Chapter Text
Quan Yizhen was a tenacious guy.
Truly. tenacious.
The chase had lasted so long, so terribly long, that the world itself had become unrecognizable. A world swallowed by cities, saturated with noise, technology, the smell of gasoline and oil... Everything was suffocating, deafening, especially for Quan Yizhen, who, despite the years, remained a person of volatile temperament and delicate sensitivity.
It had only taken the tiniest clue, buried in the records, to drive him to a distant land.
A name...
Yin Yu
But an unknown Yin Yu on the other side of the world. A Yin Yu convinced he was untouchable.
That was exactly how Yizhen had felt all those years... Yin Yu... It felt as his Shixiong had hidden in orbit around the world, always just a little ahead, just enough to never be caught.
But this time... this time, he felt it in his bones, in his flesh: this was the one.
The coincidences were too great... Same birthdate, same mole under his left eye, as confirmed by the photo in the record: photo that he had carefully kept.
With a feverish gesture, the eternal boy shoved his noise-canceling earbuds into his ears decorated with large round loops like suns. The earbuds were Crimson Rain's idea, so that he would be less overwhelmed by the tumult of the world. Feel less. Be less overwhelmed. Be less stimulated.
But that didn't stop the pleas from coming. Those incessant prayers, never silent, even after so many years. Devotion never waned.
His own didn’t either.
This time, it's for real.
The god of the West wrapped his gigantic orange scarf around her shoulders and auburn hair, which she held for a brief moment before it escaped in all directions, as always. He adjusted his aviator glasses on his nose so they wouldn’t pinch.
Wait for me.
Quan Yizhen jumped straight into the void from paradise, passing through the clouds. He narrowly avoided an “Air Belgium” plane... as well as a flock of reckless pigeons. Rain began to fall softly on his glasses as the sky darkened.
I'm coming, Shixiong.
In a flash of dust, light, and surprised cries, Quan Yizhen landed in the middle of a small cobblestone square, at the intersection of streets that were probably noisy. Two things struck him immediately:
The sweet, warm, intoxicating smell of pastries.
A statue of a little boy urinating, right in front of him.
The crowd around him shrank back, screaming in surprise and displeasure (judging by their wide-open mouths).
But Quan Yizhen paid no attention.
He stared at the statue, pushing his glasses up onto his forehead... so strange.
Really, so many people crowded together... to see a kid pee?
The redhead slowly removed an earbud, raising an eyebrow, perplexed.
Big mistake.
The god Qi Ying was immediately overwhelmed by all the surrounding voices. A thousand languages he didn't know swirled around him…
What the heck?! This country wasn't supposed to be French-speaking...?!
Quan Yizhen had diligently learned French with Xie-shiong and Crimson Rain as soon as they discovered the location of Yin Yu's reincarnation. Yizhen would have done anything... Sitting behind a desk and studying wasn't his strength, but he had truly given it his all: all the patience and energy he was capable of, for years, had been spent studying and practicing for hundreds and hundreds of hours.His teachers had pulled their hair out, his accent was still not perfect, but he had done it! The language barrier shouldn't have been a problem!
The boy quickly put his earbud back in and made his way out of the chaos. After a frantic walk, he finally arrived in quieter, deserted streets where the young god could catch his breath and regain his senses.
Around him, the streets were still mostly cobbled, and tall gray and red buildings rose toward the sky. Tall buildings...everything is relative compared to today’s urban China, of course. The whole world had changed since his ascension…
The drizzle continued to bead on his scarf and green sweater. Thanks to Xie-xiong for this gift... The outside temperatures were rather low, but as a god, Yizhen didn't really need warm clothes. However, they were comforting and soothing in this intimidating urban jungle.
His wandering and observations continued a little longer. In reality, Quan Yizhen had no idea how or where to start searching.
But he had an address, so it shouldn't be too complicated.
Crimson Rain had suggested one of those devices that allow remote communication and location tracking, but that wasn’t really for Quan Yizhen: he didn’t understand technology much. Or rather, he didn’t really want to learn.
He would manage.
He truly believed it.
This time, it was the right one.
The smell of sweet dough tickled his nose. The God of the West had already smelled it earlier, on the square.
With his earbuds finally removed,the boy approached a shop that clearly gave off this appetizing aroma. The storefront was in French. Phew, he hadn't been mistaken...
A bit intimidated, Quan Yizhen entered the shop.
"Hello, young man! Nice sweater! What can I do for you?" asked the old lady politely from behind the counter.
"I'm looking for someone..." mumbled Quan Yizhen, fiddling with his earbuds.
"Ah... We sell waffles here, my boy, this isn’t a CIA office," joked the lady.
"I'm not looking for an office... I'm looking for someone..."
"Lovely accent! That was a joke, by the way," she clarified. "Where are you from? China? Well, that’s quite a trip! Anyway, it doesn’t hurt to try… Who are you looking for?" she asked kindly enough.
"Yin Yu… he’s eighteen," replied the god succinctly, ignoring the other questions.
"Any more blurry than that and we’ll need glasses..."
"I’ve got an address too." Quan Yizhen handed her a small piece of paper, the handwriting on it remarkably elegant.
The elderly cashier thought for a moment. "Hotel Management School? You should’ve started with that! Well, you’re in luck, it’s not far, just to the left when you go out."
“On the left... further on,” he said thoughtfully.
“That's right... A rich kid, then... What else can I do for you, young man?” she said, amused.
“Can I have a waffle...?” replied the young man in a firm voice.
“From Liège or Brussels, young man?” She seemed genuinely amused by the young man in front of her.
“Um... both...?” he replied uncertainly, unable to make up his mind.
“Excellent choice! That's the least a big guy like you deserves! I'll get that for you.”
The lady returned with two generous waffles: one rich and sticky with melted sugar, the other lighter, sprinkled with powdered sugar, white as snow.
“Here you go. Calm down, young man, you're going to make a hole in the floor... That'll be seven euros.”
Quan Yizhen, overexcited by his recent discoveries, rummaged in one of his pockets and slapped a tiny gold ingot on the counter.
“Thank you, ma'am! You can keep the change!”
He grabbed the waffles, rushed out of the shop, and turned left without looking back. He barely heard the shopkeeper's cry of surprise when she discovered the ingot on the counter. In fact, the god was already far away, the Liège waffle in his mouth, his pupils dilated by the sugar.
--------------
A tall ebony-colored metal gate blocked the campus entrance.
The interior was prestigious, with a vast garden adorned with blue hydrangeas in the courtyard. Tall Baroque-style buildings surrounded the garden: on the left, on the right, and in the back.
Next to the gate, a shiny, polished metal plaque clearly read: Haute École d'Hôtellerie de Bruxelles.
But the red brick walls and the entrance gate were high enough to prevent him from entering the secure area unnoticed...
Perhaps he could dig with the spiritual shov…
Quan Yizhen suddenly heard giggling and instinctively looked up at one of the windows of the building to the right, peering through the gate.
“Hey, you nosy little thing... Are you spying on the girls' dorm...?” The feminine voice was playful and teasing.
“Oh, look at his hair! He looks like a little lion!” Another high-pitched voice mocked, very similar to the first.
“I'm not spying on the girls!” protested Quan Yizhen, almost outraged.
“Then why are you lurking in front of the school...? I can spot a pervert when I see one!”except one wore a blue ribbon,the one speaking, and the other a green ribbon. The girls leaned out from a second-floor window, probably the dorm, and thus their room. Their long blonde curly hair fluttered in the wind as they looked down at him.
“I'm looking for someone!” defended the young god.
“I knew it, a stalker!” giggled the blondie with the green ribbon.
“Who are you looking for, Mr. Predator? We should warn her not to go out!”
The two girls almost gave each other little pats of approval as they laughed.
“I'm looking for a boy. His name is Yin Yu,” He said bluntly, without a detour.
The young ladies stopped giggling. Their faces closed. They stared at him intensely and disbelief.
Quan Yizhen shivered despite her scarf.
“You know him…?” he asked impatiently.
“Maybe...” one replied.
“What do you want with this Yin Yu...?” said the other, almost in unison.
“He's... Shixiong is my friend.”
“Shi-what...?” The young girls shrugged, looking at each other.
Another chilling silence.
“Camille... what do we do...?”
“We do nothing,” the girl with the green ribbon replied, quickly taking out her phone and typing.
“Hey! You think I can get in…?”
They replied in chorus:
“NO!”
----------------------
Quan Yizhen pouted. So close to the goal…
The redhead had an irresistible urge to smash through the gate, which might be separating him from his Shixiong, with a single kick… But apparently, public opinion said that wasn’t very polite.
He was certain they knew something. But he wouldn’t give up. Ever.
After so much time, he would see his Shixiong again, no matter the cost. And two little Belgian girls weren't going to stop him!
This was where everything would be decided from now on.
It was time to share his discoveries and consult with Crimson Rain and Xie-xiong about the best move going forward. He desperately needed their guidance to avoid making a misstep…
--------------------------
The two girls watched him walk away, frowning...
Strange. He seemed like the kind of guy who was cute… but clingy.
But everything would be fine. Yuyu had been warned now.
They could relax again at their window.
In ten minutes, classes would resume.
--------------------------
His long, narrow, cold half-breed eyes fell on his phone. The phone case, along with a small cell phone chain attached to it, bore the image of a moon... A symbol he had loved wearing for so many years.
As a lock of hair tickled his long, thin nose, passing over his large round glasses, the boy studied the notification. Why had Lucille sent him a message...? She should be in culinary class... The light from the screen illuminated his delicate face as the daylight began to fade. His pale blue, shining pupils scanned the message, and the elegant young man with two-toned hair, black and purple, felt his blood run cold.
♪“A weird guy at the gate. Don’t go back, he’s looking for you. After class. As usual.”
His impassive face barely changed upon reading the message, but inside, it was a tidal wave. The girls knew him well… and didn’t seem to know this boy at all… It wasn't him, was it...?
Wait...Him...? Who...?
This phrase passed through his mind without him really knowing why.
Standing on the sidewalk, lost in thought, time had frozen, the raindrops falling around him in slow motion.
Not ready. Still not ready...
It was a feeling embedded deep. In his heart, his veins, his spine.
His brain screamed emotions he had never known, while his blood pulsed loudly in his ears.
But what exactly are you not ready for...?
“Are you alright, young man…?”
A lady had approached and sheltered him under her umbrella. Seeing his slightly puzzled look, she added:
“You don't look well... You're very pale.”
“I'm... I'm fine... thank you,” he tried to articulate.
“Go get out of the rain before you catch a cold!”
The boy with purple hair streaks regained some composure, nodded, and thanked the lady with a slight bow of his head.
Come on, Yu, stay rational.
The young man suppressed the stress, the ancestral unease, deep within himself. The rain now trickling down his face helped him keep a clear head.
He hated that knot in his stomach. He hated the anxiety, the feeling of his shoulders being squeezed in a vice, his hands clammy in his leather gloves... but it was inscribed in him, he knew it.
He took a deep breath and recited it like a mantra:
There’s nothing.
What are you afraid of…?
You’re losing it again…
Time seemed frozen, until a notification made his hand vibrate, abruptly pulling him from his reverie.
♪ “Are you okay? Want me to notify the 👑?” This time it was Camille.
♪ “No.”
♪ “Don't worry, Yuyu! Your miladies knights will protect you!”
Yin Yu hesitated on how to respond to this statement, then his fingers resumed their nervous dance on the touchscreen.
♪ “Thanks 🌛”
--------------------------
"Above all... above all! You observe, Yizhen! It might not be him... So don't make contact too quickly! And if it is him, and he remembers, he could panic... put himself in danger. He's mortal, don't forget that."
The crown prince, beloved of the gods, tried to temper his friend's excitement, looking apologetic.
Xie Lian's appearance was soothing: a pale blue, almost vaporous sweater, long brown hair tied back, cascading over one shoulder. Sitting cross-legged on the couch, he held his cup of tea with both hands, his sleeves falling over his fingers. It wasn't cold, but he enjoyed the comfort.
“That’s why I can’t waste time, Xie-xiong!”
“Do as His Highness says... You came for his advice, didn't you?” Hua Cheng said sharply. He probably didn't appreciate the little lion contradicting his beloved god, especially when asking for help.
“I know it's hard, Yizhen... But if it's him, and I say if, don’t ruin everything you’ve built because of your impatience. Stay calm, you can do it.”
Xie Lian had become a pillar for Quan Yizhen. He had seen the young god carry the lifeless body of his beloved mentor, exhausted and breathless, silent pain etched on his face. He had witnessed his fall into hell, parallel to his own. The tears, the rage, the despair, the abandonment, when Yin Yu's soul flew away with no hope of return… Xie Lian had seen all of that. And understood it.
After the war against Jun Wu, they had been mutual supports. Gradually, the walls between them fell. Quan Yizhen wasn’t the fool the Heavens stubbornly caricatured him to be. He was a strong, immensely courageous… and loving person.
The big difference between them was that Xie Lian had found his soulmate again after a year. The Western God, on the other hand, had not. And San Lang tended to stay quiet about the subject... but he too understood the pain of having to pursued someone for hundreds of years.
During that time, Xie Lian had learned to read Yizhen, even when he didn’t understand what he himself was feeling.
Quan Yizhen was different. Awkward with his own emotions, even more so with those of others... but that’s also what made him deeply touching.
Xie Lian sincerely prayed for his friend's happiness. With all his strength. And he was ready to do anything to help him…
But without forcing Yin Yu. Especially not.
“So... what should I do?”
“Patience, Yizhen. I think I have an idea... San Lang...?” The most beautiful of the gods turned to his beloved ghost with a mischievous look.
“San Lang, can we use our influence to contact the school...?”
--------------------------
Yin Yu stood straight as an arrow behind his “fake” client, dressed in his elegant butler’s suit. A white towel rested on his arm, and he adjusted his glasses to appear more presentable.
He was troubled... Who was this person who had specifically requested that he do his internship with him...?
This premonition twisted his stomach: he was certain he knew this aura, even without seeing his face, but honestly, ghostly impressions like this were something he dealt with by the dozen every day…
The man was sitting with his back to him at the table, wearing an expensive tailor-made white suit. His long brown hair was tied back in a low ponytail. Clearly, this wasn’t just anyone.
He slightly turned his head, observing him out of the corner of his eye. He was undoubtedly studying him...
Was he going to criticize his appearance, as several jurors before him had done...? Long, dyed hair often wasn’t very well liked, nor was the eyebrow piercing… Not to mention the cold appearance that was often pointed out.
The beautiful man’s gaze landed on him, paused at the mole by his right eye, then… he smiled. Gently.
The examination began.
“What is your name?”
The man slightly turned on his chair, his voice low so as not to disturb the others. His accent was rather particular. Chinese, probably. Could it be… Maybe his father is involved...
Yin Yu didn’t move, standing straight and dignified.
“You can call me Yu, Sir. What can I do for you?”
He tried to hide the tremor of stress in his voice as a dull anxiety rose in his stomach.
“Yu, then... Hey, relax. We have plenty of time to get to know each other, right?”
Yin Yu swallowed discreetly.
“As you wish, sir.”
Xie Lian chuckled softly, a laugh as sweet as honey.
“Come on, no need for that between us! Look at me… Look at me!” he said, laughing lightly. “What do you enjoy in life, Yu?”
Yin Yu obeyed and looked into his client’s eyes. And then, like a punch to the stomach. He was sure of it: this face…
He froze, his eyes fixed on Xie Lian’s extremely delicate and beautiful features. His pupils, already narrow, had contracted to the extreme.
His examiner was studying him in return, but with infinite kindness.
The exchanged gaze lingered. For Yin Yu, it was becoming almost unbearable.
He finally broke the silence, uncomfortable.
“I... I like reading, sir. Fencing... and...” He cleared his throat, a little embarrassed. “Cats...”
“Cats...?” That was new... and incredibly cute.
Xie Lian couldn't help but chuckle again, which the butler didn't fail to notice.
“You like reading? What kind of books?”
He was clearly trying to get him to speak.
“Novels. History books. And comics… sometimes.”
He tried to keep a neutral face, but he felt his armor cracking. He might be playing for his year here. And he had never been so tested on his personal life. Should he lie…?
The man in front of him rested his chin on his hand, elbow propped on the table, and listened, a smile on his lips.
“Will you take me on a school tour?”
It was asked so kindly…
But that wasn't exactly the point of the exam, was it?
What exactly was he supposed to do…?
The young butler moved behind Xie Lian’s chair and helped him stand by carefully rotating the seat, making sure not to disturb anyone.
“If you’d kindly follow me…”
“Call me Xie Lian!” The so-called Xie Lian looked him up and down once he was standing… This too was new: he was almost the same height as San Lang! The man in the white tailor-made suit couldn’t help but remark on it.
“You're really tall!”
“Uh... yes...?” The butler felt his discomfort rise another notch. What was he supposed to say to that? He really didn’t know how to behave with such an unpredictable client. The god, sensing his unease, grabbed his arm.
“Come on, let’s go! Let’s not waste time, we have an entire building to visit!”
And he pulled him along without ceremony out of the grand exam hall, under the incredulous gaze of the professors who saw one of their students being abducted.
After a brief blind run through the glass corridors and doors leading to classrooms, Yin Yu finally managed to slow the stranger down.
“Sir...” He finally stopped, catching his breath and pulling his arm away.
“We... we know each other, don't we...?”
Xie Lian stood still for a moment. His shoulders stiffened, surprised, then slowly relaxed. When he turned, it was with an infinitely tender, divinely beautiful smile.
“I'm relieved to hear you say that, Yin Yu. Do you know where we know each other from?”
The butler could only shake his head, visibly confused.
“No, Mr. Xie...” He noticed the insistent gaze of his interlocutor and hastily corrected himself:
“Xie Lian...” A conspiratorial smile lit up the god’s face.
" I have... I have a feeling that a certain person might hit me very hard if they heard me call you by your full name..."
“It’s very possible! Good instinct. But let’s not rush, we have all the time in the world to rediscover each other.” This statement caused something in the young man. A mixture of fear… and joy. Rediscover… It was so ambiguous…
Under Xie Lian’s supervision, at a slow and serene pace, Yin Yu began to show him around. He introduced him to the gardens, some classrooms, including the more remarkable music room, and the boys’ dormitories. Always in his role as a butler, he opened and closed doors with a polite bow and provided precise and informative explanations.
They crossed paths with a few students, all smiling, but who fell silent respectfully as they passed. Two young blonde girls, with long wavy hair tied in high ponytails, appeared at the end of a corridor. Both were stunning in their black suits. Upon spotting Yin Yu, they waved vigorously, and one of them exclaimed:
“Yuyu!”
Before being abruptly interrupted by her sister, who slapped her hand over her mouth when she saw the customer. The two governesses straightened up immediately, frozen like marble statues.
“Friends of yours? Twins, no doubt...”
Xie Lian was clearly curious about his friend's new life.
“I present to you Camille, on the right, and Lucille, on the left. They’re second-year students.”
The first bowed gracefully, her little blue ribbon fluttering in the air, quickly mirrored by her sister with the green ribbon.
“Xie Lian, nice to meet you!”
The smile he gave them could have melted an army.
“Have a great exam, sir!” they exclaimed in unison before whispering, “See you later, Yuyu!”
As they walked away down the hallway, Camille couldn't help but whisper:
“So handsome...” Before getting hit sharply on the back of the head by her sister who retorted, “Shut up! And the client, I hope! Yuyu, he's as ugly as a louse.”
Which made Yin Yu snort and Xie Lian laugh.
The tour ended shortly after, back in the grand hall, the original exam location.
“Yin Yu, you make an excellent butler! If you’d like, I can ask San Lang to hire you at one of our hotel-casinos once you’re done with your studies. They’re all located by the sea, beautiful places!”
San Lang…? Why did that name sound like hard work…?
Yin Yu couldn’t help but ask him as the young man in white moved away to join the professors in charge of deliberations.
“Why would you do this for me…?”
Xie Lian answered without turning around, his voice soft yet assured:
“I’d do anything for a friend.”
--------------------------
“Congratulations on your exam, Yuyuuu!! You got the highest score! Can you believe it?! That's amazing! Come on, smile a little!!”
Camille shook her friend's arm like a tree, but he didn't seem to care much, with his two (or maybe three) heads taller than hers. They had swapped their uniforms for more casual clothes for their night out on the city.
The rain had finally stopped, leaving the cobblestones reflecting the lampposts' light like wet mirrors.
“I’m smiling, see?”
“No, you never smile! You’re always so closed off!”
The blondie pinched the corners of his mouth, forcing his lips upward. The boy ended up with two unattractive red marks… which luckily disappeared fairly quickly.
“We need to celebrate this,” said Lucille, more composed, walking on the other side of Yin Yu, her eyes distractedly glued to her phone.
“Are we going to dad’s bar?”
It wasn’t really a question. They always ended up at the girls’ father’s bar in the evening, often with a few free drinks thrown in.
“By the way, who was that charming gentleman in white...? He seemed very comfortable with you. Are you hiding your boyfriend from us...? You cheated on the exam, didn't you?”
Yin Yu missed a step and almost slipped on a wet cobblestone from the surprise attack.
“Where do you get these ideas…? You’re talking nonsense…”
The boy suddenly pretended to focus really hard on his phone.
“And the little lion, who was that…?” asked Camille, giving him a suspicious look.
“You have a real harem, you disgusting pig,” added the other girl with her usual sharp retort.
“In what world do you think I could have a harem, seriously? If I could even get the attention of the pigeon across the street…”
The tall boy seemed like a storm of feelings inside, but his exterior remained as cold as ice.
“You have terrible taste, there’s nothing we can do about it!”
The girl with the green ribbon burst into laughter so loudly that passersby on the sidewalk turned to look.
“What did that boy look like…?” Yin Yu finally gave in to curiosity.
“Ah! So you’re wondering about him too…? He looked like a big idiot with a mountain of wavy red hair… He wore an old sweater and a grandma scarf. Style-wise, not great.”
“Beyond the style, I thought he was cute, with his freckles and big surprised eyes!” added Camille, thoughtfully. “If you guys don’t want him, I’d be happy to make him my snack!”
Yin Yu and Lucille looked at her, vaguely disgusted.
“You’re going to get yourself into trouble one day, Camille…”
The boy could still hear the girls bickering, but in reality, his thoughts had already slipped elsewhere.
A boy with a lion's mane...
That description was not unfamiliar to him... And this sudden wave of anxiety, of pain, this inner tug… Everything was coming back, now, right now. In his heart. In his stomach.
He stopped without realizing it.
His hand rested on his aching temple.
Not ready...
But not ready for what, damn it...?
For whom? For what?
His pupils suddenly dilated.
A drop of sweat slid down his neck.
A shiver.
He could hear it in the distance...
His name.
“...u...”
A thousand voices at once, voices he didn’t recognize anymore.
“...Yu...”
Damn... His blackouts never lasted this long... He grimaced, raising his hand to his forehead.
“YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!”
His pupils contracted sharply into a clear sea of ice. When he snapped back to the present, he saw Lucille running toward him, screaming…
Camille had her hands over her mouth, her phone falling to the ground...
And a piercing light blinded him, coming from the left.
Yin Yu slowly turned his head...
Two headlights.
Growing bigger and bigger.
Charging straight at him.
He had stopped in the middle of the road.
The tires screeched, blending with Lucille’s shrill scream.
The world had fallen silent.
On the wet cobblestones, the vehicle couldn’t stop.
It seemed to be flying towards him.
The impact forced Yin Yu to close his eyes.
He felt himself being lifted, thrown like a ragdoll…
Then came the pain, delayed.
Something warm was flowing down the back of his head.
His ears were ringing.
I don’t want to die anymore…
His heart… screamed.
“En...”
“Zhen...”
“Yizhen...”
His lips weakly uttered the name… like an orison.
