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Lu Yao doesn’t know why he is here. Yes, Qiao Chusheng has invited him and Lu Yao rarely, if ever, says no if he’s asked out to dinner, but that doesn’t change the fact he’s at the Bai House. With Qiao Chusheng, Bai Youning, and Bai Qili. He feels out of place, for all that he’d rubbed elbows with people of the Bai’s status all his life. He was here, after all, not as the Third Son of Lu, but as Qiao Chusheng’s guest. And the last thing he wanted to do was make a bad impression on the closest thing Chusheng had to family. Chusheng even acquired new suits for them to wear and they were really quite dashing.
But even matching with Chusheng wasn’t enough to push down his nervousness. This invitation had come after Jiang Ziping had been in town after all, and Lu Yao was sure if anyone could uncover his family’s little secret, it would be the Bai’s. And his father was powerful enough to have sway with the gangs, even all the way out here in Shanghai- perhaps this was just a polite way for Mr. Bai to tell Lu Yao to pack up and leave Shanghai.
“You look worried, YaoYao,” Chusheng said as he placed a perfunctory kiss on the corner of Lu Yao’s mouth, smoothing out his tie. “I promise you, Mr. Bai isn’t going to eat you.”
Chusheng is wearing one of his infuriatingly cute smiles that Lu Yao knows means he finds whatever Lu Yao doing undeniably adorable. For his suffering, Lu Yao decides, Chusheng can lose another pen. He doesn’t know why a gangster has a large collection of expensive pens, but neither Lu Yao nor his calligraphy are complaining much. “Easy for you to say,” Lu Yao replies, even as his fingers slip into Chusheng’s pocket, “you aren’t facing a possible execution.”
Chusheng just shakes his head as he checks Lu Yao’s pocket watch. “Mr. Bai wouldn’t execute you either. You have such a vivid imagination, San Tu.”
“Why don’t you give me a proper kiss for courage?” He says with a pout. Chusheng complies, leaning in for a kiss that leaves Lu Yao breathless.
All too soon, Chusheng is pulling back. “Are you ready now?” Lu Yao won’t ever be ready, but he nods anyways and allows Chusheng to guide him into the house with a hand on the small of his back.
The table is set, both Bai Youning and Bai Qili are already there, engaged in a deep conversation that breaks off as soon as Bai Youning makes eye contact with Chusheng. They both rise from their seats and Bai Qili gestures Lu Yao and Chusheng over across from Bai Youning. Lu Yao ends up with Bai Qili beside him, at the head of the table, and Chusheng on the other side. He really would’ve preferred to be in Chusheng’s seat. But everyone begins eating after Bai Qili and Lu Yao thinks everything is going great. He is mostly talking to Bai Qili, who seems to be very interesting in what Lu Yao does.
Then Bai Youning asks him a question about what newspapers he reads and he tells her, ending with a very polite, “Ms. Bai Youning.” He’s not aware that this is the wrong way to address her until no one says anything for a couple seconds.
“Oh, no, no, that simply won’t do,” Bai Youning breaks the silence with a wide grin, “call me jiejie, MaoMao.”
Lu Yao freezes. That’s a nickname he hasn’t heard in a good long time. And judging by the smirk on Bai Youning’s face, she knows it. Bai Qili sighs, reaching over for his daughter’s hand. “That’s enough of that, Heinan.”
Immediately, Bai Youning rolls her eyes, pulling her hand away. “I’m not a kid anymore, dad.” Chusheng also seems more bemused by this then anything, so as much as he’s confused as to how she found out about that nickname, he figures this is her way of accepting him and Chusheng. It’s good that neither her nor Bai Qili seem to mind that he’s not a part of the Green Dragon Gang or even the gang world, though he’s definitely going to ask her about that nickname at a later date.
Dinner after that is quite peaceful and Bai Qili sends them on their way with a letter of introduction to one of the most premier clubs in Shanghai. It’ll only cost 100 silver- if Lu Yao’s predictions about the cotton prices are right, he’ll have more then enough to spare.