#hob novel

[my-unsolicited-thoughts]

forever obsessed with them

[miicycle]

if anyone in my family gets me the fourth book of the novel i might just die of shame (and joy ofc) because of the cover of it like they know im a fruit but i might just actually never show myself again

[victorialovesstiles]

There’s something so subtle about the way Hua Cheng loves Xie Lian.

(Hold on, hear me out...)

In fiction, when we have a character who loves someone as deeply as Hua Cheng loves Xie Lian, we usually see the ugly side of that affection rear it's head eventually.

Adoration turns into obsession (any positive thing can turn ugly in excess). Obsession can drive behaviour that most of us cringe at; one worst case scenario is stalking, but even a best case would be the expectation (or worthiness) of reciprication.

This obsession can also be followed by huge, grandiose actions that leave the object of the affections no room to guess at the other's feelings and intentions.

Hua Cheng doesn't do any of that. His love is akin to worship, or rather, it literally is reverance for a god. No expectation, no indignance - just pure adoration untainted by the usual consequences of human love.

His love is so subtle, in fact, that Xie Lian can't even begin to guess at his intentions. Even going so far as to wonder continuously in the beginning why Hua Cheng spares so much time and kindness for him.

Hua Cheng expects nothing from Xie Lian - he demands nothing from Xie Lian, not even in the way a worshiper might. This type of god-worshiper love is so hard to fit into the mould of a romantic relationship.

Watching it unfold is so beautiful, complex, and fragmented. It's not the innocent love story you would expect, and honestly it's part of the reason why I love their relationship so much.

You rarely see such pure, unadulterated, and selfless love written this perfectly in fiction.

[cuubism]

i went to physical therapy for my stupid broken arm so as is my legal obligation i HAD to make ship content about it. everything is ship content that's how it is

cw injury, referenced abusive relationships

--

Hob's had plenty of clients come to physical therapy who clearly don't want to be there. Plenty of others who are reasonably frustrated by the work and time involved in regaining functioning after an injury. But this is the first time he's just had someone be... quiet. Resigned.

Dream sits with his hand cradled to his chest, barely speaking, only answering when Hob asks a direct question. He's reluctant to give Hob his hand when Hob asks if he can look at it, like he thinks Hob's grip is a bear trap that will snap down and crush the bones like whatever had done so the first time. Hob still doesn't know what that was. All he knows is the bones have been realigned and healed over but the dexterity in his hand still isn't right. That was what Dream had said, in the first spark of passion Hob had heard from him. It's not right.

But he does eventually give his hand over. His bones are so fine and delicate, and each movement hesitant. Cautious. Hob tests the flexibility. The strength. Dream is right, it's not where it should be. He still doesn't know what happened.

"I won't make you tell me if you really don't want to," Hob says gently. "But it is important to know how it happened to make sure we rehab it the right way. Did you get it caught in something? I've seen guys come in with machine injuries like that."

Nothing about Dream suggests "person who works with heavy machinery." But who knows. Hob will try not to stereotype.

"No," Dream says quietly, looking down and away from his hand like he can't bear to see it. "I. I am an artist. My ex... he felt that I cared more about my art than about him. Perhaps I did. And he was... frustrated. I suppose."

Hob can put the rest of the pieces together in his mind. "Jesus," he breathes, and Dream flinches.

"I have an unfortunate ability to involve myself with such people," he says.

"No, it's not your fault," Hob says automatically.

Dream narrows his eyes. "You presume to know that?"

Hob raises his hands in surrender. "Never mind. I won't pry." He's not Dream's therapist. His job is to help him with his hand, not... whatever else is going on in his life.

He takes Dream's hand carefully between both of his own again. Presses down lightly on his knuckles. "So. Crushed. Like that?"

Dream nods. Hob still doesn't know all the details, but he's imagining a boot going down hard on the top of Dream's hand. The thought is sickening.

"Can you fix it?" Dream asks, like he doesn't dare to hope.

"Well, you already had it repaired surgically, yeah?" Hob says. This strikes him as a bit of good luck--hand fractures are not simple--but he doesn't want to undercut Dream's confidence even further by saying so. He's usually pretty good at reading his clients, and he's already sensing that Dream is holding onto his determination to be here at all by the barest thread. Best to build him up as much as possible. "So it's just a matter of strengthening the muscles again."

He's fairly confident he can get him back to a usual level of functioning with it. The question is whether he can return him to the specific level of dexterity he needs for his art. He doesn't say that. Not yet.

Finally, he gets the tiniest of smiles out of Dream. He's really lovely when he smiles.

(He's pretty when he doesn't smile, too. Hob would have to be blind not to notice it.)

"So," Hob says. "Let's look at the current range of motion, yeah?"

Dream tilts his head. "Did you not already do so?"

"For regular motion, yeah. But I want to see where it's impacting your drawing."

Dream draws his hand back, looking uncertain.

"Come on." Hob hands him a pen and paper. "Show me. I promise I know nothing about art. If it's not up to your usual standards, I'm not going to be able to tell."

Finally, Dream takes the pen, and starts sketching.

Hob watches, noting the way his hand trembles, his uneven grip on the pen. Notes how quickly he gets demoralized when it doesn't turn out the way he wants. Hob can make out what he's written and drawn, but it's clear from Dream's expression that it's far from how it's supposed to be.

"This is just a starting point," Hob reminds him. He has a feeling he's going to be doing a lot of those sorts of reminders with Dream; he does not seem to find optimism easy.

Then again, if someone who supposedly loved him had hurt him like that, Hob would probably find optimism a bit difficult, too.

Finally, Dream drops the pen, clearly frustrated. "I have tried to paint at home, too. It has not turned out any better. You should throw those away." He gestures to the sketches. "They are terrible."

"Nah, I'm gonna keep them," Hob says, and puts them in his folder. "For comparison later." It could also partially be because he finds Dream's drawings of cats, imperfect as they are, charming. Sue him.

"As you insist," Dream says.

Hob gives him documentation on some other exercises he can do at home. Tries to think through what might make him feel better with his art. It feels, somehow, so important to make him feel better.

"At home, go easy on trying to use a pen, or paintbrush or whatever, it's hard on your hand," he finally says. "But you probably want to get back to your art, so-- okay, don't make fun of me if this is stupid."

Dream just raises an eyebrow, waiting.

Maybe Hob should try to learn more about art before he gives advice. Nevertheless, he forges on. "Holding a pen is tough, but if you wanted to like, finger paint or something? That would probably be fine. Might be good for flexibility, even."

"Finger paint," Dream repeats, enunciating each word.

"I told you not to make fun of me if it was stupid."

Dream smiles, just a small thing, like he finds Hob ridiculous but in a charming way. Good enough, Hob figures.

"Very well," Dream says at last. "I will take your advice."

Dream simply walking out had felt like a distinct possibility, so Hob will take this as a win.

"Hey," he says later, catching Dream for a moment as he's checking him out. "It's going to get better, yeah? Trust me. Don't worry too hard, just give it time."

He really shouldn't make promises like that. But he can't seem to help it, with Dream.

Dream considers, then says. "I do trust you."

Hob finds that it means a lot. Now he's just going to have to earn it.

[lazycranberrydoodles]

working on a beefleaf animatic.....................

[tgcf-quotes]

xie lian patted hua cheng down to check for wounds, feeling up his chest, his arms, and all the way down his legs. but other than coming to the conclusion that hua cheng had a truly fine body, he made no notable finds

heaven official's blessing, pg 170

[yinyuworld]

yesterday i was thinking about how nervous and elated Hua Cheng must have been when the silver butterflies transmitted to him the image of Xie Lian in the teahouse for the first time after 800 years of separation. i imagine him nervous not knowing what thing he should do first, undecided about when would be the best time to go and meet him, not being able to decide what to wear, what the first thing to say, how to fix his hair... things that only one passionate person feels

[strathbox]

✨🍒Cherry Magic🍒✨

(Hualian au)

Wouldn’t it be greaaaat if someone wrote a cherry magic based fanfiction about hualian?!

Xie Lían is a normal employee at the office (secretly employed by Hua Cheng) and everyone kinda knows a bit about Xie Lían(poor guy has lost at least three jobs before this one)

Hua Cheng is his superior aka the guy who employed XL cause he recognized the nameee, he observes Xie Lían at work, but is scared of actually go and talk to him,

Hua Cheng observes Xie Lian’s kind actions towards his colleagues

So now, Xie Lian’s 30th birthday starts like every other day, except that he realizes he can now listen to everyone else’s thoughts, anyways he thinks he’s going crazyyyy

Hua cheng and Xie Lían happen to be in the same elevator one morning, and as it is too crowded Xie Lían accidentally brushes Hua Cheng s hand and can hear his thoigh

Hua Cheng’s thoughts are something like omgg I can’t believe I get to see him this early in the morning, or like, he looks so cute today

XL be like, oh? My boss has got a crush on someone ?? And then it be like

SURPRISE, HUA CHENG’S OFFICE CRUSH IS XIE LIANNNN

[happypeachsludgeflower]

Mu Qing, who was on a mission in the mortal realm with Pei Ming, is cursed and his soul is now stuck inside Pei Ming’s body. Convinced that no one will notice his absence from heaven, Mu Qing persuades a dubious Pei Ming (who absolutely knows this is going to end badly) to not tell anyone about the curse while they solve the issue themselves. And for the first time in his entire existence, Mu Qing now has a front row seat for watching Feng Xin and Xie Lian loose their shit over Mu Qing’s disappearance.

[decaysings]

another face

[verycharismaticdragon]

Help dianxia grant this sincere(🦊) prayer by voting for Hua Cheng here!

EDIT2: Hua Cheng's new poll is up, so I changed the link above to direct there. And he's also currently in competition for the title of best leader!

[average-hua-cheng-fan]

in my opinion

[hualianschild]

[horsegirlwarcrimes]

It is always funny to me the silly tropey reveal of hua cheng's true form after all his insistence about being ugly being... a normal handsome man with an eyepatch LMAO

BUT lowkey I also kind of love it. I love that he is so horrified for Xie Lian to see him as he truly is, not because his true form is actually literally monstrous, but because he saw himself as an ugly monster long before he become a ghost king. It's just really beautiful that he receives Xie Lian's love and appreciation and benediction for like... a normal person being self conscious about his appearance in a very normal way. Hua Cheng doesn't feel ugly because he is inhuman, he feels ugly because of his humanity

[bingqiuhateabortion]

I love Xie Lian in his flower crowned prince parade outfit post canon as much as the next guy until i remember that it's supposed to be Jun Wu cosplay. Anyways i think it represents very different things to Hua Cheng and Xie Lian bc i bet hc dgaf who the fuck jw was at 9 but he did fall from that wall right

[ayyul]

🛐Red and blue🛐