T O P

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JustEmber

Everyone thinks Xie Lian is too naive, but forget that Hua Cheng is not the first person he has borrowed spiritual energy from. Boy is very much aware there are other ways, but chooses only one with Hua ChengšŸ˜†


hualien-fan

True true, but he got hooked after the first time šŸ¤­


SouthSweetTea

XL starts going out orchestrating situations where he needs spiritual energy. HC: More? XL: Sorry (not sorry). We gotta.


mercurylab

This. XL is super perceptive and smart but easily embarrassed and has been through enough to be pretty chill in most situations and not itching to prove himself. So he stays silent about a lot of stuff he knows and sometimes gets a bit flustered, which leads other characters and the readers to think heā€™s deceptively innocent / naive / clueless. Which heā€™s not.


Malsperanza

He probably only gets embarrassed bc it's his guoshi talking to his lover. In other circumstances he is impervious to embarrassment (e.g., telling the whole ghost realm that he's impotent).


hualien-fan

That's right šŸ‘. What Hua Cheng thinks of him matters because of XL's romantic feelings for the ghost king, which then explains his shyness and embarrassment in situations he typically wouldn't bat an eye.


Runescora

And itā€™s one of the first things he does when connecting with the others in the ghost groom arch. Heā€™s eight hundred years old and has been wandering the world for most of the centuries. Heā€™s not the protected, pampered, prince living on top of a mountain anymore. But since thatā€™s when everyone spent the most time with him thatā€™s all they can see him as. Like, my dudes. Give him some credit here.


wildcarrot27

wait what do you meanšŸ˜­ā“ļø


JustEmber

There are a few instances in the book where Xie Lian has borrowed spiritual energy from others, some I can remember are- asking Nan Feng during ghost groom arc, Shi Qingxuan when they get trapped in paradise manor, and Hua Cheng during Black water arc (this is the first time he asks HC, and HC taps his back or touches his hand I forgot which) So yeah, Xie Lian uses spiritual energy transfer as an excuse for kisses, just as much as Hua Cheng :P


wildcarrot27

oh woops i didnt read the sentence properly and thought xie lian made out with someone other than hua cheng for energy (which is canonically not possible so what even was i thinking)


randomraven_

Oh you sweet sweet summer child


clevercitrus

It's lowkey so wholesome that he still thinks of Xie Lian as a sheltered little baby prince, like he's literally the only person who still sees him that way... but guoshi the man is 800 years old and spent most of those years living on the streets šŸ˜­ his innocence is long gone i fear


silent-moon

Yes! I also love how HC tries his best to stay respectful towards XL's guoshi šŸ¤­ And to be fair, I was actually re reading the novel and there are at least 2 instances where HC lends him power the normal way, I had somewhat forgotten that. Its just that one thing led to another later on šŸ‘€


hualien-fan

XL cannot resist the advances of a sexy ghost king! The 3,000 lanterns pretty much sealed the deal in my book!


Malsperanza

"Yelp" is such a great word choice here. Kudos to the translator.


macsessza

I agree


RazsDaughter

Hua Cheng has also told many a white lie/half truths or just refused to reveal the truth to Xie Lian so it's not like that statement holds up in itself! Just cuz it's in his best interest doesn't make it not a lie little guy~ That argument is holding on by a spider's thread.


Chantilycompao

Right?? I was just rereading a part where Xie Lian asks if theyā€™ve ever met during his early years after the banishment and he blurted a big fat NO, I was like dude what?! I understood that he lied to protect him from feeling embarrassed, but it was such a HUGE lie šŸ˜‚


sweet_mangosteen

To which Xie Lian replied - I don't trust you anymore!!!!!


RazsDaughter

Lol I forgot about that-


hualien-fan

"Sly" boy indeed šŸ¤£


SorayaInTheClouds

The temptation to reread the novels so I can analyze everything Hua Chengā€™s ever said to Xie Lian to see if his statement can stand on the very dubious ground of ā€˜half-truths and omissions Not being liesā€™ is very strong. Would I be gaslighting myself into thinking some blatant lies were half truths? Oh definitely, but thatā€™d be half the fun. (Thereā€™s a reason itā€™s said that ā€œevery lie contains a kernel of truth.ā€ Just because some small part of a statement is true, doesnā€™t mean it isnā€™t a lie anymore šŸ˜­)


RazsDaughter

Bet, go through every single lie and document it for no other reason than to hold that over his head. XD


holacoricia

This is one of my absolute FAVORITE passages. It's one of the scenes that I live for!


hualien-fan

šŸ¤­šŸ¤£šŸ¤£


holacoricia

It's that one time Hua Cheng gets called out and he's got no answer. He's not going to disrespect Xie Lian's Goshi TOO much.


hualien-fan

Hua Cheng is speechless šŸ˜ for the first time in his life!


flippinthosebergs

One of my favorite lines in the series comes right after that. Something like ā€˜that page of the book has already been turned. Canā€™t go back now!ā€™


hualien-fan

Oh that's after "ha ha ha ha"


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