Broken-Tail Bird Under the Black Locust Tree [LICHEN]

I'll stay with you. I'll protect you

Notes:

I am insufferable, Zhuo Yichen sad face clutching into a tree make me write this short fic.

Let's us suffer together

Play Tianjiarui songs for more feels (I swear he has such beautiful voice). Jiejie fell in love

Has anyone seen a broken-tailed bird?
The rain soaked its feathers,
It has no trouble in its eyes,
It just want to find a roof to sleep on,
The bells is ringing and ringing,
My troubles are going back and forth,
Who know what it will look like when it grows up?

Broken-Tail Bird Under the Black Locust Tree

Chapter 1: I'll stay with you. I'll protect you

Snow blanketed the Zhuo family courtyard, the crisp air biting at Zhuo Yichen's cheeks. He didn't care about the cold. He stood beneath the Black Locust Tree, glancing up at its bare branches that swayed faintly in the icy wind. The small bells tied into his braids jingled softly, their sound comforting and familiar. He shifted on his feet, his heart beating with anticipation.

"Ge said he'd come back tonight," Zhuo Yichen murmured, his breath visible in the frosty air.

"I want to be the first to greet him."

The Black Locust Tree stood silently, its ancient presence looming over the courtyard. From within, the Black Locust Tree demon, Li Lun, stirred faintly. He had grown accustomed to the young boy's routines—his excitement when awaiting his brother, his unwavering devotion, and the warmth he brought to the cold winters.

Even Li Lun, a being who had watched countless humans come and go, found himself entertained by the boy's chatter and antics over the past six years.