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It took approximately three months of painful observation for Mei Ying to arrive at an unquestionable, undeniable conclusion. One that had confirmed itself time and time again before her very eyes, one that she’d vehemently refused to believe for the longest time ever until it made itself absolutely clear. But it was time to face the facts: Xie Daozhang was unfaithful to his husband.
Mei Ying, much like the other villagers, had been in an utter state of disbelief when the whispers first started to circulate. How could this be? she’d dismissed the idea with an incredulous snort. An absolutely preposterous notion! One look, and you could tell how utterly in love the two of them were with each other! Xie Daozhang, whom Xiao Hua lovingly doted on and cared for; and Xiao Hua, whom Xie Daozhang fawned over and adored and couldn’t stop praising for the littlest things! Mei Ying wasn’t exactly a romantic at heart, but even she knew what they had for what it was: love, in its truest, most unadulterated form.
Really, it was hardly a surprise that villagers from all over the place would often ply Xie Daozhang with questions on how such a beautiful marriage like theirs came to be—at such a young age, too! The two of them barely looked north of twenty, possibly still teenagers, though surely not as young as Mei Ying, and yet…with the way they acted around each other, you’d think they’d been married for, what, decades! Centuries, even!
Mei Ying could count with one hand how many older couples she personally knew that acted that way with each other, with an ease and familiarity only the years could give. Simply put: they were so in-tune with each other, it was borderline ridiculous! To the point of being nauseating, Mei Ying’s da ge had added with a snicker before he was promptly met with overwhelming disapproval.
It was clear as day to all, just how much Xiao Hua loved Xie Daozhang— he was always patiently waiting for him on the days he was gone due to urgent business, always so attentive to each and every single one of his needs. He was always showering Xie Daozhang in affection, and the first to shield him from harm’s way, the first to offer him help, and really, Mei Ying could go on and on about how they were a textbook model of the perfect marriage!
And then, it happened. One afternoon Xie Daozhang was sending off Xiao Hua to run an errand for him, and then the next Mei Ying’s friend Fang Chen caught Xie Daozhang cavorting with another man—the man every single villager would later come to know as the homewrecker—out in the woods by the fields! Although Xie Daozhang had seemed to put up a bit of a resistance at first—he’d looked surprised, then annoyed by this strange man’s advances—in the end he’d relented and allowed the man to stay by his side. In and of itself, it wasn’t a cause for real concern; it wasn’t like Xie Daozhang didn’t have friends who visited him regularly. He did; he had lots of them, as a matter of fact—mostly wandering cultivators from strange places, some decked out in fancy armour, and others in robes of the finest silks.
But there was something different about this man in particular; there was a strangeness to him that seemed to betray wicked intent, a suspicion that would later be confirmed over the course of a few months by several incriminating instances. He would appear every time Xiao Hua wasn’t there; would approach Xie Daozhang with an intent so inappropriate of someone who wasn’t his spouse; and worse, he had openly attempted, on numerous occasions, to fondle Xie Daozhang like—like a molester of the most unforgivable kind!
Mei Ying and the others could only watch from afar, in open horror, as Xie Daozhang reciprocated his less-than-savoury advances with willingness—and sometimes enthusiasm, too.
Mei Ying’s da ge then joked about how Xie Daozhang couldn’t be blamed; this man, after all, this shameless homewrecker, was a ridiculously handsome one—and beyond rich, to boot, if the clothes he wore were any indication. Silk red robes; flashy jewellery; black boots that jingled something silvery with every step. Clearly older than Xiao Hua by at least a few years, he possessed the seductive suavity of a refined and cultured gentleman, and worse still: he knew exactly how to use it to his advantage.
And everyone saw it. Saw the slow, sure way Xie Daozhang fell prey to the man’s wiles. Saw the way Xie Daozhang was lured into his trap like a rabbit being led astray into the waiting, hungry mouth of a wolf. Like an imperfection on a painting you couldn’t stop seeing once you knew it was there, Mei Ying saw just how frequently he’d begun to make an appearance in Xie Daozhang’s life, with little regard to the fact Xie Daozhang already had a loving husband who would surely be heartbroken upon the reveal of these events!
“Poor Xiao Hua,” Fang Chen croaked out with tears in her eyes as she reported the latest dalliance that had recently taken place in the shrine itself, something that involved roaming hands and fervent mouths she was too distressed to further elaborate on.
“It can’t go on like this!” Yicheng Zhu exclaimed with his head in his hands.
Despairing whispers proceeded to break out. So did sighs of pity, and hisses of outrage. How could Xie Daozhang live with himself while knowing he was willingly hurting Xiao Hua? How could Xie Daozhang find it in himself to continue this affair, when Xiao Hua was a good man with a kind heart, someone who clearly loved him more than anyone or anything else in the entire world?
This—this really wouldn’t do! Mei Ying couldn’t stand for it! Xiao Hua deserved the right to know about his husband’s infidelity! He deserved the truth—the whole, unfiltered truth—but he would one hundred percent be afforded the privilege of being spared the more scandalous details if he wished! If Mei Ying were the one being cheated on, she didn’t think she would be able to handle the knowledge of the places her hypothetical spouse and his scarlet woman had defiled!
Thus, they all finally set the plan into motion.
The course of action they decided on was this: to first confront Xie Daozhang about the man with the eyepatch and then beg him to reconsider the whole affair before it was too late. He was young, after all. And so was Xiao Hua. They had the luxury of time to figure out their relationship; to iron out the growing pains that young love had a tendency to cause.
Maybe Xie Daozhang had just found himself momentarily disillusioned with his husband, led astray by this gorgeous and enigmatic older man who had no doubt been poisoning his mind with honeyed words and sweeter promises. Maybe Xie Daozhang was confused, currently at a standstill where he couldn’t decide which of the two men he wanted to pick. Only he could decide for himself, but Mei Ying and the others could still remind him of what he stood to lose should he choose the homewrecker.
Finally, the day of reckoning arrived.
“Are you sure Xiao Hua isn’t there with him?” Mei Ying questioned Yicheng Zhu, rightfully apprehensive that he might perhaps be nearby once the confrontation began.
“Positive,” Yicheng Zhu insisted, before adding that the man with the eyepatch didn’t seem to be around, either.
At this, Mei Ying’s shoulders relaxed in relief—although not by much. Who knew, really? Maybe today would also be the day Xie Daozhang’s lovers collided head-on. And what an awful sight it would surely make for. She shuddered to even consider it.
They all made it to the shrine at noon, the sun full and high in the sky, where they found Xie Daozhang tidying up the floors with a broom, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and hair pulled back into a loose bun. Mei Ying had always known how beautiful he was, really; it was hardly a surprise that he would be lusted over by charming, dangerous-seeming men who wanted a young and pretty lover to wife up and dominate! Oh, chills were truly running down Mei Ying’s spine.
Upon their arrival, Xie Daozhang paused his tasks to greet them with a smile. Mei Ying and Yicheng Zhu returned his smile easily enough, but the same couldn’t be said for Fang Chen, whose bottom lip had started wobbling long before they even made it past the threshold.
Mei Ying winced, then counted down the seconds before the waterworks began. And sure enough—
“Xie Daozhang, Xiao Hua is a good man!” Fang Chen wailed, loud enough it caused birds to scatter from a nearby tree, fat tears running down her cheeks as she stared determinedly at Xie Daozhang.
Xie Daozhang’s smile fell away to make room for a confused expression. Even Yicheng Zhu winced; neither he nor Mei Ying had expected the outburst so early into their supposed plan. They’d planned on talking things out; taking it slow and steady. The complete opposite of whatever this disaster was. “Huh? Oh, yes, San Lang—San Lang really is, but why—”
“How could you do this to him?” Fang Chen continued, sobbing. “How could you f-fool around with that other man? Are you unhappy with him? Don’t you l-love him? Doesn’t he love you?”
Her sobs began to attract the attention of a few other workers who had decided to help with the farming today, and they could only look on in sympathy as Fang Chen’s tears persisted. Admittedly, Mei Ying herself was starting to tear up a little; she really wanted to let Xie Daozhang know that she was rooting for Xiao Hua. For the marriage that could still be saved!
“Please don’t break his heart!” Yicheng Zhu began to plead, sniffling—so much for their plan. “If you decide to let him down after all, at least be gentle with it!”
Xie Daozhang looked like he didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. He started scratching his head, looking left and right as though in search for any possible escape routes. “Um. I’m sorry, but I really don’t understand what’s going on—”
“Gege, I fixed your swing set,” a serene, familiar voice broke through the tension, and that was when things quickly devolved from bad to worse.
At the sight of Xiao Hua, all three of them froze. Mei Ying couldn’t believe her eyes; he was back so soon! Just why? And at the worst possible moment, too. To think she had banked on at least a whole extra hour before he came back!
Xie Daozhang looked like he was about to say something, but then Xiao Hua stepped forward, eyebrows lifted in clear question: what was everyone doing in here?
Mei Ying’s throat dried up. She looked towards Fang Chen and Yicheng Zhu, found that they, too, had lost the courage to continue any further. Because how could they when Xiao Hua was standing right here? Listening in to every word they might be saying. Nowhere in the plan did they discuss on how they’d broach the subject if Xiao Hua was directly involved in the conversation, as well.
Fortunately—or rather, unfortunately—someone beat them to the punch.
“Xiao Hua, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your husband has been cheating on you with a mysterious man who wears an eyepatch. Also, he’s handsome and rich,” one of the farmhands who had come to help blurted out, and then scandalized gasps immediately swept the shrine.
Fang Chen and Yicheng Zhu stared at the farmhand in horror, looking as though they wanted to beat him up themselves, and all Mei Ying could think of was shit. This was—bad! This was really bad! As much as they wanted Xiao Hua to be aware of the truth, this was not at all the way they wanted him to find out! This was just too tactless! Too inconsiderate, too vile!
Trembling, Mei Ying dared to glance at Xiao Hua using the corner of her eye.
This was the sight that would later come to haunt her for the next few days:
Xiao Hua’s face was calm at first. Curious, even. And then, as though the weight, the meaning, the impact of the words started to sink in, his face completely shattered, devastated. He turned towards Xie Daozhang with a hurt expression.
“Gege,” he said, voice quivering with unshed tears. His hands clenched at his sides. “Is this true? You’ve been cheating on me with another man?”
Xie Daozhang looked stunned, to say the least. Speechless. As though he’d never expected it to come down to this. Him, being confronted with the consequences of his treachery! “San Lang!” he said, looking far too calm and far less sorry than he ought to be. “Are you seriously going to do this right now?”
Xiao Hua swept inside the shrine to kneel at Xie Daozhang’s feet. And then his hands reached out to fervently clutch at Xie Daozhang’s palms. His eyes were glassy, and his bottom lip trembled. “Is it because he’s more handsome than me? Is it because he’s stupidly rich and wears an eyepatch, and probably owns a mansion and a whole city?” he said, a quiet, resigned quality colouring his tone.
Fang Chen and Yicheng Zhu were full-on crying now, sobbing their hearts all over the floor. And as for the other workers, the same could be said for them. If Mei Ying’s da ge were here, he’d probably the only one silently laughing, but that was because he possessed a heart of stone and derived great joy from other people’s misfortunes.
“San Lang—stand up!” Xie Daozhang urged Xiao Hua, perhaps humbled by the devastation he’d just inflicted upon his husband, but Xiao Hua refused; he now took to wrapping his arms around Xie Daozhang’s waist, displaying zero intention to let go.
“Please, gege, just give me another chance. I promise I’ll be better and be the man you want me to be. If he gives you a mansion, I’ll give you a kingdom. If he gives you the sun, I’ll give you the entire sky and moon and stars. Just don’t ever leave. You don’t—you didn’t—have to find someone else,” he said, and the people in the shrine started to weep even harder, utterly moved by his speech of passion.
If anything, it was Xie Daozhang who should’ve been asking for forgiveness instead! It was Xie Daozhang who should’ve been grovelling at Xiao Hua’s feet, begging him to stay. To give him another chance.
Mei Ying could no longer see, too blinded by the force of her tears.
“Xie Daozhang, if you know what’s good for you, get rid of that meddling homewrecker! You’re probably just one of the many lovers that have been warming his bed!” the farmhand who’d revealed the affair burst out, and there were shouts of agreement. Cries, and fervent yells.
Finally, Xie Daozhang managed to extricate himself from Xiao Hua’s grip and put on a pained smile. “San Lang, can we please talk about this somewhere else?” he said in a low voice.
Xiao Hua stared up at him and then nodded in agreement. Gingerly, he got to his feet, and then Xie Daozhang was immediately leading him away. Out of the shrine, past everyone else, and into the bright, open sunlight.
Mei Ying wiped the last of her tears away. Then she turned towards her friends, found that they all shared the same hopeful expression.
“I really hope they’ll stay together,” Yicheng Zhu said with a sniffle.
“I really hope so, too,” Mei Ying agreed.
“Gege, did you see the look on their faces? They were all crying,” Hua Cheng snickered once they finally made it to a quiet corner, away from prying eyes. He’d changed into his true form, and was now taller, more mature looking, with a deeper voice.
Xie Lian could only glare at him, annoyed. “I suppose San Lang found that very funny, didn’t he?”
He wondered how on Earth he was going to explain to the villagers later that no, he wasn’t actually cheating on his husband, because Xiao Hua and the man with the eyepatch were very much the same person.
Hua Cheng idly hummed as he rubbed at the coral bead on his braid. “Yes—I mean no. No. Of course not!" he said, unable to resist an unapologetic smile.
“I just can’t believe you sometimes,” Xie Lian sighed, still irritated but unable to keep up the act for much longer. He could never really stay angry with Hua Cheng, no matter how much he tried.
That is, until Hua Cheng started talking again. “Perhaps I should’ve summoned one of my clones. It would’ve made the whole scene much more interesting, that’s for sure,” he said with a devilish grin, and Xie Lian had to resist the urge to scream at that. To bury himself into the ground.
Xie Lian pinched the bridge of his nose. “San Lang is such a menace,” he said.
“Well, it is part of this homewrecker's charm, after all,” said Hua Cheng.
Xie Lian began striding off into the opposite direction. He needed all the fresh air he could get to clear his head. “Don’t follow me.”
Hua Cheng laughed, pushing himself off the tree he had been leaning against to chase after Xie Lian. “Nooo, gege, I’m sorry, please don’t leave me! I promise I’ll be good!”