Work Text:
Hua Cheng was annoyed. Upset. Pissed. Super pissed. He shouldn't have even taken this job, it was a favor to a friend and nothing more. He didn't do much “party” work, but He Xuan had begged and everything, and Hua Cheng decided to do it. He had even got a team to help and had sent them before, since he still had some things to take care of in the city.
The party would be in a cottage, on coutryside and he had to leave with the sun dawning to hit the road and therefore he had already left angry. But it's okay, he had to admit that at least seeing the landscape changing with the colors, the lack of excess buildings, was something to admire from the stillness of your car.
What was not something to admire was the absurd heat he was doing experiencing, in the middle of absolute nothing, when his car – his beautiful, expensive car – had decided to default. There was no smoke coming out or anything, which was less worse, but something strange was beeping and when Hua Cheng stopped and turned off to understand (things beeping when youre going 110km/h should always be analyzed) the car just did not come back to life.
He was turning the ignition and nothing. Tested 30 times, as if magically the next one would work. He opened the hood like he understood something about what was in there. He spun the ignition once more. The car got cold. Weather's heated up. Hua Cheng only had with him a little bag with some change of clothes, a charger and a bottle of water that was dangerously close to the end. He must have looked at his cell phone over 100 times. Not a single signal bar. Only cars at high speed, a shadow that seemed to barely take effect (but which he knew, rationally, had been luck) and the shimmable blue sky.
And goats.
He sat in the car. Took a breath. He sat out of the car. He walked halfway down the road looking for a miracle in the form of a phone signal. Absolutely nothing. It was almost 3:00pm. He’d take the pictures exhausted.
"Good afternoon, sir," Hua Cheng was stirring pointlessly, defeated, her cell phone, when she heard a voice saying "Is everything okay?"
Obviously not he wanted to answer, but he didn't even get to do that. He looked up and for a second and felt blinded. The owner of the voice was surrounded by a halo too bright, almost a divine vision (or he thought it would be so) but soon his view adjusted and whoever was in front of him distinguished himself.
A straw hat cast a generous shadow on a delicate face, lightly reddish by heat, and framed by a curtain of straight brown hair, a little long, brown eyes seemed worried and apprehensive, and his hands rested on his knees, covered by a denim jumpsuit and a half-open white shirt, both with a worn, old look.
And Jesus sandals, even though the man in front of you is clearly the same age of him.
Great. A hillbilly. A beautiful hillbilly ,but a hillbilly.
What was the harm? He wondered (Many, but Hua Cheng for all his pose, hated horror movies so he did not immediately think of the possible consequences of opening up to a complete stranger on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere).
"My car stopped working and I have no signal to ask for help, so... No."
"Ah!" the stranger exclaimed "Wow. I'm sorry about that. There's no signal here anyway, a long way from the phone towers, but if you want you can come over to the house and call someone to help you with the car. I live on a farm not far from here, a little road way. There is also no signal, but I installed wifi and it works." He smiled. "My truck's back there"
How distracted had Hua Cheng been to the point of not noticing this monster coming? The guy's truck seemed to be at least 15 years old, white and huge, probably the ones that made a lot of noise.
"Wifi?" Hua Cheng exclaimed, excited. The stranger seemed to relax even more when he saw this reaction "Super works!"
"Yes, and I don't even use it much, I'm not much of a... Internet guy. But a friend moved in and demanded that I install and such, besides teaching me how to make video calls and buy some things online, which has saved some trips to the city, although they do not deliver everything here. But do you want to go there?"
"Sure!"
Hua Cheng felt an energy surge and a sip of hope. Maybe he could still get some help with the car. He'd be late, but i'd just take a shower and lie down after eating something. There it is. Everything solved.
He got up and went in his car, picked up his things, he believed it would be quick, but he wouldn't let things in the car too easy, especially things like cameras and laptops, so he carried them into the truck.
"By the way, I forgot to comment but my name is Xie Lian. Yours?" The stranger, Xie Lian, spoke as soon as he got into the car and closed the door.
"Hua Cheng."
-
The journey to the farm lasted 20 minutes. A little longer than he expected, and most of it had been on a dirt road, coming out of the asphalt. Xie Lian had singing an unrecognizable song the whole way, looking very calm. The road was surrounded on both sides, and the Hua Cheng distance saw some animals walking, apparently loose.
Were they his? Xie Lians? Hua Cheng didn't know much about farms and farmers, but he knew vaguely that having cattle was a bit expensive. Maybe they weren't his. Maybe his farm was a small, simple little thing behind of a rich guys. Clearly a guy with a farm this size wasn't going to wear jesus sandals so old and ride in a truck that was easy half their age.
"We're here." Xie Lian spoke, stopping the car and Hua Cheng looked forward.
Definitely the whole farm was his. The house was huge, two floors, raised balcony, classic windows, the whole thing. All in neutral tones, and flowers (flowers!) in gardeners, curling up by the railing that surrounded the huge balcony, a hammock swinging in a calm breeze. In a slightly distant corner, Hua Cheng saw stables, and the horses loose, eating the grass around.
It looked like a staged landscape.
"Come in there. Let's go see if we can get a hand for your car."
The house was even more beautiful inside. The décor was simple but elegant, and extremely comfortable, although without excesses. The light coming through the windows made everything clear and illuminated without exaggeration, and the house was much cooler than the road where he was until a few minutes ago.
"Thank you for having me... I'm sorry to bother you."
"Oh its nothing! It's not a bother at all Hua Cheng! Make yourself at home. Ah””, Xie Lian exclaimed, clapping his hands as if he had remembered something very important, a cute scene to see "the password! It's 800244"
Hua Cheng thanked and logged in, while sitting in a corner of the living room sofa, Xie Lian brought a glass of water while Hua Cheng sought contact from a mechanic who could help.
Xie Lian sat in an armchair by a window and picked up a book "You can be at ease, take as long as you want."
Hua Cheng was grateful but despite all the beauty of the house, he wanted (and had) to leave as soon as possible. It was almost 4 pm and all the hospitality aside, there was still work.
"It'll be quick, I promise. Look, I even found the number, I'll call" Hua Cheng spoke and Xie Lian smiled, giving him a thumbs up.
Hua Cheng walked away, going towards the balcony, dialing the number and making the call via the Internet. A male voice answered.
"Good afternoon, this is Celeste Mechanics, what can I do for you?"
"Good afternoon, my name is Hua Cheng, my car stopped working on the road, BR 243, do not know exactly the point... The car just doesn't start. He started beeping something on the dashboard and after I parked on the side of the road, the car didn't start anymore."
"Hm... Mr. Hua Cheng I'm sorry but today there is no one in the company to serve you. And since tomorrow and the day after it's a holiday, it won't be until Tuesday."
"Tuesday? But today is Saturday! Dude I have a job tomorrow and I'm still 200km away.. "
"I'm sorry sir, but we don't have anyone."
"And... And you don't have anyone to refer me? Any other mechanics?"
"We are the only one in the region..." God as I hate the countryside.
"Oh, my God... ok. Okay." Hua Cheng hung up the phone and contemplated the landscape of the farm. He put his hand on his face. He walked back and foward. He looked at his phone again. He supported his arms on the top of the railing. He took a deep breath over and over again. He contemplated methods of wounding He Xuan because if it wasn't for that favor he wouldn't be stuck here.
"Hua Cheng?" He listened and only then, as he turned to the door and saw Xie Lian leaning there with a cup in his hands and a confused look he remembered exactly where he was. Oh, God, oh shit. Oh, shit. Oh shiiiit. What am I going to do? There's nowhere I can go, nor way to go to??
"You were taking a while, and I don't know, I came to check."
"Oh, i'm sorry. Xie lian. Ok. I... I called the mechanic, but there's no one to come and help me now.” Hua Cheng didn't know where to stick his face.
"Wow, I'm sorry"
"There won't be anyone until Tuesday." Xie Lians eyes widened a little. Hua Cheng didn't even notice, he was trying to figure out what to do. Where would he stay? Surely sleeping in the car on the side of the road is dangerous, especially when you can't even turn on your headlights to indicate you're there. And he couldn't just sleep outside the car. Almost as dangerous as, besides that he hadn't even brought a sheet in his bag, since the plan was to spend only two nights out and had been promised everything in the stay.
"Besides... I really should get there today... I am a photographer and I am part of the team of a party that will take place tomorrow morning..."
"I'll take you, no problem."
"It's in Banyue. 200km from here."
"Ah..." Xie Lian seemed to wither a little, biting his lower lip. A tiny part of Hua Cheng couldn't help but noticehow cute he was doing it, and how edearring and funny it was to see Xie Lian seemingly so worried about a guy he had met about an hour ago. "No. I'll take you."
"No Xie Lian,no. I wouldn't make you do that!" Hua Cheng almost laughed at the absurdity of the proposal " You will not travel 200km, almost 2h of travel just to leave me and then have to return. Besides, my car's still going to be on the road. I... I'll take care of it. Ill sleep in the car, you just have to do me a favor to leave me there again, if it's not too much of a bother, after I warn the guys that I won't be able to get there in time. Tomorrow Ill see what to do, since it's getting late today already..."
Xie Lian, who was still at the door seemed to be frustrated with his – absurd – plan to have been refuted. Hua Cheng felt he smiled a little. Too cute. The smile faded when Xie Lian advanced at once, shortening the distance enough to put a relaxed but firm and definitive hand on Hua Cheng's shoulder.
"Sleep here then" He sounded so sure, so firm and had come so close so fast that he caught the other man by surprise.
"What?" Hua Cheng's surprise caused Xie Lian's absolute decision to frail a little, but only enough for him to look slightly embarrassed, taking his hand suddenly and quickly looking away.
"The house is big, I'm sure you noticed... And I live alone. There are two other empty rooms, and you can have one of them. And since it's the weekend the rest of the people who work here on the farm helping me are off duty, so there won't be any people."
"I do not want to bother, gege..."
"It's not a problem at all!" Xie Lian rushed to correct "Seriously, you can stay! I'd feel terrible knowing you'd be out there on the road, alone in the dark. In addition, the road is very dangerous at night Hua Cheng. Accidents can happen."
"No... Besides, I didn't even bring anything. just a few changes of clothes, one of them not at all suitable for the farm including" he laughed a little "I did not bring even a sheet to sleep, or towel."
"Pff, I've got all of this!" Xie Lian smiled "You can't go, you should stay here. For as long as you need. It's your house, just talk to me and I'll get what you want and I can give it to you."
Despite the protests, Hua Cheng had to admit that the proposal was tempting, especially in view of its counterpart. It might not be the inn that had been promised, but it was much better than sleeping in the car in the middle of nowhere.
"If gege says it's ok..."
"It is! Now come on in, I'll show you the rest of the house!"
-
There was no TV in the room Hua Cheng chose, but that was the only problem he had noticed. If that could be called a problem.
In the end, Hua Cheng had decided to stay with one of the rooms of the top floor, a corridor away from Xie Lians, who every minute that passed was more and more helpful and kind. He had shown almost the whole house – according to him, he would show the whole farm if San Lang wanted to (Hua Cheng had told him that friends called him that) but since it was almost 5pm, it should be for the other day, as it darkened very fast around here.
At the end of the tour, the house really beautiful in all spaces, rooms showing the beautiful vastness of the farm and a sunset to take the breath away, Xie Lian returned to Hua Cheng's room with a clean towel, extra sheets in case it got cold, a soap still in the box and even a set of pajamas looking relatively good, compared to the clothes Xie Lian was wearing, in case San Lang also did not have a suitable pajamas (he had) and deposited in the double bed in the center of the room.
"Anything you need, I'm in the other room or downstairs! I'm going to start dinner right now and..." Xie Lian seemed to be ashamed suddenly, not sure how to finish the sentence, looking at the floor for a second, rubbing his hands together "Actually... San Lang, I don't cook much, and I think my food is ok, but most of my colleagues and friends... Well, their words normally goes like 'Xie Lian,I'd rather stay hungry than eat your food' and stuff like that. So I'm sorry I can't offer anything better."
"Don't worry about it gege, you're already doing a lot for me, no problem, I'll eat happily"
Xie Lian smiled again, seeming to have been pleased with the faith Hua Cheng had placed in him.
Xie Lian, a man Hua Cheng had met just a few hours ago, on the side of the road, and about whom he knew nothing but that he lived and apparently owns this beautiful farm, was making all the irritation of earlier, the frustration and the sheer anger that he had felt, go away.
Something in his posture, in the simplicity and calm he showed was calming too. Besides, how can you not feel grateful for someone like that? Who picks up a stranger on the sidewalk and offers a house, a bed and food? Hard to believe even if its happening to him.
-
Hua Cheng used this moment to finally send a message to his teammates at the event. The reality is that he would not attend at all and was not even sure how long he would stay at Xie Lian's house. Luckily, he didn't really seem to care much, in fact, he seemed even happy to have someone with him at home, although Hua Cheng found it unlikely that he would be alone all the time – no one runs a farm like this without help.
Staff warned, shocks and riots answered, excuses requested and etc ,Hua Cheng was finally bathing. The room was not a suite and – even after Xie Lian insisted that he keep the suite, which was his own room (seriously, who was like that?)– so he went out and went to use the bathroom that separate the rooms in the hallway.
Immersed in the warm, pleasant water in the bathtub, he felt his muscles relax and his tiredness to take care of – by God, how long ago didn't he sit in a bathtub like this? Just relaxing? He was always busy with work and other dramas enough to practically forget that he also had a bathtub at home – he had woken up very early, spent the morning driving and then, in a way, faced the sun for three hours, save only by a merciful shadow on the side of the road. He was exhausted.
He leaned his head against the porcelain edge and felt the ends of his long hair float around him. He hadn't fully dipped yet, and he touched the eye patch. In the midst of the confusion of being rescued to later discover that it would not work and subsequently being staying at a stranger's house he had not realized that this stranger had not, at least at any time that he had noticed, looked not even stealthily at his eye patch. Most people looked weirdily. Some even asked, what Hua Cheng found momentarily annoying – people don't really want to know the full story – but didn't bother so much anymore.
It's been too long since the accident, so he didnt care too much.
While taking off the eye patch, he again thought about Xie Lian's lack of reaction when he saw the "accessory". He didn't ask, he didn't look weird, he didn't react. Would he do that if you saw what was underneath? The reality was that Hua Cheng wore the eye patch because the scar underneath aroused even more questions and even more strange looks, so he preferred to cover in front of most people.
When he took off the piece and plunged entirely into the water he felt the relieved of every day. He leaned back on the edge and stayed there until the water cooled down, maybe he dozed off. It's hard to say.
When he left he put the only change of clothes that had that was not a complete set of suit (then he would think about the logistics of it) and went down the stairs, finding Xie Lian in the kitchen, also damp hair and in a clean clothes, putting the dishes and putting a pot in the center, which smelled of absolutely nothing.
"All right in the shower, San Lang?"
"Yes gege, the water was wonderful. And I wanted to thank you again for letting me stay here."
"No problem, I told you!" Xie Lian laughed, disregarding the thanks with a hand in the air "Now sit there , I tried to prepare pasta, kinda basic, and had to search the internet since I usually do not have people for dinner, but I did my best."
"I'm sure it'll be great"
"Don't trust too much..."
When Hua Cheng put it on the plate the first thing he noticed was that it didn't have the right consistency. But all right, it happens, a lot of food seems to have a consistency of modeling mass and still is good. And then he put it in his mouth.
He looked at the plate. Looked at Xie Lian,eating without any problem, looked back at the plate.
The reason it didn't smell like anything was because it didn't taste like anything. A very, very discreet pint salt that probably came from the mixture of the raw pasta itself and the meat placed. Even the sauce wouldn't help. Does he have a taste problem? There's no way you're eating like this.
He put another bite in his mouth, moved to one side, to the other, swallowed by pure body automatism. Xie Lian continued to eat as if absolutely nothing was wrong, distracted by the dish itself until he noticed Hua Cheng looking at him.
"What's up? How did it taste?" He asked, slightly hopeful. It was almost cruel to tell the truth, Hua Cheng didn't want to hurt his feelings. But i couldn't. He was hungry and yet...
"... Would you have... pepper?" He saw the other's face fall apart slightly for a second, along with his shoulders falling, dramatically.
"Oh, it was tasteless right?" He put both hands on his face, smiling awkwardly "Everyone says my food is tasteless but that's how my mother did it so for me that's the normal thing."
"It's a little... " Hua Cheng replied and Xie Lia laughed loudly this time.
"You can say it... You can say it, I'm already used to it, hahaha"
"It's a little tastless yes gege, almost has no flavor"
"I'll…get the pepper hahahahah"
After putting pepper on the dish the conversation returned, this time more at ease. Xie Lian talked about the farm, about how he had lived here his whole life, living in the city only during the school semester, and how he had since worked with his parents until they became too old and had "gone away". Hua Cheng knew at the time, with Xie Lian's sad look meant that they had passed away, but also noticed that he should not enter the subject.
He, on the other hand, talked about working in the city as a photographer, what he photographed, the party he would have tomorrow, and about actually never having spent much time on a farm, having attended only for some momentary work.
They talked for hours after dinner, while Hua Cheng watched Xie Lian do the dishes and put things away, talking about the most diverse subjects, often without even knowing how he had gotten there, then later sat on the same couch earlier and continued talking, as if the subject was never going to end between them, and honestly Hua Cheng only interrupted the conversation when he realized that Xie Lian was already falling asleep, answering only unhums and ahams, holding a cup of tea half finished in his hand loosely.
After they separated, each to their room, Hua Cheng had another moment of epiphany: just as he couldn't remember what the last time he had actually relaxed in his own bathtub, he also couldn't remember the last time he had just talked to a person like that, other than work (in a stressful way), without the burden of having to be performing something.
Not in the last dates he had, that in recent months, nor had there been many, had he felt as comfortable as with this farmer. Not that this whole thing was even close to a date, it was more of a crazy chance of fate anyway. And tremendous luck. But it had been so good, so quiet, and fun that it seemed that they knew each other for a long time and not just hours.
Hua Cheng slept faster, quietly and deeply than he had slept in months, hearing only the soft sound of the ceiling fan and nature out there.
-
At 8:30 a.m. Hua Cheng woke up feeling great. He had blacked out the night before and despite waking up about five with a strange noise coming from the outside that he could not identify, he had slept wonderfully well. He put on his shirt that he had brought to sleep with, went down the stairs that took him to the common area of the house and found it empty , only a bottle of coffee and a cup on the table put, as if waiting for him, and served himself.
Oh, at least that's all right.
With the coffee in hand he decided to go out to enjoy the farm a bit. He was already here and weren't going anywhere, right? Why not use the day off? That was the plan he had in mind when he woke up, thinking about the possibility of the blue sky and nature outside, away from the confusion of the city. Besides, he wanted to see Xie Lian again. The reality is that they had clicked very well and had no way to deny the supposed connection of the previous day, nothing that was too complicated, just to be with him.
The problem is that when Hua Cheng looked around he didn't see Xie Lian or the truck that he called a car. It's tremendous faith ,he thought, leaving the house like this with a stranger. But he had trusted him, too, right? When he came here and accepted the invitation. It's natural for it to be reciprocal.
So without Xie Lian, Hua Cheng pondered what to do for now. He decided, that as a way of thanking, and not to be completely still, which he could not stand, he would help in the house, so after washing the dishes that was still in the sink, including what he had just used, he searched the house for the cleaning products.
What many didn't know about Hua Cheng, especially since he keep his private life private was that he was actually very good at being a homekeeper. Cleaning the apartment in which he lived, tidying up the rooms, and in the end, preparing some food was something he considered relaxing, while many found it a chore.
Therefore, joining the useful to the pleasant, he began cleaning, from top to bottom, from the inside out, Hua Cheng went through the rooms (leaving only Xie Lian's closed, preferred not to enter such a personal space so), bathrooms, living room, kitchen, everything. Dusted furniture, hit fabrics and even found a dangerously full bucket of clearly dirty clothes and decided to wash.
Living alone in such a large house it was also clear that parts of the house were actually used daily and which were more left aside. Not that these spaces were dirty or abandoned, but you know, the little dust that gathers in places still and forgotten is different.
But he cleaned everything, and washed everything and by the end it was almost 11am when he looked at the fruit of his labor, feeling sweaty and satisfied.
And no Xie Lian.
But it's okay, now he'd take a shower, and then, if he didn't show up yet, maybe he'd try to cook. This would depend a lot on what Xie Lian had in the kitchen and Hua Cheng suspected it wasn't much in the seasoning pantry.
-
The feeling of taking a bath after such a cleaning was sensational. He had regulated the temperature a little bit just to stay in the middle enough to be warm enough to relax muscles but cold enough to cool his body temperature. And, taking advantage of the time he was alone in the house, he decided on a song while washing his hair.
Such a bath would be absolutely sensational if it wasn't just an event: in the middle of a rinse the water temperature went down. But really down. What was an invigorating shower now had, without warning, become a 100% icy water. Chattering icy water. And the shock was so much that, without thinking, Hua Cheng ended up shouting a swear word and trying to dodge the icy attack that had become the water,and in this clumsy drive, he ended up also hitting some decorations and things that he had brought himself, knocking everything down, and leaving the door running, barely covering himself with the towel.
It made big noise.
And it was this noise that caught Xie Lian's attention, outside, who had only been here a few minutes and was unloading some things from the back of the car. He was used to many noises, yes, the snoring of the car, the bags of manure and food mixture, the animals living their lives, but that cry had definitely been human and had come straight from the house, so he naturally went to provide help.
Neither saw the other one arrive. They collided, Hua Cheng and Xie Lian near the door of one of the rooms, strong enough for the impact to hurt lightly and fall to the ground with a loud thud. The first moment was from ouchs , the second of sorrys followed by hands holding biceps, coming from both sides, and the third, as far as Hua Cheng knew, came only from himself, and it was wows.
Xie Lian came in hard and as it was all very fast Hua Cheng hadn't noticed but Xie Lian was shirtless, wearing what appeared to be just the buttoned under part of that same battered denim jumpsuit from yesterday, and -
The only delicate thing about him was his face.
Apparently underneath the battered and wide shirts, the old jumpsuit and straw hat, behind the gentle delicate face and the sweat at that moment – which aggravates the situation a little – was a very, very well worked body. Enough to make assiduous gym goers jealous, all set and in place.
And glued directly to his chest. Wich was naked as well. And wet from the shower.
Hua Cheng is not a guy like that usually, but something in Xie Lian attracts his attention much more, and now having a sense of the appearance of him underneath it all just added to the feeling.
Unfortunately Xie Lian took off from him and Hua Cheng realized the situation he was in – wet, naked and on the ground, under another man, in the middle of the house.
"What? What happened?" If Xie Lian perceived the thirst trap that he was or the complete situation, he didn't seem to take any advantage.
"The..." Hua Cheng was still bewildered "The water, I was taking a shower and the water was... very very cold all of a sudden."
"Ah! Aaah!" Xie Lian sat down and put his hands on his face, shocked "My god San Lang! I did it! I had to move a lever that's out there and our... It's been so long that no one has used that bathroom, and especially use it for showering and at the same time I do things out there" he gets up and reaches out, and Hua Cheng pretends not to notice that from the arm to the base of his abdomen is muscular "and I had totally forgotten about it! Because of the mechanism, for some reason, the electricity from the shower up here stops working and the natural water is very cold!"
"Its okay," Hua Cheng grabs the towel that almost exposes him completely with one hand and with the other holding Xie Lian's. It does not escape him that the other man also looks at him from top to bottom quickly and seems to blush. Hm, interesting, "Seriously, I just got scared and didn't see you on the way when i got out of the shower."
With both standing, a slightly embarrassing silence settles. Hua Cheng's hair dripping on the floor he had cleaned. Xie Lian now with part of the jumpsuit and chest wet. Neither knew where to actually look just a few sneaky looks, until Xie Lian cuts the moment, in an absolutely unnatural way, a little too high:
"Oh, right, I brought lunch, since yesterday didn't work out too well"
"Oh, okay, I'll.. change. I had already finished bathing so…ill come down and we have lunch?"
"Yeah."
"Ok"
Xie Lian took one last look and turned, descending the stairs quickly.
-
Thank God, when Hua Cheng came down, properly dry and dressed, Xie Lian was also more decent, having put on a shirt and possibly washed his face.
"I realized on the way, when I was coming back and I was going to to buy lunch that I didn't have your number San Lang" Xie Lian said, putting things on the table "but since it was bad it was to come here, come back there and then come again, I decided to opt for something more basic, so I hope you like chicken."
"I like it gege, no problem"
They sat down and started eating in silence, just the noise of things outside and the cutlery touching the plates and sneaky glances over the plates.
"Pfff" Hua Cheng heard coming from Xie Lian, between one bite and another.
"Gege?" He asked, already beginning to smile at seeing the other covering his face, trying and obviously failing to control a laugh "What is it?"
Xie Lian did not want to answer, just shaking his head vehemently, the hair that was now in a bun loosening a little and still trying to hold the smile that tried to escape in small "pffs" and "prrr", but had already dropped the cutlery and put his hand on his face. Hua Cheng also laughed, although not even knowing at whatt, infected by Xie Lian.
"Tell me, what is it?" Hua Cheng asked and Xie Lian laughed.
"It's just that hahahahaha that time when we puff" he gestured, joining the palms "hahaha we hit and fell was so ahahahahahaha such a movie scene ahahhahahaha"
Despite the shame of reminiscing about the moment when Hua Cheng looked at Xie Lian's face laughing so much he had to admit: it was so much of a movie scene, so ridiculous that it had been and was rather hilarious.
"It was, wasn't it? Ahahaha" Hua Cheng began to laugh also at the situation. And the more they laughed together the less they could control themselves and quickly the lunch and the shame of the whole thing was forgotten.
After almost ten minutes laughing they managed to return to eating calmly, although interrupted with small random giggles, but now lighter, returning to talk as the night before. Even after lunch, similar to the night before, they collected the plates, now together, and continued talking while washing the few dishes they had used.
"Ah, San Lang, I realized one thing, after our encounter."
"Say gege,what did you notice?"
'Did you clean the house?' Xie Lian looked a little incredulous and suspicious, but smiling "I noticed some things... different."
"Oh, I cleaned yes, I hope it's okay, I didn't want to stand still and I like to clean up" Hua Cheng replied, awkwardly, suddenly feeling like an intruder for having done things without asking first.
"No, no, no, Its okay. I just thought it was curious." Xie Lian hastened to reassure the other "Besides, thank you. I clean the house but never have the courage for a mega cleaning and I know that being a farm sometimes it gets... dusty, to say the least. I liked that. It was unexpected, but I liked it." Hua Cheng felt a little proud of this, almost no one knew this side of him and then almost no one commented, and when his friends went to the apartment often thought it was someone hired who left the environments so clean, and he just did not correct.
They continued to talk even after the dishes were washed and stored, moving from the kitchen to the living room and once again Hua Cheng felt the comfort he had felt before, in the presence of Xie Lian. It was so nice to talk to him, to be with him, so much so that Hua Cheng didn't even remember the little mess that had brought him to this situation, the fancy car forgotten on the road for now in favor of simply being here, in the middle of nowhere talking to this very good person.
In addition, Hua Cheng had noticed from the beginning that Xie Lian was very charming in a very ... simple way. Long hair, often semi-trapped, made you want to touch, the delicate face with clear eyes made you want to look for hours. And the way he behaved, talking to you as if you were the best and greatest thing of room, with a sincerity that Hua Cheng didn't feel in a long, long time.
And as noted earlier, the body beneath the worn clothes was not to be ignored.
So, it was easy to be enchanted by Xie Lian.
"Oh, I wanted to show you more of the farm, I was due yesterday" Xie Lian said, at one point while resting on the couch talking "But the weather gets really hot and gets bad to walk, because the farm is big ... How about we go later? Besides we just ate so you might want to get some rest"
"I'm fine, but if gege says it's too hot for us to go we stay here at home anyway."
"It's kind of hot yes, let's stay here today, enjoy that I can stay here with you" Xie Lian said, blushing lightly to realize how he sounded "you know. So I don't want to leave you alone. My. Host and stuff."
Hua Cheng saw a chance at that awkward look.
"So let's enjoy the afternoon" he replied, smiling knowing full well how much charm he was putting on the smile "what are your plans?"
-
Despite all the air of seduction placed in that little dialogue the day was extremely calm.
Not that it was bland. Far from it. Xie Lian had been quick to recall that he had kept in a closet some old games and movies, including a game of mimic that missed a few pieces , which had yielded some terrible interpretations on the part of the two since for nothing they did not hit the answers – not gege, of course that does not mean car!! How would I know??? How could you not know San Lang??!!! It's totally clear! –the frustrations generating a tremendous relaxed and joyful afternoon.
Hua Cheng even discovered that he loved the sound of Xie Lian's laughter. Whatever.
In the late afternoon Xie Lian took him to see the farm, as he had promised, when the weather cooled down. The farm was really huge and beautiful. Xie Lian explained: the farm was his family's a few generations ago but he knew it as his main home throughout his life, and since then he had had fun putting his feet on that soil and bush, helping to take care of the animals and, after his parents left he naturally decided to stay here and take care of the property. Never even considered anything else.
He didn't work alone, no, the farm was too big, and during the week he had some other people who worked with him, people he considered almost family too, but who lived in the city and spent the weekend there, so San Lang had met him alone.
He loved all animals, and loved waking up to start the day taking care of them, as much as many people his age (he was older than Hua Cheng for 2 years, was 31) preferred to stay asleep, he was probably different in that.
Every year he went to the city to spend the school semester there, which he also loved and his best friend, the one who had convinced him to install wifi on the farm, he had known her, but really loved was to return here.
He loved seeing the sunset they were seeing now. No matter how many times he had seen it, he still thought it was wonderful. And it was absolutely wonderful indeed. The light against the trees on the horizon and the weather was that nice way, different from the city. A delicate breeze swung loose strands of hair on their faces and the orange glow of the sun made everything kind of beautiful.
The light in Xie Lian's delicate profile and happy smile as they sat in Ryoue's old and suffering body (Hua Cheng had learned that the big thing had a name) watching the sky change color was kind of perfect. Hua Cheng regretted not bringing the camera on this short trip around the farm.
When they returned – the stars were already beginning to appear in the sky and God did it had stars – Hua Cheng offered to cook.
“Ugh! My food is so bad that San Lang felt obliged to cook!" Xie Lian said, exasperated.
"No gege!! Okay, I admit, it's a little... weak in seasoning. But it's not bad. And I never said I was going to cook alone." Xie Lian looked confused, but Hua Cheng saw his eyes light up when he then said "We're going to cook together, I'll teach you how to make pizza, how about? It doesn't take much to make a really cool pizza."
The kitchen was a disaster, but when it was ready the pizza had actually become very tasty.
"SunLuunf!!" Xie Lian tried to talk with his mouth full, chewing until swallowing, with happy eyes and hand holding a piece of pizza "Its so good!? I can't believe I helped do this?!"
"It doesn't have much secret to make some recipes gege,I'm glad you liked it"
"I haven't had a pizza in months! Just like when I go to visit Qing Xuan in the city, but wooow!" He got up to get another piece to put on his own plate "My Goood! Thank you so much San Laaaang!" Midway through he stopped and hugged Hua Cheng from behind, over his shoulders and planted a slightly grease-soaked kiss on Hua Cheng's cheek.
Hua Cheng felt his chest get warm inside and his face to get hot on the outside.
"It's nothing gege, I'm happy to cook with you
Suddenly, a distant noise from possibly a goat undid the spell. Xie Lian looked away, taking his hand off and returned to where he was before, looking slightly breathless.
Hua Cheng knew the feeling.
-
After the pizza, since it was still relatively early decided to take one of the old movies that Xie Lian had to watch. The earliest moment, as well as the semi-naked disaster of the morning, had partly forgotten, and now they returned to naturalness, talking normally, but Hua Cheng still couldn't look directly at Xie Lian if they weren't actively talking, so he focused her gaze only on the film.
Only after almost an hour – and if he asked him he didn't even know the details of the film, the half-stunned head of the previous moment – did he risk a look.
Xie Lian slept, breathing softly, with his legs bent underneath him, his hair loose falling down his face, his head resting on his hand on the couch arm. For a second Hua Cheng only observed it and thought about those few minutes (perhaps even less) during dinner.
Something had happened and it was impossible for it to be just on his side. Not with the way Xie Lian had tweaked his hair, not with the way he had looked at it so intensely. Not with the way he had kept the look at Hua Cheng. Not with the way Hua Cheng had seen his stare move, slightly, and wander around other parts of his face, his neck.
He got up very slowly, and approached. Passed his hand through Xie Lian's face, taking away the hair that was coming out of place, as delicate as he had been earlier. Hua Cheng wasn't sure what this pleasant heat was mixed with the apprehension he felt when he really looked at Xie Lian was. He didn't know how a person could have such an effect in such a short time.
All I knew was that he didn't care about the car on the road anymore, or the service he lost today, or the anger he'd gone through for having come to work so far from home. He didn't care much if he could be here with him.
I was going to wake him up so he could go to his room, but he decided to take advantage of the moment. He climbed up, as quietly as possible, to the room where he was staying and searched the few suitcases until he got the camera he had for the party. He quickly set the lens and went down. He looked at Xie Lian, crouched down and placed the camera in front of his eye, focusing, through the lens, on the other man's delicate face. The eyelashes, not too long, but full, the nose straight, delicate and perfect, the mouth.
Hua Cheng had never seen such a handsome man, and he worked with photography every day.
After a few photos – he would not abuse it – Hua Cheng woke Xie Lian with a soft hand on his shoulder, and soon after both went to bed. Xie Lian probably slept as soon as he lay down, but Hua Cheng kept looking at the photos for a while before turning off the light.
-
On Monday Hua Cheng woke up at 8am with the alarm clock. He went downstairs and again found the coffee put on the table and the house empty, but this time while going outside he found Xie Lian at home, working in the front, stirring in the stables.
"Good morning gege!" He spoke, to get attention.
"Ah! San Lang, you're up early!" Xie Lian turned around, wiping his hands in worn pants and already half dirty. Funny that just a few days ago he looked at this kind of clothes and thought badly of them, but now it was exactly part of Xie Lian's charm "Have you had coffee? I left it on the table."
"Already yes, it was great" Hua Cheng went down the ladders from the raised balcony, approaching Xie Lian "Today is busier?"
"Oh, actually, yes, but the guys came, because it's already Monday. I work around here, around home for the day, even to get closer, in case you needed me..."
"Hmm, gege thank you very much, but don't worry about me. Work normally. I’ll be there so I don't get in the way. Or I could…’ No. That would be weird, right?
"Um?" Xie Lian was encouraged by curiosity.
"At first I had thought of helping, but then I stopped to think that I'll probably get in the way more than properly help. But I may not get in the way while... shooting... photos..." Hua Cheng's courage was slightly gone as he finished the proposal. Xie Lian seemed confused for an instant, even leaning his head and frowning lightly.
"... Pictures... yours.. working..."
Xie Lian blushed strongly, more than Hua Cheng had seen all weekend. "San Lang! I couldn't do it! No!!" He put his hands on his face, smiling but extremely awkwardly "I shouldn't be a good model! and! and! I get all dirty and sweaty... Aah!”
"Not just you!" It was just him, but Hua Cheng wouldn't give himself up that much . “The other guys... A day's work" Xie Lian seemed to have been more relaxed "Besides, there's not much to do here without you..." Hua Cheng put her hands on Xie Lian's wrists, who still held his hands on his blushed face, pulling lightly for him to let go and smiling to reassure him and getting happy watching him start smiling back "I want to follow along and photograph gege. Stay close to him."
Xie Lian now smiled awkwardly and Hua Cheng held his wrists fondly. He decided to take a slightly braver attitude and took the other man's hands and kissed them, gently.
"San Lang! Don't do it!" Xie Lian protest but without forces and without pulling his hands back "They are dirty!"
"Ahahaha its done gege" and just to emphasize he gave another quick kiss "and I do not regret, you know?"
Xie Lian looked at him for a second, getting a little closer. He took a deep breath and seemed to make a decision too. He pulled his hands back, but without letting go of Hua Cheng's and kissed, very gently and returning to blush. Hua Cheng's breathing stopped for a second.
"Okay. You can come with me and take pictures."
-
Hua Cheng accompanied Xie Lian all day, photographing. He accompanied and talked and photographed while he worked, while feeding animals, and legitimately photographed only the farm as well. His work was with people in general, but it did not mean that he could not appreciate the beauty of Xie Lian's farm.
Xie Lian, contrary to what he himself thought, was an excellent model, even when he was too conscious, even when he posed – it was the most beautiful thing when he made the peace sign smiling directly at the lens – even dirty from the road, even sweaty, even with his hair escaping from the barely-tidy bun at the top of his head. It was so satisfying to photograph him that not even the half-rude comments of Xie Lian's colleagues they found on the farm angered Hua Cheng.
And yet, it seemed that the camera did not capture even half the beauty or charm that Hua Cheng observed in Xie Lian.
At one point in the afternoon, Xie Lian was crouching, concentrating on something on a little goat while Hua Cheng took a picture, seen relatively from above. At that point, though enchanted to the bottom of his soul by Xie Lian, Hua Cheng had also entered his work mode a little and therefore had been distracted by the pictures itself. After finding the most suitable angle, he looked through the camera lens after his model.
His breath got stuck in his throat for a second longer than it should because by the time he looked, Xie Lian seemed to stare directly through the lens, more than just "looking" at the camera in the photo, Xie Lian seemed to intensely stare at Hua Cheng, with a satisfied smile and something else on his face. A look that left Hua Cheng slightly off track.
In the late afternoon they were both in town, buying ingredients to prepare something for dinner together, on the way spent talking, so entertained that they did not even look for Hua Cheng's car on the road, did not remember.
The city was simple, no metropolis, but developed enough to have a large supermarket, where the two walked through the aisles, looking for specific things and other needs of the day to day.
Hua Cheng took the opportunity to teach Xie Lian to buy some spices that he did not produce himself on the farm, talking about how to use, how to store and what to put, mentioning some recipes. He also commented on cleaning products, talking about some that were running out and some products to make things smell nicer – not that the house smelled bad, he hurried to say and Xie Lian laughed out loud, but most of the time it smelled nothing in specific outside wood and earth. Xie Lian corrected him, saying "you can say it smells like San Lang animals, that's the truth!
The return was equally quiet, the back of the car full of shopping and the sky darkening as landscape, in addition to the cold weather of roadside.
This time they noticed the car. Very fast due to speed, but still there, stopped even same place where it had been left on Saturday.
"Oh, have you been contacted about you car San Lang?" Xie Lian's voice seemed different, as forcibly natural, slightly uncomfortable. For some reason Hua Cheng also did not feel the same tranquility as a few minutes ago, and he hesitated to respond.
"Um, not really. They didn't return."
"Oh." Xie Lian said, and Hua Cheng heard him let go of a breath. "But they said probably Tuesday right?"
"Yes"
"That's tomorrow."
"It's gege, yes."
"Hm..." He kept quiet for a while, already entering the road leading to the farm "I hope it will be solved without problems."
Hua Cheng did not respond, but also did not fail to notice the discomfort of Xie Lian when talking, nor the heavy air in the car.
It was only with more than half of the dinner made – a parmeggiana, that apparently for the extreme happiness of Hua Cheng, Xie Lian had never experienced – that things returned to normal, the car forgotten again.
Hua Cheng's attraction towards Xie Lian was undeniable and expected. The more he watched him, the more he was enchanted with beauty, charm and elegance, even among farm animals and with mud on his pants. He had had flashes of what he had seen on Saturday morning all day today, every time he caught Xie Lian wiping sweat with the t-shirt and every time he caught himself desiring.
What was not expected was the feeling. How could a person he had known for so little time bring such a quiet and warm feeling into him? How could this man make his breath so messed up with a simple glance, as if Hua Cheng were some kind of romance character? How could that feeling of wanting to be with him, to know more about him, so intense?
But as much his as attraction, rational motive or not, it was undeniable.
And it was here, as he sat at a wooden table, in a farmhouse, almost in the middle of nowhere, watching Xie Lian take dirty dishes off the table and ask "do you want to help me wash?" that Hua Cheng had a revelation.
I was - at least most likely - in love.
The conclusion didn't even shock him for long, mainly because there was no way not to fall in love with Xie Lian,so why deny it? It didn't make sense and at that moment, that night, in that kitchen, with Xie Lian right there, he didn't want to stress with details. Then he just smiled, and got up to help.
There was only one problem.
The conclusion had no shock, but had weight.
Hua Cheng had never stopped to think how close to a person gets to helping to do dishes. How many times arms can almost touch each other, how many times hands pass each other. And now, with that weight it was as if everything, every touch of these, every look exchanged, was almost too much.
The whole thing reached the limit when they both turned around without paying much attention, bumping into each other hard enough for Xie Lian to lose his balance, causing Hua Cheng to grab him in a reflex, gluing him to himself.
Close. Close. Close. All of Xie Lian was close. Glued actually. But he didn't move. He didn't walk away, he didn't take his hands that held Hua Cheng's biceps. And he didn't look away, staring at him too close. Then Hua Cheng also kept staring, holding him in place. For a second. Two at the most.
Hard to tell who moved first. And honestly, it didn't matter.
What really mattered was that one mouth was in the other, for a millisecond hesitant and soon after bordering desperate.
Xie Lian kissed him almost too hard and Hua Cheng was in love. He pulled his shirt closer, passed his hands by arms, hair, neck and every touch left Hua Cheng wanting more. More kisses more hands closer.
More. More.
Hua Cheng wasn't even sure how but they had moved away from the sink and the few dishes that were still there, now abandoned and had come close to the table, and he didn't hesitate to pull Xie Lian and put him sitting at the table, and the sound that came out of him only convinced him to go further, and even more so when Xie Lian crossed his legs behind him, pulling him even closer and even more, when in that movement, he felt, there, trapped in the jeans of the man in front of him, who grabbed his hair pulling lightly while offering the neck, that as much as Hua Cheng wanted Xie Lian, he wanted him back.
Hua Cheng smiled against Xie Lian's neck and dropped her hands in front of his pants, fiddling with the buttons, but when he was about to open the zipper Xie Lian touched his hand, stopping him and pulling his face back so he could look at him directly.
Eyes, usually so clear and gentle, now dark with desire, the rosy mouth of the previous activity and with panting breath, Xie Lian grabbed Hua Cheng by the neck, lightly, when he said:
"No. Not here. In the bedroom."
It wouldn't be Hua Cheng who would disagree.
-
Hua Cheng woke up with Xie Lian's warmth against his skin and his taste still in his mouth.
The light entered very gently through the window they had left open, so it was probably still early, and Hua Cheng thought the night before.
Hua Cheng hadn't really thought about what it would be like with Xie Lian. He really didnt. But whatever expectations he might have had, they were exceeded. The night had been wonderful, the way Xie Lian had fit in with his own body, the greed with which he held on to Hua Cheng as if it were the only thing that held him whole.
As he spoke "please" and "San Lang" as if it were the only words he knew.
And later as he had kissed and bit Hua Cheng's neck while possibly leaving hand marks on his hips. As he had made those same words come out of Hua Cheng's mouth as he grabbed the sheets so tightly that the pain in his fingers would bother him if it wasn't so good.
Xie Lian woke up while Hua Cheng cuddled him. He turned around, stretching.
"Goooood morning, San Lang."
"Good morning gege, alright with you?"
"Yes. Everything's great. What about you?"
"Very good, thank you." Hua Cheng came closer, kissing Xie Lian's face "Yesterday..."
"It was very, very good."
With the heat of the other close to him and the cool breeze coming in, a comfortable silence set. Nothing needed to be said out loud, nothing needed to be said now, so they just breathed, side by side, Hua Cheng playing with Xie Lian's hand drowsy and distractedly, while Xie Lian just relaxed beside him, releasing the sometimes sounds of soft pleasure and satisfaction.
As he moved Xie Lian's hands he saw a scar on his forearm. I had seen it before but had decided not to ask and ended up forgetting the subject. He looked a little further and didn't realize Xie Lian had opened his eyes and was watching him.
"You can ask." He said quietly, "You can touch too." Hua Cheng looked at him with care, suspicious, but Xie Lian looked at him quietly. "It's actually not what you might be thinking."
"I haven't tried anything dangerous, if that's what you're thinking. OK. That's a lie. But I didn't hurt myself." Xie Lian continued, while putting his fingers on the scar delicately "Several years ago, when I was still in school, I was quite young actually, I must have been about 12 years old, I was coming back home down the sidewalk when I saw a boy in the middle of the street. He was distracted and didn't see the car coming. I screamed and all, but the boy didn't move, I don't think he heard. Then I went in there and did something crazy. I ran and pushed him. The car didn't hit me hard, but I broke down a bit. One of the fractures was on the arm, it was the only exposed one, so it left the scar. I was told later that the boy was fine, good, he only hurt himself lightly, in his left eye, like you."
The night before Hua Cheng had taken off the eye patch and showed the ugly scar that ran through his face and that had taken away his sight in his left eye, leaving only marked skin and an eyelid that covered nothing and Xie Lian had touched with affection, kissed gently and expressed no aversion or worse, morbid interest. Hua Cheng had not realized how much he cared about that reaction until she had it so positively, so full of simple acceptance.
But now, with his face completely showing and listening to Xie Lian's story he felt surprised when Xie Lian touched the scar again at the end of the story.
What was the probability?
"What's up?" Xie Lian pulled his hand away and the smile broke a little " Shouldn't I have touched? You're still without it and yesterday I touched it... Or was it the story? People sometimes call me "savior" and things like that but I don't think it was a big deal."
"I think it was me, gege."
"What?" Xie Lian stood up, leaning on his elbows.
"Was it In XianLe?"
"Yes!"
"Then it was me! You saved me!" Hua Cheng exclaimed "That's how I lost my eye. A student that they never told me the name pushed me in the middle of the street and ended up saving me from an accident."
Xie Lian stared at him, first confused, and slowly his face changed to complete surprise. How could such a coincidence? So many years ago, that same person...
"And you saved me again!" Hua Cheng attacked Xie Lian, kissing and hugging him, drawing laughter with which Hua Cheng realized he could get drunk.
-
It was in the middle of the morning, after another quick round of what had happened the night before and a breakfast mixed with hugs, warmth, affection and kisses with a strong coffee flavor, while Hua Cheng packed the kitchen and already thought about the broom he was going to use, with Xie Lian already preparing outside to begin the tasks of the day – even though, acoording to himself, hed rather stay here with San Lang – that Hua Cheng received a call.
"Good morning, is that Mr. Hua Cheng?" A male voice came out of the phone.
"Yes, who's this?" Hua Cheng had not recognized the number, it was not a saved one.
"This is Celeste Mechanics. You called us on Saturday about the car. A car on the road, right?"
"Oh. Yes. My car. I did."
"Okay, do you still need help?"
In Hua Cheng's mind some things passed in a single instant. Rationally he knew he did, that he had to fix the car. And soon. Couldn't leave him abandoned like that on the road, besides... But when he looked out the window, watching Xie Lian stretch out distractedly, against the perfect landscape he felt a bad grip on his chest.
"I... Yes, I do. I don't know what the exact point of the road is, maybe about 10 km from the entrance to the PuQi farm." Then he proceeded, answering the attendant's questions, explaining the surroundings as he remembered, the car, and setting a vague time to meet in Hua Cheng's car.
Wich was about an hour from the now.
He went down the ladders that led to the outside of the house while taking a deep breath. When he reached Xie Lian, who smiled at him with a new meaning, his chest tightened a little more.
Once again, rationally, he knew he shouldn't bother that much. It was just a weekend. Just one. And yet.
Xie Lian's smile subsided and became concern as he took the other's hand, squeezing.
"What's up?"
"They called me from the mechanics, they can see my car today."
"Ah! Oh.” Xie Lian exclaimed and then withered a little "How nice..."
For a moment nothing was said and Hua Cheng just looked at the other man's face, uncertain. He knew that the chest squeeze he himself felt was also in Xie Lian, he saw, now even clearer, on his face, the discomfort and apprehension of the meaning of it.
"And when do they come?" Xie Lian asked, shortly, a while.
"In an hour."
Xie Lian closed his eyes hard for a second and Hua Cheng saw him take a deep breath. When it opened, I wouldn't look it directly into the eye.
"Then we'd better get ready to go out, right?"
-
The trip, the conversation with the mechanic, and the news that it would actually be a very quick repair, that it should be ready in the late afternoon and that they would deliver to the farm was a well of discomfort so great that Hua Cheng felt his shoulders sore from tension. Xie Lian had not talked much since then, only responding when necessary, and as soon as they arrived at the farm again Xie Lian left for work, even after lunch they had brought back, not giving room for much talk.
Hua Cheng only saw him again in the late afternoon, arriving shortly after they came to bring his own car, and when he mentioned that he was going to make dinner he received only one "unhum, I'll take a bath".
It was painful to think what the repaired car meant and it was terrible to see the size of the impact it had brought in them both. That same morning they had woken up in quiet happiness after a perfect night spent. Now that bad feeling permeated the air of the whole house.
They had dinner in silence.
Xie Lian got up first and took out the dishes, ready to wash the dirty dishes and Hua Cheng reached a limit.
He rose slowly, walked the short distance between them and leaned his forehead on Xie Lian's shoulder, placing his hands on his waist with hesitation. He felt his breath tremble as his his own trembled. Xie Lian's wet hand appeared on the back of his head, bringing chills.
A single deep breath.
And the next moment Xie Lians mouth was in his.
The night before, almost in that same scenario, the kiss had begun shy, and the night had evolved into something intense and wonderful. The second time, that morning, everything in the act had been slow and relaxed, amazing in its tranquility.
But this time Hua Cheng felt the taste of despair. Of unspoken words and feelings. It had strength, it was almost aching the intensity at which Xie Lian leaned on him, the way he pulled him out as if he were going to break up and disappear at any moment.
But Hua Cheng did the same.
It was like air that was missing, for both of them.
The night before, there were exchanged jokes, words spoken with the weight of desire and satisfaction and hapiness, but now they climbed the stairs in a hurry but in silence, and in the act only sounds of pleasure were heard.
To all the happiness it brought, this time he also brought weight. The weight of why this mattered so much, why he mattered so much, why it seemed that the simple idea of separation already hurt so much even when 3 days before they were strangers?
The weight of the possibility of this being the last time.
-
In the dark of the room, Xie Lian was lying on Hua Cheng's chest. All day long he had had a lot of time to think, his mind taking a thousand turns, logics that didn't make him happy with the solution. But an idea, kind of crazy, kept turning its head.
"I don't want to leave." He whispered.
"I don't want you to leave." Xie Lian whispered back.
"I have to go."
"I know."
A heavy silence. And then.
"Maybe..." Hua Cheng started and Xie Lian raised his face to the look "Maybe we could do it...? I know I live far away... maybe it will get a little complicated sometimes... But I want to... try."
Hua Cheng's heart was beating so hard that he was out of air, but he couldn't not propose. I had to suggest.
"I can... come here, stay the beginning of the week, I usually only work out of the house in the city on weekends..." He continued, nervous "And who knows... you can take a few days off sometimes, visit me, it's no farm overlooking the sunset but it's a really nice apartment... If it's not too much of a bother... And if you want to try, with me."
"I want to." Xie Lian said, his smile so wide that his eyes almost closed and Hua Cheng's chest felt like it would burst "I want to try. I can ask... relocate the staff, when you need... I really want that, San Lang."
-
The next morning Xie Lian leaned against the door with a cup of coffee in his hands while Hua Cheng put hissuitcase in the car. After all put and in place he approached and Xie Lian smiled as he arrived, stretching his hand to rest on Hua Cheng's face as he hugged him by the waist.
"See you next week?"
"See you next week."
Hua Cheng saw the reflection of his beloved getting smaller and smaller until it became just a dot, and then until the house was gone in the distance, but he had neither pain, nor fear or apprehension. He didn't have to.
He knew it would work.