I'M ALWAYS SO TORN WITH SCENARIOS LIKE THIS AAAAAAAH

Like, on one side going this kind of dark-ish direction where Hua Cheng keeps him like a trophy — a toy to warm his bed and cock whenever he wants is just so hottt 😵‍💫

but also on the other hand this is the kind of angst that would work so well with a happy ending, like perhaps a slow burn, where at first Hua Cheng does see Xie Lian for a concubine, and Xie Lian maybe partly resents him for putting him in such a humiliating position, and partly even fears what kind of things the demon plans to do to him... but then as time passes the two get to know each other more and more, and they find a liking to each other which quickly grows into affection — and then there's still the power imbalance — Xie Lian is practically his personal sex slave, and he doesn't expect that Hua Cheng would think of him as anything more. The teasig and the tnderness, the things they talk about so naturally... surely Hua Cheng must have treated all his concubines like this, right?

— also it would be interesting if the change is noticeable in sex too; at first Hua Cheng would take Xie Lian however he wants, but mostly from behind, or put him on his lap. He would be rough and merciless. But then, as the affection towards Xie Lian grow, he becomes gentler. Even starts personally giving Xie Lian an aftercare, and then one evening when Xie Lian pliantly gets on all fours, already knowing the routine, Hua Cheng stops him and says "Not like this. Tonight I want to see your face when I fill you up." 😩