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It's a full day before the tiny white dragon wakes up at all, and then only long enough for Shen Wei to make him eat a few bites and nuzzle at Shen Wei before falling right back asleep. Because of course, Shen Wei had insisted on cooking, again.
Zhao Yunlan has informed both of their workplaces that they have a family emergency and can't go to work today. Da Qing was a bit grumpy that he still had to go to work, but he didn't even complain out loud, probably out of consideration for the tired-looking Shen Wei who'd gotten up to make breakfast and left his didi to sleep with Da Qing and Zhao Yunlan.
Now, Shen Wei sighs softly, his fingers trembling slightly as he brushes them down his didi's back. And then he looks like he's about to get up, and Zhao Yunlan quickly settles his hand against Shen Wei's shoulder.
"I'll take care of the dishes," he says firmly. Shen Wei blinks and looks like he might want to protest. "I can manage. You stay with your didi," Zhao Yunlan tells him and then brushes a kiss against his cheek.
Shen Wei pulls in a sharp breath. He looks at Zhao Yunlan with wet eyes and then nods. "Thank you, Zhao Yunlan," he says in a quiet, hoarse voice.
Later, Zhao Yunlan is lying down on the couch, with two tiny dragons on his chest. This time Shen Wei is awake though, purring quietly as Zhao Yunlan strokes his fingers along Shen Wei's back.
"Does he have a name?" Zhao Yunlan asks suddenly. He's realised that the tiny white dragon probably isn't going to be awake long enough to make introductions anytime soon.
Shen Wei's head is resting against his didi, and he lifts it slightly to look down at the white dragon. The answer is slow in coming, but eventually, Shen Wei says, "Ye Zun. His name is Ye Zun."
For a moment Shen Wei sounds sad, and if Zhao Yunlan had any notion to say anything about the name he abandons it immediately.
They're both quiet for a while. Zhao Yunlan keeps stroking Shen Wei and after a time, the quiet purr starts up again, Shen Wei's head settling back to rest against Ye Zun.
Eventually, the purring stutters to a stop and Shen Wei says, "I can't take him with me to the university." His voice is quiet, but it's still easy to hear how upset Shen Wei is about it.
Zhao Yunlan moves his fingers to brush against Shen Wei's cheek. "Why not?"
Shen Wei lifts his head and gives Zhao Yunlan a sharp look, and then subsides a little when Zhao Yunlan just lifts an eyebrow quietly. "I can't keep him hidden all the time. He needs food if he wakes up and he might—" Shen Wei hesitates for a moment. "I don't think didi likes other people around me."
Zhao Yunlan can feel his eyebrows shooting up at that. There's a wealth of things Shen Wei isn't saying there, but the implication seems to be that Ye Zun's reaction might actually be something to worry about.
"And me?" he asks quietly. Both of them are lying on top of Zhao Yunlan at the moment, after all. But, Shen Wei doesn't seem particularly worried. He supposes that might be because it doesn't seem like Ye Zun is about to wake up anytime soon.
"Didi… doesn't mind you, Zhao Yunlan," Shen Wei says slowly, which really isn't the most glowing endorsement, but Zhao Yunlan supposes he'll take it.
"Well, he can stay with me then. When you can't be with him, I mean. It's not like anyone at the SID will bat an eye. Well, not any more than usual," Zhao Yunlan says reasonably.
Shen Wei lets out a small surprised noise and then moves so quickly that Zhao Yunlan has hardly realised it before he has a tiny dragon wrapped tightly around his wrist, his head rubbing affectionately against the back of Zhao Yunlan's hand. It's like Shen Wei is actually surprised that Zhao Yunlan would want to help him take care of his brother.
It really does end up with Zhao Yunlan taking the tiny white dragon with him. He starts dressing in hoodies so he can keep Ye Zun safely inside the front pocket since he's asleep almost all of the time and it's the easiest way of keeping him with Zhao Yunlan.
Shen Wei had definitely tried explaining the situation to Ye Zun, when he was awake for a few minutes, but Zhao Yunlan isn't sure how much of it might actually have gotten through. But at least Ye Zun doesn't try to bite Zhao Yunlan or anything when he wakes up at the SID, with only Zhao Yunlan as company and Shen Wei nowhere in sight.
He does hiss at Zhao Yunlan though, the first few times. And Zhao Yunlan explains the situation in a few quick sentences and then manages to feed Ye Zun a few bites of the food Shen Wei had made for him. It turns out that Ye Zun is hungry, and he almost does bite Zhao Yunlan's fingers when he tries to feed him, but he still falls back asleep before he can eat all that much.
Basically, for the next week at least, that's all that Ye Zun does; sleeps, and whenever he wakes up for a few seconds they feed him tiny bits of food. It's adorable, really. Even if there's a constant worry lodged inside Zhao Yunlan. He's pretty sure it'll be there until the day when Ye Zun is feeling well enough to actually stay awake.
Even Da Qing gets in on the feeding Ye Zun action, which really is saying something since the cat isn't known for wanting to share food. Ye Zun never even hisses at Da Qing, which Zhao Yunlan finds a bit unfair. It is quite sweet, the way Da Qing tries to gently encourage Ye Zun to stay awake for just a bit longer, so he can eat more. And then when Ye Zun can't keep his eyes open anymore Da Qing will curl up around him and purr quietly.
Of course, with all of this going on, the team has questions. Zhao Yunlan can't really avoid them forever, but he dodges most of the questions anyway, because it's really not his story to tell. And Zhao Yunlan might still be unsure of exactly what secrets they're keeping from everyone. With everything going on he hasn't really had an opportunity to have that discussion with Shen Wei.
But really with Shen Wei portaling in for lunch every day, they pretty much give up the game right there. Or, well they do, when it's Professor Shen actually joining them for lunch, with the tiny white dragon cradled in his lap. It's really hard not to connect the right dots at that point.
It still takes three days before Guo Changcheng drops the piece of meat he was trying to eat and stares at Shen Wei and stammers, "Hei-heipaoshi." Chu Shuzhi slings an arm around his shoulders and pulls him close and says something to him in a low voice and somehow the kid manages not to faint.
Zhao Yunlan is almost disappointed.
Shen Wei smiles gently, and a tiny bit sheepishly, and quietly pets the sleeping Ye Zun.
When the team finally gang up on Zhao Yunlan to pin him down for questions—which is right after Shen Wei leaves, because, of course, they stayed perfectly well behaved around Shen Wei—Zhao Yunlan carefully strokes the sleeping white dragon and tells them they're going to wake up Ye Zun if they keep on like that.
Of course, that's when Ye Zun decides to wake up and say, "I can sleep with Da Qing." It's the first thing Zhao Yunlan has heard him say.
He mumbles something about betrayal, but he's ridiculously careful when he hands over the tiny dragon to a rather smug-looking Da Qing, who slinks away to Zhao Yunlan's office, leaving him alone with all the questions.
Well, at least he's pretty sure there's no more secrets he needs to be mindful of.
Zhao Yunlan sighs dramatically as he looks at the team, while hiding the relieved grin that keeps trying to make its way to his face. Maybe now he can stop worrying about Ye Zun quite so much.
"So, what do you want to know?"