Chapter Text
To call yourself a true Liutian, you would know about the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour consultant. Sharp mysterious eyes, defined jawline, the three piece suit that fit his broad back like a glove, Zhongli was the exact definition of tall, dark and handsome. Since working for Wangsheng, the company has garnered more traction thanks to Hutao’s marketing skills.
“Put Zhongli on the forefront!” She said during a meeting one day with the other employees. “The customers would come in through our doors like the flood of ‘95!” Rubbing her palms together as she giggled, puffing her chest, proud at her successful idea.
That was five years ago. The 77th director proved correct when customers came in to seek for ideal burial plots for family members–as offensive as it was understandable–as well as trendy casket designs and other funeral related consultations have skyrocketed since hiring Zhongli, but the man had always been a mystery.
Coming in to work at 9am and promptly leaving at 6 in the evening left no room to make deeper connections with his customers. Even the most prevalent offering of expensive dinners and lavish tours of Liyue could not catch his interest.
The gentleman’s soothing baritone voice spoke gently, his refined mannerisms, the reassurance to customers that their bodies would be in his care left little to imagination–especially when Zhongli would bring out the measuring tape when customers pre ordered coffins. The tape held in his tight grasp, gloved hands ghost over their bodies had blood rushing south.
Liutians could only hope and pray to the archon listening that a lucky woman could catch his interest.
“Zhongli xiansheng?” One customer recognised the funeral consultant outside of the primary school in the centre of the Harbour. Only seeing Zhongli at the parlour during his working hours felt unreal to see him here.
It felt even more unreal when the woman looked down to see a clone of Zhongli by his side, but in child form. The small boy was grasping onto Zhongli’s pants leg, hiding behind it as the two adults conversed.
“Ah, Chen.” He puts a hand over his chest as he bows slightly in respect. “It’s good to see you in good health. Has your mother been doing well?”
Distracted, Chen gave her reply. “She’s doing better these days…” Unable to tear her eyes away from the child.
The kid looked exactly like Zhongli, with short dark brown hair covering the faint layer of auburn underneath, wide gold eyes looking up at her akin to Zhongli. It was a complete copy of the older man, making it easier to imagine what having children with the gentleman was like.
“Who’s this cute little boy with you?” Placing her hand on her knees, she bends to card her fingers through the boy’s hair. “Is this your nephew?”
“Nephew?” The man’s expression had a hint of confusion, slow on the uptake of her implication before gold eyes lit up in realisation. “Oh, I see. You have not been introduced. This is my son, Zihao.”
‘Son?!’ The smile maintained on her face hid her shock. “I guess he doesn’t resemble his mother, seeing how he’s just as handsome as his father.”
Upon the thought of his wife, fondness creeps into his smile, faint on the edges of his lips as gold eyes deepened. His mind has wandered far from here. “Zihao and I may share similar appearances, but everything underneath is his mother.”
Which solidifies the one question on her mind.
Zhongli, the most eligible bachelor in Liyue, has a wife.
Shortly after their interaction, the gossip of Liyue’s most eligible bachelor having a wife and son circulated throughout the Harbour, reaching the ends of Qingce Village.
It seems all these years the handsome funeral consultant had been married, which brings about the question: who was this mysterious woman who caught his heart?
___
Zihao stares up at the doorknob of the closed wooden door. They had eaten breakfast together before Zhongli left for work this morning. He watched his father fuss over little things around the house before leaving, making sure to leave one portion of fish and a small plate of steamed vegetables securely wrapped in plastic for the figure sleeping soundly in the room beyond this door.
Mother had managed to drag himself home at six in the morning, tuckered out from travelling for two weeks before falling asleep on the couch in the living room. Father had taken the body into his arms and carried him into this room. Zihao did not know much about what his mother does for a living, but he does know it brought in a lot of money which resulted in their comfortable lifestyle.
He preferred to stay away from this room, the scales of his adeptus skin ran too cold for his liking when he came near. With some struggle he manages to open the door, pushing open a small gap for him to look inside. A shiver runs up his spine when he feels the drastic temperature drop.
Opposite of Zhongli and Zihao, creatures of the sky preferred resting in warmth, being accustomed to the feeling of the sun on their skin. He supposes his mother was a creature of the deep, seeing his affinity to cold temperatures.
Despite being in the dark room, navigating the floor in pitch darkness was easy with the help of his adeptus gifts. There was a bed in the centre where a sleeping figure lay still, nestled underneath the duvet. As he approaches, he gets a better view of the peaceful sleeping face, Zihao takes his time to revel in the details.
Long lashes brush against his cheek as eyes are shut in deep slumber, mouth slightly agape as he slept defensively curled into a ball tightly tucked away. Ginger hair splayed against the white pillow went in all directions, as an arm lay underneath his pillow lifting his head as his chest rose slowly with each inhale.
“Mommy?” Zihao feels the guilt creeping onto him for disturbing mother’s rest. Without a word, an arm moved to lift the thick white duvet just wide enough for the five year old to climb under.
Zihao accepts the invitation and ducks into the covers, shifting close enough to share body heat. As he snuggles into the warmth, he feels the arm tuck the duvet tight around him, holding the child close to his body before burying his face into the child’s soft hair.
“Mommy, I need to speak to you.” Zihao snuggles into the nook of his mother’s neck, happy to be warm and coddled.
“Yes, baby?” Comes out in a quiet mumble, muffled against the pillow.
“Father forgot to take me to school.”
Snapping up from the bed like an unwinded spring, Childe's eyes are shut tight, heavy from sleep, thin brows furrowed together with frustration. Stretching his arms over his head, a pleased hum leaves his throat when he hears a joint pop before finally turning to Zihao.
Childe gives the small adeptus a reassuring pat on his head. “It’s okay, pumpkin, let’s get you to school.”
___
Thanks to his mother’s efficiency, it took them a quarter of the usual time to reach the school from their home at the base of Mount Tianheng. Whenever father would take him to school, Zihao would find himself pulling on his father’s coat, heels digging into the pathway in an attempt to tug his father along.
Tinted sunglasses perched on the bridge of Childe’s nose hid his tired expression, their fingers intertwined when they were walking together. There were other parents in the vicinity along with their crying children refusing to leave.
Unfazed by the noise, Childe squats in front of Zihao to give the boy a hug. “Have a wonderful day at school. Do you want me to come get you after?”
Childe speaks gently, above a whisper, both of them hyper aware of the heated stares on his back watching their exchange.
But Zihao only focuses on his mother, patting Childe on the shoulder in an attempt to reassure his mother. “It’s okay, father’s office is nearby.”
Zihao pulls away from him to walk to class. His son was cute when he was pretending to be mature, one of those subtle traits Zhongli says that Zihao inherited from Childe.
“I have never seen you around here before,” Looking to his right, a shorter woman stands beside him with her hands behind her back, long silky black hair up to her waist and large brown eyes peer up at him. “Are you Zihao’s caretaker?”
“I suppose I am.” Childe replies. Bold of them to assume he was a caretaker when his sunglasses alone costed the equivalent of a small house. Taking a look around, the atmosphere tensed. Sharp eyes and even sharper ears of young adults are carefully listening to their conversations.
“I see!” The relief was evident in her voice. “My name is Huang, my younger brother is classmates with Zihao.”
“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Huang. I hope your brother continues to be friends with Zihao.” Childe’s smile is charming as it was disarming, it brings a faint blush to Huang’s cheeks. Zihao is a lucky boy to be surrounded by good looking adults as he grows up.
In dramatic remorse, Huang supposes as Zihao’s caretaker, this man should know about Zhongli’s current love life.
“Forgive me for being direct, but would you happen to know if Mister Zhongli is seeing anyone? A friend of mine is interested in him, but she's unsure about her chances with such a man.” She cups her cheek and sighs.
Childe raises a thin brow at Huang’s unbelievable lie. It is obvious that she is the ‘friend’ in her make believe story.
Giving a shallow laugh, “Sorry to hear about that, but after spending many years with Zhongli, it’s easy to see why your friend failed her endeavours. Zhongli has a specific type that he’s attracted to.” Leaning down towards her, his breath ghosts the shell of her ear. “Would you like to know?”
The girl nods enthusiastically as curiosity eats at her when Childe pulls away, clutching her hands together near her heart with some hope.
“He likes tall, smart, rich, ” Cockiness evident on his face, eyes narrowing with mirth, enjoying every second as the look of horror dawns on her face.
“Ginger haired, blue eyed beauties whose good looks and strength match his own.” Pushing up his shades to rest in his auburn hair, Childe reveals his own striking blue eyes, the ocean behind him pales in comparison.
Too stunned to speak, Huang and several eavesdroppers have their mouths agape. The world zeroes in on itself.
“But I’d like to extend my thanks to your ‘friend’ for keeping my husband company.” He finishes with a wink, turning on his heel with the intention to exit but stopped by the sudden appearance of another.
“Ajax, what are you doing here?” The deep rich sound of Zhongli’s voice snaps everyone out of their trance. The man of everyone’s wet dreams and the centre of affections arrived. “Are you feeling alright, to be up and about?”
“I’m fine. I sent Zihao to school because someone ,” Childe taps his index finger onto the sturdy chest. “Left the house by himself today.”
Zhongli chuckles at his wife’s playful banter. “I suppose it slipped my mind after seeing you come home this morning. My mind had other occupants .” His tone drops an octave, and if it wasn’t obvious enough, his gaze drops to Childe’s lips in emphasis.
He pulls Zhongli down by his tie, their lips an inch apart and whispers low as to not let others hear. The action is possessive, driven by jealousy as the onlookers seared the image of the married couple into their memory. By this time tomorrow, even the hidden corners of Stone Gate would know of their love.
“If you’re not too preoccupied yourself, my lips are very lonely,” Childe pouts at him, fingers threading through the brown hair twirl a long strand between his fingers, looking up at Zhongli through his lashes.
“I apologise for not noticing sooner. I do not want my love to suffer from neglect.” Leaning in slow, capturing his wife by the waist, he presses a tender kiss onto inviting pink lips. Childe smiles into their kiss, feeling the joy radiate like a buzzing feeling from every tip of his fingers that clutch tightly to the sturdy body.
“Be sure to pick up our baby after school. I’ll be waiting for you both at home.” Childe laughs as he attempts to pull away from Zhongli’s grasp, finding it hilarious how Zhongli’s fingers tighten. Ignoring all the staring gazes in favour of solely focusing on each other.
In the five years he had been travelling to and fro from Snezhnaya for long periods at a time, Childe had never doubted Zhongli’s love. After all, he knows Zhongli’s eyes are only for him, when those eyes turn to heated molten, revere him with such deep affection etched into every corner of his heart.
“Of course, Ajax.”