Haunted Tales of Papapa

Haunted Tales of Papapa
Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/17560847.
Rating: Explicit
Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: M/M
Fandom: 天官赐福 - 墨香铜臭 | Tiān Guān Cì Fú - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù
Relationship: Huā Chéng/Xiè Lián
Character: Huā Chéng, Xiè Lián
Additional Tags: Shameless Hualian, Spoilers, Some Fluff, Minor Angst, blindfold play,
Bells, Mirrors, Calligraphy practice, Wax Play, Some hot ointment,
Gambling with dice, Toys of sorts, Reverse roles, Roleplay, Stimulating
the Senses, Alcohol, Check notes for each chapter with regards to the
concerned spoilers
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2019-01-27 Completed: 2019-04-19 Words: 26,994
Chapters: 6/6
Haunted Tales of Papapa

by yumette
Summary
Mysterious ghost stories circulate the human realm. Some of which are downright
frightening. But in reality, the truth behind all of these stories is the same: a night of intense
passion between Xie Lian and Hua Cheng.
Please assume that all of this takes place after the novel (main story + extras) so there is a
high chance of spoilers!! I won’t write about them in detail, but there will be references.
The Traveller’s Road Haunted by the Fervent Ringing of Bells
Chapter Notes
It’s been over 10 years since I last wrote something. Super rusty. It says “papapa” but
I’ve never written such material before. So I’m an amateur at this! This is an extended
version of the ideas I wrote in tgcf discord. Each tale will cover different kinks,
courtesy of our demon king. I have 5 ideas as of now so after 5 chapters, this will only
be updated if I have new ideas.
This chapter has spoilers about Shi Qingxuan and Shi Wudu!!
(Russian translation also published on https://ficbook.net/readfic/8158057)
See the end of the chapter for more notes
It is a cooling evening. Small, delicate flowers are in full bloom and dot the mountain trail known
as ‘The Traveller’s Road’, signalling the arrival of spring. The rows of trees with blossoming
flowers line both sides of the road, and a mild fragrance wafts through the air. This charming sight
can easily pass off as a scenic spot. But in fact, this is more well-known among the local people as
a shortcut which connects the nearby villagers to Jing City, a relatively prosperous port city. Thus,
one can always see people carrying their freshly-grown crops or riding horse-drawn carriages
across the gentle slope throughout the day, and even at night.
Unfortunately, not many of the travellers seem to be paying any attention to the stunning sight
above their heads. That is, except for a youth clad in white and a man dressed in crimson robes
more vibrant than maple leaves.
As a breeze blows past, the youth holds onto his straw hat and narrows his eyes. He eyes his taller
companion and lets out a carefree laugh. “San Lang. Stand still.”
“What is it, Gege?” Despite his question, Hua Cheng obediently stops walking and turns to face
Xie Lian.
Xie Lian approaches him on tiptoes and stretches out his hand as he explains, “A flower got caught
in your hair.” After he removes a pink flower, he is unable to resist teasing his lover, “You always
seem to attract attention wherever we go. Even flowers don’t leave you alone.”
A soft chuckle escapes Hua Cheng’s thin lips. “I only desire your attention, Your Highness. It has
always been that way, and will continue to stay that way.”
The Crown Prince is caught off-guard as he meets with the other man’s reverent gaze. Hua
Cheng’s answer appears casual, but Xie Lian is fully aware of the sincerity behind those words. He
is mindful of the stream of travellers walking past them and can only mutter softly, “It’s the same
for me.”
Taking advantage of their close distance, the demon whispers into his ear, “Thank you, Your
Highness. Please offer me your full attention tonight as well.”
Xie Lian’s cheeks turn a shade redder, as he remembers their amorous affair last night. He coughs
lightly, and continues walking ahead. “I-in any case, we have to reach Jing City by tonight.”
Due to his hasty manner, the martial god misses a step and stumbles. Fortunately, Hua Cheng
catches him in time. With a hand sliding down to Xie Lian’s waist, he cheekily proposes, “Gege
should have rested more this morning. Shall we retire earlier for the night? We can continue
travelling Jing City tomorrow. The matter we’re supposed to attend to isn’t so urgent.”
Xie Lian wants to disagree, but Hua Cheng continues to persuade him. “Also, there seems to be an
abandoned temple just off this road. It may be related. We can investigate it and stay the night
there.”
Unable to argue against this, Xie Lian nods in response and follows his faithful believer.
Shortly after wandering away from the main path, the couple arrive at a dilapidated temple. The
intricate carvings which decorate the pillars and beams, as well as the chipped gold overlays, hint
that this was once a thriving temple with numerous believers and generous offerings. The words on
the broken nameplate are too faded to read. Inside, they find a pair of dust-covered statues
evidently worn away by neglect. One male and one female. Each holding a fan.
The prince immediately recognises the identities of the two gods. “Feng Shi and Shui Shi…”
The demon king keenly perceives his mood and asks, “Shall we continue travelling to Jing City
instead?”
“No need,” Xie Lian instinctively replies, “We should help to clean up. Do you mind, San Lang?”
“Of course not, Gege.” Hua Cheng gives a reassuring smile.
As if sensing the significance of the situation, the lengthy piece of white cloth unwinds itself from
its owner’s wrist and sways to and fro. Xie Lian acknowledges its gesture with a giggle, “Sure, you
can help too, Ruoye.”
Hearing this, the scimitar hanging by Hua Cheng’s waist rattles with enthusiasm. However, its
owner flashes a disapproving look at it. “You won’t be of any use. Just stay still.”
The single red eye on the curved sword tears up, and Xie Lian hurriedly comforts it while gently
chiding his partner, “Of course we appreciate you, Eming. Don’t worry about him. You should
choose your words more carefully, San Lang.”
“There’s really no need to.” Hua Cheng catches sight of Xie Lian arching an eyebrow at him, an
action which he himself often does. He cannot help but hum in amusement, “Understood, Gege.”
The sky gradually darkens, and nightfall enshrouds the mountain. The god and demon pair have
more or less tidied up the interior of the temple, and settled for a simple meal of buns. The torn
curtains and cushions are laid out on the floor as makeshift beds, and the martial god nestles in his
devotee’s arms. Xie Lian is reminded of how they once slept side by side in Pu Qi Temple.
Tonight, however, one can hear the faint hustle and bustle coming from The Traveller’s Road. And
the once famous wind and water gods are now forgotten by the commoners.
Eyeing the pair of statues which are now free from dirt, Xie Lian says, “I suppose that since the
mountain trail leads to Jing City, a port city, many people used to stop by and pray at this
temple…”
“Nn.”
He tilts his head upwards, voicing the question which was on his mind the whole evening, “San
Lang, did you deliberately lead me here? To see this?”
“I’m sorry, Your Highness.” Hua Cheng cannot deny it, the insecurity that his Crown Prince does
fault him for not revealing the truth from the start.
Upon hearing this, Xie Lian sits up and clarifies himself, “I’m not blaming you, San Lang. After
all, since the beginning you advised me not to get involved.” He pauses for a bit, before adding, “I
admit that I still feel guilty over how helpless I was then, even though he could only depend on
me.”
Straightaway, Hua Cheng interjects, “He doesn’t blame you. And he still sees you as a good
friend.”
“I know,” Xie Lian affirms, “That’s how he is. He still won’t talk about what happened when we
lost contact with him, but his smile is still the same now.” He stares into the dark, as scenes from
his past replay before his eyes. “Truly, body in the abyss, but heart in paradise.”
“Your Highness.” A pair of hands cup Xie Lian’s face, and thin lips brush tenderly against Xie
Lian’s. Hua Cheng stares right into his eyes as he speaks every word with genuine faith, “I will
accept you and love you, no matter how you are.”
A sweet warmth spreads inside of Xie Lian, and he gives his partner a quick peck on the lips. “Me
too, San Lang. I will accept you and love you, no matter how you are.” He lies back down in that
warm embrace. His chest feels lighter, having aired his concerns, and he inadvertently rambles,
“Thank you, San Lang. It may be my own self-indulgent desire, but cleaning up this temple did
make me feel a bit better. At least, if Qingxuan ever comes across this place, he won’t see the
desolate state from earlier.”
Hua Cheng knows that such a situation is unlikely to happen, not when Shi Qingxuan is crippled
and cannot travel far distances. But he nods anyway and agrees, “Mn.”
Xie Lian is well-aware that his lover is humouring him. As his mood has improved, he gives his
lover a more proactive kiss and wraps his arms around the other’s body.
It is not often that the prince takes the initiative. But when he does, it will always stir something
inside of the demon king. This time is no exception, as he feels the heat gathering in his lower half.
Those intentions are made clear to Xie Lian, as Xie Lian feels something stiff poking at his thigh.
“S-San Lang, not tonight…” He knows that no one is watching them. But as he glances at the two
statues, he cannot help but imagine two pairs of eyes watching their every move!
“Gege, just one round…” Hua Cheng pleads in an almost inaudible murmur. His hands run up and
down Xie Lian’s body, stimulating every sensitive spot he is aware of, eager to evoke a favourable
response from his beloved god.
“Ah—San Lang—!” Xie Lian pulls away, eyes unconsciously darting in the direction of the altar.
He attempts to make a compromise by stretching his hand towards the hard protrusion. “I can help
you instead…”
His worshipper gently nudges against him and refuses to accept the suggestion, “I want us to feel
good together, Gege.” But he observes that his partner has yet to retract his hand, and that his gaze
remains elsewhere. So Hua Cheng gets up and seals Xie Lian’s four limbs, as well as his lips.
“Your Highness—please—pay attention—to only me—”
The martial god receives the intense kiss, as Hua Cheng’s tongue invades every inch of his mouth
and lovingly sucks his own tongue. Xie Lian closes his eyes, and slowly, his tongue actively joins
in the entanglement. He cannot resist groaning in pleasure, as two pairs of hands slip inside his
robes to start rubbing and twisting his nipples. The moist sound of entwining tongues echo in the
abandoned temple.
When their lips finally part, Hua Cheng licks away the traces of saliva from the corners of Xie
Lian’s slightly swollen lips. He humbly seeks permission once more, “Please allow me, Your
Highness.”
Xie Lian thinks to himself that this demon really knows how to get what he wants. Only asking
after arousing a reaction from him too. But deep down inside, he also knows that Hua Cheng will
not force him against his will. And it is true that he enjoys the exhilarating moment when their
bodies join as one.
“J-just one round…” Xie Lian surrenders to the temptation, and secretly wonders why his
resilience, which he had once displayed when he was drugged by the flower spirits, has come to be
this easily corroded.
Having earned the prince’s consent, Hua Cheng swiftly strips away their garments. Xie Lian shifts
his body in response, and also helps to remove Hua Cheng’s numerous silver accessories. Xie Lian
notices that Hua Cheng always makes it a point for the both of them to undress completely. His
devotee once remarked that as much as possible, he wanted them to be on equal footing when
copulating. Though Xie Lian reckons that it is his inexplicit way of saying that he loves the
intimate contact between their skins.
Hua Cheng bends down to shower kisses on his beloved’s eyes, nose, ears, lips, neck…cherishing
every surface and gradually moving downwards towards that hardening length. Before Xie Lian
can protest, he feels a wet tongue licking his cock. Hua Cheng envelopes his stiff cock with his
mouth and nimbly rubs his palms against the two balls, drawing moans of satisfaction from Xie
Lian. Xie Lian still cannot get used to the embarrassing yet alluring sight of the great and fearsome
demon king doing his utmost to service with his mouth and hands.
So he averts his gaze and involuntarily finds himself staring eye to eye with the female statue. Xie
Lian hastily looks away, but his good friend’s babbling is already replaying in his head. In fact out
of curiosity, Shi Qingxuan boldly asked him how his first time with Hua Cheng was like! Ever
since then, the man would pester him for details on what foreplay feels good, how does one
prepare to be on the receiving end, and so on. Xie Lian has no idea as to why he would need to
know such information. Unless……
Spotting how distracted his lover is, Hua Cheng pokes a finger against the entrance of his rear. As
expected, Xie Lian lets out a whimper and stares innocently at him. Hua Cheng releases Xie Lian’s
dick, and repeats his earlier statement in a throaty voice, “I only desire your attention, Your
Highness. Is it not the same for you?”
A wave of guilt sweeps across Xie Lian. Though he had no intention to do so, he was thinking of
another man besides the one before him. “I-it won’t happen again.”
A short silence passes between them, and Hua Cheng sharply eyes the two statues. He reaches out
to touch the white cloth wound around Xie Lian’s arm. “May I, Your Highness?”
The Crown Prince is unsure of what the other plans to do. But since Hua Cheng has never hurt
him, he nods in return and soothes Ruoye, “It’s okay.” He glances up Hua Cheng to seek
confirmation. “It won’t be uncomfortable right?”
“Not at all, Your Highness. Trust me,” Hua Cheng reassures his partner, before proceeding to
unwind Ruoye. “It will only be for a while.” The quivering piece of cloth soon calms down, and
allows Hua Cheng to tie it around Xie Lian’s eyes.
“San Lang?”
“It’s alright, Gege. Now you can only focus on me.” The familiar voice of his devout believer
whispers into his ear.
Xie Lian trembles at the abrupt assault on his ear. He stretches out both hands, blindly feeling for
Hua Cheng. Hua Cheng immediately guides those hands to his own shoulders, patting them lightly.
The martial god adjusts his grip, and feels his lover lowering himself again to his dick. Even
though he cannot see anything, Xie Lian’s every other sense is heightened, focusing on every
sensation Hua Cheng offers him. The long fingers continuously stroking up and down, and
sometimes teasing the tender flesh around the lower entrance. The dexterous movement of his
tongue, and how soft it is against his own hardened length. The musky smell of his increasing
arousal, and the sound of fluids mixing together.
A blush creeps onto Xie Lian’s face, as does the heat accumulate in his lower half. “Ah—! S-San
Lang! Move—!”
Hua Cheng disregards the pleas and tightening grip on his shoulders. He does not move away, till
he feels Xie Lian’s cock jerking and Xie Lian letting out a cry of relief. With his nose and mouth
thoroughly invaded by his beloved’s scent, the demon avoids swallowing and collects it all in his
hand. He kneads Xie Lian’s smooth bottom with both hands, slowly easing a finger inside. Xie
Lian is still catching his breath but as he feels his hole opening up to Hua Cheng’s advances bit by
bit, moans inevitably escape his rosy lips.
However, he suddenly hears a shout. He tenses up. Sure enough, he can hear multiple voices
coming from afar. Most likely belonging to villagers travelling through the night. If he could hear
that shout so clearly, would they not also be able to hear his cries of pleasure? Xie Lian
instinctively bites down on his lower lip and covers his mouth, suppressing his voice as much as
possible.
“Is someone crying?”
“What are you talking about, A-Ming? Are you missing your baby daughter already?”
“I’m being serious! I swear I heard it!”
At that moment, a distinctive cry rang in everyone’s ears.
“F-f-fuck! G-g-g-ghost!!”
“May the heavens bless us please I’m just trying to live my life peacefully I didn’t mean to offend
you—”
Their surroundings remain quiet for the next few minutes. The villagers shoot perplexed looks at
each other, and wonder for a second if a collective illusion is possible.
“…shall I check? Maybe it’s another human.”
“Shut up A-Ming! Let’s just hurry along!”

“AHHHH! COME OUT AND SHOW YOURSELF!!”
“Shut up!!!” The other people dare not raise their voices, and the man named A-Ming gets jostled
by them.
While Hua Cheng finds every action the prince makes endearing, he does want to hear that lovely
voice which excites him so much. He purposely uses his fingers to vigorously massage Xie Lian’s
weak spot, and nibbles his left ear. “Gege, let me hear your voice.”
“Mn—Ah—San—Lang! No—!” Xie Lian urges in a muffled voice.
Sensing something off, the faithful worshipper slips his fingers out and patiently asks, “What’s
wrong, Gege? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?”
Xie Lian shakes his head and clarifies, “No, it’s not that, San Lang. T-there are people outside…
they can hear…”
Hua Cheng naturally will not let anyone or anything disturb them. But he turns to the scimitar lying
quietly in one corner, and speaks aloud for Xie Lian to hear, “Eming, now’s the time to make your
—” He pauses, as if recalling something. “Do us a favour and guard the door.”
The crimson eye narrows in glee, and cheerily hops outside. But upon seeing his lover still firmly
covering his mouth, Hua Cheng questions again, “Is Gege still wary of being heard?”
The blindfolded man nods in return. Perhaps if he was not blindfolded, he would not be this
conscious. But now that he is, he cannot accurately judge how close or far the sound came from.
The person shouting sounded like he was just a distance away from the door! And he is
embarrassed to admit it, but his own moans sound extremely loud to him too!
While arching an eyebrow in amusement, the demon king caresses a hand against Xie Lian’s
cheek. He could tell his partner that there is nothing to worry about. Even if people can hear them,
they will never be able to enter. But at the same time, the fact that Xie Lian is distracted once more
during their lovemaking…it is tickling his childish jealously.
Just then, Hua Cheng spots a large bronze bell hanging near the back of the temple quarters. His
lips curl up into a mischievous smirk, but his tone remains patient. “I have an idea, Gege.”
The clueless god creases his eyebrows in confusion, as he hears rustling and ringing noises. He can
feel Hua Cheng gently touching him around his neck, arms, legs…as well as a cool, metallic
sensation. “San Lang? What is—aah—!”
Xie Lian jolts as his nipples are pinched all of a sudden. At the same time, several ringing noises
echo in the abandoned temple. Xie Lian twists his body, and the ringing noises are more distinct
this time.
Hua Cheng does not stop kneading those two sensitive ends as he calmly explains, “Gege does not
have to restrain yourself anymore. Those humans outside will only hear the bells and reckon that it
is a ceremonial procession.” He blows a breath into Xie Lian’s left ear. “Only I can hear you now.”
He continues to tease the nipples with his mouth, taking turns to suck and bite each side. His hands
run back down to the rear end. His fingers slip back inside and continue to widen the entrance.
While Xie Lian no longer holds back his voice, the endless jingling of bells is like an indication of
how turned on he is. Honestly, he cannot tell if this situation is any less embarrassing.
Eventually, his devotee releases the nipples, which are now red and pointed. Hua Cheng hums in
approval, as he notes that Xie Lian’s dick is equally stimulated.
“Gege, stay still,” he quietly instructs, while pulling out his fingers. Very quickly, he takes out red
thread and a few more silver bells, and ties it around the nipples as well as the hardened length. Xie
Lian cannot help but shiver in response, as the cold bells come into contact with his burning skin.
“You’re beautiful as always, Your Highness.” Hua Cheng lets out a contended sigh. He bends over
to give a gentle kiss.
Xie Lian wraps his arms around Hua Cheng’s neck to deepen the kiss. “San Lang—enter me
—please—”
The honest plea causes the demon king to tremble in delight. “As you wish, Your Highness.” He
spreads apart his lover’s legs, and rubs his stiff cock against the twitching hole. The Crown Prince
feels the thick length only going back and forth, and anxiously pushes his hips forward. Hua Cheng
grins at the beautiful view below him. Finally, he takes his time to gradually enter, inch by inch, as
the warmth engulfs his length.
“Aaah—! Hurry—San Lang—!” Xie Lian hooks his legs around Hua Cheng’s waist, and hugs Hua
Cheng closer to him. The bells ring sharply, expressing his impatience.
Hua Cheng huffs in contentment as he fully enters. He proceeds to pull out and push back in with
that same slow pace. Xie Lian mewls in pleasure, in harmony with the chiming of bells. But it is
not enough. For some reason, Hua Cheng does not increase his speed, and also deliberately avoids
hitting his sensitive spot. Even though they agreed on only doing one round, this single round
seems to be taking twice the usual amount of time.
“San—Lang—!”
“What is it, Gege?” Hua Cheng stops moving and sweeps Xie Lian’s dishevelled hair away from
his face, so as to fully savour the expression behind that sensual voice. “Let me hear you.”
He will do anything his god asks for.
Xie Lian casts aside his shame and bluntly requests, “Fuck me harder, deeper. Like you always do,
San Lang.” He feels Hua Cheng’s dick jerk. It seemed to grow bigger.
Hua Cheng chuckles and holds Xie Lian’s hands in his own, kissing every finger in adoration.
“You will be the death of me, Your Highness.”
“I bet some brat is trying to scare us.”
“Just give it a break, A-Ming.”
Soon, the group of travellers hear a faint ringing noise. They freeze up again, and exchange
puzzled looks. It does not take long for the incessant ringing noise to grow louder.
“F-f-fuck! I-I-I told you it’s a g-ghost!!”
“Are those bells? Is it a ghost procession??”
“Oh heavens bless us please we didn’t mean to offend you it was A-Ming—”
“Hey!!”
The people turn pale with fright and push each other along the path, begging to be left alone.
However, the chimes of bells seem to grow more violent, as if reprimanding them. A few of the
travellers start to snivel.
“Fuck fuck fuck I’m never travelling again with you, A-Ming.”
“Why is it my fault!?” An intense toll of bells sound in response, scaring the man named A-Ming.
“HOLY! WHOEVER YOU ARE, I DIDN’T MEAN TO PROVOKE YOU!! DON’T FOLLOW
US!!!”
“San Lang—! Aah—! San Lang—!” Xie Lian calls out his partner’s name, as he sinks into a
blissful frenzy.
Hua Cheng continuously thrusts and attacks that same area, groaning when that tight hole squeezes
around his dick. “Gege—do you—feel good? Tell me. Please. Let me hear you.” As their bodies
jerk back and forth, the bells ring loudly in unison. From time to time, Hua Cheng also playfully
flicks at the bells tied at Xie Lian’s nipples and cock.
“G-good—! Mn—Aah—!” The martial god helplessly reaches out to his own swelling cock,
fumbling at the thread restraining it. “C-coming—!”
Seeing Xie Lian’s tears stain Ruoye, his worshipper unravels it and places it to one side. Hua
Cheng caresses his face and licks away the tears, while driving his desire deep inside. “Me too—!”
The demon king swiftly removes the red thread binding Xie Lian’s dick, and grunts in satisfaction
as he releases. His lover shudders and cries in ecstasy, as he finally comes. The bells chime in
symphony alongside their climax, like an orchestra’s grand finale.
The couple stay still for a few minutes, enjoying the receding flames of passion as they recover
their breaths. Xie Lian then carefully extends his hand to Hua Cheng’s eyepatch to remove it. The
other man flinches, but does not reject his lover.
Once it is taken off, Xie Lian kisses the hollow socket without any hesitation. “You are beautiful,
San Lang. I will accept you and love you, no matter how you are.”
Hua Cheng’s gaze softens and he returns the kiss on his beloved’s smiling lips. “Me too, Your
Highness. I will accept you and love you, no matter how you are.”
They exchange another tender kiss, as Hua Cheng slowly withdraws. Xie Lian blushes when he
sees the mess they created, and cannot bring himself to look in the direction of the pair of statues.
He mumbles under his breath, “San Lang…we should clean up again……”
Hua Cheng smiles in return. “Understood, Gege.”
“Have you heard of the rumours?”
“The one about ‘The Traveller’s Road’? Is it really true?”
“A-Ming said so himself! When he was travelling to Jing City last week. The sound of bells
ringing haunted the entire road! It was a ghost procession!”
“But that fellow always exaggerates. And that’s the best shortcut to Jing City from here. Everyone
takes it!”
“I know, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry! At the very least, even if I have to take a
detour, I will avoid using it for now!”
“In any case, we better pray to the gods for safety!”
“Speaking of which, wasn’t there a temple along ‘The Traveller’s Road’?”
“I seem to recall there being one…you think we should pray there?”
“Isn’t it deserted? I don’t think it will help…”
“Aye, who cares? Let’s just pray first!!”
Chapter End Notes
Please imagine Hua Cheng having his own magic pocket, so that he is ready anytime
and anywhere for papapa. And please don’t ask me if papapa is physiologically
different for gods/demons. I don’t know! All I know is that Hualian feel good with
each other! Writing about papapa took me so long since it’s new to me……I felt like
laughing at my own cheesy writing.
The Heartbroken Ghost’s Grief of Separation
Chapter Summary
frightening. But in reality, the truth behind all of these stories is the same: a night of
intense passion between Xie Lian and Hua Cheng.
Please assume that all of this takes place after the novel (main story + extras) so there
is a high chance of spoilers!! I won’t write about them in detail, but there will be
references.
Chapter Notes
I’m not sure how bathhouses or hot springs are like in China during that period. But
just like how TGCF is fiction with supernatural elements, so is this. Don’t take it too
seriously. Also in one extra chapter, Xie Lian’s power overflowed and went amok (due
to amazing papapa with Hua Cheng / power transfer), hence causing the statues to
come alive. So I’m using that premise for the strange things that happen. (Our couple
should not papapa too much in one day…)
This chapter has references to their past.
The air is cool and crisp, while the waters are hot and comforting. Xie Lian heaves a sigh of
satisfaction, as he leisurely soaks in the natural spring water. He can feel the heat penetrating his
bones, easing any existing aches or pains. Now he understands why the elderly never get tired of
bathing in hot springs.
“This is surely one of the greatest joys in life…” the Crown Prince mutters with a content smile
plastered on his face. The flowing sound of a distant river further adds to the relaxing atmosphere.
Hua Cheng is pleased by Xie Lian’s reactions. “Does Gege like it here that much?”
“I do! Thank you for bringing me here, San Lang.” Xie Lian looks around at the numerous lush
trees surrounding them. The leaves have turned into a gorgeous gamut of yellow, orange and red.
Xie Lian is reminded of the time when he met the youth, who could answer his questions about
anything under the sun, and how those crimson robes stood out amidst the red maple leaves. “How
did you come to know of this place? It seems pretty isolated.”
This particular hot spring can be considered a hidden treasure site. One can only access it after
trekking deep into the mountains, before climbing down a rugged slope to finally locate it. The
local villagers discovered it, and converted it into a simple bathhouse for their own needs. But
otherwise, this place is not widely known. Even then, due to the tedious journey, not many people
would spend half a day to travel here. Of course, this does not apply to gods or demons, who can
easily warp their way here.
The demon king explains simply, “I overheard some female ghouls praising this hot spring, and
that it made their skin smoother and better.”
“So it enhances one’s beauty?” Xie Lian raises his right arm and runs his left palm along it, but is
unable to feel any difference.
Hua Cheng also runs his hand along his partner’s right arm. “Nn, Gege’s skin is already smooth
enough. As smooth as a baby’s bottom.”
“San Lang!” Xie Lian retracts his arm and shoots a glare. But his flushed cheeks give away his
thoughts. He already recalls this morning’s passionate lovemaking session, when he was called
“baby” countless of times.
“Yes, Gege?” the other man calmly replies, while raising an eyebrow.
Xie Lian refuses to reveal what is on is mind and hits Hua Cheng on the chest. However, the
martial god soon starts to pat the toned muscles on Hua Cheng’s chest, abdomen and arms with
genuine admiration. “One cannot tell how muscular you are, when you are wearing your clothes.
But now I can see it clearly.” He also brings a hand to that exposed neck. “It’s also my first time
seeing you tie your hair in a bun.”
Hua Cheng’s mouth twitches in response to the unrestrained prodding, and he stares intently at Xie
Lian’s well-defined body. “One can say the same for you, Your Highness.” He returns the favour
by suggestively tracing the lines on Xie Lian’s body, and drops his voice into a low whisper.
“Besides, even if we don’t always see it, we always feel the shape of our bodies.”
The blush on Xie Lian’s face glows brighter and he slowly draws his hands away. As he does so,
one of his hands brushes against the tattoo on his devotee’s arm. Xie Lian’s gaze lingers on it for a
while, and he softly outlines the strokes of the two characters as if contemplating something.
He wonders aloud, “Should I also get a tattoo of your name?”
“No,” Hua Cheng immediately replies in a stern tone. “It will hurt.”
Xie Lian blinks in surprise, before reassuring with a smile. “I can tolerate it for San Lang.”
But the taller man shakes his head and strongly opposes, “No matter what, I do not want to see you
get hurt again, Your Highness.” A mixture of grief, regret and helplessness can be felt from his
dark gaze, as that horrible nightmare replays in his mind. When he could only scream silently,
while watching his dearest one getting stabbed over and over again.
The prince feels a faint tremble coming from the arm in his grasp, and pulls Hua Cheng into a
strong embrace, “Alright, San Lang. I won’t do it.” He continues to soothe Hua Cheng as the latter
wraps his arms around and buries his head against Xie Lian’s shoulder.
After a while, the two of them pull away from each other. Hua Cheng lowers his gaze and remarks
in a self-mocking tone, “I’m sorry, Your Highness. I’m still this weak.”
“Don’t say that, San Lang,” Xie Lian grabs the demon’s chin and forces him to look up. “I will say
this as many times as you need to hear it. People may recognise us as a god, and a demon. But
actually we are still human. You can rely on me anytime. In exchange, I also need you by my side.
San Lang, you complete me.”
That dark pupil, which usually looks down at every other existence with a bone-chilling arrogance,
quivers ever so slightly. Hua Cheng’s lips curl upwards. “You complete me, Your Highness. Your
very existence shapes me.”
“I’m glad we agree on that,” Xie Lian says with a laugh, before giving a quick peck on the lips.
Hua Cheng does not miss the opportunity to return twice the favour, capturing his lover in a
lengthy kiss as he occasionally bites those alluring lips and caresses Xie Lian’s tongue with his
own. Xie Lian wholeheartedly accepts his sincere and ardent feelings which fill him up to the brim,
even down there. Perhaps it is due to the heated kiss, or due to soaking too long in the hot spring
water, but he begins to feel a bit dizzy.
When their lips finally part, Xie Lian takes a deep breath. “San Lang, I think we should get out for
now.”
“Understood, Gege,” Hua Cheng agrees and supports Xie Lian as they step out of the hot spring.
“Let’s cool down.”
They walk towards a wooden bathtub nearby, which contains water of lukewarm temperature. Hua
Cheng uses a small basin to scoop out some water, and pours it over their scorching bodies.
Though their bodies soon cool down, Xie Lian cannot help but notice that their lower halves
remain unaffected. While the mood is rather optimal, he reasons with himself that this is a public
area and that anyone can walk in on them. Even though Hua Cheng mentioned that the villagers do
not frequent at this time, one can never be certain.
As Xie Lian repeatedly reasons with himself, he attempts to find a topic to divert their attention. He
glances once again at that familiar tattoo and blurts out, “How is your calligraphy practice going?”
His faithful believer arches an eyebrow, and proposes, “Quite good. But instead of only telling you,
shall I show you my progress, Gege?”
“Oh? How?” the god asks with a confused expression.
In response, Hua Cheng points at the row of frosted mirrors. It is actually a small area for people to
scrub themselves clean, before dipping into the hot spring. The full-length mirrors are mostly
fogged up due to the high temperature, and one can hardly see their own reflection.
The couple walks over to one mirror, and Hua Cheng starts to write on it with his finger. When he
is done, the taller man confidently faces his teacher and waits for his appraisal. Xie Lian squints at
the two characters and only recognises it since it looks somewhat similar to the tattoo. Though he
is not using calligraphy brush this time, his handwriting is still as illegible as ever.
The Crown Prince nods a few times, as if to also convince himself. “It does look better. And yet
you still retain your strong characteristics.” He takes hold of Hua Cheng’s hand and guides him in
writing the two characters another time. “Keep it up, San Lang.”
A chuckle emits from the demon king’s thin lips. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
He pulls Xie Lian into his arms and begins to write on the mirror again. Xie Lian frowns at the
odd-looking strokes. But soon, he realises that Hua Cheng is not writing. He is drawing. The fine
strokes come together one by one to form a human-shaped figure. Eventually, Xie Lian makes out
the identity of the person being drawn. It is none other than himself. It may be considered sketchy
compared to Hua Cheng’s usual portraits. But there are enough details to make Xie Lian’s cheeks
burn up, as he sees his partial reflection in the mirror gradually overlapping with the portrait.
The crinkled eyebrows. The closed eyes. The slightly opened mouth. The bare shoulders. The
raised arms. The curled fingertips. Xie Lian has never seen how he looks like when he is engaged
in their zealous moments. But he does not doubt his partner’s ability in recreating the image.
When Hua Cheng is finished, he seeks the subject’s opinion, “How do my drawing skills
compare?” He tilts Xie Lian’s face in the same angle and lifts his arms in the same posture. “Is it
accurate?”
Xie Lian opens his mouth, but swallows his answer. He was about to say “yes”. Would it not imply
that he is feeling that same rush of ecstasy right now? So he squeezes out another answer, “S-
somewhat.”
“Hm?” the artist contemplates over his reply. “I suppose so. Your Highness’ current appearance is
so much more erotic.” Hua Cheng affectionately sucks and bites on Xie Lian’s left ear. He brings
the two arms down, and presses himself directly against Xie Lian’s body, brazenly sticking his
hard length against the two plump butt cheeks. Hua Cheng stares back into his beloved god’s eyes
through their reflection. “Looks like I have to improve my drawing skills too. May I study Your
Highness in detail?”
Xie Lian shudders at the tickling sensation on his ear. His mind is melting down from the bare and
intimate contact of their skins, his throbbing desire, and the recollection of this morning’s vigorous
exercise. His reason is barely hanging in there by a thread. He takes a deep breath, and is about to
suggest cooling themselves down once more. But it is as if Hua Cheng read his mind already, and
he quickly shifts his fingers to start playing with Xie Lian’s nipples. The long fingers tap lightly
and sometimes pin down the pink tips, as if he is playing a two-stringed instrument. Xie Lian
inadvertently bows his head over, as opposed to his arousal which stands straighter in attention.
“Mn—!”
Hua Cheng unabashedly interprets the reaction in his favour, “Gege nodded? Thank you, Gege. I
will treasure this opportunity to the fullest.”
His fingers continue playing a silent concerto, accompanied by the small gasps which escape Xie
Lian’s lips. Hua Cheng nudges at Xie Lian’s neck and brings their bodies closer to the mirror,
persuading the prince to look up again at their partial reflection. The prince’s most loyal
worshipper does not forget to comment his every observation, committing each one to his memory.
“Gege’s eyes are shining so brightly; I could keep staring at them forever.”
“Gege is usually so pale, but look…your cheeks are a beautiful scarlet now.”
“These two points are becoming pinker and more protruding too.”
“I can see Gege’s muscles becoming tense. It’s extremely enticing……”
“So Gege’s lips curve at this angle…it looks very inviting.”
As if entranced by Hua Cheng’s words, Xie Lian turns his head and offers his lips, even stretching
out his tongue. The demon suppresses a laugh and gratefully accepts the attractive offer. Their
mouths readily collide, greedily sucking each other’s tongues.
Outside, three girls arrive at the hidden hot spring. They were worried that they might have gotten
lost. Thankfully, they finally found it. They observe that the sky is still relatively bright. So
according to their calculations, they should be able to soak in the hot spring and return to the
nearby village before the sun sets.
“It is just like what the old lady said. Hardly anyone comes at this time. Wait, there’s a sign in front
of the men’s bath…I can’t read it at all. What does it say??”
“Umm...maybe it’s being cleaned? Though the old lady said that they clean in the early
mornings…oh well, at least the female bath is open!”
While the two girls are filled with excitement, the remaining girl looks around nervously. “H-hey
did you hear someone else talking?”
“No,” her two friends reply in unison.
“A-are you sure?”
“There you go, imagining things again. Relax A-Hua!”
“Yeah, let’s hurry up and enjoy the hot spring!”
The two friends appear used to her antics, and push her along.
After separating their lips, Xie Lian lets slip the thought that had been on his mind since a while
ago, “San Lang, touch me down there.”
“As you like, Your Highness.” Hua Cheng pretends not to understand the nuance, while gliding his
hands downwards to trace the muscles along Xie Lian’s abdomen.
The martial god grits his teeth and hisses impatiently, “Touch my dick, San Lang.”
Hua Cheng shivers at his commanding voice, and immediately obeys, “As you wish, Your
Highness.”
He grips the swelling dick and begins to stroke up and down rhythmically, drawing a satisfied
groan from Xie Lian. Squelching noises echo around them, causing Xie Lian to feel even more
embarrassed yet turned on. Soon, his knees grow weak and he seizes Hua Cheng’s wrist to halt his
movement. He uses his other hand to grab Hua Cheng’s stiff length, and brushes against it.
Staring back at his lover’s surprised expression through the mirror, Xie Lian orders in an
authoritative tone, “Together, San Lang.”
“…As you command, Your Highness.” Hua Cheng supports Xie Lian by the waist and gently
instructs, “Please kneel down, Your Highness. Yes, that’s right…place your hands here and move
your legs closer together.”
Once Xie Lian is in position, Hua Cheng slips his cock in between Xie Lian’s legs and starts to
pump back and forth. Xie Lian inhales sharply, and his hands press firmly down on the mirror in
order to support himself. Hua Cheng breathes heavily, and savours the mind-numbing sensation of
their cocks rubbing against one another. Xie Lian’s thighs start to burn from the friction, and he
cannot resist trembling in pleasure.
“Mn—! F-faster, San Lang!”
They observe their unbridled actions in the mirror, unable to tear away their gaze from each other.
The two of them were already aroused since their heated kiss in the hot spring, so it does not take
long for them to climax.
“Aah—c-coming! San Lang!”

“Your Highness…!”
Xie Lian turns his head, prompting Hua Cheng to lock lips with him. Their tongues fervently rub
against one another, mimicking the same motion as their bottom halves.
Inside the female bath, the girl named A-Hua timidly follows her friends to where the mirrors are.
Eventually, she calms down with their animated chatter and forgets about her earlier worries. As
she cleans herself, she seems to hear someone talking again. She frowns and turns to her friends,
who appear unaffected and are even laughing loudly. A-Hua shakes her head and hums to herself.
She feels a strand of hair hanging down loosely, and decides to redo her bun. She inches closer to
the mirror, attempting to get a better look at her blurry reflection.
All of a sudden, a pair of handprints flashes before her eyes.
A-Hua leaps backwards in fright. She wants to scream, but is finding it difficult to even breath.
Eventually, she lets out a strangled “Help” to the other two girls. However, they cannot hear her.
She shakily crawls towards them and hastily taps their shoulders.
“What is it?”
“H-h-hands…”
“Huh??”
A-Hua struggles to express herself. “I-I-I saw a p-pair of h-h-hands on the m-mirror.”
Her friends look at the mirror she is pointing at, but see nothing of that sort.
“You have got to stop your wild imagination, A-Hua…”
“Come on, let’s go!”
The terrified girl gets led to the hot spring by her friends. She keeps looking back at the mirror in
disconcertment, as if to confirm if she really saw nothing.
The couple pant heavily after finally releasing their pent-up desires. The Crown Prince still feels
the heat lingering in his body though. His rear end twitches against Hua Cheng’s cock, as if craving
for it. Xie Lian bites down on his lower lip, ashamed of how honest his body is. They just did it
this morning!
He cannot tell if Hua Cheng realised it or not. But his devotee begins to plant kisses along his neck
and shoulders, tenderly biting and sucking so as to leave behind a trail of bright red marks.
“Gege is so brilliant,” Hua Cheng praises in admiration, while continuing to mark along Xie Lian’s
back. “Will Gege accompany me for my calligraphy studies too?”
Xie Lian plays along. “Yes, San Lang. Continue…”
The demon king chuckles at his indirect request. “It is my honour, Your Highness.”
Hua Cheng brings his fingers to Xie Lian’s mouth, and the latter instinctively opens his mouth,
allowing Hua Cheng to run his long fingers against his tongue. Xie Lian wraps his tongue around
the fingers, eagerly licking and sucking at them. His partner slides his fingers in and out in a
provocative manner, while deliberately rubbing his dick against Xie Lian’s bottom. His right hand
also stroke Xie Lian’s hardening length once more. With various areas being stimulated at the
same time, the god cannot resist emitting a stifled moan. His eyelids flutter, but he maintains eye
contact with that dark, intense stare via the mirror.
Soon, Hua Cheng withdraws his fingers and carries Xie Lian to the mirror on the right. He bluntly
explains, “A fresh sheet for calligraphy practice.”
He makes sure that Xie Lian is kneeling comfortably, before using his wet fingers to slowly
massage the entrance behind. He kisses Xie Lian’s temple with reverence, and guides Xie Lian’s
dick to the mirror in front. Before Xie Lian can comprehend what his lover is trying to do, he feels
a strange tingle against his stiff desire. Hua Cheng manoeuvres it like a brush, writing while
reciting a familiar poem. His fingers gradually enter and spare no effort in widening the twitching
hole, which seems to still feel moist and warm from this morning.
“No water is comparable to the magnificence of the sea…”
Hua Cheng gently shifts Xie Lian as he prepares to write the next line. Xie Lian feels his legs
turning soft, and he supports himself against the mirror. He cannot help but urge, “Ah—! Deeper!”
“No cloud is more beautiful than those of Mt Wu…” Hua Cheng skilfully handles the throbbing
“brush” in his hand, and also ruthlessly kneads the sensitive spot deep inside.
“Aah—! San Lang—!” Xie Lian rests his forehead on the mirror, alongside his hands, so as not to
lose his balance.
“I pass by flowers that fail to attract me…” the taller man stops his calligraphy practice, since his
beloved god is practically leaning on the mirror. He playfully teases the tip of Xie Lian’s cock and
spreads his fingers inside. “Will Gege help me to finish reciting the poem?”
Aching for more, Xie Lian clenches his hands and he articulates the last line with a deep yearning,
“Half due to ascetic practice mn—! Half for your sake!!”
The three girls take their time soaking in the hot spring, and soon feel reenergised and refreshed.
At this moment, A-Hua frowns as she seems to hear a voice. “No water is comparable to the
magnificence of the sea… No cloud is more beautiful than those of Mt Wu…?”
“Huh? What are you reciting, A-Hua?”
“Didn’t you hear someone say that?”
“No… why are you reciting that…what is that poem called again…?”
“It’s ‘Grief of Separation’ by Yuan Zhen. But yes, why are you reciting it, A-Hua? Are you
lovesick?”
“I swear I heard someone say it…” A-Hua sees their doubtful expressions and quickly adds,
“Maybe I soaked inside for too long…let’s go back now.”
“Now that you said it, I am feeling a little dizzy…"
“Alright, let’s do that.”
A-Hua gets up and follows her friends to the wooden bathtub filled with lukewarm water. On the
way there, she spots untidy scrawls on one of the mirrors. She panics and scrambles to the other
two, flapping her arms about and too scared to make a sound. Her friends look at the mirror she is
pointing at. This time, they see the abnormal squiggles, the handprints and the imprint of a blurred
visage on the mirror.
The blurred visage moves and they hear a smothered voice. “Half for your sake!!”
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!”
The two girls instantly drag A-Hua out of the bath area and flee, as if a ghost had climbed out from
the mirror and is chasing after them now.
The ring hanging around his neck knocks against glass, and Xie Lian snaps out of it. He thought he
heard someone screaming at him for being so careless, and he hurriedly clutches it in his right
hand. Hua Cheng notices this and pats his hand. “Gege, it’s fine.”
The prince shakes his head, and gestures to turn around. His faithful believer grins at this action,
and removes his fingers. Hua Cheng swiftly rotates his partner and positions his own length at the
entrance. Xie Lian hugs Hua Cheng tightly, to the point that the ring imprints itself in their bare
skins, and even feels assured that it is secured safely between them. Soon, he feels that familiar
thickness sliding inside him. Xie Lian wraps his legs around Hua Cheng’s waist, and due to his
own body weight, the thickness sinks in deeper. The other man groans and relishes the tight
sensation, before proceeding to thrust in and out.
“San Lang—! Ah—! More—!”
“More of what, Your Highness?” Hua Cheng seductively whispers into his ear, and does not cease
his movement.
Xie Lian shudders in response and shamelessly begs, “Harder—!”
“As you like it, Your Highness…” That single word prompts his lover to persistently pound at that
certain spot. With every strike, he earns a sequence of uncontrolled moans, as well as scratches in
his back. Hua Cheng continues to plunge his desire in as far as he can, groaning each time he feels
his dick being swallowed in whole. At the same time, Xie Lian feels his own cock rubbing
relentlessly against their stomachs, and it incites more waves of pleasure.
“Aah—! Coming—San—Lang—!”
Hua Cheng feels the person in his arms tremble continuously, and cry loudly in gratification. Once
his climax has passed over, Xie Lian collapses in Hua Cheng’s embrace, and catches his breath. He
can feel the demon still thrusting at a steady pace. He recalls how Hua Cheng “studied” his face
and body earlier on, and decides to repay the favour.
So Xie Lian starts to trace the handsome features of the man before him. Of course, he also does
not forget to add his commentary.
“San Lang’s eyebrows are so defined…I adore it when you arch them.”
“I could keep touching the contours along your cheeks, nose, chin, collar…and all the way
down……”
“Does San Lang also like it when I poke these two points? I felt you shivering.”
“San Lang’s thin lips are just as inviting...you don’t know how much I stare at them every day.”
He lovingly kisses Hua Cheng, nibbling lightly at those lips as if to prove his point.
Hua Cheng huffs and grips the two butt cheeks more firmly as he pumps even faster. He never
expected the martial god to take this chance to “attack” back at him. It certainly is effective, for he
can feel himself reaching his limit.
“I love the way you look at me, San Lang. You make me feel complete. That every moment is
special and worth living for. I want you to know that.” Xie Lian brings his lips to the black
eyepatch.
Those warm words, that meaningful gesture and his fond gaze contrast sharply against their current
activity. But it is exactly all of that which tips Hua Cheng over as he finally releases. He grunts and
jerks a few more times, till he is completely satisfied. He presses their foreheads together, and
reveals a wide smile as he gazes back into those magical pair of eyes.
“I know, Your Highness. I intend to know everything about you. Your Highness, you are the
reason I am here. Your existence alone is hope for me.”
“I know, San Lang. I also intend to know everything about you,” Xie Lian responds with a small
giggle.
A heart-warming silence passes between them, till Hua Cheng asks, “Gege, how is my writing?”
The prince tilts his head and blinks a few times as he examines the convoluted and messy tangle of
strokes on the mirror, unsure of how to evaluate it. Instead, he only mumbles, “Practise with the
correct tools next time, San Lang.”
“…Understood, Your Highness.”
“Grandma, what were those girls babbling about?”
The old lady shakes her head and laments, “I gave them directions to our hot spring, and they come
back talking nonsense about a ghost. Hah! I have been visiting that hot spring since I was a kid, and
never encountered any ghost or ghoul there!”
“They saw a ghost? In broad daylight?? What did they see?”
“Something about a ghost mourning over lost love and writing some sad poem on the mirror. How
ridiculous!”
“They were sobbing so much and looked really pitiful though…”
“I have no idea what goes on in young people’s minds these days! Meimei don’t learn from bad
influences alright.”
“Sure, Grandma. We see all sorts of people in this business anyway.” the bright-eyed girl spots two
figures walking in a distance. One clad in white, and the other clad in red. She calls out to the
potential customers in an exuberant voice, “The handsome men over there, how about a bowl of
hot noodles for dinner? We serve delicious tea too!”
Chapter End Notes

I once tweeted that everything that Hua Cheng says to Xie Lian can be variations of “I
love you”. I was reminded again of this when writing this. Because in “The Princess
Bride”, Westley often says “As you wish” to Buttercup with the implication of “I love
you”. And I realised that I made Hua Cheng say quite a few similar phrases in this
chapter.
The poem is the one Hualian practices in the novel. Many people have translated it so
this is a cut-and-paste version of a few versions, together with my own minor
revisions. (See the first footnote in my blog post for details:
https://chocolatemix.wordpress.com/2018/10/27/%e3%80%8a%e5%8d%8a%e7%b7%a3%e5%90%9b%e
english-translation/)
It took me even longer to write this since I don’t want the “scary ghost” and papapa in
every chapter to seem repetitive. But then again, aside from the kinks, the papapa
process is pretty much the same right…anyway, I’ll try my best as I go along.
A Burning Wintry Dilemma
Chapter Summary
references.
Chapter Notes
This chapter is based on the fact that Hua Cheng received all sorts of birthday gifts in
that birthday extra chapter. Yes, even from gods! So I made up my own “gift”. I don’t
know the supposed period or dynasty that TGCF takes place in. So I just researched
about how people stayed warm in ancient China and took ideas from all over. Also,
please don’t take the wax play here as “correct”. I did read up on it. But what is
normal for a god and a demon is not normal for humans! Especially for this power
couple.
This chapter does not have any spoilers.
Blankets of snow collect on the roofs, empty tree branches and pavements. All of the people are
decked in multiple layers of wool or fur, hurrying back to their homes. Some of them shoot curious
glances towards a couple, who seem to be rather underdressed and yet happily admiring the falling
crystals. They shake their heads and return to what they were doing, unable to understand what is
so special about this common winter weather.
A youth wearing a straw hat tiptoes and dusts the snow off the head and shoulders of his taller
companion. “I remember visiting this city before. It was also winter then, and it snowed just as
much!” His tone sounds jovial, but the distant look in his eyes reflects another story.
He was alone back then, and had a hard time receiving any scraps since people often stayed
indoors rather than outdoors. So he rarely had an audience to perform for. There was even one time
when he offered to help someone find something they had lost, so as to earn that little bit more. He
can no longer remember what that item was. But he does remember is spending two days out in the
cold, sifting through the thick snow to find it. A normal person’s hands would have turned blue
and frigid from the freezing weather. Besides that, quite a few people even stepped on him by
accident when he was kneeling in the snow during his search. Apparently they could not
distinguish his white robes from the white snow. Fortunately, he had long grown numb to these
things.
“I have to be careful not to lost sight of Gege then,” the man donned in a crimson red garment jokes
with a chuckle. “You’re pale as jade and even dressed in pure white, so you easily blend in.” Hua
Cheng smoothly takes Xie Lian’s right hand in his, entwining their ten fingers. “Stick close to me,
Gege.”
A tender warmth is kindled in Xie Lian’s chest, and he obediently takes a step closer. The
memories he has of certain places are not pretty or worth remembering. But now that he is
revisiting such places with Hua Cheng, everything appears more wonderful. It would not be an
exaggeration to say that even the plain white snow glimmers in a beautiful silver colour in his eyes.
The martial god does not usually openly talk about his past, but his devotee seems to always know
what is on his mind. The latter smiles meaningfully and brings Xie Lian’s hand to his lips,
attentively kissing each of the five digits as if they are precious gemstones.
“San Lang?”
“Nn. Let’s find a place for the night, Gege. It’s getting late,” Hua Cheng replies.
Xie Lian nods in agreement, and they start to look for an inn. Just then, they pass by a temple. It is
of a decent size, and the calligraphy on the signage gives off a bold and aggressive aura.
“Ming Guang Temple?” Xie Lian reads aloud and ponders over it for a moment. “I see, the
northern area is under General Pei.” As expected, he can catch a glimpse of a statue with a valiant
and charming aura inside the temple, which has about 70% resemblance to the actual person.
Hua Cheng seems to recall something as he arches an eyebrow and his eye twinkles in mischief.
His lips curve up slightly, but he does not share what idea had just dawned upon him. Instead, he
points out to his partner. “Look, Gege. There is an inn next to it.”
The couple enter a modest-looking inn which is split into two storeys. It feels warmer inside, most
likely thanks to the central heating system. It is a common sight in this northern area. Houses
would be built with raised stone floors, and a charcoal fire would be lit in the space between the
floor and the ground. The heat would then travel across the stone to warm the entire building.
A plump man with a moustache, presumably the inn owner, approaches the two of them and greets
them warmly. “Welcome, welcome! Do you wish to stay the night? Two rooms for the two
gentlemen?”
“One room is fine,” the taller man answers.
The proprietor observes at their clasped hands and quickly retracts his gaze. He has seen all sorts of
people after running this place for almost 20 years, and has learnt to mind his own business.
“Certainly, we have available rooms. I suppose that with this chilly weather, you would prefer a
room on the first floor where it is nice and toasty. Rooms on the first floor cost 10% more. But I
guarantee you that you won’t find a more reasonable rate in this town!”
“It’s fine, we can take a room on the second floor,” the taller man replies again in a decisive tone.
It does not make much difference to them anyway. Plus, he would rather their room be further
away from other people.
The chubby man widens his eyes in surprise and examines how the two men are dressed in so few
layers. Are they so poor that they wish to save on every penny they can? But those silver
accessories look rather expensive. Surely he must be wealthy. Then again, the same cannot be said
for his companion with a straw hat.
Numerous thoughts dash through the businessman’s mind in a matter of seconds. But he merely
says, “Alright, it is unlikely that anyone else will stay on the second floor, I’ll give you the biggest
room!” In the end, his sympathy for the youth dressed in white overrode his other suspicions. He
even ducks behind the counter to search for something, and then hands a ceramic censer to them. It
easily fits in the palm of one’s hand, and it is shaped like a peach with intricate carvings of flowers
and leaves. “Take this too! I won’t charge anything for it!”
Xie Lian gratefully accepts the hand warmer. Due to its design, he is reminded of the delicious
peaches which grew in abundance in the tree grove, and how he and Feng Xin stumbled upon Mu
Qing being cornered by the other boys. In the end, he righteously told Mu Qing to use his name
next time in order to pick as many peaches as he wants for his mother. The crown prince
unwittingly smiles at this trivial childhood memory. Some memories are not pretty or worth
remembering, hence he easily forgets them. Yet he can vividly remember this.
Hua Cheng’s expression softens upon seeing this smile, and he gives a small pouch to the inn
owner. The couple quietly head upstairs, and the innkeeper quickly informs them that their room is
the one straight down the corridor. Hua Cheng waves a hand in return. The man strokes his
moustache and peers inside the pouch to check the payment. He is utterly shocked when he sees
the amount, and repeatedly counts it. This is more than enough for two rooms on the first storey!
So why did those two insist on one room on the second storey? He shakes his head in disbelief and
stores the money away. This is definitely one of the oddest customers he has served!
Upstairs, the god and demon settle down in their room. The former flops down on the spacious
bed, and snuggles into the quilt. Hua Cheng chuckles at this sight, and lights the candles around
the room. His sharp profile is illuminated by the soft candlelight glow, and his red silhouette
standing next to the window forms a stunning contrast with the backdrop of falling snow. Xie Lian
peeks out from underneath the quilt, and is inexplicably drawn to this charming sight. The demon
king notices his penetrating gaze and walks over, giving a peck on his lover’s forehead.
“Does Gege wish to bathe? I will tell the owner.”
“No need. It’s late, San Lang. Come and sleep.” Xie Lian gestures and pats the spot next to him.
“It’s nice and warm since I placed the hand warmer underneath the quilt.”
Contrary to his expectations, Hua Cheng climbs onto the bed and puts the peach-shaped censer
away on the bedside table. Instead, he reveals a compact and clicks it open. He uses a finger to
scoop up a transparent gel-like substance, and cautiously rubs his fingers, before rubbing it against
Xie Lian’s hand. The other man squirms a bit at the sudden burning sensation, but eventually
relaxes as it transforms into a comfortable warmth.
“What is this, San Lang?”
“Just a gift I received on my birthday. I haven’t had the chance to use it yet.” He continues rubbing
his finger in a circular motion and suggests, “It seems innocuous. Shall we use it tonight to keep
ourselves warm?”
Downstairs, the enterprising businessman has called the other occupants out to the dining area for
complimentary supper. The people thank him for his generosity, as they slurp up the hot millet
porridge. Infected by the harmonious mood, one of them even opens up his pot of rice wine to
share with everyone else. The innkeeper sets the lighted candles around them, remarking that it is
important to stay warm and to not fall ill in such weather. Everyone is doing their best to make ends
meet, so he assures them that he is only offering what is within his means.
He twirls his moustache and glances upstairs, contemplating if he should also knock on that
couple’s door. There was a certain intimate atmosphere surrounding them, as if one should not
interrupt them. In the end, he decides against it. After all, he already gave them the hand warmer
for the night. If they come to learn that they had missed out on free supper, the most is that he
would pass them some extra snacks in the morning.
As a businessman, he has to be flexible.
The room is filled with the sound of restrained moans and the rustling of sheets. Lying bare naked
on the bed, the martial god finds his body growing hotter with every minute, as his faithful believer
religiously massages the ointment onto every inch of his pale skin. Or rather, almost every inch.
Those long fingers purposely skirt past his slightly stiff desire, and his rear.
“S-San Lang…” Xie Lian calls out in a breathy voice.
“Nn?” Hua Cheng’s lips barely brush past the length standing before his eyes.
Feeling that deliberate small wisp of air, Xie Lian inhales sharply. He looks longingly at the man
kneeling at his groin, who has also removed his clothes and accessories. With flushed cheeks, Xie
Lian says indistinctly, “L-let’s do each other…”
Hua Cheng raises an eyebrow and brazenly nudges his cheek against the dick next to him. “Tell
me. What do you wish for, Your Highness?”
The heat collects in both his cheeks and his arousal. The crown prince bites down on his lower lip
and bluntly requests, “Suck each other…”
The demon king grins and eases himself next to his beloved, before exchanging a loving kiss.
“Anything else, Your Highness?”
Xie Lian lowers his gaze and murmurs, “T-touch me behind too, San Lang.”
“My pleasure, Your Highness,” the taller man replies as the corners of his lips curl up more.
Hua Cheng turns to position himself above Xie Lian. He coaxes Xie Lian to lift his bottom slightly,
and promptly starts to massage it with the ointment with one hand. Soon after, he also grips the
dick with his other hand and rolls his tongue along it. Xie Lian involuntarily lets out a gasp and his
fingers dig into the sheets. He stares at the thick length hanging in front of him and carefully takes
it in his mouth. It is not his first time doing this. But he can never gauge the best angle or speed in
pleasuring his partner. Even when he accidentally bit too hard on Hua Cheng’s dick the first time,
Hua Cheng’s expression remained relatively unfazed and he assured that it was fine.
Hoping to deliver the same amount of ecstasy which he always feels, Xie Lian becomes engrossed
in stroking the cock with his fingers and tongue. He inhales the musky odour and persists in taking
in the hardened length by a couple more inches. When he hears Hua Cheng emit a muffled groan,
with his own cock still in the depths of Hua Cheng’s mouth, Xie Lian shivers and exerts more
effort in sucking and licking. He feels an incredible sense of satisfaction. However, he cannot help
but jolt when he feels a finger entering. He becomes distracted when the finger diligently rubs his
insides, and even more so when the fingers multiply. Unlike any previous time, his hole has been
burning since the moment it was opened up. Without a doubt, it must be because of the balm.
He releases his lover’s cock with a ‘pop’ and quickly begs, “San Lang…” Not that he knows what
he is begging for, and can only describe the sensation in a pitiful whimper. “It’s really hot…”
While the rest of his skin also felt the same, the hotness eventually dissipates into the air.
However, this is not the case for his hole which is being stoppered by the fingers and being
thoroughly lathered with that substance.
“Nn,” the other man acknowledges, and shows no signs of stopping as he begins to knead the
sensitive area. He even kisses the precum leaking from the quivering tip of Xie Lian’s desire, as if
it was the sweetest dew. “Gege, does it feel good?”
“Mn—!” His insides squeeze around the fingers, wantonly burying them in deeper.
His loyal worshipper notes this reaction with an unspoken understanding, and continues to draw his
fingers in and out, rubbing harder on sensitive spot. “Gege, your insides are really wet…and
scorching. You keep swallowing my fingers in, almost all the way till my knuckles. As if refusing
to let me go. Gege, you’re so amazing.”
“Aah—!” Xie Lian shudders at the words which plainly and blatantly narrate his current state. He
can hear the craving in Hua Cheng’s rather parched voice, and also observes that Hua Cheng’s
arousal is pressing so closely to his abdomen. He licks his lips and urges, “San Lang, enter me
now.”
“Boss, the heating in your inn is really something! It got really chilly today, yet I feel nice and
warm now,” one of the customers remarks with a chortle. “Of course, it’s also ‘cos of my rice
wine! Haha!”
The businessman laughs heartily, “Winter here can be so bitter that the cold pierces your bones! So
when I opened this inn, I paid the most attention to the heating system!”
Another occupant chimes in, “Really great! It’s so effective. I’m even starting to sweat a bit!”
“Now that you mentioned it, I’m sweating too…”
One by one, the people wipe the sweat off their foreheads, and fan themselves. One of them even
takes off his coat. The inn owner swiftly snuffs out the candles, hoping to ease their discomfort. He
dabs the sweat off his face and appeals to his customers, “Is this better?”
“A bit better, I guess?”
“How strange that we would be sweating on a winter’s night…”
After resting both legs on his shoulders, Hua Cheng deftly slides his dick inside. The moment he
enters, he is almost electrified by the fiery heat that wraps around him. And with just the slightest
movement he makes, it sticks to him tighter and tighter. The feeling is so intoxicating and
addictive, that the demon king loses control for the first time in a long while. He mercilessly
thrusts into his partner over and over again, so as to repeatedly savour that exhilarating feeling. On
the other end, Xie Lian cannot hold back his cries as he receives each strike.
“Ah—! So hot—! San—Lang—aah—!”
Just when he thinks that he cannot take Hua Cheng’s desire any further, Hua Cheng lowers one of
his legs such that both legs are spread further part, and plunges his desire in even deeper. The
martial god can feel his insides automatically opening up and eagerly welcoming every thrust. He
arches his back and clings desperately to the bedsheets, as if he may get pushed off the bed if he
fails to do so.
“San Lang —! Aah—! Melting—!”

“Fuck! What is this thing that he gave,” Hua Cheng mutters under his breath. His tone sounds
irritable. But his face is wrought with pleasure, and he adoringly nips at the calf next to his mouth.
It has been a while since they have made love so intensely, and Xie Lian suspects that he may very
well climax from just being stimulated behind. It seems as though they are truly melting into each
other. Without any warning, the cock buried inside of him jerks violently. His scorching insides are
further heated up, and Xie Lian also soon achieves orgasm.
Both of them are panting heavily, and still soaking in the aftermath of the sensual enjoyment. Hua
Cheng is the first to recover his senses, and he caresses his lover’s face while gently kissing each
facial feature. He whispers in an apologetic tone, “Gege, I’m sorry. I failed to control myself.”
Xie Lian shakes his head and reassures, “Don’t apologise, San Lang.” He hears how hoarse his
voice is and clears his throat. “I-it felt good…”
Upon hearing this, Hua Cheng nudges at Xie Lian’s neck and asks thoughtfully, “Does Gege want
more?”
The customers are gulping down the last of the millet porridge and rice wine. Some of them are
still sweating, and wonder if it is because the centre of the inn is warmer due to the central heating
system. Perhaps it will be better when they go back to their own rooms. They exchange words of
gratitude for the hospitality and are about to retreat for the night. It was at that moment, when all
of them heard a voice crying out. Amidst its cries, they clearly hear a complaint.
“So hot—!”
They exchange confused looks, and the proprietor questions to find out who was it that
complained. No one admits to it. Soon, that same voice cries out again in a higher pitch.
“Aah—! Melting—!”
This time, they are certain that the voice did not belong to any of them.
“B-boss, is your inn h-h-haunted?” one of the guests stammers, unable to hide his fear. “Y-y-you
didn’t say a-anything about it to us…”
Alarmed, the proprietor attempts to clear up the misunderstanding, “No, I have never encountered
any ghosts here! None of my guests have told me any stories either!”
Another person comments, “But…you were saying that you built your inn here after the previous
building was destroyed in a fire right? Did anyone die in that fire?”
Everyone starts to mumble in agreement, further vexing the innkeeper. The voice has died down.
He persuades them to remain in the common area for a while longer, to confirm if it really is a
supernatural occurrence or not.
After rubbing the balm all over the crown prince’s body once more, the devotee picks up a candle
from the bedside table and drips the wax on his own hand to test the temperature. Following
which, he drips a bit on his partner’s arm and checks if it is okay. Once the latter nods, Hua Cheng
continues to drip the wax on different areas. His movements are smooth and speedy, similar to
when he is painting. Xie Lian trembles at the burning sensation, which feels strangely pleasurable.
The shiver travels all the way down to his bottom half, which is still penetrated by Hua Cheng.
Hua Cheng only huffs in delight when the twitching hole clenches tighter. He slowly rubs his dick
in and out, causing wet noises to echo in the room.
“Mn—! It’s hot!” Xie Lian wriggles in embarrassment, but he also does not dare to make any
sudden movement due to the candle above him.
Hua Cheng finishes after a short while, and admires the bewitching piece of art before him with a
grin. Scarlet red wax lines entwining around that pale body which glistens under the candlelight,
due to the ointment and sweat. It seems as though the man is wearing a seductive piece of
undergarment. Hua Cheng pinches and flicks the upturned nipples, till they turn as pink as
peaches. Xie Lian shudders in response, emitting soft moans.
“San Lang,” Xie Lian mewls, his eyes gleaming with yearning. “I want more…”
The smirk on the demon king’s face widens, and he begins to strip away the “undergarment”,
further stimulating his beloved god’s arousal. He answers in a voice filled with hunger, “I also
want more, Your Highness. I may not be able to control myself tonight. Please, forgive me for
being rough.”
Yet again, he has stripped his lover bare naked. Xie Lian provocatively brushes his fingers against
the place where they are connected. “You are forgiven, San Lang. Please, give us what we both
want.”
“Your Highness…!”
After waiting for a while, nothing else is heard. It seems as though it was a collective figment of
their imagination. However, it is getting hotter and hotter.
“Boss, can you adjust the temperature?”
“Are you sure? It is winter outside…” the proprietor nervously strokes his moustache.
The rest of the occupants all approve of the idea, leaving the owner with no choice. He lifts a stone
tile in the middle of the building, and puts out a charcoal fire. Feeling a bit better, everyone turns to
return to their rooms.
“Aah—! I’m burning! It’s so hot! Hot—!”
They freeze on the spot, holding back their breaths. None of them dare to make a sound, as if they
will hear the voice again if they do. Despite their efforts, the crying is incessant.
“G-ghost!! It’s a ghost!!!”
The panic spreads among the guests, and they convince the innkeeper to appease this spirit, which
presumably perished in the fire years ago. As a result, a few more charcoal fires are extinguished.
Unfortunately for them, the voice continues to plead.
“So close! Help me—ah—!”
A conflict arises between the people. After all, it is winter. No matter how hot it was previously,
the temperatures outside are much colder. Moreover, it is in the middle of the night, when it is at
its coldest. But in the end, more charcoal fires are doused, much to the reluctance of everyone. A
cold sweat runs down their foreheads, and they can no longer tell if it is due to the heat or the cold.
Hua Cheng has bent both of Xie Lian’s legs, pressing the knees towards the chest, as he
relentlessly rams his cock deep inside. The two bodies rock back and forth endlessly, resulting in a
mess of twisted bedsheets and the constant creaking of the bed.
“Aah—! I’m burning! It’s so hot! Hot—!” The martial god grips his own two legs closer to his
body, allowing his faithful believer to speed up even more.
Even though they had just did it once, they feel more aroused than ever. Perhaps it is how searing
Xie Lian’s bottom half feels, as if flames of passion are licking at him all the way till his very core.
Perhaps it is the slick and sticky feeling that keeps wrapping around and compressing Hua Cheng’s
length, as if imploring him to drive it in faster and faster. Whatever it is, it is a comforting
sensation that signals to them how connected they are.
“So close! Help me—ah—!”
“Your Highness—!”
Not long after, the couple tremble uncontrollably as they approach their climax.
It was a torturous night for the other guests. They would lower the temperature so as to pacify the
ghost who passed away in the fire. When the cries die down, they would reckon that it is fine to
light the charcoal fires again. However, another round would commence. None of them dared to
sleep for the night either. It was only when dawn arrived that the pleading finally ceased.
Thoroughly exhausted, they trudged back to their rooms to get some well-deserved rest.
Xie Lian nestles in Hua Cheng’s arms, and spots the empty compact sitting on the bedside table.
He reaches out to grab it, hoping to discover any clues about it. There are no hints about its
ingredients or origins, except for a tiny message imprinted inside on the base. It was not visible at
first, and has only revealed itself now that the compact has been wiped clean of its contents.
‘Looks like you appreciated my gift a lot!’
He blushes furiously upon reading this, as he recalls how they had just spend the whole night
frolicking in the sheets and massaging each other with the aid of this mysterious substance. The
man beside him hums in contentment and takes the compact away, tossing it back on the nearby
table. He locks their fingers together and kisses each of the five digits on Xie Lian’s left hand, just
as he did some hour ago.
The crown prince laughs at this tickling affection, and asks the question which had been on his
mind, “San Lang, who gave this to you?”
“Oh, you just met him.”
“I did?” Xie Lian furrows his eyebrows. He did tell Feng Xin and Mu Qing that he was headed to
this area. But that was three days ago, and he cannot bring himself to believe that either of them
would be capable of giving a birthday present of…this nature.
Hua Cheng chuckles and clarifies his statement, “To be accurate, you met a representation of him.
In the next building.”
“In the next……” His eyes widen in realisation and he burrows his face inside his lover’s arms.
“To think that General Pei gave this…”
“Isn’t it typical of him? Rather considerate, I should say.” Hua Cheng kisses that reddening ear and
whispers suggestively, “Shall I obtain more of it?”
The other man does not respond, and only teasingly bites the smooth skin in front of him as a form
of protest, drawing out an amused laugh. While it might be embarrassing, at least Xie Lian now has
a beautiful memory to look back on when he visits this wintry town.
Chapter End Notes
If you haven’t already noticed, I like including mentions of the other characters
whenever I can. Among the ideas for this work, this is one of my favourites. It is hot
(literally) and yet humorous and pitiful for the humans. I just hope that I managed to
convey it well enough.
By the way, I thought of another idea so I have changed this to 6 chapters. Writing
about papapa is draining…for the amount of time it takes me to write regular
paragraphs, it’s 5x as long for the “action” scenes.
Gambling One’s Life Away
Chapter Summary
references.
Chapter Notes
Hello, I was away on a short vacation hence I took longer to update. Actually, I have
no fixed schedule for updating. But sometimes I do post my writing progress on twitter
(@yumette) so feel free to look there if you’re curious. These are all my guilty
fantasies for Hualian, so thank you for all the comments and kudos thus far.
For this chapter, I had to read up a bit since I don’t gamble IRL. I also took some
creative liberties. Guo Shi and YOU-KNOW-WHO-MAJOR-SPOILER’s situation
from the end of the novel are mentioned in this chapter. The name is never mentioned
but all other details are mentioned – you have been warned.
Late at night when most people would be sleeping, two men trudge down uneven grounds through
a bamboo forest. They keep treading forth, till they reach their final destination. A run-down,
wooden house that looks abandoned, if it were not for the faint chattering coming from inside.
“This is the place, San Lang?” the man dressed in white questions, while pointing ahead.
The man in red robes nods in confirmation. “Gege, let’s go in from the back.” After saying that, he
leads Xie Lian behind to what appears to be a wall with no openings. He eyes Hua Cheng with a
curious expression. Sure enough, his partner taps around the wall till he discovers the correct
wooden board and pulls open the well-hidden door. The demon king explains simply, “This is their
exit in case of emergencies.”
Upon entering, Hua Cheng closes the door and beckons the martial god to a corner. The room is
narrow and sparse; its purpose is only to provide a more secure escape path. From the cracks in the
wall, they can get a peek of the noisy events taking place in the main hall. Several people are
crouched around in a circle, placing their bamboo stick lots at different spots on top of a brown
cloth. One of them which has a red cloth tied around his arm and has been motionless, proceeds to
throw three dice inside a small circular chest and shakes it. After a few minutes of silence, the man
sets the container down and opens it to reveal the results. The other men erupt into a rowdy
commotion, a mixture of joy and anguish on their faces. They are too engrossed to notice that two
strangers have slipped inside from the back. After all, only they know about the hidden room
behind, as well as the secret door. Any intruders would have to trespass from the front.
In a low whisper, Hua Cheng describes the gameplay to Xie Lian. At the beginning of each round,
players place their bets on their chosen slots. These could include whether the results are “big”,
“small”, “odd”, “even”, doubles or triples of certain numbers and so on. The dealer would then
shake the three dice and disclose the combination on the dice. Naturally, the lesser probability of a
combination showing up would equal to a higher stakes.
Xie Lian’s head bobs up and down as he listens to his lover’s resonant voice. The game is
straightforward enough to understand at a glance. But he sees the men tirelessly lay their wagers
and gamble continuously. The easiness of the game and the chance factor is what keeps them stuck
there.
As for the reason why the couple are here too, one would have to rewind time to some hours ago.
At that time, Xie Lian had just met Guo Shi. It was one of his regular visits to check on and catch
up with his previous mentor and advisor. Similar to previous visits, he purposely avoided meeting
the other person Guo Shi was accompanying. Though some time has passed since their last
confrontation, Xie Lian still does not want to see his face. He still has not sorted out his feelings. In
fact, he fears that the minute he sees that pristine yet deceptive face, he may lose control of his
emotions. Yes, everything may have reached a conclusion of sorts. But when he reflects, this was
the enemy who had haunted and taunted him in his darkest hours. The figure who he had once
deeply respected and admired, and even relied on. The person who had witnessed the fateful day of
his ascension.
Different names, but all one and the same person. This description could also fit Xie Lian himself.
In addition, that person’s past mirrors Xie Lian’s a lot. So the thought of meeting him is also like
meeting an alternate version of himself. Fortunately, it is thanks to Hua Cheng’s strong belief in
himself, constantly reminding him that he is different, that Xie Lian walked down another path.
Despite the numerous questions which linger in his mind till today, he doubts that he could have a
proper conversation with him. Xie Lian does not know if that day will ever arrive. But that is fine.
Time is one thing which they both have an abundance of.
Guo Shi was the same as always, worrying over Xie Lian and giving out pearls of wisdom as and
when he could. Except that his topic of nagging would start off from how his student was doing as
a god, and eventually shift to how his disciple was doing with his lover. It is like facing a mother-
in-law’s interrogation. Xie Lian supposes that this is why as of late Hua Cheng would wait
elsewhere during the visits.
It was during this recent visit that the topic of gambling came about. His mentor was in a fouler
mood as he had consecutively lost to his three friends that day. To be honest, Xie Lian cannot
comprehend how the actual person could lose to his own creations, since they were manifested
from Guo Shi’s skills and memories. Unlike him who kept these thoughts to himself, Hua Cheng
had once blurted it out and received an earful from Guo Shi.
While making their way back, the crown prince pondered aloud, “Guo Shi always comes across as
someone with impressive foresight and knowledge. I always wondered why he gets ensnared in
gambling.”
His devotee grinned and offered a rationalisation, “There will always be that one thing which a
person is crazy about. As much as it may not fit his image, it just so happens to be gambling for
him.”
“I see…” the other man spun around and asked. “So what is it for San Lang?”
Hua Cheng raised an eyebrow and responded without any hesitation, “Of course it is you, Your
Highness. I always convey my mad adoration, day and night.”
“I-I see…” Xie Lian inexplicably stuttered and quickened his pace. Even though he had mentally
prepared himself for such an answer, he could feel a blush creeping onto his face. Hua Cheng
would sprout similar lines each day. And each time his own heart would beat faster, as if he was
falling in love all over again. It was just the way he speaks in such a bewitching and magnetic
voice. The way he stares fixedly at him as if he was all that existed in this world. He could not help
but be enchanted each time.
The taller man caught up and posed the question right back at him, “What is it for Gege?”
“That is obvious enough…”
Upon hearing the muttered retort, Hua Cheng chuckled and persisted, “What is it for Gege?”
Xie Lian raised his voice and answered as if it was a given, “Of course it is you, San Lang.”
It was a pity that he did not turn around there and then. For he would have witnessed Hua Cheng
halting in his tracks and quivering ever so slightly, before hiding a hopeless grin with his hand.
Having sensed something off, Xie Lian looked behind him. By then, the demon king had
recovered himself and was strolling like before. It was then that he made the suggestion.
“Is Gege curious about gambling?”
The martial god blinked at this abrupt question. He was taught that it was a taboo he should not
break. And he was confident in not doing so. The longest time he engaged in it for was when the
man before him “taught” him how to roll the dice. But that should not count since it was really all
Hua Cheng’s credit. Now that he was reminded of how gambling is almost a part of Guo Shi’s
identity, Xie Lian was admittedly a bit curious.
And that was how Hua Cheng led him to an illegal gambling den. It was low-key, but regulars
would flock to it since it was relatively concealed and had a pretty secure escape route. As for the
odds of hitting the jackpot, besides luck it also depends on who is the dealer that day.
After watching for a while, Hua Cheng reveals three dice in his palm as he speaks, “Shall we also
give it a try?”
“Alright,” Xie Lian gives his consent before raising his concerns. “But we don’t have all of the
tools. And what will we bet on?”
The corners of his partner’s thin lips curl upwards. “We will play it a bit differently. We will each
take turns to roll the dice and see if our results are higher or lower than the dealer’s. If it is higher,
then it is a win. If it is lower, then it is a loss. If we both win or lose, or if we tie, then we will
pass.” Before the other man makes any comment, he adds on, “It will be harder to predict since we
have to see what combination the dealer rolls. If he is skilful enough, he would roll a result which
is unfavourable for the other players.”
This rationale is acceptable. So the youth clad in white agrees, “Then what about our wagers?”
Hua Cheng’s smirk widens and he brushes his fingers across Xie Lian’s face. “The loser will
remove a piece of clothing each time.” Xie Lian is about to express his disapproval, but the other
man moves quicker and presses their lips together for a feathery kiss. “Or would Gege rather the
winner remove a piece of clothing from the loser?”
When Xie Lian hears this, he immediately recalls the time when Shi Qingxuan teasingly ordered
them to strip a piece off each other. Thankfully, that did not continue. One cannot say the same for
this time though. So he reasons that it will be better to do it himself, and to choose where to start
from. Hua Cheng also did say that it will be harder to predict since it also depends on the dealer’s
skills. But actually, deep down inside he is expectant. He is not sure what. Is it the chance to once
again see those efficient hands handling the dice? Or the chance to see clothes being peeled off that
chiselled body, layer by layer? Or something beyond that……
He gulps down a mouthful of dry air, and also sweeps away his wild thoughts, as he tries to remain
calm. “Your first suggestion is fine. We’ll go with that.”
“Understood, Gege.” Hua Cheng listens to the ongoing ruckus in the next room. “It looks like they
just begun another round. Shall we also start?”
In the dealer’s eyes, things are going smoothly tonight as well. He had allowed the players to earn
quite a bit, so that they will want to keep playing. However, he will soon end their winning streak.
Occupied in his own thoughts, he fails to notice an uneasy tension spreading among the players.
Eventually he notices them mumbling under their breaths and takes the initiative to inquire.
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing, it’s just that we keep hearing the sound of dice rolling…”
“Huh? Obviously you will.”
“Not from you rolling the dice, A-Ye. It’s coming from somewhere else.”
“It’s not that I want to say this. But I think you must be too addicted if you can hear these
illusions.” Following this dry remark, the man named A-Ye adjusts the red cloth tied around his
arm and collects the dice into the barrel-shaped container. “Come on, hurry up and place your
bets.”
“The result is a 15. You rolled a 12, and I rolled a 16. It’s my win again, Gege,” Hua Cheng
dutifully reports the status, and keenly arches an eyebrow in the crown prince’s direction.
“San Lang…” Xie Lian fidgets under that intense gaze, unsure of where to place his hands. He was
elated when he won the earlier rounds, and he had a brief taste of thrill of gambling. But he had
only managed to make his faithful believer take off his accessories and two pieces of garment.
Following that, it was a spell of losses for him. And right now, he only had one last piece of
garment left on – and Ruoye, if he could count it too.
A bystander would have eventually noticed that this was a given result. It was actually a fairly
even competition. The only loophole was just that they counted accessories individually, and Hua
Cheng has so many more of those in comparison to Xie Lian.
“What is it, Gege?” the other man asks knowingly, resting his chin on his palm.
Xie Lian hesitates for a moment, before finally speaking, “Let’s stop here and do…something
else……”
“Sure, Gege.” Hua Cheng gladly obliges and even sits up straight. However, his eye has a playful
gleam to it. “What is this ‘something else’?”
Unable to bring himself to say it aloud, Xie Lian clumsily captures the taller man’s lips while
forcefully pulling at his clothes. A look of surprise flashes past in Hua Cheng’s eye, but he soon
avidly returns the kiss and assists in stripping away any remaining fabrics. The moment they are
both bare naked, the demon king swiftly lays his red robe on the floor and gestures for his lover to
kneel on it. Once Xie Lian is on all fours, Hua Cheng kisses his neck and steadily leaves behind a
trail of red blossoms. With a die in each of his hands, he runs it in circles around the pointed nubs,
and sometimes roughly tweaks them. At the same time, his mouth reaches that perky butt and he
continues to bite and suck on that pale skin.
The martial god inevitably gasps at the intimate touch, especially when Hua Cheng nudges a finger
at his rear. Even the slightest nudge feel so good.
Hua Cheng traces his finger around the rim and remarks matter-of-factly, “We didn’t do it for the
past week, so I will have to spend more time preparing here.” He detects a twitch under his
fingertips.
That statement is a fact, so Xie Lian cannot argue against this. Since he was planning to visit Guo
Shi today, he did not want to hear his badgering on not going overboard with the bedtime activity
this time. It does not help that since Guo Shi’s spiritual power is extremely high; his eyesight for
the remnants of ghostly marks is extremely sharp too. Sometimes he would even guess the details
of what they had done. The awkward embarrassment is almost similar to his parents walking into
them making out, not that such a situation will ever arise. So Xie Lian made the decision to not
engage in any copulation for a week. His efforts paid off, somewhat. He merely earned the
comment that it is advisable to always practice moderation. Now that it is over, he is very much
craving for Hua Cheng’s touch.
He emits a whimper when something moist grazes his entrance. It does not take long for him to
realise that Hua Cheng is licking there, and gradually prodding his way in. Xie Lian weakly
protests, but it only prompts the man behind him to be even more proactive in his explorations. His
hands have also dropped down to Xie Lian’s stiffening length, massaging both the tip and the balls.
The feeling of the die poking against his erection has him shivering. When the crown prince feels
his worshipper withdrawing, he heaves a sigh at the emptiness inside of him. Seconds later, he
discerns something thin and hard slip back inside.
“How many lots does Gege want to bet?” Before Xie Lian can comprehend the meaning of these
words, he feels multiple items slipping inside. “Three? Five? Eight? Or shall we go all in?”
The multiple items slide in several more inches, stimulating his most tender spot. Xie Lian inhales
sharply at the raw sensation, and he takes a few minutes for his mind to catch up on what is going
on. Hua Cheng has inserted those bamboo stick lots which people use to indicate their bets, and is
handling them with exact precision.
He cannot bear to imagine how he looks like behind, and murmurs under his breath, “San Lang…
no…”
“No?” Hua Cheng intentionally drags the sticks out at an incredibly slow pace. “Let’s pass this
round?”
“No!” Xie Lian blurts out, but he does not know how to continue his words.
Hua Cheng suspends his movements and seeks verification, “How many lots does Gege want to
bet?”
Xie Lian gasps softly when the rods are twirled and twisted, “……in…”
The other man patiently waits for his answer. “Yes?”
“All in…!”
“Damn it! Not again!”
The grumbles start to pour in; as the players find that their luck is not so great in the past couple of
rounds. The dealer maintains a straight face as he deftly sweeps away their lost lots, before
signalling to them that the next round is open. While they consider the stakes for this upcoming
round, a voice resounds in their ears.
“No! ……all in…!”
It is unfamiliar, and does not belong to any of them. Yet it had clearly bet everything it had.
A-Ye had also heard this strange voice, but he was unwilling to call it a night. Not when he had yet
to make a profit. His greed overcomes all other emotions, and being nimble-witted, he cleverly
turns their suspicions around. “Ahem! All in! All in! Anyone gonna go all in this time?”
The rest of the people blink at him with dazed expressions, but they respond to him anyway and
the mood returns back to normal. Amidst the noise, they are unable to hear the faint moans.
By now, Xie Lian had lost the energy in his arms and has buried his face inside the crimson folds.
The scent he is well-acquainted with fills his senses, further turning him on. Hua Cheng is
tirelessly stimulating him in front and behind, pushing him closer and closer to his limit. Soon, the
pitch of his suppressed moans grows higher and he finally lets out an extended cry.
He has been satisfied once, but the craving in him has not died down yet. He tilts his head to eye
his partner behind him, and spreads himself wider. “San Lang…”
That hazy and sensual gaze in the eyes of his beloved god rapidly stirs the heat gathering in Hua
Cheng’s bottom half. Not to mention his provocative position. He does not dally in tossing the
bamboo sticks aside, and fixes his swelling member against Xie Lian’s. While he keenly rubs them
together, he gently places the three dice in Xie Lian’s hand. Two of the three cubes are rather
sticky, acting as a shameful reminder to Xie Lian that he had come all over them.
The demon king plants a kiss against the sweaty forehead and whispers, “Please roll it, Your
Highness.”
Despite being uncertain of his intentions, the man underneath him does as he is told while stifling a
groan. When the three dice come to a stop, Hua Cheng notes the results with an amused laugh,
“Nine…exactly half.” The very next minute, he drives his cock deep inside.
Xie Lian had not anticipated the sudden intrusion. Moreover, every penetration which followed
was measured, hitting the same spot which never fails to cause him to mewl in delight. However,
the motions cease just as abruptly. The taller man takes the initiative to roll the dice, before
proceeding to roll his hips again. It lasts longer this time, greatly pleasuring the both of them. But
once again, everything ceases after a short while.
Observing the unsatiated look worn on his lover’s face, Hua Cheng attempts to appease him by
showering a rain of kisses and enlightens him, “We’re playing an alternate version of the game.
The outcome will determine the number of thrusts. If there are double or triple combinations, I will
also touch elsewhere.” His long fingers brush past Xie Lian’s erect nipples and dick.
Hua Cheng carries on with his blatant explanation but the rest of his words hardly register in Xie
Lian’s head. All he is aware of is the throbbing presence inside of him, and how he so very much
thirsts for it to run up and down his tight passage. He eagerly shifts his behind to and fro, hoping to
earn some relief. The other man smirks at the seductive scene before his eyes. Taking silence as
consent, he steadies their positions and passes the dice over.
Without thinking, Xie Lian tosses them and purrs a prayer, “Please, triple six…”
Unfortunately, he does not receive his desired result. Instead, he hears a chuckle and senses the
thrusts resuming. Hua Cheng huffs when the walls clench down firmly on him. “Your Highness
may tell me what combination you want. This humble one will do his utmost to provide.”
The activity in the main hall is approaching the final stage. A-Ye can see the increasing irritation
and knows that he should not stretch this on any longer. If they lose too much, they would be
discouraged to return again.
“This is the last round, place your final bets! Let’s see if you can make a comeback!”
The players grow more alert at his cue and contemplate over their last wagers. Just then, they hear
an impatient voice urging them on.
“Double six!”
“No—triple six!”
“Ah—! Big! Please! Big!!”
Everyone is startled by the bizarre voice, calling out for all the large combinations. A single
thought enters their heads as the voice persists.
“G-GHOST!!!”
They scramble to collect their belongings, including the dealer, who silently curses. With this
incident, no one will dare to come back here. As he is mapping out the actions to take after this
bump in the road, his calculative thoughts are interrupted by another unknown voice.
“Please! I don’t want to play anymore…”
“But it is not over. Look at this…things like this should be settled properly.”
“Ah—! No—please—! Aah—!”
“There’s no need to run away…”
Those unfamiliar voices now paint a familiar scenario in their minds. A hopeless gambling addict,
who kept playing it risky, is now deep in debt and begging for his life. Except that he could only
pay back with his own life.
“Have mercy! We didn’t mean to disturb you!!”
“I-I-I won’t ever gamble again!”

“Me too! Please rest in peace!!”
As they desperately beseech with the ghost who presumably gambled his life away, they scramble
towards the front door and flee. They did not even bother taking the safer exit. Even A-Ye is
spooked out by the supernatural occurrence and vows to work more diligently at his day job.
Midway through, the crown prince no longer had the will to roll the dice and left it to his devotee
to do the work. That being said, he could vaguely remember what combination feels the best. A
double one would lead to pinching his nipples. A double two would mean fondling with his balls.
A triple three equals to sucking hard at his neck, shoulder and back. A double six would give him a
good stroke of his stiff desire. Naturally, a triple six delivers the ultimate indulgence. Every
possible sensitive point would be struck. It only showed up once, and he wants to savour that
delicious exhilaration again, so badly.
Or rather, he just wants to be done without any break in momentum. So he unwittingly begs while
their bodies knock into each other, “Please! I don’t want to play anymore…” The feeling of an
ejaculation approaching and fading away during each interruption was aching.
Hua Cheng mentally counts the number of strikes as he nonchalantly replies, “But it is not over.
Look at this.” He deliberately presses the tip of Xie Lian’s cock. “Things like this should be settled
properly.”
“Ah—! No—please—! Aah—!” Xie Lian cries aloud and shudders uncontrollably. His erection
slides away from those long fingers.
“There’s no need to run away…” Still giving off an air of composure, the taller man leans in and
breathes into his partner’s ear. “How does Your Highness intend to pay this off?”
The motions have come to a standstill. Unable to withstand it any longer, Xie Lian shamelessly
pleads, “Take me, San Lang. I’m yours! Just let me come!!”
His words cause Hua Cheng to tremble and he inadvertently growls, “You will be the death of me,
Your Highness. It is me who belongs to you.”
All the self-control he had exhibited before is thrown to the wind, as the demon king plunges his
dick deep inside and all the way till the hilt. Xie Lian’s legs buckle under the intensity, but he feels
a pair of hands gripping his hips firmly and rubbing his length at the same time. The martial god
can only moan in gratification at the long-awaited pleasure that derives from each pound and each
stroke, which in turn encourages Hua Cheng to strengthen his movement. The erotic sound of flesh
against flesh echo throughout in the narrow space. It only takes a few more minutes for Xie Lian to
climax, staining the blood-red fabric below him once more. Hua Cheng grunts as the warmth
wraps itself even tighter around his desire. He jerks several more times till he also finds his release.
The man below him whimpers at the throbbing sensation.
The couple basks in the afterglow of the night’s activity for a while longer, before Hua Cheng
pulls away and gently lays his lover down on one of his unsoiled garments. He wipes Xie Lian
clean, while lavishing him with kisses and relishing the smooth touch. When he is finished, he
pulls his beloved into his arms and gives a long, tender kiss, occasionally nibbling on those red
lips.
Xie Lian quietly accepts the outpouring affection and mumbles indistinctly, “……up, San Lang.”
Hua Cheng pauses and waits for him to speak again. “Were you very pent-up, San Lang? Is that
why you did this?”
“……what you do mean, Gege?” He feigns ignorance.
Instead of clarifying, Xie Lian muses to himself, “I guess I should take his word, it is advisable to
always practice moderation…”
Though Hua Cheng does not know where that came about, he approves with a bright smile, “Those
are wise words indeed, Your Highness.”
The man in his embrace arches an eyebrow at him, and restrains the hand trailing down to his
bottom. “We do the next round when we go back. Also, no…lessons on gambling this time.”
The smile on Hua Cheng’s face widens. “As you wish, Your Highness.”
Chapter End Notes
This is my other favourite idea because the minute I saw dice appear in TGCF, I
thought that the couple would surely use it as one of their kinks. It’s versatile, so you
can think of many possibilities with it…
Xie Lian’s relationship and parallels with Guo Shi and YOU-KNOW-WHO-MAJOR-
SPOILER is something which interests me a lot. (I wish that MXTX would write an
extra about it.) So I’m happy that I could explore it a bit.
Being At Each Other’s Throats
Chapter Summary
references.
Chapter Notes
This is the 6th idea I thought of halfway through writing. It is an accumulation of stuff
I wanted to see for Hualian….including bottom Hua Cheng. Major guilty pleasure.
No real spoilers. There are only minor references to the birthday extra, Xie Lian’s
previous cross-dressing incidents and when Xie Lian accidentally set Hua Cheng’s
place on fire.
The sun is setting and many people are busy closing up their businesses, aside from those who
operate inns or food stalls. Orange and red hues dye the merchant town, painting a rather romantic
scenery. A middle-aged woman with her hair tied up in a bun nags at her husband to hurry up,
while she calculate today’s profits. Just then, a flash of red flickers past her eyes. She unwittingly
looks up, and ends up exchanging glances with a lady dressed in crimson garments. Or so she
thinks. The figure is wearing a straw hat with a veil so she only senses a gaze.
The lady nods gracefully in her direction and speaks in a high-pitched voice, “I’m sorry to disturb
you when it is your closing hour. I won’t take long. I’d like to buy a jade ring.”
“Yes, what type would you like?” Her husband is quick to get on his feet and indicates to her to
carry on with what she is doing. “It’s fine, Hong Lian.”
The woman named Hong Lian visibly frowns at his behaviour and she shoos him away instead.
“Let a woman help another woman! Like you’d know any better.” In the end, one cannot trust men.
Once they see a pretty young thing, their eyes practically roll out from their heads. If she did not
henpeck her spouse and have an iron grip over the finances, who knows what her circumstances
would be like today?
After chasing her husband to the back, she turns to attend to the customer, whose lips seem to have
curled upwards. Looking closely at the lady now, she is tall and has wider shoulders than most
ladies. The fabrics on her seem to be silk of the finest quality too. Though she has to question the
gaudy colours. It is as like one of those promiscuous women screaming for people’s attention, and
it is jarring against her gentle aura.
“I recommend these rings over here.” Hong Lian takes out a tray of beautiful green jade rings.
“These are very translucent and rich in colour.”
The veiled customer stifles a giggle, “Ah, I’m sorry. I failed to choose the right word. I’d like to
buy a jade bangle.”
The shopkeeper acknowledges this and takes out another tray. “No problem, we have bangles too.
All of these are our top grade jade. Would you like to try them on?”
She offers a cloth, which would help one slip on the bangle more easily. However, the lady rejects
it and merely uses her slim fingers to measure the circumference of the various jade bangles. This
strange action really puzzles Hong Lian, but she refrains from commenting on it. Eventually, the
lady in red settles on an imperial green jade bangle and asks to pack it simply.
Hong Lian wraps it up in a silk cloth and adds, “I must inform you that we don’t accept refunds or
exchanges. So are you sure that you don’t wish to try it on…?”
“Yes thank you, it’s fine. I won’t trouble you with that.” the customer calmly assures her and
places down a small pouch. “I trust that this is sufficient payment.”
The woman opens the pouch and blinks in surprise at the amount. Nonetheless, she takes it out one
by one before nodding in the middle of counting. “Yes, yes, more than enough.”
Tucking away the jewellery she had just bought in her sleeve, the lady in red nods in return and
quietly leaves. Hong Lian is overjoyed by this unexpected surprise and records down this latest
transaction. She cannot tell what sort of background that lady has, but she certainly comes off as
virtuous. Her voice did sound a bit forced though. Perhaps she was feeling under the weather? Why
did she come here instead of visiting a doctor then?
After leaving the shop, Xie Lian sees dark clouds gathering in a distance and hears rumbling
thunder. He clears his throat to sooth the irritation. Even though he only conversed for a short
while, it still strained his throat to talk in falsetto. He sighs inwardly and walks down a washed-out
path by the side. As he deliberately slows down his pace, he recollects the events the led to this
moment.
The day was fast approaching and he did not want to repeat the mess he had caused during last
year’s birthday. So he directly asked Hua Cheng what he would like as a present. At first, the
demon king merely requested for his cooking. In response to this, the martial god pointed out that
he could request for something more special. Upon hearing these words, the other man raised an
eyebrow and admitted that he had a secret wish. This only spurred on Xie Lian’s determination and
he blindly agreed to fulfil it without confirming what it was first.
It is not the first time, but he truly dug his own grave.
He almost swore when he heard what the secret wish was. But Hua Cheng looked very serious and
even offered to do most of the preparations. Though he had reservations, Xie Lian did not want to
renege on his promise. So he assented, after a lot of persuasion and reassurance.
Honestly, he now hardly had any discomfort when wearing female clothes. Not after disguising as
a bride, a pregnant woman and so on. In fact, when he was discussing something with Ling Wen
earlier today, he had left these clothes hanging at the side of the room as if they were a part of his
daily wardrobe. He did not find anything out of place since he had to don them later. But the
literature god could not help but furrow her eyebrows when she first spotted it, and kept giving him
concerned looks throughout their discussion. Before she left, she inquired if the clothes belonged to
someone else and if he was keeping it as evidence. Only then did he realise why she was so
disturbed and gave his silent acquiescence.
But that was still alright. What bothered him more was what will follow once he steps past the
door of that dilapidated house that is at the end of this crooked path. He glances around
apprehensively to make sure that no one else is in sight. Indeed, Hua Cheng had chosen an
uninhabited house that is isolated from the rest of the town. He does not know if this had already
existed from before, or if his partner had specifically arranged for this. In any case, he was now
standing in front of the door and could see a familiar figure inside through the narrow cracks. Xie
Lian takes a deep breath and runs through the script in his head one last time.
When he has finally settled his nerves, thunder roars loudly and he accidentally kicks open the
door with too much force. “S-so have you reflected upon your actions?” As he is about to say the
next line, the door comes swinging back at him and he hurriedly shuffles inside and gently closes
the door. He hears a chuckle and cannot help but heave a sigh. “San Lang……don’t laugh. I’m
already trying my best here.”
“I apologise, Gege.” Hua Cheng attempts to keep a straight face. “Please, continue.”
The crown prince stares in his direction to make sure that he does not laugh again, before striding
forward till he stops in front of his faithful believer. The tall man is dressed in his usual blood-red
robes and lying on top of a long black table, and a rope has his hands tightly bound together.
Maintaining a frigid expression, Xie Lian raises one leg and steps firmly on Hua Cheng’s groin.
The latter barely suppresses a groan. Lightning flashes in the background, shining upon the couple
for a moment, and adding to the judgemental atmosphere.
“So have you reflected upon your actions?” He tries to immerse himself in the roleplay and exerts a
bit more strength in his foot. “Tell me.” He watches the other man’s reaction to make sure that he
is not overdoing it.
“M-My lady…” Hua Cheng’s hands helplessly paw at the red shoe. “It’s a misunderstanding.
Those women were merely asking for directions. You know that I only have eyes for you.”
Xie Lian remembers the conversation between the shopkeeper and her husband and retorts in a
similar fashion, “A woman understands another woman best. Like you’d know any better. It looks
like you have not repented. Are you asking to be punished?”
The man beneath him slips his hands underneath his skirt, and brushes past his thigh, “Please,
punish me however you want, my lady.”
Taking note of the cue, Xie Lian withdraws his leg and edges to situate himself at where Hua
Cheng’s head is. “I will punish you, and make sure you remember this lesson forever.” He peels
away his outer garment and pulls out his cock. After a brief hesitation, he pins down Hua Cheng’s
head and shoves his cock towards those thin lips. “Suck. And don’t you dare bite.” A clap of
thunder sounds.
He really wants to wince at his shallow and brazen performance. Somehow he can imagine Qi
Rong throwing his usual crass verbal abuses at them. But Hua Cheng, who naturally opens his
mouth to suck him off, seems to be enjoying it. And that was what mattered. After all, it was his
birthday present.
Hua Cheng deftly navigates his tongue around the hardening length, making sure to suck at those
sensitive spots. Xie Lian mewls in pleasure at his service, inadvertently pushing Hua Cheng’s head
closer towards himself. Due to the occasional flashes of lightning, Xie Lian can see the absorbed
expression on the man’s face. Moist sounds that are embarrassing enough to make one blush, echo
throughout the empty residence. The view of his lover devoting his everything to make him feel
good causes a shiver to run down Xie Lian’s spine, and his breath quickens.
Unconsciously, he starts to murmur, “San Lang…San Lang… mn—!”
Soon, he pulls his erection away and strokes it several times before releasing onto that immaculate
face. Xie Lian recovers his breath and refocuses his gaze, only to find Hua Cheng provocatively
licking away the fluids. The former internally panics at this titillating sight, which almost caused
him to turn hard again. He searches inside his inner sleeve to retrieve the item he had bought
earlier, and uses the silk cloth to wipe away any remaining cum. He sees the other man eyeing him
meaningfully, as if waiting for something. At that moment, Xie Lian realises that he is also holding
onto the jade bangle, something which he was instructed to buy for a specific purpose. His face
reddens at the thought of it, especially at the thought that he had to be the one to execute it.
Biting on his lower lip, Xie Lian inches forward and tenderly kisses Hua Cheng. “Y-your
reward…”His partner arches an eyebrow at this ad lib, but does not reject his adorable advance.
Instead, he only remarks, “My lady is too generous...”
The blush on Xie Lian’s cheeks turn a shade darker, and he resumes the original script. He bites on
Hua Cheng’s tongue before sucking it hard. Rolling the jade bangle across that pale face, he
mutters under his breath, “Appreciate it. This…is your real reward.”
The drumming sound of rain can be heard above them, and it masks the sensual sounds which are
to follow.
Hong Lian clears the dishes from the table and begins to wash them. A sudden road of thunder
causes her to jolt in surprise. She looks out of the window and observes that it will rain soon. When
she reaches out to close the window, she spots the deserted house sitting alone at the end of a
crooked path. It has been several years since it was abandoned after that uproar. Thinking about it,
that episode also happened on a rainy night. The neighbours in that house always quarrelled. There
was never a day when she did not see them hurl insults at each other and she always wondered if
they would ever stop.
They did on that night too. The attacks escalated to physical ones as the couple fought, and things
took an unfortunate turn. Ever since then, no one has lived there.
Right then, lightning flashes and she happens to see a silhouette of a woman stepping on a man. It
was only for those few seconds, but Hong Lian swears that she saw exactly that.
She speedily shuts the windows and shouts, “Cheng Le! Cheng Le!!”
Her husband answers in annoyance, “What is it? I can hear you just fine!”
“W-we don’t have any new neighbours in that house right?”
“Huh?” the man says incredulously. “Of course not! Who would be foolish enough to live there
after what happened?”
The middle-aged woman mumbles an agreement, and distracts herself by continuing to wash the
dishes.
“T-thank you, my lady…” the demon king huffs as the jade bangle finally slides all the way in,
squeezing his dick. He shudders again when the martial god pokes a finger at his rear.
Xie Lian shifts his fingers to confirm that the item is buried deep inside Hua Cheng. Following the
script, he tugs at the red thread hanging in the air and slowly pulls at it. One by one, red coral
beads connected to a single red thread pop out of that puckering hole. The scented oil, which was
creamed all over the insertion, drips down and trails onto his fingers. He gulps at this erotic scene,
and imagines how his lover must have prepared himself so thoroughly to have fit in this number of
beads. While he was dressing himself up like a well-off lady, this other man was fingering himself
and working this item up his butt. The man before him has always presented himself as perfect and
charismatic. So the visual imagery of Hua Cheng gradually relaxing and losing himself in such a
shameless act is much too overwhelming. To add on to that, now he is wearing the jade bangle on
his dick as if that was its normal function. This was even more stimulating, and Xie Lian feels his
member swelling up, pressing closely against his abdomen.
Clearly, he must have been staring for too long because Hua Cheng playfully runs his bound hands
up and down his body and hooks a leg around Xie Lian’s waist. “Does this appease my lady? This
humble one kept the beads inside the whole day, just as you ordered when you tied me up and left
me here this morning.”
Prompted by this, Xie Lian stutters his honest thoughts, “V-very much…” He swears that if it were
not for the pouring rain, one would be able to hear his heart beating noisily.
Hua Cheng notes how shaken his beloved is and cannot resist a grin. He sits up and whispers into
that reddening ear, “This husband is also very much looking forward to his wife punishing him all
night long.” Upon saying that, he begins to swiftly strip himself despite his hands being restrained.
“San Lang…” The crown prince slurs his words and his eyes gleam with desire, as if a switch had
been flipped on.
He wastes no time in removing the unnecessary fabrics between them, and allows his devotee to lie
down on a crimson robe. As per the script, he winds the string of beads around his own erection,
which quivers ever so slightly at the unfamiliar touch. Spreading apart the two legs, Xie Lian
positions himself comfortably before gradually entering. The walls welcome him in straightaway.
It has been a long time since they tried to reverse their roles. The first time they did, Xie Lian made
quite a mess so he did not dare to try it again. However, he had to confess that it felt good.
Especially when he saw how the other man would tremble and tighten up at his thrusts. Was this
how Hua Cheng felt driving it into him; was this how he moaned underneath Hua Cheng? It was
incredibly satisfying. Hence, he had lost control of his strength and ended up breaking quite a
number of furniture and walls. He could not even fully recall how he did all that, only the need to
fulfil his carnal craving. The other man reassured him that he enjoyed it as well, and would even
subsequently request for it. If they both felt good, why care about the damage to his living
quarters? That could always be mended. But Xie Lian just could not bring himself to.
Accidentally setting the manor on fire due to his carelessness already made him feel guilty. But at
least he could still explain that it was an accident.
But smashing tables and chairs due to being too engrossed in copulation? He could not even bear to
face Hua Cheng’s men the next morning when they came to clean up the mess and redo the room.
That must be why Hua Cheng went the extra mile to arrange for this place, so that Xie Lian could
go ahead without any worries or restraints.
“My lady…you were gone for so long,” Hua Cheng purrs with a seductive drawl and hooks his
other leg. “This humble one missed you very much.”
Xie Lian feels his stiff length jerking in response, and something itches at his heart. He readjusts
his grip on Hua Cheng’s hips and starts to thrust his throbbing member. He is cautious at first due
to the uneven bumps of the beads, but his partner keeps encouraging him to go faster and harder.
So his motions eventually transform into intense slams. He does not know where exactly to aim,
and blindly strikes each time he enters. That is, till he finally hears Hua Cheng emit a moan. So Xie
Lian relentlessly attacks again and again, even when the wet passage impedes his movement by
clenching down on him. Instinctively, Hua Cheng has dropped down his hands to stroke his own
arousal.
The table creaks under their weight. Though the rain has drowned out all noises, they can feel their
quickening breaths and their flesh rubbing together. Soon, they both approach their limit as the act
verges on being rough and violent. The moment they climax, there is thundering crash.
After soaking in the tub of bathwater, Hong Lian steps out to dry herself. As she puts on her
nightwear, she happens to peer out of the small window. It is a heavy downpour. She wonders how
much longer the neglected house can remain standing if it gets beaten by this rain. Would it not
collapse one day?
Just then, lightning flashes and she sees the outline of someone pinning down another person. An
ominous boom of thunder follows. Despite just taking a hot bath, Hong Lian feels goosebumps
creeping up. Surely it cannot be. It has to be her imagination. But just in case, she shuts the
window and scurries to the bedroom.
The table collapsed into pieces.
Fortunately, the couple has speedy reflexes. The demon king immediately sat up and slung his
arms around Xie Lian’s neck, while the latter instantly steadied his hold and leapt backwards. The
two of them are still panting from the previous activity. But they turn to face each other and break
out into laughter.
“I-I’m sorry. Hahaha.” The martial god catches his breath. “Are you hurt, San Lang?”
Hua Cheng shakes his head and redirects the question, “What about you, Your Highness?”
“No, I’m fine.” Xie Lian rests his head on his lover’s shoulder. “But I’m not sure if this place will
be fine…”
The other man chuckles at his words and kisses the pale neck before his eyes. “I have put a barrier
around this place, so at least the house will remain standing.”
“Oh…”
It looks like the man in his arms really thought of everything. He looks around and carries Hua
Cheng to the side, carefully sitting him on the windowsill. Hua Cheng nods to assure that it is
alright, before looking down at where they had been connected minutes ago. The heat is still
lingering in his rear.
Xie Lian flushes upon seeing that the hole is still loose, and fluids inevitably flow out. He stumbles
on his next words, “S-San Lang, I...the…t-table is gone so how should I continue?”
“Nn, I also didn’t expect Gege to be so passionate in the first round,” Hua Cheng casually states.
When he sees Xie Lian’s face burning up, he teasingly adds. “But I’m happy to see how much my
lady desires me too. This husband doesn’t mind improvisation, as long as my lady is content.”
“I-I see…”
The cogwheels in his head attempt to turn, but Xie Lian truly does not know how to continue the
script in this manner. It kind of involved tying Hua Cheng to the table in all sorts of unspeakable
positions. Now that he was told to improvise, he can only recall how he was ravished by Hua
Cheng in multiple variations. And that only managed to gather the heat in his lower half. In the
end, Xie Lian unties the rope and leans in to pepper kisses along the red marks formed around the
wrists. He knows that Hua Cheng can easily take care of these scars. Moreover he is not alive per
say. But Xie Lian is still not comfortable.
Following that, he also removes the jade bangle and the string of red beads, while murmuring in a
breathy voice, “Will San Lang let me treasure you in my own way? I also don’t want to risk you
getting hurt.”
A short silence passes between them, till Hua Cheng cups Xie Lian’s face in his hands. “Of course,
Your Highness. It would be my greatest honour.”
The crown prince smiles in return and presses their lips together. They nibble lovingly at each
other’s lips and entangle their tongues. At the same time, Xie Lian reaches out to grasp the other
man’s cock. The corners of Hua Cheng’s mouth curve upwards, and he gladly returns the favour.
As they stroke one another, their kiss also grows more eager and zealous. Minutes later, Xie Lian
breaks the kiss apart, and proceeds to knead and roll his tongue around the nubs till they turn
swollen. Groans escape Hua Cheng’s thin lips, and he uses his free hand to pinch and squeeze
those pink nipples with familiarity.
Xie Lian twitches at the counterattack and unintentionally pulls away. But he realises how
unsteady Hua Cheng’s posture is and hastily clutches his worshipper closer towards him, leading to
their stiff lengths grazing against the other. The two of them exchange glances. Without any
prompts, their hands clasp both dicks together this time, fervently rubbing each other off.
With his breathing accelerating with every passing minute, Xie Lian urges impatiently, “San Lang,
mn—! I want to—be inside, aah—!”
“I also want you, Your Highness—!”
The couple pause for a while to allow Hua Cheng to flip over and rest his arms on the windowsill.
Xie Lian bows over him and smoothly inserts from behind. He takes his time to penetrate till the
deepest point, as they both feel the shape of each other’s most intimate parts. When he is finally
completely inside, he slowly pumps his erection in and out, not letting himself get carried away this
time. However, his partner realises this and starts to knock his hips in rhythm too. Xie Lian inhales
sharply, and catches Hua Cheng eyeing him with a mischievous glint.
He can only speak his mind, “Don’t tempt me too much, San Lang.”
The other man grins widely, “But I want Gege to be tempted.”
Hong Lian repeatedly nagged her husband to check outside, and to make sure that the house in a
distance is really empty. At first, Cheng Le would oblige and go to the window, humouring her that
there really is no one. But by now his patience has worn thin and he just wants to sleep.
“Enough is enough!” he shouts and slams his hand on the wall. “Stop your blabbering!”
His wife points a finger at him and retorts, “Did you want to hit me just now? Did you? Y-y-you
want to kill me too? Just like what our neighbours did to each other??”
Cheng Le sighs at her accusation and his anger deflates. “No, nothing of that sort. I’m just tired.
Let’s sleep.”
He is about to close to window when a bolt of lightning flashes by. In an instance, the darkness
outside is lit up and the outline of a couple in the neighbouring house can be clearly seen. One
person is nearly hanging out of the window, being pushed down by the other.
“S-see what I told you!!”
There is no response, only a ‘thud’. The woman widens her eyes at the sight of her husband
fainting. He had always been a coward, but she did not expect him to pass out. She shuts the
bedroom window and drags the unconscious man to their bed, praying to His Highness Tai Hua to
protect them, and for the spirits of their deceased neighbours leave them alone.
The two figures are rocking back and forth, chasing down that exhilarating rush of ecstasy. The
rainstorm seems to isolate them in their own world, allowing them to focus solely on enjoying this
indulgence. As the martial god speeds up his movement, he also stimulates the demon king’s
arousal. Xie Lian is the first one to ejaculate, and he continues moving his hand at the latter’s
throbbing desire. Still caught up in the heat of the moment, he whispers his inner thoughts as he
plant kisses along Hua Cheng’s neck.
“San Lang…thank you…for being in this world…for believing in me…for not leaving me……”
The man underneath him trembles at his words, and soon achieves orgasm.
Sensing the emotion in his beloved’s voice, Hua Cheng tilts his head to capture Xie Lian’s gaze.
“Thank you for waiting for me, Your Highness.”
Xie Lian realises what he had uttered just now and flushes in embarrassment. He immediately
withdraws and kneels down, burying his face in his hands. “Don’t look at me now…”
Visibly in a good mood, the taller man hums in amusement and kneels down beside his lover.
“Thank you for always being my courage, Your Highness.”
Feeling a peck on his forehead, Xie Lian peeks through his fingers while mumbling, “I don’t think
I’ve said it yet but…happy birthday, San Lang.”
Hua Cheng smiles in return. “Thank you, Gege. This is indeed a memorable birthday for me.”
The crown prince pouts and replies indignantly. “You are not sincere at all.”
“I swear that you won’t find anyone more sincere than me in this world, Your Highness.”
Upon hearing this familiar line, Xie Lian cannot hold back his laughter and leans forward to lock
lips with Hua Cheng.
The next morning, Hong Lian and Cheng Le go to check the abandoned house, their hearts filled
with trepidation. To their horror, they can already see from afar that the whole house had collapsed.
It was in shambles. Was it due to the thunderstorm last night? Or was it something else?
Hong Lian drags her husband away, in order to visit the nearest temple belonging to their martial
god. Inside the temple, she lights incense and makes a sincere prayer.
“Your Highness Tai Hua, please watch over us and protect us from any vengeful spirits…”
Chapter End Notes
So yes, my headcanon is that Hua Cheng will let Xie Lian top him. But the first time
Xie Lian did, he could not control his strength and broke a lot of stuff. So ever since
then, he hardly tops unless Hua Cheng does something like this. I got sappy in the last
part because I just reread the Hualian confession scene...
Feeding A Hungry Ghost
Chapter Summary
references.
Chapter Notes
Thank you for all the comments and kudos! I’m happy to see people enjoy my
fantasies and my amateur papapa writing. As I don’t have any remaining ideas, this is
the last chapter from me. No obvious spoilers in this chapter!
Amidst the buzz and excitement, a couple quietly enter the inn. Inside the inn, a middle-aged man
wearing a black cap is surrounded by everyone else, and seems to be telling a tale. Before the taller
man can ask for the owner, the other one points to the crowd with great interest. The two men
approach the centre, and sit down at an empty table.
“The voice kept crying out ‘It’s so hot! I’m melting!’ and everyone could only accede to the
ghost’s earnest pleas by putting out the charcoal fire.”
The youth clad in white whispers to his companion, “Looks like it’s a ghost story. If only they
knew there was one among them now, imagine their reactions.”
“Would you like to share the news, Gege?” the man dressed in striking red robes questions as he
raises an eyebrow.
In response, Xie Lian merely shakes his head and mouths the word ‘cheeky’, which draws out a
chuckle from Hua Cheng. They continue listening to the storyteller, whose story also seems to take
place in an inn during winter.
“It was a torturous night for the guests! Once they think that they have pacified the ghost who
passed away in the fire, they would reckon that it is fine to light the charcoal fires again. However,
they would soon hear the cries again going ‘Help me! I’m burning!’ and could only douse the fires.
They’re soaking in sweat, but they can no longer tell if it is due to the heat or the cold. They’ve
even started to grow numb.”
His words cause a commotion. While it is now summer, the people almost seem to feel a chill in
their bones. As the narrator continues, the martial god seems to find the story strangely familiar.
But he cannot quite place his finger on it, even when the story concludes. The couple join the
audience in their applause, and the storyteller removes his hat, prompting for tips. The people
gladly toss coins inside, and even cajole for an extra tale. The man repeatedly nods at them with a
smile, while eyeing a lanky man in bright blue garments. The latter signals with his hand, and the
former acknowledges it with a wider smile.
“Alright! Boss Xie has allowed me to recite one more story! I have one story which I always keep
for special occasions, so listen well…”
Xie Lian is taken aback by the amount of tips. If he had known that storytelling could earn this
much money, he would have also tried his hand at it. After all, he has lived for over 800 years, and
had seen and heard all sorts of tales. Surely he could have recalled a few enticing ones. He smiles
to himself and shakes his head. In any case, there is no need for that now.
The lanky man waves to the waiters on standby, and the attendants immediately begin pacing
through the crowd to top up orders for food and drinks. One of them approaches the couple and
Hua Cheng promptly places their order. Meanwhile, the martial god listens to the subsequent tale
with curiosity. It does not take long for the tables to be filled with plates of steaming hot dishes and
cups of alcohol and tea. His faithful believer attentively shifts the cup of tea in front of his partner,
while he himself sips on clear liquor. As everyone tucks into their meal with renewed appetites, the
story soon nears the climax.
“It was the final round and all the players sat up straighter and grew more alert. But while they
were contemplating over their last wagers, they heard an impatient voice urging them on. It cried
out all sorts of combinations ‘Double six! No—triple six! Please! Big!!’ and terrified everyone!”
Upon hearing those words, Xie Lian chokes on his food and bows over. The other man widens his
eye in alarm, and pats his back in soothing motions. At the same time, Hua Cheng glances in the
direction of the window. The youth recovers himself and haphazardly grabs the cup in Hua
Cheng’s hand without looking. Before the taller man can stop him, he drains the drink.
“Gege, that was mine...”
The crown prince blinks innocently at him. “Oh, I apologise, San Lang. What is this? It’s really
smooth, and tastes a little… fruity?”
“It’s the inn’s special brew of alcohol,” his worshipper explains, while observing that his lover’s
cheeks are slowly reddening. “It’s better for Gege not to drink it. It tastes deceivingly mild but it’s
actually rather strong.”
Unfortunately, his answer is drowned as the crowd shouts out in delight when the narrator says,
“And guess what they heard next? ‘Please! Spare me! I don’t want to play anymore!!’, ‘But it is
not over. Things should be settled properly. If you cannot settle with money, then settle with your
life!’ followed by a blood-curdling scream!”
The vivid re-enactment by the storyteller causes Xie Lian to blush even more furiously and he
grabs the jar in front of him, “Sorry San Lang, I’ll be drinking yours!”
It is the demon king’s turn to blink at him, though the youth does not notice this and resolutely fills
cup after cup. His face and body are scorching hot, and his surroundings seem to be spinning.
Thankfully, he can no longer hear that bright, ringing voice announcing those humiliating details.
When Hua Cheng reaches out to stop him, Xie Lian mistakes his intentions and displays a pitiful
expression. “Even you are like this…” His eyes turn moist and his tone becomes unsteady. “But
San Lang, you can’t do this to me! It’s your fault too…everyone is now……”
The former furrows his eyebrows and quickly calls for one of the attendants to arrange a room for
them.
After settling the logistics, Hua Cheng carries Xie Lian upstairs to their room. It took some effort
at first, as the latter kept fussing and refusing to follow. However, he quietened down all of a
sudden. Fortunately, he had just fallen asleep so Hua Cheng gently laid him on the bed and made
sure he was nicely tucked in. At that very moment, a loud knock came from outside. The man in
crimson garments frowns at this and decides to ignore. He did order for him to carry something out
by the next day, but that person always acts inconspicuously and never announces his entrance.
The knocking persists for a few more seconds, and even causes the bolted windows to clatter
noisily.
Hua Cheng could more or less guess who the culprit is, and he knows too well how stubborn he
can be. After all, he had just managed to get rid of that curly-haired dog with the return of that
person. He opens the window and as expected, a mess of curly locks pops into view. Quan Yizhen
flips over from above and squats on the window sill. He catches sight of a sleeping figure.
The adolescent pouts when he recognises the person, “Where did Shi Xiong go?”
“Why are you asking me this?” The taller man takes a step to the side, blocking Xie Lian from
sight.
This does not bother Quan Yizhen the least, as his eyes dart around the room. “Only you would
know.”
“And why would I know?” a curt answer came.
Quan Yizhen fails to sense the glacial stare piercing through him and replies, “I was with Shi
Xiong. Then suddenly he said that he had something to do. Even though I said that I would help, he
told me not to. But I want to help Shi Xiong. And only you would order him around this late at
night. So where did Shi Xiong go?”
Noting that the topic had resumed back to square one, Hua Cheng inwardly sighs and offers a
lacklustre response, “Investigating some rumours circulating this area.”
“Oh, I see. Then I’ll search this town. Thank you,” the teenager bobs his head and accepts the
words at face value. He vanishes in a blink of an eye, leaving just as abruptly as he had arrived.
The demon king shuts the window and wordlessly sends out yet another command. Just then, he
hears the rustling of sheets from behind. He turns around, only to find that the crown prince had
risen and was gazing around. Relieved to see that his partner looks better, Hua Cheng prepares a
cup of water and hurries to his side.
Xie Lian eyes the cup suspiciously, before accusing him, “Did you put something in this? A
birthday gift you received?”
The other man raises an eyebrow, unsure of the intention behind those words. “No, Your
Highness.”
“Or is this a game? Are we betting on anything?”
“No, Your Highness.”
He stares at it for a few minutes, as if determining that it is truly water and not a cup of deadly
poison. “Fine. No more tricks from you.” Xie Lian gulps it down with conviction.
Hua Cheng barely suppresses his laughter. Though the youth’s complexion seems better, it is
evident from his behaviour that he is still drunk. Feeling mischievous, he decides to play along and
pecks on his lover’s forehead to pacify him. “I only listen to you, Your Highness.”
Contrary to his expectations, Xie Lian denies this and presses his finger against those thin lips,
“No, I cannot listen to your sweet talk. It’s too dangerous. San Lang always strings me along…
that is exactly what happened in those stories! You heard that man just now! That was a testimony
to your craftiness!”
Despite the stern tone adopted by the other man, it only serves to further tickle Hua Cheng’s
playful heart. He resists the urge to tease the soft fingertip, and gazes back with a look of
submission. The martial god hums in triumph and gestures for his devotee to sit at a nearby chair.
“This time, I will take the lead. Don’t you dare try to sway me! Got it, San Lang?” While declaring
his stand, Xie Lian clumsily fumbles at his clothes, and exposes his pale chest.
The edges of Hua Cheng’s thin lips lift upwards, and he nods in acknowledgement. A twinkle of
amusement in his eye. It is rare to witness his beloved behaving this boldly from the beginning
with regards to the bedroom affairs. How could he dare to interrupt? At the same time, he faintly
recollects the last time he saw Xie Lian drunk. At least this time, he can make it an agreeable
memory. When he returns his gaze to the figure before him, he discovers that the drunken man has
fully undressed himself and that even that area is growing excited.
Xie Lian reaches to touch the sensitive spots on his chest with one hand, and his own length with
another hand. He detects the man in red robes clenching his hands into fists. Delighted with this
reaction, he closes his eyes and doubles his efforts, as he attempts to recreate the pleasure from past
experiences. His breathing quickens, and he feels his member getting harder. However, he still is
far from reaching his peak. His pair of hands cannot compare to the controlled and flexible grip of
those graceful yet powerful hands. He feels embarrassed at his own thoughts. But he also does not
betray them as he flickers his eyes open, in hopes of seeing those hands. Unexpectedly, he is
treated to a surprising sight.
Somehow, Hua Cheng has obtained a peach in his hands. But that was not what startled Xie Lian. It
is the way he runs his fingers across the supple fruit with feather-like touches, versus the intensity
of that stare in his direction. Each time he does so, it is as if he is caressing Xie Lian all over. The
crown prince shivers in response, and feels his grasp on his erection turning more slippery. He
lowers his other hand to rub and press the sacks below. His worshipper squeezes the peach firmly,
causing its juices to drip down his slender fingers. Immediately, Hua Cheng laps up the juices, and
even gnaws lightly at the fruit. Xie Lian pictures his actions with how Hua Cheng usually
swallows up his dick, and dutifully services him. He speeds up his hand movements, unable to tear
his gaze away as his partner proceeds to savour the peach, intentionally slurping at it as if sucking
the clear drops which are spilling from his tip. Overwhelmed by the stimulation, Xie Lian’s breath
hitches, and he ejaculates. He does not cease the stroking of his cock, as he bathes in the mind-
numbing aftertaste.
As he recovers his breath, he spots the demon king wrapping his tongue around the last piece of
the peach. With an exaggerated swallow, the knot in the latter’s throat rolls up and down. Xie Lian
unwittingly licks his dry lips and his cock jerks up once more. He remembers how that mouth
would devour every inch of his skin, praising how sweet and tender he tastes. The heat continues
to gather in his groin, as he watches Hua Cheng clean away the remaining traces of the fruit from
his hands with his tongue. The latter even lets out content sigh.
Even though Xie Lian had sought to gratify himself, why does it feel as if this man had gained all
the enjoyment?
Gritting his teeth, he shoots a warning glare. “Stay there, and not a word from you. Got it, San
Lang?”
The man in question nods once again, crossing his legs to hide the tent in his bottom half.
Downstairs, a lanky man in bright blue clothes is extinguishing the lamps along the corridors.
Upon passing by his inn’s altar, he pauses to check the offerings. In the morning, he had placed
some fresh fruits and flowers to pray to Yu Shi Huang. His usual practice would be to remove them
the next morning, as the god of rain made it a point for her worshippers not to waste the food. One
may wonder why is he, a business owner, praying to the god of rain and not to the god of water.
The reason is quite simple.
His family are all farmers, and he has helped his family since young. Naturally, their family’s altar
worshipped Yu Shi Huang. Later on, he left home to try his hand in business and he switched to
praying to the god of water for bigger wealth. However approximately a year ago, he sensed that it
did not seem to be as effective anymore. After consulting with his family when he went home for
the Lunar New Year, they advised him to revert to praying to Yu Shi Huang. In any case, a good
harvest would benefit his business.
Now, Boss Xie is shocked to discover that a peach is missing from the offerings. This has never
occurred before. He wonders if he had forgotten about it this morning. Or did an otherworldly
being really accept it? But Yu Shi Huang would never do that. In that case, could it be a hungry
ghost?
The proprietor shudders at this thought. He does not dare to think any further, and promptly
replaces the empty plate with a fresh peach. It must have been his careless mistake.
Hua Cheng observes his lover sliding his fingers in and out, thrusting them in deeper and deeper
till he trembles at one point. In order to reach that sensitive spot, he ends up collapsing onto the
headrest and lifting his behind higher. Each time he grinds his fingers there, Xie Lian arches his
back and curls his toes. But his limbs also become weak, and frustration starts to creep into his
groans. Seeing this, Hua Cheng smirks and patiently waits to be noticed. With a wave of his hand,
a yellow chrysanthemum flower appears.
Slowly, a herb-like scent wafts through the air. The martial god’s hazy eyes turn towards the
source. He catches his faithful believer nuzzling his nose in a chrysanthemum flower and inhaling
its fragrance. Almost instantly, Hua Cheng locks gazes with him. Xie Lian inevitably halts his
movements, and finds himself anticipating what would happen next. Having arrested the naked
man’s attention, the demon king proceeds to draw his tongue in circles along the golden petals.
After a short while, he begins to aim his tongue in the middle of the flower, slipping in and out
continuously. Entranced, Xie Lian moves his fingers again, following that same rhythm. He can
almost visualise Hua Cheng doing his utmost to satisfy him down there, widening his twitching
hole with his tongue. Unconsciously, he murmurs that man’s name repeatedly under his breath.
The man who is still fully clothed, prides himself in knowing every cell in Xie Lian. Naturally, he
picks up his name being uttered in muffled tones. Hua Cheng removes his tongue, and replaces it
with his fingers. He ruthlessly shoves them in, rotating them against the petals buried in the centre.
A sharp gasp escapes Xie Lian’s lips, as he imagines being fingered in place of the yellow
blossom.
At this precise moment, Hua Cheng uncrosses his legs to deliberately reveal the bulge down there.
Xie Lian clearly sees it as well. A while ago, he would have insisted on ignoring the other man.
After all, he is indignant at how Hua Cheng got carried away on multiple occasions, to the point
that the people have created ghost stories about those experiences. His throbbing desire and
tightening hole both remind him that he was also a willing party though. He bites his lower lip in
annoyance.
Eventually, he gives into his carnal cravings. “Come here, San Lang.”
Having completed the night’s duties, Boss Xie gets ready to retire for the night. Before doing so,
he checks on the altar another time. Fortunately, nothing is missing this time. The only thing that
looks out of place is a chrysanthemum flower. It is not that it has wilted. In fact, compared to the
other flowers, its petals appear rather bright and even glistening. However, the petals are in
disarray and he cannot figure out why.
A thought flashes in his mind.
Did the hungry ghost mistakenly try to eat it?
Flustered, the inn owner slaps his own head to get rid of those dangerous thoughts. Nonetheless,
just in case of anything, he claps his hands together and mutters a prayer. Once he is finished, he
scurries off to sleep.
It is better to be safe than sorry.
Lying flat on the bed, Hua Cheng obediently remains still and allows his partner to do as he
wishes. Xie Lian grabs that familiar thickness, and sinks himself onto it. With his legs clasping
both sides of Hua Cheng’s waist and his hands pressing against Hua Cheng’s chest, Xie Lian starts
to ride up and down, attempting to find the best angle. As his thrusting quickens, so does his
breathy moans. Not long after, the place where he derives most pleasure from is brushed against,
and he shudders uncontrollably. Simultaneously, he feels that the erection buried deep inside him
has actually grown bigger. Instinctively, he sulks at the man underneath him. Despite his
glowering, the expression on his devotee’s face remains composed and nonchalant. Xie Lian
steadies himself, and persists in the act of indulgence on his own.
As for the other man, he is still passively waiting for Xie Lian to reach the breaking point before
he is given permission. Admittedly, this is something novel and thrilling. To not be able to touch
him, or to even speak to him, which are both methods he primarily relies on to rouse his lover’s
sexual interest. So he could only tease another object in front of Xie Lian. And he fully enjoyed
how they both gave each other a good show. Nonetheless, Hua Cheng still longs to cherish and
pamper him in the most thorough and desirable way possible. For now, he carefully awaits for an
opening. He believes that the moment is approaching soon.
Within a few minutes, Hua Cheng senses the urgency in the crown prince’s movements. The latter
is rocking his hips back and forth, wishing to pursue the rising climax. But his knit eyebrows give
away his frustration. He ends up stroking his own arousal, but it still feels lacking. Biting his lower
lip, Xie Lian drops his gaze. It just so happens that the tip of a tongue sweeps across those alluring
thin lips. Captivated by that small action, he presses his lips against Hua Cheng’s. His tongue
easily breaks through to chase after the other tongue, eagerly sucking and biting on it as if he had
finally found water in a desert. Their lips break apart for a moment as Xie Lian catches his breath.
In those few seconds, they exchange a look of mutual understanding.
In the next moment, their mouths crash together again. This time, Hua Cheng partakes in the
entanglement just as aggressively. His hands grip that round bottom and he spares no effort in
relentlessly driving his burning desire in that tightening hole. The frenzied moans which are
swallowed back in their heated kiss. The raw sound of fluids mixing between the slapping of flesh.
The tinges of pink colour gradually darkening on the skin. The sensual atmosphere which was
stagnant, is now stirring in the air. Moments later, their bodies jerk upwards. Hua Cheng slides his
dick out, letting the fluids to flow out and causing their lower halves to feel stickier.
When their mouths separate, the faithful believer does not hesitate to lick at the silver threads
hanging from the corner of his beloved’s lips. “It has been a long time since I’ve experienced
“hunger”, Your Highness.”
Xie Lian stares back at him, before nibbling at his lips. “How is it? Is your hunger quelled?”
“You taste extremely exquisite, Your Highness.”
The man sitting on top of him laughs at his words, biting down on that sharp nose. “You say it as if
you do not ravish me every night, San Lang. Shouldn’t the flavour be commonplace by now?”
“Never,” Hua Cheng replies straightaway, and gives a peck between his brows. “Does Your
Highness think that of me?” While asking this, he sits up and starts to stimulate the other man’s
cock.
“Ah—! San Lang!”
Having gained possession of the momentum, the demon king firmly presses and massages the two
butt cheeks, while devouring every inch of skin he can come into contact with. Sometimes he
would bite down and noisily suck at the blooming patches of red. Sometimes he would draw his
tongue in circles, deliberately avoiding the nubs which are now perked up. Sometimes he would
aim his tongue right at the nipple, continuously attacking them. All of his actions mirror how he
had ravished the peach and tended to the chrysanthemum flower. And Xie Lian is overwhelmed
with pleasure at the thought of it, let alone the physical acts.
“Do I, taste better? San Lang? Mn—!”
“No fruit is comparable to the flavour of Your Highness. No flower is more fragrant than that of
Your Highness,” Hua Cheng compliments him, while inhaling and kissing at his neck.
Xie Lian twists his hips, rubbing himself against the thick arousal behind him. “Let me, have a bite
too, San Lang.” Before receiving a response, he helps himself to gnawing on Hua Cheng’s neck,
shoulder and beyond.
Meanwhile, the taller man drives himself deep inside again. Ignoring the teeth and fingers which
dig into his skin, he calmly probes, “How is the taste, Your Highness?”
“Aah—! Good! So good!” In between his words, he would return to kissing and marking the skin
before him.
Hua Cheng’s attacks intensify, striking with both precision and force. “Is it enough? Or are you full
already?”
“M-more! San Lang—!”
“How greedy…” Despite his words, his eyes are filled with tenderness and his fingers gently trace
the rim stretched around his length. “I will keep feeding you till your hunger is appeased.”
That night, Boss Xie was plagued with nightmares in his sleep. He dreamt of a hungry ghost
constantly sobbing about how hungry he was, no matter how much he was fed. Each time the
voice would cry out that he wants more and more, as if he had starved for 800 years. The inn owner
wakes up in a cold sweat the next morning, and instantly leaps out of bed to dash towards the altar.
To his surprise, he discovers a mountain of peaches and chrysanthemum flowers. Puzzled by this
scene, he bends down to pick up petals which had fallen to the floor. When he stands up again, he
is shocked to see that only the peaches have disappeared. Boss Xie staggers in his steps, his mind
struggling to come up with a plausible explanation. Being of an optimistic mind-set, he supposes
that Yu Shi Huang must have heard his prayers, and caught this hungry ghost just now.
He expresses his sincere gratitude to the god of rain, before replacing the offerings with more
expensive ones.
Upstairs, Hua Cheng is standing at the end of the corridor. A masked figure dressed in black passes
a stack of paper to him, and also reports about another matter. The former glances downstairs,
before remarking something about ‘add to his debt’. The mysterious figure disappears and the
other man returns to the room. He lies down next to his lover, who is still fast asleep, and quietly
admires his handiwork as his hand glides along the pale skin dotted with blossoms of red. Soon,
Xie Lian is stirred awake by that tickling sensation. He is immediately aware of the dull aches in
his body, especially his waist. His behind is also particularly sore, and his throat is rather dry.
Looking down, he discovers that his body is filled with marks and bruises. To be honest, he has
long become accustomed to the aftermath of their passion. It is just that this time, he has no
recollection of what happened. His head feels a bit heavy. The last thing he remembers is the
storyteller’s ghost stories.
Right, he still has not told off Hua Cheng for this!
He turns around to find the culprit smirking at him, “San Lang!” Xie Lian abruptly stops to clear
his throat. “I can’t believe you did it again! I don’t remember what happened last night, but we
should be more discreet to avoid people spreading such stories!”
As if having already expected this, his devotee soothes him and peppers him with kisses. “Don’t
worry, Gege. No one heard us last night.” He even made sure to return the items he had borrowed
in tenfold. Even though a real hungry ghost did show up, he will just transfer it to his debt.
The crown prince was about to retort, till he sees his partner’s body up-close. The harsh bite-marks
and the purple bruises are much denser in comparison to his body. Did he cause all of this? His
anger dissipates and a wave of guilt overwhelms him. Maybe he should clarify about last night
first.
“What happened last night, San Lang?”
“Gege was drunk,” Hua Cheng’s expression softens as he continues to explain. “I must have upset
Gege a lot. You wouldn’t let me touch you or speak to you, and made me watch you play with
yourself. I had to wait quite long before Gege permitted me to help you.”
The other man flushes at his straightforward words as he stutters, “P-p-play with myself? W-what
did you help me with?”
“Yes, Gege was really bold. The way you touched yourself in front of me.” Hua Cheng tucks the
messy hair behind an ear which has turned red. “Fortunately in the end, you let me feed you to ease
your hunger. Here. And here.” As he says those last few words, his fingers brush against Xie
Lian’s puffy lips and rear hole.
By now, Xie Lian’s face is glowing brightly and he dives underneath the covers. “I’m sorry, San
Lang! I’m not myself at all when I’m drunk. Please forget about last night!” He consciously warns
himself never to drink alcohol again. From this and another incident in the past, it is clear that his
temperament becomes more drastic.
His partner only chuckles and pulls him into a warm embrace. “I can accept everything. What
matters is “you”, Your Highness. Please don’t tell me to forget about last night. I want to commit
everything about you to memory.” He pauses before addressing the earlier issue. “And I will be
more discreet, Your Highness. Please forgive me.”
Xie Lian remains silent, before finally relenting, “Alright, San Lang.” He peeks out from the
covers. “I apologise for my unsightly behaviour too.”
A light kiss lands on the forehead. “There’s no need to. We both enjoyed ourselves.”
“Oh…” He is curious about what really occurred, but is too embarrassed to ask for the details. In
the end, he buries his head in the other man’s arms.
Hua Cheng combs his fingers through his beloved’s hair, smiling as he recalls the stack of paper he
had received. What is done cannot be changed. To be honest, no matter the kind of stories people
write about them, he likes that there are records about him and Xie Lian as a couple. He will have
to find another opportunity to share them with Xie Lian, preferably before their bedtime.
These so-called haunted tales of their lovemaking sessions.
Chapter End Notes
Hua Cheng did not take countermeasures for the fact that Xie Lian’s power can
overflow and go amok (see chapter 2). Hence the nightmares. I imagine that drunken
Xie Lian has less control too. Xie Lian was only shown drunk once in the novel, so
that was my only reference and anything else is my own conjecture. Thanks for
reading till the end!
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Haunted Tales of Papapa

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/17560847.

Haunted Tales of Papapa

(Russian translation also published on https://ficbook.net/readfic/8158057)

See the end of the chapter for more notes

“Of course not, Gege.” Hua Cheng gives a reassuring smile.

“Is someone crying?”

“I’m being serious! I swear I heard it!”

At that moment, a distinctive cry rang in everyone’s ears.

“…shall I check? Maybe it’s another human.”

“Shut up A-Ming! Let’s just hurry along!”

“Mn—Ah—San—Lang! No—!” Xie Lian urges in a muffled voice.

He will do anything his god asks for.

“I bet some brat is trying to scare us.”

“Just give it a break, A-Ming.”

“F-f-fuck! I-I-I told you it’s a g-ghost!!”

“Are those bells? Is it a ghost procession??”

Hua Cheng smiles in return. “Understood, Gege.”

“Have you heard of the rumours?”

“The one about ‘The Traveller’s Road’? Is it really true?”

“In any case, we better pray to the gods for safety!”

“Speaking of which, wasn’t there a temple along ‘The Traveller’s Road’?”

“I seem to recall there being one…you think we should pray there?”

“Isn’t it deserted? I don’t think it will help…”

“Aye, who cares? Let’s just pray first!!”

Chapter End Notes

This chapter has references to their past.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

He wonders aloud, “Should I also get a tattoo of your name?”

“Oh? How?” the god asks with a confused expression.

“I can see Gege’s muscles becoming tense. It’s extremely enticing……”

“So Gege’s lips curve at this angle…it looks very inviting.”

“No,” her two friends reply in unison.

“A-are you sure?”

“There you go, imagining things again. Relax A-Hua!”

“Yeah, let’s hurry up and enjoy the hot spring!”

“Mn—! F-faster, San Lang!”

“Aah—c-coming! San Lang!”

All of a sudden, a pair of handprints flashes before her eyes.

“You have got to stop your wild imagination, A-Hua…”

“Come on, let’s go!”

Xie Lian plays along. “Yes, San Lang. Continue…”

“No water is comparable to the magnificence of the sea…”

“Huh? What are you reciting, A-Hua?”

“Didn’t you hear someone say that?”

“Now that you said it, I am feeling a little dizzy…"

“Alright, let’s do that.”

“San Lang—! Ah—! More—!”

Xie Lian shudders in response and shamelessly begs, “Harder—!”

“…Understood, Your Highness.”

“Grandma, what were those girls babbling about?”

“They saw a ghost? In broad daylight?? What did they see?”

“They were sobbing so much and looked really pitiful though…”

Chapter End Notes

This chapter does not have any spoilers.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

“One room is fine,” the taller man answers.

“Does Gege wish to bathe? I will tell the owner.”

“What is this, San Lang?”

As a businessman, he has to be flexible.

“S-San Lang…” Xie Lian calls out in a breathy voice.

“Now that you mentioned it, I’m sweating too…”