Diaphanous | Hua Cheng X Reader X Xie Lian

Chapter 31: What Goes Up Must Come Down

Walking hand in hand, the trio had made their way back to the puqi temple. (Y/N) had determination written across her face. The sun had already started to set after everything that had happened, and the dirt road before them was almost completely dark.

The sudden sound of rapid footsteps caught their attention as Hua Cheng stepped forward, his hand hovering over his sword, e-ming. The trio was tense as the steps got louder.

Though their guard was let down, spotting a familiar child racing towards them with tears in her eyes. Automatically, (Y/N) kneels down to the floor, holding her arms wide open.

"Dai Lu!" She cries out as the little girl runs into her arms. Hua Cheng eyes the two, still with his guard up slightly moving to stand beside Xie Lian. The two men remained quiet watching the situation.

The little girl had begun to cry as she felt (Y/N)'s arms wrap around her small frame.

"It was so scary," She cries, keeping her face buried into (Y/N)'s shoulder. "I was so scared,"

"It's okay," (Y/N) reassures, standing up on her feet. She adjusted her weight properly to carry Dai Li, with Xie Lian's hand resting on the small of her back as support. "You're here with us now,"

"What happened?" Xie Lian questions, ushering (Y/N) to keep walking back to the temple.

She does so, giving him a look of gratitude. Dai Lu sniffles, rubbing her nose as she looks up at (Y/N). It was then that the older woman could take in the young girl's appearance. Her clothes were matted and dirty, with grass and branches sticking out of her hair. Her round, doe eyes stared up at (Y/N) with unexplainable emotions.

"I..." Dai Lu pauses. "I think I do belong to Han Jia Li and Han Bingwen,"

Her words cause (Y/N) to stop, her grip almost letting go of Dai Lu completely. Thankfully, the little girl held on and didn't fall. The two men who walked silently beside her were quick to her side, both holding onto an arm for support. Xie Lian never removed his hand from her back.

"Let's continue this discussion in the temple, okay?" Xie Lian says,"As for now, we are glad you are back with us, Dai Lu. "

Dai Lu simply nods her head, resting it against (Y/N)'s shoulder. The little girl closed her eyes as her breathing slowed, signaling she had fallen asleep.

(Y/N) had stared ahead, only looking at the direction she needed in order to make it to the shrine.

Xie Lian let her walk ahead slightly, having Hua Cheng stay by his side. He turns his attention to the taller male quickly speaking up.

"I don't have a good feeling about this," He states, looking back to (Y/N) and Dai Lu.

"Well then, that means we should keep our guard up," Hua Cheng replies, glancing down to Xie Lian. "I don't have a good feeling about it either."

Upon arrival at the temple, (Y/N) had set Dai Lu down, who had woken up due to the lack of warmth. Hua Cheng stood by the door while Xie Lian walked to stand beside (Y/N).

"What happened when you were missing?" (Y/N) asks, sitting on the floor with Dai Lu. The ghost stares up at the older girl watching nervously.

"When you disappeared, I turned around to look for you, but when I turned back, Hua Cheng and Xie Lian were gone also," She started. "I thought that maybe they also left to find you, so I went searching too, but I was found by this couple. They told me I looked like a couple in their village who had a son who had lost their daughter also"

"I went with them because I thought I could trust them." Dai Li continues, her eyes growing watery as she recalls the memories, yet her tears do not fall "They ended up taking me and locking me in a room, and a few moments later another lady walks in. She mentioned something about me being a miscarriage child and how it wasn't the problem for ghosts of their standing to worry about"