Chapter Text
He should’ve just gone home. That’s what Hua Cheng kept telling himself. It had been a long, frustrating day. He hadn’t been able to get much of anything done. He had deadlines and curators breathing down his neck with nothing to offer them. He should never have accepted the request, but it was the best opportunity he’d been presented with in months. With all this weighing on his mind, Hua Cheng knew it would’ve been better to turn in early, maybe do some more thinking about what the hell he was going to do for his piece. Instead, he was checking his phone for the umpteenth time, making sure he was going to the right bar. He Xuan had told him to meet there, and had insisted that they go out for just one night with a couple of college friends who had somehow still stuck around. Hua Cheng had only given in because he knew He Xuan would never let him hear the end of it if he didn’t show up. And maybe because he really didn’t want to think about that damn piece for a while.
Stepping into the bar, he was immediately hit with the smell of alcohol. Which, Hua Cheng supposed, shouldn’t have really been all that surprising. The atmosphere was actually rather pleasant. Comfortable looking booths to one side of the room, a dart board in the corner over by the pool tables. Wood paneling. So much wood paneling. It reminded him a bit of the comfort of a log cabin, but with a whole lot more people sharing the space. He scanned the room, trying to determine where exactly He Xuan was among all the people. Probably a booth. He’d have to look a little closer.
“Um. Excuse me?” A timid, hesitant voice spoke beside him and it took Hua Cheng a moment to realise they were talking to him.
He turned to see who it was that was seeking his attention and could’ve sworn his heart stuttered. Standing in front of him was what had to be the closest thing to an actual angel he’d ever seen. Long brown hair, pretty golden eyes, long eyelashes and a shy smile. Gods, Hua Cheng had never seen anyone that gorgeous before, that effortlessly beautiful. He’d always thought the concept of love at first sight to be utter drivel, but suddenly he was experiencing exactly that.
“Hi,” The stranger let out a nervous chuckle and it was possibly the most adorable sound he’d ever heard, “I have a big favour to ask and it’s a bit bizarre and you really don’t have to, you can tell me to leave you alone and you’ll never see me again,” He paused, looking around the room for a moment, then back to Hua Cheng, “Unless you’re meeting someone. I don’t want to ruin your evening.”
The thought of never seeing this man again was simply heart breaking. Hua Cheng needed to see him for as long as he possibly could. He glanced over the pretty stranger’s shoulder, eye scanning the room for a moment until his gaze landed on He Xuan staring back at him expectantly. A look that clearly said, ‘get your ass over here already.’
Hua Cheng's gaze lingered there for only a moment before he looked back at the man in front of him and smiled, “Nope. Not meeting anyone, I’m all yours. What can I do for you?”
The way his face lit up was all Hua Cheng needed to know he’d made the right choice. He Xuan could fuck right off, he wasn’t about to give up this chance of a lifetime. The stranger looked around them for a moment, his nerves obvious, “Maybe we should find somewhere to sit so I can explain. There's a booth near the back.”
There was indeed a free booth near the back of the room. They'd have to pass right by He Xuan to get there. Well, if the world was testing his resolve, Hua Cheng was more than happy to snub his friend as many times as it took.
“Of course. Can I get you something to drink?” Hua Cheng rested his hand at the small of his back as he slowly guided him through the room. He caught it out of the corner of his eye when He Xuan shifted his foot into his path as he was passing and gracefully stepped over it. Surreptitiously, he flipped He Xuan off with his free hand as they passed him, distracting the pretty stranger by saying, “You don't strike me as the beer type, but I'm sure they'd have something else you might like.”
Obviously, they did. Surely he wouldn't be there if they didn't have something he liked. Hua Cheng was already making a fool of himself, but he tried his best to play it off. It was a shame when they got to the booth. He had to put a little distance between them. He watched as the man slid into one side, doing the same on the other and smiling fondly as that nervous chuckle came back. How was it possible for one man to be so cute?
“Maybe later,” He pulled his hair from his shoulders and let it flow effortlessly down his back. Hua Cheng was completely entranced by the motion, “I'm Xie Lian, by the way. I probably should've said that sooner.”
Hua Cheng made sure to burn that name into his mind, to ensure he never forgot the name of his soulmate. Okay, maybe that was a stretch, but a guy could dream. He offered a sweet smile, “Hua Cheng. Nice to meet you. If I may, what is it you need help with?”
Xie Lian groaned and ran his hands over his face, “I can't believe I'm doing this.”
Hua Cheng chuckled, “It can't be that bad, can it?”
“So, I'm supposed to be meeting my friends here in half an hour. They want to meet my boyfriend,” Xie Lian’s gaze never left the table as he spoke and Hua Cheng was actually glad. He couldn't see the disappointment that Hua Cheng was trying so hard to mask. Of course he wasn't single. Someone this gorgeous and adorable wasn't just walking around on their own. He couldn't possibly be the only one to see how perfect he was, so it made complete sense that Xie Lian not be si-- “I don't have a boyfriend.”
“Oh,”Hua Cheng did his best not to let the pleasant surprise seep into his voice. Probably best not to let someone think he was celebrating their potential loneliness. Not a good look.
“I said I did because they kept telling me that I needed to find someone, that it's not good to be alone all the time. And I know they mean well, but then Qingxuan was insisting on setting me up with someone and they had so many options available like they were going to get me on some kind of rotation until something stuck, so I just… told them I had a boyfriend,” Xie Lian dropped his head into his arms on the table dramatically and groaned, “What have I done?”
Hua Cheng smirked, “And this is where I come in?”
“It would only be for an hour or two,” Xie Lian looked up at him, desperation in those pretty eyes. He reached across the table and took Hua Cheng's hands in his own, “I'll pay for your drinks. All you have to do is sit there and pretend to be in love with me.”
That, he could do. Just, maybe without the ‘pretend’ tacked onto the front. He doubted there was anyone in the world who could do a better job of that than himself, in fact. But, he also knew that it would take a bit more than simply sitting there and staring lovingly at him. Hua Cheng tilted his head to the side, “You really think that's going to work?”
Xie Lian's face fell and his voice went quiet, “Probably not, but I hate the alternative…”
“I'm not saying no,” Hua Cheng got to his feet and slipped into the booth beside Xie Lian, “But, we need to get our story straight. And set some boundaries.”
Xie Lian looked at him like he'd hung the stars. It was a look he could easily see himself getting addicted to. Making Xie Lian smile seemed to be such a rewarding thing. It was dangerous. If he wasn't careful, he'd find himself following this gorgeous man around like a lost puppy, offering him everything he could find in the hopes of pleasing him. Wow, he really was smitten.
“What did you have in mind?”
“Pet names,” Hua Cheng smirked, “Most couples have them. If you really want to sell how serious we are, maybe we should.”
Xie Lian seemed to be thinking through the suggestion, nodding to himself. He must've at least agreed with the logic, “Okay. What would you like me to call you?”
“San Lang,” Hua Cheng watched him curiously to see his reaction, “You should call me San Lang.”
Xie Lian smiled the moment he heard it, “I like that. Okay, so you're San Lang. What should I be? I've never had a pet name before.”
“Oh, gege. Definitely gege,” Hua Cheng had never been so sure. He knew exactly what he wanted to call this adorable man.
Xie Lian blushed and averted his gaze, “O-Okay. If you think that sounds okay.”
“Only if you like it,” Hua Cheng wanted to reach out, to brush Xie Lian's hair behind his ear. If they were really dating, he would've. But, he wasn't sure what the boundaries were yet, “It wouldn't be very believable if it was something you didn't like.”
“I do,” Xie Lian smiled shyly, “It sounds nice when you say it.”
Oh, his heart wasn't going to be able to take this. Those cute little smiles, those subtle blushes. Gods, how did this man not already have a boyfriend? He supposed that if he really wanted to, he could simply ask him out. That would solve everything. Xie Lian would have the boyfriend he needed without having to lie about anything. But, he seemed to be against the idea of it in general. Hua Cheng wasn't about to ask when he knew the answer would be no. He'd just be the pretend boyfriend he needed, make the most of the closeness that he could get, indulge in a fantasy and mourn the loss when it inevitably came to an end. He was lucky to even have these moments, there was no sense in being greedy.
“May I see your phone for a moment?” Hua Cheng asked.
Xie Lian seemed surprised, but did as he asked, pulling it out of his pocket and unlocking it before pushing it towards Hua Cheng. It was frankly astounding that Xie Lian was so trusting with his phone. Either he was just a very trusting person, or he didn't have anything on it worth taking. It looked a little worn, and like an older model. Hua Cheng flipped it over in his hand for a moment, smiling fondly at all the worn stickers that were barely clinging to the case.
Hua Cheng looked through the apps and tapped his thumb against the camera icon, “What does a dog and a phone have in common?” He glanced over to see the confused expression on Xie Lian’s face, “They both have collar ID.”
Xie Lian snorted, “That's so dumb.”
He liked bad jokes. Perfect. Hua Cheng could certainly work with that. He hummed thoughtfully before leaning in and pointing out the window, “I don't trust those trees. They seem kinda shady.”
Xie Lian giggled and Hua Cheng took his opportunity to snap a picture of them. He was smiling fondly as he watched Xie Lian with such a genuine smile of his own. Perfect. It was a shame Hua Cheng couldn't keep it for himself.
Handing back the phone, he said, “Make that your lock screen. It'll help make it more believable.”
“Oh. You're so smart,” Xie Lian quickly did as he said, smiling fondly as he looked at the picture for a moment before slipping his phone back in his pocket.
“How do you feel about physical affection?” Hua Cheng asked curiously. Now he really wasn't sure what to expect. He didn't want to pressure Xie Lian at all, but there had to be a degree of physical closeness for this to work. He just needed to know what was acceptable.
“What?” Xie Lian squeaked and Hua Cheng had to bite his lip to stop himself smiling, “Wh-What do you mean?”
“Well, if I were to move closer,” Hua Cheng shuffled along the seat until their thighs were pressed together, testing the waters, “Is this okay?”
“That's fine,” Xie Lian was looking back at him with the most tender gaze. Wow. He was really good at this. It was surprising that he hadn't fooled his friends sooner.
Hua Cheng carefully wrapped an arm around Xie Lian’s middle and rested his hand on his waist, “What about this?”
To his surprise, Xie Lian actually shifted his body into him, leaning just a little against his side. He was so close to simply resting on him and Hua Cheng could've lived in that moment forever. What a wonderful feeling. Xie Lian sighed happily, “It's nice. You can hold me like this.”
Hua Cheng nodded thoughtfully, “And this…?”
He reached out with his free hand and brushed it against Xie Lian's resting on the table. He carefully threaded their fingers together and just watched their hands for a moment. They fit well together. Hua Cheng could imagine himself always holding that hand. He could picture himself reaching for it to kiss his knuckles and tell him how beautiful he was. He could imagine reaching for it in moments of desperation, moments when he needed to be grounded. His hand was soft, warm, comforting. Hua Cheng smiled sweetly and brushed his thumb along the back of Xie Lian's hand.
“Your hands are cold,” Xie Lian tilted his head to the side like he'd found such an interesting mystery.
Hua Cheng pursed his lips, gaze dropping to the table, “Yeah, sorry. I guess I run a little cold. Always have.”
“It's just surprising for someone so warm. But, it's okay. I can heat them up,” Xie Lian lifted Hua Cheng's hand to his face. He cupped his free hand to his mouth and huffed some hot air against Hua Cheng's before rubbing it gently. Afterwards, he looked up at Hua Cheng with the brightest smile he had ever seen. Like he was seeking approval, like he was so proud of what he'd just done and desperately wanted to reassure Hua Cheng.
His stomach exploded with butterflies. Such a simple gesture, but it had meant so much. A blush stained his cheeks and he murmured with the utmost sincerity, “Gege is very kind.”
“So is San Lang,” Xie Lian stared down at their hands as he continued to rub Hua Cheng's between his own, “There are some things I'd like to avoid. If that's okay.”
“Name it,” Hua Cheng gently squeezed his hand. If anyone were to look in on them, they would be the very picture of a couple. They didn't really need anything else. He wasn't sure what Xie Lian's boundaries were, but he had no intentions of crossing them. Making him uncomfortable was the furthest thing from his mind.
“Kissing. I… I've never really…” Xie Lian hesitantly looked up at him, a concerned expression on his face, “I want my first kiss to be real. So, if we could avoid that…”
It was both a blessing and an absolute crime that Xie Lian had never been kissed before. How had no one ever tasted those lips? They looked so soft, glossy, and kissable . Hua Cheng had no experience either, but he liked to believe there were very distinct differences between himself and Xie Lian. He was rather plain. That was putting it nicely, really. Hua Cheng knew he wasn't much to look at. The eyepatch didn't help. But, Xie Lian was gorgeous. Hua Cheng had also simply never met anyone he was interested in before. Maybe Xie Lian was the same. Maybe Xie Lian wasn't interested in people like that. Fair enough. In that case, his friends really needed to mind their own business.
“No kisses,” Hua Cheng agreed, “They can't expect you to make out with someone to prove you're serious, anyway.”
“Depends who shows up,” Xie Lian sighed.
“I'll deal with them,” He waved a hand dismissively, “Is anything else off limits?”
“It's not that it's off limits exactly, but you should know that I'm not very good at figuring out when someone's flirting with me. So, if you try, I might not realise,” He was staring at the table, cheeks dusted an adorable shade of red as he spoke, “But, please don't resort to saying… indecent things. I don't think I could cope with that.”
Hua Cheng scrunched up his nose and shook his head, “I would never stoop to something so vulgar. Especially with someone as charming as you.”
“Thank you,” Xie Lian let out a relieved sigh, “What else do we need to cover?”
Hua Cheng smirked, “How did we meet?”
He was so curious to hear what Xie Lian would say. It would say a lot about him to learn the kind of thing he'd find the perfect way to meet his partner. Hua Cheng didn't care. He thought the way they'd just met was pretty nice. Besides, this was his story, he wanted Xie Lian to steer it in the most believable direction.
Xie Lian said nothing at first, lost in thought. It took a while, and Hua Cheng was beginning to think maybe he'd put a little bit too much pressure on him. But, then Xie Lian finally said, “It was raining. Like, a really heavy rain and I forgot my umbrella. I always forget my umbrella,” He chuckled, “I ran to a nearby building for shelter and you were there. You looked so handsome and flawless and I was a complete mess, drenched from head to toe.”
Hua Cheng hung on every word, completely enamoured by the tale Xie Lian was weaving. He could almost picture it. He said he was a mess, but he would've looked so cute, and still somehow so stunning. He just knew it.
“You were such a gentleman. You asked if I had far to go and offered to walk me to the subway, said we could share your umbrella,” Xie Lian looked at him with such a sweet smile, like he was remembering this fond moment, rather than making it up, “So, we talked the whole way there and you were so bold, asking for my phone number. But, I was glad you did because I wanted to see you again, but I would never work up the courage to call. But, you called me the next day, and… here we are,” He tilted his head to the side, “Does that sound okay?”
Hua Cheng smiled. It sounded better than okay. It sounded magical. It sounded like something he'd never be lucky enough to have happen to him. But, he supposed, meeting Xie Lian the way he had was just as magical, just as too good to be true. He traced his finger in circles on his waist, “It was the gallery just up the street from here. I clocked off just in time to catch you.”
Xie Lian's smile only grew, “You work at the art gallery?”
“Not exactly, I just had a meeting there.” Hua Cheng shrugged. It was unimportant, not nearly as interesting as what Xie Lian did, no doubt.
“What do you do?” Xie Lian quickly added, “Only if you want to tell me! I-I should probably know that.”
“I'm a freelance artist. Paintings, sculptures, metal, glass, watercolour. You name it,” Hua Cheng gently squeezed his hand in an attempt to reassure him, “What about you?”
Xie Lian looked absolutely enthralled. He actually seemed rather surprised when Hua Cheng asked what he did. But, they needed to know about each other, “Oh um, nothing really. I run an antique store. I really like discovering old, worn down things and finding people who will love them like they deserve.”
“It suits you,” Hua Cheng smiled fondly, “I'd love to see it.”
“Do you like antiques?”
“I do a lot of traditional art,” Hua Cheng explained, “I think things from the past have a special kind of beauty that we don't see enough of anymore. They can be very inspiring.”
“I'd love to see your art sometime.”
“That would mean you'd have to see me again,” Hua Cheng smirked. Okay, maybe he was flirting a little. Maybe he was hanging onto the possibility that he could see this gorgeous man again, that maybe there was some world where he could return Hua Cheng's affection, a world where he could convince him that he'd take better care of him than anyone else could.
Xie Lian glanced behind them for barely a moment before he was snuggling into Hua Cheng's side, “I want to see San Lang all the time.”
His cold heart seemed to be melting more and more with every second he spent with Xie Lian. Wouldn't it be nice to just spend forever like this? Wouldn't it be wonderful if it wasn't pretend? Just for a moment? Hua Cheng could probably fool himself into believing it was real. Just for a minute or two. He rested his head against Xie Lian's and let himself indulge in a kind of happiness he knew he'd never have.
“A-Lian! You're here early,” Hua Cheng looked up to see four strangers standing in front of them. He hadn't expected quite so many people. The woman at the front of the group was beaming, while the men behind her seemed significantly less interested, “So, this is the mystery boyfriend?”
Hua Cheng thought maybe it would've been polite for him to stand up and introduce himself. He was reluctant to do so. They may have set up this whole situation for him to be in, but he didn't like that they'd put Xie Lian in this position in the first place. Besides, Xie Lian looked very comfortable where he was. It would've been a shame to ruin that.
“You brought so many people,” Xie Lian seemed just as surprised, “Why is Pei Ming here?”
She rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively as she slid into the other side of the booth, quickly followed by the other men, “I didn't invite him.”
“You think I'd miss a chance to see Xie Lian stick his tongue down another guy's throat?”
Xie Lian was playing with Hua Cheng's fingers, seeming even more nervous than he'd expected. Hua Cheng offered a polite smile that didn't reach his eyes, “Sorry to disappoint, but you won't be seeing any of that.”
“You're not going to kiss your own boyfriend?” He raised an eyebrow, “Interesting.”
“So, are you going to introduce us?” Her voice was strained, like she was desperately trying to stop this line of questioning.
“Oh um, San Lang, this is Shi Qingxuan, Mu Qing, Pei Ming, and Feng Xin,” Xie Lian slowly went down the line of people sitting in front of them. It was almost funny to see all four of them squeezed into one side of the booth. He knew why. They needed to be able to interrogate them, which meant they needed to be facing them. Hua Cheng didn't mind. He had all this space to share with Xie Lian, “Everyone, this is…”
“Hua Cheng,” He supplied. Now that he had Xie Lian calling him by the pet name, he wasn't sure he ever wanted to hear him call him anything else.
Feng Xin frowned, “So, he's buying the first round, right?”
Hua Cheng raised an eyebrow, but Mu Qing quickly chimed in, “He wants to talk to Xie Lian without you.”
Feng Xin reached behind Pei Ming to whack his hand against the back of Mu Qing's head, “Shut up.”
“Whatever you want to say, you can say in front of San Lang,” Xie Lian assured.
“I didn't know A-Lian was into bad boys,” Shi Qingxuan smirked as she looked between the pair of them.
Xie Lian blushed and stared down at their hands as he continued to play with Hua Cheng's fingers, “San Lang is lovely. He's one of the nicest people I've ever met. He makes me feel safe.”
It might've seemed like he squeezed Xie Lian’s hand in support, but it was mostly because he was so overwhelmed by such a sweet statement. He felt warm inside just hearing him say it, even if it was all just for show. Though Shi Qingxuan was smiling fondly at the pair of them, the others seemed bored. Except Feng Xin. He was glaring at Hua Cheng. And they both knew it wouldn't stop. Not until he got his way.
“Alright. Drinks are on me,” He could see the concern on Xie Lian's face. He didn't want to be left alone with the questions. But, it did make sense that they had a moment with him. As much as he wanted to stay right by his side. He leaned in and whispered in his ear, “It's okay. I'll be nearby.”
Xie Lian likely used the closeness to add to their little charade, but Hua Cheng's heart still fluttered when he rested their heads together and murmured, “Don't take long.”
It took a lot to get himself to leave after that. He wanted to stay right there, to hold Xie Lian and never let go. If Xie Lian wanted to be near him, then that was how it had to be. He would have whatever he desired as long as Hua Cheng was able to provide it. Unfortunately, his task meant he had no choice but to leave his side.
Once he'd asked for their orders, Hua Cheng slipped out of the booth and headed to the bar to order. But, not before hearing Feng Xin hiss, “He seems like bad news.”
Hua Cheng smirked to himself as he heard Xie Lian protest. It would've been nice to continue listening, but he had walked too far out of earshot. A shame. He'd have to ask Xie Lian later. Would there be a later? He hoped so. He wanted there to be. But, he couldn't be greedy. He couldn't expect more from this. He had to settle for one magical evening ruined by Xie Lian’s unfortunate friends. At least he could leave Xie Lian with the memory of him being a perfect gentleman.
Hua Cheng ordered their drinks and waited. He waited only a few seconds before a familiar voice said, “What the hell are you doing?”
Fuck. He Xuan was still there. Of course, he was.
Hua Cheng turned to face his so-called friend and offered a sickeningly false smile, “Can I help you?”
“Stop acting like you don't know me,” He Xuan went to slam his hand against the bar in his annoyance, but Hua Cheng quickly grabbed him by the wrist to stop him.
“Don't make a scene, idiot,” Hua Cheng tried to stay as friendly looking as he could whilst restraining himself from dragging He Xuan out of there, “You told me I had to come here, you didn't say I had to sit with you.”
“I didn't think I needed to be that specific,” He Xuan glared at him, “Since when do you have so many friends anyway?”
Hua Cheng gritted his teeth. This was going to be a pain. This was going to cause a problem. If he wasn't careful, He Xuan was going to go over there himself just to cause a scene. Just to get under his skin. That was what he did.
“I will explain everything. Later,” Hua Cheng tightened his grip on He Xuan's wrist, “You know you owe me a million favours, so give me this one. Don't fuck this up for me.”
He Xuan pulled away from Hua Cheng's hold and crossed his arms over his chest, “Explain. Now.”
Hua Cheng pursed his lips and called out to the bartender, “You guys do those buffalo wings, right?” He gestured to He Xuan, “However many he orders, charge it to my card tonight.”
He Xuan turned to walk away, calling out behind him, “Thanks, random bar guy.”
Hua Cheng hung his head as he sighed and mourned the loss he would soon feel in his wallet. He Xuan was always easy to bribe, but he knew how much of an appetite he had. Hua Cheng was about to drop a lot of money for the sake of keeping this facade alive. He'd never cared enough about anyone to allow He Xuan free reign on his money. Maybe it really was love.
It took a few trips for Hua Cheng to bring all the drinks to the table, but eventually he was slipping back into the seat beside Xie Lian, smiling fondly as he snuggled into Hua Cheng's side. Xie Lian looked down at the drink in front of him and asked curiously “What's this?”
He had asked for something without alcohol and didn't seem to hold out hope for anything good. Maybe juice at best. Hua Cheng smiled, “It's got some iced tea, some pureed mango. Try it. No alcohol, I promise.”
Tentatively, Xie Lian took a sip, eyes going wide, “Oh my god, that's amazing.”
Hua Cheng grinned, “Only the best for gege.”
“How did you two meet?” Mu Qing asked. His voice was calm and level, but it was clear he was trying to look for inconsistencies.
They managed to get through the story of their meeting fairly easily. They'd managed to maintain the story, But it only led to more questions. Questions about Hua Cheng's job and questions of how much money he could even make in such a field. Questions of how serious he was about Xie Lian. That one was easy. He could pretend he was madly in love with this man. He was pretty sure he wasn't pretending anyway. Hua Cheng started talking about the future. They could move in together one day. Share a studio. Hua Cheng would make art and Xie Lian could clean up the antiques he found. He'd help out in the shop on the days he was able. Maybe one day, he'd be lucky enough to have an exhibit consisting of all his own work. He'd dedicate it to Xie Lian for inspiring him every day with his creativity, his kindness, and his love.
Xie Lian was staring at the table, completely red in the face by the time he'd stopped talking. Maybe Hua Cheng had gotten a little carried away.
“Where did you two go on your first date?” Shi Qingxuan asked curiously.
“Uhh,” Hua Cheng turned to Xie Lian and silently begged for an answer. They hadn't had time to discuss that. They'd shown up before Hua Cheng could ask. And he couldn't just make something up, what if it was something Xie Lian would've hated? At least if Xie Lian made it up, he could play along.
“We um, it was…” Xie Lian looked back at him just as lost. He didn't seem to work so well with his lies when he was flustered. A shame. They were about to be found out.
“We haven't really had time, we're both always working,” Hua Cheng gently squeezed Xie Lian’s hand, “But, I'd like to take him on a date. Once he's available.”
Pei Ming snorted, “There is no way you two are a couple.”
“What!?” Xie Lian and Shi Qingxuan both squeaked at the same time.
“You've never even been on a date? You seem like a hopeless romantic and Xie Lian is not that busy,” Pei Ming pointed out “Either you two aren't dating, or he's telling you he's busy and just isn't that interested in you.”
“I am serious about him,” Xie Lian protested. In his desperation to prove themselves, he tugged out his phone and showed them the picture, “See, he's even on my phone.”
“Cute,” Shi Qingxuan grinned at the picture.
Mu Qing frowned as he looked at it, “You're wearing the same clothes. Did you take this today?”
Xie Lian pursed his lips, voice going quiet as he seemed to realise he was losing them, “San Lang told me a funny joke. It was cute…”
“What's he listed under your contacts as?” Feng Xin raised an eyebrow and watched them curiously.
“San Lang,” Xie Lian replied simply. Made sense. Hua Cheng would have him as gege, too.
“Show me,” Feng Xin held out a hand expectantly, like he was waiting for Xie Lian to hand his phone over.
That really would blow their cover. He couldn't make up an entire call and message history by wishing it into existence. Hell, he hadn't even put his number in Xie Lian’s phone. He had to do something. He couldn't ruin this for Xie Lian. He couldn't leave him to a grizzly fate of dates with men who would never cherish him the way he deserved.
“Why do we have to prove ourselves to you?” Hua Cheng glared at them, “Is it really so hard to believe I'd fall for someone so perfect?”
Pei Ming snorted again and muttered, “Perfect?”
“No, it's hard to believe he'd fall for someone so… completely wrong for him,” Feng Xin frowned as he looked between them.
That one stung. He probably was completely wrong for him. Of course, he'd do everything he could to be everything Xie Lian deserved. He'd make sure Xie Lian was always happy, that he'd want for nothing. But, that didn't mean he deserved him. That didn't mean he'd be able to make him as happy as he should be. Maybe there was someone who could do it better. Hua Cheng just hated thinking about that possibility. It was fake for Xie Lian, but it felt too real for him. He needed to stop himself wanting him so much.
“It's actually pretty normal for Xie Lian to pick someone completely wrong for him,” Mu Qing chimed in, earning another smack from Feng Xin.
Hua Cheng sighed, “What will prove it to you? Other than making out,” He glanced over at Pei Ming, knowing full well that was going to be his suggestion.
“Your loss,” Pei Ming shrugged. He wasn’t wrong.
“I believe you,” Shi Qingxuan chimed in, “No one looks at anyone the way Hua Cheng looks at A-Lian without being head over heels.”
Hua Cheng hesitantly looked over at Xie Lian beside him. He was covering it well, but Hua Cheng could tell he was trying to process what she was saying. He hoped he would just believe that he was very good at acting. He hoped Xie Lian wouldn't be uncomfortable. He didn't think he'd been that obvious. But, he also couldn't help himself. When he looked at Xie Lian, he smiled. It was a reflex. He just made him happy.
“But, A-Lian needs to go on a date. He needs to experience that. He needs to find someone who would do that for him,” Shi Qingxuan frowned, seeming uneasy with the pair as she said it. Like Hua Cheng wasn't enough for Xie Lian if he couldn't offer this. She was right.
“Okay, I'll take gege on a date,” Hua Cheng felt Xie Lian freeze at his side, but didn't let him stop him, “If I take him on a date, you have to let this go. No more trying to set him up. Deal?”
Shi Qingxuan grinned, practically bouncing in her seat, “Deal.”
“Um,” Xie Lian gripped Hua Cheng's wrist. Hard. Wow, he was even stronger than he looked. Hua Cheng wasn't sure why he found that so sexy. So distracting, “Can I talk to you for a second? Alone?”
Hua Cheng smirked, “You can have me to yourself whenever you want.”
Mu Qing rolled his eyes and downed his drink as Xie Lian pushed Hua Cheng out of the booth and walked them to a secluded edge of the room. Out of earshot. Out of eyesight.
Xie Lian quickly turned back to Hua Cheng with a manic look in his eyes, “Are you crazy!?”
His hair looked so pretty when it tossed through the air like that. He looked really cute when he was flustered like this. None of these were thoughts he should be having. Xie Lian was clearly distressed. Hua Cheng tried to remain calm, hoping it would ease Xie Lian, “What? It's just a date. It'd be easier than what we're doing now, it's just the two of us.”
“No, you don't get it,” Xie Lian whined, “She'll want proof, she always wants proof.”
“We take some more pictures,” Hua Cheng raised an eyebrow, “We don't have to if you don't want to. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“You didn't,” Xie Lian assured. He reached for Hua Cheng's arm, “I just didn't expect this to go so far. I didn't want to put you through all this. I promised just a few hours.”
“I don't mind, I enjoy spending time with you. Besides, it's either a date with me or a bunch of dates with other guys,” Hua Cheng pouted, “Unless you find the idea of a date with me even less appealing.”
“No!” Xie Lian blushed as he covered his mouth with his hand. He glanced down at the floor and played with the ends of his hair again, something he always seemed to do when he was nervous, “A date with you sounds really nice. But, you've already helped me so much.”
Hua Cheng reached out and took Xie Lian's hand. He pressed a kiss against his knuckles and said, “I would be honoured to take you on your first date.”
It was a bold move. He was really starting to blur the line between fantasy and reality. Xie Lian needed him to do this to keep up with the charade. There wasn't a hint of insincerity in Hua Cheng, though. It might help sell the story, but he meant every word. He wanted to take Xie Lian on a date. He wanted to sweep him off his feet, pamper him, make him as happy as he deserved to be. It was going to hurt so much more when the other shoe dropped and Xie Lian thanked him for the help and walked out of his life forever, but Hua Cheng was in too deep now. He'd take the pain. Just for this. This moment of indulgence.
Xie Lian was still red in the face, staring at Hua Cheng like he couldn't figure out what he was doing and why he was doing it, “O-Okay. If you're sure.”