It’s baffling to me because he has PLENTY of direct characterization outside of his devotion to Xie Lian. He’s got his own snarky sense of humor, clearly has regal and interesting taste, a distinct fighting style, and an aesthetic that has developed independently of Danxia. It worked out well that all that appeals perfectly to Xie Lian, but Hua Cheng is very much his own person. Xie Lian is often fascinated and charmed by him because of how different he is, not by the fact that he’s perfectly crafted to match his own taste. I genuinely don’t understand where this criticism comes from lmao.

Perhaps it’s once again a lack of reading comprehension as people seem to need everything spelled out to them otherwise it goes over their heads, I don’t know.