TIAN GUAN CI FU Fan fic stories

OUR OCEAN OF STARS & BUBBLES OF JOY

After a long, bustling day at the marketplace, the merchants and townsfolk are starting to pack up their things in preparation for returning home. Xie Lian smiles as he lets his gaze wander over the familiar view, shifting his fins delicately to float in place.

"Gege, are we ready to go back?"

Xie Lian's smile turns even softer at the sight of his husband approaching him. "I think so", he replies. "I'm all done with packing. It didn't take long, with how little there was left of the things we brought with us."

The merfolk couple has had a delightful afternoon at the local marketplace, mingling with their fellow townspeople and doing some trading — mostly with edible underwater plants and fruit Xie Lian cultivates at their home. While Xie Lian and Hua Cheng aren't dependent on income from trading, Xie Lian enjoys going to the marketplace to sell his produce (although more often than not he ends up giving at least some of it away to less wealthy families for free).

"If everything's ready", Hua Cheng says and swims over to give Xie Lian's cheek a gentle peck, "then let's go back. I can't wait to get to cuddle with gege and have a good rest together."

Xie Lian smiles in silent agreement. As much as he enjoys seeing other families and merfolk living in the area, nothing could be more dear to him than the peace of his and Hua Cheng's home.

They are about to start their journey back as Xie Lian spots something unusual. He stops swimming and reaches out his hand, placing it on Hua Cheng's arm. "San Lang, wait."

"What is it, gege? Did we forget something?"

"No", Xie Lian says, his eyes widening with surprise, "but it seems like someone else did."

He starts swimming towards what seems to be an empty container abandoned in a secluded corner of the marketplace. The basket has seemingly been charmed to float at a certain spot without drifting off or floating towards the surface.

Such things are a common sight around the merfolk trading market, so what really caught Xie Lian's attention is something completely different: a tiny merchild curled up inside the container, all alone and looking frighteningly lifeless.

Xie Lian gasps as he quickly swims over to have a closer look. A chill of fear ripples through him as he notices how pale and weak the child looks — he's very young, barely older than an infant. For a few horrifying moments Xie Lian thinks the baby isn't even alive, but then, his fears are relieved by the smallest flicker of tiny fins.

Xie Lian picks the baby up, his concerns returning the very moment he feels how frail the child is, barely moving at all as he's lifted up. He doesn't even open his eyes, the only signs of life being a whimper and his little tail curling up in a weak attempt of a defensive position.

"Ssh, little one, it's okay", Xie Lian murmurs, curling his arms around the baby protectively and holding him close. The child seems to calm down a bit, and something tugs at the deepest core of Xie Lian's heart as he feels the warmth of the small body in his arms.

"San Lang", he says, turning to look at Hua Cheng swimming closer after him, "we need to look for his parents. He's way too young to take care of himself yet. He might have wandered off on his own and gotten tired while his parents were away."

"All right. If gege wants", Hua Cheng says. "Let's go look around."

They swim around the marketplace, looking for people who might appear to be distressed parents in search of their child. However, the day's activities are almost over and most townsfolk have already left, and only a few merchants are still packing up their things.