#honghonger

He's panicking, scared out of his wits and repeating how it isn't his fault. Then the prince, the one who saved his life twice, who spoke to him kindly and treated him with more gentleness than he had felt in a long time, hugs him and assures him that he's right, that it isn't his fault.

I've seen Xie Lian's scrap-collecting compared to his previous habit of collecting swords, but Xie Lian doesn't just collect scraps, he repairs them and gives them a new home with people who want them enough to pay for it.

@tgcf-clone-week-2025 Day 5 prompt: Switch

You, and All of You

Summary:

TGCF | Safe Place To Land

Song - Safe Place To Land Artist - Christian Burghardt Software - Premiere Footage - TGCF , Heaven Officials Blessing , Tian Guan Ci Fu

You're circling the atmosphere Unsure if I'll disappear I'm not going nowhere Open your eyes When your wings give out on you I'm always gonna be Your safe place to land When you're at ten thousand feet No parachute You got my hand I'm always gonna be The bright lights that shine and guide you back

In the darkness, the young soldier could see the flash of cold metal, and he cried, “Your Highness!” The sword struck, penetrating Xie Lian’s own stomach. (...) The young soldier was left in dumbfounded shock, and he fell to his knees next to his body.

-Chapt 37

“However…before that, there’s something I need to do,” he said softly. He raised the cold, jade-like, black sword. He stared at the sharp blade in his hand, a peculiar glint flashing in his eyes. Wuming noticed that something was off. “Your Highness, what are you planning?!” But Wuming had no chance to stop him before Xie Lian turned the point of the blade on himself—and plunged the black sword into his own abdomen!

-Chapt 103

With that, he pulled Fangxin off his back. However, Hua Cheng resolutely pressed down on his hand. Taken aback, Xie Lian turned and saw Hua Cheng staring at him intently. Red was slowly spreading around the rim of his eye. “Gege, what are you planning to do with that sword?” he asked darkly.

XIE LIAN BLINKED. “I wasn’t planning on doing anything…” “Then why did you draw that weapon?” Hua Cheng demanded. “To…defend myself?” Xie Lian replied. Hua Cheng’s expression was terrifyingly dark, and he squeezed Xie Lian’s hand harder. “How do you plan on defending yourself? Put that sword down!” That was the first time Hua Cheng had ever spoken to him in such a tone or worn that kind of expression. It shocked Xie Lian.

-125-126

When the flame gradually subsided and coalesced once again, the tiny ball of ghost fire was no more—in its place, the figure of a young man was gradually taking shape. The young man dropped to his knees in front of the scorched, black surface of the altar. Bent over deeply, he clutched his head in both hands. He bellowed in immense, devastating pain. He didn’t dare look at what had become of the person lying on the altar, for what lay there didn’t resemble a human anymore.

-Chapt 100

“Yes! I promised you,” Xie Lian replied. “Besides, there were so many weapons. Sabers, spears, swords—wouldn’t I have been reduced to mush if they all stabbed me? Ha ha ha ha…” He started to laugh, but the sound died in his throat. Hua Cheng’s head had jerked back to stare at him the moment he said the word “stabbed.” His gaze was hard to describe, but it obliterated all the words Xie Lian had to say. Without warning, Hua Cheng reached out and wrapped his arms around him, hard. (...) Xie Lian blinked and patted Hua Cheng’s back. “What’s wrong?” “Your Highness, please don’t laugh like that anymore,” Hua Cheng whispered. He hugged Xie Lian tightly. “It’s not funny, really… It’s not funny at all.” “…”

Xie Lian said incoherently, “Actually… … I am the God of Plague. Being close to me will bring you misfortune, so let’s not be friends anymore.” Looking at him, Hua Cheng let out a sigh, “Gege, you are being silly.” Xie Lian insisted, “Haven’t you noticed? Ever since we met, you’ve been bringing me good luck, but I’ve been consistently bringing you bad luck.” Hua Cheng said, “No.” Xie Lian said, “I’m serious. If this continues, I’m afraid one day… …” Suddenly, he bumped into someone’s chest. Hua Cheng pressed him firmly against his own heart, saying almost gently, “Your Highness, it’s not your fault.”

-Book 1 chapt 17. (Revised)

The Deputy State Preceptors blocked Honghong-er, and the State Preceptor backed away, yelling, “Make him leave the mountain, hurry! Don’t touch him, I mean it! That fortune is too toxic; don’t touch him!” The Deputy State Preceptors hurriedly moved aside, and Mu Qing and Feng Xin didn’t know whether to act. Seeing that everyone was avoiding him like he was poisonous vermin, the child was shaken and started thrashing even harder, biting and screaming with all his might. “I’m not! I’m not!! I’M NOT!!!” Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around his waist, encircling his small form. A voice came from above his head. “You’re not. I know you’re not. Don’t cry, now. I know you’re not.” The young child pressed his lips closed tightly, grabbing on to the pair of snow-white sleeves around his waist with a desperate grip. He forced himself to hold back for a long time, but in the end, he couldn’t. A stream of tears suddenly rolled down from that round, black eye, and he burst out into sobs. Xie Lian embraced him from behind and reiterated with conviction, “It’s not you. It’s not your fault.”

Of course, Xie Lian was the only person being gentle and caring towards him, any other character interacting with the child was at best indifferent. Still, someone being apathetic towards him shouldn't scare him to that point. I don't know about child psychology but it's not hard to guess that a kid behaving this way hasn't been given a place where to feel safe, he's expecting to be hurt 🫤 and he's learned to be vicious to protect himself.