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“Stall a little. You’re too early.” Lu Guang’s stern voice echoes in Cheng Xiaoshi’s mind.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Cheng Xiaoshi huffs in a voice that only Lu Guang can hear. Despite the clear disregard and even annoyance he feels inside, outside he’s as composed as ever, with a bright smile on his face.
Or, rather, her face.
The client this time is Meiling, a rising model with allegedly unmatched beauty and endless possibilities in her career. She contacted their studio because she suspects her boyfriend is cheating on her. More specifically, what she wants is a way to confirm her suspicions. Which means, Cheng Xiaoshi is to find a way to get hold of the boyfriend’s phone and look for clues there.
It’s not the first time they have a mission like this. Cheng Xiaoshi lost count of how many similar requests they received over the years. Most of them came from young people such as Meiling, still full of doubts and insecurities over themselves and their relationship. The suspicions were proved correct a number of times, but there are also a lot of times they weren’t.
Cheng Xiaoshi wonders which one it’ll be this time. He just hopes they won’t have to deal with another weeping client in the middle of the studio, regardless of the outcome.
“You can go now,” Lu Guang informs him.
Cheng Xiaoshi bites back a relieved sigh as he gives one last smile to the flashing cameras before making his way into the hotel. This event took place three days before. If Cheng Xiaoshi remembers it correctly, it’s a social gathering to discuss the current trends in fashion and try to secure good patronage. Meiling’s heart is beating fast in her chest, full of anxiety over what this event represents for her career.
Lu Guang guides him swiftly through all the intricacies of networking. Cheng Xiaoshi is just happy to have such a reliable partner. He certainly wouldn’t be able to accomplish half the things he did without Lu Guang on his side.
“Go to the drinks table next. Her boyfriend will find you there.” Lu Guang yawns. They started the dive at 10:30 p.m this time, meaning it must be well past 2 a.m for Lu Guang now.
“You should take a break tomorrow.” Cheng Xiaoshi smiles at another potential patron. He doesn’t walk too fast—he doesn’t want to risk it when standing on such ridiculously high heels—but it’s still fast enough the voices of the people he was talking to a moment ago quickly disappear under the music. “If not a full day, at least take the morning to rest.”
The only answer he receives is a short, uninterested hum. It takes Cheng Xiaoshi all the self-control he has not to pout. Instead, he decides it’s better to just drink down his grievances. And, huh, this funny blue cocktail is actually good. Cheng Xiaoshi may have to look up the recipe later.
“There you are, my love.” A big, warm hand casually lands on Cheng Xiaoshi’s hip. The touch is foreign to his mind and soul, but the body he occupies welcomes it with an open heart.
Increasingly fast heartbeats, heating up cheeks, sweaty hands, a sudden wave of self-consciousness tinted with a bit of anxiety and nervousness—yep, everything checks out. This can only be Meiling’s boyfriend. And, from the looks of it, she’s stupidly, irreversibly smitten with the guy.
Cheng Xiaoshi glances at him over his shoulder. Oh. The guy’s face is kind of a let down. He expected someone prettier, or at least more remarkable given who Meiling is. Maybe his charm isn’t the appearance, but his behavior? Kindness and chivalry are some very redeeming qualities, after all...
“Strange.” Lu Guang’s voice pops up after a while.
Cheng Xiaoshi laughs at something the boyfriend said. He doesn’t really care enough to try to keep up with it. Lu Guang will give him the script either way. In his mind, “What is strange?”
“You didn’t use to be so collected in situations like this, before,” Lu Guang explains. He sounds a little curious, but only a little. “The hosts’ emotions used to affect you a lot more in these times.”
It’s true. Cheng Xiaoshi remembers finding it hard to even think when in front of his clients’ crushes before. Being in front of a loved someone always has that kind of effect on people, he supposed. Even when they know it for a long time.
“I guess... I got used to it, maybe.” Cheng Xiaoshi internally shrugs. Lu Guang doesn’t ask anything anymore. His presence is very real inside Cheng Xiaoshi, though, even when he’s silent.
He supposes he should’ve expected this, too. After all...
No one can ignore the person they like.
***
“So, in summary,” Qiao Ling starts, pinching the bridge of her nose, “Meiling’s boyfriend was not cheating on her with someone else.”
“Correct,” Lu Guang says over his mug of coffee.
“But he only approached her for her status and doesn’t like her? At all?”
“I wouldn’t say he didn’t like her. But it’s true that there’s no romantic interest and that he was using her.” Cheng Xiaoshi’s fingers twitch. He’s itching to grab his phone and get over with his weekly bosses for once, but he knows better than do that with Qiao Ling here while they go over the results of their mission. “I do think she’d benefit from keeping a friendship with him.”
That’s probably easier said than done, though. Cheng Xiaoshi knows far too well how hard it is to forgive and move on after a disappointment such as this.
Qiao Ling sighs. She nods. “I’ll relay the results, then. Do you two want something from the store? I’ll drop them here when I come back.”
“Boba tea,” they answer at the same time. Cheng Xiaoshi’s eyes meet Lu Guang’s. He averts his eyes, chuckling, while Lu Guang just takes another sip of his coffee.
“I swear, you—Ah, nevermind. I’m going.” Qiao Ling stands up from the couch and leaves the studio in her typically light steps.
Cheng Xiaoshi relaxes into the sofa. He catches the glimpse of an outstretched hand. His smile only grows when he leans against Lu Guang. One of Lu Guang’s hands fall on his head, making a gentle caress that makes Cheng Xiaoshi sigh happily. His other hand finds home on Cheng Xiaoshi’s hip.
His hand is big and warm, and his touch familiar and loved. Cheng Xiaoshi’s body and soul welcome it with an open heart.
“So you’re used to it now?” Lu Guang murmurs against Cheng Xiaoshi’s hair.
Cheng Xiaoshi thinks back to when he first noticed that change. It was when they were working on the case of an old lady. She had words she wished to say to her beloved who left to fight in a war. Cheng Xiaoshi remembers thinking that the feelings he felt while in that photo seemed to have transferred to his real body. He had panicked, wondering if he’d ever have his own, separate feelings again.
Then he realized those feelings only affected him when Lu Guang was around. The sound of his voice, the way he looked at Cheng Xiaoshi, his scent, his warmth, his rare, the quiet, rare smile he only showed to Cheng Xiaoshi—they were all the harbingers of chaos, chaos to Cheng Xiaoshi’s heart and soul, chaos to everything he thought he knew.
He panicked a second time.
Thankfully, Lu Guang wasn’t as much of an idiot. He noticed the change, and slow, but surely worked Cheng Xiaoshi to a corner until he found out the truth of it.
The shock he saw on Lu Guang’s face that day, followed by disbelief and so, so much happiness will forever be engraved in Cheng Xiaoshi’s mind. They loved each other. They probably always did, since that first game together, and they always will, no matter how much time passes.
Cheng Xiaoshi smiles. “It’s all your fault.”
“Serves you right.” Lu Guang huffs. Cheng Xiaoshi thinks it almost sounds like a smile. “This way you’ll know how you make me feel.”
“You’re such a simp, Guang Guang,” Cheng Xiaoshi teases through red cheeks.
“Shut up.” Maybe, just maybe, those words would be way more effective if Lu Guang wasn’t looking at him like he hung the moon and the stars. “What is a simp either way?”
Cheng Xiaoshi doesn’t hold back. He kisses Lu Guang and, in his mind, he prays that his silly, adorable boyfriend will never change.