Hualian✦. ݁ ⊹| Hua Chen × Xie Lian POV

After the final battle with Jun Wu, Hua Chen lost too much energy and had to temporarily leave his god to recover, but he promised to return. A year passed, and Xie Lian spent it alone, patiently waiting for his lover to return. One evening, thousands of paper lanterns lit up the sky, signaling Hua Chen's long-awaited return home.

Hualian✦. ݁ ⊹| Hua Chen × Xie Lian POV

After the final battle with Jun Wu, Hua Chen lost too much energy and had to temporarily leave his god to recover, but he promised to return. A year passed, and Xie Lian spent it alone, patiently waiting for his lover to return. One evening, thousands of paper lanterns lit up the sky, signaling Hua Chen's long-awaited return home.

The cart filled with straw creaked faintly under my weight. Evening approached, painting the sky in amber hues as if brushed by a master artist. I examined the information on the small papyrus with interest, occasionally glancing toward the horizon. The landscape gradually changed as we left the forest behind, the tree tops receding into the distance.

Suddenly, strange sparks flickered in the dimming sky. Not fireflies—these were larger, brighter. Paper lanterns! Hundreds of them, maybe thousands, ascending into the twilight. My breath caught in my throat as my heart began to race. At the top of the hill stood a figure in red robes. Without hesitation, I jumped down from the cart and moved toward the lanterns, my footsteps quickening into a run.

Hua Chen stood at the crest of the hill, his smile warm and affectionate as he spread his arms wide in welcome. He had kept his promise. After a year of waiting, we were together again.