#But now for both Xie Lian and Ruoye since as it seems he haven't learned the lesson yet

[kanene-yaaay]

(spoilers from season 2 of tgcf, rip all of us)

Yeah, yeah, I know.

But what if, instead of capturing and immobilizing Lang Qianqiu that time in the forest, Rouye decided to tickle him? What if there wasn't so much ressentment and lies and fear in that scene and was instead a cute, silly moment between the young crown prince and his old mentor? What if Xie Lian scolded him about being impulsive and thoughtless and how he could've died for this while Lang Qianqiu is giggling and laughing on the floor? What if he starts quizzing him about clever and safer ways that he could've go on about his threat and suddenly Lang Qianqiu feels like he is 15 again, doing his best to impress his teacher and he tries to actually think about his questions but immediately falls back to squealing and kicking, trying to squirm away but being unable to escape the soft silk wrapped around him that kept poking and pordding and vibrating and tickling at his sides and neck and ribs and absolutely everywhere?

What if - since this is now a CUTE AND SILLY moment with no ressentment - Hua Cheng decided to tease and provoke him since it's the second time he acts like that and ends up losing and being captured by them and, come on, it's really that your best? It's almost as if you like this. And LQQ squeaks in absolute protest and feels like his face is going to melt?

What if he had discovered the truth long time ago and had time to grief and come to terms with it, and now, when he discovers that Xie Lian is his old mentor, wants to challenge him to a fight so he can show him just how much better he got since the last time they saw each other and how he definitely can win a spar against him now. And now in the end it's all just a very cute tickle story huh? What then?

Anyway you can blame the very own Ruoye for this hc because how can a piece of fabric be SO SMUG about capturing somone like COME ON IT LITERALLY STOPPED, LOOKED AT LANG QIANQIU WITH A :] FACE AND THEN CAPTURED HIM, PLEASE!!!!!! P L E A S E. AND XIE LIAN BEING ALL SO :]c AFTERWARDS TOO LIKE !!!! SHAKING THEM BY THEIR SHOULDERS!!!!

I 100% headcanon Lang Qianqiu having a super squeaky and loud laughter, even if he is not actually that ticklish, and just BABBLING the most utter nonsense while being tickled. Xie Lian discovered about it because he caught the prince and his friend (the boy w no name <3) in he middle of a tickle fight once and, even though he never actually tickled him besides one or two sneaky pokes to wake him up during lessons, Rouye never forgot and now rip him.

Also since I am already here, in this reality Xie Lian was not punished and so Hua Cheng only think that boy as the Annoying Kid that Xie Lian once teached and now that appeared centuries later to cause an unecessary ruckus in his city so he is Getting Revenge.