𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝘼 𝙎𝙬𝙖𝙣 | TGCF

◦༻ 24...Wait, I KNEW Him?!

Xie Lian found it kinda cute in a way. This man really didn't change from their days in Xian Le, Hua Cheng was right. But, Xie Lian couldn't help but notice how his smile seemed so sham. He used to have nothing behind his eyes, no spark. He did now, just the spark was off, it seemed like it was painted on, not as if he had earned it.

The red velvet blanket was still strayed across Y/n's lower body, it made him notice that his clothing was also changed to nightwear. A thin white robe with long sleeves that could be used as a blanket alone, with a light gray belt wrapped around his waist.

Y/n's mind buzzed with questions (that he hid with his classic smile) about just about everything as Xie Lian placed his own tea cup down on the bedside table.

"So, your name has spread across the heavens pretty quickly." Xie Lian started.

Y/n sighed and pulled his tongue back into his mouth, grimacing at the feeling of his teeth sliding over the burn but not letting that show in his face.

"...how long has the heavens known about me?" Y/n questioned with tranquility.

"Since you ran into Pei Ming, hypothetically when you had just met the ghost bride; if I'm correct."

That was more than a few months ago, Y/n's stomach ached at the realization of how long he had been here. After telling himself it wasn't time to think about the past, Y/n trailed off to his next question. It also made Y/n feel a sudden surge of emptiness, the heavens knew his name but not Ya Wenling's. What was so special about him? Ya Wenling was a better person than him after all.

"Why did you bring me here?" Xie Lian smiled sweetly at the question, his smile much more real than that of Y/n's, making Y/n's heart soften and his body less tense (even though no one could tell he was tense in the first place).

This was probably one of Xie Lian's many underrated talents, making people automatically relaxed and sweetened like they had taken a spoonful of honey.

"It was both San Lang and I's choice. You interested us and..." Y/n could see Xie Lian's face slowly turning red as he trailed off and Y/n leaned forward, cocking a brow.

"And what?" Y/n questioned innocently, he knew somewhat what Xie Lian was about to say, but wanted a clear answer.

Suddenly one of the two grand doors opened and Xie Lian rushed up to the man who opened the door, eagerly jumping into his arms.

Oh shit

It's Hua Cheng...

Y/n was now coated in a layer of cold sweat over his smile. The last encounter he had with this man was when he was on the brink of insanity and...was Death. And, he didn't have this nice smile that he forged every time he woke up from swan form.

This made another intrusive thought pop into Y/n's head, making his temple throb with anxiety.

What if someone from the Heavenly court, or the ring of ghost kings, finds Da Hong? He would be done for, Y/n had to do a lot to make sure that didn't happen. As death, Da Hong-

"Xiu Y/n," Y/n was strictly cut off by Hua Cheng and he looked over at the man with hesitancy, not daring to meet his eyes. He knew Hua Cheng could see through his smile; that didn't mean he didn't put it on though.

Y/n quickly tried to look over to Xie Lian for support or some sort of relief he might get, now that Hua Cheng was standing over the bed, arms crossed and looking down at the smiling Y/n with a predatory eye. But Xie Lian was in the midst of closing the door behind him, leaving Hua Cheng and Y/n alone. It didnt make it much nicer that Hua Cheng wasn't in a teenage form, it more looked like the form of the Manhua when he caught Xie Lian in the sinners pit.