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A soft humming voice was coming from outside the poor excuse of a shack. It was disturbed again and again by a rhythmic chopping sound. Xie Lian absentmindedly started humming along some minutes ago as he was busy cooking… something… resembling dinner. He was pretty sure a soup wasn’t supposed to have such an angry purple color but oh well. The one outside always seemed to enjoy the monstrosities his host called food so it should be good to go.
The chopping sounds ended, along with the low, perpetually amused voice. Xie Lian didn’t notice and stirred the menacing soup once again, deeming it almost done. Yeah, the weird color wasn’t so bad; he quite liked how it turned out. How should he call it, though? The meal needed a good name, something to go along with its uniqueness. Hmmm… What about…
“Gege, what are you cooking?” the familiar voice asked, close, too close to his ear. Xie Lian instantly felt himself blush but didn’t jump back. He was startled but not so badly as to wake up his martial ex-god instincts to fight at the first sign of danger. And so, San Lang’s breath brushed his ear for two more long seconds before he stood upright, making the perpetually flustered ex-god even more confused and weirdly disappointed. “Color-Blessed Mushroom Soup,” he answered instead of doing literally anything else, not really thinking about the name. It sounded good, though. Very fitting. The soup truly was blessed by its unique color. And this time it looked like a soup. Unlike the last time when… Not important. Progress is progress.
“Mm, I’m sure it’s good,” San Lang said but he always did. For some unknown reason, this weird boy genuinely liked Xie Lian’s cooking. The first time he wanted to try his dishes, Xie Lian was certain he’d kill the boy and so he tried to stop him from doing so. But San Lang insisted and… nothing happened. He even complimented the weird dish and commented on how to make it even better the next time he cooked. It was… nice, to have someone enjoy his cooking. What a foreign feeling. Xie Lian felt spoiled to have someone to share his food with. To spend time in a nice company who cared about his wellbeing and genuinely asked questions about him and listened to the answers.
Ah, Xie Lian was truly lucky to have met such a fellow. Being alone for almost 500 years does make a person lonely. But should he really get attached to someone who would for sure soon leave him? Even if San Lang wouldn’t get tired of him (debatable), he’s only a mortal who could die at any time. Wouldn’t it hurt to lose something he never truly had before?
But staying this way for even a little while could be worth the heartbreak, Xie Lian thought, looking at the youth eating with gusto his nightmare of a soup. The boy smiled at him when he felt the ex-god watching him. Xie Lian unconsciously smiled back and also started to stuff his mouth with soup. It was peaceful. He loved it.
*
Xie Lian first met San Lang when they both lied on an ox cart, taking them to Puqi Village. They were surprised at having met another cultivator, going in the same place but they quickly befriended each other with Xie Lian inviting the younger boy to stay with him in his temporary house. San Lang agreed and so they lived with each other ever since.
San Lang was a wandering cultivator, freshly threw away from home. He cultivated since a very young age and right now he was quite powerful for his age of only 19. Xie Lian could feel the abundant energy circulating through his meridians and he was positively taken aback. He wouldn’t be surprised if the youth ascended to godhood soon. But he said he was only doing it for fun, not having such a goal himself. Xie Lian thought it weird but who was he to judge other people’s aspirations or lack of them thereof? San Lang was a free soul who could do whatever he wanted, and Xie Lian truly enjoyed his company for that.
Spending time with someone isn’t so bad. He missed it. And he hopes he won’t miss it again too soon. But, knowing his rotten luck, it was more than likely. Ah, not thinking about the future; he has the present to think about. One thing at a time.