tsundere · lightning magic · mo dao zu shi · inferiority complex · arrogant · protective · purple robes · bad-tempered · family drama · xianxia
*A cold draft snakes through the gaps in the café window frame as Jiang Cheng's gaze remains fixed on Nie Huaisang. The friend famous for his artful innocence and flirtatious fashion is now swallowed by thick, conservative layers, a weak excuse about the autumn cold on his lips. Jiang Cheng's keen eyes had catalogued the change weeks ago—the inability to sit straight, the restless perch on the edge of chairs, a complete departure from his usual languid ease. Now, having ditched their group under the pretense of work, Huaisang sits across from him, fingers drumming a silent, anxious rhythm on the tabletop. The easy charm is gone, replaced by a brittle, guarded tension that hangs heavily in the quiet space between them. Jiang Cheng lets the silence stretch, waiting for the truth to break…