Diaphanous | Hua Cheng X Reader X Xie Lian

Chapter 19: A Peek Into Her Past

"I am a little concerned about (Y/N).." Xie Lian starts. He and Hua Cheng were sitting back at the puqi shrine. "Perhaps something of her past causes her to be so oblivious to humans...or maybe lack of human interaction. As far as I know she had stayed hidden in the forest for hundreds of years. Though the amount is unknown and rumored by others..."

Hua Cheng chuckles slightly "And her first interaction after such a long time was during the whole bridegroom case? What luck..."

"It was her first time witnessing someone die in front of her..." Xie Lian hums, patting his lap for Hua Cheng to rest his head on. "She disappeared for quite a while after such an incident. Something had to be a trigger between her past and now.."

"We should talk with her when she arrives," Hua Cheng replies, laying his head on Xie Lian's lap, closing his eye. While it may have seemed like he didn't care at all, Hua Cheng himself was also a bit concerned. Though it was relaxing to have Xie Lian running a hand through his hair.

It was as though just by the mention of her, she had appeared. (Y/N) had walked in with a wide smile as though the events from the day before had no effect on her...or at least that was what she was trying to portray. Her normally down hair with a bun was tied up into a full bun instead, and while it still looked nice on her, the way small hairs stuck out of place could be told that she had done it in a rush. Not only that but there were slight bags under her eyes with her eyes holding a slight red to the sclera, but it was nothing too noticeable. She shuffled over and sat down a little ways away from them resting her weight against the wall.

"Dai Lu told me she was going to be a little behind on meeting because she wanted to look around a bit before we head off" (Y/N) replies, closing her eyes to allow herself some sort of rest.

That seemed like very convenient timing for said girl to be gone. Perhaps it wasn't something to dwell on, rather this could be used as an advantage to learn more about (Y/N). Opening her eyes she glances at the two boys who hadn't given her a response at all. Much to her surprise, Xie Lian was already looking at her, and Hua Cheng had sat up also staring right back at her.

"Uhm, what's going on?" She asks with a tilt of her head.

"We want to speak with you," Xie Lian replies, shuffling fully to face her.

"About your past" Hua Cheng finishes.

The room grew completely silent. (Y/N) sat up, her cheerful demeanor gone. Her posture indicated that the wall she normally had dropped around people was slowly starting to build up. Her upper body leans back slightly away from them as her arms crossed over her chest.

"You don't have to share anything if you are uncomfortable about it"

"No, no it's alright" (Y/N) hesitates, her voice cracking slightly "I can share a little bit"

Both had given her their full attention, though her face remained stoic, her eyes trailing around the room trying to figure out what to share. As if it had clicked her eyes lit up.

"Well...one thing I can share is a friend I had made as a kid.." She starts, encouraged to go on when Xie Lian nodded his head in her direction. "I had known him for quite some time, I was pretty sure he was older. He never gave me a name, but encouraged me to give him one if I had liked. So I did. His name was Gei Li."

At the name Hua Cheng had perked up slightly as if recognizing it.

"He was really a sweetheart, and my only friend. If you couldn't tell my family situation wasn't the best" She chuckled, but there was no warmth to it. "My mother didn't like the idea of having a daughter, as sons are clearly more important to carry the family name. Unfortunately for her, I was born a woman. So of course I faced constant abuse from her being unable to accept the fact I was a daughter. But Gei Li...he was the only one out of everyone in my family who made me feel...human"