Hua Xianle

Chapter 7:

It had been a year since Hua Ying came into their lives.

It was early in the morning in Ghost City, and the two husbands were cradling one another in their bed, resting peacefully. Technically, Hua Cheng didn't need to sleep, but he'd picked up the habit after marrying his beloved Dianxia. As such, he heard the door to their chambers open but didn't react or open his eyes. By now, he knew his son well enough to identify what his footsteps sounded like.

Sure enough, a few seconds later, someone climbed on the bed and wriggled his way in between the couple. Then a little hand grabbed strands of Xie Lian's hair and a small face smushed into the crook of his neck. Xie Lian stayed still for a second before playfully tickling their son, eliciting giggles from the boy. He then stopped and kissed Hua Ying's forehead, brushing hair from those beautiful silver eyes.

"Someone's excited to be going to the Heavenly Capital today, hmmm?" Xie Lian teased.

Hua Cheng dramatically sighed, placing the back of a hand on his forehead as he rolled onto his back. "Oh, A-Ying. Six months is far too long."

Hua Ying sat up and fumbled through the sleeves of his robe, pulling out a golden scroll. It bore Ling Wen's symbol along the wood, with the shimmering parchment embroidered with a butterfly resting on a flower.

This was a spiritual item that the Civil Goddess had constructed for A-Ying, allowing his thoughts to be transcribed into characters for all to read. No longer would his companion's inability to understand sign language deter him from making friends. The array had taken months to perfect, but the dazzling smile Hua Ying had given his aunty had made the effort worthwhile.

"I stayed here for six months too, A-Die," the scroll declared, Hua Ying pouting with puffed-out cheeks and a slight furrow in his brow that made him look cute. "Besides, you promised my aunties and uncles that I would spend half a year in both of your realms."

Hua Cheng smiled softly at the sight of his son's pink and round cheeks, happy that he was no longer the pale, gaunt figure they'd plucked from that forest. The Rain Master feeding him vegetables and meat every time she came really helped, but so did the fact that Hua Cheng and Xie Lian never failed to buy Hua Ying whatever food he desired.

In the beginning, Hua Ying never expressed his hunger, still in the mindset of only being given food when he was "good enough" to "earn it". It took weeks of promises and assurances before A-Ying gained the confidence to ask, and even then he continued to test the limits of their generosity.

It started small, asking for five steamed buns, then ten. When that didn't deter them, he tried candy and lots of it. He started to believe them when they allowed him to have five servings of rice in one sitting, especially when he saw that they looked relieved by his appetite instead of disgusted. Finally, he decided to ask for something truly outrageous. Something there was no chance they would ever agree to... He asked for an entire stall of steamed buns... and Hua Cheng was paying for it without a second thought. He ate those steamed buns over the course of an entire week, and never questioned his fathers on food ever again.

If anything, Hua Ying was becoming almost like a second He Xuan with his appetite, devouring an entire feast on his own and still having room for more. With his growing body and a Golden Core brighter than any ever developed before, it made sense that he needed all that food, so his parents refused to complain and ensured he had everything he wanted and needed.

Hua Cheng reached out and cupped his child's cheek with one hand, running his thumb across the soft skin. He then pinched the cheek softly before leaving a peck on it.

"I know little one-" The words on the scroll changed to "I'm not little!" which made Hua Cheng laugh and say "Yes, you are." And that made A-Ying pout even more. "Diedie's just kidding, of course. Diedie agreed that you could stay there for six months, and you shall. As if I could ever deny you anything."