Work Text:
Zhan Zhengxi will be honest, he’s not very often on the receiving end of one of He Tian’s more genuine smiles. It’s a little strange at first, but then you realize that a super good-looking guy is beaming at you like you’re their best friend in the whole world, feeling like you could do no evil and are truly blessed to be graced with a such a thing.
If that feeling is like getting hit by a bus, being on the receiving end of the eldest He brother's smile is like getting slammed by a train. He Cheng is a man of few words and even fewer expressions, but Zhan Zhengxi wasn't one of those idiots who thinks any reaction is better than no reaction. This is entirely unlike Jian Yi, who has made it his life's goal to surprise He Cheng. His boyfriend is actually currently attempting to live out that dream, perched behind a statue in the He estate's front 'lawn' with that shit-eating grin he picked up from He Tian.
Predictably, when he jumps out from behind the statue as Qiu and He Cheng finally finish making their way up the long driveway, He Cheng very much does not startle. He greets Jian Yi just as someone who's known a kid fifteen years younger than him for nine years would; he claps him on the back, and stops shortly to chat with him, Qiu giving Jian Yi an approving nod.
That's all Zhan Zhengxi could ask from his two ge's, but Jian Yi looks absolutely deflated that he failed to surprise an oblivious He Cheng for the umpteenth time. Fortunately, Jian Yi begins to look less like a wilting flower as He Cheng keeps speaking to him, as Jian Yi should, and Zhan Zhengxi feels the late-morning wind on his face as he looks at the three of them interact. At this rate, their little morning picnic in the flower field will be throttled by Jian Yi's anatics. Zhan Zhengxi calls out to him, and He Cheng and Qiu give Zhan Zhengxi a nod as Jian Yi bounds back over to him.
"You'll never be able to surprise him like that, you know."
Jian Yi plops back down onto their gingham blanket, and picks a cherry out of their basket.
"Well, how do you suppose I do it?" Jian Yi plops a kiss on his cheek, and Zhan Zhengxi sighs as he wipes some cherry juice off of his face.
Zhan Zhengxi ponders this, and supposes he knows He Cheng well enough that this would surprise him:
"You're performing a part of your own thesis next semester, right? Tell him."
"What? Why?"
"It's out of the ordinary. Surprising, you could say."
Jian Yi grins, lips glossy from the cherries.
"Alright, I'll try your method. I'll be right back."
He pushes another wet kiss on to Zhan Zhengxi's cheek before running off, and he grimaces.
He Cheng and Qiu are walking quite leisurely, so Jian Yi catches up to them quickly. Zhan Zhengxi squints to see Jian Yi talking quite quickly, and a quick and small expression of surprise crosses He Cheng's face.
Yes! Zhan Zhengxi thinks, but he quickly retracts that thought on account of not supporting Jian Yi's dumb antics.
Then, Zhan Zhengxi thinks his eyes are deceiving him, because He Cheng's face breaks into a smile. Jian Yi seems to freeze, and gives them a quick wave, and runs back to Zhan Zhengxi.
"Xixi, did you see?"
"I did!"
"What was that? He looked happy," Jian Yi was noticeably giddy, taking his spot on the blanket once more. "Weird!"
"He was proud, Jian Yi."
Jian Yi freezes again, and then he laughs.
"Of me? Why?"
Zhan Zhengxi thinks back to high school, back to when Jian Yi showed up at his doorstep again seven years ago, how hard he worked in high school to catch up as fast as possible, and how much harder he worked in college when he realized that his missing passion and motivation laid in that baby grand piano in the music room, all along.
He deserves it, Zhan Zhengxi thought. That pride-filled smile.
"You know why, A-Yi."
Jian Yi blushes as bright as as his stained lips, and Zhan Zhengxi cannot resist pressing a kiss to them.
"Thank you," Jian Yi says, and Zhan Zhengxi knows that thanks isn't just towards him.
Like mostly everyone else who gets to know the redhead well enough, He Cheng really likes Mo Guanshan. Zhan Zhengxi suspects that He Cheng likes Mo Guanshan more than other people do, specifically because Mo Guanshan is practically his brother-in-law.
He Cheng constantly smiles at Mo Guanshan, from a small upward turn of his lips, to a full break of his face. Mo Guanshan himself isn't one to smile, but his brows soften around He Cheng, as a reciprocation of the familiarity. Stiff, reluctant Mo Guanshan even goes as far as calling He Cheng 'Da-ge' rather than simply 'ge'. Zhan Zhengxi begins to think that both of the standoffish men are enjoying their relationship.
Zhan Zhengxi thinks Mo Guanshan enjoys it because he likes the feeling of having brothers-in-arms, judging from the small army of angry teenage boys he built back in middle school. But he's quite sure that He Cheng likes it because he can dote on Mo Guanshan the way he never could on He Tian, who grew up wanting to be He Cheng's equal.
Zhan Zhengxi ponders this from across the mansion's tearoom where he and Mo Guanshan were going through some legal documents for the restaurant, before the redhead got up to greet He Cheng, who was passing by.
He Cheng really did look quite happy when speaking with his (essentially) brother-in-law, and even endeavored a roll of his eyes when Mo Guanshan gave an an exasperated sigh and shake of his head, probably gossiping about He Tian.
Speak of the devil, Zhan Zhengxi thinks, as a very, very tired looking He Tian enters the room. Years of slight tension between the brothers told Zhan Zhengxi to look away whenever He Cheng and He Tian interacted, but Zhan Zhengxi doesn't see the three of them interact much, and is too curious in his quest to find out what expression He Cheng will show He Tian.
"Oh," is all Zhan Zhengxi can manage when He Cheng turns to He Tian, and... and the smile can only be described as the smile Zhan Zhengxi's father gives him.
Zhan Zhengxi feels his eyes prick, and suddenly he misses his parents, and his sister. He looks away, feeling as if he's intruding on a private moment.
He Cheng's smile for his little brother is a protective yet vulnerable thing, and Zhan Zhengxi immediately knows he really hasn't been paying enough attention to He Cheng. Mo Guanshan and He Tian receive vastly smilar but different smiles, the ones for your family, Zhan Zhengxi concludes, directing his attention back towards the the papers in front of him.
The evening falls without much more hassle, and Zhan Zhengxi lets Mo Guanshan take a break, the latter no doubt wandering off to find He Tian for a nagging. Zhan Zhengxi steps out on the balcony to get some fresh air, and the slightly cool breeze paired with his iced coffee does much to relax him after so much typing and reading.
Zhan Zhengxi catches a movement at the corner of his eye. He didn't plan to actively pay attention to He Cheng today, but it looks like his curious constitution has other plans. Zhan Zhengxi has seen He Cheng with Qiu for as long as he remembers. He suspects that they're like He Tian and Mo Guanshan, or Jian Yi and himself, but he didn't really care to find out. It's just that the way he's smiling at Qiu really makes it seem that way.
He Cheng smiles quite a bit for a hardened 'businessman', Zhan Zhengxi thinks, sipping on his coffee, which he almost spits out when he sees the man throwing a coy wink at Qiu, smile turning sly.
Okay, so they're probably like that. Zhan Zhengxi thinks that this is definitely something he isn't supposed to see, but he can barely turn away from He Cheng, who is laughing while Qiu sheepishly rubs at the back of his neck. He briefly wonders what they're talking about, but the back of Qiu's neck is turning red, and Zhan Zhengxi would rather not find out.
He Cheng smiles for Qiu like he's exhilirated, like he's teasing his crush. Zhan Zhengxi thinks that He Cheng looks so much younger like this, when he'd been forced to grow up even quicker than He Tian.
Qiu hesitates, and then quickly pecks He Cheng on the cheek.
Oh, they're definitely like that, and they're shameless.
Though, they must think that no one is watching.
Then, as he and Qiu begin to walk off, He Cheng turns around and regards Zhan Zhengxi with a small wave of his hand.
Shameless!
Zhan Zhengxi is ready to go home. He and Mo Guanshan finalized the documents just short of 10 P.M., no thanks in part to Jian Yi showing up for a sleepover ("Me and Momo have to play this new game!" "No way, dumbass!"), and pestering them through their last hour of work until Mo Guanshan conceded. Zhan Zhengxi disliked driving, but at least he wasn't as reckless as Jian Yi, who insisted on driving them home every time they went anywhere together.
As Zhan Zhengxi approached the extensive driveway, he saw a figure at the gates, looking at their phone.
He Cheng seemed to have just finished a call, and he looked up as Zhan Zhengxi approached.
"Zhengxi," He Cheng regards him, and turns towards him.
"Cheng-ge," Zhan Zhengxi reciprocates, and stops beside him.
"Good day at work?"
Zhan Zhengxi nods, "We finished up everything today. The restaurant should be all set to open, soon."
"Good," is all He Cheng says, and he turns to look up at the moon, Zhan Zhengxi doing the same.
"Cheng-ge?"
"Mn?"
"Thank you."
At this, He Cheng turns his face towards him in inquiry, and Zhan Zhengxi just shrugs. Neither of them are much for words, and they both know this. He Cheng will figure it out.
Then He Cheng smiles at him.
"You're always welcome."
Zhan Zhengxi offers him a quirk of the lips, happy that he had also received a smile today. He quicly clears his throats, and puts his usual stoic expression back on.
"The drive home is long. I'll be off."
He Cheng nods at him in understanding.
Understanding.
He Cheng's smile for Zhan Zhengxi shows understanding without the necessity for words. Zhan Zhengxi is at least glad He Cheng knows that his kindness doesn't go unnoticed, though the older man definitely doesn't care about recognition for his softness. Still, Zhan Zhengxi wonders, does everyone else notice as well?