I headcanon that during He Xuan's time in Tonglu, after several years of being alone, the giant Xie Lian statue basically became Wilson from Castaway for him lmao
[Image ID: a collage of colored drawings of Hua Cheng resting in various positions in Xie Lianās lap. All warmly lit, as if theyāre sitting in sunset glow, except one. Buckle up, this is long.
The upper left an overhead shot of HC in his San Lang form, laid on his back with his head resting in XLās lap, his arms extended back to rest lightly around XLās waist. His eyes are closed, with a small and peaceful smile. XLās face is obscured as he looks down at San Lang, one hand cradling his cheek and the other playing with his crooked ponytail.
Next, Hua Cheng in his ghost king form, sitting upright and cradled with Xie Lianās arms wrapped around his waist. HC is leaning back into the hold, head tilted up and against XLās head, eyes closed and his lips curled in a delighted smile. Xie Lian has his chin resting on HCās shoulder, expression soft and equally delighted. Both have a light blush on their cheeks.
Next, Xie Lian is kneeling, his expression is soft and gentle as he leans over HC (ghost king form) resting on his lap. One hand is resting on HCās head, hair tangled in his fingers as he brushes it away from his face. The other is cradling HCās head, pillowing his cheek against his leg. Hua Chengās body is mostly obscured behind XLās legs, with only really his head and is right arm visible. Said arm is curled around in front of XLās legs, hand lightly gripping XLās robe. Heās leaning his head into XLās palm, eyes closed with a light smile, like heās about to fall into a nap.
Next, Xie Lian is positioned like heās sitting on a chair, feet planted on the ground. Hua cheng appears to be sitting on the ground next to XLās legs, upper body sprawled across his legs. Xie Lian is leaning slightly forward, one hand resting on HCās back, head tilted down enough to see his eyes are fond. Hua Cheng has one arm wrapped behind XLās back and around waist, while his right arm is laid over the top of his legs. His expression is like a cat absolutely basking in comfort. On Xie Lianās head, shoulder and hand (the one resting on HCās back), rests Wraith Butterflies.
The next is a two part companion sketch. One is a smaller drawing. Hua Cheng is in his San Lang form, sitting in Xie Lianās lap face-to-face. His hands are resting on XLās shoulders, his legs on either side of XLās waist. He has a lightly teasing smirk with a gentle blush on his face. Xie Lian is sitting cross legged, with his hands on either side of San Langās waist. He looks like heās happily talking.
The follow up is a bigger drawing. Both in similar positions but more from behind Xie Lian, so his face is now obscured. Hua Cheng has poofed into his ghost king form, pink clouds circling around him to imply the transformation. His arms have now wrapped around Xie Lianās neck, wrists lightly crossed over each other, with XLās hair ribbon wrapped around some of his fingers. Heās leaning more forward into Xie Lianās space, his expression just. Smitten. Singular eye half lidded. Xie Lianās expression isnāt visible, but vibrant blush lines imply a flustered state. Heās still cradling Hua Cheng in his arms.
Upper right corner are uncolored, monochrome doodles. One of E-Ming resting in a coiled nest of Ruoye, his eye crescented in a pleased smile. Next to it is a chibi style, forward facing doodle of Xie Lian happily squishing Hua Chengās cheeks. Hua Cheng is, again, laying on his back, face up, with his hands resting on his chest. His smile is squished, and his one visible eye pleased.
The final colored one is more darkly lit. Xie Lian is seen from the back, sitting cross legged on a cushion at a low-risen table, one hand holding a ink brush up aloft. Heās position as if heās looking down at what heās working on. He is wearing a red robe. Hua Cheng (ghost form) has his lower body sprawled across XLās legs, curling onto his side to wrap is arms around XLās waist. Hua Chengās expression is hidden, as he has his head laid on a cushion in the floor, his hair sprawled messily over the cushion. His fingers are lightly folded over each other on Xie Lianās side. He is wearing a white robe. The mood is like itās a late night in their room, only lit by a single candle hidden behind Xie Lianās form, implied only by a soft yellow light outlining XL. /.End ID
Sorry this is so long, itās my first time writing an image description gjsjgks
I think a lot of people go into a new media (book, show, whatever), see the superficial structure of a certain common story arc and just assume said media will follow that arc. Even if it doesnāt, confirmation bias will lead the reader to just say itās so regardless of whatās in the narrative. I donāt even mean this in regards to stories that are intentionally subverting a common storyline; I mean if a story has any superficial trappings of a popular trope or story arc, it leads people to expect that story follow anyways regardless of whatever story is actually being told.
In tgcf (spoilers for the entire novel to be safe), this manifests as a lot of people seeing the basic structure of a fallen god who re-ascends and then extrapolate that this must be a redemption narrative for a protagonist who learns from some past mistake or flaw and grows from it and is then rewarded by the narrative, and this idea goes on to inform their reading. This is why you see so many people viewing Xie Lian as a naive, privileged protagonist who needed humbling, or even reading what happened to his kingdom as his fault directly for daring to interfere.
In the climax of his confrontation with Jun Wu, what does Xie Lian say? āEVEN IF IT HURTS, I WONāT CHANGE! EVEN IF I DIE, I WONāT CHANGE! I WILL NEVER CHANGE!ā
Thatās it right there. This is why he was always right. This is why he defeats Jun Wu. This is why Hua Cheng loves and respects him so completely with undying devotion!!!!! Xie Lian gets back the love and devotion he gives. He was right all along. I really think the reason this notion that he was wrong and needed to learn is because this IS a a very common story to tell, and a common character arc to explore. But that is NOT tgcf, and itās not Xie Lian.
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