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Tang Fan ran fast under the cloudless clear night. He shivered beneath his uniform as the cool winter headwind touched the sweat on his temple and his neck. He had only been running for a short block and around a corner when his legs began to cramp and quiver. But he would not dare slow down.
Guangchuan is cooking tonight.
He gritted his teeth and ran faster, panting all the way. He was a sorry excuse for a police detective. He glanced at his wristwatch -a Rolex given to him by Sui Zhou on his birthday. He had only been running for 10 minutes, and yet, he was already so winded.
It's times like this, as he rounded another street corner when he wondered how he passed academy basic training with his pathetic endurance. He huffed and tsked as each hurried step he took felt like a lead weight was attached to his ankles.
Another drop of sweat ran from his temple to his jaw as his arms began to flail desperately to his side. It was his fault for missing the last bus of the day -the homicide case report took longer than expected. Has the bus station to his apartment building always been this far away?
Just as soon as his legs were about to collapse, he finally saw the plated metal entrance of Sui Zhou’s -or, really, their- high rise apartment building.
It’s been a year since the young police chief invited Tang Fan, the lowly police detective to live in his home (rent-free, to Tang Fan’s surprise). He even welcomed Tang Fan’s eight-year-old adopted sister, A-Dong, in with open arms when their landlord’s new wife suddenly decided to raise their rent to an exorbitantly large amount that he couldn’t pay for with his meager salary.
Tang Fan grinned through his tired pants as he eagerly entered the building and called the elevator. He really got himself a sweet deal that he just couldn't refuse.
He now lived in one of the most expensive apartment buildings in the heart of the cityscape and in close proximity to the police station (although, not close enough apparently, as his weak legs barely carried him while he stood inside the rising elevator) and A-Dong even has her own room. But most importantly, Sui Zhou was a damn good cook.
His mouth watered at the thought as the elevator chimed with each floor ascension. And when the doors opened to his floor, he could almost smell his favorite Sui Zhou specialty of salt and pepper ribs wafting in the air. It was enough to put a spring in his step as he hummed a little song while making his way toward his apartment door at the end of the hall.
The sight of the police chief's dress shoes welcomed him as he entered his apartment. A smile graced his face as he placed his shoes next to them.
It's been a while since he has been able to eat with Sui Zhou. For the past two weeks, a homicide case forced him to work into the late hours of the night at the station. And most of the time, he forgot to bring meals, to Sui Zhou's chagrin. Yet, Tang Fan found himself eating the extra boxed lunch that Sui Zhou always seemed to have on hand during his busy days.
Whether freshly made or eaten for later, all the dishes cooked by his companion rivaled even the fanciest of restaurants. But as happy as Tang Fan was to eat Sui Zhou's boxed lunches, they would taste much better with the company of the one who actually made it.
"Sui-dage, Zhou-jiejie, the food's ready! It's so late! Tang-dage will probably miss dinner again, so let's eat!" A-Dong's little voice carried to Tang Fan's ears.
Zhou-jiejie?
Tang Fan walked a few steps towards the main dining room. The ornate door was slightly ajar as he peeked through.
Sitting around the round ebony dining table was a man and a woman, whose backs were towards him.
The man on the left, whose broad back and pronounced shoulders can be recognized by Tang Fan anywhere, was Sui Zhou. He was dressed quite well for someone just having dinner in his home with dark trousers and a blue long sleeve that rippled against his defined muscle beneath.
Was there an occasion that Tang Fan missed? Although Sui Zhou was from a wealthy family of government officials -his family even owned the high rise that they lived in, Tang Fan knew that his friend abhorred formalities and strayed away from them as much as he could. It wasn't anyone's birthday, nor was it the clothing he wore for work.
Unless he was in a marriage interview?
The Sui family only had sons -as far as Tang Fan knew- and had no lack of heirs as Sui An, his eldest brother, already had three boys. But Tang Fan knew that Sui Zhou was his grandmother's favorite, and she would love to see him settle down with children of his own.
Sui Zhou's grandmother, for the past month now, has been bothering his friend excessively to settle down and produce more heirs to the Sui family. Occasionally, she would send Sui Zhou pictures of betrothal candidates that he would ignore, to Tang Fan’s relief -they were always much too ugly for him anyway.
With Sui Zhou’s constant rejection, perhaps his grandmother finally took matters into her own hands and sent a lady his way instead.
The woman in Sui Zhou's right -the Zhou-jiejie that A-Dong addressed- wore a flashy red dress that did not seem to suit her plain looks. Of course, Tang Fan couldn't see her full face -only the occasional profile, but he knew. She was compensating for something. He thought.
She smiled; her mouth opened to say a few words to Sui Zhou.
Tang Fan did not know what the woman said, but he saw very clearly that the police chief's usual stoic profile showed a small ambiguous curve on his mouth when she laughed heartily.
The distance between the two drew closer. Her arm hovered before Sui Zhou's but did not touch. Tang Fan squirmed as he continued to peer through the door. He's never seen his companion this close to a woman before. Sui Zhou must be uncomfortable with this distance.
A-Dong entered the dining hall from the kitchen to the left carrying dishes in her little arms. A savory scent wafted through the air into Tang Fan's nostrils. This would normally cause his mouth to water in anticipation. But as Tang Fan saw Sui Zhou lean closer to the woman next to him to say something against her ear, his mouth dried.
As soon as the dishes were set down, A-Dong took her place amongst the two, happily eating and joining their conversation. She even placed morsels of food on the woman's plate, urging her to eat more.
Tang Fan was aghast. How can A-Dong treat this stranger better than her own brother?
Tang Fan's heart turned sour as the scent of vinegar wafted in the air. They really were eating dinner without him.
Sui Zhou, the woman, and A-Dong looked as if they were a young couple with a young daughter. The round table they sat around was large enough to seat eight people. Yet, it seemed like there was no space for him. He felt like an outsider. How could he intrude?
He turned on his heels. His steps were heavy with fatigue as he walked a few steps back to where his shoes were. His gaze lingered on Sui Zhou's shoes while he slowly put his back on. He did not know how he missed it at first, but a pair of black heels sat daintily next to Sui Zhou's, matching the other’s style perfectly like it always belonged there.
He looked away from the pair quickly as he quietly made his way outside of his apartment door. He felt a pain in his chest. It must be the acid. His stomach growled, confirming his thoughts and reminding him of his hunger.
Only the minced meat noodles with extra scallions from Aunt Dong's restaurant could make this night better, but it was too late for the restaurant to be open. Tang Fan clutched his stomach. At least the twenty-four-hour convenience store was just right around the corner.
With the plan to fill his belly, he closed the door behind him, but as soon as he heard the lock click, his legs shook fiercely, causing his knees to bend and hit the ground before him. He exhaled a long breath, turning his body on the ground to sit against the wall next to the door. He willed his legs to carry him once more; it didn't respond. He sighed in resignation as he could only look at the blank white wall in front of him.
The hall was quiet; the only sound that he heard was the quiet ticking of his wristwatch. Most of the apartment building's tenants were likely fast asleep. Except for them. Tang Fan thought bitterly.
He rested his head against the wall. His exhaustion finally caught up to him as his sight moved from the blank wall downwards. And slowly, the faint rhythmic ticking of his wristwatch lulled him to sleep.
***
Sui Zhou watched as A-Dong walked his cousin, Zhou Qiao, out while he stayed in the kitchen to put away the leftovers from that evening's dinner. He rolled his sleeves out of the way as he looked at his wristwatch, the matching pair to Tang Fan's -but the detective did not have to know that yet.
He should be home by now.
The homicide case assigned to Tang Fan was resolved today. Only a report needed to be written to officially wrap up the case and that did not require the detective to stay overtime again. Yet, it was already late and Tang Fan was still not home.
He must be hungry.
Sui Zhou closed the refrigerator door as he placed the last of the leftovers inside. With long strides, he took his long coat from the dining room chair it laid on and was just about to put it on when A-Dong's voice echoed through the apartment.
"Sui-dage! Sui-dage! Come quick! Tang-dage is sleeping outside!"
Sleeping? Sui Zhou formed a wrinkle between his brows. His eyes widened.
Runqing! Sui Zhou hastened towards the front door, forgetting his coat in the process.
Police detectives were usually the object of a fair share of grudges, especially those who solved a great number of cases that jeopardize people in power. Tang Fan was one of them. And as much as Sui Zhou tries to protect him, he could not always keep the detective by his side.
Sui Zhou knelt next to Tang Fan, checking his body for any sign of injury. No bruises, no wounds, no cuts. He let out a long breath.
"Sui-dage?" A-Dong tugged at his sleeve; her voice quivered. "Is he okay?"
He watched as the detective's chest rose and fell with ease. At least, his breath was steady.
"Mn. Can you get my coat?"
The young girl nodded and tripped across the threshold back inside the house in her haste to do as she was asked.
Carefully, Sui Zhou brushed a stray hair from Tang Fan's face as he cradled his face in his hand. His face was cold.
"Warm." Tang Fan murmured as he rubbed his face against Sui Zhou's palm.
Sui Zhou's heart warmed as his worried look relaxed into a faint smile. "Runqing?"
"Hmm?" Tang Fan stirred; his eyes still closed. His body leaned towards the warmth of his companion.
Sui Zhou did not move away. Tang Fan was cold and he forgot his jacket. This should be okay. He reasoned, moving closer to envelope Tang Fan's cold body in his arms. "Runqing, wake up." His baritone voice whispered against Tang Fan's ear.
"Guangchuan…" Tang Fan buried his face in the crook of Sui Zhou's neck.
Sui Zhou's throat vibrated with a hum, pleased at the sound of his courtesy name against Tang Fan's lips.
Tang Fan tilted his head towards the sound. "Guangchuan…?" He rubbed his eyes and blinked twice, noting the proximity of Sui Zhou's face to his.
"Guangchuan?!" Tang Fan moved out of Sui Zhou's arms. "What are you doing here?"
Sui Zhou's lips curled downwards at Tang Fan's distance then parted slightly, "Why--"
"Tang-dage! You're awake!" A-Dong handed Sui Zhou his coat and stole the words from his mouth. "Why didn't you come inside?"
Sui Zhou draped his long coat over the detective. He moved to help him stand, offering his hand for the other to take. But Tang Fan waved his hand away, muttering "I'm okay."
Sui Zhou observed as Tang Fan attempted to stand by leaning against the wall in support. His legs wobbled, but as he was about to fall forward, Sui Zhou caught him and naturally placed an arm around his waist to steady him.
"Tang-dage, don't be so stubborn." A-Dong scolded while straightening the coat on her brother's back.
"Can you walk?" Sui Zhou tightened his hold on Tang Fan, preparing to carry him if the answer was no. "Did anyone hurt you?"
"It's alright, Guangchuan. No one hurt me," Tang Fan avoided his gaze; his neck slowly turning crimson. "I've just been sitting too long, so my legs were numb."
"Hm. Let's go back inside. A-Dong, go make some ginger soup."
The perfectly capable young girl entered the apartment first and held the door as Sui Zhou and Tang Fan made their way inside. With every step they would take, Tang Fan would move his body away from Sui Zhou. But when his legs threatened to give away again, Sui Zhou held his waist closer, half helping him walk and half carrying him towards the couch in the living room.
Sounds of a pot being placed on a stove and the soft rhythmic thuds of a knife against a wooden chopping board reached their ears as Sui Zhou sat Tang Fan down, kneeling before him to take off his shoes.
"Why didn't you come inside?" Sui Zhou echoed A-Dong's earlier question.
Tang Fan shifted his eyes, not meeting Sui Zhou's pressing gaze. "I ran a little too hard and got tired. So, I decided to sit down for a while. Who knew that I would fall asleep?"
Sui Zhou saw Tang Fan's forced smile and raised an eyebrow at him. Did Tang Fan forget that he was a police chief? He knew a lie when he saw one.
"Wha-what? What are you staring at me for?" Tang Fan asked sheepishly.
The detective was always easily embarrassed. I'll get it out of him eventually. Sui Zhou reminded himself as he sighed and softened his gaze.
He observed Tang Fan's face instead. The detective's usual bright eyes sunk into his face. Dark circles surrounded them, likely caused by the multiple sleepless nights he spent at the station. His short hair was tousled; the loose strands framed his handsome face. His flushed cheekbones seemed to be more pronounced than normal.
Sui Zhou reached up to brush another strand of hair from Tang Fan's face, stopping only to linger on the mole on the detective's cheek before quickly moving his hand away. A perfect spot to kiss. He thought.
The crimson color of his neck climbed to Tang Fan's cheekbones as he looked elsewhere. It seemed Tang Fan was not ready for that yet.
"You've lost weight." Sui Zhou said as he bit back his urge to pry and to touch further.
"Did I?" Tang Fan touched his face as if he didn't notice the effects of his poor eating habits the past few weeks.
“Mn. You did.” Sui Zhou said with finality.
“Sui-dage! The ginger soup is ready!” A-Dong announced, carrying a bowl of soup from the kitchen to the living room where they rested.
Sui Zhou looked at the bowl on the young girl’s hands and back at Tang Fan. It may not be enough. He gestured toward the bowl. “Drink the soup to get warm. Do you want me to cook you anything else?”
Tang Fan’s tired eyes brightened at the question, but he coughed and said nothing.
Even without words, Sui Zhou understood the man in front of him, such was the depth of his affection. So, Sui Zhou stood up from his place in front of Tang Fan and headed to the kitchen without another word.
***
Tang Fan took the soup from his sister’s hands, exchanging it with his shoes that Sui Zhou removed for him. His lips curled in satisfaction as his gaze followed her while she took his shoes on the ground to its rightful spot next to Sui Zhou’s. A-Dong is so filial. He thought, lifting the bowl to his mouth to drink. His stomach began to warm.
A-Dong came back quickly, bouncing along the way. Then, she sat and took a spot on the couch next to him.
“Tang-dage, why didn’t you come home earlier? We waited so long for you! Sui-dage knew you were done with your case so he made sure to cook all of your favorite dishes. You owe him so much, dage. They were all so good." A-Dong pressed a hand on her stomach with a sated sigh.
“Owe him?” The bowl paused briefly then he took another gulp.
“Of course you owe him!’ A-Dong said in a tone that implied that the reason was so obvious. “Sui-dage didn’t eat. He didn’t even touch his chopsticks! But, he let me and Zhou-jiejie eat first. It’s a pity that Sui-dage missed out and --”
“He didn’t eat?” Tang Fan froze. He could have sworn he saw them sitting together, about to start dinner. The now-empty bowl wobbled in his hands from the sudden lack of movement.
A-Dong caught the bowl, placing it in her lap. “Nope! Sui-dage is so loyal. He wanted to wait until you came back before he ate. I couldn’t resist, but Zhou-jiejie was so courteous. Tang-dage, Zhou-jiejie is going to be such a wonderful family member.”
“The marriage interview went well then?” Tang Fan was surprised at the bitterness in his voice and wondered if his sister noticed too.
“Marriage interview? What do you mean?” A-Dong tilted her head. “ Zhou-jiejie is Sui-dage’s cousin. We didn’t even expect her for dinner until she called Sui-dage to pick her up from an art show nearby. You should have seen his face, dage! Sui-dage was so upset that he had to change and stop cooking. He was so excited to eat with you!"
“So, he’s not getting married?” Tang Fan did not contain his relief. Cousin or not that woman was too plain and Sui-Zhou only deserved the best.
A-Dong moved from her seat to stand before him, resting both of her hands on her hip. “Dage, keep up! She’s his cousin. And if anyone is going to marry Sui-dage, it's going to be y--”
“Runqing,” Sui Zhou interrupted through the door of the main dining room. “The food is ready. Can you walk or do you want me to bring it to you?”
All Tang Fan needed to hear was “food” and “ready” for his legs to gain the energy it needed. “Guangchuan! You’re so good!” He stood excitedly, passing Sui Zhou on his way with A-Dong closely behind to sit on one of the chairs around the dining table.
The ebony table had more dishes on it than Tang Fan remembered seeing earlier when he first came in. There were honey grilled lamb, stir-fried vegetables, and tofu eggs on one side. Salt and pepper ribs and rice porridge with minced meat, mushrooms, coriander, and crushed peanuts on another. And in front of him, there were minced meat noodles that smelled deliciously familiar. His stomach growled. His hunger took over as reached for his chopsticks and ravenously began eating the noodles.
“Aunt Dong’s?” Tang Fan asked between chews.
“Mn. Your favorite.” Sui Zhou took a seat next to Tang Fan, picking up his pair of chopsticks. He placed a few vegetables on Tang Fan’s plate before he too began to eat.
Guangchuan is always so good.
From the corner of his eye, Tang Fan saw A-Dong take a seat next to him. He did not pay her any mind at first, but when he heard the soft tap of chopsticks hitting together, he turned towards her. “Didn’t you eat earlier?”
A-Dong looked back at him, slightly flustered. “Dage, you can’t blame me! Blame Sui-dage 'cause his cooking is so good!” She pointed accusingly to Sui Zhou with her chopsticks.
Tang Fan narrowed his eyes. “Alright, alright. You can eat. But just a little bit and only this time, okay?”
Tang Fan looked at his sister with warmth as she picked through a few dishes herself. In truth, he wanted to stop her. He was only a concerned brother that did not want his sister to eat too much before bed. But, he couldn’t argue with her logic; Sui Zhou’s cooking was too good to pass up.
I'll have time to stop her next time. He reasoned as he turned towards his companion. Sui Zhou ate with the same speed as he usually does, but Tang Fan could tell that he was hungry. “Guangchuan ah Guangchuan, you didn’t have to wait for me, you know.”
Sui Zhou stilled and looked back at him with the same stoic face he knew. “Food tastes better with Runqing.”
How can he say such things seriously? Tang Fan felt the heat on his neck. He turned away to focus his attention on filling his stomach, pretending not to hear. At least, he could agree with one thing. Food does taste better with him.