Work Text:
1
“I have a job for you,” Vein says in place of a greeting. He is leaning on his desk, tapping his fingers on the polished wooden surface.
It’s obvious that he does. It’s not like he and Liu Xiao are close friends or anything, not that Liu Xiao hasn’t tried, so Vein wouldn’t have called him if he didn’t have a request for him.
“What is it this time?” Liu Xiao smiles with fake cordiality.
“There’s this cute boy,” Vein begins, dropping into his chair. “He works as a waiter in one of the fancy restaurants downtown.”
“What?” Liu Xiao blinks, not understanding where the conversation is going. Is Vein referring to a new target? If so, why would he talk about him like that? “Who?”
“I want him.” Vein says with conviction, ignoring Liu Xiao’s questions.
“What?” He must mean he wants him dead, right?
“I’m just talking from a business perspective, of course, he’d be perfect for the modeling agency,” Vein explains, which explains pretty much nothing.
“What modeling agency?”
“Mine.”
“You have a modeling agency?” Liu Xiao asks, because as far as he knows, Vein couldn’t care less about modeling and fashion magazines, despite his peculiar dressing style and the fierce red eyeliner he wears every day.
“I do now.”
Liu Xiao clenches his fists at the lack of clear answers and the feeling that their conversation is going nowhere, while Vein opens one of his desk drawers and pulls out a single white card.
“Enough questions. Go there and recruit him for me.” Vein offers the card to Liu Xiao. Liu Xiao stares at it suspiciously, not accepting it yet.
“What about the payment?”
“You’ll get it after Pretty Boy comes in for a job interview,” Vein replies with a shrug. “Then I’ll know you’ve done a good job, and I’ll reward you accordingly.”
Liu Xiao does not mention that Vein’s office is not the right place to conduct job interviews, but if Vein really thinks that a shady underground office is the right place to start a modeling agency, Liu Xiao won’t stop him. It will be more satisfying to tease him about his failed business venture when the time is right, anyway.
“What if he doesn’t show up for the interview?” Liu Xiao asks.
“Oh, he’ll come, don’t worry.”
“How do you know?”
“You really like asking questions today, don’t you?” Vein throws the card on the desk, crosses his arms, and leans back in his chair. “He’s a broke international student, constantly looking for part-time jobs, and lately he’s been visiting several modeling agencies. There’s no way he’s going to refuse my offer.”
Liu Xiao picks up the card, expecting it to contain the so-called pretty boy’s details, but it only has the address of a restaurant written in Vein’s elegant script. The crazy bastard didn’t include any information about the guy he seems so eager to find.
“Aren’t you missing something?”
“No. Now get out of my sight.” Vein waves his hand dismissively.
Liu Xiao remains rooted to the spot. “How will I know who I’m supposed to find without even a name?”
“Oh, you’ll know.” Vein smiles, showing all his teeth. “He looks delicious.”
Liu Xiao has no interest in knowing what he means. In fact, he could have lived a nice and fulfilling life without hearing those words coming out from Vein’s lips.
“Consider it done.” Liu Xiao accepts the job and turns to leave. He is not sure if he’ll get paid, but it’s not like he needs the money anyway.
If anything, the possibility of Vein owning him a favor is something he can’t let pass.
2
Liu Xiao doesn’t know what he expected when he opened the door and walked into Vein’s office, but he certainly didn’t expect to find Vein staring intently at the screens in front of him, both showing Xia Fei working on a photo shoot.
To Liu Xiao’s surprise, the pretty boy showed up at Vein’s shady office one day and left with a work contract, and the promise of his first modeling gig in a couple of weeks. Vein had barely enough time to learn the basics of modeling, hire the staff he needed to keep the agency running, and threaten the editor of a local fashion magazine into agreeing to work with them on their next issue.
However, he was too busy to attend the actual interview, so Liu Xiao had to pretend to know how to conduct a job interview in order to hire the guy.
At least he received his rightful compensation. More money than he expected for going to a restaurant, dining, and pretending to be a talent scout.
Vein has spared no expense on this little project of his and so far he hasn’t got bored of it, which is also unexpected. In fact, his little modeling agency has grown until it’s not so little anymore and now they’re getting real offers to collaborate with brands and magazines, and there’s also the fact that Vein has started to use the modeling agency as a means to launder money, but no one has to know about it.
“Having fun?” Liu Xiao asks in a teasing tone, leaning a bit closer to get a better look at the screens.
“Just making sure he gets the job done,” Vein replies nonchalantly. “He looks perfect in all the shots, don’t you think?”
“That’s usually what happens when you put someone attractive in front of a camera.”
Vein hums in agreement.
“I’m surprised you haven’t gotten bored of him yet,” Liu Xiao comments, sitting down on an empty chair on the other side of Vein’s desk. Unlike him, Liu Xiao is not interested in staring at Xia Fei. “It’s been a few months.”
A few months too long for Vein to keep a simple whim around.
“He’s amusing.” Vein shrugs, his eyes traveling back to the screen for a moment.
Xia Fei has shifted to a new pose, pushing his bangs back as he looks into the camera with a bright smile. He is charming, Liu Xiao can admit that, but he is not sure if he could describe him as very entertaining, tasty or delectable as Vein often does.
“I was talking to Felix the other day,” Vein starts after a while, unprompted. “He’s an engineering student with an interest in physics. What kind of person likes physics?”
Liu Xiao frowns. “Someone crazy for sure.”
“Then he’ll fit in here perfectly.” Vein chuckles.
Liu Xiao wonders how long Vein will keep up his ruse. He hasn’t expressed any professional or personal interest in other models or the fashion industry, and he can start another business in a more familiar field to keep the money laundering going if he wants to, so it doesn’t make much sense for him to stick to his modest modeling agency.
“He likes films too,” Vein continues. “He sent me a short list of recommendations the other day and told me to watch them as soon as possible.”
Liu Xiao raises an eyebrow. No one tells Vein what to do and gets to keep all their fingers intact, even if the request is as innocuous as telling him to watch some films.
“Are you going to watch them?” Liu Xiao asks, since Vein has not yet complained about the absurdity of the list.
“I have a huge flat screen at home that I rarely use,” Vein replies without missing a beat, and Liu Xiao finally understands.
Xia Fei is more than a disposable whim to Vein. He actually likes Xia Fei to a certain extent, even if Vein will never admit it openly.
“Anyway, here are the bank records you requested.” Liu Xiao offers Vein a plain yellow envelope.
Vein accepts the envelope and shoves it into a drawer, not even bothering to take a quick glance at the documents he so desperately wanted last week. Normally, Vein would also ask for a detailed description of how Liu Xiao made his target squirm and beg until he got the files, but this time he doesn’t bother with any questions. Liu Xiao supposes he is too busy making sure Xia Fei is a good worker, or whatever he wants to call it.
“I’ll leave now,” Liu Xiao stands up, not interested in wasting any more time.
“Close the door on your way out,” Vein tells him and Liu Xiao smiles before slamming the door behind him.
3
Liu Xiao grimaces when a few droplets of blood reach his shoes. He shouldn’t have worn the designer oxfords tonight, just like he shouldn’t have abandoned his poker game after receiving Vein’s call. He was on the verge of winning too.
The guy lying at his feet had the misfortune of getting on Vein’s bad side and now has a bullet in his brain and a few more in his chest that were not really necessary, but to each their own.
“He was so pathetic,” Vein mumbles, taking a last drag on his cigarette before crushing it under his shoe. “He thought he could steal from me without me noticing.”
Liu Xiao hums noncommittally. He is exceptionally good at intimidating men even with a smile on his face, and Vein clearly wanted the guy’s last minutes to be miserable before he made his dramatic entrance. So, when the guy was begging for forgiveness, Vein walked up to them, raised his gun, and laughed as the guy screamed in horror. The rest is pretty self-explanatory.
Vein leaves a handful of henchmen to clean up his mess before anyone notices the body and unsurprisingly follows Liu Xiao to his car. They’re in the middle of the night on the lonely outskirts of the city, so it is clear he needs a ride home.
Liu Xiao doesn’t care too much. He only wants to go home, clean his shoes and finish the novel he started last week. Dropping Vein off somewhere on the way to his apartment is not difficult.
They both get into the car, Liu Xiao like a normal person, and Vein clenching his fists, still furious about the ordeal. At least they are both good at ignoring the uncomfortable silence that envelops them as Liu Xiao drives off.
It doesn’t take long for Vein’s phone to ring. Liu Xiao glances at him when they stop at a red light, while Vein takes his phone out of his pocket, muttering curses.
“Now fucking what?” The way Vein’s face relaxes as he looks at the screen is too obvious for Liu Xiao to ignore. It’s also too funny how an uncharacteristic fondness that seems out of place on Vein’s face, replaces the frown that has marred his face since they met earlier.
Liu Xiao doesn’t need superpowers to know that Vein’s heart is beating a little faster with excitement in his chest, but he can still hear those quick staccato beats as he answers the call.
“Felix,” Vein says. “I wasn’t expecting a call from you tonight…” A pause. “No, I’m not busy, go on.”
Liu Xiao presses his lips into a thin line. He once called Vein, spontaneously and without any important reason, and Vein blocked his number for a whole week until Liu Xiao promised not to do it again, something Vein doesn’t seem to mind when Xia Fei is the one calling.
That’s fine. It’s not like Liu Xiao cares about what they have while he has no one to call a friend in Bridon. He should get in touch with his old childhood friend one of these days, so no one would dare to call him friendless.
“So, you just left the studio?” Vein asks. “It’s late.”
Liu Xiao focuses on the road, catching bits and pieces of their conversation, mostly from Vein’s side, though it’s pretty obvious that Xia Fei is the one doing most of the talking about his day, while Vein hums and gives short answers.
“Stay there. I’ll meet you in five.” Vein ends the call and looks at Liu Xiao. “Drive me to the studio instead.”
“I’m not your driver,” Liu Xiao replies through gritted teeth, but turns left to head to the studio where most of Xia Fei’s photo shoots take place. At least they’re not far away now.
“In exchange, I’ll get someone to do the job we talked about the other day.”
Liu Xiao suspects that Vein will suggest Xia Fei as the perfect person for the job.
“How’s Felix?” Liu Xiao asks because if they’re going to talk about the guy indirectly, they might as well do it directly.
“Busy with work and school.”
“I see.”
“His birthday is in a few weeks,” Vein says. “He’ll be 22.”
“Okay.” Vein has never asked about Liu Xiao’s birthday, and as far as Liu Xiao knows, Vein doesn’t even know his age.
“I thought about surprising him with a party, but I think he’d appreciate some paid vacations more,” Vein explains.
“I didn’t expect you to be so nice to him.” Liu Xiao stops the car in a free space in front of the studio.
“His pretty face brings in good money,” Vein inspects his clothes, buttoning up his coat when he notices some suspicious reddish splotches on his white shirt. “Besides, you know what they say, one man’s doting boss is another man’s murderer.”
“Nobody says that.”
Vein laughs and opens the car door to get out. Liu Xiao sees him cross the street and join Xia Fei, who is standing outside the studio with his hands in his pockets. Xia Fei’s smile is so bright it shines in the middle of the poorly lit area when he notices his boss.
Liu Xiao doesn’t fail to notice how their shoulders brush as they walk down the deserted street together, and how Vein pulls Xia Fei closer to him at the waist, wrapping his arm possessively around his torso.
Doting boss, huh? More like doting boyfriend.
1
Just as Liu Xiao expected, Vein offers the job to Xia Fei because, according to him, Xia Fei has the perfect charm to excel as a spy. Liu Xiao is not sure about that, but it’s not like he has any other candidates to fill the role.
“Sooo, all I have to do is follow a guy around to know what he’s up to?” Xia Fei asks, staring at the cakes between them with interest, but not moving to take one. They are in a cute teahouse, a tourist trap with little, expensive pastries that Liu Xiao has unfortunately grown to like.
“Yes, and you must report everything he does or says to me,” Liu Xiao confirms. “If you do a good job, I’ll pay you well.”
“How well?”
Liu Xiao takes a napkin, scribbles down an amount that Xia Fei wouldn’t refuse and hands it to him. As expected, Xia Fei’s eyes widen as he stares at the sum before he clears his throat.
“I’ll do it. At least it doesn’t sound like a difficult job.” Xia Fei finally picks up a small lemon cake. “But it’d be easier if you had a picture of the guy.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll update you about his whereabouts, so keep your phone with you at all times.”
“I can’t answer the phone when I’m working, though.”
“Just make sure you answer my calls when you can.” Liu Xiao sighs.
“You sound even more overbearing than my boss, you know?” Xia Fei says with a hint of irritation in his voice.
“I’m sure I’m not as annoying as he is.” Liu Xiao forces a smile.
“I wouldn’t call him annoying, but he’s always telling me to replace my favorite snacks with healthier substitutes, to exercise regularly, and to sleep at least 8 hours every night so that I don’t look like a corpse in the photo shoots.”
Liu Xiao takes a sip of his tea, not mentioning that Xia Fei is doing Vein no favors by talking about him like that. If anything, Liu Xiao now finds Vein even more bothersome than before.
“But he’s still amazing,” Xia Fei continues with a broad smile. A rosy glow spreads all across his face as his heart begins to beat a little faster. “Always so reliable and kind.”
Now, Liu Xiao would use many words to describe Vein, such as insane, weird, and unforgiving, but he could never call him kind. To describe him as such would be an oxymoron, and yet Xia Fei wholeheartedly supports his overbearing boss as he munches on his cake with a dreamy expression on his face.
Suddenly, a terrible realization hits Liu Xiao. Not a completely unexpected one, considering what he had to witness the other day, but it is still a little shocking to find out that someone as concerned with maintaining his good reputation as Xia Fei, is into Vein.
“Are you sleeping with your boss?” Liu Xiao asks. It’s not his style to ask questions so crudely, but he suspects it’s the best way to get an honest answer out of Xia Fei.
The sound of Xia Fei’s heart pounding like a frightened little animal is jarring to Liu Xiao’s ears and all the confirmation he needs. This explains why they are so fond of each other in their own way, but Liu Xiao still hoped to be wrong in his assumption for his own sake.
“What? No!” Xia Fei exclaims, choking on his cake, causing him to swallow his scalding tea in one long gulp. “That’d be—that’d be very unprofessional!”
The awkward laughter that follows doesn’t help his case.
“Right.”
“Our relationship is strictly professional!” Xia Fei raises his voice even more. “The rumors are only rumors!”
Vein is right, Xia Fei is a very amusing man. Liu Xiao is sure that Vein means it in a different, affectionate way, but it’s certainly fun to tease the guy, and since it’s Liu Xiao’s pastime to make men have a terrible time, he can’t help but ask, “What rumors?”
Xia Fei shrieks. “There are no rumors, just other models being mean!”
“Right.”
“It’s true! Boss fired them!” Vein wouldn’t have fired them if they had been mean to anyone else, but okay, whatever helps Xia Fei sleep in Vein’s arms at night.
The rest of the customers are watching them now, and Liu Xiao doesn’t really appreciate the unwanted attention.
“I was playing with you, I believe you,” Liu Xiao lies.
Xia Fei’s shoulders relax, but he keeps his guard up and eyes him with apprehension.
“When do I start work?” he asks, clearly desperate to change the subject, reaching for another lemon cake.
“As soon as his plane lands.” Liu Xiao shows him the boarding pass on his phone. “I’ll call you when it’s time.”
“Sure,” Xia Fei mumbles. “Looking forward to it.”
“Likewise.” Liu Xiao smiles. He is in a good mood, so he ignores the clear sarcasm in Xia Fei’s tone and takes another sip of tea.
He can hardly wait for the game to begin.