TOPLINE// Yandere! Hua Cheng x Yandere! Xie Lian x Male! Reader

2: Past

„Huh?" You exclaimed in confusion, Xie Lian turned his head and asked, „What do you mean?" „The homeless street urchins of the imperial capital all run together in a gang, and they come to my neighborhood frequently to beg for food. I know all of them, but I've never seen this child before." You furrowed your brows and turned back to the child who peered at Mu Qing and didn't say a word. „Who do they beg for food from? You? And you'd give it to them?" Feng Xin asked, doubtful. Mu Qing glared at him and you sighed. „If they pester relentlessly, there's no other way." Mu Qing responded „Oh." Was the only thing Feng Xin could reply. Mu Qing then explained how there were sewn patches on the clothes done by an adult and how his family situation may not be the best, but at least he's not a beggar. You only took notice of the patches now, as you were worried for the health of Hong the whole time. „Do you have grown ups at home?" You asked. The young child then shook his head but Mu Qing interfered. „There must be. If he doesn't go back, his family will surely be worried sick looking for him." „No, no way!! There's nobody!!" The child cried, sounding afraid, reaching out his arms for you and Gege. You bit your lips and decided to hug the child again as he clung tightly onto you. „What're ya doin', kid? Things were urgent earlier, so whatever, but shouldn't you know better by now? This is the crown prince and his soon to be husband. His Highness the Crown Prince. Do you understand?" Your eyes widened as Feng Xin said you were Xie Lians soon to be husband and blushed slightly. Did Xie Lian want to ask you to marry him? You shook the thought away, you have to focus on the situation now. You could feel the child get out of your grasp, but he still gazed at you and Xie Lian. „My parents were quarreling and kicked me out. I walked for a long time but had nowhere to go." He told the truth this time. What a poor child. You furrowed you brows and bit your lips, clutching the bed sheets in your hands out of silent anger. „So what now?" Feng Xin asked, and you released the bed sheets and stopped biting your lips as Xie Lian put a hand on your shoulder, calming you down instantly. „If His Highness is troubled, he can be kept here in the palace and have a few attendants assigned to take care of him." „No, that's to risky.." You mumbled at the Doctors suggestion. Xie Lian glanced down at you and after some thought, shook his head slowly. „The way I see it, it'd still be best if Y/N and I watch over him until his wounds are healed. It seems his family won't be able to look after him, unfortunately. Feng Xin, when you take care of the stalls that were toppled by Qi Rong, send some men to see if his parents can be found and let them know so they don't worry." You sighed in relief. „All right." Feng Xin nodded. Feng Xin extended his uninjured arm, intending to pick the child up by the collar. Xie Lian laughed while you held his arm as if to stop him. „You're wounded. Don't worry about it." „Don't worry about it Feng Xin I can carry him." However Feng Xin shrugged it off. „only one arm is broken, the other's still fine. If both my arms were broken, I could still use my teeth to carry him by the collar and bring him up the mountain for you." You sighed and Mu Qing rolled his eyes from behind Feng Xin. „Don't bother. Let me carry him. Mu Qing spoke up, but as he took a step forward the child jumped off the bed onto his own two feet. „I can walk on my own." This time it was you who didn't know whether to laugh or cry, this child had five broken ribs and a broken leg but was still bursting with energy. Incredible, really. „Stop running around!" Xie Lian scolded „Be careful, you're still injured!" You bent down to pick him up. You four left the palace with the child in your grasp, burrying his face onto your neck. We slung around, not wanting to face the citizens, afraid to show ourselves, using only dark alleyways. The child was extremely obedient in your arms. You had uttered him to be quiet, and he didn't let a single sound escape from his mouth. Feng Yin spoke up, glaring, „This brat kicked me yesterday, but look at him now. He really knows how to pick 'em" "It's Y/N. Of course all children love him." You chuckled at that comment, you were indeed liked by many children and you liked them too! When Xie Lian told you he wanted to carry the child now, you let him. After all he was your master. Feng Xin then spoke up. "I don't think Your Highness should hold a strange child for everyone to see." "What's the problem?" You and Xie Lian spoke at the same time, glancing at each other with a smile. "You're the Crown Prince!" Feng Xin exclaimed and pointed to a worn-down handcart farther up the alley. "Put the kid in the card and pull it." "Just so we're clear, I will not pull that thing up the mountain." Mu Qing immediately voiced. "No one's asking you." "I can carry hi-" "NO!" Feng Xin and Mu Qing yelled, making you jump and yelp in shock. Feng Xin yanked the child from Xie Lians arms, the child started struggling again. "Never mind, forget it. Maybe someone else needs that card." You nodded along with Xie Lian. "Yeah! And I have no problem with carrying him. The people wouldn't as well since I'm just a servant!" You reasoned. Xie Lians gaze saddened at these words. You weren't just a servant...you were the love of his live, his property, you were his. Xie Lians eyes glinted obsessively, going unnoticed by everyone but the child. Suddenly someone shouted, "are you...the crown prince?" You tensed up. "Yes, yes, yes! That's the crown prince! His mask fell yesterday, and I saw his face with my own eyes! That's him!!" "Catch him!!" All if you froze, your hearts stopped. You quickly snapped out of it as Mu Qing grabbed both yours and Xie Lians hands. "Your Highness, run!" Feng Xin was pulling the cart. "Your Highness, I have a broken arm, I won't be able to stop anyone rioting. Go!" But at the end of the alley there was another mass of people. You paled. Unexpectedly the citizens started to throw Xie Lian in the air and started celebrating him, happy that he saved a commoner as royalty, many royalties think that a commoner live was worth nothing. This thought disgusted you to the core and it was just unfair, shouldn't everyone be treated the same? Everyone's live is worth something! You snapped yourself out of your thoughs and chuckled when you saw your Gege try to leave, but he was pulled back again by the crowd.