Throughout Xian Hua's eight lives, he will always remember everything.
From being cursed to the ends of the earth and being beaten until he couldn't breathe to being offered as a live human sacrifice, even after death, he still remembered it all.
At first, it deeply confused Xian Hua. As he laid, born again, in the warmth of someone's arms, he could vividly recall the feeling of the silk band tightening over his throat– choking him as he watched his legs dangle over a toppled stool. He could remember the feeling of his collarbones cracking, pain enveloping his body as his vision slowly faded to black.
After the next six or so lives, he was somewhat used to it– at least, it wasn't as much of a shock as his first death was. His lives were all equally shitty. Every single time he'd finally have his hands on something good, Xian Hua had observed, it was almost immediately stripped away. This counted for things like fortune, precious objects, and even people– all of his friends in every life eventually left him, and when he'd finally been born into a caring household, he was swept up in a river current and drowned.
Xian Hua had then learned not to expect anything good in life, or in any of his lives.
⸻
He awoke to the bright light of the sun, its rays peeking through what seemed to be the wooden beams of a pavilion.
Hushed voices surrounded him– mostly those of women.
"Congratulations, My Lady!"
My Lady? He thought. It must be a wealthy household, then..
By his previous logic, he wouldn't survive for more than a week.
"Xian Hua is so cute, ha ha!"
"Aiyoh, don't pinch Xian-gongzi's cheeks, he's probably sleepy."
Xian Hua?¹ It was a.. rather ironic name– In his previous life, he died as a human sacrifice, his flesh and organs presented on a bloody altar arranged with an assortment of red chamomiles. Listening to the women's endeared voices, Xian Hua grew nervous.
Don't get too attached, I'll be dead in three days...!!
The next words took Xian Hua by surprise. "My Lady, Xian-gongzi will surely grow up into a formidable god."
... did he hear that right? A god? Was he– was he born– as the son of a goddess? A god?
He was a god.
I'll be dead in two minutes! Xian Hua thought miserably.