Chapter Text
Xingqiu stared out of the window. As the second son of the chairman of the Feiyun Commerce Company, he was expected to be very studious. And so, today, the second Tuesday of the month at exactly 12:00 in the afternoon he was headed to the library. He supposed he was lucky he wasn't born the first son. Although his schedule was jammed as it was, he did have way more free time than his eldest brother.
"Thank you Xu. You may come back to receive me at quarter past three," Xingqiu curtly smiled, stepping out of the vehicle.
After entering the library he said his greetings to the librarian before heading straight to the fiction section. If his father were to find out that instead of studying he was reading mere fantasy stories, it would be to put it simply, bad. It wasn't Xingqiu's fault that everyday life bored him. He yearned for adventure. He yearned for mischief. He wanted to be like the heroes and heroines in the novels. He wanted to venture across mystical lands with nothing but a sword and a loyal companion.
Sitting down at one of the tables he opened up one of the novels he had started. It was called, Legend of the Lone Sword. He enjoyed reading it. Imagining himself as the main character and visualizing the world of the book. Longing to jump into the pages and watch the story unfold before his eyes in person. He wanted an adventure.
To put it simply, Xingqiu wanted to live. Sure he was living, but he wanted to experience an adventure of his own. He was sick of being the perfect studious second son. He wanted to run through fields of green as the sunset behind him. He wanted to breathe in the chill air of the coldest point in the world. He wanted to swim into the unknown. Explore the raging sea.
But he couldn't. Not with his responsibility.
Xingqiu finished reading the book at exactly 3:10. Right on time for when Xu was supposed to pick him up.
Walking out of the library, the May sun blinded his eyes. Without looking at his surroundings, he walked off of the library steps and onto the sidewalk.
Something, no someone tackled him.
"Ouch!" Xingqiu hissed, looking down at the lump laying on top of him. "Please watch where you are going. You could have seriously injured someone."
"Sorry," the boy squeaked before standing up.
Behind him, Xingqiu saw a group of men all looking like they were on a blood hunt. Looking back and forth between the boy and the men, the puzzle pieces fit together.
"Are you... on the run?" Xingqiu pulled the boy into the library.
"Yessir. Famous freelance journalist Chongyun, at your service!" the boy- no, Chongyun stretched his hand out.
Xingqiu noticed that there was a big open cut slicing across Chongyun's palm.
"You're hurt," he said.
"Ah, this?" Chongyun looked at his hand. "Eh, it's nothing. It'll heal over time."
Xingqiu pursed his lips before hearing the car horn honk. Xu was here. Making an impulsive decision, Xingqiu said his next words.
"Come with me."