TGCF X CHILD! XIE LIAN

CHAPTER 2:

◊ Xie Lian denies the idea that he is a child, trying to reassure himself it is just a dream. After 15 minutes he sighs, shaking his head as he accepts the fact he is a child again. He looks up at the massive, dense forest. His mind is foggy, struggling to recall how he had become a child once again. Xie Lian's calm and kind profile is done, he is overcome with a sense of fear and unease, as he tries to piece together the events that caused him to become like this.

︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.

◊ "I need to return to Puqi shrine immediately, but I'm not sure how..." he murmurs. He glances down at his oversized clothing, with his hands barely visible under the baggy sleeves. He examines his appearance, trying to come up with a solution. Suddenly, he recalls a nearby market with a haberdasher. 'I could purchase a paofu from there.' he thinks to himself.

︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.

◊ After taking 10 minutes to recollect and mentally prepare himself, he rushed to the nearby market, running as fast as his little legs could take him. When he arrived, he was disappointed to find the market was crowded and bustling. The last thing he needed was a crowd. After 20 minutes of searching, he finally found the haberdasher and nervously, yet politely, placed his coin on the table while requesting a paofu.

︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.

◊ The haberdasher appeared confused but didn't voice his confusion. He accepted the coin and kept it in a small pouch before handing the white paofu over to Xie Lian. Xie Lian eagerly took the paofu, thanked the haberdasher with a slight bow, and quickly found a discreet spot to change his clothes. He felt relieved to be out of the heavy white robes and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Xie Lian strode through the local market, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling crowd.

︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚. 

◊ He was overcome with fear and unease once more. The people around him seemed so much taller, leaving him feeling small and insignificant. As he swiftly made his way through the bustling local market, he muttered to himself about the next stop being Pu Qi shrine. He quietly apologized every time he accidentally bumped into someone, scurrying down the mountain to reach his Pu Qi shrine and, more importantly, his beloved San Lang.

︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.

◊ Xie Lian hurries to Pu Qi shrine, panting in front of the entrance. He finally made it, and even though he doesn't express it, he is so relieved to be there. San Lang, who was sweeping the front porch - sees a little kid who bears an uncanny resemblance to Xie Lian! His eyes widen slightly. He approaches the child with gentle steps, careful not to startle them. "Hello?" his deep voice startles Xie Lian a bit. 

︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.

◊ Xie Lian's attention is quickly drawn as he sees San Lang holding a broom with a hand on his hip. It takes Xie Lian a moment to recollect himself before he greets San Lang with excitement and nervousness. "San Lang! It's me, Xie Lian!" stammers Xie Lian, pointing a finger at his chest, happy to see his friend. San Lang responds with curiosity, "Gege? Is that really you?" tilting his head down to look at Xie Lian, who has transformed into an adorable child. Xie Lian nods.

︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.

◊ Xie Lian spoke softly, eyes fixed downward as he twirled his hair absentmindedly. "Yes, it's me," he murmured, "What happened to you?" San Lang tilted his head in confusion. "I got hit by a beam of light while investigating a sound I heard, and I woke up like this...I think it's some kind of curse, but I'm hoping it will disappear soon." Xie Lian didn't know whether to laugh or cry, feeling timid as San Lang smirked at him.

︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.

◊ "Well, well, well, Your Highness," San Lang greets calmly. "I thought you were just taking a stroll in Yu Jun Mountains." Despite Xie Lian being turned into a child, San Lang remains composed. "Yes, but I'm sure it will go away soon enough," Xie Lian stammers. San Lang compliments Xie Lian, "I think you look quite cute like this. Can't you stay like this a little longer?" Xie Lian blushes and responds, "Well, I suppose I have no choice but to stay like this as long as the curse remains."

︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.

◊ San Lang smirked at Xie Lian and lowered himself to his level, chuckling softly. "Shall we go inside? I'm curious to know how you ended up as a child," he suggested, gesturing towards the door. They both entered the shrine and San Lang pulled out a chair, settling himself down. "Could you explain how this happened?" he inquired, tilting his head and resting his chin on his palm.

︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.
◊  Xie Lian explained his memories to San Lang, who nodded slowly in understanding. "You were quite brave to handle all of that on your own, given your current size," San Lang teased, as Xie Lian peeked his head out from under the table. Before Xie Lian could respond, they heard a knock at the door. San Lang and Xie Lian exchanged a look before San Lang opened the door with Xie Lian trailing behind.

︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.

◊ "Ugh! You again?" Fu Yao said sharply, raising an eyebrow and tilting his head. He rolled his eyes and sighed. Nan Feng gave San Lang a cold look before asking, "Where's-" He suddenly stopped, noticing the cute little child next to San Lang. "What?" Fu Yao looked over at him, also noticing the adorable child with an uncanny resemblance to Xie Lian. The silence was deafening.