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It was a comfortably warm day, a perfect day to steal babies. 

Xie Lian was washing rice in the stream, humming some melody to himself that he lately caught from Hong-er, his precious Hong-er. A twinkle graced his lips, elated to think of Hong-er but the smile was quick to vanish when the realisation dawned upon him that his precious little Hong-er was missing for hours. He went to play with village kids hours ago and hasn't been back yet. Where did he go? Xie Lian whipped his head around, his brows slightly furrowed.

“Hong-er, it is time for supper.” 

Food always was good bait for Hong-er. The kid would do just about anything for the meals his Dianxia cooked for him, just about anything, such as napping, diligently practising writing, and what all his Dianxia asked of him. But how come his little fox was not responding to his Dianxia’s calls. 

“Hong-er?!” Xie Lian tried one more time.

No response.

His heart lost its peace. This was serious. He walked into the Shrine, ready to call Mu Qing and Feng Xin if necessary. But then, his spirit brightened when he saw Hong-er quietly playing with his toys and one mysterious bamboo coop.

“Hong-er,” Xie Lian’s voice was gentle, filled with tender love.

But instead of his usual cheerfulness on seeing his Dianxia, Hong-er got startled and quickly turned around, his face as if he saw a ghost. Xie Lian cocked his head to the side in confusion when Hong- er nervously fidgeted at his spot, grinning, trying to avert his gaze.

“Hong-er, is something wrong?” Xie Lian crossed his arms over his chest, “Is there something you want to tell me?”

Hong- er shook his head, his eyes big, his lips pursed as he still fiddled with his fingers. And Xie Lian knew that his precious was up to something. He lightly chuckled, giving his head a slight shake.

“Come,” Xie Lian gave the warmest of the smiles and went down on his haunches, arms wide open.

But all the more surprising were Hong-er’s small hesitant steps. Any other time, he would have run to hug his Dianxia but today, it seemed like it was not even Hong-er. The kid looked like he had stolen something.

“You alright?” Xie Lian softly asked, hugging his precious Hong-er close to his heart, “You have me all worried here, Hong-er.”

“Can we have babies, Dianxia?” The babyish voice was full of excitement.

Xie Lian’s eyebrows went up on his forehead, he quickly parted from the hug to look at the face of his little devotee, only to find the purity and innocence of the entire world on it. 

“Babies?”

Hong-er nodded, “Small-small babies, Dianxia.”

Xie Lian was amused, “Don’t we have you, my Hong- er ?”

Hong’er quickly pouted, “I want a baby, Dianxia. Please, Dianxia?!”

A burst of hearty laughter left Xie Lian’s lips to see a kid of 5, asking for another kid. How much he loved his adorable Hong-er. 

“I…” Hong-er started but before he could continue, muffled cackles surrounded them.

Xie Lian quickly looked at the bamboo coop, only to find it leisurely inching towards them while the muffled cackles never halted. He looked at Hong-er, to find him biting his bottom lip in nervousness, gaze thief-like averted.

Xie Lian pursed his lips, he knew his Hong-er had everything to do with it. He got up and walked towards the crawling bamboo coop. 

A gasp left his lips the moment he held the basket up, his eyes wide in shock.

The lone cackle was loud and so was the charm in those big brown eyes, twinkling at Xie Lian. Clad in all-black robes, long black tresses neatly braided in a bun on the top of his head, all pudgy and pink, the baby did not seem from the village.

“Ba ba ba ba,” the tiny creature flapped his chubby hands, adorably asking to be picked.

Hong-er ran slash waddled to abide and picked the baby like a sack of potato, his arms around his chubby belly, the baby squealed loudly, tiny hands and legs flailing in the air.

Xie Lian sat there frozen, looking at the 5-year-old playing with his loot. The small bundle of cuteness squealed and cackled to everything Hong-er did. It was clear they both enjoyed each other’s company.

“So, the brat is stealing babies now?” Feng Xin sounded as confused as annoyed he was.

“He says the baby followed him.” 

“Yeah, right.” Feng Xin rolled his eyes.

“What do we do now?” 

“We’ll see what we can find out about the baby,” it was Mu Qing’s voice this time.

Suddenly there was a cackle echoing in the communication array, Xie Lian froze. He quickly looked at the two, only to find them quietly playing with each other.

“What was it?” Mu Qing almost panicked, “Was it the baby?”

“I… I don’t think so?!” Xie Lian was extremely confused because there was definitely a baby in the communication array, “It cannot be.”

“Xiao Gui is hungry, Dianxia. Can we have food?” Hong-er loudly chirped.

Hong-er knew his name? Xie Lian’s brows furrowed.

“Tell me as soon as you find something,” Xie Lian paced towards the two. This needed his intervention before Mu Qing and Feng Xin’s.

“How do you know his name, Hong-er?” Xie Lian got down, pooling in his snowy white robes only to capture the little creature’s attention with his magnificence. He was quickly on his fours, crawling towards Xie Lian.

“He… he told me,” Hong-er spoke while setting the toys back in the basket, like the good boy that he was.

“Did he?” Xie Lian could not tell whether Hong-er was lying or really the baby could talk. 

A soft chuckle left Xie Lian when the baby drowned in the layers of fine silk, and now flapped his pudgy arms around to remove the silk from his face. Xie Lian helped him, only to be surprised by how big and gleamy his orbs were. As if Xie Lian was not enough entranced, the baby grinned wide, putting his two tiny teeth on display.

A smile made its way to Xie Lian’s lips, he could sense no harm. 

“Xiao Gui, what would you want to eat?”

“Whatever Dianxia offers. Hong-er and Xiao Gui will like it,” Hong-er picked the baby on his waist, tucked him under his arm as if it was not a baby he was holding but a piglet he just bought from the farm. But the loud cackle from Xiao Gui affirmed that he enjoyed it. 

Xie Lian took a deep sigh. The shrine surely had room for one more haji.

Xie Lian gasped, slapping his palm over his parted lips.

The baby was practically smeared in the porridge. Xie Lian watched as the baby got a dollop of porridge and shoved it into his mouth, mumbling gibberish to himself and maybe, Hong-er.

And Hong- er , he watched Gui Wang with so much pride in his eyes, so much adoration as if his little partner had achieved the greatest of feats by bathing in porridge. He grinned widely, “Look, Dianxia, he liked it. He is enjoying it.”

“He is. That he is,” Xie Lian sighed, “But he needs a washing now.”

“I will do it!” Hong-er quickly raised his hand high in the air, “Me, Dianxia. Me will wash Gui Wang!”

Xie Lian raised eyebrows, amused, “ I wash you, Hong-er.”

Hong- er ’s lips went in a pout as he looked at the baby, his joy little by little. And the baby, he got another fistful of porridge, looked at it, and pushed it in his mouth, getting porridge all over him.

Xie Lian shook his head. He knew he was always spoiling but he couldn’t help it. Giving the little kid everything he wanted was a second nature to Xie Lian. So If Hong- er wanted to wash the baby, he will. And soon the kids were in the wooden bathtub, splashing and slapping the water. Hong- er , who usually was the quietest and gentlest, in all his element, was the loudest and all too happy. 

“Ah, stay still, Xiao Gui,” Hong-er lifted the loincloth, only to sigh when Gui Wang had the other end of the cloth in his mouth, “why do you want to eat everything.”

Xie Lian lightly chuckled. It was an adorable sight to see Hong- er acting all big brother-ish to Gui Wang. But he could see how the kid was struggling to keep the baby still and clothe him. He enjoyed for good 5 minutes and decided to intervene when Gui Wang started crawling away, butt naked, one end of the cloth still in his mouth.

“May I?”

Hong-er looked at Gui Wang’s unclothed departing butt and then at his Dianxia. He moved aside but soon he went slack-jawed when Xie Lian started, his grace immaculate. Even the baby was mesmerised, his big eyes dreamily fixed on the divinity while he no more squirmed or wriggled like earlier.

“You are so beautiful, Dianxia.” 

Xie Lian looked to his side to find Hong-er looking back at him, visibly in awe. He lightly chuckled.

Xie Lian watched Hong- er , who intently watched the sleeping form of Gui Wang, softly caressing the chubby cheek with the pad of his pointer finger. 

The baby was fast asleep as soon as Xie Lian fed him a little warm milk. It was as strange as amusing to see such a little baby so comfortable in an unknown place. 

Xie Lian could tell how obsessed Hong- er was with the baby. He just hoped this joy remained intact for longer because, sooner or later, the baby would have to go. 

At the doorstep, sat a fat black cat, swaying its furry tail with all the grace. It nonchalantly licked its paw and then vanished into the darkness, blending into the nightfall.

While there was no news or information from the two martial gods, Xie Lian experienced no challenges from the two kids. They were mostly playing and quite content with each other’s company. Hong- er was a perfect big brother to little Gui Wang, he cared for him, helped the baby eat, bathe, dress up, and practically everything.

He even caught butterflies for Gui Wang which did not go as planned.

“Here,” Hong-er grinned wide and held the beautiful butterfly out, “we have a pet now.”

Little Gui Wang looked at the thing in his big brother’s hand and cackled loudly before plucking the butterfly out of Hong- er ’s hand. He looked at it, babbled something at it. 

Hong- er could hardly contain his joy to see Gui Wang holding his gift but his jaw dropped when the baby shoved the butterfly into his mouth, chomping on it with his baby teeth and gum. 

Hong- er remained froze, wide eyed while Gui Wang went back to playing with the pebbles his brother had gotten him. 

Baby Gui Wang had an appetite for everything except normal human food. It was strange, he enjoyed Xie Lian’s cooking so much. 

They were still playing when Hong- er sensed someone’s presence on the doorstep. He looked up, his eyes swelled. It did not take Hong- er to stand in front of Gui Wang, hiding him from whoever it was. 

The man on the doorstep chuckled lightly. 

“May I help you?”

The man turned around, his face adorned with a serene smile, “Ah, Taizi Dianxia, how wonderful it is to see you.”

Xie Lian blushed, it was always so embarrassing to hear the long forgotten title. But Kunlun could be an ass sometimes, most of the times. Xie Lian’s lips stretched into a small polite smile, “I’m just a scrap collector, Kunlun- Jun. There’s no need to flatter me.”

Kunlun couldn’t help but burst into a guffaw, “You haven’t changed a bit, Hua Xie.”

“What brings you here, Kunlun- Jun, if I may ask?” Xie Lian politely moved aside, welcoming Kunlun into his shrine.

Kunlun-Jun slyly smirked at Hong- er, who had, one more time, very artfully hidden Gui Wang under the bamboo coop.

“I believe you have something that belongs to me.” Kunlun’s mischievous gaze never left the sight of the little kid.

Xie Lian’s eyebrows creased, not able to understand.

Kunlun went down his haunches, a soft smile gracing his divine face , “Can I have him back now?”

Only then Xie Lian’s gaze widened in realisation. He quickly looked at Hong- er,  eyebrows raised in surprise, face shadowing with disappointment. 

Hong-er quickly looked down, lips went thin in anxiety. The urge to run away was stronger than ever. 

“You stole Gui Wang?”

The accusing tone of voice scared Hong- er even more, he quickly looked up at his Dianxia, all nervous, all scared that he had upset his god.

“No, Dianxia, he followed me. I swear I’m not lying,” the kid was on the verge of crying, droplet lodging in the rims of his eyes, his lips already trembling.

Xie Lian opened his mouth to say something…

“Before you traumatise the kid any further. He is not lying,” Kunlun walked towards the bamboo coop. Instant a wave of joy washed over him to see his tiny Gui Wang, he picked him up, “My Gui Wang has this habit of following whoever he finds interesting. Im glad that it was Hong- er this time and not a wild boar again.”

The baby screeched in Joy and grabbed Kunlun’s face with his tiny hands, clawing at his beard.

Xie Lian had not said anything but was still regretting to even think that Hong- er would just pick a baby randomly. 

“Will you come to meet me again,” Hong-er ’s voice was small, his lips in a small pout.

Kunlun and Xie Lian maintained their distance. They realised Gui Wang and Hong-er would want to talk one last time before parting ways.

“Ba ba ba,” Gui Wang flapped his hand high up in the air as he continued, “Ba ba ba!”

Hong- er nodded, “You are right. I will come to meet you though. I will bring more butterflies.”

Gui Wang again screamed, grinning wide, clapping his hands in defiant joy before finally, Kunlun scooped him in his arms. Hong-er too clung to Xie Lian’s legs, his eyes sadly fixed at his little Gui Wang. 

The sadness was, little by little, turning into a silent resolve. It was not a goodbye, Hong- er had decided. He would one more time sneak into the mountains and steal Gui Wang. 

Steal?!