Chapter Text
Shang Qinghua is sick of busting his ass off for minimum wage. He wants to be lazy and hide in the back of the stockroom but his boss keeps giving him the stink eye. It makes him very nervous and so he does his work dutifully. Shang Qinghua goes through the robotic motions, swiping each product's barcode mindlessly. He is only several hours into his shift and he is already tired from standing on his feet and contemplating quitting (he won't). Another figure approaches the counter and places the items down. "Are you a member?" Shang Qinghua asks in his usual customer service voice.
"Yes."
When Shang Qinghua looks up, his jaw drops. The most attractive man that he has ever laid eyes on stands in front of him. Long dark hair, sleek black winter clothing, and a face handcrafted by the gods themselves. The man hands him a member card between long fingers.
Shang Qinghua squeaks, "Would you like to use your points?"
"No."
His voice is sexy!
Shang Qinghua glances briefly at the embellished name on the card as he swipes it. Mobei Jun. Even his name is sexy. He mourns the fact that he might be a one-time customer, and his eyes will never get to be blessed again.
Shang Qinghua returns the card to him. "How would you like to pay?" he asks nervously.
Mobei Jun wordlessly holds a black card between his index and middle fingers to the card reader. Shang Qinghua bags the items with flushed cheeks.
"Thank you, come again." Please come again! Mobei Jun does not reply and just walks away.
A few days later, several hours into another extremely boring shift, Shang Qinghua spots a very tall, very handsome Mobei Jun enter the store. He brings his hands together under the counter and does a little mental prayer. Thank you god for making him a regular here! Today, Mobei Jun's hair is tied back in a low ponytail and he's forgone his coat, honouring Shang Qinghua with the exquisite view of his buttoned shirt that stretches slightly too tight against his chest.
"Hi... again."
Mobei Jun nods cordially.
Shang Qinghua's heart drops. Crap, does he not remember him? Now he sounds like a creep!
"No points," Mobei Jun interrupts Shang Qinghua's impending mental breakdown, handing him his member card.
Shang Qinghua silently rings him up. He thinks the embarrassment might actually drown him in his spot. Fuck, he might quit his job, move to another city, officially change his name and never step out in public again.
"Thank you," Mobei Jun says. Then his eyes flit down to his name tag. "Shang Qinghua."
Shang Qinghua gulps at the way Mobei Jun says his name in his low, emotionless voice. "I work night shifts," Shang Qinghua suddenly blurts out, before immediately clamping his hands over his mouth. Fuck, why did he say that? He's a fool with absolutely no self-control!
The side of Mobei Jun's lips quirk up unnoticeably. "Noted." He takes his bag of items from Shang Qinghua. Their fingertips make contact for a millisecond. Shang Qinghua is a goner.
The next day, Shang Qinghua thanks the lord that it is his day off because he cannot go one minute without recalling the absolute embarrassment he had subject himself to in front of his most attractive customer. Unfortunately, he has no choice but to return to the dreaded place on the following day. Shang Qinghua cannot even look at his counter without feeling mortified. His brain will never let him live this down, he will be remembering this moment until he is old and on his death bed.
In the evening, when Shang Qinghua notices Mobei Jun entering the store again, he wants to run from the counter. He contemplates telling his manager he has got explosive diarrhoea, anything to allow him to leave the store. But Mobei Jun quickly makes eye contact with him and starts to walk towards him. Shang Qinghua's heart feels like it is going to beat out of his chest.
"Hi," Shang Qinghua greets weakly.
Mobei Jun places his things down on the counter. "You said you work night shifts," he says.
Shang Qinghua's eyes widen in surprise. Then he nods slowly. "I do."
A slight crease forms between Mobei Jun's brows. "I came yesterday and you weren't here."
Shang Qinghua's jaw drops. Mobei Jun had actually remembered what he said, and had looked for him when he was not there. "It was my day off," he explains.
Mobei Jun merely grunts in response.
Shang Qinghua stammers, "Why did you come again if you already bought yesterday?"
"I didn't."
"What?"
Mobei Jun holds out his member card. "No points."
Shang Qinghua bites at his bottom lip and scans the items silently. Mobei Jun had come yesterday but did not buy anything? That does not make any sense at all. But he shrugs it off and hands Mobei Jun his bag.
"Have a good day, Shang Qinghua," Mobei Jun says. His dark eyes seem to bore into Shang Qinghua.
All Shang Qinghua can manage is an awkward "thanks". Mobei Jun is so dashingly handsome that it makes him feel a bit dizzy. Too bad he is just a customer.