Summary:
It holds its own hand in front of its face. Rotates it around. Examines through the darkness the sharp knuckles, the bony wrist, the unnatural pallor of its skin.
This must be his body, it realizes. His body as it was before it was burned: starved, mad, and dead, but not rotten yet.
/
He Xuan is sent to prison. Later, he dies. He persists nonetheless. Over the centuries, two people are constants: one who knows nearly everything there is to know about him, and one who hardly knows him at all.
➤ the He Xuan magnum opus we don't deserve but are fortunate enough to get to read anyway
➤ following hx from the beginning until after the end, with theeeee most perfect narrative voice possible for hx
➤ I spent the entire fic internally shrieking with delight bc everything about it is so good!!!
➤ the hx characterisation, the beefleaf relationship complexities, the whatever it is they have of hx and hc....the tiny perfect xie lian cameos, even! it's all! so good!!!!
➤ READ IT READ IT READ IT
➤ 64k words in length
