the fallen flowers
by tsukimii
Premise Tags: Nonlinear Storytelling,
Unreliable Narrator, Demon/Spirit,
Family Issues, Death of Loved Ones,
Dreams/Illusions, Wish-Granting.
Content Warnings: VERY mild dub-con
(contains displays of affections some might consider
"dubconny" while most won't),
mentions of child abuse, death, sexual content.
“After one night of wind and showers, how many are the fallen flowers?”
— Meng Haoran.
Ling Meihui could only remember the sight of that spring day—nothing else.
The crimson streak adorned his pale skin like a river graced by a scorching sunset. He could remember looking down at it with a blank stare, as if nothing was wrong.
He really did think nothing was “wrong”, as he felt a dull throb.
Apparently, other people did though, as they used it as an excuse to hit him, isolate him, drive him into a corner until he was alone.
Blinking slowly, as if in the heart of a dream, he dazedly watched the blood stream down his arm, reaching his fingertips and going as far as it could before drops fell down to the flower below.
A red blotch spread across the once pure petals of the flower.
Alas, Ling Meihui did remember another figment of that memory: the flower was a hyacinth... a pure white hyacinth.
The shocked faces that possibly looked at him were blurry, and the voices that yelled his name horrifically like they’ve just witnessed a ghost were only distant noises in the background. Even the rest of the scenery seemed to bleach out.
Just then, a chuckle—a small laugh, like one from a fairy.
“Ling Meihui...” The voice trailed off for a minute, echoing and fading away. It was an elegant voice, one that soothed all who heard it yet possessed a strange sense of otherworldliness. “What a beautiful curse this is, for you to have met me.”
Otherwise, he only remembered the blood flowing like a river and the flower that had been blanched unceremoniously with that same river.
✿✿✿
“Happy birthday to you—” sang Ling Chen, her voice almost uncharacteristically out of tune but still trying her utmost best. Her hands were behind her back, wanting to surprise Ling Meihui with a cake.
Unfortunately, Ling Meihui found out about her surprise the moment she stepped foot into the fishbowl-like room. The last thing he wanted was for his sister to feel dejected when she went out of the way to surprise him with a cake though, so he pretended to remain completely oblivious.
Once the song ended, Ling Chen proudly revealed the cake, her smile beaming.
“You’re really too kind, A-Chen,” Ling Meihui chuckled and affectionately ruffled her hair, “The cake is too big for me to eat alone. If you don’t have classes coming up, why not eat with me?”
Ling Chen feigned an overdramatized hurt expression, even going as far as putting a hand on her chest. “Ge, you really have such little faith in your own sister?”
Ling Meihui could only smile in response, a bit helpless and awkward.
He loved Ling Chen, but he never knew how to react to her drama queen moments either. She did not seem to mind nor notice though, much to Ling Meihui’s relief.
Setting the cake down, Ling Chen’s expression grew more serious. She was someone who could be laughing boisterously one moment and serious the next. “I heard about your heart.”
“So you did.”
“... Is it true?”
“Ling Chen,” Ling Meihui’s smile was now laced with a somewhat teasing note, “We may be brother and sister, but I can hardly read your mind.”
She threw her arms up. “God, ‘I can hardly read your mind’, my butt! Your heart—I’m talking about your heart! Is it truly better? Is that even scientifically possible?”
Ling Meihui paused at Ling Chen’s outburst.
She wasn’t wrong.
Back in that spring day, Ling Meihui thought it wasn’t wrong to not feel anything after getting such a severe gash on his arm. It really wasn’t wrong, so to speak. It was simply different—there were other people in the world who were like himself.
His heart, though, was simply a bizarre case.
A couple days ago, he had been hospitalized with a weak heart. Now, it was suddenly stronger.
It was as if his heart had never been weak in the first place.
Although he had instigated this himself, he felt almost shocked from such a sudden change, and to alleviate himself, he ate some cake, letting the sweet and slightly sour tang distract him for the time being.
Ling Chen looked at him with an arched brow. He wasn’t surprised at her reaction.
For multiple reasons, he was never a big fan of cakes.
Some time passed by in a comfortable silence before Ling Chen put down her spoon and whispered with a gentle smile that tugged at Ling Meihui, “You know, Ge, I really like this moment. Nothing matters but now. Forget the past—I think this is enough for me.”
Ge, I’m happy now.
Ling Meihui seemed to hear Ling Chen’s implications carried by the breeze of the open window. Words that weren’t said aloud but could still be heard.
I forgive you.
✿✿✿
That night, there was a full moon.
Ling Meihui stared at it. He couldn’t help but admire its otherworldly beauty. The images of that flower he once saw as a child flashed through his mind.
“Are you alright, Mr. Ling?” the nurse, who had come to check on him a little while ago after Ling Chen had left, asked with worry. She paused before saying, “If you have no more problems the next day, I would say you will be able to go home the day after.”
Ling Meihui smiled.
He was told by someone once that his smile was calming, that his smile could heal those who were troubled. It was from quite a while ago, so Ling Meihui was surprised he could still remember those words so clearly. He couldn’t remember the words spoken from other people as clearly as he could this person.
The nurse blinked at him, and when she realized he was not going to reply to her, she simply looked down. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
“Alright,” Ling Meihui replied, “I’ll definitely let you know.”
He gave a wave to the nurse, and when she left, Ling Meihui’s hand froze in the air. After a little while, he lowered his hand and shifted his position so he was lying on the white, slightly hard bed.
Once he closed his eyes, a blanket of black dominated his vision... and then came red.
The narrow red streak extended to an unknown destination, starting from where Ling Meihui’s feet were. It was glowing, serving as a guidance, as if it were blood illuminated by fire.
Ling Meihui felt a pull in his heart. It didn’t hurt, but it was borderline uncomfortable.
Who was calling him?
Steps slow and cautious in the midst of an unknown environment, Ling Meihui followed where the red streak led.
Nothing happened on the way to the end, but when he reached the end, he heard the sound of a drop of water plopping on some surface, and like a signal, the black faded away, and another scenery rippled in.
Ling Meihui was not usually scared, but now he was.
Not because he was in an unknown environment, but because he feared that if he stepped too hard, the scenery before him would shatter in front of his eyes.
He was standing on a circular ground made of marble. Light, jade-colored streaks outlined the ground, gracefully yet tenaciously maneuvering across.
Surrounding him were different bouquets of flowers, each having their own flavor but all adding vibrancy to the pristine, white ground.
Just outside the circular ground, there were trees everywhere. The petals on them were light pink, though they sometimes almost looked white. Petals fluttered about, dancing with the wind, and those that clung to the trees whispered at the call of the spring breeze.
This was too beautiful to be reality.
“Do you like it?”
A voice, laced with amusement, asked, breaking Ling Meihui out of his reverence.
When Ling Meihui turned around, he saw a figure who clearly had not been there the first time he had scanned that area.
“What do you think, Mo Hua?” Ling Meihui’s amusement matched the other’s.
He approached the figure, Mo Hua, whose eyes were obscured with a mask. His onyx black hair was rather long but was pulled up into a bit of a side ponytail. Some locks fell over his shoulder and hugged his body in a charming way.
“Considering that clearly awestruck expression of yours—which I adore, by the way—I think none other can compare.” He laughed, his voice gentle and like a bird’s call. His confidence never failed to charm Ling Meihui.
Ling Meihui laughed as well, and once he was close enough, he whispered, “Dance with me?”
“Do you think I would dance?”
“I’m sure you mean ‘could’.” Ling Meihui replied. Mo Hua rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t help a small smile from playing on his lips when Ling Meihui finished with, “You’re the only one I’d ask to dance with.”
Mo Hua’s rosy lips thinned, and he only said, “Is that your final wish?”
Ling Meihui mildly responded, “No, I just thought it would be nice to dance with someone like you.”
Mo Hua scoffed, but he complied with Ling Meihui’s invitation, wrapping his left arm around the other’s waist, pulling him in. His right hand’s fingers intertwined with Ling Meihui’s. With the spring breeze as the conductor and the trees as the orchestra, Ling Meihui and Mo Hua danced, their feet moving together in sync.
Ling Meihui couldn’t help but be drawn to the way Mo Hua’s hair danced in the breeze, onyx locks playfully riding the wind. His hair gave off a faint scent of cherry blossoms.
At first, it was silent between them, but Mo Hua took the liberty to ask, “If this isn’t your final wish, then what is?”
The question was met by silence. Continuing to dance, Ling Meihui tightened his fingers slightly around Mo Hua’s. He seemed to feel it, so Mo Hua reciprocated.
Ling Meihui thought back to his other two wishes.
One, he wished for consolation in his lowest moments. Thus, Mo Hua graced him with his presence, indulging him in conversation.
Two, he wished to see his sister, Ling Chen, and spend a birthday with her. Thus, Mo Hua became Ling Chen to celebrate Ling Meihui’s birthday with him.
Ling Meihui didn’t care if it was only an illusion—any figment of life he could find, he would treasure for as long as he could. Illusions were always fleeting, and at the end of all their blessings was the reality of the past:
“I’m sorry, Mr. Ling. There was an accident, and Ling Chen has — —”
Ling Meihui froze where he was, the words not processing in his mind. He dropped the phone.
The night before, Ling Meihui and Ling Chen had gotten into an argument... it was really nothing worth getting very worked up over.
“Why do we have to move again, Ge!?”
“I told you, I have work, but it’s in a different country.” Ling Meihui tried to console Ling Chen without resorting to lying.
Instead, Ling Chen pushed him away.
Ling Meihui was speechless, and in the end, he could only look down with a dejected expression. An aching filled his heart: the only person he could say he truly cared about had roughly pushed him away.
Ling Chen’s eyes were red, on the verge of spilling tears.
Then, she burst out the door without another word, probably just wanting time for herself.
Ling Meihui couldn’t blame her. After all, he had to admit that while he cared for Ling Chen, his actions also caused her suffering. Because of him, Ling Chen could not make any friends nor settle down in one place before having to move to the next due to work.
At that time, Ling Meihui wanted to cry, but he couldn’t. Neither could he bring himself to look at her retreating back, quickly turning into a little dot in the distance. He could only look down, his eyes glimmering with anguish.
Now, though, was different.
Ling Meihui was standing then. Now, he kneeled down.
He wore a mask then. Now, he ripped it off.
He held his tears in back then.
Now, he let it all out.
Ling Meihui wanted to curse his parents for divorcing and abandoning the siblings alone. However, they must have already drank Meng Po’s soup... so what was the point?
With nobody to turn toward, he could only let out hoarse cries. His voice was terrible, and he hiccuped in between shouts at nobody in particular.
He cried until his sleeves were wet.
“Why do you cry?”
The voice that sounded in Ling Meihui’s ears didn’t hold any heavy emotions—it was light, as if it were a lily pad floating on the lake of tears—but Ling Meihui didn’t really mind.
Having someone to talk to, having someone to turn to... was what he wanted the most right now.
“What have I done, Mo Hua?” Ling Meihui’s voice was weak from the cries. He was still kneeling down, looking at the floor, anguished that Ling Chen had burst out because of an argument.
Now, she was gone because of something neither of them could control.
Mo Hua was silent for a while, unsure how to reply.
Ling Meihui couldn’t blame him: Mo Hua wasn’t human himself. Was he familiar with having a strong connection broken like that? Perhaps he saw those he had granted wishes for as helpless, pitiful creatures that needed to rely on something other than themselves to persevere.
And so, silence filled the room.
Then, for the first time, he whispered in Ling Meihui’s ear. He spoke with a quiet voice that hid nothing, “Your smile is calming, Ling Meihui. To me, it seems like it can heal those who are troubled. So, I like it a lot when you smile.”
It was a small whisper... words meant for Ling Meihui only. For the first time, Ling Meihui and Mo Hua seemed to resonate together on a deeper level than a human client and a demon.
So, Ling Meihui tried to smile. He knew it wasn’t a very pretty smile—shaky at best—but he also felt a fuzzy and warm sensation in his chest, as if a flower was blooming within his heart.
Mo Hua was smiling. Genuinely smiling.
For the first time, Ling Meihui felt comforted.
“What are you thinking about?” Mo Hua brought Ling Meihui out of his reverie.
Ling Meihui thought for a moment before smiling. “You know, this and that.”
Mo Hua let out a “heh”, and Ling Meihui couldn’t help but feel his cheeks heat up slightly. He felt an inexplicable pull when he saw Mo Hua’s lips curl up with amusement.
They were dancing, and their faces were close enough that their noses were nearly touching. They moved around the circular floor, not missing a single area.
With each passing second, Ling Meihui grew more aware of their proximity. It was warm in Mo Hua’s embrace, and Ling Meihui wanted to relish this warmth as much as he could, and cherish it as if the current moment was the last.
With each step, Ling Meihui felt the pull stretching in his heart, taut as if pulling back a bow the farthest it could until the string was on the verge of breaking.
The moment Ling Meihui spun once with Mo Hua’s hand as his axis, he drew in, pecking their lips together.
It was just a quick peck, but it was blossoming with affection.
Mo Hua seemed surprised at first, but then he laughed. “I didn’t think you would take initiative when it comes to matters of love.”
“Now you know.” Hearing Mo Hua’s laugh filled Ling Meihui’s heart with so much joy that he might burst.
Ling Chen was also one of the very few people Ling Meihui truly cared about, but not in the same sense as he cared about Mo Hua, whose very presence elicited an electrifying reaction from Ling Meihui.
Mo Hua stopped dancing, and so did Ling Meihui.
Gazing at one another, Mo Hua asked, “... Can I kiss you?”
Ling Meihui let go of Mo Hua’s hands so that he could wrap his arms around the other’s shoulders affectionately, then he whispered in Mo Hua’s ear, “Yes.”
That was all Mo Hua needed before he sealed Ling Meihui’s lips with his own. Mo Hua didn’t hold back, as he continuously deepened the kiss. Their tongues played and intertwined with each other, and Ling Meihui was swept away in the sea of pleasure and paradise.
The kiss lasted for what felt like minutes on end before Mo Hua pulled away. Rendered slightly panting from its depth they fell into a comfortable silence; neither dared to utter a word.
When he recovered his breath, he suddenly said, “I have a wish—my final wish.”
Mo Hua raised his brow, waiting for Ling Meihui to continue.
Ling Meihui stated firmly, “I want to see you—not Ling Chen, or anyone else, but you—when I wake up.”
Mo Hua beamed. It was the first time Ling Meihui saw such a bright smile adorning Mo Hua’s handsome features. “I’ve been waiting for you to say that, Meihui.”
Then, the circular floor started to crack, and the scenery rippled. Mo Hua’s figure seemed to shatter with the scenery. Ling Meihui wasn’t afraid though.
He knew his wish had been granted.
✿✿✿
“—hui... Meihui?”
The voice that called out in the distance of Ling Meihui’s consciousness sounded familiar. It was enough to bring Ling Meihui out from the blackness.
“Ngh...”
Ling Meihui struggled to open his eyes. When he did, his vision was blurry. He could make out a silhouette, but the features were still unclear.
“Meihui.”
That voice rang, clear like a bell. Ling Meihui rubbed his eyes, and when he looked once again, he saw himself reflected in eyes the color of peach blossoms.
“Mo... Hua?”
“That’s me.”
“Mo Hua.”
“Hm?”
“Nothing,” Ling Meihui replied with a soft laugh, “I just wanted to say your name.”
Just then, he noticed that he was no longer in the hospital. Ling Meihui looked around at his surroundings in alarm. He found himself in his own room: there was the familiar drawer that had his clothes, a small mahogany bookshelf filled with various books, a wooden desk, and a soft bed, which was much more comfortable than what the hospital had to offer.
Mo Hua quickly picked up on Ling Meihui’s confusion, and he explained, “The nurse said you were all better, so I could bring you back.”
“You know how to drive?” Ling Meihui blurted out without much thought; he didn’t feel as guarded around Mo Hua.
“No, but that’s what the DiDi Chuxing (1)1A transportation service used in China. It’s like the Chinese uber, since Uber isn’t allowed in China. is for,” Mo Hua replied.
Ling Meihui sputtered, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “Using my money freely, aren’t you.”
“I promise to pay you back—we have all the time in the world to ourselves now.”
Perhaps to hide his bashfulness, Ling Meihui playfully jabbed at Mo Hua’s shoulder. “But still,” he said, “Did you not get harassed? I’ve heard horror stories about DiDi Chuxing.”
Mo Hua grinned and shrugged.
Ling Meihui felt his heart beat more clearly in response, fluttering in an almost euphoric happiness at Mo Hua’s gentle words and the way his lips curved up and his shoulders lifted in a shrug. Just then, another realization hit him: “Wait, did you... did you carry me back?”
“Of course, that’s what lovers do.”
Ling Meihui scoffed playfully. “Lovers, huh. You haven’t even confessed yet.”
Mo Hua chuckled. “Was that kiss not enough? I feel just the words ‘I love you’ feel a bit shallow. That said...” He sat on the bed and leaned in to whisper, “Do you want to make love... with me?”
Ling Meihui couldn’t help but take in the mild scent his hair gave when he leaned in, and his heart leaped with an almost sordid anticipation. “I didn’t think you would be the type to have sexual urges.”
Without hesitation, Mo Hua divulged with a shrug, “Why wouldn’t I? I was once human too. I just never had much intimacy when I was transformed into a spirit because my other ‘clients’ would have their three wishes granted, just like that.”
Ling Meihui was slightly surprised, but when he thought in hindsight, it also did make sense. Mo Hua did appear distant at first, but he also had very “human” and emotionally open moments as well.
Those moments were small, but they were definitely there.
“Um...” Ling Meihui trailed off, raising a hand to ruffle his own hair. “It’s been a while.”
Ling Meihui fiddled with his fingers, a little nervous. They had never really said “I love you” to each other, but he felt the feelings they held for each other were there for a while. Mo Hua would give him solace, hold his hand when he was feeling down, hug him and dance with him, and Ling Meihui would reciprocate. They felt happiness bloom just from looking at each other. They spent this much time together, harboring such feelings for each other... so Ling Meihui trusted Mo Hua.
He trusted Mo Hua to treat him gently, to bring him to a paradise of euphoria.
✿✿✿
When night rolled around, the moon illuminated the earth with her silver light, and Ling Meihui finished showering. He wore loose pajamas as he strolled into his room, drying his hair messily with a towel.
Mo Hua was sitting on the bed, but upon seeing Ling Meihui, he stood up and approached him.
Ling Meihui was smiling affectionately, and once they were close enough to take in each other’s scent, he placed his hands on the other’s chest. As if on cue, the two of them leaned in, pressing their lips together.
Mo Hua’s lips were soft, like petals of a flower that just bloomed.
They never went too deep with the kisses, but they shared many pecks and even nibbles with each other until both of their lips were a sensual shade of rosy red.
“You’re so beautiful, Mo Hua,” Ling Meihui commented, sliding his hand across the buttons of Mo Hua’s shirt. If he unbuttoned it, he would see Mo Hua’s bare chest. “Can I?”
Mo Hua didn’t directly reply with words. Instead, he opted to give a playful smirk as he, too, placed his own hands on Ling Meihui’s button.
Ling Meihui stiffened slightly, but Mo Hua whispered, “It’s alright. You’re more beautiful than you know, Meihui.”
At his soothing voice, Ling Meihui relaxed, and he let Mo Hua unbutton his shirt. At the same time, Ling Meihui unbuttoned Mo Hua’s shirt as well. Their hands and arms moved in sync, and once both of their chests were exposed, Ling Meihui slid his fingertips delicately across Mo Hua’s abs, up to his well-toned chest.
Then, with a gentle force, he pushed Mo Hua down. He ended up tripping a bit, however, so with Ling Meihui on top of Mo Hua, the two unceremoniously toppled onto the bed. The mattress creaked as the pair sank down.
Both of them had gasped in surprise, but after a few seconds, they both started to chuckle. Ling Meihui felt ecstatic listening to the way his chest reverberated with his chuckle.
“I always thought you were graceful,” Ling Meihui teased.
Mo Hua retorted playfully, “How can I be graceful? You pushed me down on the bed.”
“You let me push you down though.”
“That’s true,” Mo Hua conceded, “We ought to have some spice in the bedroom, right?”
“You want spice? Okay, I’ll show you spice.”
Mo Hua chuckled. “Alright then, do your worst.”
Ling Meihui said no more, adjusting to a more comfortable position, then planted kisses across Mo Hua’s chest. He kissed many places, stopping to lick and suck on his nipples. He took his time admiring his abs and his smooth and somewhat pale skin. Simultaneously, he reached down and wrapped his fingers around Mo Hua’s cock.
At first, he was slow. He moved his hand up and down in a rhythmic pace, but steadily, he quickened his motions until Mo Hua gasped with pleasure.
Ling Meihui continued planting kisses down Mo Hua’s stomach until his lips touched the other’s hardening cock. He kissed the head and licked the shaft continuously until precum was visible.
He used his hand and spread the precum as a lube.
“Clever,” Mo Hua commented between moans and gasps.
Ling Meihui chuckled. “I did my research.”
Mo Hua didn’t reply, only grabbing Ling Meihui’s shoulder to flip their positions so that he was the one on top. “Turn over?” Mo Hua requested with a low, whispered voice, holding in his excitement.
Ling Meihui complied, taking off his pants in the process, and Mo Hua didn’t hesitate to lick Ling Meihui’s hole, taking his time and relishing the way Ling Meihui moaned into the pillow.
“You don’t have to hold back, Meihui... let me hear your voice... okay?”
He licked his middle finger before carefully putting it in, eliciting a little cry from Ling Meihui. His partner’s body also jolted at the sudden sensation of being fingered.
“Does it hurt?”
“N-No, ngh... ah!”
His words morphed into incoherent moans as Mo Hua slid his finger deeper inside, being as careful as he could so as to not hurt the other.
Ling Meihui’s back arched in pleasure, and he grasped the pillow, drowning in the sea of ecstasy. He felt Mo Hua plant kisses everywhere on his shoulders and back, not bothering to avoid the wicked scars boldly streaking across.
The scars from the past.
They were so ugly—a streak that was a reminder of the abuse he endured so much as a child that the pain had dulled over time.
Those scars reminded him that this abuse had driven him to a corner in the darkness.
Yet, Mo Hua kissed those scars, reassuring Ling Meihui that he was never going to be alone again. At that moment, the many types of pain that accumulated over the years—the physical pain from his family and bullies, and the emotional pain from when he was alone with nobody to turn to—had withered, replaced by relief and happiness.
He made his way back up Ling Meihui’s back until his lips kissed the nape of his neck. With a little bit of force, he sucked on the skin until it left a little mark. Ling Meihui gasped in response and was caught in between laughing from the somewhat tickling sensation and gasping with pleasure.
The feeling of bare skin on skin, chest on back, as he leaned down to kiss him also sent him to heaven.
“M-Mo Hua...!”
His licking and kissing aroused Ling Meihui as he called out his name without reservation, and he felt his own hard cock throbbing.
“Please, put it in...”
Mo Hua smiled. “Gladly.”
After a few seconds of anticipation and applying another layer of lube, he finally felt that much-desired sensation. “Ah!”
The feeling was almost foreign. It was a little painful, but a surge of pleasure like a wave crashing on land came forth, lessening the pain.
“Ngh, hngh— ah!”
Mo Hua worked slowly, putting in just the tip before he pulled out. With each thrust though, his rhythm steadily quickened after confirming Ling Meihui was still alright. Both their breathing became more shallow, more haggard as the thrusts continued, going as deep as it could.
With each passionate thrust, the moans of pleasure and the creaking of the bed played a symphony in the euphoric night.
“I-I’m gonna cum!” Ling Meihui cried. He orgasmed on cue, his vision blurred from his tears.
Mo Hua pulled away, and Ling Meihui turned around, so he could see Mo Hua’s flushed face and peach blossom eyes glazed with lust.
He also came as he rubbed roughly on his own cock.
His liquids landed on Ling Meihui’s stomach. The latter didn’t mind at all though: he only smiled, then used his fingers to wipe the cum. Ling Meihui then brought his fingers that were now sticky with the white fluid to his lips and licked it off, looking at Mo Hua sensuously, not daring to break eye contact.
Mo Hua whispered, “Damn, you really know what to do.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“You know me so well.”
“I know you the best.”
They laughed together. Ling Meihui wrapped his arms around Mo Hua’s shoulders, and they leaned in to kiss once again.
When they parted, their noses were still close enough to brush. “Next time, I want to give what you gave me tonight.”
Mo Hua smiled, stroking Ling Meihui’s hair. “I’d love that. I’d love that a lot.”
They fell into silence and drowsiness slowly overtook them.
Before either of them closed their eyes though, Ling Meihui whispered, “I love you, Mo Hua.”
“I’d never trade you for the world,” Mo Hua replied.
✿✿✿
Ling Meihui woke up groggily the next day, his back a bit sore from the passion of last night. Mo Hua was still sleeping soundly next to him, his chest moving with his breathing, like the waves on a calm day. Ling Meihui gently placed a hand on his chiseled chest, relishing in the sound of his heartbeat. He thought back to the gasps and moans as their hearts resonated as one, the soft and sensual whispers to each other, and the sound of the bed creaking, bringing the orchestra to a crescendo until it reached its climax.
He felt so emotionally full. He loathed to part from Mo Hua.
Who knew how much time must have passed when Ling Meihui finally got up to walk to the front of his drawer.
On the top was a frame placed front side down since the day he had received that call. It was a small, rectangular frame that held a picture that he was hesitant to turn over. At first, he simply stared at the frame with a complicated expression, as if it was not his own. After a lulled moment, he slowly lifted his hand.
His fingers traced over the frame covered in dust. Withdrawing his hand, he rubbed his dust-covered fingers together before grabbing a piece of old cloth and wiping the dust off.
He carefully lifted up the frame, treating it as a timeless treasure.
In the picture was a smiling girl. Her smile was bright, just like the sun that was already high up in the light blue sky.
Ling Meihui looked at the calendar. Today was March 13—the day she would turn 18 if she were still walking in this world.
It was also the day she ascended to a glittering star in the sky.
This date only brought grief at first... but now, he could let out a gentle smile that could heal wounded souls.
Ling Meihui looked outside, his mood lightening at the sight of the clear day which so resembled that girl’s smile. Just then, he heard Mo Hua’s playful yet slightly groggy voice from behind: “You could have woken me up.”
“Let me enjoy your sleeping face a while at least.”
“Do you have eyes on the back of your head? You weren’t even looking at me, last I checked.”
Mo Hua rolled his eyes before he noticed the frame that was now propped up, showing that bright smile captured in the moment by a camera. He smiled, his eyes welling up with many feelings.
“It’s going to be a wonderful spring.”
Ling Meihui, who hasn’t had any wonderful spring since that dreadful year, felt his heart flutter. Mo Hua reminded him of a beautiful future ahead, so why wallow in the pain of the past?
“I’m sure you’re right.”
Aside from this wonderful spring, what more could he possibly ask for?
art by valiantxvillainous
✿
Footnotes:
(1) A transportation service used in China. It’s like the Chinese uber, since Uber isn’t allowed in China.
Author's Account:
tsukimii (SH).
before i start, i have to say using the flower emojis as dividers are super cute and fitting hehehe. i'm gonna borrow some, wheee~
✿✿✿
ok now onto the actual comment. i'll be frank and say i had a chance to peek at this entry ahead of time, so this counts as my second read-thru! in fact, i'd say it requires a reread for viewers to get all the scattered references throughout the piece, especially since the timeline is rather fluid with jumping back and forth.
maybe some more scattered ✿✿✿ could have helped us keep things straight, because there were times i had to stop and ask myself "wait, are we in the past or present now? who's thinking/speaking those lines?" or "what the heck happened to ling meihui?!"
minor disorientation issues aside, i actually find the pairing of ling meihui and mo hua very interesting as a case study because i feel like both characters are rather selfish--by that i mean they've essentially left the world behind to live in their own paradise. this isn't bad by all means, it's just how i interpret their personalities and dynamics. ling meihui has been hurt and craves that solace, while mo hua has been lonely for a long, long time. they fit each other, i just thought it was an interesting observation. for example, consider this quote:
One, he wished for consolation in his lowest moments. Thus, Mo Hua graced him with his presence, indulging him in conversation.
some lonely dude goes "i want hurt/comfort" and this magic flower genie goes "arite gorgeous, you can have me" *wink*
so maybe that's not exactly how it goes but you get my drift, mo hua's confident he can grant this wish and he does, but how forward, haha!
as for ling meihui, his final wish was
to have mo hua stay with him (for the rest of his life perhaps??)
i interpret that as his way of moving on after
his sister's death, especially since i poked the author and she more or less said it was impossible to wish the dead back to life, don't quote me on this tho hahah
they really are a couple fixated on each other hehehe.
some lingering questions after the end:
1. will ling mehui live out a normal human lifespan and leave mo hua all alone again? he didn't wish "to stay with mo hua forever," after all. or will there be some funky "dual cultivation" schematics that prolong his lifespan, huhur
2. is mo hua going to be in trouble because he's stopped granting wishes to live out ling meihui's last wish? will a hypothetical sequel have his big bosses knocking on the door, demanding he go back to work instead of wasting his time with a beauty LOL
3. does mo hua have a true form (like a flower body, i swear i asked tsuki this already but i can't remember the answer)
4. what are the chances they knew each other in a past life, if ling meihui found a connection with this wish-granting spirit so soon? seems SUS...
5. how the heck did mo hua and ling meihui cross paths in the first place? again i wonder if fated lovers is involved...more SUS...
last but not least, i wished the author gave us an afternote explaining their names + meanings! i'm sure she put a lot of thought into it but i want her to tell the world too. ^-^
anyways, this was a fun fantasy/modern fusion, thanks for writing!
EDIT: i forgot to comment on the smut b/c i squinted my way thru it u///u from the glimpses i got it seemed good hahaha no i embaris
༺ ?༻
ah, it can be a little confusing, but i hope it was minor at best! i do agree with your take with this being a character study! selfishness can be associated with it being a "bad" trait, but in cases with moving on, is it still a case? they really fit together; they're both quite lonely and want to comfort each other! all of his wishes are to help himself move on, using mo hua, of course. he can only cast illusions, but even so, ling meihui does find a lot of solace in that.
1. mo hua is a human! they will both live human lives. mo hua could become human because he planted like a core or seed of a spirit in ling meihui's heart (which is why his heart sort of recovered then). so, ling meihui is a human who is in the process of becoming a full spirit, but not until a long while.
2. in a hypothetical sequel, mo hua sort of "cheated on the system". ling meihui has a seed in his heart that will turn him into a spirit - just not at the moment. he'll become a spirit years later, turn into a human again once he makes another human into a spirit, live his life (likely long after mo hua passes), then go to the afterlife to reunite with mo hua.
3. a hyacinth! a spring flower, hehe
4. would it help if i put down the quote, "ling meihui... what a beautiful curse this is, for you to have met me"? that can also be a meaningful line to consider in regards to that question. the prospect of mo hua and ling meihui being star-crossed lovers could be a "beautiful curse"...
5. wake a flower genie with a drop of blood upon the flower! hehe.
thanks for the comment, ruyi姐!
@tsukimii *slaps the table* HAH is this fate or what
of all the flowers to drip blood onto he picks the one with a magic wish-granting spirit demon genie
but
oh no #2 leaving meihui alone to work while hubby lounges at home (afterlife...) waiting for him to retire seems sad, heck mo hua why don't you reincarnate a couple times so meihui can run into you aboveground asdfasfdasf
thank you for the explanations tsuki妹 hehe
@Ruyi
it's technically a coincidence, but it's infinitely more romantic to think of it as fated, so i like to think of it as fated, hehe. talking about it makes me want to make like a little prequel, even as i know it will break my heart...
mo hua wants to reincarnate together, holding hands, with ling meihui
Our first explicit smut~! How exciting. And it was so soft and cute, too~!
Ah, with that demon x human theme, I was really on the edge of my seat expecting another bad ending. Especially with how reluctant Mo Hua was to say the he loved Ling Meihui... Thanks for sparing me~!
And damn, Mo Hua is just my type. Long hair, pretty, MASK!!! (Why are masks so appealing? May someone please do a study on this?) So glad he turned out to be genuine cutie.
I really love your choice of poem at the beginning. It really helped to set the mood for this lovely piece. And the running story about his sister was so bittersweet and gorgeous.
Now I wish I knew how Mo Hua ended up as a demon~!
yea! it was my first time ever writing bl smut, and i'm lucky i had a couple people to help polish it up a lil bit, haha. i was aiming for like a fluffy and cute sort of vibe, so i'm glad it was well-conveyed! it would indeed be tragic if either ling meihui or mo hua died human and demon pairs are a bit more subject to either bad ends or a lack of romance. and good point! masks are also appealing to me, hehe. i think it's how it seems to add a sense of enigma to the character? maybe i'm wrong though. mo hua does seem to come off as a bit distant or mysterious at first, but like you said, he's more of a cutie with a little bit of a dorky side, almost, aha.
about how mo hua ended up as a demon! he, too, once encountered a spirit who granted his wishes when he was a human. but one of his wishes had led to that spirit making mo hua a spirit, and so she became a human. this spirit "system" was designed so that a spirit can be a human again at the expense of making another human into a spirit. this isn't really covered in the story though because ling meihui, the narrator, doesn't know about this.
thanks for commenting, moonpearl
@tsukimii
Does that mean Mo Hua will one day swap with Ling Meihui?
@Moonpearl
he actually already kinda did! it was just sort of "cheating". the idea is that he implanted a "seed" that makes one into a spirit into ling meihui. this explains why his heart suddenly got better. ling meihui will turn into a spirit once the "seed blooms", but that won't happen for many years. afterwards, ling meihui will be a spirit or demon until he swaps with a human (probably years after mo hua's death), live the rest of his life as a human, then reunite with mo hua in the afterlife.
but the important thing is that now, they have their happy end, hehe. in a theoretical sequel, they would be separated, but then get their happy end for eternity within the afterlife.
@tsukimii
A couple days ago, he had been hospitalized with a weak heart. Now, it was suddenly stronger.
HMMM so suspicious!!!
Two, he wished to see his sister, Ling Chen, and spend a birthday with her. Thus, Mo Hua became Ling Chen to celebrate Ling Meihui’s birthday with him.
This... omg.... TT____TT this twist is so bittersweet and sad...
He felt Mo Hua plant kisses everywhere on his shoulders and back, not bothering to avoid the wicked scars boldly streaking across.
The scars from the past.
They were so ugly—a streak that was a reminder of the abuse he endured so much as a child that the pain had dulled over time.
!!!! I can only hope that Ling Chen has a better life now (?), and Mo Hua was so sweet to Ling Meihui ???
When they parted, their noses were still close enough to brush. “Next time, I want to give what you gave me tonight.”
nice~
Thank you for writing this! The story started off so sad and bittersweet, but with Mo Hua's help, Ling Meihui was able to slowly heal and look forward to the future and that also heals my heart too ?????????
The way the story progress is at a nice pace. The exposition comes with the right timing and moves to the next smoothly. It doesn't feel awkward or abrupt.
The tone you sent for the first half can be felt its melancholy like the winter and the second half is like the snow melts and spring comes.
I like that their love is sweet. It takes time and words like I Love You isn't necessary because sometimes, you just know.
Also, I didn't expect there would be smut. I often skim read smut but it's definitely well written as far as I managed to read properly.
The plot of demon/spirit and human always nice. Plus, you didn't overdo it in terms of world building or how the contract work. You focused on them. Overall, to me, its a well written story.
I just... expected the ML would look different is all. The art is beautiful but I guess I have different image when it comes to ML. That's all I have to say.
Thank you ?
thanks! as someone who's delving into like non-linear storytelling, it's a relief to hear that you felt transitions weren't so awkward! and yes - you understand the tones perfectly! my goal was to portray "moving on" where this wintry sort of tone turns into a more spring-like sort of mood to represent moving on from the darker times.
and definitely, i've read romance where there's not a single "i love you" within the story, like rama's route from nusantara: legend of the winged ones or the wrong way to a demon sect leader by yi zhi da yan. clearly a romance, but without those typically romantic words, or even a kiss, on that note, haha.
i wanted to focus on "moving on", so yeah, there isn't... a whole lot of world building, haha. plus, it's a short story! also, yeah, i imagined mo hua to have like long hair and an elegant sort of vibe within the dance scene, but he may look a bit different by the end of the story. who knows
A spiritual experience for sure, but a cute premise I must say. I liked the concept of spirits. Always a treat to read fanatasy. Added something mystical to the anthology.
Gorgeous pic.
GORGEOUS GORGEOUS. ITS DELICIOUS. AAAAAAAAAA I LOVE YOUR WRITING. reading it makes inspired but i cant reach this level of grace QwQ.
also, thankfully i didn't read this in public since i had planned to do that to catch up. surprisingly, this one had smut so it's good that im safely reading this in my bedroom alone.
Firstly, i really liked how things were revealed. slowly and bit by bit but nothing is revealed too much which leaves just enough room for us the readers to try and fill in the gaps a little bit. idk about everyone else, but i think half the joy of reading is using our imagination to try and and grasps the little bits of string that the writers leave behind, so im glad that this story wasn't too "handholding" and made its viewers think about things a little bit.
The pacing information being given was also really well done, it doesn't dump heavy stuff right away but feeds it in small doses which is perfect for a pea brain like me because it means i can process one information slowly first before moving on to the next one rather than all at once like for some stories.
If i had to nitpick one thing, it would probably be the relationship? dont get me wrong, its beautiful and romantic, but i felt like it was introduced so fast and in the middle that i didn't get a chance to properly grasps the depth of the romantic feelings between the two, if that makes sense. Which i get it, its short story so building stuff from the ground up is something that all short stories lack, but just wished there a tiny bit more depth to their feelings.
i also really like the s*x scene and i dont mean in a "i wanna read bl smut" type of way. the little interactions within the scenes, like the one with the scars was really beautiful. All bl smut has a tendency to be nothing but to satisfy readers, but i think people sometimes forget that s*x is a great medium for characters to show how much they care and cherish each other, so this one was so beautiful. i love it a lot.
ahhh that was so pretty. the writing flow was so good. im so in love with teh way you write things
oh my gosh, thank you so much! your comment makes me blush i really like your writing too! it seemed like the fact that this story had smut came off as a surprise to some people, oopsie. but nonetheless, i hope it's a good sort of surprise! it's just one scene, so it should be fine, haha.
i totally feel having bits and pieces being revealed rather than just info dumping. i've got nothing against info dumps, but they are prone to getting dry easily. so, i tried to feed the info in bite sized pieces and hopefully more or less easy to process, haha. i'm glad you caught on to the appeal of having less handholding! it's something i've been interested in, and while i can see it's not everyone's cup of tea, i think there's a charm to making you think a little.
ah yep, if this was a fully written series, i definitely would have started from the beginning and develop their relationship more slowly from there. so, i totally get that! i guess a part of it was me sort of placing focus on the aspect of moving on where romance is a byproduct of that as well.
Hello Tsukiii~
Man, commenting on a piece I already proofread is difficult, I think I already told you everything I wanted to say
But it's as cute as I remembered it. I love the chemistry of the MC and ML, and the beautiful descriptions of them dancing.
Although I sometimes found the unreliable narrator perspective and the nonlinear storytelling a little confusing, I think it would've worked better in first person, maybe? I still highly enjoyed the story and the flowery language.
I feel the story maybe tackles a bit too many topics in the medium of a short story, so not all of them have a chance to be explored properly. But overall this was a very fresh breeze of a read.
Good job
hi goat! wee, i really owe it to you for helping proofread my piece that i wrote on a whole whim, haha. thank you for reading my messy first drafts
i don't think the first person would have helped the non-linear storytelling, but it's something to look into to sort of delve deeper into the unreliable narration. i think it's bound for some confusion (there wasn't a non-linear story i read before that didn't make me at least slightly confused), but a part of it is on me for maybe not putting enough dividers up that caused disorientation among more people, haha.
yeah, i totally get that! it's a short story, and i didn't want to... make it super long or depressing... so that may be the reason why, haha. the main theme is spring, after all!
What more could he ask for indeed. He found new love again after having such a horrible past and the person he got to be with was someone who gave him the chance to say the words he once couldn't say to the one person he still couldn't get over the death of. I feel like that makes Mo Hua best guy already.
I liked the s*x scene as this was probably the first one I've read that isn't my own not filled with euphemisms related to s*x instead of the actual stuff. I liked it. I also liked how Ling Meihui looked towards the future in a bright, optimistic way because it could only get better from then on. He was going to be happy and this is the first of many he was going to spend with Mo Hua. I liked that, very much
yes! mo hua was definitely a means for ling meihui to move on. spring definitely makes me think of "new starts and moving on" with how it comes from the harshness of winter. metaphorically and literally, it is a spring story, hehe.
thank you so much, aah. it's my first time writing smut. i really owe it to yue, goat, and owl for proofing my smut scene, haha. there's a first time for everything! not everything will be uphill from here, but ling meihui's shift from being chained by sadness to being able to look to the future with a smile and mo hua by his side is what i wanted to portray as well.
@tsukimii Hehe! Then you did it well! I just hope that you can see that for yourself. You get a cookie
*blush* Masked long haired boi....
But damn, these two little boys don’t have it easy, I just pray for their peace and bountiful love in the future~
Mo Hua having a mask didn't have a particularly deep meaning other than I found it to highlight his mysterious charm, hehe. I'm glad you seem to like it! Val did both main characters justice
Don't worry! I am a full supporter of happy ends! Even if they will suffer, in the middle of this story and afterwards, the two will ultimately have their happy end.