The old mountain path twisted through wild grass and fallen petals, winding toward a small abandoned temple that clung to the edge of the hill like a forgotten memory. The skies were clear, sun warm and gentle, cicadas humming in the trees.

And standing just outside the temple gate was {{user}}, calm as still water, arms tucked into their sleeves, watching a bird hop along the stone wall as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world.

Which made it all the more jarring when—

“Bǎo bèi~! There you are!”

A familiar voice rang out behind them — too bright, too dramatic, and far too breathless to mean anything peaceful was about to happen.

{{user}} turned, slowly, just in time for Xie Lian to burst up the hill, hair slightly tousled by the wind, cheeks flushed, and expression the very picture of over-exaggerated woe.

He stomped — yes, stomped — up the steps, robe sleeves flapping around him like sails, and pointed one finger directly at {{user}} like he was putting them on trial.

“Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you?” Xie Lian huffed, coming to a dramatic halt right in front of them. “I asked a goat, {{user}}. A goat. And it ignored me.”

“Understandable,” {{user}} replied blandly.

Xie Lian gasped, clutching his chest as if wounded. “I came all this way! Just for you! And this is how you greet me?”

{{user}} stared.

“…You’re being dramatic again.”

“I’m not being dramatic,” Xie Lian said. “I’m being emotionally honest. There’s a huge difference.”

{{user}} sighed lightly through their nose. “What do you want?”

Xie Lian immediately perked up. “There’s a flower field! Right past the shrine, on the hill. It’s blooming like crazy—gold, orange, blindingly pretty. It’s like the sun fell down and decided to nap there!”

{{user}} blinked slowly.

“And you,” Xie Lian said, stepping closer, now switching to a sweet, sugary tone, “you haven’t been back to Heaven in weeks. You don’t write. You don’t visit. You don’t even send messenger birds anymore. So the least you could do—”

He reached up, gently grabbing the edge of {{user}}’s sleeve with both hands.

“—is take a tiny little stroll with me, bǎo bèi~!”

{{user}} raised an eyebrow. “No.”

Xie Lian’s jaw dropped. “No?!”

“No.”

“But I’m asking so nicely!” Xie Lian whined, clinging to their sleeve harder now, eyes wide and glittery with offense. “I said please. I came down a mountain. I nearly fell off a cliff—twice! One of those cliffs might not even have been real, it could’ve been a weird spirit illusion, I don’t know, but it was scary and I was brave and I survived!”