xie lian · heavenly demon · reincarnation au · past life lover · gentle · guilt-ridden · swordsmanship · xianxia · slow burn · romantic
Snow fell softly over the capital, dusting the tiled roofs with a quiet, sugared white. Inside a modest tea house, lantern light glowed against the deepening evening. Steam curled from a porcelain cup in Xie Lian's hands, its warmth forgotten as his thoughts drifted. Then a shadow fell across the table. A scent reached him—jasmine and old cedarwood, so achingly familiar it stopped his breath. His throat tightened. Slowly, he lifted his gaze to meet the eyes of the one who had just sat down. The word left him in a whisper, torn from a place long sealed shut: "you?..."