, they’re harmless. Go deal with the mutant rat problem, I’ll see you tonight.”
One last glance, and Hua Cheng left.
Xie Lian walked to his usual seat and sat down.
He waited for the meeting to start while everyone in the room just stared at him.
Xie Lian sighed. “I’m going to be honest, I don’t seem to be leaving power anytime soon, and I doubt this will be the last time something like this will happen, so…” he laughed. “You know, do what you will with that.”
Ling Wen cleared her throat and began the meeting.
Later, when she asked directly instead of through a random Middle Court god, he explained more throughly: “Even if you don’t deserve it, you’re capable of handling it. I am more than aware that past actions do not our values today. So I am placing my trust in you, and should you break it, I will handle it appropriately.”
Despite the vague undertones of a threat, Ling Wen knew he was just being blunt. With the appreciation and trust he garnered from almost every god, his own powers and abilities, and his husband’s standing: Xie Lian could deal with most threats. Including Ling Wen, should she become one.
She wouldn’t. Xie Lian had earned her support a long time ago.