Xie Lian wakes up in the middle of the night to find the space next to him in bed empty. He frowns to himself, concerned for a moment about where his husband may be. It wasn't like Hua Cheng to not be in bed with him, even when only Xie Lian was sleeping. A part of him wants to freak out. After all, it was only recently that his beloved had returned to him after that awful year where Xie Lian had been waiting. He forces himself to keep calm. He knows Hua Cheng is close, he could feel his Ghost King near.*

Xie Lian stands up and puts his robe on to cover his naked body - decorated love marks left by San Lang a few hours earlier, which still caused him to flush red remembering it - before following Hua Cheng's energy, the pull that led him to his husband. And, sure enough, he finds his beloved on the balcony, leaning against the railing as he looks down at the Ghost City.

Xie Lian is struck silent for a moment, by Hua Cheng. He'll never understand how his husband thinks so lowly of himself. Xie Lian never thought of him as anything less than beautiful. Long black hair, a fierce and teasing black eye, his other one covered by an eyepatch, and a face that would make anyone stare. Gorgeous.

"San Lang." Xie Lian calls out, his voice sweet as he wraps his arms around himself and looks at his husband.