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Xie Lian’s hand was slowly stirring the pot on the stove, trying to truly focus so that nothing would burn. It shouldn’t. This was an easy recipe and Xie Lian knew he could do it if he simply focused. He was so hungry too, having worked a full day at the pet store, and was looking forward to a warm meal.
His phone to the side of the stove vibrated with a notification, and Xie Lian glanced away from the pot to see who it was, frowning as he saw it was a message from an unknown number. He continued to stirr, but reached over to unlock his phone to read.
Unknown number
Good evening
Xie Lian frowned down at the message. He had no idea who it could be who would be messaging him, and from a number he didn’t have either. He exited the app to open the search bar, and pasted the number, which apparently belonged to a Pei Ming. Xie Lian frowned. He didn’t know anyone by that name. As he searched, a couple of more messages came in, and Xie Lian moved back over to the messaging app to read them.
Unknown number
You might be wondering who I am and why I’m messaging you.
I’m Pei Ming, and your mother gave me your number.
She goes to my gym. A very nice woman.
She showed me photos of you, and you’re very pretty, and she kept complaining about how lonely you were. A true shame for such a lovely face. And, such a coincidence! I’m lonely tonight too!
Would you like to come over?
This is me by the way
[img.]
Xie Lian let out a long suffering breath. Why did his mother have to continue to do this? It was so embarrassing, and frustrating! Xie Lian was an adult! He didn’t need his mother meddling in his love life. It has only been increasing recently as well. In recent years she’d been pushing Xie Lian more and more to date, to the point of her setting him up on blind dates and giving his number to strangers. She wanted him to get married she said… she really did not understand that most men she gave Xie Lian’s number too acted like this. They were not interested in marriage. They were interested in a booty call.
Xie Lian sighed and looked down at his phone. He should probably block Pei Ming. Nothing good could come out of answering. Xie Lian could almost hear Shi Qingxuan talking about curating his own online experience but… it wasn’t Pei Ming’s fault that Xie Lian’s mother was trying to set him up with everyone and everything.
Xie Lian swallowed, and then typed out a reply. By the time he was done - he had assured Pei Ming he was not interested in coming over, apologised for his mothers behaviour and wished Pei Ming luck in finding someone else to spend the night with - the food was thoroughly burned.
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“A-Lian!” his mother called out loudly through the shop, and Xie Lian felt himself flush. She was always like this, even now when he was an adult. Xie Lian shook his head. Perhaps it was because he was an only child, which made her see him as her baby still. He tried to push embarrassment from the text conversation from the evening before into the pit of his stomach as he stood, but only half succeeded. He brushed off his knees, and then headed towards the front of the pet store, where Shi Qingxuan was manning the register.
Xie Lian could hear how his friend and coworker had already struck up a conversation with Xie Lian’s mother, surely plotting something. They usually did. Xie Lian wasn’t sure what it was with them which made them so devious together, especially when it came to him, but they simply seemed to have a knack for it. At least Xie Lian had Shi Qingxuan on his side when it came to the whole dating thing. Shi Qingxuan might think Xie Lian should go on more dates too, but Shi Qingxuan was solely opposed to the ‘fuckboys’, as he put it, that Xie Lian’s mother kept setting him up with.
“Hello mother,” Xie Lian said once he reached them, and his mother turned to him and smiled widely, pausing her story about her knitting group who did absolutely no knitting when meeting.
“A-Lian!” she said again, softer this time. Her gaze dipped down to his apron, and she frowned. “Are you not done yet? Didn’t you say you’d get off at four?”
“Is it already four?” Xie Lian asked, leaning over the counter to peer at the clock. It was, quarter passed even. “Oh.” He had gotten distracted cleaning the bunny cages, and then he’d started unpacking the chewing toys right away.
“Yes, so go hang up your apron and come with your mother,” she said, wagging her finger at him. “Do not keep me waiting.”
Xie Lian hurried to the back, shrugging off his apron, and taking one last look over at the hamsters, before he headed back to the register. Xie Lian bid Shi Qingxuan goodbye, and then his mother took his arm, guiding him out of the store, chatting about this and that. Xie Lian answered dutifully, listening to her speak about what she had been up to the last couple of days.
“So, did someone interesting contact you lately?” she asked, her voice trilling the way it always did when she was asking one thing, but wanted to know another. Xie Lian felt the uneasiness in the pit of his stomach turn over.
“Mother, please stop handing out my number to every man you find charming,” Xie Lian sighed. His mother looked over, blinking owlishly as if she had no idea why he would say such a thing. As if Xie Lian hadn’t said the exact same thing several times before. Not that it had helped in the past. He doubted it would help now.
“Oh, was Pei Ming not to your taste? He’s very charming every time he helps me out at the gym!” she protested, and Xie Lian held back a groan. He was sure Pei Ming was charming. He had done his best to charm Xie Lian last night through texts. That wasn’t the point.
“Mother, I know you want me to find someone,” he said, as he felt his mother start to steer them towards the flower shop. A known skipping of his heart forced him to take a calming breath. “But that’s not the way to find someone long term.”
“How do you know, you never meet with the perfectly good gentlemen I send your way,” his mother pointed out, and Xie Lian closed his eyes for a moment, as he reached for the flower shop door. The familiar sound of the doorbell made something flutter in Xie Lian’s stomach. The sweet scent of flowers, and the slightly damp climate of the flower shop washed over him. Xie Lian fought the impulse to look over towards the counter.
“He sent me a photo of his dick, mother,” Xie Lian said frankly, because he was so tired of this. Xie Lian’s mother sputtered, and Xie Lian felt a little embarrassed about having said it, and to his mother of all people, but he needed her to understand. “I do not think that says marriage material.”
“Xie Lian!” his mother sputtered, and Xie Lian felt his cheeks flush deep red, as his hand slipped from his mother’s arm. “Well… I never,” she continued in a mutter, shaking her head. Xie Lian did as well, feeling a smile tug at the corners of his lips even as his cheeks stayed very red.
“Gege!” a familiar voice called, and Xie Lian turned, feeling his lips spread into a genuine smile, unable to hold himself back. Hua Cheng stood behind the counter, looking over at him with an amused expression. “Did this San Lang overhear that Gege gets inappropriate images sent to him?” he asked with a smirk, looking terribly shameless. Xie Lian felt his blush increase tenfold, words stuttering.
“San Lang!” Xie Lian exclaimed, sounding too much like his mother, and Hua Cheng laughed, his eyes gleaming. “Do you not know it is rude to eavesdrop.” He was mostly chiding on principle. Xie Lian was the one who had said it so loudly! What had he been thinking?
“This one is sorry Gege,” Hua Cheng said, not looking sorry at all. “Can this San Lang make it up to you somehow?” His smile turned sharp. “Give me the address of the one who troubled you, this San Lang will make sure he never does it again.”
“San Lang,” Xie Lian said, much softer now. His cheeks were still very warm. “I am alright. It wasn’t- I know how to block people if I need to.” Xie Lian met his gaze, and Hua Cheng hummed, looking away.
“I’m glad,” Hua Cheng said with a nod, gathering up a couple of stray leaves on the counter. “If Gege ever has any trouble however, he can ask me and I’ll take care of it.”
“San Lang is far too generous,” Xie Lian said with a shake of his head. Hua Cheng raised an eyebrow.
“Not at all,” he said dismissively, waving his hand to further his point. “Does Gege want the usual?” he asked, and Xie Lian shook his head. Xie Lian had been coming to the flower shop, which was in the same area as the pet shop, for a year now. He had come to buy a bouquet for Shi Qingxuan as a gift, and had since then had trouble staying away.
It was terribly silly. Xie Lian really did enjoy the flowers he stepped in here to buy every week, a bouquet arrangement the shop owner made from his own inspiration. Truth be told though, Xie Lian mostly came back because of the owner himself, rather than the flowers. Hua Cheng was very handsome, and kind, sharp and with a little bit of wickedness in him. Xie Lian had been dazed by his handsome features the first time, and probably stared a little too intently. Hua Cheng was probably used to it however, because he didn’t seem to mind.
Xie Lian had come back, and Hua Cheng had been so sweet to him. He really was so… Xie Lian had a crush. A terrible crush which would amount to nothing.
“No, the camelias I picked up the other day are still very lovely,” Xie Lian assured, thinking back to the arrangement Hua Cheng had made him, which still stood in Xie Lian’s tiny kitchen. “San Lang has such a way with colours and patterns.”
“Gege spoils this one with compliments,” Hua Cheng said, leaning forward a little, over the counter. Xie Lian felt his heart rate pick up a little.
“Not at all,” Xie Lian said and shook his head. “Talent should be praised.”
“To what does this San Lang owe this pleasure then, if Gege is not here for flowers?” Hua Cheng asked, looking very amused. Xie Lian suddenly flushed again. How silly he must have sounded, coming to a flower shop with no intention of buying flowers!
“Ah, I’m here with my mother,” Xie Lian explained, turning to motion to his mother, who was looking over a display of potted plants. “She wanted to come in here. She didn’t say what she was looking for however.”
“M-mother?” Hua Cheng said, and Xie Lian turned back to him, frowning. He had never heard Hua Cheng stutter before.
“Yes,” Xie Lian agreed, feeling his smile turn a little strained. “I’m sorry about the… language as we stepped in. She’s been… trying to set me up with men she thinks will be good fits for me but she thinks that every one out there has good intentions, when really it mostly results in me getting unwanted nudity and booty calls.” Xie Lian cleared his throat, looking away to the side. He wasn’t sure why he was telling Hua Cheng this, it was terribly embarrassing.
“And that’s not what Gege wants?” Hua Cheng asked softly, and Xie Lian kept his gaze down, shaking his head.
“No, I don’t see the point of it really,” he admitted with a shrug. “If I- ah, if I were to have an intimate connection with someone, I want it to be meaningful.” His heart was pounding, his cheeks flushed. He felt terribly silly but Hua Cheng had asked and he wanted to answer sincerely. “I’m sounding terribly old fashioned, don’t I?” he let out an embarrassed laugh, and didn’t dare look up and meet Hua Cheng’s gaze.
“I understand fully Gege,” Hua Cheng said calmly, and Xie Lian did dare glance up at him then, meeting his calm dark eye. “This San Lang is the same way.” He was leaning his elbows against the counter, chin propped up on his hand.
“Oh,” Xie Lian said, feeling a little breathless. Really, this crush was getting out of hand. “Alright.” Xie Lian couldn’t help but ask…perhaps it would help him calm his treacherous heart. “I don’t think I have ever asked but… does San Lang have someone special in his life?”
“Mn,” Hua Cheng said with a nod, and Xie Lian felt his heart sink. Of course. How could someone so wonderful, beautiful and intelligent, be single? “I have someone who is very special to me but… I have not yet earned their heart.”
“Really?” Xie Lian asked, shocked. “Ah but San Lang is so handsome and talented. Surely he will win them over soon.” Xie Lian couldn’t believe it. He really couldn’t.
The bridge of Hua Cheng’s nose colored. How cute! “This San Lang hopes so too, Gege,” he said softly, and Xie Lian sighed. What a lucky person, to have gained Hua Cheng’s attention and affection. Xie Lian didn’t know if he should hope for them to realise it soon, so Hua Cheng would be happy, or hope against it for his own sake. It felt terribly, horribly selfish.
“A-Lian,” Xie Lian’s mother called, and Xie Lian was snapped from staring into Hua Cheng’s dark gaze to the present, and how he was there with his mother . Truly, the crush was out of hand. “Do you know this man?” she asked, stepping up beside him next to the counter. She was holding a potted plant in her hands as she looked between them, and Xie Lian let out an embarrassed laugh. Surely she had seen Xie Lian staring. He’d hear of this once they left for sure.
“Yes, mother this is Hua Cheng, he’s the owner of the flower shop,” Xie Lian introduced. “San Lang, this is my mother.”
“Nice to meet you,” Hua Cheng said, having straightened. He gave a little bow. How cute.
“You as well,” Xie Lian’s mother said with a soft smile. “I would like to purchase this please.”
“Of course,” Hua Cheng said, his smile a little strained compared to how it usually looked. “Would you like it wrapped?”
“Yes,” Xie Lian’s mother said with a patient smile. “This is a nice shop. How long have you had it?”
“Four years now,” Hua Cheng said, as he typed in the amount. He looked tense. Xie Lian wondered why. He looked over at his mother, and saw her looking intently towards Hua Cheng. Ah, he had probably noticed the staring. Maybe he even thought Xie Lian’s mother was going to start trying to fix them up and was uncomfortable by it.
“And is it going well?” she asked as she placed her card on the display. “Are you successful?”
“I do alright,” Hua Cheng said, and Xie Lian frowned. He was looking so uncomfortable. Xie Lian couldn’t stand it. His mother was a menace and needed to be stopped.
“Mother,” he tried, but she looked over at him with a sharp gaze.
“I am allowed to ask questions A-Lian,” she said sweetly, even if Xie Lian knew there was more sharpness in her tone than anyone who didn’t know her would know. “Do you do it alone, or is it co-owned? Do you have staff? A partner who works here as well?”
“I have two college students who come in and work extra when needed,” Hua Cheng said, wrapping the flower carefully in the signature red paper of the flower shop. Xie Lian had always liked the name of it, Crimson Rain Sought Flower. Shi Qingxuan thought it was morbid, but Xie Lian found it poetic.
“So, no partner then?” Xie Lian’s mother pressed, proving Xie Lian’s suspicions right.
“Mother,” Xie Lian tried again. He couldn’t believe her. They had just spoken about this! Hua Cheng only laughed, airy and a little off. Xie Lian’s frown deepened. He didn’t like the sound of that. He felt terribly embarrassed. Surely Hua Cheng thought that Xie Lian’s mother would try to give him Xie Lian’s number now, and he was trying to avoid it.
“No, I have no partner, business or otherwise,” Hua Cheng said calmly, smiling as he handed over the wrapped flower. “Half shade, water every four days. More often if placed somewhere warm.”
“Thank you,” Xie Lian’s mother said with another knowing smile, taking the flower before handing it over to Xie Lian. “You’ll carry this or me, will you A-Lian?”
“Of course,” Xie Lian agreed, taking the offered flower and putting it on his hip. Behind them, the bell over the door chimed, and a new customer stepped in. “Thank you San Lang. Have a nice evening.”
“You two as well,” Hua Cheng said with a nod, looking over at Xie Lian’s mother once more, bowing. “It was nice to meet you.”
“Likewise, Hua Cheng,” she said, and then took Xie Lian’s arm and steered him towards the door. Just as they stepped out, Xie Lian turned, glancing back towards Hua Cheng. He wasn’t looking at them, but Xie Lian’s heart still made a treacherous jump in his chest.
__________________________
Xie Lian spent the following week turning down three men who his mother had given his number too. At this point, he was considering whether simply changing his number and not giving his mother the new one would be the best course of action. Truly! How many men did she encounter!? How could there be so many to give Xie Lian’s number too?
He was thoroughly annoyed by the time the weekend rolled around. He was going to meet his mother at a restaurant for lunch, and he had decided that he needed to have a stern conversation with her about this whole thing during it. She was a sweet person. Surely, if Xie Lian sat down and truly explained, she would understand that she needed to stop. Otherwise Xie Lian would have to take dramatic actions. He wasn’t sure what those would be, but surely Shi Qingxuan could help him figure it out.
The lunch restaurant had just come into view, when his phone rang. Xie Lian slowed as he pulled his phone out, stopping completely as he saw it was his mother.
“Hello,” he answered, peering towards the restaurant. He wasn’t late, and he couldn’t spot her standing there waiting for him.
“A-Lian!” she greeted warmly, but Xie Lian could hear that there was something else going on. His stomach sank. “Are you almost there?”
“Yes,” he agreed, but didn’t continue moving forward. “How about you?”
“No, I got held up by something,” she said, and lied. Xie Lian was sure it was an outright lie.
“Mother,” he said with a deep sigh. He couldn’t believe this.
“Now, don’t worry!” she said, just as cheerily. “There is someone who have come in my place! You just go over to the restaurant and have a nice time with him, and I shall talk to you later.”
“Mother!” Xie Lian snapped but the word was barely out of his mouth before his mother started talking over him.
“I love you darling, have fun!” she said, and then hung up. Xie Lian stood with the phone to his ear for a moment, breathing in and out slowly. He lowered his phone and then pocketed it, but stayed still for a little bit longer still. He couldn’t believe her. This was truly going too far! He considered simply turning on his heel and walking back to his apartment, and possibly not talk to his mother for a week…. However, this person who she had lured out, it wasn’t his fault. Xie Lian had to at least go over there and explain, so he didn’t feel like he had been stood up.
He let out a deep sigh, and then started walking again trying to think of what to say to this man, when all his thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Hua Cheng standing in front of the restaurant.
“San Lang!” Xie Lian greeted, his heart as always, skipping a beat. Hua Cheng turned and looked at him, his pretty lips spreading into a wide smile as they locked eyes.
“Gege!” he greeted, coming to take a step forward towards him. “Did your mother tell you I was coming?”
Xie Lian felt his stomach drop. “Oh,” he breathed, trying to gather his bearings. Hua Cheng was the one his mother had arranged for him to meet? How? “Oh, San Lang was- was it you she had set this up with?”
“Mn,” Hua Cheng said, coming to a stop in front of him. Xie Lian’s heart was pounding, his stomach twisting into knots. How terrible of his mother to manage to convince the one person he would like to date, only for that person to have already given his heart to someone else. Xie Lian had to fix it. He had to set it straight.
“I’m so sorry San Lang, really you don’t have to stay. She shouldn’t have put you in that position and you have someone special already and don’t have to do this. I know she’s very good at convincing people but really San Lang I-”
“Gege,” Hua Cheng said softly, and reached out for Xie Lian’s hand. His touch was cold, but Xie Lian instantly felt warmer. “This San Lang really wants to be here.” Hua Cheng’s smile was a little shy, the bridge of his nose colored.
“What?” Xie Lian asked, stumped. “But…but San Lang had someone special to him?”
“Mn, he does,” Hua Cheng agreed, his fingers slipping into Xie Lian’s. “This San Lang got very jealous, hearing of other men sending such lewd photos to Gege.” He smirked, his eye dark.
“Wha-” Xie Lian started, and then felt it all slot into place, his reality shifting. “San Lang I’m- you mean I’m your special person?” he asked, barely daring to believe it. Hua Cheng squeezed his hand, once.
“I hope Gege doesn’t find it disturbing?” he asked, and Xie Lian almost wanted to laugh because surely it had to be the other way around!
“No, no San Lang I… You’re so good, the best,” he rambled, and really Xie Lian needed to get a hold of himself! What was he going on about! “What could you possibly see in this one?” he asked instead, because it was the question burning on his tongue.
“Gege is San Lang’s favourite person,” Hua Cheng said, and Xie Lian’s heart paused in his chest.
“Oh,” he answered, suddenly very overwhelmed. Him, Hua Cheng’s favourite person. What a lovely sentiment.
“So, would Gege mind if this San Lang took him out on a date?” he asked, squeezing Xie Lian’s hand again. Xie Lian suddenly had the urge to kiss him, but that could wait, until after. He didn’t want to seem too eager. He squeezed Hua Cheng’s hand back however.
“This one would be honoured,” he agreed, and Hua Cheng grinned, leading him into the restaurant. Xie Lian pressed himself close to Hua Cheng’s side, willing this not to be a dream.
Perhaps he wouldn’t cut contact with his mother after all.